It was the time of the morning of winter, today, the sun was on rest and the weather was increasing the beauty of the garden of Mehta's house and inside it, two families were sitting in the living area. Avni was shockingly looking at the boy.

Lady: Neil.

Neil was looking at his Bebe and then he looked at Avni who was looking at him as she got a 440-volt shock. Neil lowered his eyes and then he looked at Avni. Neil thought.

Neil in mind: yeh mujhe dekh kar ase shock kyun ho gai hai jaise isay 440-volt ka jhatka laga ho.

Neil lowered his eyes and thought then he smiled.

Neil in mind: ab jhatka to lagega hi na, akhir The Neil Khanna. The Neil Khanna is ke ghar rishta le kar aya hai. Yeh koi choti baat nahi hai. Girls usually drool over you. After all, you are Neil Khanna.

Neil smiled and he looked at Avni who was still looking at him shockingly.

Neil in mind: as expected.

Neil smiled. Avni was looking at Neil.

Avni in mind: yeh hai, larka?

Avni was in shock. She was not able to digest the reality. Avni saw Prakash and got another shock. Avni looked at Neil.  It was the time of the winter but she was sweating.

Bebe: Ab, Neil ko to tum janti hogi na, beta. Neil bata raha tha. Tum dono classmates ho.

Avni was still in shock. Neela Maa frowned.

Bebe: Avni beta?

Ashish and Dayawanti Mehta got worried. Neela maa shook Avni. Avni came out of shock. Neela maa smiled fakely.

Nm: Avni, bacha, dadi ji kuch puch rahi hain.

Bebe: sab mujhe Bebe bulate hain tum bhi mujhe Bebe bula sakti ho.

Avni smiled slightly. She looked at Neil and then she looked down.

Prakash: Ji, Bebe, Avni, Neil ki classmate hai. Waise, Avni, beta, mujhe pata chala hai ke tum kuch dino se college nahi arahi. Kya baat hai?

Avni remained silent.

Ashish: woh, is ki tabiyat kuch theek nahi thi is liye, ab se aaegi.

Avni looked at Ashish and she smiled. Neil shook his head but then he looked at Avni. Neil smiled.

Neil was looking at Avni and he thought about how he talked to his parents about Avni.

Flashback:

It was the time of the day, Neil came home and he stopped to see his father standing in the living area with his mother and grandmother. He was surprised to see his father but he was also thankful to God to see his father.

Neil in mind: thank God, Dad is at home, now I can talk to him about Avni.

Neil was looking at his father and he looked up and closed his eyes to pray.

Neil in mind: God, please help me.

Neil opened his eyes.

Neil: Please, bacha lena, God.

Neil looked at his father and gulped but he got the courage to see his mother and Bebe. He was sure that they would save him. Neil was still looking at them and was giving himself moral support in a low voice.

Neil: come on, Neil, you can do it.

Neil did warm up by jumping and moving his neck left and right.

Neil: come on, Neil, come on. You can do it.

Prakash saw him and Neil stopped to see him. Prakash turned to Neil. Neil gulped.

Prakash: Aaiye, aaiye. Aaiye, laad sahab, bari dair kar di aap ne aane main.

Neil composed himself and set his shirt. Prakash saw the time on his watch.

Prakash: kya baat hai?

Prakash looked at Neil.

Prakash: din ke is peher bhi aap exercise kar rahe hain. Bhai, wah, kya baat hai, kitne conscious hain aap apni body or health ko le kar. Kya baat hai, dil khush ho gaya.

Shweta smiled to see her son and took his evil eyes.

Prakash: kash, aap apni studies ko le kar bhi itna serious hote, itna conscious hote lekin us ko serious le kar aap kya karenge. Konsa kal ko kuch karna hai aap ne. Baap ne itna bara empire in ke ash-u-aram ke liye to khara kiya hai. Hai na?

Shweta made a face and Neil looked away.

Everyone froze in their place and Neil sighed. Neil looked straight and started to talk. Everyone was froze on its place.

Neil: lo, ho gaye shuru. Ab baat julabi ki tarha ghom phir kar meri studies per hi aa kar roke gi. Sahi kehte hain log ke duniya gol hai. Ab chalen, aage sunte hain, itne main thori na pait bhare ga Dad ka abhi to un ki party shuru hoi hai. Aaiye.

