Originally posted March 16th, 2017 | Edited on May 9th, 2018.

| . . . C H A P T E R . . . 1. 1 9 . 1 : O U R - G A M E S . . . |

I watched Kripa leave and remembered she'd seen me in my distorted state. I owed her an explanation. I asked Arnav, "Do you think she heard us?"

"Is it bad if she did?"

"Uh, yeah! Aaron and I were planning on getting her jealous to see if she liked him too before he'd asked her out."

"That makes no sense."

"He's afraid of rejection, okay?"

He scoffed, "Because that makes more sense."

I rolled my eyes, "How would you know? You've never faced rejection in your life, have you?"

He grumbled, "There was one girl."

I gaped in surprise and a bit of amusement, "Wow, someone said no to going out with you? The infamous Arnav Raizada?"

He clarified, "No, someone said no to my friendship."

The smirk vanished from my lips as I realized he was talking about me. Aaron's advice over keeping friendship over rumors returned to me. Did I do the wrong thing? Despite how things ended, when he got my messages, he cared enough to show up. That counted for something, didn't it?

Right now, having him here in front of me... it felt good. Right now, if I think about it, I did miss having him around. I had gotten used to it.

He cleared his throat before changing the line of subject, "How long since these nightmares returned?"

I blinked away from his gaze and stared up ahead, still lying in bed while he sat next to me. "Since the night I messaged you."

"What... what triggered it?"

I didn't want to tell him the reason so this time, I changed the topic "You need to stop pulling all-nighters because of me."

He faintly smiled, "You go through all this... least I can do is stay up for you."

I tried to not show the hitch of my breath. When he said certain things...! He'll say them so casually as if there is no bigger meaning behind them, as if in a blink of a moment without second thought and that doing these things are no big deal.

There was something going on in his life since he went home and came back, pissed. And yet, he was here to make sure I was okay and putting me over the wrongs in his life.

Why was he making me a priority even after the way I have been behaving with him?

I said abruptly, "Orange."

His brows narrowed in confusion, "What?"

"We never finished our game. We last stopped at N, didn't we?"

He understood I was talking about the game we were playing while in jail to distract me. Now again, I was distracting myself from these thoughts and probably from reading too much into his words and actions.

Luckily for me, even if he noticed, he played along. "Pear. Papaya. Peach. Plum. Passion fruit. Pine..."

I laughed picking my pillow from under my head and hitting his knee. "Smart ass. You're supposed to say only one."

He laughed along, "Got you to smile."

It remained on my smile as I shook my head at him. He did manage to make me smile and forget about the intense moments earlier in the night.

He cleared his throat to break our eye lock, "Q. Go."

I thought but came up empty. "Are there even any?"

He nodded and answered instantly, "Quince."

I narrowed my eyes at him wondering if he was pulling my leg. "There's no such thing."

"So is," he argued. "it'll smell like perfume so obviously, you can't eat it raw."

I challenge to see if he is making it up, "Oh yea? What family tree?" What fruit can smell like perfume, after all. Right?

"Pear."

I was still doubtful.

He rolled his eyes and muttered, "You never trust me," and grabbed my phone off the table. "What's your passcode?"

I forward my hand, "I'll put it in."

He looked at me through his lashes and pointed out, "Again. Lack of trust."

"Ugh. Fine. 0914." I offered.

As he plugged it in, he asked. "Your birthday?"

"No, Amy's."

"Armaan?" He clarified and I nodded. He went back to typing something before he turned the screen in my direction and prove that there indeed was a fruit called Quince.

"Why do you know this?" I questioned for I don't think it is general knowledge. At the same time, I was trying to sneakily type 'fruits with s' on the search bar so I could atleast win one point.

"Lavanya uses them in apple crumble that she loves baking. They're the best." He informed before catching me and scolding, "Are you cheating?"

"What, no!" I denied and quickly tried to close the browser.

He however snatched the phone away before I could.

"Damn it." I muttered under my breath. "Can't you let me win one round?"

"Not through cheating."

I frowned though he carelessly dismissed it and continued the game. Ofcourse, he won. We moved on to names of places next. This one, I was able to give him a tough competition for - finally something Arnav Raizada might lose in.

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

Once it was 7 in the morning and I had showered and ate the quick breakfast Arnav had made, I decided it was time to wake up two sleepy heads. I quietly opened the door to Kripa's room and chuckled seeing the two of them snuggled in bed. I'm surprised Kripa didn't kick him off to hog the bed to herself. And, this might have been the one and only time when Angad was sleeping in a bed with a girl without actually sleeping with her.

Arnav muttered behind me, "What the..." seeing the same scene and tried to walk around me - most probably to beat the hell out of Angad. I pinched the back of his shirt and pulled him back. He looked slightly more surprised at my action.

I shook my head at him and leaving his shirt, walked up to the bed before jumping on it and yelled in Angad's ear, "LIZARD!"

He sat up at once in a frenzy, "What? Where? Where!" He started brushing the blanket to swat off this imaginary lizard. When he heard me laughing, he caught on and glared at me. "Smiley, what the fuck is the matter with you! Giving a man a near heart attack."

I swatted his arm, "First thing in the morning and you want to curse?"

He sighed taking a moment to calm his raging heart, "Sorry."

I pulled his ear next, "Good, now apologize for sleeping with my best friend."

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" He winced at first before he registered my words and countered, "Are you crazy? I know I call Riddhima my girlfriend but you know I would never! Armaan would skin me alive if the thought even crossed my mind."

I rolled my eyes, leaving his ear. "Not Ridzzi, you dumb head. I'm talking about her."

When I nodded beside him, he turned to look at Kripa and questioned, "What are you talking about? I didn't even touch her."

I challenged, "Oh, so I walk in to you two cuddled up and that's not touching her? Be grateful I stopped Raizada else you'd be in some morgue right now."

At his mention, Angad look at Arnav and questioned, "Why, is that the boyfriend? Look man, I swear nothing happen between me and your..."

"Sister." I interjected before he would embarrass himself.

He repeated in auto mode, "Sister," before the word entered his mind and he glanced at me, "Sister?"

I nodded and Kripa woke up slamming her hands beside her, "Why the hell is everyone bent on not letting me sleep tonight?!"

The three of us looking between each other at her oblivious state. Then, Angad and I burst out laughing while Arnav stood there looking grim and arms across his chest while Kripa was still confused.

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

| . . . C H A P T E R . . . 1. 1 9 . 2 : V O I C E - O F - R E A S O N . . . |

I asked Angad after he'd showered and changed back into his old clothes given he had sent this luggage to the hotel he was staying at. "Walk me to class?"

He chided, "Honey, I did not come all the way from India so that I can walk you to class. You're skipping."

I sighed dropping my bag on the couch, "Fine, but you're buying me lunch."

Kripa questioned with wide eyes, "You're going to skip? Even when you had a fever, you didn't miss a class!"

Angad grinned dropping his arm over my shoulder, "That's because she loves me."

I elbowed him to stop bothering Kripa and requested her, "Could you find someone in that class to take notes for me?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I might know someone in the class."

I smiled hugging her, "Thank you. When I'm back, we'll talk. Promise."

She accepted that and with Angad, I walked out of the apartment. I didn't fail to notice the cautious glance Arnav had on both of us - probably wondering how I am so normal and carefree around Angad.

It was hard to explain. I wasn't afraid of the people I already knew. I was comfortable with their touch as I already knew and trusted them. It was everyone else I met after that night that I started to react to.

As we entered the elevator, I asked Angad. "What are you doing here?"

He gave me a chastising look, "What do you think? You weren't answering to Armaan and didn't call him back either. That man is beyond worried. Like his worry-meter has hit the roof and off the charts."

