Aryaman stood in front of the mirror and tied his placid tie as he got ready for office.

"Aryaman!" Anahita Devi's furious voice didn't bother him. He had been deliberately ignoring his mother angrily knocking her walking stick on the marble floor. And also, ignoring the violent jingles of her gold bangles.

"Stop ignoring me." She huffed and walked towards him. Aryaman continued to apply perfume on the collar of his white shirt. Anahita Devi pressed her lips tightly and struck his shoe with her stick. Aryaman winced pulling back his leg and looked at his mother.

"What, Masa?"

Anahita Devi straightened, placing both her palms together over her walking stick, - "Didn't I tell you not to take in daughter of a prostitute. Like mother like daughter." She taunted.

Aryaman knew this was coming, that is why he had been avoiding his mother since Abhinav's engagement. He clicked his tongue, rolling his eyes.

"Masa, please. Don't bring this up. Anaisha is my blood, and her mother wasn't—" He stopped as he was tongue-tied.

Anahita Devi scoffed, - "Really? Do a DNA test and shut my mouth forever?" She challenged him.

Aryaman shook his head, - "I am not going to insult Kairavi's memory."

"Just say you don't have guts to see the reality. She was a prostitute and this girl isn't your blood.

If she were, she wouldn't have created a big tamasha as she did in front of everyone—Hey, Bhagwan! No girl of good character will do what she did. It was proof of her bad blood and characterless mother. Immodest, characterless girl." She stamped her stick on the ground once again and walked out of her son's room.

Aryaman just kept looking at her. He wished he could counter her, but he couldn't muster the courage to talk back to his mother.

Aryaman glanced at his reflection and recollected many years ago, he had attended a classical music concert with his friends. There he had spotted Kairavi. She was a talented classical dancer. Her large round eyes were full of expressions and her hands moved perfectly with the music. In the crowd, their eyes met, and the spark was felt instantly. He smiled on his own accord at her and she smiled at him but just for a millisecond. He had begun to try and find more about her. Find excuses to be meet her and finally, wooed her. But—he knew about Kairavi's character. He knew her more than his mother and he was sure she was pure. She was a dancer and not a prostitute. That was clear. But Masa's nagging creates doubts in his head. Sometimes...

Hasan was in deep sleep, but a presence awakened him. He kept his eyes tightly closed, in hopes that the feeling went away. But the presence grew stronger and he stiffened.

"What is this feeling?" – He gulped, - "Is it a Jinn?" He could feel sweat bead form over his forehead. He recollected, his mother used to warn him to stay away from Imli and Banyan tree. He shivered, realizing that next to the window above his bed, there was an Imli tree. He pressed his trembling lips and stayed still. Then, he felt a soft velvet touch over his arm and instant goosebumps erupted all over his hands. He began reciting Ayatul Khursi in his head, hoping it goes away.

After he completed his recitation, he opened his eyes and saw a female head hovering over him. Her long tresses open and fell over his face. In the darkness, her features weren't clear. He opened his mouth to yell but a soft palm clasped his mouth tightly and his limbs were paralyzed.

"It is me, Hasan!"

He blinked rapidly recognizing Anaisha's voice. Hastily, he gathered his duvet and threw it off him. Then, he pushed himself up and stared wide-eyed at her. In the darkness, only her silhouette was known. Hasan gasped as she held his wrist and pulled him down from the bed.

Fortunately, it has been a month since his arm was broken and a week since the cast was off. Still, his arm wasn't like before, so thankfully she had held his right arm. He resisted but she over-powered him, dragging him out of the room. The bright light of the corridor blinded him for some time and then when his eyes adjusted, he realized Anaisha was truly here.

Dressed in pink cargo pants and half sleeve white crop top, she looked fresh. Except for her tousled hair. Hasan stared in disbelieve at her.

"What are you doing here?" He said in an urgent hush tone. Anaisha smiled giving him a push, pinning him to the wall.

"Listen, Nerd."- She placed a hand next to his head, - "Stay away from me, okay?"

Hasan frowned.

"What do you mean? I am not the one sneaking into your room and scaring daylights out of you." He taunted her.

Anaisha rolled her eyes and leaned closer. Hasan made a face

- "Stay away from my head, okay?" She warned him, pointing a finger at him.

