***Piya's POV.***

"Why have you not talked to him?" Rihaan asks.

"I don't know. We kinda lost touch because he was in the first year of college and I was in 12th grade if you are forgetting. Board exams." I say.

"Which you came first in." He says with a grin.

"Yeah. From the last." I say.

"Come on, Piya. Not everyone can be a genius like me." He says straightening his collar.

"You are right. Not everyone has talent to copy from his ten girlfriends." I say with a sly smile.

"They were not all my girlfriends, okay? Just fans of my homework. Also, does Subu know about it?" He asks as he wipes sweat from his forehead.

"No." I say and he sighs in relief.

"When is she coming back?" He asks and I frown.

"She isn't my girlfriend. You should know more than me." I say.

"Actually, she kind of broke up with me." He says scratching his head.

"Again!" I exclaim.

"You know us, and especially her. Whenever we get too much work, we take a break from another person." He says.

"And also when you don't agree with each other. Are you even serious about each other?" I ask.

"Of course we are. Why do you think I wear this ring all the time?" He asks, showing his ring finger which has a silver ring with a green diamond.

"Because you are a lovesick." I say with a smile.

"She is just very busy, you know, with getting one after another assignments for shoots." He says, and I nod.

"Or maybe meeting new male models. You know, she just sent me some picks this morning. Wanna look?" I ask.

He looks ready to pounce on the phone but then takes deep breaths as he says, "She will kill me. She will kill me. She will kill me."

"Why?" I ask, trying to suppress my laughter.

"You know very well why. She will think I doubt her when I look at it and call her. I completely trust her but then she doesn't understand long-distance relationships are difficult, definitely not when she is surrounded by male models who look like The Greek Gods and you look nothing compared to them but because of the distance. But I don't know what she saw in me." He says as he keeps dragging his hand through his hairs.

"She must have told you why she loves you?" I ask.

"Every time I ask her she gives me this evil look and gives me a weird answer. "Because you understand." And when I ask what does she means. She just shuts me up with lots of kis-"

"Stop! I don't wanna hear anymore." I say, putting hands on my ears.

"But what does that even mean?" He asks.

I stand up and put my hand on his shoulder and say, "You will know one day for sure, but till then stop asking these questions. Also stop being so self-conscious too. She loves you, and that should be enough. You both are working and it is difficult right now and it would be tough to make it work, but then what matters most is at the end of the day, you want to be with each other. Right?"

"I want to be with her for sure." Rihaan says just as I turn to leave his cabin.

"Wait a second, is one of the reasons you want me as a partner is because you want to pour everything on me and meet your girlfriend?" I ask with a dramatic shock, "So bad, Rihaan. So bad. Let Subu come. I will not let her even meet you."

"You mean she is coming?" He asks, but I rush out to leave him hanging as per her girlfriend's order.

"Piya!" My manager calls me and I walk into the conference room.

After presenting some of the options of Thai cuisine to my client. They finalize a few things and we decide to make them a sample of those food items to see if it is to the bride's liking. I was busy cooking some dishes for a sample to get this over with today only in the kitchen when Subu calls me.

"What is my cutie-pie doing?" Subu asks, blowing million kisses at me through the phone.

"As always, cooking." I say, "How come you called me now? I thought you were busy with the shoot."

"I was. But now I am finally free. By the way, you didn't tell Rihu I was coming, right?" She asks.

"No. Just hinted, though." I say.

"But why?" She asks.

"He was getting restless for you, and I wanted to take revenge. Also, he is getting immune to you having to shoot with male models." I say.

"No way." She shouts and I pull the phone away.

"Why? What happened?" I ask.

"It means he won't look so red anymore. I want that. He looks cute when he does that." She says.

"You are weird. You know that, right?" I ask.

"How are your parents?" She asks.

"Fine. What about Priya Aunty? And your Nani? Is she okay now?" I ask.

"She has a surgery coming up." Subu says with a sad voice.

"Do you need anything?" I ask.

"Yes. Why don't you send your parents here for my Mom?" She asks.

"Okay..." I say.

"I mean, Mom won't call them here, but she needs someone, you know. And if you would insist, your parents would definitely come. Please, Piya. Tell them to come here. Mom would really be thrilled to have them here." She says.

"If I would say they will go but then they will get worried about me." I say.

