Chapter 2
Raelle, still stunned, stood frozen, staring at the last place she had glimpsed the girl. Her heart pounded, racing as if she had just finished a marathon.
Then it hit her.
She was gone.
Panic surged in her chest as her eyes darted around the packed pub, searching for her Blue-Eyed Brunette, but there were too many people, too much movement.
"Hey, where have you been?"
Raelle felt a slight tap on her shoulder, snapping her back to reality.
"Rae? Are you okay?" Abigail’s voice was laced with concern as she and Tally stepped closer, watching her curiously.
"Ahh… nothing. Probably just tired. Maybe I need a drink," Raelle muttered.
Tally hooked an arm around hers "Come on, let’s grab some food and drinks."
The trio ordered their drinks and managed to find a booth where they could sit. All the while, Tally and Abigail exchanged glances, both sensing that something was off with Raelle.
They tried prodding her, but Raelle just brushed it off, claiming she was just tired and probably hungry.
Their food and drinks arrived, but Raelle barely touched hers. Instead, she mindlessly pushed it around her plate, her thoughts spiralling.
"Why am I feeling like this? I literally just bumped into her by accident, and yet... I can't get her out of my mind! This is insane. Collar, get a hold of yourself!" she scolded herself.
Determined to shake it off, she lifted her spoon—and then she saw her.
Her Blue-Eyed Brunette.
Sitting all alone, fiddling with her phone.
Raelle’s heart skipped a beat.
Excitement flooded her veins, and anticipation coiled in her stomach.
Goddess, the anticipation.
"Guys… just gimme a sec," she mumbled, already rising from her seat.
Before either of them could respond, Raelle had weaved her way through the crowd, straight to the girl she hadn’t stopped thinking about.
"Hey, hi," Raelle said, slightly breathless "How are you? Hope you’re feeling okay."
The girl looked up, momentarily surprised before recognition flashed in her eyes.
"Oh, hi. Umm, don’t worry, I’m okay," she replied.
"I’m sorry for earlier," Raelle said quickly. "I didn’t mean to hurt you—I was a bit fuzzy from the drinks and dancing..."
The brunette smirked, a playful glint in her blue eyes "Hey, I said it’s fine. See? All in working order."
Raelle let out a nervous laugh "Oh. Okay. Cool."
She suddenly realized she hadn't introduced herself.
"I’m Raelle, by the way."
"I’m Scylla."
Oh, Goddess, What a name.
It was the perfect name for this perfect beauty.
"That’s a beautiful name," Raelle said before she could stop herself.
Scylla tilted her head but didn’t look away.
The music in the pub shifted—the fast beats mellowed into something softer. Romantic love ballads filled the air, inviting couples onto the dance floor.
Then, as if the universe was playing a cruel joke, the song "Aankhon Mein Teri Ajab Si" began playing.
"Wow, perfect song for my situation," Raelle thought.
She hesitated for only a second.
"Hey Scylla, would you like to dance?"
Scylla blinked "I’m sorry, what?"
Raelle rubbed the back of her neck "I asked if you’d like to dance. This is one of my favourite songs."
Scylla hesitated. Then, shaking her head, she said, "No, sorry. In all fairness, I don’t even know you, and I’m waiting for someone."
Raelle, not one to give up easily, persisted.
"Come on, just one dance! It’s New Year, Live a little."
"I’m sorry, I can’t," Scylla replied firmly.
Raelle knew she should drop it. She should respect Scylla’s decision.
But she wasn’t ready to accept that this beautiful girl didn’t want to dance with her.
"It’s just one dance," she said softly. "Nothing more. And come on… this song? It’s practically an ode to those beautiful eyes of yours."
Corny? Absolutely.
True? Also, yes.
"Excuse me!" Scylla suddenly straightened, her face tightening.
Raelle turned, following Scylla’s gaze to see a tall blonde guy with blue eyes approaching them.
"Hi, Scylla. And… who’s this?"
Scylla let out a breath "Porter, this is Raelle. We just met. By accident. Literally."
"And I was just asking your sister if I could have a dance with her," Raelle added, her tone deliberately cocky.
Porter’s expression immediately turned cold.
"Back off, lady. Stay away from her," he snapped, his voice laced with irritation.
Raelle’s temper flared instantly.
"Oh yeah? Or else what?" she shot back, stepping forward.
Just as the tension thickened, another voice cut through the air—
"Porter?!"
Raelle turned to see Abigail frozen in shock, her eyes wide as if she had just seen a ghost.
Porter’s head snapped in her direction. His initial irritation vanished, replaced by an expression of equal surprise.
"Abigail?! What the hell are you doing here?"
"You two know each other?" Raelle and Scylla asked simultaneously.
Abigail looked between Raelle and Porter, still in disbelief,"Yeah… we go way back like family friends."
Porter’s face hardened again as he turned back to Raelle,"Abigail, tell your friend here to stay away from my fiancée."
Raelle stiffened, but before she could say anything, Abigail stepped forward.
"Porter, calm down. There must be some misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding?!" Porter scoffed. "She was hitting on my fiancée."
"Okay, okay we are sorry," Abigail sighed, rubbing her temple. "Rae, we’re leaving."
Raelle exhaled, her gaze lingering on Scylla.
"I’m sorry," she muttered, though she wasn’t sure if she meant it.
Scylla just stared at her, those mesmerizing blue eyes locked onto hers for a second longer before she looked away.
As the trio walked out of the pub, Raelle’s only thought was—
"Am I really sorry?”, “Well, Happy New Year to me," she muttered.
_________________________________________________________________
Two Months Later
Life had settled into routine—college, exams, the usual.
Raelle was hunched over her books, trying to focus on Methotrexate and Folic Acid structures, when Tally and Abigail barged into her room.
"Raelle, your mom’s on the phone!" Abigail yelled.
Raelle frowned, grabbing the receiver.
"Mom? Why are you calling on the landline?"
"Sweetie, I’ve been trying to call your mobile, but you weren’t answering."
"Sorry, it was on silent. What’s up?"
Her mother sighed. "The Khanna’s invited us to their Holi Bash at their farmhouse in Mumbai. I need you and the girls to attend on my behalf."
Raelle groaned "Mom, you know I hate these things."
Before she could argue, two very eager voices yelled behind her—
"We’re always ready!"
Raelle sighed, rubbing her temples.
This was going to be interesting.
She had no idea just how interesting it was about to get.
Raelle sighed in defeat, running a hand through her hair. There was no way out of this.
"Fine, Mom," she muttered. "We’ll go."
"That’s my girl!" Willa’s pleased voice came through the receiver.
Raelle rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips.
"Love you, Mom. Say hi to Pops for me."
"Love you too, sweetheart. Have fun!"
With that, Raelle hung up the call, turning to see Abigail and Tally grinning at her like they had just won the lottery.
"You two are way too excited for this," she grumbled.
"Oh, come on, Rae," Tally teased. "A Holi Bash? Colours? Music? Food? It’s going to be amazing!"
Raelle sighed again.
Yeah. Amazing.
Or a complete disaster.
She supposed she’d find out soon enough.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Holi, also known as the Festival of Colours, the Festival of Spring, and the Festival of Love, is an ancient Hindu festival and one of the most widely celebrated festivals in India.
It marks the arrival of spring, the end of winter, and the blossoming of love. For many, it is a time to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and mend broken relationships.
The girls arrived at the Khanna farmhouse in Panvel a day before Holi to kickstart the celebrations. Nestled in the lush greenery of the ghats, Panvel was a beautiful escape from the chaos of the city, making it the perfect place for the festivities.
"Welcome, Raelle! How are you doing?" Mr. Amit Khanna, the director of one of India’s leading pharmaceutical companies, greeted warmly.
"I’m good, Uncle Khanna. How are you and Aunty?" Raelle responded with a polite smile.
Turning to her friends, she continued, "Uncle, this is Abigail and Tally—my close friends and roommates."
"Welcome, girls! I hope you enjoy our Holi celebrations," Mr. Khanna said, before turning to his son. "Karan, why don’t you show Raelle to her room?"
He then looked at the trio. "You girls must be tired. Relax for a bit, and we’ll meet later in the evening for the Holi Bonfire."
"Sure, Uncle," Raelle replied.
After freshening up, the three girls made their way down to the bonfire. As the flames crackled and the warmth spread around them, Tally’s curiosity got the better of her.
"Mr. Khanna, what’s the significance of this bonfire?" she asked.
"That’s a good question, Tally," Mr. Khanna said, smiling. "As per Hindu mythology, Holi signifies the triumph of good over evil. It commemorates the victory of Lord Vishnu—as Narasimha—over the demon king Hiranyakashipu.
"The festival starts with Holika Dahan—this very bonfire—where we gather, perform religious rituals, and pray that our internal evil is destroyed, just as Holika, the demon king’s sister, perished in the fire."
"Wow, that’s really interesting," Abigail said, fascinated.
Mr. Khanna nodded. "Yes, there’s a lot more to India than just butter chicken and naan," he added with a chuckle.
"Indian culture was far more open about topics that are labelled as taboo in modern society," he continued.
"Amit, let’s save this discussion for another time," Mrs. Khanna interrupted playfully. "Come on, girls! Let’s have our dinner and call it a day."
"Okay, sweetheart," Mr. Khanna said, laughing.
_____________________________________________________________________________
BURA NA MANO HOLI HAI
The Khanna farmhouse was bustling with energy as Holi celebrations were in full swing.
A lavish spread of delicacies was laid out, and in one corner, a special bar area was set up where they were preparing bhang—the festival’s signature drink.
Powdered colours of every shade imaginable were arranged in stalls, ready for the guests to embrace the spirit of Rang Panchami. Even the swimming pool was dyed in vibrant hues, inviting people to take a colourful dip.
Abigail and Tally, too curious to wait for Raelle, had already ventured outside, exploring the food stalls and watching the guests revel in the celebrations.
Meanwhile, Raelle was still in their room, debating whether she should braid her hair to one side or leave it open.
Just as she was about to decide, a soft knock came at the door.
"Come in!" she called out.
Abigail and Tally walked in, but something about their expressions seemed off. They looked serious—too serious for a festival day.
"Abs, Tal, what’s wrong? Why do you both look so serious?" Rae asked, eyes narrowing. "Did someone say something?"
Abigail and Tally nodded in unison, stepping closer to Raelle.
"Rae," Tally said in an ominous tone.
"Yes, Tal, tell me—did something happen?" Rae asked, her worry evident.
Before she could finish her sentence, both girls suddenly lunged at her, yelling—
“BURA NA MANO, HOLI HAI!!”
Before she could react, a burst of colour smeared across her face.
Raelle stood frozen for a moment, processing what had just happened.
Then, her expression darkened.
"What the hell, guys?! You had me worried!" she exclaimed. "Oh, you two are so getting payback!"
Hearing this, Abigail and Tally shrieked and ran, laughing hysterically as Rae grabbed a fistful of colour and took off after them.
The chase led them through rooms, corridors, and gardens, with squeals and giggles echoing all around.
Finally, Rae cornered them, ready to launch her attack, when—
A figure suddenly moved in between them.
Instead of hitting Abigail and Tally, Raelle ended up smearing colour all over someone else's face.
She froze.
"Oh my god! I am so sorry! I didn’t mean to do that, it was them!" she rambled, pointing at her friends.
A sweet, familiar voice replied, "You really need to watch where you’re going."
Raelle's brain short-circuited.
That voice.
She snapped fully alert, and a soft smile crept across her face.
It was her.
Scylla.
The Blue-Eyed Beauty from the pub.
Though Rae would vehemently deny it if asked, this girl had never truly left her mind.
"It’s you… again," Rae said, offering her hand to help Scylla up.
Scylla smirked "I think we should stop meeting like this."
Raelle let out a breathy laugh "Yeah. I’m sorry for that. How are you? How come you’re here?"
"Well, Porter’s family is friends with Karan’s, and since it’s my first time in India, I was invited for this Holi bash too," Scylla replied.
"It’s nice to see you again," Raelle said, before hesitating. "Wait… is your fiancé around? Because I really don’t want to cause any trouble."
"I can’t help it, beautiful. Your eyes... they'll be the death of me." Rae thought.
"Yeah, Porter’s here," Scylla said, glancing around. "He’s gone off to find Karan."
"Why? Are you scared of him?" she teased.
Raelle scoffed"Scared? Me? Naah. I just don’t want him to misinterpret things."
Scylla chuckled "Mmm-hmm."
"Okay, well, see you later, I guess," she said, turning away.
"Wait!" Rae called out. "Can I get your number?"
Scylla raised a brow, “Why?"
"Well," Rae shrugged, "you said you were new to Mumbai. Maybe I can show you around. If you’d like?"
Scylla smirked, "I guess you really wanna get punched by my fiancé, don’t you, Raelle?"
"What? No! No, don’t get me wrong," Rae said quickly. "I genuinely wanted to be your tour guide. Maybe we could be friends—nothing more."
Scylla tilted her head, studying her.
"Well, okay," she finally said with a wink. "I’ll think about it."
Rae felt her pulse skyrocket.
"Don’t do this to me…" her mind raced.
I wish I could express
My feelings for you,
The way my heart smiles
Whenever I think of you.
Amidst the chaos of a maddening crowd,
My eyes will always search for you.