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It was late at night. Shehnaaz was sleeping in the side lower berth. She turned aside and suddenly felt something missing near her head.

"Mera bag..." She murmured with sleepy eyes and started searching for her bag.

She got up and found her bag near her legs.

"Ajeeb baat hai... Main toh apna bag sir ke neeche rakh ke soyi thi..."

Thinking that, she took her bag and started checking it.

"Mere purse, gehne aur phone kaha gaye?.... Shit!"

She checked her bag properly but didn't find them. She started panicking.

"Sidharth!.... Sidharth...."

She started waking him up who was sleeping on the upper berth.

"Meeting ka time hogaya kya?" Murmured Sidharth in sleep making Shehnaaz puzzled.

"Tumhe meeting ki padhi hai? Idhar mera sab kuch chori ho gaya hai... Utho zaldi!" Said Shehnaaz loudly breaking Sidharth's and some other passenger's sleep.

"Kya hogaya?" Asked Sidharth finally waking up.

"Kisi ne mere bag se phone, purse, gehne sab chura liye."

Shehnaaz made a crying face.

"What?" Sidharth immediately got down from his berth. "Aisa kaise ho sakta hai?"

"Mera bhi wallet chori ho gaya."

"Mera phone nahi mil raha."

Some more people started complaining leaving everyone worried.

"Woh admi kaha gaya jo saamne Wale seat pe baitha?" Asked one passanger.

"Lagta hai iss hi station pe utra hai. Pakka uss hi ne chori kiya hoga." Replied another passenger.

Shehnaaz's eyes suddenly fell on the window and she saw the man at the station who was inside the train earlier.

She immediately started running leaving Sidharth confused.

"Yeh ab kaha jaa rahi hai? Shehnaaz ruko!"

Sidharth went after her.

Shehnaaz got down the train and started chasing the thief who noticed her and started running fast.

"Saale chor! Wapas de mera saaman!" She screamed but the station being empty, nobody came to help her.

"Shehnaaz kya hua?" Asked Sidharth getting down the train.

"Sidharth... Woh chor bhag raha hai... Pakdo usse..."

Sidharth also noticed the thief and started running behind him. He ran faster and somehow caught the thief by his shirt.

Shehnaaz also came to the thief and said gritting her teeth, "Mera samaan chura ke bhagta hai haan? Wapas de abhi ke abhi."

"Maine kuch nahi churaya." Lied the thief.

"Jhut bolta hai? Abhi dudh ka dudh pani ka pani ho jayega."

Shehnaaz was about to take the bag he was carrying when the thief noticed something and said, "Aap logo ki train chhut jayegi."

Both Sidharth and Shehnaaz looked behind and the thief left from there taking the chance.

"Abbe ruk...."

Before Shehnaaz could go after him, Sidharth held her wrist and said, "Abhi inn sab ka waqt nahi hai. Bhaago warna train chhut jaayegi humari."

Shehnaaz nodded and they both started running behind the train.

"Arrey roko, train roko koi!" Screamed Shehnaaz.

"Chain kheecho!" Screamed Sidharth.

They both were running as fast as possible. While running, Sidharth reached the train.

On the other hand, it was difficult for Shehnaaz to run faster wearing her bridal attire so she tripped and fell down.

Before Sidharth could get up the train, he noticed Shehnaaz and came to her leaving the train.

"Are you okay?" He asked bending down and helped her to get up.

"Sidharth humari train...."

Before Shehnaaz could complete, the train left the station and they both kept watching.

"Shit!" Uttered Sidharth being frustrated while Shehnaaz made a sad pout.

"Main almost pohuch gaya tha... Tum thik se bhag bhi nahi sakti kya? Careless girl!" He said angrily looking at her.

"Main gir gayi toh uss mein meri kya galti hai? Itna bhari lehenga pehen ke bhaga thodi jaata hai?"

"Toh utar deti na sone se pehle? Dress toh thi na tumhare paas?"

"Mujhe neend aa rahi thi bohut isliye bina change kiye hi so gayi. Upar se mujhe train ke washrooms bade gande lagte hai."

"Aur iss hi chakkar mein humari train chhut gayi. Kisne kaha tha uss chor ke peeche aise bhagne ko?"

"Toh aur kya karti? Mera sab kuch chura liya usne. Phone, purse, gehne... Main Mumbai jaise anjaan seher mein inn sab ke bina survive kaise karungi?"

"Yeh sab na ghar se bhagne se pehle sochna chahiye tha. Aur tumhara samaan chori hua hi kaise? Mera toh nahi hua. Kyu ki main apna bag pakad ke soya tha."

"Ahhaa! Khud toh maze se upper berth mein so rahe the. Chori hota bhi kaise? Neeche toh main thi na."

"Main neeche sota tab bhi mera chori nahi hota. Abhi chalo station master ke paas. Pata karte hai Mumbai ki agli train kab ki hai."

