Thank you all for your votes and comments.

Please ignore the mistakes. Happy reading!😊

Target: 100 votes

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"Shona!", Bijoy's voice echoed across the room sending chills through her spine. She stood numb unable to sink into the recent happenings as her heart started racing in fear sensing her father approaching towards her. "What's happening here?", he asked making her gulp down in fear. Never in her life she felt this nervous, not even when she was caught red handed while sneaking into their neighbour's house. Even now she is caught red handed but the situation she is in, is completely different and she couldn't understand how to react.

"Where is Ramu and his friend?", Bijoy asked looking around the empty hall. "They.. They left it seems", shona replied stammering. "They left even without informing anyone! Did they tell you why they came here for?", he asked her confused. "No papa.. They asked for water and so I went inside. When I came back, they were not here", she lied looking down nervously. He nodded looking at the empty glass in her hand doubtedly and she rushed inside without sparing anymore look.

***

"Will you be mine?", Dev's words flashed through her mind and shona woke up with a jolt. Calming down her raging breath, she looked around and found her mother sleeping beside her peacefully. She gulped down reminiscing what happened that day. Never in her dreams she thought that she will have to face such a situation in her life. A person proposing her, that too in her own house. Ofcourse he was not some random person, he was Dev, the first man she ever liked. Yes she very well knew that she likes him, but was that the same as how he feels for her. Did she actually love him?

It's true that she could feel safe around him, comfortable with him even if he was flirting with her and ofcourse she loved to spend time with him but still, wasn't love a big word? Even if it's love, will it ever work out between them? Though she had done so many mischievous things in the past, she knew she could never have the courage to go against her father, not at all. He was a very strict and orthodox person and she very well knew that he will never accept Dev. Her mind alerted that agreeing to Dev will only complicate things but her heart said something else.

She stood up careful enough to not disturb her mother's sleep and slowly walked towards the window. She could see the full moon shining brightly in the dark stars studded sky. To the world, that night was a peaceful one, but not for her. "I don't want to push you to the edge shona. But it's getting difficult for me, to stay in the same place where you are and not even getting to look at you. Shona, I will be waiting for you tomorrow. You know where you should come. If you didn't come I will understand that you don't want me and I will go back to where I came from and will never return", his words ran through her mind and she felt someone squeezing her heart.

Her heart felt so heavy, even with the thought that he was leaving her. Then will she be able to bear it when it happens for real? She can't understand. She wondered from when did he became so important to her. It's been only a few days since they met, but why was she craving for his presence in her life, she didn't know. She felt bad, bad for herself, bad for him and bad for her family who always trusted her. On one hand she wanted to stop Dev from leaving but what right she had to stop him? Even if she did, what will she say to her parents who trusted her with all their heart.

Finally, she made a decision and turned around but her eyes widened in shock on seeing the person infront of her. "Dev!", her voice came out more of a whisper as he moved towards her and caged her between the wall. "What..are..you..doing..here?", she asked him fumbling glancing at her sleeping mother frequently, as he inched towards her. Her heart pounded in her chest seeing him impossibly closer to her. "Sshhh... Breath", he said huskily and she felt her heart melting like a puddle. She parted her lips to say something but words failed to leave her mouth sensing his intense gaze on her.

"Are you thinking about me?", he asked her who was already staring at him. She was about to nod in a yes but quickly shook her head in a no making him smile to himself. "I know, you are", he said smiling making her go weak in her knees. "No.. I didn't", she said stammering as he smirked at her. "I also know that you love me", he said smiling and her heart skipped a beat. And before she could gather her words, he continued. "And that's why you can see me now", he said smiling at her mischievously making her confused. "You mean..", she was about to say something but he interrupted her.

