Shayantani was yet clueless as to what Kavya wanted to talk about. After walking almost 5 minutes in silence and awkwardness, Shayantani finally broke the silence and spoke,

Shanu: There was something you wanted to talk to me about?

Kavya: Thoda sabar rakho, sab pata chal jayega.

Shanu: Itne susupense mein mat rakho , yaar!

Kavya:(giggling) You are quite impatient. 

Shanu: Mujhe suspense mein rehna bilkul nahi pasand. Batao na.

Kavya: Acha baba , thik hai. Mai tumse Sahil ke baare mein baat karna chahti thi.

Shanu: Sahil ke baare mein kya?

Kavya: Shayantani,.........tumhe Sahil ne apne baare mein to zarur bataya hoga. 

Shanu: Ha. Bataya to hai.

Kavya: Meri apni koi family nahi hai. Isilye main Jai ki family ko hi apna manti hu. Jai aur main school mein hi mile the. Tab se uski family se meri attachment ho gayi.Har festival mein unke ghar jana, raat raat ko unke ghar pe dinner karna,.....everything. Sahil se bhi mai unke ghar mein hi mili thi. At first, he was very shy around me. He would talk less. Be around less. But slowly and gradually, he started becoming familiar with me.

Shanu: He was an introvert?

Kavya: Can you really blame him? Rudra Uncle hamesha se hi usse bohot strictly behave karte the. He would never appreciate him for anything he did. I used to feel bad for him. But main kuch kar bhi nahi sakti thi. 

Shanu: Voh aisa kyu behave karte hai uske sath?

Kavya: ( stammering) Um.....voh....uh....

Shanu: Kya hua, Kavya?

Kavya: Iske piche ek bohot bada reason hai.

Shanu: Kya reason?

Kavya:(in a whispering tone) Shayantani, yeh sach Sahil ko bhi nahi pata. So......you have to promise me that tum use kuch nahi bataogi.

Shanu: Kya baat hai, Kavya?

Kavya: Voh......Sahil.......Sahil.....Rudra Uncle ka asli beta nahi hai.

Shayantani stopped on her track in shock.

Shanu: Kya??

Kavya: Ha.....yeh sach. Mujhe Jai ne bataya tha ki.......

Shanu: Ki kya?

Kavya: Ki....voh.....Nandini aunty......Vo Nandini aunty aur kisi aur ka beta hai. He is an ..........illegitimate child.

Nandini Maheshwari:

Shayantani cupped her mouth in horror. Her eyes widened.

Kavya: Please......please....Shanu, you have to promise me! Tum Sahil ko kuch nahi bataogi! Promise me!

Shanu: Of course, Kavya. Mai usse kuch kyu bolungi. Vo tut jayega. Aur mai uske tutne ka karan nahi banna chahti.

Kavya: Thank you.

Shanu: Par tumne mujhe yeh sab kyu bataya?

Kavya: Kyunki mai janti hu.........ki Sahil ke liye agar koi perfect match hai, jo use uski har pareshani , har dard se dur kar sakta hai, jo use duniya ki har khushi jo voh deserve karta , de sakta hai...........to vo tum ho Shayantani.

Shayantani's eyes shot up in surprise.

Kavya: Maine dekha hai uski aakhon mein. Jabse vo tumse mila hai........he is happy, he is alive.....again. His eyes dance at the slightest mention of you. You make him happier......than he ever thought he could be. And I want him to stay that way his entire life......I just want to see him happy. 

Shanu:(Blushing) Uh.....I....uh,......um...I....

Kavya:(Teasingly) Matlab meri baat sach nikli. Tum sach mein pasand karti ho use!

Shanu:(Blushing Hard) Ah....I.....um.......

Kavya:(Giggling) Haye! Tamatar jaisi laal ho chuki ho!

Shanu giggled and blushed.

Kavya: Mai bas use khush dekna chahti hu, Shayantani. And I know that you would make him very happy. Don't ever leave his side.

