Dev was really happy at the realization and just couldn't wait to see the same joy reflected on Sonakshi's face when he would confess his feelings to her.

However, everytime everything doesn't go according to one's wishes. Little did Dev knew that his world was about to come crashing upside down.

Both Rahul and Dev were about to enter the rehearsal room when they stopped dead on their track. Through the half open door of the almost empty rehearsal room, the scene that unfolded in front of them left them petrified with shock and speechless.

No one except Neil and Sonakshi were there in the room and Neil was on his knees in front of her with his hand extended towards her and to Dev's utter surprise, Sonakshi was smiling.

Neil: "Jab pehli baar maine tumhe dekha mujhe laga ki mil gayi meri manjil mujhe. Ek ashant saagar tha main aur mil gayi meri sahil mujhe. Pehli nazar mein pyar hota hain ya nehi mujhe nehi tha khabar par dekhke tujhe aay pyar pe aitwar, jindagi mein pehlibaar. Aei is duniya ke sabse haseen, sabse khoobsurat sehjaadi, kya apnaogi mere pyar ko? Agar thukra bhi do tum apne is diwane ko toh tumhara hi naam se aankhri saas lega wo."

Saying this he extended his hand to a giggling Sonakshi who, to the petrifying shock of Dev, gave her hand on his happily.

In a matter of seconds, his whole world came crashing down right in front of his eyes. All his hopes, his dreams and happiness were shattered into pieces. His heart broke into million pieces. A sudden feeling of emptiness crept over him as tears rolled down his cheeks freely. The girl whom he couldn't stand seeing with anyone else, the girl without whom he never even thought of his life as she herself had been his life, the girl with whom was connected his every single joy and dream was now gone, gone forever. A gush of pain ran through his heart as he realized that he had lost his best friend, his first love forever. He felt a strange kind of sotitude, he felt abandoned. The pain was increasing and it was too much for him to bear. He wanted to run away from the world, from her at the moment. Rahul was also utterly shocked but he was more at pain seeing the condition of Dev whose eyes were bloodshot red and tears were rolling down his cheeks and utmost pain was reflected in his handsome face. Just at the moment they were forced to look back at the room and noises of applause and laughter struck their ears. To their utter shock, there were there friends standing surrounding Neil and Sonakshi. Soham and Arnav were patting Neil's back.

Soham: "good job."

Arnav: "Man! I'm impressed."

Soniya: "Wow that was really romantic. Kas is Soham ne bhi mere liye aisa hi kuch kiya hota!"

Soham: "Arey par..."

Dev could no longer take it as the pain inside him was increasing and he felt he could no longer control himself. He ran away from there as fast as he could. Rahul ran after him. After running for quite a while Rahul caught up with him and grabbed his arm before he could cross the door leading to the exterior of the college.

Rahul: "Dev meri baat toh suno. Main abhi jake Sonakshi se poochta hu ke tumhare saath wo aisa kaise kar sakti hain."

He left Dev's arm and was about to go when Dev grabbed his arm and turned him towards himself.

Dev choked in his words: "Nehi Rahul tum usko kuch nehi bataoge. Tum usko hargeez yeh nehi bologe ke main...main usse pyar karta hu. Rahul yaar isme Sonakshi ki koi galti nehi hain. Main usse pyar karta hu lekin iska matlab yeh toh nehi ki wo bhi mujhse pyar karein. Rahul wo azad hain apne jindagi ke faisle lene ke liye. Hum jabardasti kisiko humein pyar karne ke liye majboor toh nehi kar sakte na. Isme uski kya galti hain. Rahul mujhse waada kar yeh raaz raaz hi rehega. Tum kisiko kuch nehi bologe. Main khudko samhal lunga Rahul. Trust me. Promise me Rahul. Promise me."

Rahul (tears were rolling down his cheeks too): "I promise Dev. Par yeh itna asan nehi hoga."

Dev: " Janta hu aur yeh bhi janta hu mere liye yeh aur bhi mushkil hoga kyunki mujhe Sonakshi ke beena jeene hi nehi aata hain. Par mujhe yeh karna hoga uske liye, uske khushiyon ke liye. Rahul mera ek kaam kar Sonakshi ko ghar pahucha dena okay. Main thori der akele rehne chahta hu yaar. I wanna prepare myself to face her the next time. Aur haan usse ekdum normal behave karna okay. Don't blame her."

