FF *Lattie returns+D3 five years leap* - Page 9

yay!!!

loved it dear...
Sharon is too insecure...
poor swayam he was going to propose her...
wonder who is the guy and what happened with him...
and finally can't wait for nxt update...
plz update soon...

yaar extrmely srry for late rply busy nd hetic life :(

so update man u got kidding me erioiusly it was like bang on awesum fab work poor swayum nd sharon too hope evrythings gets sellted

nd here cums d new one reys bro i am happy shoopy now charlie wtas wid her
nd hope kriyansh have intense share too just not like sweet couple nd all

thnx for d pm

nd i think its update time

update soon

love u ya :)


lattie ❤️

Originally posted by: sujucoolstar

yaar extrmely srry for late rply busy nd hetic life :(

so update man u got kidding me erioiusly it was like bang on awesum fab work poor swayum nd sharon too hope evrythings gets sellted

nd here cums d new one reys bro i am happy shoopy now charlie wtas wid her
nd hope kriyansh have intense share too just not like sweet couple nd all

thnx for d pm

nd i think its update time

update soon

love u ya :)


lattie ❤️

Omg m so late 😔

3

"Hey, that's not a word," Kriya complained. "Rey, aap fir se cheating kar rahe ho!"

"Really…?" Rey teased her, brushing some idle hair off her face. "You mean, you are nullifying your own existence?"

"Oho Rey…" Kriya didn't know what to say, shyness taking over. "Okay now…stop looking at me like that already…" she bashfully covered her face with her palms.

It was a lazy Saturday afternoon, and both of them were lounging over at Rey's place, playing scrabble. They had tried to cook an hour ago, but their distraction for each other had heavily burnt the chicken roast. So they had later decided to order out for pizza, and were now playing opposite each other in a bid to win the last slice of pizza.

"Rey, baatcutter is not a word!" Kriya maintained, trying not to lose focus… ignoring the flutter she still felt in his presence.

"But uska adha toh tumne hi likha hai, see…" Rey jokingly pointed out on the board.

"But…but… maine sirf cutter likha tha" Kriya started to explain very seriously, and at once realized he was only teasing her. "That's…that's not a word, bas…" Her voice could not help but soften.

She snuggled up to him and shifted the scrabble board aside, while he held her as gently as he did when he had first held her.

"You know baatcutter," Rey whispered, his eyes closed, smiling all the while as he rested his head on hers. "Tumhe dance instructor nahi, lawyer hona chahiye tha."

"Kyun," she suddenly turned around, taking him by surprise. "Kya main humesha tumse argue karti hoon?"

Rey didn't say anything, but smiled an affectionate knowing smile, automatically making her perceive her current reaction as opposed to her statement.

"Okay…okay…I know… tumhe pasand nahi hai to… should I just disappear once again?" she teased him playfully, her eyes closed in the assurance of his warmth.

He instantly covered her mouth with his palm at this. "Never ever say that again," he uttered solemnly. "Maine kaha tha na…if no Kriya…then no Rey…"

She embraced him immediately, as he held her close, rocking her gently.

"Waise bhi," Rey continued. "Things were different back then…par ab tum meri fianc ho…and now… I am not letting you escape anywhere…ever…never taking that chance…"

A silent tear of bliss rolled down Kriya's eyes. 'Thank you…thank you so much Universe ji… I don't know how I got this lucky. Bas…bas ab …Swayam ko bhi aise hi lucky kar do na please… and Lattie ko bhi humse milva do…please please Universe ji…'

Just then Rey's phone rang.

"Yes Mr. Mittal," Rey answered promptly. "Any news yet?"

"Sir, wo India me hi hain," the voice on the other side declared in a dutiful tone.

"What…?" Rey was sincerely shocked. "India me…magar wo toh…usey to Athens…"

"No sir," Mr. Mittal confirmed. "Wo India me hi hain, confirmed news hai. Athens se wo teen din pehle hi aa gaye the."

Rey's jaw tightened. "Mr. Mittal, mujhe uska exact location chahiye," he laid out every word distinctly. "By the next forty-eight hours."