"Sshhh.. Stop thinking from here shona", he pointed towards her head. "Think from here", he said pointing towards her heart. "You will get all you answers", he completed with a bright smile. "Don't confuse yourself much shona. Don't think about anything else. Only think about us. Think about the moments we spent together and imagine what if it got to happen for all our life", he said and sensed her lips curving up a little. "I want you shona.. I want us... Don't you want the same too?", he asked her as she stared into his eyes.

"Stop me only if you want me, if you want us. I will be waiting for you", he said moving behind and she stood numb staring at his retreating figure. And within a blink of an eye, he disappeared all of sudden making her shocked. She blinked her eyes twice to realise what had happened a while ago but she couldn't really get anything. Did Dev really come to meet her now or was she imagining him all the while? She wondered staring at the place where he disappeared. Though she knew the chances of latter were much she couldn't come to any terms why was she imagining about him. Did he really got control of her mind her heart, making her imagine things that never happened, she wondered.

She looked at her hand and reminisced how Dev held it. He was so gentle yet possessive. Her lips curved up a little, reminiscing his confession. His each and every word made her realise how much she meant to him. Ofcourse she trusts him, with all her heart. His eyes held nothing but truth. The way he talked to her, the way he behaved with her, everything was pure. Every moment spent with him felt like a dream to her, a beautiful dream from which she never wanted to wake up. She didn't even regret a single moment spent with him. Everything seemed to be right when they were together. Then why was she refusing? What was she ignoring? Was she really not in love or was she trying to convince herself by thinking so, she wondered.

"Shona, why are you awake?", her mother asked her breaking her reverie. She quickly straightened herself and sat beside her. "Nothing Maa. I don't feel sleepy", she tried to cover up as her mother sat upright. "Are you fine shona? You seemed to be worried since past two days. What happened to you?", Asha asked her worriedly. Never had she seen her daughter this lost before. The girl who hardly stays at home didn't even step out in those two days much to her surprise. Adding to her worries, she always seemed to be lost in her thoughts forgetting about the surroundings.

"Maa can I sleep here?", shona asked pointing towards her lap making her surprised. Asha gave her a pleasant smile and stretched her hands wide gesturing her to go ahead. Shona smiled back a little and placed her head on her mother's lap as she started caressing her hair slowly. "Can I ask you something?", she asked her mother to which she nodded at her in a yes. "How much do you and papa trust me?", she asked and her mother chuckled. "What kind of question is this shona? We both trust you so much even more than ourselves", she said still stroking her hair. "Do you think that I will ever do something wrong?", she asked nervously.

"Not everyone can be right all the time. So I can't say that you will always be right. But we have a strong faith in you shona. We always trust that you will never do something that will make us feel bad", she said with a tight lipped smile. "Are you sure Maa?", she asked sitting upright and her mother nodded at her. "We both love you so much shona. Even more than your brother. Because you are the first one who made us know how being a parent feels like. You gave a new meaning to our lives. You made us proud", she said caressing her head. "And I know you can never upset us. But why are you asking this now?", she asked as shona thought for a while.

"Nothing Maa. I felt like asking so", she said with a tight lipped smile. "Don't worry about anything shona. We will always be by your side because we know whatever you do, you will never hurt anyone, even by mistake", she said confidently. "I promise Maa, I will never hurt anyone", she said with an assuring smile and asha too reciprocated the same. "Now stop thinking much and sleep", she said and shona nodded lying beside her. It wasn't often when she had any matured talk with her daughter or they never had the need to. But now, though things were turning out to be different, she felt good. She realised how quickly her daughter has grown up and smiled to herself.

***

"Dev bhaiya, do you think that shona will come? It's already going to be night", Ramu said as they both sat outside the mandap near the river. Dev had been waiting for her since morning but there were no traces of her much to his worries. In addition to that, Ramu was constantly bugging him to get back to home because Dev was even making him to starve to death along with himself. But Dev didn't want to lose the hope. He somehow knew that his shona will come to him and so he decided to wait for her. But somewhere even his hope was diminishing with every passing minute.

