The auditorium of the college was reverberating with all kinds of noises perfectly giving away the chaos that was going on.

A girl was busy giving instructions to a group of girls who looked junior to her...."You all are good but just be in sync .... a little disco-ordination  also will look bad on stage"

"Hey bhabhi..." Just then a boy tapped on the girl's shoulder making her hit him "Shhh......Rehaan....are you mad?"

"Arre ... aap itna darti kyun hai...pyaar kiya hai koi chori nahi ki " Rehaan spoke softly hugging her sideways...."Waise Freshers me aap kuch kar rahin hain ya nahin"

"Are you crazy....kisi ne Ammi ko bata diya na..toh bas" The girl did the action of cutting her throat making Rehaan laugh..."Ahaan..ye dekho Zaid bhai bhi chale aa rahe hain........aapko dekha nahin ki madhumakhi ki tarah.....bhin bhinane aa gaye"

"Aur Zaid bhai....kaise aana hua..." Rehaan smiled putting an arm around the girl's shoulder

"Tumhe theek karne aaya hun" Zaid smiled sarcastically removing Rehaan's arm from its present place.

"Mehek.........saari preparations ho gayin?" Zaid smiled

"Yeh puchne toh nahin aaye honge aap bhabhi se...........500 metre chal kar" Rehaan wiggled his eyerows but  seeing Zaid's fist coming his way, started running behind "ok ok...sorry..I will not disturb the love birds now......enjoy"

Rehaan winked and left.

"Aur kya kar rahin hain meri jaan" Zaid asked pulling Mehek to one of the seats in the hall.

"Kuch nahi bas...functions ki tayyariyan chal rahin hain" Mehek shrugged and took out a box "Ye lo..."

"Kya hai isme?"

"Besan ke laddoo"

Zaid at once snatched the box as if someone will come and take it away..."ummmm.........maza aa gaya yaar" Zaid was on a spree....

"Arre abhi hi sare khane ka iraada hai...?" Mehek closed the box and kept it in his bag making Zaid pout "Shuru ho gayi hitlerpanti tumhari"

"Jee....." Mehek smiled

"Acha ye Rehaan kya keh raha tha..?"

"Kuch nahi.....bas mujhe satane aaya tha tumhare naam se?" Mehek shook her head "But he is cute"

"Excuse me .... I am cuter" Zaid huffed

"Says who......"

"Me...."

"Huh...high hopes...Rehaan is the cutest"

"Acha bhai......ye batao tumhara yeh  kab tak chalega?" Zaid

"Bas.......kuch der aur........phir hum gol gappe khane chalenge"

"Please yaar.....hafte me paanch din tum wahaan ke chakkar lagati ho....mujhse zyaada toh tumhe golgappon se pyaar hai"

"Haan toh.........apna comparison me tum gol gappon se karna bhi mat"

It was lunch time and Zaid was sitting with Rehaan and his other friends in the canteen ...."Wo dekhen Bhai Haneef kuch zyada hi chehak raha hai bhabhi ke paas" Rehaan nudged Zaid's shoulder pointing towards the entrance of the canteen.

Zaid gritted his teeth seeing Haneef accompany Mehek who was all smiles........"Aur Zaid.....kaise ho ..." Haneef gave a smile and pulled a chair  for Mehek who mouthed a thankyou.

"Bhai aapke saamne apni daastan likh raha hai aur aap" Rehaan munched on his french fries instigating Zaid .....it was his hobby to rile Zaid up and then enjoy.

"Haneef.........tum na thoda Mehek se door raho...." Zaid said calculatively making Haneef smile "Kyun bhai......unse kuch khatra hai kya"

"Nahi...khatra mujhse hai" Zaid glared at him......"Yay bhai....sahi ja rahe hain" Rehaan whispered

Mehek who heard Rehaan smacked him "Tum na bahut bade wale ho"

"Thankyou....bhabhijaan" Rehaan mouthed showing his perfect set of teeth.

"Haneef .......... she is my very close friend.....toh mai nahi chahta koi tum logon ko le kar baatein banaye" Zaid was serious

"Everybody knows...we are just good friends..so chill..." Haneef smirked but then added amusingly "Baaki aage kya ho kisne jana hai.........ho sakta hai aage ja kar Mehek mujhse shaadi kar le"

"Excuse me" Zaid didn't like his tone

"Just a possibility...." Haneef started laughing

"And haan just imagine ... phir Zaid bhai ki lines Haneef bhai ki hongi "Dur raho Mehek se"

"Aag me ghee dal chuki hai Rehaan...zyada daloge to tum bhi jal jaoge" Mehek twisted Rehaan's ear and pulled it a little.........