Everyone moved.

Prakash: aray, aap abhi tak wahi khare hain. Shweta Ji, aap phool nahi lai, aap ke bete ne top kiya hai.

Shweta: Really?

Bebe knew Prakash was taunting Neil.

Prakash: han, bus fark itna hai dusre students upar se top karte hain aur aap ke laad sahab niche se.

Neil: main 10th hun…

Prakash raised his eyebrows. Neil got alert.

Neil: Niche se.

Prakash looked at him who hesitated.

Neil: lekin last nahi hun.

Prakash: kya baat hai. Kya baat hai.

Shweta: ab choriye bhi. Kya aap bhi jab dekho mere bache ke piche pare rehte hain.

Prakash looked away.

Neil: Thanks, Mom.

Shweta smiled and Bebe shook her head. Neil came to them.

Neil: ab, woh, mujhe aap logon se kuch baat karni hai.

Bebe: han, Bol.

Neil was looking at them. He thought and made a serious face.

Neil: I want to get married.

Prakash and others were shocked. Prakash smiled.

Prakash: What do you want? Hmm? I think, maine theek se suna nahi. Kya kaha?

Neil made a face and looked away.

Neil: I want to get married. Shadi. Shadi karna chahta hun main.

Prakash: Shadi?

Prakash looked at Shweta: Shadi.

Shweta gulped.

Prakash looked at Bebe and said: Shadi.

Bebe was in shock and she looked at Prakash and then she looked at Neil.

Prakash: janab ko shadi karni hai.

Prakash looked at Neil.

Neil: Sir wants to get married.

Neil: what is a big deal in it?

Prakash got angry.

Prakash: what is a big deal in it? You are in college now.

Neil: ok, then engagement.

Shweta: Tillu, tu kisi ko pasand karta hai kya?

Neil looked at Shweta.

Prakash: is ke pasand karne se kya hota hai koi isay bhi to pasand kare na. Is alsi aur nalaik se kon shadi karega?

Neil was shocked.

Shweta: Asa kyun bol rahe hain ji mera beta itna acha to hai. Koi pagal hi hogi jo isay na karegi.

Neil nodded.

Prakash: Ji nahi, koi pagal hi hogi jo isay han kahegi. Waise mahashe ji kon hai woh badnaseeb jis per aap ka dil aya hai.

Neil in mind: Dil? Never mind.

Neil looked at Prakash. Neil hesitated but he gathered his courage. Everyone was looking at him.

Neil: Avni.

Prakash was shocked and others were shocked and confused. They heard about Avni many times but didn’t know much about her.

Prakash: Avni?

Neil nodded.

Prakash: You mean Avni Mehta?

Neil nodded. Shweta and Bebe were looking at them. Prakash got angry.

Prakash: Dimagh kharab ho gaya hai tumhara. Us bachi se teri shadi karwa kar us ki zindagi barbad karni hai. Kahan woh topper class ki aur kahan tu jo last se top karta hai.

Neil: ab asi bhi koi baat nahi hai. Maine bataya na ke main 10th hun.

Prakash and others were looking at him.

Neil: Aur ache marks bhi aate hain mere.

Prakash: han who bhi is liye kyun ke tu mera beta hai warna to…

Prakash caught his head and sighed.

Prakash: Avni se teri shadi nahi ho sakti. Tum dono ka koi match nahi hai.

Neil thought.

Neil in mind: of course, kahan main the Neil Khanna and kahan woh Avni. Woh bhi theekthak dikhti hai but main… meri to baat hi kuch aur hai.

Neil was lost in admiring himself.

Shweta: kyun ji asa kyun keh rahe hain kya kami hai mere bete main?

Neil nodded confidently.

Prakash: kami?

Shweta nodded.

Prakash: Kami nahi Kamiyan hain, Shweta ji. Kamiyan. Aap koi ek khubi bata den is ki.

Shweta: kitna handsome hai mera becha.

Prakash: bus yahi ek cheez hai baki to ke…

Neil interrupted.

Neil: Dad, jaisa bhi hun at least us ke 40 years oldy fiancé se to better hi hun.

Everyone was shocked. Bebe widened her eyes and Shweta kept her hand on her mouth.

