Karan - Yaar sorry.. Mujhe kya pata tha ki use nahi pata hai.. Waise tu itna udaas kyu hai.. Vo almost theek toh ho chuki hai..
Kahi tujhe..??

Raghbir - ..........

Karan - (looks at his desk) Ye orthopedics ki books vo bhi itni saari.. Don't tell me tu ye sab padh raha hai?

Raghbir - Din raat ek karke. I was trying my best to cure her.. sirf ye hi nahi aur bhi bohot saari books pdh li, articles and all.. Itni mehnat kar raha hu taaki Pragati ko theek kar saku.. Because..

Karan - Because?

Raghbir - Because I love her yaar..Tujhe pata hai mai pagalo ki tarah pyaar karta hu yaar usse.. She is the love of my life..

Karan - Seriously? Raghbir Malhotra in love?

Raghbir - Yes.. Tujhe pata hai maine har possible koshish karli hai khud ko change karne ki.. Sirf Pragati ke liye.. She must be feeling disgusted yaar.. Ki maine usse itni badi baat chupai.. Moreover use ye lag raha hoga ki mai bas uspar ehsaan kar raha hu.. Damn it man!

Karan - Sorry bro vo..

Raghbir - Tujhe sorry bolne ki koi zaroorat nahi h teri galti nahi hai yaar.. Galti meri hi hai jo maine ye baat Pragati ko nahi batayi..

Karan - Tu sochte hi rahega ya phir jaa kar usse baat bhi karega..?

Raghbir - Mujh mein usko face karne ki zaraa bhi himmat nahi hai...
(Keeps his head down on table)

Karan leaves...
__________________________________

Pragati was sitting on her bed quietly..

"May I come in ?"

Pragati - Are Karan aaiye na..

Karan came and sat beside Pragati...

Karan - Vo mai yaha apologize karne aaya tha.. Mujhe nahi pata tha ki vo..

Pragati - Aree isme aapki kya galti hai.. In fact aapki wajah se to mujhe pata chala ki..

Karan - See Pragati I want to tell you something.. I know tumhe bura laga hoga uss din Raghbir ne aisa behave..

Pragati -  (interrupts) Baat vo nahi hai Karan.. Indeed mujhe bura laga par iss wajah se ki unhone mujhse jhooth bola.. Ki vo school ke baccho ki help karna chahte hai... Aur mujhe unka koi ehsaan nHi chahiye...

Karan - Yahi toh mujhe batana hai.. I know usne jhooth bola.. Aur bhale hi tumhe lag raha ho ki usne aisa iss liye kiya kyuki use guilty feel ho raha ho.. Par aisa nahi hai.. The reason is that he loves you.. Aur vo ye sab isiliye kar raha hai..

Pragati looked at him shocked..

Pragati - N..Nahi aisa kuch nahi hai.. Aapko koi galat fehmi hui hogi..

Karan - Maine khud feel kiya.. And tum ye toh nahi keh sakti ho ki tumne feel nahi kiya hai.. Come on Pragati I know.. Tumhe pata hai usne tumhaare liye orthopedics ke 7 book padh liye hai.. Use inn sab mein bilkul interest nahi tha.. Bit he did it for you.. Itna kuch taaki tum theek ho jaao..
Sirf tumhaare baare mein soch raha hai jis din se tumhe pehli baar dekha tha.. Aaj ek hi baar mein maine usme itna kuch different feel kiya.. Uske baat karne ke tareeke mein decency respect and u know.. Jab tum gayi na room se toh uska matter of concern ye nahi tha ki tumhe uska jhooth pata chal gaya.. Balki vo toh ye soch kar pareshaan hai ki tum uske wajah se hurt hogyi ho..

Pragati - Par..

Karan - Believe me.. He loves you.. what about you? Sach sach batao..

Pragati - I don't know mai unse pyaar karti hu ya nahi.. But I feel comfortable when he is around. And unki smile always acts as an assurance.. Unke presence se mujhe darr bhi nahi lagta.. And I like when he is around and cares for me...

Pragati smiled all while saying this..

Karan - Then I guess answer tumhaare paas hai.. Mai bas tumhe ek baat bata sakta hu Pragati ki vo tumhe kabhi cheat nahi karega...

Pragati - Par vo abhi tak aaye bhi toh nahi kuch bolne.. Aur haa mai aapko bhi kuch batana chahti hu..

Karan - Bolo..

Pragati - Mai chahti hu ki.. Agar vo apne pyaar ka izhaar kare toh mai unhe seedhe (whispers something)

Karan - Pagal ho jaayega vo.. Btw idea.. Rone aata hai?

Pragati - Usme toh pHd kar rakha hai maine.. Aap batao karna kya hai..

Karan - Badla lena hai..hum dono ka (laughing)
__________________________________

"Tu abhi tak soch hi raha hai..!!" Karan siad as he entered Raghbir's cabin..

Raghbir - Kya karu mai.. I am feeling so much guilty..

Karan - Dekh tu kya karega ye toh mujhe nahi pata.. Par ha itna pata hai ki tera pyaar teri wajah se ro raha hai. Mai abhi jhaank kar aa raha hu...

Raghbir - Shit... (Was about to leave)

Karan - Jaa kar kya bolega?

Raghbir - Vo toh pata nahi but mai Pragati ko rone nahi de sakta... Use mujhe jo sazaa deni ho de de mujhe manzoor hai..
(Leaves)

End of chapter!