Veer smiled : "You are absolutely correct bro. We are not just friends."

All their friends were baffled and happy too as they never thought that Veer would ever say something like that. However, soon the balloon of their hope got burst as they heard Ananya.

Ananya giggled: "Because we are best friends."

Veer grinned: "Yup."

Soniya began : "Don't tell me guys that you still don't understand that..."

But he was cut in by an impatient Veer: "Oh please Sonu yaar, now don't start that again. Okay guys just forget it. Humara next class kab hain?"

Arnav: "Umm...haan...ek ghante baad hain."

Veer (in an enthusiastic tone): "Great! Ab agar tum bhukkar logo ka khane pe tut parna ho gaya ho toh court chalein?"

All except Arnav cheered as they just loved the idea.

However Arnav asked Veer with a scared expression: "Par veer kiska kya chori ho gaya hain? (And then he covered his mouth with his palm) Ya fir koi khoon ho gaya hain kya?"

Veer was utterly taken aback at this sudden change of topic: "Chori? Khoon? Matlab? Tumne yeh kyun kaha Arnav?"

Arnav ( in an innocent tone) : "Arey par tumne toh kaha na ki humein court jaana hain. Toh court toh log is wajah se hi jaatey hai na."

For a moment they all were silent but the next moment they all burst out into laughter while Arnav kept looking from one to other in utter confusion.

It was Ananya who managed to control her laughter earlier than anyone else and then turned towards Arnav: "Arnav Prince ke kehne ka matlab hain basketball court, law court nehi."

Arnav made a stupid face: "Oh!"

Veer grinned: "Ya oh. Tu bhi na yaar Arnav ekdum original piece hain kasam se."

And the rest giggled again.

Ananya got up from her seat: "So lets go guys."

All: "Yeah!"

One by one all of them got up and toghether they walked out of the canteen. Soham and Soniya were walking toghether through the beautiful road shadowed with long, green trees, with his hand around her shoulders and her hand around his waist. Rahul, Riya and Arnav were walking toghether in the middle while chattering and teasing each other. Veer and Ananya were the last among the group.

Ananya was talking to Veer but when she didn't got any response, she turned to him.Ananya felt a little weird as she found that Veer was lost somewhere which was quite unusual. He was thinking something. Ananya was about to shake him but instead an evil grin crept onto her lips as a mischievous idea passed through her mind.

"Aaahhh"

All of a sudden Veer was jolted out of his thoughts when he hear a loud shriekand in no time he realized it to be Ananya's voice. He wheeled around with a worried face and looked at Ananya who was standing there, perfectly fit and fine with a wide grin. Veer was totally confused but within a moment he understood that it was her prank and confusion turned into rage.

Veer: "WHAT THE HELL ANANYA? WHY DID YOU SCREAMED LIKE THAT? WAS THAT SOME KIND OF JOKE? DON'T U DARE PLAY SUCH PRANK AGAIN."

Ananya's grin vanished instantly as very rarely Veer yelled on her and whenever he did, it pained her too much and tears roll down her eyes in tis own accord and the moment was no exception. Veer was really angry as for a moment his heartbeat stopped thinking her to be in pain or danger and later to find out that it was only a prank, but soon his anger vanished as he saw tears brimming up in her eyes. He mentally smacked himself for hurting her while she just lowered her head and mumbled a "sorry" but tears were still flowing down her cheeks. Seeing her in tears it had hurt Veer a lot. Everytime her tears pierced his heart. He just couldn't see tears in Ananya's eyes and what was hurting him at the moment was that he, himself, was the cause of the those precious drops of pearls from the eyes of the person who was closest to his heart in the whole world.

