He checked his watch, and then the judges door, hoping the script would be finalized soon so he would be able to leave as quickly as possible. What was about the hundredth time now, Casey looked perplexed at her fellow script writer annoyed and at the same time worried with the way he kept checking his watch.

"Is there a problem Vivek? (Looking at his face) You look pale." He pointed out, her eye brows arched upwards in the peculiar questioning manner, waiting for him to respond.

"Nope. I am fine. *pause* Do you have water? (Casey fishes out a bottle from her bag still scrutinizing him, while he drank water) Thanks. *pause* Hey, I am fine." Vivek assured her, putting up his bright sunny smile to make her belive in the truth of his words, and what was after a few apprehensive moment of self-thinking she slowly nodded and got back to editing the script.

"It will be difficult to pull this script off. (Vivek looks at her and nods) Lets hope Khushi and Arnav do justice to it." Casey commented, scanning through the last page of the script and passed forward the edited copy to the sophomore pair of script writers before Vivek stopped her hand in between taking the script from her hand.

"What is it?" Casey asked her bewildered apparently surprised with his sudden action. Vivek seemed not to answer instantly and flipped through the pages of the script stopping on a particular page and turned it over to bring it to Casey's notice.

"There is a costume change over here. (pointing at the next scene) and the next scene starts in less then two minutes. How is it humanly possible that they will be ready in time?" Vivek asked, looking at her questioningly and she furrowed her brow, tapping her chin to think of something that would sound convincing and at the same time logical.

"I guess we will have to tell the costume designer to look into this. Because the costume changeover is important. We can't do any amendments to this." Casey told him, and he looked at her awkwardly, still not sure how it was humanly possible to achieve this.

"And this one (pointing to another scene) A flashback in this? Arnav is going to bonkers dude!" Vivek said, but Casey seemed to show little sympathy to how the actors would cover up such technical errors.

"That's none of our concern dude. We did our job good. That is all we signed up for. How the actors and choreographers make their way is out is their problem not ours Vivek. (seeing the paleness on Viveks face returning) Vivek. (keeping her hand on his shoulder) Go home. You look sick, I'll handle everything else here, and if there is anything you need to know I'll call you okay? (Vivek smiles at her) Don't try to flatter me, Now go!" Casey told him practically pushing him off his chair, and he gave her a quick peck on her cheek rushing away from the place, like a bird let free, as Casey behind shook her head at his madness.

"Yeah, Whatever. At least he is noticing me now." Casey said to herself, passing the script to the sophomore pair, for them to their part.

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

They had been standing in the room since the last five minutes, after the results had been announced earlier, declaring Khushi as the clear victor for Lindsey Dawson's role. Soon after she and Arnav had been told to wait in the drama class room where the drama teacher would join them shortly.

"Congratulations." Arnav said after some while, giving a small smile to her and she nodded returning the gesture however the final result being more awkward then intended. They were just under the process of getting over their awkwardness before they heard the door creak, expecting the drama teacher to enter instead they saw Nikhil coming inside with his guitar. At first he didn't seem to notice they were there, since he had entered at such an ankle, but the moment he did for one moment he was shocked, adding to the awkwardness of the situation.

"I didn't know you two would be here too." Nikhil said modestly, walking towards them, particularly smiling at Khushi, who unknowingly smiled back at him brightly taking Arnav aback a bit with her changes reaction to him in comparison with him.

"We are the main leads of this play. Of course we would be here." Arnav snapped back looking at him with narrowed eyes, not meeting his eyes with Khushi who stared at him with a mildly shocked expression and then looked at Nikhil apologizing from his side.

"Congratulations for winning it Khushi. (Extended his hand towards her shaking it) I saw the other three competitors, one of them was your sister wasn't it Arnav? (Arnav nods stiffly) Eve and Alexis were good too. Quite honestly, when I just saw the auditions I thought Eve would get the role, but everyone said your chemistry with Arnav was the best so they gave you the role." Nikhil told her, leaning his guitar against a wall, while Khushi darted an annoyed look at Arnav hearing Eves name, making the most horrible face in existence.

"Oh yeah she was really good. Right Arnav? (Arnav flinches) You know Arnav was really rooting on her to win. They seemed to be really cozy together." She said in a venomous, sarcastic tone, as Nikhil from his knee bent position turned his head back to look at her, shooting dagger like looks at Arnav who was replying in a much captured away, trying to convince her that she was wrong.

