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

I fell in love with you because you loved me when I wouldn't love myself.

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

_____________________________________

After bhai duj nearly at 9.30 A.M. I reached Sanam's flat. I guess she was already there. I had a phone call so I was attending it, while talking suddenly I felt as if someone bumped on me. I turned around nd saw Aaru on ground.

This girl will never change!

I forwarded hand for help which she accepted. She was embarrassed I thought as I saw her light redish cheeks after processing whatever just happened. "Are you okay?" I asked, concern was clear in my voice. "Uh.. Yeah I'm fine." She replied not able to meet my gaze. I thought of teasing her a bit so I said, "Third tym!" In an alarming tone. "Huh?" She was confused. "Its third tym that you crashed on me." I tried to clear her confusion. Her face was literally red after hearing it. She said sorry nervously so I thought to end this joke there itself.

"Hey! Chill.. I was just pulling your leg. I would never mind if you bump on me again and again." I end my sentence with a wink after which I found a million dollar smile plastered on her face though her cheeks were still red. A feeling of relief went through our veins. Her was becoz I wasn't misbehaving with her and mine was becoz I was the reason behind her beautiful smile.

"You scared me!" She said nd I laughed. After that we chat for a while in the balcony where she gave me another shock. She can ride bike! It was very difficult for me to digest that a girl like her who is no less than a doll made of porcelain (okay she doesn't like anyone calling her doll) , can ride such heavy vehicle!

When we came down near the parking for taking my bike along with Amu I asked her again, "Are you sure?" Ofc I love my bike but may be a lil less than her now, moreover Amaya was also demanding to go on the ride. "Don't worry.. I won't go far." She gave me assurance, but Idk why my mind wanted to take it in another eay as if she won't go far away from me. I know I sound like a psychopath, can't resist!

She gunned up the engine as I took out my mobile to capture this memorable moment. She waved at the camera nd frequently rode my bike. Must say, my bike is damn lucky that it got a chance to be rode by her.

Within few minutes Sanam came to me and asked what I was shooting so I told him to see it with his own naked eyes. "What?" He literally shouted. He too must have been shocked with the view like I was sometimes before.

I was really very happy capturing her memories in my cell. I will never ever delete it from there! The ride came to a halt as I stopped shooting. "So you ride bikes too." Sanam said to her amusingly nd while helping Amu to get down. "Is that so shocking?" She asked him back while keeping my bike on stand.

Sanam was kinda caught up with her question, she laughed nd said, "Chill Mr. Puri. Its not just you who have these misconceptions about me." I knew this sentence was related to me as well nd my cheeks started heating up. While struggling hard not to blush I said, "I made video of you both. I need to upload this video on insta!" But she denied and also told the reason. She was right at her place. My face dulled but again lighten up when she asked me to send it to her but then Sanam reminded me that I didn't have her number. "Somu di have" she told.

Whether it is a bike ride or playing a game, everything is so much of fun with her. This slowly makes me realize that doesn't matter how much I try to resist it but she has acquired a corner in my heart. When she forced me to complete the dare, it gave me strength to do so. Nd when she pulled my cheeks playingly it turned them even more reddish in colour.

Sadly I had to go gym but becoz of her I would get stamina for entire day. Before leaving I made sure to take her number from Soumya.

When I read the name flashing on my mobile screen I was really nervous. Headache! Yeah I saved Harshit's number with that name becoz he is nothing much than a headache. I excused myself from Sanam sir's room nd directly went inside Somu di's room.

"Diiiiiii!!!!" I literally screamed in tension. "What happened why are you so tensed?" She asked worryingly. "Its his call." I said lil low but she understood what I ment. "So pick it up whats the big deal?" She said. Oh God! "Its a video call di." I told her. "Oh no!" She exclaimed. "It will be a huge problem if he'll see the background. He knows my clinic he visited there once!" I said quickly. My heartbeats were raising with the ringing sound of my phone. "You sit here and pick it up." She made me sit on the couch. I did as she said.

"Hey.." I was cut off as he bursted, "Itna time lagta hai ky phone uthane me?" I knew it! This idiot has master's in irritating me! "Wait a min!... Where are you? This isn't your clinic right?" He scanned my background. Fir se shuru ho gyi iski CID giri huh...

"Yeah this isn't my clinic." I replied him in a boring tone. "Then where are you?" He questioned back. Urgh!!

I looked at Somu di's side she had Amu's sketching book in her hand where she wrote I said the same, "Hanging out? Tune konsi friend bana li?" This boy is just impossible!

I looked back at di's direction nd she wrote He made really a disgust face after my replies to him, "Delhi ki college friend Mumbai me? Wah! Btw, why are you looking somewhere else instead of looking into your mobile?" Now this broke the ice. "Will you stop your Jasoosi? You are my brother not Jagga Jasoos!" I mocked. "Oh pls, don't compare me with that Rabbit Kapoor!" He said calmly still in an annoying tone.

How dare he call Ranbir as Rabbit!!

"Don't you dare call him Rabbit Kapoor! His name is Ranbir and I like him!" I shouted on him. "Lil slow pls.." Di gestured me. "That's why I hate him." He flickered his tongue at me. This is height of annoying someone!

