In the next ten minutes, Shivangi's father was home and his SURPRISE!!!?!!??!?!!!!

Well... It was rather a shock...

"Kaisa laga surprise?!!!!", He asked in excitement and joy.

Far from giving a reply, both Shivangi and her mother were standing with absolutely white, expressionless faces.

"Hello Maasi!!!!
Hello Bua!!!!!", were among the loudest voices, that were heard.

Shivangi's father had brought along with him, Shivangi's Maasi and her kids, and Shivangi's Mamu, mami and their kids.

"Tum... Tum sab yahan achanak..", is all Shivangi's mother could manage to say.

"Kyun.. aapko achha nahi laga?!", Shivangi's Maasi asked immediately.

"Nahi.. aisi to koi baat nahi hai..
Bohot achha lag raha hai tum sab ko yahan dekh ke..", Shivangi's mother remarked, as if trying to cover up her last statement.

"Maasi lag kyun nahi raha ki aap khush ho??", Shivangi's youngest cousin Lakshit remarked.

"Lakshi.. Tu kuch bhi na bol!
Khush hi hoon main..", Shivangi's mother shouted.

"Main bas yahi keh rahi thi ki pehle bata dete.. to kuch khana aur bana leti..", Shivangi's mother said.

"Arre koi nahi.. khaana jo bana hai hum kha lenge..
Actually hum yahan ek kaam se aaye hain..
Vaise bachhe khana kha chuke hain pehle hi.. inko upar bhej dete hain khelne ke liye..", Shivangi's mamu remarked.

"NAHI!!! UPAR NAHI!!!!!", Shivangi suddenly screamed.

"Kyun..?!
Tu ne apna boyfriend chhupake rakha hai kya?!", Shivangi's mami apparently cracked a *joke*.

"Kya kuch bhi bol rahi hai tu..", Shivangi's mother jumped up in her daughter's defence.

"Arre main mazaak kar rahi thi..
Chalo bachhon!! Upar jaao.. jaake khelo..", Shivangi's mami said.

"Arre ek second... Main upar jaake room theek kar leti hu na..
aaj.. aaj main.. main woh.. main apni.. almari.. haan apni almari saaf kar rahi thi..
To sab kuch bikhra hua hai..", Shivangi tried to cover up and stop the kids from going upstairs.

"Haan to bachhe bhi help kar denge na.. samaan sametne mein..
Jaao!", Shivangi's Maasi said.

"Arre aise kaise.. bina kuch khaaye upar mat bhijva bachhon ko..
Main kuch khilati hu... Varna cold drinks nikaal ke deti hu.. pehle woh pi lo.. phir upar jaao tum sab..
Shivangi tab tak tu upar jaake samaan ko THEEK SE CHHUPA DE..", Shivangi's mother remarked.

"Samaan chhupa de?!!! Kya chhupaana hai..", Shivangi's mamu asked, absolutely confused with the way everyone was communicating.

"Arre.. rakhna.. samaan to theek se RAKH DE... Yeh kehna chaah rahi thi main..
TU JA NAA SHIVANGI?!!!", Shivangi's mother again said, and Shivangi ran upstairs.

She entered her room and shut the door behind her.

"PARTH SAMTHAAN!!! Where the hell are you?!", She whispered loudly.
And he came from behind, and snaking his arms around Shivangi, he took her completely by surprise.

"Tum pagal ho kya?!
Chhodo mujhe..
Baahar poori paltan khadi hui hai..
Sab milke tumhari chutney banaayenge..", Shivangi removed his arms from her waist and pushed him away.

"Kon aaya hai?!
Aur uncle ka surprise kya hai??!!?", He asked coolly.

"Mamu, mami, Manik, Mehak, Maasi, Prateek, Lakshit!!!!!", She said.

"Shivangi.. main tujhse kya poochh raha hoon.. aur tu kya bata rahi hai!!
Main jaanta hoon tere relatives ke naam..
Mujhe yeh bata ki surprise kya hai tere papa ka..?!", He laughed.

"Mere papa INN SAB KO YAHAN LEKE AA GAYE HAIN!!!!!
pagal insaan!!!!
Aur saare bachhe yahan upar bheje jaa rahe hain... To play..", shivangi remarked.

