2. Date Fixed

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Ivara Pov

The last lecture of the day finally ended, and the classroom slowly began to empty as students packed their bags and rushed out, already talking about weekend plans and unfinished assignments. I leaned back in my chair for a moment, rubbing my temples as the familiar exhaustion settled in. First year of MFM was no joke.

 Everyone had warned me that the course would be intense, but experiencing it firsthand was a completely different story. Endless presentations, group projects with people who barely worked, and professors who somehow expected us to function like corporate professionals already.

Still... I was almost done with my first year.

Surviving it felt like an achievement on its own.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and stepped out into the hallway, which was buzzing with the usual university chaos. Students leaned against lockers, some arguing about assignments while others laughed loudly about something that probably wasn't even that funny. The air smelled faintly of coffee from the campus café mixed with the dust of old lecture halls.

"Ivara!"

I turned at the sound of my name and instantly spotted Maansi di walking toward me, waving excitedly like she had just spotted a long-lost friend. Her energy is impossible to ignore. She has this cheerful, bubbly aura that somehow made the entire hallway feel brighter.

Maansi di is Ishu di's best friend, and technically my senior. She is in the final year of her MBA, which meant she carried that confident, slightly chaotic senior energy that everyone seemed to admire.

"Hey, junior!" she said dramatically as she stopped in front of me. "You look like someone who just survived a battlefield."

I laughed softly. "That obvious?"

"Very obvious," she replied, adjusting the strap of her bag. "Let me guess... strategy lecture?"

"Worse. Group presentation."

Maansi winced in sympathy. "Ah, the ultimate punishment. Professors really said suffering builds character and ran with it."

I shook my head, smiling despite my exhaustion. Talking to her was strangely refreshing. She had a way of making everything sound lighter, less serious.

"So, how's life in the terrifying world of first year MFM?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

I groaned dramatically. "I think the professors are secretly training us for corporate warfare."

"Good," she laughed. "You'll need it."

We walked together toward the university gate, chatting about random things, assignments, professors we both disliked, and how the campus café coffee tasted like disappointment half the time. Maansi di talked animatedly about her MBA project and internship interviews, while I mostly listened, occasionally throwing in sarcastic comments that made her laugh.

After a few minutes, we reached the main road where our paths separated.

"Alright, junior," Maansi said with a playful salute. "Go home, eat something good, and mentally prepare for tomorrow's torture."

"Yes, ma'am," I replied with mock seriousness.

She laughed again before walking off, already pulling out her phone to answer a call.

I watched her disappear into the crowd for a second before heading toward home.

By the time I reached home, something felt... different.

The house was alive with chaos ,laughter, chatter, and the clatter of dishes filled every corner. Something exciting was happening. I could feel it before I even stepped inside.

I swung the door open and froze for a second. The house looked different , bright, busy, buzzing with energy.

"Iva, why are you standing at the door?" Papa called, noticing me.

I blinked and smiled sheepishly. "Oh, Papa... I was just wondering what's going on."

From behind, Mom laughed softly. "Vinay, she's your daughter , the kind who forgets what she ate five minutes ago."

Papa smiled knowingly. "Hmm... Iva, today Ishana's in-laws are coming to finalize the marriage date."

I groaned and smacked my forehead. "Oh! Sorry, I completely forgot."

Ishana, crossing her arms and frowning dramatically, teased, "Kyu nahi? Kyun nahi? I'm not important to you, right? Why would you remember anything?"

I rushed over and hugged her. "Didu, it's not like that! You know me, right? You know my brain works on low battery most of the time."

She softened and gave a small smile. "Okay, okay... now go freshen up and rest a bit. They'll be here in an hour."

I throw my bag somewhere in the room as soon as I step in.

Don't judge me I'm a little messy. Okay... maybe a lot messy. Hehe. But right now? I'm too tired to care. Ugh... I really need to clean up. Someday. Maybe.

After freshening up, I flop onto my bed. My cozy bed. My savior. I missed you so much.

A few minutes later, maa enters and freezes, taking in the chaos.

"This girl..." she mutters. "Iva, your energy drink [adarak wali chai]."

I whine dramatically, but when I see the cup in her hand, I can't resist. "Maa... chai is the best thing humankind ever made!"

She smiles at me. "Pagal ladki..."

"Now drink this," she says, handing it over. "And get ready. Guests are coming and clean your room, I mean it."

I whine again, taking the chai. "Okay, Maa..."

Finally some peace and quiet with my tea, and then...boom Ishu di bursts into my room like a whirlwind.

"Ivaaa! You're just sitting here, and here I am going through war! What kind of sister are you?"

"Didu, calm down first," I say, trying to stay sane. "What happened? Why are you being so dramatic?"

She throws me a shocked look. "I'm dramatic? Fine. I'm not talking to you!"

I facepalm. "Achha, didu... sorry. Bolo, what happened?"

She pouts, stamping her foot lightly. "I don't know what to wear!"

I want to scream at her over-the-top dramatics, but, being the younger sister, I can't.

"Okay," I say, sighing. "Let's go and choose the best dress for you. After all... Jiju is coming."

