At Tara's House.
Tara's mom opened the door with a warm smile, brushing her hands on her kurti as she stepped aside.
"Tum sab log aa gaye? Main tum log ka hi wait kar rahi thi," Tara's mamma said, clearly excited.
("You all are here? I was waiting for you.")
"Hi, aunty!" everyone chorused, their voices bright with energy.
Aunty's eyes landed on Vaani with a playful frown. "Tu kya hi kar rahi hai abhi? Adhe ghante pehle yahi se gayi thi tu."
("Why are you saying hi now ? You just left half an hour ago!")
Vaani laughed sheepishly. "Oh haan, bhool gayi thi. Waise, Tara abhi tak neeche nahi aayi?"
("Oh right, I forgot. By the way, hasn't Tara come downstairs yet?")
"Abhi bhi apne room mein hai," Aunty replied with a sigh.
("She's still in her room.")
"Main bula kar laati hoon," Vaani said, already making her way upstairs.
("I'll go call her.")
Aunty called after her, half-joking, half-warning: "Jaldi aana dono! Wahi shuru mat ho jana!"
("Come quickly, both of you! Don't start your usual nonsense up there!")
She turned back to the others with a smile. "Aao, tum log baitho."
("Come in, have a seat.")
Tara's Room
The door creaked open slowly as Vaani peeked inside.
"Neeche nahi chalna hai kya? Sab log aa gaye hain," she said while stepping in then paused. Tara was crouched by her bookshelf, dusting and stacking books with a focused expression.
("Aren't you coming downstairs? Everyone's here.")
Tara didn't look up. "Tujhe pata hai, saman nikalne ke baad rakhna hota hai."
("You do know that you're supposed to put stuff back after taking it out.")
Vaani rolled her eyes. "Woh Mummy ka call aaya tha, toh sochi ki aake rakh dungi."
("Mom had called, so I thought I'd come put it back.")
Tara stood and brushed her hands. "Jab din bhar yahin rahegi, toh aunty ko call karke hi bulana padega na."
("When you stay here all day, obviously aunty has to call you to get anything done.")
Vaani crossed her arms and smirked. "Tere ghar mein nahi rahti hoon. Aunty ke ghar mein rahti hoon, samjhi?"
("I don't live in your house. I live in aunty's house, got it?")
Tara rolled her eyes and turned to leave. "Ho gaya, ab chal neeche. Sab wait kar rahe honge."
("Enough now, let's go. Everyone's probably waiting.")
Vaani placed her hand on Tara's shoulder with a sly grin. "Sab, ya Ahaan?"
("Everyone, or just Ahaan?")
Tara gave her a classic side-eye but didn't answer.
In the Living Room
The group was now comfortably settled - some on the couch, others sprawled on floor cushions. Laughter and soft music filled the air.
"Tum log kya loge?" Aunty asked warmly, already halfway to the kitchen.
("What will you all have?")
"Aunty, hum sab chai lenge," Ahaan said with a polite smile.
("Aunty, we'll all have tea.")
Tara entered just then, her voice teasing: "Iske liye special zeher mix."
("His special with poison mix.")
She and Vaani burst into giggles.
Aunty raised her eyebrows. "Tum dono kya khi-khi, khi-khi kar rahe ho?"
("What are you two giggling about?")
"Kuch nahi!" they said in unison and quickly took their seats, still trying to hide their laughter.
("Nothing")
_____
Everyone had just finished their tea. The cups sat empty on the side table.
Suddenly, Aunty's phone rang. She answered it, nodding seriously, then turned to the group with a hint of apology.
"Bachcho, abhi meri urgent meeting hai, toh mujhe jaana padega," she said, picking up her handbag.
("Kids, I have an urgent meeting now, so I'll have to leave.")
"Koi baat nahi, aunty. Aap jao. Main hoon na," Vaani said confidently, her hand raised in a mock salute.
("No problem, aunty. You go ahead. I'm here.")
Aunty laughed and shook her head. "Usi ka toh darr hai, beta."
("That's exactly what I'm worried about, dear.")
She gave everyone a fond look. "Thik hai, main jaati hoon. Tum log masti mat karna. Aur Vaani, tum kitchen mein mat jaana, please."
("Alright, I'm going. Don't get too wild. And Vaani don't go into the kitchen, please.")
"Hai hai, thik hai! Nahi jaungi!" Vaani promised dramatically.
(Ok, alright I won't go!")