After that, Sidharth and Shehnaaz went to the station master's office and asked about the next train.

"Dekhiye agli train toh ab kal subah ki hai. Iske alawa aur koi train nahi hai. Maine baat kar liya hai, aap dono ko aap ke bags Mumbai station mein mil jaayenge. Abhi aap agli train ki ticket karwa li jiye." Said the station master.

"Kaise karwayu?" Said Sidharth sadly. "Paise, phone kuch bhi nahi hai...Accha ek call kar sakta hoon?"

"Haan zaroor."

Sidharth called someone and asked to book the tickets.

After that, the station master asked, "Waise ek baat puchu? Bura mat maan na... Madam aise dulhan ke kapdo mein hai... Aap inhe bhaga ke laaye hai kya?"

Shehnaaz widened her eyes but before she could reply, Sidharth said with a fake smile, "Ji nahi. Yeh mujhe bhaga ke laayi hai."

The station master made a confused face and said, "Ji main samjha nahi."

"Filhaal toh mujhe bhi kuch samajh nahi aa raha. Jab aayega toh aap ko samjha dunga. Okay? Chalta hoon."

Saying that, Sidharth left from there and Shehnaaz went behind him.

"How dare you! Tum mujhe taane maar the udhar?" She asked angrily coming out the office.

"Haan toh? Tum mujhe bhaga ke laa sakti ho, meri flight miss karwa sakti ho, meri jaan khatre mein daal sakti ho, meri train miss karwa sakti ho, bina apne phone aur baki samaan ke ek anjaan aur sunsan railway station mein mujhe raat bitane pe majboor kar sakti ho.... Aur main tumhe taane bhi nahi maar sakta?"

Shehnaaz frowned and said, "Tum toh tab se jo hua uske liye mujhe hi blame kiye jaa rahe ho."

"Kyu na karu blame?" Asked Sidharth angrily. "Pata hai aaj agar raaste mein tum mujhe nahi milti toh main ab tak flight se Mumbai pohuch bhi chuka hota. Kal subah apni saari meetings bhi attend kar paata. But now I'm stuck with you. I'm just thinking ab iss se zyada bura mere saath aur kya kya ho sakta hai."

"Fine! Itni hi problem hai na mujhse, toh abhi se apne raaste alag kar lete hai. Tum jaao tumhare raaste aur main jaati hoon mere raaste. Huh!"

She left from there making faces to which Sidharth gave a sigh of relief and said, "Peecha chhuta uss problem ki dukaan se."

Saying that, he went to opposite direction.

Shehnaaz found a bench and sat on it. She was feeling like crying as she had nothing with herself.

"Uska kya hai? Usko toh Mumbai jaate hi sab kuch mil jayega. Gaya toh mera hai na? Na phone hai na paise hai, Mumbai mein Ryan ke alawa kisi ko jaanti tak nahi aur Ryan se contact ho nahi paa raha. Paata nahi kya karungi? Par haan, ab uss Sidharth se toh help bilkool nahi lungi, uski shakal tak nahi dekhungi." She murmured to herself angrily.

But after sometime, she thought deeply and said, "Waise dekha jaaye toh uska gussa hona banta hai. Uski toh koi galti nahi thi. Woh meri wajah se bekar mein fas gaya... Lekin phir bhi, woh itna rudely kyu behave kar raha tha? Jaise maine intentionally kuch kiya ho. Nahi, uss se dur rehna hi sahi hai. Meri problem, mujhe hi face karni hogi."

She was looking here and there when she saw few guys coming towards her. They didn't seem to be good people which made Shehnaaz scared.

"Kya baat hai? Nayi naveli dulhan yaaha baith ke train ka intezar kar rahi hai. Koi madat chahiye kya aap ko? Baataiye, hum kar dete hai." Said one of them smirking.

Shehnaaz didn't show her fear on her face and said, "No thanks."

"Arrey baataiye toh sahi. Hum jaisi sundar ladki ke liye hum kuch bhi kar denge."

Saying that, one of them tried to hold her hand but she didn't let them and stood up.

"Mujhe jaana hai."

Saying that, she started leaving while the guys started following her. She got very scared now and increased her walking speed and the guys also started walking fast. Shehnaaz was too scared now but couldn't understand what to do. She was looking for some help.

Like this, Shehnaaz came out of the station and started seeing here and there if she could find someone. Suddenly her eyes fell on Sidharth who was walking on the empty street. A smile came to her face seeing him as she saw some hope.

"Sidharth!" She called and he turned behind. She went towards him and hugged him tightly out of fear to which Sidharth was taken aback.

"Accha hua tum mil gaye. Mujhe bohut darr lag raha hai, woh log mere peeche padhe hai." She said with closed eyes, shivering in fear.

