At the playground, Sid was sitting alone on a bench and watching Kabir talking with his friends. Their cricket match was over and now he wanted to go home as soon as possible but couldn't as Kabir was so engrossed in chatting. Being introvert in nature, he never liked unnecessary talks with anyone except his close friends. People may call him boring but this is how he is.

Sid was about to call Kabir and give him hurry when a guy came there calling Sid's name.

(Randeep Rai, Sid and Kabir's classmate and Sid's only bestfriend after Kabir)

"Sid... Bro... I have come..." Randeep stopped near him and asked panting, "Match suru toh nahi hua na?"

Sid gave a sarcastic smile and said, "Nahi. Suru ho ke khatam bhi ho gaya."

"Yaar!" Randeep made a sad pout and sat on the bench, beside Sid.

"Sunday ko itni subah subah nahi utha jaata. Aise time mein match rakhne se pehle thoda toh sochna chahiye na inn Gadhon ko. Saara mood hi kharab ho gaya."

"Lazy lad!"

"Look who's talking."

Randeep rolled his eyes to which Sid chuckled. Then he again looked towards Kabir.

"Kabir!" Said Sid loudly while getting up and Kabir came to him.

He noticed Randeep and said, "Arrey tu ab aaya? Itna accha match tune miss kar diya. Agle match mein time se aa jaana bro warna team se hi nikal denge."

"I'll try my best. Bas match ki timing sahi ho." Replied Randeep sighing.

"Agle match ka baad mein dekhenge. Abhi wapas chal yaar, match kab ka khatam ho gaya. Breakfast nahi karna kya?" Asked Sid.

"Main woh hi baatane wala tha. Friends ke saath suddenly plan ban gaya hai. Aaj pura din unhi ke ghar rahunga. Tu please ghar mein koi bahana de dena."

Sid widened his eyes hearing that and said, "Yaar kyu phasa raha hai? Kaunsa bahana du ab? Mat karna Kabir."

"Koi bhi de de. Teri baaton pe sab yakeen kar lenge."

"Par tere assignment ka kya? Kaal school mein submit karna hai."

"I know you will take care of that. By Bro. Love you."

"Arrey par..."

Before Sid could say anything, Kabir left from there with his friends. Sid sighed and Randeep nodded his head in disbelief.

"Tu na Kabir ko kuch zyada hi sir pe chadha ke rakhta hai. Uski problems hai, usse hi face karne de na." Said Randeep while returning home with Sid.

Giving a slight smile, Sid said, "Bhai hai mera. Main uski baaton ko taal nahi sakta. Aur upar se usko daant padegi toh mujhe hi bura lagega."

"Tu bigad raha hai usse."

"Zaldi sudhar bhi jaayega... Jab thodi akal aayegi."

Both Sid and Randeep laughed at this.

"Accha woh chhor. Paata hai kal humare school mein ek nayi student aa rahi hai. Iss hi saal admission liya hai usne." Said Randeep further.

"Nayi student?" Asked Sidharth curiously. "Tujhe kaise paata?"

"Uss din Ashi aur Reem ko baat karte hue suna. Ashi ki cousin sister hai, uske ghar rehne aa rahi hai. Sayad 11th and 12th humare hi school se complete karegi. Kya naam baataya tha.... Yaad aaya, Sana."

As soon as Randeep said this, Sid stopped walking. He felt something after hearing this name. It gave an unknown peace to his heart. His lips curled up to a beautiful smile.

"Sana!" He murmured being lost.

"Tu kaha kho gaya?" Asked Randeep being confused.

Sid shrugged off his thoughts and said, "Kahi nahi. I was just thinking.... Tu Reem aur Ashi ki baatein chhup chhup ke sunta hai? Bad manners Bro. I know Ashi teri hone wali girlfriend hai but still...."

"Come on Sid. Don't start this. Ashi aur mere bich kuch nahi hai." Said Randeep controlling his blush.

Sid continued teasing.

"But hone ke chances hai. I know you like her."

"Ok, now I'm ignoring you."

"But you can't ignore your feelings."

"Shut up."

While talking, they both reached their respective homes.

Returning home, Sid's family members asked about Kabir and this time he gave excuse of group study. Though he himself never liked lying in front of them but for Kabir, he had to do it thousands times against his will.

"Maaf kar dena Bhagwan Ji. Aaj phir se jhut bolna padha." He said in his mind.

After that, the whole family sat together to have breakfast.

"Yeh Kabir bhi na! Aaj maine uska favourite breakfast banaya aur aaj hi woh doston ke ghar group study karne chala gaya. Pehle toh mere haath se khane ke liye kitni zidh karta tha. Aur ab dekho. Yeh bacche bade hone ke saath saath kitne badal jaate hai." Said Vaani Ji, Sid and Kabir's mother.