"Chalo na, kuch khelte hain," Kriti suggested, bouncing on her seat.
("Come on, let's play something.")
"Haan, nahi toh aise hi bore ho jaayenge," Nirma added, twirling her hair.
("Yeah, or we'll just get bored.")
"Uno khelte hain na?" Ahaan said, looking around.
("Let's play Uno?")
"Nahi!" Tara snapped almost immediately.
("No!")
"Kyun? Khelna nahi aata?" Ahaan teased, raising an eyebrow.
("Why? You Don't know how to play?")
Tara smirked. "Tujhse zyada accha aata hai."
("I'm better at it than you.")
"Toh khel ke bata," Ahaan challenged, a mischievous spark in his eyes.
("Then prove it")
"Haan toh, main Uno le kar aati hoon!" Vaani jumped up and headed to get the cards.
("Alright, I'll go get the Uno deck!")
Everyone had gathered around the low table in the center of the living room, sitting cross-legged or leaning against the couch. The deck of UNO cards sat in the middle like a ticking bomb.
Kriti shuffled the cards while rudra and yuvraj joined in.
"Bata du, pehle din se main champion hoon," she said, handing the cards.
("Just so you know, I've been the champion since day one.")
"Champion of cheating maybe," Nirma whispered.
Everyone laughed.
Ahaan looked across at Tara. "Dekh lena, main har round jeetunga."
("Just wait, I'm going to win every round.")
Tara narrowed her eyes. "Sapne mein jeet lena. Yahan main hoon."
("Win in your dreams. I'm the one playing here.")
As the game progressed, the room turned into a battlefield of reverse cards, skips, +4s, and fake sympathy.
"UNO!" Vaani shouted.
"Mai toh pehle bol raha hoon, cheating mat karna," Yuvraj said, pointing at Vaani.
("Let me say it first - no cheating!")
"Mere character pe sawal mat uthao!" Vaani clutched her chest in mock hurt.
("Don't question my character!")
Everyone laughed as Kriti took the responsibility of shuffling.
"Sab log shant ho jao, Tara aur Ahaan ek dusre ko maarne se pehle game start karne do," Nirma said, rolling her eyes.
"Everyone calm down, let Tara and Ahaan start the game before they kill each other.")
Tara gave Ahaan a glare. "Tujhe harana meri zindagi ka maksad ban gaya hai."
("Defeating you has become the purpose of my life.")
Ahaan smirked. "Maksad toh bana le, lekin kar paayegi tab na."
("Set your purpose, but let's see if you can actually do it.")
Round One Begins
Everyone got 7 cards. The first card on the deck was a green 3.
Play started. Vaani played quickly, then Kriti, then Nirma. Rudra made a show of dramatically dropping a reverse.
"Game changing card hai ye," he announced like a cricket commentator.
("This is the game changing card")
It was Tara's turn. She placed a green skip and smirked.
"Ahaan ka turn skip," she said sweetly.
("Ahaan's turn skip")
"Ye toh personal attack hai!" Ahaan shouted.
("This is a personal attack!")
"Tera chehra dekh kar card badal diya maine," she replied.
("I changed the card just seeing your face.")
Everyone burst into laughter.
Round Two:
The game moved fast. Suddenly Vaani shouted: "+2 Ahaan ke liye!"
("+2 for ayaan")
Ahaan groaned: "Kyun yaar? Main toh chup chap baitha tha."
( "Why yarr, I had been sitting quietly ")
Tara dropped a red 9, calm and strategic. Ahaan threw a red reverse and locked eyes with her.
"Tujhse yeh reverse wapas karne ka maza alag hi hai," he said.
"Tere jaise players ke saath maza nahi, daya aati hai," Tara shot back.
("With players like you, it's not fun it's pity.")
"Ek baar jeet gayi toh attitude dekho madam ka," Ahaan said dramatically.
("Won one game and now look at her attitude.")
"Main attitude mein nahi, standard mein rehti hoon," Tara retorted, flicking her hair.
("I don't have an attitude - I have standards.")
Everyone howled.
"UNO!" shouted yuvraj.
Everyone looked.
"Dekha? Koi notice nahi karta main quietly game jeetne ki koshish karta hoon," yuvraj said with mock sadness.
("See, no one noticed I always try to win quietly ")
But the next moment, Vaani gave him a +4.
"Yahan koi quietly jeet nahi sakta," Vaani winked.
