Dil Jaanta Hai | ✔

six

||CHAPTER 6||
《¤》

"And this fur?" The curvy, fat lady sitting next to me pointed at her stroll. "This is from Italy. My husband got it last week."

Resting my forehead on my thumb and forefinger, I gave her my not-really-interested smile.

"This fur isn't made by torturing animals though, you know. My husband had made his ideals very clear when he started his brand: No animal to be harmed."

She was already taking up too much space on the two-seater. I didn't need her to impress me to deal with her company. This was why I hated such parties.

"Well, that's really nice, Mrs. Nair. Lovely spending some time with you. I think my father is calling me, excuse me," I excused myself.

"Arvu!" Jolly bua stepped in front of me before I could escape into the kitchen. "Where are you going? You couldn't have possibly met everyone already!"

Under the dimmed lights, I skimmed through the crowded living room. "Bua, I don't even know half of them. And all they want to do is explain to me their company policies, and I'm just sixteen!"

"That's a pretty good age to start interning, Arvu. Fix your connections right now."

"Bua, really? Mujhe laga tha ye party mere liye hai?"

Jolly bua grabbed a glass of champagne from the tray of a passing waiter. "Look, I know ki tumhe ye parties nahi pasand, but you need to create an impression. Arnav told me you're not exactly loving it back here, but being your lovely bua, I really care for you."

"But bua–"

"–Arvika, listen to me. I'm asking you to do things I regret not doing when I was your age. You'll understand when you're a little older, but it's a man's world and if you don't buckle up now, it will remain so. Don't make me say the words. You're smarter than that."

Her implications were of deeper impact. "Mujhe pyaas lagi hai. I'll be back," I answered, ending the conversation there itself. Dodging past different people, I entered the kitchen hoping it would be empty, only to find Vansh and Karan inside.

"What are you doing here?" I eyed them, opening the fridge door.

"Auditioning for a dance competition," Karan retorted sarcastically, shoving some Pringles into his mouth.

"I don't think the starters being served out there are so inedible," I pointed out, snatching the tub out of his hands. "Ye Arnav ke hai!" 

"That is why I'm stealing his!" He snatched it back.

"His mother is a celebrity dietician," Vansh offered an explanation.

With curious eyes, I watched Vansh playing on his phone and Karan stuffing his mouth with unhealthy snacks, "In that case..." I opened up the larder on my right, "Have them all. Arnav ka secret stash hai. He doesn't know that I know about it, so mere khilaaf complain kiya bhi tho dekhlena." (This is Arnav's secret stash. He doesn't know that I know about it so if you even think of tattling about me... watch out.)

Awestruck, he followed the rows of junk food stored inside the larder. He picked up two more cans of Pringles and thanked me. "I surely wouldn't want to be on your bad side. Ever."

"It's Arnav you should be worrying about," I reminded him.

"As long as the secret of Pringles disappearing to Narnia stays between you and me, I'm gonna be chill. I'm going to the store room. You guys coming?" Karan winked in return, before walking out of the kitchen.

Vansh declined the offer and I shook my head, grabbing a water bottle as he left.

Uncapping the bottle in my hand, I poured it into a glass on the counter where Vansh was sitting. "So how was it with your step-daddy?"