Varun POV

I couldn't do it. I couldn't do it when I saw her, three years after we last saw each other. I almost didn't recognise her, with her new hairstyle and a happy smile which she wore on her face today.

Author POV

Shraddha stood in the rain. The water began to sprinkle on her skin, cold and wet. Droplets of water trickled down her body. The rain drenched her hair, skin and dress. She looked down at the puddles that had formed under her feet. She smiled. The rain fell softly, commanding her mind to the present, pulling away the pain of her past. The fresh, sweet smell of the rain comforted her.

"Shraddha, you are so wet," Eshanka shook her head at her friend's behaviour. "You'll catch a cold."

"Hmph," Shraddha pulled a face but reluctantly came near the shade. "It's not raining that heavily anyway."

"Let's run to home then," Eshanka agreed and holding her daughter's hand, followed Shraddha.

"I wish you didn't have to leave," Shraddha sighed.

"I wish that too," Eshanka's six year old daughter, Eva said sadly. "Mom, can we stay please?"

"You have school next week," Eshanka reminded her daughter. "And may I remind you that you missed two days of school already. I promise to come and visit as soon as possible."

"You always have," Shraddha said gratefully and took out her keys. "I am grateful but I do have friends here. I wasn't alone you know. And Eva, school's important for you."

"You are right," she sighed.

"You've have never been alone in your life Shraddha," Eshanka said quietly so only Shraddha could hear, making Shraddha smile.

Shraddha pushed the door open and let Eshanka and Eva in, before going in and closing the door. She glanced at the photo of her family.

"Shraddha, when are you ever going to return?" Eshanka said as she noticed Shraddha staring at her family's photograph.

"I can't Eshu..." Shraddha said quietly, not taking her eyes of the photograph. "I like it here, I don't think I can face anyone. I can't go back to Mumbai. There are a lot of painful memories."

"I know it's hard for you but what about Kriti, Tiger and Disha," Eshanka continued as Shraddha looked in her direction. She knew it was hard for Shraddha to leave them. "Those three love you so much and they never let you be alone."

"They are everything to me," Shraddha said sadly. "Trust me, I feel guilty for leaving without telling them. I miss them everyday. I couldn't stay in Mumbai any longer. My family..."

"Don't say it!" Eshanka said, interrupting her. "It hurts you more and you are not going to get hurt again."

"Someone's knocking on the door," Shraddha said after hearing some knocking sound. "I'll answer it."

************

"Please say this is a joke! Stop lying to us! Tell me the truth!" Alia screamed at the doctor. Pari stayed quiet. If I leave, who will take care of Annie, Varun, my family, my friends, she thought.

"Mrs Malhotra, please stay quiet. This is a hospital," Doctor Sharma said, giving her a glare.

"Alia, please calm down, " Pari . Alia had tears running down her face and she dropped to her knees.

"Doctor, there has to be a cure," Alia demanded as she stood up. "You are the best one in Mumbai. Tell me and prove yourself useful. Because all what you are doing right now is just being cold as expressionless."

"I'll leave you two alone for a couple of minutes," the doctor said and exited the room.

"Where the heck is Varun?" Alia complained. "He's supposed to be here with you. Do I have to tell him that now!"

"Alia, stop!" Pari snapped. "Varun has reluctantly gone to the person who needed him the most all those years ago. I told him to go. He should have gone by himself."

"You have started to speak in Disha's language," Alia said, as the corners of her lips slowly lifted up into a smile making Pari chuckle.

"Mrs Malhotra and Mrs Dhawan," Doctor Sharma acknowledged us. "In your case, a sugery isn't possible but there are other treatments like radiotherapy but..."

"But..." Pari said, turning pale. She knew she should have gone to the doctor years back when she first started getting these signs. The tumor would have been removed and she could have been able to live a long life with her family.

"If you would identified your tumor then it would have been possible to remove it," the doctor continued. "The decision is yours Mrs Dhawan in this case."

************

Shraddha turned the knob of the door and pulled it open. She couldn't believe her eyes as she stared at the man in front of her. My friend from so long ago, Varun Dhawan, she thought. She wanted to slam the door shut but she couldn't. Their gazes intertwined like they used to, waves of regret hit Varun like a rock.

Varun watched the anger form in her eyes. She was disappointed with me, he thought. She was about to shut the door but he blocked her from doing so.