"KYAAAAAA?!!!!!!
AB?!!!
Main Kahan jaaoon???
Woh upar aayenge to mujhe dekh lenge...", Parth now began to panic, losing all his cool attitude.

"Ab jali tumhari tube light!!!!! Tum ek kam karo..
Bed ke neeche chhup jao..
vahan at hilna mat Parth Samthaan!!!", Shivangi warned Parth who agreed immediately.
She then went downstairs and took all her cousins to her room, on the first floor.
Her youngest cousin Lakshit, who was also the naughtiest and the most talkative, opened Shivangi's almira as soon as he entered her room..

"Yeh Aapne saaf ki hai aaj?!!
Yeh to utni hi gandi lag rahi hai?", He remarked as he inspected the almira.

"Tu chup kar..
Apne kaam se kaam rakh.. dusron ki almari nahi kholte aise..", shivangi shut the almira and took her cousin away from there.
They were all sitting in the room and playing some board game together when suddenly a phone rang..

"Yeh kiska phone baj raha hai??!!!", Manik suddenly stopped playing and asked.

That's when Shivangi realised... That the phone was ringing.
It wasn't her's... Or anybody else's..
It was Parth's!!!!!
Yes... The stupid man had not put his phone on silent and so it was ringing..

"Mera... Mera phone baj raha hai!!!!", Shivangi suddenly remarked.

"Didi... Aapka phone to mere paas hai... Phir kiska baj raha hai..?
Aawaaz aa kahan se rahi hai??", Lakshit got up from the bed to inspect the room.

"Tu idhar baith... Bada aaya aawaaz ka pata lagaane wala.", Shivangi pulled her notorious brother back on the bed.

"Aawaaz yahan se aa rahi hai.. mera phone baj raha tha..", Finally.... Shivangi's mother came to her rescue..
And the ringer of the phone was turned off.

"Dekha... Main keh rahi thi... Ki room se nahi aa rahi.
Kuch bhi...", Shivangi heaved a sigh of relief, along with the sudden urge to kill the man hiding under her bed.

"Par aawaaz to room ke andar se aa rahi thi..", Manik remarked.

"Offo!!!!!
Mera phone baj raha tha... To mujhe zyaada pata hoga ya tujhe..", Shivangi's mother remarked.

"Shivangi.. tujhe neeche bula rahe hain..
Tu ja.. main yahan bachhon ke saath khelti hu tab tak.", Shivangi's mother nodded at Shivangi, as if telling her, to go and that she would be there to look after the things.

"Maasi.. aap bhi jaao!
Aap bade logon mein jaake baitho.. hum bachhon ke saath kya khelogi..
Hum khel lenge..", Mehak politely offered.

"Arre.. mujhe khelna hai bachhon ke saath.. mera mann hai bhai!", Shivangi's mother insisted.

"Vaise to mann nahi hota aapka kabhi..
Mujhe kuch gadbad kyun lag rahi hai!", Lakshit remarked with doubt in his eyes.

"Aa idhar aa tu..
Main bataati hu kya gadbad hai??", Shivangi's mother started tickling Lakshit, to distract him from his *doubts*.
She then eyed at Shivangi to go down..

Before Shivangi could go down to be with others, they were all coming upstairs.

"Arre aap log??!!
Main aa hi rahi thi neeche..", Shivangi stuttered as she tried to stop them from entering the room.

"Arre itna time lag raha tha tum dono ko.. to hum khud hi aa gaye yahan..
Sab yahin baith jayenge..", Shivangi's father said, pushing Shivangi aside.

They were now inside the room..
All of them.
Shivangi's Maasi..
Shivangi's Mamu..
Shivangi's Mami..
Her Father..
Her Mother..
Lakshit..
Prateek..
Manik..
Mehak..
Kunal..
She herself..

Almost SHIVANGI'S ENTIRE FAMILY was sitting in the room.. in which SHIVANGI'S LOVING BOYFRIEND was APPARENTLY HIDING!!!!!!

"Achha hum yahan ek important kaam se aaye the..
Shaam ko vapas jaana hai..", Shivangi's maasi said.

"Mujhe bhi kuch baat karni thi..
Chal.. pehle tu bol!", Shivangi's mother said.