"Will you guys stop this nonsense fight?" I heard a girly voice scolding him and a beautiful face came into view. "Don't take her side!" He told her. "I'll.. Becoz its your fault Bhaiyu!" Ahh my lil princess. Just 13 still so matured. "Sikh Kuch usse itni choti hai Fir b kitni matured hai humari Anwita." I taunted him nd all he did was just glaring me and stomped away angrily.

(

"How are you princess? And Thanx for stopping your detective brother."

"He's not just my brother okay!" She corrected me. "Yeah.. Right" I said slowly. 'He is my idiot brother too' I wanted to add. "I'm fine and I'm missing you badly! Aap kyun nhi aye didu?" She complaint innocently. How I not wish to be there with my family but some works are more important than personal happiness.

"I know baby but you know na.. Bhumi ko kabhi kabhi holidays milte hai and I can't cancel my appointments. Over all, this month is completely packed with tight scheduled appointments. Pls try to understand, I'm sorry." I tried to convenience her and she understood. "But next tym I won't listen anything." She warned. "Jo agya hukum!" I bowed and she laughed. "BTW, I have someone else too here." She told me but I was confused, whom was she talking about? She sat on her knees nd turned the mobile revealing a super cute face. My jaan Reyansh!

Reyansh is our another cousin just 5yrs old, the youngest one in the the entire Mahawal family and the only child of my chote mama-mami ,ofc pampered by all of us.

"Hey cutie!" I said with the brightest smile ever. "Chinie Didi!" He calls me that. If anyone else would have called me with that name I would have killed that person but when he pronounces it so sweetly I just wanna go, hug him tightly and kiss his fluffy cheeks.

We talked for few minutes I asked Annu about my Raajdulari I mean my car ;p I don't actually trust Harsh when it comes on my things. She told me that everything was fine. Somu Di was enjoying my chat with them from a distance so that they couldn't see her. Suddenly my ears caught a familiar tune, which was coming from somewhere near.

"Amm... Anwi I'll call you once I go back home.. Okay?" She agreed and we hung up. I asked di, "Ye music ki awaz kaha se aa rhi h?"

"Or kaha se aa skti hai? Obvio Sanam ke room se." She giggled.

________________

With every passing sound my feet followed its source, towards his room.

I slowly peeped into his room without disturbing him. He was sitting on a beanbag in his balcony, playing his acoustic guitar calmly. I entered in without making any noise and stood at a particular distance. His eyes were closed and he started singing.

The lyrics of the song clearly describes his feelings, that were as pure as a real pearl taken out from oyster.

He said this line while looking at the blue sky as if he was talking with it.

While he was singing these line Disha and Somu di silently entered into the room. I smiled on their way as they smiled back at me.

We three were quietly listening to him moreover listening to the pain of his heart that was making its way out of his mouth in the form of a song.

He was unaware of anyone's presence in the room. May be he was lost in his own world, where there wasn't anyone else except him and his love .

Though I have heard this song before, not entirely with a calm mind but when he was singing it I felt as if it was a complete new song. My mind was stable, calm nd it has nothing rather than him and his thoughts.

His voice was filled with every sacred emotion that a true lover has. I felt chills rushing through my spine that made me shiver a bit.

I don't know why but I felt frozen for the time he was singing. A kind of peaceful atmosphere was created by his soothing voice.

Le jaayein jaane kahaan, na mujhko khabar

Naa tujhko pataa…

O....

My eyes were fixed on his singing figure, may be my entire body was captivated by his mesmerizing voice.

Chehra.. kyun milta tera

Yun khwabon se mere

Ye kya raaz hai?

Kal bhi.. meri na thi tu

Naa hogi tu Kal

Meri aaj hai

Tears are like those annoying guest who comes in our house uninvited. Similarly my tears betrayed my orders and escaped from the cage of my eyes.

Teri hai meri, saari wafayein wafayein

Maangi hai tere liye duaayein duaayein

Le jaaye tujhe kahaan.. hawayein, hawayein

Le jaaye mujhe kahaan.. hawayein, hawayein

I wouldn't have felt the lyrics of this song anywhere else, as strongly as I was feeling it at that moment where he kept his heart opened in front me though unknowingly but still...

Le jaaye jaane kahaan....

Le jaaye tujhe kahaan....

Le jaaye jaane kahaan ,

na mujhko khabar,

Na tujhko pata...

And the song came to an end, yet his eyes were closed, his face was absorbing the cold breeze. I quickly wiped my tears before Di and Disha could see them.

I started clapping in appreciation followed by Disha nd Somu Di. Sanam sir heard us so he opened his eyes giving us a warm smile. "Sorry I didn't know... When you guys came.." His voice was chocked.. I could see that..

"We didn't want to disturb you." I said calmly. "Bhai.." Disha went nd hugged him leaving a peck on his cheek. "My brother has the voice an angel." She said softly, he smiled slightly at her cupping her cheeks.

"Uh.. I'll come in a second." I said and ran out of his room. I came back with a white page along with a pen. "Autograph please!!!" I requested like a crazy fangirl in the most innocent way. How can someone be so stupidest like me, I was here for more than a week and all that happened was misunderstandings ands fights.. Can't actually blame anyone, even the circumstances were also incorrect.

He took the pen and page from my hand and returned it to me after giving his autograph. "Yeyyy!! Finally I got it!!" I said excitingly tightly holding his autograph in my both hands. He smiled at me. "You both continue your session we will come later." Di said signing Disha to go along with her.

And... We were left alone...

_________________________

(Thanks for this beautiful cover 😊)