Shehnaaz grasped, coughing, keeping her hands on her throat as the water kept coming out from her mouth. She opened her eyes, slowly,  and breathed heavily sitting on the sand surface of the beach. 

Once her breathing became normal, she looked around the place; and found herself sitting on the sea beach. The very sea beach she was at last night. The sun was already up.

"Hayee! Kya karne jaa rahi thi main? Sidharth, woh jaan se mar dega mujhe. Par woh dream?" she paused, and got lost in her thoughts. 

"Woh sirf ek dream tha Sana. Sirf ek dream. Maine waada kiya tha Sidharth ko kabhi khud ko harm nahi karungi main. Aur Mummy ji woh kya soch rahi hongi mere bade mein." She sobbed, realizing her mistake.

It took her some time to finally sobered up. She quickly gets up and decides to go home.

"Mummy ji? Unse kaise nazre milaungi ab main." She cried again. This time out of fear. 

Soon she stopped crying realizing there is no other option left for her than to face her wrath. She eventually has to face them whenever she goes home. Be it today, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. She has to face their wrath at the end of the day.

She started to walk slowly towards the road to get an auto. Even last night she came here by an auto. 

While walking, she carefully noticed the place. It was looking different from last night when she came here. She found it strange.

"Yeh ek raat mein kaise badal gaya buildings ke colour aur style!? Kafi morden lag rahe hai. Aur yaha trees bhi zyada lag raha hai aur different bhi. Aur yeh sky kitna pink hai abhi." 

Without thinking too much she reached the road and started looking for a taxi in a hurry. She needs to reach home ASAP. She can't afford people to know about her missing news. It will spread like fire everywhere.

"Oye! Auto idhar aao." She called an auto.

The auto driver stopped in front of her.

"Kaha jana hai aapko?" the driver asked, watching her closely.

"Andheri." She replied, hiding her face with her hands.

"Huh? Exactly kaha madam? Aur apke paas paisa hai yah nahi?" He asked, doubtfully. Watching it soaked in water from top to bottom. On top of it, she wasn't carrying any hand bag or purse with her.

He thought she was homeless.

"Aise kya ghoor rahe ho tum? Haan? You don't know who I am. Sheh..." before she could complete she stopped, thinking what blunder she was about to make.

"Kya hua? Paise hai yah nahi madam? Yah main jaun yaha se?" He asked.

"Ghad chaliye. Mian paise de dungi aap ko." She promised, and gets into the auto.

He looked at her in shock. 

"Arey! Utariye mere auto se. Naa paise hai, naa apne address bola thik se." He said, arrogantly assuming her to be a fraud.

She frowned. "Aap ka abhi over ho raha hai. Chup chap chaliye aap. Jate waqt main rasta bolti jaungi aur mere paas bahut paisa hai chaliye ab aap." She replied in the same tone as his.

"Pakka? Paise hai?" he asked again to confirm.

She gave him a death glare and he quickly started to drive. As promised she was telling him the direction as he drove.

Getting a little bored, he turned on the radio to listen to some music.

Hai Aashiqi Tu Aakhiri
Hai Zid Meri Aakhiri
Aashu Mera Meri Hansi Tu Aakhiri

Tere Bina Main Kuch Nahi
Yeh Khayal Baar Baar Aata Hai
Tere Agar Na Ho Sake
Kisi Aur Ke Na Honge Waada Hai
Kisi Aur Ke Na Honge Waada Hai

"Yeh gaana." She murmured, having tears, lost in Sidharth's thoughts.

Aaye Na Aaye Marzi Teri
Yaara Khuli Hai Bahein Meri
Teri Gully Se Taan Zindagi
Hogi Juda Na Rahein Meri

"Mujhe bohot pasand hai." The auto driver said, grinning.

Kissa Ye Kyun Aadha Raha
Ye Malal Baar Baar Aata Hai
Tere Agar Na Ho Sake
Kisi Aur Ke Na Honge Waada Hai
Kisi Aur Ke Na Honge Waada Hai

"Mujhe bhi." She said, with a painful smile. Still thinking about Sidharth.

Soon they reached her destination. Her society. Her home.

"Ap yaha rehte ho?" The auto driver asked out of curiosity.

"Haan. Kyu? Kya hua?" She asked, coming out from her thoughts.

"Yaha meri lugai (wife) ki woh kya bolte hai!?" He paused, and thought for a few seconds then finally smiled remembering. "Oh! Haan. Uski favorite actor rehta hai yaha."

