Sameer reached his office, where his assistant was placing his coffee on the table, alongside other files and documents.

"good morning, sir." He greeted, as he got aside.

"good morning, ankit." Responded sameer as he seated himself on the chair.

"sir, woh sunil ke ghar mein, aag lagai hi gayi thi, kerosene ke through. Koi matchstick ya lighter mila nahi wahan se....aur as such chawl waalon ne bhi mention nahi kiya ki kisiko dushmani ho usse. In fact, uski family ke liye, pure chawl ne contribute kiya tha ration. Ek budhi aurat toh unhe apne ghar bhi rehne de rahi hai." Informed ankit, as sameer scoffed.

"sharif lagta hai yeh bas, itna clean record kisika nahi hota...karname ache se chupane aate hai isse." Remarked sameer.

"toh sir, phir aur aadmiyon ko lagaon?" questioned ankit.

"nahi, nahi, paise uss loan se recover ho gaye hain, aur woh abhi meghna ke ghar rakhwadiye hain..toh sunil ko phone karke kaho, ki woh loan ab wahi pay karega, aur uska account cancel karke, 5 lakh meghna ki account mein entry kardo." Ordered sameer.

"sir, aur joh meghna se woh bag liya hai subha, woh?" questioned ankit.

"woh c.e.o sahab ke ghar dena hai shaam tak, jaate hue de dena, yaad se." Commanded sameer, as ankit nodded in agreement and left.

***

Neelu was drinking her tea on the bed, when purvi appeared.

"maa, aa jao, nalha do aapko...washroom bhi saath mein hi hue aana.." stated purvi.

"arre, aap college jaiye na, main aa gayi hoon, main kar dungi." Assured ishita.

"nahi, nahi, nalhana-dhona main hi karke jaati hoon, woh tumhara kaam nahi hai.." declined purvi.

"purvi, aaja tereko chod deta hoon, college." Offered dushyant, as he stood by the door.

"tu ab tak taiyaar bhi nahi hui, late ho jaayegi..." said dushyant, as he signalled to the clock.

"dekha, aapko late ho raha hai, main nalha dungi aaj inhe, koi baat nahi...aap jaiye." Insisted ishita.

"haan, beta, woh sahi keh rahi hai..late ho jayega, bache. Jao jaake taiyaar ho jao, bhaiya chod denge phir.." explained neelu.

"tu khudh toh nahali haina? Kyunki main 15-20 minute se zayada wait nahi karunga...mujhe library mein book bhi dete hue jaana hai, upar se early morning class hai..." complained dushyant.

"woh toh 10 minute mein hi taiyaar ho jaati hai...tu hai, adha ghanta leta hai pura!" exclaimed neelu.

"papa ghanta lagate hain subha-subha!" remarked dushyant.

"dono baap-bete, hum dono ka time milake lelo, usse bhi double time lagta hai taiyaar hone mein." Informed neelu to ishita.

"ab aap deviyon ko toh bhagwaan ne sundar hi banake bheja haina, hum aam praniyon ko mehnat karni padti hai dekhne layak shakal ke liye...kya karein!" joked dushyant.

"aur tune 5 minute yahi laga diye hain, jaake taiyaar hi hoja!" rebuked dushyant to purvi.

"jaa rahi hoon, nahi kar rahi tumhe late!" retorted purvi, as dushyant rolled his eyes, and she left.

"abhi time hai, aaja, baith ja.." suggested neelu, to which dushyant complied, reluctantly.

"isiliye na maine kavin ke saath jaana shuru kar diya tha..." remarked dushyant.

"haan waise kavin se yaad aaya, aaj uske saath nahi gaya tu?" asked neelu.

"haan, woh, kal zara der ho gayi the, aate hue, toh subha neend nahi khuli..." responded dushyant.

"hmm...ab banda thak hi jaata hai, pipe se chadke aate hue....woh bhi sixth floor..." remarked neelu, as dushyant gazed at her, puzzled.

"pehli baar toh nahi hai, tum purvi ki balcony se aaye ho." Stated neelu, as dushyant, flustered at first, was still quick to defend himself.

"arre aapko pata toh papa ka yaar, pata chalta itni der se aaya hoon, khoon na kardete mera!" protested dushyant.

"uska ilaaj time pe aana hai..." responded neelu.

"yaar aapko pata hai, mujhe nahi baat karni papa se.." retorted dushyant.

"dushyant, kya hai yeh sab, aisa kya kar diya hai tumhare papa ne?" asked neelu.

"hain kuch maa, joh aapko bhi nahi pata papa ke baarein mein..." stated dushyant.

"aur tumhe kaise pata phir?" asked neelu, to which dushyant was about to respond.

"bhaiya, chalo!" exclaimed purvi, as she got inside the room.

"bye maa! Bye ishita!" she said quickly, as she signalled dushyant to come, which he immediately did.

'aisa kya pata hai isse?' wondered neelu.

***

Dushyant stopped the bike, in front of the college.

"tu jaa, main zara parking dhoondo..." said dushyant, as purvi got down.

"lao, aapki books main lauta dungi, aap seedha class chale jaana." Offered purvi, as a smile came on dushyant's face.

"thanks yaar..." he said, as he handed a pile of books to her.

"bahalai ki badi saza dete ho aap..." she remarked as she started to walk away, and dushyant with a smirk on his face, drove away.

She focused her glance on the books, making sure none of them falls.

***

Walking to the library with them, was a tedious task, that she somehow accomplished.

She placed them in front of the librarian with a huge sigh.

"let me guess, journalism student?" she remarked, as she shook her head, while entering the codes on the book in the database.

Suddenly, three books, containing atleast 500 pages each, were placed on the desk.

"kavin sansoi.." said the owner, as purvi looked upto him in shock.

"abhi kal hi toh lautake gaye the 5 books..." retorted the lady.

"tabhi aaj yeh le raha hoon." Responded kavin.

"usse mujhe pata chal jaata hai hafta khatam ho gaya. Lo, entry kardiye hai, tum dono ki." She replied, as purvi was still looking at kavin, who was already leaving, which prompted her to do so too.

"kavin!" called purvi, as she shut the library door behind her.

"purvi...hi." said kavin with a smile, as he turned to her.

"hi...kaise ho?" asked purvi, reciprocating his smile.

"thik hoon..." he responded, his glance still fixed on her eyes.

"achi lag rahi ho..." he complimented, unable to take his eyes off of her.

She chuckled slightly.

"that's nice of you, but not really...." she resisted his compliment.

"nahi..seriously..just like always..." he replied, as she found herself to blush slightly. It was like she was a teenage girl again, with a huge crush on her big brother's best friend.

Their eyes locked, as their gaze couldn't be moved away from each other.

It was them who got separated, not the love.

***