SHARMA MANSION

Raghav settled onto the sofa, a sigh escaping him as he threw his head back against the cushions. He closed his eyes, the day's weariness melting away.

Footsteps approached, soft and familiar, and a smile touched his lips without him needing to open his eyes. He knew exactly who it was.

His mother, Parvati, came over and gently began stroking his hair. The familiar touch was a balm to his soul.

"Thak gaya?" she murmured, her voice laced with warmth.

Raghav hummed in response, still eyes closed. "Bahut zada!!"He reached up to take her hand.

She squeezed his hand. "Teri thakan abhi Mita deti hu,aloo gobhi banai hai Maine Teri favourite!!."

Raghav's smile widened. "Hayee....maa aap jante ho ki meri thakan kese mitani hai!!."

"Chal ab tujhe bhook lagi hogi!!" Said Parvati while stroking his hair.

Raghav nodded and was about to push himself up when suddenly, two small hands covered his eyes from behind.

"Guess who!" a high-pitched voice squealed, muffled by his hair.

Raghav chuckled, a grin spreading across his face. "Hmm, sochne do... Ye zarur wahi shararti pyaara sa baccha hai jo apne homework se bhag ke aaya hai??"

The hands tightened playfully. "Nahi! Firse try karo!"

"Okay, okay," he laughed, knowing full well who it was. "Ye zarur... Sakshi hai, the world's most dramatic youngest sister?"

The hands immediately dropped, and Sakshi bounced into view, her eyes wide with mock indignation. "Hey! Mai dramatic nahi hu! aur aapne cheating ki hai aapne jhak ke dekha!"

Raghav pulled her into a hug, ruffling her hair. "Nahi! Mai iss haath ko acchi tarah se jaan ta hu.now what are you up to, trouble?"

"Kuch nahi!" she chirped, then lowered her voice conspiratorially. "Mai bas ye dekhne aai hu ki aap apni aloo gobhi mere saath share karenge ya nahi. Mumma ne kaha ki ye aapki favourite hai,but ye meri bhi favourite hai!"

Parvati, who had been watching the exchange with a fond smile, chimed in, "Maine sabhi ke liye banaya hai, Sakshi. Go wash up, both of you."

Sakshi's face lit up. "Yay! Dekha bhai! Mumma bhi janti hai ki mai dramatic nahi sirf bhuki hu!" She stuck her tongue out at him before darting off towards the washroom, her laughter echoing through the living room.

Raghav shook his head, still smiling, and looked at his mother. "Kafi aajeb hai?"

"Ajeeb nahi kafi shaitan hai ye!," a voice echoed from the hallway, and Raghav looked up to see his younger brother, Shaurya, leaning against the doorframe, a smirk playing on his lips.

Shaurya pushed off the frame and walked into the living room, heading straight for the fruit bowl on the coffee table.

"Seriously, Sakshi kafi shaitan hai! Usne mere shampoo mai hair gel mix kar diya aaj,aur ab mere baal helmet ki tarha ho gaye!"

Raghav chuckled, remembering Sakshi's antics. "Chalo kuch toh accha kaam kiya ussne! Waise baal saf hue toh hue kese??"

Shaurya groaned, peeling a banana. "Teen baar baal dhoye hai tab jake thoda sahi hua!."

He looked at Parvati. "Mumma yaar kuch toh Karo warna ye ladki pure Ghar ko prank factory bana ke rakh de gi!!"

Parvati just smiled, a knowing glint in her eyes. "Oh, I think she just enjoys keeping you all on your toes. Besides," she added, turning to Raghav, "jab tu usski age ka tha toh tu bhi aesa hi shaitan tha!"

Raghav's eyes widened innocently. "Mai? Kabhi nahi! Mai toh kafi masum sa baccha tha ma It's all Sakshi's influence."

Shaurya snorted, nearly choking on his banana. "Yeah, right, Bhai aap toh kafi masum the tabhi papa ki car ko aap TV ke remote se start karne ki koshish kar rahe the aur mujhe bhi aap apne baato Mai le aaye!!"

Raghav threw a cushion at him, laughing. "Oyee! Tab mai sirf 6 saal ka tha! Aur tu toh wait bhi kar raha tha ki car kab khulegi!!"

"For a good ten minutes!" Shaurya retorted, dodging the cushion. "I was out in the driveway, trying to get Dad's car to start with the TV remote. He was not amused."

Parvati shook her head, a warm laugh bubbling up. "My three musketeers. Humesha kuch na kuch karte rehte the."

She looked at Raghav. " Chalo ab dono warna khana thanda ho jayega aur fir aloo gobhi Sakshi hi khatam kar degi agar jaldi nahi kiya toh."

Just as Parvati ushered her sons towards the dining room, a cheerful voice chimed in from the kitchen doorway.

"Ye prank factory wagera kya laga rakha hai?" It was Sanjana, Raghav's Chachi, stepping out with a platter of fresh rotis in her hand. Her eyes twinkled as she took in the scene.

"Sakshi ka naam suna maine. Firse humari prankster ne kuch Kiya kya?"

Shaurya immediately pointed at Raghav. "Bhai kehe rahe the ki wo kafi masum hai, Chachi! But shayad wo car incident ko bhool gaye!"

Sanjana let out a hearty laugh. "Areey ha yaad aaya, bhaisahab ka chehra dekhne layak tha Raghav!" She placed the rotis on the dining table.

"Aur sirf bhaisahab ka hi nahi Sanjeev ka bhi chehra dekhne layak tha, haina bhabhi! Ye bacche kafi badmash the bachpan Mai!"

Parvati smiled, shaking her head fondly. "Arrey bahut zada!"

Raghav, feeling ganged up on, feigned indignation. "Dekho ma, sab log mujh jese Masum se bacche ke against hai! Mai akela thodi tha!!"

Sanjana playfully nudged him. "Masum? Mere pyaare Raghav,tum abhi bhi jo karname karte ho chup ke karte ho,lekin mujhe aur tumhari mummy ko sab pata chal jata hai!!" She winked at him.

"Chalo yaado ko taza karna bahut hua, ab jaldi se khana kahao warna thanda ho jayega!!"

"Ha chalo!!" Said Raghav,just then, two more figures ambled into the hall, looking dishevelled but beaming. Aditya and Darsh, Sanjana's sons and Raghav's cousins, had clearly just finished a marathon gaming session.

"Kya chal raha hai?" Aditya asked, eyeing the adults with suspicion, while Darsh yawned widely. "Kya kisine ne finally ye baat bata di ki bahiya match haar gaye?"

Shaurya immediately pointed at Raghav. "Nahi, hum bas bhai ki masumsi bhari childhood ko discuss kar rahe the,aur unke TV ke remote se papa ki car start karne ka incident yaad aa gaya!!"

Aditya's eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh! The one where he blamed it on a 'faulty remote signal from outer space'?" He snickered, earning a playful glare from Raghav.

"Areey yaar bas bhi karo!" Raghav protested, though a smile betrayed him.

Just then, Sakshi, having apparently finished washing up, zipped back into the room, her ears perked. "What are you guys talking about? Pranks?" She eyed Aditya and Darsh. "Aap dono ne fir se apne game mai kuch toda kya?"

Darsh rolled his eyes. "Nah, hum toh Raghav bhai ke bacchpan ki yaado ko taza kar rahe the ki wo kitne masum the!!"

"Bhaiya aur masum? No way!!," Sakshi declared, nodding sagely. "Ek baar toh unhone meri saari dolls almari mai chupa Diya aur kaha ki wo circus bhag gaye!'"

Raghav threw his hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, okay! Mai Maan ta hu ki mai masum nahi tha bachpan main na ab, but it was all in good fun!"

Sanjana laughed, wrapping an arm around Sakshi. "Dekha Raghav?Tere saare Raaz bahar a rahe hai! Inn chote detectives se!!"

Parvati smiled warmly at the chaos. "Chalo tum pancho, family history lesson abhi ke liye kafi hai,ab aloo gobhi tum sab ko bula rahi hai, so jaldi jaldi Khao warna Sakshi pura khatam kar degi!!"

"Race you to the table!" Sakshi shrieked, already darting off, with Aditya and Darsh hot on her heels, leaving the elder trio to follow, shaking their heads with amused smiles.

The dining table was a lively scene, filled with the clatter of cutlery and the easy chatter of the family. Aloo gobhi, rotis, and a variety of other dishes were passed around as everyone dug in.

