"Derr se hi sahi magar tu mila toh haina, dheere dheere sahi magar faasla mita toh haina!" 

Every fibre in Neil's body wanted to stop the car & run back to Avni. The more he tried to stay firm on his resolve, the more her teary eyes flashed in front of his vision. He no more knew if the distance was actually even going to work for him or not. 

He was looking outside the window when his eyes fell on someone standing at the roadside besides their car. The built of the man looked immensely familiar. Neil asked the driver to stop the car when he recognized that the person standing on the roadside was Prakash, his father. 

Stepping down the car, he walked up to Prakash whilst his face contoured into a frown of confusion.

N - Dad? Aap yahan? - he asked.

P - Udaipur jaa rhe ho? - Prakash looked at him while Neil just nodded, still confused. Hum do minute baat kar skte hain? - he asked hesitantly & all Neil could do was nod again.

They sat in Prakash's car & it was completely silent for a few minutes. Neil didn't know what to make out of his father's sudden appearance. He had talked to Bebe that morning & told her about Udaipur, so Neil assumed that Bebe must have told Prakash about him leaving.  

N - What is it, Dad? Is everything okay? - he finally asked when the silence became too thick to handle.

P - Bahut dair kardi na maine? - he asked lowly as he looked at Neil. 14 saal hogye aur main tumse kabhi keh hi nahi paya ki Beta, I love you! Itni simple si baat thi. But I couldn't say. I'm sorry, Neil. - he spoke as his voice turned gruff when a lone tear escaped his eye.

N - No, Dad! Please don't. - he said as he shook his head while wiping his Dad's tears. I'm sorry too. Maine bhi toh kabhi nahi kaha aapse! - he spoke as his own eyes turned glassy.

Prakash took in a deep breathe as he looked at his son. I need to do it today. For my son! Probably the only chance I can actually be a father to him. I can't fail him this time! - he thought.

P - Neil, Your mother & I, we had met each other in college, we loved each other & then got married. Had you after three years of marriage & life was perfect. Blissful. - he said & Neil could see his eyes looked hazed, as if he was in trance, probably picturing their happy moments together. But then, the same eyes turned glassy again. Phir dheere dheere kaam ka itna pressure badh gya ki main time hi nahi de paya tumhari Mom ko. Ek gap aagya tha humare bich! - he took in a breathe. Prakash was looking at his empty hands now that were lying on his lap. Usse lga ki I'm cheating on her, jab ki aisa kuch tha nahi! I had always loved her, will always do! - he looked up at Neil. Par apni ego mein maine bhi kabhi clarify nahi kiya! One misunderstanding led to another, & one fight led to another. We didn't realise ki hum kab ek-dusre se itna door ho gye ki woh distance khatam karna impossible ho gya tha! One day, I came back home & Shweta was no more. - he voice cracked & Neil inhaled sharply. And so was my will to live, no more! Main zinda bas isliye rha ke tumhe provide kar sakun. Par I failed you too! - he held Neil's hand in his. Main tumhara baap kabhi ban hi nahi paaya! Neil, main tumse nahi kahunga ki tum ruk jao ya mat jao, par bas woh galtiyan mat karna jo maine ki thi! - he said & Neil listened to him with all his attention. Beta, humein naa, humesha aisa lagta hai ki bahut waqt hai humare paas! Aur jo humare log hain woh kahan jaane wale hain? Humein lagta hai ki woh toh humesha wahin rahenge.....jahan humne unhein chhoda tha! Aur yeh sabse badi galti hai jo hum karte hain! - he exhaled through his mouth & gave Neil's hand a firm squeeze. Toh agar tum kisi se pyaar karte ho, toh aaj hi keh do. Yeh jo aajkal tumhari generation ne trend chalaya hai na - Ki tum hi se door hun kyuki tumse pyaar karta hun! Don't fall in this pit. - he shook his head as if requesting Neil not to repeat history by making the same mistakes he made. Hum aaj ek-dusre ko takleef dein, yeh sochkar ki isse humara kal achha hoga, isse badi bewakoofi kya ho skti hai? - he said.

N - Dad, I really really love her. But, how do I give her the love that she deserves? And, how do I expect her to love me when I don't love myself! - he voiced out his concerns. Breathing became ragged & heart ached because how difficult it had become to pump blood all of a sudden.

