"Let's go have tea," Tanya told Krish.
They went to this small stall just outside their colony. It was quite famous amongst the youngsters and offered the yummiest tea and coffee. The stall had just opened up and the owner poured the first batch of tea for Tanya and Krish.
"What are you doing tonight?," Krish asked.
"Nothing in the night as such. Have to help Manya with the preparations maybe," Tanya answered.
"I'm taking you on a date tonight so get done with everything sooner," Krish told her.
Tanya smiled and replied, "Okay."
"What happened?," Krish asked when she wouldn't stop smiling.
"Nothing. I already love how informal this relationship is," she said and they laughed.
Tanya got down from Krish's scooter once they reached her house.
"I suppose you going directly to Vivan's now?," she asked him.
"Ahan! I wasn't this nervous to confess to you than I am to her," he said.
"Don't you worry. She is gonna be surprised but extremely happy!"
"Yeah," he sighed.
Tanya pinched his cheek and shook it "Don't be a baby now. Just go," she said.
Tanya turned around to leave. She had walked two steps when Krish called out, "Tanya?"
"Yeah?," she turned about.
"I'll love you," he said.
She smiled and replied, "and I already love you."
Saying so she turned and left. As weird as this relationship was gonna be, it held a lot of truth and trust.
Krish left only after she had closed the door behind her.
Krish went to Vivan's house and to his room when Marc informed him they all were together. Krish laughed in his mouth when he saw them sleeping.
Keya was sleeping horizontally on the bed near the headboard. Vivan's head was on her stomach and Varun's head was on a pillow which was on her legs. Vivan and Varun's legs were entangled with each other and their gaming consoles on Varun's stomach.
Krish went to Keya and nudged her. Keya took five whole minutes to open her eyes and shut me close when she saw Krish.
"It's important!," he whispered to her.
"It better be!," she said as she tried getting up.
"How about some help here?," she told Krish.
They carefully lifted the head of the boys and placed them on the bed. Keya got up, picked up the mess from the bed, covered them with blankets and adjusted the room temperature before leaving with Krish to her room.
"Whatever that is so important can I have some coffee along with it?," Keya asked him.
"Sure! You go brush up. I'll get it for you," Krish told her. In a way he found it a good thing because she loved his coffee and might go less hard on him.
A while later Krish was back with a cup of coffee.
Keya was sitting on her bed. She took the cup from Krish and took a sip after blowing over the surface.
"What time did you sleep?," he asked.
"There guys were playing FIFA and i have no idea when did I fall asleep," she replied.
She looked at Krish and quickly made out that he hadn't slept at all. She asked him the same to which he said, "Well that is what I want to tell you about."
"I'm listening."
"Let's keep this aside first," Krish said taking away the cup and keeping it on the side table.
He then went on his knees next to Keya, held both her hands and began, "I've done something."
"I feel that!"
"I've done something you wouldn't even imagine but you always wanted me to do it. This thing that I've done might surprise you but I had to do it."
Keya was confused and she snapped at him, "Stop repeating things and tell me straight away!"
"I'm in a relationship," he blurted out and shut his eyes.
No slaps. No punches. He waited for a reaction. When there was none, he opened his one eye and looked at her.
Her face was gleaming with joy. She pulled him into a tight hug and spoke with the greatest excitement, "I knew it I knew it. Who proposed though?? Did you do it? When!? And how come you didn't tell me before!!?"
"I'll tell you when you have some time away from your boyfriend!," he said.
"We live together! How can you not find the time. But anyway doesn't matter. I knew you were gonna do it. The question was when!," Keya told him.
"I just decided man. I hadn't planned this. It's like I just gave in!"
"You've given in to your better future Krish!," Keya smiled at him.
Since years she had been trying to get Krish in a relationship. Finally he was moving on and it meant a lot to her.
"Is that a tear I'm seeing?," Krish said and wiped it with his thumb.
"I'm just too happy for you," Keya said.
They hugged each other for some more time.
"Don't screw it Krish. Tanya deserves the best," she told him.
"And what about me?!," he glared at her.
"You are in perfect hands!," said Keya, "I need not worry about you any longer!"
"You happy right?," he asked.
"I'm more than just happy!," she said.
Krish sighed with relief and went to lie down on the bed. Keya too went next to him and he wrapped an arm around her.
"Krish can I tell you something?," she asked.
"I was wondering when would you. I need your golden advice after all," he chuckled.
"Take this seriously. Don't do it for the sake of making me or someone else happy. Do it for yourself. Your happiness is what matters and even Tanya's. Soon you will realize that your happiness is in hers. Do this to find peace for yourself. Rediscover yourself Krish!," she said.
"I'm gonna give this my best shot Ke."
"I trust you. You won't do anything wrong."
"When Keya is here, how can Krish ever go wrong," he smiled and looked at her. She smiled back at him.
She got up from the bed and said, "You sleep here itself now. I'll make breakfast and wake u all up. We will go home then."