"So, Raghav college ka pehla din kaisa gaya?" Parvati asked, taking a bite of roti. "Anything interesting happen?"

Raghav swallowed a mouthful of rice. "Interesting? Ma, it was a rollercoaster! Rohan Mehra ke saath jhagda hogaya."

Shaurya's eyes widened. "Rohan Mehra?? Areey ye toh woh Reet Mehra ka Judwa bhai hai na jisko aapke upar so called crush hai!! Uske saath jhagda hua??"

Raghav nodded. "Ha the very same. Freshers ko pareshan kar Raha tha,toh maine usse uski aukaat dikha di" He puffed out his chest playfully. "Fir mai Vanshika,Ishana aur Vihaan se mila,wo unhi ke saath batamizi kar raha tha speciallyVanshika ke saath. They seem cool. Wo log bhi humare hi batch mai hai!!"

"Ooh, Vanshika," Sakshi chimed in, wiggling her eyebrows. "Sexy hai kya, Bhai?"

Raghav sputtered, almost choking on his water. "Sakshi!!?"

Just then, the front door creaked open, and a warm, familiar voice boomed, "Kya maine abhi ladai jhagda aur sundar ladkiyo ke baare mai suna??"

All heads turned to see Ragini and Madhav stepping into the dining room, their faces alight with smiles. Dadi, with her silver hair pulled back in a neat bun, held a small bag, while Dada, a twinkle in his eye, leaned on his walking stick.

"Dadi! Dada!" The cousins chorused, and the younger ones immediately scrambled to hug them.

"Ah, my little rascals," Dada chuckled, affectionately ruffling Sakshi's hair. "Lagta hai hum time pe aaye hai for some juicy gossip."

Dadi settled into her chair, her gaze falling on Raghav. "So, Raghav beta, tum kuch kehe rahe the kisi Vanshika ke baare?Is this a new development in your academic pursuits?" she teased, her eyes sparkling.

Raghav's face flushed a deeper red. "Dadi! Aesa kuch nahi hai! Hum aaj hi mile hai aur she's in my study group!"

Shaurya grinned. "Ye hume ye bhi bata rahe the ki wo kese uss Rohan ko maar rahe the,daduu. Humare bhai toh real hero hai!!"

Dada raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Fought, eh? Good for you, beta. Sometimes, a little assertiveness is necessary. Just make sure it's for the right reasons, not for showing off." He winked at Raghav. "Aur rahi baat Vanshika ki... a study group, you say? Hmm, interesting way to start a semester."

Aditya chuckled. "Bhaiya se kon pyaar vyaar karega? Bhai toh khud interested nahi hai in sab mai. And main thing kon pasand karega inhe!"

"Nonsense!" Dadi waved a dismissive hand. "He's a handsome boy. It's only natural people would notice. Besides," she leaned closer to Raghav with a conspiratorial whisper, "kya wo smart hai? Kyuki smart log kafi acche hote hai,Raghav!!."

Raghav buried his face in his hands as the whole table erupted in laughter. "Dadi,yaar!"

Parvati smiled, shaking her head. "Alright,ab sab log usse chain se kha lene do! Mummy papa aap bhi kha lijiye!"

Dada patted his stomach. "Wese toh beta Mera Mann nahi hai khane ka ,par agar aloo gobhi bani hai toh mai mana nahi kar sakta!"

The conversation shifted to the grandparents' day, but every now and then, a knowing glance or a sly smile would be cast in Raghav's direction, reminding him that his "first day" tales would likely be a running joke for a while.

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JOSHI MANSION

Vanshika, Ishana, and Vihaan burst through the door of the Joshi mansion, shedding their backpacks and collapsing onto the plush sofas.

"Oh my god!! Kitna lamba din tha yaar!!," Vanshika declared, stretching her arms above her head.

"Tell me about it," Vihaan mumbled, his eyes already drifting shut. "My brain feels like it just ran a marathon... and lost."

Just then, Amrita, Ishana's mother and Vanshika and Vihaan's aunt, entered the living room, a warm smile on her face. She carried a tray with three glasses of chilled lemonade. "Thak gaye ,baccho? Ye lo isse pee ke apni thakan Mita lo!"

