"Chalo...Ab waqt agaya hai ke mai tumhara hath sahi hathon me de dun"

Did he just say that!?

I tightened my hold on the table cloth.

I was scared that if I let it loose, he would grab my hand and give it away in Ajnabi's hands which I surprisingly didn't want to happen.

Isn't this what I wished for hours ago????

I wanted Ajnabi in my life!

But then, everything had changed after the conversation with Amma.

With lot of difficulty, I had made a choice and that choice was the one who loves me, not the one I love.

Why did Raman have to do this?

Does he detest me so much that he doesn't want me in his life now?

You deserve this Ishu!

You deserve this!

You deserve this for playing with his feelings.

"Ab itna sochne ka kya fayda? Ab kyun peeche hat rahi ho? Apna hath lao. Faisla to tumne kar hi liya hai. "

I heard him say.

You are right! Faisla to maine kar hi liya hai. 

Ab mai apko apna faisla sunaungi!

Ab aap mera sath do ya na do par mai ab Ajnabi ke paas nahi jaungi...

I lifted my head and turned around to tell him exactly what I had decided.

My jaw dropped, when I saw what I saw!

Simmi had slipped her hands in his!!!

"Akka ye kya horaha hai?" Miku asked stunned.

I nodded my head indicating I had no clue about what's happening.

My gaze simply followed the two people who were climbing on the stage hand in hand.

Why did Raman take Simmi with him?

Was this all talk about Simmi?

Does that mean Simmi loves Abhi?

But Abhi is Ajnabi?

Raman loves me?

I love Ajnabi?

Abhi is Ajnabi?

Simmi loves Abhi?

Ajnabi loves me? 

Or

Ajnabi loves Simmi?

That thought stung me deep in the heart...

What if Ajnabi actually loves Simmi?

Was I ready to face this reality?

'Kaleja moo ko ana' I had learnt this proverb in school.

Today I know how it actually feels!

I closed my eyes again.

This was too much to take.

"Ye le Simmi teri manzil agayi"

Now, I realised, was the time to face the reality!

I opened my eyes slowly like a patient who opens his eyes first time after eye surgery.

My eyes first landed on the foot of Simmi's Manzil.

Gradually it moved northwards.

Finally when my eyes halted on his face, I let out a huge sigh of relief.

(Author Note: I am sure you all will let out a huge sigh of relief too)

Simmi's Manzil aka Abhi aka Abhimanyu Raghav was not Ajnabi!

I was so relieved that I hugged Miku and smiled through my tears.

She was startled with the sudden embrace and obviously she could not see me smiling, so she was worried "Akka? Abhi? Ajnabi?" she asked in broken words but I knew what she exactly meant.

"Abhi Ajnabi nahi hai Miku...Abhi is not Ajnabi...he is not Ajnabi"

She hugged me back now which showed she was relieved too.

"Abhi...aaj mai apni sabse keemti cheez tumhe de raha hun...please isko sambhalke rakhna"

Raman's voice brought me back to the world where I was now and turned all my attention to the stage to see what's transpiring.

I now knew that Abhi was not Ajnabi.

But what was that heartbreak speech of Raman rather why was that speech?

Time for more revelations

(Author note: Revelations are especially for you all)

"Raman par tum to is rishte ke khilaf the" Abhi said

"Kuch der keliye mai ek conservative aur over-protective bhai ban gaya tha. Apni behen ke pyar me andha hogaya tha. Apni ladli behen ka hath aise admi ke hath me dene se ghabra gaya tha jo divorcee aur ek bachhe ka baap hai. Dar gaya tha ke kahin tumhari ateet ka saya meri behen ki khushiyan na barbad kar de. 

Isiliye har koshish ki tumko Simmi se door rakhne ki. Simmi ko samjhane ki bhi bahut koshish ki. Par wo zid par adi rahi. Akhir hai to meri hi behen na. Aur phir tumhe bhi to adat hai meri cheezon par khabza karne ka. Meri behen ke dil par jo khabza kar liya to wo to mujhe bhool hi gayi. Kyun Simmi?"

"Bhai tu bhi na...kuch bhi kehta rehta hai. Abhi se pyar karti hun iska matlab ye thodi na hai ke tere liye mera pyar kam hoga. Tu to mera pehla pyar hai"She winked.

"Pakka na? Shadi ke baad kahin badal to nahi jayegi?" Raman hit her playfully.

My heart swelled with happiness at the sight of brother-sister bond.

"Ab agar tu is bath ki guarantee dega ke apni shadi ke bad tu badal nahi jayega, to mai bhi wada karti hun ke tu hamesha mera pehla pyar hoga" Simmi gave back

"Pakka" 

He said and hugged her.

"Excuse me...If I am not wrong this was supposed to be 'do pyar karnewalon ka milan' which is Abhi & Simmi, not Raman & Simmi...Isn't it?" Abhi butted in.

"Abey tu sudhrega nahi...Meri khushi dekhi nahi jathi na tere se? Yaar ab poori zindagi keliye meri behen tujhe somp raha hun, thodi der keliye to mujhe iske sath waqt bitane de"

"Sorry boss...tumne pehle hi bahut der kar di apni behen ko mujhe sompne me...Agar pehle hi ye decision liya hota to mai tumhe tumhari behen ke sath waqt guzarne de detha...but now no chance boss" 

Abhi said and pulled Simmi into a hug.

"Chal theek hai...Tu bhi kya yad rakhega ke Raman Kumar Bhalla jaisa dariya dil dost hai tera" he said and let Simmi go.

"Ab tune dariya dili dikhayi to mai thodi peeche hatunga...chal tu bhi aaja...tune mujhe zindagi jeene ka maqsad de diya...hug to banta hai" 

Abhi pulled Raman into a hug.

What a lovely bond between friends!

"Akka now I realise ke apka decision bilkul sahi hai"

Did she just say that!?