Sunday morning. Tanvi expects all of her friends to show up at the doorstep of her apartment, kick-starting their ritualistic weekend activities. In the cafeteria last night, she had a dream of saying something sentimental but nonsensical straight to Samrat's face, after which Farhan woke her up. He offered her a ride home and whispered words of consolation. She wants to thank him and hang out, but is anxious about seeing Samrat.

The clock strikes eight. A few deep breaths after freshening up and changing into a tracksuit, a few more as she puts her hair up into a pony - she's mentally prepared to see him. Just in case he doesn't show up... she'd thank the heavens. What are the chances, though? Samrat will always be with their mutual band of close friends, annoying but inevitable.

"Okay, Tanz. You don't need to dread it. All you need to do is ignore him and hang out with the girls! Aur fir girls bhi toh... they will surely press me for what's happening between me and Sam... ugh... ugh... What's wrong with me?! It's all because of that stupid impromptu confession and stupid dream in the cafeteria!"

Tanvi flicks her reflection's forehead in the mirror and jumps, hearing the sound of the doorbell. Here comes trouble, she thinks. Upon opening the door, though, she's in for a surprise.

Farhan enters her view, grinning, and steps aside to reveal her brother Aryan, holding Shamsher in his arms. Aryan is shorter than Farhan by a few inches, pale skin, dark eyes, and hair like everyone in the Sharma family. Behind the two is Samrat. Tanvi pretends to not notice him.

"Bhaiya!" She can't help but giggle as she flies to hug her brother and Shamsher. A quick group hug later, Shamsher tackles her and licks her face. His excitement is contagious. She holds the dog in her arms and laughs.

"What a surprise, bhai! Tum yahan kaise?" Her words come out when they calm down. Aryan bobs his head with a smile on his face.

"One of your friends said you were feeling low, and we wanted to surprise you! Batao, were you missing home?"

"Aww! Something like that. But nothing serious, Bhai..." Tanvi smiles at her brother with affectionate eyes, hands mussing up Shamsher's fur as she holds him in her arms like a baby. "Farhan ne contact kiya hoga!"

Farhan parts his lips, ready to say no. It was Samrat who planned this. The call and everything was him. In the split second before Farhan can act on impulse and reveal the truth - Samrat gives him a gentle pat on the shoulder, stopping him.

"Farhan, thank you yaar!" By the time Tanvi looks at Farhan, Samrat has stepped away. She has no way of knowing the little nonverbal communication that took place between the two guys. "Seriously, you're so thoughtful, Farhan. So caring towards others."

Farhan stifles a smile and shrugs, not knowing how to respond. Normally he'd like to bask in the praise, but not today. Internally his thoughts go, kal tak main tumhare raaz chupa raha tha. Ab Samrat ka chupa raha...

Feeling Tanvi's gaze, he shakes his head. "Uh so... tum apna din apne bhai aur doggie sath spend karoge ya humare sath, Tanvi?"

Tanvi looks at Aaryan. "Obviously ab bhai aur Shamsher yahan aaye hain toh unke sath hi spend karungi. Thank you for bringing them here. I can't believe they allowed Shamsher in."

Farhan pets Smasher and flashes her a smile. "Ah, it was nothing. Waise Shamsher ko clearance milne mein aur ye sab karne mein kisi aur ka bhi haath tha."

This time, Tanvi assumes it's Abhimanyu. Farhan sighs inwardly, not able to correct her. She's partially right, though it's both Abhi and Samrat who worked together to get the doggie past the airbase gates.

Samrat pats Farhan's back again, sensing his buddy's feelings. "Chalo let's go, Farhan..."

Farhan and Samrat turn around to leave. Samrat glimpses Tanvi, smiling at Shamsher, who hops out of her arms. Getting into the driver's seat of the jeep, he takes another subtle yet long look at her and Shamsher playing together outside her apartment complex, Aaryan watching over them, filming the entire thing on his phone.

Farhan notices the satisfied smile on Samrat's lips. With a sigh, he hops into the passenger's seat. Samrat revs the engine.

The sound of the jeep pulling away makes Tanvi finally look at her two friends driving away. She'd wanted to look earlier, but didn't want to catch Samrat's eye. How unexpectedly cowardly of her. But well... Why is Samrat here? She has no clue.

As he drives out of the residential block, Samrat is still smiling to himself, content with the way his plan to make Tanvi smile played out. He'd been upset seeing her in tears the other day and wanted to make her smile, which he did. It doesn't matter if the credit of this goes to Farhan. Farhan played his part aptly well.

Just then, Farhan grunts. Samrat senses his friend's grouchy mood. He can guess why the guy is unhappy. He apologises and promises to make up with him, to which Farhan only sighs loudly again, trying to suppress his agitation at the circumstances.

***

🌀TBC 🌀

🌈💛📚WC: 851

📚💭🌈Up next: Farhan and Samrat get into an argument that involves Tanvi. What revelations come out of that?

🩵🌈Stay tuned. V & C. Ty for reading ^^💛🌈