AUTHOR'S POV

In a brightly lit room, a woman in her late twenties sat surrounded by a storm of paperwork. Sheets lay scattered across her desk, the faint hum of the ceiling fan blending with the rustling of curtains swayed gently by the morning breeze that dared to sneak into her workspace.

Completely engrossed in signing documents, she didn't spare a glance at the ticking clock. One hand scribbled hastily while the other typed furiously on her laptop, her eyes narrowing at the glowing screen, brows furrowed behind the spectacles that kept sliding down her nose. Every few minutes, her fingers automatically pushed them back up - an unconscious habit now, never once breaking her focus.

She was lost in her work.

So lost, she had forgotten her promised visit -unaware that time was slipping away.

Until her phone rang. Loud, sharp, and persistent.

Startled, she looked away from the file for the first time in what felt like hours and picked up the call.

"Hello, Ruhanika Malhotra speaking," she answered, voice crisp and professional.

"Okay, no need to hello your papa, Ruhi. Come fast, or your Ma will beat both of us. She looks like Kali Mata right now," the man on the other end said hurriedly.

"But Papa..." Ruhi whined, eyes still flicking back to the stack of documents in front of her.

"No but, come fast. Your Ma is waiting."

The call ended.

With a defeated sigh, Ruhanika stood up, smoothing her dress and grabbing her phone. She stepped out of the room, bracing herself to calm her mother's rising fury.

Behind her, the papers remained messy.

The pen, uncapped.

The laptop screen still glowing - dimming little by little, as if silently counting down the moments she had left for herself.

RUHANIKA’S POV

Before I could even step into my best friend's house, someone tugged my ear hard.

"Ouch, Ma! It's hurting! I'm an adult now don't pull my ear in public! See? Everyone's laughing!" I whined, trying to wriggle away.

"I was really busy, believe me! If you don't trust me, ask Ridansh. He's the CEO, right? All sweet, innocent, no-nonsense - your favourite! You believe everything he says with your eyes closed!"

I turned toward Ridansh, giving him my most pathetic puppy eyes, silently begging him to save me from Ma's wrath.

That traitor just shrugged.

I glared at him.

Unbothered. Unmoved. Utterly heartless.

"Leave her alone - don't hurt my child. I believe you, beta. Come on, let's go have breakfast," Ridansh's mom stepped in like a goddess sent to rescue me.

I immediately clung to her saree like a lifeline, dramatically sniffling into her pallu.

"Your son always gets me scolded by my mother! He enjoys watching me cry!" I sniffed louder.

Aunty chuckled and pulled me into a warm hug, a soft smile dancing on her lips.

"No, beta... he doesn't love seeing you cry. He just loves pulling your leg. So don't give him that satisfaction, okay? Deal?"

I nodded like a five-year-old. "Deal!"

I offered my pinky. She wrapped hers around mine.

Beware, Ridansh Idiot Sinha.

If you've got my mother on your side, I just sealed a full-blown emotional pinky promise deal with your mother.

Straightening my shoulders, holding my head high like a warrior queen, I walked toward the dining table where everyone had witnessed my humiliation.

I scanned the traitors.

There sat my idiot brother, Aakash, laughing. My even bigger idiot best friend, Samaira, trying to hold it in. I glared at both of them.

Unapologetically.

Papa was chatting with Uncle, too engrossed in their morning discussion to notice their daughter's pain.

I shoved a chair between Aakash and Samaira and forced them apart. No way I was letting them sit together. I knew how that would end - me getting roasted alive.

I sat dramatically between them, playfully smacking both of them.

They burst into laughter, and soon we were giggling like kids again.

But peace doesn't last long in my life.

"You three - why don't you include Ridansh in your group?" Ma asked out loud.

Of course. Of course she had to say that.

After all, Ridansh Sinha is her favourite - more than her own kids, I'm convinced.

"Well, Ma," I said sweetly, sarcasm dripping from every word, "we don't include old people in our youngsters' gang."

Ridansh scoffed. "Who are you calling old? I'm just four years older than you, Miss Malhotra. And may I remind you - I'm your boss?"

"Oh please. You might be boss in that shiny company of yours, but this is my bestie's house too," I said, crossing my arms.

I threw an apple at him. Not hard. Just enough to make a point.

"And don't you dare bring your boss card here! Auntyyy! Tell him no office talk in this house! I demand equality! Am I just an employee to you people??"

Aunty came to my rescue once again - this time holding Ridansh's ear.

"Ow! Maa!" Ridansh groaned in protest.

"What? Will you disturb her again? Don't try your bossy attitude in front of your Maa! I'll make your Papa fire you!" she threatened.

I giggled. Snorted. Glowed in victory.

"Obviously! Whatever my wife says will happen!" Uncle chimed in with a proud surrender.

"You -!" Ridansh hissed, standing up like a volcano about to erupt.

I stood up too, prepared to yank out all his hair and make him bald.

But alas, our parents stepped in before the final battle began.

Otherwise... I would've totally won.

.