"And he made you fly all the way here? Ugh, what am I going to do of him?"

He defended Armaan, "Hey, he's your brother and he had a right to be worried. Especially after what he told you."

We stepped out of the elevator. "You know?"

He nodded as I lead the way towards one of the food places on campus for lunch, "I wouldn't come here otherwise. I thought it was like another of those times when he was getting hyper for no damn reason." Then he swatted my arm and asked, "Why did neither of you tell me this was happening before it happened?"

I rubbed my arm as I threw him a dirty glare. "And what could you have done? It'd have made no difference."

He scolded, "No difference, Khushi? You know I could have helped."

I challenged, "How?"

He rolled his eyes, "You're forgetting my parents are well off."

"Parents you don't get along with, Angad. You've said it yourself. Why would they help you help us?"

He laughed without humor, "Why do you think I'm camping out in Mumbai these days? Now that their business is expanding for the better, they've suddenly remembered they have a son who should join the family business."

Momentarily forgetting my situation, I asked in worry. "Seriously? So, you're hiding in Mumbai?"

"Exactly. But if I had known, I'd have made them help your dad."

I countered, "Don't be silly, Angad. I wouldn't ask you to do that."

"You wouldn't have had to, Smiley. I'd have offered and it would have been my choice. We both know this - I am hiding now but eventually, they are going to have their way when they'll get fed up of me, cut off my expenses and petty shit like that. Atleast if I had known, I could have gone in on my own terms and you would have been okay. None of this would be happening to you."

I smiled at him hugging his arm, "You're a good friend, Angad." He didn't show this side of his often but I always knew he held Armaan, Riddhima and I in a dear corner of his heart.

He smiled back patting my hand on his arm, "I know, the only few relationships I have to care for. It's not so tough."

I still spoke otherwise though I was touched with his offer, "You hate the world of business, Angad, and as much as I love you and know you love me too, I won't let you do this. We'll figure out another way to stop this."

"But..."

I remained adamant, "Hey, you came all the way here because you care for me. Now let me care for you. When you eventually get roped in by your selfish parents, it'll be with things you want for yourself, not with things you ask to save me. Let me, for once, figure out how to save myself."

He stopped walking as he tried to show me the mirror of reality, "Smiley, this isn't something that can be achieved through a school fundraiser for some small event. This is fighting bankruptcy and there are only a few ways someone can come into that kind of money. We refuse to sit by and let your dad put away your life as an investment opportunity. That's almost as cold as how my parents have been since the day I was born."

"I know it won't be easy!" I stuck with my perspective, "And I'll ask for help when I need it, but please, look at it from my point and try to understand. You. Armaan. Riddhima. All of you come in always to save the day for me and in turn giving up something dear to you. I already fought with Armaan to make sure he wouldn't drop college and singing to get into this business and try to save dad. And I'm saying the same to you. It's enough now. I need to get up and fight my own battle. It's high time, don't you agree?"

He cupped my face, "And I want to admire this strength in you and take a moment to say how very happy I am to see your fighting spirit back, Khushi, but I also hate to be the one to be the voice of reason."

"Then don't." I asked. "Don't try to reason with me because what is happening is unreasonable enough. If we are to fight this, we might as well be just as unreasonable. Besides, I'm not getting married away tomorrow. We have time and if we don't, we'll find a way to buy some time."

He sighed after staring into my eyes searching for a chance but didn't find it. "There's nothing I can say to talk you out of this suicide mission, is there?"

I smiled at him, knowing he wasn't happy, and circled my fingers around his wrist, "No. But I still need you. So, just be there for me, okay?"

His shoulders dropped in defeat as he nodded. "Yeah. Okay."

I stepped forward to hug his chest given he was taller than me, "Thank you."

He kissed the top of my head hugging me back though reluctance and worry still in his voice. "I hate this."

"So do I."

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .