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Happy Padhofying

Sona's POV

"Arranged marriage? And you?" I was laughing like a maniac on loose.

"Kyu kya problem hai?" Nachiket crossed his arms across his chest.

"Shakal dekhi hai apni?" I asked him

"Itni buri nahi hai" Nachiket was offended.

"Acchi hai pagal tujhe koi bhi mil jaayegi" I shook him by his shoulders.

"Tu to nahi mili na" He said

I left him instantly.

"Please Sonakshi my parents want me to meet this girl called Kiara and I've heard that her father is too mad. What is his name... haa ...Khatri Uncle. You know my parents are in Bhopal and they want me to meet her atleast." Nachiket summarised the issue for me. He bend down on his knees and joined his hands. "Please Sonakshi please listen to me"

"God if you would have proposed me in such a way I would have married you for sure." I said in a fun way.

"Is there still any chance?" He cocked an eyebrow

"No. I have found my man, the love of my life, the love of my after lives, my dead life ..."

"Stop stop I got it" He stopped me "You promised Sonakshi come on now help me out please I beg of you"

"Fine fine " I gave up and told him to get up too "Text me the address I'll be there"

"No. I'll personally pick you up at 5." He made his point clear.

"Niket...."

"No ifs and buts Sona" And he moved out of my room

"Sonakshi Jenny is calling you. Your turn to rehearse now" Jeevika called me and I went with her.

...................................................................
Flashback- Khatri kidnapped Riti

Ish: Kiara se Nachiket ko milwayegi
Me: Nahi bhai. That was only for fun.
Ish: Maan ja warna ...
Me:Kya?

I was tortured by stuffing my mouth with halwa of methi flavour mixed with
karele ka ras while the rest of Maheshmati was busy reading other stories.

Finally
Vicky: Kichiket hoga?
Me: I agree I agree

(Those who don't read my A/N wouldn't have got it)
.....................................................................

Nachiket was waiting outside Asha since 4:30. I was free but didn't go out before 5.

"Ready?" He asked me

"Obviously can't you see despo" I said.

And we zoomed out of the premises to meet Niket's would be Dulhaniya

Within 15 minutes we were standing outside a beautiful mansion

"Your possible in-laws are rich. Teri to lottery nikal gayi" When I said this our Nachoda blushed. "Such a despo you are!" I added.

I felt someone was watching us and I turned around but there was no one in my eye's field view.

We walked inside the house and were welcomed by Khatri uncle. He twirled his moustache and said "Aao ji aao swagatam" He welcomed us by stuffing our mouths with two chowmein samosas.

"WTF" I stared Nachiket with surprise

"I don't know!" He said

"Did you say something? Didn't like the samosas?" Khatri uncle asked

We nodded in a yes. He looked angry. Then we nodded our heads in a frantic no.

He slapped Nachiket's back and pushed him inside.

We were seated in their living area on a  king size sofa. The hall had guns adorning the wall and also animal skin. The man seemed to be an avid hunter in his younger days.

A skinny girl with tons of make up on her face welcomed us with a glass full of chacch. Who does that man? Who does that? Chacch!! I hate Chaacch!!

"This is my putri Kiara" Khatri uncle introduced. Nachiket looked least impressed.

"Everyone else is paani kam chai in front of me" She spoke

"What are your qualifications?" He asked

"BA FAIL MA PASS" She spoke with confidence and I covered my mouth to supress my surging laughter

"This is your choice?" I gritted my teeth

"Umm... This is not what mum-dad told me" He looked confused and I just rolled my eyes

"You know I gots 52.008.% in my 12th boards everyone else is Paani kam chai in front of me" She spoke again

"And your siblings?" I asked

"They are pani kam chai in front of me" Kiara gave a toothy smile.

Nachiket mouthed a SAVE ME.

"Aap kaun?" Kiara asked me

"Me? I am Nachiket's ... Nachiket's girlfriend." I said and Nachiket wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"I am a Bengali and Niket is a ... a ... What are you Nachiket?" I asked

"Rajput" He said

"Yes... Yes.. Our parents are against our alliance. Please help us. We really really love each other" I cringed my nose.

"Nyay ka saath dunga mai. I'll be fair" Khatri Uncle said. "Don't worry bacchas I'll help you"

"Par Papa this girl is Pani kam chai in front of me!" Kiara screamed.

"This is what you are doing behind my back" I heard a known voice and my blood froze.

Dev... I knew someone was following.

"Dev.." I squealed like a frightened rat.

He stepped forward and clutched my wrist tightly.

"Dev let me explain" I said but he forcefully pulled me out of that mansion. He was literally dragging me all the way out. This wasn't the man I loved.

"That guy is also pani kam chai in front of you Nachiket ji" Kiara said as we left.

Dev had dragged me out to the parking area.

"Mr Dixit you are hurting me" I yelled.

I pushed him with a great force and he fell a few steps backward.

"You were cheating me. I told you that I am not perfect. Stay away but you sticked around like a magnet and here you were ditching me. Great" He showered me with his allegations.

"Enough. You have no right to question my loyality Mr. Dixit. I will not prove my love in front of you because I know that I love you and that is enough for me. And for your kind information I was helping Nachiket by fixing his match but he didn't like the girl and I was helping him escape. Get that?" I screamed

He rubbed his face in frustration. I held his arms

"Kya ho gaya hai tumhe Dev? Why are you behaving like this? Trust me I am there for you. You can share anything you want. If needed I am ready to absorb all your pains. I'll be honoured to do that Dev but please help me to help you." I was breaking seeing his condition. "Please give me my old Dev back"

"I'm sorry Sonakshi" He hugged me lightly and left.

