It was almost midnight. Avni sneaked out of her room to the terrace and stood in front of the railing.

She looked at her phone and dialled a number.

Avni: hello vidyut... Kaha ho? Kya kar rahe ho?

Vidyut: so raha hoon

Avni: akele yaa kisi ke saath?

There was a coat of sarcasm in her voice.

Vidyut: nahi yaar avni... I can explain.

Avni: shut up just shut up... Kutte kahi ke... Teri wajah se maine meri family se jhagda kiya main apne dad ke khilaaf gyi aur tu kahi aur mooh maarta phir raha hai... yaha meri neend haraam karke chain se so raha hai.

The anger in her was rising constantly.

Avni: meri baat kaan khol ke sun le chain se to main tujhe bhi nahi rehne dene wali... Teri to main...

She stopped hearing a beep. He had already hung the call.

She scoffed in anger and sat on the bench.

Avni: kamina kahi ka... Pehle raat ko do do baje tak baatein karta tha aur aaj phone kaal diya... Kutta ka...

Her curses came to rest when she heard a soft chuckle by her side. She was alone on this terrace. A frown came on her forehead and she looked around. She was surprised to find the same boy from the morning sitting next to her.

Avni: tum?!

Neil chuckles at her reaction.

Neil: kya hua? Kisko adhi raat gye gaaliyaan de rahi ho?

Avni: tumse matlab aur tum yaha kya kar rahe ho?

Neil: maaza pi raha hoon... Piyogi?

He asked playfully forwarding the bottle of mango juice to her.

Avni didn't say anything but stayed sitting the same way.

Neil: let me guess... Boyfriend? Break up?

She looked at him sideways. Involuntarily she confirmed the plight of her heart.

Neil: oh... Waise kya kiya usne?

Avni: obviously cheat hi kiya hoga na... Kisi aur ke saath bed share...

Neil: oops!! Zyada hi serious hai... Par tension mat lo yeh sab to chalta hi rehta hai na...

Yet another desperate attempt to get into a conversation with her Neil started giving his opinion on her relationship.

Neil: tum to itni sundar ho... Padhi likhi bhi lagti ho... Tumhe to koi aur mil hi jayega... Pata hai yeh break up ki tension to hum jaiso ko hoti hai ki dusri kaise milegi... Tumhe kya fikar?

Avni narrowed her eyes in a scrutinizing gaze at him.

Neil: aankhein khol ke aas paas dekhlo... Ho sakta hai koi aur mil hi jaaye...

Avni: sahi kaha... Mujhe to koi aur mil hi jayega... Aur waqt bhi to dekho... Raat ka time... Akeli ladki chhat pe... Naya naya break up hua hai... Rone ko kandha dene wale tum aagye ho...

Neil smiles. Her mood switched from calm to angry.

Avni: GET OUT!! Sare ladke ek jaise hi hote hai... Sab ladkiyon ko ek hi nazar se dekhte ho... Sacche pyaar ki koi value hi nahi hai... Uth jaa yaha se aur bhaag ja..

She huffed in anger and turned her face around. Few seconds later she heard giggling behind her.

Avni: tum...tum has rahe ho? Pagal ho kya?

Neil started laughing.

Avni: ab has kyu rahe ho? Hello...

Avni looks on.

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

Next morning, a busy restaurant is seen.

Avni and Neil walked inside together and looked around. She pointed at a table near the counter.

A waiter approached the table and stood there shocked.

Neil: Arrey waiter ji... Order le jao... Pehle pani ka glass haina avni...

He touched her hand lightly and laughed a bit. Avni too giggled at him. It seemed like they were laughing on some joke cracked earlier.

The waiter didn't move a bit. Avni turned and saw his face. He was none other than vidyut.

He seethed in anger seeing them together.

Vidyut: avni... Mujhe baat kar ni hai.

Avni looked away.

Neil: oye waiter bhaiya aap abhi tak yahi ho... Jaao na pani le ke aao... Avni... Tum meri tareef kar rahi thi na... Continue...

Avni laughed.

Vidyut burned In jealousy seeing his girlfriend laughing with some one else.

Vidyut: avni meri baat to suno...

He tried to get her  attention but in vain. She was busy laughing at Neil's silly jokes and holding hands.

Neil: oye waiter bhaiya... Abhi tak yaha khade ho... Ab to pyaas bhi mar gyi... Ek kaam karo... Ab na woh dil wali coffee le ke aao... Theek hai na avni...

