Moloy entered into the room. He saw Mohini on the bed lost in thoughts. Without acknowledging her presence he went to the washroom.
After some time, Mohini snapped out from her thoughts because of the click sound of the washroom door. She saw Moloy and became nervous, but Moloy didn't even look at her and he went straight to his side of the bed. He lied down and closed his eyes.
"Moloy,.... suniye toh" Moloy opened his eyes and turned to switch off the bed lamp.
"Moloy please, please ek baar meri baat toh sun lo! Main kya karti?! voh uss vakt, main bohut gusse main tha aur.."
"Mohini, main bohut dhak gaya hu, mujhe rest karna hai" He again closed his eyes
Mohini looked at him pleadingly,
"Please Moloy, main... main Rajesh se maafi maang loongi. Ab toh baat karo mujhse!"
Moloy opened his eyes and looked at her,
"Mohini, aaj tumhara pati Basu Publications ki owner isliye hu, kyun ki Rajesh mere saath hai, aaj tum, Mohini Basu, yani ki meri patni isliye ho, kyun ki voh mere saath the, aaj iss aish-auraaraam uski bhi mehnat ke vajese hai...... Yeh sab tumhe pata hai, ...... bas main ithna kehna chahta hu ki jo raaste se hum chal kar yaha tak aaye ho, voh raasta kabhi bhool na mat"
Moloy again closed his eyes and turned to the other side to sleep
Mohini realized her mistake and closed her eyes with guilt.
............................
.............................
The nightmare shook Sidharth to the core. He stepped out of his room to drink some water. He has to calm himself down, otherwise, his past will intrude on his present. He came to the dining hall and gulped down the whole water in the jug.
He walked towards his room but thought of checking Nandini once. He was about to knock on her room, but his eyes turned towards the balcony, "Yeh balcony kisne khula rakha raat ko?!" He went there to shut the door but saw Nandini there.
"Nanny!!! Ithni raat gayi tum yaha kya kar rahi ho?! soya nahi abhi tak?!"
Nandini wiped her tears fastly, hiding from him and put up a fake smile and turned to face him,
"Bhaayii, voh mujhe neend nahi aa rahi thi toh socha yaha aa jaau thodi der ke liye. Aap jaake so jao"
Sid observed her keenly, "Nanny!, tum ro rahi thi kya?!"
"Na..Nahi bhaayi main theek hu" Nandini turned to the other side.
Sid held her elbow and made her look at him, and cupped her face lovingly, "Nanny, mujhe pata hai, yeh jo smile tum le kar ghoom rahi ho, voh sirf ek parda hai, hai na?!, A curtain which hides your tears from us"
Nandini closed her eyes and a teardrop left her eyes.
"Dekh Nanni, agar tumhe lagti hai ki Manik zinda hai, toh voh tumhe abhi tak milne ki koshish kyu nahi ki?! uski saare friends usse doondne ki koshish ki, tumne bhi ki, par kahi bhi nahi mila. Its been 2 years, Nanni!, ab toh samjo.."
"Nahi bhaayi, please", Nandini turned her face from his hold. "Aap travel kar ke aaye ho, aapko rest karna chahiye"
Sid sighed in defeat, "Nanni, aa jao, main tumhe tumhari room tak chod deta hu"
Nandini nodded and they both went from there.
....................................
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Prerna and Shivani is lying on the bed,
"Priyu dii?, aap so gayi kya?"
"Hmmm, kya hua Shivi?"
"Voh main aapse kuch poochu?"
"Haa poocho"
"Aapko Anurag kaisa lagta hai?"
"Hmm??! " Prerna looked at her in confusion
"Arrey, voh kaisa hai?", Prerna smiled, "Bohut acha hai, ithni jaldi voh puraane Anurag ban jaayega yeh toh maine socha nahi tha"
"Hmmm, voh toh hai, aur baaba ke liye unhone jo kiya, uske issab se dekhu toh, kon kahega ki voh new Anurag hai. hai na?"
"Hmm"
"Aaj toh voh mera hero ban gaya. Jis tarah se sab handle ki, hats off to him. Aur Diiii....aap dono kaafi close ho gaye hai na?!" Shivani asked in a mischevious tone. Prerna looked at her with raised eyebrow,
"Shivii, tum na so jao, Good night" Prerna covered her face with the blanket
"Arre areey Dii, sona mat, meri baat toh sun lo?"
Prerna, uncovered her face annoyingly, "Mujhe pata hai, tumhare yeh tedi dimaag kaha jaa rahe hai, isliye chup chaap so jao"
"Dii, nahi, app socho, new Anurag aur aap abhi abhi friends bane hai, phir bhi unhone itna kuch kiya humaare liye, aapka saath diya, voh bhi Mohini Kaaki aur Nivedita ke khilaf jaa kar!!. Aapki toh main nahi janti, par meri toh har expectations se oopar hai voh!!"
She said dreamingly and that made Prerna look at her in a suspicious way,
"Expectations!!!? Anurag ko lekar tumhari konsa expectation?!"
"Arrey expectation toh ho ga hi na, matlab mere liye meri jeeju kaisa hona chahiye, voh toh main expect kar hi sakti hu"
At first, Prerna didn't get the inner meaning of what she said, but suddenly she realized that Shivani is trying to hook her up with Anurag
"Shivi ki bachii, agar main tumhe yaha se ek dhakka diya na toh tum zorr se neeche gir jaayegi, chahiye ek?"
"Dii, aap violent kyu ho rahi ho, main seriously keh rahi hu, kuch kuch toh zaroor hoga, dekhlena!!" She laughed and pulled the blanket over her head before getting hit by Prerna.
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