You ever wonder if the universe is just playing a prank on you? Because mine sure is."

                                    - YOHAN BEDI

_____________________________

"To hell with this life."

I cursed, standing back at the bridge where this whole disaster had started.

The water below churned in the moonlight, cold and restless — a perfect mirror for the storm in my head.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated violently in my pocket. Frowning, I pulled it out.

Unknown number.

3:00  A.M.

"Who the hell could bother to call at this hour?" I muttered.

Still, because apparently I was a glutton for punishment tonight, I answered.

"Hello?" I said gruffly.

"Um, hi... is this Yohan Bedi’s number?"

A girl's voice — sweet, nervous — crackled through the speaker.

"Yeah, it’s me. Who’s this?"

" Sorry to disturb you at this time but I couldn't help it. I called you as soon as I get your number. Well actually, um, I’m the girl you’re supposed to get engaged to tomorrow," she said, almost apologetically.

I blinked.

Stared at the river.

Then blinked again.

"Ohhh."

"Yeah... my name’s Maya," she added quickly.

"Okk," I said, because honestly, what else was I supposed to say?

I already knew her name — my family had thrown it at me earlier like it was enough.

They didn’t even bother showing me a picture. What a... whatever. Leave it.

But at this time a million questions buzzed in my brain — like how the hell she got my number and why did she call me — but none of them made it to my mouth.

Instead, I blurted, "So, Maya, just one question... why did you agree to this marriage? We barely know each other I suppose... because I don't even know how you look. But my family said you’re madly in love with me. Is that really true?"

There was a beat of silence. Then, too quickly, she said, "No."

I raised an eyebrow. Now that sounded interesting.

Maybe she realized how blunt she sounded, because she rushed to explain,

"It’s not like that! It’s just... my family’s forcing me. They keep saying marrying you would be good for their reputation and all that. They didn’t even ask if I wanted to marry or not. But trust me, I have zero plans to marry you. No offense! You’re handsome , rich and everything, but, uh..."

There was a pause, like she didn’t know how to explain it properly.

"What is it, Maya?" I asked, more amused now than anything.

"I already have a boyfriend," she blurted.

My brain short-circuited.

"Huh?" was all I managed.

"Yeah... I have a boyfriend," she said, voice shrinking into something guilty.

"He’s not from a powerful background, so... my family would never approve. I didn’t tell them. I can’t — not until he’s more settled. His family knows about me, though."

I stared blankly at the water, trying to process the absolute soap opera I had just been dragged into.

"So... why exactly are you telling me all this? What am I supposed to do?" I asked.

She hesitated, then said, almost shyly,

"Can you help me, ...... bhaiya?"

Bhaiya?

I barked out a laugh — loud, disbelieving — nearly doubling over right there on the bridge.

The girl my family was parading in front of me as my soulmate was calling me brother.

I couldn’t make this up even if I tried.

"Bhaiya...?" she asked nervously. "Why are you laughing?"

I finally managed to rein in my laughter, wiping at my eyes.

"Nothing, nothing... just the sheer irony of my life. Definitely my life." I muttered the last line under my breath.

"So..." she ventured, sounding cautious, "can you maybe tell your family that you don’t want the engagement? Make up any reason you like! I won't even get mad if you say I’m ugly or not your type or I am rude or anything — just... don’t tell them I have a boyfriend. Please?"

I looked out at the water again, the cold breeze slapping against my face.

For the first time, it felt like a door was creaking open — a way out.

I sighed heavily, heart strangely lighter than it had been in days.

"Fine, Maya. I’ll handle it," I said finally.

"I’ll make sure this engagement never happens."

"You will?" she gasped, clearly shocked.

"Yeah," I said, smirking to myself.

"Consider it my first brotherly duty."

She laughed a little awkwardly, thanked me about twenty times before hanging up.

As I tucked my phone back into my pocket, I exhaled sharply.

Now I had even more reason not to go through with the engagement.

But that raised another question — what the hell was I supposed to do next?

I could either go home and deal with the lecture of the century...

Or...

I could find the one person crazy enough to help me fake my way through this mess.

And somehow, my mind knew exactly who that person was.

Sarvansh Malhotra.

But I couldn't go back to him.

He already had a crush — not that I minded — but it didn’t feel right to drag him into my mess.

Even if he said he'd help, using him like that would be selfish.

No.

I needed to find someone else.

Someone... anyone else.

I was lost in my thoughts when—

"You know," a familiar voice drawled behind me,

"for someone so good at running away, you're really terrible at picking hiding spots."

I stiffened but didn’t turn around.

Of course he found me.

Sarvansh came up beside me, casual as hell, like we were just two old friends hanging out — not two idiots who’d just torn each other apart an hour ago.

"Why are you here?" I asked, unable to hide the irritation in my voice.

"Because a certain someone’s mad that I have a crush on someone else," he said way too casually, like we were discussing the weather.

"Then you shouldn't be here if you know the reason," I snapped.

"But I chose to be here," he said simply, looking at me, unfazed.

