Abir studied the medical reports once more...
His brows arched in concentration...occasionally noting down terms which eluded him on his phone...
But from one word in the report he could summarise that everything looked grim....
Secondary stage....oh! God....why Massima ignored all the symptoms...
He walked to the balcony dialling his phone...
"Nihaal...I need your help dude...!"
Nihaal was Abir's best buddy from the high school and presently a Senior Intern in a prestigious Hospital in New York...
After clearing his doubts and entrusting Nihaal with the duty of contacting doctors Abir walked back...
He pulled up his laptop, booted and typed Glioblastoma Multiforme in Google......
He was so drawn into the articles describing the symptoms and treatment that he dismissed the sound from the bathroom ...
May be Kunal was finally taking bath...!
Until someone hissed from his back....
"Who the hell are you?? And don't dare to move....stay still!!"
Abir stiffened..as a fragrance enveloped him....his senses ...honey....his fingers swiftly minimised the page as he drew a deep breath.... unconsciously inhaling more....
Time to come face to face with Ms.Arrogance...he winced inwardly....he had expected this to happen when he had company...but it seems they must start off again...
In wrong terms...
"Turn around..."
Her voice held a command and he obliged meekly...hands rising in mock surrender...
Mishty's's eyes went wide in surprise as she yelled..
"Tum??!!"
Abir looked at her as if he was seeing for the first time.....
Yes it was first time since he could not see much of her earlier...thanks to the bulky raincoat...
But now in front of him stood a girl....
Beauty personified....
She was lean...but with ample curves...
Her face was angular..with a delightfully full lips....a slight dent on her chin....
She should still have her dimples when she smiled...
He thought ruefully..
Her wet hair tips kissed her bare shoulders...
Abir tried to get hold of his thoughts which were raving inside his brain in split seconds...but lost again when his eyes fell on her lean legs...
It was only when he saw her holding a hockey stick in her hand ...ready to strike it at him..did Abir snap from his state of stupor..
"Oh!! Dammit!! I asked who are you....? And what are you doing in...in..my bedroom...?"
Mishti took position to strike him....
My! Was she for real....! Abir groaned inwardly...but held his composure...
"Abir." his eyes bored into her gauging her reaction....
Mishti did not even flinch....she couldn't... as a sudden feeling of frostiness enveloped her....
She could actually hear the commotion taking place inside her brain....
What! How! Why ! OMG! Hell.!
"Abir Rajvansh.."
Abir supplied his name with a tinge of haughtiness..
Mishti frowned...as if absent minded...trying to place the name ....
"Abir...What?!"
Now that brought an annoyance on his face....she didn't remember him? It was hard to buy....
"Rajvansh" he said tartly...irritated by the thought that she didn't remember him..
He saw her roll her eyes as they swept his whole length.....
A smirk played at the corner of her lips....
"Oh! That's why ...you are so at home here Mr."
Abir was silently studying her...she hadn't even moved from her striking posture...
A knock at the door diverted their gaze from each other to the door...
"Abir bhai..darwaza kholo na..." Abir heard Kunal call out...
He looked at Mishti whose demonear suddenly changed...her face lit up..and a big smile was blooming...Abir shrugged and went to open the door...
There stood Kunal and Kuhu..smiling...
But in fraction of second their faces ashened...
"Mishtiiii..tum yahaan kaise??? tu kab wapas aayi?"
Kuhu asked panicking ....darting a glance to a silent Abir...
"And did we miss the fire crackers...!"
Kunal looked at Mishty with his wide impish grin...
" Lagtha hai Bhai ka ache see swaagath ho Raha tha"
Mishti let go of her hockey stick and put hands on her hips...
"Idiot Kunal...let me show you the firecrackers...Tera bhi to swaagath karna hai."
She charged at him as Kunal started a soft laugh opening his arms which doubled up with Mishty''s as they hugged tight...
"I missed you so much buddy..."
Mishty had tears in her eyes and Kuhu saw the glint in Kunal''s eyes too....they sure were not the result of laughing....
Rajshri was joining them in the room that she heard Kunal exclaim...
"Wah Mishti.. Tum Abir Bhai ko hockey stick se sach mein maarne vaali thi.!"
"What do you expect me to do when i find a stranger in my room ...my bed..?"
Mishti retorted bitingly throwing a cold glance to Abir who was still silent... putting on a T shirt over his vest..
"Well you could have knocked me out with a feather if you cared ..."
Abir said mockingly as he lifted his brow pointing to the exposed dip of her navel..... then sweeping a eye from tip to toe..
Hot blush flamed her cheeks as she pulled her short top down.. suddenly conscious of her attire .
Kunal let out a guffaw while Kuhu stifled her laugh when she saw Mishty looking at her with burning eyes...
"Kuhu ki bachi Tumhe Pata thaa...!"
Mishty said accusingly as she now noted that Kuhu was unusually decent in her full sleeve top and track pants...
Kuhu fidgeted ...
"Sorry Mishty.lekin...tum to ek toofaan...nahi.. tsunami hi khadi kar deti agar tumhe Pata hota to....mein aur Dadi Tera tantrums nahi dekhna chahthe the....and I could have given up my room...but you know its full of my project stuff..."
Her voice trailed...
"Mishti!"Rajshri admonished her ...
"Tum Abir ya kisi se bhi aisee rudely behave nahi Kar sakthi samjhi....."
Mishti looked hurt at her Badimaa's rebuke ....but her insides have started taking flips....she felt spooky...
Kuhu supported Rajshri..
"Yes Mishti..Aur Abir bro tho subah ko Tere help bhi Kiya that na...to aise unse baat karna ...it's not right ...."
The mention of the morning incident snapped her out of her numbness...
"Oh! And You know what.... I would have preferred to lose it than being brought back by Mr.Mighty Rajvansh...now I am dreading the punch lines...
if I had known it was yours I wouldn't have bothered to return this to you..!"
Mishti said mimicking Abir's style....and then bit her lips when her eyes met his twinkling ones.......realising that she gave it away...
Abir chuckled .
So Ms Agarwal did not have full amnesia...!!
She remembered him all too well...
His laugh was a soft rumble and Mishty found her insides bubble in an unknown feeling....
She needed some time to gather her wits.....
God ?! how on Earth did she know in the morning that it was Abir!!! She even called out his name..
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath....
"Okay...can I get a few moments of Privacy...please..itna toh meherbaani kijije. After this sneak attack..."
Abir shrugged and left the room...
"Hey..Mishty...you look awesome...ek dum pataka.."
Kunal winked at her reassuringly as he followed Abir...who stopped short and turned to take a second look at her...
Kuhu puckered her brows in concern...there was something more disturbing Mishti.
Other wise She wouldn't have been left off the hook so easily for planning Rajvansh's entry...
But she was wise enough not to press her about whatever it was...
Mishti curled her toes under her as she sat on her bed hugging her pillow tightly...
She does have some limit of endurance ....her eyes went up in despair...
And she could not make out at all ...that she could recognise him...remember him.....
And he ....he didn't....! he did'nt remember her ...she felt a sudden squeeze in her heart..
No No. Mishty pull yourself!!
She calmed herself...there was no way out.. she was trapped and no tantrum can save her.this time...Badima and Kuhu knew about Abir and Kunal's arrival ...and they deliberately kept it away from her....! She was hurt...but felt relieved when she thought of Kunal..
Okay dark clouds do have silver lining...!
Her eyes fell on the packet containing her dress...and then to the wall clock....
OMG...its already four...
She scrambled out of her bed calling out for Kuhu..