Shrithik decided to stay where he was. He has a lots of thesis to complete. And he is not clingy, so he'll not go and seem like one.

Sameera and her friends were sitting in her room.
Pihu was just moving around when Raj suddenly hugged her from behind.

"W-what are you d-doing Raj. Everyone is watching."

"Let them watch. It's not like they don't know about us."

Pihu released a shaky breath as he lightly kissed her neck.

"Enough with it love birds-"
Maaya started but was cut off by Sameera

"I'm sleepy."
She yawned.

"You slept for four hours straight."
Shivam said from beside her. She hooked her hand with his and kept her head on his shoulder.

"Still. I am sleepy."

"Same here."
He said and kept his head on hers. A knock resonated and Shrishti opened the door. Thankfully Raj and Pihu separated on time. Because the person entering the room was Madhu.

She looked at Shivam and Sameera and giggled.
"You look cute."

They both did not even move from their position.

"Not to be rude but you should really get your eyes checked if you find her cute."
Shivam said and Madhu laughed.

"God, she's so beautiful. Do you think I should ask her to be my girlfriend or flirt with her?"
He whispered and asked Sameera.

"She's getting married after seven days. But best of luck."

"Girls, as I said tomorrow we have to go to the parlor. And after that for other rituals the make-up artist will come here."
Madhu said and Sameera hid her head in Shivam's shoulder.

"Um..didi? Will it be okay if I will not come. I don't really do makeup and all."
She said and Madhu smiled kindly at her.

"Don't worry. Tomorrow's session will just have facials, manicure, pedicure or if you want some new haircut. Just skincare. Nothing else."
Sameera nodded.

"And what will we do?"
Shivam asked and Madhu opened and closed her mouth like a fish. What will the boys do?

"Um....there's a new gaming centre not far away from here. You can go there if you want."
Madhu said and he nodded.

Sameera once again yawned and lied down on the bed. Her foot touching the ground and she hid her head behind Shivam.
She was sleepy. As the pillow was too far away, she pulled Shivam down with her, startling him then kept her head on his hand.

"You will do things like this and they'll think we are a couple."

She just yawned.
"Give me the pillow and I'll leave you. You guys have really nice hands to keep my head on."

As soon as she mumbled this Shivam sat up straight and looked down at her.

"Guys? You never told me. Nor anybody. I know it's not any of my buisness to interfere in your personal life but as you friend, I should know who the guy is. Whether you sleep with him is your concern. But right now, who's the guy."

He asked seriously. Causing everybody's attention to turn towards them. Sameera groaned.

"My father. You. My brother. You all are guys, aren't you?"

"What are you talking about?"
Raj asked and Shivam replied a simple nothing. Soon only the three girls were left in the room.

Sameera and Maaya quickly took the bed as Shrishti did her skincare routine.

"You take the couch."
Maaya said and grinned.

Shrishti scowled and stuck her tongue out at them. About five minutes later Sameera spoke

"Hey Shrishti. What's the date today?"

"Saturday."

Sameera rolled her eyes.
"Date. I asked what is the date today."

"Um......28 I guess."

"Don't guess. Take a look from your phone and tell me."

Shrishti made a tired expression.
"You are an evil girl Sameera. Can't you even let me do my skincare routine in peace?"

Sameera grinned.
"No. Now tell me the date."

Shrishti saw from her phone and spoke
"It's 28 August 2021. Anything else?"

[This book has no covid-19 pandemic.]

"Yes. When is Ganesh Chaturthi?"

Shrishti googled it and then answered
"On....10th September."

"And we are staying till next Saturday or Sunday. Right?"

Maaya nodded.
"Yes. But why?"

"Wait. What will be the date on next Saturday?"

"7th September."
Maaya answered and Sameera frowned.

"I thought we could celebrate it here in Mumbai. As you know Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with most passion in Maharashtra, I was really looking forward to visit Ganesh pandals. Especially Lalbaugcha Raja."

"Lalbaugcha Raja? Who's this?"
Shrishti repeated and Sameera sat up straight with wide eyes. She looked at Maaya to see her with the same expression: wide eyes and mouth open.

"You don't know Lalbaugcha Raja? Do you even live in India? It's the most famous idol of Lord Ganesha in Mumbai. Just switch on any news channel on Ganesh Chaturthi and I'll guarantee you that all you'll see is him."

"God, you really didn't knew this, did you?"
Maaya asked Shrishti and she shook her head in no.

"Goddamit Shrishti. What's the use of living in India if you don't know the name of most famous idol of the most loved god? It's a shame that you don't know. Not to be offensive - no, get offended as much as you want but you really are an idiot. Bye good night."

Saying this Sameera covered her face and plopped down on the bed, not waiting to see her expression.

Soon she was sleeping.

_______________________________

Next day Sameera woke up at exact 4:30 a.m. It was quite early for her. She normally woke at 5:00 a.m. She brushed her teeth and did her morning buisness.

Till she came out of the bathroom it was not dark anymore. Not knowing what to do she went in the balcony. The view from there was amazing and the cool breeze freshened her up.

The garden of the Singhal Mansion was huge. Maybe even bigger than the actual mansion. And that was visible from the balcony in which Sameera was standing.
And Jay and Mayank who were playing badminton were also visible.

Her whole body was itching to go to them and play with them. But she didn't even utter a word. She would seem really weird or maybe even clingy.

