Khushi had been waiting for Manvi's arrival but it had already been an hour and there wasn't any sign of her. She moved to the hall and sat on the couch to keep an eye on the entrance door. She had never delayed or missed a day, Khushi picked up her phone and called her but her phone wasn't reachable.

Maria came out of the kitchen holding a tray in her hand. She forwarded it to Khushi "baby aapka chocolate milk"

"Mujhe nahi peena hai" she denied getting desperate for Manvi.

"Baby madam aa jayengi aap pee toh lijiye" she said.

Khushi glared at her and was about to throw away the glass but stopped remembering something.

"Khushi.. Yeh log insult, badtameezi bardasht karte hai kyuki inhe apne parivar ko paalna hota hai! Tumhare Mr. Malhotra ko pata chalega toh iski job jayegi phir bhooka rehna padega inke parivar ko! Apne gusse ki wajah se dusron ka nuksaan kabhi mat karna.."

"wo aa jayengi toh main pee lungi! Aap rakhdo aur jaake apna kaam karo" she replied

Maria was astonished at her changed behavior, earlier she used to just get rude and throw the glass away for the first time she had gestured to her to keep the glass. She kept the glass on the coffee table and went back into the kitchen.

She received a text "aaj main nahi aa paungi! Kuch notes and homework tumhe email kiya hai maine karke bhej dena mujhe anything just email me.."

Khushi gets disappointed reading her text. She glanced at the glass, she drank it as she knows Aarav will fire her if the timetable is not followed. Sharda smiled seeing the change in Khushi's behaviour as she had slowly begun to care for others. She went to her room to continue studies but she missed Manvi's presence beside her.

She completed the homework and sent the email to Manvi with her doubts. She placed earphones and began to listen to the songs. Every single minute she checked her email but she had not responded. Finally an hour late Manvi responds.

A week later, Aarav returned from office. He rolled his eyes at Khushi's room which was closed. He is noticing this everyday but didn't ask her anything as they will end up hurting each other. He asked Sharda "school mein kuch hua uske?"

"Nahi wo madam uski ek hafte se padhane nahi aa rahi hai na isliye" Sharda informed him

"What? Aur yeh baat aapne mujhe batani zaroori nahi samjhi?" he said angrily

"Lekin.."

"Main use fees chutti marne ke liye nahi deta hun! Mujhe baat karni padegi" Aarav didn't listen to her and called her.

After a few rings, she picks up his call "ji.."

"Kaha chutti mana rahi ho tum? Ek hafte se padhane kyun nahi aayi ho? Chutti pe rehne ke liye tumhe itni fees nahi deta hun main.." he confronted her.

"Chutti toh maine li bhi nahi hai.. Aapki beti ko har roj notes aur homework deti hun kuch doubt hota hai toh wo bhi email pe clear karti hun" Manvi explained

"Oh really? Toh Khushi aise kamre mein band kyun hai? Tumhari wajah se.. Tum nahi aa rahi ho isliye.. Kal tum ghar mein honi chahiye" he warned her.

"Aap mujhe mera kaam mat samjhayie.. Aisa hai toh koi aur tutition teacher dundh lijiye apni beti ke liye" she replied and ends the call

"What do you mean dusri dundh lun?" he asked but she had ended the call. Aarav sighed in disappointment. He turned and saw Khushi standing there crossing her arms.

"Kisne kaha tha aapko phone karne ko?" she asked angrily.

"Tum ek hafte se.. Shyam ko bahar nahi aayi ho mujhe chinta ho rahi thi" he said softly.

"Main room mein rahun ya bahar ghumo aapko isse kya? Mr. Malhotra kitni baar kaha hai aapse don't interfere in my matters par nahi aapko toh apni tang adani hai.." she argued

"Exams aane waale hai na tumhare wo aise.." he said

"Mujhe bhi malum hai yeh baat! Lekin aapke iss phone call ki wajah se ab woh mujhse baat bhi nahi karengi.. Aur main koi nayi teacher ke saath padhne nahi waali hun'' she warned him

"Tumhare paas choice nahi hai.." he replied

"Hai.. ghar se jaane ki!" she declared.

Aarav stared at her, he wasn't scared of her threatening as she has to stay with him. "Khushi ek teacher ke jaane se koi farak nahi padta hai"

"Padta hai! Wo meri dost bhi hai samjhe aap.. Aur aapki wajah se main pehle hi mumma ko kho chuki hun apni dost ko nahi khoyungi! You are not going to snatch her from me" she spoke harshly.