Sidharth was about to hug her back but stopped himself thinking that it wouldn't be the right thing to do.

Then he looked at the guys who stopped seeing her with him. They talked something among themselves and then left from there.

"Woh log chale gaye." Said Sidharth softly and Shehnaaz broke the hug.

She huffed and said, "Main toh darr hi gayi thi. Yeh alag jaane ka idea bilkool bekar tha. Main Mumbai tak tumhare hi saath rehne wali hoon, chahe tumhari marzi ho yaa na ho."

Sidharth chuckled and said, "I think that will be the best. And sorry for earlier. I think I was too rude."

"It's ok yaar. Chalta hai. Waise bhi dekha jaaye toh saari galti meri hi hai. Tum toh acche bhale apne seher wapas jaa rahe the, maine tumhe kaha fasa diya."

She made a sad face which Sidharth didn't like. Her happy face was more beautiful.

"Yeah but you know it's quite adventurous. Matlab aaj tak main sirf ghar, office, business trips yeh hi sab karte aa raha hoon. Kisi anjaan gaaon mein adhi raat ko sunsan sadak pe chalne ka experience, iss se pehle kabhi mila nahi. So thanks to you. Mera yeh experience bhi ho gaya."

A cute smile came to Shehnaaz's face hearing that.

"By the way I was looking for a company. Will you join me?" He said further.

"Sure." She said excitedly and they started walking together in the dark empty streets.

There was a silence between them for sometime.

After that Shehnaaz said, "Waise... Maine ek chiz sochi... Tumhe mere baare mein sab kuch paata hai, maine pehle hi baata diya. Par mujhe tumhare baare mein kuch nahi paata, except your sad story ki tumhe aaj tak koi girlfriend nahi mili."

Sidharth laughed along with her hearing that.

"So come on, tell me something about you."

Sidharth paused for a while, "Well... mera pura naam Sidharth Shukla hai. Mumbai mein mera khud ka business hai. Jab chhota tha toh ek car accident mein Mom Dad guzar gaye. Meri behen tab bohut chhoti thi toh uski saari responsibility mere upar aa gayi. Bohut kam umar mein hi main serious type hogaya. Studies mein mehnat kiyi, phir apna khud ka business set up kiya, yeh sab karte karte kabhi girlfriend bana ne ka time nahi mila. Aisa nahi hai, kabhi koi mili nahi. Ladkiyan marti thi mujhpe. Kabhi koi mujhe bhi acchi lagi but... Because of my responsibilities, I never reciprocated her feelings."

"Hmm samjhi. Waise ladkiyan toh marengi hi tumpe. Handsome jo ho. Honestly mere paas Ryan na hota toh main bhi tumpe try maarti but woh abhi possible nahi hai. Ek kaam karti hoon, main apni behen Harpreet ke saath tumhari setting kara deti hoon.... Mast rahega!"

Sidharth gave a weird look and said, "Pagal ho tum. Kuch bhi bolti ho."

"Arrey par Harpreet acchi hai. Dikhne mein bhi sundar hai, bilkool meri tarah. Abhi toh tumhara business bhi set hogaya. Kar lo shaadi uss se. Waise bhi mere gharwalon ko businessman ladke bade pasand hai. Jhat se maan jaayenge woh log."

"Abhi bakwas band karo warna chhor ke bhag jaaunga."

"Accha thik hai aur kuch nahi bolungi main."

Saying that, Shehnaaz kept her finger on her lips. Sidharth looked at her and chuckled.

"Cartoon hai tu." He said laughing and they kept walking like this while chatting.

They didn't even understand when the night passed.

In the morning...

Sidharth opened his eyes and found himself sitting on the bench of the station. He looked beside and saw Shehnaaz sleeping peacefully resting her head on his shoulder. At dawn they came back here and fell asleep while waiting for the train.

Sidharth smiled seeing her sleeping face. Her beauty and innocence attracted him somewhere. But he shrugged if off and looked at his watch, their train would arrive in no time.

Sidharth was about to wake her up when she murmured in sleep, "I love you..."

Sidharth's heart skipped a beat. Her words changed something inside him. He never felt like this earlier for anyone but he was feeling this for her, whom he hardly knew.

"Ryan I love you..."

Shehnaaz's next words brought Sidharth back to reality. He felt little bad but ignored it.

With a sigh, he started thinking about her words.

"Kitni pagal hai yeh. Ek ladke se pyaar kar ke uske liye apna sab kuch chhor ke chali aayi. Socha bhi nahi iska natija kya ho sakta hai. Aisa hi hota hai kya pyaar? Yeh humare sochne samajhne ki power ko khatam kar deta hai? Accha hai mujhe kabhi pyaar nahi hua. Mujhe nahi ban na iski tarah pagal. Main aisa hi thik hoon." He said to himself not knowing that everything was going to change soon.
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