Avneil went to the dance floor dancing and spending some time within themselves. Neil was continuously blabbering some or the other thing causing avni to laugh. She was literally enjoying each and every moment she's spending with him.

In the corner of the bar counter, a man is seen turning green with envy. The next minute the wine glass in his hand was smashed on the floor with glass all over.

After some dance and fun Neil and avni walked out of the club into the parking.

They were talking about something when avni saw vidyut sitting on her scooty with some boys standing around. He was visibly disturbed by the close bond they were sharing.

Avni and Neil looked at each other and frowned. Avni smirked a bit and walked to him.

Avni: Tu yaha? Kuch kehna tha kya?

Vidyut glared Neil who was standing behind avni and then looked at avni.

Vidyut: Tum is ladke ke saath yaha kya kar rahi thi?

Avni chuckled a bit and walked back to Neil. Placing a hand in his shoulder she signalled him something.

Avni: chal hero maar isse...

Neil looked at her with widened eyes. She was telling him to beat a stranger.

Neil: oh hello... Tum logo ki aapas ki baat hai kyu maar kaat karni... Baat kar ke suljha lo na...

Saying this he stepped back and stood a few steps away from avni and vidyut.

Avni gaped her mouth at the way he walked away. Vidyut chuckled at avni.

Vidyut: hero to gaya tera...

He reached out for her hand. Holding her hand in a tight grip he smirked. Avni tried to get out of his hold but it was much stronger than expected. She winced a bit.

Vidyut: bohut udne lagi hai na tu? Tere par to main kaat ta hoon.

Before he could pull avni her met a sharp pain on his cheek. The hand that clasped her hand now cupped his own cheek because of the slap that he got a few seconds ago.

It was Neil who looked at him with anger filled eyes. Avni looked at Neil in shock.

Neil: Himmat kaise huyi teri saale? Avni ka haath pakadne ki? Chuua Kaise tune usko teri to...

He slapped him again with each question he was saying. Vidyut wanted to beat him back but when he looked around there was no one of those 'bhaade ke tattu' he got with him.

The next moment he was laying on the floor with Neil slapping him.

After when Neil had given him a suffice number of marks on his face. Neil stood up and dusted his hands.

Avni looked at him with aww and affection in her eyes.

Neil: chal maafi maang... bol sorry...

Vidyut who was really scared for his bones.

Vidyut: sorry didi mujhe maaf kardo...

Saying this he crawled away.

Avni looked at Neil for a while and then burst out laughing. Neil looked on with confused expressions. He looked at himself and then at avni there was no joke going on then why is she laughing.

Before he could think of any other possible reason he was engulfed in a warm hug. His eyes widened realising avni hugging him tight.

Avni: thank you thank you so much.... Shakal dekhi thi tumne uski?

She continued laughing recalling the twelve'o'clock condition of vidyut's face.

Avni: kya maara hai tumne use... Mujhe didi bulwa diya yaar... Girlfriend thi main uski

Avni laughed.

Avni: kya maara hai usko... Dishoon!! Dishoon!!

She mimicked Neil when he was punching vidyut.

Neil looked at her laughing face and smiled. He stood still looking on.

Avni realized that in all this conversation she had hugged him. She was standing a few inches away from Neil. Seeing his face she blushed.

Avni: sorry woh thoda...

Neil: it's okay...

Avni: lekin aaj mere dil ko na thandak mil gyi hai... Ab usse pata chalega mujhe cheat karne ka anjaam kya hota hai.

She said raising her imaginary collar but stopped on realising something.

Avni: tumne to kaha tha ki bina jaan pehchan tum kisi ko maroge nahi... Phir vidyut ko?

Neil recalled himself saying about his anti violence thoughts.

Neil: usne tumhara haath pakada tha

Avni: haath mera pakada tha... Tumhe kyu dikkat huyi? Main to tumhari girlfriend bhi nahi hoon na...

Neil looked on. It's true that she was neither his girlfriend nor someone he knew dearly then why did he beat him up.

Neil: aisa nahi hai woh tumhari marzi ke khilaaf tha to maine...

Avni: rehne de...

She chuckled a bit looking in his eyes. Neil too got lost in her eyes.

Avni smiled and looked away. Neil looked confused.

Avni: main hi galat thi...sochti thi Sare ladke ek jaise hote hai... lekin nahi un mein 2 tarah ke hote hai.... Ek us Dhokebaaz cheater jaise... aur dusre tum... tum baaki ladko se alag ho...

She said with admiration in her eyes. Neil looked on. This praise was not able to go well with him. He denied.

