Resting the marathon of unknown thoughts in your mind, when you step ahead to a new light, another game awaits you, which you could barely think of.

**

In the interim of the upcoming battle, the timid thoughts were still so fresh in her mind.

The dawn after the dark, the feeling after the numbness, the reality after the lies, everything resurfaced in her mind as they sat in the meadow, the rare sun shining brightly once again in the sky.

The torrents of emotions ran through her mind cultivating the seeds of the lost happiness once again as he gently moved away the strands of her hair from her face as the wind continued to sway them lightly.

The fall was neither a justification nor a contradiction to the suddenly new weather today.

After all everything in Khushi's life had been full of uncertainties, be it something jovial or a vicious predicament.

Her heart beat always landed up increasing tenfold, her feelings on their crest as she recalled the night from two days ago for the umpteenth time now.

And even she couldn't resist feeling the endless power that she knew was dwelling inside of her now, mirroring the same as he felt.

Yes, she had read in Amelia's grimoire about the power of a merge in the world of Witchcraft, but what she didn't know was its tenacity, its magnitude that could be so strong, that with every passing minute she felt boundless power emerge within her.

Maybe, that's how nature designed them.

A power in one soul, and tenfold, when merged with another.

Their unison, which made her feel complete, for she knew nothing but give her all to the only man she loved, also bestowed on her as well as him, an unfathomable amount of power.

But she was still confused that why it was only her who was feeling that she would explode any minute by the surges of power she felt rising in her, while Arnav looked much at ease.

Little did she know that everything that had felt, witnessed or thought about ever since she realized and accepted her identity as a witch, was all chained to the past, something that didn't date back to just Meredith who was her great grandmother, with whom she shared her countenance, but it went way beyond centuries, to the existence of Sophronia, who was her ancestor, and unknown to Khushi, she was a part of that same lineage, and hence, boundless power was bound to follow her, by hook or crook.

Whether it was a boon or a bane, that was yet to be decided, for what awaited her, even she couldn't imagine.

.

.

.

Keeping all the thoughts aside, she looked at him and his eyes instantly met hers, making color rise on her cheeks right away.

She only thanked her stars for letting her use the shielding spell well. There wasn't any way she was going to invite any sort of obvious embarrassment for herself, by letting her guard loose on her thoughts and have him hear them.

Her cheeks which always turned a bright shade of crimson as her eyes sighted him were more than enough to do the job. Khushi didn't want her thoughts to add fuel to the fire.

.

.

"Hmm.. So here the sun shines again."

Arnav whispered as he nuzzled her neck, pulling her close to him while they faced each other sitting at the meadow.

.

She could only close her eyes as she felt his gentle touch on her skin, her mind reminiscing their past which had so much in it, every kind of emotion, indefinable feelings.

Softly kissing Khushi on her lips, Arnav rested his forehead against hers, as their breathing mingled and they could almost hear their own heart beating in the same rhythm as the other's.

.

.

Every cell in her body rejoiced the eternal truth of her soul and her heart being marked as his as she felt his warm breath on her skin, giving her shivers down her spine.

No matter how long they had come together, he still had the same effect on her as day one, and that was both her salvation and undoing, for she was tempted to do things she could never even imagine doing before.

However, not giving in to that wanton, she looked sideways before finally looking at him with a sigh.

"..Everything's a big mess, Arnav. Everything. Aloysius, Alexandra, and now Kevin."

Khushi spoke softly as she felt his senses becoming alert hearing her words and he waited for her to continue.

They had their little escape from reality but they both knew they couldn't just sit and pen it all in a journal of escapists, because their reality would always follow them and they couldn't just relinquish it, now that the stakes were only going to get higher.

They were at peace when with each other, but both knew that their true peace lied with the end of Aloysius as well as the Avizhas, no matter what it took.

But if it were in her hands, Khushi would have let this moment be frozen forever, so that they never had to face the wrath of reality that was after them.

And so after a brief pause, she added,

"But even in this mess, the moments which we are spending, just us, its' going to be the most priceless moments of my life, Arnav."