***

Sleeping on the side couch had been terribly uncomfortable. Latika had spent most of the night tossing sides, getting up to drink water or listening to her ipod every half an hour. At about two-fifteen in the morning, she had finally thrown off her comforter in frustration, and sat up.

'Bakwaas,' she thought in defeat, sleep still lingering in her eyes. 'I am never going to get any sleep on this…this…piece of log!' She noiselessly climbed up on the broad window platform next to the couch – her favorite spot in the room – and turned her ipod on, listening to "One Last Breath" in an almost muted decibel.

'So Manan is Rey's brother…?' she had still not been able to believe it, even as she had heard the same that night. 'But…but how is that possible? Rey has never had siblings…not that I know of at least… and I have known him for at least a year… is it the same Reyaansh Singhania he was talking about…?' Her mind was full of questions, and she wanted answers right then. 'Who the hell is this guy anyway,' she looked over at the plush comfortable bed she had had to reluctantly give up for the stranger. 'And why am I having to nurse him at all? Why can't he just -'

Her chain of thoughts ceased midway as she noticed his crumpled duvet lying on the floor… the bed sitting empty…

She sprang up on her feet now, looking around in the cottage. She first checked the bathroom, and then the small attached kitchen. He was nowhere to be seen.

'Oh wow, now this,' she cursed the situation. 'THANK you Kasauli!'

She quickly grabbed a pullover lying close and looked for a torch, as she set out to locate Manan. The full moon night was her only solace to make the Kasauli landscapes past-midnight seem less forbidding.

'Did he run away?' she wondered. 'But…but he's not recovered fully…how can he…he should not...'

That is when she saw him, standing on a nearby trench, within the cottage-hotel premises. Instantly relieved, she started walking briskly towards him.

A soft drizzle had begun once again, and Latika wanted to sue the abrupt hill-station rains…something she had always loved.

"What do you think you are doing," she tried to keep her voice as opaque as possible, but could not completely hold back an undercurrent panic. "I have not been sleeping on the couch for nothing! I gave up the bed for you God damn it… and now you are not even using it…what the hell are you doing here at this time of the night?!"

Manan did not move or even turn around to look at her at all, placidly staring at the lake below. Only his eyes gave away a quick but subtle re-surfacing from a trance. It seemed like he had suddenly become conscious of where he was, and the unorganized thoughts that were speeding within. Latika had no way of knowing this, and she continued looking at him, expecting an answer.

"You could have at least posted a note or something," she hurled at him, desperately trying to make him react. "Wh-what am I…some kind of an official baby-sitter that…that I keep running around looking for you like this…in the middle of the night…? Are you…are you…"

"What do you care?" he cut her in, his voice ominously cold.

"I…I…" she was flummoxed at this question, not knowing the reason herself. "I…I was…worried…"

"Worried…?" he laughed sardonically, slighting her, his eyes mocking at her words. "Sure you were."

Latika instantaneously seemed to float amongst so many emotions together…it was impossible to react to either of them. She was shocked at his question… disturbed for not having a smart comeback to it like other times…hurt at the way he was speaking to her, because at that moment, she genuinely cared… angry at his disrespect…feeling an urge to slap him hard… and yet a faint sense of relief,at being able to find him in safety. She could not set away the possibility of Manan being related the Reyaansh Singhania she knew…and that maybe… just maybe she could be answerable to Rey in a big way if something adverse happened to his brother.

"That's…that's my cottage you're staying in," she persisted, trying to keep her voice even. "You…you thankless piece of - "

"Fine, I'll pay for it," he spoke bluntly, not once honoring her presence, his gaze still fixed on the dark lake. The drizzle was soon turning into full-fledged rain, and Latika shivered in exasperation and wet clothes alike.

"Huh…?"

"You heard me," he replied casually, his tone still as expressionless. Water dripped from his hair and face. "I'll pay for it."

"Fine," she threw up her hands in frustration, realizing this was going nowhere. "Fine…khade raho yahi par…b-barish me! I am leaving!" And pompously began marching her way back.

