11. Argument

The cozy warmth of Sameer and Meher's living room was alive with festive cheer-fairy lights twinkled along the walls, the Christmas tree sparkled with golden ornaments, and the scent of cinnamon and mulled wine lingered in the air.

As they say the real Christmas is spending it with your family and friends.

Guests were scattered throughout, chatting and laughing, their voices a pleasant hum beneath the soft holiday music.

Sameer stood near the bar, teasing Meher about her overly dramatic choice of holiday candles, when Vihaan cleared his throat loudly from the other side of the room. The chatter subsided as people turned their attention to him, standing with a glass of whiskey in one hand and an expression that balanced somewhere between smug and reluctant.

"Can I have everyone's attention?" he started, his voice cutting through the hum. Tripti, standing next to him, shifted on her feet, her arms crossed tightly. She looked like she'd rather be anywhere else.

"Since it's Christmas, and since Sameer insisted on making this party 'the event of the year,'" Vihaan began, glancing pointedly at Sameer, who grinned unapologetically, "Tripti and I thought this might be as good a time as any to... share some news."

Tripti shot him a quick look, her brow arched, and then turned to the crowd with a tight-lipped smile. "Not that we wanted to make a big deal out of it or anything, but Vihaan thought it would be dramatic enough to suit his personality," she quipped, earning a few chuckles from the group.

Vihaan rolled his eyes, but his lips twitched in amusement. "Fine. The news is-Tripti and I are engaged."

A beat of silence followed as the announcement sunk in. Then the room broke out into a mixture of gasps, cheers, and a few incredulous laughs.

"Wait, you two?" Sameer said loudly, looking between them with mock disbelief. "As in Vihaan and Tripti? You barely tolerate each other!"

Meher elbowed him, though she was also grinning. "Oh, hush, Sameer. Congratulations!"

Swastika who was eating the plum cake finally said "Yaar I knew it! When I saw you yesterday ki party me, I noticed your this-" she pointed at Tripti's ring finger which had a silver shining platinum ring "lekin I shrugged it off kyuki you liked rings!"

Tripti sighed dramatically, her smile turning more genuine as she shook her head. "Trust me, this wasn't exactly a fairy tale romance. But here i am stuck with a dumbass."

Vihaan smirked, taking a sip of his whiskey. "We're just proving that frenemies can make it work too."

"Or kill each other trying," Tripti muttered under her breath, though her tone held a hint of warmth.

As guests crowded around them to offer congratulations, the couple maintained their usual dynamic-Vihaan deflecting compliments with his dry wit and Tripti rolling her eyes at his every word.

Sameer, ever the instigator, leaned in close to Meher. "I give them six months before one of them moves into the guest room."

Meher smacked his arm lightly, laughing. "Oh, stop. They'll figure it out. Eventually."

Despite their reluctant smiles and sarcastic remarks, there was something about the way Vihaan and Tripti exchanged quick glances, a fleeting softness in their expressions, that hinted there might be more to their engagement than either of them cared to admit.

And as the party carried on, their announcement added a layer of hilarity to the evening-because if Vihaan and Tripti could agree on anything, even if begrudgingly, it felt like a Christmas miracle.

-

After some times all the guests were in the party at Sameer and Meher's place was in full swing-fairy lights lit up the backyard, the table was loaded with plates of kebabs and warm snacks, and someone in the corner was humming along to an old Kishore Kumar classic playing faintly in the background. Near the dessert table, however, a showdown was brewing between Sameer and Palak.

Palak held up a plate with a stack of cookies, her expression skeptical. "Yeh kya hai, Sameer? Chocolate chip cookies? Bas? Party host ho aur itni boring choice?"

Sameer, leaning casually against the table with a bourbon biscuit in his hand, raised an eyebrow. "Aur tumhare fancy butter cookies ka kya? They taste like cardboard with sugar sprinkled on top. Yeh bourbon ka charm kabhi samajh nahi paogi."

Palak gasped, clutching the plate dramatically. "Cardboard? Are you kidding me? Butter cookies are delicate, refined-tumhare bourbon ki tarah roadside tea stall ke saath khaane wali cheez nahi hai!"

