Episode 5:
Main Teri Hogayiaan

Scene: Broadway Theatre

"Itne din ho gaye aap dono ko script diye huye, why can't y'all bring out the expression required? I am dissatisfied with the performances. Surveen, it's sad that even your theatre experience isn't helping.", Agastya expresses his disappointment.

Surveen felt humiliated as she was being compared with a newbie and the matter that she was unable to accept the criticism.

"Perhaps, you need to consider changing the script, Agastya. I read the whole script and I am sure your audience won't connect to it as it's far from the reality. You need to try a different playwright.", Surveen said sternly.

Agastya knew that she was talking about Sweety and it didn't go well with him.

"Surveen, don't pass the buck and try to hide your shortcomings. The audience connect to the stories through performers. As an actor the onus is upon you to depict the emotions required by the script so that the audiences could make the connect. Reality might be far from the script but this story is thought provoking and would steer the thoughts of audience to think otherwise. I think the script is just brilliant and so is the playwright. So let's concentrate on working on your expressions for now.", Agastya spoke annoyed.

"I need a break", Surveen barked and went out.

Agastya's POV:

I feel Surveen arrogance has a deep connection and might be a root cause to the pain in Sweety's eye. Sweety won't share it with me and Surveen doesn't look approachable. Sweety's eyes haunt me ever since our first encounter. She has clearly told me to stay away from her but somewhere my heart won't listen.
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Scene: Agastya's Apartment

Agastya's POV

I know it's bad manners par kya karu I can't help it myself. Here I am sipping hot coffee and standing near my window. My eyes are glued on to her apartment, waiting for her to show her middle finger once she notices me as per the usual ritual.

He chuckles. He finally gets a glimpse of her, she had her hair tied up in a messy bun, her writing pencil is tucked into it and her glasses are resting on her head as well. She walks out of her room. He could now see her in her living room window. Soon he found a strong built man, whose back was facing towards Agastya, hug her. Agastya gripped the tea cup unknowingly harder. She pushes the man away. Her face shows anger and distress. Looks like she was having a heated argument with him.

Agastya drops his coffee cup and runs downstairs as soon as he finds the man slapping Sweety. He rushes into the opposite building trying to locate the stairs and finally goes up searching for her apartment.

Before he could bang on the closed door, the door fling opens. He identifies the man standing infront of him as same man he saw from his apartment window, from his clothes. Behind him stood Sweety who had a drop of blood flowing out from the corner of her lips.

"You bloody rascal, how dare you touch her?", said Agastya by pulling him by his collar and pinning him to the wall outside the apartment. The man held his collar tightly trying to get loose from his grip. Agastya knocked him on his face with his fist before Sweety held his hand.

"Agastya, stop it!", Sweety yells.

"Leave me Sweety. I'll kill this bastard for hurting you.", Agastya roared fiercely.

"Agastya, I said leave him. He is my father. God damnit!!", She screamed.

Agastya was shocked. He loosened his hold on his collar and lowered his other hand. Sweety's father looked at him in his eyes in rage. His nose was bleeding. He pushed Agastya to the side and glared at Sweety before walking down the stairs. He wiped off the blood by pulling his white handkerchief from his coat pocket.

While Sweety glared at her father's figure disappearing down the stairs, Agastya cupped her face and looked at her bleeding lips.

"Are you alright Sweety?", He asked with moistened and concerned eyes.

"F@## off Agastya! I told you to stay away from me!", She says pushing his hands away from him.

"Just shut up Ms. Sukhminder Kaur!", He roared, pulling her inside the apartment by her arms and scanning the interior. He pulled her to the kitchen and left her arm. She kept staring at him. He opened the fridge door and pulled out ice cubes from the ice tray.

He took an ice cube and tried placing it on the discoloured area near the corner of her lips. She slapped his hand making the ice cube fly. He picked up yet another ice cube from the tray and she slapped his hand again.

He patiently picked up another ice cube and tried yet again. She was about to slap his hand again when he pulled it away from her making her miss. He bit the ice inbetween his teeth. He then lifted her up and placed on the kitchen counter and pinned both her hands to her her back by holding them in his one hand. She struggled to come out of his strong hold but all in vein. She kept glaring at him while he held the ice cube back in his hand and dabbed it near the corner of her lips. She hissed at the first stinging contact of ice with the little cut.

"Sorry!", He said while his eyes were still fixated on her wound. She kept staring at him until he was done. He then pulled out a kitchen towel and wiped off the wet area. He lifted his eyes and stared into her eyes. The next moment they were kissing each other wildly.

Yeh Kya Hua..
Kuch Pata Na Chala..
Kyu Haadsa Ban Gaya Silsilaa..

His hands unknowingly explored and touched her skin under the tank top she wore. She opened her eye and pushed him away with full force. He looked at her with a nonplussed expression.

"Get lost Agastya! For God sake leave me alone!!", She yelled at him.

"I am sorry", he said feeling mortified and walked towards the door. His eyes fell on the flower bouquet lying on the table.

'Happy Birthday Dearest Daughter' was written on the card affixed on it. There was a small pastry box beside it.

He turned his head and looks astounded at her, who was still sitting on the kitchen platform with her face turned away from him.