He looked at her

Avni: jaisa aapko theek lage

She smiled widely showing her teeth.

Neil: oye hoye oye hoye.. Dil hi jeet leti ho aap avni... Accha suno waiter... Ek hi coffee lana... Hum share karenge... Aisa karne se pyaar badhta hai... Okay avni....

He smiled at her she smiled back and blushed a bit.

Vidyut: avni meri baat....

Neil: Arrey waiter jaa na jaldi... Bohut kaam hai humein... Manager ko bulao....

Vidyut: nahi sir jaa raha hoon...

He stomped his feet and walked away glaring Neil and avni who were busy acting all lovey dovey in front of him.

Getting the coffee he placed it in front of Neil. Neil smiled looking at the coffee.

Neil: yaar avni... Yeh dil itha pyara hai mera to isko todne ka bhi dil nahi karta pata nahi log asli dil kaise tod dete hai....

He said this last line eyeing vidyut.

Avni too nodded in affirmation blinking eyes. Vidyut gritted his teeth at them.

Neil: avni hum na bahar chalte hai.. ice cream aur pani puri khate hai... theek hai?

Avni bobbed her head in a yes and stood.

Avni: haan hum na pani puri aur ice cream khayenge... chalo.

Neil and avni started moving out of the office. Reaching near the door Neil turned a bit and saw Vidyut. He chuckled at his face which was as red as a tomato.

He carefully slipped her arm around Avni's waist. She  turned to him in surprise.  she was about to move away.

Neil: still... arrey kya kar rahi ho? kyu natak ke direction mein baadha daal rahi ho...

Avni: kahi mera faayda bol ke khud ka faayda to nahi kar rahe?

Neil gulps.

Neil: arrey nahi nahi... jitna hum paas utni usko taqleef hogi...

He tried to convince her of  his action with a smile on his face.

Avni: better agar yeh naatak ho... warna...

She tried warning him sternly.

Neil: shh.. chalo chalo...

He sped up his steps and pulled her along with him.

Vidyut looked at their retreating figure and clenched his jaw.

Vidyut: samajhti kya hai yeh khud ko...

**********

Avni and Neil were riding her scooty. Neil was at the pillion.

Avni: (laughing) uski shakal dekhne wali thi... Bechara... Waise tumhe kaise pata ki yeh tareeka kaam ayega?

Neil raised his collar proudly and smiled.

Neil: Arrey ladka hoon... Jaanta hoon... Aise ladke ladki ko rota hua dekh sakte hai lekin kisi aur ke hasta nahi...

He thinks something.

Neil: waise tumhe is duniya mein koi aur mila jo waiter ke phas gyi thi?

He laughed at his own stupid joke.

Avni: stop it... Intern hai woh

Neil giggles.

Avni: jo bhi ho... Ab usse bhi samajh aa hi jayega ki main bhi koi khilona nahi hoon.

Neil smiled at her reflection in the rear view mirror.

Soon avni stopped the bike in front of a large old building.

Avni got down the scooty and parked it.

Avni: waise tumhe padhayi nahi karni... College jao...

Neil: padhayi likhai sab beete kal ki baatein hai main to yaha ghoomne aaya hoon...

Avni; seriously?! Ghoomne itni door!!

Neil: aur time pass bhi to chahiye na...

He said this recalling his need of a temporary relationship with a 'Mumbaikar'

Avni: time pass? Saare ladke na ek hi jaise hote hai...

Neil clicked his tongue and negated it.

Avni: timepass dhoondh rahe to shadi kis se karoge?

Neil: shadi to meri fix hi hai na...

He said this in a chill tone. Avni looked at him in surprise.

Avni: kis se?

She felt a strange pull in her heart but it was small enough for her to ignore and continue with the conversation.

Neil: photo dikhau?

Avni nodded. He at once took out his phone and searched Naina Singhania on Instagram.

Neil: yeh hai jiski qismat mere saath likhi hai

Avni saw this picture and was surprised.

Avni: kya baat hai... Girlfriend hai Tumhari?

Neil: nahi yaar... Meri bua ke bade jeth ki choti beti hai... Uski badi behan ki shadi mein dikhi thi to main apne liye rok li...

Avni: (giggles) bus ki seat hai kya jo tumne rok li?

Neil: jo bhi ho... Banda to isi ke ghar baraat le ke jaayega...

He said this dreamily.

Avni: kuch bhi... Accha ab mujhe late ho raha hai... Tum jao yaha se.

She walked inside the gate. Neil looked ar her retreating figure and smiled.