Hey hey hey :3

Here it is!

~Kritika~

I ran my fingers through my damp hair, observing myself in the mirror. The weekend had gone by pretty fast. Faster than I had anticipated. We had to wind up our camping trip earlier than expected because the rain had dampened our plans. Quite literally.

I wasn't complaining though. After what happened with Zayn, I just wanted to be back as soon as possible and get him help. It would've been better if he'd told us sooner. But later is better than never, I guess. Besides, he wasn't a full fledged addict yet, so there was a lot of scope of treatment. Or so I thought.

I sighed at my reflection. Today was the first day of my internship. My very first one at that. And its safe to say, I was very nervous.

When I had applied for this job internship about a month ago, I didn't expect I'd be getting an affirmative response.

So I apparently had myself an internship at St. Peters hospital as a trainee child psychologist. Which wasn't a problem at all. In fact, I was quite looking forward to it. I had always loved children, unlike Stacey. She wasn't very fond of them. Which is maybe why our aunts trusted me to babysit their children and not her.

My reporting time was noon. A quick glance at my phone made me realize that it was hardly ten' o clock. Oh well..

It's good I got ready sooner. Because there was one last thing left to do before I left.

As if just on cue, the doorbell rang. I could very well anticipate who was on the other side of the door.

"Hi." I said, throwing the door open wide "Come on in." I ushered.

Liam gave me a small smile in acknowledgment as he walked in and I gave one right back. Zayn, however, stood with a very uncertain expression on his face.

I sighed "Come on, Quiffy." I said, pulling him in and shutting the door behind me.

I saw Zayn standing in the middle of the living room, staring at the mural on the adjacent wall like it was the most interesting thing. I went and touched his arm causing him to look at me.

"I'll go get her." I said, patting his arm lightly "Till then, you guys.. make yourselves comfortable."

I got no response in return so I turned towards the stairs, believing she was upstairs. As soon as I got on the first step I heard my name being called out rather feebly.

I turned around "Someone called me?" I looked at Liam and he shook his head, pointing at Zayn "Zayn?"

He looked me for a second before he sighed "Yes." he said, scratching the back of his neck.

The most significant and frequent pacifying behaviors used in responding to nerves and stress, I heard Mrs. Smith's voice in my head.

"It's just.." he hesitated "do you really think this is a good idea?"

"What?" I asked him.

"You know.." he said, lowering his eyes and picking at his fingernails "this whole.. thing. This meeting..? I don't know what it is really. Is it a good idea?"

"Zayn." I said, causing him to look at me "Trust me. This is the best help you can get."

His eyes still held a grain of unsureness in them "Just trust me." I repeated stressing on each word, making sure to look him directly in the eye. He looked at me and nodded after a beat, his shoulders relaxed.

"I'll go get her." I nodded, turning back towards the stairs.

"There's gonna be no need for that."

I shrieked, almost falling off the stairs in the process "CJ! I was just about to come to you.."

"I know." she laughed "Your voice is loud enough to wake up the dead... Is he here?"

I had told CJ all about Zayn after we came back from the camp. I winced, my mind travelling back to the time when she'd said she was worried about me getting in bad company. I had hoped the drugs hadn't made her see Zayn in a bad light. But that worry instantly evaporated when I saw that it was the doctor in her that dominated her mentality.

"People make mistakes." she'd shrugged "If they want to amend them, there has to be someone to help them correct those."

"Zayn? Yes, he's here downstairs. Liam is here too." I nodded, feeling my heart thud sickeningly. Safe to say, I was nervous.

"Okay." she said in a no-nonsense tone "Send him up to my study."

"Y-your study?" I repeated "But why not here in the living room."

She shook her head "He is my patient, Kritika. I will not treat or diagnose him in the living room with you.. and Liam in presence. This is a delicate situation and it will be best handled in private. He needs to tell me stuff and he won't if he knows there's an audience watching."

"But.." I began to protest but gave up "Okay.. I'll get him." I sulked.

It's a good thing Stacey and my uncle weren't home. Zayn was as it is very jittery and wanted to keep his condition a secret. He would've spun around on his heels and walked right back home had he known they were here.

"Zayn." I called to him and motioned him to come to me. He shot Liam a confused look but made his way to me anyway.

"Upstairs." I said "She wants you in her study. It's the first room to the left."

He let his eyes trail up the stairs and nodded. "Okay."

"Good luck." I said

He looked at me "Thanks." he sighed "I guess I'll be needing it."

I saw him disappearing up the stairs, when I heard a different voice right behind me.

"What was that about?"

I spun around, clutching my neck "What in the world..?"

He laughed and I narrowed my eyes at him "You sneaked up on me you-you." I said, pointing my index finger at him accusingly "sneaky little.. sneaker."

"Sorry." he said, not sounding sorry at all. Why do I feel like this has happened before?

"But seriously.." he continued "What was that about?"

"CJ said it would be better if he came to her study instead." I said

"Wait a minute. Who?" he asked

"What who?"

"You said your aunt was a doctor and she was going to treat Zayn. Who is this other person you're talking about?"

"CJ?" I repeated and he nodded "Dude, CJ is my aunt."

"CJ?" he repeated "That's what you call an aunt in your language? That's.." he paused ".. Interesting."

"No, no." I laughed "We don't call aunts that. CJ is my nickname for her. It's an acronym of her actual name, Chaitra Jones."

He looked at me and blinked "Oh."

I shrugged "Yeah."

With that an awkward silence descended on us.

"So.." I trailed "I'm going to go make myself some.. tea. Do you want any..?" I asked, more out of courtesy. I still hasn't really forgotten our..was it a fight? I don't know, but what I us know that things could be very awkward. And for that sake, I prayed he just ignored me for now.

