Forget-Me-Not : Bound by Secrets

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

July, 2000

Vidhi looked up from her book and pinned a steadfast gaze on her friend, while Geet just said, "Oh," in surprise.

"Well, hello there," Dia said, putting aside her thesis and uncrossed her legs to stretch them out on the bed. "Damn, you look stunning, Ananya."

"I know," Ananya smiled a dazzling smile and breezed into the room like a temptress. "We're going to The Mirchandani House."

"What, now?"

"Yeah. We just got invited to the house party they're hosting tonight."

"You mean you got invited," Vidhi said, still gazing at Ananya.

"We got invited," Ananya repeated. "So we're going. Dress up, everyone!"

"If you failed to see, your highness, we are all doing important work here-end of term submissions."

"Oh, please. It's a weekend."

"So?" Vidhi challenged, and Ananya looked at her with her enigmatic, superior smile.

"It's my birthday."

"That's tomorrow."

"Well, I get to celebrate my last day of being nineteen, then. Don't be a spoilsport, Khurrana. Live a little."

Vidhi just snorted.

"Guys, come on! I don't want to see that confused expression on your faces. It's the Mirchandani house-I want to see what's so great about the parties they have there. Obviously, I won't go without you."

"Well, Mirchandani house for some of us is 'Out of my League' palace. Besides, there are more important things to do in life than attend a party thrown by the rich and shining."

"Hey, I wouldn't be going there if I wasn't sure what I was getting us into. But one of my friends got the news from one of her friends who in turn got the news from one of her friends that it was going to be a grand thing. What's the harm in going, anyway? I'm bored, and I want to dance. And we'll get free champagne. If that isn't tempting, I don't know what is," Ananya said. "And it's my birthday tomorrow, and I want to have a great night with my best friends and have some fun."

"I'm in," Dia said immediately, and Vidhi scowled at her.

"What's wrong with you? We don't even know anyone there."

"That's the whole point. We can get to know people there if we go. You can even pretend to be Vidhi Arora, heiress of the Arora Empire who settled here last year when she came back from the Philippines because her father wouldn't hear of her going into the movies," Ananya said.

Dia chuckled and said, "I could get used to something like that."

"You guys remind me of first grade, when we took part in fancy dress competitions. I mean, grow up! All this pretending to be rich and famous, wasting time in high-class parties, it isn't something I want to do with my life."

Ananya narrowed her eyes at Vidhi and said, "It's just tonight, Vidhi. I'm doing you a favour. You need fun in your life, because you're so tightly wound and so obstinate, you wouldn't budge. What objection can you have to dancing with your friends?"

"I hardly have to dress up for dancing with my friends and going to the Mirchandani house," Vidhi said defensively. "I'm not dying to experience the best of both worlds here."