Waited For You

Chapter 43

{ The Present } :-

Three days later—
The plan actually happened.
No cancellations. No “urgent work.” No excuses.
A full day.
Just them.

—

Nihanshi and Advik walked in together first—already bickering about something minor.
“I told you we were late,” Nihanshi said.
“We are fashionably late,” Advik corrected.
“You are. I am not.”

—

A few seconds later—
Sanchi and Atharv arrived together.
She was talking, he was listening, occasionally nodding, occasionally smiling like he already knew where this was going.
The moment the two pairs spotted each other—
“FINALLY!” Nihanshi said.
Sanchi hugged her immediately. “I missed you.”
“Same.”
Advik looked at Atharv. “Ready?”
“No,” Atharv replied honestly.
“Good,” Advik grinned.

First stop—food.
Because priorities.
They ordered too much.
Obviously.
Shared fries, stole bites, argued over who ordered the most tasteless food.
Advik pointed at Sanchi. “You said you’re not hungry.”
“I’m not. This are just snacks.”
“Valid,” Nihanshi supported.
Atharv quietly slid his plate a little closer to Sanchi.
She noticed and took a bite.

Then—game zone.
And instantly—
Competition mode.
“Bowling,” Advik announced.
“Done,” Sanchi said.
“Sanchi is in my team,” Atharv declared.
“Whipped,” Nihanshi said shaking her head.

Bowling results?
Sanchi—confident but missed easy shots.
Nihanshi—surprisingly good.
Advik—celebrated everything, even misses.
Atharv—quietly winning.
“Cheater,” Sanchi said.
“I didn’t even speak,” he replied.
“Exactly.”

Arcade games after that—
Basketball hoops.
Racing.
One shooting game where Advik claimed, “I have natural aim.”
He didn’t.
Nihanshi beat him.
“Damn Anshi,” she said.
Atharv leaned slightly towards Sanchi, whispering, “She gets it from constantly aiming products to punish Advik.”
She giggled.

By evening—
They were tired.
Hungry again.
And ready for the last plan—
Movie.

Standing outside the theatre—
Sanchi looked at the board. “Okay… which movie are we watching?”
Nihanshi answered instantly, way too casually—
“Ramaiya Vastavaiya.”
Sanchi froze.
Then slowly turned her head… towards Atharv.
He looked anywhere but at her.
Nihanshi crossed her arms, smirking. “He literally begged me to book only this movie.”
Sanchi’s eyebrows shot up. “Begged?”
“I did not beg,” Atharv said quickly.
“You emotionally insisted,” Nihanshi corrected.
Advik added, “Whipped.”
“Both the husband and wife have the same vocabulary,” he said, shaking his head.

Inside the theatre—
Popcorn. Drinks. Seats taken.
Lights dimmed.

Halfway through—
Sanchi leaned slightly towards him. “You really wanted to watch this?”
“It’s nostalgic,” he whispered.
She smiled softly. “Cute ho tum.”
“Movie dekho.”
But he didn’t move away.

On the other side—
Advik leaned towards Nihanshi. “You don’t make me watch movies like this.”
She didn’t even look at him. “Because you don’t beg like him.”
“I can beg.”
“Don’t.”

At one emotional scene—
Sanchi glanced at Atharv.
He was watching quietly, expression soft.
This time—
She didn’t tease him.
Just slipped her hand into his.
He held it.
Naturally.

After the movie—
“Good choice,” Sanchi said.
Nihanshi grinned. “I know.”
Advik added, “Still think he’s whipped.”
“Khane chalo,” Atharv replied.