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"Yes Sir.... Everything is ready.... I'll give the demo tomorrow.... Yeah... Ok... Sure Sir..."

The call got cut and Sidharth sighed.

"Zaldi se ek baar check kar leta hoon sab kuch thik hai yaa nahi." Thinking that, he connected his pen drive with his tv and started playing the game to check everything was okay or not.

On the other hand, Shehnaaz was doing some research on their new space mission. Suddenly she heard sounds of guns and bombs. She became confused.

"Is this an apartment or battlefield? Aisi bhayanak awazein aa kaha se rahi hai?" She said in her mind.

Shehnaaz tried to focus on her work but again another sound of bomb came which made her scared.

She stood up and leaned against her wall which was attached to the wall of her neighbour. The sound became more loud and Shehnaaz understood from where the sound was coming.

She left her room and went to Sidharth's. Then she started pressing the doorbell again and again.

Hearing the doorbell, Sid made an annoyed face.

"Yeh kaam ke time pe kaun aa jaata hai disturb karne? So annoying!" He uttered and stood up. He went to his door and opened it.

Shehnaaz was standing there wearing a loose t-shirt and shorts while her hair was tied into a bun. Sidharth became lost for a moment as she was looking cute and sexy at the same time but then he composed himself.

"Tum yaaha...."

Before he could complete, Shehnaaz pushed him slightly and entered his living room.

"Arrey tum aise kaise ghus gayi? Oh hello! You can't do this." Said Sidharth protesting but Shehnaaz ignored him and started finding the source of sound.

"Listen this is very wrong, okay? Yaaha pe yeh sab nahi chalta. Main tumhare against complaint kar sakta hoon." Said Sidharth giving threats.

Suddenly Shehnaaz's eyes fell on the TV and she saw the game.

"So this is the problem." She said.

"What problem?" Asked Sidharth.

"Tum yaaha pe game khel rahe ho aur waaha mujhe disturb ho raha hai, main apna kaam thik se nahi kar paa rahi. You want to play games, that's fine. But as a responsible resident of this apartment you should make sure that your neighbours don't get disturbed by this. Abhi apne iss stupid game ko stop rakho aur mujhe apna kaam karne do." She said angrily.

"Hold on Ms. Chikchik, hold on!" Said Sidharth.

"What did you just call me?" Asked Shehnaaz with disbelief.

"Ms. Chikchik, jo unnecessarily mere hi ghar mein aa ke mujhe suna rahi hai. Listen, main yaaha game khel nahi raha, apne design kiye hue game ko check kar raha hoon. I'm a game designer. I hope you remember that. Main bhi apna kaam hi kar raha hoon."

Shehnaaz paused for a while and said,  "I don't care what you were doing. What I know is, the sound of your game is disturbing me. Saamne humara ek bohut bada mission hai aur abhi main koi bhi disturbance allow nahi karungi."

"Mission? Are you any undercover agent?" Asked Sidharth frowning.

"Ab tum bhul gaye. I'm a space scientist. Space travel mission ki baat kar rahi hoon main. Jis wajah se main yaaha aayi hoon training ke liye."

"Space travel mission? Yeh accha hai. Waha tumhare jaise aliens aur bhi mil jaayenge." Said Sidharth jokingly making Shehnaaz more angry.

"Listen, main yaaha tumhari bakwas sun ne nahi aayi hoon. Zaldi se apne game ko close karo yaa phir sound kam karo."

"Nahi karunga." Said Sidharth and sat on the sofa holding his joystick.

"Mujhe yeh game aaj check kar ke kal demo dena hai. Aur honestly sounds ke alawa mujhe feel nahi aati. Tumhe problem hai toh earplugs laga lo."

Saying that, he continued playing the game.

Shehnaaz was about to say something but stopped after getting an idea.

"Woh toh honge hi iske ghar mein." She thought and started checking his whole room.

"Dekho mere ghar mein tod fod mat karna warna accha nahi hoga." Said Sidharth while playing but Shehnaaz didn't pay any attention.

She even went to his room and came back after getting his earpods.

Sidharth immediately frowned and said, "Arrey yeh mere earpods hai. Tumne haath kyu lagaya?"