Neil: nahi... Main bhi un jaisa hi hoon...

Avni shook her head in a no.

Avni: tumse timepass nahi hoga...

Neil: ho jayega.

Avni: hum ladkia ek touch mein jaan leti hai ki koi ladka kaisa hai.. Jis din tumne meri kamar pe pehli baar haath rakha tha na... Usi din pata chal gya tha ki tum kitne alag ho.

Neil could not say anything listening this.

Avni: timepass to tumse hone hone se raha jis din hoga... Saccha pyaar hoga yaad rakhna...

She smiled and walked to her scooty. Neil stood there looking at his hands. Avni words were playing in his head.

Neil: pyaar?? Nahi nahi mujhe sirf timepass hi karna hai... Haan...

He came out of his trance hearing a horn. If was avni.

Avni: ghar nahi jana kya?

Neil: haan aaya.

He ran a hand in his hair and hurried towards her.

On their way back home it was a silent ride. There was a content smile on avni's face while Neil sat pillion with some strange things running in his heart and mind.

Reaching there destination avni and Neil smiled at each other and walked in the directions of their respective home.

The smile on avni's face when she bid Neil a goodbye was seen by someone in her house. The person walked away.

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

Next few days have been very hard for Neil. He was trying to uncover his own heart. He wanted to know whether what his heart was thinking is true or no? He wanted to know whether he had already fallen for avni a longtime back or was it mere attraction.

Neil: yeh mujhe ho kya raha hai? Kya mujhe sach mein pyaar...

He shook his head sideways trying to ward of each and every possible thought of love.

Neil: Par yeh pyaar hota kaisa hai? Kaise pata karu?

He thinks for a while and then dialled a number.

It was nearly evening, shweta served tea to prakash and sat opposite him.

Just then her phone rang. She looked at the ID a gentle smile came on her lips. Prakash saw and understood who it could be.

Shweta: hello Neil kaisa hai tu?

Neil: main theek ho maa... Woh mujhe aapse kuch puchna tha...

Shweta sensed some nervousness in his voice. She frowns trying to think of possible reasons.

Shweta: haan Neil bol...

Neil: maa... Saccha Pyaar kaisa hota hai?

Shweta was shocked at this question. She looked at prakash who was busy reading his book and sipping tea. She cleared her throat and stood up.

Looking at prakash for once she turned and walked out in the garden.

Prakash found it weird but shrugged of his thoughts.

Shweta: Neil Tu yeh kaisa sawal puch raha hai?

Neil: maa pata hai mujhe ki hitler jaise pati ke saath shadi ke pehle pyaar to ho nahi ho sakta tha... Phir bhi kabhi na kabhi to hua hoga na... Saccha pyaar kaisa hota hai!

Shweta: hey bhagwaan Neil tera kya hoga... Apni maa se aisi baatein karta rehta hai...

Before she could continue she was called in by Prakash.

Shweta: abhi mujhe tere papa bula rahe hai... Jati hoon main...

Neil: par ma..

She hung the call. Neil sighed and looked at the phone.

Neil: ab main kaise pata karu? Ali.. Nahi nahi woh noodles ko Maggi masala se pyaar hua hoga woh bhi pani mein daalte hi bicchad gaya hoga.... adhura reh gya hona... Kaise pata karu?

He thinks of something and laid on the bed thinking. His thoughts wandered to the first time he met avni. She stood in front of her house with a disturbed face. The look she gave him when he asked about the address said all the unsaid frustrations.

He chuckled a bit. Then their meeting on terrace flashed upon him. She looked uber cute struggling with the Potter's wheel. Her eyes lips cheeks everything pulled him more and more to themselves.

He smiled. Closing his eyes he opened them with a jerk.

Neil: pagal ho gaya hai tu? Kya soche jaa raha hai? Maana tujhe timepass wali chahiye par avni timepass material nahi hai...

He thinks.

Later that night he called avni to her terrace. Sitting in front of each other Neil fondled with the cushion while avni looked on with confused expressions.

First of all he called her on soch a short notice and now is not saying even a words.

Avni: bologe hua kya hai?

Neil licked his dried lips and inhaled a deep breath.

Neil: mujhe kuch puchna tha...

Avni: pucho...

Neil: saccha pyaar kaisa hota hai?

Avni narrowed her gaze at him ina scrutinizing manner. Neil looked at her through the corner of his eyes and then continued playing with the cushion.

Avni: tujhe kis se pyaar ho gya? Siya?! Don't tell me... Tum us raat usse dekhte hi jaa rahe the... Yaan phir woh dance wali ladki?

