I'm not happy with this chapter at all.
It's just setting up the background.
Bear with me.
BHOPAL
"Aaliya, why are we here at the lovers' point again?"
"Shhh Mariam, chillao mat! My stock is over, actually, so I had to come here." Aaliya said sheepishly.
"Aaliya tum! Ya Allah! Why the hell do you collect them?"
"They're so beautiful Mariam!" Aaliya said, her face lighting up. "They shine."
"Arghh, iss baar tumhara stock kaise khatam hua?" Mariam said, exasperatedly.
"Um, I accidently dropped the jar and they all flew away. Sorry na Mariam. Please aaj last time, uske baad hum yahan nahin aayenge."
"It better be the last time! I get sick seeing this PDA. (Public Display of Affection)" Mariam said, looking around to see the couples who were apparently doing PDA.
"God Mariam, lovers' point hai, yahan romance nahin karenge to aur kahan karenge?" Aaliya smiled.
"Can't you get a better place to collect your stock'?" Mariam said, making air quotes on the word stock'. "Why here?"
Aaliya left her new jar near Mariam and started walking ahead, a far away look on her face. "Pata hai Mariam, Ammi kaha karti thi...When it's true love, fireflies are everywhere. That's why I come here. To get my fireflies. To see them glow one fine day...for me."
"Ya Allah Aaliya, tum kitni filmy ho!"
"Aur tum kitni boring ho!"
"No, seriously Aaliya, why are you going to a medical college yaar? It's not like you can't do medicine, you can. I have seen you doing +2. But you are...different. Don't you want to explore yourself? You really want to go to AIIMS?"
"I..." Aaliya looked away. She shook her head and smiled. "Of course I do."
And then her eyes grew wide. "ALLAH MIYAAN LOOK AROUND MARIAM! THIS IS LIKE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING I HAVE EVER SEEN!"
Thousands of fireflies shone in the night, lighting up the dark night.
Aaliya eyes sparkled. "Bola tha na meine! Now bring the jar fast and collect them inside! Quick Mariam!"
***
"Wh-what is this?" she said, her green eyes widening by each line she read.
"It's your dream, beta." The old lady straightened her spectacles and looked at her 19-year-old granddaughter.
"B-but I-I can't do this! No!" she said, keeping the paper back on the table. "I-I can't go there..."
"Why can you not? Why should you not?" the old lady asked, exasperated.
"Dadijaan, Abbu wanted me to become a doctor! He wanted me to take science! And I have done it, you see! I'm almost there! I have got my acceptance letter from AIIMS Delhi and I have to go there and-"
"You have to or you want to?" Dadijaan asked.
"I..." She stopped. Did she want to? Did she want to go to a medical college? Did she want to go back to a world full of reasons and facts and proofs and explanations? She had no answer. "Dadijaan, it doesn't matter whether I want to or not! I need to do it because it was Abbu's wish and he'd be happy if-"
"If you follow your heart. Your father was my son, beta. I knew him better. He'd be happy if you let go. He'd be happy if you are happy. Are you were, today morning, when you sang your heart out in the old age home."
"I sang because you asked me to."
"Really?"
"Yes, I-"
"Don't even try."
"What?"
"To fool your Dadijaan."
"I'm not-"
"Take this." Dadijaan said, handing her the letter. "Go and live your dream."
"Dadijaan why don't you understand?! Music is NOT my dream! My dream is to see my dead parents smiling wherever they are! Aap please mujhe akela chhod dijye and stop interfering in my life like this! I'm going to AIIMS and that's final once and for all!" Aaliya cried. She had never, ever raised her voice in front of her grandmother.
"Mein toh bas tumhare bhale ka soch rahi thi." Dadijaan said, her voice shook due to the shock. "Because I have seen the sparkle in your eyes when you talk about music, the way you relish a song when you sing it. You only succeed in life when you put your heart and soul into your work. If you don't want to then...well, it's your life and your choices. Who am I to interfere?" she turned around and left.
Aaliya watched her leave, still clutching the letter in her hand. She shouldn't have done that, shouldn't have raised her voice in front of her grandma. But dadi was saying the impossible, wasn't she? How could Aaliya possibly shun her dad's dream? Wouldn't her being a doctor make him happy?
Or would her being happy make him happy?
***
MUMBAI
"Dude dude dude check this out! Yesterday's concert has already hit 1 million views in less than half a day!" Cabir said, jumping around with his iPad.
"Chill bro! You are behaving as if it's the first time." Mukti said indifferently. "It's not our first hit Cabir."
"Come on Mukti! Don't be such a spoilt sport. Chalo, ek drink toh banti hai boss." Cabir said, tugging on Mukti's hand.
"Okay Cabir relax. Dhruv! Get a bottle from the fridge na."