"Aaah....chhodein " Rehaan cried with the pain

"Mai bas madad kar raha tha" he pouted rubbing his ear.....then picked up his burger.....

"Waise Zaid....agle mahine ke baad kya iraada hai" Haneef started a light conversation

"Abhi decide nahi kiya ..  family business ya private company" Zaid shrugged looking at Mehek whose eyes were fixed on her plate.

"Aap logon ne mujhse pucha nahi phir bhi mai bata raha hoon....mai Abbu ko join karne wala hun" Rehaan smiled

"Haan beta...tumhe kis baat ki tension...." Zaid patted his shoulder but his eyes went to Haneef who was again looking at Mehek with so much adoration in his eyes....."Mehek hume chalna chahiye...lectures ke liye late ho rahe hain"

"Haan...mai bhi" Haneef also got only to be pulled back by Rehaan "mujhe company kaun dega....."

Haneef unwillingly sat next to Rehaan who had eyes only for his burger...

"Waise Zaid aur Mehek tumhare seniors to nahi hain...phir tum unhe aap kyun bulate ho" Haneef asked

"Dono mere school me senior the......unhone graduation ke baad break liya tha maine nahin" Rehaan smiled at Haneef's inquisitivity.

"Oh....matlab tumlog school me bhi saath the?"

"Yup" Rehaan finished the burger and took a napkin.

"Tumhara muh kyun utar gaya " Rehaan scoffed perfectly knowing the reason but was purposely rubbing it in Haneef's face.........it was his kind of fun!!!

"Kuch nahi....ho gaya tumhara ..
.ab chalo" Haneef pulled Rehaan up.

-----------------

"Zaid.....tumne apne ghar par bataya?" Mehek was talking in a very low tone lest anybody in her house heard her

"Nahin yaar.....baar baar himmat karta hun lekin" Zaid's frustrated voice made Mehek close her eyes..."I know mera bhi yahi haal hai"

"Hamaari families hi itni reserved aur orthodox kyun honi thin....tch" Zaid was cribbing now..

"Acha mai tumse baad me baat karti hun Ammi aa rahin hain" Mehek immidiately cut the call and opened a magazine..

"Mehek beta"

"Ji Ammi?"

"Aa baalon me tel laga doon" Haseena said lovingly sitting on the bed

Mehek sat on the floor keeping her head in her mother's lap "Ammi....hamare ghar me kisi ne apni pasand se shaadi nahin ki"

"Tum ye sab kyun puch rahi ho?" Haseena narrowed her eyes with suspicion

"Arre bas aise hi Ammi...aap bhi na"

"Tumhare chachu ne ki thi......ye unki khushkismati thi ki ..Layla chachi tumhare Dadajaan ke bahut hi kareebi dost ki beti thi........." Mehek's shoulders slumped  listening to her mother's words

"Ae theek se baitho" Haseena hit Mehek's shoulder lightly.........

------

"Mehek" Mehek turned to see Haneef coming towards her

"Haneef kya huwa....."

"Ye tumhari book hai ... table par chhoot gayi thi" Haneef smiled passing the book to Mehek who smiled "Thank you Haneef"

"To  Function ke preparations kaise chal rahe hain?"

"Sahi ja rahe hain tum batao.....juniors tumhari bahut taareef kar rahe the.."

"Really"

"Khaas kar ladkiyan...kya baat hai Hanif miyan..."

"Aapne ne toh kabhi taareef nahi ki"

"Are you flirting with me" Mehek narrowed her eyes...

"What if I am?" Haneef winked making Mehek widen her mouth

But before she could speak a word, Zaid's word touched their eardrums

"Then you will be dead"

"And then Bhai will go to jail" Rehaan who was standing next to Zaid announced

"Arre yaar tum itna jalte kyun ho....." Haneef scoffed

"Haan bhai..aap itna jalte kyun hain" Rehaan bit his inner cheeks...perfectly knowing Zaid's hesitation in disclosing their relationship

"Beta teri biwi ko koi line marega na tab pata chalega" Zaid whispered in a hard tone making Rehaan chuckle "Mai line marne se pehle hi use goli maar dunga"
Rehaan animated the gun shot with his hands.

"Acha ab mujhe late ho raha hai..mai chalti hun" Mehek didn't want a fight and started walking towards the gate perfectly knowing Zaid will follow her.

"They are dating?" Haneef asked Rehaan who raised his brows "Hainn....Are  they?" Hanif shook his head at the drama company and went away.

-----------

"Arre Zaid bhai...aap itne bujhe bujhe kyun hain" Rehaan asked an upset Zaid who was just rotating his pen on the table......"Ghar wale mujhe nahin lagta manenge"

"Aapne pucha?"