Prakash: what?

Neil: yes, Avni ke dad ne us ka alliance ek 40-year-old uncle se tay kar diya hai because he is a government employee.

Everyone felt disgusting.

Neil: yahi nahi balke Avni ke dad ne us ka college aana bhi band kar diya hai.

Prakash was shocked.

Prakash: what?

Neil: yes, unho ne Avni ke samne shart rakhi thi ke agar us ki 98 se kam percent aai to us ka college band.

Prakash: lekin jahan tak mujhe yaad hai Avni ne is baar bhi top kiya hai pure college main.

Neil nodded.

Prakash: phir?

Neil: woh, Avni ke dad pehle se hi us ki studies ke against the. Avni ko admission to scholarship per mila. Aur ab jab Avni ki percentage kam aai to unhe mauka mil gaya Avni ki studies band karwane ka.

Prakash and others were shocked.

Bebe: Bichari, bachi.

Shweta: kaise maa, baap hain. Bachi ki zindagi se khel rahe hain.

Shweta shook her head.

Prakash thought. He looked at Neil keenly. Prakash came near Neil. Shweta and Bebe were looking at him. Neil was also looking at his father.

Prakash: woh sab to theek hai tu mujhe yeh bata ke ye sab tujhe kis ne bataya kyun ke jitna main tujhe janta hun, tu Avni ko pasand nahi karta. Chirta hai us se aur mujhe ye bhi pata chala ke tum log especially Juhi Arora usay pareshan karte ho.

Neil shocked.

Prakash: to ab tu ne mujhe yeh to bata diya ke Avni ke dad ne kya kiya ab tu mujhe yeh bata ke tera in sab main kya yogdan hai?

Neil was shocked. Prakash was looking at him. Neil avoided eye contact.

Prakash kept his hand on his son’s shoulder. Neil looked at his shoulder and then he looked at his father.

Prakash: dekh, Neil, main tera baap hun aur bohat ache se janta hun tujhe to mujhe sach bata ke tu ne kya kiya hai jis ki bharpai ke liye tu ye sab kar raha hai?

Neil was looking at his father. Shweta made a face. Shweta and Bebe were looking at them.

Prakash: Main janta hun tu Avni se pyaar nahi karta.

Shweta and Bebe looked at each other.

Prakash: to bol, Neil, kya kiya hai tu ne?

Neil jerked his shoulder slightly and moved a step back from his father and Prakash was sure now that Neil had done something wrong. Neil looked at his family and then he looked down.

Neil: woh, Dad, Av, Avni, Avni ko humne lab main lock kiya tha.

The Khanna family was shocked.

Neil continued: jis ki waja se us ki percentage kam aai is baar.

Shweta and Bebe were looking at Neil shockingly. They looked at each other and then they looked at Prakash who was now red because of anger. They got worried. Prakash gave a tight slap on Neil’s face. Shweta and Bebe were shocked. Shweta kept her hand on her mouth. Neil kept his hand on his cheek. Neil looked at his father.

Prakash: sharm aani chahiye tujhe. Teri, sirf teri waja se aaj us bachi ki zindagi daao per lagi hai. Tere hath zara sa bhi nahi kanpay usay band karte howe? Tere zameer ne tujhe jhinjhora nahi?

Neil looked down.

Prakash: jhinjhorta bhi kaise, tera to zameer hi mar chukka hai. Sharm aati hai mujhe tujhe apna beta kehte howe.

Neil was looking down. Prakash looked at Shweta.

Prakash: dekh liya apne laad pyaar ka natija. Isi liye mana karta tha ke isay itna sar per mat charhao lekin nahi.

Shweta looked down. She was also feeling ashamed.

Prakash: Aur ab tu us se shadi kar ke kya sabit karna chahta hai ke tu usay bacha raha hai? Tujhse shadi kar ke bhi us ki zindagi kharab hi hogi.

Neil got angry.

Neil: ok, fine, mat karwai apni ladli ki shadi mere sath. Mat dijiye apni ladli ka hath mere hath main but at least hum engagement ka drama to kar sakte hain usay un uncle se bachane ke liye.

Prakash: wah, (Prakash looked at Bebe) lijiye ab naya drama suniye.

Bebe: Neil, tu yeh kya keh raha hai?

