* Ahmedabad, 2006 *
Shivani entered her house in a very good mood. She had just returned after "window-shopping" for some colleges with vikrant, she was carrying some college brochures in her hand. Shivani wanted to be a fashion designer and now all she had to do was select a good college.
As she entered the dining room, she saw her mother talking to someone on the landline, her face was gone pale. Shivani came closer,
"Kiska phone hai maa?"
"M.. Sid.. siddhant.." that's all she could say before Shivani snatched the receiver from her mothers hand.
"DADA KA PHONE??? Hello Dada? Aap kab aa rahe ho? Mei apko bohot miss Kar rahi hu!"
Next words that came from the other side changed shivani's life forever,
"Ji ACP Siddhant on duty encounter mei Shahid ho chuke Hai. Unki body pure honors ke sath unke ghar bhej di jaegi."
Shivani's grip on the brochures in her hand loosened and they fell on the ground. She dropped the phone and ran to her room.
Days later when all the rituals were completed, Shivani was sitting on the swing outside her house. Vikrant came and sat next to her,
"Shivani.."
"Vikrant, mujhe IPS join karna Hai." Shivani blurted out suddenly and vikrant looked at her incredulously.
"Lekin tu to.."
"Janti hu vicky, lekin pichhle kuch dino me.. vikrant mujhe sach Janna hai.. mujhe pura yakin Hai dada ke maut ki vajah encounter nahi thi.. aur mujhe sach janne ke liye Mera wahan hona jaroori hai."
"Are you sure? Uncle aunty se baat ki?" Vikrant raised his doubts. He didn't doubt his friend but she was hurting right now and this might not be what she actually wants.
"Yes vicky. Meine maa-baba se baat karli hai. To taiyyar nahi hai, lekin wo eventually maan jaenge."
Shivani continued staring straight ahead and vikrant looked at her. Last couple of weeks had changed his friend completely, she wasn't her bubbly self anymore. She used to look so lost and confused. But there was a strange determination on her face today.
Shivani was right though, her parents agreed for her to join IPS and she left with vikrant for the 2 year training they had to undergo.
* IPS academy, 2008 *
How the table had turned at the academy, vikrant had turned into this very handsome and well built playboy and girls were found literally spinning around him all the time. While on other hand Shivani was known as the "teekhi mirchi" anger placed right on the tip of her nose as always. But she excelled at every activity and task assigned to her.
Today particularly she was in a foul mood, early in the morning she had an argument with her roommate. And later that day when she saw vikrant flirting with her, she got mad again and stomped off. Vikrant saw shivani walking towards the ground, he excused himself and followed her. It was siddhant's death anniversary today, time flies so fast. But every year on this day, it stops for Shivani. She gets lost in her memories and gets cranky. Vikrant went and stood next to shivani. She felt his presence,
"Ho gaya tera flirt karke? Dekhna to kahin kuchh reh na jae "Teena" ka!" Shivani said making a face at vikrant.
Vikrant simply looked at her and passed her a small pastry box he was carrying. Shivani opened it and found it was chocolate fudge, siddhant's favorite. She silently dug the spoon that came with it and started eating it. Suddenly vikrant started talking,
"Shivani.. Mei samazta hu, lekin bas ab kuchh hi din aur. Fir hum graduate ho jaenge academy se aur mei khud Teri madad karunga, tere saare sawalon ke jawab dhundne me.."
"Hum kar paenge na vicky?"
"Haan, aur dekhna Dada bhi humari help karenge."
They fell into silence again. After a while, vikrant spoke suddenly,
"Ae Shivani..." A smile crept on shivani's face and they both started laughing.
Over the years, the song had been stuck with them, and it always brought a smile on their faces.
* Mumbai 2018 *
Vikrant saw the name "naani" flashing on her phones screen and a big smile crept on his face,
"Naaniii !! "
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