("No one can win quietly here")
Round Three:
The tension between Tara and Ahaan had turned into full-blown drama. Rudra and nirma was snacking chips and watching like it was a web series.
Ahaan put down a yellow reverse. "Tera waqt shuru hota hai... ab!"
(Tara, time starts now..)
Tara dropped a yellow 5.
Ahaan matched it with another 5.
Tara changed color with a wild card. "Blue."
Ahaan gave her a +4.
She froze. Everyone gasped.
"YEH CHEATING HAI!" she screamed.
("This is cheating")
"Tumne hi blue bola tha, galti teri thi," Ahaan said innocently.
("You said blue yourself, your mistake.")
"Tu pagal hai kya? Tere paas blue tha, fir +4 kyu?"
("Are you insane? You had blue, why a +4?")
"Dil se khela, dimag se nahi," Ahaan winked.
("I played from the heart, not the mind.")
"Dil tu apni aunty ko de, game mat khel!" she shouted.
("Give your heart to your aunty, not this game!")
Everyone was on the floor laughing.
It was just three players left: Tara, Ahaan, and Vaani. Everyone else had either lost or was too tired to keep going.
Tara had two cards. Ahaan had one.
Tara looked at Vaani. "Isko rokna hai, warna phir se chillaayega 'Main best hoon'!"
("We have to stop him otherwise he will shout again that 'i am the best' ")
Vaani gave Ahaan a +2.
He took the cards and said, "Tum dono ne milke mujhe target kiya hai. Ye team-up hai. Ye betrayal hai."
(Both of you have targeted me together. This is team up . This is betrayal.)
Tara giggled. "Arre dosti main no target-sharget. Harana hi mission hai."
(In friendships there are no target - sharget.Making other lose is the mission.)
Ahaan, suddenly bold, placed a wild card and grinned. "UNO."
Everyone screamed. Tara tensed.
It was Vaani's turn. She placed a skip.
Tara looked at her hand... one card left.
She placed it with force. "GAME OVER."
"Noooooo!" Ahaan cried. He threw his cards in the air.
"Ye scripted tha! Is game mein politics ho rahi hai!"
(This is scripted! There is politics in this game.)
Tara got up and bowed. "Public ne jisey chaha, woh jeet gaya."
(The one whom public love is won!)
Tara had just teased Ahaan again, making him groan in frustration and hurl a pillow in her direction.
Thwack!
The pillow hit directly on the Tara's face.
"Tune mujhe maara? Ruk, tujhe main batati hoon!" (You hit me? Wait, I'll show you!) she shouted, laughing as she picked up the pillow and flung it back at him.
But the aim went wildly off... and instead landed straight on Rudra.
"Arey main toh khel bhi nahi raha tha, fir mujhe kyu?"
(I wasn't even playing, so why me?) he protested dramatically.
Vaani, clearly not in the mood to play peacemaker, grabbed a pillow and aimed it at Ahaan in support of Tara but it smacked Tara in the face instead.
"Tu meri side hai ya iski?"
(Are you on my side or his?) Tara glared at her, half-laughing, half-annoyed.
"Hoon toh teri side, but galti se lag gaya. Ab pakka sahi insaan ko maarungi."
(I'm definitely on your side, but that was by mistake. Now I'll definitely hit the right person!) Vaani declared and launched another pillow-but this one hit Kriti instead.
"Tu pagal hai kya? Kisi ko bhi maar rahi hai!"
(Are you crazy? You're just hitting anyone!) Kriti snapped, dodging the next flying cushion.
"Tu beech mein kyu aayi?"
(Why did you get in the way?) Vaani replied, with zero guilt.
Kriti made a classic "are you serious?" face, but no one cared. The war had begun. Vaani picked up another pillow and finally hit Ahaan's back.
"Tu mujhe kyu maar rahi hai? Tu meri dost nahi hai?"
(Why are you hitting me? Aren't you my friend?) Ahaan whined.
Vaani pointed a finger at Ahaan dramatically and looked at Tara. "Tere." (Yours.)
"Phir theek hai. Ab maar."
(Fine then. Go ahead.) Ahaan said in surrender.
But just as he said that, the pillow hit Yuvraj, who looked utterly betrayed.
"Arrey humare team mein ho ke hume hi maar rahi hai!" (You're on our team and still hitting me!) he exclaimed.
"Ohh sorry, ab sahi maarungi."
(Ohh sorry, now I'll hit the right one.) Vaani promised.
