Mahira's POV

I walked back to where eveyone was.

"Itni der kya baat kar rahi thi rishu se?", Deepak whispered quietly in my ear.

"Wohi bata rahi hoon.", I said to him first and then turned to everyone "actually guys it was ashwin bhai who wanted to talk, he is leaving IPL to be with his family, so he wanted to say goodbye to me as well.", I told them and everyone was quiet for some time

"That's a good decision. And we all support him in this.", Sonu bhai spoke and everyone nodded. Mahi bhai was sitting quietly as we all know his parents haven't recovered fully yet so to lighten his mood sonu bhai decided to tease me.

"Achha mahira, waise ye rishab tumhare liye rishu kab se ho gaya?", Sonu bhai asked me and I glared at me

"Han bhai main bhi wahi soch raha tha.", Rutu joined them.

"Arey it's just a nickname.", I defended myself.

"Han aise hi start hoti hai cheezien", deepak said and I hit his arm. But my gaze landed on shardul who was sitting very quietly and listening to our conversation. He looked sad, why is he sad?

"Tumhe bohot pata hai kaise hoti hai, tumhe kisne nickname diya hua hai?", I turned to deepak.

"Bataunga araam se kabhi.", He said and everyone chuckled. I guess they all know, so this idiot is taken.

"Mahi bhai shardul ko kya hua?", I asked him quietly.

"Pata nahi. You ask.", He said and I glared at him. I had never in my life thought that I will be so close to Mahi bhai that he will tease me.

"Chhoro!", I rolled my eyes and he giggled.

"Kya khusur phusur ho rahi hai dono bhai behen ke beech?", Sonu bhai came and wrapped his arms around both of us.

"Just brother sister talks. Tujhe kyu bataun?", Mahi bhai said and I wrapped my hand around his elbow.

"Thik hai thik hai.", He gave us a fake hurt look.

"Bhai main jaati hoon sone nidhyana bhi mera wait kar rahi hogi.", I said and got up.

"Nidhana? Ya rishu?", Deepak said and I glared at him.

"Seriously you guys are just overhyping.", I said.

"We aren't even hyping tum hi itni pareshan ho rahi ho.", Deepak said.

"Kyuki tumlog pareshan kar rahe ho use.", Shardul said and he looked a little angry. I backed him there

"Exactly shardul is right!", I said and he smiled at me.

"I just said 'rishu', baki tum sab assume kar rahe ho.", Deepak said raising his hands in defense and I smiled finally, I couldn't control, I wasn't really annoyed of getting teased by his name.

"I am leaving.", I said, blushing a bit. Mahi bhai was looking at me.

"Han guys let's all sleep now.", Sonu bhai said and everyone hummed, they are all sleepy I guess. A chain of good nights followed and everyone was walking to there rooms. Nidhyana came running to me and we  both said good night to bhabhi, her room was in the opposite corridor. I picked Nidhyana up and went to my room. I didn't lock the gate and went to bathroom.

"Nidhs I'll just be back hn!", I said and she nodded, she was watching cartoons on my phone.

When I came out after freshing up she wasn't alone. Shardul was there with her and both of them were engrossed in my phone.

"What are you guys looking at?", I asked them wiping my hands with a towel.

"You're so pretty mahira.", Nidhyana whispered still not looking at me, making me chuckle. Shardul looked up at me with a smile and I smiled back at him and went and sat near them.

I peeked into my phone and Nidhyana was scrolling through my gallery, watching my pictures.

"Oye you were watching cartoons na!", I sais to her and she looked at me with a toothy grin

"Yeah but I got bored watching the same cartoons again and again.", She said.

"That's why she shifted to a different cartoon.", Shardul said and it took me a second to understand, I just hit him with my pillow. I really wanted to ask him why is he here but that would be rude right? Maybe he is just here to meet me, relax Mahira.

"Mahira you look so cute here!", Nidhyana said showing me a picture of me and Ishan, we both were pouting and I had made a moustache with my hair. I laughed and head palmed myself.

"So cute!", Shardul said pulling my cheeks, I do that right?

"Aren't you sleepy or something?", I asked him, it was past 2.

"You want me to go?", He said with a frown.

"No baba, I just asked.", I glared at him.

"I just wanted to talk to you.", He said with a very genuine look and I smiled at him.

"Even I want to talk." Nidhyana said handing me my phone.

"How are you guys not tired?", I was shocked at their energy.

"Because I want to play with you.", Nidhyana said.

"You wanna sleep?", Shardul asked me.

"I'm not sleepy but I have a meeting tomorrow at 11 with BCCI.", I told them.

"About what?", He asked me.

"No idea. Maybe Covid.", That's what I was guessing.

"How is your family?", He asked me.

"Yeah they are fine. No one is going out for any purpose.what about your family?", I asked him.

"Yes same.", He said with a frown. Everyone's in the same situation and if I were to think about it deeply I will start crying which I don't want to. Not infront of him. But thankfully, my phone rang and disturbed my thought. It was rishu.
Shardul handed me my phone.

"Hello!", I said picking up.

"Hi, why are you still awake?", He asked me.

"Arey I was sitting with shardul and nidhyana. Nidhs is sleeping with me tonight.", I said to him.

"Oh wow. You had your dinner?", He asked me. I smiled at his concern, and shardul was sitting with his head down.

"Yes rishu. I ate with everyone.", I spoke with assurance.

"Pakka na?", He said and I head palmed myself.

"Yes baba. If you don't believe ask shardul he is sitting right here. Shardul I ate na?", I asked him and he nodded with a sad smile.

"Yes rishu chachu she ate.",. Nidhyana spoke and he laughed.

"Okay baby.", Rishu said to her the phone was on speaker.

"Rishu I'll talk to you later. Abhi so jao.", I said to him.

"Han good night.",

"Good night."

I cut the call with a huge smile on my face, talking to rishu is really refreshing.

"You guys are really good friends n?", Shardul asked with a sad smile. I could have lied to make him feel Better but I don't know how to sugarcoat shit and mould my words, I am very straightforward with words.

"Yeah, after mahi Bhai I'm the closest to him.", I said and Shardul nodded.

"Is something really going on between you both?", He asked, everything really took a toll on him.

"No baba, he is just a realllyyy good friend of mine. Yk how he is, friendly and humourous, I like people like that. Everyone was teasing me faltu me, aisa kuch nahi hai", I spoke recalling everything.

"Okay!", He said smiling. He is very sweet like that.

"I think you should sleep. Must be tired no.", He said ruffling my hair.

"Yes yes.", I replied and he got up.

"You can stay if you want to.", I didn't want him to feel bad.

"No, I want you to rest now.", He said and I dropped him off to my door.

"Good night mahira.", He said and I waved him good night too. He went to his room and I went inside spoke to Nidhyana for some time, we both played and ate chips. After that we slept. She didn't disturb me at all.

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