Neelu unlocked the door excitedly, as she juggled a polythene in other hand. Suddenly, the neighbour who was waiting for the elevator, asked something.

"arre kya shopping karli aaj?" she asked.

"purvi ka birthday haina agle hafte, toh party ke liye dress hai uski...badi time se keh rahi thi dilane ko.." replied neelu.

"badi khush hogi woh toh.." she responded.

"surprise hai pura..."said neelu, as she had opened the door to get inside.

"chalo, phir, all the best.." she said as neelu smiled and closed the door.

She tip toed quietly to purvi's room, as upon reaching there, she opened the door with a slam.

"purvi, dekh kya laayi hoon tere liye..." she said excitedly, only for it to completely vanish, when she saw kavin, kissing purvi.

"maa..." responded purvi, scared, as kavin had immediately distanced himself from her.

"kavin, zara bahar baithoge thodi der?" asked neelu, as kavin immediately walked off quietly, in an effort to not make the situation worse.

Neelu closed the door behind her.

"maa, woh.." attempted purvi to explain.

"kabse chal raha hai yeh sab?" questioned neelu, still maintaining her calm.

"maa, woh..." attempted purvi to respond.

"kabse chal raha hai purvi!" yelled neelu.

"saal ho gaya hai.." responded purvi, timidly.

"tum dono ne kisiko bhi batane ki zehmat nahi ki?" followed up neelu with a question, as purvi remained mum.

"kuch hua tum dono, ke beech, isse zyada?" she questioned, as purvi shook her head in no.

Neelu noted her daughter's body language, as she walked off the room.

***

Kavin, who has seated himself in the living room, waiting for her, immediately stood up, upon seeing neelu.

"aunty, jaisa aap samajh rahi hai..." attempted kavin to defend himself.

"maine kuch kaha tumse?" questioned neelu, as he shook his head in no.

"dekho kavin, jo ho gaya, so hogaya. Par yeh baat isse aage nahi badhegi, tum ab ghar nahi aaoge dobara. Tum ache dost ho dushyant ke, uss par koi asar nahi padhna chahiye, tum beshak usse baat-cheet rakho, par woh woh school mein khatam ho jaani chahiye." Explained neelu, as kavin nodded in agreement.

"purvi ke saath, ab tumhara koi relation nahi hona chahiye." Stated neelu, as kavin nodded in agreement.

"abhi ke liye please chale jao.." ordered neelu, as kavin took one glance of purvi's room, before he left.

***

Purvi could hear the loud screams from her parent's room, as she placed her ear by the door, to listen.

"dushyant tha uss waqt ghar pe?" questioned sameer.

"nahi.." replied neelu.

"phir isse ghar mein kaise ghusne diya? kitni baar hua hai aisa?" followed up sameer with another question.

"jaan-pehchaan ka hai, khol deti hogi purvi uske liye darwaaza...kitni baar isse wait karte hue dekha tha maine dushyant ka, maine hi kitni baar bithaya hai." Responded neelu.

"yeh sab tumhari galti hai.." stated sameer.

"wah! Ab yeh bhi meri galti hai..." remarked neelu in awe.

"aur nahi toh kya, tumhe mana karna chahiye tha purvi ko, jab woh ghar pe akeli hai, toh kya matlab aise kisi ladke ke ghar mein aane ka! Bhagwaan na karein, kuch galat karleta woh ladki ke saath..." scolded sameer.

"kuch nahi kiya hai dono ne, shakal se pata chal raha tha.par kya pata, agar time pe na aati toh kya hota..." expressed neelu her concern.

"iss ladke ko apne bete ki tarah maana humne, aur himmat dekho iski!" exclaimed sameer.

"aur dilado inko reservation! Karne lage na humse baraabari..." remarked neelu.

"unke ghar mein cooler chalate hain garmiyon mein! Aise logon se moh lagayegi humari beti...."expressed sameer his disgust.

"bilkul kabse mein kar rakha hai purvi ko, aur kyun na karein, jitna dahej hum denge utna dega koi inki biradri mein!" commented neelu.

"uski naubat nahi aayegi, meri beti inka naam nahi lagayegi, aur uske bache reservation pe nahi palenge!" proclaimed sameer.

"hmm, kuch toh karna hi padega." Stated neelu.

"karta hoon kuch.." said sameer.

