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A random aunty walked past Shanaya and said, "Beta, are you the host for tonight?"
Shanaya smiled politely. "No, aunty I'm just a uninvited guest"
And with that, Shanaya took a deep breath and waded back into the cold, classy chaos of the Agnihotri party wondering if she should hide behind the cake table until her friends returned from her food and bathroom expedition.
She was just about to pretend to be deeply invested in a potted plant when her best friend prakriti reappeared, dramatically wiping invisible sweat from her forehead.
"Mission accomplished. Barely survived, Here's momos!"
And then, Shanaya took a relief sigh but it vanished in few seconds.
The music was loud, the laughter louder — a picture-perfect celebration.
His anniversary
Or rather, a public display of love and legacy.
But everyone knew better
This wasn't a party
It was a performance.
Then — the doors.
With a deep, echoing thud, the double doors at the far end of the hall flung open, as if pushed by a gust of fate itself.
The air shifted. Every note of music, every chuckle, every clink of glass — stopped.
A man stepped in.
Sharp suit, black as sin. Shoulders squared like a statue carved from war. Eyes colder than the winter that built empires.
ABHISHEK AGNIHOTRI
He didn't walk — he entered — like a storm given flesh.
Not a single word escaped him, but the silence bent in submission.
This was his estate
His night
His rules
One by one, heads dipped. Not out of respect — out of fear.
This was not the kind of man you made eye contact with unless you were ready to risk something — your job, your family… your life.
All slightly bowed
Except Prakriti Malhotra
She stood still, her back straight, eyes locked on the man with an unspoken challenge dancing in them. But the man didn't seem to notice her defiance. His eyes, sharp and calculating, swept the room before landing on his elder son.
He stopped halfway across the marble floor, turning slightly — just enough for his voice to cut through the room like a blade.
His tone was quiet — but only in volume.
In weight, it was thunder.
"Follow me to the room Aditya"
No explanation. No questions. Just ice-laced authority.
Aditya moved immediately, his drink left untouched.
The room stayed frozen, no one daring to breathe too loud — because when the Abhishek Agnihotri walks in on his anniversary.
everyone knows it's not for love
It's for control
"WHAT. THE. FUCKING M-"Prakriti cursed at the unfamiliar atmosphere, but Shanaya quickly intervened, holding her arm and signaling her not to speak ill of him.
________________
Shanaya phone buzzed quietly in her lap, barely heard over the hum of chatter and the thump of bass in the background.
She glanced down, expecting a boring notification — maybe a tagged post, maybe a story react.
But no.
It was a follow request.
From him.
Vedant Singh rajput
his smirk that had gotten more girls in trouble than detention slips could count. Leather jacket, late to class, never answers attention properly.
HE IS
Shanaya hesitated only for a second before her thumb tapped Accept.
Not even a full second passed before the message popped up like he just waiting for her too accept the request.
VSR
hiiii, what's up
SHANAYA
Fine, What about you
VSR
If you're fine, I'm fine too
Shanaya lips twitched a smile threatened, Just a little one
VSR
by the way, do you like tulips?
SHANAYA
Umm...Yes, How did you know
VSR
secret!
SHANAYA
hey! you're not Stalker right?
VSR
do you want me to became!?
SHANAYA
You don't get anything from being my Stalker
VSR
Trust me, I could get everything
SHANAYA
care to explain?!
VSR
Leave it, You must be in party uhh...I know because I just know don't overthink I'm not spying over you okh?!.
SHANAYA
I trust you Mr Rajput!
VSR
you made my day, my night everything with your words Angel!
SHANAYA
Angel?
VSR
It's my nickname for you you're beautiful and sweet like them
Her cheek heat up and deep crimson spread over her cheeks
VSR
You're with Ishi and that devil not alone right?
SHANAYA
don't call my bestie devil
VSR
jaisa Aap kaho madam
And just like that, they were lost in conversation — texts flying faster than her thoughts. It was weird. Easy. Like they'd known each other longer than the five seconds they'd been mutuals.
prakriti Malhotra, ever the foodie one, taking large bites of her pepperoni pizza and took a Bowl of rash malai for her friend Shanaya.
She placed almost every dishes from each counter in less quantity on her large plate but when she realised there's no space left in her plate.
"Mai wapas aaungi Chole bhaturo aur mere vade pao!" prakriti dramatically exclaimed and wiped her fake tears.
unwantedly, She went away from there but her gaze never waverd from food counter till she sat on her chair.
"Sukr hai chali gayi vrna Aaj to khana bachta hi nahi" One of the staff muttered, glaring at her.