At the mention of her fiancé, her face turns bright red.

"Shut up," she muttered, trying and failing to hide her shy smile.

A little while later, I finally walked downstairs after helping di pick out her outfit. The guests had already arrived, and the house was buzzing with polite conversation and excited energy.

I greeted everyone respectfully before quickly moving toward Mom to help with the preparations. Plates were arranged, snacks were served, and chai was poured while relatives chatted happily in the living room.

After we finished setting everything up, Mom turned to me.

"Go call Ishana."

I nodded and rushed upstairs again.

A few minutes later, di and I returned together. Before entering the living room, she paused near the mirror in the hallway, nervously adjusting her dupatta.

"Do I look pretty?" she asked softly.

I smiled warmly at her reflection. "Didu, you're looking the prettiest."

Her cheeks turned pink as she smiled shyly before stepping forward to greet everyone.

Both of us joined the rest of the family as the atmosphere filled with excitement. After a while, the pandit ji announced the auspicious wedding dates, and the entire room erupted with cheerful congratulations.

Ishu di leaned slightly towards  Arav jiju and whispered teasingly, "Congratulations, Mr. Raichand."

Jiju  smiled warmly at her. "You too... soon-to-be Mrs. Raichand. By the way, you look beautiful today."

Di's cheeks flushed bright pink. "Thank you," she murmured.

Jiju chuckled softly. "Blushing suits you, Mrs. Raichand."

Watching the two of them together, I felt a warm happiness bloom inside my chest.

My didu deserved every bit of this happiness.

After the guests finally left, the house slowly began to quiet down again.

Papa suddenly called out loudly, "The dates are fixed! Come soon, beta."

He was talking to my brother on the phone.

Bhaiya lived separately because of his job, so hearing that he would be coming home soon made my heart leap with excitement.

I loved my bhaiya and bhabhi dearly.

But the person I adored the most was my little sunshine Trisha.

Just thinking about her tiny hugs and mischievous giggles made me smile instantly. My mind filled with anticipation as I imagined seeing them again... hugging my brother, teasing my bhabhi endlessly, and spoiling my little niece like the proud bua I was.

Life felt warm in that moment. Full. And for once... peaceful.

Pov ENDS

The gym echoed with the rhythmic clanking of weights and the low hum of workout machines. The smell of iron and sweat hung in the air as people pushed through their routines with determined expressions.

In the corner near the squat rack, Ethan Raichand finished his last rep, exhaling slowly as he placed the bar back onto the stand. A thin sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead as he grabbed a towel and wiped his face, his breathing steady despite the intense workout.

Meanwhile, standing a few feet away and clearly not as disciplined, Advik was leaning against a machine, dramatically watching Ethan like he was witnessing some kind of heroic movie montage.

"Bro," Advik suddenly said loudly, clapping his hands once. "I seriously cannot wait for your results."

Ethan raised an eyebrow but said nothing, taking a sip from his water bottle.

Advik continued anyway because silence had never stopped him before.

"I mean it. You have to get selected in my university. Life there is already boring enough. Without you it's basically a prison."

Ethan looked at him dryly. "Why? Am I your girlfriend that you miss me so much?"

Advik stared at him for a second before dramatically placing a hand on his chest.

"Just look at yourself, Raichand," he said shamelessly. "For you, I honestly wouldn't even mind becoming gay."

Ethan choked slightly on his water.

"Advik?"

"I'm serious!" Advik continued loudly, spreading his arms. "Hot, rich, handsome, mysterious... bro, if I were a girl I would've proposed already."

Ethan shook his head, trying not to laugh. "You need help."

Advik grinned proudly. "And you need to pass that entrance exam so we can continue ruining our professors' lives together."

Ethan grabbed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder. "Relax. Results aren't even out yet."

"Still," Advik said while walking beside him toward the exit, "just imagine. Same university, same chaos. It'll be legendary."

Ethan rolled his eyes but a small smile tugged at his lips.

Advik was loud, chaotic, and occasionally embarrassing.

But life around him was never boring.

The Raichand house was quiet. Everyone was absorbed in their own tasks, moving silently from room to room.

The phone buzzed. Abhiraj Raichand picked it up, listened for a moment, and then announced aloud, "My brother's grandson's marriage is fixed. We need to go to their house. Tell everyone."

A few minutes later, Ethan returned home. He headed straight to his mother and wrapped his arms around her, "Mom... I'm hungry," he said, resting his head on her shoulder.

Vedika smiled. "Go freshen up. I'll make something for you. Also, we have to go to your uncle's house."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, uninterested. "Which uncle? And why?"

Vedika replied patiently, "Your dadu's brother's house. His grandson's marriage is fixed."

Ethan groaned, flopping into a chair. "Why does our family have to be so big?"

He stared at the ceiling for a moment, letting the quiet of the house wash over him. He should have felt curiosity, excitement... anything. But he didn't. Nothing stirred inside, only the familiar numbness.

Great. Another trip to smile and pretend. Another day to perform for people who don't even see me. Perfect.