She didn't know what the next day, the next hour was supposed to bring in their lives. It was a parable, which even power couldn't resolve. Today, maybe she was sitting here, and the next minute perhaps she would land up in a parallel reality where she wouldn't have any choice but to surrender herself against the odds, to lose, but no matter what, these moments were supposed to be theirs, just like someone as normal, as human as she once used to be.

'Is it too much to ask for?'

'Why can't we be like everyone else?'

'Happy, forever?'

'Why there's no assurance for the peace and happiness that we truly deserve?'

'Why the hanging sword in the name of Witchcraft never abandon us?'

'Couldn't this be easy?'

The questions and the thoughts hit her hard, one after another.

.

She could feel the hysteria building inside her, blocking her straight thinking as some part of her cursed the world where she belonged, which threatened to snatch away everything she held dear, loved and owned. The world that chastised her to never think in peace or be at peace.

.

.

"It may be a mess, Sunshine. But no one, not even God can take these moments away from you."

She heard him say in that masculine husky voice, as he hugged her tightly against his chest, his signature cologne making her feel like she was home instantly, safe in his embrace like always.

"When this gets over, all the Aloysius drama, we will live our lives Arnav. The way we want."

She said to him, hugging him back possessively, while he kissed her hair making her clutch onto his t-shirt tightly.

"I promise Khushi. We will live. The way we want."

A sense of relief flooded through her veins as he spoke those words, his stress and emphasis on them making her believe that he sealed his promise with the key of their love, never to unseal it ever again.

.

.

Khushi broke from the hug reluctantly after a while as she looked in his eyes, brushing her nose slightly against his as she whispered, "I love you."

He smiled his patent lopsided smile, pecking her on her nose as he replied,

"I love you more."

.

.

.

The hours appeared to be seconds as she sat with him, never having enough and never willing to go, but there were certain obligations that being human, she couldn't ever defy, certain routine, that she was bound to follow.

Glancing at her wrist witch, she realized that it had been more than two hours that they were here and she needed to go home, lest Adrienne would reach a panic mode broadcasting that her older daughter is lost.

It was a Sunday today and Adrienne would be expecting Khushi to spend some time with her at home.

Some part of Khushi really felt guilty for having her mind occupied with thoughts that were only related to a world, which her immediate family could hardly have an idea about.

But weren't they indirectly a part of it?

It wasn't a question, it was the truth that Khushi knew thoroughly. But she was happy neither Adrienne had any knowledge of it and nor did Jazz.

The Vermount bloodline passed on their Witchcraft genetics only to the first borns in the family and though it came with a price, since the first-born had to bear its consequences, she was glad her little sister was far away from this mess.

However, that didn't lessen her worry that at any given point of time, her family's life could be put in jeopardy, threatened by the Avizhas.

.

.

Though Khushi tried so much to undermine the fear that her mind now possessed 24x7 about what was to come next, it was a totally fruitless attempt, because she didn't really know how to come up with a solution for that.

.

.

"Stop worrying so much, Khushi. Come, I will drop you home."

Arnav's voice interrupted her thoughts as she looked at him, slightly taken aback.

'Don't tell me my shield spell had some loopholes in it, and he was able to barge into my mind to have a look at my thoughts?'

'Oh, good god!'

'Please no!'

.

.

"God, you are really adorable when you are puzzled, Sunshine. Don't worry I can't read your thoughts!"

Arnav said with a smirk.

'Was that some sort of a mockery to perplex me even more?'

'He said he can't read my thoughts, then how did he know that was exactly what I was worrying about?'

'And how did he know I was puzzled?'

She looked at him questioningly when she heard him say,

"Sunshine, you are literally fidgeting, you checked the time in your watch. It isn't hard to guess you wanted to go home! And well, I guess I already know you too much to not know your thoughts, regardless of any darn spell."

He winked, making her blush once again as she chuckled knowing his hidden innuendos in those lines, mentally cursing herself once again for her untimely over thinking habits.

.

.

The months only appeared to be years since they began to know each other that they really didn't need any spell or words to comprehend what could possibly be in the other's mind.

Perhaps, that is what love was all about, isn't it?

She thought.

