DELHI. 9 YEARS LATER

18th May

A  handsome guy was looking out from his window and saw two children playing. He sat on the window sill and looked at the children and got lost in his thoughts. A drop of tear rolled down from the corner of his eyes. A flood of emotions filled up his mind while he recalled some beautiful moments of the past. How he wished to go back!

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He wiped down his tears immediately.

Girl: Miss kar rahe usse?

Neil: Arre Riya. Tum kab aayi?

Riya: Jab tum apne bachchpan mei khoye the...

Riya was a close friend of Neil with whom he shared all the stories. Riya felt very sad seeing Neil in this emotional turmoil. Like a good friend, she supported Neil. She understood Avni's place in his heart but Neil never realised about his own feelings for Avni. 

Neil: To kaise aana hua?

Riya: Hein? Ye kaisa sawal hai Neil? Ek dost apne dusre dost ka haal puchne nhi aayega aur wo bhi uske birthday ke din? Happy Birthday!!

Neil: Hmmm...

Neil again got lost in his thoughts. Riya clicked her fingers in front of his eyes to bring him into reality.

Riya: Bohot miss kar rahe ho apni Angel ko?

Neil: Riya, pata nahi Kyu aaj uski bohot yaad aa rahi hai....aisa lag raha hai ki sab kaam chodd ke uske pass chala jaun. Uske bina bohot adhura sa lagta hai...

Riya: To ek baar chale kyu nahi jaate?

Neil:Kyunki agar ek baar chala gaya to wapas nahi aa paaunga...aur mera kaam kya tum karogi?

He paused for a minute and then continued....

Neil: Pata nahi Avu kaisi dikhti hogi. Itne saal mei ek baar bhi baat nahi hui..(excited) Tumhe pata hai... Maine imagine kiya hai Avu kaisi dikhegi...uski aankhen gehri hogi aur doe shaped hogi..uski uski....uski jo lips ke upar mole hai wo usse bohot cute banati hogi...and..and...jo uski smile hogi wo aaj bhi ek Angel ki smile ki tarah hogi..And tumhe pata hai jab pehli baar usse mila tha tab wo new born thi aur Ashish uncle ne uske sar pe ek tiara pehnaya tha. Tab tumhe use dekhna chahiye tha. Ek dam Angel dikh rahi thi. Aur pata hai...usne apna pehla word kya bola tha! Neil! Wo moment aaj bhi mujhe yaad hai. Mujhe aisa laga tha jaise maine poori duniya apne mutthi mei kar li hai. I was on cloud infinity. You can't imagine main kitna khush tha. And ...jab usne apna...pehla......

And went on and on. It was not the first time he was telling this to Riya infact it was the 1000th time. Riya still didn't interrupt him. She stood there trying to look as if he was saying it to her for the first time. This way Neil could pour down his feelings and then resume to what he had been doing. 

He finally stopped after a whole 10 mins of describing Avni. He took photograph from the table and traced his fingers on it. The photograph which he had stolen from her room....

*****

A guy was standing at the end of the cliff and two goons were holding Avnii tightly. Another girl had a gun in her hands. She first aimed it towards Avni.

"Nahi tum use nahi maroge. Tumhara problem mujhse hai. Avnii ko chodd do."

"Kaise chodd du? Iski wajhese tumne meri taraf mudke bhi nahi dekha. Main isse nhi chodungi."

"Dekho pagal mat bano. Avnii ko chodd do."

"Chodd dungi. Par iske liye tumhe marna hoga. Agar tum mere nahi ho sakte to main tumhe kisi aur ka hone nahi dungi."

"Nahi Neel ko mat maro. Tum meri jaan lelo par Neel ko chodd do."

Gunshot.

"Neeeelllll"

Avni (shouts)- Neeiiiilllll (sits up)

Avni was sweating badly. It was the worst nightmare she was facing since a year. Neela maa was passing by her room and heard her scream. She came running and saw Avni crying.

Neela maa: Bachcha kya hua?

Avni: Maa phirse wahi sapna. Maa Neil thik to hai na? Usse kuch hua to nahi na?

Neela: Haa bachcha. Tumhara Neil bilkul thik hai. Aur aaj uska birthday bhi hai...Jaldi fresh hoke aajao. Use wish bhi to karna hai.

Avni: Nahi maa. Main usse baat nahi kar rahi.

Neela: Par bachcha...

Avni: Nahi maa. Aap jao. Mujhe kisi se baat nahi karni. 

Neela leaves.

Avni gets lost in some thoughts. She walk towards her cupboard and takes out a photograph of Avneil together and traces her fingers on Neil. 

Avni- Happy Birthday Neilu! Mat sochna ki maine tumhe maaf kar diya hai. Ek aakhri baar milke bhi nahi gaye.

