ALONE?

Ranbir's mind was wandering off to the incidents of the very day. Smiling to himself. How Prachi was looking in that grey dress of her. How shocked she looked when she had seen him and realized that they had presented the shagun in pair. How she had placed her hand over the flame to prevent the holy cloth from burning. Hurting herself in the process. That made him frown a bit.

Who the hell burn their hand to save a lifeless thing? Who loose their mind and put their hand over a flame for a chunri? He fumed internally.

Prachi, of course. His heart squeaked.

The smile was back. Of course Prachi, only she do these kind of stuff. Isn't that what set her apart from the numerous girls that throw themselves at him.

He looked in side view mirror to make sure that Aarav's car was following his. Driving was the only thing that kept him from rushing back and scold her for being so reckless. Or knocking some sense into Rhea for her brainless antics. He knew that she was selfish, a lot. But seriously, her own twin sister was hurt and she was set on presenting shagun. He took a long breadth, both of his urges will do nothing good instead of complicating everything even more.

So Ranbir chose to focus on the road. Better not to anger Prachi more than she probably already was due to the surprise entrance of Panditji.

He again took a long breadth. It doesn't seem so bad. What if he anger her and she scolded him? She would at least talk to him. He could listen to her lectures for his entire life if it meant she would talk to him. His features lit up, only to fall again. She would not even scold him. He knew her.

He glanced back at the car following them and frowned. He was met with a sight that sent a dagger through his already wounded heart. Aarav was laughing at something, even Prachi was seeming to be shaking at something. Laughing freely. Laughing like he hadn't seen her laugh from ages. His frown deepened. A pang of jealousy hit his heart. Prachi was laughing with Aarav but not even talking to him. Really?

But a part of his heart felt good to see her laugh. After a long time she was happy, and he was grateful of Aarav for making her happy. Seeing her laugh sent a wave of calm through him and he again focused on the road again.

~*~

They had reached the home, safe and sound. Ranbir, Aryan and Shahana were first to reach closely followed by Abhi, Pragya, Purab, Mitali and a really sullen looking Rhea. Ranbir's calmness vanished when he saw the look, or rather glare, Rhea was sending his way. He returned the glare with an ice cold look of his own. They moved towards the living room and seated themselves on the couches when Vikram's car pulled up and Pallavi, dida and Dasi entered the living room.

Ranbir was getting restless by each passing minute. Prachi, Aarav and Piyush had not reached yet and it was making is nerves go haywire. What was taking them so long?

Aryan sensed his uneasiness and nudged him and gave him a small nod.

"Mami where are Prachi, Aarav and Piyush? As far as I remember, their car was right behind ours." Aryan asked casually.

"They told us that they are bringing some surprise, god knows what it is?" Pragya replied.

Ranbir pursued his lips, rotating his mobile in hand, controlling the urge to call Prachi. He had just unlocked his phone to text Prachi, when he heard a car honking. He looked up to see them entering and his eyes turned dark when he saw Prachi barely controlling her laughter. It wasn't her laughter that turned his mood glum, it was the fact that she was laughing so hard that she was leaning on the boy for support. They had bags in had and they seemed to be laughing at something that Piyush had probably said.

They came to their senses when they reached the living room and their laughter subsided. A ghost of laughter still adoring their faces as they gave their attention to the smiling visages of their family members. Everyone were happy to see Prachi openly laughing after so long. Everyone but, as usual, Rhea.

Rhea looked livid for she was blaming Prachi for the faliure of her idea of pairing up with Ranbir for shagun. She would have to talk things through to Prachi again. She needs to kill this laughter, before it kills the fear of her parents separation from her mind. She will have to give her the dosage of threat to Prachi that was overdue, like she had been giving Prachi one every now and then in the last month.

"Prachii, what took you so long? you guys should have been here about half an hour ago." Shahana pouted, feeling left out, but happy for her sister nonetheless.

"We just went to buy get surprise." Prachi beamed.

"What surprise? Tell us." Mitali asked, eyes wide and smiling like a Cheshire cat.

