Ketki/Ahaan/Nikunj
2 Ahaan
"Dadi ma, no. I do not want to see these pictures" Jaanu di announced rolling her eyes and leaving for her room, leaving Dadi maa annoyed.
"What will I do of this girl?" These days daadi maa was more worried about Jaanu dii's marriage rather than her health. Jaanu dii is stressing herself a lot these days.
"Look, go and talk to her," she said to dad. Before anything could turn on me, I escaped the place and dashed towards my room. My safe room.
I did all my business and sat down to study. I had to complete at least five chapters today if I wanted to pass in this attempt. Before I started studying I decided to check my Instagram once. I opened my Instagram and saw some of Ketki's messages.
Hi
Look, I promise I'm not one of those girls who would send those kinds of pictures once you reply.
I just want to talk to you about your sister.
Hey!
Who are you?
And how do you know jannu di?
Wow. that's pretty rude.
Anyways, I think I got the wrong person.
I wanted to talk to Ahaana Sharma's brother.
er..I'm sorry?
I am not sure whether you are safe or not?
You got the right person. I'm her brother.
Really?
Have you by any chance heard the name of Vansh Malhotra?
He's my sister's colleague
I'm his sister.
Why did you message me?
Does your sister have a boyfriend or fiancee?
Why should I tell you?
Um..can you just tell me, please?
I promise I'm no harm.
No. She doesn't have one.
Can you ask her about Vansh bhaiya?
Maybe how she feels about him?
What are you trying to hint here, Ketki?
nothing.
Please ask her once and tell me.
Pretty please?
I'll try.
But no promises.
Thank you
[Ketki is offline]
Here go my plans of studying peacefully tonight. My mind would be occupied by this girl named 'Ketki'. Why was she talking about jannu di?
I opened my phone to see the time again. It was eleven at night. I would ask about Vansh to jannu di tomorrow when her mood gets better. I sighed and decided to sleep. But my phone rang again.
AHAAN
Shut up.
Rude.
why are people accusing me of being rude today?
Who called you rude?
No one. Why did you call me?
Tomorrow is our exam
What exams?
M.com end sem exams you idiot.
Now teach me everything. I haven't studied.
I haven't studied too!
And no, you do this every time. I am tired of your lazy ass.
You're a CA student, you don't need to study
This is the last time, I'll study next time, I promise
NO!
Ahaan saale bhai se dhoka?
Arghh
Stop groaning we only have one night.
***
"Ahaan, you okay?" I opened my eyes and blinked, taking in where I was sitting. I was sitting in the living room with an accounts textbook in my hand. Last night, it took a long time to put information into Nikunj's thick skull.
"Yeah" I gruffed out and rubbed my eyes. Those eye boogers!
"You, idiot, are taking a lot of pressure, tone it down a bit" Jannu dii lightly hit my head. It's easy for her to say that. She was among the top scorers. I need to clear my final at least on the first attempt.
"Jannu dii, who is Vansh?" I decided to change the topic and throw her attention to herself and not me.
"Vansh? He works with me" she played with her handkerchief, looking at me.
"How is he?"
"He's loveable and fun to work with"
"How old is he?"
"He's twenty-seven- Wait why are you asking me all this?" she narrowed her eyes at me and I gulped.
Shit
What do I say now? His sister asked me to ask you? Heck no. I gulped under her calculating gaze.
"Our sir said that he was an excellent student, that's why" I tried to trick her and thankfully she accepted and let it slide. I sighed and hurried to my room to sleep for some more time. I had at least three hours before exams.
I even took a leave from the office.
I plopped on the bed and closed my eyes, taking the blanket over my head. The warmth under the blanket in this cool season made me sigh in content. The December breeze was cold. I began to lose my consciousness and went into a deep slumber but my phone beeped loudly.
I ignored it but it kept on beeping. I groaned and took the phone to turn it into silent mode but the message I saw made it difficult for me to ignore. My thumb hovered over the screen for sometime before tapping the notification.
Hey
Did you talk to her?
Did you?
Are you still sleeping?
Hey!
Hi
OH YOU'RE ALIVE
yeah i am.
Do you have an exam today or something?
how did you know?
You sounded too gloomy
You are the culprit
I was about to sleep
Sleep? Now?
It's nine in the morning.
thanks, captain obvious.
you're welcome
your sarcasm is not appreciated
And neither is your rudeness.