Veer (in his mind): "Stupid you Veer! Rula diya na usko. Kya jarurat thi itna gussa hone ki aur uspe chillane ki jab tujhko pata hain ki usko kitna bura lagta hain jab tu uspe chillata hain. Apne gusse pe control nehi rakh sakta tha, you moron? Par main kya karta? Wo achanak se aise chikhi ki meri toh jaan hi nikal gayi. Mujhe laga ki usko chot lagi hogi shayad, and I just cant see her in pain. Par jab next moment yeh paata chala ki wo prank tha, toh khudko rok nehi paya main. Khair jo bhi ho, ab sabse pehle isko shant toh karna parega na."

Veer stepped towards Ananya and as he inched closer to her, he cupped her face in his palms and lifted her face up while her eyes were still lowered and tears were streaming down her rosy cheeks. He wiped them gently by rubbing his thumbs on her cheeks.

Ananya mumbled while choking on her words in a barely audible whisper: "Sorry."

Veer shook his head at her and smiled sheepishly: "No, don't be. Actually I'm sorry for yelling at you like a jerk. I really am a jerk, see I made you cry."

Ananya looked up at him and he gulped at once to see unshedded tears gleaming in her beautiful eyes and felt as someone had stabbed him with the sharpest knife ever made, right in the heart.

Veer swallowed the painful lump that formed in his throat to see her in tears and quietly said: "I'm really sorry Pari. Mujhe maaf kar do. Wo kya hain na main kisi aur hi khayal mein tha jab tum chikhi. Meri toh jaan hi nikal gayi thi, dharkan tham gayi thi jab mujhe yeh laga ki tum musibat mein ho ya fir tumhein chot lagi hain. You know na I cant see you in pain. Isliye jab pata chala ki tum prank khel rahi thi toh main apne gusse pe kaboo nehi rakh paya. Tum koi bhi prank khelna Pari par aisa kabhi mat karna. U r priceless for me and my heart stops beating even if the prospect of slightest harm to you crosses my mind. Sorry."

Ananya smiled through her tears at his concern: "Its okay Prince. And I'm sorry for doing that. I will never repeat it again."

Veer smiled: "Promise?"

Ananya smiled back: "pucca promise."

Veer grinned widely and leaving her face moved back a step and then he opened his arms and smiled again while Ananya stepped forward with a wide grin and went to his embrace. He hugged her protectively, with one hand around her shoulders and the other hand stroking her hair to calm her down. They broke apart from the hug as they heard some whistlings and their friends voices.

They turned to see the other six standing there with wide grins on their faces.

Rahul started : "Kyun romeo juliet yahan kuch kuch hota hain chal raha hain.... (but he soon broke off as he saw her wiping tears and got tensed) kya baat hain Anu? Tum thik toh ho? Kya hua Veer?"

Veer smiled as he took a quick glance of six worried and tensed faces: "kuch nehi yaar. Wo maine isko dant diya tha, toh wo ro pari. (All the rest sighed in relief and Ananya smiled while veer continued) mera mood spoil ho gaya yaar. Khelne ka mood nehi hain. Hum next class ke liye nehi aa rahe. Main Pari ko uski favourite ice cream parlour leke chalta hu, iski mood toh thik karna hoga na. Chalo bye guys."

All the six waved at them: "Bye."

Veer escorted Ananya to the parking area where his car was parked with his hand around her shoulders protectively.

On approaching the car, he left her and they both got into the car.

Once they were inside the car, Veer turned to look at Ananya and found her looking at him and smiling.

Veer (confused): "What?"

Ananya giggled: "you just turned to check whether I'm still crying or not, right?"

Veer chuckled: "Hats off to you woman! You know me so well. And ya I really meant to do so. And didn't I tell you that my Pari can never be wrong."

And with this they started laughing, all pains and tears left far behind. Soon Veer started the engine and they joomed off.

They were driving through a crowdy street when suddenly Ananya shrieked and Veer got startled.

He rounded on Ananya while looking in front as he was driving: "Agar yeh fir se koi majak hua na Pari toh...."

But he was cut in between by an extremely excited and delighted Ananya: "nehi nehi Prince, koi majak nehi hain. Plz plz plz stop the car."

Veer (confused): "Stop the car? But why?"