Placing one hand beneath her knees and the other wrapped around her midriff, he scooped her in his arms at one go, as he walked towards his car, which was some feet away from the meadow.

Their sight interlocked on each other, it suddenly reminded her of that time when he had prevented her from that fall from the college stairs and carried her all the way to the medicine room.

.

.

It had been so difficult to fathom that mystery that those eyes held that time, but now, it only reflected the same love, the same care that her own eyes held for him.

With every step he took, she could feel his dark brown eyes conveying it to her that how precious she was to him and how much he cherished the fact to have met her.

.

.

A faint smile appeared on Khushi's face, as her eyes reflected her own thoughts to him, expressing how indispensable his presence was in her life, how detached he made her feel from the entire world put together, just by his mere presence.

He was irreplaceable.

'My Devil.'

She enunciated proudly in her mind.

And she was incomplete without him.

She could see her favorite smirk tugging on his lips as her thoughts were addressed to him in that little voyage they made from the meadow to his car and he finally placed her carefully on the passenger seat and rushed to his side, putting the key into ignition and the engine roared to life.

*

*

"So, how was your date?"

Adrienne asked Khushi in her usual chirpy tone, filling her daughter's plate with some more salad.

"Mom, for the last time, it was no date! We just spent some time together."

Khushi replied, slightly irked by all the teasing that her mom thought to be really watch worthy.

.

.

"And that is what we call a date, duh!"

This time she heard her sister say.

'Oh! So now Jazz is also in the team named 'Tease Khushi to the power of Infinity?'

She thought to herself.

.

Jasmine joined the duo on the dining table after that remark as the three of them sat together for having lunch on the Sunday noon after what seemed like an eternity.

"Since when are you and mom bonding?"

Khushi asked her sister while shoving a spoon containing noodles into her mouth.

.

"Since you were all busy with your new boyfriend!" pat came Jasmine's bratty reply.

"Whatever!"

Khushi muttered to herself, giving her an irked look as a reply to her sarcastic remark.

.

.

"By the way Khushi, honey, what are your plans for tomorrow?"

Adrienne asked as Khushi looked at her, putting another morsel of food in her mouth.

.

"Well nothing. Just going to college and come back by the noon."

She replied casually, not understanding the purpose of her question, habituated of all those weekdays which had that same monotonous routine, like always.

.

She glanced at Jazz who was busy eating with one hand and texting simultaneously with another one.

'How does she multitask so well?'

'She should have worn the tiara, grabbing the real witch title!'

Khushi thought, arching an eye brow as she looked at her sixteen year old sister.

.

.

"Great! So, I'm planning to get back early tomorrow. What say? Let's go to a movie tomorrow. The three of us?"

Khushi was flabbergasted hearing the words coming from her workaholic mother's mouth.

For a second, she had to wonder whether her ears were mishearing or her mind was daydreaming, but when her mom repeated it once more, she grasped that what she was hearing was indeed, true.

.

.

"Oh! That's a great idea, mom, count me in," Khushi replied as she smiled at her mom, still unaware of what had really gotten into her work loving mom suddenly that she was making a movie plan.

It wasn't her birthday, neither Jasmine's, then?

'Forget it!'

She told herself.

.

"Actually from a few days I have been thinking that I hardly get to spend some quality time with you too. Time is flying so quickly that I hardly realized you landed up in college and your sister in high school. I don't want to miss all the fun, sweetheart. Trust me. You both are the only ones I have."

Adrienne's eyes were moist as she said those words, making an unusual sensation go down Khushi's throat as she tried hard to control her tears.

Her mom had always been a strong woman, and there hadn't been a single time she had seen her break down.

One part of Khushi always knew that Adrienne tried to adorn that energetic look, merry face to conceal that side of hers which only cried for all she had lost when her husband passed away.

Even though Khushi knew the truth, she only felt it better to stay this way. It was to be always taken care of on her part to let her remain oblivious to the dark world out there.

When their mom had been strong enough to never make her daughters feel a void missing certain things since their childhood, having lost dad at such an early age, then it was her turn to repay it back to her, by keeping her family safe.

