~ 🄹🅄🄽🄴 13, 2021 ~

It was a usual night with all chores for the day done and all retiring to bed. But one soul was walking to and fro in her room not showing any signs of  tiredness or sleep. She was repeatedly looking at the clock but much to her dismay it's hands were moving in normal speed unlike she wanting it to move fast! After pacing about for some more time, she glanced at the clock again.

Her excitement increased as only few seconds were left to 12am. She quickly ran to her bed and pretended to sleep, eagerly waiting to know what all surprises her freinds and family had planned for her.
The clock struck 12 but there wasn't any sound of cheers or birthday wishes. She waited thinking they must be coming soon. Minutes kept rolling by, but still nothing happened as she had expected. She took her phone hoping to see some wishes but there were none.

"Yaar sab bhul toh nahi gaye ki aaj mera birthday hai?? Ghar pe bhi kisi ne wish nahi kiya " she frowned and slowly tip toed out of her room to check but much to her dismay, everyone was sleeping soundly.
She stomped her foot and walked back to her room when she heard a soft knock on the main door. A big smile lit up her face thinking her friends have come up to surprise her. She opened the door but there was no one. She looked around and was about to head back disappointedly at not spotting anyone when her eyes fell on a box wrapped in a glittery wrapper which kept down at her doorstep. She bend down to take the gift but it swiftly moved back leaving her amazed. She moved forward to catch it but it again moved back!

Forgetting she shouldn't be moving out in the middle of the night without informing her parents, she moved out to take her gift but seemed like the gift was not ready to remain in one place!  Every time she tried to take it, it kept moving.

Not realising she has come far from home she kept moving. She increased her speed and jumped in front of the box quickly picking it up. She grinned finally  getting hold on her gift and turned back to walk back to her room but gasped realising she is in the middle of a deserted road. She mentally kicked herself for her stupidity and suddenly flinched when she saw two bikers coming with full speed. She turned ready to run back home but they were quick enough to surround her noisily.

Her heartbeats accelerated and sweat beads started forming on her forehead.

"Aur bhaag gift ke piche... soch tha mere birthday pe main khoob masti karungi, lekin yahan toh gunde piche pad gaye. Hey Bhagwan!  Please ghar pahuncha do!  Aage se kabhi aisa nahi karungi, phone bhi leke nahi aayi idiot" she pleaded and cursed herself.

She was busy cursing herself when one biker said loudly
"Akeli kaha chali madam, aap kaho toh hum company dede"
The voice seemed familiar but she was not in a state to recognize.

Not showing her fear she said briskly

"Mere raaste se hato mujhe ghar jaana hai"

"Arre aise kaise ghar jaogi? Pehle hamara kam toh pura hojaye" 

"Umm... dekho aap... mai... mai shor macha dungi, jaane do mujhe" she yelled

"Iss sunsaan raaste mai koi nahi hai... hamare alawa" they laughed scaring her more.

The other biker doubled up in laughter and chided her friend

"Tum bhi na Avi! Dara diya bichari birthday girl ko"
It was a female voice.

"Aa... Aap ko kaise pata mere birthday??" She was puzzled.

Both of them removed  their helmets and box fell from her hand in shock. It was actor Aditya Roy Kapoor and Kalki. She came down, picked the gift and placed it on her hand giggling

"Tum kamal ho yaar jis gift ke liye itna dur bhaga, dekh toh lo usme hain kya"

She opened the box, still in shock. It had another small box and a letter. She opened it. It was from her best friend Pratyusha (Psr1403)

"Tuje kya laga hum sab tera birthday bhul gaye?  Aisa kabhi ho sakta hai mai apne yaar ka birthday bhul jau? Chal ab bina time waste kiye jaldi se aaja. Abhi toh picture shuru huyi hai mere dost, aur haan ye gift specially Naina ne beja hai tere liye. Jaldi se dekh, isse best gift kuch ho hi nahi sakta"

Smiling she opened the box and the very  next moment shrieked throwing the box away while the other two laughed, there was living lizard. She got a feeling of deja vu but ignored it.

"Sara masti yahi pe karna hai kya? Hum late horahe hai!  Tum Aditi ke saath baith jao" Avi said as he started the bike.

"Aditi??" Raksha scrunched her brows.
Aditi answered her question

"Haan mai Aditi aur ye Avi, khaas tumare liye aaye hai ham Mumbai se"

Raksha jumped up in excitement

"Matlab Ranbir aur Deepika bhi... kahi ye sapna toh nahi..."

"Oh ho zyaada khayali pulao mat pakao, pata nahi Bunny duniya ke kis kone mai hoga. Abhi toh Naina bhi uske saath hain! Lekin tum chinta mat karo tumhara birthday ekdum dhamakedar hoga" Avi said as he put on his helmet ready to start their journey.

"Lekin hum jaa kaha rahe hai?" she asked after sitting behind Aditya.

Aditya smirked

"Tumhe dar lag raha hai toh ghar chod dete hai, hum akele party..."

"Nahi nahi mujhe aana hai" Raksha interrupted.

Her smile soon vanished as Aditya speeded up the bike making her clutch her shoulder.

"Aa... dheere... dheere chalao... hum..." She stuttered.

Aditya chuckled
"Arre tum acche se pakad lo, speed kam kiya toh pahunch nahi payenge"

Aditi continued

"Aur dheere chalane mai bike ride ka maza nahi aata! Tum bas enjoy karo.  dubara mauka nahi milega"

She tightened her grip and relaxed, feeling the strong wind hitting her face
The road was deserted with no other vehicles and trees on both the side. This adventurous ride in the middle of the night was thrilling. She had no idea where they were heading to but she loved this suspense just the same.

