'Eksh, I've got news,' Ansh came bounding in Ekanksh's room, where Ekanksh and Parth were working.
Parth looked up from his laptop.
Ekanksh, however, remained unfazed.
'Good or bad? ,' Ekanksh asked, not taking his eyes off his screen.
Ansh flopped on Ekanksh's bed, propped up on his elbows, glancing between Parth, who looked every bit interested, and his own brother, Ekanksh, who seemed every bit uninterested.
'Aish, this boy,' saying this, Ansh shut Ekanksh's laptop, earning a glare from Ekanksh.
'It'd better be good news, or you're in for a tough night,' Ekanksh said dryly, turning to Ansh.
Parth immediately put his laptop aside and leaned towards Ansh with interest.
'Good or bad? ,' he asked, a wide smile spreading on his face.
'Both good, young man,' Ansh said, placing his hand on Parth's shoulder.
Ekanksh looked between them, a look of annoyance on his face. His expression was practically screaming Why the hell am I even here with these childish men?
Ansh and Parth noticed this and decided to ignore him, which set Ekanksh on edge.
'Parth, I'm bringing my girlfriend home to introduce her to all,' Ansh said, his eyes lighting up at the mention of his lady.
Parth could see the faint flush on Ansh's face. He smiled and clapped on Ansh's shoulders, congratulating him.
Ekanksh's eyes widened for a second in disbelief.
'You don't have a girlfriend,' Ekanksh said, with narrowed eyes, his arms folded and his right leg on his left knee.
'Little brother, I have a girlfriend,' Ansh said, assuring Ekanksh that he was telling the truth.
Ekanksh still looked on, not believing a word his brother said.
'Keep it a secret, till it's permanent,' Ansh said, flashing a smile at Parth, who looked at him as if Ansh had returned from the moon.
Ekanksh shook his head, chuckling.
'I'll believe when she comes home,' Ekanksh said, trying to get back to his work.
Ansh stopped him, an even bigger smile playing on his face now.
'I have some other news now, little brother,'
Parth was practically ready to jump like a five-year-old.
'You have a match, little brother,' Ansh screamed, bouncing on Ekanksh's bed.
Parth followed suit, and both were bouncing on Ekanksh's bed. Ekanksh, on the other hand, had no clue as to what they were babbling.
'What match?', he continued with the same dry tone.
'A girl has agreed to meet you, you dense-headed idiot,' Ansh yelled, holding Ekanksh's face and squeezing it.
Ekanksh looked at him, expressionless.
'I don't want an arranged set-up,'
'Eksh, you have to meet her. Then, you can decide if you want to continue or step back.'
'Wouldn't that break that girl's heart?'
'Bro, that's why people date nowadays, you have no idea,' Parth appeared, emphasizing every word.
'Whatever,'
Parth and Ansh, however, seemed more excited than Ekanksh.
'That's so cool, Ansh. When did this happen?', Parth asked excitedly. Both of them ignored Eknaksh's uninterested and dry looks.
'This morning. I received a notification. I called my lady to tell her. She approved. So, here we are', Ansh said, proud that his girlfriend had liked the match.
'You are looking for my wife with your imaginary girlfriend?', Ekanksh asked, clearly annoyed.
Ansh looked ready to protest, but decided against it and started chatting with Parth.
Ekanksh could feel his temper rising; he rose to find an empty room to continue working.
'You'd better keep the coming Friday free and take a trip to Mumbai. She wants to meet up there', Ansh said at his brother's retreating form.
Ekanksh shut the bedroom door behind him and ran his head through his hair, sighing heavily.
Think I should go there. I'll turn her down respectfully. I think I'm free this Friday. Thinking so, Eknaksh pulled out his cell phone to check his schedule. I can take the weekend off by myself. He smiled to himself, hoping to spend a nice weekend by the beach in Mumbai.
He planned to turn her down. But fate had other plans—she was about to undo all his carefully built walls.