..

~~~~~~

"I'm so happy, Sami. It's Sunday! After waiting for so many days, we finally got an off day," I said, collapsing onto her bed like a dramatic pillow warrior.

"Ugh, yes. I'm exhausted from all the weekday madness. But hey, every Sunday we get our little family breakfast. That's something, right?" Samaira replied, flopping down beside me with the same tired sigh.

"By the way - did you read that book I recommended?" I turned to her with hopeful eyes.

"Not yet! I didn't even have time to breathe. And all my fictional men are waiting for me, Ruhi!" she groaned.

We both burst into laughter - loud, careless, the kind that makes your stomach hurt. The kind that feels like home.

Just then, someone ruffled my hair out of nowhere, completely messing it up.

"Ridansh Sinha!" I shouted.

"You're so gone today!"

I leapt off the bed and chased him through the hallway like a hurricane in human form. After a few chaotic laps around the room, I finally caught him and put him in a headlock, laughing breathlessly.

Then I launched my secret weapon - tickles.

No mercy.

"Okay! Stop!" Ridansh laughed, practically wheezing. "You're evil!"

"You can never win against me, Ridansh," I declared proudly, grinning like I'd just conquered a kingdom.

But then...

He whispered - so soft, almost like it slipped out by accident.

"I don't want to win against you... I want to win you over."

And just like that, time... slowed.

My hands froze.

My smile faltered.

My breath hitched.......just a little.

No! Not even a second - just a millisecond.

I quickly let go of him and stepped back, forcing a laugh.

"Good riddance, Rids," I muttered, brushing off whatever that moment was.

I walked back to Samaira's bed and sat beside her, pretending like nothing happened. Like I hadn't just heard something that felt like it could change everything.

He was just messing with me. Trying to throw me off in our little fight. Right?

That's all it was.

But from the corner of my eye... I saw it.

A look.

Samaira and Ridansh exchanging glances.

A silent conversation. A flicker of something unspoken between the siblings.

Okay... now they're being weird.

RIDANSH’S POV

It was Sunday, so naturally, I allowed myself the luxury of sleeping in. By the time I went downstairs, the living room was already buzzing - with my family, Ruhanika's parents, and her brother all gathered like it was a tradition.

Well, to be fair... it was.

This little ritual had been going on for years now. Ever since Samaira found her 'soulmate' kindergarten best friend- the one with the chubby cheeks, crooked pigtails, and a face perpetually drooling. Cute. Annoyingly cute.

Our parents had been friends since college, and when Sami got attached to Ruhi, the rest followed. Their bond made our parents ridiculously happy. I suppose watching your children replicate the kind of friendship and love you once had... must be fulfilling. And maybe that's why I began believing in true love and friendship too.

Luckily, I found someone who was both my love and my friend.

But did she ever even think of me like that?

"Good morning, Ridansh bhai," Aakash's voice pulled me back from my thoughts.

"Good morning. How's college? I heard from Samaira that you caused trouble for some girl there?" I asked casually, raising an eyebrow.

If his parents found out, he was done for. But if Ruhanika found out - swaha!

"I didn't! She's annoying. I hate her," he blurted defensively.

Too fast. Too obvious.

"Jyada hate mat karo, kahin pyaar na ho jaaye," Samaira teased, ruffling his hair. (Don't hate her too much....you might just fall in love.)

"Stop it, Sami di! You really need to stop reading those crappy novels. They're messing with your brain," Aakash groaned.

I placed a hand on his shoulder to stop the teasing from escalating further. Before I could say anything else, I heard her voice.

I turned toward the entrance and saw aunty dragging Ruhanika in by her ear as she squirmed and pleaded. Our very own drama queen in action. She caught my eye and immediately gave me those wide puppy eyes, silently begging me to save her.

Nope. No way. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see her pleading with me. Sweet, sweet satisfaction.

But of course, Maa had to step in and save her.

Just like that, all my satisfaction went straight into the drain.

We settled at the dining table, food steaming in front of us, when Ruhi decided to launch an attack - on my age.

This girl.

I snapped back with a comment of my own, but what no one knew was just how much I loved having her attention all to myself.

She launched into her signature emotional drama, complete with her nakhre and exaggerated sighs. Maa tugged at my ear for laughing, but I couldn't help it.

That's her. My walking drama.

After breakfast, I tried helping Maa and aunty clean up, but they shooed me away and insisted I go "spend time with the kids."

Defeated, I wandered to Sami's room and found the door wide open. Sami and Ruhi were sprawled across the bed, lost in their usual gossip.

I tiptoed in, stealth-mode activated, and ruffled Ruhi's hair - completely messing it up.

As expected, she shrieked, leapt up, and chased after me like a whirlwind. She caught me, headlocked me, and then the chaos began - running around the room, jumping over the bed and couch, breathless from laughing too hard.

And somewhere in the middle of all the teasing and wrestling, I gave up. Happily.

She pinned me down, fingers dancing over my ribs in tickle mode, my laughter echoing in the room. But even then, I wasn't focused on the tickling.

I was focused on her.

Her laugh. Her smile.

That glow on her face.

And the thought just spilled in my head before I could stop it -

"I don't want to win against you. I want to win you over."

But then she suddenly sat up, retreating beside Samaira again. My breath caught.

Did I just say that out loud?

Oh God. What does she think of me now?

She looked unbothered - completely nonchalant......but Sami? That devil smirked right at me, wiggling her eyebrows in mischief.

Just wait, sister dearest. I'll get back at you for this.