After that night out things have become more comfortable between ayushi and aaditya. However one thing remains same. Aaditya' hesitancy to open up. After giving everyone explanation he never ever mentioned about his family and somehow this has raised some concerns. No matter how easy he makes it to live under same roof but the secrets are there. There has been no mention of his mom. She leaves it to him time to time that he will tell her more one day...but that has not happened yet. Moreover karan and mona have been no less. They are always creating some ruckus. Life might feel like it stopped somewhere but both morons wont let it stop. They enjoy ruining things. Like the way they ruined the so amicable dinner after movie. And then mona going into silent mode and karan was left helpless. She wonders how karan can like someone like mona! But again. What goes in a man' mind who knows.

She continues her messing with her laptop' keyboard. She is filing a report. She is about to get up for coffee when aaditya as usual shows up with two mugs. For a second she feels very happy to get that coffee without moving an inch of her body but soon realizes that aaditya wont be doing some tet-à-tetè. Well....looks like she has to wait for that day.

"Thanks for the coffee." She expresses her gratitude.

"You should cut your coffee. You drink it like anything." Aadi expresses his concerns.

"Yeah. I too think same but ye kambhakht aadat chhootati hi nahi. Its not like I didnt try before."

"I remember ki Kisi ne kaha tha ki you dont change your habits but you just substitute one for other.
If you wanna leave coffee you can try for something else."

"Like?" She speaks looking into his eyes. Without even noticing she is staring into those orbs who return the favour.

"Like....you can get addicted to fruit juice or may be water..or may be...I dont know..kuch bhi which can help you stay fresh the way coffee does."

"Hmm." She nods without even realizing that she is staring at him without even blinking.

"What hmm! Soch kar batao na. Kya try kar sakte he? i also feel like I have gotten addicted to coffee. Upar se you also like it. Phir I cant stop myself from making it. You know din me char cup coffee pi jata hu main. If you start cutting your coffee I'll follow your in your footsteps. You know...motivation comes from inside. Ghar se hi motivation le lunga."

But she doesnt reply. Something is different about this aaditya. Something has changed. Something is changing and something will change. It feels like life has stepped down a roller-coaster and is trying to play see saw now. Her eyes still stuck to his face and her lips sealed.

"Aayushi." His small whisper pulls her out of her reverie. A pink runs through her cheek and she tries to stand up and leave. However aaditya stops her. His hand engulfing her wrist. She stops. Her body suddenly has no strength left to remove those fingers from her wrist. That warm hold he has on her hand feels like nothing but sweet.

"Your coffee." He slowly points to her cup of coffee. However she has no urge to drink that bitter liquid now. No matter how much she likes that liquid her heart doesnt feel like having that right now. She shakes her head.

"Wanna go for a walk or something?" He hesitantly asks..

She shakes her head again.

"Wanna sit...sit with me in balcony?"

Her body gets stiff. Its not aaditya asked something forbidden but it sounded very intimate. He takes her outside making her sit in the empty swing.

When aaditya joins her she can feel heat ruahing to her every pore. What is happening. What is changing? What the hell is going on? Where are those questions she had in her mind? Why does it feel so soothing? Why the hell aaditya has stopped feeling like a stranger? Where are her prejudices now? What happened to her doubts?

Those questions die when aaditya points out to sky where few birds are randomly making a circle. Their heads get close and soon she forgets how much complexed it is and how much weird her situation is right now.

Whole evening they keep on watching random things and talking. These random things and actions have done their best to pull out the weirdness from this relation and room as well.

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

Last week' night out was very relaxing except the fact that shishir has gotten transferred because of karan. Mona was fumed when she got to know this but her heart also broke. That scoundrel shishir had a fiancée in mumbai! That son of bitch! No. No. It was bad to call someone's mom names. He was a dog but it was bad to involve his mother.But whatever it was mona had lost her crush and department had no other cute guy as of now. Jatin her junior who seemed like he was very much interested in her life didnt look so good. And bhatiya...that oldie had decided to take revenge from anyone who was young. He was calling meetings on every alternate day. And today was no different. That moron had called another meeting today evening and mona was the one who had faced all the wrath. God! Her mood got ruined and she hoped at home Karan would not show up. But she also knew it was false hope. Karan would show up and ask for food some dishes. He thinks mona is champion of master chef! that dinner he planned in a very indian restaurant last week was nothing but bribe. He must have hat hed some devious plan to make her cook something again. But mona has enough. If karan mentions food once again she will punch him in the face!

But she cant. That guy is a captain. That nagphani has so many thorns already. What if her precious feeble fingers get pricked? No. There are alternatives to punches like..........

Her brain gets nothing. She has tried too many things but most of them has failed. Spiking his food didnt work as he became so cunning that he made her have the very same food. And itching powder never came handy as he has this nasty habit of changing twice a day after bath. She doesnt want to hurt him physically. Last time his broken hand made mona do so many stuffs. She had to look after him as if he were her child! That moron. Lunatic. Mad man. So basically mona had to call the war off. But giving up so easily was not her trait so her brain was always cooking something.