If not for anything, Khushi thanked God for making her inherit the most important trait from her mother,

To be a strong woman.

.

.

"Oh, come on Mom. You already know that I don't need any convincing or insisting to go out for a movie with you, I'm your good little girl, remember?"

Khushi spoke in a chirpy tone giving a sarcastic look to Jazz, referring her to be mom's bad little girl, making the sudden sadness in the atmosphere dormant, as she only wanted their mother to be herself and never recall the tragic past ever again.

Adrienne laughed at her comment, the tears now fading as her radiant smile enlightened her face and she looked at Jazz in anticipation.

"Oh god, is it really something compulsory? I would get loads of homework to finish!"

Jazz nagged, rolling a strand of her hair with her index finger when Khushi averred,

"Oh yeah! You are going to become the next president of the United States by completing that homework, aren't you?"

Khushi's sarcasm agitated her as she yelled,

"Mom!!"

.

.

Khushi laughed at her sister's irritation while Adrienne faked a warning look to her and stated,

"Jazz, dear, one day won't make any difference. We don't go out every day, do we?"

.

Khushi watched her sister's thoughtful face, as she still struggled to give an answer.

She was one real witch!

Undoubtedly!

She thought.

"Okay, now stop taking the time of the world, as if you are being asked a question at the Miss Universe pageant. Say YES!"

Khushi insisted while Jazz pouted at her and looked at Adrienne who started with her pleas in the form of 'Please?'

.

.

With the bandwagon of 'please' from both Khushi and Adrienne, she finally got up from her chair, dramatically placing her palms on her ears as she yelled,

"Okay! Okay! Fine!"

.

Khushi giggled seeing the state of the poor soul whom she loved to irritate at times, when Jazz suddenly added,

"But I have one condition."

Adrienne looked at Khushi with a perplexed look while she reciprocated the same, before looking at her rude, bratty sister, awaiting her new demand.

.

.

"I will take the front seat!"

She spoke after a period of brief silence, making Khushi break into giggles inwardly while on the outside she only showed a 'Go to Hell' look.

.

"Sure. It's final then. Great! All set! Tomorrow evening, movie time!"

Adrienne exclaimed in joy, continuing with the lunch, as Khushi watched her little family sitting at the dining table, rejoicing the priceless moment after a long time, and she only prayed fervently to god to make it stay this way forever, wishing that nothing caused them any harm.

But the traces of fear still remained so dominant in the back of her mind, making her weak to live for the moment and make it count.

'Only if it were so easy!'

She thought, putting the last morsel of noodles inside her mouth.

*

*

Her mind wandered frantically, flipping through the pages of the giant book in her hand as she sat on her bed, wishing to find some spell which could guarantee her that her family would be safe.

But it was nature!

No power was so strong to assure life.

But many powers were so strong to assure death.

Irony at its level best!

And if that wasn't enough to make her irritated, she still hadn't found any solution to the quagmire that was Amelia's riddle that she had left for her to solve.

On the surface, that riddle looked like a random thing, so easy to solve, but the more she dug into it, it had no connection to be decoded whatsoever.

''Damn it!''

Snapping the book close, she got up from her bed, taking a look at her cell phone.

She sighed at the satire.

How earlier she would be getting enormous calls from Mason, asking her all sort of hideous things in the world, wasting her time, and she would shout at him, all irritated at his jokes.

How he would deliberately irk her with his antics, and his perverted jokes on Ree's outfits!

.

.

Khushi recalled all of it with a pleasant smile on her face.

The little lunch session with her family downstairs some time ago, made her feel intensely close to her human life once again, and when she went to that zone, she could never forget two of the other closest connections she had to her normal life.

Mason and Rebecca.

.

.

She chuckled as she recollected those funny instances, realizing the void that she couldn't deny in her life ever since that fiasco!

Where Mason had suddenly become distant to her, since he professed his feelings and she had ruefully denied him.

Khushi didn't know whose fault it was, but she guessed they had passed that era of the blame game long ago.

Weren't they mature?

'Then why are we behaving like some silly kids?'

"As if he isn't one!"

She mumbled.

.

