Destiny's Play!!

Chapter - 31

Manya knocked on Uday's door and at his 'come in' entered. She was worried since the time Riddhima left. What was Uday up to? His sudden interest in Avni wouldn't bode well for either one. And how could he just give up? Wasn't he the one who had told her he couldn't look at anybody but Riddhima? Then how come this shift in focus. Or was it her who was reading too much into the situation after talking to Riddhima. In front of her she had taken a stand but she wanted to be sure. So here she was.

"Hey," Uday said as he looked up from his laptop, "what brings the mighty Manya to my humble room," he said joking.

"Hey yourself bro," Manya said as she walked inside and settled on the chair near his desk, "and why do you keep joking all the while?" she said wondering how to broach the subject with him.

"Whoa," Uday said closing the screen to give all his attention to his sister, "you are not coming from Happy land," he said lightly, "what's bugging you?" he asked.

"You," she said sullenly.

"Me?" Uday said surprised. "What did I do?" he asked.

"You tell me," Manya said, "why the sudden interest in our house guest?" she asked.

Uday narrowed his gaze at Manya. Why was she asking him this? Did Avni tell her anything? He hoped not.

"There is no interest," Uday replied, "but why do you ask?" he said carefully.

"Because," Manya said, "I am positive she is not your type. And because you have always been a fan of Riddhima and her brand of charm, whatever that is," she said and rolled her eyes, "but today you called up specifically asking for Avni and I believe you even gave her a lift home," she said and raised an eyebrow, "so it is a cause for concern my dear brother," she told him.

Uday listened and then rose from his bed and went to stand near the window. Should he tell Manya? Or should he keep it to himself? He wasn't sure if Manya would agree with him and right now he was kind of desperate. But he didn't want to lie to his sister. She maybe younger to him but she was bloody smart, not to mention a hound when she got something stuck in her head. If she so much as sniffed he was up to something she wouldn't let him live in peace till he told her the truth. The only person her hounding did not work on was Karan. God knew how he handled her in that mode.

"There is no need for concern Nia," he said. He always fondly called her that. "There is nothing brewing here that you should worry your pretty little head about," he told her, "you rightly put it, I am a huge fan of Riddhima's particular brand of charm and I am not shifting my affections here," he said seriously then looked at his sister who was watching him thoughtfully.

"Why do I get the feeling that is not all," she said and raised an eyebrow in question.

"You wouldn't leave if I tell you your suspicion is based on nothing," he said and smiled.

"Nope," Manya replied, "not easy to get rid of me that fast. Look bro, I don't know what you are doing but I had always thought that despite the jokes you sincerely liked Rids besides the brother I know is too sensitive to deliberately hurt someone," she said as she came to stand next to him, "so whether it is Rids or Avni or even you," she said as she looked at her brother's face, "I know you wouldn't hurt any of them. But I cannot shake off this feeling that you have something up your sleeve," she told him knowingly.

"Ahhh, Nia," Uday said and groaned, "you know you are a hound right," he said and when Manya made a face he laughed, "I asked Avni for help with Riddhima," he said truthfully.

Manya thought her brother had lost it.

"Help?" she screeched. "From Avni?" she said and as he nodded she shook her head. "Have you lost it bro?" she asked then raised a hand as he started to answer. "Don't answer that. You listen to me. I can see what kind of help you are asking of her but it will rebound bhai badly, as it is Rids saw you two come in a while ago and she didn't like it one bit..." she said and would have gone on when Uday's eyes sparkled and he cut Manya's sentence off in the middle.

"She was here," he said excited, "and she saw me and her together and didn't like it," he said pleased suddenly.

"Shut up," Manya said irritated, "it is a lousy thing to use Avni like this to get Riddhima to react," she said honestly, "you are messing things up. If Riddhima takes this badly you wouldn't stand a chance. She wants the guy she settles down with to be serious and mature and this thing you are doing is neither serious nor mature," she finished and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Nia in all the time I have known her have you ever seen her reacting this way?" he asked.

"That is not the point," Manya said exasperated.

"It is," Uday said. "I am out of options here Nia. She doesn't talk properly, she doesn't go out with me unless you accompany us and no matter how much I try and assure her about how true my feelings are she always scoffs at them," he told her and Manya knew it to be true, "but Avni said she saw something which suggests she is not all that immune to me and just now what you said says the same so it is working," he said.

"It can backfire on you," Manya said refusing to be swayed by the argument her brother was giving, "big time. You could hurt Avni or Riddhima in the process and end up losing her completely. What if she takes your little charade seriously? What if Avni develops serious feelings for you?" she said and saw her brother frown. So he hadn't even considered those scenarios. "All I am saying is instead of pretending just try and show Riddhima how caring and giving you really are. I keep telling her but she says it is all because you are my brother. But I am sure she sees your sincerity. Trust me, Avni will be in a lot of trouble if this ever comes out and you have little time the moment her course is finished she will have no reason to stay with us," she pointed out, "what will you do then?" she said trying to reason with Uday.

"I am sure nothing of the sort will happen and Riddhima will open up long before Avni leaves besides Avni has promised she will find out from Riddhima first how she feels and then if the need arises she will play along," he said and shrugged.

"And how is she going to do that?" Manya asked amazed how Uday being so smart otherwise with everything else could come up with this rotten plan.

Uday wasn't sure. Avni wasn't even going to the college anymore. How she proposed to do it he had no idea and the more he spoke to Manya the more he doubted the results. So instead of answering he just shrugged again.

"Do you even know how dumb that sounds?" Manya said irritated. "All right you do it your way but you listen to me Uday Vir Singh Dogra, if either Avni or Riddhima get hurt with your antics I am coming for you, get it," she warned poking her index finger into his chest, "brother or not you won't know what hit you, I am like that hound you just suggested. And if mom and dad find out about this I won't save you either. And God help you if bhai finds out. He will throttle you within an inch of your life and I just might cheer for him while he did that," she told him narrowing her gaze, "so think carefully. You mess this up and you are so dead," she told him.

"Aren't you encouraging?" Uday said tensely.

Manya gave him one of her famous sinister smiles before she turned and walked out of his room.

Uday released a frustrated breath as Manya left and ran a hand through his short hair. He hoped things will fall in place long before any of the things his sister had just warned him about happened. But what if that wasn't the case? What will he do then? Damn his sister for making him rethink his plan. But he was so out of options what was he to do?

Manya wasn't sure if she should talk to Avni about this or not. She was new here and didn't understand how her family operated not to mention she had already gotten into trouble because of her once she didn't want her to get into more. As it is Manya was still guilty about that especially because Avni had been so forgiving. She debated standing outside Uday's room about what she should do. If mom and dad found out, Uday was in trouble and so was Avni probably but if Karan found out Uday and Avni were both in trouble and Avni for no fault of hers. She was such a sweetheart. Her eldest brother had little patience for lies and cheating and the reasons had never mattered. He was worse than dad when it came to that. She chewed on her lower lip as she thought. Maybe this situation wouldn't get that worse. Hopefully Riddhima will decide what she wanted and things will come out to be better for everyone. But what if she didn't? Manya didn't know what to do. And suddenly she was hungry. Too much thinking always made her hungry. She went towards the kitchen hoping her brother was right in his calculations. Her nose filled with the smell of fresh pakodas Sukhdev was frying.

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