FF: ...and then there was another life|Ch:4 pg 5| - Page 2

With a loud screech he stopped the jeep and ran inside the house, "Rohann!!!" his voice echoed through the empty rooms. His eyes searching everywhere, trying to find his friend that he had a feeling was in danger. He took a sigh of relief when he saw his best friend looking out the window like one of those female protagonists of the black and white movies.

"kia hua???" he turned around as Karan walked towards him

He raised an eye brow as Rohan kept a serious face and continued walking towards him in slow motion.

Before Rohan could continue with the little drag soap opera with useless suspense Karan looked at the ceiling making clear how annoyed he felt.

"oh so in your world this is what they call urgent?"

He had literally ran, driving at the speed of a rocket in response to his "urgency" and this is what he gets?

What.The.Heck

"c'mon" he said while pulling a confused Karan.

Karan was still annoyed as he was the man who did everything in a hurry and now his friend was taking ages to reveal the big news.

As Rohan took him downstairs Karan was relieved as he was sure now that there was nothing to worry.

His relief didn't last long when suddenly his eyes witnessed the white car in front of him.

"Like it?" Rohan asked sounding like it was nothing, but also knowing inside what his reactions would be.

"Rohan'what is this?" Karan asked as he looked at Rohan with innocent eyes that spoke terror and fear.

"Relax Karan ' it'll be fine you need to face it" as he placed his hand on his shoulder he spoke a few words of consolation and encouragement.

Karan was someone who would not get over his fears easily, once something feared him it did for a long time. Rohan was the only one who would be able to make him face his fears and have him fight, as he didn't believe in running from one's fears and he knew facing them was the best option.

Karan was terrified as the night's events flashed before his eyes but he also knew Rohan had his back.

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"How are you?" he asked completely ignoring what she had asked him earlier.

"answer me first how was the case?" she asked dying with curiosity, as she dropped her fork back in the container.

"well..what do you think?" he replied beating around the bush on purpose.

Why can't he just give her a straight answer for once, she didn't have time to talk in circles. She was a busy woman!

"bhai..just tell me okay" putting a piece of cucumber in her mouth as she rolled her eyes commanding her brother for a quick answer.

"I won the case" he said calmly, as if sunk into a deep thought. "Congrats! Now when are we celebrating?" the cheerful voice she owned, reached the other end in excitement

"Krystal, there is much more to life than celebrations" still in the trance of the case he had just fought, giving his sister an insight of his mind.

"oh c'mon you are talking as if you are at someone's funeral you just won the case'don't we deserve a celebration? And no im no mood of hearing one of your philosophical answers" gesturing with her hand that rested on her forehead a while ago due to her brother's sadistic answer, she stopped him from giving a philosophy lecture.

Letting out a chuckle he disconnected the call with a "ill see you at home"

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She entered the room whose walls were covered with a beige wall paper, a warm pattern scattered on it, spreading the homely feel to whoever entered.

Finding her brother who seemed busy looking for something important and humming his favorite tune in his own trance, who didn't even notice her presence, she entered in his room.

Due to work pressure and peak season, the two didn't get to spend time and she being the mature and eldest sibling, even though by five minutes, missed it. Sure he had missed it too, but she knew how important it was to spend some quality time.

Taking a sigh she started to speak "Karan, I came here to see you and you don't even acknowledge my presence tch tch tch" she teased, not knowing exactly what was in her brother's mind.

Karan being himself always tried to hide his feelings, or more like his fears from people. He had started a new strategy of hiding it with a happy facade that made everyone think all is well. It could fool everyone but not her.

"what?" he said sounding annoyed at his sister's attempt to gain some attention., secretly knowing the real reason behind her intentions.

"What happened?" not being able to control her curiosity and the want to make her brother feel better she asked him about the mishap that he was trying to hide.

"kuch nahi'kia hoga" he tried to hide in vain, maybe he forgot who he was talking to. They weren't twins for nothing, she knew him better than himself.

Giving him a raised eye brow with her hand on her hip she made him feel his stunts weren't working on her and sooner or later he had to tell her, she'd make sure of that.

Being the happy go lucky guy he was, tried to change the topic which he knew for a fact would divert his over protective sister's attention.

"talk about yourself, you seem very lost these days" giving suspicious looks he made her lose her comfort and get all conscious as she tried to remember what he is talking about.

"kia baat hai, kahin'" before he could continue with his teasing and leg pulling to the limit round she gathered all the confidence and fought back, "kahin kia?" sounding more curious and pretending to have some top secret that she hid from him, and trying her best not to reveal any information.

"you know" he said with wide eyes and a million dollar smile making it seem like he had just met his future brother in law, while he hummed the tune of Dilwaale Dhulanya Le Jayenge, the catchy number he just heard recently when his mother watched the movie for the umpteenth time.

"nahh, besides aisa kaun hai yahan" implying the lack of such perfect guys who would suit her, such perfect girl. Self praising was a tradition followed by the whole family, once started years ago by their father the great. Rolling his eyes at her he continued to hum the old tune, clearly not convinced by her lame excuses.

"besides you cant just fall in love like that" she said making it sound like she was talking about an important business deal.

"ofcourse you can!" sounding like he had experience and a ton of knowledge on this topic. Well didn't he always sound like he knew so much and never really did?

