Arjun, Jai and Gayatri were standing around while Praneet and Priya took Uday's blessings.

"Jeete raho, humesha khush raho.", Uday blessed them.

They smiled, standing up straight.

"Priya beta, aap se ek baat poochhe?" Uday started and she nodded, "Aap ko pure duniya mein aur koi nehi mila, iss gadhe Praneet ke ilava?" he teased.

"Baba-sa..." Praneet scratched the back of his neck sheepishly as others laughed.

"Hello, everyone!" came a voice interrupting the lively atmosphere.

"God! I so hate her voice..." whined Praneet and Gayatri rolled her eyes.

"Kis baat pe sab itna hans rahe hain? Hume bhi bataiye," Tejaswini joined the group.

"Breakfast ready ho jaye to hume bula lena," Uday ignored her and walked off.

"Tejaswini?" Priya was so shocked that her eyes were almost about to pop out of their sockets.

"Aur aap..." Tejaswini tried to recognize her, "Aap zaroor Priya hongi." She came up to Priya with a wide smile, "Hi, hum Rajkumari Tejaswini. Lagta hain aap hume already janti hain."

Priya looked at Arjun. But the three guys seemed to be engrossed in a chat. Arjun was clearly trying to avoid meeting her eyes because he knew how she'd react. She then looked at Gayatri who nodded sadly.

"Mujhe....mujhe Tia se milna hain.", Priya said and walked away, avoiding Tejaswini like the others.

~

The door to ArIa's bedroom opened with a thud.

"What the hell was that!" Priya yelled as she stomped into the room.

"God! Priya, you gave me a heart attack," panicked Tia, who was combing her hair.

"Tejaswini wapas aagayi hain!" Priya continued to yell.

Tia sat on the bed and sighed.

Noticing her sullen face, Priya said with concern, "Tia, tu thik to hain na?"

She grasped Priya's hand and pleaded, "Priya, tum meri akhri umeed ho. Maine bohot bar Baba-sa, Gayatri, Praneet, Arjun...sabse puchha. Lekin koi mujhe Tejaswini ke bare mein batata hi nehi! Mujhe janna hain ki akhir rishta kya hain isska Arjun ke saath. Arjun mere saath hoke bhi mere saath nehi hain. Aur shayad kabhi hoga bhi nehi... Kya mujhe itna haq nehi ki main Arjun ke ateet ke bare mein jaan sakhu?"

Priya closed her eyes for a while and exhaled heavily before turning to her again.

"Gayatri aur Jai ki tarha Arjun aur Tejaswini ka bhi bachpan mein roka ho chuka tha. Lekin kuch saal baad, Tejaswini ke mom ke death ke baad...use Singapore bhej dia gaya, shayad aapne kisi relative ke paas. Shayad pehle kuch saal dono ka koi contact nehi tha. Arjun missed her a lot, sabse achchhi dost jo thi," she started to reveal.

"Phir?" asked Tia impatiently and suspiciously.

"Dhire dhire Tejaswini ke wapas ane ka waqt hone laga. Par ekdin Jai kuch photos aur ek recording leke aya. Recording mein kaha ki vo Singapore mein hi settle hogayi hain aur vo Arjun se bhi shaadi nehi karna chahti. Vo apne boyfriend se shaadi kar chuki hain. Aur usske saath ek shaadi ki photo bhi bheji," Priya narrated sadly.

Tia was shocked.

"Tu hi bata, jiss ladke ko humesha se kaha gaya ho ki usski shaadi isi ladki se hogi aur jissne humesha sirf aur sirf usi ladki se pyaar kia ho, use jab aisa dhoka mile to usski halat kya hogi?"

"6 mahine tak Arjun kisi se baat nehi karta tha, humesha apne kamre mein band rehta tha. Phir ussko samajh aaya ki kisi dusre ki wajah se vo apno ko taqleef de raha tha. Tejaswini ne jo kia ussmein Baba-sa ya Gayatri ka kya qasoor? Iss liye, sab baaton ko pichhe chhor, ussne nayi shuruwaat ki. Ussne koshish ki khud ko pehle jaisa banane ki. Ekdum pehle jaisa na sahi, lekin Arjun ne normal hone ki koshish ki."

"Aur pata hain! Jab Tejaswini ke peeta ka dehant hua, tab bhi vo wapas nehi aayi. Aisa kaun karta hain? Aapne baap ke maut par bhi nehi aye, itni patthar dil kaise hogayi vo?" Priya exclaimed.

"Shayad use kisine bataya hi nehi....", Tia said subconsciously.

"Bataya kaise nehi! Uss ka jawab kya tha pata hain? Ussne kaha ki use Singapore mein bohot kaam hain, vo nehi aasakti. Khud ke peeta ke antim-sanskar mein bhi nehi ayi.... Chhiii!", Priya was disgusted, "Isske baad to Arjun to kya, harr koi usse nafrat karne laga tha."

"To phir ab bhi Arjun ne Tejaswini ke photo ko sambhal ke kyun rakkha?" asked Tia.

Priya was surprised, "Kya?"

Tia nodded, "Haan. Mujhe Arjun ke chizzo mein Tejaswini ki photo mili. Agar itna hi nafrat karta hain to abbhi photo sambhal ke kyun rakkha?"

"Tia, jo bhi hojaye... Kisi ke liye aapne pehle pyaar ko bhulana aasan nehi hota. Tejaswini ne Arjun ke saath bhale hi bohot bura kia ho, lekin hain to vo usska pehla pyaar hi na."

Hearing this, Tia became sad.

"Lekin tu kyun udaas horahi hain! Mujhe yaakeen hain ki jo bhi hojaye Arjun tera saath kabhi nehi chhorega," Priya assured her.

"Agar Tejaswini Arjun ke zindagi mein wapas aana chahe...tab bhi nehi?" but Tia couldn't assure herself.

Priya went silent. She really didn't know what to answer because it was for Arjun to decide what he would do.

"Mujhe bas itna pata hain ki Arjun kabhi koi galat kadam nehi lega. Jo bhi karega, bohot soch samajh ke karega... And choosing Tejaswini over you is definitely wrong!"

Tia nodded slowly, looking down at the ground.

"Aur itna hi nehi... Maharana ki ek lauti waaris thi Tejaswini. Toh unnke maut ke baad, vo Rani baane wali thi. Lekin ussne usske liye bhi mana kardia! Pata nehi Singapore mein use aisa kya milgaya ki yaha se use koi naata nehi rakhna... Sochne wali baat ye hain ki jo larki aapne baap ka matam manane nehi ayi aur Rani hone ka mauka bhi thukra dia ho, vo achanak kaise laut aayi?" Priya wondered.

Tia too became thoughtful. Their conversation was interrupted with Gayatri's entry.

"Kya gap-shap kar rahi hain meri bhabhiyan?"

"Kuch nehi, bas aise hi," Tia gave a weak smile.

"Main aap dono ko bulane ayi thi. Nashta laga dia hain, aap dono ka intezaar ho raha hain."

"Chalo phir, chalte hain," Priya got up.

And the three ladies left the room, chatting.

~UPDATED ON 3rd September'18~

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Here's a teaser into the future⤵️

"Aise intense looks mujhe pe ab aur nehi chalte. You are not my first time."

"I might not be your first time. But I intend to be your last...."