And with that, chaos broke loose. Pillows flew in every direction. Laughter, screams, and thuds filled the room as everyone joined the madness.
But just as one more pillow soared through the air, the door creaked open.
CRACK.
The pillow hit... Tara's mother.
Time stopped.
She stood at the doorway, her eyes slowly scanning the disaster zone: cushions everywhere, her daughter with a pillow in one hand, and a gang of guilty faces frozen in place.
"Yeh sab kya ho raha hai?!" (What is going on here?!) she shouted, voice sharp and booming. Silence fell.
Tara began nervously, "Woh mumma..."
"Sab ke sab abhi line mein khade ho jao!" (All of you, line up right now!) she commanded.
"Hum is time pe prayer karege?" (Are we doing a prayer at this time?) Nirma asked innocently.
The others, clueless and panicked, quickly lined up-vertically. Tara's mom slapped her palm to her forehead.
"Yeh kaise bachhe hai!"
(What kind of kids are these!)
Vaani ended up first in line and immediately started stepping backward. Tara followed. Then Ahaan ended up at the front.
"Yeh kaise khade ho tum log?" (What kind of line is this?) Tara's mom asked, now totally confused.
"Sorry aunty, ek minute," Rudra stepped in quickly and added,
"Prayer ke liye aise khade hote hai? One-hand distance kaun lega?" (This is how we stand for prayer, right? Who's taking one-hand distance?)
Everyone obediently began spacing out their hands.
"Kisne kaha hum prayer kar rahe hai?!" (Who said we are doing a prayer?!) she yelled, now truly baffled.
"Abhi Nirma ne pucha na toh aap ne kuch bola hi nahi... toh hume laga prayer karna hai." (Nirma asked and you didn't say anything... so we thought it's time for prayer.) Kriti tried to reason.
"Abhi ke abhi sab horizontally line mein khade ho jao, aur koi kuch nahi bolega!" (Right now, all of you line up horizontally, and no one says a word!) Aunty barked.
(Everyone line up in the horizontal line right now and no one will say anything)
They quickly reshuffled, forming a new line across the room.
"Yeh kiska idea tha?" (Whose idea was all this?) Aunty questioned, but silence followed.
(Whose idea was this?)
"Bolo koi ab?" (Anyone?) she repeated.
Yuvraj slowly raised his hand. Aunty gave him a look.
"Abhi aapne hi bola koi kuch nahi bolega." (You just told us not to say anything.) he replied smartly.
Aunty closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Hey bhagwan... thik hai. Jisne bhi yeh sab kiya hai, woh aage aao." (Oh God... fine. Whoever did all this, come forward.)
She turned to place her bag on the table.
Tara looked down, guilt washing over her. The others looked around at each other. Then... all of them took a step backward. Tara remained where she was, now in front by default.
Aunty turned back.
"Tara, yeh tumne kiya hai?" (Tara, did you do this?) she asked sternly.
"Nahi mumma." (No mumma.) Tara said softly, then glanced back at the group who had abandoned her.
"Dhokhebaaz insaan, sab ko toh samjha... tu bhi?" (Traitor... I even convinced you?) she whispered to Vaani.
Aunty stepped forward again.
"Ab yeh sab kaun saaf karega?" (Now who will clean up all this?)
This time, everyone moved back again... leaving Tara and Vaani at the front. Tara had instinctively grabbed Vaani's hand.
"Toh aaj Vaani bhi safai karegi? Waah!" (So even Vaani will help clean today? Wow!) Aunty said sarcastically, raising her eyebrows.
"Main change karke aa rahi hoon. Tab tak sab kuch saaf ho jaana chahiye!" (I'm going to change. Everything better be cleaned by the time I return!) she warned and walked off.
The living room went quiet.
Tara and Vaani slowly looked at each other, pillows in hand, sighing in defeat as the rest of the group tried not to laugh.
"Bach gaye... filhaal." (We're saved... for now.) Ahaan whispered dramatically, still clutching a pillow.
"Nahi, safai karni padegi." (Nope, we still have to clean.) Tara sighed and looked at the living room that now resembled a warzone.
Pillows were everywhere-on the floor, under the table, even one weirdly stuck behind the curtain. Plates from earlier snacks were lying around with crumbs of namkeen and cookie wrappers scattered across the center table. Vaani picked up a pillow and tossed it back onto the sofa with a groan.
"Mujhe toh laga tumlog ke sath masti karne aayi hoon, yeh kya punishment mil gaya." (I came here to have fun with you all, not get punished.) she muttered.