"Accha. Kon?" Shehnaaz asked.

"Sidharth, yahi naam bola tha usne." He replied after thinking a little.

"Accha! Bolna bahut acchi choice hai unki. Kyu ki meri bhi favourite hai woh." She said, smiling widely thinking how people still love him so much.

"Hmm. Chaliye ab bhara dijiye aur utariye auto se." He said looking back at her.

"Yeh lo." She said giving him one of the rings she was wearing.

He frowned. "Yeh paise hai?" He asked, sarcastically.

"Iska price 5 hazar hai lo aur niklo tum. Itna toh bhara bhi nahi hai yaha tak ka." She said getting down from the auto.

"But isko leke main kya karu?" He asked angrily.

"Bhabi ji ko dena as a gift khush ho jayegi woh. Phir pyaar hi pyaar." She said, giving a teasing smile to him.

He blushed and looked down feeling shy. 

She giggled softly.

"Par madam..." He looks up, and gets shocked seeing her missing from there. "Chali gayi chuna laga ke." He murmured angrily, and left from there.

Before leaving, he finally found her talking with the security guard of the society. "Toh woh sach keh rahi thi."

"Kon ho ap?" The security guard asked, watching her from top to bottom.

"Tu kon hai pehle yeh bata? Ek raat me sab kuch badal gaya hai yaar. society bhi aur guard bhi. Aur yeh Imran kaha hai?" Shehnaaz asked, angrily looking at him; and then the buildings which were looking very modern now.

"Ab yeh Imran kon hai?" The security guard asked, getting confused.

"Mera baap!" She replied, irritated.

"Huh! Iss naam ka koi nahi hai yaha. Ap jaa sakti hai." The man informed her.

She frowned. "Tumhara ab over ho raha hai. Imran iss society ka security guard hai. He knows me well. Call him or call Mummy ji. Tell her Shehnaaz is here. Tab main tumhe batati hoon." She warned.

"Ab yeh Mummy ji kon hai? Aur yaha ka security guard sirf main hoon, Anil. Woh bhi pichle 5 saal se." He informed her.

Listening to this she laughed hard leaving him confused.

"Mazak accha tha. Now let me go to my house." She said, losing her patience.

"Aap ka abhi zyada horaha hai. Kabse rudely behave kar rahe hai aap." he said rudely.

"Tera main muh tod dungi." She warned. 

"Hatiye ap sahab aa rahe hai. Hatiye." he said, running to open the gate of the society in a hurry so that the big black BMW car could enter the society.

Shehnaaz looks at the direction and gets shocked by her core.

"Sidharth! Sidharth ki car kon leke gaya bahar?" She was confused. "Shayed Mummy ji yah... Di mein se koi. Adith bhi ho sakta hai." 

She marched towards the car seeing it going inside. But the security guard stopped her in the middle, making her angry. Again.

"Kya hai? I need to talk with the person who is inside that car phir pata chalega tujhe. Jane do mujhe." She said, glaring at him.

"Ap nahi jaa sakti. Jaiye yaha se." he said, pushing her a little.

This time she lost her mind. Nobody can touch her without her permission.

"Abhi tera double over limit ho raha hai samjha. Agar mera Sidharth yaha hota naa tab tujhe pata chlata. Rainbow bana deta ab tak tera badtameez insaan." She snapped, and was ready to slap him. 

Her hand was already in the air but then she paused hearing a very familiar manly voice from behind.

"Yaar! Anil kya kar raha hai?" 

She immediately turned around, and came face to face with the person. A low gasp left her mouth, and eyes widened in shock. He is the same person whom she is looking for like a maniac knowing he is no more physically present in this world anymore. But now to her shock he is walking, talking and coming towards her. Suddenly she felt breathless.

It was none other than Sidharth. Looking all fit and young. In fact, quite younger than before.

Sidharth, who was coming towards her and the security guard Anil with an angry look, didn't bother to look at her. 

She looked at him in disbelief. Her gaze shifted to his face from his long legs. She observed for some time to confirm that it's him only. He has the same black eyes which are filled with rage right now. He has the same sharp nose. The same perfect M shaped pink lips. The same sharp jawline. The same black, thick and long hair. Same perfect eyebrows, same lines were there on his forehead when he gets angry. In the same way his veins were popping out from his neck making him look hot like always in anger and the icing on cake was, he was in a black t-shirt and black pants. 

