"You're a caring person." Those words out of Shehnaaz, but I didn't dare to glance at her. 

The fear that she would see my pain. I put on the sunglasses, which were in my pocket. I knew I would need it. Those tears were threatening to come out. She stared at me for a while, then back to her cell. 

"Fasten the seat belt," I spoke sternly. 

"It hurts," she whined. 

That made me wander back to the memories, the first night I spend with her. 

### Past ### 

It soon turned out the night, travelling in a car was not a cup of tea. I had back pain; it had been over twelve hours we were travelling. Shehnaaz had folded her legs and was massaging it. Might pain for sitting for such long hours. I commiserated seeing her in pain because of my phobia. I had a phobia of flight that's the reason I never travelled by it. Railways too were what I was not fond of. The only option left was roadways. 

She frowned, "when will we reach?" 

"Just now," I said, glancing at the GPS device. The hotel was just two kilometres away. Finally, we could rest for the day. I even had to call and inform my mom and sisters. I anticipated that Sara might have not opened her mouth on that topic. I didn't want them to stress out, but not a single call from them told the story. Sara had shut her mouth after the recent call we had. I was rude to her, but my set of mind was such. Excuses! I was great at it. 

I halted the car in the parking lot as soon as the car stopped. Sana grin, she had been waiting for so long. She stared from the window at the building in front of her, that same delighted face which was when she had seen the five-star restaurant. But to my surprise, it soon disappeared into a gloomy one. 

"Hey, what happened?" I was curious, that why there was a sudden change in her mood. 

"Will they again scold me?" that sorrow underlying in her voice. 

I nodded negatively, "they won't! I won't let them too." My determined voice brought that smile back on her face. She trusted me. 

I moved out of the car and moved towards her direction, pulled the door. She jumped out too in excitement; I glared her. "You had not put on your seat belt?" I raised a bow. She made a sullen pout. 

"That belt hurts," touching her neck. It had a red mark on it. 

"How did this happen?" I sounded worried. 

"That belt did it, it is so bad." She complained to me in a baby cute voice. I just gave her a smile. 

I opened the trunk, and from it removed my bag. I was in those clothes from the morning and was stinking, needed to change. Sana's condition was neither good. Her chocolate and bloodstain were still present. 

We soon made our way inside. The manager smiled on seeing me; I was there, a common customer. Whenever I had a trip to Punjab, I used to stay there. What astonished him was someone accompanying me. For the very first time in these many years. His astonished face soon turned to concern one after keenly observing our clothes. 

I stood in front of the receptionist counter. "Sir are you fine? Your clothes?" He stared at the cloth tied on Sana's forehead. 

"Actually, we met with an accident but now we are fine," I spoke the truth while the manager nodded his head, believed me. 

"So today sir, you have a company with you. I hope you will enjoy the stay, madam." He gave a smile to Shehnaaz, for which she gripped my biceps. She was frightened after the incident that took place in a five-star. I had understood that I would have to look after her as a kid. 

I rubbed her knuckles, which were on my biceps, blinked my eyes. Assuring her, I was beside her. I glanced at the manager, "keys?" I demanded, and he handed me the keys, I hand off my identity card. Though he trusted me still it was my duty as a citizen. 

We made our way towards the room, which on the same floor. I open the door, and without wasting a second, Sana rushed in. I locked the room after me. As I entered, I saw Sana jumping on the bed which had a white sheet. Was she the same girl whose legs were hurting a few minutes back? That thought crossed my mind. I kept the bag in my hand on the sofa. 

"Moti get out!" I ordered her, which got disobeyed. "Moti! I said out, just now!" She groaned and got down from the bed. I moved towards my bag and got some clothes out of it, a short and a shirt which would be oversize but still the only option left at the moment. 

I handed it to her, "wear it." In an authoritative tone. 

She stared at me with wide eyes; she analysed clothes, opening the fold. "It sooooo...... big," to show how big it was she extended her hand, and the clothes fell on the floor. She bit her tongue seeing it and glanced at me who was glaring at her. 

"Enough of your dramas now change." I eyed her sternly and picked the clothes and handed back to her. 

"I can't wear it." That despondent face of her made me to meltdown. What on the earth should I suppose to do? I couldn't let her sleep in that stinking cloth, nor I could change it myself. I was in such a dilemma. Pushing off my all thoughts, I took her inside the washroom. 

"Don't move," I warned her and check the bathtub temperature. Finding it pleasant, "now you can jump into the bathtub." I said pointing at it. She giggled and jumped in the bathtub, with clothes on. But a moment later started screaming for help. 

"Kullu help me! Kullu please help me," she was shouting for help. It amazed me, she was trying hard to bring her head out of the bathtub, she got panic and started moving her hands and legs in all direction. 

"Moti what on the earth are you doing?" She annoyed me. 

"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? 

### Past ends ###

I chuckled as that thought crossed my mind. "You're laughing on some inside joke." Shehnaaz looked at me, curious. " Why don't you share it out with me?" She suggested. 

"It is private," I spoke blankly. 

"Oh! About moti, wow!" She turned excited. "Why don't you share something about her? I heard from Raghav you met her in the street of Chandigarh. You might miss her more, right? After coming over here? I mean, you would have created so many memories with her. That was the reason you were denying to attend the wedding, right?" She was so curious to spill beans out of me and I finally gave in. 

