Rohan Chopra whistled looking at his sister as she descended down the stairs in a midnight blue one shoulder strap long flowy gown highlighting her slender neck. Her hair was tied up and a few unruly strands of hair falling on either sides of her face making her look like a diva.

She groaned looking at his expression and took her seat on the sofa opposite to him holding on to her evening clutch tight

"Ahem ! Iraada kya hai behna" Rohan asked and winking at her.

"I wouldn't hesitate a second to throw these heels at you" saying she glared at him.

"Too bad. Wait for all the uncle and aunties to crowd around mumma and papa today" he irritated her further.

"Stop irritating her Rohan" Gautam Chopra spoke at once and hugged his daughter by her shoulders and slumped on the seat next to her waiting for his wife.

"Papa, really ?" Rohan asked lifting his eyebrows.

"Well not really. The guys will rather approach her directly" Gautam Chopra said and shared a hifi with his son.

She punched her father on his arm and slapped her forehead for being pulled to some 60th birthday party.

"Let's go ! We are running late" Preethi Chopra exclaimed and the family of 4 headed out for the party after giving instructions to their house help.

Their car pulled in front of Taj Maha Palace and after passing the keys to the valet they entered the party venue only to be greeted by the hosts and the paparazzi kept clicking photos for their own gossip column.

She literally whizzed past all the paparazzi and after greeting the couple. She made her way to the lawn hoping to catch some fresh air. She wasn't a party animal but she did not mind attending these high society parties once in a while. Recently, they have been only about all the gossiping aunties who were very involved in hooking her up with any eligible bachelor they could think about. She did not want this party to be one such evening. Only if she knew what was in store for her.

"Its been so long Gautam" Anand Nanda exclaimed and hugged his dear friend.

"Wish you a very happy birthday Anand! Stay healthy" Gautam Chopra wished him.

"I don't see your daughter around. I did spot Rohan though. He looks fine !"

"Oh she must be away from all the gossip mongers. Still does not want to get hitched. I wonder what's running in their mind" Replied Gautam and laughed heartily thinking about what happened back home before they could leave.

"Avi, come here" Anand called for his younger son and introduced him to Gautam Chopra.

"Remember him ? He did everything he could do to keep your dadu alive but then" Anand continued and blinked the tears that clouded his eyes upon remembering his father on his birthday.

They shared their pleasantries and Avinash excused himself in the pretence of coordinating things. They had a lot of help and event managers, still he couldn't bring himself to watch any glitch unfold itself all of a sudden. He was a man of perfection and when it came to his family, he wouldn't mind sweating himself only to see them happy.

Purnima and Preethi too were chatting with other women who were more interested in enquiring about their sons and daughter and the kind of prospects they were looking at, given they were all at marriageable age.

"Oh my god, is that you ?" Shraddha shouted at her dear friend who was showing her back to her.

"Shrads ! Twinnie" Aadhya yelled looking at her best friend whom she had lost contact with in more than 10 years.

Shraddha wasn't from a very affluent family and the school in which they had studied, they were all bonding based on their lifestyle. This had always irritated Aadhya. She had no issues with them but many of her friends had judged her for befriending Shraddha. Some voiced out openly and a few like minded people wanted to mingle with others but they did not for they were afraid of being judged by others.

Shraddha was intelligent and one of the rank holders in school but she had to keep it low. She belonged to a middle class family and her parents could just afford her school fees but they weren't in a position to give her the kind of luxury some of them in her school had. She had cleared her board exams in flying colors. She had managed to even secure a rank in a subject or two. But that alone wasn't enough. Her mother had fell sick right after her school and that demanded them to spend more than what they could pushing her to make different career choices and she even withdrew herself from all the people she considered close not wanting to answer their questions or even have them pity her. That's how she pushed out Aadhya.

The best friends hugged one another tightly. Aadhya pushed her away and glared at her. Shraddha knew she had to answer this time. They were a few who would have treated her the way she wouldn't like but Aadhya Chopra wouldn't have. Her parents always welcomed her and never did they question her any other way or even stopped Aadhya from spending time with her at her place.

"Why don't you run again Shraddha ? Isn't that easier than talking" she angrily yelled at her dear friend.

Shraddha took a minute to compose herself to deal with the woman standing before her. She then felt a hand on her shoulders. She looked up to see her brother in law, Avinash Nanda staring at the person who just yelled at her.

"Avinash, please. It's for me to deal with. Trust me I am more than fine here" she calmed him first.

"Do me a favour, send me a couple of glasses of watermelon juice this way and make sure your brother shows up here. I am in deep shit here" she instructed her brother in law.

"Here I thought you said you could handle" Avinash asked gritting his teeth.

"I can definitely but your brother's presence isn't required to save me but for some introductions" she confirmed and looked at her best friend who was fuming at their banter.

"Aadhya, I am sorry but can we really talk this time. I know it's my fault but can we pretty please." Shraddha begged her friend.

She was easy to talk and have fun but dealing when she was angry was the worst. And nothing can make her more happy than a watermelon juice whenever her mood was bad.

"I cleared my boards with great marks I thought but I performed really bad at the entrance exams. Mumma fell sick and it turned out she needed a open heart surgery. If I were to stick around you then for sure I would have talked to you about it and you know what would have happened cos you are very close to uncle"

"Wow just wow" she fumed again.

"Let me finish please. Then surgery had to go wrong and I lost mumma at the surgery table itself. That pushed dad in to depression and he did come around after a few months. Then it was all about studying something I did not like I thought but ended up loving it more now. I mean interior designing. Later on joined Nanda Corporation as an intern more and then"

Shraddha suddenly felt a shadow looming over her and the strong masculine scent hitting her nostrils that made her brain go fuzzy. The one that made her go weak on her knees.

"He happened Aadhya. Meet Akhil Nanda, my husband" she explained herself and leaned against her husbands chest feeling his hands going around her shoulders.

Aadhya folded her hands against her chest and looked at the couple standing before her. They looked perfect. Flawless. She could see her friends eyes twinkle. She was happy for her definitely but whatever happened between them wasn't right. She was still digesting the reason she shared. Her heart went out to her friend after knowing she lost her mother but Shraddha found it not necessary to share it with her.

"Congrats Shraddha" her voice was cold. It lacked warmth.

"Aayu please"

"Was I so difficult to find even when you were to be married ? I mean Dr. Chopras aren't tough to spot " she asked haughtily.

"Abh tho gussa chod , promise I will stay with you. Lauti friend hai meri (quit being angry, promise I will stay with you. My only friend)"

"Idiot, can't stay angry with you for long either. Ugh" Aadhya whined and hugged her long lost friend tight.

"I assume both of you are doing fine ? And wow can't believe Shraddha is actually pleading with someone. That definitely is something" Akhil spoke at last and that earned him a punch on his arm from his wife.

"I am Akhil Nanda . And you are Aadhya Chopra" he forwarded his hand.

She shook her hands with him and beamed at him. She knew he was a goner for his friend and she was very happy for her.

Akhil walked away from them and let the friends be with one another to go see his brother if he needed any help.

"Bro ! All good ?" Akhil asked

"I mean who was she ? Literally spitting fire at bhabhi" Avinash asked trying to control his anger.

"Best friends. They had lost being in touch for more than 10 years and Shraddha happened to see her and rest is history. But can you imagine someone shouting at Shraddha and Shraddha being submissive" Akhil kept playing the conversation in his head.

"Joru ka ghulam (wife's slave)" Avinash teased his brother.

To be continued ~

Looking forward to all your comments and likes. Thanks for reading this chapter so patiently.