"Okay." Dhruv said, keeping his guitar aside. "You guys go bring Zain and Soha from the..."
"From the?" Mukti inquired.
"Poolside. They said it...it had been long since they had done--um...I mean...spent some quality time together." Dhruv said, as he turned red.
"Okay okay, we get it." Mukti laughed. "Look at him Cabir! He's turning red. Aww Dhruv." She went up to him and pulled his cheeks. "You are so cute! I'm just waiting for the day you will fall in love!"
"Arey kyu chhed rahi hai use. Let's go and witness some steamy rrromance!" Cabir said, rubbing his hands together.
***
"ZAIN USMAN ABDULLAH AND SOHA SAXENA I AM COUNTING UPTO THREE AND ENTERING! MAKE SURE YOU ARE FULLY CLOTHED AND IN AN APPROPRIATE POSITION!" Mukti literally screamed as we walked towards the pool.
They reached to the pool area to see Zain fallen off the beach chair (Mukti strongly suspected Soha had thrown him down at this very moment), hurriedly buttoning his shirt while Soha sitting on top on the chair straightening her dress.
"Ahem ahem. Are you guys done?" Cabir snickered, he absolutely loved to pull Zain's leg. "I mean if you need more time we can --"
"Shut up Cabir! Stop troubling my baby." Soha chirped. "Come on, let's go Zain."
"Baby my foot!" Zain muttered. "You pushed my off the chair, I almost broke my backbone!"
"Broke your backbone?! Zain, thda zyada nahin ho gaya?" Cabir asked.
"I said almost." Zain said muderously to Cabir.
"Hmm, point to be noted." Cabir snickered as Mukti elbowed him.
"I'm so sorry baby. Should I give you a massage? Ek minute mein saara dard udan chhoo ho jayega." Soha said, closing upon Zain.
"Ek minute ek minute ek minute!" Cabir said, squeezing himself between Zain and Soha. "We're trying to keep this PG rated. Distance, please."
Mukti laughed. "Enough of your banter guys, come on, let us celebrate our 78955463th success!"
***
Zain popped the cork, spraying champagne all over them.
"God Zain stop this! My hair! You're wetting me!" Soha cried, shielding herself from her newly purchased Louis Vitton bag.
"I have so many other ways to wet you, baby. This is just the cleanest one of them." Zain smirked, splattering more champagne on her.
"Come on guys! Fill your glasses. Enough now Zain! Give me the bottle." Cabir said, snatching the bottle away and filling up the wine glasses.
They all raised their glasses, "To Fab 5!" they cheered, gulping the contents in one shot.
"No wonder we don't get drunk anymore. We're so used to alcohol." Soha laughed. "I demand a refill."
"Your wish is my command." Cabir mock bowed as he grabbed the bottle again.
"Chal Dhruv, gimme your glass."
"Cabir, you know I have zero tolerance towards alcohol. You guys carry on. I'm good." Dhruv said, sitting down on the couch.
"Okay. Zain, can we have some music please!"
"Kar le masti Baba Cabir. Kal se college." Zain said.
"Damn it! Phir se uss Raghav ki sadi hui shakl dekhni padegi." Cabir groaned.
"Come on Cabir." Soha said, throwing her hand over his shoulder. "You act as though we study at college."
"I know right?" Mukti came from behind and high-fived Soha.
"Exactly dude. It's gonna be fun. A new year. New people. And along with that..." Zain trailed.
"New methods of ragging!" Cabir jumped.
"Yup! This year is going to be uber cool!" Soha chirped.
The Fab 5 raised another toast as they swayed to the music, each one of them awaiting tomorrow.
Knowing little that tomorrow was not going to be a regular day.
Tomorrow would mark the beginning of a new journey.
Tomorrow destiny would take an unexpected twist.
Tomorrow their glamorous world might take a turn.
Tomorrow new stories would begin.
***
BHOPAL
"I have decided." She said, firmly now.
"Haan beta tumhara saamaan almost pack ho gaya hai. Abhi news mein dekha Delhi ka temparatue -3 degree hai. Kaafi saare garam kapde rakh diye hain meine. Aur wahan--"
"Dadijaan, abhi meine news mein dekha Mumbai ka temperature 26 degree hai. Itne sweaters ki zaroorat nahin padegi."
"Aaliya, tum-tum kehna kya chaah rahi ho? Tumhara selection AIIMS Delhi mein hua hai AIIMS Mumbai mein nahin."
"Exactly what I came to tell you dadijaan. I have decided. I will go to SPACE. Go to SPACE and live my dream."
***
Story moves from the next chapter.
Zain and the whole Fab 5 will be very mean in the beginning. You have to bear with them.
Buddy mystories_PM for PMs.
I need your feedback to continue this story.
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