"Yeah, tea sounds good." he nodded. I bit my cheek and gave him a little nod, heading towards the kitchen.

"Okay." I sighed to myself. I decided to make tea the way my mother did back in India.

I ditched the kettle and took out a small steel utensil out of the cupboard. I put some water to boil and then turned to get the tea leaves and sugar containers.

Now where has CJ kept them? Ah, there they are.

"Why aren't you using the kettle?"

I almost dropped the sugar container I was holding when I heard the voice behind me "Seriously, Liam. Stop it "I scolded "And you'll see why. In a minute." I said quietly.

Then, wordlessly I added the tea leaves and sugar to the boiling water to let it simmer.

"Uh, thanks for everything.." I heard him say "you know.. for what you're doing for Zayn and everything." I could tell he was uncomfortable too. I shrugged, grabbing some ginger "You don't have to thank me. If anything, I'm glad we caught him in the act. God knows how long he wanted his secret to stay hidden."

"Caught him in the act?" he laughed "uhh yeah, you could say that..." he trailed and though I couldn't see his face, I knew there was something else.

I paused from crushing the ginger piece and glanced at him. Surely enough he was scratching the back of his neck, his eyes trained downwards.

The psychologist in me needs to chill sometimes.

"Something you got to tell me?" I asked non-chalantly and it was his turn to jump in surprise this time.

"How did you..?" he stopped and sighed "Never mind." he said, leaning slightly against the kitchen counter. He drummed his fingers against the top of the wood, looking like he wanted to say something but couldn't.

"Spit it out." I encouraged.

"I just.." he sighed "I thought about what you said to me that night. At the camp. Before the whole thing with Zayn happened."

Of course. Somehow I knew this was coming.

I didn't respond though. I knew he wasn't done speaking.

"I'm sorry." he said after a few seconds "this isn't even a big deal but.."

"It's been bothering you." I said, adding ginger to the boiling vessel on the stove "I can see that. Whatever it is, like I said, just say it. Perhaps it'll make you feel better" He looked at me with an unreadable expression before he finally nodded "Okay. But this is the last time we're talking about this. I've already taken it too far. Deal?"

"Okay." I said, turning to him fully. "Deal."

"I thought about what you said.." he trailed "And I guess you're right."

The aroma of ginger infused tea wafted around the whole kitchen as the contents of the vessel boiled. I secretly drooled as it instantly reminded me of home. I added some milk to the tea and watched it swirl, creating patterns in the tea infused water.

"But that's not who I am." he said and I looked back at him "I get it, you are right. But I am right too, there's living proof of it. It's just that your kind of right and my kind of right are different. I can't wait on the sidelines for the perfect one to just come by. And speaking of perfect.." he paused "Anna might not be perfect, but.." he seemed to stop himself and he rubbed his face in clear frustration "All that I'm saying is, you're right in your place. But that isn't right enough for me."

He stopped after that and turned slightly away from me. I observed him for a minute. He looked obviously frustrated and I could tell all this had been bothering him for quite some time now. Sunken eyes. Tightened jaw. Visible frown.

"I'm sorry." I blurted out softly in a voice that was hardly audible to me. But surprisingly, it seemed like he had heard it as he looked at me.

"I'm sorry, Liam." I repeated, diverting my eyes to my shoes. I couldn't bear to look at him right now "It was very.. harsh of me to try and force my ideas on you. You are right. And I swear, I respect that. Guess we should just let this be. End this here. I know you will make Bri happy and that is basically all that matters." I said, looking up at him.

"Guess you could say my life has been scarred by love. And that is what made me change my ideology about it. I used to be a hopeless romantic, believe me. I still am a believer, just not of the hopeless kind anymore. Not after.." I caught myself right at that "..never mind. T-Tea's ready."

"After?" he asked, looking at me like he was trying to figure me all out.

I looked at him, at a loss of words.

You had to add that in didn't you? My sub conscience scolded me.

He continued looking at me wordlessly, intrigue written all over his face.

Maybe it was the expression he was giving me, maybe the fact that I could trust him that made me tell everything to him. The past. The past I was so desperately trying to erase from my memories.

"You remember my brother, Ayaan?" I asked. He nodded carefully.

I sighed. Here goes nothing.

XXXXXXXXX

Dun dun dunnnnnnnnn
Don't hate me
I won't leave you guys hanging

Next update: tomorrow

You can chop of my pinky and display it in the museum of shame or something if I don't.

I'm not cruel :')

I love you guys and cannot see you die of the suspense

Oh and, since I'm updating via my phone, I cannot dedicate chapters to anyone. Or.. I don't know how to.

Uhm

I have some people I want to give dedications to

Seraphina_Corsetti ❤
Aakansha2901 ❤

Your comments always make me smile. You're both awesome

CuteLittleDreamer ❤

MY OTHER WATTPAD BUDDY WHO LOVES THE CAPS LOCK BUTTON JUST AS MUCH AS ME.

Aliya_96 ❤

One of the most awesome people I've ever met. My (Pirish) sister she's been there for this book since forever. And she ships both Kiam and Zitika :3
If that's not awesome then what is?

MahiWayy ❤

We've always been there for each other, helping each other. You my love, are super awesome too :3

And then there's

kiwiunique ❤
InfiniteDreams17 ❤
AntaraPal❤
Turquoisegirl95 ❤
Crazetoread❤

I love all you guys
I'm sorry if I missed somebody's name. You're free to pelt me with stones *hides face*

Soooooo yeah

See you guys tomorrow!

Same place. Same time (I think)

Stay beautiful❤

Kay❤