all my stars lead to you

chapter 26

dushyant, exhausted, from another long day at college, entered the society with hopes that the lift would be fixed today. 

"jamaar bhaiya, lift thik ho gayi kya?" asked dushyant, as the guard, without even looking up, nodded in agreement. 

"seriously?" confirmed dushyant in excitement, as the guard disinterestedly nodded again in agreement. 

"oh thank god!" exclaimed dushyant, as he ran to the lift, with the sole purpose of crashing on his bed, as soon as he reaches home. 

                                                                ***

ishita came back home on an auto-rickshaw, that she paid for and entered the society. suddenly, her phone rang. 

"haan nani bolo." she received the call. 

"kya! do ghante lag jaayenge? aisa kya kar rahi hain aap gurudware mein!" yelled ishita. 

kavin, who had just parked his car, noticed this. 

"hey!" he greeted after walking to her. 

"woh, main, kavin, dushyant ka bhai..." stated kavin as ishita remembered. 

"so, aap ghar nahi jaa sakti apne, do ghante tak?" questioned kavin. 

"yeah, and this had to happen when i'm in a completely society...i don't even know anyone in here...except of course, aapka bhai..." remarked ishita. 

"right, aap humare ghar mein wait karlijiye na?" offered kavin. 

"oh no-no, i mean thanks, but..." refused ishita. 

"arre, kyun nahi, hum log toh khaana bhi khaane waale the, aapko bhi bhook lag rahi hogi.." convinced kavin. 

"haan, lekin.." detested ishita. 

"see, you don't have any other place to go for now, and isn't this better than sitting outside of your house for two hours?" persuaded kavin, as ishita admitted defeat. 

"fine, but dushyant..." conditioned ishita. 

"yeah, don't worry, i know you are mad at him..you can even yell at him all you want.." remarked kavin, as they shared a chuckle and followed him. 

                                                          ***

the elevator was about to close with dushyant inside, when he stopped seeing kavin and ishita. 

"arre, tum dono?" questioned dushyant. 

"haan, woh, iski naani do ghante se pehle ghar nahi aayengi, toh maine offer kiya, ki humare ghar hi wait karlein..." explained kavin, as he winked at dushyant. 

"oh." responded dushyant, as ishita already looked away. 

suddenly, someone kept their hand in between the closing doors of the elevator and got inside. 

"oh thank god!" exclaimed purvi, only she wished to retract her words, when she turned to see the trio standing behind her. 

everyone, had made their minds, this was the worst situation for them to be in. 

"tumhe kuch bhi seedhe tarah se nahi karna hota hai, chalti gaadi ke saamne aa jati ho, band hoti hui lift mein aise ghoos jaati ho!" scolded kavin. 

"main kuch bhi karu, tumse kya matlab!" aruged purvi. 

"right, tumhe hi apni jaan nahi pyaari, mujhe kya fikar hai phir..." retorted kavin. 

"guys, do second bina ladein, hum bus apne-apne ghar nahi jaa sakte?" intervened dushyant.