Here is the next installment 

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FATEFUL COLLISIONS 

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Chapter 11: longings 

Next morning,

Parikh House, Singapore. 

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Neil woke up from a wierd dream, he wasn't sure about what he had seen but it certainly had to do something with avni. He realized he was smiling and he felt fresh. He knew he was majorly affected by that woman. He probably had started to feel something for her that he had never felt for anyone before, a wierd kind of unsettling feeling, that made him happy and want more, and this awareness some how made him think more and more about her. 

He turned around to see at the clock. It was 4:30 am and he let out a groan. Surely he couldn't get back to sleep anymore with avni's thoughts crossing his mind every now and then,  so he decided to go for a jog at the beach in front, at the crack of dawn, hoping it would clear his head.

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He returned to the house afrer an hour long jog, sweaty and content.  But in the darkness collided with petite figure,

"aaww", avni let out a groan. 

"avni,tum ho? Sorry" neil apologized, making her stand on her feet. His hands around her.

Her heart skipped a beat, she stood up balancing herself, removing herself from his arms and said

"tum itne subeh subeh kya kar rahe ho " then she moved to the wall, hand on her forehead, and switched on the lights.

As she turned, lights on this time, she saw him. Big muscles ripped through his sweaty grey wifebeater which he had worn with black shorts. Hair all over the place. A gym bottle half filled in hand. He looked like a hero from some movie, and her heart did a little flutter yet again. She cleared her throat loudly and asked again, "itni subeh jog par?"

"hmm" he replied,  "neend khul gayi thi. Aur tum?" 

"mein gym jaa rahi thi!"

"you have a gym here?" he asked looking at her intently. She looked great in her yoga pants and an orange t shirt saying too fit for you. Her hair in a high pony. 

His staring eyes made her feel warm inside and she said rather quickly, "haan, mini gym of sorts, basement mein. Tumhe dekhna hai?"

"sure, chalo! Maybe I'll pick up some weights. " he said flexing his biceps. 

"umm...haan. Haan. Chalo" avni said, shaking her head still staring at his muscles. 

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While avni was busy on the treadmill and warming up, neil had started on with crunches. They made small conversations here and there, but otherwise were working out on their own, lost in their own thoughts about the other. 

All of a sudden, neil changed the music to a peppy number and started with bench press . Avni, stopped middle of the work out, and started staring at him. Unabashed. She saw his back mucles flexing, and with that she gulped. This guy was doing something to her. "Neil kaisa lagta hai tumhe?" rang in her ear from the last night. 

Feeling a pair of eyes on his back, neil turned to meet black eyes and pink cheeks. He raised his eyebrow at her. Caught, she felt flustered, the blush spreading to her shoulders. She shook her head in a wordless denial, and skitted out of the gym. Away from him. 

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Breakfast was a hearty affair like the day before. And this time with the family was much needed distraction for neil and avni to stop thinking about yhe other. 

All of them had decided that it was supposed to be a holiday, so they would go to the sentosa islands and have fun the entire day. 

Bebe and Neil  were  pretty excited to go to the universal studios while Shweta had declared that she would go on a day long date with her husband dearest as in her own words, "waise bhi ajkal prakash ji mujhe times nahi de pate". 

So it was decided(or planned by our Quadraple cupids) that Bebe Neela Avni and Neil would go to the universal studio while shweta and prakash could go around the island to the madam tussauds, the aquarium and the sound and the light show and have a day at leisure. 

Shweta winked at Neela when their plan was accepted ,and the family headed out in two separate cars for sentosa islands.

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Neela and bebe left no stone unturned to keep the duo together at all times, in all rides. At times, neela would sit with bebe in the rides, at others, bebe would back out the last minute stating she was afraid.  And that would compell the two two sit together. 

They went to the movie in the shrek land, then sat down in the rides in jusrassic park.

Avni especially loved the roller coaster of  the mummy ride, and coaxed neil into two consecutive rides on the same roller coaster. 

On one of the dangerous roller coasters, the cyclone, avni and neil sat side by side, avni was anticipating that neil would get scared, looking back at their plane history.  But to her surprise, he didn't even flinch. His spirits were as high as the highest point on the roller coaster .Infact, it was her, who tightly clutched onto his hand, as the fall became certain. 

After the ride, a shook avni, still latching onto a thrilled Neil's hand said, "tum dare nahi?!!"

"nahi to, sab kuch in control jo tha. Tum itna kyu dari? Pehle baar sherni ko bheegi billi bantey dekha mene."he teased.

She narrowed her eyes, "kya kaha tumne? Bheggi billi, mein, accha, abbhi batati hu tumhe" and she started chasing him, a bottle in hand running behind him, while he tried to protect himself.

Seeing them like that, bebe and neela smiled. Happy and satisfied at their decision. These two were meant to be. And each day validated that more and more.

late, all four of them sat down and had an ice cream. Talking about random things, their future hopes on the merger. As the business talks grew, bebe huffed and said, "bas, aaj business ki baatein aur nahi, shuakar hai prakash nahi hai yaha, warna boardroom meeting bana deta iss picnic ko."

"okay bebe" avni smiled, "sorry" neil pouted. 

Then they continued onto another ride,  the 5-d transformer car race. The day so far had been extremely relaxing and filled with fun and frolic. 