He went back to his apartment and stood near his window. She was now sitting on broad frame of her window with the same pastry box beside her. A white mice came near her and ran around her lap. She pushed the piece of pastry infront of the mice and resumed smoking by leaning her head against the window pane.
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Scene: Sweety's apartment.

The door bell rang and she sauntered to the door to open it.

"Surprise!!! (Confetti shot on Sweety) Happy Birthday to you.. Happy Birthday to you..", Farah and Rishab sang holding a large pizza box and box of beer cans.

"Happy Birthday dear Sweety. Happy Birthday to you!", Sang Agastya from behind who was holding a cake box.

Sweety stared at them with a straight face while they royally ignored her expression and walked inside her apartment. She slammed the door while rolling her eyes and walked inside. Farah and Rishab clicked selfies in her room. She stood glaring at Agastya by placing her hands over her hips.

Agastya opened the cake box and licked his thumbs which had a little cream on it.

"Ummm.. it's delicious but where is the knife?", Said Agastya. He stood up to go to kitchen however she stood in blocking his way. He turned around and went to the kitchen from other side of the teapoy. She followed him but he didn't talk to her. He looked around and pulled the drawer and took out the knife.

"Oooh!! Bahut tez hai bilkul apni owner ki tarah", he said touching the blades and looking at her. She frowned.

He went back to the teapoy table where he had placed the cake earlier.

"Rishab, Farah.. Bas karo yaar.. kitna selfie loge? Koi Taj Mahal thodhi na hai. Aa jao cake cut karte hai.", He called them.

They both come and join him.

"Candles?", Farah asked

"Laga raha hoon na..", Agastya says by opening the packet.

"Par kitne lagayega?", Farah asks

"16 laga dete hai.. waise bhi kaunsi ladki 16 saal se kabhi badi huyi hai?", Says Agastya by lightning 16 candles on the cake.

"Cake cut kaun karega?", Rishab asks.

Agastya looks at Sweety standing.

"Sab hum log hi karenge toh jyada load ho jayega humpe. Chalo kisi aur ko leke aata hoon.", Agastya says while moving towards Sweety. He holds her by her arm and pulls her with him to the teapoy.

"Rukh na yaar cake ki photo le leta hoon aur phir ek selfie lenge sab saath main.", Rishab says.

"Jaldi kar.. tufaan ko jyada der tak hold karne ki taakat nahi hai mujh mein.", Says Agastya.

He takes a selfie where everyone accept Sweety smiled.

"Hmm.. Rishab sabke expressions match nahi ho rahe. Ek aur selfie le jismein sabke expressions ek jaise ho.", Agastya says.

Rishab takes another selfie where they all imitated Sweety's expression by frowning their face.

"Perfect!!", Said Agastya looking at the picture.

Agastya holds Sweety's hand along with knife and blows the candle himself for her while she kept staring at him. He cuts the cake holding Sweety's hand while the three sang happy birthday song.

He holds the piece of cake infront of her mouth however she keeps staring at him. Since she doesn't open her mouth, he smirks and tries eating the cake himself when she pulls his hand and takes a bite of the cake. He smiles looking at her but she doesn't smile back. He eats the rest of the piece while Rishab records it on his phone.

Rishab and Farah cut a piece of cake themself and ate.

"Finally pizza time! I'm famished", Rishab says while opening the pizza box.

While the three chattered having pizza, Sweety silently ate the pizza staring at Agastya. Agastya wiped off the cheese string on the corner of her lips in between the talk.

Kaisa pyaar tu jataaye
Kaise paas mere aaye

Kaisa pyaar tu jataaye
Kaise paas mere aaye
Main nibhaaun tere dil ki ye choriyaan
Main teri hogaiyaan, haan..
Main teri hogaiyaan...
Main teri hogaiyaan...
Hmm... haan...

The trio fought for the last piece of pizza which finally was grabbed by Agastya. While Rishab and Farah fought with each other, Agastya holds the pizza infront of Sweety's mouth and she takes a bite from it. He then eats the rest of it.

Teri laag aisi laagi
R

ain saari saari jaagi
Teri laag kaisi maahiya

Tune hi ki manmaani
Ek bhi na meri maani
Aise kyun sataaya maahiya

Rishab and Farah take a can of beer from the box and go out of her apartment. Agastya clears the mess while Sweety still sat on the couch staring at him.

He takes the remaining cake and places it inside her refrigerator. When he closes it, he finds Sweety standing behind the door. He looks at her and she hugs him with teary eyes while he caresses her back.

Kaise tujhko ye bataaye
Ke hum jee nahi paaye

Kaise tujhko ye bataaye
Haan hum jee nahi paaye
Jaan leti thi teri meri dooriyaan

He cups her face and looks at her while wiping her tears with his thumbs. She cups his face inturn and slowly kisses him taking her own time to heal her pain she went through whole day.

He picks her up and carries her to her room while staring into her eyes and puts her on her bed and tucks the blanket properly. She holds his hand  asking him to sit beside her. He caresses her head and she falls asleep looking at him. He kisses her forehead before turning off the light and goes back to his apartment.

End of Episode 5
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To be continued.. ❤️❤️