She, the sweetest angel of the college, maneuvered through the crowded corridor of the first floor of her university eagerly, brushing past him as she hurried towards the exit, eager to win the race she and her friends had put their bet on.

First Vani Verma-the only child of Chaitanya Verma, the top-class industrialist and the owner of one of the biggest oil firms, the most sensible and serene girl of the group with her beautiful big, charming eyes.

Next Srishti Gulati-a transfer student from Delhi, bold connections and smart persona and not to forget innocent sheepish smile she took when she was being mischievous.

Next, her partner in crime Anudita Verma-the daughter of two famous lawyers, bold nature and mischievous personality.

His feet took him to the end of the rails of the corridor and he gazed down in search of her and watched her emerge from the cramped stairway and ran towards the gate of the college.

And finally Her, the topper student at the university, the apple of the eye of the teachers, the bundle of kindness and the most beautiful girl of his college.

Arshiya Sharma.

~~~~~~~~

"You lose, Anu, so you are paying," Srishti announced as the four girls entered the mall for the good luncheon, they had rather put their noose on to pay for the meal, who reached Vani's car last.

Arshiya was first so she picked up the spot, Vani was second so she drove the car, saving it from the wrath of Srishti, who had come third and put the radar of paying for the lunch on Anu.

"We were almost together. Why do I have to pay alone?" Anu scowled at her as she walked towards the escalator and stepped on the third yellow line to emerge from underneath the metal stop bar and the three girls followed her up on the escalator.

"Almost, baby. I still came third and you, last. Boo." Srishti drawled out the concluded conclusion rather smugly and Anu glowered at her, but didn't respond and focused on the top floor, approaching before she started bickering with Srishti again.

Arshiya giggled. Vani sighed in irritation. It's like their brain forgot how old they are. Again.

"Shut up." The two girls stilled as Vani hissed, obviously having enough of their childish nonsense and the two girls glanced back at her cautiously, while Arshiya put her hand on her mouth to prevent the laughter bubbling inside her to escape.

"Might I remind you that you two are not 10 years old, but sensible 22-year-old adults." Vani glared at them and Srishti interjected her lecture by raising her hand like a child with a bundle of curiosity while Arshiya pressed her hand down harder on her mouth full of laughter.

"... but we are 21 and half a year old." Srishti added sweetly and Anu smiled at her, sweetly. Sickeningly.

"No, you are 21 and half a year old, I am 22 years old, boohoo baby, in your bloody face."

Not bloody again. Vani groaned.
Arshiya giggled.

They are following their normal routine. Again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"It was not funny."

Vihaan growled at his stupid cousin in ire of his foolishness and stomped over to the private elevator of his restaurant that they had stopped at, for the lunch, before they return to the Towers. That's until he learned about Nakul breaking the code wall of his company to break into the system of the old fool and his appetite went down the drain.

Nakul just shrugged, his characteristic assh*lic smirk still glued to his face as he followed his cousin into the elevator and pressed the button to the ground floor.

"Oh please, I was just giving him a message. He should know where he stands, and that's at the bottom."

Vihaan growled menacingly, warning him. "....you were handing him the evidence."

"But I didn't....?" Nakul smiled proudly like it was some big achievement. (Ahem, fixing the thing you broke is not called an achievement.)

Vihaan growled at him, his hand itching to show him a good old methodical way of putting his missing screws with a screwdriver when his phone rang.

His left hand burrowed deep in his pant pocket and he pulled out his phone and answered the phone, without looking at the caller.

"Vihaan Malhotra."

"Hello to you too, son." He could hear the sarcasm, right away in her voice and he sighed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The whole day, Vani stayed away from the two nuisances of their gang and to say it was a funny-wunny thing to Arshiya would be an understatement.

It was hilarious to watch two twenty two-year-old's, no, twenty-two years old and a twenty-one and half-year-old chasing Vani like two nagging bugs, demanding a flower's full attention to themselves and it had been going on since the lunch.

"Alright class, it's time. Take your positions." Her Shivani Massi(aunt), demanded as soon as she stepped inside the studio, demanding their attention and everyone immediately took their positions, not wanting to face her wrath.

