Avni slouched on her bed ,lazily swiping through her phone screen while Meera prepared dinner in the kitchen. Meera had decided to cook despite Avni's suggestion to order food. Thankfully for the both of them Meera was an excellent cook unlike her ankle sprained best friend.

   As the screen of her phone flashed her mother's name , Avni picked up the call before it could even ring.

" Hello Maa. Thank God you called ! I was so bored !"

" Mera bacha ( my child ) !!! So you woke up ! How are you feeling now ?"

" Much better.....all thanks to the painkillers !! "

" That's good. " Neela uttered a short prayer thanking  God ,which was almost inaudible to her daughter on the other end.

" Maa you there ??!!! Helloooo !!"

" Yes I'm here only. So why are you bored ? Isn't Meera around ?"

" She is cooking . But ....but how do you know that she is here now??''

" Neil ! He informed me that you are in good hands" Neela chuckled.

" Maa !!! I'm not a kid !"

" Ok ok.Dont get irritated now. I know you are not....but sometimes you do behave like one. Anyways , leave that.So tell me all about your book release. We couldn't finish our talk that time."

" Book release ! Ah I told you everything I guess. " She had narrated every little detail about the event to Neela already , so the question sort of baffled her.She wondered what she had left out .

" Not everything. You met Aarav ..... your childhood crush .Tell me all about it. " Neela sounded excited like a kid.

" What !!! Ho...How ??!! You knew ?!!" She was beyond shocked at the revelation that her mother knew about her crush all this while. " Also that wasn't 'childhood' ."

" It was for me. You talked about him so much. He would miraculously jump out of your long conversation, when in reality you hardly even conversed with him. And most importantly you used to blush even on the mention of his name .So I kind of figured it out. It was so cute though !!!"

Avni covered her already closed eyelids with her hand , at her mother's unbelievable detective skills.

Unwillingly and hesitant at first Avni started stating the sequence of events that lead to the big revelation about her boss. She followed it up with how Neil had to leave and how he almost threatened her boss.
"By the time I returned home ,he was asleep I guess . I couldn't even thank him ."

" Wait " Neela interrupted her . " But why are you talking about Neil ?? I want to know about Aarav , not Neil !! Anyways so how did you feel ? Dizzy ??!!Did you get butterflies in your tummy like you used to ? Did your heart skip a beat ?" The joy in her heart on teasing her daughter like a friend ,sprang through her voice.

" Umm..... actually ........no....not really. Yes I was surprised.... pleasantly surprised, but no...nothing like I used to feel. May be I was just too surprised for the butterflies . Perhaps the butterflies were taken aback too !!" This new development had not registered in her mind until this very moment.

" Dreams ? Did you dream about him ?"

" Maa please !! This isn't a movie that i'll dream of a dance sequence in the rain with him ."

Both of them burst out laughing at the thought of a dream dance sequence.

" Before you ask your next query ,let me just remind you of the little accident I had in the morning, so clearly I didn't have time to drool over his thoughts."

" I'm just glad you are alright " a concerning tone overtook  Neela's jolly mood.

" Maa !! Quit worrying ! I'm in safe hands " she chuckled.

'' I know." It wasn't easy for her to shake off her motherly concern. "Meera and Neil have lessened my worries for sure " she added.

" Meera is still Meera , but Neil is behaving like...like.....you !! He is all authorative. You can't do this , you can't do that. Forcing me to gulp down medicines and food that I don't like. I mean he always finds a way to annoy me but this is like he has hit a jackpot. "

" But he..." Neela couldn't complete her sentence as her daughter jumped in.

" Yeah yeah he saved my life. But his regular self was enough to annoy me , now he is this over the top caring that....that he doesn't let me do anything on my own. Actually he is caring normally too , but it's kind of a hidden talent .But now it's for everyone to see. The guy is crazy !!! He rummaged through my cupboard today . He cancelled all his meetings to look after me. I mean....it's sweet....but highly unnecessary.  He.."

" Woah  Woah !!! " Neela finally managed to put a full stop to her daughter's unending list of complaints . " All I heard is ....Neil this....Neil that.....Neil ...Neil...Neil. Aakhir baat kya hai han ??? You can't seem to stop talking about him or to him. He is literally in everything you talk about . Puch main Aarav ke baare mein rahi hoon aur bta tu Neil ke  baare mein rahi hai. Kahin aisa toh nahin .....ki......that you have a new crush !!! "

(What's  the matter with you ?
Here I'm asking about Aarav and you are talking about Neil . Is it possible that you have..... developed a new crush !)

" What !!! No !! Crush ?? Neil ?? No. I mean....No. Maa you are crazy. "

" Not even a little ?" Neela asked playfully.

''No Maa. "

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

" Are you lying to your mother ?"

" No. Maa ,Meera is coming in with dinner.I'll talk you later .Bye. Good night."

" Meera is fast !" Neela could barely control her laugh.

" Bye Maa!"

" Trying so hard to avoid the question."

" I'm tired . I'll call you tomorrow .Bye."

" Bye bacha." Neela finally disconnected the call with a broad silly smile plastered on her face.

    On the other side of the phone ,Avni couldn't stop Neela's words from making an impact. Was her mother right ? Was she crushing on Neil ? But she never looked at him that way ,well except for that one time. The image of Neil with water running down his neck came rushing back to her. No No ! As she hushed the image, a second fleeting image of his auburn eyes shining in the candle light took its place. Ok fine he is.....fine...good looking .....better than that....but he hasn't made her butterflies do moonwalk in her belly . But then he occupies her thoughts a lot more than he should. Oh no ! Was Maa right ? No No No..this can't be ......this all Maa 's doing.She tried to get rid of the thought that was clawing into her brain.

"Avni ! Are you asleep ? Food is ready." Meera walked in with a tray of freshly made dinner.

Avni thanked Meera silently for the much needed distraction.

Meera 's hot gossips from every corner of the world , kept Avni's mind off the pulsating thought in her heart. That was until her talkative friend finally fell asleep.

  Even with the lights off and her eyes shut , Avni couldn't get rid of the thought her mother had so tactfully inserted in her brain. The flashing images of Neil from their various encounters didn't help her either. She kept coming up with reasons to nullify her mother's claim until the medicines finally worked their magic and made her eyes sleep ridden .

" It's going to be so awkward tomorrow" she murmured before wandering off to dreamland.

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

A/N : I don't know how many people are still waiting. Sorry for all the trouble this book has faced .

And thank you for all the good wishes so many of you have send my way. Means so so much. Sending love in return.....dts all I can do.

Do let me know if the chapter was ok or not.

PS : Need all of your good wishes for some tym more.

Yes....thank you for all the love you guys showered on the last chapter.
Much love.