The year was 2008; the month of December; the thirteenth.
13 is supposed to be an unlucky number... and at that moment Rohit Sharma would agree.
He had just been woken up from his afternoon nap by a rude phone call by Yuvi paaji, who barked, "Don't tell me you were still sleeping!"
"Of...of course not," yawned Rohit.
"Don't you try lying to me," scolded Yuvi. "Get up right now. The shoot is about to start and me and Irfan arrived half an hour ago, and you're sleeping in your room!!
"I thought the shoot got cancelled!" said Rohit.
"No it didn't, I'm here, we're all here, and waiting for your highness to put in an appearan..."
"I'm coming, bhaiya, I'm coming," said Rohit hastily, cutting the call to escape a Yuvi paaji rant.
Half an hour and several missed calls later, Rohit stepped into the shooting room, as usual feeling awed at the props, the elegantly dressed people, the lights and the bustle; so different from his life in Borivali with his grandparents, school and inter-school matches.
His feeling of awe of mingled with a hint of uncertainty, it was only his second shoot after all.
"There you are," said Yuvi, glaring at him.
Rohit mumbled something.
"Sit down, we've been told to wait," said Yuvi.
"But you said the shoot is about to start half an hour ago!" protested Rohit.
"Humph."
"You came before time and you brought me before time too," grumbled Rohit.
"Don't try to be too smart, Rohu," said Yuvi.
"I'm surprised you're not late," said Rohit, trying to get back at his elder brother for calling him 'Rohu'. "Because you're always late!"
A girl sitting beside Yuvi paaji, whom Rohit had not noticed till then, laughed. "He got you!" she said, sounding unethically delighted.
Rohit took a good look at her. The first thing he noticed was that she had beautiful brown hair and really warm eyes.
Yuvi immediately grabbed the opportunity, his eyes lighting up.
"Don't you dare look at her," he told Rohit menacingly. "Ritika's my sister, and you don't mess with my sister ok?"
Rohit scowled and looked away from Ritika, but not before he caught her rolling her eyes.
Like why would he look at Ritika anyway? Who was she? Rohit's scowl deepened.
Yuvi threw an arm around Rohit's shoulder. "Let's go outside for a candy floss."
"Can we please not go?" tried Rohit hopefully.
Yuvi paaji knew Rohit hated candy floss, and they both also knew that there was no way Rohit would be about to take a stand against his elder brother.
(Read: His extremely domineering elder brother.)
"You're coming with me," ordered Yuvi, and he proceeded to drag him out.
Rohit glanced back at Ritika, who was shaking her head and grinning. She had a nice smile.
Rohit smiled back before he remembered what Yuvi paaji had just said. As if any sister of his is bound to be someone to look at!
And so he turned away at once, and allowed himself to be dragged away.
YOU ARE READING
YOU BEFORE ME
Fanfiction"We're best friends, Virat, we-" said Rohit. "You mean we WERE," snarled Virat. Because best friends do fall in love with the same person sometimes. But if the friendship is strong enough, it WILL survive.