"Alright! Close the curtains please!," Krish said and dug his face into the pillow.
Krish and Keya came back home in the afternoon with Varun in tow.
Krish's mom met them on her way out, "You guys are here finally. Hello Varun, stay over for lunch and call your brother too!"
"Mom he has guests coming for lunch," Keya told her.
"Okay then. Call him for dinner. But today these boys are eating with us," she said.
"Krish if you aren't tired can you please drop me to the club?," she asked her son.
"Sure mom," he said.
Once Krish and his mother were gone, Keya told Varun, "Go check on Simran. I'll go get my laptop."
Varun was about to knock on the door when he hear Simran speaking loudly, "Mom! Try to understand. I don't care if it is small town until it has doctors. I can't stay in Mumbai for much longer. Please take me home."
Varun was immediately disturbed by what she said and went in.
"Hey," he said.
"Mom I'll call you back," she said and greeted Varun, "Now you remember me?"
He smiled and touched her belly.
"Hey Champ! Missed me?," he said.
"Sure must have. Champ has started kicking since early morning!," she told him.
"That's exactly what I had told her. To trouble you."
"Well it is a him!."
They went into the garden via the backdoor and sat on the swing.
"Nah. It's surely a girl," Varun said.
"It's a boy!," Simran insisted.
Varun laughed and spoke, "Have some shame. How can you be so unfaithful to your own gender?!"
Simran laughed too and once their laughter had settled down, she said, "I want it to be a boy. So that I can teach him to be a better human being. Teach him to respect girls. This world needs more boys like that. Like you!"
Varun smirked, "It's a Rathod feature you see!"
Simran's expression changed for a time too soon for Varun to notice.
"You are too sweet that's all!," she said.
"Simran can I ask you something?"
"Yes sure. Go ahead," she said.
"Have you thought about dating?"
Simran was taken aback. She said, "Dating? No! Do you think I even have the time for that?"
"It's not about time. It's about you opening yourself up to another man."
"First of all. This is India. No one wants to date a girl with this," she pointed to her protruding belly, "and secondly, I can't trust anyone with my heart as yet."
Varun folded his hands and replied, "First of all. Don't talk about my India like that. And second of all, you know you can trust but you just don't want to."
Simran snorted, "Who'd wanna date me?"
"I would," slipped from Varun's mouth and pressed his lips regretting it.
Simran gasped. She stood up and so did Varun.
"Simran I meant that I don't consider your pregnancy to be taboo and I think today's generation sides with me."
She walked a few steps ahead and spoke, "Varun you are an amazing guy. You've looked after me so much. Just in a few weeks time you have made a place in my heart. But.."
Simran wasn't speaking. Varun saw her hold her belly.
"Simran?," he called out.
"Aah," she let out.
Varun got alert. Simran started screaming.
"Simran," Varun quickly went by her side and held her.
"Varun.. Aaah.. My stomach hurts!," she managed to say.
"Don't worry don't worry. I'll take you to the doc," he had panicked.
Keya came out of the bathroom and she heard a scream. She ran to the balcony and saw Simran.
"Get her to the car!!," she called out and ran.
"I won't let anything happen to you!! Please stay calm," Varun who was scared himself, assured her.
Simran looked at his face and saw the concern. Her eyes were getting moist at the situation she was in.
Varun made her sit in the car and sat with her behind. Keya took the keys and drove to the hospital.
The doctor took Simran in and told others to wait. Keya had texted about the situation on their whatsapp group and people were heading to the hospital.
Aanya and Aarav were the first ones to reach. Aanya was very much worried.
"How is she?," she asked Keya.
"No idea. The doctor is still with her," Keya replied.
Aarav saw Varun sitting on a bench with his head hung low and resting on his fist. He went and sat next to him and said, "She'll be fine."
Varun didn't speak anything, he simply nodded.
Krish reached the hospital and just few minutes later, the doctor came out.
Everyone sprang upon the doctor.
"Relax everyone. She is stable now. There are some tests being performed now. Both the baby and the mother are fine," the doctor told them.
Everyone sighed and thanked god.
"Keya and Krish, can I see you two in my office?," he told them.
Once they were seated in the doctor's office, he said, "Simran has been staying with you guys right? There are certain precautions you need to take."
The doctor explained to them about the chances of Simran delivering a premature baby and that she needs bed rest. Any form of stress can prove to be a danger to the baby. He prescribed her some medicines and asked to visit him every week.
Simran was brought out on a wheelchair. Aanya took over from the nurse and took her to where Krish and Keya were waiting.
"You scared us!," Keya said and gave her a hug.
"Doctor said you will be fine provided you have ample rest," Krish said.
"Thanks guys.. I don't know what I would have done without you all," Simran said.
"Let's get you home alright?," Keya told her and they left for home.
Aanya helped Simran, who was feeling very weak, to the bed. Everyone told her to take care and left her sleep for a while.