"I was not. And we weren't cozy Gupta. I wanted you to be Lindsey Dawson ever since I won the role of Jamie Dawson." Arnav told her adamantly, and she looked at for one good second, before rolling her eyes, saying silent, as Nikhil looked at the two of them, the fire lined border between them evident, and giving the excuse of calling the drama teacher he went away leaving the two of them a lot.

The moment Nikhil was out of sight, Arnav started taking steady steps towards her, scaring her to the extent that she took a step back, but eventually stopped moving back once she knew he was going to come more forward the more she went backward. Satisfied that she wasn't inching away anymore, he held her hand into his and brought it forward, in between their merrily inched away bodies looking at her in the most sincerest manner he could possibly manage.

"I mean it Gupta. I wanted you to get that role no matter what. No Eve, or Alexis or whatever girl, do you understand? And I wasn't cozy with Eve. I was anything but that. (Khushi's nerves calm down a bit) So just remove that misconception from your mind." Arnav told her, penetrating his gaze into her hazel colored eyes and for a split second he thought she had nodded, but it had gone as soon at it came replaced with an expression of doubt and slight confusion.

"Why? Why are you telling me all this Arnav?" She asked him her expressions conveying truly the mis trust she held in him.

"Because you need to know. (Khushi has the same expression) Because you are important to me." He said, softly, and this time he saw her correctly nodding at him, causing him to smile a bit, then letting go of her hand the moment they heard the door creak open, Nikhil along with the drama teacher entering inside.

"Congratulations to both of you for being this year's main leads. (Khushi and Arnav thank him simultaneously) Guess it is freshmen's year this time. Almost everyone in the team is a freshmen. (Everyone smiles) So guys, back to business. (facing Arnav) The copy of the script I gave you yesterday had been edited today, the final editions made, so here it is. (handing it over to Arnav) And here is your copy Ms.Gupta (he hands it over to her) Rehearsal's start from tomorrow, 11:00 sharp till 5:00. (Everyone nods) When the second term kicks starts you people are going to rehearse after school 2-6. Also when March starts you might not get to attend any classes at all. (Khushi and Arnav look a bit disturbed hearing this) I understand this is hard for you all, but no pain no gain right?" The drama teacher in a light hearted, yet strict tone and they all nodded all of them busy going through the scripts, when the drama teacher exited, Khushi looking extremely flustered the moment she was done skimming through it.

"Thank God I am the one playing Lindsey. I am glad." Khushi murmured to herself, audible enough to have Arnav heard who smirked to himself, knowing exactly what she was feeling.

"I am too." He said out a bit loud, Nikhil lifting his head up from the script but seeing Khushi go crimson he figured it was something like inside talk so he let go of asking what it was all about.

"You never told us why you are here in the first place?" Arnav asked Nikhil stoutly, and Nikhil drove away his concentration from the script, a little irked with the way Arnav was being so inquisitive.

"Do you have a problem with me being here?" Nikhil asked evenly, looking at Arnav coldly.

"Actually I do." Arnav replied back in just as stony a voice as Nikhil had, causing Nikhil to shake his head in annoyance at him.

"You are one arrogant guy. (looking at Khushi seeming a bit rattled) I am the guitarist for that song. I'll be playing it." Nikhil said in an unaffected manner, then straightened himself up, telling Khushi he said he would stay in school a bit longer, waving at her, and in an extremely disgusted manner at Arnav, exiting without a word.

"There was no need to be so rude to him." Khushi told him, in a particularly off handed manner, as the two of them walked out of the drama room to the Stanford exit gate, Arnav seemed edged about Nikhil's presence still.

"You could have said the same thing to him too." He replied, in a more irked way then he was supposed to, and she shook her head by her side, rolling her eyes inside her sockets. They had reached the exit door, and were about to part their ways when Khushi saw Aparna standing at the gate waving at her, and she rushed towards her mother, closely followed by Arnav who had just a tad bit of smile on his face.

"I didn't know you were going to pick me up." She said, immediately disclosing the news of her winning the role, along with sheepishly telling the fact that Arnav and her were the male leads. Aparna was elated and hugged both of them simultaneously, smiling gladly at the two of them.

