Shreya grinned and raised her hand for a shake, when Kabir, all of a sudden, dropped down on his right knee and spoke –

"Shreya, will you be my Valentine?"

(please scroll down)

After a total of 10 seconds, all the three of us started laughing madly.

Because we assumed and we knew – THAT HE WAS KIDDING.

Nevertheless, I spoke to my heart –

"I hope that Kabir is kidding"

The next day – both of them attended the office and I could see neither of them, having a word with the other.

At first, I thought that I would insist Kabir to talk to Abhi – but then I pondered upon the fact – that since Kabir had promised me that will talk,

Then I should give him – his time.

Even during the lunch, when all of us went together – Abhi was talking to Sara and Kabir, having a chit-chat with his other colleagues, did not pay heed to him.

For the entire day, half of my concentration was on the GUY and the MAN – due to which Shekhar sir scolded me – since I had made a small statistical error in my records.

At last, in the evening, I was a little frustrated – and putting my head down – asked Shreya to get my favorite beverage.

I was half asleep – in that short power nap – when Shreya shouted,"

"Ayesha...dekh terrace pe kya ho raha hain?"

With a scary face, I looked up.

"Woh dono..." she did not even complete her statement, making me more tensed and anxious

"Kabira and Abhi..." exclaiming loudly.

I suddenly got up.

"Ab kya ho gaya?" I anxiously asked.

"Pata nahi Ayesha...but kuch toh serious matter hain – ab jaldi chal" Shreya held my hand – as we rushed to the terrace on the 15th floor of Infosys.

Hearing Shreya's words, we rushed to the terrace, only to see Kabir and Abhimnayu-

Standing, facing each other.

I ran.

Just when I reached, Kabir exclaimed with a leer/smile on his face –

"Ayesha...

THANK YOU AND WELCOME

Thank you – because ab tujhe, mujhe maaf karna padega.

And Welcome - because maine teri teeno wishes puri kar di.

He gave a firm handshake to Abhi and both of them hugged each other.

A PERFECT BROTHER CUDDLE.

"Aur yeh Shreya – mujhe boli ki tum log phir jhagde karne lage ho." I hit her as she embraced me, lovingly.

Both the boys standing in front, laughed at me.

After a few moments, Kabir looked at Abhimanyu and spoke -

"Abhi...

Ek best friend ke naate hi sahi"

"Par ek choti se advice doo"

Abhimanyu gave a genuine nod.

"I know that you are an incredible man.

But sirf itna hi bolunga –

Humesha PERFECT banna – necessary nahi hota.

Kabhi kabhi NORMAL bhi banna chaiye."

Suddenly, Abhi glared at me and smiled as I walked towards Kabir and keeping one hand on his shoulder, taunted –

"Kabira...

Tu hi mera sacha best friend hain –

Warna kuch log – toh meri baatein

Samajh hi nahi paate...HUH" I teased as, all the four of us laughed.

For the very first time in my life, I had this feeling in my heart that –

AT LEAST, ONE CHAPTER OF MY LIFE, MIGHT HAVE A HAPPY ENDING.

Everything was going very smooth and happy, until my MAN asked a question –

A question – which was nothing but, a bitter truth.

A truth – which might annoy and make him suspicious.

And a suspicion – which might again ruin – the ending of a chapter.

One of the most memorable chapter of my life.

"Ayesha..." my man called out my name, while we were leaving from office – back to home.

"Haan Abhi..." I waited.

"Kuch important baat karni thi..." his seriousness sometimes scares me, because it might reveal my entire plan.

"Haan...bolo na" I spoke.

"Tumne MBA in finance kiya hain...right?" he asked this question, only to re-confirm what he already knew.

"Yes!" I agreed.

"And, you have done it from - IIM INDORE. Right?"

I was nervous.

"Yes" an alarmed answer.

"Ahhh...okay."

"Kya tumhe pata hain ki – maine MBA kahan se kiya hain?" he petrified me, with every single question.

"Ahhh...no – I am not sure" I tried to lie, genuinely.

"But if I am not wrong – tumne bhi IIM INDORE se hi kiya hain na?" I purposely asked him.

"Haan...maine bhi –

IIM INDORE se hi kiya hain!" he replied.

"Aur tumhara MBA course – BUSINESS MANAGEMENT hain!" my startled self, spoke this.

"Yup.

MBA in BUSINESS MANAGEMENT – from IIM INDORE.

Batch 2014-2016."

I felt – as if he deliberately repeated all these details.

"By the way – tumhara year kaunsa tha?" he questioned, as I was frightened.

"Ahhh...it was"

"It was..."

(Between this very thin line of true and false, honesty and dishonesty, "sach and jhooth"

It is always difficult to choose – what is right and what is wrong.

According to the situation, it might sometimes happen that –

Your LIE is right

But

Your TRUTH is wrong)

2015

- I answered.

"Hum woh hain, jo aakhon mein jhaak-ke

Sach jaan lete hain...

Woh toh tumse mohabbat hain isliye,

Tumhare jhooth ko bhi, hum sach maan lete hain"

TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER.