45

                                    

                                          
As they got out of the cars and walked through the hotel's entrance, they stopped in their tracks as they saw not only their family - but even a fl few of the hotel staff - running around, all worried as they were yelling a name.
"Athiya... Athiya!!" Everyone was yelling as they ran around, worried expressions coating their faces.
"What the heck's going on? Why is everyone calling Athiya?" Katrina wondered out loud.
"Let's ask them.." Alia suggested what was probably on everyone's mind, and in that moment Priyanka was passing by, so Varun stopped her.
"Priya! Why are you all shouting? What's going on with Athiya? And where's she?" Varun bombarded her with questions.
"Babe, caml down." Alia put a hand on his back.
"We don't know where she is, she wasn't there for lunch and when we went up to her room, she wasn't there either. And now we're looking for her, and we pretty much looked everywhere. No sign of her." Priyanka explained, panting a little from all the running.
"What are you talking about? Where coupd she be?" Katrina started worrying as well.
"Okay, let's calm down and think," Kartik said, "Are you sure you looked everywhere and in every room in this hotel? She doesn't necessarily have to be in hers."
"Yeah, I think we looked everywhere." Priyanka nodded just as Madhuri approached them and pulled Katrina and Varun in a hug.
"Kids, I don't know where your sister is." She was sobbing.
"Mom, can you calm down. I'm sure she's just around." Katrina rubbed her mother's back, reassuringly.
"Yeah, mom. Kat's right. Let's look again in all the rooms." Varun added.
"Hold up!" Shraddha spoke up, "Did Sooraj have lunch with you guys?" She looked at Priyanka.
"They're worried about their sister and you're asking about your brother?" Kiara rolled her eyes, "Really?!"
"Kiara, if you keep quiet, it'll be better." Sonakshi sent her a glare.
"No, sweetheart." Madhuri looked at Shraddha, answering her question, "He said he ordered room service."
"Well, did you look in his room?" Alia asked next.
"No, we didn't because we didn't think it was necessary.." Priyanka started, noticing how dumb that sounded as the words left her mouth.
"What are you saying? It's definitely necessary. They're friends, she has to be with him." Varun told her before sprinting forwards, running to and up the stairs - since Sooraj's room was just on the first floor, everyone following behind him.
They didn't stop until Sooraj's door's room. Varun started knocking the ringing the door's heel non-stop till Sooraj opened it.
"What's going on?" He asked them, dumbfounded.
"Soor-" Before Katrina could finish, a voice was heard coming from inside the room.
"What was all that knocking about?" Athiya asked as she stopped beside Sooraj, looking at everyone on the other side of the door, confused.
Before anyone could say anything, Madhuri pulled her daughter in a hug.
"Honey, we were so scared because we couldn't find you. You didn't go down for lunch, you weren't in your room and you weren't answering your phone.."
"Mom, there's no need to worry. Sooraj and I were watching a movie and we fell asleep halfway through, that's why I probably didn't hear it ringing. I'm sorry." Athiya smiled at her mother.
"It's fine, at least we found you." Madhuri planted a kiss on her forehead, "Anyways, let's head down now."
Madhuri left, Athiya following her as Sooraj went inside his room, closing the door behind us, leaving the girls and guys alone.
Alia and Varun were looking at each other, as if knowing exactly what the other person was thinking about.
"Are you thinking about I think you're thinking about?" Alia asked him.
"Yeah... Them... Us.." Varun nodded, knowing exactly what she was talking about.
"Can someone explain what you guys are thinking about?" Kriti - Kartik's sister - asked them after everyone was just looking at everyone for a minute.
"Let's head up to mine and the guys' suite first, and we'll tell you." Varun looked at them before they all headed towards the elevator, got in, pushed the right button, arrived, got out and headed to Varun and the boys' suite, sitting around in the living room area.
"So... what did you guys mean by that?" Nushrat asked Varun and Alia.
"It's just that the situation that just took place a few minutes ago is quite familiar." Katrina started explaining, "When we first started school, we had to travel with our families for work and business related stuff. So one morning, we had all woken up and met in the hall to head down for breakfast just to find the girls looking for Alia. She wasn't in her room and she wasn't answering her phone either, so we all started looking for her and then we went to check in Varun's room.. And there she was. Varun had opened the door shirtless and Alia was coming out wearing his clothes. I guess you can do the math. Not that I think anything happened between Sooraj and Athiya though."
"Oh, come on. Don't make it a big deal. Plus, I told you guys that day that nothing happened and we were still friends. And yeah, the hoodie I was wearing was Varun's but he had gave it to me when we were still together before we flew to different countries." Alia huffed.
"Okay, okay. We get it, Alia." Disha laughed.
"Oh, piss off guys." Varun fake-glared at them, "Don't annoy my girlfriend." He pulled her to him in a side-hug.
"Anyways guys.." Aditya stood up, "I'm going out. See you all later."
"Hold on! Where to?" Varun asked him.
"I'll just drive around for a while and maybe head to a club at night." Aditya shrugged.
"If you do, call us or send us a message and we'll meet you there. It's been a while since all of us had a night out." Sidharth said.
"Yeah, that's true. You guys in?" Varun looked around at everyone in the room.
"I'm down, I can't leave you alone." Alia smiled at him.
"Of course you are, plus I wouldn't go without you." Varun planted a kiss on her nose.
"I'm down too!" Jacqueline nodded, and everyone agreed to go. 
"Okay then, I'll send you guys a message with the location when I get there." Aditya told them before heading out.
"Let's have something to drink." Varun spoke up before starting to get up to go get the drinks, just to stop halfway, holding his head with one hand and steadying himself with the other one on the armrest of the couch.
"Varun!" Alia and Katrina stood up, kn each side of him, worry lacing their voices.
"What happened cuz?" Kartik asked him.
"You alright, Varun?" Nushrat asked next.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. It's just a small headache. Probably because I didn't sleep well and because we've been out all day." Varun replied, knowing well enough that that's not the reason. 
"Well, we'll leave so you can get some rest." Jacqueline offered.
"No, no need. You guys can stay." Varun stopped them.
"You sure man?" Ayushman asked him.
"Yeah, don't worry. It'll go away in no time." Varun sent them a smile, hoping for it to be assuring.
... To be continued