After Anika and Kushi submitted their project work in college, they headed back to their flat and started packing their bags chitchatting with each other.
Kushi : Come on Anika pack it fast and clear the bed. I need to take a nap. I'm really very very tired yar. Hell with this project presentation. If mini-project is this much tough then what about the final project next year? Auugghhhh!!! I need to relax first by sleeping.
Anika rolling her eyes and sitting on the bed with a small bag says : Really!! Kushi you are the one thrown all the stuff from wardrobe on to the bed and asking me to clear the mess by packing fast? Ughhh!!! for your kind information you have compensated your so called night-outs already by sleeping like a log. By the way who calls 6 hrs sleep during night as a night out?
Kushi thrown herself on bed and lie-down on the messed clothes by saying: I'm the one to call it as night-out. I just need 10 hours sound sleep, even if 1 hr is missed in it then it is called as night-out for me. And here 4 hrs is missing for each exam. So, Please Ani, help me ,I'm hell confused with what to pack and what to not? so, you do my all packing stuff. Please please please....
Anika keeping some papers and books in the bag says: Nautanki, always finds reasons to escape work. Once after reaching home I'll complain to Leela mom. And i'm not going to pack a separate baggage. we are going to our home and no need to carry anything other than our books and assignments. So clear the bed fast. place all these stuff back in to the wardrobe. fast fast fast...
by saying this Anika get out of the bed and left for washroom to freshen up. But Kushi roll over the bed from one end to other end by blabbering : At least help me in placing all these stuff back in to wardrobe. By the time Anika came back getting ready, Kushi who is arranging the wardrobe asks: Hey where are you going now Ani?
Anika : You forgot or asking me to test?
Kushi thinks for some time seriously and says: umm?? Shopping? (by seeing Anikas expression she changes answer) yeah I know Movie time, right? ( Agian by seeing Anikas expression she keeps quite) Ok I forgot say now, where are we going?
Anika sees kushi with a 'can't do anything with you look' and says : we are having a gathering at Mysore highway with in a hour. I will be waiting for you in the parking lot for next 15 minutes, if you are not on time? then its me alone attending it.
with that Anika left the room saying ' clear the bed before stepping out' with a mischievous smile and Kushi starts cursing Arnav for making Anika too run as Time machine and start throwing the stuff back to its place quickly.
Anika Pov
After reaching to the parking lot the first one to come in to my vision are my security. Rohan and Rahul, they are around 35 to 40 years but well built man. they are very similar faces I'm seeing from my childhood, who followed me to school,college,shopping,movie,pub, even to spa.There is no place I'm going with out them, I'm comfortable with them being around me but my friends are not, but arguing is waste of time and I adjusted my self to this environment. They open the car door for me and i got in to the back seat waiting for Kushi, and lost in my thoughts how I convinced my brothers to get here with out them being around me.
Kushi and I made a plan to convince my brothers and her parents to let us move to Bangalore for graduation. Every year on my Birthday my brothers grant me a wish, and never back off in fulfilling it. Its their love towards me and I being a fool used their love to get my things done.The plan seems nothing but a quite emotional black mailing my brothers but I'm a fool and regretting the idea of being away from them now. I'm missing them so much now.
::::::::::: 3 years back on May 5th :::::::::::::::::
Its my Birthday and the same day I lost my Mother. As every year routine their will be pooja organised in the early morning by my brothers for my welfare and a small celebration at the evening with only close family members (my three Brothers, Kushi's Family) and workers in the mansion. There will be bonus distributed to the employees of our company and funds allotted to orphanages and old-age homes (which are built as per my previous birthday wish). But none of my friends are invited to my home, because as per My brother Arjun outers are restricted to our home.Not only this, there are few questions I always need to ask my brothers:
1. Why I'm not allowed to introduce my self as Anika Singh Raizada to the outer world?
2. Why I always should use the back side private security gate to enter or exit the house?
3.Why I'm always been locked inside my room when ever there is a press meet or business party conducted at my home?
4. Why I'm not allowed to disclose even my original date-of-birth to anyone and restricted to have any social media accounts?
5. Why always my brothers hide details or divert the topic when ever I ask about my parents?
All these are age old questions I wanted to ask them, but I don't want to question Arjun bhai decision over me. He is elder to me and knows very well what is the best for me. Even now I'm just going to put forward my choice in front of him, later its his decision that is going to be final.
After the completion of pooja and arati Arjun bhai, Arnav bhai and Atarv bhai wished me and showered with lot of gifts and finally asked for my wish.
Anika with slight tension over her face said : Bhai promise me first that you won't be mad at me for asking this wish.
Arnav : If you are saying this means definitely you are going to ask something against our approval,right?
Atarv : ohhh god!! baby, Ani now don't say us you are having a boy friend and dating him, and now going to ask for our permission ??
Anika : shut up bhai, I don't even had a friend other than Kushi and you are saying about boyfriend. ughhh!! Arjun bhai, you say that you wont get angry up on me. I'm just going to ask my wish, later its up to you to choose the best for me.
Arjun : ok Ani I'm giving my word to you, I won't be mad at you. Now ask what's it?
Anika lowering her head and fiddling with her fingers spoken in low pitch holding her breath in one go: I want to do my graduation from IIST-Bangalore.
Atarv not believing his own ears asked : come again, I just doubt what I have listened.
Arnav being serious said :This is not going to happen Ani. Mumbai has best Universities for your graduation, if you are not interested in Mumbai you can go for Oxford in UK so that at-least Atarv can accompany you. But you being away with out anyone of us around you is not going to happen.
Anika : I'm not willing to go alone bhai, It's mine and Kushi's combined decision.
Arnav glares at Kushi and says : So, its you who filled Ani's brain with stupid stuff?
Kushi being hell nervous holds here lehenga in tight fists and takes a step back. Then comes a loud voice of Arjun turning every one's attention towards him :"SILENT Every one. Kumar uncle to Office room now."
with that Kushi's father Kumar Gupta and Arjun left to Office room and closed the door. In the living room Arnav, Atarv, Leela are throwing serious glances to Kushi and Anika. After 1 hour Arjun came back to living room along with Kumar uncle with a pleasant faces and said: "Ani and Kushi are allowed to join IIST-Bangalore" after some pause " but, you have to follow my instructions for staying there."
Anika and Kushi happiness has no boundaries and hugged each other and said ok for the instructions given by their bade bhai .Nothing new rules for them, those are the same rules they are following from childhood- 24*7 security, to maintain secrecy of their original identification, to follow their timings and decisions. So, Ani and kushi agreed happily and thus start their journey of graduation.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
"Anikaaa, open the damn door.Where are you lost? Anikaaa.." by these loud screams of Kushi, anika came out of her thoughts and opened the door.
Where are you lost ? asked Kushi.
Nothing, about our day convincing our families for graduation here in Bangalore. and I signed for security to start the car.
Don't remember me that day Ani, Arnav thought its all my plan to make you brother and sister away from each other and didn't speak to me for 3 months. those damn 3 months are hell for me Ani. But I regret it now, I'm missing maa and papa a lot. Any way, we will be at home by tomorrow morning. By the way you din't say me who all are coming to the gathering? asked Kushi being eager to know coming up plans for tonight.
I just smiled to her and said wait and watch. Ohh what a cute expression Kushi has when ever I pissed her off. I just want to do these kind of jokes on her even more and more. With that she indulge her self in listening music and I staring at the Stars and Sky through the window.