Not again
Whatever
Did you ask your sister?
Yeah, she knows him
Did she say that in a normal way?
I mean kind of
Was she fidgety??
Kind of.
You're of no use.
Excuse me?
Do you by any way think that she likes Vansh bhaiya?
I could have asked her this and she would have answered.
What was the reason to ask her if she knew that?
Boys are idiots.
What if she herself does not know that she likes him?
And besides, no sister tells her brother if she likes the guy or things like that.
How do you know?
I'm a sister, Ahaan
I don't think she likes him
Also, I do not approve this, this is stupidity.
This is not stupidity.
You're an idiot.
Excuse me?
Look, Vansh bhaiya does like your sister and he's a decent guy.
Maa wants him to get married soon if they like each other
That would be good for both families.
[Ahaan is offline]
"Ahaan" jaanu dii called, making me startle. I quickly got up and sat at the desk beside my bed, sliding the phone into the desk's drawer. If she gets to know what's happening, she would kill me.
"Yes, di?"
"You have your exams today right?" she asked after opening the door to my room. I nodded, relieved that I was just on time.
"All the best, write well"
"Thank you di" she left the room and thankfully closed the door of my room. I sunk in my seat again. I looked at my bed and sighed. Sleeping was not an option now. I got up and went into the bathroom to take a bath.
After a long shower, I decided to pack my things for the exam and leave for college.
"Daadi maa, I'm leaving" I yelled leaving, and daadi maa came running towards me.
"Good luck, Ahaan," she said, kissing my forehead. I smiled and sat on my bike starting it. The first stop was the neighbour's house to pick up Niharika.
Niharika was my childhood friend, she is like my twin. We did almost everything together from kindergarten to CA. I honked and she came running outside.
"I'm coming, stop honking" she yelled, keeping her hands on her ears and wrinkling her forehead.
"You are always late" I deadpanned but she just brushed it off, moving on to a different topic.
"Did you take your pen?"
"Yes"
"Admit card?"
"Yes"
"Pencil?"
"Yes"
"Eraser?"
"Yes"
"Phad liya?"
"Shit yar, vahi bhul gaya"
***
"I bet you answered each and every answer" Niharika huffed along with Nikunj as we were walking towards the canteen.
"It's not true" I didn't. I didn't even study for the subject.
"Ahaan we know, you are going to get the highest marks" Nikunj slapped my back and rested his hand on my shoulder.
"This is the only thing Nikunj and I can agree upon"
"Surprisingly"
After this, both of them forgot about me and started fighting among themselves. I have no idea why I am friends with both of them. I just rolled the question paper and folded my hands on my chest, cursing the one who made this lengthy paper.
"Ahaan, tell your best friend to shut up or I will punch his face"
"Ahaan, tell your best friend to shut up or I will punch her face"
This never gets old. I was about to make them stop but Niharika's phone rang. She excused herself and left Nikunj and me I. Nikunj rolled his eyes on her and started talking about the hardships as a boxer.
"Ahaan, I need to go to my friend's house."
"That painter friend of yours?"
"Yes, now come, drop me there"
"Ahaan is coming with me, you go to your friend's house in the auto" he taunted running his hand through his hair. I narrowed my eyes at him, warning him.
"Nikunj"
"FINE" he rolled his eyes again and followed us to where the bike was parked.
"Ahaan, I'm coming to your home" he stated, looking into his phone. I nodded at him understandingly. His house environment was not really friendly or welcoming.
"You go, I'll come after leaving Niharika," I said and drove off the parking lot of the university. In a matter of almost seven minutes, we were in front of Niharika's friend's house.
"Is your friend really a girl?"
"Yes," she rolled her eyes, getting off the bike.
"I doubt because you never make us meet her" I narrowed my eyes on her. This friend of hers never comes to her house too.
"I will soon, okay?"
"How are you coming back home?" I raised my eyebrows, questioning her.
"She will drop me"
"Call me instead. I'll come to pick you up" I suggested. Niharika attracts the problems, she is most likely to fall into a problem.
"I'll see" she was about to leave the conversation but I held her hand and stopped her.
"What's the name of your friend again?"
"Ket-" she was cut off when a car passed us, missing hitting me just by mere centimeters. I cursed that guy and turned again to Niharika to see her retreating figure at the house.
Next time maybe.