Iss War Ko Kya Naam Doon?

Iss War Ko Kya Naam Doon? (8)

A boy in a crisp school uniform dashed towards Arnav and Anjali, his voice laced with urgency as he called out, "Hey, don't leave me behind!"

Anjali spun around, her smile sharp as a tack. "Chill out, the bus isn't here yet. No need to run a marathon," she retorted, her tone dripping with dry humor, offering a stark contrast to his frantic gasps.

"Di!! I wasn't running a marathon." 

"Yeah, we can see. Maybe try waking up to the alarm next time?" Arnav slapped his brother on the shoulders, a scowl on his face as he muttered a teasing remark.

Curious eyes followed the boy, and sensing the attention, Anjali stepped forward to make introductions. "He's Dhruv, our cousin-brother. 13 Years old. He just came from his Nana's place yesterday," she explained, bridging the gap between the familiar and the new.

Khushi was the kind of person who seized every opportunity to forge new friendships. So, when she saw Dhruv, she didn't hesitate. "Hi, Dhruv. I'm Khushi," she said with a bright smile, "And the Tom and Jerry on your bag is my favorite cartoon, you know. Do you watch cartoons too? And which class are you in? Who is your favorite? Tom or Jerry? I love Jerry the most but then I love Tom too. They're so funny, aren't they?" Her questions tumbled out like pearls from a string, each one shining with curiosity and her own feelings.

Everyone collectively sighed at Khushi's barrage of questions, but Dhruv found himself amused rather than overwhelmed. With a smile, he replied, "Well, yeah, I watch Tom and Jerry too. My favorite is Jerry and yeah, they are funny. I'm in the 9th standard, btw."

Khushi's eyes sparkled with excitement at his last words. "Jiji, he's in the same class as yours," she exclaimed, clapping her hands as if she had just discovered a hidden treasure.

Payal, who had been watching the exchange with a fond shake of her head, interjected, "Khushi, even if we study in the same standard, who knows if we are in different sections." She tried to temper her sister's enthusiasm with a dose of reality.

But Anjali was quick to provide clarity. "Dhruv is from A section," she said, passing on the information with a smile.

"And I'm from B section," Payal added with a smile, pleased with the small connection they shared.

Khushi's face fell, her disappointment evident as she blinked rapidly, processing the information and that her guess had gone wrong.

Noticing something else, Dhruv's concern shifted to Khushi's appearance. "What happened to your leg?" he asked, eyeing the wound with a mix of concern and curiosity.

"I fell," Khushi responded, her pout deepening as she recounted the mishap.

Dhruv nodded in understanding. "Oh, my brother too fell a few days ago. Although his wound is small," he shared, finding common ground in their conversation.

Khushi's eyes sparkled with the unmistakable light of excitement, not at the thought the boy fell but at the thought she could make one more friend. "Oh, you have one more brother?" she asked, her voice tinged with the thrill of discovery.

Anjali, Dhruv, and Arnav smiled warmly at the mention of the youngest family member. "Dhruv has a brother, Daruk, he is just 3," she informed them taking over Dhruv, her smile reflecting the affection she held for the toddler.

"Aww. He's a baby," Khushi cooed, her imagination already painting a picture of the little one she had yet to meet.

Dhruv's smile widened as he thought of his brother. The boy is sleeping in his room, having kept his mother awake for half of the night.