Next day Karan and Preeta reach farmhouse and finds the rucksack Prithvi ji has created. He is furious and degrading Preeta’s dignity in front of everyone.

Prithvi smirks seeing Karan and Preeta together and starts his acting. “Sarla Maa please tell me what should I understand if my would be wife is out of home for entire night with some other guy. Can’t you understand how would I feel that my would be wife spent entire night with other guy.” Sarla was aghast listening such words from Prithvi. But before she could respond Shristi shouts at top of her voice. “How dare you degrade my sister’s dignity. She went out to search for you. Why didn’t you pick your call when she was trying to call you. Why did you leave abruptly without informing your fiance. She was so worried about you well being that she didn’t care about the weather and went out to find you any way. You slimy pig Karan Sir is decent and gentleman, he helped my sister in finding you and they must have been stuck somewhere due to which they couldn’t come back.”

Now Prithvi felt the heat and thought to turn the table and appease to Sarla. “Sarla aunty you understand my insecurities right? Preeta ji is my fiancé and she spends a lot of time with Karan. I was just jealous and reacted this way. Don’t you feel she should have taken Shristi instead of Karan. I know it must be this Karan’s idea to accompany her and take advantage of her innocence. We don’t know what happened between them in confines of secluded area at night time.”

Everyone was shocked listening to the sound of slap that landed on Prithvi’s face. Shristi smiled, Preeta was crying and rest others were shocked to see Karan spitting fire from eyes. He was enraged hearing such cheap thoughts about himself and Preeta. He couldn’t digest anyone putting finger on Preeta’s character and Prithvi did that mistake. “How dare you point a finger on her!! What kind of fiancé does that to his own would be wife. Don’t you have some faith on your fiancé.”  Turning towards Preeta he shouts look “is this the person your were worried about?” Looking at everyone he tells that he just went out to help her in finding Prithvi, how his car broke down, how they took shelter in an abandoned house on roadside.  She was pissed at me for hitting him and was fighting with me all time for this goat face and here he is degrading her character. There is nothing between us, we are just good friends. Infact I would say she is my best friend that’s all(internally thinking about the kiss they shared).

Preeta was astonished to hear his declaration and thought about the kiss they shared. She thought how easily he lied to everyone that nothing happened between them and I’m just his friend. She was relieved to find everyone agreeing to Karan and looked at Prithvi with hurtful eyes.
Sarla came forward and asked Prithvi why did he disrespect her daughter. Is this how his trust wanders? If he can disrespect her publically like this before marriage what are the chances that he will stand by her in adverse conditions after marriage. “I should really think once again about this marriage as it’s a matter of my daughter’s self respect and happiness.”

Sensing things going out of hands Prithvi came forward and put his hands in Preeta’s hand and mumbled a sorry saying he was jealous of Karan and due to this insecurity he uttered those words. He truly respects her and apologizes to Preeta and  Sarla. He starts portraying himself as jealous insecure fiancé who just wants to spend more time with his would be wife. “Sarla aunty I promise to keep Preeta ji happy. She is my life and I like her a lot. I want to spend some quality time with her so that we can get to know each other a bit more.  But she spends most of her time with Karan and that just irked me and I lost my cool. I know my behavior was not justified but look from my point of view.”

Sarla mellows a little listening to Prithvi and sensing that he was about to be forgiven Shristi jumps into the scene. “ Mom you can’t be serious to forgive him when he embarrassed di in front of everyone. If he had this suspicion he could have asked Preeta di one to one, but no he took this as a chance and degraded her in front of our family and Luthras. What kind of mother you are to tolerate this kind of allegations against your own daughter. If dad was alive today he would have broken this marriage the moment he put such horrendous allegation on Preeta di.”

Preeta steps forward and calms Shristi saying that it was a misunderstanding and it’s sorted. We shouldn’t play the blame game and keep on stretching this matter. “Prithvi ji realized his mistake and apologized so leave this matter here only. We should start preparing for going back.” Saying this Preeta left from there and went towards garden.

