After the cake-cutting and gift-giving ceremony, it was time for lunch and everyone was invited to serve themselves to something to eat and find a corner to sit in the house, as there was not enough space at the dining table to accommodate everyone. Arnav knew his cubs (Ayan and Khushi) were still shy around the guests, Ayan, because he doesn't meet with them often and Khushi, because there were people she was meeting for the first time except Aman and Lavanya. So he asked them what they wanted to eat to which they choose tandoori chicken and bombay potatoes and he went to serve for them both and came back, handing their respective plates to them and directing them to sit on the empty sofa in the living room. Then he hurriedly went back to the dining room to serve for himself when Aman patted his shoulder calling him to join him and his cousin brothers at the balcony attached to the living room, Arnav shook his head negatively whispering to his friend, "Let me make Khushi and Ayan comfortable here. Then I'll join you guys."
"Lavanya hai na (Lavanya is here).. I'll ask her to stay with them," Aman whispered back to him.
"No, let her spend time with family," Arnav said glancing at Lavanya who was having her food, chatting with her mama and mami in the dining room. Aman agreed and joined his cousins in the balcony and Arnav walked to Khushi and Ayan, taking his seat on the sofa arm beside Ayan.
He was peacefully having his food when five kids (Aman's elder cousins kids) who sat together in the opposite sofa started laughing at him and reminding themselves how he fell with cake by mimicking how the cake slipped from his hands.
Khushi and Ayan were giggling at the exaggerated recreation of the scene by the kids, adding to his embarrassment. This is the probably the most embarrassing day of his life where everyone in the party was either looking at him with accusing eyes for murdering the cake before the birthday girl could even cut or taste it or they were trying their best not to laugh at him as definitely the images of his falling with the cake were still fresh in their minds. And now even Khushi is laughing at him, hence proved that he made a fool out of himself in front of the girl he has feelings for today. He decided from now on, he will keep a watch on his love sick puppy behavior as it's definitely turning him into a circus joker now.
"Arnav uncle if you were a superhero, you could have saved the cake from falling on the floor in time," Siya, one of the kids, said covering her mouth with her palms while giggling at him.
Arnav faked a smile at her. This little girl ruining his image in front of the girl he loves and giggling as if she said the most funny dialogue in the world.
"If he was a Superhero, he would have caught the cake just when it was about to touch the floor.. no, he would have thrown the cake in the air, the cake would fly in the air and then he would have caught it in time," the kids commented among themselves.
Khushi was giggling at the kids as she found their conversation over the topic innocently funny, but Ayan didn't dare to laugh at this as his brother was silently glaring at him as if threatening him not to laugh at his misfortune otherwise he would face the consequences.
When they finished their food, Arnav took them to kitchen to wash their hands. Ayan quickly washed his hands and left from but Arnav and Khushi stayed to clean their plates and glasses as well. When Lavanya walked in the kitchen to take mango pickles as the elders asked for it, she took the opportunity to teased Arnav while leaving the kitchen with the jar, "Kya yaar.. birthday cake gira diya (You let the cake fall)."
Saying this, she left from there and Khushi looked at Arnav's side, she could see the guilt and embarrassment resurface on his face as he washed his plate in the kitchen sink.
"The kids are right.. You're not a superhero so accidents like this are bound to happen in your life," she spoke softly glancing at him, "But you're a good human being and the cake slipped accidentally from your hands, you had no intention to spoil the birthday surprise.. so you shouldn't feel embarrassed or guilty about this."