Taking her cell with a determined thought, she dialed his number quickly and soon she heard the ringing sound on the line, but her expectation and courage only faltered as she heard the 'number not responding' tag for the nth time, after trying for all these days.

Yes, few days ago too she had tried his number and he hadn't received her call.

But now that a lot of time had passed, she thought he would have settled himself in a better state of mind too, like she did, and he would finally pick up her call.

But looked like, her theories were very wrong.

.

She exhaled deeply, sitting on her cozy bed, disappointed by that cold reception that her childhood friend was giving her.

'Cold?'

'He isn't receiving you at all!'

Her conscience mocked at her while she bit her lips in frustration and thought to divert her mind by learning some new spells, when suddenly her eyes fell on the digital calendar placed on her bedside table.

.

.

"It's 19th today?"

She mumbled as she quickly calculated the dates in her mind, a bright smile appearing on her face.

The childhood memories once again became so alive, so fresh in her mind, as she remembered those childish birthday parties they used to have when they were toddlers and then a little grown up.

The victorious smile lit up her face as she spoke to herself,

"3 days to go for Mase's birthday!"

He had given her the biggest surprise of her life by showing up on her 18th birthday, Khushi recalled.

Though their trio had been unbreakable since childhood, but ever since Mason left for L.A. years ago, there was no contact between them at all.

If he hadn't come here on her birthday, Khushi wouldn't really have come to terms with the fact that he existed, and even if she thought he did, she would have always imagined him to be that same chubby, nerdy kid whom she knew long ago, that same image being the only flash of him in her mind, in her memories of him.

But he changed that!

He gave her that same childhood memory back, by giving her back to back surprises, didn't he?

His arrival.

The call letter by South-eastern Verman college that he handed over to her, which was her dream college to get in after graduation.

.

.

A happy smile adorned Khushi's face as she finally concluded what she wanted to do.

.

.

"It's time I give you some surprise Mase. I know you are very angry with me. But I think god has given me a good opportunity in the disguise of your birthday to make it up to you."

She thought to herself as she instantly planned how surprised and happy he would be when she and Ree would throw him a surprise birthday party, and be the old best friends once again.

She was sure that it would be the best birthday gift for him.

But there was one more thing that she needed to do before that.

He didn't go to Los Angeles because of her. After all the mess that happened that day, he couldn't go.

And Khushi was feeling extremely sorry about it.

'It would have hurt him so much!'

.

But now that she was hell bent on making things right, headstrong about living those priceless moments once again, she was going to make sure that everything was going to be good and perfect.

"I should arrange for his uncle to come here. If Mason couldn't go, his uncle can come. That would be another surprise for him!"

She smiled gleefully, already excited to discuss all the plans with Ree.

She knew after his parents' demise how much his uncle and Mase depended on each other. Hence, this would really make him happy.

"But how do I call his uncle?"

Khushi sat down helplessly on her bed, finding no option on how to discover his uncle's number.

Mason wasn't talking to her anymore, nor was he entertaining Ree after that fiasco, and anyway if she asked him anything about his uncle's number, he would get the hint and back off knowing what they were planning to do!

Khushi felt like she was at a dead end, and her ship titled 'Mason's surprise birthday party' had sunk even before setting out on its first sail.

Disappointed, she sighed in frustration.
.

She pouted her lips, her excitement all smudged with the new problem when suddenly realization dawned on her head and a heavy grin tugged at her lips.

.

"Why do you act like a normal human Khushi, when you are not one?"

She sarcastically spoke to herself, hitting her head with her hand, once again ending up being the idiotic female, who always tends to forget about her powers.

.

.

Relaxing her mind, she let out a deep sigh as she closed her eyes and chanted the small phrase softly.

''Sciam Me Videbunt.''

.

Once she knew it was going the way she had intended it to be, she repeated the phrase once again.

.

Seconds passed and she could feel her efforts already working, when she abruptly opened her eyes, her lips curved up into a smile as she enthusiastically uttered, "EUREKA!" mentally patting my shoulder for the good job she had performed.

Although she wasn't new to this anymore, yet every time a spell of hers worked, she felt a new surge of pride sink in, making her proud of her own bloodline.

