NEXT DAY

As the encounter went well with Dadi ma, Teja goes back to her home before the sun rises.

A 20 min drive from Awadh & you will find  a pleasant colony. It's a 6 acre square plot planned just like a gated community wherein individual houses are present with well connected roads, a play ground, common hall, society swimming pool etc.

As soon as the car entered their society, a smile steals her lips feeling the serenity around. It is 6'O clock in the morning & the Sun is still resting but she could see the walking track filled with her colony people.

She chuckled as she saw young boys exercising with t-shirts & shorts putting a show to the girls who are no where intrested in them.

"Ruko.Ruko.Ruko",she shrieks taking her bag & phone, ready to get down.

Because of her unexpected yelps, Krish applies break & in a blink she gets down. Krish didn't get what she's doing,

"Kya kar rahi ho thum?Ghar abhi aaya nai hein", he reminds her fully confused while she takes her trolley out.

"I know.Mein sab ko 'hi' bolke jaungi warna sabke ghar jana padtha hein hi bolne keliye", she so energetically pulls the handle of the trolley.

"Bye Krish", she bids in hurry already walking away pulling the luggage with her.

Krish stares at her amazed by the way she's shouting "Hi" to all the people on the walking track, on the foot path, basically whoever she sees.

Chuckling, he reverses the car muttering, "Pagal".

Greeting every leaf & ant, Teja finally sees her sweet duplex home where a police car is parked afront with a constable waiting.

"Woah",her eyes lit up at the scene & she jogs to her home in full josh.

Reaching the blue gates of her cosy abode, she waves to the constable and steps onto the stony passage way which ends in the portico.

The main door is left open so she cautiously puts her head inside when she hears a firm voice...her favourite voice to say.

"Geetha,mera stars kaha hein?"

Giggling to herself, she sneakily gets inside the house & into the room where the voice is coming from.

Again she hides behind the wall & peeks into the room to see a tall,stuart man in his late 40's looking like as fit as a fiddle. He's in khaki shirts & pants & his back is facing her.

Sweetly smiling at him, her eyes search for a small brown chest where she finds it on a nearby desk.Soothing her palms, she trudges inside the room & warily takes the box & stands behind him who's busy in a call. 

She opens the box & her eyes sparkle at the things present in it.

Picking the shining Ashoka emblem from the chest, she fixes it in the centre on either of his flaps along with a star & the 'IPS' badge at the edges.

That's her father Vijaya Verma, IPS.Presently Additional Superintendent,South Delhi commissionerate.

Fixing stars & emblem for her father is an honour for her.

If she's home, she's the one who does that & nobody should do it.

In her childhood, when her father used to carry her in his uniform,she could not rest her head on his shoulder because the stars would cause discomfort to her chubby cheeks.

They are shining for sure but they are also sharp & rugged which she disliked the most.

She used to frown at them every time & one day she even asked her father.

"Why do you wear these stars? They are so itchy", the little girl asks soothing her cheek.

"Stars are the symbol for protection. My duty is to protect people from all the bad things right? So I wear them", he explains her easily.

"Fir meine bhi apko protect kiya hein subah mumma ki daant se tho mein bhi star pehen sakthi hu kya?",she asks so innocently to which her father laughs heartily lifting her.

"Thumhe wo pehenne ki jarurat nai hein kyunki thum khud ek star ho.My star",he kisses her cheek making her giggle.

As much as the answer made her happy, the proudness in his voice & the pride with which he told her about the stars impressed her even more. Don't know why, she liked it.

From that day, an unknown liking developed in her for the insignia, for the uniform & it ended up in pure admiration for his job.

The girl who hated the stars learnt how to embed them properly to his uniform & just like that it became her most favourite habit.

Coming back,the man finishes his call at the same time as Teja. He turns to thank her thinking it's his wife,

"Thank you Gee..", his words are stopped & eyes widened seeing his beloved daughter.

"Bunny?"

"Appa", squealing she jumps into her father's embrace who lifts her with the same enthusiasm.

Hearing the screams, her mother Geetha waltz into the room & gets surprised seeing her.

"Bunny thum kab aayi ho?", she's shocked actually because it's too early.

It takes a minute for the father daughter duo to come out of their moment when Teja shouts "Mummmaaaa", ready to jump on her mother.

"Stop shouting",her mother scolds her. "Aur bathao thum kab aayi ho aur kaise?Lalitha ne bathaya ki thum do din baad aaoge?"

"You don't want me to come here ma?", At once her expression changes to oh not so sadness.

"Chalo mein chalthi hu. Do din baad hi aaungi. Kisiko kuch parwa hi nai hein", sniffing she tries to walk out while her father catches her ear just like he catches her masquerade.

"Nautanki.Drama band kar aur tumhari ma ka sawal ka jawab do",they are her parents. They knew her antics too well so she stops her fake sniffing asap.

"Ok ok. Kal raath mein Nandu keliye rukna pada aur jaise hi subah hogayi mein bhaag kar aayi hu aapke paas" her father frowns as how could she come alone that too early in the morning.

"Matlab Krish ne drop kiya hein mujhe" , she clarifies & that's when her mother nods in relief.

"Aur kuch sawal hein aapka ya mein hug  karu?", Teja counters her mother who narrows her eyes at her.