"Taiji if we expose the surprise, how'll it be a surprise then?" Piyush asked, draping an arm around Prachi's shoulder. That he retrieved after a glare from Prachi.

"Uncle keep this away, please." Aarav asked the house helper passing him the bags they had brought.

"Everyone will get this surprise after dinner, no cheating anyone." Prachi said pointing at everyone while her eyes stayed on Shahana and Aryan.

"Okay, okay, we can wait till dinner is completed." Abhi said and Prachi smiled. "Let's freshen up and come back for dinner, the girls must be starving."

"No dad, I'm not hungry anymore." Rhea stated still glaring openly at Prachi.

"But why princess?" Abhi asked, "Are you still angry for what happened in the temple today? forget it child, it's okay."

"No dad, it's not okay." Rhea muttered and left from there.

Everyone stared at her leaving figure and then turned to Prachi who was looking down at her feet, chewing the inside of her cheek. Trying to keep still.

"It's okay Prachi, she will come around." Abhi tried to cheer her up, " You go and freshen up, you haven't had anything to eat since morning because of the puja. Go and change and then come back for dinner. After that we have to unveil your surprise."

Prachi nodded lightly and left, making a beeline for her room.

~*~

Prachi came out of the bathroom and dropped the towel on the chair before settling on her bed. She was over what Rhea had said. It was like she was becoming immune to these little blows. She sat on her bed fumbling to open her bandage. She had tried her best to keep it dry, but a bandage on right hand was prone to get wet what so ever. She fumbled with the knot which had seemed to become more tight due to the wetness. She was interrupted in her fumbling when she heard a knock on her door.

She looked up to see Aarav standing there with a first aid box in hand.

"Aarav, why are you standing in the doorway? Come on in." Prachi invited with a smile.

"I was just watching how stubborn you can be to not ask for help from anyone." Aarav said settling in front of her and taking a small pair of scissors from the box and cutting the bandage knot.

"You know, Ranbir was right." Aarav said, looking intently on his piece of work.

"Huh?" Prachi asked alarmed and befuddled. "What, what do you mean?"

"You really shouldn't have put your hand on flame to save the chunri." Aarav explained, wrapping the bandage off of her hand.

"At least someone thinks as same as me." They both looked up to see the just mentioned boy standing in the doorway. Ranbir was looking at them with an unreadable expression. A bowl in hand.

Ranbir too had changed and had come to check on Prachi. Knowing her, he knew that she would not ask anyone for help with her bandage. Had he been wrong, though?

"Ranbir, why are you standing in the doorway? Come in." Aarav invited him with a bright smile.

Ranbir entered the room and passed the bowl to Prachi. She looked in to see a thick paste of turmeric. 

"Vo... Pragya aunty asked me to give it to you," Ranbir said glancing momentary at the other boy who was concentrating hard on not to hurt Prachi as he unwrapped the last few folds from her hand. The look Ranbir had while speaking, made it clear that it wasn't her mother who had sent in the turmeric paste.

Aarav was slowly removing the cotton from the burned skin, blowing air on the wound while doing so. He was doing his best not to hurt the girl, who in-turn, wasn't even aware of anything. 

She was lost. Un-attentive of anything happening around her. Lost in the pair of brown eyes that had probably shed the most tears because of her. Who had loved her most and had been hurt the most by her. Still, they held immense care and affection she had ever witnessed. For Her. 

She quickly averted her eyes and blinked back tears. She looked intently on her hand and winced slightly when the cotton left her skin completely. Making the boy standing by her side flinch with her, feeling her pain.

Aarav looked up and muttered a chain of soft sorrys. He had just picked up a cotton ball to clean the wound when a startling sound pierced the silence of the room and made them jump. Aarav pulled out his phone and looked at them with a sheepish smile. 

"Sorry I'll have to take this call," he said getting up from his place on the bed and turned to Ranbir. "Ranbir can you please dress Prachi's wound." He looked at the other boy expectantly. Prachi had just opened his mouth to decline when Aarav cut her off, "No you can not do it yourself, you can't wrap it up with only one hand, that too, non-dominant." 

Prachi closed her mouth when she could not think of a good enough throwback and just glared at her burned hand.

