LUTHRA MANSION

The sun rises steadily unlocking a new date in the calendar.

As it's light falls on his sleeping posture,his eyes flutter but opens atlast.A cute smile adores his face feeling the first rays of the day.

Lazily, Karan stretches his hand on the table beside for his phone.He checks for any emergency calls and finds none.He then searches for messages or calls from a contact named "Dragon".

Nothing.

Slightly disappointed,he texts a good morning message and turns on his back closing his eyes.

He sighs.

It's been a month he went to college and three weeks since he met Preetha.First year final exams are going on and she is busy studying herself, teaching others, working for hospital.She is having a busy schedule where she can't take more than few minutes for him.

He is not laid off either.Accustoming himself to the chief position,lecturing students, attending business parties he has his share of days but the only difference is the family's support.Because of them he could go through this unplanned year.

Right...... a year has gone by with her in his life.

Meeting every other morning under the tree in the college which they named it as sweet spot,celebrating their birthdays at midnight,accompanying eachother in out of state tours,late night video calls etc etc and the most tiring and thrilling part is the struggles they had go through to keep them as a secret.

They enjoyed that thrill every minute.Fully.

Now,he is missing her.

Badly.

He just didn't like this.

He again takes his phone and opens his inbox for reply but exhales loudly seeing his own message.Might be asleep as she is sleeping at 2 or 3 every night.

Not wanting to disturb her sleep by calling, he tosses the phone on the table and wakes up from bed to freshen up.

It is Sunday and he has no plans with Preetha so he takes his time in getting ready and goes downstairs only to see chaos.

On one side of the huge hall,Jahnavi is with designers discussing,on the dining side servants are placing breakfast,in the lounge executives are waiting to meet his father and in the centre Arhaan is enjoying potato chips watching the big LED.

He strides towards Arhaan and plops beside him,

Karan: Subah subah Chips kaun khata hein?

Arhaan: Mein!

Karan takes some from his bowl,

Arhaan(mocks): Subah subah Chips kaun khata hein?

Karan: Mein!

He reiterates as Arhaan huffs.

Karan: Kya ho rai?

Arhaan: Aur kya .....Shaadi!

Karan(eating): Ohh kiska?

Arhaan(frowning): Obviously Mera!

He gets offended so he doesn't give more chips to Karan,

Karan: Pata nai meri di ne kya dekha hein thuj mein!

Meanwhile Jaanu comes and sits across th,

Jahnavi: Arhaan mein kya lelu?

She asks showing the two bridal wear designs,

Arhaan(shrugs): Take both of them.

Jahnavi(glares): It's bridal wear Arhaan.Ek hi pehentha hein do leke mein kya karungi?

Arhaan: Everything looks good on you Jaan.What can I do?

He butters her while Karan and Jaanu shakes their heads.Dusting his hands he takes the papers to observe,

Arhaan: The red one is nice.

Jahnavi: But I like the yellow one.

Arhaan: Ok then take yellow.

Jahnavi: But red one is good.I will get good photos in it.

Arhaan: Okk take both of them.Wear one for marriage and the other for reception.

Jahnavi(smiling): Right!

Arhaan(to Karan): What will your sister do without me?

He brags to Karan who chuckles and sees Jaanu,

Karan: Bahot time heina shaadi keliye abhi se itna jaldi kyun?

He comments seeing Jahnavi who is keenly collecting the papers so that she could go,

Jahnavi: Karan there's just 1 month aur wo bahot kam time hein.

Karan:It's more than enough Jaanu.Aaram se ho jayenge sare kaam.Thum bekar mein tension le rahe ho!

Jahnavi(smiling): You won't understand now.When it's time for your marriage then you will feel the rush.

Ruffling his hair, she walks to her assistants.

Karan(mind): My Marriage!

A smile is about steal his lips when he hears Arhaan,

Arhaan: Ohh hello thum jiske baare mein soch rahe ho na uske liye bahot time hein.

He is his waste friend after all,he understands Karan completely,

Karan(sighing): Pata hein.First she has to complete her MBA then officially take position in her hospital and introduce me to her friends, family and then those talks.A very long process.

Arhaan(pity): So sad.Better luck in next life.

