"She is perfect," I whispered, but Shehnaaz glanced at me. It stunned me. Did she hear it? 

"What you said?" Her curious gaze on me. 

"That the ring is perfect." Me and my lies, how much did I hate doing it but was left with no option either. 

Shehnaaz stared at me suspiciously but later concentrated back on her earrings.

//

 Finally, done with both stuff, we stood up from the sofa. Shehnaaz was grinning ear to ear on finding her favorite earrings. "Purab you're the best." She got excited and hugged him. My lip turned into a grim line. 

At that moment, she got a call and broke the hug. "Navy! Oh shit! We have to move," she rushed out picking the call. 

 I gave a smile to Purab, "thanks a lot for the help." I removed my wallet, but he stopped me. 

"Paji, she had already handed me the money for the earrings, and about that ring, it was my responsibility to fix it up. And if I took money from you, Guru will eat me raw." He alarmed, and I chuckled seeing it. 

I kept the wallet back in my pocket, "Paji you love her a lot, right?" It amazed me, "why are you staring at me like that? Anyone can see in your eyes, the feeling you hold for her." I diverted my gaze from him, I stood there not a word out of my mouth. Neither I could accept nor deny it. 

"I understand that it's difficult for you to express it out loud but sometimes you have to. Or the other person won't ever come to know about it, the way she has the least knowledge about it." Those words again made me glance at him, fully astonished. How did he get to know about it? Some peoples were so good with their observation, just spending a few minutes with us he was well aware of the circumstance. 

I fake a smile at him and took a leave. Who would tell him that the situation had turned more complex than he was thinking. It was no longer about my feelings nor about her, but it was about Raghav. The person whom I considered as my brother. I had seen his broken, once in life he got something and I didn't want to pull it away from him. He deserved that happiness; he did! 

I got into the car, wearing the sunglasses again. Shehnaaz had been busy talking to someone on the cell. Giving justification, from her tone it  was clear that the person was not Navya but someone else. 

"Please try to understand, it was my favorite earring. And the ring was too broken, how would have Raghav felt on knowing it. He had selected it for me baaz, do you sense how much it would have hurt him." I started the engine. She kept silent for a few seconds, might listen to the person on the other side. 

Shehbaaz got to know about her disappearance, I knew this would happen. I shook my head. Shehnaaz started with her reasoning. "I know Paapu would turn furious on knowing it but you're there to handle him. By the time I reach there, then you know I will pacify him. He can't be angry with his princess for long." She raised her imaginary collar, she was so proud of herself. Indeed! No one could be angry with her for long. 

"Now give the cell to Mumma," there was again silence and I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. She was making faces may be receiving some scolding, she deserved it. I narrowed my eyes and stared back on the road. 

"Mumma take care that Shehbaaz doesn't spill the beans until I reach there, tell Navya to accompany him everywhere. I will handle everything once I reach there but Paapu should not get to know it." I stared at her amazed, this girl was someone else. The girl I knew was so different from her. So immature, so childish but this girl was handling everything so smartly. She was Shehnaaz, not Sana. 

I stared back at the road, drifting back to those memories of her. I liked her like that, immature and childish that was the thing which won my heart, her innocence. The reason people always connected to children because they were innocent souls and she was the same when I met her. 

### Past ###

"I am..." her head again dip into the bathtub, "I am... drowning..." her head came up. I shook my head in disbelief. How can anyone drown in a bathtub? 

"Hey, gadhi! it is a bathtub and you don't drown in it." I aggravated, pulling her out of the bathtub. The next moment she was standing on her feet in the bathtub and my handgrip on her wrist, she hugged me tightly. Sobbing slowly in my arms, I felt bad for her. She panic, I slowly rubbed her back, trying to give her comfort. 

"Moti, stop crying baby, you're fine." Her sobs slowly decrease while she was not ready to break the hug. "Baby you're wet and you need to change." I pulled away from her, she stared at me with a pout. I smiled at her and pulled her cheek, "now I am bringing the clothes you just stay over here." I said patting her cheek lightly.

Helped her out of the bathtub. She made a gloomy face, rubbing her cheek and I took a leave from the washroom with a smile on my face. 

It amazed me, I had this grin on my face the entire day. So Unlike me, but Sana was the reason behind it but I had to soon start to search for her family. They might be worried about her, I was going to take the towel from the wardrobe but I heard my cell ringing and I turned towards it. 

My cell was laying on the bed, I took it in my hand. "Mom!" I beamed. 

"Sid, how are you beta?" She sounded concerned, she always did when I was away from her.

"I am fine mom how are you and Sara?" I had guilt for the way I behaved with Sara on the call. 

"Sara? I don't know she seemed low today. And when I asked about your calls, she didn't reply too. Did you again act rude with her?" She inquired knowing both of us well. I kept quiet, "I knew it. Why you always act like that with her? You know how much she cares for you. Raghav too called asking about you, he too was sounding stressed. I asked him but he said he didn't want to bother me. You have a talk with him, I think he needs you." That concern, she was so amazing. She used to stress about everyone and used to advice us that not to bother. Her upbringing was the reason that our bond was so strong with each other. 

"I had a talk with Raghav and soon will call Sara too." At that moment my eyes landed on the wardrobe and I realized that Sana was still in the washroom. "Will talk to you later mom," I hang the call in haste. 