I didn’t know what to say to that.

Instead, I let out a frustrated sigh.

"Ughhh... what am I supposed to do now? Look, we can’t pretend it’s okay. You already have a crus—"

"Why are you stopping just because of that?" he cut in sharply.

"You yourself said we just have to do it once. That's it. So what's the problem now?"

I hesitated, staring at the ground.

He was right.

But still... something inside me twisted.

"You’re right... but I don’t know... I can’t do it," I muttered.

Sarvansh shook his head slightly, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips.

"Look," he said, voice dropping softer but firmer,

"I get it. You don’t want to use me. You think it’s wrong. You think it’s selfish of you to use me. But let's be honest — you don't have better options.

You ask someone else, and you risk them exposing you, or worse — them beating you to death for dragging them into your mess.

At least with me, you know exactly what you’re getting into.

I'm too good to help you, and you know it."

He smirked wider, clearly amused by his own ego.

I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt. I thought for sometime.

"Fine, whatever," I grumbled.

"Because now... we really need to stop this mess before it blows up. I have already promised Maya that I won't let the engagement happen."

"Maya? who is she?" he echoed, eyebrows shooting up.

"Oh, the girl I was supposed to marry. She called me right before you showed up. I don’t even know how she found my number. And I didn’t even know how she looks like thanks to my family."

His expression shifted subtly — something flickering in his eyes — but he masked it quickly, looking ahead at the river.

"What did she say then?" he asked quietly.

I huffed a laugh.

"Bhaiya, can you help me cancel the engagement?

Because guess what — I already have a boyfriend. And i love him sooo much."

He stared at me, clearly shocked.

And then, without warning, his eyes met mine — and we both burst into laughter.

We laughed until our stomachs hurt, leaning against the cold railing like two drunk idiots.

For a moment, the tension between us dissolved into the night air.

"But seriously..." I gasped, wiping tears from my eyes,

"can you believe this?

The girl my family thinks is my perfect match is calling me Bhaiya a few hours before the engagement."

I broke into laughter again, and Sarvansh shook his head, chuckling with me.

"Seriously," he said between laughs.

"Your life... your life is literally a soap opera plot. I mean, missing brother, forbidden love, secret boyfriends — you’ve got it all."

"What can I say?" I shrugged dramatically.

"Maybe I’m just... naturally attracted to drama."

He chuckled, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"So... what next?"

I sighed, the laughter slowly fading.

"I don’t know."

There was a beat of silence.

Sarvansh shifted closer, then said, almost casually,

"Would you like to come back to my place—"

"Fu— No," I cut him off, almost cursing out loud.

I don’t know why, but I stopped myself just in time.

He caught it — and smiled.

A real, genuine smile that made my chest feel tight for some stupid reason.

"I’m not going back to that place," I said stubbornly, crossing my arms.

"Okay," he said easily. "Maybe we can go somewhere else?"

"No need," I said quickly.

"We've already done enough damage for one night. I should go back home before my family finds out their beloved son is missing and sends the damn army to look for me."

He laughed at that — a soft, rough sound — and for a second, standing there under the streetlights with him, I forgot how complicated everything was.

"Be careful, drama magnet," he teased lightly as I turned to leave.

I threw him a mock salute over my shoulder,

"No promises."

"Hey," he called behind me.

"What now?" I asked without turning around.

"How am I supposed to contact you when your family drama explodes?" he said, smirking.

"At least give me your number."

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled, walking back toward him. I snatched his phone from his hand, and typed my number in.

"Just so you know, I hate messaging. Don’t even try. And I'm blocking and deleting your number after this whole circus is over. And I will also make sure to delete it from your phone too. I don’t like random people having my number."

He murmured something under his breath something along like 'we'll see about that.'

I didn't say anything. I just gave him my phone. He took the phone, entered the number carefully — then

he stepped closer — almost intimidatingly — and looked me dead in the eye.

"And do you also plan to deleting it from Maya's phone too?" he asked, his voice too casual to actually be casual.

I blinked, caught off guard.

"Well... umm... you see..."

Why the f— why am I stuttering? And why the hell am I not cursing properly in my head too? I thought, furious at myself.

I shoved him lightly on the shoulder.

"I don't know." I snapped, pretending to be way more annoyed than I actually was.

He hummed thoughtfully, stepping back with that same unreadable look on his face.

"Whatever. I'm out," I muttered, turning away again.

"And just so we're clear — I'm not dropping you back this time. You walked into my mess by yourself, genius, so now you can walk yourself out of it."

I threw him a lazy wave without looking back.

Behind me, I heard him chuckle low under his breath.

"Fair enough," he called after me.

I didn’t bother replying, just shoved my hands deep into my pockets and started walking towards my car.

The cold night air bit at my skin, but for once, it felt... bearable.

Behind me, I could still feel his gaze — heavy, unspoken.

Maybe tomorrow would be hell.

Maybe I'd regret every stupid decision I made tonight.

But right now?

Right now, for the first time in a long time, I felt weirdly — terrifyingly — alive.