"Yudiye, darr to nahi laga tujhe?",

asks Huda looking towards Yudi, teasing him and bites his lower lip to control his laughter.

Yudi smiles sarcastically and looks towards Huda, who raises his brows in an expectation of a reply from Yudi.

"Huda tujhe bada maza aata hai na meri taang kheench kar?",

asks Yudi, still smiling sarcastically.

Huda lifts his shoulders briefly in air - a gesture of saying 'yes'.

The smile gradually begins to fade from the faces of their friends and their teachers respectively, naturally.

"Magar kya kabhi tu ne ye socha hai ke main aisa kyun hoon?",

asks Yudi, tilting his head a little towards left.

"Bachpan ki aadat!",

teases Alekh, looking away.

Yudi manages to hear him.

"Bachpan ki aadat nahi Alekh. Balki mere 'jawani' ke dino mein kuch hua tha jiska asar mujh par ab tak hai!",

Yudi raises his voice out of anger and frustration, using and emphasizing on the word 'jawani' in order to return Alekh what Yudi received him - a taunt, mockery, whatever!

Yudi stares Alekh still!

All of them, including Alekh, stare him in shock!

"Kya hua tha Cadet Yudi?",

asks Dr. Shalini, knitting her brows, eager to know, concerned.

Yudi turns to look towards Dr. Shalini.

He drowns into the pool of memories! Which even today feels like nightmares!

All get eager to hear him.

"Bachpan se hi main bohot bahadur tha. Nidar!",

begins Yudi, giving them insight about his growth graph.

Laughing a little, sarcastically, Yudi repeats,

"Yeah 'brave'!"

Looking towards all of them he asks sarcastically,

"Ajeeb lag raha hoga na sunkar? Yudi and brave? Nah!!!",

he repeats his sarcastic laugh.

Alekh and Suriji straighten up, serious and focused.

"Magar yahi such hai.",

Yudi nods his head, cascading his eyes.

"Tab tak tha brave main jab tak maine basketball classes join nahi kar li!",

says Yudi.

Everyone gets surprised to hear that.

"Oye Yudi tu ne to kabhi nahi bataya ke tu basketball classes jata tha?",

asks Pooja, surprised, knitting her brows.

Yudi turns to look towards Pooja and says,

"That's because main apni life ke book ka ye page kabhi open nahi karna chahta tha Pooja."

Shock hits all of his listeners again!

"Kyun aisa kya hua tha?",

asks Rajveer, all serious.

Yudi turns to look towards Rajveer and with a little smile and narrowing his eyes, as if doubting that Rajveer might not remember, but he still tries to remind him,

"Aapko yaad hai Sir, jab Dr. Mishra ke saath apka basketball match hua tha aur aapne mujhe apni team mein hone ke liye select kiya tha?"

Rajveer looks somewhere towards the bedsheet and tries to recollect the moment Yudi is talking about. It takes him a little time but he remembers anyways.

"Haan!",

he exclaims, his eyes widened as he remembers, his heartbeat picks up pace wondering what is about to follow.

"Maine bahana banaya tha ki meri tabiyat theek nahi hai main nahi khel paunga. Whereas the truth was basketball courts remind me of the fateful incident!",

confesses Yudi.

Rajveer and everyone there get shocked upon hearing this.

"Aur mana karne ke baad bhi mujhe kaafi waqt laga tha iss baat se aagey barhne mein kyunki reh-reh kar mujhe uss incident ke visions aa rahe the!",

says Yudi, staring Rajveer straight into his eyes.

"Kya hua tha Yudi tumhare saath?",

asks Rajveer, much more eager to know than he was earlier, now that Yudi has connected him to the situation.

Yudi drowns back into his pool of memories.

"Mujh mein humesha se hi junoon tha agey rehne ka. First hone ka! Whatever might I choose to do, mera naam - Yadhuvansh Sahani, subse top ho list mein, golden letters mein. I am born to be a winner! Always a winner!",

says Yudi, enthusiasm and excitement filling him afresh, he turns his right hand into fist, his right forearm standing erect.

"Aur aisa tha bhi. Jo kuch bhi karta purey concentration aur determination ke saath karta chahe parhayi ho ya sports ya guitar ya art and craft.",

he says with pride.