Prakriti placed rash malai on table but still her gaze didn't waver from food counter
"Anaya‚ Rash malai"
No response
Prakriti turned her head as she didn't get any response, Her expression turned suspicious.
The girl who never — never — cared about her phone, who barely replied to texts unless it was urgent or involved novels, was suddenly locked in a screen.
prakriti leaned over, Tried to take a little view of her phone"Who are you even talking to?"
Before Shanaya could answer, both girls spotted it — Aditya smugly snatching the last piece of pizza from the buffet table.
"Oye! This is mine!" prakriti shouted, momentarily distracted.
Shanaya laughed, fingers flying to type quickly.
SHANAYA
prakriti asking who I'm talking to...
His reply was fast
VSR
Don't tell her
SHANAYA
Why?
VSR
If she finds out I'm talking to you, she won't let You talk with me
Shanaya blinked at the screen.
Was he protecting their new connection? Or... was this about prakriti? Maybe he liked prakriti because!
Maybe he wanted help!
Maybe she was just the bridge between him and her bestfriend
Or maybe...
Maybe he was trying not to make things messy.
She glanced up at prakriti, now in a pizza fight with Aditya Agnihotri.
And just like that, Shanaya heart did a little skip she didn't expect.
Because what she didn't know — what no one knew — was that he wasn't here for his personal benefit or for her best friend prakriti.
He was only here for her.
prakriti returned, victorious, clutching the last slice of pizza like a stolen crown.
She dropped into her chair with a satisfied huff, took a bite, then narrowed her eyes. Her eyes locked on Shanaya like a lie detector in a designer dress.
"Okay. Now tell me with who were you texting?"
Shanaya froze
Fingers paused mid-type.
It was the first time shanaya was going lied to her.
"Just… someone from eco class," she said, forcing a casual shrug, eyes glued to her screen to avoid the weight of prakriti stare.
A beat passed
Her best friend stared at her a moment longer, that instinctive sharpness flashing behind her eyes — the kind that had always known when something was off. But before she could press further, someone slid in from the side with all the subtlety of a spotlight.
He appeared.
Aditya Agnihotri.
Smooth. Smug. And completely unbothered.
He slipped into the empty seat beside her best friend—like it was reserved for him, like he owned the moment. Elbow resting lazily on the back of her chair, his presence crackled in the air like thunder before a storm.
Not a single word. Not even a glance of permission.
He took the seat next to Prakriti Malhotra, sitting far too close for it to be anything other than deliberate.
The tension? Instant. And sharp enough to cut steel.
"Seriously?" Prakriti muttered, barely turning her head. "Ye pizza chor kahin bhi aa jaate hai?"
Aditya's lips curved—just a smirk, razor-edged and far too calm. "Pizza wasn't reserved. Or are you gatekeeping food now?"
"You're unbelievable."
"And yet..." He tilted his head, eyes glinting, "you keep noticing me."
"You don't get to act like you know me," prakriti hissed dramatically "Not after what you did."
"You're right," he said, suddenly serious. "I don't know this version of you. The one who pushes people away like it's a test paper."
prakriti jaw clenched. "Don't flatter yourself."
His grin sharpened. "You say that like you weren't just watching me five minutes ago."
"I was watching you steal my pizza," she shot back.
"I was doing you a favor," he said coolly, "saving you from turning into an extra-large potato."
"Oh please," Prakriti twisted toward him, fury igniting in her chest. "Waise bhi, khate-peete ghar ke log healthy hote hai. Tum jaise fake protein shake pe jeene wale nahi."
He leaned in, voice dropping low, every word calculated. "I'm more concerned about my health thinking who'll handle your insanity someday—and this is how you say thanks?"
Their words sparked like flint on stone—fast, biting, full of something older than the moment. Something unresolved.
Pizza? Forgotten.
Every reply was loaded, every look brimming with a war nobody else understood. Their voices rose just enough to catch the attention of the room, sharp enough to silence the surrounding noise.
Shanaya, who had been silently praying for one peaceful meal, looked between her best friend and her cousins like she was watching two bombs ticking in sync.
She quickly picked up her phone again.
VSR:
What's happening now?
SHANAYA:
Aditya bhai here.
Which means more sarcasm.
And Prakriti's blood pressure might just win the room over.
VSR:
Should I come save you? Or… let them burn while we plan our escape?
Her cheeks heated.
She typed quickly.
SHANAYA:
Stay hidden. These people smell romance and attack like wild dogs.
TO BE CONTINUED.....