The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the city as Sidharth parked his car and headed into the building. His day at the theater had been long, filled with rehearsals and intricate discussions with Shehnaaz about the play. She had been hesitant yet brilliant, her words breathing life into the characters. Despite her broken past, she had a spark in her eyes when it came to her craft, and Sidharth respected that.

As he unlocked his door, he heard familiar voices in the hallway. His brows furrowed in curiosity. Who could it be? He turned toward the source of the noise and froze in his tracks.

"Shehnaaz?" he said, his voice filled with disbelief.

Shehnaaz stood there with a cardboard box in her hands, looking equally stunned. Vidyut was busy giving instructions to a mover, while Nargis stood nearby, smiling as she noticed Sidharth.

"Are Sidharth? Aap?" Shehnaaz managed to say, almost dropping the box in shock.

Vidyut looked up and greeted Sidharth casually, "Oh, aap yahan rehte ho?"

Sidharth stepped closer, trying to make sense of the situation. "You are moving here? Ye... ye mera flat ka next door hai"

Shehnaaz's eyes widened, and she glanced at the door to her new apartment, her fingers tightening on the box. "Oh" was all she could muster.

Nargis broke the awkward silence. "Bas ek din ki baat thi aur humne yeh flat finalize kar liya. Kismat dekho, aap yahan rehte ho" She nudged Shehnaaz lightly. "Ab toh aur maza aayega"

Shehnaaz looked away, clearly uncomfortable "Mujhe yeh nahi pata tha" she muttered under her breath.

Sidharth sensed her unease and quickly tried to ease the situation. "It's... nice. Agar koi help chahiye ho shifting mein, toh bata dena"

Vidyut grinned "Wahi toh! Aap toh purane dost ho. Aapke bina kaise chalega?"

Shehnaaz shot her brother a sharp look. "Hum kar lenge" she said softly, setting the box down on the floor. Her hands trembled slightly, a habit Sidharth had noticed whenever she felt vulnerable.

He hesitated for a moment before speaking gently "Shehnaaz, it's okay. Main bas next door hoon. No pressure"

Her eyes flickered up to meet his for a brief second. "Thanks" she whispered.
He nodded and went inside his apartment.

"Tune aese baat kiu kari Sidharth se?" Vidyut asked as they enter inside the apartment.

"Ke...Kese?" She look everywhere except  him, he know this is her old habbit whenever she lied she didn't talk while looking at him.

"Unko bura laga hoga Shehnaaz" Nargis said and place her hand on her shoulder to give her comfort.

Shehnaaz bite her lower lip and control her tears. "To kya karti main bhabhi main nahi chahati ki mere past ka saya mere present par padhe i...i don't want ki Sidharth ko mere past ki bhanak bhi lage i don't want him to judge me". Her hands were shriving Nargis hold her hand and give her assurance that she is here for her.

"Aesa kuch nahi hoga Shehnaaz tu overthink mat kar hmm"

She nodded and start helping them.

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The corridors were quiet now, and Sidharth sat on his balcony, sipping coffee. He could hear faint murmurs from Shehnaaz's apartment, laughter from Vidyut and Nargis, and the sound of furniture being moved around. He smiled faintly. It was strange how life worked.

Shehnaaz, on the other hand, stood by her window, staring out into the night. Her heart was a mix of emotions relief, fear, and an odd sense of comfort knowing Sidharth was just a wall away.

As if sensing her thoughts, she heard a soft knock on her door. She froze, her muscles tensing instinctively.

"Shehnaaz?" came Sidharth's voice from the other side.

She took a deep breath and opened the door slightly. "Haan?"

He held out a small bag. "I thought you might not have unpacked everything. Dinner?"

She blinked at him, unsure of how to respond. "Yeh... zarurat nahi thi"

"Zarurat aur zaroori ke beech jo hota hai, usey dosti kehte hain" he said with a faint smile.

