all my stars lead to you

chapter 23

"maa, tumne kyun chupaya yeh sab mujhse? You told me dad is no more..." said purvi, as she consoled her mother, sitting on the dinning table, next to her.

"beta, i...i had no idea, how you would react....mujhe laga shayad tum kabhi milna chaho unse, and, i was just so scared, ki woh shayad tumhe bhi mujhse door kardenge. Beta, i am so sorry..." expressed anjula her fears.

"maa, sorry bolne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai aapko! Main, mujhe nahi milna papa se, unhone aapko tab choda jab aapko sabse zyada zaroorat thi unki! Aur apne mujhe paala hai, unke koi jagah nahi hai meri life mein!" proclaimed purvi, as she hugged her mom tightly.

"aur, unke friend ni kiya yeh....it's disgusting!" exclaimed purvi, after separating from her mom.

Anjula lovingly patted her daughter's cheek.

"i am just happy i have you..." she commented, as a smile came on purvi's face.

                                                ***

 ishita's father, panicked about where his daughter went, frantically scrolled through his phonebook, to see who he should call, where his daughter might be. 

it was only when poonam's name appeared, that he thought he got a lead. 

"hello? poonam beta, uhh, beta, ishita aayi thi wahan?" he questioned. 

"ji, nahi...uhhm, sab thik haina?" responded poonam. 

"haan, haan, woh bas, thoda late ho gaya usse aaj. kuch pata chale toh please inform kardena..." he requested. 

"sure, uncle..." assured poonam as he hung up. 

"kiske paas gayi, ishita?" he wondered. 

                                                         ***

poonam kept her mobile on nightstand next to the couch she was seated on, in her living room. she bent forward, as she glared at the person sitting on the couch in the opposite side. 

"tumhare papa pareshaan lag rahe the, tumhare liye." remarked poonam, as ishita scoffed. 

"i, just can't believe this, uncle! i mean, how, can he do something like that?" wondered poonam. 

"i just find it hard to believe that i was the one woman in his life who he didn't screw up...." commented ishita, as they both shared a chuckle. 

"sorry i didn't believe you at that time..." apologised ishita. 

"it's ok...i mean, i get it, kyun tumhe mujh pe shak hoga. i don't know yaar, tune desk ki neeche rakhi thi, meri saari bheekri hui books ke saath rakh li hogi maine, aur dhyaan bhi nahi diya....phir jab mujhe mili, toh main tere ghar dene aayi, and, uncle ne kaha tu ghar pe nahi hai, and unhone mujhse leli, yeh kehkar ki woh de denge tujhe." explained poonam. 

"subha di thi unhone diary mujhe, raat ko baithke woh pages phade honge, aur subha kodewaale ke aane ke baad di mujhe diary.....he made sure that i didn't get any access to those pages." noted ishita. 

"par, woh joh adress likha hua tha, woh diary ke bilkul end mein..." pointed poonam. 

"nahi, nahi, woh toh papa ne nahi kiya hoga, woh itna neatly pasted hai, papa se hamesha ek crease banjata tha, itni safaai se pasting mummy hi karti thi...jaanti thi woh, ki kabhi na kabhi toh papa ke haath lagegi hi.." corrected ishita, as poonam nodded in agreement. 

"anyways, tu kya keh rahi thi, kab tak aayenge uncle-aunty?" asked ishita. 

"aa jayenge, subha tak...keh rahe the shaadi mein late ho jaayega, toh wahi theherke subha niklenge." informed poonam. 

"koi idea hai, kahan jaogi, iske baad?" asked poonam, as ishita shook her head. 

                                                        ***

kavin started to pack his bag, as he noticed dushyant on the study table. 

"bhai, aisa kya hogaya, itni teezi se likh raha hai subha-subha?" asked kavin. 

"arre, assignment due hai aaj, bilkul bhool gaya tha.." responded dushyant, as he continued to write. 

"matlab  tu padhai mein bhi nikkama hi hai..." retorted kavin, as dushyant glared at him. 

"do minute lagenge, tu gaadi nikale tab tak..." ordered dushyant, as kavin was hesitant before he uttered his next sentence. 

"uhmm, dushyant, aaj se, hum apni hi gaadi mein jaate hain." suggested kavin. 

"par kavin..." destested dushyant. 

"nahi, yaar, humare liye hi acha hai..." assured kavin, as he patted on dushyant's shoulder before he left. 

                                        ***

 "meera, yaar chalna hai toh jaldi karo!" yelled satish, as he tied his shoelaces and grabbed his bag. 

"do second, baal baandh lungi toh kya chala jaayega tumhara!" grumbled meera, as satish rolled his eyes. 

"ho gaya mera, chalo! chain nahi hai!" scolded meera, as they both walked out of their room, only to notice dushyant grabbing his car keys. 

"arre, dushyant, woh kavin se keh dena uski..." attempted meera to inform but was interrupted. 

"uhh, woh chala gaya hai already..." clarified dushyant. 

"aaj tum dono alag-alag jaa rahe ho?" questioned meera. 

"haan, woh main kuch kaam kar raha tha, toh maine kaha main akele aa jaunga baad mein....usse kyun late karwana.." replied dushyant, and as convincing as he was, his father could sense what was really the truth. 

"arre toh thik hai tum jao, late ho raha hoga tumhe..." commanded meera, as she too walked outside the appartment. 

but before leaving, satish patted his son's shoulder, with an assuring gaze, as if saying, 'don't worry, everything will be alright.'

                                                       ***

purvi stood there, waiting for her bus, at her usual spot, but unlike every other day, kavin just drove by her as if they were strangers. he didn't look at her for a second, probably didn't even had a single thought about stopping the car. 

she was made to question if she had enough strength to go on with her day like she thought she did. but then a car honked at the gate, and stopped in front of her, when the window opened to reveal the owner. 

"aaj phir ignore maaregi, mujhe?" questioned dushyant as purvi chuckled. 

"now get inside, or i'll come and make you!" threatened dushyant playfully as purvi got inside. 

"ab mere kaaran kavin nahi aa raha tumhare saath.." stated purvi. 

"purvi itni bhi self-obsessed bhi mat hua karo, sab tumhare kaaran nahi hota hai...waise bhi, woh mere saath ek hi kamre mein rehta hai, kitna aur jhelega mujhe woh!" joked dushyant, as he started to drive. 

"seriously dushyant, sab thik hai na tum dono ke beech?" confirmed purvi, as dushyant faked a smile and nodded in agreement.