At exactly 5:00 in the evening, Amreli no longer felt like a quiet city.
It was such a long, exhausting day at college. i screamed in my head the moment I sat in a rickshaw.
The rickshaw moved, cutting through traffic, through tired faces and familiar roads. Shops were half-closed, chai stalls crowded, and people rushed home with the same worn look I felt inside. The city wasn't calm..it was restless, running on the last bit of daylight.
I leaned back, letting the evening air hit my face.
So lost in my exhaustion, I didn't even realize when the rickshaw reached my society.
I paid the rickshaw driver and walked toward my house.
"I'll just go and sleep" I decided the moment I opened the door.
I placed my bag on the sofa when I heard my mom talking to someone on the phone. At the same time, I caught my younger brother secretly taking a chocolate...
caught red-handed.
"Okay, okay… once Aadi's father comes home, we'll all come together. Jai Shree Krishna," my mom said before hanging up.
Aadi and I looked at each other, and at the same time, we blurted out, "Partyyyy!"
Mom couldn't hold back her laughter.
"Not a party...we're going out for dinner," she said, picking up the glasses from the table. "Avi, call your dad for me. I'll finish my work by then, okay?"
"Why do I need to call Dad? Weren't you just talking to him right now?" I asked Mom, confused.
At the same moment, Aadi quietly slipped the chocolate into his pocket...mission successful.
"No, beta, that was your dadi on the phone," Mom replied from the kitchen.
The moment we heard that, Aadi and I shouted together, "Dadiiii?!"
"Yes, dadi," Mom said. "She's gone to the Shah family's house. They've invited us there directly for dinner."
Before Mom could say anything more, Dad walked in.
"I'm home," he announced, placing his office bag down. "What? You're still not ready? Come on, hurry up...we need to leave now."
Dad sat on the sofa, and I went to get him a glass of water. While drinking it, he noticed Mom was still in the kitchen.
"Hey, what are you still doing there? It's getting late," dad said teasingly. "Later, you'll be the one scolding me."
"I'm just about to get ready," mom replied while heading upstairs.
"Tell your darling daughter...she's the one who always takes the longest."
I stood there, still confused.
"But Papa, why are we going to Shah Uncle's house? And dadi.. why did she go there first? Shouldn't she have come here?" i asked, half-complaining.
"Oh, beta," dad said, rolling up his shirt sleeves, "I was about to go pick dadi up from the station when she said she wanted to go to the Shahs' place first. We'll all have dinner together and relive some old memories."
"Hmm," I murmured and quietly walked away.
Why did dadi go there first? Why didn't she come home? Why directly from Haridwar to Shah Dwar? Why are we all being called there? What is even happening?
As the elder daughter, it felt like I had automatically taken responsibility for carrying all the unspoken stress of the house. With those thoughts swirling in my head, I went to get ready.
We all got ready and left for Shah Uncle's house.
His house is about twenty minutes away from ours, and the entire drive, I kept wondering
Why are we even going there?
Finally, I was about to get my answers, because we had reached Shah Nivas.
The moment we entered their huge house, Shah Uncle stood right in front of us with his arms wide open, waiting for us—
or should I say, waiting for my dad.
Best friends, you know.
Now let me introduce the Shah family.
Shah Uncle's mom is my grandma's best friend. They're extremely close.
(That's probably why Dadi came here before us.)
Mr. and Mrs. Shah are my parents' best friends.
The double-date kind of best friends.
Shah Uncle and my dad grew up together—they've been inseparable since childhood.
And yes—Shah Uncle's daughter and I are besties!
We've known each other forever. She's the younger daughter of their family.
They also have an elder son.
(Grumpy. Rich. Always busy.)
I've never seen him at family gatherings or whenever our families are together.
Apparently, he's always working.
What kind of work keeps someone missing even during holidays?
Ugh… why am I even introducing him?
After a long time, everyone was finally together, and the smiles on their faces said it all.
It felt like two long-lost families reuniting.
On top of that, Shah Aunty is a hardcore Anupama fan.
"Areyy, Ms. Patel! How long has it been since we last met?" she said in her adorable accent.
(She's cute, by the way.)
Uff… such family drama!
As soon as the greetings were over, we went inside—and I saw Disha.
Disha who?
I already told you—my bestie. Shah Uncle's daughter. The one my age.
You people forget so easily.
We hugged each other tightly.
"Where are our two darling grandmas?" i asked Disha excitedly.
"They've been gossiping nonstop inside. They didn't even spare the bus driver who's taking them to Haridwar," she said dramatically, laughing.
"Oh, let's go quickly! I want to hear everything too," i said as we rushed inside.