***

Shona rushed towards the river side, panting heavily. After a sleepless night and an over confusing day, she couldn't help herself from stopping Dev. She can't really understand what she was feeling for him, but the thought that he would leave her forever made her feel horrible. Though it's been only a few days since they got to know each other, she couldn't deny the fact that he became a part of her routine. She got used to his presence and he became her habit, the good habit that never dies. Without meeting him or talking to him for a whole day made her feel so miserable. She didn't know if she was doing it for him or her own self but she wanted to stop him as soon as possible.

"Shona!", she heard someone and turned around to see Ramu. She looked behind him searching for someone but there was none. "Finally you came!", Ramu said as she stopped for a while. "Where.. is.. Dev?", she asked him trying to control her raging breathes. She was literally running from her home to meet him, but he didn't seemed to be present anywhere. "You should have been a little earlier shona", Ramu said as she looked at him wide eyed. "Why? Where is he?", she asked him shocked. "He was waiting here for you since morning. But..", he stopped as she looked at him in horror. "But what? Where did he go?", she asked him gulping down nervously.

"He.. He went back to London", he completed and she felt a gush of cold air pass through her. She stood numb unable to register his words. 'Did Dev really left her all alone as he said? Isn't he going to come back ever?' Various thoughts rushed over her mind and her eyes pooled up with tears. She felt her heart getting heavier with the thought that he will no more be a part of her life. He left her forever and that's the truth, her mind screamed but her heart failed to understand that simple thing. She didn't know from when, but tears started flowing from her eyes uncontrollably. She covered her face with her palm and her sobs grew louder with every second. She can't understand why she was crying but she wanted to let everything out. She promised her mother that she will hurt no one. But now, she hurted him as well as her.

Her heart pricked with the thought that she couldn't ever get to see him, forever. And she felt like a loser, a big loser, who lost the one she loved. Yes, she loved him and she realised that, the very moment she heard that he left her. But it's too late and she very well knew that he is not going to come back to her and that made her feel the worst. Suddenly she felt someone's hand on her shoulder and stopped sensing who it is. She turned around and was shocked to see Dev standing infront of her. "Shona, why are you crying?", he asked her worriedly looking at her tear stricken face. Her eyes were swollen and she looked like a complete mess.

Unable to hold it anymore she wrapped her arms around him hugging him tightly and he stood still for a moment taken aback by her sudden gesture. She pulled him closer towards herself making herself believe that he was actually there and she was not dreaming again. Confused by her sudden actions, he too wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back trying to calm her down. Ramu who was seeing all this, quickly turned around shutting his eyes tightly. "Shona you are making me panicked. What happened to you?", Dev asked her nervously and sensing his shirt turning wet, he pulled her away and cupped her face.

"Sshhh.. It's okay. Tell me what happened", he asked her wiping her tears. But instead, she quickly pushed him away making him shocked. "What?", he asked her confused and she gave him a death glare. "You fooled me", she said sniffing angrily. "What! I didn't do anything", he said shocked and she narrowed her eyes at him. "Ramu told me that you left to London. It was all your plan isn't it?", she said stomping her foot angrily. Dev looked Ramu who gave him a meek smile and before Dev could kill him, he ran away from the place.

"I didn't know anything. It was Ramu who did that. Promise", he said pinching his throat but she looked away from him. "You know what, I came here running like a maniac to stop you. But you fooled me. Such a..", she said gritting her teeth in annoyance but he interrupted her. "Wait! You came here to stop me!!", he said surprised and she nodded still looking away from him. "But why?", he asked her smiling one sidedly. "Because you should take me wherever you go", she said narrowing her brows at him. "Why so?", he asked her knowing what was coming. "As if you don't know", she murmured audible enough to him making his smile grow wider.

