Abir jogged his way to the apartment shaking his head....

Wow...! That was a first.....!

He said to himself wryly...he just saw a girl gag herself and run away from him!

Usually it was the other way round....
Not that he had a fan following or something....still...This was a first.

But something about her eyes... her look bothered him....could she be....? Nah! she had a really short hair... Abir reminded himself...
The Mishti he knew would die if any one touched her long mane...he chuckled .

He reached the doorstep and heard Kunal....

"toh khair Nahi......"

"Kiski khair nahi ?? "

Abir asked as he stepped in smiling politely to the elder lady...

"Mrs.Maheshwari......"

Abir came forward and touched her feet..

Rajshri had stood up...her eyes wide with surprise....

" Jeete raho beta"

Kunal felt Kuhu hide behind him....Abir too noticed it and smiled softly....

"Kuhu right ...Hi I am Abir "

" Yeh Kuhu na badi chaalk hai...mujhe ullu banaya...par dekho Mishti ne use ithne daraake rakha hai aapke baare mein ki woh mere peeche chupne ki koshish Kar rahi hai.."

Kunal pulled Kuhu to his front and she gave Abir a slight sheepish smile....

"Okay...bachon... I 'll get you some breakfast ...tum log baatein karo"

Rajshri stood up and started to kitchen but was stilled by the look of shock in Abir's face...

His gaze was fixed on the family portrait hanging on the wall opposite to him.....

Kuhu nudged Kunal ...both understanding why Abir was shocked....

In the portrait Rajshri was sitting flanked by two girls standing beside her hugging....

Abir swallowed hard ......the eyes that challenged him a few minutes back looked back at him but now brimming with laughter.

The girl he met downstairs flashed a smile at him from the portrait.

Many things fitted together and his gaze turned to Kunal ...who asked Abir with a naughty smile.

"Bracelet wali mili kyaa...? Waise.. koi dhamaka nahi suna...tumne kuch suna Kuhu?? '

"Do you care to explain?" Abir's tone was grave.

Kunal bit his lips....

"Sorry Abir bhai...jab Mishti hamein chodke jaa Rahi thi to mujhe use ek parting gift Dena tha...I am sorry Maine aapse jhoot bola..ki."

" Ki Mera Diya hua gift tumse kho gaya.."

Abir let out a small sigh ...but Kunal came to him....

"Par Maine theek Kiya Bhai..mere pas rehetha to kabka kho Chuka hota..main aise cheeze pehntha bhi nahi hoo..par dekho Mishty kitni saalon se sambhal ke rakha hain..."

He was proud of his friend....and Kuhu nodded when Kunal looked at her with I am right.right? expression....

" Haan ..kitne saalon se mein beg karthi aayi hoo...woh Mishty ki bachi mujhe choone bhi nahi dete uss bracelet ko..'

Abir's eyes fell on to the photo again...

He too saw with his own eyes what that bracelet meant for Mishti..his brows puckered in confusion...his mind racing to find the answer to a question.....

Why she did it?

Rajshri looked at Abir immersed in a serious thought.... sighed and turned to the kitchen.

Kunal was very happy....he nudged Kuhu.....

"Hey Kuhu, don't you think Mishti has a crush on me....! aise Meri yaad ko harpal saath rakhna..vagerah vagerah.. "

Abir who was looking around the house stiffened a bit and turned to Kunal with a stern look..Kuhu too gave a thoughtful look to Kunal......and then nodded.

"Hmm...Now when you say...I think she reallllly have a crush on you...."

"Wow! Kuhu....you are soo....sweet ..."

Kunal grinned in satisfaction while Abir shook his head ...giving up.

"Ya ...I know .I am the sweetest .woh to bus naam se sweet hai...but Mishti really does have a crush on you ...if not why would she keep a scrap book on you...! Chalo mein tumhe dikhaati Hoon...waise mujhe dhamki deke gayi hai ki uske room mein kadam bhi nahi rakhna...par Kunal ke liye woh maaf kardegi..."