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That evening, as they returned home, they all sat down watching the sunset at the beach house .as  the sky turned pink from Blue and then to orange, emotions were shifting like never before in two hearts. 

A new radiant smile adorned avni's  face. She felt happy. She felt as a part of this family. She finally realized what a family meant. 

She turned to look at bebe, who was laughing her heart out with neil, while shweta  neela and praksh were sitting a few feet away, busy discussing something.  She saw them and realized, she always had longed for such happy evenings with a whole complete family. And now that this stranger family had somehow made that happen for her, she realized she wanted more. She wanted something permanent , something she could call hers and she wanted a "Forever" all these emotions scared her no bound. A lone tear trickled down her eye. She quickly wiped it off, got up and went inside, in order to not break the happy atmosphere by her solemn mood. 

Neil was sitting with bebe, fooling around. But now and then, his eyes wandered to the little figure sitting in front of them. He saw her smile, big and happy and then saw her sitting motionless, lost in thoughts. He could see the change in her posture, a  previously straight back hunched a little. She hugged  her knees in an embrace, and rested her cheeck on it. The smile changed into something he could not fathom. Then, she suddenly got up, eyes red and quietly walked away, leaving everyone behind.

His heart beats increased several folds. He felt uneasy at her discomfort.  what had happened in matters of minutes?  He wanted to rush to her. Take her in a big hug. Tell her he would make everything alright,  even though he had no idea what was bothering her. 

"shwetaji, mein abhi aayi." neela said and excused herself and went where avni had gone. Neela's voice brought him out of his thoughts.  She had seen the entire thing too he deduced, and he silently followed her. Not speaking a word. 

He found himself eavesdropping on the mother daughter conversation.  He never wanted to do that. In principle, he would never do it too. But the need to know what was troubling avni, made him glue himself to the door. 

"baccha, kya hua?" neela asked, taking her into a tight hug.

The warmth of her mother's arm broke loose the dam of water, and she began sobbing on her mother's shoulder. 

"ma, mujhe kabhi aesi happy family kyu nahi mili? Mera kya kusoor tha? " she asked. "ye paraye log hokar bhi hummwin itni sari khushiyaan de sakte hai, toh humare apne humein kabhi kyu nahi khush kar paye?"

Her broken voice broke something in Neil's heart. 

"baccha, samay humesha ek jaisa nahi rehta. Dukh ke baad sukh aur sukh ke baad dukh to duniya ki reet hai. Tumhara bura samay khatam ho gaya hai aur ab dekhna tumhari zindagi mein khushiya hi khushiya hogi. Avni, zindagi mein aagey badho. Apne ateet se apne aaj ko tolna band karo. Tum na neela ho na ayesha, tum avni ho. Aur bohot saari khushiya tumhare darwaze par dastakh de rahi hai. Bas unhe apnao. Unhe tumhe  khush karne ka mauka do. "  neela explianed her brushing off her tears and kissing her forehead

Neil, who was hiding at the threshold felt a hand on his shoulder. Bebe had caught him and motioned him to come along. 

They sat down in bebe's room and bebe asked him, "kya baat hai puttar, kya hua? "

"pata nahi bebe, bohot uneasy feel ho raha hai. Ek baicheni si." Neil said trying to put His thoughts into wordS

"hmm, baichaini?? Kyu??"

"wo avni bebe, wo jis tarah ro rahi thi, shayad mujhe bura lag gaya isliye," neil replied introspecting at bebe's question

"Puttar, kya tune kabhi socha hai ki kyu avni ki hasi tujhe khush kar deti hai aur uske aasu tujhe baichain? Kahi tu kuch cheezein nazar andaaz toh nahi kar raha?" Bebe asked, placing a hand in his.

"nahi bebe, apko koi galat faimi...hum acche dost hai"

"beta, tajurbe se keh rahi hu, jis chiz ko tu galat faimi ka naam de raha hai, uski jadein kahi bohot andar gadi hai. Tu soch meri baat Par . Bas, ek baat bata du, mujhe avni pasand hai. "  bebe told him, directly looking into his eyes and left neil back with more in line with his thoughts than ever before. 

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After making avni sleep, neela sat down with the Khannas and discussed what had transpired.  

While bebe filled them onto what discussion she had with neil.

"sirf teen din bohot kam samay hota hai, aese mein kaise hum dono  se haan expect karein?" Neela asked, for she knew Avni though longed for a family, was definitely not ready for that this instant.

"dekh, neela, neil se mene baat ki hai, aur mano ya na mano wo avni ko chahne laga hai, hum unhe thoda aur time dede toh?"

 Bebe said

"par bebe kya keh ke vacations extends kareinge. Neil kaam ka excuse de kar humari baat ki tie tie fish kar dega."

"agar hum neil ko hi plan mein shamil kar lein?" bebe asked?

"nahi. Mere paas ek idea hai, agar aapko aetraaz na ho Neela ji." prakash said with a conviction lacing his voice. He had put his businessman mind to good use.

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So this is the next part. Right here. 

What is prakash's plan?

Will they include neil?

Has Neil really realized that he loves avni?

When will avni realize? 

Answers to above questions in the forthcoming chapters which will be way way sooner than before. And that's a promise. 

Please leave a comment if you liked this. And tell me what else do you want as an improvement in my writing? A feedback really gets me going and puts a lot of things into perspective. AND THANK YOU