Ignoring them,she slides to her mother & hugs her tightly."Mummaa....."

Chuckling, Geetha embraces her with all her heart while Vijay sees them adoringly.

She's their one & only child. They brought her up like a piece of glass. That glass which is pretty to look but can also pierce if anybody touches it wrongly.

"Ok my ladies. I need to leave now", her father announces wearing his shoes.

Usually,he leaves at 9 but crime duty calls on anytime, anywhere.

Putting his blue cap, he kisses his daughter on her forehead & walks out of the house after planning a night out with her.

The constable salutes to him & opens the car door, he acknowledges it with a nod getting inside.

Today seemed a little more better as Vijay saw his daughter waving her hand so happily at him.

As the car starts,Vijay too slightly waves at the women & they close the door after bidding bye to him.

The whole day went with Teja unpacking her luggage, gobbling her mother's hand made food, taking her time to freshen up & sleeping.

It's 3'O clock in afternoon when Teja is enjoying her mother's hair massage while, reciting her college incidents.

She is telling about Nandu when she got a call from her.

"Speak of the devil,devil calls."

"Yup! Two devils talking to each other",Nandu counters straight away.

"Haha.Watsup?",Teja asks with closed eyes. Aha! It's so relieving.

"Lets go out", Nandu immediately says.

"Huh? But where?", Teja is confused as to why would she suddenly wanna go out.

"DG Plex"

That's when Teja's eyes opened, "Why?"

"To meet Bhai"

"Why?"

"He asked me to come"

"But why?"

"Shut up devil and get ready.I will be there in 30."and she puts off the call.

"Arey.Wait...hello...hello", that's of no use as the line is dead already. Teja has a cry baby face, "Par mein kyun?"

She tries to call her but Nandu doesn't lift the call.

Understanding Nandu wouldn't budge, she sighs.

"Kya hua?", Geetha asks her daughter who looked so uninterested.

"Time to meet asli devil" she stands up leaving her mom to think who's that while she gets ready.

DG-PLEX

The Ashton Martin enters the Plex as Nandu drives it through the slopy roads with Teja gazing along the route.

Their chilling place has always been Awadh or Teja's home so she never really have to come here. The last time she visited was when Karan came back from the states,nearly 3 to 4 years ago that too on Nandu's insistence just like now.

Plex has always been futuristic not only the place but also the people there.

Its like a city in itself. You will find everything around from pressure to pleasure.

What she likes the most is the bid italic silver "D" laid exactly at the centre of the estate. It's Arial view is phenomenal.

Finally, the car stops at the entrance of the governing office on the west side.

They get down & proceed inside the glass edifice when Arshad comes to them.

"Hello",he greets to which Nandu replies politely.

"Hey Harsh!", Teja pipes in with a wide smile.

You read it right. She calls him "Harsh" which means rude & according to her it suits his personality better.

Yup! They knew him. Khan's are associated with Dehwars for more than 50 years professionally & personally to an extent.

Giving a straight smile,he corrects her a little too politely "Arshad."

She always irritates him but the sad thing is he can't show it & she knew this so she irritates him even more.

"Shall we?",he guides them to Karan's elevator while the girls follow him snickering.

As he is busy in call, Teja couldn't tease him in the elevator & meanwhile they reach the floor.

They step out & while he ushers them, Teja observes her surroundings.

The atmosphere is calm but busy. 

They were at one of the top floors in the edifice. It's all golden to look & has marble to walk.

There's a reception and totally 3 different doors are present.One is for the President that is Karan,the second is for Arshad and the third is for the executive team.Karan's cabin is on the other side far from the other's.

Arshad accompanies till the door of Karan's office & leaves informing Karan would join them shortly.

"Bye Harsh", Teja pipes again while giving her a look he quietly walks away.

He needs to be there for a presentation with Karan otherwise he would have reiterated.

"Why do you irritate him so much?", Nandu asks though she enjoys it a lot.

"Aur kya karu? Yaha koi insaan jaisa diktha hein? sab robots hein robots.Ek wohi hein jise mujhe thodi thodi reaction deta rehta hein",she explains.

Nandu laughs at her crazy talk while opening the door when she gets a call from her mother.

"Hello...hello...ma?", because of less connectivity Nandu goes aside asking Teja to wait inside her brother's cabin.

Not feeling right to go inside without her, Teja step down & walks to the gallery.

She finds herself alone along with the receptionist and smiles at her which she returns so lightly.

"You are office alone Bunny"

Sighing, she decides to explore the architecture of the floor.

Its indeed beautiful.The whole floor is of wood and cream color with exquisite paintings and patterns.Her surroundings are shining gold because of the lights and she liked it.

With an adoring smile,she is strolling beside a glass wall touching it with her finger when all of a sudden the door which she thought as a wall opens exhibiting a conference room where a meeting is going on.There are few members,all of them looking at her surprisingly while she's shocked.

Teja understood the situation and quickly apologized before rushing out from there.

"Oh shit! Kya kiya thune Bunny? Door aur wall ko farak nai pata hein kya? Actually iss logon ki galthi hei aise wall kaun rakhta hein? Ughh...but embarass tho mein hi hua na", she's scolding herself & stomping away angrily when she hears a voice,

"What are you doing here?"

Picture tho baaki hein mera dosth....

Guess whose voice is it?