Suddenly Aditya screamed

"Oh shit... break nahi lag raha"

Raksha felt like blanking out with their bike running in full speed in a steep road! If they didn't stop now they will be crashing down and she can't even imagine what will happen to them. Both screamed on top their lungs closing their eyes, when they saw a large pit ahead.
Raksha felt her body freezing and she didn't have the guts to open her eyes. It seemed like she had landed on a large ice cube. Two loud noises boomed in her ears making her jolt and open her eyes. She saw Pratyusha and Pahul (pahul_gpk)  grinning at her.
Clutching her chest, Raksha tried to calm down her erratic heartbeats and started taking deep breaths. She looked down to see where she had landed and that was when she finally looked at herself!

Much to her surprise, she was dressed in a pretty navy blue frock and was totally fit and fine after the dangerous bike ride.

"Ye sab kaise hua? Mai kaha hu? Tum dono kaha se aaye? Aditi aur Avi kaha hai? Aur yeh tha kya? " she fired her questions one after other even as she looked around in shock as she was seated in snow, surrounded by snow covered hills.

"Arey meri maa, saas toh lele! Hum Manali mai hai aur yeh sab hamare jaadu ka kamal hai! Kaisa laga surprise?" Pahul said

"Surprise?? Mujhe heart attack aane wala tha almost!! Aapko toh..." She rolled a huge amount of snow and threw it at them. Running behind them throwing snow balls at each other. Engrossed in this chase, she bumped into a tall man and mumbled a sorry moving back, slightly disoriented.
She looked up and stumbled bewitched at whom she saw!

Pratyusha had to hold her to save her from hitting the ground.

"Ranbir...Deepika.." She mumbled in astonishment.

"Aap nahi... Avi ne kaha... duniya nahi... yaha..." she blabbered looking at her favourite actors standing in front of her.

Pahul shook her to stop her blabbering.

"Kaise nahi aate birthday girl ki farmaish jo thi. Aur tumara special day hai toh special surprise toh banta hain na sweetheart"  Ranbir presented her bouquet of flowers. Deepika came ahead a hugged her and both wished her. While Pahul clicked a picture of three of together.

They walked backed together towards the tent to celebrate her birthday, while Raksha held her friends back asking ina low voice "Sameer aur Naina bhi aane wale hai kya?" 

"Arre Ranbir aur Deepika bhi toh tere favourite hai, pata hai kitni mehnat kiya inse milne ke liye aur sabko Manali tak lana wo alag, waise bhi Sameer aur Naina thode busy hai toh aaj nahi ho payega" Pratyusha stated. Raksha nodded sadly, no one had come from yudkbh she was missing them.
"Aur Sameer Naina ne tere liye gift bheja toh tha, tujhe pasand aaya na" Pahul said earning a glare from Raksha for reminding her about the horrible gift.

"Lekin aur..."

"Saari baatein yahi karna hai kya? Chal jaldi" they said and dragged her towards the tent.

The moment she stepped inside, loud cheers of wishes filled the tent. Her heart swelled up in happiness as all her community friends were present and came ahead one by one wishing her and each one handing a bloom of rose. By the time she reached the center she was holding a bunch of flowers. A huge cake was placed on a low table and her favourite actors were standing near it surrounded by her freinds.

She was asked to sit on a small box like thing. The moment she sat it bursted making her jump and all other laugh out. She whined at friends for playing such pranks.What if she had landed on the ground! But she paused hearing a sweet voice from behind. She turned and jumped clasping her hands. As much awaited Sameer and naina walked in hand in hands.

"Happy birthday Raksha" Naina embraced the smiling birthday girl, but much to everyone's surprise Raksha jumped back with a yelp wriggling and shuffling her frock and while Naina had a knowing smirk, Sameer narrowed his eyes not knowing what mischief she had done. A loud laughter zoomed in when they saw a couple of ice cube falling down from her dress. Raksha pouted wondering why our prim and proper Naina is pranking on her first that lizard and now ice cube in this chilling climate.

"Ye box wala prank bhi apne..."
"Nahi nahi ye toh monstu ne kiya maine nahi" she quickly clarified.

Sameer pulled her pony lightly

"Jhooti! Ye bhi tumne he kaha tha karne ko! Tumhe toh pata haina aisi ulti sidhi harkate nanhi ko hi sujte hai"

Raksha gaped at both of them
"Why on earth were they calling each other Nanhi and Monstu? Oh God! Have they read her story?"

"Tumhe kya laga hum kabhi stalk nahi karte, sirf fans kar sakte hain? Hum bhi padhte hai Samaina fanfiction aur hume monstu aur nanhi ke bare mai bhi pata hai" Naina answered her unasked question.

"Aur humne socha ek din hum ye kirdar nibhayenge! Kaisa laga??"

Sameer looped an arm around naina raising his brows at Raksha who was too dazed to reply.

Naina wrapped an arm around her arm bringing her out of her stupor

"Waise itna hairan mat ho, maine toh socha tha mini ko dal dungi tumare upar fir socha tumne agar usse utta ke  fek diya tho... bekaar mai daat pad jati mujhse"

Raksha pulled her hand away quickly running to the other side. She didn't want to fall prey to nanhi's weird pets. They all chuckled and soon made her cut the cake singing the birthday song and together they went out to play in the snow clad mountains.

She was engrossed in playing when all of a sudden the land started shaking and slowly all her friends and others started disappearing. She shuddered when out of no where she landed back in her room and her parents had come to wish her waking her from the deep sleep. Her phone beeped popping wishes from the birthday wish channel. She grinned imagining her dream celebration.

               ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

𝚂𝚞𝚛𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝙵𝚘𝚛: RRao_13
𝚆𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝙱𝚢: mahi2325