P - Neil, itna aasan agar hota na toh sabki life bahut simple hoti! It's a process Beta, it takes years to love yourself. - he said. And to love yourself, you'll need to value yourself. Aur maine dekha ki Avni tujhe woh sense of value deti hai, woh tujhe worth it feel karwati hai! Main yeh nahi keh rha ki uske bina tu khudse pyaar nahi kar payega, but Beta, it's not always that we find people who actually love us & wish good for us without wanting anything back. And, it's even more rare that you love the same person back, with the same intensity. Aise logon ko jaane nahi dena chahiye! - he rubbed his arm before he patted him lightly. Tujhe khud ke upar kaam karna hai, tu kar! Par saath mein apne aur Avni ke relationship pe bhi kaam kar! Time kisike liye rukta nahi hai, Neil. You'll have to balance all these things together, shehar badalne se problems nahi badlengi. - he pressed & Neil's mind whirled with the endless mess of thoughts he was drowning under.

It was true that Neil had a long mile to go on his journey of self-discovery & self-love. But what Prakash said, made sense to Neil. It was probably the same thing Ali had said when he had told him to be Kabir Singh instead of Rahul Jaykar but he was a bit too adamant to save Avni from himself. May be she didn't want saving. May be all she wanted was his love. And, he could do that. He could love her! Loving her came to him more naturally than loving his own self did, for fucks sake!  

N - Do you think I should tell her? - he found himself asking as he looked into his Dad's eyes.

P - Tu bta, reh sakta hai uske bina? Ek ghante mein toh aisi haalat hai, saal kaise bitega? - he chuckled at his son's lovesick face but his heart felt at peace finally!

N - Aap le jayenge mujhe uske paas? - he asked with hopeful eyes, ignoring the way his cheeks heated up at his Dad's teasing.

P - Betaji, ab toh bas tum bahu ko ghar lekar aao! - he laughed.

N - Dad, confess toh mujhse kiya nahi jaa rha, aap shaadi ki baat kar rhe hain! - he shook his head as he tried to hide his blush.

P - Mazaq kar rha hoon! Bta kahan milegi woh? - he asked in all seriousness.

N - Aap apartment drop kardein, main dekh lunga phir! - he told.

Taking his luggage from the cab Ali had booked, Neil shifted it into Prakash's car as they left for Neil's apartment. The car ride was silent but it wasn't uncomfortable. They had a lot to catch up on. Fourteen years of distance was a lot to make up for, but both of them had a sense of determination in their hearts that they were gonna make it there. They were gonna mend their relationship.

Prakash stopped the car once they reached Neil's complex & turned in his seat looked at him.

P - Go get your happiness, Neil! - he smiled. 

N -  Dad, you didn't fail me. So, please don't think that way, okay? - he said while looking at Prakash while he just nodded. And, I love you! - he said with a smile.

P - Ghar aaja, Neil? Please. - he spoke with glassy eyes. 

N - Aap mera saamaan le jaao! Main aata hun Avni se milkar! - he said as he smiled at his Dad. 

Prakash felt a lump in his throat & was too emotional to speak anything. He just patted Neil's cheek as he smiled at him. Neil smiled back & got off the car, promising him that he'd come home that night. 

_______________

After Neil had left, Avni along with her friends left the villa. Ali & Rhea had office, while she, Kabir & Saisha went to the college. The classes felt painfully slow & dragged as all she wanted was to sleep because her head pounded with pain. Her mind went back again & again to the thoughts of one brinjalhead raajkumari & she didn't know how was she even going to make it through without having to see him. 

When sleep & painting didn't really help to take her mind off of a certain someone, she went up to the terrace of their building in the evening in order to get some air. She was standing leaning her stomach against the boundary wall as she watched the beautiful hues of orange unfolding in on the sky. 

Her mind went back to the day when she had called Neil santara! Why was he taking up all her thoughts?

Avni was just mindlessly looking out at the sky when she saw a flock of pigeons fly over their building & a small smile graced at her lips. And suddenly, while she was lost in her trance, she heard the voice she was yearning to listen since the morning. At first, she shook her head thinking that she was just being delusional hearing his voice when he was not even in the city. But when the sound didn't stop, Avni inhaled sharply as she turned around. 

He was here? She saw Neil standing in front of her, leaning against the wall as he looked at her while singing.

Tu mera thikana, mera aashiyana

Dhale shaam jab bhi, mere paas aana!

I am surely hallucinating. How could he be here? - she thought. Avni wanted to laugh at the irony of the song. Apparently, she wasn't his thikana! Or else why would he have left her. She took in a deep breathe as she still tried to shook herself out of her supposed trance.

Hai baahon mein rehna, kahin ab na jaana

Hun mehfoos inmein, bura hai zamana!

Once again Neil voiced out his thoughts in the song when words had betrayed him. He hoped that she'd understand all that he wanted to say. She always did!

Neil walked up to her till he was only a step away. He intwined his fingers with hers as he held her face with his other hand. Avni blinked her eyes as she tried to wrap her mind around the fact that he actually was there & she wasn't hallucinating. A small chuckle escaped Neil's throat as he shook his head at her hooded eyes.

Bas saare gum mein jaana, 

Sang hoon tere!