Laughing a little, sarcastically, Yudi continues, cascading his eyes,

"Magar mujh mein bus ek kami thi..."

Looking up towards Huda he says,

"Main har kisi ke saath gel nahi ho pata tha."

Huda stares him serious.

"Agar koi mujhe kuch kehde to uski baatein dil par lag jaati thi. Main aaj bhi aisa hi hoon.",

Yudi smiles sarcastically.

All feel bad for him!

"Dheere dheere main khudko subse duur karne laga. Ye baat mujhe ander hi ander khaane lagi. Main jo bohot talkative hoon wo achanak chup rehne laga. Meri chhuppi mujhe hi suffocate karne lagi."

Taking a deep breath, raising his voice a little, with new determination, Yudi says,

"Aur phir ek din maine decide kiya ke bus bro bohot hua! Ab agar mujhe akele hi rehna hai to kyun na khudko kisi cheez mein jhonk doon. And what better than your passion?",

Yudi's eyes glitter with joy.

"Subka apna-apna passion hota hai. Waise mere to kayi hain.",

laughs Yudi.

All laugh with him, feeling good that Yudi is laughing.

"Kuch ko ahmm... gaane sunkar sukoon milta hai. Kuch ko gaa kar! Kuch ko well... likhkar! Although mujhe inn sub mein interest hai magar uss waqt jab main apne passion ke baare mein soch raha tha to subse zyada dil ko 'basketball' hit kar gayi!",

laughs Yudi, beating his heart lightly with his fist.

"Jald hi maine basketball classes join karli jo ki mere ghar se around one hour ke distance par thi ya usse thoda kam. Subah 6 baje ki class hoti thi. Mujh mein khelne ka itna junoon tha ke main 5 baje hi pohnch jaata tha.",

says Yudi, getting excited thinking about the early days of his basketball classes.

Everyone stares him with their respective eyes filled with appreciation and love for their Yudi boy!

"Well wo jagah khuli hi rehti thi. You know koi proper gate nahi tha enter hone ke liye. Saamne ek basketball court tha bus, but a well maintained one. Main road se that court was visible but not clearly. Saamne bohot saari trees ki wajah se wo jagah secluded area sa lagta tha.",

he gives them the rough idea about the area.

"Maano perhon (trees) ne uss basketball court ko subki nazron se chhupa kar rakhne ki responsibility le rakhi ho.",

says Yudi.

"Pehle din jab main khelne gaya, mujhe pata nahi tha ke mere saath aur kon kon classes le rahe hain. Main ball dribble karte hue dribbles count kar raha tha, ke achanak I felt as if there was someone standing behind me at a distance. Main immediately peeche murha...."

All his listeners hold their respective breaths wondering who must have been there behind Yudi! What is he going to reveal now?

"Main jaise hi murha, maine dekha mere peeche kuch ladke khade hue the, kareeb meri umr ke. Unhe dekh kar lag raha tha jaise wo mujhe wahan dekhkar khush nahi hue.",

Yudi remembers the expression of the boys. They were glaring him.

"Maine unse poocha..."

*Flashback*

"Hi! Isn't it quite early for you to reach for the class?",

Yudi arches a brow, smiling politely.

He waits in expectation for the reply. But gets none. He finds it weird.

"Ahmm... aap... aap mere saath khelna chahte hain basketball?",

asks Yudi.

The boys nod their heads respectively.

"Oh awesome! Team divide karein then?",

asks Yudi, excited.

"Aap team decide karenge ya main karun?",

asks Yudi.

They don't react to him and rather keep staring him, their eyes hook him. He gets negative vibes from them and feels like leaving them to their own.

Just when he decides to leave, one of the boys says,

"Ye paanch tumhari team mein. Aur ye meri."

Yudi accepts,

"Cool!"

Soon the game begins. A few minutes later Yudi finds all of them jumping higher than Yudi's jump to pass the ball to others, including his team members. Initially Yudi doesn't give much heed to it. He by now begins sweating - way more earlier than he should have, as the pressure of not being able to jump as high as his team mates and the opponent team gets into him.

What soon he discovers takes his breath away not out of tiredness but out of shock and fear! He finds them suspended in the air passing the ball to each other.

Initially Yudi freezes at his spot. But soon enough he realises that something is amiss! He looks behind himself in order to measure the rough distance he needs to cover to get out of the situation. He turns back to look towards the boys in horror and gets shocked upon discovering the disappearance of the boys. He stares at the vacant court in utter shock and numbness! He looks around in search of them.

Were they really there or was he hallucinating? - he wonders. But then his sweating is a clear evidence that they indeed were there or else with whom did he play this long? But that's the main question - whom did he play with, this long?

His every nerve ending stands erect afresh when he hears slow footsteps of a person approaching him from behind. The sound of footsteps of one person soon changes to the sound of footsteps of two! Followed by three!! And gradually he loses count.

Suddenly it stops altogether!

Yudi slowly rotates his eyeballs to the right, in fear. His body and face although turned away from who so ever is/are behind him but his every sense, every nerve cell is completely aware of any movement that might take place behind him.

The basketball all of a sudden floats in front of his eyes suspended free in the air. This shocks him further! The ball that was left in the basketball court with the boys, how come it reached here and not just reach but is floating in the air too, Yudi has no idea!

His loneliness at a place he is new to, plus this unnatural stuff happening with him, he fails to imagine - is imprinting a mark in his fragile heart forever.

He begins to take backward steps staring the ball in fear throughout. He tumbles and falls on the ground against his back.

The boys glare him and begins taking normal steps like normal human beings towards Yudi. Yudi starts pushing his body back, staring them with his eyes wide opened. In his state of horror, he fails to even get up and run away. He pleads them, crying,

"Please.... please mujhe jaane do!! Chorh do mujhe!"

But the boys seem to be in no mood to show mercy to him.

Yudi somehow manages to get up.

Without giving it a thought that they must be way more powerful than him, Yudi turns and runs as fast as he can!

When he reaches almost around the main road he gets collided with someone. Yudi holds him to save himself from a fall. He too holds him back, supporting his body.

"Yudi!!",

comes a desperate and anxious voice.

It is then that Yudi begins to realise that he is with a normal human like himself! Which gets followed by the realisation that it is his coach who is talking to him. What real relief is, Yudi has got to know just now! Relief of having a friend, a well wisher, a trusted person in your life, even if it is just one in a million in your life! He hugs his coach, crying profusely.

"Yudi!!! Yudi tum theek ho na??!!",

asks a tensed coach, getting down with him on the ground, holding him.

Yudi hugs him hard, crying non-stop, sweating profusely.

"Meri taraf dekho Yudi!",

he wipes the sweat off Yudi's face, facing him.

"Lo... lo paani piyo.",

he makes Yudi to drink water from his own bottle (Coach's).

Yudi drinks the water as if he has been thirsty for eternity.

"Chalo... chalo mere saath. Utho.",

his coach walks him to the near by desk.

They sit together.

"Ab batao. Kya... kya hua?",

asks the coach, lovingly, like a father or a brother.

"You won't believe!!",

says Yudi, shaking his head, hence dismissing the idea of sharing the incident with his coach.

"Trust me Yudi. I will. Batao kya hua?",

assures the coach.

Yudi looks towards him with his moist eyes, gradually believing his words.

The sky by now starts getting visible.

Yudi shares everything that happened!

His coach stares him in shock!

"Tum... tum ek ghanta pehle kyun aaye Yudi? Tumhari class to abhi thi na 6 baje?",

asks his coach, disappointed.

"Sir I... I was excited to start the course. Socha ke pehle aakar kuch der practice kar leta hoon.",

says Yudi, quivers in fear.

The coach closes his eyes and shakes his head, whilst doing so he says,

"Ye tumhe nahi karna chahiye tha Yudi!"

Yudi stares him in shock and fear!!

He goes numb! Not even having the courage to ask 'why?'

Looking towards Yudi, the coach thinks for a brief moment then says,

"Ab jo main tumhe batane ja raha hoon, shayad wo tumhare rongte khade karde ya shayad tumhe meri baatein bakwas lage."

Then laughs a little, sarcastically at his own words, and says sarcastically,

"Bakwas!"

"Nahi bakwas nahi lagegi ye baat ab tumhe I am sure, now that you have gone through all that!",

says the coach.

Yudi keeps listening to him.