Shehnaaz gave a fake smile and said, "Ji agar aap inhe apne kaano mein laga lenge aur phir is Bluetooth device ko TV se connect kar lenge phir aap full sound ke saath iss game ko check kar paayenge aur aas paas ke logo ko bhi koi problem nahi hogi. Hai na?"

Sidharth didn't say anything. He took the earpods and connected it with his TV.

"Now happy?" He asked giving fake smile.

"Better." Said Shehnaaz and left from there.

"Iss Ms. Chikchik ko shaadi ke baad pakka koi bada sadma laga hai warna pehle toh thik hi thi. Saara mood kharab kar diya isne. Huh!" Thought Sidharth and made a face.

Since that day, Sidharth and Shehnaaz used to fight over small issues. Being each other's neighbour was really tough for both of them as they used to quarrel with each other and used to taunt each other everytime they met. But in spite of all this, they used to like each other's presence which they both didn't admit. They became each other's source of entertainment in their boring life which they were living since 8 years.

One morning, they both came out of their houses together and became face to face.

"Subah subah kiska chehra dekh liya." Murmured Sidharth which Shehnaaz heard.

"Ab toh pakka pura din kharab jaayega." Murmured Shehnaaz intentionally so that Sidharth could hear.

Then they made faces looking at each other and went towards the lift. They entered the lift together and came to the ground floor without talking to each other.

After coming out of the apartment, Shehnaaz started walking and Sidharth started walking after her.

Shehnaaz stopped suddenly and asked turning back, "Tumhari woh follow karne ki adat abhi tak gayi nahi?"

Sidharth gave a fake smile and said, "Haan haan. Mere paas toh koi aur kaam hai hi nahi, tumhe follow karne ke alawa."

Shehnaaz rolled her eyes and said, "Tum iss raaste se kabhi office nahi jaate isliye pucha."

"Tumhari training center ke paas hi ek cafe mein important meeting hai meri. Waheen pe jaa raha hoon."

"I see."

Suddenly Sidharth saw a taxi and called it. Luckily it was empty.

"Accha hua mujhe road tak jaana nahi padha. Yaheen se taxi mil gayi. Waise bhi kaafi late ho chuka tha." Said Sidharth.

Shehnaaz saw her own watch and realised that she was also getting late.

"By the way if you don't have any problem, kya hum dono yeh taxi share kar sakte hai?" Asked Shehnaaz very sweetly. Sidharth felt weird and looked at her frowning.

"Ms. Chikchik itni meethi awaz mein kab se bolne lagi?" He asked.

Shehnaaz smiled forcefully and said, "Actually main bhi late ho rahi hoon. Ab hum dono mein chahe kitna bhi jhagra kyu na ho, hum hai toh padosi. Aur upar se Indians bhi hai. Aise bahar ki country mein ek Indian hi toh dusre Indian ke kaam aa sakta hai. Hai na?"

"You are right but.... I am sorry. Main yeh Taxi share nahi karne wala. Tumhare saath toh bilkool bhi nahi. Bye Bye!" Said Sidharth and got inside the Taxi. Soon he left from there.

"Kamina!" She uttered and continued walking.

Next morning, Sidharth was about to prepare tea for himself when he realised that sugar was finished.

"Itni zaldi cheeni bhi khatam ho gayi? Ab phir se market jaana padega. Sunday ke din bhi aram se ghar pe rest nahi kar sakta. Kaisi life hai yaar!" He said in his mind making a sad face.

He was about to go when suddenly an idea came to his mind.

"Wait! Yaaha main kisi aur se cheeni nahi maang sakta. Lekin meri Indian padosan toh hai. Woh kab kam aayegi?"

Thinking that, he smiled and went to Shehnaaz's door. He pressed the doorbell and Shehnaaz opened it.

"Ab kya kaam hai?" She asked looking at him who was standing with a container.

"Woh kaal jo tumne kaha tha uske baare mein maine bohut socha. Tum thik keh rahi thi. Fights wagera apni jagah hai but we can't forget that we are neighbours. Aur hum dono hi Indians hai. Ab bahar ke counties mein ek Indian hi dusre Indian ke kaam aa sakta hai like..... Suppose mere ghar mein cheeni khatam ho gayi hai. Toh main tumse cheeni maang ne aa sakta hoon." He said sweetly.

"Toh saaf saaf bolo na cheeni khatam ho gayi hai." Said Shehnaaz straight.

"Jab samajh hi chuki ho toh de bhi do." Said Sidharth forwarding his container.

"Yaaha nahi milegi."

"Tumhare ghar mein bhi cheeni nahi hai."

"Hai. Lekin tumhe dene ke liye nahi. Zara yaad karo, kaal tumne kya kiya jab maine Taxi share karne ko kaha."

"Yaar raat gayi baat gayi. Abhi baatao kya kaam karna hai, main sab kar dunga."

Saying that, he looked at her house and saw her stuffs were still packed.

"Tumne shifting toh kar liyi lekin abhi tak saaman unpack nahi kiya. Tum chaho toh main iss mein tumhari help kar sakta hoon." He said.

"No thanks." She replied with a fake smile.

"Toh phir koi aur help...."

Before he could finish, Shehnaaz said, "Yaaha se chale jaao. Bohut badi help ho jayegi."

Saying that, she closed the door without letting him chance to speak.

After sometime, her doorbell again rang. As soon as she opened it, Sidharth said, "Smile!"

And he clicked a photo of her.

"Now what was this?" Asked Shehnaaz angrily.

"Soch raha hoon humare naye game ke Avatar ko tumhara chehra de doon. Aur game ka naam hoga Chikchik run. Woh daudegi aur sirf apni awaz se hi apne raaste ke saare hurdles ko hata degi. Kaisa laga idea?"

"Tum jaate ho yaa...."

Sidharth immediately left from there laughing.

"Such an irritating guy he is!" Thought Shehnaaz and closed her door.

Later that day...

Sidharth was talking on phone with Rita Maa.

"Bas Sidharth mujhe kuch nahi sun na. Maine tere liye ladki pasand kar liyi hai. Meri best friend ki beti hai, Reema. Shaadi ke baad tere saath US jaa ke rehne ko bhi ready hai. Mujhe toh badi acchi lagi ladki isliye maine haan kar diya." She said.

"Aise kaise mujhse puche bina haan kar diya?" Asked Sidharth with disbelief. "Mom mujhe abhi shaadi nahi karni."

"Kyu? Tune kya kasam khaa liyi hai ki tu jeete jee mujhe apne Paute Pauti ka muh nahi dekhne dega?"

"Aisa nahi hai main.... Main abhi ready nahi hoon shaadi ke liye. I need some time."

"Yeh kehte kehte 35 saal ka hogaya tu. Aur kitna time chahiye tujhe?"

"Mom aap samajh kyu nahi rahi? I can't marry the girl you want... I..... I have a girlfriend." He said suddenly making Rita Maa shocked.

"Kya? Girlfriend? Teri sach mein koi girlfriend hai? Kya naam hai uska?" She asked happily.

"Umm.... Woh.... Pakhi."

"Wah! Kitna pyaara naam hai. Tabhi main sochu tu shaadi ke liye kyu maana kar raha tha. Aur kehta tha ki teri koi girlfriend nahi hai. Akhir tera jhut pakda hi gaya."

"Yeah actually, I wanted to give you surprise.....umm.... Filhaal aap apni uss dost ko maana kar do please."

"Haan haan zaroor. Aur sun, teri girlfriend ki ek photo bhej dena please. Main bhi toh dekhu meri hone wali bahu kaise dikhti hai."

"Haan main bhej dunga. Abhi mujhe thoda kaam hai. So bye!"

Saying that, Sidharth cut the call.

"Yeh jhut sun ne ke baad kaafi dino tak Mom shaadi ki baat nahi karengi. Baad mein keh dunga ki break-up ho gaya hai. Lekin abhi ke liye, ek photo toh bhejna padega unhe...."

Thinking that, Sidharth opened it. He saw Shehnaaz's photo which he clicked this morning. He smirked and sent it to Rita Maa.

"Mom ko convince karne ke liye yeh photo kafi hai. Lekin agar Shehnaaz ko pata chal gaya toh...."

Sidharth imagined her reaction and gulped his saliva in fear.

"No no. Mom kaunsa yaaha aa ke Shehnaaz se milne wali hai? Usse kuch paata nahi chalega." He said to himself.
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Will Shehnaaz come to know about this lie?

Stay tuned...

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