"Then what's the problem? I will stay with you there however much long they stay here. And it is not like we don't know anyone. There are so many people in Shimla. Rihaan, too. I also have no photography assignments left after the next two, which I would be done with this week. What do you say?" She asks.

"Okay. I will try my best." I say.

"Cool! Oh! It would be so fun to have a house all to ourselves. Hey, wouldn't it be the first time you would be away from your parents? Hmm... We need to get you a boyfriend." She says.

"And why is that?" I ask.

"Because I would be busy with mine." She giggles and rolls my eyes.

"Great. That means I would have more time to cook. Bye." I say and hang up.

I get back to my work and finish all the dishes with the help of other cooks, then have the client taste it. They approved immediately on some dishes and then added some Indian cuisine dishes for us to make. After we completed everything, I got back to another client.

As per Maa's order, I had to leave early, but then I remembered I forgot to tell Rihaan that they invited him for dinner. I text him and tell him to come otherwise my Maa would have my head on a platter to serve for dinner. I take an auto then go home.

When I reach home, I see my house on fire. Not a literal one, but the one my Maa and Nitu are spreading by running from one end to another. Who are these guests?

"Piya, you are right on time. Everything is ready, just cook. I will clean up the kitchen." Maa says.

"Seriously, Maa. I am costly." I say as I put my bag on the chair.

"Not to me, dear. I gave birth to this cost in winter, so I deserve to reap my benefits." She says and I frown.

"So rude." I say.

"So lazy." She says to instigate.

"Hey! I am the most active cook ever. Not a lazy one. Give me that." I say and take her dupatta and tie it around me and march into the kitchen.

My Maa doesn't need to tell me what she wants me to cook. The way she puts the ingredients gives me the answer itself. So I started working as we had little time and as it is an Indian cuisine, I would be done in no time.

I chop sabzis as I make gajar ka halwa on one stove and put rice and dal, which Nitu has kept soaked for sometime. After they are done, I put them away and put two pans on two other stove and cook sabzis. I put away the halwa too after it was done and then made two doughs, one for puri and one for roti.

"Piya, you go and get changed. Nitu and I will puris and rotis. Go now." Maa says just as I am done frying the dal.

"Okay." I say and start to climb the stairs when I stop and ask, "By the way, Maa, where is Papa?"

"Oh! He has gone to meet his friend." She says as she starts cleaning up and I nod.

I enter my room and take out a simple sleeveless mock-neck sharara of black color then wear a simple earring. I leave my hair open with a small buckle holding my front hair, then go downstairs to help Maa again. Papa is home and ready too and looks to be eagerly waiting for the guests.

"Again black? What is wrong with you, Piya?" Maa asks.

"What? I like it and it is the only good one I have." I say.

"I have to take you shopping." She says.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you both about something." I say.

"What?" She asks.

"Why don't you go to New York to buy new dresses for me?" I ask with a smile.

"What?!" Maa exclaims.

"That came out wrong. The thing is Subu called me to inform me that Priya Masi might need you with her mother's operation coming up and all." I say.

Maa looks at Papa and shakes her head and says, "I told you she won't say it."

"Yes, you were right. Maybe we should go. I will book the tickets soon and take leave from my office." Papa says.

"But all that later on. Piya, where is Rihaan?" Maa asks.

"I am here, Aunty." Rihaan says and enters the house and hugs her.

"You are late." She says and ruffles his hair.

"Sorry. But what's the special occasion?" He asks.

"You will know soon." Maa says and pats his cheek.

"Piya, can we talk? It is about work." He says.

"Sure." I say and take him towards the corner of the room directly in front of the main door.

"What is going on?" Rihaan asks.

"I don't know. Maa just told me it is a surprise for you and me. Also, guests are coming over." I say.

"Could the guest be the surprise?" He asks.

"Maybe." I say.

"Who is it that can surprise both of us?" He asks and at the same time the bell rings and I turn around to see who it is.

The door opens up to reveal Shaurya Uncle and Mayra Aunty and behind them is Siya, who waves at us as she comes in, but the next person who enters takes my breath away literally. Not until Rihaan elbows me, I realize that.

"Veer." I say as I finally take much needed breath.

He walks inside and after hugging my parents, comes towards us and asks, "So how did you both like my surprise attack?"

"Kill me." I mumble as I see him smile after such a long time.