Before You

20 | Messing with the Brothers

THE SURROUNDINGS WERE dim to radiate the eye-catching disco lights as loud music echoed in the halls of the party banquet that was two kilometres away from our hostel premises.

As the music blasted, people sang at the top of their lungs and danced like there was no tomorrow. The games had just got over and now I joined them to dance for a while, until I was tired and decided to get myself a drink.

On reaching the bar counter, I asked for a glass before a voice interrupted. "Having fun, darling?"

I sighed and turned to Rishi on my right. He was standing there with his signature cocky smirk. "Don't you have Vedika to piss off?" I ask folding my arms.

He clicks his tongue, leaning closer.

Too close for my liking.

"Yea but she's not here around. So until then, I need to past some time." He comes closer and whispers, "You and me. In one of the restrooms. What say?" He grins.

I roll my eyes. "Nice try, but let me save you some time. I'm NOT interested." I say sternly.

He puts a hand on his chest where his heart was, showing fake hurt. "Man, you really do turn me on."

I was planning to smack the shit out of him before Vedika comes in, "Leave her, Rishi."

"Woah woah woah," he fake pouts, checking Vedika out from head to toe, "Didn't know luck was in my favour today. We're having a threesome? God! This is gonna be fun," He mischievously grins making us cringe.

She opens her mouth to reply but a male voice beats her to it.

"Why don't you just piss off if you don't want things to turn ugly here, Rishi?" Dhruv spats, coming in.

Rishi raises his eyebrows in amusement. "Oh my god. The other brother also threatens now? How cute."

Dhruv goes closer to Rishi with his fists clenched tightly.

Rishi looks over at the two of us and remarks, "Isn't he the guy that you two fell for? Or wait, made you'll fight?" He looks at Dhruv cunningly.

Dhruv's jaw goes tight and I feel he was going to lunge at Rishi any second now. I grab Dhruv hand, "Dhruv it's not a big deal. Just ignore him." I say, squeezing his hand.

But what Vedika did next, was something I didn't expect her to have done. She steps in front of Dhruv and slaps Rishi tight on his face.

Rishi flinches but soon looks up with his red eyes fuming with anger. He grabs Vedika by her hair and pushes her so hard, that the sudden movement causes her to trip over her feet and nearly fall on the ground.

But before she would touch the ground, a firm grip held her on her upper arm, steading her feet. Vedika looked up to see Arjun, who had caught her. He positions Vedika behind him before turning his attention to Rishi.

"Do we have a problem, here?"

"Yeah we do," Rishi raises his voice slightly. "That bitchy roommate of yours," he points to Vedika, "just crossed her line."

"The only one who crossed their line here, I see, is you." Arjun says sternly.

"Oh yeah? I wouldn't have to if your fucking brother didn't interfere," He spats glaring at Dhruv who just, scoffs.

"He is our friend, Rishi. You were bothering us, so he interfered," Vedika pitches in, defending Dhruv.

"I'm warning you for the last time. Stay out of this." Rishi snaps sharply at her.

"And who do you think you are to have any control over me?" She shot back, making Rishi more angrier.

He takes a step towards her to do something but Arjun's arms shoot out and he swiftly manages to shove Rishi back a few steps.

Nishaant suddenly comes in out of nowhere. "NO NO NO. If you guys wanna wrestle, then do it outside, not here. I'm not gonna allow you'll to break my grandmother's antique glasses."

Rishi shoves rudely past Nishaant, ignoring him and stands face to face with Arjun. "It's the second time you've stood in my way. I wouldn't try a third," he blurts, threateningly. Suddenly, a few guys appear behind Rishi, backing him up.

But nothing seems to bother Arjun. He stands causally, with his eyes bored into Rishi's. It was quite obvious that Rishi would win if there was a fight; there were clearly more people with him.

I see Dhruv ready to back Arjun if Rishi did something serious. But still the brothers were heavily out-numbered.

"Arjun," I hear Vedika whisper to him, "You know he isn't worth it. Let's go."

He still didn't look at her. His eyes were fixed on Rishi.

"Arjun," Vedika sternly whispers to him.

What surprised me was that Arjun seemed to have softened a bit as he glances at Vedika and nods his head tightly and then, turning around with her to leave.

"Looks like someone is going soft now. Is it because of the girl?," Rishi shouts. "But from what I heard is that 'the Arjun Singh' never falls for anyone. Then is he breaking his own rules now? For a pussy?" He further provokes.

Suddenly I hear a sound of a fist connecting with to a jaw and I turn to my left to see Dhruv standing over a collapsed Rishi with a smug expression.

"Now that you've messed with the wrong brothers, let's get the party started, shall we?" Dhruv shouts and the entire hall erupts into chaos as boys start punching the each other. Shouts and yelling started drowning out the music from the party as more people joined in the fight.

"No no no, not my grandmother's fucking glasses!!!" Nishaant yells form across the room.

Arjun looks at Vedika once before leaving her hand and joining in with Dhruv. Both the brothers start landing powerful punches on guys that attacked them. There was a crackling noise when either of their fists connected with someone's jaw or nose.

It was shocking to see the brothers fighting in this way. Neither of them budged even for a second as they crushed and bashed those guys. Both of them were steady and calculated as they fought even though everything was too chaotic. It wasn't like it was their first time. If someone touched one of them, they would be attacked by the other but the brothers wouldn't let anything happen to each other. Their feet moved quicker and their punches went in sync. They made it look like an art.

What the actual hell was going on?