At night, Devanshi, Preeta and Shivani slept in one room meanwhile Simar and Suhana slept in the other room. Preeta was actually lying and trying hard to sleep but couldn't as it was all going against her wish. She didn't have her personal bed here, even if her friends would have gone without her, she would've hardly minded it at all, at least she would have been having a good night sleep on her master size bed. She sat up and got out of the bed and opened the door walking outside. She went and sat on the couch and lied her head back while sitting. She missed her parents, the atmosphere of her hometown, each and everything but if she wouldn't have come here, she would've missed all the fun. Karan too came outside and he also didn't get a wink of sleep. He was walking to the couch to sit there but saw Preeta and startled as he didn't notice her there earlier. He sat on the armchair quietly. Preeta lifted her head and she also startled seeing him.

Pr: aap?

K: of course, ye mera ghar hai toh main toh yahan houn ga na

Pr: hmm

She said and sat with her side towards him and leaned her head on the couch sadly.

K: waise... Itna gussa kiun aa raha tha? Nahi, I never knew such girls exist, mujhe toh lagta tha ke tum jaisi larki aisi gussay wali, funny type, bas fantasy mein hoti hai, sirf stories mein

She lifted her head to look at him and chuckled.

Pr: I get triggered easily, be it anger, be it fun

K: oh, waise, you like cricket?

Pr: cricket?

She asked raising her eyebrows. He nodded.

Pr: not really, but... Sports pasand hai thora thora, volley ball, football, but cricket is not my cup of tea, kiun? Aap kiun poochh rahay ho?

He realized he didn't have to reveal it for now and shrugged.

K: aisay he, ye awkward silence ko mitaane ke liye

Preeta chuckled.

K: achha suno, ek secret bataun apna? Jo ke kisi ko nahi pata

Pr: haan lekin mujhe kiun batana hai? Haan tum ne saari larkiyo'n mein se bas mujh se he baat ki hai I understand aur humari toh first meeting bhi messed up rahi, na hum friends hain, na tum mujhe jaantay ho, toh phir kiun? Aur kya woh baat uss Rishab ko bhi nahi pata?

K: aray aray ek saans mein kitna bolo gi? Saans toh le lo... First meeting na messed up nahi, funny thi, aur hum friends nahi toh kya? Ban toh saktay hain na? Kabhi na kabhi, aur woh baat Rishab ko bhi nahi pata

Pr: hmm theek hai, bolo kya secret tha?

Karan sighed.

K: ek baar mujhe laga main ek wanted criminal hoon?

Preeta gasped.

Pr:kab? Tum se kya kisi ka khoon hua? Chori ki tumne?

K: nahi nahi relax, sun toh lo

Preeta chuckled while still scared and nodded.

Pr: bolo

K: jab main 6 saal ka tha toh main Walmart gaya tha

Pr: achha? Tum US gaye huay ho? Aur batao na tha kaisa tha Walmart? Kaisa tha baaki sab?

K: arayyy poori baat toh sun lo

Pr: okay okay

K: 6 saal ka tha, mom ke saath Walmart gaya tha, aur main Pringles kha raha tha, woh chips hotay hain na dabbay mein aatay hain, jis pe aadmi bana hota hai? (Preeta nodded) main kha raha tha aur meri mom pay kar rahi thi, lekin main woh Pringles ka dabba scanning ke liye dena bhool gaya toh main darwaze ki taraf barha aur alarm bajne laga

Pr: aur tum neend se jaag gaye?

Karan folded his arms on his chest as she didn't listen and interrupted in between.

Pr: achha achha bolo continue

K: alarm baja aur main bhaagne laga kiun ke main darr gaya, aur mujhe meri mom dhoond nahi paayi, kiun ke main newspaper stand ke peechhe chhupa tha, aur Walmart ke logo'n ne police ko bula liya

Preeta palmed her mouth while laughing.

Pr: really?

K: haan, ab main missing tha lekin tha toh newspaper ke stand ke peechhe he, aur phir achanak police ki gaari aa gayi aur main bhaaga kiun ke mujhe laga main criminal ban gaya hoon aur ab juvenile jaana pakka hai mera, God

Pr: phir phir?

K: maine mom ko newspaper pe note likh kar chhor diya ke main Mexico ja raha hoon ek nayi zindagi ki shuruwat karne, aur woh mujhe dhoondne na aaein

Preeta burst out laughing and got tears in her eyes due to laughing.

Pr: chhota 6 saal ka bacha Mexico jaye ga? Without money? Without visa? Without anything? Kuchh bhi?

K: saari baatein real hai, poochh lena mom se subah

Preeta composed herself and sighed and he continued.

K: main pringles ka woh dabba le kar bhaaga aur kuchh ek ghantay ke liye bhaagta raha aur phir police ko main dikh gaya road pe chalta hua, unho ne gaari roki aur main phir bhaagna shuru

Pr: looks like Bhagam Bhaag movie

K: haan na, main phir se bhaagne laga aur unho ne woh use kiya kya hota hai woh intercom type?

Pr: walkie talkie?

K: haan same wohi cheez, unho ne kaha ke ruk jao, main ruk gaya, mujhe laga woh log hathkarri pehnaane walay hain mujhe

Pr: police hathkarri he pehnaye gi na, kangan toh pehnaye gi nahi

K: tum kitna kaat'ti ho beech mein se... Mujhe laga jail ho jaye gi mujhe, main ronay laga aur police walay ko thappar laga di maine

Preeta laughed.

