Chapter Three

Everyone was chitchatting when, Mrs.Iyer spoke

"Shailaja, end the suspense now. Ask Myra to come downstairs. I am dying to see my future daughter-in-law. I haven’t seen her in ages”

Shailaja was about to get up to bring Myra downstairs. They all turned to the sound of anklets, and what they saw blew their minds. There she was, Myra Murthy coming down the stairs wearing a baby pink lehanga with silver floral embroidery accompanied with a backless blouse. Her hair left loose and slightly curled at the ends. The dress fitting perfectly showing off her curves. She was looking no less than a fairy on earth.

She slowly walked towards them a beautiful smile adoring her lips. She sat between Shailaja and Shyam and passed a warm smile to the Iyer’s.

"You are looking so beautiful honey. May no evil eye ever touch you” Shailaja said and touching the corner of her eye, placed kohl dot behind her ear.

"Absolutely true Shailaja. Your daughter is indeed extremely beautiful. My son is really lucky to have her as his wife" saying this Mrs.Iyer got up and kissed Myra's forehead. Everyone present there smiled at her warm gesture.

“Lets have dinner, then we can talk” Shyam signalled his wife to set up the dinner. She called the staff and asked them to make the necessary arrangements.

At the dinner table:

Everyone were sitting there on the table having their light talks and enjoying the crazy combination of Punjabi and South Indian food praising Shailaja's cooking skills. Post dinner they all were sitting in the beautiful garden enjoying the cool night breezes enjoying the warm desserts.

Myra signalled Vihaan for the execution of their plan.

He winked at her agreeing for the same.

"Mom! I think Myra and Rahul should talk privately. Its them who has to decide about their future. They didn’t get much time for themselves” he ended with a lauch sending a wink towards Rahul who looked away with blush creeping his cheeks, making the rest chuckle.

"Sure, why not. In fact I was about to ask Shailaja about the same. You dont have any problem with that right" Mrs.Iyer chirped in looking at the Murthy couple for permission.

"Sure, why not. It’s a really good idea Vihaan. Mayu, honey take Rahul to your room. You guys can talk there peacefully” Shailaja said with a nervous smile. She wasn’t sure of Vihaan and Myra’s positive reaction. Something was definitely off between the brother- sister but she wasn’t able to figure out what!

In Myra's room

As soon as they entered the room Myra asked him to sit on the couch in her room. His eyes were examining the whole room. He saw her pictures of her on the wall, some were her single pictures at different ages, some were with her family and some with her friends he thought. His eyes fell on the large poster of Ranbir Kapoor and widened in shock, seeing such a large poster and the lipstick marks on that picture almost everywhere on his face. He looked away.

On the other wall there were her guitar and violin placed neatly. She being a music lover there were lots and lots of CD's of various albums and other music stuff was arranged there.

She was standing near the large window in her room looking at the stars outside. He slowly walked towards her and spoke standing next to her.

"Looks like I will be getting married to a huge fan of Ranbir Kapoor. I guessed it from the huge poster there. I… I also like him. He has nice choice in selecting scripts” Rahul breaking the silence.

She turned around to talk to him, and his eyes widened in horror seeing her. Her eyes were blood shot red, eyeliner and kohl spread all over her eyes and she was breathing heavily.

"Leave this house immediately" she spoke in a strange tone.

"What" he exclaimed in shock and horror, unable to understand anything that’s going on.

“Didn’t you hear me the first time. Leave this house. Myra is mine. Only mine. Anyone who will come close to her will have to face my wrath” she continued in the same horrifying voice.

"Who… Who are you" he asked again. He was scared to death and was ready to pee in his pants any moment now. He couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her. She was perfectly fine few moments back.

"Me? Who am I? I am Myra’s ex-boyfriend. We loved each other so much. Then unfortunately I met with an accident and then died on spot. But I couldn’t leave my love all alone. So I always stay with her. Protecting her from everyone who tries to come close to her and harm her. Myra or her family, doesn’t know about me protecting her, so don’t you dare tell her. You never know you might also meet with an accident and join me" saying this Myra fainted.

Too horrified to act rationally, Rahul started screaming on the top of his voice and ran out of the room. He stumbled down the stairs looking back every now and then to see if anyone was following him.

Hearing Rahul’s scream everyone rushed to see what had happened. Seeing his condition, everyone got worried. Vihaan and Shailaja rushed towards him and asked him in a worried tone.

“Rahul… what happened son? What happened to Myra?” Shailaja was worried to no extent.

Rahul flinched hearing Myra’s name, Shyam and Vihaan ran upstairs to check on Myra.

