"BOOM" the thunder screamed across the sky as the sound of it broke his sleep. He stretched his arms over his head and rolled over the bed, picking up his watch placed on the side table he saw the time, he realized he had woken up half-an-hour early today, he rolled back to his pillow and laid his head on it getting back to his sleep just as the clouds thundered again, the lightening flashed illuminating his room for a split second before darkness engulfed it once again. He tried sleeping but the incessant sounds of thunder & lightning would not allow him to as he got up from his bed, he yawned and stretched his arms once again, switching on the light and picking up the Tee on the chair he wore it covering his bare Torso, he picked up the jug of water to quench his thirst after which he picked up his mobile to look at the schedule of his day.

The pitter-patter of the rain drops made him realize that it had started raining, putting his phone aside he moved towards the window and opened it, as soon as the window opened the cold rain drops hit his face while he closed his eyes in reflex, he inhaled the petrichor emanating from the first rains of the season. As he inhaled the fresh air mixed with the scent of the wet earth, a sense of calm and peace descended upon him while he stretched his arms. The rain drops were moistening his face just as he heard giggles of the kids. He looked down only to find the kids playing in the rains, dancing, laughing, splashing the rain drops as a smile spread across his face. The innocence of childhood, when you are free of the worries of the world, when no one judges you for what you do. He did not realise when tears had started flowing from his eyes, but the tears were mixed with rain drops, no one could make out the tears if they were to see him now. The kids gestured him to join them as he waved his hand asking them to carry on as he looked towards the sky while the rain intensified, a new day was dawning just as he heard the door of his room open.

"Good morning Abhi, you woke up early today?" said a lady in her early 50s holding a cup of coffee just as he turned to look at her. It was her daily routine, she would bring him his cup of coffee every morning and wake him up, a routine which she rarely missed.

"The first rains of the season" he said as the lady smiled while he stood non-pulsed. Moving towards him she handed him the cup of coffee and stood beside him as both watched the rains drench the earth "The weather has become so pleasant. Right Abhi?" she said as a small smile played on his lips which she did not miss.

"You should smile more often, it looks good on you" she said as his smile widened, after a few seconds he replied "Smiling takes more effort than it's worth Maa" he said, yes Maa. Though she was not his birth mother he never made her feel so nor did she love him less than her own kid, only if she had one, from the time he had started to make sense of things around him during his childhood she was the only one whom he had looked upon as his mother.

"Life's not so sad as you think of it Abhi" she said with a sad smile as he replied "And it's not as rosy and happy as you think of it Maa" he said watching the kids play in the rain as she sighed sadly, he would always have an answer ready.

"I hope there comes a day when you would not stop smiling Abhi" she said as he looked at her expression-less, only if she knew that even he hoped for the same someday. Asking him to get ready she left as he went to the washroom picking up his towel signalling the start of a new day.

Half-an-hour later he sauntered down the steps looking at his phone only to suddenly stop in his tracks as his path was blocked by someone, as he looked up from the screen of his phone he was greeted with he same sight that greeted him every morning, standing before him was girl in her mid-20s with a aarti plate in her hand.

"Vidhi, every day I tell you that I do not believe in all this. Still you stand with this aarti plate before me everyday" he said irately as the girl wordlessly revolved the plate before him and put a teeka on his forehead with a smile on his face as she spoke "And how many times do I tell you Abhi that I believe in it and would do it irrespective of whether you like it or not, now have this prasad" she said as she gave him the prasad.

"For you it's prasad but for me it's just a sweet and nothing else Vidhi" he said as he took it from her and ate it, moving towards the dining table he had his breakfast, the intensity of the rain had reduced by now, he picked up his helmet and bike keys to leave for his work. Bidding a goodbye to everyone at the Orphanage he went out towards his bike.

Donning the helmet and his jacket he sat on his Royal Enfield and left, as the bike left the gate of the orphanage a little away from behind the Banyan tree someone just kept looking at the person on bike as it sped away fading into the traffic after a few moments, tears sprang out from the person's eyes. Just like it had happened everyday in the last five years.