He blinked in utter confusion. She sighed looking away and then looked back at him. She inched even closer and he slid under her arm.

"Don't touch me."

"Why? Am I untouchable?" She teased him.

Hasan looked annoyed, - "Think whatever you want? Just tell me the reason you are here and leave."

"Like I said stay away from my head and my thoughts." She warned him.  She paused for a while, - "You know what happened? I and Priyank were having sex and—"

"Eww!"- Hasan scrunched his nose, looking away with his eyes closed. Anaisha rolled her eyes, slapping her forehead.

"What is so eww about sex?"

"That I don't want to hear any details of your intimate life."

Anaisha clenched his collar and pulled him closer, staring boldly into his eyes. Hasan gulped. She kept eye contact, - "The main point is, that he got irritated because I was—" Her voice trailed off as she recollected Priyank irksomely complaining that she was taking Hasan's name. It was infuriating for her to be abandoned just as she was about to reach the pinnacle of ecstasy.

"You must have suck in se—love-making."- Hasan stepped to his side. Anaisha blinked rapidly and looked at him. He placed his hands on his hips and eyed her with a judgmental gaze. She turned to face him and once again grabbed his collar with one hand, fisting the other hand, and threatened to punch him.

"Just stay away from me. I don't want to listen to your sob story and—" - She paused, - "Why are you so—", She looked dazed for a moment and then shook her head. She left him with a push, and he stumbled few steps back. She took out bike keys from one of the pockets and turned around.

"Priyank and I were having sex and--" Hasan watched her with a strange feeling, a feeling of disgust. She was so careless, reckless, and of course, characterless. What type of girl has sexual relationships while in University? Her parents send her to college for studying, but instead, she was back-stabbing them, insulting their trust. Hasan shook his head and walked back into his room.

"Disgusting!" He muttered.

Abhinav stood by the door and took a moment before knocking. Anaisha looked up from her diary and smiled at her brother, whilst straightening on the bed. She closed her diary and motioned him to come in. He cleared his throat and walked in. Without speaking anything, he sat on the corner of the bed. Anaisha folded her legs, resting a cushion on her lap with a diary on top.

There was an uncomfortable silence between the siblings, something that was never there between them. Ever since Anaisha's "Tamasha", as Dadisa says it, Abhinav hasn't spoken to her but only thrown ice-cold glances at her.

"I thought a lot, Anaisha."

Her heart sank when her brother addressed her by her name and not by how he fondly called her.

"Tell me, why did you make a mockery of yourself. Humiliate yourself and us? I can't remove that sight from my eyes and Minal—Minal, still at times taunts me. Not directly at least."

Anaisha sighed, swaying to the right, and then leaning against the bedpost. Why doesn't anyone understand her? Not even her brother who was supposed to be close to her.

"I didn't do that to humiliate you or ruin your special day."

"But you did." Abhinav retorted, shifting angrily in his seat. Anaisha eyed him for a second and then sighed. He was behaving like joru ka ghulam just after engagement. She smiled to herself and looked up at him. After a thoughtful pause, she explained everything. About Anahita Devi and Aryaman Singhaniya's plan. She wasn't ashamed of what she did because that was what she felt was right.

After listening to her, Abhinav's mouth hung open. And after everything sunk into his head, he fisted his fingers and scowled, - "How can Dad agree to this? This was expected from Dadisa but Dad?"- His expressions softened, slowly he shifted closer and placed his palm over his sister's head, - "Don't worry, Choti. I am there for you. You should have told me; I wouldn't have let it happen."- He gently patted her head and retracted his hand. Anaisha smiled gratefully at him.

Abhinav's lips curved into a slow mischievous grin, - "But, Choti. Your final exams are coming, please concentrate on that. If you fail this time, then no one can save you from getting married." He teased her and began to laugh.

"Bhaiya!" Anaisha exclaimed throwing the cushion at him. He pulled her for a hug and she quickly wrapped her arms around him. It felt like after eons she was reunited with her brother. He was the only one, in this family, with whom she felt connected.

How was the Chapter, my lovelies? Please drop your thoughts in the comments and Stay Tuned for the next update *hugs and kisses* *lots of love*