||CHAPTER 42||
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It was 3:46 a.m. when I stirred awake. My eyes opened to the glowing light emitted out by the flat screen on the wall, and five bodies sprawled on the sofa and floor, and some hanging between. We had fallen asleep watching the show, and our exams were starting on Monday. We sure were an admirable group.

Slithely unwrapping myself from the blanket, I stood up to switch off the T.V. and went to my room. Somehow, I was wide awake, and knew I couldn't sleep again for a while. I didn't bother closing the door behind me; no one was awake anyway.

The dreamcatcer danced about its suspension as wind blew in through the windows. My laptop was on the window seat; I had been trying to get something on Mr. Gaur's case. I had not been able to get him on the internet- there were too many Samarth Gaurs and none of them seemed to be in their twenties or thirties.

But then something struck me. I had to get started instantly. Sitting on my bed with the laptop perched on my lap, I typed another name on the facebook Search bar.

How could I have kept Karan out of the whole equation? He was the reason why things got suspicious.

I'll let you think that.

Isn't that what he had said a week before his birthday?

So, with the laptop on my bed and Facebook on the third tab, I searched for Karan Bahl's aquantices. He obviously didn't have an account- none of us did, because Facebook was too boring and its users too inquisitive for our liking- but that didn't mean that his mother didn't. She was a Celeb Dietician with a raging online presence.

But scrolling through Neeti Bahl's feed and friendlist was boring- it consisted of several people who I didn't need to stalk. I had already searched for Mr. Gaur in her list, and came up empty. This stuff wasn't an easy code to crack.

And then it clicked.

Both, my brain and the mouse on some Dhriti Kaushal. Her profile picture- I had seen her face on the file that Mickey had provided me with. I knew I had hit the nail as I kept scrolling down through her wall. From her public information, I could gather that she worked for a pharmaceutical company, travelled a lot and had recently celebrated her twenty seventh marriage anniversary with her husband- Rajvir Kaushal, also a familiar face from the infamous file.

But their names? No, it did not ring any bell.

Now, this Dhriti Kaushal seemed to be a forty-something year old woman, leading quite a fruitful life. Scrolling further down, I stumbled upon a really old image- a picture of an old photograph. Her eldest son with curly hair behind her second son, preceded by her daughter in pigtails. Something about the kids looked eerily familiar. I observed the eldest son. Something was definitely hitting home.

And they grow up so quickly! Said her caption. I clicked on her comments bar to read through a few- my hunch was pricking my senses.

Saumya's still the adorable baby of the family!

They look so cute!

Party!! I heard Samarth is pursuing medical

Kissy to all the bacha party! Kotne jaldi bade ho gaye hai yeh.

This is the best sibling trio that I've ever met.

I'm so proud of Samarth! Congratulations on pursuing your dream since childhood: Human Brains.

I didn't need to read anymore. Going back to the picture, I clicked on the tagged Samarth Kaushal. I had a strong feeling about who he was going to be.

The webpage took some time to load, and I was getting restless. There were many ambiguities in my conclusions, but some things were better if they were elastic. From the file that Mickey had got me on Wednesday, I knew that Mr. Gaur's first name was Samarth, and his surname was probably the reason why I wasn't able to search him up earlier.

Because what popped up as the profile page of Samarth Kaushal was the doppelganger of Mr. Samarth Gaur.

I had found my first lead on this matter- there was some link between Samarth Gaur and Samarth Kaushal that was going to connect me to Karan Bahl.

Samarth Kaushal. What was he hiding? Why was he hiding?

He didn't have many friends. So I clicked on it and opened it on another tab, and then resumed scrolling down the page.

From the posts he shared, it was clear that he wasn't a photo-addict. Most of his updates consisted of news clipping of psychology-related stuff, while the others were merely him replying to the posts shared on his walls.

This was getting boring.

"What are you doing?"

Until someone thought knocking was old school.

I immediately shut my laptop, cringing at the harsh noise. "How does it matter?"

I had my back to Vansh, so there was a chance he had seen what I was doing. But, I was going to play safe and pretend he didn't. Hearing his footsteps, I turned around. "Raat ke teen baj rahe hai, tum laptop pe kya kar rahi thi?"