He remained silent hearing her words. Khushi walked out of the house in anger. Aarav stops her but she doesn't listen. Khushi walked out of the house and went to the main road. She sat inside the auto and asked him to drive off.

Her phone rings and it was Aarav calling but she disconnects the call. She switched off her phone as she doesn't even want to speak to him.

Aarav looked at the two drivers and other staff members. He shouts "khade kya ho? Jaake dundho kaha gayi hai Khushi.. Ek ghante mein meri beti ghar mein honi chahiye samjhe warna tum sab ki chutti" everyone rushed out to search for her.

Sharda called Khushi's friends but she had not gone to their home. Aarav gets reckless, he can't lose his daughter because of someone. He can bear her hatred, her tantrums but can't let her get away from his sight. Aarav rushed out of the house, he sat inside the car and went to search for her by himself.

Manvi's home

She had been busy marking the papers, and suddenly she felt restless. Her heartbeat increased, she poured the water into the glass and drank it. The window opened and the water drops began to wet the papers. She stood up and looked outside a bright, flashing lightning lighting up the sky like fireworks. She immediately closed the window as it began to rain heavily with a thunderstorm.

She noticed an auto stopping in front of her gate. A girl stepped out of it, she moved out of the room and quickly opened the door. Khushi was standing there with a dull face, her eyes were red and she was getting drenched into the rain. The auto driver was staring at her, Manvi grabbed her hand and pulled her inside the house. She gets the money and pays him. She closed the door and went to the room. She grabbed the towel and returned after a while.

She made Khushi sit on the couch and wiped her hairs "itni baarish mein yahan aane ki kya zaroorat thi tumhe haan? Dekho kitna bheeg gayi ho.. Beemar padh jaogi exams aane waale hai tumhare" she scolded her but with a concern.

Khushi looked at her with teary eyes. She had always felt a motherly connection with her. Manvi gets clothes from the neighbor and asks Khushi to change it. She does so silently, Manvi assumes she had a fight with Aarav.

He must be getting worried for her, she calls him and after a few rings he picks up her phone "dekho iss waqt main.."

"Mere ghar pe hai" she informed him.

He was left in disbelief hearing her words "kya?"

"Haan aap pareshan mat hoyie main use khud ghar chodne aati hun thodi der mein" she said softly

"Main aa raha hun lene usey" he said

"Wo nahi aayegi.. Aap aayenge toh baat bigad jayegi thoda sa toh bharosa kijiye mujhpe" Manvi spoke

Aarav sighed in disappointment. He ends the call abruptly and Manvi takes a deep breath "attitude toh baap beti mein bharpur hai.." she murmured.

Khushi returned after changing, she sat down on the couch and Manvi gave her khada so that she wouldn't fall ill. Khushi drinks it and places the glass on the coffee table. Manvi sat down beside her and said "aise iss samay ghar se nahi aate hai tumhare papa kitne pareshan hai tumhare liye"

"He is not my papa! Aur main wapas nahi jaa rahi hun I am staying with you" she declared

Manvi was left astonished hearing her words "kya?"

"Haan mujhe unke saath nahi rehna hai! Aap padhane nahi aa sakti ho koi baat nahi.. Ab main yahi rahungi" she said

She just couldn't believe this girl argued with her father and left home just because she said to find another teacher. Manvi noticed the fear of losing her friend in her eyes.

Manvi gulped down her throat, she looked at the clock hanging on the wall. It was 9pm and Dhruv will return in an hour. Manvi grabbed her hand tightly "Khushi tum aise apne pa.." she paused when Khushi raised her eyes "I mean Mr. Malhotra ka ghar chodke mere saath nahi rah sakti ho.."

Khushi jerked her hand off and crossed her arms across "kyun nahi rah sakti? Aap meri dost ho na? toh main rah sakti hun aapke ghar"

"Main dost hun aur hamesha rahungi lekin tum mere ghar nahi rah sakti ho.." Manvi said firmly. Khushi remains adamant of staying with her.

"Kyun nahi rah sakti main? Aap mujhe wajah batao" she demanded.

"Kuch baatein hai jo main tumhe nahi samjha sakti hun" Manvi replied

Khushi glared at her, she went to the room and shut the door with a bang. Manvi sighed at her stubbornness "ab ise kaise samjhau!"