"Hey!" Ananya came back to the seat where Sneha and Jyoti were having lunch in the canteen.

"Hi!" Both the girls acknowledged with a polite smile. Sneha noticed how both Tina and Shruti were absent today.

After talking about the day and the whereabouts, Ananya came to the discussion of the day.

"I wanted to invite you both to my birthday party which is...like... tomorrow. It will be a simple get-together kind of party. Not many people are invited since my mother will be there. Only my closest friends and a few cousins. So...would you like to come too, please?" Ananya said excitedly and her eyes shone with a rare kind of enthusiasm.

Sneha and Jyoti looked at each other and tried to read each other's eyes. Sneha had no problem going to the party because she had been regularly visiting Ananya's house. But, she wasn't sure of Jyoti. Jyoti had never been to that place and she was sure that her parents wouldn't agree on letting her visit the place inhabited by a man who is renowned as being involved in shady business...Viraj.

"Uhh...where is it going to be?" Jyoti asked Ananya.

"Bhai said it would be inconvenient to host the party in our house. So, we are holding it in Celene Resort." Ananya answered.

Both Sneha and Jyoti's brows raised in surprise. The Celene resort was one of the best party houses in Mumbai. And hosting a party there was a big thing in itself. But who was she kidding! Ananya was loaded with money. She could easily afford that...or more precisely, her brother.

"I'd love to come! But, I'll have to ask my parents first. I'll let you know by tomorrow morning?" Jyoti gave her response.

Ananya gladly smiled and looked at Sneha for her answer.

"Uhh...Me too. I'll let you know by tonight." Sneha said.

"Thanks, guys! Please convince your parents and do come. My ma is also attending the party and I am damn excited about it. I want to introduce all of you to her." Ananya added.

Sneha could understand why she was so excited about her mother attending it. It was going to be the first time for her mother to attend her birthday, as she explained yesterday. However, Jyoti remained clueless.

After lunch, Ananya went back to her department building, while Sneha and Jyoti continued towards the Geography block.

"Are you going to go?" Sneha asked, referring to Ananya's birthday party.

"I really want to go. I have never been to the Celene and I have seen its pictures. That place is heaven. But, I'll have to ask my father about it. If he says yes, and you'll go, then only I'll go. What about you?"

"Same." Sneha chuckled.

"Okay, then. Call me at 9 pm and let me know what your decision is. Because we'll need to get a gift for her too."

"Right."

"And what was she saying about her mother? Why was she so excited about her attending it? Isn't it obvious that her mother would attend her birthday party?" Jyoti asked.

Sneha thought over her question.

"I don't know." She mumbled in response. It was Ananya's personal matter and she didn't want to make or propagate any wrong rumour.

However, the curiosity did peg Sneha's mind and she wanted to know the reason why Ananya's mother didn't visit her often. The secret of Viraj's family was intriguing her more and more.

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Sneha was a million times more excited than Ananya in taking the project live. Everything was finally set and the project looked pretty. The POP base and structures covered with resin were holding the water very well. They kept the ice cubes on top of the mountains. A conventional bulb was kept in both the boxes, very close to the ice cubes. In one of the boxes, they placed a small bowl of metal carbonate.

"Okay. Let's record it." Sneha told Ananya who was ready with the camera. Ananya nodded in response and started recording. Sneha switched on the bulb and carefully added the acid into the bowl of carbonate. She immediately closed the lids so that the carbon dioxide gas evolved won't come out. Now, they just had to wait.

After about five minutes, there was a huge smile on both of their faces when they realized that their experiment was giving positive results. The ice in the glass box saturated with carbon dioxide was melting at a faster rate than the other. The project was a success and Sneha couldn't be happier about it.

When all the ice had melted, Sneha motioned Ananya to stop recording. Ananya did as asked.

"Hence proved!" Sneha told Ananya who just stared at her blankly.

"Honestly, I didn't understand what happened just now. But I did enjoy the bubbling in that bowl and the ice melting slowly." Ananya accepted bluntly.

Sneha smiled in understanding. She was from 'History' background, so, she didn't learn about the climate crisis in as much detail as Sneha had to study in Geography.

"This experiment practically proves that if we continue releasing excess carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, the ice in the polar region or wherever will melt faster than nature can control. So, basically, we need to do our part in protecting nature if we don't want our coastal regions to submerge." Sneha explained to her.

"Oh!" Ananya exclaimed with raised brows at the realization.

"Yupp. Now, we have the recording and we can submit the project on Tuesday. We only have to make up the file on the theory, process and result. But, I am in no mood to write right now." Sneha said as she slumped on the chair.

"We need to write a file on this?" Ananya asked in surprise.