"Yudi ye samjhlo ke ye area sirf mere akele ki nahi hai! Main bhale hi apne students ko yahan sikhata hoon but yahan meri marzi nahi chalti.",

the coach begins to explain Yudi.

Yudi gets confused! What is he talking about?

"Jab maine ye taye kiya tha ke main yahan apni classes shuru karunga tab nahi pata tha ke ye public property actually kisi ki personal property hai!",

says the coach.

"Unki jinse tum miley!!",

adds the coach, looking towards Yudi.

Yudi quivers again!!

This is weird!!!

"What?? Aapko mujhe ye batana chahiye tha!",

shouts Yudi in anger.

The coach looks towards him and calmly says,

"Humein mile hue waqt hi kitna hua hai? Bus ek baar hi to miley hain hum. Aur mujhe kya pata tha tum aise jaldi aakar yahan practice karoge?"

Yudi realises that he is right.

"Yahan subko pata hai iss baare mein. Maine apne har student ko bataya hua hai ye.",

shares the teacher.

"To aap kahin aur kyun nahi sikha lete Sir? Kya zaroorat hai yahan seekhane ki?",

asks Yudi, still in his raised voice.

"Mera ghar yahin paas hi mein hai Yudi. Baki aur jagah bhi koshish ki dhoondhne ki jahan main sikha sakun magar aas paas ki har jagah pehle se hi kisi na kisi ne le rakhi hai. Ye bhi inhi karano ki wajah se khali mili mujhe.",

says his teacher calmly.

"Shuru mein mujhe andaza nahi tha ke kyun ye plot khali hai. Socha shayad kismat mujh par mehrbaan hai ke mere ghar ke itne paas mujhe ek jagah de di jahan main coaching de sakun.",

smiles the teacher, sarcastically.

Smiling again with the same feeling, he adds,

"Magar mujhe kya pata tha mehrbaan nahi mujhse naaraz hai kismat! Ya mujhe aazma rahi hai meri kismat."

"Jab pehle din main yahan class shuru hone se pehle aaya, to tabhi mujhe andaza ho gaya tha yahan kisi ke hone ka!",

shares the teacher.

Yudi gets shocked hearing it. His quivering doesn't cease to stop.

"Magar maine isse nazarandaz kiya.",

he says.

"Uss din class shuru hone ke kuch der baad jab mere students mere kehne par team divide karke basketball khelne lage meri nigraani mein, tab achanak khelte khelte ek ladki uska naam Prisha tha, wo ball dribble karte karte maano kisi aur ke saath hi khelne lagi!",

this time it's the coach's turn to quiver remembering the incident vividly.

"Koi adrishya!",

adds the coach in horror, never blinking his eyes.

This shocks Yudi further.

"Hum subne bohot koshish ki usse rokne ki. Magar uske sir par to maano koi dhun sawar ho gayi thi khelne ki uss adrishya vyakti ke saath."

"Hum sub usse hairan-pareshan hokar dekh rahe the. Uss waqt main samjh gaya ke usse rokna na mere haathon mein hai na mere dusre students ke aur na hi hum sub milkar isse rok sakte hain!"

"Maine apne students ko rukne ka ishara kar diya. Mujhe uss ladki par daya bhi aa rahi thi aur such kahun to usse dekhkar darr bhi lag raha tha. Maahol bohot ajeeb sa ho gaya tha wahan ka. Aisa lag raha tha wo humare saath hokar bhi humare saath nahi hai. Jaise wo apni hi kisi duniya mein ho jahan humari koi wajood na ho!",

says the teacher, his heartbeat accelerated.

"Akhirkar wo behosh ho gayi. Usse turant hospital mein admit karna parha. Uske ghar walon ko iski khabar di gayi. Uske ghar wale jab hospital pohnch gaye tab unse baat karke main hospital se nikla. Hospital se nikalte hi main seedha yahan pohncha.",

he says.

Yudi gets anxious to know the further story.

"Yahan aakar main chilla chilla kar unn subko bulane laga jo uss ladki ke hospital mein hone ke zimmedar the.",

he continues.

Yudi bites his lower lip in anticipation.

"Wo aaye! Bohot baar bulane ke baad.... wo aaye!",

he takes a deep breath.

"Wo... wo aaye matlab? Aap... aapne dekha unhe?",

asks Yudi to confirm that his coach knows whom Yudi dealt with.

