Ishaan ran a hand through his beard, looking heavenwards. He had been sitting there for the last hour, waiting for Mr. James for discussing on his new project.

He silently blamed him for making him awake at late night and asking to come to a club for the discussion.

He wondered from where did he get this stupid idea of doing business at midnight in a club.

He took a glance all over the club near the beach. Many were dancing, drinking, singing and he kept sitting on a rolling chair before the counter.

His thoughts shifted to the incident on evening. He clenched his jaw, thinking how dare was that lady to ask him that way.

He was shocked when Shreya's aunty took his appointment in office only to discuss about her feelings and all.

Instead of advicing her, she was compelling him to reciprocate the feeling. Atlast, he stepped in his car to get rid of the lady. He shook his head wondering how could someone be that much low.

Shreya loved him or not, it did not matter to him!

Ishaan let out a breath cursing what a bad day it was.

Thirdly, that old man Mr. James made him to pause his sleep and wait for an hour, that too in a party club.

Secondly, he got annoyed by her aunt Ms. Suzan for taking the role of marriage bureau.

And firstly, he still did not get over the innocent face on which he made tears to run.

He pressed his lips, thinking how rude he was, shouting at her, only caring about his friend.

He was sure that she would never talk to him as her last words were playing on his head. His stomach tightened just at the thought of it.

He was so concerned about Farhan that he mouthed the words which came up first.

All he felt was. Guilt. Guilt. Guilt.

He gave a hard blow on the counter, "Dammit!"

"Do you want any drinks, sir?" Waiter asked him to which he gave a killing stare.

"Mr. Ishaan?" He turned his head back to see a gentleman dressed in a three piece suit.

"Helo Mr. James" He tried to suppress his anger by faking a smile.

After the meeting, Ishaan felt happy that he won the project. His dream project. His Dad had already decided to have a party if he would get the deal.

But, the other corner of his mind was getting worse with guilt.

He played with a soft drink bottle when he came to hear someone singing.

"Pehli nazar mein
Kaise jaadu kar diya
Tera ban baita hai
Mera jiya...."

It was so soothing to hear, in a low tone, in a manly voice. He suddenly headed up, realizing it was a familiar voice. Very familiar.

He moved to that side where everyone got lost in the song, watching him singing with guitar.

Farhan!

Ishaan parted his lips, watching him sitting at the centre and singing.

"Farhan is an amazing singer" He heard one of the girls commenting. He wondered if they knew him before.

After receiving appreciations, the smile on Farhan's face faded away replacing it with a bewildered one when he came to see him.

"Ishaan? Why are you here?" Farhan walked to him.

Ishaan looked at his watch and then back at him shooting a question "Now, At 2:15 am, what business are you doing here?"

Farhan smiled at him. "You just watched it now"

"Are you mad Farhan? Singing at midnight in a club? What is the need of it?" Ishaan gazed him for the reply.

"I need money"

"What?"

"I need money for surving like any other one. And I don't have a job or parents unlike you" Farhan let out a sad smile.

"But Farhan..." He placed his hand on his shoulder as concernity filled his voice.

"Bro, I love to sing and it is not a big thing"

"So you were coming here every night? When we asked about it, you left us with no answer. Why you are not sharing your worries with us Farhan?" But he kept on smiling, watching him turning serious.

"See, here after you don't need to sing at midnight, okay? I will take care of everything. And never forget to ask for my hand for anything. Got it?" He waited for his reply.

"No Ishaan. I can manage" Farhan raked his already messed hair.

"It is not an option. But order."

Farhan gave an approving smile as he left him no option.

"Come. Let's go home." Ishaan patted him as they moved out.

"By the way, we also play dramas here. I have a gang here" Farhan said, shoving hands in pockets.

"So, next time you come here, it should be only for meeting your gang" Ishaan glared him hardly.

He nodded smilingly.

"Jaguar? When did you bought a new one? It is bad that you didn't tell me." Farhan scoffed as they walked to the car.

They smiled while stepping in the car. After a while, Ishaan watched him playing with the strings of guitar when his phone kept on ringing.

Ishaan looked at the screen and his face lit up by the name he saw there.

Ainu calling...

He did not know why his stomach kept doing flip flops at her name. One side of him really wanted to attend it but the fact that Farhan owned the call pulled him back.

A slight fear came over him, thinking what would be the reason she called then.

As he shifted his gaze from Farhan and road, his hand reached to take the phone. But Farhan was very quick to take it before he could.

Ishaan focussed on driving with an embarassed face, doubting whether he noticed it.

"Are you still awake, ghost?" Asked Farhan.

"Yeah. I did not feel to sleep" She answered in a low tone.

"Don't tell me you are in love or something" Ishaan took a quick glance at him after he asked out.

"Ew! I called you for..." She paused for a while.

"For what?"

"I'm sorry Faru" She bit her lips, actually meaning it.

"Uff! You called me this midnight for this five letter word? Are you mad?"

"No. But you are okay with me, right?" She added.

"Like your 101%" He could already imagine her smiling at that. "But only if you stop talking to that idiot" He added.

"Agreed teddy" She shouted excitedly.

"Teddy your foot. Now you go and sleep." He said before hanging up.

"What?" Ishaan asked at the exact second he hung up.

"Nothing. It's just.." He replied before leaning over the seat.

Ishaan was in a worry after her so late call. He had a fear whether she got stucked in a bus stop or somewhere. Or things are okay with her.

He felt a sudden urge to see her. He glanced at his watch. Still hours to go.

▪▪▪▪

"Kaira, you took out my notes, right?" Eby turned back to face her as soon as the professor stepped out the class.

"I'm not a photo copy machine" She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah. She is exclusively mine for taking notes" She eyed him as Farhan rolled up the words.

"You told me that you would send that movie. Where is it?" Kaira turned to Aju with a raised brow.

"In the name of almighty, I have deleted it" She shot a hard glare to his reply which he failed to catch.

Ishaan stepped out the class with a messed up mind. He parted his lips as he watched Rinu and Anjali laughing, from a distance.

His eyes were red as he spent last night by making coffee and sitting doing nothing.

He thought how Aju called him mad for coming college at 7 am. It was his first time, attending each and every classes in a day.

At first, he was having a hint of hope that she would come. But it had blown away when he heard Rinu saying she was absent to Farhan.

The fear that she was okay and the feel to see her so badly put him in a miserable plate.

Ishaan wished to make time run back and undo the things happened with her. He had never regretted any of his doings either with family or friends.

But with her, he turned to be weak. And he had never felt it before.

"So, you didn't yet watch that movie?" Farhan turned to right side to Kaira after the other two walked out the class.

"No. But I really want to" She made a pout directly looking him.

"Ugh! I did not like that movie. A waste of time. But I can tell you the story" He did not miss the excitement in her face.

"There was a girl named Aleena. She was really good at both heart and look." She kept gazing his brown eyes as he continued the story.

"She loved him so much. But he didn't."

Kaira got lost in him as he tried to narrate the story in detail. But he was busy even to notice her.

"Aleena wanted to live a happy life with him. But he considered her only as a friend." He bit her lips, shooking head pretending to be emotional.

"Just as I wish to have a life with you?"