'Rey ka bhai hai to kya hua,' she mumbled angrily to herself as she galloped. 'How dare he…how dare he talk to me like that…kal hi…yes, kal hi I'll ask him to find his own room…anywhere! Ek to raat-raat bhar his majesty ko water-band treatment do…temperature check karo…and then what do you see…he chooses to get drenched in the rain once again…is baar us doctor ne kuch bhi kaha na, I am going to break the same thermometer on his HEAD… I sware!'

Just then, she heard a faint hissing noise from very close. And before she could figure out, she saw a green noisy snake, stirring surreptitiously an inch away from her feet…

"O G-God," she wanted to scream, but no sound escaped her throat. "S-Swammy… it's a snake…" she could only manage as much of a whisper, her feet turning into jelly.

Right then, a strong hand grabbed her by the waist, and kicked the snake away…before she could fall straight on the reptile, waiting to attack.

Latika hung between a state of petrified stupor for a minute, as Manan stared into her half closed eyes… a very understated softness taking over him for a moment.

"Don't kill it," Latika uttered, looking sincerely into his eyes, before passing out completely.

***

"Coffee," Kriya handed Rey a large turquoise mug of handmade filter coffee. "Kya hua Rey… aap itne upset…?"

Rey took the mug in one hand, and tenderly seated Kriya next to him with another. "Mr. Mittal ka phone tha… he has found out…"

"Manan…?" she asked, wide eyed.

He nodded gravely, and sipped some coffee, at once smiling to its taste. "Baatcutter…dance institute ke saath na, you've got to open a coffee parlour of your own!"

"You always say that," Kriya smiled shyly, looking down at her feet. "Accha… kya pata chala Manan ke baare me…?"

"Wo last teen din se India me hai," Rey answered, his voice becoming dense again. "Athens me nahi."

"But…but…wasn't he supposed to…" Kriya looked alarmed. "Usne to mujhe kaha tha wo…wo uske saath -"

"Huh…?" Rey suddenly turned around to face her, not sure if he had heard her correctly. "Kya kaha?"

"Nahi…k-kuch nahi…" Kriya stopped herself. She had promised Manan she would keep his secret. "Kuch nahi…bas…bas surprised hoon…Manan India me hai…?"

"Exactly," Rey continued, placing an arm around her shoulder as she settled herself against him. "And pata hai, for some reason…usne mujhe abhi tak nahi bataya… he hasn't called me since the day he got back from Athens… and I just know it… he is in some kind of a mess…nahi to…"

Kriya was concentrating on every word, trying hard to understand what was going on. 'But…but he was not supposed to come back from Athens until next week…they were supposed to return together…' she was thinking fast. 'To fir wo India me kya…'

"He might not be my sibling by birth," Rey was saying. "Lekin wo mere liye sirf ek bhai nahi…he's my best friend… maine bataya tha na baatcutter, dad ke bade bhai… we had all been so close…"

Kriya nodded, remembering how she had cried for hours when she had first heard of Manan and his parents.

He had been the only son to his parents, his father being a well-known and rich industrialist based in Delhi. Rey and Manan had always been extremely close, owing to their same ages…and more so, their same likes and wavelengths. They had always spent every vacation together, and all of Rey's friends had automatically been Manan's friends as well… be it Sharon, Vicky, Nil, Simi or Rini.

Manan had never really had any close friends of his own. Where Rey had always been the flamboyant one, Manan had been more reserved and shy.

That summer, both the boys had turned fifteen, and were dying to meet again for their seasonal get together. Everything had happened like usual.

Manan and his parents had reached the Delhi Domestic Airport, and finished checking in. He had made his last excited call to Rey from the airport like always, and then the family had finally boarded the flight post a twenty minutes wait.

And then the flight had crashed.

Only nine people had survived… one of being Manan. His parents had succumbed.

The rest of the year had been a blur. He would stay reclusive most of the day, and at night he would cry himself to sleep. Rey's parents had been severely anxious… worried that their nephew might lock himself in a shell forever.

