(Ananya's room)

Ananya was pacing to and fro in her room. She was hell worried now. It was 11 pm at the night and Veer hadnt still turned up. After every five minutes she was trying Veer's mobile but it was switched off. Now she was really worried and thought of calling Nikita and Abhimanyu who went out to attend a wedding. As she was about to dial Nikita's number she heard some noise downstairs and decided to check what was the matter and walked out of her room. As she was descending the stairs, she froze on her track for a moment as she saw Veer walking through the living room and tears of relief flow down her cheeks. Smiling through tears and thanking god for sending him home safe and sound, she rushed down the stairs and ran towards him and before he could understand anything, engulfed him in an embrace. Veer's hands hung in mid air and he didn't return the hug. He was trying really hard to control his tear from flowing. Soon Ananya left him and blasted on him.

Ananya: "kaha the tum? Samajhte kya ho apne aap ko tum haan? Itni der se ghar laut rahe ho? Pata hain raat kitni ho gayi hain? Aur agar tumhein call receive karna hi nehi hota toh fir mobile rakhne ki kya jarurat hain? Tumhein pata bhi hain yahan fikar se meri kya haalat ho gayi thi? Agar mom, dad yahan hotey toh wo kitna pareshaan ho jaatey. Main toh unhe phone karne hi wali thi."

Veer: "Tumne unhe phone toh nehi kiya?"

Ananya: "nehi. Par tum the kahan? Aur..."

But she was interrupted by Veer: "Kuch jaruri kaam tha. Mujhe neend aa rahi hain. Tum bhi jake so jao."

He walked past her. She was shocked at this extremely cold behaviour of him. She was not at all used to such thing especially from Veer. But then she suddenly remembered about dinner. She had been waiting for him for dinner.

Ananya: "Prince chalo ab dinner kar lo."

Veer (without turning back): "Maine kha liya hain. Tumhara khana ho gaya?"

Knowing that he had already had dinner and that too without her for the first time, she lost her apetite. Tears threaten to spill out of her eyes but she controlled herself thinking that he must be tired.

Ananya: "Haan."

Veer: "Thik hain fir tum sone jao. Main bhi chalta hu. Goodnight."

Ananya: "Goodnight."

Veer dashed up the stairs and dissapeared from the sight within minutes. Ananya stood rooted there. She was upset with the cold behaviour of Veer. She just couldn't understand why he was giving her cold shoulders. She shrugged off the thought thinking that he must be tired and that everything would be fine the next morning. She too made her way to her room.

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(Ananya's room)

Ananya sat on her study table and took out her diary. For a moment she sat still and then opened the diary and began to pour her heart out in it.

Dear diary,

Today I'm really upset. I was so excited as I wanted to know how Veer liked my dance rehearsal. But look at him. He dissapeared from there. It happened for the first time that he went away somewhere without telling me. Was the work that much necessary that he couldn't just inform me. I also wanted to tell him about the college play and you know what diary Abhi wanna participate. Today in the rehearsal room he was practising the dialogue and I helped him, I being the heroine and he being the hero. It was a proposing scene and he did it quite well. Now coming to Veer again, I was hell worried for him when he didn't return till late. But when he came he behaved so coldly with me for the first time. He didn't do it even when he is angry with me. I don't understand what had happened to him. I'm so sad. I just cant tolerate his cold attitude. And today for the first time in 15 years he didn't have his dinner with me. I'm even more upset. I didn't have it either. Perhaps he is just tired. That's why. By next morning everything will be fine again, I know.

She closed the diary and got up. She walked to her bed and sat on the side of it and took Veer's photo which was there on the side table and ran her fingers through it and smiled.

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(Veer's room)

Veer was sitting on the floor, holding a photo frame which had his and Ananya's picture and was crying bitterly. The whole room was dark and was only dimly lit by the moonlight that was coming from the open window.

Veer: "I'm sorry Anu. Aaj maine pehlibaar tumse itna coldly behave kiya. Par main kya karu? Agar tumhare kareeb jaunga toh main tut jaonga aur tumhein bhi tor dunga. Ab main tumhare paas nehi ja sakta aur nahi tumse dur reh sakta hu. Kuch ab pehle jaisa nehi raha. Mujhe tumse dur rehna hi hoga. Tumhare khushi ke liye mujhe yeh karna hi hoga. Tumhein thora dard hoga par kamsekam tumhein tumhara pyar toh mil jayega. Bas tum humesha khush raho yehi dua hain meri."

As soon as he said this fresh tears rolled down his cheeks. Now he knw that as much as he hated even to think about that he had to maintain a distance from Ananya or else he would breakdown and would reveal his heart's desire to her. Hence he was determined to keep his distance and with this determination he wiped off his tears.

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(Veer's room)

(Next day morning)

Ananya entered the room after returning from her morning walk as was the custom for the last 15 years and was ready to clean the ever untidy room. She was shocked to the core when she found the room clean and tidy and everything perfectly in place. However, what shocked her even more was that Veer was already awake and had already taken a shower and was getting ready. He was combing his hair when she entered. Seeing her through the mirror he turned back a fake smile plastered on his lips.

Ananya looked around with great surprise and the looked back at him: "Prince tum uth bhi gaye aur kamra tumne saaf kiya hain? Achanak?"

Veer: "haan wo mujhe laga ki ab mujhe apna kaam khud karna sikhna chahiye na isliye."

Ananya was a little hurt when he said this: "kyun? ab mujhpe bharosa nehi raha kya?"

