Love Aaj Kal

28| Dear Zindagi

"I think it looks nice. Especially the tie."

She commented with a grin, making Neil shake his head with a smile as Shiv watched the exchange with his eyebrows raised and an amused expression.

"Where's the birthday boy, man? Came all the way with a huge-ass gift in my car, and he can't even greet me at the door?"

He said good naturedly, while Neil and Ayaana smiled at him.

"He's just talking to everyone, birthday wishes and all, doesn't have his phone either. I'll find him for you, wait."

She explained to Shiv, who nodded with a smile before she set out to find him, and the others too. They'd been wanting to meet Shiv Bhai since the morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~❤️~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A cold burst of air conditioning entering through an opening door told Lavanya that she was no longer by herself as she stood against the railing of Myra's balcony.

"You're not dancing or making the party rounds."

Abir spoke, wording it more as a statement than an inquiry.

"Nope, I'm not."

Lav replied, pursing her lips as she still looked straight up at the sky.

"You're never alone at a party, Lav. What's wrong?"

Abir asked with a sigh, having abandoned his plan of sounding unconcerned and cold.

"I just felt like it, Bir. Nothing's wrong. I don't have to be the bubbly party girl all the time, you know?"

She replied, shaking her head with an indifferent expression, as Abir gritted his teeth.

He could deal with her freezing him out, but he did not deserve being talked to this way. He didn't, and he knew it.

"If you say so."

He said grimly, before turning around to leave. He could have an attitude too.

"Do you know Devina?"

Lavanya blurted out loudly to stop him in his tracks, cursing herself for being unnecessarily rude.

"Devina....oh Devina Khan right? Yeah, she's in our batch, isn't she?"

Abir asked with quirked up eyebrows, not understanding this line of questioning.

"Yeah, yeah she is. What do you think of her?"

Lavanya asked, still not facing Abir, who had a confused expression on his face.

"Of her? I don't even think I've ever spoken to her. Seems okay, I guess? Why?"

He asked, and furrowed his eyebrows when Lavanya shook her head negatively.

"Wait. Did she say something to you, Lav? Is that why you're upset? Was she rude to you? Tell me if-"

He started speaking, voice growing louder by the second as Lav finally turned towards him, shaking her head in a no.

"She didn't, Bir. She didn't say anything to me."

She explained, as now Abir rolled his eyes in annoyance. Could she just tell him what was up instead of playing this stupid game of 20 Questions?

"She...um..she asked if you were single."

Lavanya said sheepishly, as Abir first shrugged indifferently, before widening his eyes, and eventually grinning as he took in her expressions.

Was she...jealous?