Shubman and Sara were sitting by the pool, their legs lazily dipping into the cool water. The gentle sound of waves crashing in the distance and the soft breeze brushing past them created the perfect, peaceful atmosphere. They were enjoying the quiet moment when suddenly, a voice called out, breaking the calm.

"Sara?"

Sara turned toward the voice, her eyes lighting up in recognition. "Sidd!" she exclaimed with excitement. In an instant, she was on her feet, rushing towards the tall, handsome guy who had called her. Without hesitation, she threw her arms around him, and to Shubman's surprise, the guy hugged her tightly, lifting her off the ground and swirling her around.

Shubman watched the scene unfold, completely taken aback. His heart sank as he saw how easily Sara fit into this stranger's embrace. He sat still, his mind racing. *Who is this guy? And why is she so comfortable with him?*

After what felt like an eternity, the guy set Sara down, and she stood there beaming at him, completely unaware of Shubman's growing discomfort.

"Siddharth, you here in Bali?" Sara asked, her voice filled with surprise and joy.

Siddharth nodded, flashing a smile that made Shubman's stomach churn. "Had some work, baby girl," he said casually.

Shubman flinched at the words, his hands instinctively clenching into fists. Baby girl? He couldn't stand the way Siddharth addressed her so intimately, and even worse, Sara didn't seem to mind at all. A wave of insecurity hit him hard, bringing up old fears he thought he had long buried.

Sara, oblivious to the turmoil brewing inside Shubman, turned back to him. "Shub, is it okay if I spend the day with him?" she asked, her tone casual, as if it were no big deal.

Shubman's heart sank even further. They had planned their entire day together, had been looking forward to it, but now... she wanted to spend it with him? The knot in his stomach tightened as doubt clouded his mind. He forced a smile, one that didn't reach his eyes, and nodded stiffly. "Yeah... sure," he muttered, standing up abruptly.

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away, leaving Sara standing there, surprised by his sudden departure.

The moment he was out of sight, Shubman's emotions hit him like a freight train. His chest tightened, his breath uneven. All those old fears, the ones he had tried so hard to bury, came flooding back. The fear of being abandoned, of not being enough. He couldn't shake the image of Sara hugging Siddharth, of the way she smiled at him.

What if she leaves me? The thought gnawed at him, his mind spinning with doubt. He started questioning everything—his relationship with Sara, her feelings for him, and even his own worth. Was he enough for her? Was he just imagining the distance growing between them?

Hours passed, and the weight of it all became too much to bear. Shubman paced around their room, his mind a whirlwind of frustration and hurt. When Sara finally returned, she was greeted with a silence so thick, it was suffocating.

"Shub? What's wrong?" Sara asked, her voice gentle, sensing the tension in the air.

He turned to her, his eyes dark with emotion. "What's wrong?" he repeated, his voice strained. "You really have to ask that after what happened today?"

Sara blinked in confusion, genuinely not understanding. "I just spent time with Siddharth, that's all. We're old friends—"

"Old friends?" Shubman cut her off, his voice rising in frustration. "He called you 'baby girl,' Sara. You were all over him, and you didn't even seem to care about our plans for today!"

Sara's face fell, her eyes widening as she realized how deeply this had affected him. "Shub, it wasn't like that—"

"Wasn't like that?" Shubman's voice cracked, all the emotions he had been holding in rushing out at once. "It didn't matter to you, did it? That we planned this whole day together? That we were supposed to spend time together?"

Sara stepped forward, reaching for him, but he pulled back, his hurt too raw to let her in. "I'm scared, Sara," he admitted, his voice breaking. "I'm scared that I'm not enough for you. That one day... you'll leave."

Sara's heart shattered at his words, tears welling up in her eyes. "Shub, how could you think that? I love you, you're everything to me."

But Shubman was too caught up in his own pain. "It didn't feel like that today," he whispered, shaking his head. "It felt like you chose him over me."

Sara's tears spilled over, and she tried to explain, but Shubman couldn't bear it anymore. He turned, walking out of the room before she could stop him. The door closed with a heavy thud, leaving Sara standing alone, her heart aching.

She collapsed onto the bed, sobbing quietly. She hadn't meant for things to spiral like this. She hadn't realized how deeply her actions had hurt Shubman, and now, the thought of losing him over a misunderstanding was unbearable.

She curled up into a ball, her mind racing, wondering how she could fix things—how she could make him understand that he was the only one she wanted.

In the hallway, Shubman leaned against the wall, his heart aching just as much as hers. He didn't want to lose her either, but the fear of being hurt was so strong, it was consuming him.

Sara sat on the edge of the bed, her face streaked with tears, her heart heavy with regret and confusion. The fight with Shubman had left her feeling shattered, and she couldn't stop replaying the moment he walked out of the room, leaving her behind. She hugged her knees to her chest, her mind racing. Just then, there was a knock on the door. She wiped her tears quickly, trying to compose herself.

"Sara, it's me, Abhishek," his voice called gently from the other side.

She hesitated but eventually opened the door. Abhishek walked in, concern etched across his face. He sat down next to her without saying anything at first, giving her time to gather herself.

"What happened?" he asked softly, his voice calm and full of understanding.

Sara sighed deeply, her voice shaky as she began. "Shubman... he's upset because of Siddharth. He thought I was ignoring him and that I'd rather be with Siddharth than him. I didn't realize how hurt he was... I messed up, Abhi. I didn't mean to make him feel like that."

Abhishek leaned back, thinking carefully before speaking. "Sara, Shubman's not the type to get jealous for no reason. When he gets hurt like this, it's because he cares deeply. You know his past... he's got these fears, and sometimes they get the better of him."

"I didn't think it would be such a big deal," Sara murmured, her eyes welling up again. "Siddharth is just an old friend. I didn't realize Shub felt so insecure about it."

Abhishek nodded. "It's not just about today, Sara. It's about Shubman's fear of losing the people he loves. You're the most important person to him, and when he feels like he's losing that connection, it terrifies him. You need to reassure him, make him feel safe."

Sara's eyes widened, realization dawning on her. "I've always known Shub's had these fears, but I never thought they'd manifest like this."

Abhishek placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You have to be open with him, Sara. He needs to know that you're not going anywhere, no matter what. Sometimes, the smallest things hit him the hardest."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the hotel, Aditi found Shubman sitting by the pool, staring blankly at the water. His usual confident demeanor was gone, replaced with a deep sadness. Aditi approached him quietly, sitting down beside him without a word.

They sat in silence for a moment before Aditi broke it. "Shub, you want to tell me what's going on?"

Shubman sighed, his voice hoarse. "I don't know if I'm overreacting, Aditi. But seeing Sara with Siddharth... it brought back all these fears I've been trying to ignore."

Aditi turned to him, her expression empathetic. "What kind of fears?"

Shubman clenched his jaw, struggling to find the right words. "I'm scared she'll leave me. That she'll realize she doesn't need me and move on to someone else. When I saw her with Siddharth, it was like I didn't matter anymore. She didn't even care about the plans we made. It was like I wasn't important to her."

Aditi frowned, shaking her head. "Shub, I've known Sara for years. She's crazy about you. You know that, right? She didn't mean to hurt you."

Shubman rubbed his face, frustrated. "I know she loves me. I know it. But sometimes... it feels like I'm not enough. Like one day, she'll find someone better and I'll be left behind."

Aditi's heart ached for him. "Shub, you can't think like that. Sara chose *you*. And she keeps choosing you every day. You're enough for her, even if you don't always feel it. But you need to let her know how you feel, not shut her out."

Shubman shook his head. "I walked out, Aditi. I was angry, and I just left. Now I don't even know how to fix this."

Aditi's tone softened. "You don't need to fix it alone. Go back, talk to her. Tell her what's going on in your head. Sara would never leave you, but if you keep pushing her away, she won't know how to reassure you."

Back in Sara's room, Abhishek stood up, ready to leave. "You've got this, Sara. Just talk to him, be honest. Shubman needs to hear that he's not alone in this."

Sara nodded, her determination renewed. "Thank you, Abhi. I'll talk to him."

As Abhishek left, Aditi was doing the same with Shubman. "You're not alone in this, Shub. You've got Sara, and you've got us. Don't push her away when you're scared. She loves you, and she'll prove it to you if you give her the chance."

