That Desi Romance

3. PILLOW FIGHT

Lakshya's POV

There was chaos everywhere.

After breakfast, we all decided to hang out together. But apparently, Aksh and Ishika can agree to spend their lives together but can't agree on a place to hang.

I didn't realise when their little disagreement turned into a full fledged pillow war involving everyone but the two of them.

What were we fighting for? I had no idea. But this was fun and I had some leftover fued with Aayushyaman.

I bet the two who started this fight were now making out in the kitchen or something.

I was about to throw a pillow at Aayush when my face tilted to the side and my eyes went wide by being hit with another pillow

When turned to look at the culprit , it was none other than Avantika herself, who, judging by her face, hit me by mistake and was now regretting her life choices.

Taking amusement in her remorse, I walked slowly towards her while her eyes closed tightly and her hands raised in front of her face, fully expecting me to smack her face with my pillow.

When I got close to her, she opened her eyes for a moment to look up at me and shut them again going into defence mode.

Chuckling at her attempt to defend herself, I threw my pillow gently at her face, making her fall back on the sofa.

She opened her eyes and blinked a few times, seemingly taking in the information that her face is not smacked in.

She looked at me as if saying, so you choose peace, wise decision; and started throwing her pillow randomly again.

God, this girl.

Just as I was about to continue my fight with Aayush, an angry voice fell in my ears.

Gosh, would someone just let me hit Aayush in peace.

"Ye kya haal kar diya mere living room ka?!" As Mrs. Rana's voice rang through the room, all of us stopped dead in our tracks. Completely frozen. Hell, we even stopped breathing.

"Rakho mere takiye niche!" With that, all of us dropped the pillows in our hands like they were on fire and stood completely upright.

She was standing with the scariest expression on her face just as Aksh and Ishika came up behind her out of literally nowhere looking really disheveled.

Beside me, Avantika signaled Ishika who was behind Mrs. Rana to fix her messy hair just as Aksh said, "Maa dekho naa kabse samjha raha hun in logo ko ke halla naa kare par ye sun hi nahi rahe meri baat."

Traitor.

I squinted my eyes at him just as his mother grabbed his fiancé's and his ears and dragged them towards us.

"Sab jaanti hu mai. Bada aaya samjhane vaala. Ab ye sab saaf karo aur niklo mere ghar se bahar sab ke sab. Pata nahi kab bade hoge yeh log."

This wasn't really my first time getting an earful from Mrs. Rana. I've practically grown up hearing them. Therefore I knew that if she asked for a clean room, we have to leave no trace that anyone was ever here behind. If she saw even a lamp misplaced or a painting tilted, it's over for us bitches.

Apparently, the trait runs in the family. I thought as I saw Avi align the cover exactly to the rim of of the couch as if her life depended on it.

I couldn't help but smile as I continued to arrange the pillows.

__________________________________

Avantika's POV

After all the arguments, mumma's rage and a battle of life and death, guess where we decided to go.

The Riverfront, for god's sake.

I was sitting on the river's retaining wall showing pictures from Bangalore to Pri and Aakriti sitting at my sides. Pictures of my internship program, my old job, my friend there, and the city's beauty.

Suddenly, Priyanka's eyes fell on something in a group picture of me and my old colleagues.

"Is it him?" She asked, pointing at a creepy looking guy in the picture.

I looked at her and nodded, remembering the dreadful memories of the past.

"Kaun hai ye?" A confused Aakriti asked from my other side.

Me and Pri looked at each and she held my hand before I sighed and turned to Aakriti.

"I've had bit of a......stalking situation in Bangalore."

Her eyes widened at that.

"What?" She nearly yelled, drawing the boys' attention at our side.
Pri and I shushed her at the same time.

"Shh. Kisiko pata nahi hai ye baat. Aur pata lagni bhi nahi chahiye okay? Let's not make a big deal out of this."I tried to explain.

"But it is a big deal! Are you sure you want to hide it from everyone?"

"Yes. It's all in the past now yaar. I'm fine. Mai nahi chahti bin vajah sab pareshaan ho."

Aakriti was still skeptical.

"Don't worry, I made her promise ke the moment she feels something is wrong, she has to tell everyone." Priyanka spoke from my left.

Oh yeah, when Pri first heard about the stalking, she was so dead set on making sure that the problem was finally over that every time we were out together, she would continuously be scrutinising every random stranger to make sure they weren't upto something weird. I guess she would know better than me how creepy men can be.

Aakriti was reluctant at first but then agreed to keep it amongst us and gave me a big hug. Then she also pulled Pri in the hug. We stayed in that position for a while.
Oh, my girls. My beautiful, beautiful girls.

A while later, both of them went to get us some water and I was sitting alone looking over the river, taking the view in.

I was still gazing over the river when I saw Lakshya in my peripheral vision sitting beside me,facing the opposite direction.

"Peaceful isn't it?" He said, looking at me.

I hummed in agreement and turned my face to him.

"So....be honest, how was it?"

He didn't need to clarify.

I sighed. "Honestly, I was so scared at first. I can't tell you how many times I almost gave up and flew back here. But I knew I would regret it my whole life if I did. So I got out of my comfort zone and realised how great it all actually was. I got to learn so much. And not to bloat, but I was amazing. Kya badhiya rooms design kiye tere bhai ne." I said, flipping my hair back that weren't even at front in the first place.

He chuckled, "I don't doubt that."

At that moment, I realised why I missed him as much as I did in Bangalore. As much of a pain in the ass he was, he never doubted my heart, even when I did myself . You could use someone like that in a city full of strangers.

And I also realised that he was looking at my earrings the entire time.

Shit.

We made eye contact for a split second and I felt a jolt passing through my entire body.

Just as I was about to say something really awkward, he turned his gaze forward and said, "Fir kya hua? Don't tell me Bangalore wale tumse itna pareshan ho gaye ke tumhe dhakke maarke nikaal diya."

I rolled my eyes. Ugh, I almost forgot how annoying he was.

"Funny. Anyway, mujhe kisine dhakke marke nahi nikala, I just figured ke voh city mere liye nahi hai."

He shrugged in a that makes sense kinda way.

Soon, Aakriti and Priyanka came back and everyone else also gathered around.

"Bro kal mumma ne tujhe lunch pe bulaya hai." Aakriti informed me.

"Oooh okay!" I said with a grin. That woman's food tasted like heaven.

Oh, I loved being back.