"Arnav you are coming with me. (Looking at her questioningly) I am going to the hospital for my check up, so I guess I'll drop you off with Anita their then." Aparna told him, and he nodded, proceeding with them to where Aparna had parked her car, she taking in the driver seat while Arnav sat on the backseat and Khushi in the front. Most of the ride, Aparna and Khushi blabbered while Arnav sat mute tone, answering only questions that were directly asked from him.

As they entered the hospital parking lot, Aparna finding a vacant spot, parked the car, both Arnav and Khushi getting out just about a second later, Khushi's face masked with an expression of doubt, and confusion staring at the car at the right end corner, her eyes narrowed in direct vision to scrutinize the details of the car.

"Hey Arnav! (Arnav walks to where she is standing; looking in the direction she is pointing) Do you recognize that as Vivek's car?" Khushi asked him in a dire state of astonishment and he looked closely for a second nodding his head at her then dismissed the thought trying to pacify her by saying that she was probably mistaken. Half convinced, but still very unsure about the reality of it, Khushi, Aparna and Arnav walked inside the hospital, Arnav still lost in thought about Viveks car because he was quite sure it was his car, and he knew Khushi was too. Somewhere his sixth sense sensed trouble, but he the thought of it go, proceeding towards his mother's cabin, while Aparna took Khushi to the cafeteria to first grab a quick snack and then they would go to visit Anita.

The moment Arnav reached in front of Anita's office he stopped short before going in, hearing voices coming from inside, and thankfully the door being ajarly open he peered inside a bit to see if there was a patient; being stunned beyond comprehension with who he saw inside.

His systems seemed to shut down within him as he under the crouched hidden position he was looking from, saw inside the two people who he least expected to be seen at the same time in a place like this. Staring awkwardly like this was embarrassing for him, he knew he was not capable of doing something like that, but something inside him told him, that walking right through in could lead into a moment of mass destruction.

"You should let your parents know Vivek. (her tone growing stern) Or I will." from outside Arnav heard his mother speak to Vivek in a considerate yet a distantly cold manner, Viveks back to him, but from his tensed posture he could certainly fathom that something was terribly wrong.

"I will. Just not right now Dr. Anita. Don't worry I'll take care of myself." Vivek assured her smiling at her and walked out of her cabin, Arnav inching away from the door now standing straight as Vivek turned into the corner where Arnav was positioned his eyes bulging out of his sockets.

"Wh..at..are you.doing here?" Vivek asked him troubled, stammering so hard, it was almost a miracle that he was even able to string up a complete sentence.

"Everything else later. Follow me."

Arnav said secretly, knowing that Khushi and Aparna would be on their way here, and taking firm hold of Viveks wrist, dragged him to a nearby store room area, firmly locking the door behind him, as the two boys inside the four walls shared unified looks of mis trust and confusion with each other.

"Khushi is here with her mother. That is why you are here." Arnav said in a much more calmer tone than Vivek expected, nodding at him, still staring at Arnav in complete bewilderment. Arnav choose to remain silent collecting his thoughts trying to function his brain to think radically.

"How long?" Arnav asked, taking Vivek aback by his vague question, who raised his eyes brows in suspicion at him.

"Three days. (Arnav goes into thinking mode again) Arnav, you, why are you here?" Vivek asked, the curiosity and suspicion he held for Arnav getting the better of him, as Arnav looked up at him, his face tilted in an expression that said clearly, that Vivek was the one under interrogation right now, not he.

"I won't say a word until you do. (Vivek rests his back against the wall) But for that I will need to know what you are going through." Arnav stated clearly, his straight forward manner, currently impressing Vivek and he nodded, it being a fair deal for the favor Vivek was asking.

"Arrhythmia. (Arnav slowly nods) I guess you know what it is. (Arnav nods again) Abnormal Heart Rhythm. I got it diagnosed about two weeks ago, when my heart use to pain. I had it checked from your mother, then she told me that it's a genetic disease that I have inherited from my parents. (Arnav is about to question) Mr and Mrs Mandvi are my foster parents. (Arnav nods slowly taking in the information) I have inherited this from my blood parents. Dr.Anita says it can't be treated only controlled." Vivek told him in full length, the misery and despair of his situation directly making a home run, as Arnav placed himself on a nearby half broken chair, analysis the situation.

"You didn't tell me why you are here." Vivek asked this time his voice more strained, and much more serious than the first time, Arnav looking at him a for a good two minutes before answering his questions.

"For her. (Vivek continues to look without expression) And for myself. Think of this as a payback for the favor you have done on me." Arnav stated in a melancholic manner his voice little affected by emotion.

