The Rathore's Family

Sawaal Jawaab

She cleared her throat softly and said, "I'll just get some water," before standing up and heading towards the kitchen.

Advait, who had been watching her intently, smirked as he followed her movements. "Finally, madam succeeded in her little mission," he thought to himself, amused.

It took her so long to even start talking to me, and now she’s back to her usual tricks—finding excuses to disappear when I’m around. His thoughts trailed off, his irritation bubbling beneath the surface.

"Advait! Advait!" Sagun’s voice broke through his reverie, snapping him back to the present.

He blinked, realizing they were all staring at him. "What?" he asked, trying to cover his distraction.

"So, you didn’t listen to anything we were saying, did you?" Sagun asked, folding her arms.

"No… No, I did," he lied, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"Then tell me, what did Aunty say?" Sagun's gaze turned toward his mother, challenging him.

He looked at his mother, struggling to remember the conversation. Sagun's eyes narrowed. "See, everyone, he’s sitting right here but hasn’t heard a single word we’ve been saying."

"Cut the nonsense," Advait snapped, growing defensive.

Vihaan chuckled, his teasing voice adding fuel to the fire. "Oh, Bhaiya, you're caught now! Stop pretending."

"Shut up!" Advait growled, pushing his chair back with a sharp movement. "I’m done. Sitting here with you all is a waste of time." He stood abruptly, his frustration boiling over, and went out of the room with a slight smile on his lips.

“Aunty, I should get going now,” Sagun said, standing up and adjusting her dress.

“Why? You should stay a little longer,” Riddhima replied, hoping to keep her around.

“No, I’ll stay some other day for sure,” Sagun said with a warm smile.

Before she could take another step, Vihaan jumped in with his usual teasing. “Oh, let her go, Chachi. Her boyfriend probably texted her.”

A blush crept onto Sagun’s face, one she tried hard to hide. “Of course you always know everything, don’t you?” She shot back, playfully rolling her eyes. In response, Vihaan smugly dusted off his collar, as if to say, I’m the expert here.

Sagun laughed it off, quickly hugged everyone, and made her way out. She had always shared a close bond with the family, having visited since childhood. That’s why Dadi had once planned to marry her off to Advait, but Sagun already had someone else in her heart. She had never seen Advait as more than a good friend and viewed his family as her own. Her love for her boyfriend was deep, and she remained true to him.

……………………..

It was 10 p.m., and Drishti lay on the sofa, her usual spot—the one Advait had been trying to get her to change for some time now, but she consistently avoided all his offers. Tonight, she was watching a drama on her phone, trying to immerse herself in the story, but the sound of the door opening snapped her out of it. Quickly, she placed her phone on the table and pretended to be fast asleep.

Advait entered the room, immediately noticing her phone on the table, the screen still glowing faintly, a sign she had just put it down. He smirked to himself, seeing right through her act, and turned to lock the door behind him.

"Drishti," he called her name, fully aware that she was upset with him and pretending to be asleep. He knew her too well.

As expected, there was no response. Of course, how could she answer? She was “asleep,” after all.