He is mocking him so Karan bumps his shoulder with his as he chuckles.

Karan: I think only we are jobless.Everyone is doing something.

He comments looking around the busy people,

Arhaan: Haa ha wo dekho Sammy bhi kaam kar raha hein.

They look at Sameer who is happily speaking in the phone,

Arhaan: Kisse baath kar rai itna haske?

Karan: Pata nai.Par jarur ladki hogi!

Arhaan: Aise baath hein tho ham nai chodenge.

Arhaan: Oyy ......Sammy!

Sameer looks at them and walks speaking in the call,

Arhaan: Kya baath hein Sameer kisse baath kar rahe ho?

Karan: Girl friend hein kya?

They are teasing him,

Sameer: Haa.....

They are surprised at his blunt response while he smirks completing his answer,

Sameer: .......Karan bhai ki.

Karan: What?

He is on his feet the next second with shocked face,

Sameer: Aap phone nai uta rahe ho isiliye aapki girlfriend mujhe call kiya.

Realising that he left his phone in his room, Karan snatches Sameer's mobile,

Karan: Hello Dragon? (quickly corrects)
Preetha!

Arhaan chuckles seeing the scene infront of him,

Karan: Mein abhi call kartha hu.2 mins.

Saying he cuts the call and about to give his phone back but stops,

Karan(narrowing his eyes): Waise itna haskar kya baath kar rai thu?

Sameer(mischievously): Hai kuch baatein.Sab aapko bathana hein kya?

Karan(glaring): Sameer?

Sameer(rolling his eyes): Acha theekey aise koi baath nai hein.Mein sirf apko jealous dekhna chahta hu.I think I succeeded.

He teases him with a wink,

Karan(mind): As if one is not enough.

Giving his phone back,

Karan: Dekho bhai mere zindagi mein ek hein mujhe permanently jealous karne keliye.Ab thu bhi add math kar!

He says thinking about Rishi while Arhaan laughs loudly.Karan jogs away throwing a pillow at him.

Arhaan: Hogaya thumhara bhai!

Chuckling, Sameer too joins him eating his chips.

KARAN'S ROOM

Karan is on his bed dialling her,

Preetha: Good Morning Mr.Creep!

He clicks his tongue but smiles,

Karan: Finally I got a call from the Queen?

Preetha: Yes Queen finally graced you.Now c'mon ask what do you want?

Karan: Really?

Preetha: Ofcourse.

Karan: Anything?

Preetha:Queens don't back on their promises.

Karan: Then I want a girl named "Preetha".Find her,kidnap her and give me.

Preetha(widened eyes): Kidnap?

He smiles thinking about her expression,

Karan: She won't come easily and she is so strong.You can't fight her so chloroform is the easy option.

Preetha: You are plotting behind her back? Very bad!

Karan: What to do? She is not meeting me.So busy with herself.Not looking out for this handsome and lovely soul.

She smiles but composes herself,

Preetha: What will you do if I give her?

He suddenly sits on the bed excited,

Karan: I will make her a Lilliput.

Preetha: What.....why?

Karan: So that she would be always with me in my pockets, crawling on my back, dancing on my head, sleeping on my pillow.........

As he goes on she laughs, laughs and laughs so much that her eyes are full of water.

Karan too chuckles but stops listening her laughter.She senses the silence,

Karan: I miss your laugh!

Preetha: I miss you too!

Few seconds silence envelopes them as they recall their sweet moments.Preetha decides to lighten the air,

Preetha: Kya kar rahe ho? Sammy ne kaha ki bahot kuch chal raha hein.

He smiles remembering the chaos in his house,

Karan:Jaanu sara ghar leke hamara sar pe bita rahi hein.Huh!

Preetha: Aise bhi kya kar rahi hein?

Karan: Pucho ki kya nai kar rai.Morning she gives us a list afternoon she changes it in evening she says she doesn't want those items and then by night she gives another list.And then repeat.Huh!

Preetha(giggling): Uski shaadi hein.Pura hak hein uska.

Karan: Ha....ha....thumhe pata hein subah kya hua.Wo....

That's when he hears Rishi's voice,

Rishi: Mickey......Mickey!