"Dev ... Dev stop"

He didn't listen. I too booked a cab and left.

Dev's POV

I drived aimlessly. Nothing was striking me. I didn't have any aim. What has happened to me? I feel hollow from inside without a ray of hope. The guilt which I was numbing in all these days had resurfaced and it had punched me with such a great magnitude that I was not able to stand back on my feet again, I was not able to get my sanity back.

Cars honked behind me. It was raining and I looked around to realise that I was stuck in a traffic jam. I was so lost. It wasn't safe to drive around like this.

As the traffic cleared a bit I parked my car on the side. I sat on my car's bonnet and watched the rain fall slowly but with a lot of force in chains of droplets. My vision blurred as the rain water pooled inside my eyes. I didn't know what I was feeling. Each second, each breath was heavy. A direction is all I wanted. I felt I was drowning in my own thoughts there is absolutely no hope, no light and I am panting like a drowned swimmer does hoping for oxygen, I was hoping for a new direction.

Ya nizamuddin auliya
Ya nizamuddin sarkar

I turned around I was standing outside a dargah.

Filmy. I thought.

"Not coming inside,Son?" A man in a white Afghani suit and long beard stood in front of me.

"I don't like god and its a mutual feeling between him and me." I said

"Hmm... Atleast you believe he is. We are his kids its normal to be angry with our parents. Come in." The stranger said.

"And who are you? God in disguise?" I asked

He laughed and nodded his head in amusement.

"No"

"Then messenger of god?" I asked

"I am not that Ram Rahim" He said

"So? Why bother to take me inside?" I was confused.

"It's raining here. There's shade inside. I'm just being human" He smiled.

I walked with him inside. The songs voices grew louder

Kadam badha le
Hadon ko mita le
Aaja khalipan me pi ka ghar tera
Tere bin khali aaja
Khalipan me
Tere bin khali aaja
Khalipan me

"Seems like your actual father, the father of all of us was waiting for you" The man said.

"Whatever" I was getting irritated with his comments now.

"Sufi is the food of the soul. From where I am seeing your soul desperately needs some good food. You are hungry." The man was hell bent in breaking my views.

Rangreza ... Rangreza ... Aaa ...
Kun faya kun
Kun faya kun faya kun
Faya kun faya kun faya kun (*2)
Jab kahi pe kuch nahi bhi nahi tha
Wahi tha wahi tha wahi tha wahi tha (*2)
Wo jo mujhme samaya
Wo jo tujhme samaya
Maula wahi wahi maya (*2)
Kun faya Kun
Kun faya kun faya kun
Faya kun faya kun faya kun

"So do you think what you did was right?" The man asked

"Huh?" I was confused.

"There is something that is bothering you. In that matter, was your stand exactly right?"

"No"

"But many days have passed since your actions. I understand that you blame yourself. You were wrong too but it wasn't your fault entirely. The victim chose oppression over fighting. Underestimating your own self and accepting defeat is equally wrong son. You have a heart of gold and you took all the blame on yourself. You are creating a self imposed misery. Snap out of it son. The past is only meant to teach us life lessons. Don't carry its corpse with you"

I looked forward. The rain drops were dripping from places and I looked at them.

"Have you heard of the concept of penance, prayschit? This is my penance... to always live with this guilt." I said trying to control the tears pooling in my eyes.

"No. This is self imposed misery. Nothing else. Penance is constructive. Repentance is destructive. Choose that way of penance which will uplift you, the victim, the society in general." He moved his hand over my head.

Rangreza Rang Mera Tan Mera Man
Le le Rangai Chahe Tan Chahe Man (*2)
Sajra savera mere tan barse
Kajra andhera teri jalti lau (*2)
Katra mila jo tere bar se
O maula
Maula ...
Kun faya kun faya kun....

This man was opening deeper recesses of my soul.

"How do you know so much?" I asked him

"Guilt is smeared on your face. You seem lost. I did something really wrong when I was of your age and then I drowned in my own guilt. Family wanted to help me but I didn't want to help my own self and now I am all alone... Coming here helps. It gives peace." The man said "You know what child stop cursing yourself, stop cursing God. He'll help those who will help themselves. Look for solutions because you can help your own self. No one else can. Build another version of you if you want but pull yourself to optimism. Don't waste your life as I did"

He was right. My vision some what cleared with his speech. He was asking for a changed thought process. It was not something that could happen overnight. It needed time but I was ready to apply this idea with an open mind and open arms. Thinking over his words, I thought of doing something constructive. This was for sure.

Ho mujh pe karam sarkar tera
Arz tujhe karde mujhe mujh se hi riha
Ab mujhko bhi ho didar mera
Kar de mujhe mujhse hi riha
Mujhse hi riha...
Man ke mere ye bharam
kacche mere ye karam
leke chale hai kaha
mai to jaanu hi na

Tu hai mujhme samaya
Kaha leke mujhe aaya
Mai hu tujh me samaya
Tere peeche chala aaya
Tera hi mai ek sayaa
Haannn
Kun faya kun faya....

The prayer touched my existence and I prayed for the same. To be able to witness a reflection of my actual being. To come across what I am. To understand my own self before understanding anyone else.

I will try looking for solutions and not just fill myself with pessimistic thoughts.

I'll try to live again.

Jab kahi pe kuch nahi bhi nahi tha
Wahi tha wahi tha wahi tha wahi tha

Precap -  THE GREAT GRAND FINALE!!!!!!!!