She folds her legs and puts her face in between and cries recalling the horrible days, months she spend with Viraj. The pain he gave her was for lifetime and now he was haunting her into dreams. She recalled her college day and the incident.

It was Valentine's day, Shruti said dreamily "haaye khash koi humhe bhi card de"

Manvi smiled at her antics, some gave her a letter and went away. Manvi was bewildered, she opened it and read it "happy valentine's day.. will you be mine valentine"

Shruti asked "are kaun hai yeh?"

Manvi looked at her and said "I don't care.. chod."

She throws it away and they walk...

The person standing far got angry and said "koi jawab nhi koi baat nhi main firse try karunga"

He again sent her flowers "I love you.. please be mine"

Manvi sighed and got angry "who the hell is this! Pareshan karke rakha hai" and threw away the flowers. He tried many times but all went in vain. Manvi was rejected his offer.

One fine day at the farewell party "Waiting for you at the chemistry lab... Shruti" a message on a small piece of paper someone gave her..

Manvi thinks "Shruti mujhe chemistry lab chalo dekhti hun chalke"

She went inside the room and the door gets locked, she turns back and gets scared a bit.. the lights gets off and someone touches her hand "kaun hai?"

"Viraj..." the person whispered into her ears.. "tum meri ho sirf meri"

The door gets open and Shruti comes there "Manvi tum yaha kya kar rahi ho chalo.."

Manvi turns but does not find anyone around, she walks away from there...

She comes out of her trance and tears flows her eyes. She lays back, holding the blanket tightly and closed her eyes.

The next morning, Manvi opened her eyes and found Dr. Naina in front of her. Naina asked "how are you feeling now?"

Manvi said in low tone "thik hoon.."

"acha.. main tumhari bandage change kar deti hun.." Naina said, Manvi agrees. Naina opened up her bandages, Manvi looked at the wound. She closed her eyes as she does not wanted to see it. Naina changed the bandages and said "apna khayal rakho aur time par khana lena jaldi thik ho jaogi"

After which she moves outside.

Ruhana asked her in concern "sab thik hai na?"

Naina answered her '"haan Ruhana bahar ke ghav to jaldi recover ho jayenge par uske andar ke ghav bharne mein samay lagega"

Ruhana nodded, and Naina left. Ruhana thought "mujhe kaise bhi karke usey iss dard se bahar nikalna hoga"

Manvi was trying to sit up but could not, Ruhana came in and helped her. She scolded "kya kar rahi ho? Mujhe bula leti"

Ruhana poured the water into the the glass and gave her to drink. Manvi drinks it and Ruhana keeps back the glass.

Anvi enters inside the room with "maasi pata hai Anvi ne aur aapke room ne aapko kitna miss kiya"

Manvi gave a forced smile to her..

Ruhana said to Anvi "acha Anvi aap maasi ke saath baithke khelo main tab tak maasi ke liye unka favourite khana banati hun"

Anvi nodes and Ruhana moves out of the room..

Anvi looks at Manvi and says "maasi aapko ek secret batau?"

Manvi looked at her bewildered and asked "kya?"

Anvi smiled and said happily "janti ho wo police wale uncle mere papa hai.. aur anvi chahti hai ki wo aur mumma saath rahe taki jab anvi school jaye to koi usko nhi kahe ki anvi ke papa nhi hai"

Manvi ruffled her hairs..

Ruhana came back after sometime with food and Anvi went to her room to study.

Ruhana while mixing rice and curry said "kitni kamzor ho gayi ho ache se khalo khana"

Manvi looked at the food and recalled while she was at Viraj's house. How he used to forcefully put the rice into her mouth. Ruhana forwards the spoon, Manvi jerked away her hand in fear the spoon feel from her hand. Ruhana looked at Manvi, who was having tears in her eyes and looking scared. She folds her legs and moved back, Ruhana asked "mannu kya hua?"

Manvi looks at her with fear, Ruhana said "mannu dekh Viraj yahan nhi aayega main hoon yaha pe hmm.."

She brought another spoon and starts to feed her, Ruhana wiped off her tears.

Ruhana moved out thinking "mannu kuch bol... aise khamosh mat rah.. main nhi dekh sakti hoon tujhe aise" tears brimmed down her eyes.

She wiped them when Anvi called her.

Later at night, Anvi messaged someone "come home soon urgent"

After half an hour doorbell rings, Ruhana opens the door and was surprised to see the person..

"Vineet tum!" she said.

