A faint light lamp was seen in a beautiful room. A couple was seen enjoying the cool weather. The room had a very big balcony with a view of the sea outside. She closed her eyes feeling the cool air hitting her face from outside the window. There was the faintest trace of a smile on her lips. While rubbing behind his neck, his eyes fell on the girl who was smiling; approaching her he hugged her from behind but she playfully pushed him away. He tried to suppress a smile but felt the corner of his mouth twitch when she showed her tongue and ran towards the balcony and hid there. 

Shiva ( from the room) : Mujhse bhag ke jaoge kahan! Abhi pakad lunga.

Ishanvi (from the balcony): Pakad ke to dikhao.

Shiva raised a brow and smirked, he entered into the balcony but couldn't find her. He furrowed his eyebrows and looked here and there and called out her name but didn't get any response. Suddenly, he felt two soft arms wrapped around his waist, his mouth instantly curved into a thin smile and he squeezed her hand, he turned around to face Ishanvi but soon, colour drained out his face on seeing the person in front of him. It was not Ishanvi, there stood Raavi, staring at him with her big beautiful brown eyes and smiling at him cutely. 

Shiva woke up with a jolt, trying hard to breath, his body was sweating, tears pricked his eyes. He slammed his eyes shut for a moment. Raavi's smiling face was haunting him and it faded away from his sight as soon as he opened his eyes. Recollecting his composure, he took a glass of water and gulped it in a go. It seemed that he was standing in the middle of an unknown road, he was frantic, searching for a cue, something was bothering him.

 "Shiva" a soft voice called out. Her voice. His whole face lit up and he exclaimed : Tum aa gaye! Aaj kal pata nahi kya ho raha hai Ishanvi, kuch samaj nahi aa raha hai. Waha Raavi kaise…

Ishanvi: Jo ho raha, thik hi to hai, sachha pyar milna aasan thodi hai, aur wo bhi 2nd chance, ise maat khone do.

Shiva: A.. aisa nahi hai, ye galat hai, ye dhoka hoga, tumhari jagah koi aur nahi le sakta.

Ishanvi laughed and said : Pehli baat to move on karne mein dhoka nahi hota, aur mera jagah koi aur kaise lega! Dono alag baat hai. Apne feelings ko aur ignore mat karo, khud ko ek aur mauka do, Raavi se pyaar karne lage ho na!, na chahte hue bhi tumhare maan mein wo ek jagah bana liya hai, ye tum deny nahi kar sakte. 

Shiva turned his face away and shut his eyes for a moment. He couldn't disagree with her. 

He opened his eyes but Ishanvi was nowhere to be found. Taking a deep breath, he sat down and started recalling the previous events with Raavi. Unknowingly, a soft smile crept over his face. He remembered the times he spent with Raavi, her sweet innocent face, her caring and supporting nature towards him, the extreme anger and resentment he felt on seeing her with Aarav, the days where he used to miss her comfort, her presence, the days which bothered him into a different extent when Raavi ignored him, their close proximity, which he initially ignored , also affected him.

Everything regarding her, seemed to deeply affect him by all means. 

Shiva's pov

Kya ye sach hai! Ye aajkal jo ho raha hai mere sath, to kya iska matlab main Raavi se… phir se wahi feeling, wahi beichani, sab kuch kitna alag lag raha hai, itni dinon se jo baat se pareshan ho raha tha, aaj sab kuch dhire dhire samaj aa raha hai. 

Mujhe uske sath rehna acha lagta hai,

use kisi aur ke sath dekhna mujhe pasand nahi hai, uske sath ek alag sukoon milta hai mujhe.

Kya ho tum Raavi, kaha se kya bana diya mujhe. Aisa bhi hoga, maine kabhi socha hi nahi tha. Kabhi socha nahi tha ki Ishanvi ke baad bhi koi aayega meri zindagi mein! kab kaise tum meri zindagi ki itni khaas ho gayi pata bhi nahi chala.

 Sach me hi life kitna unpredictable hai, ek din ye ladki ke sath hi mera jhagra se mulaqat hua tha aur aaj… ( He lowered his eyes and softly smiled)

But… jaise mere maan mein tumhare liye feelings hai, kya tum bhi? Aur agar aisa nahi hua to? Phir kya hoga? But.. jo bhi ho, tumhare wish ke against main kuch nahi karunga, agar tum chaho to hi hum…

"Buddhu" Shiva got shocked and looked up to find Suman standing near the door. 

Shiva: Maa, aap yahan? Wo… main… 

Suman : Idhar se hi jaa rahi thi, sab suna maine. Jo hum sabko dikhta tha, wo tujhe nahi dikha, pagal.

Shiva: Kya Matlab?

Suman : Tera sawal ka jawab aur kya! Sab main hi bol dungi ya tu bhi kuch sochega, ha! 

Beta, main sach mein chahta hoon ki tu khush rahe, zindagi mein aage badh jaye. 

Then she left.

On the other hand, recognition dawned upon his face on realizing Suman's actual words. 

His eyes twinkled and a flush crept over his face. Smiling, he uttered.

