Dedicated to QuirkyKatana whose outstanding personality taught me that "Different is the new cool" , who cares about photocopies anyway? :P

The voice chuckled, " This is RJ V and I am here to wish you a happy, happy, happy and happiest birthday."

What on Earth?! I definitely suffered a minor heart attack.

" I am sorry, who?"

" RJ V. I host the show,the voice of the night."

" I know who he is. I am asking, who are you?" I was hoping that my voice held my utter annoyance. Do people seriously think that I am stupid enough to be pranked into believing that some random guy was the great and mighty RJ V? I mean, his voice was nice and suave as V's but still....

" Rj V never ever calls his viewers. So you, sir, better start speaking before I call women empowerment cell."

The voice on the other end paused and finally said, " You really don't believe me, do you? Why don't you turn on the radio, Kathy?"

" Sorry what...?"

" Just do it."

I walked over to the radio, very confused and switched on the channel.

" Now do you believe me?" The voice from the radio and my cell said at the same time.

"Bloody hell! How...?" I trailed off, flabbergasted, stunned, dumbfounded, stupefied... well, you get the picture don't you.

His laugh echoed, a laugh which was strangely similar- I just don't remember why.

"You see, my e-mail account was spammed by your dear friends Vir and Dave and all the mails held the message- Call our friend Kathy and wish her a happy, happy, happy and happiest birthday. So, I decided why not make an exception this time and do them this favour. So, our dear birthday girl, I hope you enjoy your 19th birthday."

"Th-thank you." I stumbled over my own words. Damn! " I am a really huge fan of yours V. Your voice is like Magic." I spoke and I was dead sure that I might feel embarrassed later.

" Thank you, Kathy. I must say good bye now. So, this was the last segment of the day, dear listeners. I hope we meet again- same time, tomorrow. Good night!"

Some advertisement started to play out on the radio but no engaged tone was heard on the other side of the call.

I waited, my mouth becoming dry, he has not cut the call yet but he should, shouldn't he?

The silence was broken, " You are still there, Kathy?"

"Yes." My voice could not go any lower.

" You really do like my voice?" He did not sounded amused or even cocky, he was just... puzzled.

" Very much." I ran a hand up and down my arms, the night was suddenly colder.

" Why?" Puzzled indeed.

" Why not? Actually it is not just your voice, I mean it is great and all but what is really alluring is you, the part of you we see through your advices. It feels like you have been through a lot, like you know what you are talking about."

A pause. All I could hear was the sound of my own breathing as I waited. My pulse had picked up and my hands were sweaty.

" If I would have really been this experienced then I would not have been talking to you. I am not meant to be talking to you."

" But I like talking to you."

There was a sigh. Maybe he feels the same way as I do.

'Sure, like he even knows that you exist.'

" There is a very good reason as to why I don't take calls from viewers, you see."

"And why is that?" My voice was still meek, so different from the real me.

" Because I get involved."

"In such a short period of time?"

He just chuckled, " Good night, Kathy. Now I must really go."

"No, no, wait. Who are you?" I blurted in a hurry. I really wanted to know, if I were to die tomorrow then this was the only question I needed an answer to.

" I am sure many teenage girls are asking the same question all over India." Scratch my previous observation, he is indeed cocky, " However I hope that you have a great day tomorrow and may you get all that your heart desires."

" I already got it."

" Did you now? How nice. Good night then, Ms. Kathy - my first and last caller."

The call ended and I went to bed with a smile.

I was pretty sure that this was all a dream until I woke up to an overflowing message box the next morning. Apparently, every who's-who of my life had heard the show of the previous night and they were more interested in V than the birthday girl. I smiled again, I definitely imagined the off-air conversation with V but my Log history told me otherwise- it was a 10 minutes long call, not a typical 2 minute wish.

Okay fine so let us learn to believe in the improbable- not only V called me last night but we also had a near heart-to-heart conversation in which I made utter fool out of myself. Yes it is alright, normal stuff.. hmm... I need to dump my head in an ice bucket!