***

Meghna was serving kavin rotis, when a bell rang at the door.

"main aayi, huh.." said meghna, as she went to the door.

"tum? Kya chahiye hai iss waqt?" questioned meghna, which kavin heard.

"apne bete ko kaho, agli baar merii beti ke kamre kya, uske aas-paas bhi madrata dekha na, acha nahi hoga." Warned sameer, as kavin was overhearing this, in hiding.

"kya bakwaas kar rahe ho!" exclaimed meghna.

"kiss karne waala tha meri beti ko, neelu naa aati toh najane aur kya-kya kar baithta!" responded sameer.

"kya!" exclaimed meghna.

"aukat mat bholu apni, tumhare jaise gharon se aane waale bete, mere jaise gharon se aane waali betiyon ke saath ashiqui nahi ladaya karte...pata haina, yahan aane se pehle, tumhare logon ko toh gaon ke andar bhi nahi rehne dete the." Stated sameer.

Meghna looked inside, for kavin.

"woh shayad bhool gaya ho, par tum aur main ache se jaante hain ki kisliye bhaag kea aye tum dono yahan....aaj bhi agar unn logon ko batado tum dono kahan ho, toh aa jayenge woh moga se, kavin ko toh maar daalenge hi, tumhare saath toh..." threatened sameer, as he looked at meghna, from top to bottom.

"tum toh mujhse zyaada hi jaanti ho..." remarked sameer, with a smirk on his face.

"kya haina, mere beto ka na bada gussa dila diya tha unhone apne kand ke baad, kaboo nahi rehta uska khud pe uske baad, tum, yeh baat yaad rakhna mujhse aise baat karne se pehle. baaki, ghar parivaar tumhara bhi hai, aur tumne bhi kuch kaam kiye hain joh tum raaz rakhna chahoge, toh mere kholne pe majboor mat karo." Replied meghna, before she banged the door shut, on his face.

Kavin, who had overheard all this, also noticed her mother wiping the sweat off her forehead.

***

"kavin!" called purvi, as she noticed him on the school hallway.

Kavin continued to walk, trying to avoid her.

"kavin, baat toh suno meri!" insisted purvi, as kavin turned to her.

"purvi, ab humare beech kuch nahi ho sakta. Tumhe shayad aaj tak apni cast bhi na pata ho, par purvi main aisi koi jagah pe nahi gaya hoon, jahan kisine mujhe woh yaad na dilayi ho! Aur yeh chota sa joh farak hai na humein, uske kaaran mere jaisa ladka, tumhari jaisi ladke ke saath, kabhi nahi ho paayega iss duniya mein. Aur tumhara, ya mera pyaar, yeh sach kabhi nahi badal sakta." Stated kavin, as his eyes were getting moist, and so did purvi's.

"kaash main kisi aur surname ke saath paida hota..." remarked kavin, as he held onto her hands.

He looked to his side, trying to not let his tears fall. But purvi couldn't stop herself from breaking down.

"i am so sorry.." said purvi.

"i am sorry too..." said kavin.

***

author's note:firstly, kal itna engaging comments section tha, and i loved it. there's nothing better than getting to know your views, especially of the topics discussed in the story. now, about srishti prasad and queenpari's comments, that talk about relationships between teenagers, stood out to me, so i'll be elaborating on that. see, relationships, they are a work of communication, compromise, understanding and trust. anyone who understands that,have very much a right to engage in relationships. i can understand, why teenagers, especially below 18, might not be the most ideal candidates for it, but most of the time,even adults aren't. but yes, in teenage relationships, there is a higher chance of girls being forced for sex, sexting, posting images that boys might even blackmail them with or even toxic relationships. parents should interfere in these topics, their child needs their help and support here. but  like the instance in this story, many times, parents just impose their bias on children. this, in our country, especially, can even take forms in crimes like honor killing. therefore, what i propose is, that children should be allowed to date, and their parents should be open about it. only interfering, in situations where it is required like mentioned above, and not when it is a healthy, consensual relationship, where both parties are happy. cultures where these things are practiced, like the US, show statistics of delayed but happy marriages, with lower divorce rates. basically, these relationships, are necessary for personal growth and lead to better marriages and in turn a better environment for kids to be raised. 

lastly, please tell me your views down below, on this topic, or the one in this chapter specifically, i really appreciate them.