2 years fled like the pace of a river, steady but unstoppable. So, were their lives. Yusuf had ascended to films by the end of 1944 in a side role. But, it was no matter. Rendering on the silver screen was a fair inheritance of luck. The year following, Faajal approached the films as the second lead in a period drama. 

Films had more immense audiences and heavier paychecks, leading her family to gain a better condition. As their monetary status enriched, they shifted from that stuffy clamshell to a spacious apartment in a decent residential area. Yusuf also rented an apartment, though his was smaller than hers, still a fit for single. 

Other than financial improvements, their romance also delved into several stages of growth and the depth of emotional understanding. Gradually, Faajal overcame that ardent passion, the heady innocence of teenage love, maturing into a young adult now. Yusuf, now 19, gained more chiselled features, the earlier softness slowly vanished. He added a moustache, saying it preserved his masculinity. Although Faajal couldn't defy her denial of his decision at first, now she admired it. It was a touch that enhanced his charm, captivating any witness, including hopeless romantic girls, to Faajal's despair. 

Despite sensing her unease about the blooming craze of girls around him, Yusuf quietly rejoiced it, sometimes teasing her. She even learnt rumours from Pran that whoever trapped their eyes in Yusuf's aura, he gifted them a letter with a flock of Chameli. The letter said, "Accept it if you love me." 

Faajal knew he was sensitive and could never think of toying with love, but these jeers were sometimes annoying. But, she didn't mention it to him. What was a personality without some quirks? 

Within these past years, Faajal was also blessed with another best friend, Pran. Since that day of meeting, the three were inseparable, sharing talks even when an ant bit them. They still reunited through daily meetings at noon or secret phone calls at night. In the new apartment, Ravinder had bought another telephone which was placed beside Faajal's room. So, she could contact Yusuf and Pran with ease. They would chat for hours until midnight. There was no risk unlike before. Badi amma had moved to Chandigarh with her sister in 1945 and Ravinder fell asleep around 10 am. The only tension was Saira with her keen observation. But, Faajal avoided whenever Saira's prowling eyes fell on her. During these years, she learnt that not every chafe deserved her attention. Time should be well-used when life ran away. 

Today, she was expected by Devika Rani. She knocked on the door, anticipating permission. 

"Come in," Devika Rani noted. 

Faajal greeted the boss, entered the chamber and dragged out a chair before her. She had faced the boss a couple of times, but still, ice clogged her stomach. Devika Rani toyed with her pen, pinning her stare to the table. She was lost in thoughts as if calculating each decision against her own judgment. Finally, her focus shifted to Faajal. A measured smile stretched her lips. "I suppose you may have guessed something bigger is for you?" 

Faajal masked a nervous chuckle, an attempt to settle her churning tongue. 

Devika Rani knitted her fingers together. "I have given many thoughts to a matter and I think now that you're of age, I have a proposal for you." 

Faajal responded with a nod, eager for the revelation. 

Devika Rani took a sharp inhale. "There's a film offer for you in the lead role, and your co-star would be.......Raj" 

Faajal reprocessed the words that just penetrated her eardrum. She blinked flusteredly, her mind dead to bear the announcement. "Me and Yusuf? I mean...Raj...in a lead role?"  

Devika Rani bobbed her head. Her assurance knocked Faajal's belief to reality, yet the shock wasn't dispelled. Rendering beside her man in her first major role was an dream unexpected, yet the one she would treasure for life. Ravinder could never dismiss this offer either. And this chance might shape a step towards the disclosure of their relationship and thus Ravinder's approval. 

"I have a script, and we shall discuss further tomorrow, with Raj." Devika Rani said. 

"I don't know how you considered me capable of such thing, but," The word caught in her throat. "Thank you, mam." The last note ended with a hoarse whisper. Swamped by a tangle of different emotions, she left the room. Hope flicked in her heart anew.  

During lunch break,

"She had told me earlier but I said to inform you first," Yusuf said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Finally, you and me, in a lead role like I dreamt." He encircled her waist with his arms, casting a meek smile. His intent gaze jolted her spine, so profound, filled with mysteries yet the flame in those was perceptible. "Yes, now you can't send letters to your drooling admirers." She poked in mock anger. An adorable chuckle opened his lips, pool of stars dribbled across his pupils as if it stored a river of stars there. 

She wiggled with the collar of his shirt. "Perhaps, after this, we can disclose." 

"I hope, someday, we don't have to sneak into each other, giggle on the telephone. We just unfurl our path to the world, reach our ambitions and build a family, one day." Apprehension was evident in him. 