Kuhu had a glint of naughtiness dancing in her eyes....but the mention of the scrapbook grabbed Abir's attention...he felt an odd tug in his heart.... Mishti kept a scrapbook on Kunal..great!

Kuhu had gone to fetch it along with Kunal while Abir addressed Rajshri...

"Mrs Maheshwari... now can I have your reports...? And does Kuhu and umm... ..woh... Mishti know the whole thing...."

Rajshri looked straight into Abir's eyes...

"If you are again Mrs Maheshwarying me I am not going to say anything."

Her voice held a hurt....

Abir looked away from her face....
Now ...he had braced himself to face an annoyance of a girl here... but look who is putting up the fight.....!

He stood up and walked over to a seated Rajshri....who had a determined face.. turned away from him..

"Okay Massima... Mujhe maaf kardo...."
Abir kneeled before her.. holding on to his ears..

Rajshri was taken aback...Abir asking forgiveness...!!

Something choked her lungs and she kept her hand on his head ruffling his hair...

They did get along very well earlier...he called her Massima first.
He was such a loving kid....but then that was before his change of behaviour towards Meenakshi.

"Well...you are making allowances for me...that's it Abir ? Thodi daya uskeliye jiska thode hi din bache ho....I appreciate that..."

Rajshri managed to smile through her tears.... melting Abir's resolve to remain unattached to his Massima..

His worst fear had come true....he was sure that only something utterly serious would make Meenakshi request him some thing...but Massima just told it bluntly...

"Is that really that bad?"
He asked in a low voice..

Rajshrii nodded...wiping away her tears....
"Abir...main aur Meenakshi apne dosti ko door se nibhaya... tumhare aur Mishti ki wajah se.."

Abir shot her an uncomfortable look and stood up slowly from her side.... Rajshri continued...

"Tum donon ke beech mein saalon pehle Jo hui..uskeliye mein ek ko doshi nahi maanunga...dono ne ek doosre ko dard Diya hai....lekin ab tum dono bade ban Gaye ho..zimmedar ban Gaye ho ..to Kya yeh..anban hum bhula sakthe hai...mereliye yeh jaanna bohot zaroori hai ki Kya tum Mishti... Mishti ki khayal rakhoge...mere jaane ke baad.."

Abir stood silently...of course he knew very well why Mishti hated him....but then...he too was a kid.....

"Abir....Beta...mein tumhe yahaan isliye bhejne ko kaha Meenakshi se ki mein tumse ek permission le sakoo."

Rajshri looked at him a bit hesitantly...and Abir looked at her with confusion...

"Mere permission massima?! Kyu? Kis baat keliye"

"Mein chahtha hoo ki Mishti tumhare saath New York aaye...apni padhaayi vahi karein aur tum logon ke saath Rajvansh Mansion mein rahe.Aur yeh tab mumkin hoga jab tum mujhse vaada karoge ki tum Mishti ka khayal rakhoge.."

Abir was taken aback by this odd request...
"uh! Massima...!"
He took a deep breath...

"I ... I have ...no Problem....jaise aapne bataaya ...we are grown ups now...and ...she was..."

He bit his lips....

"she was actually nice to me out there..."..

He actually shook the hell out of her and she didn't slap him...she was damn nice...!!

Her angry face popped inside his brain and all he could do was to sigh as Rajshri smiled reassured...

"Hey Kuhu..not fair huh.....show me that!!"

They heard Kunal whining...Kuhu came running ahead holding a book.

"Dekho kaise Mishty ne scrapbook rakha hai ..on her crrrussshhh!! "

Kuhu opened the first page for display to all...

It was Kunal's photo adorned with a clown's cap....

Kuhu read out the caption loud....

"my clown..!! Wow what an endearing name to call...!"

"Hey ...this is not fair..."
Kunal snatched the book and grinned sheepishly...

