The next morning in Sakshi's room, Vinnati pulled a dress from her bag and splayed it on the bed. A frilled maroon gown layered with sequins and satin flowers, glittering in the grainy sunlight.

Surprise lightened Sakshi's features.

"Wah! But why did you stuff it in that teeny bag? It will get wrinkled."

"With your family's hawk eyes watching every move, I didn't have another option. What do you think of it?"

Sakshi smiled. "It's beyond amazing. Ayush said the dress code was a formal one, and I was breaking my head on what to wear. Thank you, Vini.

"Is it about following a dress code, or looking beautiful for someone you love?"

"Obviously the first one. There will be many chief guests coming and I don't want to appear underdressed."

Vinnati rolled her eyes in a sarcastic manner. "Ohh, right. I believe you."

"Enough teasing. How are we gonna get out? Bhaiyya won't agree ever."

"I have a foolproof plan."

"I'm not able to bring myself to trust your plans," Sakshi said.

Her brows knitted. "Why not?"

"Remember when lied to the principal that your leg got fractured to attend movie? And you ended up right beside him in the theatre."

Vinnati winced with an embarrassed smile. "Stop digging last year's trash! This will surely work out."

"What's the plan?"

"I'm telling your brother that we have to submit documents in our college."

"Why would any college ask so when exams are in a week? Bhaiyya will figure out we're bluffing."

"We'll say that if we don't submit the documents, our hall ticket cannot be verified. How is my idea?"

"Seems practical, but I feel bad about lying."

"Don't overthink this, bae. If your family was open-minded, you wouldn't have to do this. Leave it to me and pack your jewellery and cosmetics."

"How will I dress up?"

"Once we reach the hotel, you can change in the washroom."

Sakshi grabbed her bag and headed downstairs with Vinnati. Ranveer paced around in the living clutching his phone between his shoulder and ear while signing a bunch of papers.

Vinnati joined her palms and dipped her head, moving her lips without noise. "Good morning."

He inclined an eyebrow and gave a half nod to acknowledge her presence.

"Bhaiyya, I want to tell you something important."

Ranveer pressed a finger to his lips with a stern frown while conversing on the phone. Sakshi sighed and grew restless, glancing frequently at her wristwatch. She leaned on the doorpost, staring at the polished tiles floor till he hung up the call.

"What's so urgent? Can't you see I was talking to someone important?"

"Sorry, sir. Our college has notified us to submit certain documents for the exam," Vinnati said.

"Like what?"

"Aadhaar card, PAN card, and . . . what else, Sakshi?"

"Previous year's marks card."

"We already submitted all of that. I was the one who took of those files."

Sakshi's heart stopped for a moment, sure that their plan was foiled.

"We need to verify it against the original copies." Vinnati made up a new story out of thin air, making Sakshi smile softly.

Ranveer glanced at Sakshi's pleading eyes. " Show me your phone, where's the message?"

"Which message?"

"The one from your college."

"We got a call from our class teacher a while ago."

"How long will it take?" Ranveer asked, rolling up his sleeves.

"About an hour or two depending on the number of students present."

"You can go. I won't tolerate if this is a lie."

Sakshi gulped but managed to sustain a calm and composed expression. "Absolutely, Bhaiyya."

"First eat your breakfast," Ranveer said.

"I'm not hungry, I'll eat on the-"

"If you want to go, you must finish your food. Your friend can join us too."

At the dining table, Sakshi and Vinnati gobbled down the parathas Lajo had served, while keeping a close tab on the wall clock. They emptied the plates, dumped them into the sink and stormed out with their bags to hire a taxi. The blood drained from Sakshi's face as Ranveer stepped out and wore his shoes.

"Where are you coming, bhaiyya?"

"To your college. I'm free today and I can't send you alone by taxi."

"Please don't take trouble."

"I can go through any trouble to keep you out of trouble."

Sakshi forced a dread-filled smile and cast a side glance at Vinnati. With their lips shut tight, the girls reached the main road and boarded a taxi along with Ranveer sitting beside the driver's seat.

The taxi halted outside the gate of Kanakji Girls College. Sakshi placed a hand on Vinnati. The latter gave a lengthy blink of comfort. Ranveer handed the driver a bunch of notes and slipped the wallet back in his front pocket.

"Sir, since the rules allow only students inside, where will you wait for us?"

"Don't teach me your rules! I'm coming in."