Sid looked at his mother sadly. He remembered those days when he also wanted to eat from his mother's hand, just like Kabir. But she never fed him for once. Since childhood, she was always cold towards him. It was not that when he asked for something, she turned him down. She always gave him everything he needed except the love he wanted from his mother. He didn't know what was his fault that she could never give him the motherly affection which every child gets from their mother.

"Mera bas chale toh main humesha aap ke haath se khana khau... Par aap mujhe nahi khilaogi. Kaash main Kabir hota." He thought sadly.

"Taiji aap mujhe apne haathon se khila dogi?" Asked Pihu, the youngest member of the family, Sid and Kabir's 10 years old cousin.

"Beta Taiji ko pareshan nahi karte. Khud apna khana khao." Said Sid's Chachi.

"Arrey pareshan hone wali kaunsi baat hai? Pihu meri beti nahi hai kya? Aaja bacche, main tujhe apne haathon se khila deti hoon." Said Vaani Ji and Pihu happily went to her. She started feeding Pihu and Sid smiled sadly looking at them. He felt himself unlucky as he was the only one who was deprived of this love.

"Sidharth mere bacche... Idhar aa... Aaj main tujhe apne haathon se khana khilaungi." Spoke his Dadi softly not being able to see him sad.

"Nahi Dadi main khud khaa lunga."

"Zyada bada hogaya hai? Muh khol chup chap."

Sid sighed and opened his mouth and his Dadi fed him with love.

"Sid, maine tera favourite fruit custard bhi banaya hai. Kha ke baata kaisa hai." Said his Chachi excitedly.

"Tumne banaya?" Asked his Chacha raising his eyebrows. "Phir toh tu gaya Beta."

"Zyada mat boliye. 15 saal se yeh hi khana kha rahe hai aap."

"Aur paata nahi kitne saal jhelna hoga."

Sid started giggling cutely seeing their fight. Indeed his whole family loved him a lot. But his smile faded away when his eyes fell on his mother who didn't even look at him for once. He realised that their love couldn't feel the void.

After breakfast, Sid went to his room and took Kabir's notebooks. He completed his all the assignments. It didn't take much time for him to finish all this.

After that, he took his headphone and sat near the window. He looked at the sky, it was cloudy. It might rain anytime. He connected the headphone to his phone and started listening music.

Music... His best companion which never let him feel that he was alone... In his lonely time, he heard soft soothing music and his all sadness and worries gets vanished in a moment... It helps him to get out of this world and takes him to another world whether there is only peace and happiness... Where no sadness could even touch him...

He closed his eyes and let himself be lost in the lyrics and tune. Music was not always there in his life....There was a special person.... Who introduced music to him....

Jab bhi main akeli hoti hoon... Aankh band kar ke gaane sunti hoon... Tu bhi try kar na... Tujhe lagega hi nahi ki tu akela hai... Hehehe...

As Sid remembered those words and cute giggle... The little innocent face came in front of his eyes... Who once helped him to forget his loneliness... She promised to return but never showed up again...

Sid's thoughts broke when he felt soft touch of furr on his leg. He looked there and found his pet cat, his 'Meow' rubbing itself in his skin. It might have understood that he was sad and that was why it was not leaving him.

He picked up Meow in his arm and said, "Jab bhi main sad hota hoon, tujhe kaise paata chal jaata hai? Haan?...."

He caressed it softly.

"Aaj phir se maine woh bura sapna dekha. Upar se Maa ka ignorance, woh toh roz ka hai....Main na bohut koshish karta hoon ki unke liye ek accha aur perfect beta ban saku... Taa ki woh mujhse bhi utna hi pyaar kare jitna pyaar woh Kabir se karti hai...

Paata nahi...mujhse aisi kya galti hogayi jo woh mujhse itni naraz hai... Kya mujhe kabhi unka pyaar nahi milega?...."

Sid's heart ached as he couldn't see any hope. He knew he would never be loved by her. Teardrops fell from his eyes but he immediately wiped them off and smiled forcefully.

"Sayad nahi... Lekin mere paas Dadi, Kabir, Chacha, Chachi, Pihu, Randeep... inn sab ka pyaar hai... Tera pyaar hai... Aage koi aur pyaar karne wala mile yaa naa mile... Main iss hi mein khush hoon..."

Sid looked outside and saw that it had started raining. He felt good seeing the raindrops. He forwarded his hand and water drops fell on his hand. Today's rain was something else. He felt that it was going to change his life. But how?

He didn't think much and closed his eyes keeping Meow in his lap.