Aarav looked at Ranbir and left when the latter gave him a positive nod. Leaving them Alone.

Ranbir slowly took the place in front of Prachi, that was previously taken by Aarav and picked up the cotton ball that lay discarded after the phone call was received. He submerged it in water and squeezed it between his fingers to remove the excess water. 

He gently wiped the remaining medicine left from the previous dressing. He made sure not to inflict any pressure on the wound or make it hurt in any way. After making sure that the wound was completely clean he reached for another cotton ball only to find the packet empty. It was then, when he realized that they had ran out of cotton balls.

He looked around to find something else and gave up shortly after. He reached the bowl and scooped some paste by his fingers and started applying it generously on the affected skin. With utmost care as per not to disturb the delicate burns. 

Prachi who had been looking down, intently staring at her lap, jerked her head up when she felt skin brush against her burns. She saw Ranbir bent over her hand and smearing the golden paste on her injury with feather light touches. 

He was so gentle with her hand as if she was a glass doll and her hand would snap with so much as light pressure. How can he care so much for her? People become harsh with each other after a mere fight let alone a heart break. She had crushed his heart, he had so sincerely presented her. Given that she had not done it willingly, but she had done it. And here he was, fussing over her pain.

He was too precious for this world, and too pure for that wicked sister of her. 

She unknowingly squirmed a little as his fingers brushed her pulse point. He stopped dead in tracks and looked up at her with alarmed eyes. 

"Sorry, I'm really sorry. I'll be more careful." He said looking her in the eyes with utmost care. He bent his head again and continued his work.

What is wrong with him? He is not supposed to apologize while nurturing her wounds. God, he was supposed to drag her to hell for breaking his ethical heart. He was supposed to stay miles away from her and get repulsed by her mere presence. Not sitting opposite to her and look at her like she was some angle. He was NOT supposed to weaken her act.

"Can you pass me those scissors?" Ranbir's voice broke her chain of thoughts and she looked at her hand to see it securely bandaged. She took the asked tool and passed it to him. He cut the remaining bandage off and started putting away the antiseptics in the box. He picked up the box and the bowl and turned to leave. 

It took a moment for Prachi to gather her thoughts and call after him.

Ranbir turned around, standing in the doorway and looked at her. Prachi squirmed a little and looked up to meet his gaze with a 'business only' face, "Thank you, for this." She gestured to her hand.

"You know Prachi, you have hurt me, you have really hurt me. But still I can't see you in pain. Strange thing, love is. And I'm not talking about my love, I am talking about the love you are hiding deep within your heart. Under the masquerade of your's."

He left, saying this and leaving Prachi spellbound. Staring at the empty doorway where he stood. His words playing in her mind on loop.

~*~

Everyone were seated around the dining table, chatting within themselves. Pragya was feeding Prachi since she could not eat on her own. Rhea was glaring draggers at Prachi after she had failed in her attempt of getting mushy with Ranbir. Ranbir had called her off with enough politeness as per not to raise suspicion in the family members and still be rough enough to Rhea after today's drama she had caused.

"Okay listen everybody," Dasi said loudly, gathering everyone's attention. "I have to tell you something."

"Yes dasi? What is it?" Purab asked.

"I had promised god that I will visit the Kuldevta if Abhi got freed of the vicious clutches of Tanu." Dasi said, looking at everyone. "And I want that the entire family to come with me."

"Of course we will, Dasi. You wish something and we don't fulfill, that can't happen." Abhi assured her and she beamed at him.

"Vikram, Pallavi, Baljeet, I want you to join us if that is possible. You are also going to be family soon." Dasi aired her wish.

"Ofcourse Dasi, we will surely join you." Pallavi assured her and the other two nodded as well.

"Good then, get ready we will leave tomorrow." Dasi instructed.

"How long are we going for?" Rhea asked, hopeful that maybe her wish will be fulfilled.

"You guys are not coming with us." Abhi informed.

"What why?" Aryan asked.

"Because you can't." Abhi said, teasingly.

"But we want to." Prachi said, she too wanted t know where her ancestors lived.

