In Continuation:

It was a cheat-meal day for Neil & he very happily made way to his favourite restaurant. This restaurant held a nostalgic significance to him, his grandfather used to bring him here every Sunday. And since then, it was his favourite restaurant. 

He greeted the security guard while entering the place & then started walking towards his usual table only to find that it was already occupied. But, instead of getting disappointed, his heart did a few flutters upon seeing the occupants. 

N- I didn't know we've quite similar tastes! -he said as he stood besides Avni. 

Surprised, Avni turned towards him & stood up to greet him. 

A- Hello Neil! I..didn't expect to see you here! -she smiled. 

N(frown)- Why so?  

A- I mean, its not that of a big place & you're....

N- Ah!! Cut it! I am not a celebrity here but a normal man who really wants to have a dinner date with this amazing lady over here! -he said, taking her aback! Not forgetting to note her expressions, he immediately turned towards Seher. Hey, Sugarboo! You remember me, right? Can I join you for dinner? -he asked while sitting on his knees in front of her. 

S- Mumma, Can we have dinner with Buddy? Please! -she asked politely making Neil smile while Avni nodded in agreement. 

A- Please, have  a seat, Neil. 

N- Why are you always so formal with me? -he said while sitting across her, besides Seher. 

A- Ah! I.. -she didn't really know what to say, so just smiled a little. 

N- So, Sugarboo! Tell me about yourself, yeah? What is your favourite cartoon? Do you watch Kitretsu? I so loved watching him as  a kid! 

S- You watch Kitretsu? I love it too! -she told being visibly excited.

N- I do! 

The rest of the dinner was more like a family date. Midway into the dinner, Neil had made Seher sit on his lap & he himself fed her. Not for a moment, it looked like that they had just met. The conversation flew easily, they talked about their respective careers, hobbies, future goals & of course, Seher made her presence felt time-to-time. 

Neil enjoyed Seher's company as much as he did Avni's. And it wasn't because he wanted to pursue Avni, but the connection with Seher was natural & came out on its own!

Done with the dinner, they split the bill on Avni's insistence & then made their way towards the exit. 

"Sir, there is media around. You shouldn't go out with Ma'am, or else it might just hype rumours!" -the manager came to Neil just when they were about to exit. 

N- But how did they know? I didn't even use my car to get here! 

Manager- They might have known somehow, Sir! Why don't you use the back-door? It will open towards the Vihar Complex. 

N- Okay! Thanks, Sir! -he smiled which the manager reciprocated. 

Coming out of the restaurant, they walked through the narrow streets which led to the Vihar Complex, which happened to be Avni's home too!

A- Ah Neil!

N- Yeah? 

A- I stay in this complex. So, why don't you wait here till the media is dispersed. You can then go back to get your bike in front of the restaurant & get back home! -she offered while she caressed a sleepy Seher's head in her arms. 

N- Avni, I don't want to be a problem for you! I mean, your landlord might have an issue with that!

A- Its not like that. Moreover, I own the flat, so it won't be an issue, you can stay for a while. 

N(smiles)- Alright then! Thanks!  

A- Who is being formal now? -she asked sarcastically making him laugh. 

Getting into the apartment, first thing Avni did was to lay Seher on the bed, covering her with the blanket properly while Neil just looked around the house. It was not a very lavish apartment but it was cozy & much to his liking, the interior of the house had a vintage aesthetic for which Neil's love knew no bounds. 

Strolling around the house without a care in the world, he accidently stumbled upon the doormat of Avni's bedroom & in a reflex, he shrieked. In an instant, Avni was beside him, looking at him with a confused frown on her face while he was trying to stable himself with the support of the rack that was placed there. 

A- What happened? 

N- No-nothing! Just...uh...I thought to work out a little....the dinner was heavy, no! -he flashed a sheepish smile while she shook her head in amusement. 

A- Coffee? 

N- Um, sure! 

With that, Avni moved into the kitchen while Neil followed her like a lost puppy, lovesick puppy actually! 

N- You have a nice house! Warm & fuzzy! -he smiled as he complimented her. 

She didn't say anything, just smiled looking at him as her focus was on beating the coffee mix. 

A- So, how does it feel to be a celebrity, Neil? Hero wali feeling aati hogi na? -she joked while handing the cup of coffee to him. 

N(chuckles)- No yeah! Main koi hero thodi hun! I am just a player who represents his nation. -he said being humble. 

A- Exactly! You're right! Pta nhi kyu log tumhe hero ki tarah treat krte hain! -she sipped her coffee while trying to hide her smile. 

N- Huh? -that's all what he could utter. It was the first time that some girl had no interest in the fact that he was celebrity. Nhi, matlab...I do look like  a hero! I mean...I am handsome, you know! Not my words, I get that a lot from girls, boys too! Haan...matlab hero na sahi, hero jaisa toh ho hun hi!  -he explained & Avni couldn't stop herself from laughing out loud. What? Why would you laugh at that? I am serious! - he defended.

A- You're not a day older than Seher! -she said while he just gave her a poker face.

___________________________ 

A week had passed since Avni had dinner with Neil, & the last  week had been quite hectic for her at work. She had to leave Seher with her mother, Neela during the day & would only get to see her in the evening, once work was over. 

She now knew Neil's routine. He would start working out & practicing his game sharp at 5 in the morning & he along with the team practiced till 5 in the evening with breaks in between, of course. It had become a routine to drink her evening coffee with Neil at around 5:30 in the evening as it was the time he would finally be free from practice & she also took a quick twenty minutes break at that time. 