Sameer smirked, popping half a biscuit into his mouth and chewing slowly, just to irritate her. "Refined? Tumhare butter cookies ko chai mein doobao toh ek second mein gir jayenge. Kamzor cheez hai, Palak. Bourbon strong hoti hai. Reliable. Just like me."

Palak narrowed her eyes, stepping closer. "Tum apne biscuit se apni personality relate karte ho? Wah, Sameer. Tumhare bourbon ki 'reliability' tabhi khatam ho jaati hai jab cream ka ek side mein balance nahi hota."

Sameer raised his hands mockingly, as if surrendering. "Haan haan, tumhari butter cookies toh perfect balance hain, na? Aur haath lagao toh tut jaati hain. Waise, tumhare cookies mein koi maza hai bhi?"

"Maza?" Palak exclaimed, looking genuinely offended. "Tumhe butter cookies ka asli taste samajhne ke liye sophistication chahiye, jo tumhare bourbon ke basic fans ke paas nahi hota."

The small crowd around them started chuckling. Vihaan, leaning on a chair with a plate of kaju barfi, muttered to Tripti, "Yeh dono ladte hain ya flirt karte hain, samajh nahi aata."

Tripti shook her head, smiling as she sipped her coffee. "Ladte hain. Lekin itne similar hain ki bas alag genders ka version lagte hain."

Meher, who had been busy arranging plates, finally noticed the commotion. She sighed loudly and walked over. "Guys, seriously? Party chal rahi hai aur tum log biscuits pe ladaai kar rahe ho?"

Palak didn't even glance at her. "Meher, please samjho. Yeh banda keh raha hai ki bourbon biscuits butter cookies se better hain. Tum hi bolo, yeh kahan ka logic hai?"

Sameer raised his biscuit triumphantly. "Logic simple hai: Bourbon are the people's choice. Butter cookies bas show-off ke liye hoti hain."

Palak rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Aur tumhare bourbon se duniya ka culture badalne wala hai, hai na? Be serious, Sameer. Butter cookies have class. Tumhare biscuits ke paas bas nostalgia hai."

"Class?" Sameer scoffed, his grin growing wider. "Class woh cheez hai jo log pretend karte hain jab actual taste unhe samajh nahi aata. Admit it, Palak. Butter cookies are overrated."

Meher stepped between them, raising her hands. "Bas karo tum dono! Biscuits pe argument karna zaroori hai kya? It's Christmas. Can't you just agree to disagree for one night?"

Palak stepped back, her lips twitching like she was fighting a smile. "Fine. But only because Sameer ki taste buds ki kami pe debate karna mujhe thoda boring lag raha hai."

Sameer mock-bowed, his smirk as infuriating as ever. "Thank you, Palak. Tumhari haar accept karne ka appreciation karta hoon."

Palak shot him a glare but didn't respond, instead grabbing another butter cookie and walking off.

Tripti leaned over to Vihaan, shaking her head. "Tumne notice kiya? Yeh dono ladte waqt bhi ek level ki comfort mein hote hain."

Vihaan grinned, biting into his barfi. "Pakka. Agar ek room mein bas in dono ko chhod diya toh ya toh ek-do ghante tak ladenge, ya ek-do din tak."

Despite the constant bickering, the ease with which they argued had its own strange rhythm. Everyone knew this wasn't about cookies or biscuits-it was just Palak and Sameer being the same stubborn, grumpy souls in different packaging.

-

With lights twinkling everywhere, the air filled with laughter, and the music setting the perfect vibe. But the real show was happening near the karaoke stage, where Aadvik and Swastika were having a blast, rapping to Shaayar by Seedhe Maut, completely in sync with each other.

Aadvik grabbed the mic, his energy contagious. "Aaj toh hum shayari karenge, yeh duniya hilake rakhenge!" he shouted, eyes twinkling with mischief. Swastika, without missing a beat, took the mic from him with a grin.

"Jahan bhi ghoomenge, hum raaste apne hi banayenge!" she sang, her voice matching his vibe perfectly, and her body swaying to the rhythm.

The crowd was loving it. A few started clapping, others snapped their fingers, but Aadvik and Swastika were completely lost in the moment. The chemistry between them was undeniable-playful, carefree, and effortless, like they'd been performing together for years.

On the side, Darsh and Abhinav watched the performance unfold. Abhinav, already in a mood, was trying to zone out the noise, his arms folded and his jaw set tight. He wasn't interested in any of the fun, his mind somewhere else. But Darsh, on the other hand, was silently fuming. The way Swastika and Aadvik were vibing so naturally, sharing the mic like they were the best of friends-it irked him. His eyes followed Swastika's every movement, his mood shifting from amused to something darker.

Vihaan, leaning casually against a corner, noticed the tension in Darsh. He raised an eyebrow, taking in the way Darsh's hands were clenching around his glass.

"Yeh kya scene hai, Darsh?" Vihaan teased softly, his voice barely above the music. "Lag raha hai, kuch zyada hi paas aa gaye ho Swastika aur Aadvik ke beech, haan?"

Darsh shot him a glare, but it was clear-Vihaan had hit the nail on the head. He wasn't just watching them rap; he was watching her. And the longer he stared, the worse it felt.

"Mujhe pata tha yeh karenge tum dono," Darsh muttered under his breath, forcing a smile, trying to ignore the discomfort bubbling inside him.

Vihaan smirked, leaning in slightly, his voice playful.

"Agar yeh jealousy hai toh thoda aur dikhana tha, bhai. Tum toh bas... thoda zyada quiet ho gaye ho. Tumne socha, main ne ye dekha nahi?" He was teasing now, enjoying the discomfort radiating off Darsh. "Lagta hai, tumhe yeh Dhan Ta Na waali vibes bhi thoda zyada hi pasand aayi hai."

Before Darsh could respond, Vihaan's eyes flicked to Abhinav, who was standing nearby, looking completely out of place. Abhinav's eyes, however, weren't on the karaoke performance; they were fixed on Palak, who was standing with her friends, laughing at something. For a second, his gaze lingered, his expression unreadable.

"Abhinav," Vihaan said softly, his voice almost a whisper but still audible enough for Darsh to catch. "Kya chal raha hai? Palak ki taraf dhyaan thoda zyada toh nahi ja raha?"

Abhinav snapped his attention away from Palak instantly, his face stiffening. "Shut up, Vihaan." He didn't meet his eyes, but the tension was obvious.

Vihaan raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Maan le, dost. Tension toh hai, par palatna bhi hai kabhi." He leaned back again, watching Darsh and Abhinav both shift uncomfortably, trying to mask their emotions.

As Aadvik and Swastika finished their rap, the crowd clapped and cheered, completely unaware of the silent undercurrents of tension. Swastika gave Aadvik a high-five, laughing, and moved off the stage, her eyes scanning the room.

She caught Darsh's gaze, and for a moment, their eyes locked. Darsh quickly looked away, his expression hardening. Swastika shrugged, not thinking much of it, but the discomfort lingered.

Vihaan grinned, flicking the ash off his cigarette. "Aaj toh yeh party bahut hi interesting ho gayi hai. Tum dono ka toh kuch aur hi scene chal raha hai," he teased, glancing at both Darsh and Abhinav.

Darsh, still trying to shake off his feelings, muttered, "Bhai, chill. Mera mood khatam hai. Abhinav ko toh apna control karna hoga."

Vihaan chuckled. "Mujhe laga tha, aaj tum dono kuch zyada hi serious ho jaoge. Waisa, Aadvik aur Swastika ki vibe toh badi achi thi. Tum dono ko thoda seekhne ki zarurat hai."

"Tu khudke love life pe dhyaan de pehle saale, bada aaya observer" Abhinav said, his expression stern but mocking in a playful way.

Darsh didn't respond, but the words stung more than he wanted to admit. Meanwhile, Abhinav took a deep breath and turned towards his friends, trying to brush off the awkwardness. But Vihaan's teasing smile told them both they weren't fooling anyone.

The night went on, but the unresolved tension between the trio lingered, just beneath the surface-quiet, uncomfortable, and waiting for the right moment to explode.

Aesthetics

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Merry Christmas to yall !<33✨️🎁🎄