A small, almost invisible smile tugged at her lips before she nodded. "Thanks"

As he walked away, she closed the door and leaned against it, clutching the bag. For the first time in years, the walls around her heart cracked, just a little.

The next morning, the chaos of moving continued in Shehnaaz's apartment. Boxes were scattered everywhere, and Vidyut was busy assembling furniture while Nargis unpacked the kitchen. Shehnaaz sat in a corner, flipping through a notebook. Despite the noise, her thoughts were elsewhere...still processing the surreal coincidence of Sidharth living next door.

"Chhoti, yeh books ka kya karna hai?" Vidyut asked, holding up a box.

"Library mein rakh do" Shehnaaz replied absently, not even looking up.

"Library? Yaha koi library hai kya?" Vidyut teased, smirking at her as he gestured toward the small shelf in the corner.

Shehnaaz rolled her eyes but didn't respond. She was about to get back to her notes when there was a knock at the door again. This time, it was Vidyut who opened it.

"Arre, Sidharth" Vidyut greeted him cheerfully "Aao, andar aao. Dekho, ghar abhi mess hai don't mind haa"

Sidharth stepped in, chuckling "It's not a problem main bas puchne aaya tha light wagera me help chahiye? Wiring samajhne me dikkat hoti hai kabhi kabhi"

Shehnaaz, hearing his voice, stiffened slightly but didn't look up immediately. She focused on her notebook, pretending to be engrossed.

"Bas ek do cheezein baaki hain" Nargis piped in, smiling warmly at Sidharth. "But aapka yahan hona achha hai, neighbors hone ka fayda toh uthayenge"

Sidharth grinned "Bilkul. Aur aap log jitna chaho, mujhe disturb kar sakte ho. Shehnaaz toh expert hai mujhe pareshaan karne me" he joked lightly, glancing at her.

Shehnaaz finally looked up, startled. "Maine? Kab?" she said defensively, her brows furrowing.

Sidharth smirked "Kal theater mein, teen baar scenes recreate karwa diye. Abhi yaad dilana padega?"

Vidyut laughed. "Good! Sidharth bhai isko aese hi pareshan kar mujhe bhi bohot karti hai"

Shehnaaz looked flustered "Maine aur pareshan kiya kab? Kuch bhi mat bolo, bhai" She quickly got up and walked toward the kitchen, pretending to grab water.

Sidharth watched her retreat with a soft expression before turning back to Vidyut and Nargis. "Aap log set ho jao pehle , kuch zarurat ho toh bata dena"

As he left, Shehnaaz let out a small breath she did not realize she had been holding. Being around Sidharth felt... different. Not bad, but familiar. And that scared her.

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Shehnaaz was sitting on her small balcony with a cup of tea, scribbling ideas for the next act of the play. The stars were faintly visible through the city lights, and the soft hum of traffic filled the air. She was lost in thought when a faint sound of music caught her attention. It was coming from Sidharth's balcony, just next to hers.

Before she could stop herself, she leaned slightly to peek through the gap in the railing. Sidharth was sitting there with his guitar, strumming a slow, soulful tune. His eyes were closed, and his fingers moved effortlessly over the strings.

"Kya dekh rahi ho?" he asked suddenly, not even opening his eyes.

Shehnaaz started, almost spilling her tea. "Main... main kuch nahi dekh rahi thi!" she said, flustered.

Sidharth opened one eye and grinned. "Bohot bura jhooth bolti ho"

Shehnaaz huffed, her cheeks heating. "Aap apna kaam karo, mujhe kya dekhna?"

He laughed softly, the sound carrying across the still night. "Waise, sunne ka mann ho toh bata dena. I don't mind an audience"

Shehnaaz didn't respond, but she did not go back inside either. Instead, she stayed there, pretending to be focused on her notebook while the music continued. It was calming in a way she had not felt in years. She smile unknowingly.

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That is it for today.

Hope you all like it.

Thanks for reading.