"Chup kar, teri wajah se hi toh safai karni pad rahi hai." (Quiet! We're cleaning because of you.) Tara shot her a look.
"Tune bhi maar tha! Mujhe akeli kyun blame kar rahi hai?" (You hit someone too! Why are you blaming only me?) Vaani argued, lifting the rug to find another pillow hidden underneath.
"Bas karo, saath aaye the, saath saaf karte hai." (Enough! We came together, let's clean together.) Rudra said, picking up plates from the floor and balancing them in a stack like a waiter.
Nirma was busy collecting the fallen cushions, making a neat pile while humming a Bollywood song. "Dekho na... saaf-safai bhi teamwork ke saath kitni filmy lag rahi hai." (See? Even cleaning feels cinematic with teamwork.)
"Filmy toh tab lagega jab koi slow-motion mein mopping kare." (It'll be cinematic only if someone starts mopping in slow motion.) kriti joked, tossing a wrapper into the dustbin like a basketball.
"3 points!" yelled Yuvraj from behind, pretending to blow a whistle.
Tara started wiping the center table, while Kriti began arranging the sofa cushions properly. Ahaan, with a broom in hand, pretended to do martial arts moves with it.
"Ahaan, broom se kung-fu mat kar." (Don't do kung-fu with the broom.) Rudra chuckled.
"Mumma aa gayi toh woh broom tere head pe tootegi." (If aunty returns, she'll break that broom on your head.) tara said.
Soon, the room started to look like a normal place again like the pillow war never happened.
"Done!" Vaani announced proudly, hands on hips.
"Aunty ko lagna chahiye ki hum mandir se aaye hain." (Aunty should think we just came from a temple.)
Just then, Tara's mom reappeared in fresh clothes, scanning the room.
She raised an eyebrow. "Hmm. Theek saaf kiya hai." (Hmm. Decently cleaned.)
Everyone stood like obedient schoolkids.
"Aap kuch khilayenhe nhi aunty?" Kriti asked sweetly.
("Won't you make us eat something aunty?")
"han beta, tum sab kha lo. Main kitchen mein dinner rakh ke jaa rahi hoon. " (yes dear, you all eat. I'm leaving dinner in the kitchen.)
____
Plates were filled with hot parathas, mixed sabzi, and raita. Someone had even found chocolate ice cream in the fridge.
"Khaate waqt peace hona chahiye." (There should be peace while eating.) Ahaan said, stuffing a bite into his mouth.
"Aur yeh raita kisne banaya? Maan gaye aunty ko." (Who made this raita? Aunty is awesome!) Rudra said with a mouth full.
"Paratha ice cream ke baad khaayein ya pehle?" Vaani asked innocently.
Everyone gave her are-you-mad looks.
"Tu har waqt confusion ka center kyun hoti hai?" (Why are you always the center of confusion?) Tara asked.
"Kyunki main unique hoon." Vaani flipped her hair and took another spoonful of ice cream.
(" Because I am unique ")
Laughter echoed again, this time softer and warmer.
After dinner, outside the house...
The night was cool, the sky a soft navy blue with stars scattered like diamonds. The gang stood near the front gate, full and sleepy.
"Chalo, ab ghar chalte hain." (Let's head home now.) Ekansh said, stretching.
"Next time kisi aur ke ghar milte hain." (Next time, someone else's house.) Kriti added quickly.
"Haan, warna aunty ab next time seedha jhadu lekar aayengi." (Yeah, or aunty will bring the broom directly next time.) Yuvraj said, laughing.
And with that, they waved each other goodbye one by one disappearing into the night, hearts full, stomachs fuller, and memories richer.
The next few days drifted in a comfortable blur. Messages kept the group connected some about food, some about boredom, and a few dramatic rants about how they weren't ready for school yet. The afternoons were lazy, the evenings slower, each day slipping quietly into the next. No one said it out loud, but there was a shared feeling hanging in the air that something was about to change. And now, before they even realized, four whole days have passed. The laughter of that evening had faded into memory, and the day they'd all been half-dreading, half-excited for... had finally arrived. The first day of 12th class was here
It was a bright, slightly chaotic morning in the sharma household. The smell of parathas and chai filled the kitchen as Vaani's mother set the table for breakfast.
"Kya baat hai? Mujhe nahi pata tha ki 12th ka itna achha asar hoga rani sahiba par," Vaani's mom said teasingly while placing a glass of juice on the table.