"What do you want Varun?" Shraddha said bitterly, she's couldn't believe she would have to face him again after so many years.

"Shraddha, please," he begged. Her heart melted at the sight of him, looking so helpless. "You have five minutes to tell me whatever you want. Then leave."

"This is a personal matter," he said in a quiet voice. "Let me come in."

Shraddha sighed and cursed herself for being so nice.

"Varun!" Eshanka's eyes widened as she saw Varun walk in. "What you doing here?"

"Shraddha," he said as he looked straight into her eyes. "I'm sorry. It's too late. You were probably expecting this much earlier but I should say this now. I know I haven't been fair to you or never have been the best friend I should have been since I became an actor. Kriti was right, I did take you for granted and until I shut you out of life after that bitch Natasha came in between us, I realised how much you meant to me. I'm sorry and I know that things might not ever be the same to me but you'll will always remain special to me."

Shraddha's gaze softened. She had been waiting to hear to hear this for years. "Why are you here Varun? Go back to Pari, and your friends."

"I came here to take you back," he said, failing to meet her eyes. She wasn't the girl he knew anymore, he thought.

"Who do you you are Varun!" Shraddha said bitterly. "I am not going anywhere. I came here to start a new life, please just go back to your life."

"Shraddha, Pari has brain tumor," Varun said quietly, leaving Shraddha speechless.

"No," she said, barely moving a muscle. "That's impossible."

"Shraddha, that's the truth," Eshanka glanced at her friend with concern. "Pari announced it two days ago. I didn't want you to know."

"I'm sorry," Shraddha said, and trudged to her room. She closed and collapsed onto her bed. She refused to cry and instead chose to stare at the ceiling. A tear involuntarily traced down cheek. She couldn't take it anymore and the sound of her sobs filled the air. She didn't want anyone to hear so she burried her face into her pillow and screamed into it. Eventually, those tears turned back into sobs.

************

"Shraddha!" Eshanka pounded on the door. She was worried as Shraddha had locked herself in ever since she heard about Pari's tumor and had refused to come out of the room. "Shraddha!"

She tried the door knob but the door swung open. Shraddha face was red and blotchy, her eyes were bloodshot and her eyelids were puffy. Eshanka stepped into the room and closed the door.

"I know this is painful Shraddha but you have to go," Eshanka sighed and made Shraddha sit on the bed. "You had a life there as well and you left it."

"I lost my family Eshu. I miss them everyday. The accident happened there...there's too many painful memories," Shraddha said weakly. "And the Bollywood industry, it's fine without me. Don't you see Eshanka, everything's fine without me. "

"Tiger, Kriti, Disha," Eshanka reminded her. "Remember these three people who took care of you when you needed someone you could talk to, someone who could comfort you. You need them in your lives and they need you. Kriti asked me so many times if I ever met you in these three years. That girl loves you so much and I hate lying to her. And may I remind you that acting is very important to you and you were always a great actress, you can't forget that life of yours, Shraddha. Your fans have still remained loyal to you."

"I'm not trying to forget anyone," Shraddha sighed. "But Pari..."

"Look, I was just talking to Varun about all this," Eshanka continued. "His wife called just now and told him that she has Glioblastoma, Grade 4 brain tumor. I am not saying to forgive Varun and become friends with him, but think about Pari and her daughter. Pari sent him here because she knows what happened back in 2018. She wants you to be happy, Shraddha. I think you should go with him. He is really sorry but is stubborn as hell."

"No, she can't be. t...Stubborn!" Shraddha stuttered.

"Well, let me tell you that he won't leave without you," Eshanka said knowingly while Shraddha looked away."I have to leave at the end of the week which is in two days but think about it Shraddha. There people looking for you and I think it's time to return to that place."

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She's changed
You can see it in her eyes
Hear it in her tone
She's not the same
And she'snever coming back...

-Afshu

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Your views on the chapter😎

I finally updated. Phew! School kept me busy and will be keeping me busy for the past two weeks as this update was supposed to be published last week.

Shraddha finally entered the story...what are your views? I thought it was kinda filmy as you know with the rain.

So finally Shraddha and Varun met?

What do you think Shraddha will decide?

Next chapter, we'll have a couple of flashbacks and they might include Maya. And we will have Shraddha's POV. I try to update next Sunday.

Did you guys see the trailer of Saaho? It's amazing and I can't wait for the movie to come out!

Till then signing off
Mrs Hrithik Roshan
Tia❤