Har ek mausam mein jaana, 

Sang hoon tere!

A - You're here? - she thought out loud.

N - Where else would I be rather than with you? - he said in his low husky voice.

A - Huh? - Avni was beyond confused now. She looked at him with furrowed brows making him chuckle at how endearing she looked.

N - Do you know what song I just sang? - he asked as he looked into her eyes.

A - Juhi's favourite song. - she couldn't help the way her heart dropped a bit when she acknowledged the fact out loud.

N - No, Avnii! - he shook his head as he firmed his hold on her hand & her face. It's the song I had my first dance with you on! - he spoke sincerely, Avni could see it in his eyes.

A - Neil, uh? - she didn't want to raise her hopes too high. He didn't possibly love her. Not yet. Right? Then what was he trying to imply?

N - Koi aur nahi hai, Avnii! It's just you. Yeh gaana, aur mere saare gaane tum se hain! Avnii, mera past jaisa bhi ho, mera present aur future sirf tum ho. And I don't want it any other way. From this moment onwards, I want all my memories to be with you, about you! Main sirf tumhare saath rehna chahta hoon. Tumhara ho kar. Tumhara ban kar. Will you please allow me to? 

A - Par Neil, tum toh...you needed time, right? - she hadn't been over about the fact that he hadn't confessed his love for her yesterday. Yes, he had said that he would return to her. But did that mean that he love her? Or was she seeing too much in all of it again?

N - I still do. Avnii, look, I didn't want to leave because I thought that I couldn't love you or that I wanted to give you up to fate. No. I had just thought that I'll go, spend some time with myself, get to know about myself. It was a selfish decision. And I still don't feel that it was entirely wrong, but the thing is...I don't want to do all this alone. Dekho Avnii, aisa nahi hai ki ab se main jo bhi decisions lunga woh sab sahi honge ya jo bhi cheezein main feel karunga woh sab sahi hongi. No, I'll make my mistakes & I'll learn from them. But, at least I'll be my true self. Mujhe tumse toh koi filter rakhne ki zarurat nahi hai na! If I do something good then you may reward me with a smile, and if I do something bad, ya kabhi kuch galat ho jaye toh tum mera hath pakad kar yeh keh dena ki 'It will be all good', & I'll believe you. I'll believe ki sab kuch sach mein thik ho jayega. I want to see it all with you - the ups & the downs! 

A - I'll be right besides you, Neil. In all the ups & especially in the downs! As a friend, & as a lover. - she said as her eyes watered up. 

Neil smiled at her before wiping off the tear that escaped her eyes. He breathed against her skin as he placed his mouth on her forehead.

N - No more crying, Avnii! We're going to be happy now! - he murmured in a whisper as he kept kissing her forehead.

Avni encircled her arms around his torso as she hugged him. 

N - I love you! - he said looking at her.

A - I love you too! - she smiled.

Neil smiled back at her before fishing his hand inside his jeans pocket & taking a pendant out from it. He showed it to Avni who just looked at him, then at the pendant & then looked back at him in confusion.

N - This is my Mom's. I want you to have it. - he spoke, suddenly feeling nervous.

Avni just smiled as she turned around & shifted her hair to the side so that he could make her wear the chain. With slightly jittery hands, Neil put the pendant around Avni's neck as he clasped it. She felt the cold metal touching her skin & a sudden wave of peace rippled through her insides. Tracing her fingertip on the butterfly shaped pendant, she turned around to face Neil who looked at her in complete awe.

N - Main tumko yeh kal hi dena chahta tha, but I wasn't sure if you'd like to keep it. So, I just thought, uh, you know- - & there he was back! The shy & nervous Neil. Her brinjalhead!

Avni smiled to herself as she rose on her toes & kissed Neil on his cheek languidly. The pulled back laughing when he hissed as she bit his skin a little. Shaking his head, Neil himself laughed a little as he stood there, holding her in his arms. The sky turning a dark blue now as the new crescent moon came into view.

N - Will you be my girlfriend, Avnii? - he asked as he rubbed his nose against hers.

A - What are the options, Brinjalhead? - she laughed.

N - Well! - he pulled her closer to himself, their upper bodies touching each other. There are no options, baby! You only get to answer in positive. - he whispered in a low husky voice.

A - I'm assuming it's a Yes then! - Avni couldn't believe her own voice turned so breathy. But then, that was always the case whenever Neil was around!

N - It is a Yes! - he smiled as he kissed her forehead.

It was probably a yes since the very beginning. The football that she had thrown on him had known it, as did the wall that they had painted together. So did the numerous songs that he had sung for her & the numerous paintings she had painted of him. 

Life might not be easy, but they were going to sail through it just fine with each others' support & love. Cause that was all that really mattered. To be with each other!