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Hello My Gummy Bears🧸

Hope you all are amazing.

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Aarav's POV

The drive back from the Mehra house was less a commute and more a Bollywood production, with my siblings as the overenthusiastic supporting cast, determined to rewrite my life as a romantic epic.

"Bhai, give us the director's cut," Advik began, his eyes gleaming with an almost unsettling intensity. "Did you two have a 'slow-motion, meaningful gaze' moment? Like, did the universe pause for a dramatic close-up of your eyes locking, with a soft instrumental version of 'Are Re Are Yeh Kya Hua' playing in the background?"

"Advik, the universe doesn't have a soundtrack," I retorted, gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly. "And my life isn't a Yash Raj film."

"Oh, come on, bhai," Akarsh countered, his eyes twinkling with mischievous delight. "Did she at least have that 'Pooja from Dil Toh Pagal Hai' vibe? You know, the kind who dances gracefully in the moonlight, lost in her own world, while you watch from a distance, realizing she's your 'dream girl'? Did she suddenly appear like Madhuri Dixit in a white salwar kameez?"

"Akarsh, we were in a living room, not a Yash Chopra dream sequence," I sighed, rubbing my temples. "And she was talking to her family, not performing a choreographed dance number to 'Chak Dhoom Dhoom'."

"Forget the dance numbers," Anaaya declared, her voice sharp and direct. "Did you two have any 'awkward silence that screams unspoken tension' moments? You know, the kind where you're both thinking the same thing, but too afraid to admit it, like when Rahul and Pooja are having their 'dosti' conversations but secretly want to confess their love?"

"We talked about the weather," I deadpanned. "And the traffic. Riveting stuff. No 'Koi Ladki Hai' moments, I assure you."

"Liar!" Aavya exclaimed, pointing a dramatic finger at me from the back seat. "I saw you looking at her! You had that 'I'm trying to look stoic but my heart is doing the tango' look, just like when Rahul stares at Pooja during the rehearsal scenes!"

"I do not have a 'tangoing heart' look," I retorted, my voice laced with exasperation. "I have a 'please stop talking to me' look, which you're all currently ignoring."

"Oh, we're not ignoring it," Advik said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "We're just... interpreting it as a cry for help. A cry for romantic intervention. We are your 'Dil Toh Pagal Hai' support system."

"Yeah," Akarsh added, snapping his fingers. "We're your personal love gurus! We're here to guide you through the treacherous landscape of arranged romance. We're your 'dost' who secretly wants you to find your 'dream girl'."

"You're more like tiny, irritating love gnats, and I'm about to drive this car into a ditch," I muttered, shaking my head. "And if you keep this up, I'm going to drop you all off at the next bus stop, and you can 'dance in the moonlight' to get home."

"Ooh, threats! Someone's getting flustered," Anaaya teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "That's a sure sign of repressed romantic longing, like when Rahul gets jealous of Ajay!"

"Or a sure sign that I'm about to spontaneously combust," I retorted, gripping the steering wheel. "Just... please. For the love of all that is reasonable, stop analyzing my every facial expression and comparing my life to a 90's Bollywood movie."

"Fine," Aavya said, leaning back in her seat, a wide, knowing grin spreading across her face. "But we're not giving up. We're just... taking a dramatic pause. Like a commercial break, you know? We'll be right back with more romantic speculation."

I groaned inwardly. This was going to be an agonizingly long week. An agonizingly long week that, if I was being honest with myself, I was secretly looking forward to. Despite their incessant teasing, and my carefully constructed wall of indifference, the truth was, I hadn't hated meeting Adwitya. Not even a little. In fact, the memory of her eyes, the way she'd looked at me, was replaying in my mind like a favorite song, a song that was oddly reminiscent of a certain "Dil Toh Pagal Hai" tune. But admitting that to these vultures was out of the question. They'd never let me live it down, and I'd be forced to listen to "Le Gayi" on repeat for the rest of my life.Reaching home, I retreated to my room, locking the door behind me. I collapsed onto my bed, closing my eyes, and Adwitya's name echoed in my mind. I changed and headed to my study, trying to distract myself with work, but her image kept resurfacing. Eventually, I gave up and went to sleep.

The next morning, after my workout and a surprisingly quiet breakfast (my siblings were probably plotting), we packed for Aditya's wedding. The drive to Jaipur was a five-hour journey, giving me ample time to... contemplate the nuances of wedding decor, or so I told myself. Upon arrival, Aditya greeted us, his usual jovial self, and directed the elders to their rooms. Then, he turned to me, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

"So, how did the meet-up with the Mehras go?" he asked, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Did you manage to survive the interrogation?"

"It was... informative," I replied, keeping my tone carefully neutral. "They seem like a nice family."

"And.......Did my future sister-in-law meet your... expectations?" Aditya pressed, his eyebrows raising slightly.

"She was there," I stated, focusing on adjusting my jacket. "Like I said, the family was nice."

"Right, right," Aditya said, his smile widening. "Anyway, come meet Satyanshi."

He called out, "Babe," and Satyanshi turned, a warm smile gracing her features. "Meet my best friend, Aarav." He then turned to me. "And Aarav, meet Satyanshi, my soon-to-be-wife."

"Hello Bhabhi," I said, offering a polite greeting.

"Hello," Satyanshi replied, her gaze lingering on my face, a thoughtful expression in her eyes. "Have we met before? I..."

Her words were interrupted by a familiar, melodic voice, a voice I hadn't expected to hear in Jaipur. My heart skipped a beat, and I saw... Adwitya.

Adwitya's POV

The drive to Jaipur vibrated with the electric anticipation of Anshiiiiiii's wedding, a festive undercurrent that somehow intensified the chaos swirling within me. 