"Ek ladka hai.. Shivangi ke liye...
Abhi nahi kara rahe hain uski shaadi..
Par pakka to kar hi sakte hain rishta!
Aap ko dekhne mein to problem hogi nahi..", Shivangi's Maasi remarked.

She had purposely searched for a prospective groom for her niece, because of the phone conversation that she had had with her sister, Shivangi's mother, regarding Parth.
Shivangi's maasi didn't know that Parth had succeeded in convincing her sister, for her niece.

"Umm.. Abhi ruk jaate hain..
Mera matlab hai abhi se ladka dekh ke kya karenge..
Matlab.. maine bhi.. mujhe.. mujhe bhi ek ladka..
Woh mujhe bhi kuch baat karni thi sabse..", Shivangi's mother fumbled.

"Kya.. kya baat karni hai?!!
Itna kyun atak rahi hai??", Shivangi's father asked.

"Nahi.. main woh yeh keh rahi thi..
Woh kal jo ladka dinner pe aaya tha.."

"Parth?!!", He asked immediately.

"Woh actor?!!!", Shivangi's maasi reacted in double the amplitude.

"Haan Parth, woh actor!!
Woh.. achha ladka tha.. mera matlab hai kaafi achha tha..", Shivangi's mother tried to make sense.

"Haan.. to??!!!
Shaadi kara de kya uski, apni beti se?!!', he smirked and started laughing himself.

"Kya kuch bhi bol rahe hain aap??", Shivangi's mamu and maasi reacted in unison.

Shivangi who was drinking water, almost choked on the water.

"Soch sakte hain vaise..", Shivangi's mother took a deep breath and said.

"Didiiiiiii??!!!!!", Shivangi's maasi, mamu and mami remarked together, in shock.

"Tu ne nasha kiya hai kya??
Kya bol rahi hai..
Shivangi ki shaadi.. ek actor se kara doon???", Shivangi's father remarked in a loud voice.

"Arre achha sa laga mujhe banda... Soch sakta hain..
Achha kamaata hai.. well settled hai.. aur well behaved sa bhi lag raha tha..
Aur konsa abhi shaadi karni hai Shivangi ki??!!!", Shivangi's mother said.

"To abhi shaadi nahi karni to chhaddo phir.. aur vaise bhi maine nahi karaani actor-vaactor se shaadi...
Pagalon jaisi baatein na kar tu..", Shivangi's father said to his wife and was about to get up when Shivangi's mother stopped him..

"Shivangi pasand karti hai use...
Aur woh bhi... Shivangi ko pasand karta hai..", Shivangi's mother said softly.

"Kya??!!! Humari Shivangi aisi type ki nahi hai...
Woh kahan aise ladkon ko pasand karti ghoomegi??!!!
Padhne gayi thi.. ladkebaazi karne thodi??!!!!", Shivangi's mamu remarked in full confidence.

"Nahi ji!!!!
Badal gayi hai Shivangi..
Humari nahi rahi!!!!!
Uss ACTOR KI HO GAYI HAI!!!!!!", Shivangi's Maasi remarked sarcastically, eyeing at Shivangi.
Shivangi almost passed out. She decided to sneak out before she was questioned.

"RUK!!!!!! KYA BOL RAHI HAI TERI MAA AYR TERI MAASI...
YEH SAB KYA HOTA HAI..
EK BAAR DINNER PE KYA AA GAYA?!?? TU NE USSE VYAAH RACHAANE KI BAAT SOCH LI??", He stopped Shivangi and started screaming at her.

Shivangi had not expected this.. she had thought that his father wouldn't say anything, instead, he would give her a silent treatment.

"Aur KAHAN HAI YEH ACTOR VANDANA?????
BULA ISE...
Kaat ke phenk doonga isko main..
Ek to sharaafat mein maine usko yahan ghar bulaaya dinner pe....
Aur woh ulta... MERI BETI PE HI BURI NAZAR DAAL RAHA HAI?!!?", Shivangi's father was out of control.

"HAAN HAAN!!!! BULAO USS ACTOR KO DIDI!!!!!
USKO TOH HUM BATAYENGE.. KYA ANJAAM HOTA HAI AISE LADKI KO CHHEDNE KA!!!!!", Shivangi's mamu screamed too.

