We are parked in the parking lot of Kiyansh's parents home. The whole castle like pristine bungalow is decorated with lights. I try to ignore the fact that Kiyansh hasn't said a single word to me since we are in the car. What were you expecting?

I take a deep breath and ignore the itch I have in my throat like as if I have swallowed a bucket of sand. " We will go inside, and you have to pretend like everything is fine, can you do that? " I try to say it with a haughty kind of expression but it comes out as meek and doubtful. I hate you. I love you. I want to slap you. I want to shout at you. I want you to say it's all lies. Say something. But you won't, I know you. What did you say to Sahana? Why did you do this? Were we ever friends?

All these questions are stuck in my throat. A constant ebb of pain is piercing me from within. He is struggling to hold back his words, I can see that from the way he is constantly taking deep breaths. The way he is grappling the wheels. After a minute he just turns his head and gives me a stiff nod.

" Okay let's go. " I say without looking at him and get out of the car. I take breaths after breaths preparing myself to hold the facade. The lies I have to say. I never lied to my parents before, but I have to now.

With a painful tug I remember Papa cheerfully saying in the morning, I have specially prepared both of your favourite chocolate cake.

I feel a hand cautiously touch my arm, I flinch and step back. I look up and see Kiyansh staring at me. He looks....hurt? No he can't be. It's all lies Shanvi. All lies.

" Don't touch me I told you. " I hiss at him. But only I know how much my arm wants to feels his hard calloused fingers again. How my body still aches to be near him. How shamefully I still want to move close towards him and touch him.

A look of something vulnerable passes in his eyes, but then his deep stiff voice comes out " I don't think so you can pretend by staying ten feet away from me. Everyone will instantly know. " And for all I know I was wrong again. Kiyansh Singhania is never vulnerable. He doesn't care.

" I feel like I don't know you. " I can't help but stop myself from saying out loud.

He stills but then takes my arm with no expression as if he didn't hear the words, he tightly wraps his left arm in my right. The smell of woodpines and chocolate encapsulates me again giving me that soothing calm feeling. I try to wince away, try to hate the smell. But I can't.

We walk the cobbled lite up stone path. The guards instantly standing straight and nodding in our way. I try to smile at them. But the smile comes out like a stiff straight line.

The smell of Juliet Roses and Lillies get mixed with chocolates and woodpines and I instantly remember sitting here in the pathway dressed in yellow sundress laughing with Kiyansh who was wearing his favourite football shorts. He had just come from the practice and his black t-shirt was drenched in sweat, his chocolate hair was mussed and pretty. I was waiting for him because we were supposed to go to the Crochette Park to do our homework and I saw him walking down the pathway with a beautiful girl in a violet dress. They both were laughing so hard that they didn't even see me standing there until Kiyansh looked up at me. I was mortified and jealous beyond my wits. My mind was going around in circles, I had never seen the girl before. But I smiled at her and Kiyansh introduced her as his father's friend daughter. They had just came from America and she was transferring to our school. So her parents wanted to meet Kiyansh before starting school. I remember how my stomach recoiled and I thought one more? How many girls want to talk to him? That was all what was going inside my head even when we went inside the house. Kiyansh's mom was preparing us a bucket of food which we could take to the park. She was filling it up with our favourite food. I was in the kitchen with her while that girl Sammy was clinging to Kiyansh. They were both sitting in the open living room and they were laughing so loud that we could hear in the kitchen. I could not help but say to Kiyansh's mom " What are they laughing about? And we are supposed to do homework at the park how will we do it if they are going to laugh like that and disturb me? " As soon as I had that I felt ashamed at myself. But Kiyansh's mother had smiled at me and said " You always make him do the things he doesn't want to do. I think you will manage with the homework. " I had blushed and just rushed to the living room holding the basket in my hands. Kiyansh instantly came and took the basket from me grinning at me. I had thought at that time is he grinning because of me or because of her. But I couldn't help but smile back. When at the park we sat on the sheets we had folded Kiyansh instantly opened the bucket and started picking out the food from his dirty hands. I slapped his hands away and told him to wash his hands first. " You are behaving like his mom. Here." She had said and holded up peanut butter sandwich in front of his mouth. " He is allergic to peanut butter" I said and handed him the plate of hazelnut and honey sandwich. He had awkwardly smiled at her but I couldn't help but notice the scowl Sammy gave to me. He was not listening to me and wasn't doing homework at all. He told me I could do it and he would just copy. I was angry and I felt I couldn't sit with him anymore. So I just got up and went to a quite place forcing myself to focus on the homework. " It seems your glue stick have found another best friend now. " An arrogant voice had came from beside me. I looked up and found a boy from my class, Nishkarsh. It was the first time he had talked to me. He was yet another arrogant handsome type of guy. And that was only one of the things which made Kiyansh and him the sworn enemy of each other. I hadn't talked to him but heard things about him from Kiyansh. Like how he used to date every other girl and was arrogant and asshole. I had just laughed up at Kiyansh and asked him ' seems that there are similarity between you two.' Kiyansh had just scowled and went back to his swimming practice that day.

