Starlite Affair

2.The Revelations

VIAAN'S POV

5 AM: The Dawn of Chaos

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The alarm screamed at me like it had a personal vendetta. Not that it mattered-I was already awake. Insomnia had done its usual magic, and I'd been tossing and turning for hours before giving up entirely.

"You win, stupid brain," I muttered, throwing the blanket off me. "Let's face the day."

I got dressed for the gym, though the effort felt pointless. My three hours of sleep had left me feeling like a zombie on autopilot. As I headed out, I muttered to myself, "Why do I even bother? It's not like I'll ever have abs like those Instagram fitness guys."
Says the person who already has those six packs abs every wants
My sub conscious mocked.

But what greeted me in the gym nearly made me question reality.

There she was

AVIKA

Yes, my precious little sister, the self-proclaimed queen of sleep and laziness, was lifting dumbbells at 5 in the morning. For a second, I thought I might still be dreaming.

I walked up to her, and without a second thought, pinched her arm.

"Ouch!" she yelped, glaring at me.

"Are you out of your mind? Who pinches someone in the middle of a workout?"

"Just checking if you're real," I said with a smirk. "What are you doing here at this ungodly hour? You, of all people, sacrificing sleep for a workout? That doesn't add up."

"Ugh, can't I have the right to stay fit? Why is it such a big deal to you?" she snapped, rolling her eyes. "Can't you just let me work out in peace?"

"Fine," I said, holding up my hands in surrender. "But don't think I'm buying this whole fitness thing."

Leaving her to her dubious attempt at staying fit, I got back to my routine. By the time I was done, it was 7 AM, and I was starving.

After a quick shower, I made my way to the living room, only to find Dadi chatting with my P.A., Rahul.

"What's going on here?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Rahul, why are you at my house this early? Did Dadi kidnap you or something?"

"Don't be dramatic," Dadi said, waving me over. "I called him here. We have important matters to discuss."

"What matters?" I asked, taking a seat next to her.

Dadi handed me a file. "Rahul brought this for you to review. Also, I've cleared your schedule for today because you're coming with me to your uncle's house for a pooja."

"Wait, what?" I asked, blinking. "Why do I have to go?"

"Because your dad can't, and Avika has work," she said firmly. "So you're my only option. It's an order."

I groaned dramatically. "Fine, aapka hukum mere sar aankhon pe."

Dadi chuckled, patting my cheek. "Good boy. Now, let's have breakfast."

The "breakfast" turned out to be a plate of parathas dripping with butter.

"Dadi, this much butter? Gaya mera workout pani mein," I complained.

"Eat, beta," she said, ignoring my protests. "You need strength to survive today's pooja."

By 8:30, we were on our way to Uncle's house. The pooja was exactly what I'd expected-long, loud, and filled with relatives I didn't recognize.

"Beta, aapki shaadi kab hai?" an aunty asked me for the third time.

I gave her a polite smile. "Dadi se pooch lijiye. Decision unka hai."