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Chapter 1
"I am determined that only the deepest love will induce me into matrimony. So, I shall end an old maid, and teach your ten children to embroider cushions and play their instruments very ill."
~ Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
"Is it true, what everyone's being saying?"
"Is what?" Jeevika Chaudhary lifted up her head from her book, at her younger sister's eager inquiry.
"The pair of brothers from Florida who moved in the neighbourhood last week and joined UofT. The older one's in your year, the younger one's in mine. Apparently they're hot as hell, smart and Indian," Manvi Chaudhary told her, landing on her bed with a bounce.
Jeevika turned back to her book, with the dry reply, "Well, I'm sure Beeji will be pleased. She'd probably invite the family over to dinner with the intentions of marriage."
Manvi laughed, "Knowing her, she probably would. She went kinda insane after the whole Jonathan fiasco."
"You never actually liked him, you just dated him to piss Beeji off."
"Of course I liked him! He was a sweetheart and really cute too...and okay, yeah, Beeji's face when she found out he was white was priceless!"
Jeevika did a perfect imitation of their grandmother's croaky tone, "Beta, I've been lenient with you over the years, but. This. Is. The. Limit!"
Manvi giggled, then rolled over to face her sister, "But, I've sworn off of Indian men, so I'll leave you to take your pick from the two."
Jeevika pulled Manvi's hair slightly, making her wince, "One, I don't have the time for a boyfriend. Two, you've sworn off of Indian men for no other reason than to get on Beeji's nerves. Is it really necessary to agitate her so much?"
"She's overprotective and cranky," Manvi grimaced, "She seriously needs to lighten up a bit."
"And you think getting on her bad side is the way to go?"
"She loves me, anyway," Manvi shrugged, "Whatever I do, she eventually forgives me."
"Uh, huh. After she chases you around the house with a stick."
"She may chase me around with a stick, but personally I think she'd prefer to see you date any guy, brown or not. She's concerned about your love life you know."
"Or lack thereof," Jeevika retorted, swatting her sister away, "Leave me alone. I'm reading."
"What I don't understand," Manvi lay back with no intention of getting up, "Is why you read those crappy romantic novels with plots that in no way, would ever happen in real life, when you don't even want a love story of your own?"
"Maybe I'm secretly a romantic and I refuse to date a guy without a sign that I'm in love," Jeevika said mysteriously.
Manvi snorted, "Sign? What signs? You're reading way too many books, Di," she sneakily grabbed the book out of Jeevika's hands.
"Mannu, give it back!" she chased her around the room, as though they were small children again, laughing.
Breathless, they both finally rested back on the bed.
"I'm excited for this year," Manvi said, folding her hands beneath her head.
Jeevika chuckled, "Don't forget, you've sworn off of Indian men."
"Nice campus," Viren Vadhera surveyed the grounds of his new university, admiringly.
"I can't believe Dadaji sent us off to Canada," Virat sulked, ignoring his older brother, "Freakin' Canada! We'll be freezing our asses off in a couple months with the snow!"
"That's why they invented parkas," Viren replied mildly.
"Which make you look like fat little penguins. Waddle, waddle. Why did he send me? You were the one who wanted to come visit Bua, after she'd been pestering you to come to UofT for the law program, but why me?"
"Huh, possibly because you were late and drunk to class which got you suspended for a month and he thought he'd ship you off with me and now I'm stuck babysitting my baby brother. Dude, I'm as happy about this as you are," Viren retorted.
Virat glared, "I'm not your baby brother!"
Viren ruffled Virat's windswept hair, "As long as I'm the older one, you'll be my baby brother."
"Not the hair!" Virat punched his arm.
"Calm yourself. You're as fussy about your hair as a girl," Viren remarked.
"The girls are the ones who go for the hair," Virat responded coolly, "Speaking of which...that chick over there's pretty damn fine."
Viren turned to see a petite, pretty girl walking across the campus, in a black miniskirt and a white halter. Virat whistled, calling out, "Nice legs, Minnie!"
The girl spun around, fixing him with an arched brow, "Minnie?"
"I don't know your name, so you're Minnie for now, mouse. Unless you wanna tell me?"
Something flashed in the girl's eyes that told Viren quite clearly she took badly to comments on her short stature. She gave his brother a scathing look, "Mouse, I may be, but have you tried sticking a comb through that nest of yours? Better yet, stick it up somewhere else." She stalked off without a second glance, leaving Virat open-mouthed in shock and Viren laughing.
"Girls go for the hair, huh?" Viren attempted a straight-face and failed miserably, breaking off into laughter again.
His younger brother extended his middle finger in response.
"I think I just met the Vadhera brothers," Manvi said, while painting her toenails a bright shade of pink.
"And...?" Jeevika opted for a nude shade.
"Hot," Manvi admitted, "But cocky. Called me a freakin' mouse. Knew I should've worn heels today."
Jeevika laughed, "God forbid." Her phone buzzed, but Manvi picked it up before she could.
Her sister gave her a knowing grin, "It's Manny."
Jeevika snatched the phone from her, "So what?"
Manvi continued giving her that infuriating smirk and Jeevika rolled her eyes, "He's just a friend, Mannu."
"He's been crushing on you hard since last year."
"That's ridiculous."
"The whole school knows it," Manvi shrugged, capping the bottle of nail polish.
Jeevika blew on her wet fingernails, "It's just gossip, it'll die down."
"Sure...after you two start accepting you actually like each other and go on a date."
"We do like each other. As friends."
"C'mon, Di...you can tell me the truth, I won't tell a soul," Manvi looked up at her with innocent eyes that Jeevika knew only too well.
"There's nothing to tell, Mannu," Jeevika retorted, sighing. It was true. Manfred Evans was great as a friend and a study buddy. He was super smart and kind, but their relationship went nothing beyond platonic.
"Fine," Manvi replied, but Jeevika knew her sister would not let the matter rest for too long. Manvi was determined that Jeevika was too focused on studies to actually have a life and had been trying to set her up with guys for ages, to no success. Manny was her latest victim, being a close friend of Jeevika's and a sweet guy.
It was then that she realized Manvi was texting on her phone. "Manvi!" she reached out for it, but her sister dodged her, a wide smirk on her face. "What are you doing?" Jeevika gave up, unwilling to risk her newly painted nails.
"Telling Manny you wanna meet up tonight."
Jeevika looked up, open-mouthed, "You didn't."
"I did."
"Manvi Chaudhary..." Jeevika appeared positively murderous.
"Chill, Di. All I said is let's go for a movie. You guys have gone for movies before, haven't you?"
Jeevika relaxed slightly, then looked at the time, "But, it's already eleven! You know how Beeji gets when I go out late..."
"I'll cover for you, say you're sleeping," Manvi suggested.
Jeevika sighed. "I don't know why you talk me into these things..."
"Go for a nice, romantic one," Manvi grinned, "And you guys can confess your feelings afterwards."
"There aren't any!" Jeevika tossed a pillow at her head.
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