Dia duit gach duine \(^.^)

That's 'Hello everyone' in Irish :3

That's the only phrase I know, my friend taught me it lol.

Okayyy

Here you go!

Oh and
HAPPY ICE CREAM DAY TO EVERYONE IN ADVANCE

Here's some for all of you

(Wattpad doesn't really show emojis does it? Sigh)

OKAY

Now that that's done

Here you go :3 No more interruptions

~Kritika~

Here goes nothing.

I stood supporting my weight slightly against the kitchen counter. I blew lightly at the teacup in my hand and took a sip.

He waited patiently for me to begin. He knew better than to force me. This was hard, I needed time to prepare myself.

I peeked at him from under my lashes and saw him taking a sip of his tea, his eyes never leaving me.

I knew he took an accidental large sip as I saw his face contorting and hissing in pain.

I secretly smiled to myself, that tiny moment making a sudden surge of surety well up in me.

I guess I was ready.

"Ayaan." I began and he looked up from fanning his tongue "He's four years elder to me, but I had always felt like I was the older one of us two. He was a silly, silly excuse of an older brother." I smiled at the memory "Always the prankster, goofy and not to mention completely and utterly crazy, maybe even crazier than me." I laughed "But the thing about Ayaan was, there was one thing. Or should I say a person he was crazy about the most. Akansha." I said softly.

Akansha.

"Well safe to say they were crazy for each other. It was evident in their eyes. You know those people who end up falling for their childhood best friend? That's Ayaan and Akansha for you. They were smitten for each other. When we were little, Ayaan used to randomly announce that he was going to marry Akansha someday. It was supremely annoying but cute nonetheless. Everything was going okay. Great, actually." I said.

"And one day, just like that, it just all came crashing down." my eyes misted lightly at the memory but there weren't any tears there to shed. I guess after so many years, I was finally out of them.

At that moment I felt a hand holding mine and I looked up. The expression on his face spoke volumes.

It's okay. I'm here for you. I do care.

I whispered "It was a rainy day. I had called Ayaan to ask him where he was because it was getting very late. It was late in the evening and my mom was getting worried because it was a stormy night.

The words coming out of their own accord, like a distant memory making its presence known.

"When I called him, I could hear light sobs racking his body. He said that Akansha had left him for good. She had said he wasn't good enough. And that was when I heard screeching tyres and a deafening crash. There had been an accident."

I felt a lone tear trickle down my face and wiped it quickly before he could see it. I guess I wasn't quite out of them after all.

"Ayaan had been in an accident. We thought we had lost him. We almost did.. but he survived. And I thank god, every single day, that he let him live." I said, in a stronger voice "But Ayaan wasn't, he said he'd rather die than be without Akansha. She'd said she didn't love him. She'd left him, but Ayaan.."

"Wow, what a bitch." he whispered and slapped his hand over his mouth, clearly not having meant to say that out loud.

I let out a little laugh "I know, right? That is exactly what I thought, what a little witch."I shook my head with a sad smile "But what you've heard, Liam, is only half of the story."

I paused to take another sip of the tea and that's when I noticed my hand shaking lightly. I closed my eyes, forcing a deep breath.

I knew he was mentally screaming for me to continue. I almost didn't want to. Why was I even telling him all this? I haven't talked about this even to my own mother.

Then why him?

My usually wordy sub conscience didn't have an answer to that this time. So I decided to do what was the best. I decided to continue.

I peered into the cup in my hand "That photo you saw of Ayaan and I. is very special to me."

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes preparing myself to narrate the other part of the story. A story.. It definitely was one.

Heck, it was going to sound like one of those heartbreaking tales of love which eventually are adapted into movies.

Only, this wasn't a movie. This was absolute, raw reality.

Guess sometimes the silver lining between real and reel really does disappear, making it impossible to distinguish between the two.

Would he believe me?

