Aryan was tossing in his bed. He couldn't get a wink of sleep. He felt as if someone has snatched his soul.

"What's happening to me? Why can't I go to sleep?" he got irritated.

He decided to scroll through his mobile to distract himself. Perhaps, it was not a good decision. As soon as he unlocked his phone, the cute, smiling face of Shahana greeted him. Aryan got emotional seeing it.

"At least you are smiling at me, but I'm sorry, I have to learn to live without you." he decided to change his phone's wallpaper.

He opened his phone's gallery to choose a picture. He was surprised to find that it contained more pictures of Shahana than anyone else. He had never realized it till then. He understood that he had fallen in love with her long back. 

He sighed. Only if..............

Only if he had realized it earlier and told her, things might have been different. But it was too late now, she was already taken.

He felt the need to drink water. The jug was empty, so he went out to fill it. Suddenly, he heard some sound coming from the terrace.

-----

Alia had indeed been successful in disturbing Shahana. She couldn't decide whom to believe. Thought she wanted to trust Pragya, the voice of Alia kept echoing in her ears. She tried going to sleep, but the swirling storm inside her wouldn't let her. Finally she gave up trying. She knew that there was only one option left to calm her. 

She opened the cupboard and began searching in the deepest corner of it. When she closed it, she was holding a guitar in it. She went to the terrace with it and glanced at the sky.

Shahana took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her fingers struck the cords of the guitar. She began singing, her emotions morphed into the song.

[Song: Main Kon Hoo]

https://youtu.be/KGHGj3VM2UA

Singing had been always the way by which Shahana could free herself. Most importantly, it made her connect with her mother. One of the hazy memories she had of her mother was singing with her. So, she always sang under the stars, where her mother could see her from the heaven. 

Aryan, who had followed her voice to the terrace was awestruck to see her singing. He never knew that she could sing too.

"Well, I didn't know that she has a boyfriend, then how can I be expected to know that she can sing?" he thought.

He was hypnotized by her voice. It had some kind of magic that attracted him. He stood rooted to the spot without making any noise.

Shahana stopped singing and closed her eyes once again. She sat there in silence, feeling the soft wind caressing her face. It made her feel her mom being with her and lovingly caressing her.

Aryan suddenly bumped into a chair kept there. Shahana turned back to see if anyone was there. Aryan was quick to hide behind a pillar. But, she couldn't risk anyone seeing her, so she prepared to leave.

"I miss you.........." she sighed. She herself didn't know for whom did she say those lines. Was it her mother or Aryan?

She went to her room. Aryan checked that she was gone and came out his hiding place.

"Did she mean it for me?" he wondered.

-----

"Everyone please pay attention here." Rhea shouted gaining everyone's attention.

The elders smiled fondly at her while Ranbir looked annoyed as he was planning to sneak out and spend some time with Prachi. 

"Each one of you have to practise hard today. We have to give our best performance today." she announced.

"Excuse me, but practise for what?" Purab asked.

"For Ranbir and Prachi's sangeet." she clarified.

"What's the need of practise? We will rock it without any practise." Abhi bragged.

"No. I want everything perfect. No excuses. I have a list of the performances too." Rhea said adamantly.

No one had other option but to comply with her.

"I'll perform a solo dance. Dida and dadi will give a surprise performance.   Obviously, Ranbir and Prachi will have a romantic dance and the others will pair up with their husbands. That leaves Aryan and Shahana, so both of you will be together." Rhea said ticking off the names with her fingers.

"No!" Aryan and Shahana exclaimed at the same time.

"Why?" Rhea asked suspiciously.

"Because......because......" Shahana stammered.

"Because we will end up fighting and spoil the entire performance." Aryan was quick to find an excuse.

" Don't force them, if they don't want to preform together." Alia added.

Purab smelled something fishy but did not say anything. He decided to confront Aliya about it later.

"Okay, so I and Shahana can be together and Aryan........." Rhea was thinking just then someone interrupted her.

"He will be with me." Dimpy had a smile plastered on her face. "I really want to be included in the function. Can I?"

"Of course darling. This will solve the problem also. So he decided that Aryan and Dimpy will pair up." Alia concluded before anyone could utter a word.

-----

"Aryan, you have been browsing your phone since the time I have come. We have to practise." Dimpy nudged Aryan who was least interested in anything she was saying.

"I think we don't need any practise." he suggested.

"Of course. We are so talented." Dimpy made it a point to agree to whatever Aryan said to please him.  "But select the song at least."

"Aryan, I need you for a while. There is some office work that needs to be seen to." Purab unknowingly saved him.

"Yes dad." he was glad to escape from her torture.  "You can choose any song you like." he added to her. 

They went to Purab's study and Aryan was surprised to find Shahana there.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"She is your secretary and she has a tab of all the necessary information." Purab reminded him.

"I mean, she can leave if she doesn't wants to be here." Aryan said.

"What happened? Is everything fine between both of you?" Purab questioned.

"No. I mean she must have been practising with Rhea and would prefer it more than sitting here with ME." he said stressing the word 'me'.

"No. Thank you but I think work is more important than having fun." Shahana replied coldly.

"There is definitely something wrong." Purab thought.