"Favor?" Vivek said the one word with such skepticism that Arnav was about to get annoyed, but let the feeling get past before he said anything, owning to the delicacy of the situation.

"Gupta. She has agreed to give me a second chance, and I know you convinced her to. Only you can do that." Arnav told him, and a small just barely crossed Viveks face before he sported the emotionless look again.

"I did it more for her than I did for you. (Arnav is about to say something) And I know that you are doing this more for her than for me, which is completely fine. I expect no friendship ties between us, so everything we do together is for her. Fair enough." Vivek went on, more like blabbering to himself figuring out the logic of their current ordeal, than telling Arnav what he thought about it. Nevertheless Arnav nodded, himself convinced that this was nothing more than a requirement to get her. Or maybe not. Maybe he wasn't as hard as he thought he was, and was probably a softy at hear,t but that secret was his alone, and he couldn't give it out to the world, so actually demonstrating that she was the tying factor here was easier than making himself look like someone with a heart.

On the opposite side of the hospital, from the room that the boys had occupied Khushi and Aparna casually walked to Anita's cabin being entered with a slightly taken aback, but smiling Anita. Just a few minutes ago she had seen Vivek go, and she knew about the bond between him and Khushi, if he was hiding the reality of his health from his parents, she had no doubt Khushi knew nothing either. Khushi who seemed slightly considerate about Anita's response, paid little attention to it, her eyes darting from one corner to the other, looking for him.

"Are you finding something here, Khushi?" Anita asked her, noticing the way she was moving her eyes from corner to corner.

"Someone. Arnav." Khushi said, not even meeting his eyes, with Anita still bus looking, taking the seat next to Aparna, who too seemed concerned about where Arnav was.

"Why would he be here?" Anita asked surprised, and Khushi instantly snapped out of her search mode and looked at Anita puzzled.

"Didn't he come here?" Khushi asked surprised, exchanging worried looks with Aparna on her side, as Aparna briefed Anita about how Arnav had come with them from school, and while they went to the cafeteria he had headed towards Anita's cabin. The moment Anita heard, her mother instincts if were not to be doubted, she was sure Arnav had bumped into Vivek or possibly heard her and Vivek talking, which meant that right now they were together, or possibly were a while ago.

"He must have gone somewhere else. Don't worry he knows his way around here." Anita assured them, and even though Aparna seemed convinced Khushi knew something more was on the cards than she knew. Viveks car in the parking lot, Arnav not making it to Anita's cabin it all just couldn't be a coincidence.

Arnav who was just outside the cabin right at that moment, only stopped enough to make sure Khushi and Aparna were in the cabin, Vivek closely behind him, and both slowly ducking their way out of the busy hospital reached the parking lot, Vivek speeding towards his car before Khushi and Aparna came. Seeing Vivek hop inside the same car Khushi had earlier said was his, he realized that hiding the truth from Khushi about her best friend was more harder than he thought. If she could tell out of so many similar cars which one was Viveks she would surely shave her way out of the excuses he and Vivek were going to make to prevent the truth from getting to her.

"Thanks." Vivek said in a gratified tone, taking a reverse turn out of the hospital door, just in time too, because only a minute later Khushi standing beside Arnav, momentarily knocking the living daily lights out of her. Not like him to scamper away seeing her, out of profound surprise.

"What? What happened?" Khushi asked him, surprised by his odd reaction, a while late Aparna too standing by their side, asking Arnav where he had been.

"Erm..Washroom." Arnav said in the most convincing voice he could manage, Khushi raising a suspicious eye brow at him but he pretended to take no notice of it, and stood their expressionless.

"Should I drop you home, or will you stay?" Aparna asked him, and he went with the 'drop home' option since he felt tired to the bone, and really needed to figure out how he was going to drape Vivek truth from Khushi all along. One slip of tongue and everything was over.

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

20 minutes later, he was stepping out of Aparna's car, thanking her for the ride, and saying a quick 'see you tomorrow' to Khushi used his spare key to open the door, and disappeared inside the house directly heading for his room.

Outside Khushi trained her eyes on him until he was no more in sight, Aparna driving away, the troubled contorted lines on Khushi's face compelling her to inquire about what was wrong.