"I said you can't so you can't." Abhi declared and she frowned a bit.

"But why chief? Don't you all tell us to take part in religious things?" Ranbir complained, not able to see Prachi sad. How much do she ask for anyway? Next to nothing. She could atleast go where she wanted to. 

"I said you can't go, that's that. End of discussion." Abhi finalized and all the youngsters frowned while elders smiled.

"Why are you smiling?" Shahana asked them.

"Stop riddling it around." Pragya smiled, and looked at the frowning, pouting and sad faces. "You guys can't go because you are not allowed to. I mean that unmarried can not go there. So, you guys will have to stay behind."

A couple of "oooh"s were heard around the the table and elders laughed at their childish antics.

"So we will be here." Shahana asked.

"Yes." Pragya smiled.

"The children are going to be alone?" Mitali asked, looking at the pairs.

"Alone?" Prachi asked.

"How can they be alone Bhabhi?" Abhi asked, "There are seven of them. They are everything but alone." 

"So we are free?" Aryan asked excited.

"You are saying like we keep you locked in cupboards." Purab laughed.

"You guys are going to be without adult supervision, that doesn't mean you can do whatever you want." Pallavi warned them.

"Relax aunty, we won't be without adult supervision. We have Prachi." Piyush sniggered. and everyone laughed while Prachi glared at him.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Prachi shot at him only for others to laugh even more.

"Nothing, it meant nothing." Aarav extinguished the fire before it could start.

"Come on, It's the time for surprise." He said pulling her up from the chair.

"Yeah, I'll go get it." Prachi jumped from there and almost broke into a sprint going from there.

"What happened to her?" Shahana asked still looking in the direction her sister went. 

"Bhai what did you do to her?" Piyush asked and everyone frowned. "I left you two alone for hardly fifteen minutes and since then she had been behaving like she is on crack."

"I just made her realize that whatever happened in the temple today was not her fault and that the family left because they care for her." Aarav replied smiling at everyone. "She is just happy to be in a family that is her own."

Prachi returned with bags in hand and saw that everyone had moved to the living room. She smiled and made her way to them.

"Ice cream time." She shouted raising bags in her hand. 

"Good thing you got it, it was really hot in the temple today." Vikram appritiated.

Prachi smiled at him and kneeled in front of the coffee table. She placed every cone on the table and Shahana got up to help her distribute them. They passed everyone a cone, Prachi remembered what everyone preferred and had precisely got the flavors everyone liked. She gave everyone one and just put one in front of Ranbir on the table. 

She looked at the cone, then to Ranbir and then averted her gaze. Ranbir smirked and raised her hand to pick up the cone but Rhea interrepted him.

"Ranbir try this, it's really good." she said, offering a blueish covered cone to him.

Arhana who had been happy to see the little interaction between Pranbir frowned. They shared a look and Aryan moved forward. He took the cone from Rhea, looked at the cone and shook his head.

"No Rhea, Ranbir absolutely hate caramel flavor." He smiled at her. Aryan quickly picked up the cone from the table and shoved it in Ranbir's hand, "This is his favorite. He can live off of it for centuries. Right Ranbir?" He turned to ask the boy and grinned when he saw him already unwrapping it. 

"We will leave tomorrow morning and be back by two days later evening." The elders informed the younger group after they had decided the course of their trip. 

Everyone made their way to their rooms and Prachi was in a dilemma for what she had been doing the entire day. She needs to stay away from Ranbir or Rhea won't even hesitate going to the drastic measures.

A/N:- Hey sweety pies. How are you all doing? Hoping the best for everyone, here is the next chapter. Though it didn't come off as planned, it is what you'll get cause my brain had gone on a strike regarding the chaotic rise in the temperature. 

I wanted to show that if it isn't for the periodical threats Rhea gives, Prachi almost loose herself to her heart that screams a single name. Also fun coming up in the next chapter. The 'Alone' time of the kids will sure unveil some masti.

If you liked the chapter, make sure to VOTE and comment. Inline comments are surely welcome. Feel free to point out any mistakes you come across in the chapter.

Lots of Love,

Simran