29th September, 2021

Sunday - 5:30pm

"I LOVE YOU ABHI!"

"Ek AADAT si ho gayi hain, tumhe yaad karne ki

Ab isse Pyaar kahe ya Pagalpan

Main nahi jaanti."

"And the book ENDS."

Almost all the people present in the audience, stood up, and it was a huge round of applause.

We had successfully completed the OFFICIAL BOOK READING of the first book of the author.

Title - Aadat

Author - Ayesha Thakur

One by one, all the members in the audience, received the book from Ayesha Maam herself, with her signature on the first page.

Finally at 6:15pm, after they completed the question-answer session, with the Press and other media-men, I could see Ayesha maam, walk towards the nearby hotel.

At first, I, Kshiteej Kabra, tried to follow her, but to no avail, because I was not allowed to.

Dejected at first, I decided to leave, as I kept the book in my Red Sky-Bag sack and walked towards the exit.

Suddenly, someone gave a pat on my back.

I turned behind and it was one of the crew members, who asked -

"Aapne ne hi, maam se, starting mein sawaal pucha tha na?"

Elated with joy, I exclaimed - "Yes Yes! It was me."

"Haan toh chaliye, aapko maam ne bulaya hain."

Toning down my spirits, I walked with that man, into the hotel, and there I got to know that maam was waiting on the terrace.

I took the lift and reaching at the top, I could see her, sitting on one of the chairs, near the table.

She stood up as I walked towards her table. I could sense that she was indeed humble and sweet, since she remembered my question.

"Hello Mr. Author!" she raised her arm, for a shake.

"Hello Maam. Good Evening!" I shook hands, with a smile, as both of us, sat down on the chairs.

"Yes Mr. Author, Bring it on" she smirked -

"What is your question?"

"Maam, I just have one single question after reading your intriguing romantic novel -"

She listened carefully, with a smile on her face.

"Will Ayesha Thakur regret her decision?"

"The decision of choosing her past friendship over her present love?"

"Will Ayesha Thakur regret this decision, throughout her life?"

She suddenly spoke -

"Hey Mr. Author -

Before I answer, I want to give you, an opportunity -

An opportunity to reframe your question, if at all, you wish to do so." She sounded confusing and capricious.

"Maam, I am sorry, but I didn't get you." I commented.

"Look Mr. Author. You should always be careful, while you ask your questions -

She explained me the difference.

"In the morning, you asked me the question -

"Will Ayesha Thakur Mantri regret this decision, throughout her life?"

"And now, you are asking me -

"Will Ayesha Thakur regret this decision, throughout her life?"

Her words mystified me.

"But what is the difference between the TWO names?" without thinking much, I commented.

"Excuse me!" her voice changed, she exclaimed loudly, as I got startled.

She continued -

"Are you sure that both the girls -

Ayesha Thakur Mantri

And

Ayesha Thakur,

Are you sure, both of them, refer to the same person?

I was anxious and a little embarrassed.

"Maam, I am really sorry - but I am unable to understand, what are you trying to say"

"Are both of them, two different girls?" as I completed my question, she looked aside and whispered -

"Kid...huh"

"No worries Mr. Author.

I will help you, with your confusion.

She asked me to stand up, and we started strolling on the terrace, at a comparatively low speed.

Do one thing,

Reframe and ask both the questions, one by one." She spoke a little straight -forward and it seemed to be arrogant.

We were walking on this terrace, wherein it seemed that I was reliving - one of the scenes of the book itself.

I carefully framed both the questions and asked, one by one.

"Will Ayesha Thakur Mantri regret this decision, throughout her life?"

She answered - "Yes, she might regret this decision."

This seemed to be an expected answer.

Next I asked, listening to her words, very carefully -

"Will Ayesha Thakur regret this decision, throughout her life?"

She answered immediately - "No, she will not regret this decision."

I was flabbergasted.

I suddenly stopped walking and gave a puzzled look at her.

Since she had taken two more steps ahead, she came backwards and whispered, with a wicked smile on her face -

"Ayesha Thakur Mantri and Ayesha Thakur are two different girls." That look on her face was malicious.

"The girl in the book is Ayesha Thakur Mantri."

"The girl standing - right in front of you, is Ayesha Thakur."

Again, I was flummoxed and astounded.

I asked - "But maam, this book is your real life story. Right?"

Frowning at first, she gave a sly look and corrected me, saying -

"One second my boy, one second."

"This book is MY story,

But this book is not MY REAL LIFE story."

I was amazed at her statement.

She continued -

"Yes, I liked a person, named Abhimanyu Mantri."

"Yes, I had a best friend, named Kavya Mundhra."

"Yes, the entire plot of the story is similar to my own life."

"But, Mr. Author..." she gave a wicked smile again.

"Don't forget to read the disclaimer of the book properly."

The Disclaimer clearly states that -

"Some of the incidents, described in the book are IMAGINARY."

This time, she was revealing the TRUTH.

"Look Mr. Author,

As the title of the book suggests, meri ek 'AADAT' hain -

"I loved my Abhimanyu Mantri for his, each and every character trait - except for one.

He never told me the truth himself.