"its not a car that you can just fall in love with instantly, falling in love with people takes time" she said, as the wise in her emerging.

"honestly I don't see how one can even fall in love with people, or how can they even call it love, I mean people are so complaining and whining all the time, its just so annoying" he said making an annoyed face as he wiggled the socks he was about to wear.

Her eyes widened at the unexpected response from her brother "so you mean what Mum and Dad share isn't love?" questioning his respect and love for their parents she asked.

"well, I don't know about that, they are sensible people who know they have to live together for the sake of their kids and they go along well so its all good" putting the other sock he said with such ease, again making him the most important one in the conversation. Ofcourse this was Karan we are talking about as per the routine he did believe everything going right in this 'chaotic' house according to him, worked only because of him.

"come on! you cant possibly think that! Haven't you heard about their ever so adventurous slash filmy love story?" giving him a don't-be-so-innocent look.

"you think all that's true? Like that would have happened" rolling his eyes he continued "im sure Mum just spiced it up so we don't die with the boredom" he said making it sound like his ancestors lived in the Dark Age.

"besides who even has time for love and crap"

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"it doesn't need time it only needs a moment"

She said as she tried to convince her workaholic brother, that he needed some fun in life and maybe find a lady love to feel alive.

"As I said earlier there are more important thing in life" still in the trance of the big case he just fought and won, which took hours of his days and killed his sleep thanks to the commitment and dedication of this man.

"Look Krystal, I know what you are trying to say and im not denying the fact that relationships are important and one needs to spend time with his loved ones and such" placing a hand on his sister's Vivan habitually spoke to her in the softest manner, making her realize the bitter truths of life sometimes hidden from the outer happy materialistic world.

"but as a lawyer I have seen the sorrows, the tension, the problems of a life time people deal with" their pain clearly visible on his face and eyes that spoke volumes.

Krystal was never really the one who thought too much about things she was more impulsive and expressive compared to Vivan, but she was also the emotional one and did get attached to things or people very easily. However Vivan being the oldest sibling always took care of his sister, and made sure the seriousness and the responsibilities always landed in his plate because he wanted her to be happy, cheerful and worry free, didn't want her to get the burden of her responsibilities before time. He liked seeing the cheerful Krystal.

Being the more mature one he also understood the importance of life, it wasn't only about celebrations and achievements but more about what happened around us and within us. The helplessness of the people who had the equal right to be happy were not, because the corruption and their ill fate had snatched it away from them, he was blessed with such supporting parents and a sister who loved him dearly, but what about those helpless people who came to him for help? Who weren't even given their birth rights.

Seeing tears in the eyes of the loved ones always gave him the power to fight and each time with more determination.

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She stormed in the room with her hands on her hips, eyes squinted ready to erupt.

"You! You guys were talking about me weren't you?" pointing a finger at her older siblings she blurted out of curiosity.

"everything is not always about you Miss Spotlight" Mahira said bringing her face closer to make a point.

Just when Isha was about to question further on what they were actually talking about, Karan out of habit spoke up " yah'only sometimes" he said looking around not making eye contact, as he knew this was enough to piss his little sister off.

"kia baatein ho rahein hai????" sounding superior, like it would work on them adamants, she asked sounding firm and demanding.

Mahira as usual ganged up with him to grill the younger one.

" em..kuch nahi aise hi bas'you know"

"kia you know?? Saaf saaf batao, don't be shy" sounding like she was the incharge, mocking her siblings when they were, with a pinch of her own confidence.

Peep peep ! peep peep!

Opening the door with a crick she stepped outside on the terrace that was linked to Karan's room just to yell at the unknown intruder

"who is it!!" she yelled almost shocking the visitor, Karan who had been standing nearby almost felt his eardrums exploding.

"relax! It must be Rohan" he said pulling her arm to push her out of the way so he could meet his friend.

"tumhara baap!" Rohan scowled enjoying the scene equally as Mahira did from inside the room.

"Karan!!!" he yelled as he was eager to meet a friend at the cafe that they had planned to see tonight.

"Isha go inside'...Rohan AYA!" he replied to Rohan as he told Isha of, being the typical brother he was not wanting to mix his family and friends, well at least not this crazy woman he was forced to call his sister.

"what a low life" she commented, her insult directed towards her brother and his so called friend, to which Mahira only chuckled and shook her head.

"yaar tu bhi kahan..use pange le raha hai" Karan said in an annoyed voice as his friend kept staring at the terrace, not realizing what Karan was saying. His words sounding more like some blabber from a distance.

Shaking him out of his thoughts Karan pulled him into the car and the two drove off in the dark night chatting away about their older times.

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"suniye main soch rahi thi next week ka karlen nahi?" the middle-aged woman asked her husband looking hopefully into his eyes for a sign of approval.

"haan theek hai mujhe koi problem nahi hai bacho se poochlo if they are free" the graceful man resumed with the newspaper he was so deeply engrossed with.

"ok theek hai aur bache to sab free hain, to main unhe call karke bata deti hoon" she left the kitchen counter with a smile that expressed her excitement to have a chance to show some hospitability.

With that the plan was fixed for the next weekend and years old friends were to meet again as the Verma's were invited for a family dinner.

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