" Can I sit? " Nishkarsh asked me. I just shrugged at him and went back to my homework. " How did I get so lucky today? Finally I got to talk to you. " I had rolled my eyes up at him. And told him " If you're trying to irritate me, it's working. " He just laughed and held up his hands. " Yeah you're irritating her, leave her alone. " A well known voice cut between Nishkarsh's laughter. I looked up and saw Kiyansh glaring down at us.
" Let's go. " He said holding his hands down towards me indicating me to get up. I glared up at Kiyansh and said, " I am not in the mood. I have to do homework so both of you can leave me alone. " Kiyansh didn't listen to me and just bent down and had dragged me up. He picked up my notebook and then dragged us towards the area where we were sitting earlier. My anger had perked up and I started to shout at him. We both were fighting each other when Sammy cane between us and said to Kiyansh " Oh believe me she's not worth it. " Kiyansh looked up at her with that lethal look on his face and said to her " She is my best friend. So shut up. " After that we both were still fighting each other when we came back from the park and we fell down on this pathway, it had started raining and he had rolled up the mud in his hands put it on my dress laughing. I remember how just yesterday which seems like a false dream I was walking the aisle towards Kiyansh in a wedding dress just smelling these roses. It all seems like a long lost dream.

And I wonder was even at that time I was dumb, gullible for him. Or something changed after. Because at that time for his best friend he didn't talk to Sammy after that at all.

I divert my eyes from the lighted up pathway and walk towards the grand wooden door entrance. Already people are turning in our direction , there attention instantly turned towards the man whom they adore.

I hate myself that I have to stand here and greet people as if everything is fine. Like I am not splitting up from inside. We move from people to people listening to Congratulations after Congratulations. My panic subsides when Kiyansh touches my backside and I shamefully relax. I hate that he knows that I don't like so many people. I hate that he knows it makes me panicked. And I hate that he can make it okay just by touching me.

I am saved when my father singsongs his away up to us. His face shining under the grand diamond coloured chandelier lights. " Hey Princess " he winks at me. I instantly free myself from Kiyansh and hug my father tightly. He looks at me in surprise but then grins at me. " I see my princess still loves hugging me. I thought now Papa got old, you would say ewwww I am not gonna hug you in public daddy." He says in an enacting voice of a teenager and I hear myself laughing out genuinely. I shake my head and give him a real smile.

" Mom should have heard this " I laugh.

His kind eyes shine and he looks happy that he made me laugh. You always do Papa, I want to say to him.

But at that moment Kiyansh's parents and my mom come to us. " What should I have heard. " Mom asks looking pointingly at my father. Who just stands straight and tries to look like a serious man who did not just enact the voice of a teenager. He is dressed in a charcoal three piece suit. His black hair rumpled on the head matching the colour of his eyes. He definitely looks like a young man himself not a fifty-five year old man.
" Nothing " he says.

My mom just shakes her head and he gives her a smile which seems to light up his face like a crystal chandelier. My heart contracts when I feel the fact that no one is going to smile at me like that.

I divert my eyes and smile at Kiyansh's parents. Who are holding each other just like they are not letting each other go away for even a single second. I feel tears threaten my eyes. Kiyansh's mother look up at me and her face turns in worry. Stop it Shanvi. Stop it.

" Hey Kiddo. Are you okay? " She steps forward and kisses me on the forehead I close my eyes and smell her fragrance. You have to do it for them Shanvi.

I force back the tears and smile up at her. Moving towards Kiyansh knowing this is the only way to do it. My heart spilts up open when I try to smile up at him and his chocolate brown eyes stare up at me. " Just tired " I say.

Her face breaks into a smile and she looks at us as if we are the most precious vault in the Bank of London. She turns towards Kiyansh pointing her lethal red painted nails at him." And where in the name of God were you. She had to deal with the guests alone. Everyone was asking about you. How can you go to the office and switch off your phone even today. Thank God Shanvi knew you were in the office. Young man I am telling you this is not how it works. "

Kiyansh looks towards me in surprise question and guilt in his eyes. You lied for me? His eyes ask.

I divert my eyes.

He stiffens beside me. His fingers hesitantly touching my arm " Sorry Mom. Just some important work."

Kiyansh's mom's eyes goes to Kiyansh touching my arm and all her anger seems to ward off. Oh how well he can act.

" Okay we'll do one thing. You just stay here for an hour and you both can just rest up after that. " Kiyansh's mom quips.

My heart contracts remembering how all of my things are already shifted to his house. And a ghost feeling passes up inside me. How am I going to be alone with him? How am I going to pretend when it's just two of us. And you have promised him you will go to Mumbai.

The whole hour passes and it merges into another hour like a blur just filled with people, talks, headache and panick.

By the time we are finsihed with the people I feel like I am going to drown out my head.

Kiyansh's mom comes smiling towards us. " There's just one more thing, I want you to meet....."

" She is not meeting anyone else we are going to our house. " Kiyansh said in a harsh no nonsense tone. Our? It's yours, I want to correct him. Then seeing the look on his mother. He sighs and wipes his face with hands and said in a much soft tone. " I am sorry Mom she is just tired and we both need a break. "

" Oh I am so sorry. Yes, yes you both should go. " She smiles at us. " Let me call everyone and you can say bye. "

After saying bye to everyone we get out in the parking lot. My heart is hammering in my chest. I don't know what to do. Should I ask him to drop me at my apartment? But I would need my clothes. And I have to pack to if I have to go back to Mumbai. And all my things are at his place. I have to go to his place.

He opens the car door without a look in my direction and I get in. He gets in and looks at me directly. " I need to talk to you. "

My gut clenches. " I don't want to talk to you. Just drive. "

" Shanvi..."

" Kiyansh drive or else I am getting out of the car. " My head is hazy with anger and I don't know what I am going to do with him. The irony of life, all of a sudden it starts to rain. And I close my eyes shut. Feeling broken and open and yearning and wishing, praying that I could just like childhood sit in the pathway with him and laugh and get drenched in the rain.

As if like he remembers, he opens the window and softly says, " Now you can smell the roses and rain together. "

I keep my eyes close and he drives, into the new pathway which I never expected.

This chapter is for rains, that takes away all the pain and fills up with love and happiness.