Rahul nodded as fresh tears flowed down Dev's eyes. Without another word Dev turned back and walked out.

Rahul muttered to himself seeing the retreating figure of Dev: " Kyun Sonakshi? Kyun kiya tum ne aisa? Us kal ke aaye Neil ke liye tumne Dev ko thukra diya."

Little did he know that how wrong all his accusations and how baseless Dev's pain was. Had the two boys stayed a little longer there or stepped inside the room they would have known the full truth and not the half truth. It had truly been proved that half truth is more dangerous than full lie in their case.

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(In the rehearsal room)

Soham: "oye Neil agar tu ne aise hi dialogues bole na toh fir toh aram se tu college drama mein select ho jayega, lead role mein."

Neil smiled: "thanx yaar. Lekin sabse pehle thanx to Sonakshi mere saath dene ke liye."

Sonakshi smiled: "Isme thanx kehne ki koi jarurat nehi Neil. Ek dost hone ke naate maine tumhara madad kiya."

Now Sonakshi looked around and then looked at her wrist watch and finding Dev nowhere she got a little tensed.

Sonakshi: "Yeh prince kahan chala gaya? Humein ghar bhi toh jana hain."

Just at the moment Rahul entered the room. Though there was no trace of tears on his face but his expression was one of gloom.

Rahul: " Sona aaj main tumhein ghar chor dunga. Wo Dev ko kuch kaam aa gaya tha. Isliye usse jaana par gaya."

Sonakshi was puzzled as for the first time it was that Dev went away somewhere without informing her.

Sonakshi: "Aisa bhi kya jaruri kaam ki mujhe kehkar bhi nehi gaya? Waise rahul wo kab tak aayega pata hain tumhein?"

Rahul: "Nehi. Shayad der lagegi usse tabhie toh tumhein drop karne ke liye kaha hoga na!"

Sonakshi was sad but didn't show it and just nodded in agreement. Rahul asked her to come with him and turned back to leave the room. As he was about to step out of the threshold of the room, he turned back when he heard Sonakshi bidding bye to all their friends and then to Neil. Rahul couldn't take it any longer and walked away as fast as he could, followed by Sonakshi.

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

The car journey was a silent one. Neither Rahul nor Sonakshi spoke to each other except a few words. Rahul could not bring himself to talk with Sonakshi as he couldn't forget the pain he had seen in Dev's eyes. He needed some time to get himself ready to act normal with Sonakshi while Sonakshi on the other hand was upset as Dev went away without telling her. She was so anxious to ask him about how he liked her dance rehearsal and was also eager to tell him about the college play. Little did the poor girl know what cruel game destiny had played with her, little did she know that she would have to suffer for no fault on her part and due to a misunderstanding. They reached Dixit Mansion and Sonakshi stepped out of Rahul's car and thanked him. Then she went inside while Rahul went back. Sonakshi entered the living room only to find Ishwari sitting on the couch, engrossed in some book. As soon as she entered she looked up. She was surprised to see Sonakshi alone and that too with a glum face. Ishwari got up from the couch and went to Sonakshi.

Ishwari : "Sona kya baat hain beta? Tu itni udaas kyun hain aur wo nalayak kaha hain?"

Sonakshi: "Dekhiye na mom pata nehi mujhe bina bataye kaha chala gaya. Rahul ko bhej diya mujhe drop karne yeh kehkar ki usse kaam hain. Aisa bhi kya kaam ki mujhe bolkar nehi ja sakta tha!"

Ishwari smiled: "Hoga na koi kaam. Tu kyun pareshaan hoti hain. Aayega toh lautkar tere hi paas na. tab acche se daant dena. Ab ja aur jake fresh ho ja."

Sonakshi smiled and nodded and made her way to her room. As she was mounting the stairs she wondered where Dev would be at the moment as darkness of night had enveloped the whole area.