****

Riya: 9 saal hogaye Neil. Tumne humaare saath apna ek bhi birthday celebrate nahi kiya. atleast aaj to karlo.

Neil: Nahi Riya. Mera birthday Avni ke bina adhura hai aur aise adhura birthday main nhi mana chahta.

Neil looks at a case file and Riya leaves the place thinking about something.

By Afternoon, Neil recieves a call from the Commissioner.

Neil: Hello. Good Afternoon sir.

Commissioner: Good Afternoon Officer Neil Khanna and Happy Birthday.

Neil: Thank you sir. par aapko kaise pata chala.

Commissioner: Wo Riya aayi thi thodi der pehle. Uske through pata chala.

Riya is Commissioner's Daughter here.

Commissioner: Neil mujhe tumse ek important baat karni hai. Main Police Station aa raha hun. 

Neil: Ok sir.

At Police Station.

Commissioner: Neil. Mumbai mei Human Trafficking ka case badh raha hai and isliye main chahta hun ki tum wahan jao aur uss case ko handle karo. 

Neil (trying to hide his smile): Okay sir. Par...

Commissioner: Yelo tumhara transfer letter.

Neil: Thank you sir.

Neil went back home with a wide smile for the first time in these 9 years. Riya was waiting for him.

Riya: To kaisa laga mera gift?

Neil (in all smiles): Thank you Riya. Yeh aaj tak ka sabse best gift hai. Main ye gift kabhi nahi bhulunga. 

Riya: Ae ...ab rulaega kya? Chal bag pack kar le.

Neil (in mind): Angel main aa raha hun...

****

Meanwhile in Mumbai.

Avni got ready and came down when a guy came...

Guy: Ms. MBBS, Kya haal hai?

Avni: Shut up Krish. Don't dare call me that.

Krish: So, Ms Doctor bolu.

Avni: Nhi

Krish: Come on Avni. Itne saal friends hai par tum mujhe koi nickname rakhne hi nahi deti.

Avni: Kyu tumhe koi problem hai? Mera naam to itnaa bada nahi hai jo tumhe nickname ki jaroorat ho.

Krish: Avu yaar..

Avni: Tum mujhe Avu nhi bulaoge. Samjhe tum?

Krish: Haan haan. Yaad hai. Tumhe Avu bulaane ka hak jo sirf Neil ke pass hai.

Silence. 

Avni reached the hospital. Her eyes fell on a small kid.

Suddenly a smile crept in Avni's face. (At the same moment when Neil smiled)

Krish was present with Avni and noticed it.

Krish: Avni. What happened? Are you alright?

Avni: Huh. What happened to me? I am perfectly fine.

Krish: No you are not at all well. Look you are smiling.

Avni: Kyu? Mujhe Snile karne ka hak nhi hai?

Krish: Nhi Avni. In 9 saalon mei aisa pehli baar hua hai ki tum andar se smile kar rahi hon...

*********

Next Day

Neil reached Khanna House and after freshing up he directly left for Mehta Mansion. He looked around and saw that everything was same as the way he had left.

He walked towards the Mehta Mansion and stopped at the entrance.

Tere dar par sanam chale aaye
tu na aaya to hum chale aaye

tere dar par sanam chale aaye
tu na aaya to hum chale aaye

chale aaye, chale aaye
tere dar par sanam chale aaye
tu na aaya to hum chale aaye

Meanwhile, Avni came out of her room and was about to climb down the stairs but stopped there. She could feel an unusual envelope of air surrounding her. Her heart started beating fast.

bin tere koi aas bhi na rahi
itne tarse ke pyaas bhi na rahi

ho bin tere koi aas bhi naa rahi
itne tarse ke pyaas bhi naa rahi

itne tarse ke pyaas bhi na rahi 

Avneil take there first step towards each other slowly at the same time. A magnetic field were pulling them towards each other.

Finally, Avneil could see each other.

ladkhadaaye kadam, chale aaye
ladkhadaaye kadam, chale aaye
chale aaye, chale aaye
tere dar par sanam chale aayee
tu na aaya to hum chale aayee

Neil (thinks): Kya ye sach mei meri Angel hai? Maine jitna socha tha usse kahi jyada khoobsurat dikh rahi ho tum Avni. Kitni badi ho gayi ho.

Avni identified him immediately..and a series of telepathy started between them as they came closer.

Avni (thinks): Obviously mei tumhaari hi Angel hun. Aur tumhe kya laga? Mei abb bhi bachchi rahungi. Waise tum bhi bohot handsome dikh rahe ho. Socha nahi tha ki tum jaisa Idiot itna handsome dikhega.

Neil (thinks): Tum bilkul nhi badli na Avni.

