"Hum dil de chuke sanam"

The masquerade party

Sanskar opened the gate of Malhotra's Mansion entering in its huge garden. He saw Karan there, roaming near the inground pool while attending a call, but both the brothers avoided each other's gazes. Contrarily, Akshey, who was lying shirtless on a floating lounger in the water, waved at Sanskar as soon as he saw him. Sanskar waved back and walked to the poolside.

Akshey: "So how is the new hostel cleaner of our university doing?" – He asked after setting the sunglasses he was wearing on his head.

Sanskar faked a laughter: "Ha ha ha, very funny!" – He crouched down – "For your kind information I have paid a janitor to do my work, I'm not cleaning anything."

Akshey: "That's so not done! I was dying to see you mopping the floor, uff!" – He complained.

Sanskar: "Spare some disappointment for the moment you'll lose your Lamborghini. There's another piece of news for you: I've found her hostel room."

Akshey: "Bro I bet you have already pissed the hell out of that poor girl so let me tell you that breaking into her room is not really a smart idea, if that's what you are thinking to do."

Sanskar: "We'll see!"

Akshey noticed that Karan had cut the call so he asked him: "Bhai who do you think will win this bet?" – He asked tilting his head towards Karan.

Karan just leaned back on a sunbed replying: "I couldn't care less." – He did not even lift his gaze up from his mobile.

Sanskar slightly glared at him before getting up and walking away. Akshey sensed the cold vibes between the two. Sanskar and Karan had not exchanged a single word after what had happened last night.

Sanskar was about to step inside the house when suddenly he heard a scream and a splash, immediately turning around as he recognized Akshey's voice. Karan got alerted too and looked up.

"AKSHEY!" – Sanskar and Karan shouted their cousin brother's name together realizing that he had fallen into the water and was now clapping on it and gasping as he didn't know swimming. Without thinking twice, both together rushed to the pool and dove inside going to hold the drowning Akshey. Sanskar put Akshey's right arm around the neck while Karan grabbed the other and they took him out making him sit on the poolside.

"How can you be so damn careless when you know that you can't swim?" – Karan scolded Akshey.

"Such a dumbass you are!" – Sanskar added coughing.

Akshey: "You two can bash me as much as you want but today it has been proved that Malhotra brothers has a soft side too, only for each other though. You got so much worried for me!" – He sniffed and pretended to wipe a tear – "I wish you two showed as much care as you show for me for each other as well." – He made puppy eyes and looked at Sanskar and Karan who exchanged looks when he said that.

Karan slapped Akshey's nape while Sanskar commented: "Melodrama!"

Akshey, who was sitting between Sanskar and Karan, put his arms around their necks and sighed: "By the way, I have learnt how to swim. I was just testing our brotherhood, and I am glad to announce that you both have passed the test with flying colours." – He looked ahead smiling – "I am a brilliant actor, I know."

Karan: "Oh that's the case?" – He looked at Sanskar and exchanged smirks with him. They suddenly pushed Akshey back inside the pool and laughed when the latter screamed. He came up from the water and smiled looking at Karan and Sanskar exchanging hi-fives and laughing together: he had successfully made the cold vibes between them vanish.

AT NIGHT

Sanskar was about to open the door of his room but, as soon as he put his hand on the knob, he realized that he had forgotten to lock it when he last went out. He rushed inside just to find Karan standing in front of one of his canvas.