She lies and closes her eyes. Today after so many days she has gotten half day leave. So she decides to sleep. Sleep is like heaven and Bed is like true friend. Best part of today is abswnce of karan. He isnt home. His work at ministry has prolonged due to some reasons and he came home late last night. Whatever the reason was mona enjoyed his absence. That extra cheese pizza with coke had given her immense pleasure. However karan the scoundrel had appeared out of nowhere and had snatched last two pieces making mona angry. However he had offered to order one more but her appetite disappeared. So karan' absence in evening was notbing but a bliss. She spreads her legs on couch and takes a more relaxing posture. A sweet song keeps on buzizng in her head. Day is about to end and she feels very happy.

But her happiness doesnt last. After ten minutes of pure bliss some footsteps are heard and karan areives like a minion of hades. She curses the moment she had signed those documents. But what can be done now. Crying over spilled milk will not make it better. So she turns and pretends to sleep. Staying away from karan is the mantra for peace.

"Mona. So rahi ho kya?" However karan can  not stop but ask. It irritates her.

"Nahi. Mar rahi hu. Sath doge?"

"Nahi. Mujhe abhi aur bhi acche kam karne he."

"Ha. Jaise ki kisi abla naari se vivah karke uske jeevan ki lanka lagana."

"Bol to aise rahi ho jaise ghar se utha kar laya tha tumko main. Bhulo mat. I was also unaware of aaditya' plan."

"Is sare masle ki jad wo aaditya naam ka prani he. Man to karta he usko chutney bana du lekin kya karu babu ki niyat dol gayi he us par. Sali. Ke chakkar me mera kabada ho raha he. Do take ki lawyer"

"Tum kabhi shant nahi ho skati ho kya? Tumhe 24×7 mood swings hote he?"

This makes mona fumble cause karan has uttered some truth. She wonders how  he came to know this. A sane part of her brain twlls her the way she acts all the time must be a hint.

"Sone do mujhe. Dont disturb me."

Karan says nothing and she thanks her stars for this silence. She keeps on lying and ends up sleeping. her beauty sleep is disturbed when karan' ringing phone doesnt stop. she opens her eyes with the intent to kill karan. she spots karan lying on the couch infront of her. he is sleeping as if he has not slept in eons. her soul cries to punch him in sleep because if he wakes up she wont get the chance to beat his ass up. but looking at karan sleeping so peacefully she wonders if he gets enough sleep in that guest room or not. may be he has insomnia. no..he cant have insomnia. insomnia patients dont look like him. she silently gets up and slides silent mode on. keeping phone back next to him she goes back to sleep. its after two hour that she gets up herself. yawning and stretching herself out she accidentally slaps someone. and that someone is none other but her so called husband! karan rubs his eyes and looks at her with weird expressions. 

"tum neend me girte ho kya? couch par so rahe the. yaha kaise aaye?"

"i dont remeber. shayad when i changed sides i fell. no idea."

mona looks at him and tries to understand if he is normal or not. after two seconds she gives up.

"accha khane ka kya plan he? i am feeling hungry.''

''mujhse ye ummeed mat rakho ki i'll cook anything for you. aaj mera shani bhari he. i am told not to touch oil and any metal.''

''yaar kam se kam dialogue to naye maro. i am not asking you to cook. i am planning to cook. mai tumhari tarah nahi hu.''

'' ho bhi nahi sakte. i am a beautiful woman unlike you!'' karan doesnt reply her and goes to freshen up. meanwhile mona starts tv. browsing through netflix she hums. karan is cooking, bravo! she is happy. its not even thirty minutes when karan returns with a plate of pasta. mona is taken aback.

''khud hi banaya tha ya order kiya tha. itni jaldi pasta kaise ban gya?''

''its called skill which you dont have.''

''itni hi paak kala he to mujhse kyu khana banwate ho! apni kalao ka pradarshan kiya karo. mujh par zulm kyu?'' hearing her karan smiles and she glares.

nonetheless both digs in. karan is checking his phone simultaneously. mona just enjoys her food. once in while karan becomes karanveer and tries his hand in kitchen. moreover food cooked by other is nothing but pure bliss. so she doesnt give a damn about other things and happily enjoys her pasta.

''mona.''

she doesnt reply.

''samne hi baitha hu. atleast ha to bolo.''

''tum kaam bolo na. ha ya na kyu sun na he tumhe?''

''ek office party he. my colleagues want to meet you.''

she sits straight hearing this.

''what do you mean they want to meet me? ladki dekhi nahi kya pahle kabi?''

''they want to meet my wife.'' karan explains lazily.

''who is your wife?''

''you!''

''i am not your wife!''

''bahan ho kya phir? rakhi bandhogi?''

''kya badtameez aadmi ho tum! tameez he ya nahi?''

''aur tum? tum to jaise tameez me lipati huyi rahti ho. i asked such a simple question and what did you answer!''

'' you dont deserve tameez.''

''yes. i deserve respect. i know. saturday office party he. be ready at seven.''

''main nahi jaungi.''

''wo saturday batayega. abhi ke liye you'll do dishes. i cooked this delicious pasta.''

mona says nothing but curses him in mind. how can he tell everyone that he is married. now it will be more difficult to get a new crush. what if the talk of her marriage with a captain goes around in town! Noooo. How will she get new crush if everybody knows that she is married. No. No. This cant happen. There should be an escape. Yes. She cant risk being heartbroken after shishir...all the time.