Friday night.

4th floor lounge.

Snacks everywhere.

Lights dim.

Projector ready.

Everyone sitting randomly.

Aaradhya on the couch.

Yuvaan sits next to her.

Ekaksh on the other side.

Reyansh and Vihaan on carpet.

Ryan and Nakul fighting over one blanket.

Mahima, Kanika, Avni chilling.

Advik scrolling.

Peace.

For 8 seconds.

Arhaan walks in.

Stops.

Looks at seating.

Blinks twice.

"...Thoda side."

No one moves.

He walks forward.

Picks up one cushion.

Puts it between Aaradhya and Yuvaan.

Then another between Aaradhya and Ekaksh.

Then sits beside her like a bodyguard.

Ryan whispers loudly, "Airport security."

Aaradhya: "Arhaan move."

Arhaan: "Main yahin theek hoon."

Yuvaan: "I'm not biting anyone."

Arhaan: "Good."

Ekaksh: "Bro I'm literally breathing."

Advik: "He's allergic to boys."

Whole room laughs.

Arhaan offended but pretending not to care.

Few moments later:

Nakul pulls blanket from Ryan.

Ryan pulls harder.

Blanket tears slightly.

Everyone freezes.

Ryan: "You did that."

Nakul: "You pulled!"

Reyansh: "Ye 10 saal ke bachche hain kya?"

Ryan suddenly throws blanket on Arhaan's head.

Arhaan stands up tangled.

"What is wrong with you?!"

Vihaan: "Ghost of overprotectiveness."

Aaradhya laughing uncontrollably.

Arhaan trying to remove blanket.

Trips on bean bag.

Doesn't fall.

But almost.

Ryan slow claps.

Movie starts.

Within 3 minutes-

Reyansh throws popcorn at Vihaan.

Vihaan throws back.

Misses.

Hits Arhaan.

He freezes again.

This is becoming routine.

"...Main hi kyun?"

Ryan: "Face attractive hai."

Another popcorn hits him.

This time from Mahima accidentally.

Arhaan dramatic sigh.

"Bas. Ho gaya."

He picks popcorn from his shoulder.

Throws it back randomly.

It hits Advik.

Silence.

Advik slowly turns.

"You threw at me."

Arhaan: "Galti se."

Advik throws entire handful back at him.

Direct hit.

Whole room screaming laughing.

After sometime:

Lights go off.

Complete darkness.

Arhaan immediately:

"Aaradhya?"

Aaradhya: "I'm here relax."

Ryan whispers, "Arhaaaan I'm behind you."

Arhaan swings his hand in panic.

Slaps someone lightly.

Lights come back.

He slapped Ekaksh.

Ekaksh: "Why me?!"

Ryan falls to the floor laughing.

"Protective reflex."

Arhaan: "Sorry yaar."

Ekaksh: "Main villain nahi hoon."

Later:

Ryan: "Pool time."

Everyone: "Yes."

Indoor pool.

Floor wet.

Arhaan automatically:

"Dheere chalna."

Aaradhya: "Haan papa."

Vihaan fake slips.

Arhaan rushes dramatically to help.

Actually slips.

Grabs Ryan's shirt.

Ryan also slips.

Both fall in.

Huge splash.

Again.

Silence.

Reyansh: "Repeat telecast."

Arhaan comes out looking betrayed by life.

Ryan floating beside him:

"I think we're meant to be."

Advik from outside:

"I will push you back in."

Arhaan tries climbing out.

Slips again.

Falls half inside.

Aaradhya literally sitting on floor laughing with tears.

Yuvaan trying to help but laughing too.

After the pool disaster, everyone comes back to the lounge.

Arhaan wrapped in a towel.
Hair still wet.
Ego shattered.

Ryan walking behind him.

"Bhai you fall very gracefully."

Arhaan: "Chup."

Aaradhya laughing again.

"Please stop fighting."

"I'm not fighting," Arhaan says dramatically. "I'm tolerating."

Ryan bows. "Thank you."

Ryan: "I need to use the washroom."

Arhaan: "Go."

Ryan walks toward the attached lounge washroom.

Opens the door.

Goes inside.

Two seconds later-

"Arhaan!"

Arhaan annoyed: "Kya hai?"

"Light switch kidhar hai?"

Arhaan rolls his eyes.

Walks inside.

Door closes.

Click.

No one notices for 10 seconds.

