The twelve year old boy was pacing in his room. A letter clutched in his hands. He wiped the beads of sweat off his forehead and re-read the letter.

Whoever you are,

I have been writing to you since so many years. I lost count. You know all about me so you should know I am turning eleven tomorrow. I am no more a stupid small girl. I know dad is in heaven and he cannot write to me.

Who are you? How do you get my letters every time? Why are you replying like dad? How do you sneak into my house every time? I have so many questions but mainly, I have a request. I want to meet you. I know you are alive as only alive can reply back. People with god do not. I know this now.

Please, I wish that tomorrow when I reach the terrace, I don't find the letter but you instead. It is a birthday wish.

Bani

V: Isse to pata chal gaya! Lekin kabhi to pata chalna hi tha....Lekin mai isse kaise millu...I already feel I know her because I read about her, I talk to her but I only reply as her dad. She knows nothing about me. But it is her birthday tomorrow. I should not deny her birthday wish.

After much contemplation, he decided to comply.

The next day, Veer got dressed in his black dress shirt and pants. He sneaked into his dad's room and sprayed some perfume. He was checking himself out in the mirror when a strong arm caught the back of his neck.

Ba: Kyu betaji? Kya ho raha hai yeh?

V: D-dad..k-k-kuch nahi..

Ba: Accha? Kuch nahi toh ye perfume kyu laga raha hai? Aur ye aise kapde kyu pehne hai? Sach sach bol..

V: Uff Ballu!! (shrugs off his dad's arm) Cheel....

Veer ran away.

Ba: Iss ladke ka mai kya karu???

Pawan came there laughing. He had seen the father-son exchange from the window.

Pa: Bhaisaab aap hi ka beta hai. Jb nervous hota hai toh extra confidence dikha kr bhaag jaata hai...aap relax kro..

Ba: Pr ye aise ready hokr gaya kahan hai? Aur pehle to kbhi aisa nahi kiya..

Pa: Kya pata, Veer bada ho raha hai..koi pasand aa gayi hogi. Impression jamana hoga..

Ba: Badi jaldi bade ho jate hai bacche..

They shook their heads and went to work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Veer reached the terrace and turned human. He sat on the terrace wall and waited. He was nervous. A while later, Bani came there. She was wearing a denim skirt and white shimmery top. Her hair was in a half ponytail. She came there with unsure steps.

B: You are...?

V: Veer...Veeranshu..hi

Veer was hell nervous. He did not know how to react.

B: You wrote letters..?

V: Sorry..

B: Why? How? ..

V: Um...mai sb batata hoon..pr sbse pehle..Happy Birthday Bani..

B: Thank you...ek minute.

She went in and bought him a cupcake. Veer sat in a corner and ate it.

V: Bohot accha hai..

B: Thank you, mummy aur maine banaya saath me..

Veer smiled.

B: Ab bolo..

V: Kahan se bolu..

B: Moo se...Tumhe mere letter mille kaise? Aur tum reply kaise de dete they...I never saw you before...

V: In sb ka ek answer hai pr tum mujhe promise kro tum mujhse dr kr bhagogi nahi..

B: Aisa kya hai?

V: Promise kro pehle..

Bani reluctantly agreed. Veer took a deep breath and went to stand at a distance.

V: Remember Bani! You promised.

Saying this, Veer transformed into a cheel. Bani confused eyes widened in surprise.

B: aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

She ran and hid in a corner. Veer quickly phased back into a human.

V: You promised Bani..

B: What are you? Bhoot?

A voice came from downstairs.

Bani's mother: Baniii...cheekhi kyu? Kya hua??

Bani looked at the door of the terrace and at Veer. Veer mouthed please.

BM: Kya hua? Tu thik toh hai??

B: Haan thik hoon maa...bs chipkali dekh li thi..

BM: Tu bhi na Bani...accha jldi neeche aa...tere dost ane wale honge..

B: Haan maa..

She turned to Veer.

B: Tum mujhe sb kuch clear batao...

Veer told her about his identity as a cheel, about finding her first letter. He felt her pain as he had lost his mother and wanted to make her feel better. Bani listened patiently.

B: You are not bad person Veer pr tumne cheating ki mere saath...itne saal me tum mujhe poora jaan gaye pr I know nothing..

V: To ab jaan lo? Friends?

B: (Thinks and then shook his hand) Friends...chalo neeche meri birthday party me..

V: Pr mai kissi ko nahi jaanta..

B: Mujhe to jaante ho na..chalo..

V: Ruko, ek minute..

B: Ab kya hua..

V: Vo...vo..(nervous) tumhara birthday tha to mai ye...mtlb mujhe zyada kuch nahi pta girl ki cheezo ke baare me pr ye..

He handed her a small gift wrapped in a brown paper. HBD was scribbled on it. Bani opened it and saw there were two clips.

V: Tumhe pasand nahi aya toh-

Bani shut him up by wearing them and smiling at him.

B: Thank you. I love them...ab chale..

Bani dragged Veer downstairs and introduced him to her mother.

BM: Hello Beta, aap Bani ke school me ho? Pehle toh nahi dekha..

V: Uh..

B: Mummy park me khelte time mille they..challo aap kitchen me jao, mai aur Veeru yahan baaki friends ka welcome kr lenge..

Her mother went.

B: Tum ye uh uh uh kya kr rahe they? Mummy ko pata chal jata na ki tum kya ho? Aur hum kaise mille to tumhe jhadoo se maarti..

V: Vo mai jhut bolte time nervous ho jaata hoon..

B: Chal jutta! (shows her tongue)

Soon her other friends began coming but Bani's main focus was on Veer. Meeting him was very surprising for her. She wasn't sure what to expect when she asked the writer of those letter to meet her. But she was shocked to see that it was a cheel-boy her age. She felt like she knew him yet didn't.

Veer was happy to be around Bani as himself. To talk to her as himself and not her father. When the party finally ended, Bani sneaked Veer back on the terrace.

B: Thank you for coming in front me and coming to the party.

V: Itna thank you mt bolo mujhe...ab to hum friends hai na..

B: Haan...pr tum to mere baare me sb jaante ho! Ab mujhe bhi sb jaana hai..

V: To chalo mere saath..

B: Kahan?

V: Mere ghar..

B: Abhi nahi..

V: Phir kabhi..

B: Tum mujhse aaoge na wapis milne..

V: Off course!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Veer flew back home and Bani got down to help her mother clean up. Both let this new meeting sink in and felt happy.

The next day, Veer met Bani in the evening and they chatted. It felt different to talk as two young kids and not like in letters. Bani asked him to talk as he knows enough about her. Veer told her about his family and asked her about school.

V: Mere baare me tumhe mai raat me bataunga...ready rehna..yahin milenge..

B: Abhi kyu nahi..

V: I want to take you somewhere. Raat me easy rahega..din me koi dekh lega..

B: Okay.

That night, Bani sneaked upstairs in her panda nightsuit. Veer met her there.

B: Tum raat ko bhi aise button wali shirt pehente hoon..

V: Vo ..uh! chalo na..

B: Kaise?

V: Ud kr!!!!

B: WHAT!?!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To Bani's absolute delight, she was experiencing the unimaginable. She was flying! Well, technically Veer was flying and Bani was in his arms but still.

The only person happier than Bani was Veer, he was holding Bani in his arms and felt all kinds of mushy feelings. The girl he has known for years will finally know him. It made him feel happy.

Cool breeze hit their faces as the two friends flew towards the magnificent mansion in the woods.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To be continued

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