"Oh."
She nodded, not really paying attention to his words, "Wait, what do you mean by Adi knows?" she asked frantically, "He knows what?" she asked further, folding her knees as if ready to jump Raghav if he didn't answer her question the next second.
"Everything," Raghav answered.
"Everything? Will you stop talking in riddles and answer me properly?" She frowned.
"How long were you going to keep hiding everything from me?"
Both of them turned towards the door, looking at Adi as he scooped out yogurt from the container, licking the spoon clean. Raghav glared at him in warning, while Haya looked at him, biting her lips in nervousness.
"Until I was sure that this would work out or not." She answered.
"How long will you take, woman?" Raghav grumbled under his breath, although she heard him she decided to ignore him.
"Tune bhi toh merko nahi bataya tha jab you went out with Riya and gave her a birthday gift." She accused, suddenly remembering.
(You didn't tell me either when you went out with Riya and gave her a birthday gift.)
"Riya wasn't your sister!" Adi scowled.
"Haan toh? Riya…Riya stole my boyfriend!"
Raghav rubbed his forehead, trying to understand how the situation went from her panicking to her arguing with Aditya.
"You didn't even have a boyfriend." Adi rolled his eyes, licking the cup of yogurt.
"Ex-future boyfriend!" She replied.
Adi turned to Raghav, a big frown marring his features, "You really should reconsider your choices because this bitc-"
"Tu kutta." She interrupted.
(You're a dog.)
"Kya dikha aapko iss janwar me?" Adi asked Raghav with an annoyed expression, "Isko bhabi bolunga mai? Isko? Defected bache paida honge aapke!" He said, trying to warn him.
(What did you see in this animal?) (You want me to call her my sister-in-law? Her? You'll have defective babies!)
"Will you get out of my house or not?" Raghav asked, his eyebrows furrowing.
"Tu janwar. Tera poora khandaan janwar-"
(You're an animal, your whole family is-)
"Haya." Raghav turned to her.
"Arey future khaandan." She added, turning his face back towards Adi.
(I mean future family.)
"You'll be a part of my khaandan in the future." Adi narrowed his eyes.
(Family)
"You never know." Raghav again turned to her but she covered his eyes this time, "I-"
She stopped, hearing Raghav's phone ringing. He looked at the caller ID, excusing himself to answer the call.
"You sneaky little-"
"He was adamant on taking me out, it's his fault." She said quickly.
"It's his fault that you said yes? Oh, where's that woman who was singing about being single for her whole life? I wanna be the cool single lady in her 30s?" He tried mimicking her, Failing at it.
"I mean…it would only be possible if I made it alive till I'm thirty." She sighed.
"Shut up." He walked over to her, pulling her in a hug, "It'll be okay, just wait till we find out who it was, I swear to God, they will regret taking birth." He caressed her hair.
"I was so scared Adi…and I couldn't stop thinking about it…thinking about the scenario if I was there, if…if-"
"Shh, you weren't and we're thankful for that. Don't think about the negative, you're safe and that's all that matters." He interrupted.
"I wanted to run to you but then Raghav came, You're not upset with me right?" She asked, wiping her face in his shirt.
"I'm not…just a little bit, I just wanted to be the first person to know." He shrugged.
"You are."
"Am I?"
"Umhmm, no one knows. I wanted to tell you but…I just, there was this thought, what if you said no? What if I put our friendship at stake? I didn't want things to get awkward between us, no other reason. Pakka." She looked up at him.
"You guys are paying for me and Naina's trip to Maldives." He joked.
"Isn't that like a honeymoon destination now?" Her nose scrunched up, remembering all the pictures she saw of her married friends on social media.
"And? Mauritius? What about that?" He asked.
"You're serious?" She asked.
"Yep. We have like, three days off by the end of this month, some survey is happening in all the companies, I'll take the three leaves company offers and it'll be refreshing Plus, I'll get to know her better." He winked at the end.
"You ganda insaan." She pushed him away.
(You dirty man.)
"Tera ganda dimaag." He replied. "I meant figuratively, not literally." He rolled his eyes.
(You have a dirty mind)
"Really?"
"Okay, maybe, it depends on her. I'll have to ask her parents first though." He took a seat on the bed.
Raghav walked back into the room, keeping his phone in his pocket. He looked at both of them, "What happened?"
"Can you pay for a trip to Mauritius?" Haya asked.
"Of course I can, when do you wa-"
"He'll pay!" Haya turned to Adi.
"You're the best!" Adi hugged Haya, "I'll text you the dates, also, I need business class tickets, No crying babies next to me, and no aunty asking me to give the window seat to her kid." He added, "Bye guys, no adultery." He said, walking out of the room.
