Reyansh's POV
I had been waiting for half an hour, and there was no sign of him. I had told him I could come on my own, but no, he loves to keep me waiting. My princess would be waiting for me, and I hate keeping her waiting. I called him five times, and each call went to voicemail. The only text I received, 30 minutes ago, said, "I'm coming." I was about to dial his number one last time when I heard, "Reyy!" I turned around to see my best friend, Aadarsh, approaching.
"Reyy, bro, how are you?" he asked.
"Saale aadhe ghante se wait kr rha hu yaha....kaha tha tu"
(I've been waiting here for half an hour. Where were you?)
"Bro, the meeting I was attending ran longer than expected, and then I got stuck in downtown traffic."
"Anyway, let's go. Princess would be waiting for me."
"Yeah, she has her last exam this week, and then she'll have summer break. I talked to her this morning, and she was so excited. Why wouldn't she be? She's meeting you after a year. By the way, what brought you here all of a sudden?"
"Your love, Jindal Ji. You know how whipped I am for you," I said with a wide smile.
"Hahaha, you and your jokes, Reyy. Stop giving the colgate Ad"
Aadarsh isn't a man of many words. His conversations are always short and to the point. No doubt he's an introvert, but with me, he becomes the most transparent version of himself. We understand each other's highs and lows, which is why we get along so well. We discussed the food we gonna eat and meanwhile we reached our destination.
"Bhaiya!" she exclaimed, running to me and hugging me tightly.
(Bhaiya or Bhai is used to refer Brother in Hindi)
"How have you been, princess?" I asked.
"I'm good, Bhaiya. How are you? How are Mama and Papa? I missed you so much," she said, barely pausing for breath.
"Relax, princess, too many questions at once. Everything is wonderful, just like you." She giggled at my response.
"Won't you take your brother inside the house, or will you keep talking at the entrance?" Aadarsh teased her as he finished parking the car.
"Oh yeah, sorry Aadarsh Bhai, I was too excited and completely forgot. Let's go inside."
The three of us went inside. After freshening up, I joined them in the hall for lunch.
"So, princess, your exams are finishing this week. What are you planning to do during your summer break?" I asked.
"Actually, Bhaiya, I'm planning to gain some experience in my field. I'm preparing a tailored resume to get hands-on experience. It will help me secure a job right after graduation."
"Wow, princess, that's wonderful. Have you applied anywhere yet?"
"Yes, Bhaiya, I applied to several renowned hotels for the position of night auditor. I hope to hear back from them soon. What do you think, Aadarsh Bhai? Is it a good option?" She looked to Aadarsh, who had been listening silently.
"Yeah, Sanvi, that's a good start. You'll learn a lot during your summer break. Can I see your resume?"
"Sure, Bhai." She pulled up her resume on her Mac. Aadarsh glanced over it quickly and said, "That's concise and still well detailed. Why don't you work at one of Dad's hotels? There are many options, and the staff is highly skilled. At other places, you might not get what you're looking for, but at Dad's hotel, I can ensure you gain the necessary experience."
"That's a good idea, Aadarsh Bhai. What do you think, Bhaiya?" Sanvi asked me.
"I'm completely okay with whatever you choose, princess. Your Aadarsh Bhaiya has more knowledge in this industry, so he can give you the best guidance. But for now, let's have our lunch. We can discuss this later." After having lunch, Aadarsh left for another meeting, and I retired to my room to rest.
I awoke the next day at 5 a.m. to meet my PA, Nicole, and attend a few meetings with investors. I went to my temporary office.
"Hey Nicole, how are you?"
"Hi, Raeayansh Sir, I'm good. And you?" She butchered my name completely.
"It's Reyansh, not Raeayansh."
"I am sorry, Reayansh Sir."
"It's okay. Just call me Rey." I hate it when people mispronounce my name, but in this case, it's not her fault. It's difficult for Canadians to pronounce a typical Indian name correctly.
"Sure, Rey. We have a meeting at 10 with Mr. Roy."
"Cool. Did you make the list of Toronto attractions?" She nodded her head. "Bring it to me." I have come to Canada to establish the new branch of Takhtani's in downtown, and for that, I need to conduct thorough research. But this research is also personally beneficial. I plan to visit all these places. After all, we need some enjoyment along with work. It's not that I don't like to work. I love my work, but work is not life. I want to create memories of my vacations and trips so that when I look back on my life years later, I have something meaningful to cherish, not just work and business.