I looked at him. After all he had heard till now, he should have been running for the mountains. But there he sat in front of me, unmoving. He didn't have even an ounce of judgment on his face. Neither did I see sympathy.

There was just this unreadable look on his face. The look I'd seen him give me many times now and despite that I had never been able to recognize it, name it.

But I knew that somewhere in his face, I saw something that eradicated all my fears, all my doubts. I knew I could fully trust him.

"After Ayaan's accident, he was a huge broken mess. But they say time heals everything. With his fractured bones, his fractured heart also healed pretty soon. My brother was back. Ayaan was back, to his old goofy self. His life was just as before, the only thing missing being Akansha. He couldn't completely eradicate his feelings for Akansha, though. How could he? She was his first love. So he channelized his feelings to another in another direction. Hate. He hated her for making him fall for her and he hated himself even more for letting that happen. People have different ways of dealing with pain, and I guess this was the way for my brother. He learned to hate her and eventually accepted that he was better off without her." my breath caught in my throat "That was until that wretched letter arrived."

And just like that, it all came rushing back into my head. The day I was so desperately trying to forget. The day that broke Ayaan beyong repair.

"Ayaan!" I yelled, rushing up the stairs to his room "The delivery man got us a present."

"What is it?" he asked me, not looking up from the papers on his desk. Another one of his stupid college assignments I presumed.

"Oi." I said, poking his arm "Look! The camera I ordered."

"Yay." he said dryly.

I pouted in annoyance at him and snatched the papers off his desk, earning a protest from him.

"Hey! Give those back!" He exclaimed looking very annoyed "This is no time to play, Kritika."

"It's somehow pretty unbelievable hearing those words coming out of your mouth." I said, poking my tongue at him and holding the papers out of his reach.

"You know, If I wasn't on this wheelchair right now, I would've fried your ass on the kitchen stove long ago." he said, glaring at me through his reading glasses.

"Now that's the Ayaan Awasthi I know." I laughed "Thank god, I thought you were an alien doppelganger or something."

"Alien doppelganger or something." he mocked, in an abnormally high pitched voice "Are you giving me back my papers or not?"

"Nope." I said, making an extra effort to pop the 'p' loudly.

He heaved a huge sigh of defeat "Fine. What is it that you wanted to show me."

"This." I said, waving the camera in his face "It's so pretty, right?"

"Pretty?" he repeated raising an eyebrow "Fine. Whatever. Yes, it is very pretty. Happy? Now give me back my project work."

"Not so fast." I said, adjusting the camera on its stand and placing it at an angle facing his desk

"Really?" he groaned "Now?"

"Yes, now." I laughed, looping my arms around his neck "Now smile for the camera."

He mumbled something under his breath but refused to oblige

"Come on." I coaxed, poking his cheeks. It always worked, as it did now. A wide smile spread on his face just as I poked his cheek the second time and the shutter of the camera went off.

"Good boy." I said, patting his head and handing him his papers back. He snatched them out of my hand and made a face at me. It was hard to believe that he was infact 21 years old.

I smiled and turned to go back out of the room just as I remembered something

"Oh before I forget." I said, holding out a white envelope to him "This is for you."

He squinted at it through his glasses and gingerly took it.

"What is this?" he asked me, turning the letter around in his hands "It doesn't even have any name on it. And it looks.. old." he said, turning it over "It dates back to a month? That's weird. I guess we need to check our post boxes more often."

"Maybe it's Willy Wonka and he wants to recruit you as an Oompa Loompa and work at his chocolate factory?"

"Your imagination needs to be chained down sometimes. It goes way too out of reach." he muttered, ripping open the envelope. I sat on the edge of his bed as he read what looked like a letter.

I curiously observed him, his face was facing away from me but I could tell it was something serious. His back was rigid.

The moment the shaking began, I knew something was terribly wrong.

"Ayaan?" I said, walking over to him "Ayaan are you alr--"

He was staring into space, his body shaking vigorously, almost as if he were possessed.

