It was another one of Rudra's infamous parties, the kind that involved an absurd amount of glitter, music that could rattle your brain, and enough cocktails to make even the most seasoned partygoer question their life choices. Rudra, being the social butterfly that he was, had insisted that his entire family attend, despite Shivaay's pleas for a quiet evening in the comfort of his own home.
"Come on, Shivaay bhaiya, it'll be fun!" Rudra had said, dragging Shivaay out of his office at the last minute. "You need to loosen up!"
Shivaay had reluctantly agreed, knowing full well that if he didn't show up, Rudra would never let him hear the end of it. But as soon as he stepped into the room, he regretted every decision that had led to this moment.
The music was blaring, the lights were flashing, and everyone around him was in the mood for... well, who knows what. Rudra had outdone himself—again. The party was practically shaking with energy, and Shivaay felt like he had just been transported into a parallel universe where people actually enjoyed this chaos.
He could see all of Rudra's friends on the dance floor, dancing in ways that were... let's just say, less than dignified. He caught a glimpse of Rudra attempting a move that seemed more like a violent seizure than dancing. No, this was not going to be Shivaay's scene.
Shivaay, trying his best to act like he was enjoying the party, stood in the corner, nursing a drink and wondering how soon he could make his escape without hurting Rudra's feelings. He glanced toward the door. Maybe just a quick walk around the block? A little fresh air?
That was when Rudra's voice pierced through the music like a foghorn. "Bhaiya! You can't leave! The party's just getting started!" Rudra beamed, all sweat and excitement.
Shivaay did his best to smile and pretend to care. "Oh, I'm just going to grab some air. I'll be back, don't worry."
But Rudra was not having it. "No no no! You can't leave. I have planned a surprise for you!"
Shivaay gulped. He didn't want to know what "surprise" meant in Rudra's world.
Before Shivaay could even ask what the surprise was, Rudra grabbed his hand and dragged him toward the center of the room.
"Alright, everyone! Shivaay bhaiya is about to give us a live demonstration of his dance moves!" Rudra announced, loudly enough for half of Mumbai to hear. The young crowd cheered.
Shivaay froze. "No! I—I don't dance. I—"
Rudra was already shoving him into the middle of the dance floor, and suddenly, the entire room was staring at him. Panic set in.
"Come on, Shivaay! You can do it!" Rudra grinned like a maniac, already swaying to the music like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Shivaay looked around for an escape route, but every corner of the room seemed to be filled with people. The only possible way out was to pretend like he had a sudden, urgent, and life-threatening emergency. A really urgent one.
"I—uh—I think I left my phone in the car!" Shivaay said loudly, trying to make a quick getaway.
But Rudra was relentless. "What's wrong? Are you scared to show off your moves in front of everyone?"
"Not at all!" Shivaay said, trying to sound casual, but his brain was screaming, Why did I say that?
Shivaay decided there was no way around this. If he didn't act now, Rudra was going to have him perform a full-on Bollywood dance number in front of the entire party.
He needed to leave now.
With a glance toward the door, Shivaay took a deep breath and made a break for it. He pushed through the crowd, avoiding people who were trying to grab his arm and drag him back into the spotlight. He was almost at the door when—
"Shivaay Bhaiya!" Rudra's voice boomed behind him, followed by the sound of someone stumbling through the crowd.
Shivaay reached the door, but it was locked. No way out.
Just as things were looking grim, Shivaay heard a familiar voice from behind him.
"Shivaay!"
He turned around to find Anika, looking fabulous as always, striding into the room with purpose. She was holding a glass of water, but from the look on her face, she wasn't just there to sip and socialize.
"Anika!" Shivaay cried, almost as if he had just been saved from drowning. "I need you to get me out of here."
"Don't worry," Anika said with a smirk, walking toward him like she was about to take charge. "I've got this."
She turned to Rudra, who was still waving his arms around like a windmill. "Rudra, Shivaay is leaving now. It's urgent."
Rudra blinked in surprise. "What? But I... I was just getting started! He was going to—"
Anika cut him off with a firm hand. "Yes, yes, I know. But he really needs to leave. You know, business meeting. Very important."
Rudra's face fell, and just like that, he let out a dramatic sigh. "Fine, fine. But next time, bhaiya, you better show us your moves!"
Shivaay nodded, grateful for the rescue. "Next time, Rudra. I promise."
With a wave to the crowd and a wink to Anika, Shivaay finally made his way toward the exit.
As they walked out together, Anika laughed. "You're lucky I came when I did. Rudra would have made you dance all night long."
Shivaay shook his head, relieved to be out of the madness. "I think I'd rather face an angry mob than go through that again."
They both laughed as they left the party behind, the sounds of Rudra's cheerleading fading in the distance.