Instinctively, a smile crossed her countenance. "One day," 

─•~❉᯽❉~•─

At home, 

Faajal stood on the balcony, enjoying the soothing gale of Autumn. Moving to Bombay, winter wasn't a matter. In these years, not a single shiver coursed through her spine due to the weather. She barely donned warm garments. 

"Faajal!" Ravinder's call pierced her cocoon of calm. She wandered inside, bracing herself for an unwanted scowl. Ravinder simmered in the living room, a paper crumbled in his clasp. "Baba?" Faajal stepped closer, her insides writhing furiously. 

"What's this?" Ravinder demanded coldly. His arm flew to display an envelope and what was written on the cover? Yusuf Khan. Chill flushed down her spine. She swallowed to moist her throat, astounded to reply. Ravinder's stare pinned her where she stood, burying under the blatant venom spitting from his eyes. She wiggled her mouth but retorted. A lie was pointless now that he learnt everything. He might have rummaged the letter inside, scanning each word inscribed. "He's a Muslim boy, you know in all these years of friendship or something else." 

Faajal kept quiet as his sayings rumbled the room. Eyes bunched towards them now. All gathered aside, including Saira. Her expression was dreamy with a flash of malicious satisfaction. One corner of her lips lifted. She was the culprit who commenced the fire, propelling this headache on Faajal. She plotted this drama to spoil the share of happiness Faajal was spared."You have been doing these beyond my eye, thinking you'd never get caught? You don't know me." 

"Baba, I-" Faajal left the sentence unfinished, smothering the cry gnawing her throat. Ravinder beckoned by his palm to pause her, heaving a curt sigh. "Stay within the bounds of propriety." He threw it on the ground.

"Faajal, foolishness has its own limits!" Gurbani was to dash forward but Ravinder blocked her and strode ahead, returning the room its silence.  The sisters exchanged anxious glances, transferring hundreds of conversations without any utterance. Faajal detected an unusual glow in Saira, a blatant, sadist aura. Her dejection was Saira's treat. A pleasure of relief pulsated in those brown orbs. She would pay the price of the troublesome consequences that awaited her ahead, Faajal whispered to herself. She picked the letter and stomped out. 

─•~❉᯽❉~•─   

"I knew it was that rascal-" Chanchal grunted, thrashing her arms but Faajal covered her mouth. "Already I have a trouble. Don't land ourselves in another." 

"But, baba's acceptance was strange. I mean he would have never approved of your relationship, also with a Muslim boy!" Chanchal probed, crossing her hands. 

Ravinder always groped for advantages, Faajal knew that. Since Yusuf entered in films, Ravinder expressed his interest and appreciation for him sometimes, regarding Yusuf 'Potential'. Why would he praise someone whom he chided before? "He was scheming to seek benefit of our relationship. Yusuf is a striving persona, now. If he tops the film industry, his associates will also gain chance. If I couple with him, my viewership may also expand, bringing me bigger offers." 

"This man is really mysterious. He shouts for the silliest things one time, then at the other, he readily accepts things unusually." Chanchal exhaled wearily. 

"The main problem is now Saira di. I am damn sure she handed baba that letter." Faajal flicked her finger. Rage erupted in her, contemplating Saira's vile intentions. Her own elder sister attempted to ruin her! 

"I don't even care what that idiot does anymore," Chanchal rolled her eyes, groaning. "By the way, open the letter. See what Yusuf has written." A curve lifted the younger's mouth. She fought to resist it, Faajal knew. "Go, now. It's mine." 

Chanchal aimed a crooked giggle at her and trailed out. 

Oye, 

Kaisi hain tu? Tere behen to tujhe pareshan karke rakkhyion! Vaise main bhi abh pareshan hu. Ammi ka telegram aaya tha. Jinnah bohot zor laga raha hain. Partition shayad hoke hi rahega. Ekbaar agar bichhar gaye toh.....samajh hi rahi hain an tu? Main soch raha hu Peshwar jaa ke unn logo se mil lu. Zara baat karke abbu ko mana lu.

He seemed tense in his words. His father, Rashidul was a man of words who would never break his oath even at the cost of his life. Would he comply with moving here so smoothly? Faajal decided to phone Yusuf, have a direct conversation on this matter. Sometimes, plans take a turn for worse in the most unexpected of moments. She rotated the buttons of the telephone to his number. The phone rang, testing her patience along with Saira whose mouth was twisted to an acrid curl. Harleen, Chanchal and Meher chatted among themselves, unbothered of others. As seconds passed unpicked, her anticipation grew dense. Finally, he responded. "Hello, who is it?" 

