Her Splash of Color | ✓

✤ 1.26 gifts are given ✤

Posted November 7th, 2018

**A/N: Spoiler alert (good kind) ahead. see if you can spot it!**

✤ Sanya: 1.26 gifts are given ✤

Earlier in the afternoon, I believed Armaan Uncle was just teasing me when he said Rihaan was mad. I knew better then to believe it. Now... even as Rihaan greets everyone and they all wish him, he does not say anything to me. Least, I expected him to smile at me.

He blinks away from me with his blank face and hugs Kriana and Arshiya as they finally get their turn after the adults. Arshiya wishes, "Happy birthday, baby cousin!"

"Thank you, di." He answers happily and for them, puts on a huge grin on his face.

Kriana forces a gift bag in his hand and warns, "Now don't ever complain I don't get you anything."

He mocks, "Oh, gee. Thanks. How grateful I am that you spent your precious time shopping for me."

She rolls her eyes and stomps on his foot and grins when he momentarily glares at her and has to hold in his hopping reaction at the sudden pain. Satisfied, she wishes. "Wish you a not so happy birthday."

Instead of snapping at her again, he forces his lips in a smile and purposely pulls her in a tight hug – a grip that Kriana fights to free herself.

His mom puts an end to it to instruct, "Alright, Rihaan. Stop annoying each other and go get ready. Other guests should start coming in soon."

"Yeah, okay." He leaves the living room to get ready. It's usually how it is. We always arrive first as the adults like to have some time to themselves to gossip about before they have to get busy attending the guests.

I sit with Arshiya and Kriana while the ladies leave with Riddhima for the kitchen and the males shift the family huddle at the other side of the room and chat sports and business.

Kriana nudges me few minutes later, perhaps noticing my silence. "What's wrong?" I put on a smile and shake my head. She is unconvinced and so adds, "I noticed you didn't wish him."

"Nothing, Ana. I'll wish him later."

"O-kaayy." She says in a tone that lets me know she still doesn't believe me. I wasn't that convincing.

*✧✤--------------------------✤✧*

The guests start coming and we all eventually go out to the backyard as its spacious there compared to the living room as all the furniture would be in the way.

Faisal asks, "Where's Rihaan?"

Kriana mutters under her breath, "Probably running away from you."

Since Girish and I are standing at either side of her, we do hear it. Girish snickers while I elbow her to keep her comments to herself. She dismisses it and shares a smirk with Girish as they're both on the same side when it comes to Faisal.

Honestly, I am tired of him taking digs at me. I just try to stay out of it as much as possible. It's between him and Rihaan. I still have no idea what exactly happened that had caused a tear in their friendship. Even after my attempt to mend it, they did not interact much - always silently sending glares at each other when they would happen to cross paths. Why he was here at his birthday party was something I did not understand. Perhaps just that he had always been on the invite list for Rihaan's birthday and Riddhima Aunty could have invited his usual list of friends unaware of their estranged friendship.