He stopped in front of me, his eyebrows challenging me. "Tumhe kya fark padta hai? It was good when you didn't want to talk to me."

His eyebrow didn't go down. He wasn't buying my distraction. "Laptop kholo."

"Nahi." I sat on top of my laptop when his hands reached out for it. "Stop acting like my Dad."

"I'm not acting like anybody. Laptop pe kise dekh rahi thi?"

He couldn't know what I was seeing, so I had to lie, embarrassingly. "Iwaswatchingporn."

It didn't take him even a second to react, because he didn't. He raised his eyebrows, lips rolled inside, eyes not shifting from it's target: me.

Though his demeanour tried not to cease the effect it had on me, the light tinge on his cheeks and neck could not be ignored.

It was so amusing to watch him like this that I almost forgot that I was the one who was supposed to look ashamed.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. Lots of girls watch porn." He scratched the back of his neck.
"I just didn't... think you were one of them."

"Yeah... that must hinder a lot of your theories about me." How was I supposed to blush?!?!

"Or create a totally new one," his demeanour changed suddenly as he towered above me.

"Oh y-yeah?" I stammered as he kept leaning on me. When did our expressions exchange themselves?

His hands landed on either side of me; too close to my pajama-shorts clad thighs. "Uhuh. Wanna hear it? Someone told me your ears were dying to know it."

He's just trying to intimidate me, I know it. Don't succumb, don't succumb, don't succumb. "Well, the offer still stands the same," I say a little louder than a whisper, restricting myself to not move back. After a little bit of quick mental conditioning, I look at his eyes, and slowly straighten up.

But he wasn't budging, which left our noses a hair's breadth away. "Voyuerism isn't what turns you on, Vika darling."

Barely, but I was able to smile at him. He was playing a game with me, and I was a trained pawn. "I'm into lesbian, actually."

He scoffed, eyes flitting between the shiny surface of the computer and me. "Great, I can suggest you some good ones then."

"NO!" I yelled when his hands snatched the laptop from under me, "Please, no. I'm perfectly fine doing what I was."

His grin widened. "Don't be afraid, Viks. I won't judge you, and I promise I won't tell your brother."

"B-but I would," I tried looking dominant, placing my hand over his to stop him from opening the laptop. "What were you doing outside my room?"

"The only room where lights weren't out, obviously creates some suspicion at three in the morning. Come on Vika, you can not escape right now."

Just to prove his point, my luck deflated when my phone buzzed on my side, indicating a text.

He could see it, I could see it.

I'll meet you @ 8 outside K&K.  ~Mickey

I wasn't breathing; for the first time someone's presence was hindering my inconspicuousness.
"You said you weren't venturing that road again."

"If I said that, chances are that I am not lying."

He grabbed my phone, and I didn't resist when he gently grabbed my index finger to place over the scanner to unlock the phone. I wanted to win his trust- I was done hiding it from him because, if he was so adamant on finding out what made me watch some pørn, he definitely wasn't running away if I suggested he watch some with me.

And so, he stayed in my room for another hour; shocked and sleepy at the same time, as I recited to him the tale of Samarth Kaushal.

_____

Namoshtaii!

I know i know i know i said something about chingari and aag, and i apologize because i had a different chapter in my mind! Things r abt to change, and i can only hope u guys are patient till that one moment. I am sorry, i admit it was a grave mistake.

Anyways, i was thinking about having another session of #diljannachahega, so if you have any questions for the characters, let me know! Use #diljannachahega along with ur question, just like last time, and drill in your questions. If we have enough questions, we might have the interview up right after Chapter 50!

Kimayaa , thankyou so much for listening to my rants about almost anything. Guys, I'm sure most of you know her, and if you haven't read her Back to Back series, please do check it out! I have been her fan for quite a long time, so yeah, trust me on this :)

And omg, who is excited for Durga Poojo!!?!

For those of who don't know, I post sneak peeks (not spoilers!) of the upcoming chapters on my profile, so if you would like to have a slight glimpse of what's gonna happen, don't forget to follow me!

So, you know the drill, read, vote, comment and promote!

~emcee.