Red Ribbon Of Fate

*Chapter 14*: Fun, Pranks and Misunderstandings

Riya's Pov:

Eating breakfast at the dining table the next day gave me a lot of time to think about the previous day's events.
We returned back only at around 8 pm. We had so much fun together during the outing , I had no words to describe it. The cool breeze was a nice change after being cooped up in the house, and there was a whole lot of fun in having a picnic, sitting under the shade of a Banyan tree, with birds chirping melodiously in the background. We even took the toy train around the enclosure, after Diya's insistence. It made me remember my childhood days, and how much I had loved doing this then. After spending an ample amount of time roaming around, chatting, identifying various trees and plants and guessing their botanical names, we decided to head over to Vishweshwaraya Museum.

Anandith, being a science genius had fangirled over the ingenuity of the various artifacts and inventions on display at the museum, and had even forced me to take a picture of him wearing a royal knight's helmet.

We had even stopped over at a diner called Little Italy on the way home, to have our dinner. Diya had teased me endlessly about Arya and I had brushed her off as if it was no big thing. Only I knew, really deep down inside my heart, that I was lying to myself.

I was momentarily broken from my thoughts, when I heard Anandith's cell phone ring.

He picked it up and after greeting the person on the other line, purposely reduced the volume of his voice. I was too curious.

"Yeah sure, of course, don't worry...of course I won't tell..yeah yeah alright.. she won't get to know....definitely...in an hour's time? Great..."

He slowly sneaked out of the room whispering all the way with one hand on his mouth, to muffle his voice.

Who was the person on the other line? Who was the 'she' they were referring to? Why did he run away from me? Was it something to do with me?

I had so many questions and my curiosity knew no bounds. Following him quietly, I made sure my footsteps made no sound. I tried to eavesdrop, but before I could attempt to hear a single word, he ended the call with a whispered " It will definitely be a surprise for her...yeah bye..see you soon!"

Anandith turned to me with a smirk and I realized I had been caught. Why couldn't I do anything properly? I was so incapable of doing anything naughty. This was so unfair.

" Do you really think I would have let you hear something that's top secret information?"

" Hmmph," I said with a scowl. "What were you talking about?"

" Nothing."

" I am 100% sure it was something."

" Yes it WAS something, duh but nothing that I can tell you," he replied, still smirking.

" You're incorrigible and you suck," I replied lamely and walked off, Anandith's chuckle radiating in the background.

After an hour of sitting around and reading one of my favourite classics Pride and Prejudice for the fifth time, I got up to answer the door bell, which had just rung.

The person standing on the other side, made me jump with joy and squeal so much that I dropped the book I had been holding in my hand. He was the last person I had expected to see at the moment. He had told me he was going abroad with his parents and sister for a short vacation. I rushed over to him and enveloped him in the tightest hug possible. My arms automatically went around his lean torso and I buried my face in his shoulder. I had missed the warmth his body gave me and I felt so happy.
Just then, I saw four other people come up the stairs and I screamed even more. I released Desh from my breath-sucking hug and went over to do the same to the rest of them.
Kajal hugged me back with a bright smile on her face and Meera squeezed the life out of me. Nikita and Rahul too, each gave me a small hug and grinned.