“I am so happy, Priya. We will get ready and see other people. I am so fed up with just training or resting at home all day. I know it’s important, but this opportunity is exciting,” Levi jumped as they entered the room and sat on the bed.
She felt so happy. If she could, she wanted to attend the function right now, that’s how bored she was staying at home.
“You just recovered from your illness. It’s better if you don’t waste too much energy, you get it, right?” Rish made a face, seeing his sister so happy, as if she was winning the lottery.
He himself was looking forward to tonight’s celebration, but he wasn’t as hyperactive as Levi.
“You don’t have to worry. I am recovered now, so don’t be a spoilsport,” Levi scrunched her nose, sticking her tongue out and making a funny face toward Rish.
“You want to get hit, huh? Stop making a face like that,” Rish raised his hand and flicked her forehead, smiling.
“Ouch… what are you doing?”
“Teaching you a lesson, dear sister.”
“You, I am going to kill you,” Levi huffed angrily.
They both stopped bickering when their eyes fell on Priya, who was lost in her thoughts.
“What happened, Priya? What are you thinking?” Levi lightly patted Priya’s shoulder.
Snapping back from her thoughts, Priya replied, “Nothing much. You seem so happy, but Rish is right. You should not use too much energy there; it will not be good for your recently recovered health.”
She tried to change the topic, as she didn’t want to tell or give any hints about what was going on inside her head. Priyank’s words were just circling in her mind.
“Don’t try to hide. What happened? You didn’t even look good in the living room, and now you are changing the topic. Why don’t you and Priyank want to go? Is there any other reason?” Levi caught on to Priya’s lie.
Priya’s gaze flickered between Levi and Rish, her expression conflicted. She knew she couldn’t hide the truth from them forever, but revealing it didn’t sound like a good option either.
Finally, she sighed. “Priyank and I… we had a disagreement last night. A rather significant one.”
Levi’s eyes widened. “About what?”
Rish remained silent, sensing the gravity of the situation.
“He…” Priya hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “He wants me to return with him. To his home.”
A heavy silence fell over the room as the implication sank in.
“What?!,” Rish gasped.
Priya shook her head slowly. “Yes.”
Levi reached out and placed a comforting hand on Priya’s arm. “It seems like a huge issue for sure.”
“Don’t know suddenly what happened to him,” Priya murmured.
Rish frowned. “Maybe he doesn’t want you to be in a difficult situation.”
“I know.” Priya’s voice was heavy with weariness. “Still I can’t run away from my responsibilities.”
Levi bit her lip, considering Priya’s words. “So, that’s why you were hesitant about attending the celebration? Because of the tension between you two?”
Priya nodded. “I didn’t want to risk any further conflicts, not in front of everyone.”
Rish exchanged a meaningful look with his sister. “We understand. But you shouldn’t let this ruin your experience. This is your chance to be a part of the pack, to embrace your heritage.”
“Rish is right,” Levi chimed in. “We’ll be by your side the whole time. If Priyank starts causing trouble, we’ll handle it.”
A small smile tugged at Priya’s lips. “Thank you, both of you. Your support means more than you know.”
Levi nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly. Now, let’s not dwell on the negatives. Tonight is about celebration. So let’s enjoy it.”
Rish agreed, “Yeah, let’s focus on making tonight memorable for all the right reasons.”
The trio spent the next hour preparing for the celebration. Levi, with her boundless energy, picked out a stunning outfit that Elk sent, encouraging Priya to do the same.
As they finished getting ready, Priya felt a wave of gratitude wash over her. Despite the tension with Priyank, she knew she wasn’t alone. Her mood was better for now.
Priya wore a grey full dress, Levi donned a red-brown dress, and Rish was clad in a black suit. They all looked ethereal.
As soon as she stepped out of the house, Priya saw Priyank, who was all set to go. His face looked undeniably handsome, and in his white suit, he seemed like an angel. But she knew better-he was no angel, just a devil with looks that could deceive anyone.
“Maya told me to drive the car with Priya, and you two will be in another car, which I need to follow,” Priyank said, indirectly telling Levi and Rish to leave.
Levi and Rish exchanged a glance but nodded in understanding. Levi, always quick to lighten the mood, gave Priya a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, we’ll be right in front of you.”
Rish patted Priya’s shoulder. “If you need anything, just signal us. We’ll keep an eye on everything.”
Priya smiled back at them, grateful for their support. She then turned to Priyank, who opened the car door for her. As she settled into the passenger seat, Priyank got behind the wheel and started the engine.
The drive was mostly silent, the tension palpable. Priya gazed out the window, trying to collect her thoughts. She couldn’t shake the feeling of unease, despite the beautiful evening.
Eventually, Priyank broke the silence. “You look beautiful.”
Priya blushed, turning to look at him. “You look good too.”
Priyank felt a pang of jealousy earlier when he saw Rish patting Priya, but now, hearing her compliment, he felt better.
In her grey dress, Priya looked stunning. She always had an angelic appearance, but tonight, she looked even more enchanting.
“You don’t have to be stressed. I will keep my promise; I won’t create any issues.”
“You heard us talking in the room, right?”
“Yeah, I did,” Priyank admitted. “I didn’t like how you shared our conversation from last night with them. It wasn’t a good thing to do.”
Priya sighed, looking away. “I didn’t mean it in any harmful way. I just needed to talk to someone about it.”
Priyank nodded slowly, understanding her perspective. “I get it. But it makes me feel bad that you shared things that should stay between us.”