Pr: haww seriously? Jail toh pakki hui ho gi phir?

K: noooo, something else, is ke baad phir bhaagne ki koshish ki lekin unho ne mujhe jhakkad liya aur poochha ke mujhe kya hua hai, maine saari baat batayi toh woh log ek doosre ko dekh kar hassne lagay, becharay kya kya soch rahay hongay, bacha kidnap ho gaya, kya nahi socha ho ga.

Pr: phir?

K: phir kya? Police officer me mom ko 2 dollars diye pringles ke dabbay ke aur woh jaatay jaatay bhi hass rahay thay, aur uss waqt mujhe laga ke main ek wanted criminal hoon

Preeta smiled looking down.

Pr: Thank you, mera mood achha karne ke liye, kya hai na main yahan apni marzi ke khilaaf aayi thi, friends ke bolne se aayi hoon, isliye neend bhi nahi aa rahi thi, ab hass hass kar chakkar aa rahay hain, bye, sonay ja rahi hoon

She said and smiled at him. He looked on and she stood up, opened the door to her room and turned back smiling sheepishly at him and waved at him, he waved back and she closed the door behind her. She walked through the dark and climbed on the bed and dozed off. Meanwhile Karan seemed lost and stared at the door of her room, shrugged and left to his room.

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

Next morning, everyone were busy with their breakfast along with Preeta, Karan was staring at her but when she noticed him, he moved away his eyes. She shrugged. Shivani broke the silence.

Sh: waise Karan, tum itne handsome ho, itni bari company ke owner ho, tumhari koi girlfriend nahi hai?

Karan chuckled.

K: nahi, na he kabhi rahi hain

Sh: really? Main toh maan he nahi sakti

K: well maano ya na maano

Dv: koi larki kabhi dost bhi nahi rahi kya?

K: hmm waise toh nahi rahi lekin recently ek bohat achhi dost bani meri

Preeta choked on her food as he stared at her, actually he was talking about her only. She coughed badly. Rakhi gave water to her and rubbed her back.

Si: theek ho na Preeta?

Preeta nodded.

Dv: waise kaun hai woh dost? Hum sab mein se koi hai?

Karan shook his head, Preeta looked on.

K: nahi, tum sab mein se kis se sahi se baat hui? Haan bas ek jangli billi ne attack kiya tha kal aatay saath mujh pe aur Rishab pe

He said indirectly talking about Preeta, the others laughed.

Si: heyy Karan, Preeta jangli billi nahi hai, aray tum ne he chhera tha usay, hai na Preeta?

Preeta nodded.

Pr: as I said before, Simar meri sachi dost hai, tum sab toh pata nahi kya ho

Simar smiled.

Si: moti kehna offensive hota hai, okay? Our bodies are none of your business, okay?

K: okayy

Simar smiled at him.

Su: waise na, Karan, tum smile ziada kiya karo, you look cute with those dimples

Karan smiled.

K: aisay?

Su: haan

The duo laughed together.

K: waisay aap ka bhi na face cut bara pyaara hai

Su: mere face pe kahan cut hai?

K: aray face cut matlab features of your face

Su: oh sorry

After breakfast, the girls helped do the dishes and then they all were sitting together, Karan was sitting in his room.

Sh: yaar, main toh maan he nahi sakti ke is ki koi girlfriend nahi rahi kabhi bhi?

Su: aray lekin aisa bhi toh ho sakta hai na ke genuinely koi girlfriend nahi rahi ho?

Dv: haan na, kiun nahi ho sakta? But he might be getting proposals at least

Si: yaar come on, Shivani yaar, us se pyaar hai kya tujhe? Ek din mein he hogaya? Attraction ho gi sirf, itna jaldi mat kar yaar

Sh: mujhe nahi pata yaar, Preeta, tujhe kya lagta hai? Kya us ki koi girlfriend nahi ho gi?

Preeta was lost elsewhere. They all looked at each other.

Sh: Preeta?

Preeta shook all of a sudden and looked at her.

Pr: haan... Kkkkya bol rahi thi?

Sh: kahan khoyi hui thi? Tujhe kya lagta hai ke kya sach mein us ki koi girlfriend nahi thi kabhi?

Pr: ho gi, aur ho sakta hai na bhi ho, how will I know

Dv: achha ye sab chhoro guys, aaj shaam hai na mera football khelne ka bohat dil hai

Pr: football kahan hai?

Dv: abay aa jaye ga, okay, tum log khelo gay na?

Su: haan, I am ready

Dv: Shivani? Ready?

Sh: mujhe badminton ka dil tha but I am okay with football

Dv: Simar?

Si: hmm okay

Pr: me too

They rejoiced.

Dv: okay shaam ko done hai phir

Meanwhile Karan phoned Rishab while he was busy but he picked the call.

R: haan bol Karan

K: yaar aaj shaam mein cricket ka program banaein kuchh?

R: hmm, sure thing Karan, khair mujhe aata toh nahi but... Khel loon ga teri khaatir, aye ga kaun? Koi aur bhi aye ga kya?

K: nahi, sirf hum dono

R: oh okay, then I won't be embarrassed, achha chal rakhta hoon, baad mein karta hoon

Call disconnected.