The rain stopped after few hours but it again started in the evening. At around 7 pm, Sid got Kabir's call who went to bar with his friends and got stuck in rain. Having no option, he called Sid to pick him from there. At first, he was upset hearing that Kabir went to bar but he had to help his brother. So he went to the bar taking their car.

"Driver Uncle aap yaheen ruko. Main Kabir ko uske friend ke ghar se pick up kar ke aata hoon." Said Sid to their driver and came out of the car with an umbrella.

"Kya kya karna padta hai uss Kabir ke bacche ke liye. Aaj aane do usse. Acche se sunaunga." Murmured Sid while walking.

He stood at a place where Kabir asked him to wait. Standing there, he called Kabir and told him to come fast.

While waiting, his eyes fell on some street puppies who were getting soaked in the rain. They were looking so helpless. He started thinking how to help them when a girl wearing an yellow frock with pink raincoat, came there.

Sid became curious to know what the girl was going to do when she opened her raincoat, bent down and covered the puppies with it. He became surprised seeing someone giving her own raincoat for some puppies. He found her little crazy.

"I'm sorry. Yaaha aas paas koi shade nahi hai aur mere paas iss se better kuch nahi hai tum logo ko bhigne se bachane ke liye. Isliye iss hi se kaam chala lo. Aur ab yaaha se hilna mat, warna mere raincoat ki qurbani waste ho jayegi. Upar se main puri bhig chuki hoon woh alag." She said and giggled bringing a smile to Sid's face as well.

"Waise ek secret baatau? Mujhe baarish mein bhigna bohut pasand hai. I love rain. Because according to me, rain is the best matchmaker. Jaise movies mein hota hai. Heroine baarish mein dance karte karte apne mein pura kho jaati aur hero usse dur se khade ho ke dekhta hai. Aur waha se suru hoti hai unki love story. Haaye! Kaash mujhe bhi koi ekdin aise hi dekhe jab main dance mein kho jau aur woh mujh mein. Paata nahi aisa kuch kab hoga mere saath? Filhaal main iss baarish ke maze lete hoon. Mere liye... Mumbai ki pehli baarish."

She stood up and opened her arms, letting the raindrops fall on her face and body. She was so lost in herself that she didn't notice that someone was watching her being lost in her, just like she wanted.

Here Sid never experienced something like this. But something changed in him after seeing her. Her words were crazy which didn't make any sense yet he found them cute. She attracted him like magnet. He felt an urge to go near her and talk to her. But before he could step ahead, Kabir came in front of him.

"Chal bhai." He said and took Sid with himself while he kept looking back but couldn't see the girl's face.

On their way to home, Sid was lost in the thoughts of the girl. He was continuously smiling remembering her crazy words and how she was living in her delusional world.

Here Kabir was continuously telling Sid about his day which he spent by playing cards, video games, smoking with friends and then coming to this bar but he was not paying attention to his words.

"Bhai tu sun bhi raha hai?" Asked Kabir loudly dragging Sid's attention.

"Huh!"

He looked at him.

"Kaunsi gehri soch mein duba hua hai?" Asked Kabir.

"Kuch nahi main... Accha ek baat baata. Tujhe kya lagta hai? Yeh jo movies mein ladke baarish mein ladkiyon ko dekh ke unke pyaar mein padh jaate hai... Aisa real life mein bhi hota hai?"

Hearing that, Kabir made a poker face for few seconds and then brust into laughter leaving Sid confused.

"Kaisi behki behki baatein kar raha hai? Pyaar, baarish.... It's all bullshit. Humari age abhi fun karne ki hai. 5-6 girlfriends bana, thik hai. But love, never. Mujhe toh sunke bhi hasi aati hai." Said Kabir jokingly to which Sid rolled his eyes and looked outside through the window.

"Sayad Kabir ki baatein sahi ho.... Sayad aisa sirf movies mein hi hota ho, real life mein nahi... Par Bhagwan Ji, aap uss ladki ko waisa pyaar zaroor dila dena jaisa woh chahti hai... Woh pagal hai, ajeeb baatein karti hai, lekin dil ki saaf hai... Uske khwaab kabhi tutne nahi chahiye...

Baarish toh mujhe pehle bhi pasand thi...par aaj uski wajah se maine baarish ko ek alag nazariye se dekha... Filmy nazariye se... I hope yeh baarish uski story mein bhi matchmaker ka role play kare aur usse uska pyaar zaldi mil jaaye.... At least kisi ke life mein toh pyaar ki kami na ho..."

Sid smiled without knowing that the rain had already started playing the role of matchmaker and their lives were going to change forever.
______________________________________

How will things take a turn when three of them will meet?

Vote if you liked this chapter.

Thanks for reading❤️