"Ayaan?" I repeated loudly "Oh no. W-what happened? I'm going to go call mom."

No response.

I shrieked his name over and over shaking his shoulders. The letter in his hand fell to the floor. The letter.

I stooped down and picked it up with trembling fingers. I was having a hard time holding it still as I flipped it backwards. My eyes then zeroed on the name of the person who had sent it. There was just one word. A name. A very, very familiar name.

I turned it over again and saw that it was indeed

My heart beat quickened as I skimmed through the letter. I wish I hadn't though.

I have kept something from you... my condition.. last stage.. doctors said.. a week .. I'm sorry... It was too late.. I'm sorry.. let you go.. never stopped loving you.. I'm sorry..

The letter fluttered from my fingers.

.. I'm sorry..

The words echoed in my head as my lips began to tremble. The letter was a month old.

... A week..

A strangled sob escaped my lips.

Akansha was dead.

Dizziness took over me but I refused to let myself faint. I choked on another sob as I looked at Ayaan.

"Ayaan?" I cried still not getting any response from him "Ayaan please talk to me."

"Mom. Please come here quick!" I yelled on the top of my lungs and fell on my knees the ground beside him "Ayaan? Ayaan please? Oh god no, this is not happening." I cried "Ayaan!!"

At that precise moment, he looked down at me.

"Ayaan?" I whimpered. He just kept looking. It wasn't like he was looking at me.

He was looking through me.

And that was when his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he came crashing down from his wheelchair.

"Leukemia." I whispered "There was nothing that could be done. " That was Akansha's last letter. The day Ayaan read the letter, Akansha was long gone. And with that letter, my brother was gone too. That small piece of paper claimed my brother. And left a zombie of a person behind. A zombie I had to call my brother."

My voice sounded monotonous even to my own ears. I felt void of any emotion.

The words were pouring out of their own accord. All I felt now was weariness. I felt tired. Like I had run a huge cross country marathon whereas in reality all I had been standing in place all this time.

"Ayaan went back to what he was like after his accident. Only that this time it was forever. We had lost him. We couldn't bring him back no matter how hard we tried." I said, shaking my head "I should've never discovered that letter, jammed in the deep end of the post-box. I killed him, Liam. I killed him with my own freaking hands by handling him that letter, that day." I said bitterly.

I noticed I had been gripping Liam's hand way too tight by now and I released it

"Sorry." I muttered and saw him giving me that familiar unreadable look "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" he asked

I pointed at his face "That look you're giving me. I can't quite make it out."

"Guess I'm just.." he sighed "Trying to figure you out."

I laughed humorlessly "I know, you were expecting some high-school-boyfriend-cheated-on-me story."

He hesitated and I knew I was bang on the point.

"You do know I've never been a relationship though, right?" I joked weakly " and it's okay really." I said, shrugging "It all happened three years ago. I might not be over it, but I'm not bitter anymore. And I decided to run away from everything, being the coward I am. Call me selfish, or whatever, but I guess this is the way I deal with pain."

He wordlessly engulfed me in a hug "Don't you dare blame yourself. It's not your fault that it all happened."

"I know."I said "You're right. But I still do wish I could go back in time and just rectify that."

"He would've known someday, Kritika. It was bound to happen. And he deserved to know."

I know that Liam is right. But a sister would want nothing more to see her brother live. Ayaan is merely breathing and I don't want that. But I guess there is always a 'what if' in your life. And that doomed letter was mine.

I sighed, pulling back "And Mr. Know-It-All, you are right, as always."

He gave me a small smile and shook his head laughing.

And just like that we were back to normal. I was glad we can have any kind of conversation and move back to our playful selves. It was a miracle that he'd stayed till the end. My heart warmed up at that fact. I knew I could trust him.

He gave out a low whistle "You know, I will never be able to figure you out. You're anything but an open book. Who knew there was so much hidden under your carefree, stupid, crazy demeanor."