"What the fuck?" Raghav frowned.
"I'm sure that won't even make a dent in your bank account." She wrapped her arms around his neck, "Who was it?" She asked.
"Piya, asking why I'm not in the office." He replied.
"Paridhi." She corrected.
"Does it matter?" He asked, pulling her closer as he wrapped an arm around her waist.
"Just think, what if I called you Rohan instead of Raghav, how would you feel?" She asked.
"I'll make sure that the only name you can remember is mine after that." He replied.
"Will you?"
"Umhmm."
Both of them sprang apart, sensing a presence on the door, Adi looked at them and froze in his position before he walked in, picking up his phone that must have dropped on the bed when he sat down.
"Carry on guys, don't stop on my account, I was just leaving." He waved his hand in the air dismissively, walking out of the room.
"I hate him so much sometimes." Raghav murmured, "Freshen up, there are new towels in the cabinets, I'll get your bag from the guest room and if you need something, feel free to check the closet." He said to her, walking out of the room too.
...
She came out of the bathroom a while later, wrapped in the towel as she spotted her bag on the bed while there was no one present in the room at the moment, Changing into her clothes, she sat in front of the dresser.
The only thing she found of use was the moisturizer and sunscreen.
Walking into the closet to borrow a pair of socks, she opened a few drawers, finding the socks until her eyes fell on something very familiar.
Pulling the socks up her feet, she picked up her clutch, clicking it open.
The lipstick and the tissue were still in there, keeping the clutch back in the drawer, She took the lipstick, stood in front of the mirror, and glided it upon her lips before walking out.
"Raghav." She called, finding no one in the hall, She called his name again, loudly this time but no one answered, "Where are you? If you're playing with me, it's not funny."
She checked every room, looking for him until the front door opened, revealing a man she hadn't seen before. Her hands went over to the fruit bowl, picking up the knife on instinct.
"Who are you?" Both of them asked each other at the same time.
"No, who are you?" Haya asked, raising the knife.
"The great, Samar Raghuvanshi, don't tell me you're a worker or something? Too pretty for that, but hey-"
"Pretty people don't work to earn money?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.
"That came out wrong, you know I was trying to say something else," Samar replied.
"Sure you were."
"I didn't know Raghav had pretty workers, I would've visited him daily." He walked further inside, "Can you please fetch me a glass of water?" He asked, taking off his suit jacket.
She crossed her arms, keeping the knife down, not moving as she looked at him.
"You look very adorable right now, I'm committed to my fictional girlfriend okay? Don't-"
"Will you stop flirting with my girlfriend?" Both of them turned to the door, looking at Raghav who had a baby kitten in his hands.
"Your what?" Samar looked at him before looking at Haya, "You know what-"
"Aww, where did you find it?" Haya asked, walking over to Raghav, trying not to slip on the marble floor as she was wearing socks.
"He was stuck in the balcony, fell I guess?" Raghav replied, "I heard him crying when you were in the shower, The guard just helped me rescue him, No one else volunteered so I decided to keep him with me, You don't have any problem, right?" He asked, petting the little white kitten.
It looked scared, hugging Raghav's arm tightly.
"Ow, no." Haya touched the kitten's head lightly.
"They're looking for other cats, if they find the mother, we'll send him back," Raghav told her.
"Is it mean to hope they don't find anyone?" Haya asked, bopping the little nose of the kitten, pouting at him.
"Hey guys, I'm here too." Samar said, "I'm the first one to see your baby, isn't that cool?" He asked.
"Who is he?" Haya whispered.
"An idiot."
"I heard you."
Raghav took a seat on the sofa, trying to put the kitten down but he refused to let go of him, "Can I name him?" Haya asked.
"No, I'll name him. How about Oreo?" Samar asked.
"That's like so common, no." Haya shook her head, "And you can't name him."
"Yes I can, I'm the uncle."
"I'm his mom!"
"He knew me before he knew you, that makes me superior to you, I'll name him, How about Lassi? He's white like lassi." He said.
"Are you serious right now?" Haya frowned.
"Dead serious, muffin, you've doubts?" He asked.
"Her name's Haya." Raghav interrupted.
"She's adorable, I think muffin suits her better," Samar replied.
"Your friend's annoying." Haya slumped down next to Raghav, rolling her eyes.
"Let's call him…Paneer." Haya suggested.
"Oka-"
"That's such a stupid name!" Samar interrupted, offended with the suggestion, "Dahi is better."
"Egg is better."
"No, I'm vegetarian. Cheese?"
"No-"
"Guys, shut up. Let's not give him a name until we find out if he has his parents or not." Raghav interrupted.
"Stupid man," Haya whispered, looking at Samar from the corner of her eyes.
...