Shivani Mehta had been the best friend of Arshiya's mother since they were little. They had always been inseparable. They had grown up together, studied together and had gotten married together, in the same mandap (the Indian platform to hold Hindu marriage rituals).

"Loosen up yourselves and stretch your arms up. Hold it there for a moment, now go down and touch your feet. Hold." Shivani Mehta was a strict and disciplined lady since forever and it was a wonder for girls when they learned about her relationship with Arshiya's mother, who had always been a bubbly and carefree lady.

"Release your positions and relax. Good. Very good. Now we'll warm up with the beat and then start our dance session. With the music... and no monkey jumping and froggy moves." Shivani eyed the twin trouble warningly, who gave her a sweet innocent smile in return and Shivani sighed.

"Alright. Let's start with slow running." Shivani played the same high beat music, as before and the girls waited for the familiar thrum before they started slow running on their positions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"....Mom."

The elevator took that moment to open and he waved Nakul away to get the car, while he talks to his mother, who gave him a thumbs down and disappeared after receiving a warning glare.

"Vihaan, are you listening to me?"

"...yes mom."

"So as I was saying about Ashwaq Verma, you know one of the clients for your latest project?" His mother started unclearly, not revealing anything, but there was a hint of excitement in her voice?

".....Yeah?" Vihaan answered hesitantly and Naina Malhotra took that as a chance of her victory.

"He has a daughter, hot, purely into business......."

Naina Malhotra's words died down in the receiver by the low growl that erupted from the back of his throat.

".....F*ck, not again." He growled menacingly and received a warning in response to not speak such vile words in front of her again.

"Vihaan Malhotra, you will meet her and that's an order."

"..... mom, we are past this." Vihaan was sick of these threats and he was also equally sick of those obnoxious girls who were just after his money and fame.

"I know what you are thinking, Vihaan, but I had met the girl. She was nice and sweet, so please at least meet her."

".....you said that last time too." Vihaan groaned and he froze, as he heard her sniff in response.

No. Not this.

"Is that how it was gonna be?" She sniffed again and Vihaan growled inaudibly.

"..... Mom."

"No." She sniffed again. "I just want to see my son married, is it wrong? Tell me, is it wrong of me to ask for grandchildren? Tell me?"

Too late.

Vihaan sighed. "..... Fine."

Silence.

Vihaan blinked confused at the stilling silence he received before she broke it as loud as she could, with her squeal and he pulled the phone away from his ears with a cringe.

"..... Mom!"

"I am gonna have grandbabies." Naina Malhotra hummed dramatically and Vihaan rolled her eyes at her.

"..... Mom, we have not even met."

"Ah yes, that had been already arranged. Once she will return from Mauritius, you two can go on a date. Get married. And gimme' grandbabies. Oh, la, la."

Vihaan sighed as the call disconnected before he had a chance to retort and he shook his head in amazement.

He was put on the noose again by his mother. To sum everything up, his mother Naina Malhotra is a great 'masterpiece' of God, as she had once said herself and there was no one who could figure out her moody swings.
Especially him, since he couldn't even understand her dramatized stuff.

Vihaan sighed and looked around, before frowning at the strangely familiar surroundings. Is it..... the back alley of his hotel? Gosh, he had not even realized he had walked this far.

He midstep in the alley as he heard something and his senses sharpened as he took in his surroundings. He walked further and paused as the sound turned clear, in the form of upbeat music.

Music?

Was there a party in his hotel?

The music grew louder as he walked towards the supposed party hall and looked inside to find a lot of girls swinging and swaying around in the room as they followed the beast.

The music in the room paused briefly, before picking up the higher note and the girls fastened and hardened their steps, forming the lane of rows and columns mid-step, clapping on the plain soft note and jumping in half-bend swan style and smiled heartily.

But one smile caught his attention as it twinkled beautifully in her eyes, the eyes, the most beautiful shade of vibrant caramel brown and her skin absolutely flawless, dressed up in a similar dance attire as any other girl.

Her hand matched the pace of the music as she raised it high above, matching others yet so uniquely different in grace, put it on her shoulder and did a complete twirl before letting out a pleased giggle at her success.

Beautiful. The devil in his mind taunted, tempting him. So f*cking mesmerizingly beautiful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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