I gave a loud laugh, this time it was anything but humorless "Carefree, stupid, crazy? Gee Liam, I didn't know you thought so highly of me." I joked "What can I say? Tip of the iceberg, Liam. Tip of the iceberg."

"Tip of the ice berg." he repeated, looking at me.

At that moment, I heard some noise coming from the living room and I shot Liam a look.

He shrugged back as if to say he had no clue what it was either. I placed my now empty tea cup on the kitchen counter and headed out. Judging from the sound of footsteps behind me he did the same.

"What the..?"

Loud, male laughter resonated from the top of the stairs. Zayn.

"Is that Zayn?" Liam asked looking amazed "I have never heard him laugh out this loud before."

As I opened my mouth to reply I saw Zayn make his way down the stairs, with a wide smile that could put a Cheshire cat to shame.

"You are very funny, CJ." he said, laughing and looking at my aunt who was right behind him "Hello my fellow bitches."

Okay, what the hell?

"Zayn? Is this really you?" I asked "Did you give him something CJ? Is he drugged."

"Ha ha ha." he said, rolling his eyes.

"Okay something is seriously wrong. I've never seen you roll your eyes." I said, horrified.

"Guess I'm just happy." he said, shrugging.

"Oh and before I forget.." I snapped my fingers at him "who gave you permission to call her CJ? It's only I who gets to call her that."

"Aren't you being a little selfish there?" Zayn said shaking his head "Sharing is caring."

"This is preposterous." I said "back me up here, Liam."

"Wow, Dr. Jones. You are amazing." Liam said to her, blatantly ignoring me.

"I'm just Chaitra." she laughed "but you can call me CJ too, if you want to." she joked.

I gasped at her "CJ?? This is unbelievable, everybody is teaming against me." I sulked.

"Come here, you silly grumpy cat." she laughed, hugging me. I hugged her back and poked my tongue at both the boys

"Kritika.." I heard her say "Doesn't that internship you have start today?"

My eyes widened at that and I shot away from her "Oh crappity crap. You're right. I'm going to be late. I have to go now."

I didn't wait for an answer and ran up to my room, grabbing my phone and bag from my bed. My eyes landed on the photograph of Ayaan and me on the dresser.

The pain I felt whenever I looked at it was no longer there. There wasn't a trace of it. I sub consciously smiled at it and then switched off my room's light.

I ran down the stairs, almost tripping on the carpet in the process. I cursed as I stubbed my toe against the bottom of the staircase.

"Charming."Zayn laughed and I rolled my eyes at him. Idiot. But for once, I was glad. So very glad.

I smiled to myself. Zayn is back.

"Careful." my aunt scolded as I hugged her one last time.

"Bye Zayn." I said hugging him "I'm glad to have you back."

"Me too."he smiled.

Then I turned to Liam "Bye." I said and hugged him "and thank you." I whispered in his ear

"What for?" he whispered back.

"For just being you." I said, pulling back and beaming at him.

He smiled, his eyes crinkling "And thank you."

"For what?"

"The tea." he said, rolling his eyes at me playfully "what else?"

"The roles have been reversed I see." I laughed, pushing him lightly.

I heard someone clear their throat. CJ. When I looked at her she was giving me a very strange smile.

Oh well, no time to decode that.

As I got to the door, I turned back one last time. I saw Zayn joking about something causing them all to laugh. CJ was patting Liam's head as he were a little puppy.

I was pretty sure I was smiling as I shut the door behind me. And that smile refused to leave my face for the rest of the day.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

And there it is! I hope you guys liked it

Zayn's backkkkkk :'3

Didn't really expect the Akansha thing, did you? Who feels bad for them both *raises hand* :/

Oh and...

The thing at the end.. Uhum.. Idk ;D

Next update soooooooooooooooon :*

I love you all ❤

Stay beautiful inside out ❤

Kay ❤