Vineet nodes and asked in panic tone "haan..batao kya baat hai kyun bulaya mujhe urgently"

Ruhana was confused and spoke "what? Main kyun tumhe bulaungi.. maine tumhe nhi bulaya"

Vineet signed and said angrily "roo.. main important case chodke aaya hun please stop joking!"

Ruhana replied angrily "main keh chuki hoon na maine tumhe nhi bulaya!"

Vineet asked "to main jhooth bol raha hun?"

Ruhana crossed her arms and gave a questionable look, Vineet showed her the message "See.. tumhare phone se hi message aaya mujhe"

Ruhana saw it and was confused "lekin main nhi kiya.."

From back anvi says "maine kiya"

Ruhana and Vineet also looks at the direction..

Ruhana smiled and said "Acha to aapki shararat hai yeh kyun pareshan kar rahi ho uncle ko!"

Anvi came to Vineet and pulled him in.. "mumma main to papa ko pareshan kar rahi hun na!"

Ruhana and Vineet were shocked.. "anvi.."

Anvi smiles and says "haan mumma.. mujhe pata hai yahi mere papa hain"

Ruhana bent down to her level and asked her "Aapko kaise pata?"

Anvi said making face "Wo gande uncle ne kaha ki police wale uncle hi mere papa hain! Phir kal maine aapki aur unki photo dekhi jo aapne secretly rakha tha.. isliye mujhe pta chal gaya yahi mere papa hain!"

Then she turned to Vineet and holds his hand.. "ab aap mujhse promise kijiye aap Anvi ko chodke nhi jayenge?"

Vineet smiles and says "promise hum aapko chodke kahi nhi jayenge" and hugs her, Anvi smiled..

Anvi then says "ab main aapne all friends ko kahungi mere bhi papa hai mujhse panga liya to wo un sabko jail mein daal denge" and runs into her room..

Ruhana kept on looking at her how Anvi was happy to know Vineet is her father.

Ruhana stood up and went outside at the balcony, she looked up at the sky how much she tried to kept Anvi away from him but she was getting more closer.

Vineet came and stood beside her and spoke... "tum chahti thi anvi mujhse door rahe par wo mujhe khudse door nahi jaane dena chahti"

Ruhana looked at him.. silently..

Vineet looks at her "main janta maine tumhare saath jo kiya.. uske liye tum mujhe maaf nhi kar paogi.. yeh bhi janta hun kitna sangharsh kiya hoga tumne akele.. lekin kya ab hum Anvi ke liye saath nhi reh sakte?" he asked her

Ruhana looked on and spoke "vineet tum kya baat kar rahe ho? Manvi iss haalat mein hai aur main apne baare mein kaise soch sakti hoon!"

Vineet held her hand and said "main tumse abhi kuch karne ke liye nhi keh raha hun lekin kya hum Anvi ki khushi ke liye ek ho sakte hai na! aaj tak maine shaadi nhi ki kyuki main sirf tumse pyaar karta hoon aur kahi na kahi yakin tha tum milogi mujhe.."

Anvi came running and said "mumma maine apne all friends ko bol diya next month aap dono saath parents meet mein aaoge"

Then goes back into her room in excitement...

"dekha.. kitni khush hai wo.." Vineet said

Ruhana nodes "haan shayad tum sahi keh rahe ho waise bhi akele duniya se ladte ladte thak chuki hoon.."

Manvi who was standing at the door heard this and went inside her room with tears in her eyes.

Ruhana thought about Manvi and asked "lekin mannu? Uska kya uske saath jo hua usmei uska kasoor nhi tha na? na hasti na thik se roti hai kuch batati bhi nahi.." tears came in her eyes.

Vineet wiped off her tears and said "oo.. usey time do bahut bade hadse se guzri hai wo.. sambal lenge use.."

Ruhana smiled...

Manvi sat on the bed with thud.. and thinks "di aapko meri parwah hai hi nhi.. waha main 3 mahino se uss hevan ke saath thi aur yaha aap aur ASP nhi anvi ke papa" in anger she threw the water jug on the floor and started crying..

"maine kaha tha na tumhari behen tumse pyar nhi karti.."

"Apni beti ko hi bachaya usne"

"tumhe yahi rehna hoga..."

"tumhari di aur ASP ek saath hai..."

All this echoed her ears, she placed both her hands on the ears... and screams "no... nahi..."

Ruhana and Vineet heard her scream and rushed into her room as soon as they reached at the room they were shocked to see her lying on the floor unconscious.

To be continued..