*****-----*****

An hour away from the Orphanage was the Mumbai international Airport hustling and bustling with people, Mumbai the city that never slept. Like always the rains had ensured that there was a traffic jam on most of the roads and it was no different on the approach roads to the airport. But right now, most of the eyes were fixed at the Car pick-up Bay of the airport or more specifically on the girl standing there shouting her lungs out on the phone. Donning a Gucci bomber jacket on a Vero Moda top and jeans to go along with a Steve-Maden ankle boots was a girl in her mid-20s, her look completed by the Ray-ban glasses nestled on her nose.

"What the hell is wrong with you? I am waiting here for the past 20 minutes, where are you?" she screamed on the phone but before the person on the other side could respond she continued "I don't know what you do but if you are not here in the next 10 minutes you can jolly well forget your job" she shouted and cut the call, just as she cut the call she looked around to see people staring at her as she burst out on them "Don't you guys have any other work than watching a girl" she screamed once again as everyone quickly dispersed as the girl huffed and puffed in anger waiting for the car.

Exactly 8 minutes later a Mercedes -Benz CLA class stopped before the girl as the driver quickly came out of the car, one look at his face was enough to tell that he was scared out of his wits to face the girl standing before him.

"Oh...So you are finally here. Now what are you waiting for, pick up the bags and keep it in the car" she said as the Driver quickly picked her luggage and kept it in the car as the girl waited, just as the driver was about to open the door he heard the girl say "Give me the keys, I will drive" she said as the Driver looked at her in shock, he could not allow that, definitely not in the Mumbai rains and traffic.

"But Mada..." he stammered in fear but before he could continue a bike stopped screeched in front of them as it stopped as both looked towards the bike, it was a Kawasaki Ninja just as the guy sitting on the bike removed his helmet.

"Oh...Armaan finally you are here" said the girl as she hugged him, she turned towards the driver and said "You go home with my luggage. I will come with Armaan" she said as the driver looked at her in shock once again, gathering his courage he spoke "But...But Ma'am sir will be very angry" he said as the girl burst out the next moment "Do as I say, And tell Mr.Kapoor that I am not his slave to adhere to his every decision" she said as the driver trembled in fear, he knew he could not do anything.

The girl put her hand out in front of the guy sitting on the bike as he handed over his bike keys and moved to the back seat, he handed her the extra helmet that he had got along as she put it on and sat on the bike. Starting the vehicle, the duo sped away as the driver kept looking at bike until it got lost in the traffic, only one thought was going on his mind, she has not changed a bit in the last 2 years. Inaya Kapoor had not changed even a bit.

*****-----*****

Half-an hour later the duo was waiting at an intersection, waiting for the signal to turn green. Suddenly something caught the girls eye, on the road to her left she saw an old couple trying to cross the road but the drizzle along with the stagnated water was making it difficult for them to cross it, just then she saw a Royal Enfield stop on the side of the road. Getting down from the bike the guy removed his helmet as she saw person behind it, and that was the moment she was lost, lost in his face, his deep brown eyes, his hair getting drenched in the drizzle, making him look more alluring to her. He quickly moved towards the couple and helped them cross the road. But the girl's vision never moved away from him.

"Sona...Where are you lost? The signal has turned green" said the guy sitting behind on the bike as she came out of her trance only to find the vehicles behind her honk incessantly. "Yes...yes I am moving have some patience" she said and started the bike, just as she crossed the signal she turned back to look at the guy as he saw him putting his helmet back on. Only one thought was going on in her mind, I hope I meet you again soon Mr. Handsome.

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

Hola Everyone,

So here is the prologue of my latest & probably last story on KRPKAB, this story is dedicated to my Watty sister @madvanda as she has been a constant source of support to me and was the one who wanted me write another story, so this one's for you sister :)

NOTE:- I am not giving any character sketch, so you can imagine your favorite actor/actress in the different characters. Also, generally I try to keep my stories logical & realistic but in this one there might be some situations which you might find unrealistic or illogical, please pardon me for that as I am trying something different in this story.

Please do shower your love and support like you have always done for my other stories. And do let me know your thoughts/feedback in the comment section.

Regards

SP