"Hamna, are you sure about this?" Kabir asked for what felt like the hundredth time.

Hamna rolled her eyes.

"Of course I'm sure."

"My father is rich, but kanjoos. (Miserly.) He acts like spending money physically hurts him. If this fake kidnapping doesn't work, I'll be broke forever."

Neil burst out laughing.

"So basically we're kidnapping our own friend to rob her father?"

"Exactly."

Kian grinned confidently.

"Relax. I've planned everything."

Kabir sighed.

"And that's exactly what scares me."

---

The plan was simple.

Hamna would leave the café at exactly 6:30 PM.

She'd be wearing a pink kurti, blue jeans, and her face would be covered with a scarf.

Kian would quickly pull her into the van.

Neil would drive.

Kabir would make sure everything went smoothly.

Five minutes.

That's all it would take.

Easy.

Or at least... that's what they thought.

---

A few streets away...

Rumaisa "Rumi" had just finished another exhausting day at the office.

Same workload.

Same rude boss.

Same traffic.

Same life.

She adjusted the scarf covering her face, sighed, and started walking home.

Coincidentally...

She was wearing a pink kurti and blue jeans.

The exact same outfit as Hamna.

---

"Wo rahi!" Kian whispered.

(There she is!)

Without wasting another second, he rushed forward, covered the girl's mouth, and pulled her into the van.

The door slammed shut.

Neil stepped on the accelerator.

The van disappeared within seconds.

---

A few moments later...

Hamna walked out of the café.

She looked around.

"...Guys?"

Silence.

Her smile slowly disappeared.

Then her eyes widened.

"Mere jigree doston ko bas ek hi kaam diya tha..."

(I gave my best friends just one job...)

She buried her face in her hands.

"...Uska bhi satyanash kar diya."

(...And they managed to ruin even that.)

The girl struggled, trying to free herself as Kian held her firmly.

Her face was still completely covered by the scarf, making it impossible for any of them to recognize her.

Kabir turned around from the back seat.

"Bas, Kian. Itni acting mat karwa usse."

(Enough, Kian. Don't make her act so much.)

The moment Rumi's eyes landed on Kabir...

She froze.

Her struggling stopped instantly.

Her eyes widened.

Wait...

He's... handsome.

Like... REALLY handsome.

A huge smile slowly spread across her face.

---

Rumi's POV

OH. MY. GOD.

I actually got kidnapped!

And the kidnapper is handsome too?

No way... no way...

Her heart did a tiny happy dance.

"Ab aaya na zindagi mein adventure..."

(Now this is what I call an adventure in life...)

She had imagined this scenario a thousand times.

Never did she think it'd actually happen.

---

Kabir sighed.

"Hamna... yaar, sach mein thodi kidnap hui hai. Stop acting."

(Hamna... come on, it's not like you've actually been kidnapped. Stop acting.)

Rumi blinked.

Hamna?

Who is Hamna?

She looked at the three boys with genuine confusion before sitting up straight.

"Umm..."

"I'm not Hamna."

A brief silence followed.

She smiled brightly.

"I'm Rumaisa."

"You can call me Rumi."

The smile on her face only grew wider.

Meanwhile...

The smiles on the boys' faces disappeared.

Completely.

Kian's jaw dropped.

"Hum galat ladki ko utha laye, bhai!"

(Bro... we kidnapped the wrong girl!)

Neil almost slammed on the brakes.

"What?!"

Kabir didn't say a word.

He simply stared at Rumi, looking absolutely traumatized.

After a long pause, he ran a hand through his messy hair.

"Maine kaha tha... yeh bilkul hi koi wahiyat idea hai."

(I told you... this was a completely ridiculous idea.)

Neil slowly turned toward Kian.

"...Please tell me she's joking."

Rumi cheerfully shook her head.

"Nope."

Another painful silence filled the van.

The boys looked horrified.

Rumi...

Looked like she'd just won the lottery.

There wasn't even a hint of fear on her face.

Instead...

She looked more excited than any of them.

Kabir noticed the sparkle in her eyes and frowned.