"Yeah, I didn't want to attend the wedding. It just because of Raghav that I am here." Still not looking at her, my eyes fixed on the road. 

"She was so lucky," in her dreamy voice. I glanced at her this time, been stunned. Removed my sunglasses. 

"Who?" I wanted to confirm it. 

"Who else? Your moti." She looked at me once at then back on the road, "the person who can forget his pain for the sake of his friend what extent he can go for the person he loves deeply. I also pity her. Though you loved her so much, she was not that capable to see it in your eyes. She is unlucky at the same time." Shehnaaz chuckled on that thought. 

"She is not unlucky, she will always be the luckiest girl. Getting all the happiness she deserves." I blurted out, Shehnaaz just stared at me with an admiring smile. 

"Now I am getting jealous of that girl." Those words amazed me, but soon her giggles made me realized that she was joking. I shook my head, glancing at the road. 

kuch aisa ho tum tum na raho
kuch aisa ho hum, hum na rahein...

We had finally reached to Purab place. I had not imagined that I would land here so soon. Fortunately, Guru was not present, he was in Mohali. Or Shehnaaz turning out here would have been risky. I stop the car, Shehnaaz glanced at the house in front of us. 

"That talented person stay over here?" It amazed her that such a wonderful piece was not a result of the showroom but a person staying in a cottage. 

"Talent would be an understatement for his skills," I added, for which she nodes. 

I moved out of the car and she too followed me. We made our way towards the house. I knocked at the door. Purab opened it, it staggered him to find me there. 

"Paji you?" He stared at me with confusion. "Didn't the ring reached, paji?" He sounded worried. 

"No, we got the ring, but the problem is..." Shehnaaz interrupted me. 

"I broke the ring." She showed the ring in her hand. Purab glanced at it. 

"I am sorry, maybe it was my fault. The ring broke." He apologized, "you both come in. I will repair it." He invited us in, Shehnaaz entered and I followed her. 

He made us sit on the sofa. "Show me the ring." He asked for it, and Shehnaaz handed him. At that moment her eyes landed on earrings, which was in her other hand. 

"Hey, do you have an earring of this pattern?" She showed him that. He nodded in agreement. 

"I have some earring you can see from it." With that, he moved inside to get something. And came back with a box he kept on the table in front of us. "You can have a look, by the time I repair your ring." He said taking a seat on beside the sofa. 

Shehnaaz opened the box and got busy in selecting the earring while Purab was busy in his work. Having no other work, I glanced at my cell. There was a notification, Neetu called me up. Shit, man! My cell was on silent, I cursed myself for it. 

I called her back on the second ring she answered it. "Why were you not receiving my call? And where on the earth are you? We had already reached the wedding destination." the person was fuming in anger from the other side, who was none other than my mom. 

"Mom, you're forgetting that I am no longer a small kid. I can handle myself." I was trying to calm her down, but she got furious on listening to me. 

"I know how beautifully you handle yourself. By smoking." Her voice turned stern. She never liked my smoking habit. It always pissed her off. 

"Mom" I whined, I didn't want that topic to start. Shehnaaz stared at me amazed and Purab joint her too. I coughed changing my tone, I always turned out the kid in front of my mom. And I had totally forgotten that I was not alone. Shehnaaz chuckled while Purab tried hard to hide his smile. 

"Mom, I will talk to you later." I hang the call feeling embarrassed. Mom didn't speak a word, she might sense through my tone.

"You're a momma's boy. You really amaze me you know, the way you care about moti I thought you might be Zoru ka Gulam types but now I found you to be momma's boy." She giggled on her own realization. I should be annoyed on her as she was teasing me, but that giggling and that glow on her face made me smile at her. 

"The ring is ready." Purab voice made us both notice his presence in the room. 

"Really," Shehnaaz exhilarated and extended her hand towards him. He handed the ring back to her. That ring enchants Shehnaaz. Her eyes said it out loud. She kissed the rose on the ring. "Thanks a lot!" she thanked Purab. 

"You liked the ring?" Purab asked, eyeing at me. He knew that I selected it. 

"Like? I loved it." Her face beaming. 

"I think we should leave," it scared me she might get to know I chose that ring. 

"Wait! Let her check whether it fits properly in her finger." Purab said, for which Shehnaaz nodded. 

"But I have to choose my earring too." She pouted. 

"Shehnaaz we are getting late. My mom had already reached there. Soon the function will start and everyone will start searching for you." I was in a haste. 

"Okay, let's do one thing, you put her the ring and let her carry on with her earrings," Purab said, I was sure he did not understand that she was the bride. She extended the ring to me. I started at her been baffled, was she out of her mind? She wanted me to put the ring. 

"I am not doing it," I rejected the idea. 

"Siddharth please," she pleaded this time. I heard my name from her for the first time, it sounded so melodious from her. I didn't know that my name was so beautiful unless she pronounced it out. I was acting like a teenager,  she made me one. 

My hands were no longer under the control of my brain, but the heart was on the lead. The person who always thought twice before acting wanted to listen to the heart. I wanted to feel at peace for once in my life. I took the ring in my hand and rolled it down her finger. 

"Perfect," came an impressive voice of Purab. "This ring perfectly fits her." He was grinning, seeing our mini engagement according to him. 

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

TO BE CONTINUED...