"I want to hear it from you", he said grabbing her hand and pulling her closer towards him. Her breath hitched sensing him staring into her eyes intently as he wrapped his arms around her petite waist not letting her move. "Because..", she fumbled as he asided her flicks gently. "Because?", he asked placing his hand where it was before and staring into her eyes, making her go weak in her knees. "I am yours", she said softly looking at him, making his heart flutter. For the first time in his life, he felt complete, he felt home. The feeling that there is someone who belongs only to him, made him feel like the most luckiest person alive on earth. His lips curved up and she sensed her cheeks heating up. But before he could tease her further more, she quickly hugged him, hiding herself in his hold making him feel like a new born.

"And you are mine", she whispered in him as he possessively wrapped his arms around her kissing her hair. "What took you so long?", he asked her and she looked upto him. "Good things take time", she said making his lips curve up. "But what if I actually left to London?", he asked her. "I would have came there too. You didn't know how fast I can run", she said proudly as he chuckled. "Will you come to London all the way running? Do you know where it is?", he asked her giggling. "Near Varanasi only right? I will reach there within a few days", she said and he giggled aloud. "Even if you go to another world, I will follow you. You can't escape from me, atleast not in this birth", she said placing her head on his chest, hearing his rhythmic heartbeats. "But I will follow you even in the next birth", he said keeping her closer to himself as they both stood in each other's hold, sinking in each other's warmth, celebrating their oneness, far away from the cruel world, that was hell bent on separating them.

**End of flashback**

Sonakshi's lips curved up unaware to herself as she was so engrossed in reading the diary. She didn't know why but she felt so connected to it. And with every passing day, it grew stronger. "Sona..", Elena called her entering the room and sonakshi on hearing her quickly hid the book under the duvet. "Sona, what are you hiding from me?", Elena asked narrowing her brows doubtedly. "No.. No.. Nothing. Why should I hide something from you?", she asked her and gave her a nervous smile increasing her doubt all the more. Not that she wanted to hide anything from her, but she didn't have the energy to reveal the entire story to her dramaqueen friend. And also at the tiniest corner of her heart, she wished to keep it as a secret, all to herself.

"No, you didn't even know how to lie. Show me what you are hiding", she said hopping on the bed and trying to take what she hid from her but Sonakshi was quick to cover it. "Ele, there is nothing here. You are wasting your energy", Sonakshi said but elena was adamant on knowing the secret while Bruno was sitting quietly and watching the two crazy friends doing weird things. "From when did you start hiding things from me sona?", Elena asked her and slipped her hand inside the duvet trying to pull the book out but stopped hearing someone.

"What are you both doing?", Dev who just entered the room asked them shocked. Elena was almost on top of Sonakshi crushing her totally while sonakshi was trying to get herself free from her hold. Seeing Dev at the doorstep, Elena quickly stood straight and corrected her disheveled appearance. "No.. We.. were.. Just.. Playing", she gave him a sly smile while he looked at her weirdly. Sonakshi finally sat upright, not before hiding the diary from elena's prying eyes. "Playing? I don't think Ms. Bose is in any condition to play", he said and walked towards sonakshi. "Are you okay?", he asked her placing his palm on her forehead, checking her temperature to which she nodded at her giving him a tight lipped smile.

"And, why are you like this?", Dev asked elena who looked at him confused. She quickly peeked into the mirror and her eyes widened looking at her disheveled state. Her hair was all over her face, her shorts looked ragged, from she don't know when and she completely looked like a pathetic roadside begger. Her face turned red in embarrassment as she glanced at sonakshi who tried to control her giggles and gave her a death glare. In her curiosity to find Sonakshi's secret she herself looked like a fool infront of the person, whom she never wanted to see her in such a state. "I will be back in a minute", she said and rushed out of the room not before giving another death glare to sonakshi.