Neil: to kya krun, Bebe, jab aap ke bete ko mere aur Avni ke alliance se problem hai and un ke hisab se main un ki so-called brilliant student ke laik nahi hon to humain kuch to karna hoga na. Dad ko mera crime to nazar aya lekin mera regret nazar nahi aya. Mana galti hoi hai mujhse lekin main usay sudharne ki koshish bhi to kar raha hun na lekin woh kisi ko nahi dikhai dekhega agar dikhai degi to meri galti.

Prakash was looking at him. Prakash looked down. Prakash looked at Neil and then he went from there. Neil was looking at him and then he looked at Bebe who turned and went. Neil looked at Shweta who was looking at him.

Shweta: Tillu, tu ne yeh bohat galat kiya. Teri waja se aaj us bachi ke sath kitna bura ho raha hai.

Neil looked down. Shweta went from there and Neil was looking at her.

Flashback ends.

Neil was in his thoughts and he came out of his thoughts to hear the laughter. Neil looked at his parents and then he looked at Avni who was looking down. Neil thought.

Prakash: I must say, aap ka sense of humor bohat acha hai.

Neil in mind: sense aur in main. Inho ne to apni beti ka soda kiya hai. Zyada bari party mili to apni beti ka alliance tor kar the Prakash Khanna ke bete ke sath fix kar diya. Such a greedy creep.

Bebe saw that Avni and Neil were looking down.

Bebe: ab hum sab ki batain to chalti rahen gi lekin jin do logon ko sath rehna hai woh to chup chap bethe hain unhe bhi to baat karne ka mouka milna chahiye.

Avni was looking down and Neil looked at Bebe. Ashish and Dayawanti Mehat looked at each other.

Prakash: bilkul theek kaha aap ne, Bebe.

Ashish didn’t like that but he didn’t react.

Ashish: ji bilkul. Ab, Avni beta.

Avni looked at Ashish because he never talked to her like that.

Ashish: ab, jao beta, Neil ko ghar bhi dikha do aur tum dono batain bhi kar lo. Ab hai to chota sa ghar, ab jo hai yahi hai.

Prakash looked down and thought.

Flashback:

Prakash and Ashish were sitting in the restaurant.

Ashish: ab kya baat karni hai, aap ko maine phone per keh to diya tha ke Avni ab college nahi aaegi.

Prakash: dekhiye, Mr Ashish Mehta, mujhe ghuma phira kar baat karna nahi aati. Introduction to phone per hi ho gaya tha is liye us ki zarorat nahi hai. To sidha mude per aate hain. Main aap ki beti Avni ka hath mere bete Neil ke liye chahta hun.

Ashish was shocked.

Ashish: Avni ka?

Prakash: Ji, maine suna hai ke aap ne us ka rishta fix kar diya hai? Dekhiye, mujhe Avni shuru se pasand hai aur mera beta bhi usay pasand karta hai dono class mates hain aur humari family bhi ek respectable family hai. Shehar main naam hai humara aur phir mera jo kuch bhi hai woh mere eklote bete Neil ka hi to hai.

The greed empowered Ashish.

Ashish: ab, mujhe smajh nahi araha ke main kya kahun. Aap jaise paise wale log humare ghar main rishta. Mujhe thora time chahiye sochne ke liye.

Prakash is a businessman. He understood that his target hit the bull’s eyes.

Prakash: ok. Take your time. Lekin mujhe jawab han main chahiye.

Ashish nodded. Ashish got up and he went. Prakash smirked and Neil came from behind him. Prakash looked at Neil.

Prakash: work is done.

Neil: but, he didn’t say yes.

Prakash: but, he didn’t even say no.

Neil was looking at him.

Prakash: I am a businessman, Neil, I understand People’s psyche. He will call till night.

Neil looked down and he thought.

Later, the Khanna family was sitting in the living area and they were doing preparations and the table was filled with gifts.

Neil: what is the need for all this when they haven’t call back us till now?

Prakash’s phone rang and everyone looked at it. Prakash picked up the phone and he smirked. Prakash showed the phone to Neil who smiled and then he smirked. Neil thought.

Flashback ends.

Prakash looked at Avni who got up.

Avni: come.

Neil nodded and he got up. They went from there. Neela maa thought and she looked worried.