She popped her eyebrows suggestively with a tinge of tease in her voice. Neil immediately felt his ears heating up.

Neil: nahi... Main to free baitha tha... Isiliye pucha... Mujhe pata bhi nahi hai... Maa ki to shadi hitler se huyi to waha to pyaar ka koi chance hi nahi... Aur kisi ne humare ghar shadi se pehle pyaar nahi kiya...

He made an innocent pout trying to make her believe on his stories. Coming from a conservative family Neil always had rebellious thoughts but he never ever disobeyed his family. He respected their decisions. (Prakash uncle being an exception😉)

Avni smiled a bit and took a deep breath.

Neil: tumhe bhi nahi pata to bol do... Main kisi aur ke paas jata hoon...

Avni: baarish!!

Neil: huh?

Avni: mujhe aisa lagta hai ki jab saccha pyaar hota hai na to baarish hoti hai... Thandi hawayein chalti hai aur waqt na thoda sa aur suhaana ho jata hai...

Neil frowns.

Avni: Aasmaan aur bhi neela lagne lagta hai... Phool aur bhi sundar lagte hai aur chahe kuch bhi kyu na ho jaye... Hum har tarah se us insaan ke bare mein ho sochenge...

She smiled dreamily mentioning the features of true love according to her. Neil chuckled lightly.

Neil: phir tumhara boyfriend tumpe cheat kyu kar raha tha? Yeh sab nahi hua tha kya tumhare pyaar mein?

Avni: mujhe aisa kuch feel hi nahi hua kabhi... Usne kaha ki usko yeh sab mehsoos hua... To maine haan kardi...

Avni: par tum yeh sab kyu puch rahe ho?

Neil: bas aise hi... Abhi mujhe nind aa rahi hai... Main chalta hoon...

He walked away thinking. Laying in his bed he walked to the window and looked outside. He sighed of relief and smiled.

Neil: baarish to door...baadal bhi nahi hai... Shukar hai mata rani....

He walked back to the centre table where there was a flower pot. He examined them...

Neil: phool bhi normal hi hai. .. Shukar hai mujhe pyaar ke symptoms nahi hai... Iska matlab aive bakwaas kar rahi thi woh... Koi pyaar nahi hua mujhe...

He laid back on his bed and went into his dream land.

But unknown to him this fever of love is asymptomatic.

Yeh dheere dheere aata hai aur chupke se aap mein samaa jata hai... 😍

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

Few days later Neil sat in his room going through the internet when his phone rang from an unknown number. He frowns.

Answering the call he was taken aback by the words said by the caller. He immediately stood up and walked out of the room taking his wallet with him.

Half an hour later Neil stood in front of an old building, 'Police Station XYZ Division' written in bold letters. There were traces of sweat and nervousness on his face.

Taking few deep breathes he walked inside. Going to a table he asked the constable softly.

Neil: ACP Ashish Mehta?...

The constable looked at his face for a while and then pointed to his right. Neil saw a cabin door and nodded in affirmation.

Knocking at the cabin door he waited for the reply. As soon as he heard come in from the other side he walked in. Looking around the cabin he found a man of about 50 years of age sitting in the chair with a file in his hand. He was Ashish Mehta.

Ashish: Neil... Aao baitho...

Neil walked to the chair and hesitantly sat in front of him. He can feel ashish's eyes boring holes into him.

Neil: ahem... Aapne bulaya tha sir?

Ashish: haan... Pata hi hoga kyu?

Neil shook his head in a no. He was not aware of the reason he was called here. Flashback showed the constable calling him on phone and asking him to come to the police station as soon as possible.

Ashish: avni...

Neil looked up on the mention of avni. He frowns.

Ashish: meri beti se door raho... Ek baar jo galti mujhse huyi hai main usko dohraata nahi hoon...

Neil looked on confused.

Ashish: usko nahi pata lekin kuch bhi theek nahi jaa raha... Better hoga tumhare liye ki tum is ghar ko chod do...

Neil: par aap aisa kyu chahte hai?

Ashish: main kya aur kyu chahta hoon isse tumhe koi farak nahi hona chahiye... Do din deta hoon tumhe... Mere ghar se door kisi dusre kone mein jaa ke raho...

Neil looked into eyes as if challenging him.

Neil: agar nahi gaya to?

Ashish chuckled a bit at his confidence. He is really impressed seeing his fearlessness.

Ashish: to tumhare ghar tumhare papa ko sab batane mein mujhe zyada waqt nahi lagega...