" Ye sach hai ki nahi, pata nahi paar na jane kyun maa ki baat sahi hi lag raha hai. Jo bhi ho, Kal se to ek nayi shuruwat hoga Miss Raavi Sen"

Next morning,

At Shiva's office,

Shiva called Raavi in his cabin. After some time, she chirpily entered with a cup of hot coffee for him. 

Shiva nonchalantly said: Kya baat hai, aaj itna khush lag rahe ho, kuch special hai kya?

Raavi lowered her eyes shyly, and fidgeting with her dupatta, which didn't go unnoticed by Shiva, stated: Wo, aise hi , kal ki baare mein soch rahi thi, kal kitna acha din tha na! 

Shiva mentally chuckled and said: Ha, achha to tha, kal Aarav aur Neel se jo mila, achha laga milke. 

Raavi: Ha wo to hai, uske baad bhi to…

Shiva lifted a brow and stated: Uske baad? Uske baad aur kya hua!, ghar chale gaye dono aur kya! 

Raavi pouted and looked sideways. 

Raavi( in mind): Ajeeb aadmi hai, aise bol rahe hai ki kuch hua hi nahi, khud hi itna kuch bol diya kal aur aab! partial amnesia hai kya! Kaha main kya kya soch rahi thi, aur ye to.. 

Shiva: Aab kiske khayalon mein kho gaye!

Raavi in a trance: Aap ke…

She clicked her tongue and immediately regretted her verbal vomit. ( as always) 

Shiva smirked and said: Mere khayalon mein khoyi thi, kyun? aisa bhi kya soch rahe the mere baare mein?

Raavi bit her lips nervously and said: Nahi, wo.. baas, aise hi bol diya. 

Shiva wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, he whispered huskily: Bas aise hi? Are you sure?

Raavi clutched his shirt tightly and stammered: Ha, au.. aur k.. kya! Aap k. Ko kya laga?

Shiva traced his fingers over her jaw, making her gasp in shock and lifted her chin with his fingertips

"Wo sab chodo, par itni ghabrahat kyun! Ek sawal hi to pucha" 

Raavi blushed and lowered her gaze.

She said: Kuch nahi.

For a long time, he said nothing. He stared at her in a way that made her want to squirm. Then he slowly trailed his fingers up her arm, his hands brushing her napeline and gently caressing her cheek; stopped near her lips. Her heart thumped and a shiver ran down her spine. 

Raavi : Ye Kya.. kar raha hai aap?

Shiva placed a finger over the corner of her lips and wiped away the single drop of tea from there. 

Shiva: Kuch bhi to nahi, baas ye Chai tha.

Raavi's face reddened and she gently pulled back from him. 

Shiva: Aaj shaam ko ready rehna.

Raavi : Kaha jana hai?

Shiva: Ghar mein hi ek party hai, aur mujhe bhi aaj kuch taayari karni hai. Kuch alag sa. Aaj ek special din hoga.

Raavi: Aaj kya hai? 

Shiva gave a half smile and stepped forward towards her, she pressed her lips and started moving backwards. Like this, soon she found her back hitting the wall. 

Pinning her arms up on the wall, he bent down and whispered near her ears : Aab itna guest rahega, Bahut ladkiya bhi rahegi, to thodi taayari to karna hi hai. Ek date pe bhi to baad mein ja hi sakta hoon. Kya bolte ho! 

Raavi pushed him slightly and frowned. 

Raavi: Date! Kyun! Pehle to nahi dekha, aur aap aise kisi ke sath kaise date pe ja sakte ho!

Shiva smirked and said: Shiva Pandya aise hi kisi ke sath thodi jaa sakta hai. Of Course koi special hi hoga. Tum bhi jaldi aana, thoda arrangement mein help karna, check karlena sab theek hai ki nahi. Tum to yesab achhe se hi samhalte ho. 

Raavi glared at him and said : Main! Main kyun karungi! main nahi aa sakti, mujhe aaj ghar mein rehna hai. 

Shiva( in mind): itna din jo mujhe jalayi, thoda return to milna chahiye.

Shiva: Aise thodi ho sakta hai! You have to come, and it's my order. 

Raavi scrunched her eyebrows and gritted her teeth in anger. 

Raavi ( in mind)

Date! Bahut shauk hai date jane ka, party kar raha hai, Main bhi dekhungi kaunsi chudail ke sath jayega.

Holding her hands loosely, he grabbed her by her waist and said: Aaj ek special din hai, and I know that you will like it, apne is tedhe dimag ko itna pressure maat do, aur jaldi aa jana, Shayad tumhe bhi ek date mil jaye. Single hi to ho. 

Raavi screwed up her face and looked away. 

Raavi: Aap apne baare mein sochiye, mere baare mein fikar karni ki koi zarurat nahi hai.

Shiva grinned and said : Tum mere itna close ho, family jaisa hi ho, tumhare baarein mein itna to sochna banta hi hai. 

She went poker face and stared at him. 

Raavi: Main abhi aati hoon.

Shiva said playfully: Shaam ki baat bhul mat jana, aur thoda achhe se ready hoke aana. Afterall party hai.

Raavi's expression hardened. Sighing, she kept on staring at him for a few seconds, then she left. 

Note : This is the 2nd last chapter of this book. Thank you for all the love.❤