Unknown to Khushi, she indeed had a lot to be proud about.

For even today, she had absolutely no clue about the greatest witch of all time, Sophronia, being her own ancestor.

An asset of the Vermount bloodline.

Oblivious to all of it, she looked gleefully at the tissue paper, that now displayed a 10-digit long phone number, inscribed with charcoal.

.

.

Taking the cell phone in her hand, she impatiently dialed the number on the keypad.

A strange sense of pride and happiness took over her as she found her powers giving her so much positivity while the phone rang on the other hand.

.

.

"Hello?"

She heard a woman speak politely on the line.

.

"Umm, Hello? Sean Residence?"

.

"Yes! Who do you want?"

Khushi bit her lower lip in excitement, as she shouted "Whoa! The spell worked! It is Mase's uncle's number!" in her mind, patting her back mentally.

.

"Well I want to speak to Mr. David Sean? I am a family friend of his calling from Verman Hills."

.

"Oh! I'm sorry dear, but he isn't available at this moment."

.

Khushi's smile faded slightly hearing those words, but the urgency in her tone didn't go away.

.

"Oh! All right. But when can I speak to him? It's kind of important."

.

"You can call tomorrow. He will be spending his time at the orphanage today. Whom should I say called, by the way?"

.

"It's Khushi. Khushi Vermount. Mr. David knows me. I am Mason's childhood friend."

.

"Oh! I will certainly tell him. Actually, he loves to spend some time with the children in the orphanage these days. He's gone there now as well."

.

Khushi now understood why Mase was insisting on going to L.A. that day. His uncle would be really lonely without him.

But he would be equally happy when he sees him here on his birthday, wouldn't he?

She thought.

.

"That's really kind of him. It would keep him distracted from Mason's thoughts."

Khushi said politely.

.

"Yes, that's true. After whatever happened, it's very difficult for any person to cope. He finds peace spending time with those kids. But nothing can replace the loss, isn't it?"

.

The lady's words hit Khushi like an unknown impostor, a stone coming her way without any prior warning.

Her brows furrowed as she wondered what was so wrong.

This woman on the line seemed to be someone like the care taker of the house, but her voice was so genuine. She would be missing Mason too, isn't it?

Maybe she was a motherly figure.

Khushi wondered, considering the politeness in her voice.

But Mason wasn't going to stay here forever.

He had already planned to go back for some days, but couldn't, thanks to all the mess, but now he could go back to L.A. for a while, couldn't he?

It wasn't a loss at all!

.

"Uh-I didn't get you? Loss? It's going to be okay. Things will be better, I can assure you."

Khushi said, slightly confused by her words a second ago, at the same time convincing that it wasn't going to be that difficult at all. They could meet each other after all.

.

"I mean, Mr. Sean thinks that by spending some time with these kids, he can overcome the death of his loved one. But at the end of the day, it is only staying in a delusional state, that is what I believe, Miss. Vermount."

.

Khushi's heart skipped a beat as she could feel the hair on her skin stand on their edge, her ears refusing to believe that they heard as a chill ran down her spine.

.

"It's Mason's birthday in three days and I'm only afraid how will he deal with himself on that day."

The generous woman on the other end added.

.

Khushi's throat became dry, her mouth unable to utter anything, the only sense organ active in her being her ears which only heard as the lady on the other end of the phone spoke,


"Eight months since Mason passed away after that prolonged illness, but Mr. Sean is still unable to overcome his tragic death. May god show him some mercy and give him the strength to cope with this huge loss."

The ground was snatched away beneath her feet, as her fingers became too fragile to hold the cell phone to her ear anymore and it fell snapping on the floor, while her eyes remained wide open in shock, refusing the hard reality that hit her without any notice, slapping her on her face, at the turn of events.

Her teeth clenched against each other, as her body shuddered under the shock, while her conscience uttered to her, dangerously,

"If Mason is dead, th..then- who is ..wi..with us here"

She gulped, as beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, her insides churning as rampant feelings flooded through her veins and trembling in fear, she whispered,

"Al-..Aloysius."

**