[My sweet friends, all of you were right regarding Pragya's intention behind separating Pranbir. But, but, but....

Wrong about the identity of the eavesdropper. ;) It's Sanju, not Pragya. :D Jhatka laga? LOL]

The eavesdropper was none other than Sanju. He was leaning against the wall beside the open window of Prachi and Sahana's room. His eyes were glittering with malice and his face had hardened into a mask of fury.

Saritaji and Pragya were sipping their tea, lounging on the couch in the living room.

"Even I don't understand your reason behind taking such a drastic decision. Ranbir is such a nice boy. Why should he suffer for his family's actions?" Sarita looked at Pragya exasperatedly.

"Like I said to Ranbir, Saritaji, sometimes hard decisions are necessary for the greater good." Pragya looked back at the elderly woman calmly.

"What do you mean?" Saritaji was bemused.

"Let me explain. Prachi has become used to Ranbir's presence in her life. Her heart knows that Ranbir will be there for her whenever she will be in some kind of trouble. That's why she has taken him for granted.But now that I have separated them, she will have to think about why she doesn't like to stay away from him and why he has become so important to her. Then maybe she will realize her true feelings for him. I remember once I had asked her to end her friendship with a girl who was a very close friend to her and she did it without any question. My ever obedient child. She has never questioned my decision. She will have to ask herself why she is questioning it now and why for Ranbir." Pragya smiled serenely as understanding dawned on Saritaji and the elderly woman smiled back at her.

"Got it now. So you are playing an indirect cupid." Saritaji beamed.

"Anything for my Prachi. It is true that I am not liking Ranbir's family at all at the moment. But I will never punish that boy for someone else's fault. He is a very nice person and I know he will always be there for my daughter." Pragya smiled.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mehra Mansion

Aliya hurried into Rhea's room only to find it in a complete mess. Books, soft toys, cushions etc were strewn all over the place. Shattered pieces of glass covered the floor. As she entered, a very beautiful and very expensive ceramic flower vase flew towards. Aliya quickly dodged it and it shattered against the wall, missing her by mere inches.

"Rhea! What are you doing? Rhea! Stop!" Aliya beseeched.

Paying no heed to her aunt, Rhea flung another flower vase, a glass one this time and it shattered into pieces inches away from Aliya's foot, making her jump back in fear.

"Oh God! This girl!" Aliya strode towards Rhea and grabbed her wrists.

"Leave me, Buji. Let me go." Rhea screamed furiously.

"NO! I WON'T! Rhea! Calm down baby. This destruction isn't going to solve anything." Aliya tried to pacify her enraged niece.

"CALM DOWN! CALM DOWN, BUJI! HOW CAN I COME DOWN WHEN THAT GIRL...THAT PRACHI HAS JUST WON OVER ME...ME, RHEA MEHRA. RANBIR HAS DECLARED IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE FAMILY THAT HE LOVES PRACHI, NOT ME. AND YOU ARE ASKING ME TO CALM DOWN? AFTER EVERYTHING I HAVE DONE TO GET RANBIR, HE DECLARED THAT HE LOVES THAT MIDDLE CLASS GEEK! NOTHING IS GOING TO SOLVE ANYTHING BUJI. EVERYTHING IS OVER NOW." Rhea screamed.

"Nothing is over Rhea. If we play our cards right then we can still win. We just have to keep patience." Aliya's eyes glittered with evilness.

"But how, Buji? Ranbir confessed in front of everyone that he loves Prachi. Then how?" Rhea looked at her aunt with eyes brimming with tears.

"They are not married yet, are they? So, we still have time. Even marriages can be broken. Don't worry, sweetheart. Ranbir will only be yours and never that Prachi's. There will only be misery and tears in Prachi's fate." Aliya smirked devilishly.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saritaji's house

"But Prachi, have you noticed something?" Sahana looked at Prachi incredulously.

"What?" Prachi stared back at her, bemused.

"For the first time you have questioned maasi's decision." Sahana smirked.

With a jolt, Prachi realized that Sahana was right. She had questioned her mother's decision for the first time. And that too for Ranbir. But why?

"Why did you question her decision now? Why only for Ranbir?" Sahana wiggled her brows.

"I...I don't know." Prachi stammered.

"Then try to know, Prachi. Try to find the answer. Why is breaking friendship with Ranbir hurting you? Why, when you have ended friendship with a good friend just because aunty told you to do so, you are questioning her decision now? Come on, Prachi. You have to find the answer yourself. I can tell you the reason. But you, being the obstinate person you are, will only accept it if you come to that conclusion yourself." Sahana urged her.

Prachi got to her feet and walked over to the window. She closed her eyes as a soothing breeze caressed her face, blowing the loose tendrils of her hair off her face. She recalled every moment when he stood up for her and defended her honour, even when they were not friends.

She recalled the moment when he took a bullet for her, saving her life at the risk of his own. And it was not the only time that he had risked his life to save her. Even during the bank robbery he chose to save her instead of himself or Rhea. She recalled their bickerings and every moment when he made her laugh with his silly antics.