Sometimes they talked, sometimes they video called Seher & sometimes they just sat with each other in companionable silence. Avni liked his company, those were the only twenty minutes during her whole day at work that she looked forward to. He made her laugh with his silly jokes & would then astonish her right in the next moment with his deep understanding of things. She liked the way he looked at things with such simplicity & sheer innocence. 

It was weekend finally & Avni was going to the beach along with Seher in order to spend some quality time with her. Neil was supposed to meet them at the beach as Seher had almost thrown a fit at home because she wanted to see Neil. Although she wouldn't admit, but secretly, Avni liked the idea of Neil joining - it felt natural. 

As she reached the spot & walked towards the beach, she saw that Neil was already standing there - with two cotton candies & a bunch of balloons in his hands. She waved at him while Seher almost jumped out of her arms to run to Neil. Just as she reached closer to Neil, he handed the bunch of balloons to Seher & asked Avni to hold the cotton candies as he took Seher in his arms. 

She laughed as she watched him swing Seher in the air while holding her by her shoulders firmly. Avni couldn't remember the last time someone had made her so happy just by the smallest of gestures. Neil didn't need to do something grand to make her heart flutter - just a simple smile, a look of his eyes & his mere presence was enough for Avni to feel happy - and it scared her! She was not supposed to feel that way! 

Neil & Seher played with water while running after each other for quite sometime while Avni watched them while sitting on the sand. Neil had made sure that his faced was as less visible as possible as he had covered his head with a cap & was wearing sunglasses. After almost an hour, he finally made his way towards Avni while carrying Seher in his arms & they sat beside her. 

By the time Avni fed Seher the fruits that she had been carrying with her, she was very sleepy from exhaustion. Neil carried her in his arms & settled her at the backseat of his car as he set the temperature of the AC of the car so that she won't feel hot. 

Just when they themselves were about to get seated in the car in order to leave, Neil saw that Avni was looking in a particular direction for quite some time now! Following her line sight, he noticed that there was an ice cream vendor that she was looking at. 

N - Avni, would you like some ice-cream? - he asked nonchalantly. 

A - Huh? - she asked not having catch up with his words. 

Chuckling, Neil made his way towards the ice-cream vendor & fetched them both an ice-cream each. Walking up to her, he handed her one of the ice creams & opened the door of the car for her to sit. 

Fighting the urge to bite back a smile, Avni sat in the car while Neil settled in the driving seat. 

A - Ah, Thankyou! - she said smiling while he just looked at her with raised eye-brows. We both know who wanted the ice-cream. - she said amusedly.

Neil just shook his head in amusement & adjusted the rear view mirror of the car so that he could keep an eye at Seher. However, after minutes of silence, Neil finally looked at Avni which made her raise her eye-brows at him. 

N - Jo chahiye hota hai, maang lena chahiye! - he said while looking at her intently while she just blinked at him knowing fully well that he wasn't talking about the ice cream anymore. [* Whatever you want, you should ask for it!*]

A - Maangne se sab nhi milta, Neil. - she spoke after sometime. [* You don't get everything by asking, Neil.*]

N - Tum maang ke toh dekho! Agar kismat mein hoga toh milega hi. [* You ask for it! You will definitely get it if it is in your destiny.*]

A - Kismat pe bharosa nhi krti main! - she turned her face away as she looked out of the window. [* I don't believe in destiny anymore!*]

Neil did not speak for a while, he just leaned back against his seat as he licked his ice-cream. 

N - Kabhi kabhi jo cheezein humein galat lag rhi hoti hain, woh asal mein blessing in disguise bhi ho sakti hain! Isliye bharosa karna sikho - khud par bhi aur kismat par bhi! - he looked at her through his eyes while still leaning on the seat as a deep breathe left his chest. [* Sometimes the things that seem wrong to us can even be blessing in disguise! Therefore, learn to trust - both on yourself and on fate! *]

Avni did not say anything, she just looked at him as she too, leaned against her seat. Both of them just stared at each other for a while in complete silence. 

N - Now, finish your ice-cream before it melts! - he flicked her nose & laughed in order to lighten up the mood making Avni roll her eyes as she hid a smile. 

 ___________________________

A few weeks had passed. The event for which Mrs. Sinha was approached as the designer for the Football Team had passed by well, but what didn't pass by were the feelings that Neil had for Avni, in fact, Avni too, had started harbouring the same for Neil. They used to have long conversations during the night where both of them told each about their day, their thoughts, their opinions about what was going around in the country, world, discussed about music & all other arts, parenting sometimes. 

Neil used to go out with Seher when Avni was on work & the two shared an unbreakable bond. The father figure which Seher had never got to know about, she found it in Neil. 

Although Avni wouldn't accept it, but in the heart of hearts, she had fallen for Neil, but of course, it wasn't easy for her to accept it. So, she simply hid her feelings, & when that wasn't an option anymore, she started denying them. She told herself that he was just a friend, that she & Neil had no future together, that she did not need anyone in her life - Seher was enough! And, Seher indeed was enough, but when is life about the needs? It has always been about the wants & will always be! 

On the other hand, there was no denial to Neil's feelings now! He was ready to start a new phase in his life. He was quite vocal & obvious about his feelings for Avni & Seher. He had even decided to let Avni know about how he felt about her, the next chance he got. 

____________________________

Getting Seher ready, Avni was getting ready to go the stadium to watch the match that Neil had today. Looking at the mirror, she felt as if she looking at a whole new Avni, a different one, a better one! More confident, more independent & more happy! And now she knew the reason behind her newself too! However, it was to be kept as a secret! Well, that's what she thought! 

Kal nhi thi jo, 

Aaj lagti hun!

Taarif meri, hai khamakha, 

Tohfa hai tera, meri adaa!

_______________