A slap landed on his cheekbone, "HOW DARE YOU TOUCH AISHA."
I kicked him in the shin, sending him sprawling to the ground. "MY AISHA."
He whimpered, struggling to rise. I delivered a harsh kick to his back, eliciting a chorus of grunts.
"YOU THINK...
The air lingered with puzzlement, and the conversations taking place on the table blended into the background almost instantly. I shared glances with the two equally confused souls, Kabir and Mahi who had overheard most of what Aditi said.
Aditi's brief, unexpected call left me thinking about its randomness. This girl was planning on painting the hotel red with blood...
Whose blood?
And why?
Though I was feeling similarly the previous day due to certain someone, her call on the other hand, was extremely out of context.
While I was attempting to figure out the puzzle, moving figures caught my eye from the other end, drawing my attention to the half-transparent windows that gave a view of the hotel lobby.
I caught a glimpse of a brunette and a man through the tall white curtains, and my mouth fell open in surprise.
Oh my god...
Is that Aditi?
Without hesitation, I sprinted out the balcony to the door that lead me out, and the two trailed behind.
I was glad the guests were occupied with themselves and hadn't noticed how messy it had gotten in the last few minutes. Not only did I drop wine on Zeeshan, but also got a threatening call that got me to fly from my spot.
I lifted my eyes from the marble tiles beneath my feet and saw the two figures more clearly now. I was right!
It was Aditi...in Udaipur!!
"Aisha," Aditi said, the scowl on her lips replaced by a smile. "Congratulations, you saved this hotel from being burned down to ashes." She uttered in sarcasm, grabbing my hand to shake it.
Furrowing my brows together, I shifted my gaze from her to the very agitated man who sighed at the statement. The tall man with hazel eyes and brown hair stood before me, drowning inside the grey blazer that was at least a size too big for him, wearing matching pants, and hair messy with drops of sweat trickling down his forehead.
"Yuvi, what happened?" Kabir asked, addressing the boy. He ambled toward him, closing the door behind us to avoid attracting any unnecessary attention.
"I will tell you, Kabir." Aditi interrupted before the boy could speak. "I came traveling from Jaipur in trains and buses only to surprise Aisha...but this guy right here–" She pointed at him. "– ruined my plan. He refused to let me in the dining hall and has been arguing with me for the last ten minutes."
Kabir arched his brow, demanding an explanation. "Yuvi, may I ask why?"
"I was instructed by bhai to restrict entry to only Mehras, Maliks, and their relatives. I can't allow just anyone in claiming to know you, especially after a recent incident where I got scolded by bhai for a similar mistake," He explained quietly, the frustration evident on Aditi's face.
Curious, I asked, "Who's your brother?"
"What's happening here?" Before I could get an answer, a voice interrupted us as the door swung open. Zeeshan, with a stained shirt and a handful of tissues, approached, avoiding eye contact, as he headed toward Kabir and Yuvi.
"Bhai!" Yuvi exclaimed.
Oh...my...god!
It should have been obvious from the start. Trouble seems to run in the Oberoi family.
Are these two on a mission to irritate our dynamic best-friend duo, Aditi and me?
"Nothing serious Zeeshan," Mahi said with a reassuring nod. "It just seems to be a misunderstanding between Yuvi and our friend, Aditi."
"Nothing serious?" Aditi yelled, scoffing at her. "Mahi, I just told you I came traveling in trains and buses. Do you know how tired I am? And I had to deal with this man who wouldn't let me in. I kept telling him that I know the bride and the groom and that Aisha is my best–"
"Miss Aditi," Zeeshan interrupted her rant, his voice soft and gentle. Can he be more fake? "I apologize on my brother's behalf, his intentions weren't to bother you but to maintain security. Please don't mind and enjoy the rest of the dinner party."
Aditi let out a sigh, flipping her ponytail as she nodded at him. Glancing at Yuvi, who was nearly hiding behind Kabir, she muttered a series of curses under her breath, leaving the rest in astonishment – a reaction that I was used to.
She proceeded into the hall, and I followed, with Mahi and Kabir beside me. My task now was to calm her down before her frustration erupted on someone.
THIRD PERSON POV
"What the hell Yuvi! Why didn't you let her in?" Zeeshan asked, frustrated with his younger brother.
"Bhai, app kitne bade hypocrite ho." (Bro, you are such a big hypocrite) Yuvi stated, shaking his head in disbelief. "You asked me not to let anyone inside. Do you not remember what happened last time?"
A few weeks ago, an important business dinner was taking place with some foreign clients when it was interrupted by two guests who weren't aware of it and were permitted to enter by a very oblivious Yuvi. Due to lack of professionalism, he got yelled at by Zeeshan. Since then, even though he isn't very interested in the hotel and its management, Yuvi tries to be strict with security measures.
It had been a few years since he completed college, and since then, he had been doing almost nothing. Irritated by his behaviour, Zeeshan insisted that the boy accompany him to the hotel. While trying to make decisions he believed were correct, he often made mistakes that got him in trouble.
"Yeah, but she told you she knows Mahi, the bride, and Aisha, the bride's sister, right? You could have just called me instead of misbehaving with her."
Rolling his eyes, Yuvi folded his arms above his chest. "I did call you...but it looks like you were busy playing Holi."
Zeeshan glanced down at his stained shirt, remembering the incident that took place on the balcony in response to his brother's remark.
"Bhai wine se kon khelta hai wese? (Bro, who plays with wine?) Even though Holi is months away, I could have still arranged colors for you to play with, but you-"
Zeeshan's glare was enough for the younger one to cut himself off before he could finish his sentence. He was extremely upset and irritated. Because of Aisha, he was standing in his hotel wearing a shirt that wasn't originally red and yelling at his brother.
"I don't have time for your childishness, I am going to change these clothes before a staff member spots me. And please, you should change too. Buy yourself some blazers that are your size and aren't stolen from my closet...seriously Yuvi, you lack professionalism." Zeeshan stated. Instead of waiting for a response, he headed in the opposite direction, leaving a confused Yuvi by the dining hall's entrance.
"Khud ki shirt pai wine giri hai aur mujhe keh rahe hai "lack of professionalism"...jab dekho mere peeche padhe rete hai." (His shirt is stained with wine, and he has the audacity to say that I lack professionalism...he is always after me.) The boy muttered to himself, cursing his fate.
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And here you go with another chapter. 🤗 I hope you guys like it!!