The fact that Jay was not even her friend and he was still talking so much to her was enough. She is not planning to be a bother on someone.

Sighing she took out her phone and opened her Instagram. Seeing herself active she had a confused expression on her face. How is her ID visible to her.

It took a minute for the bulb in her brain to light and for her to realise that the ID she has opened was of Shrithik and he was probably using hers.

Without wasting a minute she called him. Afterall it was still her I'd and there is some private.

After two rings he picked up.

"Hello?"

"Old Man."
Shrithik was sleeping. He was lying on his front with his face on the pillow.
Sameera understood this from his voice. She's used to his deep, raspy and sexy morning voice. She also knew his position because he never slept in any other position. Don't ask how she knows this.

"Who's this?"

"Shrey. I'm Shrey."

"Shrey? Why is your voice sounding like sweetheart? Is there something in Canadian water?"
He laughed lowly. Sameera furrowed her brows. Was he drunk? Because he sure was sounding like one.

"Old man? Are you drunk?"

He opened his eyes a little and looked at the room. Beer bottles were littering here and there. He hasn't drunk since he shifted with Sameera. Yesterday, he was frustrated and she was not there, so he took advantage of the opportunity.

"No. I'm just......sleepy."
He said sitting up. Sameera walked to the balcony and stood there. Not saying anything. Trying to understand whether he was telling the truth or was he really drunk.

"Sweetheart? You still there?"
He asked after some time.
She smiled to her self subconsciously.

"So you knew it was me?"

"Ofcourse I knew. Why did you call me this early? It's just........5:30 in the morning."

"Oh yeah. I wanted to ask why am I online? Don't use my Instagram oldman. It has some important private stuff."

He rolled his eyes.
"I was not using it. It's not my fault that your phone works on its own and has more cracks than the hair in my beard."

"Hey, my phone is good. You are a stranger to it that's why it was working on it's own. Nothing is wrong with it."

"Do you know-"
Shrithik was cut off by the loud voice of Jay.

"Hey Sameera! You are up this early? Wanna play?"

Sameera nodded her head slowly. She was not feeling great on being interrupted when she was talking to her old man.

Shrithik on the other hand suddenly was alert. Questions were swirling in his mind as to who that guy was and where exactly is she staying. But before he could ask anything Sameera spoke.

"I'll talk to you later?"

"Yeah. Of course."
He spoke half heartedly.
Soon the beep of a call ending was heard.

Sameera quickly but quietly jogged down the stairs, to the garden.

Both Mayank and Jay were there.

"Good Morning Didi."
Mayank greeted her and she smiled and patted his head. She turned to Jay to find him looking at her with a small smile on his face.

She smiled at him widely. In response Jay held his hand out which held a shuttlecock.

"Wanna play?"
Sameera nodded.

"Wait. I don't know how professionals play. We played our Desi version in which we could just give a long service with high shots. Do you know how to play like that?"

Jay smirked.
"Do you really think we play like the professionals? Come on, it is no fun to just give small shots. Let's get started. First one to get 25 points win. Agreed?"

Sameera held a challenging smile on her face.
"Agreed."

"Mayank may I have the racket please. You can count our points."
She turned to the little kid and he nodded handing her his racket.

The game soon started. It was a tough match to say the least. Both of them were neck to neck.

They played for two hours. Everyone was awake and everyone was in the garden. Biting their nails, betting their breakfast on who will win.

"Who do you think will win?"
Maaya asked Shivam.

"Sameera. I'll bet my whole breakfast on it."

"Naah! I think it will be Jay."
Shrishti spoke opposing Shivam.

"I also think it will be Jay."
Pihu said but Mrs.Singhal[I] interrupted.

"No. It will be Sameera."

Both were stuck at 24 points each. Sweat was glistening on their skin. Giving both of them a different glow.

That was when Sameera jumped in the air. Everyone watched as the sweaty girl raised her hand and then forcefully her racket touched the shuttleock. Jay watched as her walnut skin shined in sunlight. He watched her racket colliding with the shuttlecock and how it came to him.

Everything happened in slow motion. That shuttlecock slowly but surely, and very forcefully hit Jay on his forehead. Almost knocking him down.

Sameera gasped and cursed herself. These Desi ways are gonna cost her a lot one day.

She ran towards him muttered a continuous string of sorrys.
Jay's forehead was a little red now. Sameera lightly touched it and when Jay didn't flinch, she released a breath.

"Looks like it's not hurting much. I'm sorry once again. And by the way.....I won."
She grinned at last making Jay along with everyone of Singhal family laugh.
While Maaya and her friends thought that she was really gonna bring a big trouble one day.

_______________________________

Desi = something which is pure or local.

LalBaughcha Raja
(Pronounciation: Laal/ baag/ cha/ raa/ jaa)

Lalbaugcha Raja (meaning: The King of Lalbaug) is the sarvajanik (public) Ganesha idol kept at Lalbaug, a locality in Mumbai in the Indian state of Maharashtra, during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. The idol is kept for public display for 11 days; thereafter it is immersed in the Arabian sea at Girgaon Chowpatty on the auspicious day of Anant Chaturdashi.

Lalbaugcha Raja 2017

Lalbaugcha Raja 2018

Lalbaugcha Raja 2019

Lalbaugcha Raja 2020