The sheer audacity of Tara's request, 'Buaaaaaa, mujhe woh PJ bahut ache lage. Aap unse shaadi kar lo, please,' made me momentarily lose my ability to breathe. (Aunt, I liked that PJ a lot. Please marry him.)

Despite my attempts to find solace in my book, her words kept echoing in my ears, blurring the words before my eyes.

Ruhan casually dropped his own conversational bomb, "Mujhe bhi Aarav Jiju bahut acha laga," and the chaotic symphony of teasing escalated, each syllable a calculated jab at my carefully maintained composure. (I also liked Aarav brother-in-law a lot.) 

"Diiiiiiii," Shikha's voice, laced with playful mischief, cut through the already charged atmosphere.(Sister.)

I feigned deep concentration on the upside-down words before me, but Shikha's sharp-eyed observation, "Book ulti hai Diiiiiiii," shattered my flimsy facade, igniting a wave of laughter that rippled through the car. (The book is upside down.)

"Ab khayalon mein kisi aur ka aana jaana hoga toh sab cheez ulti hi milegi," Bhabhi teased, her eyes twinkling with a knowing amusement that made my cheeks flush. (When your thoughts are occupied by someone, everything will be upside down.)

"Bhabhi," I pouted, a blush warming my neck. While I tried to project an air of mock annoyance, a traitorous, involuntary smile played on my lips. The entire journey was a delightful, if slightly torturous, whirlwind of teasing and laughter, a welcome distraction from the strange, fluttering sensation that had taken root in my chest.

Upon reaching the hotel, I spotted my best friend and ran to hug her, the pent-up excitement finally bubbling over into a joyous hug. "Anshiiiiiiiiii!"

"Ityaaaaa," she replied, hugging me back tightly, her embrace warm and familiar.

Breaking the hug, she introduced me to Aditya and... Aarav. The sight of him sent a jolt of surprise through me. "Aap..." I began, my voice trailing off as Tara's excited squeal interrupted me

"PJ, aap yahan kya kar rahe ho? I am so happy now," she exclaimed, clinging to his leg. (PJ, what are you doing here?)

He lifted her effortlessly, his eyes meeting mine for a fleeting moment, and a strange warmth spread through me. Before he could respond, my family arrived, their voices a familiar comfort.

"Aarav bete, aap?" Maa asked, her voice laced with surprise. (Aarav, you?)

"The groom is my best friend, Aunty," he explained, his voice calm and composed.

"Oh," everyone chorused, the surprise evident in their voices.

A flurry of greetings and excited chatter filled the lobby as everyone caught up. After a few minutes, Maa, Papa, Dadi, and the other elders, their eyes twinkling with the promise of rest and the anticipation of the wedding festivities, began to make their way towards the elevators.

"We'll see you all later," Maa said, her voice warm and affectionate.

"Yes, yes," Dadi added, her voice filled with gentle authority. "We'll see you at dinner."

With a final round of goodbyes and promises to meet later, the elevators doors slid shut, leaving the younger generation to their own. The atmosphere shifted subtly, the air now charged with a different kind of energy, a mix of youthful excitement and unspoken curiosity.

Just as the last elevator door closed, Tara's voice, brimming with childlike excitement, cut through the relative quiet. "PJ, aapko pata hai aaj kya hua?" she asked, her eyes wide with anticipation. (PJ, do you know what happened today?)

"Kya hua, Tara?" he asked, his attention focused on her. (What happened?)

"Buaaaaa, ulti book padh rahi thi, aapko sochte sochte," Tara revealed, making my cheeks burn with a sudden, intense heat. (Aunt was reading a book upside down, thinking about you.)

I felt his gaze on me, a silent question hanging in the air. Then, Anshiiiiiii whispered in my ear, "He saved you that day at the mall."

The memory flashed through my mind, and a new layer of crimson settled over me. "Ityaaaaaaa, banda hot hai yarrr, maine usdin notice nahi kiya, but tujhe pasand hai ya nahi?" Anshiiiiiii whispered, pulling me aside, her eyes sparkling with mischief. (He is hot, I didn't notice that day, but do you like him?)

Before I could formulate a coherent response, Shikha joined us, her voice filled with playful curiosity. "Satyanshi Diiiiiiii, aapko kaise lage humare jiju?" (Satyanshi Diiiiiiii, what do you think of our brother-in-law?)

"Humare jiju mujhe bahut ache lage," Anshiiiiiii teased, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. (I liked our brother-in-law a lot.)

"Shikha, waise tujhe nahi lagta ki humare jiju bhi bahut ache hai, kyun Anshiiiiii ?" I retorted, trying to deflect the attention. (Anshiiiiii, don't you think our brother-in-law is also very likable, Shikha?)

"Areeeee haan diiiiiiiiiii," Shikha agreed, and we dissolved into laughter. (Absolutely diiiiiii.)

Later, at dinner, Anshiiiiiii cornered me, her eyes searching mine. "You didn't answer me."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, looking away, my cheeks still flushed.

"Adwitya," she said, her voice firm. "Do you like him?"

"I don't know," I admitted, my voice barely a whisper, the question echoing in the quiet space between us.

"Look at him, Ityaaaaa," she said, gesturing towards Aarav. "Girls are all ogling at him, and till now I haven't seen him giving anyone a glance. I can assure you he is a nice person, rest is all up to you."

I looked at him, then at the girls, a strange heat spreading through me, a mix of curiosity and something else I couldn't quite name. Anshiiiiiii, noticing my reaction, smirked, a knowing glint in her eyes.

"You like him, don't you?" she asked, her voice a teasing whisper.

I looked down at my plate, my cheeks burning, and started eating, ignoring her knowing grin, the question echoing in my mind, a subtle tremor running through me.

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