Then-

THUD

"Why is the door not opening?"

Silence outside.

Inside:

Ryan: "You locked it?"

Arhaan: "I didn't lock it!"

Ryan tries the handle.

It doesn't move.

Both pause.

Ryan slowly turns.

"Bro."

Arhaan: "Don't."

"Hum phas gaye."

Outside in the lounge, faint banging.

Reyansh: "...Did someone lock themselves?"

Nakul: "Wait."

They all walk to the door.

From inside:

"OPEN THE DOOR!"

Everyone freezes.

Aaradhya: "...Is that Arhaan?"

Ryan from inside: "Hum locked ho gaye!"

Ekaksh starts laughing immediately.

Vihaan: "No way."

Advik tries the handle.

It doesn't open.

"Kaise lock kiya tum dono ne?"

Arhaan from inside: "Maine nahi kiya!"

Ryan: "Main toh bas switch dekh raha tha!"

Mahima already on the floor laughing.

Kanika recording.

Aaradhya: "ARE YOU SERIOUS?"

Inside:

Ryan: "Bro why are we standing so close?"

Arhaan: "It's a small bathroom!"

"Don't breathe on me."

"Main kya karu hawa band kar du?"

Outside everyone dying laughing.

Reyansh shouting, "Hero banna tha na!"

Vihaan: "Distance kahan hai ab?"

Entire lounge explodes.

Inside:

Arhaan: "Shut up sab!"

Ryan whispering dramatically: "Yeh humari love story ka beginning hai."

"CHUP."

Arhaan tries to open the door harder.

It makes loud noise.

Ryan: "Break mat karna, uncle maar denge."

Arhaan: "Main tod raha hoon."

Advik outside: "Door mat todna!"

Avik and Ayaan also come upstairs hearing noise.

Avik: "Ab kya hua?"

Aaradhya: "They locked themselves in."

Ayaan just closes his eyes.

"Unbelievable."

Inside:

Ryan: "Bro yeh destiny hai."

Arhaan: "I swear-"

Ryan: "Hum pool mein bhi saath gire."

"TU PHIR SE SHURU MAT HO."

Outside everyone screaming laughing.

The Ultimate Humiliation

Nakul says, "Wait."

He unlocks it from outside with a coin.

Door opens.

Slowly.

Everyone standing there.

Phones ready.

Arhaan and Ryan standing awkwardly close.

Very close.

Ryan grinning.

Arhaan furious.

Silence.

Reyansh: "Distance?"

Vihaan: "Cushion lao koi."

Ekaksh: "Lakshman rekha kidhar hai?"

Aaradhya can't even stand straight from laughing.

Ryan walks out first.

"Hum theek hain. Don't worry."

Arhaan walks out.

Looks at everyone.

"Haso. Has lo."

Everyone laughs harder.

Advik pats his shoulder.

"Protective bathroom check?"

Avik: "Next time akela ja."

Ayaan: "Please."

Ryan whispers to Arhaan loudly:

"Main phir se washroom ja raha hoon."

Arhaan: "Main nahi aa raha."

Whole gang loses it again.

Everyone slowly goes back to the lounge.

Popcorn crushed.

Floor still slightly wet.

Projector still paused at 11:47.

Arhaan sits on the far end of the couch now.
As far as humanly possible from Ryan.

Ryan slowly shifts one seat closer.

Arhaan shifts away.

Ryan shifts again.

Arhaan stands up.

"I'm not playing this game."

Ryan grins. "Game toh shuru bhi nahi hua."

Aaradhya throws a cushion at both of them.

"CAN WE WATCH THE MOVIE NOW?"

Advik checks the screen.

"It's still on the intro scene."

Reyansh drops back on the carpet laughing.

"We've been here for two hours."

Vihaan nods. "And didn't watch one proper scene."

Ekaksh stretches. "Best movie ever though."

Mahima wiping tears. "Zero plot. Full entertainment."

Arhaan mutters, "Worst night of my life."

Ryan pats his shoulder. "Same time next week?"

Arhaan throws a pillow at him again.

Misses.

Everyone bursts out laughing one last time.

The movie is still paused.

No one presses play.

And honestly?

That's how the movie ends.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hi Lovlies 🤍

Okay guys I need honest opinions 😭

Was this chapter actually funny? And how are you liking the book so far?

Please vote and share your thoughts in the comments, I'd really love to know what you all think 💛

- author