Locke and Key

3

This is a flashback to when Arjun and Shruti first met. I wanted them to have a connection when they first met that would make things more uncomfortable when she starts working for him later because she's conflicted between having feelings and being professional. It's in italics because it's a flashback to seven years before the present.

"Who's the pretty goddess over there?" Shivam murmured to Arjun as they stood at the bar, surveying the rehearsal dinner crowd.

"Shruti something," Arjun remembered. "She's Arohi's best friend."

"Not the twin sister?" Shivam wondered, eyeing Arohi's sweet, younger-by-six-minutes sister across the room. "Odd."

"Arohi isn't very close to her family," Arjun shrugged. "She doesn't even use her legal last name; she goes by 'Goenka,' which is her paternal grandmother's maiden name, but she's a 'Maheshwari' by birth. Hell, her real name is 'Arohi' that's why we call her Aru."

Shivam shrugged. "She's certainly the type to do such a thing. Will she take our name?"

"I don't think so," Arjun shook his head. "She likes being Arohi Goenka, so I guess it'll stick."

"Back to the pretty girl," Shivam said, switching gears. "Have you met her?"

"No," Arjun denied. "Neil just mentioned her briefly. She is lovely, though."

"I think I'll introduce myself," Shivam smirked, heading in Shruti's direction.

Knowing his brother was about to make an ass of himself, Arjun followed.

"Hello, there," Shivam greeted her smoothly. "Shivam Punj, Neil's younger brother."

Shruti eyed him before offering her hand. "Shruti Sarnaik, Arohi's best friend. Arjun, right?" she said to the other brother.

"Yes, that's right," he confirmed. "It's nice to meet you, Shruti."

"Arohi played me some of your music," she told him. "It's really good. Did she say you just signed a record deal? That's amazing."

"Thank you," he accepted, feeling his ears heat up at her compliment. "What do you do?"

"I go to DU," she answered. "I've been studying drama, but I think I'm going to switch to public relations."

"You could be a spokesmodel," Shivam offered. "You've got quite the face for it."

Arjun rolled his eyes at his brother's unoriginality. "Ganpati Bappa."

Shruti laughed. "Arohi has told me all about you, so you won't faze me."

"We'll see about that," Shivam murmured, stalking away, upset his reputation was preceding him.

"Sorry about him," Arjun apologized.

"It's okay," Shruti assured him. "So will you be playing at the wedding? Arohi said she'd asked but you were playing hard to get."

"Oh, I don't know," he shrugged noncommittally. "I guess my reservation is that it's a big deal to perform at a wedding, especially Arohi and Neil's, and I don't want to screw it up."

"You just signed a record deal!" she reminded him. "If you were the type to screw it up, whatever label you signed with wouldn't have signed you. As I said, I listened to your music and it's good. I have great taste, so you should trust me."

He chuckled. "Is that so?"

"Would you look at that?" Arohi said to Neil as they watched Arjun and Shruti talking and laughing together. "I'm not sure I've ever seen Arjun laugh."