Avni (thinks): Main badli jaroor nahi hun. Par tumne mujhe badal diya hai.

Neil (thinks): Matlab?

Avni (thinks): Tum mujhse aakhri baar mile bina hi chale gaye na. Main tumse kabhi baat nahi karungi. 

Avni saw Krish coming. She ignored Neil and went passed him.

Avni: Hey Krish! Ruko.

Neil turned and saw Krish standing at the door. Meanwhile, Neela came out of the kitchen and saw Neil.

Neela: Arre Neil. Tum kab aaye? Kitna bada hogaya hai mera beta.

Neil takes Neela's blessings. 

Neil: Bas abhi aaya.

Neela: Ashish, dekho kon aaya hai.

Ashish (comes down): Kya hua Neela? 

His eyes falls on Neil.

Ashish: Ye Neil hai na?

Neil: Haan uncle, Kaise hai aap sab?

Ashish: Hum to thik hain champ. Aur batau kya haal hai? Prakash ne bataya ki tum abb ACP ban gaye ho.

Neela: Haan haan. Shweta ji ne bataya mujhe ki abb humara Tillu ...Tillu nhi abb super cop tillu ban gaya hai. Neil tum ruko mei Avni ko bulaati hun. Bohot khush hogi tumhe dekh ke.

Meanwhile,

Krish: Avni, wo kon hai?

Avni looks behind and saw Neela and Ashish speak to him.

Avni: Koi nahi.

Krish: Ek minute. Ye Neil hai na.

Avni glared at him as he moved to enter the house. She wanted to call him back but she was late. Krish had already reached Neil.

Krish: Hey Neil. Kaisa hai bro?

Neil (gives him a small smile): Hi. Thik hun. Tu bata?

Krish (cheerfully): Ek dam Zabardast. Achcah mujhe pata chala ki tum bohot achcha gaana gaate ho. Tumne to hume kabhi sunaya hi nahi. Chalo bahar. Naina bhi hai. Aaaj tumhe gaana suna na hoga.

Neil: Nahi yaar. Mai abhi gaana nahi gata.

Neil never sang a note after he left Mumbai 9 years back.

Krish: Come on yaar.. tujhe Avni ki kasam.

Avni was shocked.

Neil was pulled out and was handed a guitar.

Krish: Come on Neil.

Avni wanted to leave that place. She knew that her anger will melt after hearing his song which she didn't want.

Krish: Arre Avni, tum kaha jaa rahi ho.

Avni: Hospital. Mujhe late ho raha hai.

Krish: Come on Avni. Ek din late jaane se kuch nahi hoga. Humesha punctuality ki mata bani reheti hai.

Avni gave him a whatever look and stopped.

Neil and Avni were sitting opposite to each other. Neil started....

Kaise bataayein,
Kyun tujhko chahe,
Yaara bataa na paaye...

Baatein dilo ki,
Dekho jo baaki,
Aankhein tujhe samjhaye...

Tu jaane na...
Tu jaane na...

Tu jaane na...
Tu jaane na...

Neil looks at Avni with all his emotions.

Avni looks at Neil with teary eyes.

 Milke bhi,Hum na mile.

Tum se na jaane kyun...?
Meelon ke,Hai faasle.
Tum se na jaane kyun...?
Anjaane,Hai silsile.
Tum se na jaane kyun...?
Sapne hai,Palkon tale.
Tum se na jaane kyun...?

Krish and Naina get mesmerised by his voice. Naina gets lost in the music while Krish kept a closer look on Avneil.

Neil stands up and walk towards Avni...

Avneil share continuous eyelock...

Kaise bataayein,
Kyun tujhko chahe,
Yaara bataa na paaye...

Baatein dilo ki,
Dekho jo baaki,
Aankhein tujhe samjhaye...

Tu jaane na...
Tu jaane na...

Avni stands up and hugs Neil. She cries. Neil hugs her back keeping aside the guitar and cries.

Avni frees herself from his cluches and starts beating him

Avni: Kyu Kyu....Kyu chale gaye the tum mujhse mile bina..?

Neil: Kya karta? Tumhaare aansun mujhe jaane thodi na dete.

Avni: Phir gaye kyun?

Neil: Iska jawab hain tumhaare pass.

There was a minute silence.

Avni: I missed you Neilu.

Neil: I missed you too meri Angel.

And they hugged each other again......

**************************

How was the Chappy? 

I hope you liked it....or you are still thinking how Avni woke up. Well you have to wait for the next chapter to know about it...

Thank you everyone for your help in selection of Avni's proffession. You have to help me one more time.

Recommend an actor for Krish's role. Naina's role is not much important so no need for that...

Thank you all.

With Love,

Nibu.