"Aunty, you're a lifesaver!" Vanshika exclaimed, grabbing a glass immediately.

"So," Amrita began, settling into an armchair, "Kesa Gaya tumhara aaj ka infamous 'first day of college'? Any exciting tales to share?"

Ishana took a sip of her lemonade, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Areey pucho mat mummy! Pehle din hi ladai ho gayi!!"

Amrita's eyebrows shot up. "Ladai? Aur wo bhi pehele din hi? Who was involved?"

Vanshika sighed, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face. "Koi Rohan tha. Wo mujhe baar baar force kar raha tha mujhe apni girlfriend banane ke liye,maine usse mana kiya,toh usse gussa aa gaya aur usne mera haath pakda." Her jaw tightened."Mujhe gussa aa gaya aur maine usse mukka mara!!"

Amrita gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "You did what, Vanshika?"

Vihaan interjected, his voice firm. "Aur fir aunty,Rohan ne usse maarne ki koshish ki!Aur tabhi Raghav aaya aur usne Vanshii ko bachate hue usse wapas mukka maara. Par Rohan ne apne kuch dost ko bulaya aur hume maarne ke liye kaha."

Ishana nodded. "Par aap toh jante hi ho apni Vanshii kesi hai,saalo ko khub maara ussne,aur fir humne bhi unhe maara!!"

"It was crazy for a bit," Vanshika admitted, a hint of pride in her voice. "Uske baad Dean Sharma aur Mrs.Kapoor ne jhagda bandh karwaya aur hume apne office ke gaye."

"And that's where it got really weird,"

Vihaan added, a puzzled look on his face. "Unhone Raghav se uska intro pucha,aur jab ussne apna pura naam bataya,Dean aur Mrs.Kapoor just...froze. Wo pareshan ho gaye,lekin fir normal act karne lage as if kuch hua hi nahi,par Vanshii ne unhe notice kar liya tha.."

Vanshika nodded. "Yeah, it was super odd. Baad mai unhone dono side ki story suni,aur uss Rohan ko suspend kar diya.Aur tabhi hume pata chala ki puri University Raghav ke family ki hai,aur ye baat kisi ko bhi nahi malum,not even students,sirf Dean aur kuch higher-ups hi jaante hai."

Amrita sat back, a mixture of shock and admiration on her face. "Puri University Raghav ke family ki hai?Goodness! And you all got caught in the middle of all that on your very first day!" She looked at Vanshika. "And you punched him, Vanshika? I'm... I'm actually quite impressed."

Ishana grinned. "She was awesome, Ma! Aur fir hum Abhiman aur Navya se mille. Wo bhi humare batch ke hi hai aur kafi cool bhi"

Just then, the front door opened, and Anand, Ishana's father, walked in, followed by Abhimanyu and Akash.

"Kya baate ho rahi hai?" Anand asked, spotting the group. "Lagta hai pehle din hi kuch maze daar hua hai!!"

"Papa, aap believe nahi karoge ki aaj kya hua!" Ishana exclaimed, before she, Vanshika, and Vihaan launched into the full story of Rohan, the fight, Raghav, the Dean's reaction, and the surprising revelation about the university's ownership.

Anand listened, his face shifting from shock to pride.

When they finished, he let out a low whistle. "Wow. Just... wow. Vanshika, beta, I never thought I'd hear such a story from you. I'm incredibly impressed. Standing your ground like that, and defending yourselves. You all handled yourselves well."

Akash, who had been listening intently, his eyes wide, suddenly piped up. "Vanshika didi kitni cool hai!Unhone usse punch maara aur baki ladko ko bhi maara! Kya aap mujhe bhi sikhaogi Didi?" He looked at her with pure awe.

Abhimanyu clapped Vihaan on the back. "Seriously, guys, that's wild. Aur Raghav sounds like a good guy for stepping in. Though, the whole secret identity thing with the university is pretty wild!" He grinned at Vanshika. "Looks like our di's got some serious self-defense skills. Who knew?"

Vanshika just smiled, a little sheepishly, but a clear sense of satisfaction on her face. Anand, watching his children, felt a surge of pride. Their first day had been far from ordinary, but it had certainly revealed their strength and courage.

