One Shots Collection By Samayra Akhtar

Arjun came to meet Kiara early in the morning. Her mother opened the door and took him inside.

"Have you eaten?" She asked him.

"Yes aunty. Where's Kiara? Is she sleeping still?" He started his questions after answering her.

"Yes. She is sleeping. You know your friend, she wakes up late."

"I'll go and wake her up."

"Yes. Go and bring her. Breakfast is almost ready."

"Yes Aunty."

[In Kiara's room]

"Kia wake up!!! You are too lazy. It's gonna be nine o'clock. Ki...a!! Wake up!

Then after been defeated he takes both her hand and pulls her. She groans and tell him still in her sleepy mode, "Arjun let me sleep more. Just go."

"I am going." He said still holding her hands.

"Hmm go. Let me sleep." She tells him and freed her hands from his and falls back on the bed. She really wanna sleep.

Arjun stood there with teary eyes and said, "I am really going Kia."

"Don't cry. You are big boy now." She replied him before covering her face with blankets.

He finally started crying. "Kia, my family is moving."

Kia sits straight on the bed in a lightning speed with shock prevalent in her eyes.

"What?"

"Kia..... we are going." He said between his sobs and hugs her only to make her cry as well.

"Don't go."

"I also don't want to but...."

"Then I'll kidnap you."

Arjun starts laughing on hearing this.

"Then kidnap me."

"I'll really kidnap you. Then don't cry for your mamma".

"I won't." He said with a smile. "I am not a little boy to cry."

"But you are crying."

"I am not crying."

"You were crying just now."

"No. I wasn't. I'm a big boy now." He refused to admit that he cried. "Your Ma is waiting for you. Go brush your teeth."

"Hmm."

They both came down to the dining table to have breakfast. Kiara's mom asked Arjun with concern filled in her eyes. "Arjun, did you cry?" Then she looks at Kiara and asked, "Did you beat him up?"

Kiara answered immediately waving her hands, "I didn't. He was crying because his family is moving."

Her mother shifted her gaze towards Arjun and was about to say something but was interrupted by Kiara.

"He doesn't want to go and I am gonna kidnap him."

Apart from Arjun, her mother and elder brother was shocked after hearing her.

"Kia. What are you saying? You can't kidnap people." Her brother said her.

"Why can't I? And I am just kidnapping my best friend who doesn't want to move with his family. I am doing a good deed."

Another person also heard her from the doors and he asked excitedly. "Are you really gonna kidnap him, Kia? I'll help you. Will we beat him also?"

Arjun looked at him with a face which said 'Akshit? I'm you friend!'

"Yaaah.!! I'll beat you to death if you'll touch him." Bursted Kiara. "And who are you calling Kia? My name is Kiara. Do you understand, you punk?"

Kiara's mother is looking at her daughter in disbelief. 'My daughter is even thinking of kidnapping now. And punk? Where did she learn this language?'

Kiara's mother came out of her stupor by her son's voice. "I am gonna beat you."

She holds her son down who was about to hit Akshit, Arjun's friend when he was bickering with Kiara.

"All of you shut your mouth and eat." Growled Kiara's mother. "I don't want even a single noise now."

Everyone was scared and immediately started eating.

***

At evening after spending the whole day wandering and playing they returned home. It was four when they came to eat at Akshit's home. After eating and resting for some time Arjun hugged Akshit and bid farewell.

'They managed to get rid of Akshit' thought Kiara while leaving. 'Now I'll have Arjun to myself.'

Arjun took her to a beach. It was her favorite place. They stayed there and as time passed it became difficult for Arjun to control his sadness.

Kia asked him, "When will you come back?" She was not gonna kidnap him now after her mother explained her in the morning.

"I don't know." Arjun replied avoiding looking at her.

"You won't be coming back, right?" She asked him and without waiting for his reply she continued. "You are leaving me forever. I hate you. You said you'll always be with me. We'll be together till will be as old as granny. You promised that you'll teach me to a ride a bicycle in this vacation. You just lied to me. I hate you." She was about to run away when Arjun hold her hands and pulled her to sit again.

He said, "I don't want to go. But I have to go. But I promise I'll come back."

"I don't believe you." said Kiara.

He stared at her silently for few minutes and then replied, "Trust me Kia. I'll come back to you. I promise. He then removed his Superman's 'S' symbol locket from his neck and help her to wear it. I'll marry you."

"But I am only eight and Ma says..."

"Stupid" He flicked her forehead. "I'll marry you when I'll come back."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Then I'll be with you forever."

She nodded with a smile.

They went home.

Early at six in the morning Arjun was downstairs, ready to go. He looked at the house next to theirs, he knew he won't be seeing Kiara before going. She must be sleeping.

But to her surprise Kiara came out of the house and came running towards him. "Give me your hand." She said and grabbed his hand and put something in his hands. He clenched his fist tightly holding it and hugged her.

Akshit and Kiara's family were also there to bid farewell to the moving family.

"Don't be troublesome." Arjun said to Kiara before leaving.

Kiara nodded before saying. "Don't break your promise."

Arjun nodded with a smile.

***

Don't be troublesome? How can Kiara be not troublesome?

Within a week Kiara was expelled from her school for beating up her classmate. Her classmate teased her that she was not good that's why everyone left her, first her parents and now Arjun. Kiara didn't have any memories of her biological parents. All she remember is her foster family. She was too young when she was adopted.

When she heard her classmate teasing her she started beating her up. Akshit tried to stop her but she pushed him too. He rushed out of the class but stopped in his tracks. Before he could have rushed to Arjun but now, Arjun was gone and no one can stop this little girl.

