I knew how exactly bad, the bomb blasted in the last episode ;)

Trust me, it was too fun to see everyone activated! (atleast for an author) 

I felt that people are still reading through my book :) 

..................................

Alia's new pad back at Mumbai was rushing with people moving to and fro. 

Three days had passed since the incident and well wishers were showing up from every part of the world. They were naturally scared for their bubbly girl who was a sunshine to all. 

They knew that their Alia would not give up! That was the belief they showered on her. 

"No ya, nothing yet. Teen din ho gaye adi ... It's been 3 freaking day!" shaheen was on call and listened painfully to the other side. She was clearly frustrated like the other family members.

"Nothing, same old tantrum. No body in this house is behaving human like. We've all lost our appetite along with hers. Yeah, will convey. Thank you for calling. Love you bhai" she ended the call with a deep sigh. 

It was true. Neither Alia was having even a morsel nor the people around her. Never in their dreams did they ever wished to see their angel go through a phase like this. Shaheen was upset because  let's face the fact that it was her who had been fighting with depression since like 4 years! Alia was always this chirpy happy baby girl and now witnessing her sister, restricted to bed with no emotion, almost like a corpse, made her heart break even more! 

This situation got role reversed. She might be a coming up survivor but she knew that she wouldn't let her sister go through the same ordeal. She would do everything in her might to bring back the old alia, who lighted up lives. 

"Tanna, who was on line baby ?" asked Soni from the adjacent kitchen. The moment they got to know that Alia was found fainted in her hotel room back at Punjab, the entire family rushed to fetch their child. She was admitted for like two days in the hospital as doctors felt that her body was too weak and she needed rest. She got discharged three days back and as per Alia's wish, they brought her to her newly brought apartment. Since then its all dull and silent. The only hustle came from the oncoming guests. 

Today they expected her close friend circle in industry to arrive and meet. Maybe they could make her speak. 

"Maa, it was Adi" replied shaheen. 

"How can I call you when I'm here ?" asked a voice coming from the entrance. 

"Not you buddhu! Aditya chopra" corrected her. 

Since alia got discharged there had been three constant souls who never left her side. Aditya roy was one among them. "Maa, they said they are on their way and would arrive anytime soon" he reported. Before she could react, the doorbell rang making them anxious. "They arrived! So soon ?" voiced shaheen and went to welcome their guests. 

Door got wide opened to welcome familiar faces but some were missing. "I'm coming" said Soni and went in to see for herself. There came basically every one from her circle. 

Karan, Abhi, Ayu, Bunny, Rannu, Fubu, Shredzy, Arti, Shakun and akansha. VD was in Singapore for his next and Pari was in Ambala to be with family but they did talked to a silent Alia on phone, which was again futile. Greetings came in and they all asked whereabouts of her after hugging. There was nothing much to say after all. 

"Still the same ?" asked Abhi. Soni gave a meek nod. 

"Can we meet her, like together ?" asked Rannu who was quite distressed like never before. That cheerful smile was missing today. "Off course beta. You people are the only hope. Hope she responds" smiled soni. Giving her a side hug, rannu moved towards her room along with others behind.

"Is he still here ?" asked Ayu with a whisper to no one in particular. "Yeah. He hasn't moved a muscle and is lost in his own dream. Neither did he tried to meet her nor is he responding" replied adi. 

They were talking about a certain someone who lost his cheerfulness the same day as hers. 

He along with adi and karan were always next to her since the discharge. In fact adi and him were living along with the Bhatt's. But Sid was too drained to even talk and meet his colleagues. "Resting in the adjacent room" told adi to a curious Fubu. 

They reached the corridor of her room and peeked in to see something they've never wished to see.

[Alia's POV]

Rotating ceilings never fascinated me, until now. It was a steady and slow move. With so much precision, the fan was on its way to damp off. Before getting stopped forever, until next time, it kept on moving with a rhythm. As if it wanted me to remember the time it provided me with cool breeze. 

Life was exactly the same. 