Sitting on a bench in garden Preeta was pondering over all the incidents that happened yesterday and today until now. She was in deep thinking. “How did I let Karan come near me, so close that we could hear each other’s heartbeat. His heart was racing at our proximity and I could see he couldn’t see sadness in my eyes and hugged me back. One tear in my eyes broke his the Karan Luthra swag and suddenly he became my sweet caring bajabattu. Our kiss was sudden but why I don’t regret it. It was like the best thing I have experienced in my entire life. Does that mean I have feelings for Karan?!No it can’t be, he just now said we are just friends nothing more than that. The must not have meant anything for him, it must be casual like he always flirts and overstepped the boundary. But he did apologised and didn’t bring it up for entire night or even during our ride back at home. May be he was embarrassed and wasn’t making eye contact.”

**

Shristi has been looking for Preeta in the entire farmhouse but at last found her in garden. She has been calling Preeta from a long time but her sister was in another world. She shook Preeta  which brought her out of her trance. “Di let’s go back everyone is ready to leave. I have been trying to find you from long time. Your Prithvi ji is waiting for you.”

When Preeta reached the front porch, Prithvi dropped by her side asking if she would like to accompany him in the ride back home. This way they can spend some time together and talk out issues if any. Preeta looked at Sarla and on her nod she agreed. Secretly she watched Karan’s reaction, he was angry and didn’t look towards her. He put on his goggles and left saying he will drive back alone.

**

Karan’s POV
While driving Preeta’s crying sad face was revolving in his mind. He was not able to concentrate on driving, so he took a detour and stopped at a cliff area. “Why am I feeling betrayed when she agreed to go with that goat face Prithvi. She ran away leaving me alone even when I defended her character instead of saying thank you or talking to me. What is going on in her head. She is ignoring me since then, didn’t say one word even when we were in car while coming back to farmhouse. May be she got offended and want to break out friendship. She hasn’t spoken a single word after our kiss. I apologized even though I didn’t want to, instead I wanted to kiss her again. I could sense she was also into me, she too responded to my kiss. I can still feel her warm lips on mine as if I got addicted to it just in one kiss. It was an experience I would never let go off, but why? Do I feel something for Preeta, have I crossed the boundary of friendship? I can not let go off her, I’ll talk to her about us once back in Mumbai.”

**

Deciding this Karan got into his car and saw missed calls from his brother. “Karan where the hell are you and why weren’t you picking your call? What kind of reckless behavior is it? Come home straight away.”
“I just stopped at a café for coffee. Don’t worry I’ll reach home soon and yeah I’ll be driving safely. No need to remind me.”
Karan started the engine and left from the cliff side and straight away reached home. The moment he reached his room, he received a message and all worries tension got replaced by a big dimpled smile. Yes the message was from Preeta. “Please don’t do anything reckless. I’m absolutely fine. Prithvi ji didn’t say anything on out way back. It was very quiet ride back, I missed the banter we had while going to Lonavla. Drop me a message when you reach home.”

Karan lied down on bed and started typing. “ Glad to know Miss Mental was missing me and as I told Rishabh, I wanted to have coffee so got down at a café and got delayed. I will now freshen up and head for dinner. Keep on smiling you look better like that. I don’t want to see those tears ever in your eyes. See you tomorrow.”
Rishabh entered Karan’s room and started with his preaching and Karan just ran to washroom saying “ I’ll be on dining table in 15 minutes.” Rishabh left his room reminding him to make it quick.

**

All had their dinner and headed to respective rooms to take rest.
Karan was checking his mobile every ten seconds but there wasn’t any response from Preeta. He was getting confused now, earlier she was worried about his whereabouts and now she isn’t even responding to his message. He checked his message if it was read or not. He could see the blue ticks but still no response. He started getting restless as to why she didn’t respond. Did she take my care as flirting? He was pacing in his room and decides to visit Preeta. He was getting restless thinking why she didn’t respond anything. Finally he picks the car keys and head out.