Shanu: Never.

Before they could continue their conversation, a boy interrupted them and informed Shayantani that the committee was summoned by Tapasya immediately in the Elliston Hall.

Shanu:(To Kavya) Lo! Agaya bulava!

Kavya:( To Shanu) It's Okay. Tum jao. We can talk later.

Shanu: Okay, Bye.

Kavya: Bye.

Waving each other good bye, they departed for their respective work.

                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daksh was passing by Hall 5 when he heard someone yell," Ugh! I'm so TIRED!"

He entered the hall and found Ananya sitting with her head down, and a lot of papers in front of her.He smiled and shook his head. Sitting on the Teacher's table, he said,

Daksh: Ab kya hua?

Ananya lifted her head and found him grinning and smirking at her.

Ananya: Kya hua hai?! Mai batati hu kya hua hai! Mai yaha apna dimag ka dahi bana rahi hu! Yeh ho raha hai!

Daksh: Baap re Baap! Itna gussa?! Akhir hua kya hai?

Ananya: Yeh paper work mera sir kha rahe hai, yaar! Aur upar se subah se tum gayab ho! Maine tumhe kitni baar call kiya, par tumne ek baar bhi mera phone nahi uthaya. Kaha the subah se?

Daksh: Kuch kaam tha. Behen ke sath. You know, gotta give her time too.

Ananya: (Calming down) Oh....Okay, fine. Par tum mere calls kyu dodge kar rahe the?

Daksh: Voh....meri behen ke strict instructions the ki phone silent pe hona chahiye.

Ananya: Bohot pyaar karte ho na usse?

Daksh: Obviously, yaar. Mere dil ka tukra hai!

Ananya: Aww....That's so cute.

Daksh: Yeah. Par tum itni stressed kyu ho? Sari preparations to ho hi gayi hai na?

Ananya: Ho to gayi hai. Par perfection bhi to zaruri hai. Usi ko lekar tensed hu.

Daksh: Itna tension mat le, Anu. Sab thik ho jayega!

Ananya: (Sighing heavily) I hope so.

Daksh: I know so. Chal ab mera sath chal,canteen se kuch kha legi.

Ananya: Nahi yaar. Pehle yeh kaam khatam kar lu, phir chalenge.

Daksh: Maine kaha na chal!

Ananya: Par yeh paper work complete kon karega?

Daksh: Bad mein aake kar lena. Ab chal.

He pulled her by her arm. 

Ananya: Daksh, chor....kaam karna hai.

He started pulling her arm with force. Ananya sliped and landed up against his chest. She could hear his heart beat. It was fast. Just like hers. She looked into his eyes. His hazel brown eyes. The urge of melting in his arms grew stronger .

He seemed lost too. In her. Or in the moment. He had no idea.But his heart and his mind, both knew that it was a moment that he would cherish his entire lifetime.

A sudden knock at the door brought them back to reality. Ananya moved back , looking down.

Mitali was standing by the door and smirking.

Ananya: Kya hai, Mitali?

Mitali: Ha,......Ha voh.....Tapasya ne committee ki urgent meeting rakhi hai. Elliston hall mein.

Ananya: Thik hai......tu ja......mai yeh paper work sametkar aati hu.

Mitali:(Giving teasing glances to both) Paper work ya kuch aur?

Ananya:(snappishly) Paper work hi hai! Aur kya hoga? Jab dekho mazak sujhta rehta hai tujhe!

Mitali: Thik hai , thik hai. Sorry. Aa jana jaldi.

Saying that, she turned to leave but ,

Mitali: Daksh,Anu paper work khud kar legi. Tum chal sakte ho!

Daksh looked at her in embarrassment.

Daksh: Um....ha...chalo!

He smiled and waved Ananya goodbye. She did the same. Once he was out of sight,Ananya breathed a sigh of relief.

And a smile spread over her face, which never left..................

                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~               

What is this sudden meeting about?

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