"Did she hurt you?", Dev asked sonakshi sitting beside her. "She is my best friend. She will never hurt me", Sonakshi said confidently. "By the way what were you both doing when I was entering in?", Dev asked her and gesturing him to wait she took out the diary that she was hiding under the duvet. "I was reading the diary and she saw that it seems. So she was behind me to know what it was", she said. "Then you should've shown it to her right? Why didn't you do that?", he asked her. "I didn't feel like saying this to anyone", she said caressing the front page. "Then you shouldn't have told this to me too. But why did you do so?", he asked her smirking and she looked up at him. "Because you are the one who gave this diary to me. So what's the point in hiding it from you?", she asked him. "So, that's the only reason!", he asked her smirking and she nodded at him in a big yes.

"Mr. Dixit, why are you always around me? Don't you have any other work to do today?", she asked him annoyed. It's been more than an hour since he entered her room and he was glued to the chair beside her. "Even I don't want to. But it was your doctor..", he was about to say something but she cut him off. "Don't blame my doctor again. I am fit and fine. So you can leave now", she said irritatedly. No one has ever given her this much attention as him. Not that she was complaining but she didn't want to get used to it. "Ms. Bose, did you forget the challenge between us?", he asked her as she looked at him confused.

"Which challenge?", she asked narrowing her eyes at him. "The challenge in which I won. The one we made on the day you fainted", he said and the memories of that day flashed through her mind. The horrible moments she spent in Devrath's room and the image of the picture of herself she saw on the wall, which then disappeared suddenly, still made a shiver run through her spine. "Don't tell me you forgot that", he said breaking her reverie. "No, I didn't", she replied to him absent mindedly. "That's good! Then it's time to obey the winner's words. Are you ready Ms. Bose?", he asked her excitedly as she rolled her eyes off him. "What if I said no?", she asked him averting her gaze from him.

"Then it means that you are not brave enough", he said casually. "What no! Tell me what to do and I will show you how brave I am", she said and he smirked at her. "You should grant me three wishes Ms. Bose", he said and she looked at him confused. "Do I look like a genie to you, the one with bald head and fat stomach?", she asked him annoyed while he chuckled. "Not only genies grand wishes. Even angels do", he said smiling at her and she sighed at him tiredly. He was flirting with her, yet again, shamelessly. "So, what are the three wishes?", she asked him. "First, promise me that you will do them for sure", he said and she rolled her eyes off him. "As if you will leave me if I didn't", she said and he chuckled. Giving up, she promised making his smile grow wider.

"First one is, you shouldn't ask me to leave you alone. I will come to visit you whenever I want to and you should be okay with that. But don't worry, I will always respect your privacy and will never cross my line", he said and she looked at him blankly. Is this even a wish, she wondered. If she would've been in his place, then she would've asked her entire properties, but this man was asking permission to be with her only much to her surprise. "But..", she was about to say something but he interrupted her. "If you didn't agree, then you are not brave", he said and she sighed tiredly. "Okay", she said giving up and he smiled at her widely.

"So, from now on I will never leave you alone", he said and she mentally facepalmed herself for agreeing to the stupid challenge. "Even if you go to another world, I will follow you", he said and her heart skipped a beat. She looked up at him who was already staring at her and the words that she read from the diary, flashed through her mind making her heart pound aloud in her chest.

"Even if you go to another world, I will follow you. You can't escape from me, atleast not in this birth"

"But I will follow you even in the next birth"

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Was Dev hinting onto something? And what will be his other two wishes?

Precap : Elena to come across Devrath! 🙈

This week is going to be hectic for me but I will try my level best to post the update by weekend. I have a few assessments lined up this week and I wish to ace it successfully so that I can give you the update with a pleasant mood. And from now only, we are going to enter into the actual story. So, gear up for lots of twists and turns!

My other works,

# Falling for you.. [COMPLETED]

# A Journey towards her.. [COMPLETED]

# My Little Paradise - A sequel to AJTH [COMPLETED]

# All Credits To Love - A Sharica OS

# Mine - A Devakshi OS

# Happy Ending - A Sharica OS

For more updates and spoilers follow my instagram account 'mishti7593'

Next update will be on next weekend 😊

~See you soon ❤️