Avni sat on the couch looking at a picture in her phone. her mind wandered to the first time they met. She recalled how she named him an ' Amrood'. She laughed to herself recalling their silly fights. She blushed recalling their first date. She recalled how Neil confessed to her. How she reciprocated the feelings and how they had their first kiss. 

It was a memory that will stay with them forever. 'Their First Kiss'. A random thought popped into her head. "Do Neil also think the same for their moment?" Thy had never spoken about that night, the confession and obviously the kiss. It's been a week for that. She blushed biting her lip.

**************

Somewhere in the dark corners of the city, Neil is seen walking towards an empty room. A man was already standing there waiting for him.

Neil: maine tumhe kitni baar kakha hai mujhe yaha mat bulana.. lekin samajh mein kyu nahi aata tumhe?

Man: Dekhiye main aapke faayde ki baat kar raha hoon.

Neil: faayda nuksaan main nahi janta.. tumhe samajhna hoga ki is waqt mere liye Avni ke saath hona zyada zarurui hai..

Man: to baat bhi to usi ke concern ki hai na..

Neil clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. He felt anger raising in his system. He wanted to burst out at him but somehow calmed himself and turned around.

Man: commissioner sir wapis aa chuke hai..

Neil: to unke swagat mein phoolon ki chaadar bicchao lekin mujhe dobara phone mat karna...

Saying this he walked away without even sparing a glance at the man behind him,

Sitting in the car, tears began rolling down his eyes. He recalled that night when Avni was shot. He clearly remembers seeing a shadow behind the wall with a gun in his hand. Running hands through his hair he wiped his face and plastered a fake smile over it. He started towards home.

***************

Avni who was sitting in the room glanced at the wall clock, It showed almost 7 in the evening.

Avni: yeh neil abhi tak aaya kyu nahi?

Voice: abhi tak to Abhi bhi nahi tha yaha...

She looked at the door feeling surprised. It was Abhimanyu standing at the door with his wide smile.

Avni stood up at once. she was about to take steps towards him to greet him but stopped a few steps later and turned away. Abhi frowned at her reaction.

Avni: tujhe ab aa rahi hai meri yaad? 

She made a cute pout complaining. Abhimanyu realised that he did a blunder. It's been a week that Avni was not well and he didn't even paid her a visit for once. 

Abhi: yaar avni woh maine tujhe bataya to tha ki Mr. Kapoor ne woh...

Avni: haan haan  pata hai... aane wale event ki sari responsibility tujhe de di hai aur tu bechara baccha us mein itna busy ho gya ki apni best friend ka haal puchne ka waqt bhi nahi mila haina?

She narrowed her eyes at him while abhimanyu bowed his head feeling guilty. he immediately held his ears making a sorry face.

Abhi: yaar main shehar se bahar tha to aana to possible tha hi nahi.. aur rahi baat phone ki.. maine kiya tha yaar... I swear.. Neil se baat huyi thi meri..

He said pinching the skin on his neck. Avni looked at him with a suspicious gaze and then looked away. 

Avni: fine... ab...  neeche chale?

Abhi: haan.. chalo.. sab wahi hai.. aur neil kaha hai waise...? atleast ab to usse tumhare saath hone chahiye tha na..

Before avni could say anything Another voice resonated around the room. It was Neil.

Neil: main yahi hoon uske saath.

He walked past abhimanyu wrapping his hand around avni's shoulder lightly. Avni smiled at her husband while abhimanyu gave a 'okay i got it' look with a smile.

Abhi: naam liya shaitaan hazir...

He murmered this sentence under his breath. Avni looked at him with widened eyes while Neil looked on Questioning.

Neil: Kya kaha tumne?

Abhi: kuch ni... neeche chale?

Neil and avni looked at each other and nodded. Neil was about to go when avni held his hand and pulled him back.

Avni: abhi... tu jaa mujhe na kuch baat karni hai..

Abhi looked at their hands and nodded giving a teasing smile to them. Neil looked at him confused while avni ignored him and looked sideways.

Abhi: jata hoon main.. lekin tum na... woh..