I finished my work for the day and returned home, where my princess was reading something with intense concentration on her Mac, a slice of pizza in her left hand.
"Welcome, Bhaiya. How was your day?"
"It was good, princess. What are you reading with such concentration?"
"I am studying for tomorrow, Bhaiya. Tomorrow is my final exam, and then I will start researching Uncle's hotel, where I want to work."
"Ah, sounds good, but there is one thing you are missing, princess."
"What's that, Bhaiya?" she asked, a little confused.
"We are going to Niagara tomorrow after your exam. You, Aadarsh, and I."
"But Bhaiya, I need to..."
"It's not about needs, princess. It's about wants. What do you want: sitting on your couch and scrolling through hotels or doing a zipline to the falls?"
"Of course, Zipline, Bhaiya," she said in a chillingly nonchalant way
"Perfect, let me call Aadarsh also," I responded, and she nodded in agreement as I dialed Aadarsh's number. He answered on the first ring.
"Hey bro, what's up?".
"I am good Rey. Just going to attend a meeting shortly," he replied.
"Man, always just meetings. You are the president of CPM or Canada itself. Get some break," .
"Funny enough. I'll come tonight to see you. We'll go somewhere".
"Nope, I stressed at the end. Today, you take rest because tomorrow we are going to Niagara - You, Sanvi, and I,".
"Huh... Niagara? When did this happen?" He asked with surprise clear in his tone.
"Just 15 minutes ago," I said with a chuckle.
"I would love to come Rey, but tomorrow I have to attend the Navratri event of Mr.Patel. It's pre-planned and mom and dad really want me to go as you know they sponsor this event," Aadarsh explained.
"Oh, I see. It's okay then; we will go some other day but we will go together," I assured him, ready to end the call when he made a suggestion.
"Why don't you and Sanvi come with me to the event? You will enjoy it".
I gave it a thought. "Well, why not? I am always ready to explore new things and places"
I disconnected the call, and this way, our Niagara trip got postponed, but never mind, I was still excited for this Navratri event. It was also a chance to build some new connections which would help me later. Sanvi refused to go with me, as she preferred relaxing at home rather than going to a cultural event.
The next evening, I got ready in traditional attire and left for the venue. Aadarsh was supposed to meet me outside the venue. I reached and started looking for him, but he was nowhere to be found. I gave him a call, which he answered after some rings.
"Hey bro, I'll be there soon, just stuck in traffic. The host already know that you are coming. You go inside, and I'll join you shortly".
"Are you serious man? Mein akela kya karuga andar ja ke tere bina?"
(What I will do there alone without you)
"Aree, tu andar toh ja, barhia hi hoga sab andar. Main aata hu bas jaldi".
(You should go inside, everything will be good only. I'll come soon)
"Come fast," I said before disconnecting the call.
With that, I ventured inside. The hall was crowded with people, all dressed in traditional attire. Some were at the buffet, and the majority were dancing. I looked for the host.
"Welcome Mr. Takhtani, we are pleased to have you here. Please wear this wristband in the hall at all times," the host instructed, handing me a golden wristband with 'VIP' written on it.
"Hi Mr. Patel, it's nice meeting you. I am not a big fan of wearing these fancy VIP wristbands. If you can excuse me for this, please," I politely declined.
"Sure Mr. Takhtani, as you say. Please let me know if you need anything. I hope you enjoy your time here," Mr. Patel responded before excusing himself.
I observed the surroundings, watching people engage in some next-level garba, a traditional Gujarati dance. Though I was Sindhi, having grown up in Ahmedabad, I was well-acquainted with Gujarati culture. As I scanned the room, my gaze settled on someone standing in the corner, and what I saw was something for which I was not ready.
(A/N): He said previously that he is always ready but see how things can change in an instant 🤭😛😂
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Hope you liked the chapter. Let me know in comments how you feel about Reyansh and Aadarsh. What do you think who has made Reyansh feel not so ready.
Stay tuned Janemans❤️
Happy Reading!😊
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