"Unke baatcheet se hi pata chal jata hai yaar...... mai bataunga toh mujhe emotionally blackmail kiya jayega" Zaid said thinning his lips

"Toh phir ek hi raasta bachta hai..."

"Kya?"

"Ghar se bhaag jayein....ek baar nikaah ho jaye phir toh sab accept kar hi lenge" Rehaan picked the pen and threw in the air only to catch it deftly

"Are you out of your mind......kabhi nahi" Zaid hit Rehaan's head

"Aap soch lijiye...aur koi upaay hai toh......." Rehaan shrugged again throwing the pen in the air...."Aur jaldi keejiyega kahin wo Haneef aap se jaldi na soch le"

--------

"Zaid mujhe nahi lagta..meri family manegi..." Mehek was fidgeting with her fingers

"Kya tum mere sath ghar se bhagogi?"

"Kya?" Mehek was shocked "Are you mad?"

"I know...mera bhi yahi reaction tha jab Rehaan ne yeh idea diya tha.....but come to think of it...hamare paas option kya hai?"

"Tch......." Mehek lay her head down on the table

"Ek toh tumhari family us Haneef ki family se close hai Rehaan ki family se close hai......but mere hi family se unka koi lena dena nahi hai" Zaid was frustrated

"It's now or never....hume ghar se bhaagna hi padega..." Zaid said in a determined tone......"agle month humse ache se planning karni hogi"

"I am not going to do any of this" Mehek mumbled with her head down

"Your choice..." Zaid looked in a different direction

---------------

"Bhabhi se baat ki..." Rehaan asked seeing Zaid coming out of the gate

"Hmm....but wo mana kar rahi hai...."

Rehaan patted Zaid's shoulder..."isme toh mai kuch nahi kar sakta but...aapko iske alawa koi help chahiye toh I am there"

Zaid smiled and nodded.

---------------------

Final exams were over and it had been a week Zaid and Mehek met........

Zaid opened his eyes feeling his phone vibrate ........
Unlocking it, he smiled seeing a message from Mehek.."I am ready"

He messaged her his plan and then waited for an answer....which came in affirmative after a few minutes.

----------------

"Haan Zaid...mai nikal chuki hun" Mehek whispered into the phone and turned to have a last look at her house....her eyes were filled with unshed tears which were blurring her vision.
She turned wiping her tears and walked swiftly towards the main gate.

With in a few minutes, she reached the place Zaid had asked her to reach.

It had been an hour now but there was no trace of Zaid........she dialled his number with shivering hands for the umpteenth time but everytime it was coming out of network area. Fear of betrayal had started creeping in  with every moment making her miserable and helpless. What could she possibly do now..........nothing....just pray !!!!

------------------

It had been a week since the incident and now Mehek was sitting on the nupital bed waiting for her husband who was showing no signs of arriving.......and she could understand why.

The entire week was no less than a series of shocks for everyone. The events occurred in such a way that no one could comprehend what was going on.

Mehek got up and opened her suitcase. Taking out a simple salwar kurta, she moved towards the washroom when the door knob of the room moved and there he was.......standing at the entrance with a rigid face ... his eyes showing the anger  his heart and mind was carrying and he made no attempts to mask the feelings what so ever.

The thumping of the door brought back Mehek who averted her gaze away and walked inside the washroom with slow steps........

It was an hour but Mehek was still locked inside the washroom but that didn't have any effect on the man in the room......he was fast asleep on his king sized bed with clothes scattered on the floor.

It was 11 in the night when Mehek finally gathered the courage to come out of her hiding spot and took a sigh of relief seeing her husband in deep sleep. He picked up his clothes and kept them in the laundary bag.

Switching off the lights, she lay on the couch making her arm as a pillow......her mind was devoid of any sleep and the happenings of the week kept making waves in her mind not allowing her to have even a wink of sleep the whole night.

It was six when Mehek moved a little and tried to open her groggy eyes.........she yawned sitting straight but suddenly the ambience made her aware of the reality and her eyes moved to her husband who looked devilishly innocent ....... he had thrown away his comforter in sleep and was now barely covered.

She thought of getting ready before he woke up and swiftly got up getting her clothes from the suitcase.

Having a hot shower, she was feeling light. Slipping into a peach coloured salwar suit, she came out of the washroom only to find her husband still sleeping...

Caught in a dilemma whether to wake him up or not, she walked to and fro in the room....but then seeing the clock striking eight, she decided to go with the former and was about to shake him when he himself opened his eyes that first carried confusion which later got transformed to immense anger ...."Kya dekh rahin thin  ....."

"Nnai...mai"

"Check kar rahin thin....kahin mai mar toh nahi gaya"

"Rehaan........." Mehek was shocked !!!!!