"Yusuf, I am! The letter-" Faajal paused, aware of Saira's curiosity. "Uhmm, the thing you have told me, are you sure you want to return home, now?" Her tone dwindled to a cautious murmur, not permitting words to drift across. 

She could assume he was biting his lips, a habit of him in strain. "I am not quite sure, Faajal. I mean, ammi insisted we at least meet and consult things. You know, all the Punjabis are forcefully removed to Pakistan, including Muslims!" A static disrupted their connection. "I-thi-nk....I-shou...." The connection was terminated. Faajal dialled again but this time the phone didn't even ring. 

When they thought better days were arriving, trouble had to knock on the door. The uncertainty in his words now spawned a bud of anxiety in her. She walked to the balcony, aloof from hunting eyes and spent some time alone. Waheguru could only ease their indecision now on which their journey counted.

─•~❉᯽❉~•─   

Next day, at lunchtime, 

"How are you so sure uncle ji will accept your insistence so easily without questions? After all these years, you are reuniting. He must be so furious seeing you. You think it's easy to shift across almost-lined borders?" Pran puckered his brows.

"I must, Pran. I ain't leaving Bombay after all this toil. I have to, at any cost. i have so many things here." Yusuf's gaze spun to Faajal. Fear apparent in his stare. Her heart also shrivelled from the strain hinging their fate. A wrong move and they could be apart for miles and miles.

"But, it's decided I will leave after completing shooting. Nothing should be left unfinished." A sharp exhale echoed from him as he lowered his head, towing strands of his hair ruthlessly.

They passed moments in silence. Devastation had instantly dimmed their golden days. Pran bounced from his seat. "I shall leave. I have a rehearsal." he strode ahead, wearing a thin line on his lips instead of that bright, cheerful grin.

"Yusuf, I have something to tell you." Faajal stammered hoarsely.

"Go ahead, Faajal." he beckoned to her, though his look was foxed elsewhere, drowned in bleak thoughts.

"Baba learned of us," She hissed, gulping down.

His head snapped to her, wide-eyed. She convulsed her mouth, nodding to his unspoken query. "Saira di, revealed it all."

"So, now your di is unhappy about us? I seriously don't know if she has got any job other than poking others." He crinkled his face as if he bit on an acrid fruit.

"Devika mam is calling for you two." A staff said, stopping before them. They exchanged a glance of strain before heading towards her office. 

"May we come in, mam?" Yusuf peeped in, clicking open the door.

"Yes, has Madhu come with you?" She flipped over some pages.

"She is with me." He piped, sliding aside to show Faajal. Faajal would have cast a feeble smile then, but Ravinder's unexpected presence robbed her of glow. He sat there beside another man, wavering his one foot on another, masking the sweetest smile he could fake. Vexation provoked in her at the pretentious mannerism. Even Yusuf couldn't quench the arch in his forehead in front of a new face.

"Welcome in, two of the rising stars." Ravinder feigned a burst of laughter. He might have been a better fit as an actor than them. But, now being unemployed, he knew nothing but licking lucrative shoes.

"Well, let's get straight to the point. This is Asad." She pointed to the unmet man. He seemed of a youth in his early 20s, with a clean shaved face and a skinny structure. Yusuf and Faajal greeted him and took their seats. "As I have told you two of the proposal, he is the man who wanted you two in his film. He is a novice, has made two films before. But now under Bombay talkies, he aspires for a bigger picture. I have revised his script and it's quite unique. Now, he wants you two to implement his plot." Devika Rani cracked her knuckles.

Asad added now, "No pressure. You two are young and it's your first time, I understand. but, you have worked in films previously, right?"

Faajal and Yusuf nodded in response.

"It would consume more time and patience. Here's the agreement." Asad placed a paper in front of them. Devika Rani rested a pen on the paper. Ravinder slanted closer. His gaze aimed at Faajal who wrung behind the weight of his gaze.

Yusuf was the first to pick the pen and scratch his signature on. An elegant English-lettered signature with deft strokes of a painter. Faajal lifted the pen between her fingers. She hadn't received academic education except for the lessons Gurbani had lectured. So, writing English normally was a hardship, far less than putting a signature. A drop of ink landed in a blue starburst on the paper. Faajal tremored under the watchful countenances, attempting her best to stay normal and simply put her name. But, her shuddering hand and chilling stomach wouldn't permit. Suddenly, a diligent hand gripped hers, sufficing her with strength. She pricked the nib and etched her name.

She had done it, she had secured the initial step towards her ambition.  

A/N: Yepp, another leap. If you are a loyal reader, you know how much your author loves leaps, right? 😆😅