(What's the matter? I didn't know that 12th will have a great impact on you queen)
"Very funny, hahaha," Vaani replied with a dramatic eye-roll, making a face like she'd just been deeply insulted by a joke.
"Aaja ja, nashta kar le," her mom said with a warm smile, pulling a chair out for her daughter.
(Come have breakfast)
"Han, waise aapka laadla Ritvik kaha hai?" Vaani asked, suddenly realizing her brother was nowhere to be seen.
(Ohh yess! Where is your favourite ritvik)
"Kitni dafa kaha hai usse 'bhaiya' kaha kar," her mom scolded gently, not missing a beat.
( "How many times have I told you to call him bhaiya")
"Thik hai, mere priye bhaiya kaha hai?" Vaani asked again, this time with extra sweetness in her tone, trying not to grin.
("Alright, where is my dear bhaiya?")
"Kal raat papa ko station drop karne gaya tha, isliye so raha hai," her mom explained.
("Last night he went to drop your father that's why he is sleeping now")
Just then, a wicked glint appeared in Vaani's eyes as she remembered something. Us din mera Ekansh ko maara tha na... ab main batati hoon tujhe, she thought mischievously.
Watching the change in her daughter's expression, her mom narrowed her eyes. "Koshish bhi mat karna," she warned suspiciously.
("Don't even try")
"Kya?" Vaani asked innocently.
("What")
"Mere bete ko tang karne ki sochna bhi mat," her mom said firmly, her voice full of protective affection.
("Don't even try to think about annoying my son")
"Asa kuch nahi hai," Vaani mumbled quickly, finishing her last bite.
("It's not like that")
She glanced at her wristwatch. Still some time left.
"Main aati hoon," she said casually and headed upstairs to Ritvik's room. She stood dramatically at the doorframe and shouted, "Ritvik bhaiyyaaaaa!"
("I will be back")
No response.
She tried again. "Bhaiyaaa!" Still nothing.
"Bhaiya!" she yelled a third time, finally managing to stir life into the sleeping cave.
From inside, a grumpy voice answered, "Vaani, jaana yahan se, tang mat kar."
("Vaani go from here , don't irritate me")
But she was Vaani and that meant not listening.
"Bhaiya, mujhe aur Tara ko school chhod do na please," she said sweetly.
("Bhaiya, please drop tara and me to school")
"Tum dono chal ke bhi ja sakte ho. Ab ja yahan se," Ritvik replied, still half-asleep.
(You both can go by walk, now go from here")
"Tu chal raha hai ya papa ko bolu?" she threatened, smirking.
("Are you coming pr should I call papa?")
No response.
"Papaaaa!" she called out loudly, knowing exactly what string to pull.
"Thik hai, chal raha hoon. Tu neeche ja," came the defeated voice from under the blanket.
("Alright, go ahead I am coming")
"Thik hai," she replied cheerfully and practically skipped out of the room.
("Okay")
Coming down the stairs with a smug smile, she was met with her mom's curious eyes.
"Kya hua, hass kyun rahi hai?" her mom asked, raising an eyebrow.
("What happened? Why are you laughing?")
"Kuch nahi... bas aisa laga ki has lena chahiye," Vaani said with a mysterious shrug.
("Nothing....just felt that to laugh")
"Aisa hasne walon ko pagal kehte hain," her mom quipped, pouring herself some chai.
(The ones who laugh like this are called mad.)
"Woh toh main hoon. Bye! Main ja rahi hoon Tara ke saath," Vaani said, grabbing her bag and heading out
(I am that, bye, I am going with tara)
Ritvik slowly dragged himself out of bed. As he pulled his shirt on, a sudden memory hit him.
Arre haan! Kal raat papa ko station chhodne gaya tha...!
(Ohh yess! Last night I went to drop papa at the station.)
"Vaaaaaaniii!" he shouted, alarmed.
From the kitchen, his mom called back, "Kyun subah subah chillaa raha hai?"
("Why are you shouting early in the morning?")
"Vaani kahan hai?" he asked, rushing down the stairs.
("Where is vaani?")
"School gayi hai, kyun? Kya hua, kaam tha kuch?" she asked, now genuinely confused.
("She went to school,why, something happened,do
want something?")
"Kya!?" Ritvik said in disbelief and stormed out of the house.
("What")
"Dono pagal hain," his mom muttered, sipping her chai before leaving for her office.
("Both are mad")
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