As soon as we entered the hall, my grandma and her gossip partner Disha's grandma were sitting on the middle sofa, chatting endlessly.
I ran to my grandma, wrapped her in a big hug...
"Dadiiii, I missed you so much! Did you like Haridwar so much that you stayed there this long?"
"Oh, my child," dadi replied in her loving voice.
I hugged Disha's grandmother as well and said playfully,
"So come on now, show me what you both brought from Haridwar."
"Show me first what you brought, Dadi!" aadi said excitedly.
Just then, our double dates arrived!
My parents touched both grandmothers' feet and took their blessings.
"How was the Haridwar trip, Maa?" mom asked as she sat down on the nearby sofa.
"Yes, you didn't face any trouble while traveling, right?" dad added.
"No, no—what trouble would she have?" Disha's grandmother joked.
"She walks faster than me! Though I can't say the same for myself… who knows when or where my breath might stop."
"Don't say that, Dadi," Disha said, hugging her tightly.
"You still have to attend Bhaiya's wedding!"
As soon as she said that, Disha's grandmother looked at me and smiled.
"Yes, that's exactly what I was telling Lalita(my grandma)," she said teasingly, then gave my grandmother a mischievous smile.
My grandmother nodded in agreement.
"You all talk, I'll start preparing dinner," Shah aunty said, getting up from the sofa.
"I'll come too," my mom said, following her.
Dad and Shah uncle got busy talking about Modi lol.
Aadi opened Dadi's bag and started searching for the things he had demanded.
"Come, Avii, let's go upstairs to my room," disha said, grabbing my hand.
While going upstairs....
"Hey Disha, your elder brother isn't around?" i asked casually.
"Busy with work as always, right?"
"Why, are you that curious about him?" she teased.
"He's been quite busy these days."
"Why would I be curious?" i quickly changed the topic.
"I was just asking."
"You know, I went shopping the day before yesterday. I bought so many things—come, I'll show you."
"Yes, let's go," I agreed.
We had just reached her room when a voice came from downstairs.
"Disha beta… come downstairs for a moment."
"Yes, Dadi, I'm coming," disha replied.
"Avani, you stay here. I'll be right back. Dadi just can't stay without me," she said as she went downstairs.
I entered Disha's room. Cool air was coming in from the balcony, so I stepped outside.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
Without turning around, I said,
"Disha, I'm here on the balcony. Come here."
"Hey!!"
A man's voice replied—and I froze for a second.
Someone was standing just two steps behind me.
I turned around.
Now when i tell you to read carefully- READ CAREFULLY!
He was around 6'2" or 6'3" TALL. Tall enough that hugging him would feel right, safe, perfect, with deep brown eyes, a sharp jawline, and messy hair. He was wearing a white shirt and black pants, his sleeves rolled halfway up, the veins on his arms clearly visible, that caught my attention for a second longer than they should have. Oops. THE PERFUME!!!!
I looked at him… and just kept looking.
Men like this usually belong on the covers of spicy novels.
And he looked exactly like someone straight out of a romantic book.
I was mentally scanning him from head to toe when—
"Hey!" he said again, this time waving his hand.
"You okay?"
Avani, speak up.
My mind was screaming at me to say something.
I took a deep breath.
"H-hi," I said nervously.
"Are you okay?" concern clearly visible in his eyes.
"Yes, I'm good…"
"I'm Aarav. Aarav Shah. Nice to meet you, Avi."
He extended his hand for a handshake.
"Same here." We shook hands.
"I'm Ava—"
"Avani Patel," he interrupted me mid-sentence.
"Oh… how do you know my name?" I asked awkwardly.
"Why? Don't you know me?"
"No… I mean—yes! You're Shah uncle's elder son, right?"
I tried to cover up my mistake.
Awkward silence.
"I mean, I've never met you before, so I didn't know you knew me."
He STARED at me, a little disappointed.
Breaking the silence, he took a deep breath.
"Hm… that's something to think about. The girl I was linked to since childhood is acting like a stranger today. And seriously, Avi—do you really think we've never met?"
The moment I heard that my entire 18 years of life replayed in my mind in just two seconds.
Did I ever meet him?
But when?
And where?
And how?
If I really did meet him… I don't even remember what I looked like. Was I dressed nicely or not? Ugh, why does that even matter right now?!
But seriously — when did we meet?!
And wait a second… if I have met him before, then why on earth don't I remember it?!
What am I even supposed to say now?
My mind is spiraling, replaying blank memories like a broken reel, trying to force a scene that just isn't there.
You know that feeling when your brain insists something happened, but your memory is like: Nope. Access denied.