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I was feeling amazed and even suspicious through out the morning. Yes, suspicious. I mean who in the freaking Universe checks their spam folder? And why did V even had an off- air conversation with me? This did not make sense until we were to presume that RJ V was secretly in love with me and this was his only chance to make himself known. I shook my head trying to get rid of this disturbing thought.

" Why are you shaking your head?" Vir asked as he turned to look at me.

" Oh nothing much, just wondering that why would you two give me chocolates even after you know that only Ira will eat it when these boxes reach home."

Vir chuckled, it was a pleasant sound," This is exactly why we bought you a diary and you love writing. Did you like it?"

" Yes, very much. This was really thoughtful of you two." Saying this I threw my arms around Dave's and Vir's shoulder .

" You won't mind a little party, will you Little Nymph?" Dave smiled innocently.

I frowned and glanced up at Dave, " You are planning to throw a party on the occasion of my birthday?"

"Yes." His innocent smile did not waver.

"Okay", I said slowly," but I have a condition- no alcohol."

" Oh, of course not."

"Done deal."

Dave laughed as he climbed onto our table and the whole cafeteria became hushed.

" My dear Lords and Ladies", his voice was sarcastic as ever, " you all are cordially invited to the birthday party of Madam Katherine Saxena. If you would all be kind enough to make your presence known at the SR lounge."

Everybody laughed and keenly nodded. Who turns down college heartthrob anyways?

" Everyone but you", he was pointing to Ved.

I sighed, this was so not the time to bully him.

" Say four specky," Dave mumbled as he hopped off the table and approached the lone boy in the isolated corner, " I am sure you'd be rather engaged in a study date. Huh?"

Ved tried to get up but Dave quickly blocked his escape route.

" Wouldn't want to keep your girlfriend waiting", Dave mocked, someone sniggered and Ved appeared emotionless as ever.

This is usually where I interrupt and instruct Dave to "chill it" but today I remained seated, playing with the Noodles on my plate. Ved made it clear that he doesn't want my nose anywhere near his business.

" This is embarrassing", Vir was hissing under his breath, " Dave just seems to get transformed into a totally different person."

" Does your girlfriend like these second-hand spectacles?" Dave removed Ved's spectacles rather harshly. He flinched, just a centimeter, and the tightening of his jaws was visible, maybe only to me.

No Kathy, you are not going to go to his aid. Don't stand, sit down! No nose in anyone's business.

" These .. oops!" Dave said as he threw the spectacles down, " I am so sorry, it slipped." He gave a grin, a nasty one and Vir thought that it was about time that he intervened.

" That's enough, Dave!" He snapped, " Let's go outside, mate. You are not feeling well."

" But..."

"Out! Now!" He dragged him out of the cafeteria.

I stared at the broken glass on the floor , looked up and gasped.

Ved's face was flushed, those raven hair more disheveled than ever and those hypnotizing eyes now free from their glassy boundary, were staring straight at me in anger. I hastily got up and slipped out after my two Langoors.

I was scared at the moment-not of Ved- but of my increasing heart rate. Is it possible to actually like someone even more, especially when they were mad as hell?

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"I-I am not a bad guuuy." Dave drawled as he tried to steady himself against the wall. Apparently a bad decision since he stumbled and I caught him again. His weight was crushing me.

"Vir!"

" Yes, Kathy. I am coming." Vir locked the car door and ran to support Dave.

"Come here, mate." He placed Dave's arms around his shoulder.

" I am not baad." Dave sang again.

" Yeah, we know that sweetie. Now let us take you to your room."

"My roooom. OOOOh! Yes."

Dave was intoxicated. Apparently, the party was not as alcohol free as he had promised and there was a huge part of his "cool-gang" which made him go higher than Mount Everest.

" Kathy, the card." Vir instructed.

"Oh yeah!" I inserted the card into a slot and waited for Dave's "personal" elevator to arrive. Being the son of a leading business tycoon has it's own perks- you get the latest cars, private condo by 16, a personal elevator and a very absent father.