Yet this had been the phase, where Rey and Manan had bonded most. Rey insisted his parents to get Manan enrolled in the same school as his and the same swimming club. Slowly, the boys had begun studying together, playing together, and spending the rest of their time on the terrace, talking endlessly about nothing in particular.

Often, Manan would ask, "Why did I have to survive bhai?"

To this, Rey would gently tell him, "Because…because…fir main kiske saath baat karta…" And they would both break down in sobs together.

Within two years, Manan had begun recovering rapidly.

Rey's parents had officially and emotionally adopted Manan long ago as their own son … and by now, they had practically forgotten him to be their elder brother's son.

Rey had realized his passion lay in dance, and Manan had discovered his love for boxing. Their parents could not be any happier, and cheered for both their sons equally. Once school was over, Rey had scored for admittance at the much admired St. Louise College Mumbai, and Manan had cleared the entrance rounds to study architecture in the famous Delhi College of Architecture.

His return after those three years from Delhi had been nothing short of a massive bash.

"Bro, you make me jealous," Rey had teased him that day. "I think Ma loves you more!"

"Error detected," Manan had shot back affectionately. "I love you more."

They had high-fived at this and hugged with a laugh. "Oh-kayy…gay now…" they had both realized suddenly, and laughed some more.

Mihir Singhania had merged his deceased brother Mayank Singhania's business with his own empire according to the latter's will, and had opened a free school for the specially-abled children, with Manan being coined as its Trustee. And gradually, the Singhanias had come to recognize themselves to naturally be a family of four instead of three.

"That's why…" Rey was saying, his voice heavy with emotions. "That's why…I need to know what's going on… aajtak usne mujhse har choti se choti baat share ki hai…and today…he's been missing since the last three days… aur mujhe abhi tak ek phone tak nahi…"

Kriya's eyes were moist. This time not just because of Manan's flashback, which always made her weep irrespective of how many times she had heard it… but today… she was additionally worried for him.

"Are you sure you want to marry her right away," Kriya had asked in concern, while she had helped Manan pack for the Athens business tour fifteen days ago. "You have only known her since the last four months…don't you think it's a bit too… early?"

Manan had walked up to her; taken the socks she was putting in the large duffel bag, and seated her on the edge of the bed, holding her by her shoulders. "You worry too much KG," he had smiled. "She's a nice girl. And she loves me."

"Haan…par…" Kriya had raised. "Par Rey, uncle, aunty aur main… hum me se koi aaj tak us se mile bhi nahi… ek baar humse to…"

"Milwaunga na…very soon," he spoke in his trademark serious undertone, smiling warmly.

"Kab, shaadi ke baad?" Kriya had teased.

"Of course!" Manan had given her a friendly wink. "Aur kab?"

Kriya had heartily laughed at this, but then grown uneasy once again. "Manan… tumhe pata hai na tum kya kar rahe ho?" she had asked one last time, finishing with the packing at last.

"Tum jealous ho na KG…?" Manan had joked, making a fox-face at her. "Ke bhai aur tumse pehle I'll be announcing my wedding?"

"Yeah right," Kriya had playfully snapped back, hitting on his shoulder. "Mujhe bas…uncle aunty ke baare me…you know…aur Rey…Rey ko kya kahungi main?"

"Please please please KG," Manan had pleaded to her like a child. "Please make something up… ya to…nahi…yes… kuch bhi mat kehna…pretend you don't know anything. Main hi bhai ko surprise dunga!"

Saying this, he had hurried out with the bag, setting it to wheels, right as his mother entered his room. He quickly touched her feet, and naughtily tousled Kriya's hair. "Bye ma, bye KG… dad aur bhai ko baad me call kar lunga… getting late… bye bye bye!"

"Airport se phone karna Minky," his mother had lovingly called after him.

Manan had given an affectionate glare to his mother at this. "Ma…don't call me that… at least friends ke samne nahi…"

Kriya had always laughed everytime Manan's pet name was used. "Hmm…airport se phone karna Minky…take care Minky…" she had teased him endlessly while his mother had laughed on, until he had made a poker face at both of them, and made a hurried exit.

They had waved from the verandah. "Have a great flight Manan," Kriya had cheerfully shouted after him. "Jaldi wapas ana!"

