It was a quiet morning at Chahat's house. Since the fresher's party had gone on all night, the college had declared a holiday, giving her a rare day to relax. She was lounging in the living room with a cup of chai when she heard the distinct sound of a car pulling up outside.
Before she could even react, the doorbell rang. She opened it to find an unexpected sight—three men standing there, with Mehendi leaning slightly against Karan, looking a little worse for wear.
Vansh, the boss, stood at the front, his sharp eyes scanning the place before turning to Chahat. Karan, the famous singer, looked a bit guilty, scratching the back of his head, while Sahir, the co-boss, stood calmly with his arms crossed, observing everything.
"What happened?" Chahat asked, immediately stepping forward to help Mehendi.
Mehendi sighed, looking embarrassed. "I had a bit of an accident… because of him." She jabbed a finger at Karan, who raised his hands defensively.
"I didn't do it on purpose!" Karan said quickly. "She was crossing the road, and I—I wasn't looking properly."
"She literally jumped in front of my car," he added under his breath, but a sharp glare from Mehendi made him shut up.
Sahir sighed. "She sprained her ankle, nothing major, but we thought it was best to drop her off instead of letting her hobble home alone."
Chahat frowned, guiding Mehendi inside. "Come in. I'll get some ice."
The three men exchanged glances before stepping inside, making themselves comfortable in the small living room.
"You live here?" Vansh asked, looking around.
"I do," Mehendi muttered.
Karan, still looking guilty, leaned forward. "Hey, I'm really sorry, okay? I wasn't speeding or anything. I just… didn't expect someone to jump in front of my car like a movie stunt."
Mehendi rolled her eyes. "I wasn't jumping in front of your car. I was just—"
"Running toward a street vendor," Sahir supplied, smirking.
Mehendi huffed. "I wanted chaat, okay?"
Chahat tried not to laugh as she returned with an ice pack. "You almost got run over for chaat?"
Karan sighed. "Miss... sorry, I forgot your name."
Chahat raised an eyebrow. "It's obvious to forget, I suppose. My name is Chahat."
Karan gave a small nod. "So, you're also staying with Miss Mehendi?"
"No, Mr. Karan Singh," Mehendi corrected before Chahat could respond. "I'm the one living in her house."
A flicker of recognition passed through Vansh's eyes. "If I recall correctly, Miss Chahat, you mentioned that you're new in this city."
Chahat crossed her arms. "New doesn't inevitably mean homeless."
Sahir chuckled lightly. "Not at all. We simply didn't expect it."
Karan offered a small, polite smile. "Regardless, we wish you all the best in your new journey."
"Thank you, Mr. Karan Singh," Chahat replied, her tone neutral.
Sensing the conversation drifting into formal pleasantries, she turned to Mehendi. "You stay here and entertain our guests. I'll bring something quickly."
"By the way," she added, glancing at the three men, "would you prefer tea or coffee?"
"I'll have coffee," Sahir replied.
"We'll go with coffee too," Vansh decided after exchanging a glance with Karan.
As Chahat moved toward the kitchen, Sahir spoke up again. "Miss Chahat, would it be alright if we took a tour of your beautiful house while we wait?"
Chahat hesitated for a second before offering a small smile. "Please, make yourselves comfortable."
With that, she left them to explore, while Mehendi sighed, already bracing herself for whatever conversation was about to unfold.