Opening the wardrobe and removing the towel which was the only thing present in it. I made my way towards the washroom. I got anxious, what might be she doing in the washroom for so long? The moment I opened the door, I saw her drenched in the shower, jumping like a kid, splashing the water. I stared at her sternly, she surely was planning a fewer. 

"Moti! What had I told you? To just stay here, right?" I pointed at the place where I had left her. Glaring her, she made a gloomy face and walked out of the shower. 

"I was enjoying in the rain." She murmured, which I heard. She mistook shower for rain and my lip turned upward for a smile but I composed myself. Staring at her with a stern look. 

She stood in front of me, I wrapped the towel on her shoulder and was drying her hair with a towel. She stood there, her head bend. She was mad at me for stopping her. I removed the towel from her, hang it on the tower bar. I took a deep breath feeling nervous and then closed my eyes. I was feeling nervous, asking myself was this the only option left? 

I slowly moved my hands towards her top, raising it up. "Why have you closed your eyes Kullu?" That innocent voice, I could feel her gaze but I didn't open my eyes.

"Moti, raise your hands, and no question just do what I say," I ordered and there came no reply from the other hand. I raised the top and finally, I pulled it off. My breath finally coming to normal, I didn't realize by then that I was actually scared. My hands touched her bare skin that sends a shiver down my spine. This was the first time, I was experiencing such a feeling. I pushed the thought away what was I even thinking, she was a kid. 

My hand slowly rolled down her waist. Though she seemed fat in her dress, but she had not put on that much weight. My hand made it was towards the button of the jeans, opening it up. I pulled the zip down and finally, the jean touched my finger and fall down. 

"Sana! Just give me the clothes." I demanded but there was no reply from the other hand. "Sana I am asking you some...." The conversation crossed my mind which we had in the afternoon. 

"I am also not Sana." She scowled back 

How could I forget that she was Moti, not Sana, I shook my head. "Moti will you please hand me the clothes," I asked her lovingly, for which I heard her footsteps and soon she handed me those clothes. 

### Past end ###

The voice of Shehnaaz brought me out of the thoughts. "What took you so long?" She asked finally hanging the call, signing. 

"What?" I was in a befuddled state, least aware of what she was speaking about. 

"What took you that long in Purab place?" She mentions Purab's name, which gave me a clue. 

"Was having some conversation." Said blankly. 

"Conversation?" Shehnaaz groaned, "in such haste, you were interested in a conversation with him?" She shook her head, it vexed me. 

"You don't blame me now, I had warned you earlier that we were turning out late but for you, the most interesting thing was these earrings." I pointed at the earring she had on, again diverting my gaze back to the road. 

"Oh hello!" She bounced back, "this is my most favorite earring." She touched those earrings with both her hand. "Don't you dare to speak a word against it." Pointing index finger at me with a warning tone. She was defending her earrings? Was she even serious? I stared at her in disbelief, she really was an antique piece. 

Finally, I halt the car, we had reached the 'Moutain view hotel'. Shehnaaz glanced at the surrounding and the moment car halt, she removed the ring on her finger moving out. Before closing the door she thanked me and moves towards the backside of the hotel. The same way she came. 

I wearing her that ring and no value for her, she just pulled it out. What was I thinking? I was just a friend of her would-be husband.

Ye Raaste Alag Ho Jaayein
Chalte Chalte Hum Kho Jaayein... 

I smiled sadly staring at her retreating figure, when I could no longer see her I moved out. Locking the car I moved inside the hotel. The moment I entered, my eyes landed on the person whom I missed the most in my one day stay over here.

My mom, she was wearing a white saree with red embroidery. Her grey hair tied in a bun. She hardly did any make up, like me she too was not fond of it. She was faking a smile on something shared by Raghav. How could a mother be happy knowing the pain her son was going through? 

I made my way towards them, like her masking a smile. "Seems like you both are enjoying each other company." I narrowed my eyes.

That gain their attention and she along with Raghav and my two sisters glanced at me.

"Finally! Where had you being?" Neetu di glared at me and then moved towards me, and pulled into a hug.

"We had been waiting from so long." Preeti di spoke and moved towards us. I pulled her too in the hug.

"Where is my lovely jiju's and cute niece?" I asked breaking away from them. And glancing at the surrounding.

"They both had exams so could joint us. And due to it, we left your jiju to handle them." Neetu winked at me, I chuckled.

"Definitely my jiju's are going to have a tough time with that naughtiest kid around." I felt bad for them, while both my sister giggled.

I glanced at mom and her eyes were brimming with tears. "Mom" I shook my head and moved towards her. We both had one thing in common, though we act tough to the world when it came to each other we were the most sensitive person.

"Mom it just yesterday, I came." I brushed off the tears, "now don't cry or again these people will tease me calling momma's boy." I made a pout, which made her smile.

"I won't" she spoke but still a drop of tear flow down her cheek and I pulled in a hug.

"How are you beta?" She whispered, in my ears.

"Fine" I murmured pushing back my tears.

"And Sana?" She was concerned about her too.

"She is fine too..." My voice came out as disappointed. It shocked me, I was disappointed with her happiness. Happiness to marry someone else. Deep down I thought that she might remember me but that was not the case.

TO BE CONTINUED...