Shehnaaz was standing near the window. It was a moonlit night. Moonlight was coming through the window and touching her face. Shehnaaz was lost in some other world. She had no idea of what was happening. It was just feeling so right. After a long time she was enjoying the beauty of the moon. After a long time her heart was beating fast. After a long time she was laughing in her mind remembering someone. Why all those were happening? IS IT LOVE?

"Aisa kyu ho raha hai? Ho sakta hai woh sirf mazak kar raha tha. Main kyu uske baare mein itna soch rahi hoon? Kya main sach mein uss se pyaar.... No no this is not right. Main humesha Rohit se pyaar karti thi aur humesha ussi se karungi. Sidharth is just my friend. Maybe he also thinks me only as a friend." Shehnaaz said in her mind.

Suddenly her mother entered the room.

"Arrey Shehnaaz, tu abhi tak jaag rahi hai?" Pammi Ji asked.

Shehnaaz came out of her thought and said, "Mummy aap? Itni raat ko.."

"Tujhe yeh baatane aayi thi ki kaal Rita ke ghar jaa kar unn logo ko grihaprabesh mein invite kar dena. Bohut kaam hai kaal sayad dhyan na rahe isliye aaj tujhe baata diya. Yaad karke unhe invite kar dena."

"Ok Mummy don't worry. Main unhe invite kar dungi." Shehnaaz said.

"Thik hai abhi so jaa. Good night." Pammi Ji said. She was about to leave, suddenly Shehnaaz said, "Mummy, apse ek baat puchu?"

"Haan puch na." Pammi Ji said.

"Kya ek insaan ko zindagi mein do baar pyaar ho sakta hai?" Shehnaaz asked.

Pammi Ji smiled. She made Shehnaaz sit on the bed and slowly patted her head.

"Paata hai Shehnaaz, pyaar toh ho jaate hai lekin saccha pyaar bohut muskil se milta hai. Aur agar kisiko do baar saccha pyaar mil jaaye toh woh bohut lucky hote hai. Aur mujhe nahi lagta sacche pyaar ko jaane dena chahiye." She said.

"Par kya yeh sahi hai? Yeh toh galat hai nah pehle pyaar ke saath?" Shehnaaz asked.

Pammi Ji was understanding the situation. "Life mein aksar aisa hota hai. Humein samajh nahi aata kya sahi hai aur kya galat. Aise mein apni dil ki sun ni chahiye. Kyu ki woh kabhi galat nahi hota. Isliye dil ki sun, kya paata tujhe tera saccha pyaar phir se mil jaye?" Pammi Ji said.

Shehnaaz smiled and slept on her mother's lap. Before falling asleep she again thought about Sidharth and smiled unknowingly.
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Next day Shehnaaz went to Sidharth's house and invited everyone to their 'Grihaprabesh'. Everyone agreed to come except Neeti and Ashok Ji. Ashok Ji said that he had an important business meeting while Neeti decided to stay home. After that Sidharth and Shehnaaz went to their room for practice. At that very moment Sonia came to their house.

Rita Ji became very angry seeing her. "Tum? Tum kya kar rahi ho yaaha?"

"Hello Aunty Ji. Can I meet Sidharth?" Sonia asked.

"Aap Bhaiya se kyu mil ne aayi ho? He doesn't want to see you. Aap jaa sakti ho." Preeti said.

Neeti interrupted. "Mind your behaviour Preeti. Kitne dino baad aayi hai Sonia Di. At least unhe Bhaiya se milne toh de." She said to Preeti.

"Lekin...."

Ashok Ji indicated Preeti to stop and said, "Sonia jab chahe yaaha aa sakti hai. Don't forget that she is my friend's daughter. Sonia, Sid is in his room. Go and meet him."

Neeti smiled happily while Preeti made a face. Rita Ji didn't say anything and left. Ashok Ji also left for office.

Sonia went upstairs to meet Sidharth. She didn't find him in his room. While checking all the rooms Sonia saw Sidharth in the music room, practising with Shehnaaz. She knocked at the door. Both Sidharth and Shehnaaz noticed Sonia.

As soon as Sidharth saw Sonia, he became irritated.

"Who let you in?" Sidharth asked.

"Uncle. Aur Sid main yaaha nahi aati agar tum mujhse milne ke liye maana nahi karte." Sonia said.

"Mujhe tumse nahi milna tha aur nahi koi baat karni thi. Ab please yaaha se jao I'm practising." Sidharth said.

"Nahi jaungi. Tumse baat kiye bina main nahi jaa rahi." Sonia said

"Sidharth leave it. Hum practice karte hai. Yeh apne aap chali jayegi." Shehnaaz said.

"Wait wait. Who are you? You can't tell him what to do. Aur bhulo mat Sid par tumse zyada mera haq hai. We know each other from childhood." Sonia said.

Shehnaaz laughed sarcastically and said, "Accha? Phir tab tum kaha thi jab Sidharth tumhara wait kar raha tha? Jab woh tumhari galtiyon ke bawajood tumhe accept karne ke liye ready tha? Jab woh raat bhar akele rota tha tumhare liye? Jab tumhari wajah se uska career destroy hone jaa raha tha? Kaha thi tab tum? Tum toh apni life mein khush thi. Phir ab tum hoti kaun ho uss par apna haq jatane wali?"

Sonia had no answer. She felt insulted. After sometime she said, "Yeh hum dono ke beech ki baat hai. But why are you coming between us? Don't you think you should give us some space to sort things out? Tumhari jagah koi bhi friend hoti toh yehi karti. Lekin tum toh aise behave kar rahi ho jaise uski girlfriend ho."

"Haan. Hoon main uski girlfriend. Kya kar logi?" Shehnaaz immediately said. Sonia became shocked and Sidharth too at her sudden statement.

"Aur sach bolu toh girlfriend bhi nahi hoon. Family hoon main iski. Girlfriends toh chhod kar chale jaate hai tumhari tarah. But jo humara ristha hai nah woh toh zindagi mein nahi tutega. Ab agar thodi si bhi izzat bachi hai tum mein toh chali jao." Shehnaaz said with full attitude.

Sonia looked at Sidharth for one last time. She was expecting him to protest but when he didn't, Sonia left. Before leaving she said, "Main aaj toh jaa rahi hoon lekin main phir aaungi. Kyu ki mujhe yaaha aane ki permission Uncle ne di hai. Aur jab tak Sid maan nahi jaata main aati rahungi."

After she left, Shehnaaz looked at Sidharth and said, "I'm sorry maine josh mein aake woh sab bol diya. I hope tumhe bura na laga ho."

"Toh tum serious nahi thi?" Sidharth asked to clarify.

"Nahi nahi bilkool bhi nahi. Woh toh bas Sonia ko kehne ke liye.... Tum kya kuch aur expect kar rahe the?" Shehnaaz said. Now she tried to clarify.

"Arrey nahi nahi." Sidharth said.

Then they both smiled sadly as they were expecting something else.
_______________________________________

"Dad, Uncle mujhse bohut badi galti hogayi. I really love him." Sonia said while crying. She was faking it.

Ashok Ji and Neeti was at her place. Sonia's father was also there.

"Yeah Dad, mujhe paata hai Bhaiya aur Sonia Di ek dusre se bohut pyaar karte hai. I know Sonia Di se galti hui hai but unhe iss baat ka afsos hai. Iss se badi baat aur kya ho sakti hai?" Neeti said.

"Haan Mr. Shukla, Sonia ab badal chuki hai. Din raat bas Sidharth ke baare mein baat karti rehti hai. Apke Bete ne itna insult kiya uska phir bhi isne bura nahi maana." Sonia's father said.

"Bhaiya ki galti nahi hai. Woh Sana usse har waqt manipulate karti rehti hai. Dad please do something. Main nahi chahti woh Sana humare ghar mein aaye. Chahe jitni bhi famous singer ban jaye, unn logo ka standard humse bilkool match nahi khata." Neeti said.

Ashok Ji thought for a while. Then he looked at Sonia and asked, "Ek baat baatao Beta, do you love Sidharth?"

Sonia nodded.

"Phir tumhari shaadi Sidharth se hogi. I promise you." Ashok Ji said.

"But Sidharth toh mujhse naraz hai nah?"

"Thode din koshis karo. Agar woh nahi maana toh main uss se baat karunga. Waise main toh humesha se chahta tha ki tumhari shaadi Sidharth se ho." Ashok Ji said and smiled.

Everyone became very happy.

"I knew it. Dad you are the best. Thank you so much." Neeti said and hugged her father.

"Thanks Uncle." Sonia said.

"Ab dekhti hoon Shehnaaz, tum kaise Sid ko mujhse dur karti ho." Sonia said in her mind.
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What will happen now?

Will Sidharth be able to tell Shehnaaz before it's too late?

Or will he be forced to marry Sonia?

Stay tuned....

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