The coach slowly and sadly nods his head in affirmative, keeping his brows knit out of pain and loss.

Shock hits Yudi hard!

"Phir... phir kya hua?",

asks Yudi, biting his nail.

"Maine unhe samjhaya ke mere liye ye classes kitni zaroori hai. Bheekh mangi unse ke wo yahan se chale jayein.",

says the coach, helpless.

"Wo maane?",

asks Yudi, moving his index finger unconsciously on his thigh in fear.

The coach looks towards Yudi and says,

"Unhone ek shart rakhi!"

Yudi couldn't believe that whatever he is hearing is true!

"Kaisi shart?",

asks Yudi in a state of horror!

"Subah 6 baje se pehle ye jagah unki. Aur uske baad se lekar andhera hone tak ye jagah wo mere hawale chorh kar chale jayenge basharte ke agle din phirse 6 baje tak unhe koi disturb na kare.",

the coach reveals the condition laid by the boys, in front of Yudi.

Yudi stares his coach in horror!

The coach knits his brows and turns to look towards Yudi and asks,

"Waise Yudi tum ander kaise gaye?"

"Ander?",

asks Yudi, confused.

"Haan main gate ki chaabi to mere paas hai!",

he shows him the keys that are required to unlock the main gate.

Horror seems to be in no mood to leave him. He stares the keys in disblief!

"Main.... ye....",

he fails to create a proper coherent sentence.

He turns to look towards the main door and finds it locked!

"Ye yahan par...??",

he stays in his zone of confusion in horror.

"Tum to yahan pehle bhi aa chuke ho Yudi mujhse milne admission lene. Tumne dekha to tha iss gate ko.",

reminds the coach.

Yudi realises that he is true! But how come he didn't realise it? Was it just his carelessness or were they playing with his mind?

*Flashback ends*

"Maine uss din class nahi ki main ghar aa gaya wapas.",

says Yudi.

Everyone stares him all serious, feeling the situation he was into. Shocked and stunned!

"Tab tak to raaste mein kaafi chehl-pehl ho gayi thi. Despite that main har ek-do minute baad baad peeche murh murh kar dekhta, purey raaste.",

says Yudi.

"Har pal ek... ek darr ke shayad koi mera peecha kar raha hai! Shayad... shayad abhi koi meri taraf basketball throw kare!",

Yudi's rate of heartbeat increases afresh.

"Logon se takrane par darr jata!"

Huda turns his left hand into fist, feeling extremely bad for Yudi.

"Koi zor se kuch bol de to sehm jaata!",

he adds.

Anger surges through Alekh. Anger for the spirits that have done this to his friend.

"Unn saalon ki band baja dega apun agar apun ke saamne aa jaye aaj wo!!",

says Alekh, burning in anger.

"Kaise Alekh? Kya karoge tum?",

asks Yudi, smiling a little, sarcastically.

He does understand Alekh's emotions for him but he finds him too innocent because Yudi knows that whatever Alekh is saying is next to impossible. What can a mere human being possibly to a supernatural being? How can he fight with him?

Alekh stares him speechless! He realises that he is right.

"Wo apun ko nahi pata! Magar itna taye hai ke apun tujhe inn subse guzarne nahi deta agar apun uss waqt tere saath hota. Kuch to tigdam nikal hi leta apun.",

states Alekh, confident about his determination.

"Nahi kuch nahi hota Alekh. Sub kuch aise hi hota jaise hua tha.",

says Yudi, shaking his head in negative.

"Oye Alekh sahi keh raha hai Yudiye. Unn 11 se ladne ke liye hum 6 hi kafi hain!",

says Huda, raising his voice in anger and confidence.

Listening to them Rajveer smirks and says,

"Cadet Huda agar uss situation mein hum Yudi ke saath hote to tum 6 nahi puri academy ko wo Yudi ke saath paate aur apne khilaf!!!"

All of them nod their head respectively with confidence and determination.

(Left right left revolt tune begins)

Yudi's eyes well up with tears. Huda, Ali and Alekh hug him one by one. Naina and Pooja smile at him which show him their full support!

"Phir kya hua Cadet Yudi?",

asks Dr. Shalini.

Yudi looks towards her and again drowns into the pool of his memory.

"Phir...!",

he resumes his story, waiting a little, getting properly into the feel of the moment he was in when the following happened...

"Ghar aya to laga ke bus kuch din ki baat hai main theek ho jaunga. Main tab samjh nahi paya ke ye darr mere ander ghar kar chuki hai. Ke iss trauma se main zindagi bhar nahi nikal paunga. Mujhe... mujhe basketball ya basketball court se hi darr lagne laga!",

says Yudi.

All turn silent again.

"Tu ne Neelu ko ye baat batayi thi?",

asks Alekh, all serious.

"Haan!",

says Yudi, looking towards him.

"Magar kuch hafte beet jaane ke baad.",

adds Yudi.

"To usne kuch madad nahi ki teri?",

asks Alekh, knitting his brows tighter.

"Wo kya karti Alekh? Bada main hoon. Sambhalna mujhe usse chahiye."

Laughing a little, sarcastically upon himself, Yudi says,

"Aur dekho meri kaisi haalat ho gayi thi."

"Kaisi behn hai wo?! Usse apne bhai ki chinta nahi?",

shouts Alekh, angry on Neelu, possessive towards both Yudi and Neelu. Taking it as his right to scold Neelu if she is at mistake.

"Alekh aisi baat nahi hai. Wo khud tab apna career banane mein busy thi. Main pareshan nahi karna chahta tha usse.",

Yudi defends Neelu.

All of them except Alekh, nod their heads respectively in understanding.

"Main koi agar zor se kuch bol de to darr jata; sehm jata iss darr se ke kahin wo mujh tak pohnch to nahi gaye. Uss din ke baad main kabhi nahi gaya class.",

says Yudi.

All feel sad for Yudi..

Taking a deep breath Yudi says,

"So guys ye thi meri story!",

smiles Yudi.

All of them take a deep breath each.

●●●●●

Kashish asks her visitor to have a seat.

"Bataiye how may I help you?",

asks Kashish entwining her fingers, placing her chin on the web hence created, eager to listen to her this visitor who seems to be in her early 20s, smart and beautiful.

"Mera ek dost....",

she stops abruptly and rectifies,

"...nahi dost nahi ek DUSHMAN hai...",

she emphasizes on the word 'dushman'.

That makes Kashish to arch her right brow and she says,

"O..kay...!"

"Mujhe usse peecha churana hai. To aap bataiye...",

she indicates towards Kashish's cards and other stuffs and says,

"...apne cards ya jaise bhi aap batati hain... ke main usse peecha kaise chhuraun?"

She looks towards Kashish expectantly.

Kashish nods her head as if understanding everything.

"Okay so aap usse apni zindagi se bahar nikalna chahti hain?",

she asks to confirm.

Immediately her vistor extends both of her arms in front of Kashish and shakes her hands,

"Nahi! Nahi! Zindagi se bahar nahi nikalna...!",

she says, as Kashish's words skip her heartbeat.

Kashish bows her head a little, staring her throughout, smiling secretly.

"Uffo... kaise samjhaun inhe??!!",

she murmurs turning her head to the left but loud enough for Kashish to hear.

Kashish enjoys it all!

Turning to look towards Kashish she says,

"Bus tang karna chorhde mujhe. Magar zindagi se na nikle.",

she smiles a little.

"Acha! Tang bhi na kare aur zindagi se bhi na nikle...",

says Kashish, and turns to look towards her left.

The visitor shakes her head, smiling, glad that Kashish understood her point.

"Interesting!",

says Kashish, looking towards her visitor.

"Just wait a moment.",

says Kashish.

Getting up she walks to the glass cupboard and brings out a glass bowl. Her visitor notices her every action, eagerly.

Kashish fills the bowl with water almost completely. Walking back she places the bowl at her table in front of her visitor. She then walks to her collection of few stuffs from where she picks up a candle and a matchbox. Walking back to her desk she again occupies her seat. Illuminating the candle, placing the matchbox at her desk, she smiles at her visitor. Her visitor smiles back confused about what is she about to do with these stuffs.

"Ye...??",

her visitor asks in confusion and eagerness.

Smiling, Kashish says,

"Dekhti jaiye aap."

"Kya naam bataya aapne apna aur unka jinse peecha churana hai?",

asks Kashish.