“My…Myra… Fainted” he couldn’t form a proper sentence.

“What?” everyone shouted in unison and Mr and Mrs Iyer gave a worried look to Shailaja.

“How did this happen? What did you do?” Mrs Iyer asked him in a worried tone. All this was a lot to process for them.

"She fainted Mom” he finally gathered courage to form a sentence.

“Shailaja, go upstairs and check on her, please. We’ll call the doctor meanwhile” Mrs. Iyer placed a hand on her shoulder and Shailaja walked upstairs hurriedly.

“Mom, dad, I think we should leave. She’s their daughter, they can take care of her. I got a call from work and I have to take care of something urgent. Lets leave fast” Rahul said getting up from the floor and walked out of the house.

Mr & Mrs Iyer got confused with his sudden change in behaviour and agreed to leave. Mrs.Iyer walked upstairs to inform Shailaja and Shyam that they were leaving.

*** 

In a Restaurant in Delhi:

The brother sister trio were sitting around a table in a lavish hotel talking about everything and anything. Disturbing their sweet banter, a waited appeared to take their order.

"Sir, what would you like to have?" he asked politely.

“I will have White sauce pasta and Veg Manchurian” Avni said licking her lips and closed the menu.

Zara and Ayaan exchanged looks and the waiter looked at her as if she asked him to serve an octopus for her.

“What? Why are you giving me these weird looks? Don’t you have them?” she asked in an irritated tone making the waiter nod in agreement.

“No Mam, my apologies. We have them mam.” He said in a polite tone.

“I will have Mexican fried rice” Zara ordered for herself.

“I will have Hyderabadi Biryani” Ayaan said and signalled him to leave.

“You said you had to tell me about something important right. Lets get to it” Ayaan asked looking at Avni and Zara. Their look-look game was going on for sometime now and he had been patiently waiting, but he had enough.

“Bhai… you know… I never meant to hide anything, but I wasn’t sure. I was waiting for the right time. I mean I wanted to be sure before telling you” Zara was talking in circles making Avni sigh and Ayaan confused. Out of nervousness, Zara was tearing the tissue into small pieces.

“Zara, tell me clearly! Stop mumbling” Ayaan was growing impatient.

To save her best friend Avni jumped in

“Bhai you know, she has a friend. But he is not just friend. I mean he is a friend also and a little more also” she said and Zara nodded in a yes, irritating Ayaan.

“Avni, Zara, you both are not making sense. You know you both can share anything with me right? So speak clearly now” he said with an assuring smile.

“I like someone” Zara blurted out and closed her eyes tightly.

“Okay. Is it just like or little more?” Ayaan teased her looking at his sister who was blushing like a rose.

“Stop teasing her. He is her special friend. A very special one. She likes him and we think he also likes her. A little more than like maybe” Avni said holding Zara’s hand tightly. 

“Hmm, so things have gone that far and you both didn’t feel important to let me know. What if he wasn’t a good guy. And from when did you guys start hiding things from me. I thought you guys treated me like your friend before a brother. You both have disappointed me girls.” Ayaan said shaking his head in disappointment.

“We didn’t intend to hide anything” Zara said in a low tone with her head down. Tears were ready to spill from her eyes any moment.

“What’s his name?” he asked in a stern tone and the girls heads snapped in his direction.

Before they could reply, someone called the girls from behind.

“Girls, what a pleasant surprise” he said.

Zara and Avni’s eyes widened in shock. They looked at each other and muttered ‘We are so gone’ 

“What are you doing here??” Avni was the first one to come out of shock. 

“I am here to eat” the guy replied in a duh tone.

“But why did you come today?” she asked him a little loud this time making Ayaan, Zara and that guy frown. 

“Avni” Ayaan called her in a warning tone.

‘Great! He is now angry! He was already angry and now it is a noch higher. And this idiot had to come here today. The same night when we came out to tell my brother about something that we have been hiding from so long. Just freaking great! Now we are screwed. Like literally screwed! If my brother comes to know that this is the guy who “likes” Zara. He is going to chop him and serve it to the guests. God, we need a miracle now!’

Avni zoned out thinking about everything possible that could happen. She was biting her nails out of nervousness and the case was not any different with Zara. She looked so pale, that they were scared that she would faint any moment now. 

“Ayaan Malhotra” Ayaan walked to the guy and introduced himself as the girls had frozen on their places. 

“Who doesn’t know you bro. I am Abhimanya Singhania. Avni and Zara’s best friend” he said with a smile and winked at Zara.