Shubman stood up, his resolve returning. "Thanks, Aditi. I'll go talk to her."

With their friends' advice echoing in their minds, both Sara and Shubman prepared themselves to face each other again, determined to heal the wounds caused by misunderstanding and fear.

Shubman stood outside Sara's door, hesitating for a moment before knocking. His mind was racing with all the things he wanted to say, all the fears he wanted to confess. Inside, Sara wiped the last of her tears, her heart pounding as she heard the knock. She knew it was him.

Opening the door, their eyes met—Sara's still a little red from crying, and Shubman's face showing the weight of his own emotions. Without a word, he stepped in, and she shut the door behind him.

They stood there in silence for a few seconds, the air thick with unspoken words. Finally, Shubman broke the quiet.

"I'm sorry, Sara," he said, his voice low. "I shouldn't have walked out like that."

Sara shook her head, tears threatening to return. "No, I'm sorry, Shub. I didn't realize how much it hurt you to see me with Siddharth. I just thought... he's just an old friend."

Shubman let out a breath, running a hand through his hair. "I know he's just a friend, but when I saw you with him, I felt like I didn't matter anymore. It brought back so many old fears... of not being enough, of being left behind. I hate feeling that way, but sometimes I can't control it."

Sara stepped closer, her voice soft but firm. "You are enough for me, Shubman. I would never leave you. You have to know that."

Shubman looked down at her, his emotions raw. "I know, deep down, I know you love me. But when those fears come up... they take over. I don't want to lose you, Sara. Not over something as stupid as this."

Sara reached up and cupped his face in her hands. "You're not going to lose me. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. But you have to talk to me when you feel like this. Don't shut me out."

He nodded, placing his hands over hers. "I'll try. I promise."

They stood there for a moment, their foreheads resting against each other's, the tension between them dissolving. Finally, Sara broke the silence, her voice lighter.

"You know, when I asked if I could spend the day with Siddharth, I didn't mean to blow off our plans. I was just caught up in seeing an old friend. But I never wanted you to feel like you weren't important."

Shubman chuckled softly, though the emotion still lingered in his voice. "I know. I just... lost my cool."

Sara grinned, poking him lightly in the chest. "Well, don't let it happen again, Mr. Gill."

He laughed this time, the sound warm and reassuring. "I won't, Ms. Tendulkar."

They both sat down on the bed, the weight of the earlier argument finally lifting. Sara took his hand, playing with his fingers absentmindedly.

"You know," she began, "Aditi and Abhishek gave us the same advice."

Shubman raised an eyebrow, curious. "Yeah? What did they say?"

Sara smiled, thinking about Aditi's words. "They both said we need to talk to each other. To stop shutting each other out. They're right."

Shubman nodded. "They are. I don't want to keep anything from you, Sara. I want to be better at that."

Sara looked up at him, her expression softening. "And I promise to be more aware of how you're feeling. I didn't realize you were still carrying those fears with you."

Shubman squeezed her hand. "I think I'll always carry a little bit of it. But with you... I know I'll be okay."

She leaned in, kissing him gently on the lips. "We'll be okay, Shub. Together."

Just as the mood began to shift into something softer, more intimate, Sara broke away with a playful grin.

"You know... you're still not off the hook for storming out on me."

Shubman groaned, leaning back against the pillows. "Come on, cut me some slack! I was emotional."

Sara giggled, climbing onto his lap, her arms wrapping around his neck. "Nope. You're going to have to make it up to me."

Shubman raised an eyebrow, his hands settling on her waist. "And how exactly am I supposed to do that?"

She smirked. "You'll think of something."

Before he could reply, Sara's phone buzzed. She picked it up, seeing a text from Aditi.

Aditi: Did you two make up, or do I need to come over and knock some sense into him?

Sara laughed and quickly replied.

Sara: We're good. You can keep your fists to yourself.

Shubman glanced at her phone and smirked. "Aditi really thinks she could take me?"

Sara giggled, putting her phone down and looking at him with a teasing glint in her eye. "You never know, Shub. She might surprise you."

They spent the rest of the night in comfortable conversation, the weight of the day's events slipping away as they reaffirmed their love for each other, grateful for the friends who helped them get back on track.