Keya was the last one leaving when Simran called out, "Can you send Varun in for a while?"
"Sure," Keya said without questioning. She knew she had to leave whatever it was to them.
Varun came in and sat on the chair next to the bed.
"I'm sorry," he said, not meeting her eyes, "I shouldn't have asked you those things. Doctor said you shouldn't be stressed."
"Shhhh Varun," Simran spoke, "I want to complete what I had begun. You and Aanya are very much attached to the baby now and I'm lucky that my baby has you two. I love you guys for what you've been doing for me. But I wanna say that, please don't get so attached. Coz. I'm not here to stay. I'll be leaving soon."
Varun remembered the phone conversation he had overheard.
"You think we will just let you go like that? Everyone considers you a part of this big family we have here. Just like you, even I am new to it but I can feel all the love they bestow upon us. We can't suddenly decide that we are leaving all of it."
"Varun I can't stay here, not that I don't want to."
"Why is that?"
"Look, the father of my child would try to find me. He tried contacting my parents again. It wont take him much long to realise that I am here with my friends. My parents are flying in soon and I have decided that I'll be going to my home town with them."
Varun was speechless.
Simran continued, "and who said I'm leaving you guys. I will come back once I've delivered the baby and when I can begin travelling again. But try to understand. I can't let the father know about this."
Varun closed his eyes and sighed, "If you think that's the right thing to do then we can't stop you but everyone wants to be there with you when this baby comes to this world."
Varun didn't want to make Simran feel bad. He knew what she said made sense. So he told her, "But we can come visit you right? So no worries. We all will support you. No matter what."
He smiled and she did too.
"Now you have some sleep. I'll be there when you wake up," he said as he got up from the chair.
He went and touched her belly.
"Take care champ," he said and then cupped her face, "take care."
Later in the evening, everyone was at Krish's house. Simran had woken up and was feeling much better. Everyone was watching a comedy movie. Keya found it the best way to relax from all the earlier situation. Krish and Tanya decided to skip their date too.
After the movie ended, Krish got up from his seat and spoke, "Guys I have an announcement to make."
Keya laughed, "Getting engaged or what?"
She exactly knew what he was gonna say so took the liberty to tease him. She hugged Vivan who was sitting next to her.
Krish told her to shut up. He then went to Tanya, held her hand and took her to stand in front of the TV.
Everyone else was looking at each other and then at their entwined hands.
"Oh my god this is so awkward!," she whispered to Krish.
"What? Like it's not even a day and you are already ashamed of me?," Krish mocked her.
"Umm guys?," Aanya asked, "What's going on?"
Krish looked at Tanya, smiled and then told everyone, "We are in a relationship."
"No way!!!," Aanya cried out, "Oh my god!!!" She ran and hugged her sister.
Krish hugged the two of them! Aanya punched him in the stomach.
"Ouch!"
"You better remember this coz I'll hit much harder if you hurt my sister even a little!," Aanya said.
"Dude! I'm not gonna mess with you ever!," he told her and kissed her cheek.
Everyone was surprised but very happy. They congratulated the new couple in town.
Keya who was standing next to Krish looked around and found the person she was looking for.
Aarav.
He was staring back at Krish and Tanya with a smile on his face which Keya could relate with. A smile of remembrance.
Keya nudged Krish and looked at Aarav. He followed her gaze and saw him too.
These few last weeks had changed Krish and his relationship. They no longer hated each other and sympathised with each other too. Krish guessed that he might have started liking Tanya given his behaviour with her for a past few days.
Krish took Tanya's hand and walked up to Aarav. Keya followed.
"Won't congratulate us?," Krish politely asked.
"Why should I? You stole my girl once again," Aarav said.
A pang of guilt hit Krish. He became serious and was finding for words to say when Tanya hit Aarav and they laughed.
"Don't get serious man! I was kidding! I never really had feelings for her. But she is very dear to me. Take care of her okay?," he said.
Krish smiled and replied, "I will."
"My sister would be so happy!," Aarav began, "I did this for her. I had forgotten the promises I had made to her about watching out for you guys. I was so engrossed in my own life and my high ego that I never thought about this. I claimed to love my sister but I was hurting the people she cared about. Which brother does that? But look! I came to my senses and did my part to change things. Hope I've been successful."
"Aarya would be very proud of you," Keya rubbed his arm.
"I'm just glad we all are together now. Just like old times," Sahil joined them.
"Well this definitely calls for a celebration," Vivan said, "Party's on me!"
Aanya spoke, "I would love to come to but I have assignments to complete"
"Well you can give me company then. I don't think I would get sleep anytime soon," Simran told her.
"Sorted then! Everyone at the gates in thirty mins!," Aarav said and everyone headed their own way.
Almost an hour later everyone was leaving to go clubbing. When Varun found Keya alone, he told her, "Hey! We gotta plan something for tomorrow. Vansh bhaiyya is arriving."