Seeing her family members like this, and imagining the adverse outcome of being forced to leave Parth, big fat tears trickled down from Shivangi's eyes.

Shivangi was sitting on the floor, cross legged, just next to the bed..
Her hand in the hands of Parth, who was hiding under the bed.
He gently pressed her hand, as if assuring her that he was there with her, at all times.
Her eyes were lowered, and as Parth held her hand, a tear trickled down and dropped on his hand.

Their eyes met for a very brief time, and there were a completely different set of emotions in both of their eyes..
While Shivangi's eyes emoted helplessness,  the fear of losing Parth, and the effects of her family's reactions..
On the other hand, Parth's eyes expressed love, patience, hope, and assurance that he would set everything right... Assurance that nothing could do them apart..

Their eyes did all the talking..
She was crying... Her soul screaming, to be out of this mess.. to be in his arms..
While his eyes.. and his touch consoled her.. instilled in her, hope..
the hope of love..
the hope of togetherness..
the hope of a happy future..
His mere presence had given her enough moral support to survive all of this..
Parth knew that he himself, did have, the strength and capability to face her family.. and try and convince them..
But he didn't want to let the pressure build up, on his lady.. and her mother.
He left it to them... And do as they wanted him to do.

Seeing her daughter crying, and her husband and siblings so angry.. Shivangi's mother knew she had to do something.

"Dekhiye.. aap iss tareeke se mat react kariye..
Shivangi pasand karti hai Parth ko..
Aur meri khud Parth se baat hui..
Main taiyyar nahi thi.. lekin usse baat karke.. mujhe laga ki woh theek ladka hai!
Meri beti hai Shivangi.. kisi aise vaise ko apni beti ke aas paas bhi nahi aane doongi..", Shivangi's mother said.

"Teri hi beti hai??!!?
Meri kuch nahi lagti???
Hum mein se kisi aur ki kuch nahi lagti Shivangi??!!!!
Jo itna bada decision khud le liye toone!!!!!!", Shivangi's father shouted.

"Maine koi decision nahi liya hai!!
Ek baat kari hai.. bas!
Kuch nahi to ek baar mil to sakte hain aap log usse..
Khule dimaag se.. ek baar.. mil ke to dekhiye..
Shivangi pasand karti hai use.. aur kuch nahi.. to uske liye hi sahi!", Shivangi's mother requested.

"Theek hai..
Milne mein kya hai!
Mil lete hain..
Lekin yahan nahi..", Shivangi's mamu said.

"Phir kahan?", Everyone asked.

"Humare ghar..
Jahan Shivangi ke nanu nani bhi ho..
Ab use hum sabke saamne aakar baat karni hogi..
Aaj raat ka rakhte hain??", Shivangi's mamu remarked.

"Kal subah ka rakhte hain..
Tum log vapas jaao..
Aur Shivangi, aaj raat ko Parth ko ghar bulao..
Main usse kahoonga ki kal hum tere Nanu Nani ke ghar usse baat karenge..", Shivangi's father said.

And then, in silence, everyone dispersed.
Shivangi's relatives left for their home..
And her father went for work.
Parth was then taken out from beneath the bed..

Shivangi ran to him and buried her head in his chest..
He circled his arms around her and tightened his grip over her.. making her hold on him even harder.
Shivangi's mother left them for a while and went downstairs.

"Paaaarth!!!!!", Shivangi sniffed.

"Shhhhh!!!
Tu ro mat..
Sab theek ho jayega!
Just trust me..
Shivangi you trust me?!", He asked gently and she nodded, still in his embrace.

"Phir bas..
Main sab handle kar loonga..
Everything!", He assured her, and then after meeting Shivangi's mother, he went back to his hotel..
To get ready to face Shivangi's father that evening..
And her family.. the next morning.

A/N: And I am back...
With the Tough Times...
It is indeed a very stressful time for both Shivangi and Parth.
Parth succeeded in convincing Shivangi's mother and thought that he could convince her family members with the same ease.
However, it has all turned out in the exact opposite manner of what was in his mind..
Let's hope everything goes well..
And the Tough Times get over soon..
Loads of love..
Happy Reading:)