"Yes!" Sneha chuckled. "We need to mention everything in detail and also paste pictures of the setup. We can do it on Monday. And, then everything will be done. If you don't want to write, I'll do it at my home." Sneha offered.

"Oh, no, no. This is a group project. There must be some pages in my handwriting too or it will be pretty obvious that you did all the work." Ananya said and Sneha nodded in agreement.

"I have about an hour left." Sneha said as she looked at the watch.

"Let's talk about each other's lives then? We never got to know each other on a personal level." Ananya suggested.

Sneha smiled awkwardly and nodded.

"Okay. Sure." Sneha said.

"So, where are you really from? Like your hometown." Ananya asked.

I am from the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand." Sneha answered.

"Oh! So, you are a pahadi (a term used for the inhabitants of mountains.)!"

"Yeah!" Sneha chuckled before she threw the question back at her. "What about you?"

"I am from Punjab. But, my great-great grandfather settled here in Mumbai." Ananya answered.

"Oh my! Do you still go to your village... sometimes?" Sneha asked.

"Nah! We haven't been in touch with our roots since. Mumbai is our home now." Ananya explained.

"Oh!"

"Do you go to your village?"

"Yes. It is compulsory for us to go to our village once every year. It soothes my eyes to see the ranges of mountains, especially the site of the Himalayas. It's still a typical village. And, it is fun to be away from city life once in a while." Sneha said dreamily.

"It must be fun!"

"It is." Sneha smiled.

"By the way, I never asked. Do you have any love interest...like a boyfriend?" Ananya asked.

Sneha's brows raised at the question.

"Nope. You?" Sneha chuckled and asked the question back.

"As if my brother will allow it! No." Ananya scoffed.

Her response caught Sneha's interest and she couldn't help but ask her.

"Why does your brother control your life so much? I have seen it many times and it's...strange!" She asked, remembering the recent events of the market and yesterday when she was giving her the cash.

"Uhh...he is my brother, that is why? Aren't elder siblings supposed to do that?" Ananya replied in confusion.

"Not to this extent. I have a younger sister and if I'd control every aspect of her life, she will pull my hair out!" Sneha said.

Ananya thought for a while before answering.

"I am his only sister and with the kind of business he is in, he has to take care of me...protect me."

"Why did you say yesterday that you were not allowed to keep cash? It is a basic need. You may need it anytime! And, his business has nothing to do with you keeping some money." Sneha asked.

"Don't freak out...but, women in my family are not allowed to keep the cash."

"But why?" Sneha almost whined.

Ananya sighed, but replied. It was her idea, after all, to get to know each other better.

"There have been some instances where some of the women...in our family... have misused the money they had. Since then, it has been a rule for us to not possess any in order to prevent us from repeating it."

'Does she even hear herself?' Sneha thought.

"There are many men in the world who misuse money. That doesn't mean we stop asking men to hold money. Financial independence is important, you know!" Sneha tried to explain, in hopes that Ananya would knock some sense on her brother and father.

Ananya sighed again. She couldn't explain nor tell the truth to Sneha. She knew Sneha wouldn't understand.

"Well, my brother would freak out if he'd listen to you right now." Ananya chuckled to lighten the mood.

'Or maybe, I'll teach him where exactly he is wrong.' Sneha thought confidently.

"Anyway, do you know my brother's fiancee is attending my birthday party as well? I'll be seeing her after a complete year!" Ananya tried to change the topic.

"Your brother has a fiancee?" Sneha asked in complete surprise. She couldn't imagine that cold man with a girl.

"Yeah. Bhai is engaged...years ago. Her name is Nupur. But, they are yet to fix the wedding date."

"He doesn't wear his ring, though." Sneha asked, as she tried to recall his fingers.

"I know. He says it itches him. He will wear it tomorrow, though. He wears it only when Nupur comes here or he goes to her place."

"Oh!" Sneha mumbled. It was new knowledge to her. She had always thought he was single. Not that she cared though. But now he was in a completely different light for her.

"Hmm. We both used to be best friends when we were kids. But, then she went to Spain when we were I think...18." Ananya extended the conversation.

"Oh wow! Spain! Did she get a scholarship there?" Sneha asked as she thought she went there for academic purposes.

"No. Her family fell into trouble here in Mumbai. So, they had to move abroad. She is studying Spanish literature though." Ananya answered.

Sneha nodded. She wanted to ask Ananya if her brother really killed for a living...but then kept her curiosity at bay. Viraj was equally renowned for a chain of legal businesses he did as he was for the shady work that he and his men did behind the curtains.

Soon it was time for Sneha to go as she knew her father would be coming soon.

"Let me see you off till the gate." Ananya said.

"You don't have to. It's okay!" Sneha chuckled.

"I wanted to have some fresh air too!" Ananya said as she followed her out. Soon they were out and indeed her father was waiting for his daughter.

"Namaste uncle!" Ananya greeted, taking Sneha's father by surprise.

"Namaste beta (child)!"

"Papa...She is Ananya." Sneha introduced.

Her father nodded with a smile. However, Ananya surprised both of them with her next words.

"Uncle, I had a request." Ananya said.

"Oh, okay?" Sneha's father said while looking at Sneha. Even Sneha looked at Ananya with narrowed brows. But, soon the fog cleared.

"I wanted to request you to allow Sneha to come to my birthday party... tomorrow." Ananya said.

'This is why she followed me out today!' Sneha thought.

"Uhh...What are the timings?" He asked after giving it a thought.

"4 pm to 9 pm. It is a small get-together. If you'd like, I will send a driver to send her home safely." Ananya added politely and a little desperately.

"Do you want to go?" He asked Sneha who in response shrugged.

"Whatever you say." Sneha spoke.

"Okay. Just make sure, it doesn't extend 9 pm and that Sneha returns home by 9:30 pm." He gently told Ananya.

"Sure, uncle! Thank you, so much!" Ananya jumped lightly in happiness.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then?" She told Sneha who smiled in response and nodded.

When Ananya went back to her home, Sneha's father turned to look at his daughter.

"Papa, I swear, I didn't ask her to talk to you about it. I told her that I will ask you at home. I didn't know she will ask you herself!" Sneha confessed.

"You really want to go there?" He asked.

"I don't know. She wants Jyoti and me to come. Apparently, she doesn't have many friends. So, it might be her wish to have a small party...But, if you don't want me to go..."

"I want you to do whatever you want... but with safety. Promise me you will come back home safely, without any boys trouble and alcohol." Her father laid the line.

Sneha chuckled.

"Of course, papa!"

"I know a little thing or two about the parties of rich children like hers. I don't want my daughter to ruin her life. You know that right."

"Yes, papa. I won't let you down...ever." She promised.

Her father smiled. He trusted Sneha...more than even Priya, and knew that she'd always be responsible towards her duties.

"I know! But, seems like you will be skipping your karate classes, again."

"Yeah!" Sneha sighed as she sat back on the back seat of the scooty.

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It was 9 pm and Sneha called Jyoti's phone number to ask her status for tomorrow. Her parents and Priya had gone out to her father's sister's home and had told her that they would be back by 11 pm. So, she was home alone and bored.

"Hey!" She greeted Jyoti.

"Hi! What did your father say?" Jyoti asked.

"He agreed. What about you?" She asked.

"He said that if Sneha is going, then I can go too." Jyoti answered with a chuckle.

"Well, great! It will be like an outing!" Sneha said with excitement.

"Yupp! So, we need to buy her a gift. What do you think?" Jyoti asked.

"Let's meet in the morning in the market that is close to your home. We'll get something from there." Sneha suggested.

"Okay. Great. Let's see you tomorrow then."

"Yeah. Bye."

"Bye." Jyoti mumbled and cancelled the call.

Sneha kept the phone on the table and was about to plug in the charger, when it started ringing again.

'Unknown number?' She thought when a string of random numbers flashed on the little screen.

Picking it up without a thought, she placed the phone in front of her ears.

"Hello?" She asked casually.

"It's me. Come out." Came a man's voice, which she easily recognized.

'Why is he calling me?' She thought but then discarded the thought. It could be someone else dialling the wrong number.

"Who is this?" She asked to confirm the identity of the caller. She heard a deep sigh before she heard his voice again.

"Viraj. Now, come out." He answered patiently.

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(Hi!

So, there was a question asked to me about the length of the book. I thought others would also want to know the answer to this.

So, basically, this book is going to be long...as far as I can predict. There will be a lot of drama. I predict 50-60 chapters (could be more) with about 2500 words (on average) per chapter.

I know many of you want to see Viraj's possessive side ASAP. But, I want to make this story as realistic as I can. As a writer and a person, I have matured a lot since I wrote 'Guns and a Rose'. If you have been following my works since day 1, you must have noticed it as well. I have come to understand a lot about how relationships work. Viraj is not a psycho-type person. So, if you think he will be like that, please forgive me to burst the bubble. He is possessive of his family with a traditional mindset, especially regarding women (You must have realized this by now). He never had a liking to a woman romantically before in his life. This is why it will take him some time to realize his feeling for Sneha. And, I want him to learn it slowly. Because, honestly, first-sided love is rare and I had to make Viraj different from Faizal.

In short, I would like to request you to please cherish Viraj's 'slow and steady' developing feelings for Sneha; because when he will realize it as 'love', Sneha is going to suffer hell!

The next update is gonna be soon.

Thank you for your votes! :)