As a result she got a good scolding from her mother. Her mother can only scold her because her father and brother would never let her mother punish her.

With fighting every now and then Kiara finished her schooling. It was the end of 90s when Arjun left and hence it was not possible for them to be in contact with each other through mobile phones. She got only few calls in nine years.

With the passing time she even started doubting Arjun's promise. She was not a kid now she was already eighteen years old. And she understands marriage and other things too.

'It's ten years and he has not returned. It's even possible that he'll never return as well. And even possible that he would have been avoiding her because of that promise. He might be regretting his promise now. From last two years he has not even called her. How can she hold on that promise? Probably he is just a part of her past now.....' She was in her thoughts when her brother knocked on her door.

He has brought her a cell phone though she had always refused to use it but now she was about to go to a college so she needed it.

She even completed her three years of college but Arjun didn't return. She made a social network account but never used it in the fear of disappointment.

She thinks of forgetting Arjun and his promise but then she also anticipates his return. She saw many people dating and thought that it's possible that Arjun might also have got someone to date or may be he would have fallen in love with someone.

Arjun stepped down from the airplane and thought, 'It's been fourteen years.... fourteen years that I left this country and Kiara. It's been fourteen years that I made that promise.'

He then sets out for Kiara's place after freshening up at a hotel. He thought if their family would not have sold their property here he might have seen Kiara by now. He was anxious too if Kiara would be waiting for him. He lost contact to her and then he tried to contact her through social networking but failed. He didn't find any ID with her photo just found one account which seemed like her account but she didn't get any reply in two years.

'What if she would have forgotten his promise? What if she would have fallen in love with someone? What if she would have become someone's wife. She would be twenty three years old next month.' He shook his head to remove all the negative thoughts.

He holds the pendant of his locket. It's the same locket that Kiara gave her before he left. Back then she had put her favorite ring in a chain and had given to him. He wondered if she would also have kept his Superman locket still.

Soon he arrived at his destination. He stepped out of the taxi and stared at the house in front of him. The small house has turned into a large one now. It looks magnificent. He sighed and walked towards the house.

He was stopped at the gate.

"I know them. I am their friend."

"Mister, I have never seen you, here.", said the security guard.

"I really know them."

"Then call them and ask them to come down." The security guard said to Arjun.

Arjun sighed and then started yelling Kiara's name.

KIA! KIAA!!!! KIA!!!! KIA!!

The security guard was stunned not because of Arjun's action but because of the name that he was shouting. He knows the girl whom she calling hates people calling her with this nickname. She'll definitely burst in anger if she comes out.

Soon a girl in her early twenties came out. Arjun saw her and his eyes twinkled. It was her. Kiara. The mole near her left eye said it aloud that it's Kiara.

The girl looked at the stranger at the other side of the gate which sent a familiar vibe. Her gaze then met his and she identified those eyes.

"Arjun!?" She said in surprise.

"Kia!!" He said bashfully. He was too happy to see her.

"Open this damn gate." He said to the security.

As soon as the gate was opened he hugged her. He hugged her as tight as he can.

"I am sorry.... I am sorry Kia. I am sorry I came too late. I am sorry I wasn't able to keep in touch with you. I am really sorry Kia. I am really sorry. But I missed you. I missed you too much."

Kiara didn't believe it was real. The person whom she waited for so long really came back. She closed her eyes tightly. She was afraid that this might be a dream and when she'll open her eyes he'll be gone. She had such kind of dreams in past when she saw Arjun returning. She locked her hands around his back. She didn't want him to disappear again. She felt his tears on her back and then she opened her eyes. Luckily it was not a dream this time. Arjun really returned.

"I thought you won't come back." Kia said after he freed her from his embrace.

Arjun wiped away her tears and replied with a question while wiping his own. "How can I not come? I promised you."

Promise? Yes he promised to come back and... and marry her. Kiara thought. She took her in the house.

As soon as they entered she saw a little girl sitting with her coloring book. She called out her.

"Baby!"

The little angel looked at her with bright eyes and said, "Ma, look."

Kiara looked at Arjun to tell him something but saw his face and smirked. It was time to make this stupid man pay a little for returning so late.

"Very good my baby." Kiara remarked the little angel and gave her kiss.

Arjun was dumbfounded. Kia was already married? All the happiness that his face had outside the house vanished. He got a shock when the little angel called Kiara, Ma (meaning mother)

Kiara took the little angel in her embrace and walked towards Arjun. She then asked the little angel to greet Arjun which she did obediently. Kiara the said to Arjun, "She's my daughter."

Arjun just stared at Kiara. He didn't know what to say. After being silent for almost a minute he asked, "What's her name?"

Little angel answered this question herself. "I am Yashvi."

"Oh" was the only word that left his mouth.

"Won't you ask about his father?" Kiara asked him.

Arjun struggling to speak or to ask what Kiara told him and Kiara on the other hand was struggling to control her laughter. After struggling for God knows how much time Arjun finally asked, "Where's he?"

"Here only." Kiara replied him.

"Oh" again just an oh from his mouth.

Kiara wanted to torture him a little more but looking at him in such a state her heart melted. She whispered something in little a angel's ears.

Arjun would have listen Kiara's word if he was in his normal mode. But it seemed that his system has shut down.

After listening to Kiara, little angel pounced on Arjun calling him "Papa".

Arjun was shocked even more. He looked towards Kiara only to find her laughing.

"Arjun... she is my adopted daughter." She told him.

Arjun still didn't have any words to say but the color of his face returned. Kiara went and hug both her little and big angel.

"Arjun you're gonna get a daughter along with wife."