Disha stepped outside the lift with a lingering smile from thinking of what happened today, as she walked to the entrance of her appartment. She then unzipped her purse and got hold of the housekeys in them, as she unlocked the house and got inside after opening the door, quick to lock it back afterwards and enter her living room in complete surprise, finding her parents sitting in her wait with anything but pleasing expressions on their faces.

The giddy and lingering butterflies in her stomach vanished with astonishment.

"kya baat hai...aap log pareshaan lag rahe hai?" asked disha inquisitively, attempting to break the visceral tension in the room.

"time dekha hai?" asked dushyant maintaining a stoic demeanor, as a puzzled disha attempted to unlock her phone, only to realise in a few seconds that the battery had died.

"battery down hogayi lagta hai phirse...woh main na charger bhi bhul gayi ghar...ab please mat daantna i know subha 50% battery thi apne kaha bhi tha..." responded disha, facepalming herself.

"phir bhi...library band hojati hai 8 baje...10 kaise baj gaye?" questioned ishita with a glare fixed on her.

"haan...woh...." attempted disha to come up with an excuse.

"priya toh lekin aaj dopeher hi ghar pahaunch gayi 3 baje...." stated dushyant, his brow raised at disha, as she swallowed a lump down her throat.

They both carefully examined her for a while, as she felt anxiety building up in her chest.

"tumhe theek laga, humein jhut bolke, ek ladke ke saath ghoomne nikalna raat ko...jisse tumhe jaane mahina bhi nahi hua...tumhara phone bhi band padha raha...and, the worst part is, tumne kisi ko bhi batana zaroori nahi samjha ki tum uske saath kahan chal padi akele...because let me be very clear about one thing, inn halaat mein, tumhare saath kuch bhi ho sakta tha and we would have had no clue where to find you!" rebuked ishita firmly, as disha just stood with her head down.

"and you know disha, the thing is, tum jab school mein bhi thi na, and tumhare friend group mein almost sab ladkiyon ke parents manna kardete the for evening outings kyunki ladke bhi saath jaate the...humne kabhi manna nahi kiya tumhe...tumhe akele bhi jaane diya kahi agar chaho college mein, in fact, as long as you informed, tumhe kabhi beech mein phone karke tang bhi nahi kiya maine...bas tum agar late hoti toh ek phone karta tha...uske baad bhi, if i have to find out, that you went behind my back just go out with a guy, woh bhi tumhare college ke guard se, joh mere assistant ne sunna usse! Do you know how bloody disappointed I was!" exclaimed dushyant in frustration, as disha felt awful after hearing this.

"mom...dad..main batane waali thi...seriously...i was just waiting ki...actually he's doing an internship jismein usse pre placement offer hone ke ache chances hai...he's in his final year too...woh hojata, phir exams ke baad, main usse ache se milwana chahti thi aapse...because, i, i love him...and he really loves me too...and..." confessed disha, as ishita took a long sigh.

"bache, tum usse ek mahine se hi jaanti ho! zyada se zyada kuch 20-21 baar uske saath kuch ghante ghoomi ho...tum kitna hi jaan gayi ho usse? pyaar toh door ki baat hai...samjho iss baat ko!" explained ishita, trying to keep a calm tone, but disha seemed crossed to hear that.

"mummy nani mujhe bataya tha...aap toh papa se mili bhi nahi thi shaadi se pehle! purav...aur main....hum bas, samajhte hai ek dusre ko! pasand karte hai...he cares for me!" argued disha passionately, as dushyant seemed to lose his cool immediately.

"don't you dare talk to her like that! maa hai tumhari!" yelled dushyant immediately, as ishita only scoffed at disha.

"beta nani ne apni kartooton ka kabhi batayengi nahi aur tum sunn bhi nahi paogi! you have no idea what situation i was in, trust me. aur acha hoga tumhe kabhi idea ho bhi na! aur agar tum kabhi waisi situation mein nahi hui na, toh phir woh isliye hoga ki humne nahi daala! did you know mujhse kisi ne ek baar pucha bhi nahi meri shaadi ka! mujhe bas zabardasti taiyaar kar, ghaseet ke bitha diya shaadi ke liye! mujhe hosh nahi tha meri shaadi ka! aur main kuch nahi karpayi! isliye keh rahi hoon, woh tumse kitna kuch bhi kehle abhi, how do you know uske parents ne kuch sochke nahi rakha? ya uske saath aisa nahi hosakta? phir tumhe kya lagta hai, koi apna parivaar pura chod deta hai bas kyunki pyaar hogaya tha kisise! majboor sab hote hai maa-baap ke aage! pyaar chahe kitna bhi ho!" revealed ishita, as disha was at a loss for words.

"dekho, hum nahi chahte tumhe lage humein tumhari feelings ki kadar nahi hai...kyunki hai, hum isliye chahte hai you should be careful...beta hum kabhi-kabhi logon ko saalon tak jaane ke baad nahi samajh paate...kuch pal bitayein hai uske saath, tum usse puri zindagi ka andaaza nahi laga sakti...aur tumhari maa ka mujhe nahi pata par, ab main tumhe batane ke alawa kuch nahi karne waala...humare beech tumne bharosa khatam kar hi diya...ab bas zimmedari ka rishta reh gaya, bas ab wahi nibhaunga....toh ab chod raha hoon tumpe faisla ki kya karna hai..." explained dushyant while keeping his composure, before walking away, leaving disha sorrowful, looking at her mother after left feeling dejected.

Ishita walked to her and held her by the shoulder.

"bache, tum joh bhi karo ab, yaad rakhna, galti bhi hojayein...theek karne mein madad karenge jitna hosakta hai...agli baar chupana mat lekin..." assured ishita, patting her on the back and walked away from the living room as well, leaving disha with a heavy heart.

***

Purvi was seated on the bed scrolling through her phone when kavin arrived in front of her with a tray that held two cups on it, and placed it in front of her and sat beside her.

"lo bhai! puri kardi aapki late night chaye ki talab..." offered kavin graciously, as purvi smiled and accepted the cup, keeping the phone aside.

"dekh lo, raat-raat padh rahi ho thi B.Ed aur MSc ke exams ke liye tab ki latt hai....abhi tak nahi jaa rahi!" exclaimed purvi, as they both shared a chuckle.

"mujhe kaunsa office waalo ne jeene diya itne saal...iske bina khaali 4 ghante ki neend mein pata nahi kaise jeeta.." remarked kavin, as he sipped on his cup.

"hmm...dekh lo, tum toh juniors pe kaam thop dete ho ab, mujhe bhi naukri lagne ke baad raat zyada der jagne ki zaroorat nahi hai...par hamare mahaan sapoot joh hain, jab tak balcony se khudh ke andar ghus nahi jaate aadhi raat...kya karein neend nahi aati..." remarked purvi, sipping on her cup too, as kavin just shook his head in disbelief.

"yeh bhul jaata hai shayad mera hi beta hai...isse sach mein lagta hai mujhe pata nahi lagta ki humse moh chupake ghar mein kaise ghussta hai....shakal dekhne waali thi jiss dinn pehli baar pakda tha!" recounted kavin, as purvi just sighed.

"main bas yahi sochke tassali karleti hoon, tumpe agar chala gaya hai toh der se hi sahi, yeh bachkaniyan chod hi dega..." stated purvi, as kavin scoffed.

"tumhare khaab bechare ne tod diye....kya-kya sochti thi tum, apne jaisi topper padhaku bachi paida karungi...nikal aaya mera jaisa average student...tum bhi raat ko kosti hogi mujhe...ki thode intelligent aadmi se shaadi karti...yeh dinn na dekhne padte..." joked kavin, as purvi looked at him seriously.

"kavin mujhe bahaut khushi hogi agar woh tumhare jaise hua toh, sach kahoon toh....kyunki main jab bhi humari shaadi ke baarein mein sochti hoon, mujhe ek khoobsurat saath hi dekhta hai...tumhe lagta hoga tum mein bahaut khaamiyan hai par, mujhe tum mein ek shareef, pyaar karne waala, wafadar pati hi dekhta hai joh utna hi zimmedaar baap bhi hai...main kabhi humari shaadi nahi regret kar sakti..." expressed purvi earnestly with an umoving and sure gaze at him, as kavin only smiled in surprise at her.

"pata hai purvi, tumhe dekhta hoon na, mujhe apni kismat pe vishwaas rehta hai...itni achi na hoti toh tum nahi milti..." confessed kavin, as purvi couldn't help but smile too.

Only for the love in the air to be interrupted a noise of commotion that seemed to blare through a nearby room.

"haan aisi aulad dekh kar na lekin, kismat pe doubt hi hota hai..." retorted kavin, as purvi couldn't help chuckle, slapping his arm playfully, while he just shook his head in disbelief.