Avni: woh kya?

Abhi: darwaza band kar lena..

He winked and ran away before waiting for avni's reply. As soon as abhimanyu left avni held Neil's hand and turned him to herself. Neil looked on confused. He started looking here and there.

Neil : avni.. abhi humein neeche jana hai... 

Avni: tum mujhse kuch chupa rahe ho?

She looked at him with questioning expressions. Neil looked at her and then immediately turned his eyes away. He did not said anything just kept avoiding her eyes.

Avni: Neil please agar kuch hai to mujhe bata do na...

She knew something is wrong in his behaviour and wanted to know the reason. But Neil being neil did not say a word.

Neil: avni aisa kuch nahi hai... main aata hoon... phir neeche chalte hai hum okay?

Before Avni could say anything Neil walked into the washroom leaving a perplexed avni. He had never behaved this way anytime before then why was he doing this now. She sighed and kept looking at the closed door.

within few minutes Neil came out wiping his face with a towel. He saw Avni, she was still standing there in the same position where he left her. He took a deep breath and walked to her.

Avni looked at him with a strange gaze. 

Avni : yeh kya hai?

She said pointing something on his face. Neil looked confused. He got his hand to his forehead and tried wiping something.

Neil: kya.. kaha?

Avni: yeh.. 

she moved close to him with scrutinising gaze. Neil looked on confused.

Avni: arrey yeh to...

Neil: yeh to kya?

Avni: wrinkles... maathe pe jhurriyaa... 

Neil: kya?

Avni: hmm.. kisi shaadi layak jawaan beti ke buddhe baap jaise lag rahe ho... Is umar mein wrinkles aa gye..

Neil: kya? kaha.. 

he turned to mirror trying to spot any wrinkles.

Neil: yaha to kuch ni hai...

Avni: Abhi nahi hai... lekin aa jayegi na... Itni tension loge to...

She giggled at his worried expression.

Neil rolled his eyes And sighed in relief. He knew avni won't let this topic go off so easily. Taking a deep breath, he held her from shoulders.

Neil: avni... you trust me?

He said looking into her eyes. Avni looked back into his eyes and nodded lightly.

Neil: then trust me Avni... agar kuch baat hoti to main tumhe batata.

Avni Nodded looking down. 

Neil: (cupping her face) I Love You avni...

Avni smiled a bit and looked away.

Avni: neeche chalte hai... 

She moved out of his hold and walked down stairs. Neil stood there looking at her retreating figure. He sighed deeply.

Neil: Mujhe jaldi sab sort karna hoga... Avni ko in sab se jitna ho sake door rakhna hoga...

He walked downstairs and joined his family for dinner. The time passed merrily being around family.

After dinner, Neil sat on the couch working on his laptop. Avni came out of washroom and looked at him. Without saying anything she walked past him to the bed. Neil saw all this through the corner of his eyes. As avni laid on the bed adjusting her pillow she winced feeling a sharp pain in her shoulder.

Neil immediately stood up and Walked to her.

Neil: kya hua avni? Pain ho rahi hai?

Avni: nahi kuch nahi... Main theek hoon.

She said coldly looking away. Neil closed his eyes taking few deep breaths. He thought she is doing the same what he did by hiding his problems.

Neil: avni dekho please batao kya hua?

Avni: kuch nahi.

She tried laying once again when a sharp pain travelled through her nerve. Neil held her hand trying to support her.

Neil: medicine li thi?

Avni looked at him and then turned away not answering his question. He sighed and took the medicine box.

Neil: (sternly) avni pain relieve tablets ki counting utni hi kyu hai jitni subah thi?

Avni said nothing but just looked on.

Neil: avni tumhara jhagra mujhse hai to khud ko kyu saza de rahi ho?

Avni: main koi saza nahi de rahi...

Neil: to yeh kya hai? Yeh 7 baje ki medicine hai...

Avni: tum nahi the yaha... Bhool gyi thi...

She said looking down at her hands that rested in her lap. Neil felt the anger in his nerves rising

Neil: aur agar main hamesha ke liye chala gya to?

Avni looked at him shocked.