Preeta’s POV
Ever since we came back and found that Karan hasn’t returned I was getting restless. He isn’t picking Rishabh ji’s call, has something happened to him or he is angry with him that I didn’t speak with him. But what can I do, Prithvi ji apologized and maa too forgave him and if after that he asks to accompany him how can I deny. He is my fiancé and if he wants to spend some time with me, he is entitled to how can I deny him! But I was so restless to be alone with him, little conscious and when he held my hand I became very uncomfortable. It’s so strange I’m getting married to him but even a little proximity with Prithvi ji bothers me, I didn’t like the touch, it felt dirty to me. While with Karan I feel comfortable, I feel peace being with him. Even though we fight a lot and don’t agree on many things but still I feel loved, cared and wanted. Have I started falling for Karan but there is no place for love in my life. I know I have to love someone to whom I will get married. It was same for Deepak and then for Prithvi ji. Then why I become so restless and worried for Karan. I receive his response and my breath got hitched. Is he flirting with me? What do I respond to him. I should just ignore it and leave it for tomorrow. I keep on reading and re-reading the message trying to decipher some other meaning of the message. But he likes my smile and absolutely hate my tears. Does he like me? Why would he like, he likes Malishka Sophia kind of girl, I’m too simple and traditional for him. What is this new feeling, I’m not able to understand, why am I avoiding him! I should switch off my mobile and sleep. Hopefully things will be better tomorrow.

**

Karan reaches in front of Preeta’s home and calls her. “The number you are trying is switched off. What the heck, she has switched off her mobile. Now I need to meet her, ask her why she didn’t respond to my message and on top of it switch it off too.” Karan looks around and goes to the window of her room. He tries and to his luck it was open. He tiptoes inside from window and sees Preeta and Shristi were sleeping together. Now he was in tight spot what if Shristi wakes up. He will be caught and she will tease him a lot and even sing the tale to Sammy. Quietly, Karan wake up Preeta and close her mouth with his palm so that she doesn’t scream. He realize she too wasn’t asleep just lying on bed with eyes closed. Her eyes widen finding him in her room and he asks her not to shout and signal her towards Shristi. She understood and nods and he removes his hand. She gets up and takes him to the living room and from there to the terrace. She was dumbfounded and didn’t utter single world on the way.
On reaching the terrace, “What are you doing here and how did you come inside my room? What would happen if any one saw you entering my room. Do you understand the repercussions of your action?”
Karan was just smiling looking at her angry face and just hugged her. She was shocked now and forgot everything started to tighten the hug. Karan brought his face in front of her and kissed her forehead. Preeta mumbles “Are you really here?” Karan chuckles and rest his palm on her and their eyes locked. They both are thinking about the kiss they shared yesterday and starts leaning towards each other. Karan holds Preeta’s hand and take it till his cheeks. Preeta sees her palm that was on Karan’s cheek, the light stubble pricking her and her eyes land on her ring. She was slapped by time and came out of trance and creates space between them and take away her hand. Karan got confused and asked “ What happened babydoll?” Preeta asks him to leave, being too late in the night. She promised she will talk tomorrow and answer all his questions then She was worried, “God forbid if maa wakes up we will be in trouble, so please go home right now.”
Karan didn’t say another word and started leaving. He was disheartened and it was visible on his face. Preeta ran and hugged him and kissed on his forehead saying “ We will definitely talk tomorrow morning I promise.” Karan relaxed a bit and said Good night and left. Preeta too got down to her room and was pondering about events that transpired between them. She was busy comparing her uneasiness with Prithvi and comfort level with Karan and finally realize that she has made their friendship line a little blurry. She settles to sleep and receives a message from Karan. “Reached home. We need to talk. Good night.” A smile creeped on Preeta’s face and she responded “I know we need to. Good night sweet dreams kadve karele.” Both slept thinking about each other.

***†******
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