He smiled as he skimmed through the pages.... Mishti had all their childhood pictures catalogued neatly with interesting captions...

Suddenly his face sobered...and Kunal shot an offended look to Kuhu...she looked confused for a second then her face went white.....

Abir looked at them amused...
" Kya hai ? Itna sannata kyu hai Bhai..mujhe bhi dikhaao.. Let me.." ..."

"N...no...Abir bhai...it's nothing...!" Kunal turned two pages in hurry...

Abir was now intrigued ....and before Kunal could defend the scrapbook it was snatched from him....

"Dekhoo to...tum Kya chupa rahe ho mujhse ....my photo right?!"

Abir said with a smile as he skimmed through the pages...

Kunal and Kuhu looked at each other in horror... Rajshri was not understanding the change that came over them...but then she didn't know what Abir was about to see...

Abir stiffened ..and his smile slipped away...his eyes narrowing to slits...Kuhu held Kunal's sleeve in fear....

It was indeed his photo....!

But the way Mishty treated it was the cause of his sudden change...

The picture was crossed with red ink...and the caption scribbled on it...

"Insensitive Arrogant Pighead...."

Abir closed his eyes for a second....maybe he deserved this....for his actions....

He shut the book and looked into the tensed eyes staring at him....

Kuhu was looking frightened ....and then Abir shrugged...and raised his arms in submission...

"I am not angry...."

A look of relief from Kuhu was followed by an impulsive hug from Kunal..

"And I am okay...now can we freshen up....massima .. mujhe bhook lagi hai zoronse ."

"I am sorry beta...abhi lagaathi hoon."
Rajshri but was stopped by Abir...

" Massi ma... Aap mujhse kisi bhi baat keliye sorry nahi bolenge.."
Abir hugged her sideways...

"Hey Kuhu..where do we get to camp...?"
Abir smiled at Kuhu who scrambled to her feet to show them the way......

************************************

Mishti stormed her way up by the stairs.....

It was a hell of a day....uh! God....!

As she reached their doorstep she stopped ....no need to make Badima and Kuhu tensed...

Calm Mishti ...calm....she commanded her anger...

After taking a deep breath she gently pushed open the door and entered stealthily...

She heard Kuhu laugh from the kitchen....okay...
She carefully entered and locked her room and then tossed her bag and the cover on to the table....

She had been furious all day.....and that Avi...! He had to propose her today..!!!.of all the days...!!?.

Mishti ran her fingers through her hair in desperation....

She liked Avi....as a matter of fact there were a few Indian students in her school...and naturally they were close....she, Avi,Sneha, Sanju, Rahul and Christy.......

She never thought of anything but friendship between her and Avi ...but then...lately she had a gut feeling that something was wrong....and today she got the confirmation....

I need a cold shower to cool off... Mishti shook her head in despair as she absently pulled the change of dress from her wardrobe...

She had rejected him.....but then she has to deal with him again....

What a prospectus of having him as her dance partner....!.

Mishty turned on the shower and wished the icy water could cool off her temper....

She changed into a pink halter neck top and blue jean shorts...

Badima will definitely raise her one brow....

Mishty got out shivering a little in cold and walked to the dressing table, drying her hair...and...

She froze on her position.....an inaudible gasp escaped her throat as her eyes sank into the details of what she saw....

Great...!! She was dreaming ..that too in broad day light....this had to happen after all the days happenings...!!!

A man was sitting on her bed with his back to her....his well toned muscles moving lazily under the vest he wore...the sunlight peeping through her balcony door highlighted his profile giving him a striking aura....

She stood there mesmerised by the way warmth seeped in to her being....

And she had thought a cold shower could redeem her day....!!!

Mishti blinked her eyes tightly....and then opened them taking time....

It was then she noticed the things she missed earlier....

A back pack on her bed....some files neatly stacked by his side....

The reality struck her like a blow...

This was not a Dream....!.

The man was for real..!.

And he is in her bedroom....!!!