We all have to damp anyhow, anytime. Before saying 'Bye' for the last time, we ought to create our impression on each lives we've crossed so far. So that they remember our old days filled with memories. I don't remember a single shit after I fainted. 

Yes, the only faint memory was my boy shouting for my name. It hurt me even more. It reminded me of the brutal fact that my condition got worse because I hurted him and not because I was weak and tired. 

The only probable reason why I shut myself from the world. 

With my peripheral vision I saw the door creaking in to reveal too many people. I wasn't in a mood to talk forget greeting. I straightened my back more and laid wide awake, facing up, staring at the almost dying ceiling. I felt the end of my bed dip, daring not to see who it was. 

"When I was a child, my mummy used to make me forcefully eat yogurt. Now I realize that its actually too tasty to resist. It makes you tall, smart, happy and healthy" Rannu flaunted his yogurt ad. I gave an inward smile which wasn't visible to others. 

"What is she ? A child ?" said an irritated shraddha ta his nonchalant behavior. 

"She is acting like one, now!" spoke Rannu with a more rough voice.

"When was the last time you ate, miss ? Adi, close the door!" asked an intense Rannu and shouted the last part. 

My heart said that this might turn ugly.

"Your probably not deaf nor dumb. So don't over smart!" he said with gritted anger. I tried everything in me to calm down my pulsating heart, my mouth from crying hard and my eyes from taking a look at his expression to see if this was really happening.

"Ranveer, please. We will make her under-" Karan tried to calm him but he cut 

"Kya samjhayein ? What, dude ?! I know she is weak enough to even move a muscle, but that's okay. I've gone through the same during Ramleela and now Bajirao, your head basically explodes. But can't she see all of us ? Her family is tensed, we are worried, her fans, friends, everyone. And have you ever tried to give a thought about Sid ? You want to know how he is ?" 

My heart froze. I felt as if my worst fears were coming alive. My head involuntarily turned to see a blasting Ranveer. His face was almost red, his hands clenched and his eyes were burning ember!

I felt more weak, as if someone choked me. The room suddenly felt too suffocating and uncomfortable. 

"Ranveer! Stop it yaar." came in fubu and ayu to pacify. They tried to drag him away but we both were busy staring at each other and it felt that our eyes were demanding questions from each other. Halfway through their drag session, he pushed both and rushed towards my side. He sat close to me and cupped my face. I was on the verge to break, tears brimming up ready to flow. 

"Baba, I know your not in your best mood. But that should no way come in between your relations. I'm sorry that you had to go through all of this but you forgot one thing. You forgot that there is this guy who will never let his sister, shed tears" he pointed at himself. A tear dropped from my eyes and met his shirt cuff. "You forgot about a family who never cease to talk so amazing about you. A gang of people who would kill to make you happy. A father like figure who would give everything he possess to make you smile. An army of colleagues, fans, media and well wishers who would only wish good for you. And most importantly a guy who can sacrifice everything, just to see your smile, light up his heart, his world. You mean everything to him and to us. How could you forget choti ? Just how ?!" 

That was too much for my soul to take and I broke up. I cried out loud, not giving a damn to people witnessing this sudden out pour. All my buckled up emotions were set free. I hugged ranveer so tight as if I'll loose him any moment. He rubbed my back to console me. He too was crying as my hair felt wet with his tear. 

At that moment I understood the man behind the flashy nature. That heart behind that cheerful attitude, the soul behind those circus antics and when he called me choti, I felt a sense of belonging. I felt that I was not alone, I had someone to wipe my tear, to give me shoulder. I could see my mom sobbing from afar. Dad and Anupam da also came into see the commotion. Everyone had stood with moist eyes. 

With my hands, I motioned my other idiots for a group hug, still in his arms. They gave me a huge smile and attacked us from all direction. 

This was my world , my universe and nothing in this life could ever separate me from them. I may or may not be always happy but I'll strive to make people in my life smile, always. 

After what felt like a decade of bliss, we parted to see messed up hairs and stained cheeks , flashing crooked smiles. We did a group fist bump and laughed loud for no reason. 