"...Why does she look happy?"

Neil whispered,

"Bhai... mujhe toh darr lag raha hai."

(Bro... now I'm the one who's scared.)

On the other side...

Hamna stood in the middle of the road, completely stunned.

She looked at the empty street.

Then at her phone.

Then back at the empty street.

Her three best friends...

Had literally driven away without her.

"Unbelievable..." she muttered before furiously dialing Kian's number.

---

Inside the van...

Kian's phone suddenly started ringing.

He looked at the screen and gulped.

"Bhai... Hamna ka call aa gaya hai."

(Bro... Hamna is calling.)

He nervously looked at Kabir.

Kabir gave him an irritated look.

"Toh mujhe kya dekh raha hai? Utha na."

(Why are you looking at me? Answer it.)

Kian reluctantly accepted the call and switched it to speaker.

The moment the call connected...

Hamna's voice exploded through the speakers.

"Oye jahil logo! Kahan bhaag gaye?!"

(You idiots! Where did you all disappear to?!)

Kabir closed his eyes and sighed.

Yep.

They deserved this.

Hamna didn't even give them a chance to speak.

"Ab kuch bologe? Kiya kya hai tum logon ne? Mujhe kuch samajh hi nahi aa raha!"

(Are you going to say something now? What have you guys done? I don't understand anything!)

Neil slowly pointed at Kian.

"Hamna... yaar..."

"Yeh Kian galat ladki utha laya. Iski toh main..."

(Hamna... Kian picked up the wrong girl. I'm seriously going to...)

"WHAT?!"

Hamna's voice echoed so loudly that even Rumi flinched...

Only for a second.

The next moment...

A huge grin spread across her face again.

She looked like she'd just won the lottery.

Kabir noticed her expression.

His eyebrows knitted together.

Kabir's POV

Why...

Why is she so happy after getting kidnapped?

Shouldn't she be crying?

Or yelling?

Or at least threatening to call the police?

Instead...

She looked like she was trying not to giggle.

Kabir had never been this confused in his life.

Meanwhile...

Hamna was still yelling nonstop.

"Tum teeno se ek kaam bola tha!"

(I gave you three one job!)

"Uska bhi satyanash kar diya!"

(And you ruined even that!)

Kian scratched the back of his neck.

"Woh... actually..."

"It was dark..."

"The scarf..."

"The outfit..."

Neil slapped his own forehead.

"Bas kar."

(Stop talking.)

Kabir simply leaned back in his seat, completely done with everyone.

Especially Rumi.

He stole another glance at her.

She was quietly looking out of the window...

Humming to herself.

As if this was a road trip.

Not a kidnapping.

Kabir sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that evening.

Neil finally broke the silence.

"Bhai... ab gaadi kidhar le chalun, yeh toh bata."

(Bro... at least tell me where I'm supposed to drive now.)

Kabir looked at the three biggest problems of his life.

Kian.

Neil.

...and now Rumi.

Then he looked out at the misty Ooty roads ahead.

He had absolutely no idea.

Just then, Rumi looked around the van before innocently asking,

"Waise... dinner mein kya hai? Mujhe bhookh lagi hai."

(By the way... what's for dinner? I'm hungry.)

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Kabir slowly turned his head towards her.

He stared.

And kept staring.

The look on his face clearly said...

Is this girl an alien or what?

She had been kidnapped less than fifteen minutes ago...

And her biggest concern was dinner?

Kabir blinked once.

Then twice.

He was officially convinced...

This girl was unlike anyone he had ever met.

Neil and Kian exchanged confused glances.

Neither of them could understand what was going on inside Rumi's head.

Who gets kidnapped...and asks about dinner?

But Kian, being Kian, asked the most unexpected question.

He leaned forward with a serious expression.

"Tum ameer ho kya?"

(Are you rich?)

Kabir and Neil slowly turned towards him.

"..."

Kabir pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Seriously?"

Out of everything he could've asked...

That was his question?

End of chapter question

Be Honest... Who's more confused right now?

Rumi 😌

Kabir 😭

Kian 🤦‍♂️

Neil 😂