"Main Charu.",

smiles Charu.

Then making face she says,

"Aur... wo Akshat!"

"Charu and Akshat! Alright.",

smiles Kashish.

"Charu kya maine abhi tak aap dono ke naam ke alawa aap dono ke baare mein kuch poocha hai?",

asks Kashish, smiling politely.

"Na..hi..!!",

says Charu, slightly worried. She had a belief that all these tarot card readers and their questions are weird. She was skeptical about approaching Kashish. And Kashish's question makes Charu to regret her decision of approaching Kashish all the more!

"Good! Lekin ab main apke saamne aapki zindagi ki especially aapki aur Akshat ji ki kuch baatein rakhungi so that aapko bharosa ho jaye ke main jo kuch bhi keh rahi hoon wo manghadant nahi hai balki such hai. Alright?",

asks Kashish.

Charu smiles wide hearing that. Her belief in Kashish and her powers develops.

"Alright then!",

saying so Kashish picks up the illuminated candle in her hand and rotates it, holding it above the water filled bowl in such a way that the wax melts drop by drop in the water.

Charu stares at the process with her eyes wide opened in bewilderment.
The wax floats in the water which sometimes attracts two wax to each other and sometimes repels them. Kashish who is an expert in wax reading too, begins to share the information she is getting through the reading with Charu.

"Aap dono bachpan se ek dusre ko jaante hain!",

says Kashish.

Rolling her eyes, Charu replies,

"Unfortunately yes!"

Then she adds, smiling in excitement,

"Wow! This is indeed magical!"

Kashish reads further.

"Aap dono ek dusre se larhte bhi bohot ho magar, ek dusre se apne sukh-dukh share kiye bina bhi nahi reh paate.",

says Kashish.

Charu stares her dumbstruck! How does she know all that?

Knitting her brows quickly, cascading her eyes, Charu says,

"Mai...n... reh leti hoon. Wo hi nahi reh paata. Har waqt mere peeche aa jata hai mujhe tang karne."

The door opens. Charu and Kashish get startle upon hearing someone's voice,

"Tum yahan kyun aayi ho?"

Kashish inclines a little towards her left to look at her new visitor, her view interrupted by Charu's sitting in front of her that forces her to incline. She slowly places the candle properly on the table.

Charu turns and asks, pissed off,

"Tum! Tum mera peecha karte-karte yahan tak aa gaye?"

Getting inside, Akshat holds his waist from either sides and says,

"Oh hello Madam! Akshat Shergil kisi ladki ka peecha nahi karta. Ladkiyan Akshat Shergil ka peecha karti hain!"

Kashish's heart skips a beat upon hearing Akshat's surname!

"Akshat Shergil! The famous lawyer?",

asks Kashish in order to cross check, pointing her index finger towards Akshat.

Akshat nods his head and smiles.

"Haan. Though I wonder ye famous kaise hua!",

Charu rolls her eyes saying so.

Akshat narrows his eyes on her hearing that.

"Tum ye sub kabse manne lagi?",

asks Akshat, looking towards Charu, sitting next to her.

Kashish keeps staring Akshat.

(The sound of conch followed by 'ek danta' song begins)

Though staring Akshat, but her mind is filled with thought of Swayam. Her brows tightly knit.

'Ye to bus shuruat hai Mr. Swayam Shergil, jald tum khud chalkar mujhse milne aaoge.',

thinks a determined and revengeful Kashish.

"Tumhe isse kya?",

says Charu, rolling her eyes.

"Arey! Uncle ko pata hai tumhare iss khurafati dimag mein jo ye naya keeda uchchla hai?",

asks Akshat.

Charu gets nervous upon the mention of her father.

Slowly looking towards Akshat, nervously, Charu says,

"Tum... tum Papa ko kuch nahi kahoge!"

Akshat shows attitude and picking up three stones from the bowl kept in front of him he starts juggling with them.

Kashish pats her table with her right index finger extending her right hand towards Akshat. Akshat stops juggling. Kashish gestures him through her eyes to put the stones back into the bowl and says,

"Ye khelne ke liye nahi hai!"

Akshat smiles in guilt and awkwardness and quickly places back the stones into the bowl apologizing,

"Sorry!"

Charu shakes her head, staring Akshat with narrowed eyes.

