Chapter 2 – New Bonds– Part 2: The Plan for Sunday
The ceiling fan hummed lazily above them. Imran had already slipped into silence with his sketchbook, Kabir was scrolling through his phone, and the soft buzz of voices from other rooms drifted in.
Arjun leaned back on his bed, glancing at his watch. "So… this is how you guys want to spend your first weekend? Sleeping like retired uncles?"
Kabir smirked, looking up. "And what do you have in mind, Rathore? It's already late."
Arjun's grin carried that spark of mischief. "Not tonight. Tomorrow. Sunday night. We hit the city. Celebrate the beginning the right way."
Imran raised an eyebrow. "Celebrate how? A party?"
"Exactly," Arjun said. "Think about it—our first weekend in university. We can't waste it sitting in our rooms. Tomorrow, we eat real food, drink something better than hostel tea, maybe even dance till our legs hurt. Make a memory worth keeping."
Kabir instantly liked the sound of it. "Now you're talking. Delhi spoiled me too much—this was feeling too dry."
From the next room, Raghav's laugh came through the thin wall. Arjun stood, knocked once, and swung the door open. Inside, Raghav, Sameer, and Vikram were still chatting.
"What now?" Raghav asked, already sensing trouble from the look in Arjun's eyes.
"Plan," Arjun declared. "Tomorrow night, we're going out. Party. All of us."
Sameer almost jumped off his bed. "YES! Finally someone here respects the spirit of youth!"
Vikram frowned, arms crossed. "Party? We just got here. Shouldn't we—"
"Shouldn't we what?" Arjun cut in smoothly. "Study? Attend imaginary classes? Solanki, relax. Tomorrow's Sunday. We'll still wake up the next day fresher than the warden himself."
Raghav shook his head with a half-smile. He'd seen this side of Arjun too many times—once the man decided something, resistance was pointless. "Fine. But you're driving. If we end up in jail, I'm not bailing you out."
Sameer burst out laughing. "If we land in jail, bro, at least we'll have a story to tell our kids."
Even Vikram couldn't help a chuckle at that.
Arjun folded his arms, grinning. "So it's settled. Tomorrow night—we own the city. Tonight, rest. Tomorrow, live."
---
That night, the hostel slowly grew quiet. Some boys whispered in their rooms, others called home, but for the six of them, something had shifted.
Lying in the darkness, each thought about the plan in his own way:
Kabir imagined the lights and energy of the city.
Imran wondered what kind of crowd they'd run into.
Sameer was already picturing himself dancing like a madman.
Vikram tried to convince himself he wouldn't regret saying yes.
Raghav sighed, knowing his brother too well—Arjun was a storm, and he had no choice but to ride it.
And Arjun? He just smiled to himself, certain that tomorrow night would mark the true beginning of their story.