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(Sea beach)

A car came to an abrupt halt near the empty beach. The door to the driver's seat opened and Dev came out of the car. He walked towards the beech with unsteady steps and tears rolling down constantly from his eyes. Finally he couldn't take the pain any longer and his legs lost all strength. He fall down on the dry sand of the beach on his knees. His vision was blurred as tears clouded his eyes.

Tune jo na kaha

Mein woh sunta raha

Khamakha bewajah Khwaab Bunta raha [2]

(Tears rolled down Dev's cheeks and he remembered the sweet and beautiful moments he had spent with Sonakshi)

Jaane kiski humein lag gayi hai nazar

Is Shehar mein Na apna tikana raha

Koi chaht se na ab apni chalta raha

(He remembered the first entry of Neil in their perfect life and how everything changed in a matter of days)

Dard phele se hai jyaaada

Khud se phir yeh kiya vaada

Khamosh Nazrein Rahein Bezubaan

(Dev remembered the moment when he saw Neil proposing Sonakshi and he saw his whole world came crashing down but he still remained a mute spectator and couldn't utter a single cry at being deprived of his life, his love.)

Abb Na pehli si baatein hai

Bolo to Lab thartharatein hai

Raaz yeh dil ka na ho baiyan

Hoga na ab asar humpe nahin

Hum safar mein to hai Humsafar hai nahi

(Dev remembered how every trivial to important thing of his life was so attached with Sonakshi but now he felt abandoned, so desolate. He felt that the relationship had been shattered, crushed cruelly by destiny. He prayed that the secret of his heart would always remain burried in the depth of his heart and did not come out ever. He was crying badly when he felt someone tapped his shoulder. When he looked up he saw Sonakshi, smiling at him. As he hold her hand, she pulled it back and stepped back facing him and dissapeared.)

Door jaata raha Paas aata raha

Khamakha bewajah Khwaab Bunta raha

(He cried more bitterly as he realized that he had lost the first love of his life forever.)

Aaya woh phir Nazar aise

Baat chidne lagi phir se

Aankhon mein chubhta kal ka dhuan

(He remembered the past moments and now knew that he could never move on)

Haal tera na humsa hai

Is khushi mein kyon gumsa hai

Basne laga kyon phir woh jahan

(He imagined how happy she must had been as she got her love atleast and that she must had been celebrating with Neil the most beautiful moment of her life. He thought that somewhere she was so happy and here he was so sad, so dejected.)

Woh jahan dur jis se gaye the nikal

Phir se aankhon mein karti hai jaise pehal

Lambha beeta hua ,Dil Dukhata raha

Khamakha bewajah Khwaab Bunta raha

(He remembered some more moments that they spent toghether which brought fresh tears in his eyes. The moments which he always cherished now began to hurt him and pierce his heart.)

Tune jo na kaha

Mein woh sunta raha

Khamakha bewajah Khwaab Bunta raha

(He bent himself more as he cried and punched the sand)

Jaane kiski humein lag gayi hai nazar

Is Shehar mein Na apna tikana raha

Koi chahat se abb apni chalta raha

Bhuj gai Aag thi Daag Jalta raha...

(He looked up at the sky while tears rolled down his face as if asking god silently why he had to go through all these pains, why he out of all people.)

Dev couldn't bear the pain any longer and finally he gave vent to it as he yelled out: "Kyun? Main hi kyun? Why me out of all people? Maine Kabhie kisika bura nehi chaha toh mere saath itna bura kyun hua? Aaj mujhse itnai berehmi se mera pyar kyun cheen liya taqdeer ne? Meri kya galti hain? Kya mujhe kisiko chahne ka koi haq nehi? Kya mujhe pyar paane ka koi adhikar nehi? Maine aaj kho diya apna pehla aur aakhri pyar ko. Jindagi mein kabhi bhi ab kisi aur se pyar nehi kar paonga main. Namumkin hain mere liye aage barna Sonakshi. Main jindagi mein toh aagey bar sakta hoon par jindagi se aagey kaise baru? Tum hi toh meri jindagi ho. Kyun Sonakshi kyun tum kisi aur se pyar karti ho? Kyun tum meri nehi ho sakti?"

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That was the end of the chapter. Please comment and do vote.

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