"By the way, kya ho raha hai?",

asks Akshat, rubbing his hands together.

Charu's heart skips a beat and her eyes widens as she realising the reading which was going on prior to Akshat's interruption.

"Kuch nahi! Tumhare matlab ka kuch nahi! Tum jao yahan se!",

says Charu, to get rid of Akshat.

"Theek hai koi baat nahi main tumhare matlab ki baatein bhi sunn sakta hoon don't worry.",

smiles Akshat, teasing her.

Charu sighs!

Turning to look towards Kashish, Akshat asks her,

"Aap mujhe ye bataiye ke kitna waqt lagega Charu ko apne gharwalon ka aur 'mera' peecha chorne mein?",

emphasizing on 'mera' to tease her further.

"Main tumhara peecha karti hoon?!",

asks Charu in disbelief.

"Aur nahi to kya main tumhara peecha karta hoon?",

retorts Akshat.

"Ji haan!",

states Charu clearly.

"Ji nahi!",

Akshat mirrors her tone.

"Acha relax!",

Kashish interferes, laughing secretly.

"Let me focus now.",

says Kashish.

Both of them go quiet but not before glaring each other one last time.

She resumes her candle wax reading and says, turning serious,

"Charu! I have a bad news for you!"

Charu's heart comes in her mouth. Akshat too stares Kashish, all serious.

"Mujhe nahi lagta ke at least agle saat janmo tak ye aapka peecha chorhne wale hain!",

reveals Kashish, acting all serious.

That gives Charu almost a mini heart attack and she exclaims in horror,

"Saat janam!!!"

Kashish nods her head, staring Charu, all serious.

Akshat gauges her reaction to Kashish's words. Unable to control himself any longer, Akshat bursts out into a fit of laughter. Kashish follows him!

Charu stares them, puzzled.

"Aa...p... aap dono hans kyun rahe hain?",

asks Charu looking at them one after the other.

"Kyunki tum itni cute jo ho!",

says Akshat, pressing her nose, adoringly.

Kashish laughs enjoying the scenario in front of her eyes.

"Ab madam agar apke mann ki saari aashankayein duur ho gayi hon to chalne ka kasht karengi aap?",

asks Akshat, folding his hands in front of Charu.

"Kya?? Aasha... Aasha kya??",

asks Charu, confused.

Rolling his eyes, Akshat murmurs,

"Uff shaki aatma!!!"

Kashish laughs uncontrollably.

"Kya kaha tumne?",

asks Charu, as she managed to hear him.

"Kuch nahi! 'Aasha' nahi 'aashankayein' meri Ma. Doubts! Doubts!",

clarifies Akshat.

"Haan! Haan! Theek hai! Theek hai! Mujhe pata hai sub kuch!",

says Charu, trying to act smart and intelligent in front of Akshat.

Akshat smiles and shakes his head.

"Ab chalein?",

he asks.

"Acha suno na Akshat...",

says Charu suddenly turning polite.

Getting up Charu holds his hand, looking towards Kashish every now and then and whispers into Akshat's ear,

"On a serious note tum poochona inse..."

"Kya?",

asks Akshat, confused, knitting his brows.

"Humare baare mein stupid!",

blushes Charu, playing with the button of his sleeve.

Akshat's heart flutters with warmth and love for Charu.

He looks towards Charu and asks, lovingly,

"Humare baare mein?"

Charu blushes and cascades her eyes.

"Ek kaam karte hain ghar jaakar Uncle se poochte hain wo achi tarah samjha denge tumhe humara future.",

says Akshat, in a sugar coated voice.

"Chalo chup chap! Humare baare mein poochte hain!",

scolds Akshat.

"Abhi to mujhse peecha churane ke liye yahan aayi thi. Ab mere aate hi - humare baare mein poochte hain?",

taunts Akshat.

Tapping her left foot out of anger, Charu leaves the shop all alone. Akshat raises his brows, laughing silently, excited and looking towards Kashish he gestures her that he would return later all alone!

Kashish smiles wide and nods her head in agreement.

"Arey Charu suno to....",

and he too leaves.

Kashish smiles and shakes her head, finding the couple adorable.

Soon her smile vanishes as she remembers Swayam all over again.

(The sound of conch followed by 'ek danta' song begins)