On the other hand, I have rightly mentioned in the book - THE TRUTH, it's just that, people do not notice it properly.
Her words simply stunned me.

In the 30th Chapter, I have very well mentioned that -

Although the world regards the death of Abhimanyu Mantri as a suicide, it was actually a murder.

The author took a deep breath, as she no longer sounded normal.

I was shit-scared as I asked her, the most astounding question of the day.

"But how is Abhimanyu's death - A MURDER?

And who committed it?"

"Unfortunately, I take the entire blame upon myself" she whispered, and I was taken aback. I was shocked till death.

"Maam, please don't tell me, that you yourself pushed...?" I was so emotional that I was unable to complete my question.

"Yes!" she had a tear in her eye, while she continued.

"Yeh sab mera plan tha -

Jis tarah Abhi ne Kavya ko uski zindagi ki saari khushi dedi aur uske baad uska sab kuch cheen liya tha,

Ussi tarah, maine bhi Abhimanyu ko, uski zindagi ki saari khushi dedi aur uske baad uska sab kuch cheen liya."

During the police investigation, I myself gave the proof to the police, but a tampered proof.

I edited the recording and then gave it to the police.

This edited recording - clearly proved that ABHIMANYU MANTRI committed suicide in the guilt of losing his first love, from the exact same spot.

My mind and heart were actually paining as I was shocked to hear the author's words.

"Maam, but if you had proof, you could have easily made Abhimanyu surrender to the police, then why did you commit the murder yourself?

She took a deep breath, and wiping her face answered -

"Aadat..." she exclaimed.

"Usse pyaar karne ki Aadat ho chuki thi"

"Agar main,

Kavya aur Abhi ke past ko ignore karu,

Toh the time which I spent with Abhi and the memories, both of us created together -

Were the most precious moments of my life."

"Therefore, making him surrender to the police, would ruin his image and I would never be happy, at this fact."

I was trying to control myself and was about to speak something, before which, she herself continued -

"In the year 2020, when I met Abhi for the first time at Infosys, I had promised myself -

That no matter what happens, but I will never get attracted to this person.

But to my greatest astonishment, he made me commit the worst mistake of my life -

And that is - I STARTED LOVING ABHIMANYU MANTRI.

I was speechless.

Until today, there's not a single day when I do not cry - remembering my MAN,

But now, I have become accustomed to this new habit -

EK AISA AADAT, JOH CHAH KAR BHI...."

I did not allow her to complete her statement.

Listening to her words, my emotions were uncontrollable - as I could not control my tears, my frustration and HER helplessness. Before she would continue, I myself shouted, with tears in my eye -

"Ayesha - tum pagal ho kya?

Agar tum ABHI se itna zyada pyaar karte thi - toh tumne usko marne kyu diya?"

"Tum chahti - toh tum easily usse, marne se bacha sakti thi!

"Toh kyu kiya tumne aisa?"

"How could you, do this?" I shouted at her loudly, unable to control my feelings.

At first, she was simply crying - as she was unable to control her tears.

After a few seconds, she walked back to the chair, signaled her other staff members to go downstairs and then removed a diary from her bag.

It was the same diary which Abhimanyu had gifted her, on her birthday.

I controlled my emotions and spoke," I am sorry Maam, I should have not shouted."

Till then, she opened the diary and explained me, what was written in it -

"Mr. Author,

My MAN already knew everything about my plan. Yet, he himself allowed me - to commit this crime and live in guilt.

He had already suspected that I knew everything about Kavya's death - yet he himself came to the terrace that night - and he himself committed suicide.

You know Kshiteej,

"Abhi himself wanted to die, so that he can meet his Kavya, somewhere in the heaven."

"And, I will never regret my decision because -

At least, at the end, when Abhi and Kavya will meet - I will be successful in the actual mission of my life.

A mission - to bring a true smile on Abhi's face.

I tried to understand the entire story, and at the same time - I noticed her, closing the diary and crying in guilt.

I tried to console her and brought a bottle of water for her, from the table.

After 5 minutes, while we still stood on the edge of the terrace, I glared at her clandestine asset.

Later,I was turning around, while she exclaimed -

"You SHOULD have another question in your mind, Mr. Author" she stressed on the word - SHOULD, while I simply wondered.

I stopped at the same spot, thinking about the same and suddenly, I turned around and rushed towards her -

"One second...one second maam,

"Aap yeh sab mujhe kyu bol rahi ho?

"Why are you telling ME, this entire story?"

Again, she smirked and giving a wicked smile, she whispered -

"Not every story, with an Abhimanyu Mantri, has a happy ending!"

I realized - that she has read my book - MY FIRST TEENAGE INFATUATION on Wattpad.

At first, her statement brought a big smile on my face, but later I realized that something was wrong.

"Turn around Mr. Author." She whispered in my ears

Scared at first, I slowly turned around - and I suddenly realized, that I was myself standing at the edge of the terrace of this skyscraper hotel and there was no one on the terrace, except for me and the author.

Exactly the same situation of Abhimanyu Mantri.

Slowly, I turned around, looking back at her, wherein she whispered -

It's 29th September today - 2909

"I

Am

Sorry

Abhi

I

Love

You"

Happy Birthday Abhi!

THE END

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