The bus came blaring in the distance. Karanvir, who until now was busy on his phone, immediately lifted up his head; his eyes flickered with excitement. The bus eased inside the bus stop smoothly. Karanvir's keen eyes read the sticker on the bus, 'Only for Girls', which means that he wasn't looking absently at some other bus. His eyes started searching inside the bus for her. The bus was nearly empty and to his horror, there was no sign of her. His heart drummed inside his chest as he once again scanned the entire bus with his hawk-like eyes but sadly he couldn't find her. Fear seeped into his skin and he could feel his bones turning colder. Anxiety flared in his dark brown eyes as he probed the bus madly but nohow he saw any sign of her. His heart felt heavy while looking in vain at the bus. However, suddenly a ray of hope gleamed in his brown eyes when he saw the combined bus approaching the stop. His fingers quietly yet firmly clasped the 'Om' on his chain and mentally prayed for a look of her. When the bus slowed down on the stop, the first thing Karanvir did was to leap into the bus and threw his eyes all around to find her. He checked the first seats where she usually sat when she used to travel from this bus but today he saw nothing of her. Anxiously he darted his eyes further into the bus but nowhere he found her pretty face looking at him with fear. His heart shattered into million little pieces. Had she left the college???? Had she left the town???? These thoughts daunted him badly. However, just a little further inside the bus, a little ahead of the last seats, he saw her brothers squabbling like monkeys. Quickly he ran to them, taking them by surprise.
"Sir Hi...."
"Where's Maahi????" asked Karanvir bluntly. Her brothers exchanged awkward glances.
"Um at home." luv said sheepishly. Karanvir was puzzled.
"Why??? Is everything ok???" his tone was laced with fret and genuine concern. Kush really was feeling weird, like why the hell is he asking about his sister??? He doesn't even know her, right???
"We don't know. We didn't get to talk to her, it was getting late." they said honestly. For a second they thought they saw a dark light flickering in his almond eyes, but then later it just disappeared like some conjuring trick. Although they were sure that Karanvir was fuming, but they didn't know why. He spun and stormed out of the bus like a wind rushing over the turf. The twins were left puzzled but they didn't bring up the topic again. Karanvir stormed towards his jeep, tensed and unhappy. His friends were worried for they had never seen Karanvir so worked up.
"Bhaiya ji it's ok!!! She must've caught a cold!!!! Trust me it's this damn weather!!!!" akhil said softly, trying to pacify Karanvir. Karanvir's restlessness was evident with his searching eyes and agitated frame.
"Akhil is right bhaiya ji!!! Don't worry, she'll be fine." said bhalla courtly. Karanvir's eyes looked unhappy and distraught which broke the heart of his friends. Immediately he thrusted his hands into his pocket and rummaged for his key. Harshly he pulled out the set of keys from his pocket before quickly turning the key in the ignition, the jeep thundered and Karanvir leapt into the driver's seat. He revved up the engine and the jeep sped off. Behind him his friends watched the jeep disappear into the thick pall of the mist driven down from the mountains.

Maahi piled up her books on her study table. She had already taken a quick shower, had a light breakfast of pancakes and was now ready to hop into the bed to sleep once again. She had nothing else to do after all. She had already studied for her upcoming class tests and today's day off was more to render herself a bit of relax from the hectic schedule of her college. Before jumping into the bed, she decided to have a quick peek outside the window and take in the beauty of the mountains before zoning out. She sauntered towards the window, pushed them open and thrusted her head outside to see what new was brewing up in her colony. However, once her eyes landed down on the road, her breath stuck in her throat and she gasped loudly. Across her house was another house which belonged to Sahas, a middle aged couple with their two boys lived there. Now, outside the gate of their house stood a jeep, an open wily jeep which was now so familiar to her that she would recognise it anywhere and anyhow. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest as she caught beside the jeep, the jeep owner 'Karanvir Roy' staring up at her window. She stood frozen on her spot as his eyes stared squarely at her own. There was something different about his eyes today, they looked relieved for some reason as if someone undergoes a medical test and the reports come out clean and unbothering, that kind of relief was gleaming in his eyes. Alongside him was the Saha's eldest son who was talking continuously to Karanvir while the latter was busy in gazing up at her. Quickly she closed her windows with a thud and ran to her bed to sleep and forget about the creepy Karanvir. But more than anything, she now had the fear that now when he knows Saha, he can come every other day to her colony which means she won't be at peace any longer in her own house as well.