Veer (in his mind): "tum par hi toh is duniya mein sabse jyada bharosa karta hu Pari. Par musibat yeh hain ki tumse is duniya mein sabse jya da pyar bhi karta hu. Lekin iska mujhe haq nehi hain. Isliye dur rehna hoga mujhe tumse. I'm sorry Pari par mujhe yeh karna hi hoga. (Aloud) Aisa koi baat nehi hain Anu aur fir tum hi toh keh ti rehti ho ki mujhe yeh sab sikhna chahiye aur ab jab maine apna kaam kar liya toh tum upset ho gayi. Tum bhi na! "

Ananya was shocked again at being addressed as "Anu" instead of "pari" by Veer: "Anu? Tumne mujhe Anu kyun kaha?"

Veer turned back as he was fighting back his tears: "Wo kya hain na sab sochte hain ki hum friends nehi lovers hain jab main tumhe Pari, angel ya kuch aur bulata hu jo ki hum nehi hain. Toh isliye maine socha ki main tumhe Anu hi bulao. Wont that be right?"

Ananya was quiet as she still didn't digest the fact that he had left his 15 yrs old habbit of calling Ananya "pari" just because of what some random people thought. Had they become more important to him than her?

Soon she composed herself: "Pata nehi Veer kya sahi hain kya galat. Bas itna pata hain ki tum mujhse dur ja rahe ho, bahut dur. Kyun? Pata nehi."

Saying this she walked out of the room. As soon as she went out of the room, he locked the door. He slide down beside the door as fresh tears rolled down his eyes. Veer leaned the back of his head on the smooth surface of the door and cried his heart out.

Veer : "Main bhi tumse dur nehi jaana chahta hu Pari. Par main kya karu? Main tumhare bina nehi ji sakta Pari. Par mujhe tumhare saath jeene ka bhi ijajat nehi hain."

****************************************************************

Ananya's eyes were also not dry. Tears brimmed up in her eyes too as she recalled the last night's as well as the morning's incident. Now she could clearly realize what she ignored last night. She felt as if a drastic change had taken place in Veer as well as their relationship. She felt as if he was drifting away, farther away from her. She was clueless about such behaviour of him. However, she comosed herself and wiped off her tears as she was about to descend the stairs. She came down the stairs and as soon as she saw Nikita and Abhimanyu she plastered a fake smile on her lips and greeted them who greeted her back happily. Soon enough Veer joined them and after greeting his parents he and Ananya went out for the college. The car journey was a silent one, infact unusually silence. Ananya was looking out of the window while Veer was time and again stealing glances of her. He knew that she was upset but he also knew that he had to do that for her own sake. Soon they reached the college.

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(college canteen)

Veer and Ananya entered the college canteen where all the others including Abhi and Madhura were already siting and chatting. As soon as their eyes fall on them they smiled and waved at them and the duo waved back at them with fake smiles plastered in both of their faces. They reached them and settled on their respective chairs.

Soniya: "Wow guys aaj tum dono jaldi aa gaye! What a pleasant surprise!"

Soham: "Haan yaar aaj suraj kis taraf se utha hain?"

Riya: "Lagta hain Anu kal raat se try kar rahi hogi Veer ko uthane ki. Isliye aaj finally yeh dono time pe aa gaye."

All except Rahul laughed at her comment as he knew that Veer must be maintaining a distance with Ananya.

Ananya: " Nehi aaj mujhe aisa kuch nehi karna para. Veer bahut jimmedar ban gaya hain aur apna saara kaam usne khud hi samhal liya hain."

Thyough she said it normally the anger and sadness in her tone didn't go unnoticed by anyone, including Veer and Rahul.

Saying this she just got up as tears threatened to spill out and giving an excuse of having to go to the library she went away. Now the whole gang sensed the tension between the duo though they couldn't pinpoint exactly what was going on. They thought of asking Veer but he too excused himself and went away. Rahul got up and went after him. Rahul was searching him everywhere. As he was passing through a desolate corridor he came across a dark empty room. Thinking of checking the room he entered. As he entered he saw someone sitting on a deski in the darkest corner of the room. Only the silhouette could be seen. Rahul walked towards the person who was sitting with his back turned to him. He sighed as he realized who the person was. He put a hand on that person's shoulder and the person turned to face him. It was none else than Veer. Though his eyes were dry but they were bloodshot. One look at his face at the moment could reveal how much pain he was going through though at other times no one could decipher his feelings as he marvelled at the art of hiding his feelings.

Rahul: "veer."

Veer : "Mujhe pata hain kya poochna chahte ho tum mujhse. Par yaar mujhe yeh karna para, mujhe yeh karna parega. Main uske paas nehi jaa sakta. Wo mujhe bahut acche se janti hain, shayad mujhse bhi jyada acche se. Agar main uske kareeb jaounga toh wo jaan jayegi mere seene mein dafn yeh raaj. Aur yeh usko tor dega. Yeh guilt usko jeene nehi dega. She will feel like betraying me. But she isnt at fault at all. "

Rahul: " Aur tum Veer?"

Veer smile sadly: "Tum jante ho Rahul main kuch bhi kar sakta hu Pari ki khushiyo ke liye. Main janta hu maine usse hurt kiya hain. Par shayad yehi sahi hain, accha hain uske liye aur jaruri hain uski khushiyon ke liye."

Rahul shook his head in defeat as he knew that there was no point arguing with Veer and that it would be like banging his head against a rock.

Rahul: "Kash ki wo bhi tum se utna hi pyar karti!"

Veer: "Kash! Kash ki yeh sach hota. Par yeh sach nehi hain aur mujhe ab isi sach ke saath jeena hain ki main Ananya se pyar karta hu par mera pehla pyar adhura reh gaya."

They both startled by a female voice that came from the direction of the door:

"Kya kaha tumne ?"