"I don't know. He has been acting strange ever since he came back from the washroom, IF he was in the washroom. (Aparna raises an eyebrow at her) I don't think he was in the washroom Maa. He was lying. Something is wrong." Khushi said in an off handed manner, lost in thought, trying to fit in the pieces of the puzzle but the more she thought, the more everything seemed bizarre to her.

Inside Arnav's room, he shut his eyes tight, releasing the tension from his body, and relaxed calmly trying to get the events earlier into place. Khushi had decided to give him a second chance, Vivek had a heart condition, and he was Jamie Dawson. Being with her almost all day was a thrilling thought, but the fear of letting out Vivek's secret was a grave problem as well. While helping Vivek out was something he was doing for her, he knew quite well everything could backfire. If by any chance she came to know about their hidden secrets, he might lose the only chance he had to be with her.

His train of thoughts was halted by a knock on his door, surprising him beyond wits, to know someone was knocking. Nobody is their house knocked to come inside each others room, and for that matter, except for his siblings nobody was in the house. Them knocking was something that he couldn't even believe. It was the most unimaginable feat in existence. Cautiously, trying not to show how surprised he was, he walked to the door, and opened in no doubt Anjali and Aakash were standing facing him.

"Can we come in?" Aakash asked in a solemn manner, and even thought Arnav was stunned like he never had been, and was probably considering this all a very vague dream he nodded, step siding to let them in, who effectively seated themselves on the beam bags in his room. ThankGod for that. He sighed to himself. If by any chance they would have asked his permission to have a seat too, he was sure, despite no genetic conditions he would get Arrhythmia. Quietly he seated himself on his bed, an awkward silences engulfing the siblings.

"Khushi got the role. Are you happy?" Anjali asked him, and even though he was slightly taken aback with this not so normal start to a conversation he nodded at the two of them, all of them falling silent again.

"I thought about what you told me today. About your strong want for Khushi to win Lindsey Dawson's role. It triggered a fairly understandable thought in my mind that earlier you had been denying. *pause* Are you ready for it Arnav?" Anjali asked him in a soft focused manner, her eyes fixed on his every movement, making him a bit uncomfortable, and giving him the impression that he was under interrogation at the moment.

"I am." He stated in a clear, confident, bold manner, and both Anjali and Aakash exchanged glad looks with each other smiling at him softly.

"Good. We are both happy for you." Aakash said in a much more formal tone than he intended then fell silent again, none of them looking at each other.

"I want to make things right with her. (Anjali and Aakash nod) And with you two." Arnav said finally and they nodded, still not saying anything more. As much as he denied it earlier, his siblings were his family, his family was all he had before Khushi came into his life, he obviously cared for them more than he showed, he respected them more than told, and he loved them more then he could express.

"We have let go of it already. You should too." Anjali told him in an assured manner, and for the first time in years he smiled gladly at his siblings, not even an hint of scowl or a rugged expression anywhere near his face. After few more minutes of pin drop silence, Anjali and Aakash got up from their beam bags, Arnav from the bed both Anjali and Aakash exchanging mischievous glances with each other. Taking him by surprise yet again, they marched towards him in unison, and let themselves on his from one side, hugging him tight, more like if you ask Arnav, hugging him to death.

"Making things right has got nothing to do with making things cheesy." Arnav scowled, lightly pushing the two of them away and the two twins grinned to them, glad to have that crazy edged rapport between them back.

"Today a Chotte always a Chotte." Aakash said joyfully, patting him on the bag, and immediately hearing his not so impressive nick name Arnav's muscles tensed and he passed his ever famous death glare at Aakash, who merrily laughed it off.

"What The." Arnav said in a curt, disgusted tone, narrowing his eyes murderously at his older siblings.

"We should go before he decides to kill either of us." Anjali said, pushing Aakash out of the room who was in a good mood to pull some more of Arnav's leg.

"Hey. Thanks." Arnav said to their retreating backs and they stopped dead, turning around to face him, never had seen their brother, look so, erm, normal.

"If you need our help we are always there. We have your back bro." Aakash told him in resounding, confirmative tone and he stoutly nodded in reply, seeing his siblings jump back on the couch, the daily wrestling match, of what TV show would be watched striking between them again.

"Nuts." He remarked half annoyed to himself, and jumped back into his bed, glad that things had settled down between him and his siblings as well, and that he had another chance with making right with Khushi too. The only score now left to settle was with Karan, and then probably the first step to a good life would finally be taken.

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

nav_bat2013-07-09 01:09:46