He was indeed her Sidharth. 

Her lips curved into a smile and tears rolled down her cheeks, seeing him in front of her eyes after five years. 

He stood in front of them and looked at Anil angrily, making him shiver in fear. But Shehnaaz, she was busy admiring him quietly. She just wants to believe that Sidharth was really standing alive, and standing in front of her right now.

"Sahab, aap yaha kyu aaye ho?" Anil asked, in a fearful voice.

"Yeh koi tarika hai aurat se baat karne ka? Haan?" Sidharth asked angrily

"Sorry age se nahi hoga sahab." Anil replied in a fearful voice.

"Sorry mujhe nahi, iss madam ko bolo." Sidharth said sternly and then looked at her, who was already looking at him.

For a moment she noticed how his eyes softened but then it was gone.

"Sorry! Behen ji. But sahab inki galti hai kabse mere saath badtameezi se baat kar rahi thi. Toh bas gusse mein ho gayi galti." Anil said defending his action towards her

"Still you can't push her like this. Women card chalu ho jayega phir. Kher, jane do inhe." Sidharth said, looking at her for a few seconds before looking away.

"Ji, sahab." Anil nodded.

Sidharth was about to leave, but Shehnaaz stopped him, holding his hand. He looked back, facing her and then his hand which she was holding. He slowly pulled his hands back and observed her head to toe. She was in a white salwar suit. His favorite color. Her dress was wet so was her hair. She was looking a mess but a beautiful mess to him.

"Any problem?" he asked, raising an eyebrow looking at her curiously.

Without saying anything she hugged him tightly, keeping her head on his chest, to listen to his heartbeat and make sure he was indeed alive and standing in front of her. That he is really not a delusion.  She started crying her heart out realizing he was real. 

He was taken aback and he got disbalanced a little because of the sudden and unexpected hug from her but he somehow managed to stand still.

"Sidharth... Kullu.. Tu sach me hai yaha?" She asked in disbelief.

This made him confused. 

"Excuse me! Please leave me." he said, still standing like a statue.

"Nahi. Ab toh kabhi nahi. Ek bar kho chuki hoon tujhe dubara nahi." She said, sobbing and held him even tighter.

He became more confused. "Kho chuki hoon, matlab?"

"I think apko kuch misunderstanding hui hai. Main toh aapko janta tak nahi hoon. Phir aap mujhe kho kaise sakte hai?" he asked.

Listening to his words she broke the hug and looked at him angrily.

"Ab maine kya kiya?" he thought, confused.

"Kya matlab hai tera? Tu mujhe nahi janta? Main kon hoon tera?" She asked, glaring at him.

Her behavior was becoming more confusing and somewhere pissing him off a little. Moments ago she was crying and hugging him and now she was getting angry at him without any of his fault.

"What's your problem, huh? Kuch der pehle roh rahi thi aur ab gussa ho? Dimag thik hai? Yah mental disorder hai koi?" he asked, annoyed.

"Sidharth, main tera muh tod dungi. Main bol rahi hoon." She warned getting emotional, and pointing a finger at him.

"Ajeeb gunda gardi hai." he murmured angrily

"Dekha sahab maine bola tha na aapko bahut badtameez hai yeh madam. But aap toh.." Anil said in the middle earning death glares from them. He became quiet.

"Chup raho tum. Aur apna kaam karo jao. Useless!" he scolded.

Anil left in a rush to save his life.

Seeing this Shehnaaz smiled widely as if she won something.

"Tum kya smile paas kar rahi ho? Jao aur apna rasta napo." Sidharth said angrily and started to leave.

She runs after him and stands in front of him blocking his way. He frowned.

"Ab kya gale padhana hai tumhe?" he asked, glaring at her.

Shehnaaz controlled her anger and walked closer to him with a smile. This confused him.

"Sach sach batana tum sach me pagal khane se bhaagi hui ho naa?" Sidharth asked, laughing. His tall body bends backwards, his hands on his waist. An act when he laughs wholeheartedly.

She smiles blissfully, having tears in her eyes watching him laugh like this after so long. She missed him so much. She missed this. 

"I missed you so much, Bebu." She said emotionally standing in front of him.

He stopped laughing.

"See, please don't cry. I don't know why you're calling me like this. But seriously I don't know you Miss.." 

"Shehnaaz. Shehnaaz Gill." She said, with a smile hiding her pain, that he wasn't recognizing her. His Shehnaaz. It was breaking her heart every second.