"Woah, man! I never knew this side of yours" Bunny patted Rannu's back with a smile. He gave a short bow down act. "Thank-" I wanted to thank my idiot but he placed his finger on my lips. 

"No need choti. You will always be my baby girl. And yeah, pretty much my next co-star, so badhaai!" We laughed at that. 

It was true. I was going to work with him soon on Zoya Akhtar's  next Gully Boy. 

"Main bhi hoon list mein" pouted a rather cute bunny! I was going to start 'Dragon' with him. "Yes chief" I mock saluted him. 

"Meri baari kab aayegi ?" complained a gloomy adi. I poked his nose to see him give a smirk. "Soon baby" I replied. "Now we will see the epicness of a sister-brother jodi romancing on screen!" screamed Ayu which made us all crack up. We then were lost in our chit chattering like before. Giving me a brief forehead kiss, karan moved towards Dad and anu dada along with Abhi. 

Something was fishy.

[Abhi's POV]

"Abhi, one second" whispered karan to me and signalled with his eyes to leave the room. I followed him along with Mahesh sir and Anupam sir. 

I hope it isn't what I'm dreading about. Reaching the corridor, he turned towards me and asked 

"Where is Sidharth ?" His face had a dangerous getup like I'd be sued if I did not answer. "He's in this room" spoke mahesh sir and pointed at the one close to us. We marched towards the door and slowly pushed it to see an empty room. We now were standing in the middle of the room and searched for him

"Where is he?" asked an irritated Kjo. "Must be in washroom" I pacified. I knocked the washroom door to get a response. It was bolted from inside so naturally someone was in. "Sid, your there ?" I asked loud. "Coming" came a voice so thin and shallow, after a long while. We waited for a couple of minutes for him to come out. The door opening caught us looking at the direction.

There he stood, in his tee and shorts. His face was truly drained off color. Never seen him this gloomy and upset. If alia's case was bad, his condition was worst. 

"Sidharth!" Kjo gave a small whisper and went in to hug him. They shared a long moment of silence and parted away to see each other since like ages. "How are you baby ? You look so worn out!" complained kjo with disagreement. Sid gave a weak smile which never reached his eyes. 

"Theek hoon. You met alia ?" he asked with a slight flicker of hope visible in his eyes. "Yes and she is okay now. We made her respond and now she will be back to normal. You don't worry" said Karan. 

Ladies and gentlemen, you should have seen his face! Smile of awe radiating so brightly. He was clearly happy with the answer. "You rest beta. We'll have lunch soon and no drama both of you! I'll bid off our guests and come" patted Mahesh sir with a smile and led us out. I gave him a hug and we shared a knowing smile. 

While closing the door, anupam sir asked the million dollar question 

"Why is Sidharth this affected ? Its not like all her other friends aren't worried. But this had a more drastic effect on him." 

You nailed it sir, hats off! 

Mahesh sir and karan made a curious face and glanced at me for a suitable answer. I made up various theories in my head to avoid the suspicion. "That's because they've debuted together and she is super close to VD and Sid. Naturally he got upset too. Shall we leave ?" I urged him to drop off his invisible question cap and move ahead. 

Karan gave me a look that this matter was still on and he would demand an answer soon. I was ready, rather they need to be ready to face the turmoil hitting soon. Somehow I made them get going. I barged back inside his room and made him face me.

"Listen, better meet Alia and solve all dumb problems of yours. I'm playing this stupid third wheel in this story knowing the truth and hiding it from others! It can't go on forever. Talk to each other, sort out your feelings, make amends and then decide to open your mouth. Aaj bacha liya tere hone waale dono sasur se, it won't happen everytime I say! And yeah, I'll make some crazy excuse and drag them all from her room. Signal would be clear then, go and talk to her in private, okay ?" I felt like an undercover detective agent! 

The things they make me do..! 

With a mind blowing smile, he choked me with his tightest possible hug as a remark of gratitude. He then made his way towards her room after I messaged him that signal is green.

NOTE : Yeah, so clifuuu! 

I also updated "Love Revisited" 

Big hug,

Jemi :)