Hearing his shouts, she quickly puts her phone beside her as he barges inside her room and strolls to her,

Rishi: What are you doing here? I was searching for you.

Preetha: Why?

Rishi: Yaar I am not understanding marketing.It's so confusing.Explain me.

Preetha: But teddy I explained you last night and you understood.What now?

Rishi(mind): Ek word bhi nai suna meine!
Kaise sunu? Jab mera saara dhyaan thumhara upar hein tho!

Preetha frowns,Karan too as he is listening him,

Rishi: I was feeding you that time so I couldn't concentrate on what you were saying.Now will you explain me or not?

He demands,she sighs,

Preetha: Ok.Get the books I will come.

He smiles tousling her hair,

Rishi: Nah! You will come with me.We will go downstairs, have breakfast together which you didn't had till now and then we will study.

She tries to convince but he already drags her with him making her leave Karan's call just like that.

He fists his palms listening every bit.Ending the call he lays down on bed feeling the same what he felt at morning.

It's not the first time he is hearing them.Rishi interrupted many times and Preetha never cuts the call.She wants Karan to know their relation.

But today it's irritating him to stop the conversation in the middle.Maybe because of listening how Rishi taking care of her rather than him or because of not able to meet her for a long time while her friend is with her every minute.

Sure they are good persons fulfilling their best friend duties.No doubt he is her Teddy but is she only a Mickey to him?

The answer to the question irritated him more so he immediately gets up and goes out leaving his mobile on his bed deliberately.

ARORA MANSION

The same night,Preetha is in her room studying when she hears a door opening.She turns to see,

Preetha: Papa?

He steps inside,

Raghuveer: Had dinner?

Preetha: Yes.

He glances at the pencil in her hand and open books,

Raghuveer: You just returned from hospital.Take some rest.

Preetha: There's a lot of syllabus to revise papa.I will sleep completing atleast half of it.

He inhales,

Raghuveer: Why do you exhaust so much? You do realize that it isn't necessary.

Preetha: It is necessary....for me.You know that.

Raghuveer: Yes I know but I don't understand why.

Preetha slightly gets flinched at his voice and he cools down,

Raghuveer: See yourself Mickey you are over stressing.Look at your face it's tired.I can't see you like this.

Smiling she walks to him and holds his hand.He knew what she is gonna do..... convince.

Preetha(gently): Don't worry about me papa.I am alright.I won't stress myself. Promise.

He sighs helplessly,

Raghuveer: When did you even listen me?(ruffling her hair) Just don't study till midnight.Sleep soon!

Hugging her,he leaves her room thinking about her.

AFTER 3 DAYS

Preetha comes home completing her exam for that day and discussing for the next exam with her friends.Freshening up,she sits on the bed and calls Karan.

He is not lifting the call so she calls again.The same answer.Its been 3 days since they properly had a conversation except for the messages and she is waiting for his talk.

But he doesn't lift the call.

So she calls to his official number and it is answered.She immediately recognises the voice,

Preetha: Arhaan?

Arhaan(surprised): Preetha?

She immediately checks the contact to assure it's Karan's number,

Preetha: I thought I did a wrong call.

Arhaan: You did right call.....(mumbles) at the wrong time.

Preetha(confused): Ha?

Arhaan: Kuch nai.Kaise ho thum?

Preetha: I am fine.How are you?How are your marriage preparations going on?

Arhaan: Superb.Superb.How are your exams going?

Preetha: Good good!

She chuckles,

Preetha: By the way where's our beloved lecturer? He is not lifting his personal number.

He expected the question but don't know how to give the answer,

Arhaan: Ummm.....he is ......mmm...

She frowns,

Preetha: Am I disturbing you?

Arhaan: No no no.We are free.I am free.

Preetha: Then where's Karan?

Arhaan: He is in Mariott hotel.

Preetha: Dinner meeting?

Arhaan(mumbles): Dinner dating!

Preetha(confused): Haa?

He takes a breath before answering,

Arhaan: He is here to meet a girl.

Preetha: For?

Arhaan: Marriage.

Preetha: Whose?

Arhaan: Karan's!

Preetha: Whaaaaaaaaaaat?

She abruptly stands up shouting.

And continues in the next part.......

Long wait .....long update!