"Alright,!" Amrita said, rising from her armchair with a gentle smile. "Aaj ke liye bahut hua. Jao aur Jake fresh up ho jao fir kuch kha lena"

Vanshika, Ishana, and Vihaan, still buzzing from recounting their wild day, nodded in agreement. The thrill of the story had momentarily masked their exhaustion, but now, the thought of a warm meal and a soft bed was incredibly appealing.

"Good idea, Ma," Ishana said, stretching again. "Mera toh sar dardh kar raha hai."

"Mujhe toh jaldi se shower Lena hai!!," Vihaan added, running a hand through his already messy hair.

Akash, still looking at Vanshika with hero-worship in his eyes, tugged on her sleeve. "Kya aap mujhe kal kuch moves sikhaogi didi? Please?"

Vanshika ruffled his hair. "Maybe, chhote. After I've recovered from today!"

With a chorus of agreements, the three cousins headed off to their respective rooms to clean up. The house settled into a quieter hum as the sounds of running water and muffled footsteps replaced the earlier excited chatter.

The aroma of paneer butter masala filled the Joshi dining room, a comforting scent after the day's unexpected drama. Vanshika, Ishana, and Vihaan, now showered and changed, joined Anand and Amrita at the table. Abhimanyu, ever the eager brother, and Akash, bubbling with childlike enthusiasm, were already seated.

"So, the legendary first day," Anand chuckled, serving himself a generous portion of paneer. "Vanshika, mai toh soch raha hu ki tune usse kese mukka maara, My little girl, a warrior!"

Vanshika playfully rolled her eyes. "Uncle, wo apne haade paar kar raha tha! Toh mai aur kya karti?"

"She was amazing, Uncle!" Vihaan chimed in, shoveling rice onto his plate. "Seriously, Rohan didn't know what hit him."

"Aur fir Raghav aaya, superhero ki tarha," Ishana added, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she glanced at Vanshika.

Akash, ever observant, piped up, "Ha! Aur didi unhe taad rahi hongi!"

Vanshika groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Akash! Kuch bhi!"

Amrita, suppressing a laugh, patted Vanshika's arm. "Oh, don't worry, dear. It's just healthy curiosity." She looked at Vanshika with a knowing smile. "So, this Raghav. He's quite the protector, isn't he? And the university belongs to his family, you say?"

Abhimanyu, who had been quietly eating, suddenly perked up. "Wait, seriously? The whole university? That's insane! So he's like, a secret prince of the campus?" He grinned at Vanshika. "No wonder he jumped in. He's probably used to playing hero. And now, he's your knight in shining armor, Di."

Vanshika glared at him. "Ayuu stop it! Wo bas waha se guzar raha tha! And he's just... Raghav." She picked at her roti, her cheeks tinting pink.

"Just Raghav, she says," Ishana muttered under her breath, earning a playful kick under the table from Vanshika.

Anand laughed, enjoying the playful banter. "Well, 'just Raghav' sounds like he made quite the impression. It's a good thing, though, that you all stood your ground. No one should be forced into anything." He looked at Vanshika with pride. "I'm genuinely impressed with how you handled yourselves."

Akash, still fixated on the heroics, added, "Ha! Agli baar, Didi,aap mujhe bhi sikhana ki kese punch karte hai fir mai bhi aapki tarha cool banuga!!"

"And I want to know all the inside scoops on this 'secret prince' and his kingdom," Abhimanyu teased Vanshika, winking. "Lagta hai ki abse college kuch zada hi intresting lagegi aapko Di?"

Vanshika just rolled her eyes good-naturedly, but a small smile played on her lips. The teasing was relentless, but beneath it, she felt a warmth. It was good to be home, surrounded by her family, sharing the day's wild adventures.

After dinner, feeling pleasantly full and thoroughly drained, Vanshika, Ishana, and Vihaan retreated to their own spaces. The day's events replayed in their minds—the unexpected fight, Rohan's suspension, Raghav's surprising identity, and the quick bond formed with Abhiman and Navya. It had been an unforgettable first day, one that promised a college life far from ordinary.

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Sorry for the late update. Actually I was busy with my exams. So here is the chapter and let me know how is it. Please do vote and comment.And also follow me on Instagram for updates.

Insta ID:- author_Velvetverse