UN-RAVEL : The inner strength.....

UN-RAVEL 3.... FIRST SIGN OF AFFECTION....

THE FIRST SIGN OF AFFECTION....

Navya: So, Zamira where do you study?

Zamira fiddling with her fingers: Umm... I study in Red fill high.

Yuvaan spills the water that he was drinking: What? I never saw you there.

Zamira politely: So did I.

Tanvi and Niyati chuckle but silence themselves on receiving a glare from Yuvaan.

Yuvaan ostentatiously: You must be kidding me, girl. Or are you lying that you study in Red Fill High.

Zamira being irritated, but in calm tone manages to say: Why the hell, will I lie.

Yuvaan: Wooh! That's none of my concern but there is no one in Red Fill High who doesn't knows Ivaan and me.

Zamira rolling her eyes: As if you are Mr. Populars.

Ivaan smirking: So are we, sunshine.

Zamira with wide eyes looks at him, while Manik's head snaps towards Ivaan whose smirking like a king. Manik twists his knuckles and then picks up his drink and gulps it down his throat.

Zamira snaps back with a little too high tone, gritting her teeth by the end: Don't call me that.

Ivaan gives a cold shoulder and turns away with the smirk still plastered on his face.

Abhimanyu who was listening to them with great interest but his entire concentration being on Zamira, smiles seeing Zamira twisting her knuckles in irritation and composing the frown. How similar it was to Manik, that's the way he use to control his anger when Nandani use to warn him.

Abhimanyu with a sweet smile asks politely: Zamira, are you Indian?

Zamira turns to him and smilingly nods in agreement: Yes, I am from Mumbai, India. We shifted here a year back.

Abhimanyu raising his eyebrows in confusion: We? You and who else?

Zamira: Me and my mom.

Ivaan corrects her: My mom and me.

Zamira turns to him with eyebrows raised in confusion.

Tanvi turns to Zamira and explains: Ivaan bhaiya, has part time job of correcting grammatical errors. Ignore!

Zamira smiled at the sweet little girl and nodded.

Abhimanyu: So what's your mom's name?

Zamira: Nan....

Manik cuts her in between crudely: Anyone interested in going out for a walk.

Tanvi and Niyati jump on their place and shout together: ME....

Manik chuckles and nods his head in agreement and forwards his hand for the duo to take it. Zamira looks at his smiling face and hands that were holding both the girls hand and as he walked towards the door, her breath hitches seeing the scene, she feels knots tangling in the pit of her stomach and bile rising up her throat. She blinks her eyes pushing back the tears. While no one in particular notices it some people do.

Damiya entering the scene: Manik beta kahan ja raha hai tun?
(Manik where are you going?)

Manik sweetly: Kaki, mai sirf bahr chakr lagane ja raha hun. I will be back soon.
(Aunty, I am just going outside, to have a walk. I will be back soon.)

Damiya: Nahi. Pehle khana kha lo fir tum sab chale jana. Khana lag gaya hai.
(No, wait. First have your dinner, then all of you can go outside. Dinner is already ready.)