(✔) A Marriage

EPISODE 68

Avni sat on the couch looking at a picture in her phone. her mind wandered to the first time they met. She recalled how she named him an ' Amrood'. She laughed to herself recalling their silly fights. She blushed recalling their first date. She recalled how Neil confessed to her. How she reciprocated the feelings and how they had their first kiss. 

It was a memory that will stay with them forever. 'Their First Kiss'. A random thought popped into her head. "Do Neil also think the same for their moment?" Thy had never spoken about that night, the confession and obviously the kiss. It's been a week for that. She blushed biting her lip.

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Somewhere in the dark corners of the city, Neil is seen walking towards an empty room. A man was already standing there waiting for him.

Neil: maine tumhe kitni baar kakha hai mujhe yaha mat bulana.. lekin samajh mein kyu nahi aata tumhe?

Man: Dekhiye main aapke faayde ki baat kar raha hoon.

Neil: faayda nuksaan main nahi janta.. tumhe samajhna hoga ki is waqt mere liye Avni ke saath hona zyada zarurui hai..

Man: to baat bhi to usi ke concern ki hai na..

Neil clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. He felt anger raising in his system. He wanted to burst out at him but somehow calmed himself and turned around.

Man: commissioner sir wapis aa chuke hai..

Neil: to unke swagat mein phoolon ki chaadar bicchao lekin mujhe dobara phone mat karna...

Saying this he walked away without even sparing a glance at the man behind him,

Sitting in the car, tears began rolling down his eyes. He recalled that night when Avni was shot. He clearly remembers seeing a shadow behind the wall with a gun in his hand. Running hands through his hair he wiped his face and plastered a fake smile over it. He started towards home.

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

Avni who was sitting in the room glanced at the wall clock, It showed almost 7 in the evening.

Avni: yeh neil abhi tak aaya kyu nahi?

Voice: abhi tak to Abhi bhi nahi tha yaha...

She looked at the door feeling surprised. It was Abhimanyu standing at the door with his wide smile.

Avni stood up at once. she was about to take steps towards him to greet him but stopped a few steps later and turned away. Abhi frowned at her reaction.

Avni: tujhe ab aa rahi hai meri yaad? 

She made a cute pout complaining. Abhimanyu realised that he did a blunder. It's been a week that Avni was not well and he didn't even paid her a visit for once. 

Abhi: yaar avni woh maine tujhe bataya to tha ki Mr. Kapoor ne woh...

Avni: haan haan  pata hai... aane wale event ki sari responsibility tujhe de di hai aur tu bechara baccha us mein itna busy ho gya ki apni best friend ka haal puchne ka waqt bhi nahi mila haina?

She narrowed her eyes at him while abhimanyu bowed his head feeling guilty. he immediately held his ears making a sorry face.

Abhi: yaar main shehar se bahar tha to aana to possible tha hi nahi.. aur rahi baat phone ki.. maine kiya tha yaar... I swear.. Neil se baat huyi thi meri..

He said pinching the skin on his neck. Avni looked at him with a suspicious gaze and then looked away. 

Avni: fine... ab...  neeche chale?

Abhi: haan.. chalo.. sab wahi hai.. aur neil kaha hai waise...? atleast ab to usse tumhare saath hone chahiye tha na..

Before avni could say anything Another voice resonated around the room. It was Neil.