In the evening when maahi woke up she heard some voices coming from downstairs. She knew her brothers were back. Throwing on a baggy T-shirt over her bralette top, she ran towards the staircase before descending down hastily. Her brothers were munching on some snacks in the hall when maahi reached there.
"Hi bhaiya!!!" she chirped, totally forgotten about Karanvir or anything concerning him. Her brothers casually looked upon her and smiled.
"Hi Maahi!!! How was your day???" asked kush coolly. Maahi sat near him on the couch and thrusted her fingers into the packet of kurkure.
"Good!!!" she said, throwing a handful of kurkure inside her mouth. Kush nodded and turned back to the TV.
"You know what maahi, today Karanvir was asking about you. He asked us about why you took a day off!!!! Perhaps he must've some work with you." luv said nonchalantly, wolfing down dhoklas which he had bought from the local gujrati sweet shop round the corner. Maahi stopped short as her fingers stopped midway before sliding into the packet. She turned her eyes towards her brother in horror. Why the hell Karanvir wanted to know about her??? She wondered.
"What did you say??" she asked, fretting from head to toe. Her brother didn't show any signs of anxiety at all.
"I told him that I don't know, I don't know about........"
"Uncle Aunty!!!" a boyish voice said from the door. The siblings, at once, looked at the door and found the neighbour Sahas 20 year old son was standing at the door. The twins quickly stood up and ushered him in.
"Hi Vikram!!! What's up!!!! Mummy...... Vikram is here!!!!" shouted kush, chewing on the kurkure. Their mother quickly walked out of the kitchen and came into the hall. She smiled at the boy as he bowed his head in namaste.
"O Vikram, please come in. Sit and I'll make a cup of tea for you." she said politely. The boy chuckled and politely declined.
"Thank you aunty but I just came here to invite you all for tonight's party at our house. It's kapil's birthday and we're just throwing a small party. Please do come." he said with a sweet smile on his lips. With the mention of a party in his place, maahi recalled seeing karanvir with him in today's noon. Fear crawled inside her as she stood stunned and gaped at the boy as he turned and left.
"Great. Night's meal is arranged, now I can peacefully watch my drama on TV." her mother beamed happily while the twins once again busied themselves in eating. Now, maahi alone was troubled with this invitation. She had a feeling that Karanvir would surely be there and she thinks that she knew what she had to do to stay clear of him. She won't go to the party, that's final. With this thought in her head, she climbed up the staircase and moved inside her room to work on her assignment.

The noises in the house across grew heavy and maahi knew that the party had already started. Her family had left already for the party but she stayed behind saying that she doesn't want to go in stupid parties which was kinda true as maahi hated crowded parties. Her mother had already prepared a small dinner for her consisting of plain dal and chapattis, along with some pickles. She hadn't eaten anything yet for she had been eating quite a lot of snacks since the evening, she already felt full. Lowkey she had peeked outside her window, a little while ago, and discovered Karanvir's sleek jeep still parked there. She was proud that she had taken the right decision by not going. Currently she sat watching zig and sharko in the hall while munching on some salted peanuts and nachos. Suddenly the doorbell rang and she lumbered towards the door. On opening the door she discovered her brothers faces smiling upon her.
"What happened???" asked she confused. They sighed heavily.
"Maahi dress up quickly, you've to come to the party." luv said flatly. Maahi was prepared to rebel.
"No. I already told dad that I don't want to come to any party. I am not coming no matter what!!!!" she fired back angrily. Her brothers were stunned to see her anger over such a small thing.
"Look Maahi, Mrs. Saha is unhappy that one of our family member isn't attending the party when they had so happily invited everyone of us. And..... even Karanvir is disappointed that you're inside the house alone. Maahi, Vikram is Karanvir's maternal aunt's son, they are brothers......if Karanvir is unhappy than surely our selection in the team is impossible. Please, for us!!!! Dress up and come to my party." kush said softly and maahi saw the urgency in the eyes of her brothers. She had all reasons to say no but then she knew how much her brothers loved her and had always been with her at times when nobody else was. They had one dream and that was to play for their college. She can't even think how sad they would be after Karanvir refuses to take them in. A sudden desire to murder Karanvir brewed inside her, this all conundrum has risen because of one singular person 'Karanvir the jerk'.
"Maahi please." begged her brothers cutely. Maahi bit her lower lip in trepidation. Throwing a quick glance behind them, she nodded reluctantly and they jumped in happiness. Defeated she trudged upstairs to her room to get ready and face her nightmare once again.

Maahi nervously went inside the house. She was dressed up in a simple bell sleeved top and plain black jeans. Her hairs weren't tied and were free. Nervously she threw her eyes around and saw in the left corner sat the creepy Karanvir, his eyes lightened up once he saw her coming through the door. A satisfied smirk played on his lips. She quickly averted her eyes and ran to her father. There she spent another 10 minutes, quietly listening as his father discussed the political matters with the uncles. Suddenly her brothers came and luv grabbed her hand and started dragging her somewhere. Her father grumbled but said nothing while maahi was too shocked to speak.
"C'mon maahi, how can you sit with those boring uncles...... come I'll take you someplace where cool people talk!!!" said kush happily. Within a minute she found herself standing right across Karanvir who lifted up his eyes and she swear she saw admiration flooding in his eyes. He was sitting alone but there were a couple of chairs around him.
"Maahi meet him, our senior Karanvir Roy....."
"Maahi already knows him, there's nobody who doesn't know Karanvir. You can skip this part and introduce her in some other way." luv hissed at kush while the latter pouted. Maahi fearfully looked at karanvir's scary figure.
"Bhaiya...... I'll go to dad......." she stuttered fearfully. Karanvir's fists clenched tightly but he said nothing.
"C'mon maahi, Karanvir wants to talk to you about something important. There is someone he knows who wants to take admission in your course and because it has already been a month since the classes started, she would need the notes as well. You can help the girl right???" said kush childishly. Maahi gulped while peeking at him nervously. His eyes were impatient as if he had waited for this moment for so long.
"Ofcourse maahi will help. Right maahi???" said luv sweetly. Maahi silently nodded and the twins yelped in joy.
"So you two talk about the admission and stuff while me and luv will find something to eat for you both." said kush. Maahi gasped at the very thought of being alone with him. Before she could stop them, they had already blended into the crowd and disappeared from her view. And now she was alone with Karanvir the creep who still stared at her with his deep piercing eyes.
"Hi maahi." he broke the silence suddenly. Maahi shuddered while trying to keep her eyes averted.
"Hi." she whispered timidly, scanning the crowd with her eyes in hopes to find her brothers.
"My name is Karanvir Roy but you can call me Vir or Karan, anything you fancy." he said grimly. She was silently quivering on her seat.
"The....... The notes...... I'll send them to you!!!! My-My brothers will give them to you." she stuttered. A chuckle escaped his throat.
"You don't need to. You prepared them with your own efforts and I don't want to give anything of yours to anybody." he said blankly. Maahi threw a confused glance at him.
"Than why did you called me???" she asked softly. His blank eyes dug deeper into her soul.
"I just wanted to talk to you. That's it." he said flatly. She gasped.
"But why???" she asked timidly. His eyes flickered for a second.
"Because I want to. Are you scared of me???" he asked sharply. She peeked at him nervously.
"Hm!!!! I don't know.......I.... should go, I mean my dad must be....."
"No you won't" he snapped, scaring her "You aren't going nowhere, do you hear me????" his scary eyes literally made her want to cry. Seeing her quivering frame he realised he shouldn't have shouted on her like that. He straightened his jacket, looking away.
"Sorry. I just want you here with me." he said. Maahi was aghast. Thankfully her brothers came at the right moment bearing a plate full of food.
"Looks like you guys have discussed a lot about admission!!! Come on, let's fill that tummy." luv said innocently, handing a plate to Karanvir.
"Give this to her first." Karanvir said eyeing her adoringly. She said nothing and took the plate. With her brothers around she thought she had a chance to escape from this creep.
"Bhaiya I'm going to eat with dad. I can't finish all this alone." said she, eating a spoonful of rice and paneer curry. The twins shook their heads.
"Dad has eaten already." they told her. She pouted while Karanvir watched her closely.
"I can't eat all of this!!!! I don't want to waste food!!!" she said sadly. Somehow her sad face contorted his own with worry.
"That's ok. Keep that much which you can eat on your plate and here.....give the rest to me, I'll eat it." Karanvir suggested. She baulked initially but when her brothers gestured her to go on, she finally ended up piling up extra food in his plate which he happily accepted. After that she walked back to her father.
"She's weird but sweet." chuckled kush. Karanvir watched as her little figure vanished into the crowd.
"Very sweet." he whispered under his breath, looking at his plate laden with food.

After coming from the party, maahi straight fell upon her bed because she was so tired. Her father took off her shoes while she was sleeping and covered her with a comforter. During midnight her sleep broke for some reason. She saw that she was wearing the clothes she had wore in the party. Now they felt sticky and uncomfortable. She sprang out of the bed, changed her clothes in her bathroom and lumbered casually towards the window just to how much time was left for the Sun to come up. Outside the window she discovered the lights of the house across were still lit. She looked at her watch and found it was 1:00 in the night. In front of the gate karanvir's jeep was parked, she yawned and looked away. However when her eyes travelled up, she fell shocked and gasped loudly. Right in front of her was the room of Kapil, the 12 year old son of sahas, today the lights were still on and joined to the room was a balcony where stood Karanvir, or should I say the shirtless Karanvir. His eyes stared squarely at her but they were soft and gentle this time, unlike the usual dark and threatning. His handsome muscular body was on display as he stood leaning against the wall, a smile playing on his lips. He lifted up his hand and waved at her. She, too horrified to react, quickly shut the window and ran to her bed to sleep. Karanvir chuckled inside the balcony, shaking his head.
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