"Bhaiyya, the college staff is afraid of you. Please stay here," Sakshi said with guilt pricking her scalp.

Ranveer sighed. "Fine! I'll wait near that milkshake shop."

He pointed at Chocobar Café, which oddly terrified Sakshi. She nodded and rushed inside the college with Vinnati. In the washroom, Sakshi leaned on the basin and bit her lower lip.

"I should have known such things will happen! How can I expect a normal life in the Rana family?"

"We'll find a way out, bae."

"There's no way out with Bhaiyya seated right opposite the gate with, as you said, his hawk eyes on us."

"Relax, you're thinking too much."

"I'm being realistic. This morning, Ayush messaged that he's waiting to see me. Guess I should tell him I can't make it."

Vinnati gripped her shoulder. "An amazing idea just occurred to me."

"To tell Bhaiyya that we are secretly visiting a party?"

"Far from it! You see, there are quite some girls coming here in their family cars. We can hitch a ride from one of them!"

"What if Bhaiyya sees us?"

"He won't. Go and change your dress, quick!"

"I hope so."

With her heart thundering in fear, Sakshi ambled inside the washroom and changed into the maroon gown. She slipped on the Kalamkari maroon bangles from Gaurav's stall at the fair. As she stepped out, Vinnati covered her mouth and let out a loud gasp.

"Looking crazy, bae! Ayush will fall crazy-flat seeing you today!"

Sakshi bit her lower lip and peered into the mirror. Her face was beaming and her cheeks were full of life. She stroked kajal on her waterline and dabbed a lavish coat of rust-maroon lipstick. As she grabbed a tuft of her hair into a high ponytail, Vinnati held her wrist.

"No, bae. Leave your hair loose."

"It won't look nice."

"Just try it once, for my sake."

With a sigh, Sakshi released her hair and brushed her airy tresses with a hand-comb. To her utter amazement, she looked beyond beautiful. Ethereal.

"See what I told you," Vinnati said.

"You're right! I didn't expect this," she said, bouncing her tresses with a grin.

Vinnati too changed into a flowing pink dress with her curls left untied.

"You're looking splendid, Vini!"

"Thanks, bae. Now run! We're running late!"

Waiting near the parking lot, they bumped into a girl getting out of a car. Her father in the driver seat waved her goodbye.

"Uncle, can you please do us a favour? We need a ride to the main road," Vinnati asked the middle-aged man.

"Sure, hop in, Bete."

With a surreal grin, Sakshi lunged inside the car with Vinnati. While crossing Chocobar Café, Vinnati rolled up the windows and they bent down in their seats.

"Phew! That was close," Vinnati said.

"I know right!"

The man dropped them near the main road. Thanking him for his timely support, they hired an autorickshaw to The Amore Grande. The man sensed their hurry and demanded twenty rupees more. With no other immediate option, they gave in and boarded the auto.

"We're finally here- The Amore Grande!" Sakshi said, craning her neck to gaze at the 20 floors of the restaurant. She had never seen one this sophisticated in all Sonambar. The outer walls were painted in a rich caramel shade. Intricate floral carvings adorned the walls. Lush, verdant grass, rare purple flowers shaped like bells. Imported cars and bikes were stationed in a huge parking lot. The guards donned cherry red suits with gold discs as buttons and embroidered turbans.

As Sakshi expected, the place was flooded with news reporters, shutterbugs, journalists from The Sonambar daily, the rich, the commoners-all packed around the entrance and others wandering in. Keeping their eyes to the ground, Sakshi and Vinnati raced inside. One of the guards stepped in between them and the door.

"Your entry pass, please?" He asked, stretching out his hand to Sakshi's face and twirling his moustache with the other.

"Pass? We don't have any-"

"We don't allow entry for those without a pass."

"But my friend is performing here."

"Please leave! Don't block the way for others VIPs."

Her cheeks burned in humiliation. She stomped out of the hallway and moved to a corner, dialling Ayush's number.

He didn't answer.

She called him again.

No answer.

The third time.

Yet again, he didn't.

"What happened?" Vinnati asked.

"He's not picking up my call."

"Then why did he invite us?"

"Who knows why!"

"This is very unfair, bae."

Sakshi stuck like a piece of dust in the corner of the corridor, ignoring the lecherous and demeaning glances of people brushing past her. Vinnati held her shoulder in a comforting grip with a frown. After waiting for half an hour, her heart drowned in disappointment.

"Ayush is not going to come. Let's go home."

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