Finally, she recalled his proposal. How he made sure that she wasn'[t uncomfortable with him. How he reassured her that he would remain her friend forever even if she didn't reciprocate his feelings and would never force her to accept his feelings.

With her eyes still shut, Prachi smiled. He had always prioritized her safety, her life, her happiness over his own. She had known that for sometime now. But didn't realize when he had become so important to her that she began to trust him blindly and was even questioning her mother's decision for him.

For him, it had always been her before himself but when had she started putting him before herself? Was it when he saved her life during the bank robbery or when he fought with his close friend to defend her honour or was it when he went against everyone and stole and even asked Maya for money whom he hated like anything just for her?

She didn't know. She only knew that....

"I am in love with Ranbir." Prachi whispered to herself with her eyes still shut.

Slowly she opened her eyes and whirled around with a blinding smile.

"I...I love him, Sahana. I love Ranbir." She beamed happily as Sahana's eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"Finally! Thank God! Oh my Prachi!" Sahana darted towards Prachi with a wide grin and engulfed a giggling Prachi in a bear hug.

"I am so so so happy for both of you." Sahana smiled ecstatically.

"Me too, Sahana." Prachi murmured with a shy smile

"And now, the whole world deserves to know this." Sahana came out of the embrace and looked at Prachi with eyes twinkling with mischief and a playful smirk.

"What! No, Sahana, you won't." Prachi threatened.

"Oh yes. I will. Prachi loves Ranbir. Prachi loves Ranbir. Maasi. Sarita dadi. Prachi loves Ranbir." Chanting it like a mantra, Sahana dashed out of the room.

"Oh no! Sahana! Stop! I am not going to leave this girl!" Prachi chased behind her devil of a friend.

Outside their house, Sanju straightened away from the wall beside the window of Prachi and Sahana's room. The malice in his eyes had transformed into pure outrage now.

"Oh no Prachi! Never! You can't love that rich boy! I won't let you! Now I will have to come up with a permanent solution to this never ending problem. I have done so much to get you, Prachi. I can't let you go just like that. For you I have even become a criminal and now police are searching for me. What has he done to deserve your love? Nothing. I do. You will be only mine Prachi. Noone else's. But first I will have to deal with that aunt and niece. They trapped me, haven't they? I will show them what being trapped is called. And then I will deal with this love triangle." There was a mad, obsessive glint in Sanju's eyes.

As Sahana careened into the living room, closely followed by Prachi, Saritaji and Pragya looked up.

"Sahana, do you think this is a playground and you are a five years old kid that you are running around like a crazy girl?" Saritaji raised her brows.

"First you decide whether I am a five years old kid or a crazy girl. Then I will answer." Sahana huffed irritatedly.

"You both have started fighting again? You fight almost as much as Ranbir and Prachi." Pragya laughed.

"I was about to say something regarding that, Maasi...umphh....ummm" Sahana began but couldn't finish as Prachi covered her blabbering mouth with her palm.

"What is going on?" Saritaji gaped astonishedly at Sahana who was trying to break free and flailing her arms while Prachi was just not in the mood to let go.

"What did you want to say, Sahana? That Prachi has finally realized that she loves Ranbir?" Pragya smiled, raising her brows.

Prachi's hand fell from Sahana's mouth and Sahana too had stopped struggling and now both the girls were gaping at Pragya, astonished.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mehra Mansion

"You mean Ranbir can still be mine, Buji." Rhea looked at her aunt with eyes filled with hope again.

"Of Course sweetheart. We just need to keep patience and plan according to the situations right now." Aliya smirked evilly, reassuring her beloved niece.

Suddenly, both were startled out of their wits by the shrill tone of Aliya's mobile. Rolling her eyes, Aliya answered it.

"What?" Aliya looked back at Rhea in utter shock.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saritaji's house

"Why so shocked? Do you think I don't know you?" Pragya smiled again and patted the space beside her on the couch.

"But ma, don't you have any objection? You are smiling. But you said there...."Prachi trailed away as she settled down beside her mother and turned to look at her.

"What I said was true. But it will also be injustice to that boy to punish him for someone else's fault, especially if you love him too. And he is the kind of guy every mother will want for her daughter. So, that's why I said those things. So that the kohlis never take you for granted again and this forced separation makes you realize your true feelings for Ranbir. Understood, my innocent child?" Pragya smiled to see the wondrous smile spreading over her daughter's beautiful features.

"Love you, ma." Prachi hugged Pragya.

"Love you too." Pragya hugged her back.

Sahana and Saritaji beamed happily seeing the beautiful bond between mother and daughter. However, soon the ringtone of Prachi's mobile startled them. Coming out of her mother's embrace, Prachi walked over to her phone and answered the call.

"What?" Prachi stared in utter shock at the other people in the room. 

How did Sanju escape from the police? What is the news that shocked Aliya and Prachi? 

If you want to know then keep reading. And please don't forget to vote and comment to encourage me to keep writing. :D Hope you all like this part. :)

Next part will be a little late as I will be updating my Pranbir short stories collection. :)