Vir pushed him into the elevator and I followed. I clicked the button penthouse and waited. A soft English song was playing in the background but it wasn't audible behind Dave's shouts.

" I hateee him."

" Of course you do, honey."

" He is the baad guy."

I had no idea who was this 'he' but I said nonetheless, " Yes, he is. Now, keep your voice down, will you?"

We emerged out and Vir continued to drag him to his room.

" You get me, don't you Kathy? I love you both sooo much."

I punched in his password and opened the door. Vir was red in the face, huffing, as he coaxed him to go to his bedroom.

" I am feeling hot. Verrry hot." Dave threw his jacket on the floor and nearly stumbled on it.

Vir carried him to his bedroom while I picked up his jacket and started folding it neatly. Something was poking out of the front pocket and on further inspection it turned out to be Dave's cell phone.

I hesitated for a while. It should be very rude to sneak around his mails, very rude indeed but maybe a small peek won't hurt. I just wanted to look at the mail he had send to Rj V.

I glanced at the closed bedroom door. Dave was singing again and Vir was asking him to go sleep already!

They won't know.. just a peek.. I hastily switched on his cell which was thankfully not password protected and clicked on to his outbox.

The mail sent to the radio channel was marked favourite and I opened it. It was quite simple-

Dear RJ V,

Sorry for the spam but this is urgent. Tomorrow is our besties birthday. Her name is Kathy and she is a big fan of yours. Perhaps you can wish her a happy, happy, happy and happiest birthday?

Thank you.

Sorry for spamming ,

Dave and Vir.

I sighed and sat on Dave's couch.

" Kathy?" Vir came out of the bedroom with some sheets, " We might have to stay for the night to look after Dave. Lord forbid, if he chokes on his own vomit", seeing my disgusted expression he added, " just call your mom and inform her that you are staying over at Dave's place."

And so I did but I could not stop my mind from going into an overdrive. I thought of the mail again and again. I was sure that Dave had composed it because Vir can never be so stupid-oh yes- Vir will never be so stupid so as to not mention my cell number in the mail.

Conclusion- Either Dave composed a follow up mail which got magically deleted or RJ V indeed knew that someone named Kathy Saxena existed and perhaps even had her number. Who was he?

Vir urged me to sleep in the guest room while he himself slept on the couch. The rhythmic swishing of the curtain against the open bedroom window was enchanting. I was tired, chronically so. My birthday had started with a blast but then Dave .... Never mind. Sleep was calling me to her laps and so I went.

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The night is cold and I can feel my limbs freezing but my neck is strangely warm. The wind is fanning against my neck more than any other part of my body- I don't understand why. I flay my arms around as I look for the blanket and a chuckle escape- not from my lips that is for sure.

"Here let me, Love", a velvety voice murmurs as a blanket cover my body and I recognize that voice instantly- RJ V!

" You look so beautiful in your sleep." He whispers and I can feel something soft trail down my cheeks and onto my lower lips- thin, elegant fingers.

" I am so sorry. I wish things could have gone differently."

I wanted to assure him that I did not resent talking to him in the least but I was in a state between sleep and awareness- subconsciousness.

"One minute left to 12, Kathy. Happy Birthday." Something soft touched my forehead, it was warm and full- his lips?

"Go back to sleep. I am here, sleep."He whispered into my ears and my mind behaved just like it was programmed to do. It slept to his lullaby.

'Just a dream, only a dream', my mind assured me but was it? My doctor said that I was a lucid dreamer, a person whose dreams are as clear as reality. Yes, it just has to be a dream.

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A/N:- This chapter was updated in less than 36 hours to the previous one because I wanted to share Kathy's birthday with my own! :) So, we are turning 19 and I hope we both have some experiences which will help us grow- not only in age but also as a human. Also, I know this chapter is not a "happy-go-lucky" one but hey! things have to progress. Have a nice time guessing who is this V :P . Ciao! Good night. I am officially feeling like an oldie now :P heheheheehe....