"Soon, KG!"

And now, he was not coming back… not even calling home. Kriya's tears could not stop. Rey held her close, as she sat silently in his embrace. "Rey…tumhe pata hai na, I have never had a brother before," she spoke, as he wiped the tears off her cheek. "Usey…usey kuch - "

"Kuch nahi hoga usey," Rey promised, holding her strongly; brushing off a tear from his own eyes before Kriya could notice. 'Relax Rey…kuch nahi hoga usey,' he reassured himself as well.

***

Manan kept sitting cross legged on the bed with a somber expression, not looking anywhere in particular.

"Arey, kya hua?" Latika sneered. "Come on…jaao!"

That morning, Manan had fought to take a shower first.

"Excuse me…" she had waged. "And why do you get that special privilege?"

"Because you take an hour, and I take fifteen minutes, that's why," he had stated brusquely.

But now he kept sitting on the bed, directionless. Latika was getting tired of his grimness already.

"Try breaking your maun-vrat for at least some time in the day you know," Latika jibed at him. "For my convenience."

He shot her a grave look once, and then turned away, returning to his blank stare.

She dramatically threw her hands in the air, giving up on him; and entered the bathroom herself, turning the geyser on.

"Don't…" he warned almost loudly, and then immediately stopped.

Latika came out with a bored look and asked. "Why not?"

"There is," he began, as quietly as he could, not sure how to phrase it. "There…there is a cockroach in there. A large one."

Latika stared at him in stunned silence for a full minute and then at once broke into peals of laughter. Manan looked fiercely at her, feeling a little flustered for the first time. "What…it flew."

Latika had not laughed as much since long. "Cockroach…?"

"Look, I hate flying cockroaches, okay," he got up with a strict face. "But fine, I'll deal with it."

He picked up a fly-swatter lying nearby, and marched in with a zeal to kill it. Latika immediately stopped laughing and followed him inside. "Hey, don't kill it!"

She quickly overtook him, and picked up the large cockroach perched quietly on the wash basin, by its tentacle. Manan felt disgusted first, but at the same time strangely fascinated.

"See," she told him, as she threw it out of the sliding bathroom window. "They don't bite."

"But they fly," Manan grunted, trying to conceal the meager awe he felt over this act.

"Okay, okay," Latika resigned. "So it's one all now. You saved me from that snake…and I saved you from this…this cockroach!" she broke into a more resonating laughter yet again, before she could finish completely.

Manan vacantly gaped at her for a while, struggling to fight the instinctive laughter trying to surface. But finally, he gave himself up, and joined in as well, taking Latika by surprise. Their gazes met once again, as the morning breeze blew its freshness in. Time had stopped, and they did not realize when they had stopped laughing, and were just deeply lost in each other.

Just then Manan's phone rang, breaking their spell. Manan awkwardly looked away, and rushed to answer his phone, while Latika anonymously paced into the showers and shut the door.

"Yes Mr. Mittal," Manan spoke. "Any news from Frankfurt yet?"

"Yes sir, they are on," Mr. Mittal answered. "Everything under control. Bas aapse Charlotte Texas Constructions ki kuch details poochni thi."

"Sure," Manan agreed, trying to recall everything he knew about the company in question. "Shoot."

Mr. Mittal kept asking him indistinct details of projects handled with that particular company, all the while studying his watch. 'One more minute to go.'

Manan answered every query with sheer smoothness and expertise, not once realizing the actual purpose of the call.

"Thank you very much sir," Mr. Mittal concluded finally. "I guess my work is through."

"Anytime," Manan answered with the same serious air. "Anything for bhai."

Five minutes later, Mr. Mittal turned around to face the MD of Singhania Constructions.

"Kaam ho gaya, Reyaansh sir," he announced confidently. "His exact location has just been traced."

awesome yaar feeling so bad for him and had tears in my eyes and loved marey brotherhood and loved KG nickname plz plz update soon and thnx for pm me

amazing dear I loved reading it <3
thanks 4 pm
cant wait 4 update

its just terrific