~Kritika~

"...what are you doing here, Ayaan?"

He gave me a long look before gesturing towards the bowl in his hands "Reatnd fitdr." He said through a mouthful. Or at least, that's what I could make out of what he said.

On seeing my confused expression he opened his mouth to speak again but I stopped him "I can't make out a word you're saying. Chew first, talk later."

He made a motion to swallow before opening his mouth again "You know, today has arguably been the most tiring day of my life. Firstly, my flight got delayed for five hours. Five hours. Assholes. Then when I finally reached here, I lost the paper which had the address to here written on it. Flew out of the damn taxi window. And if things couldn't get any worse, my specs broke. Motorcyclists I tell you. And how am I supposed to know that you're supposed to look at right first and then left before crossing the damn road? Seriously, why can't traffic rules be same all over the world?" he muttered angrily "So basically, I've been roaming around this wretched city for more than half of the day. More like staggering..half blind, with a frozen ass about to fall off and stomach crying in hunger." he grumbled, before eating more fruit muttering unintelligibly to himself "these fruits have easily been the best part of today. Thanks." he nodded, shooting me a thumbs up before popping more fruit into his already full mouth nodding to himself. I rolled my eyes at him at that.

I looked at he curiously as he ate. This was the most he had spoken since he'd gotten here. Heck, this was the most I had ever hear him speak at once.

He licked his fingers as if he was eating nothing less than a delicacy. His face didn't hold any kind of.. reckless emotions. He didn't look angry when I had expected him to. He looked indifferent. He looked.. normal.

As if flying halfway across the word to eat a bowl of fruit is absolutely normal.

No. I knew that this had something to do with our phone conversation the night before. I was waiting for him to finish so I could apologize to him for everything. Tell him that I didn't mean to end the call dramatically like that. That it was my traitor phones fault.

As if hearing my thoughts, my phone which lay on the table in front of me started buzzing.

I checked the caller id and frowned when I saw who it was.

"Mom?"

"Oh, Kritika." she cried "your father told me to not tell you this. But I have to. I-i.." she let out a little sob "your brother's.." she gulped "Ayaan's missing." she was crying by now "he won't pick up his phone. He won't pick up his phone either, it's switched off. Oh god, I'm so w-worried. He was working late in the night, I'd seen his room light was on when I'd woken up to drink water. It was midnight then. He said he was working on a project with that Karnika or Kanika.. and that.. the deadline was approaching. And when I woke up in t-the morning, he wasn't there." she cried hysterically.

I was too stunned to respond. I looked up at Ayaan with widened eyes to see him examine a slice of orange as if it was the most interesting thing in the world before he aimed it towards his mouth, having it hit him in the nose instead.

I listened on to my rambling mother, still looking at him.

"...switched off. We have contacted everyone, his friends, his colleagues.. Even that Karnika doesn't know where he is. Your dad has gone to call the police. They will conduct a search in.."

I snapped out of it at the mention of police "W-wait. Wait wait no. No mom. Please t-tell dad to not go to the police." I said hurriedly. Oh god, Ayaan you idiot. I felt eyes on me and looked up to see Ayaan eyeing me curiously.

I held my hand over the phone to muffle any voice "Ayaan you idiot, didn't you tell them that you were coming here?"

"Told who? Oh, mumma papa?" he shrugged "I left them a note. It's under the water of water on my work table.

"What?" I hissed, before removing my hand from my phone and bringing it back to my ear "mumma, are you there? Okay, mumma go check Ayaan bhaiya's work table. He has left a note for you there."

"I did find a piece of paper.. but it had nothing but splotches of ink."

I covered my phone once more before glaring at him "What?" he said defensively

"All she found was a paper with, I quote, blotches of ink."

"Oh." was all he said "Should've used waterproof ink."

"That's all you have to say? I should've used waterproof ink?" I hissed bringing the phone back to my ear to hear my mother yelling

"..hello? Are you even listening to me? Your brother is missing. Does it seriously not bother you? And you're telling me not to call the police."

"Mom." I yelled cutting her off "I'm telling you not to call the police because.." I took in a deep breath "because I know where he is."

"He told you? Arun! Arun, he told her! Kritika, why didn't you tell us before?" she sounded relieved "..did he go out partying? He's going to have it from me when he comes back home."

I winced, this won't be good "Just.. just hold on." I said before holding the phone towards Ayaan "it's mumma, talk to her."

"No." he hissed

"Yes." I stressed, grabbing his hand and dropping my phone into it

He gulped before bringing the phone to his ear "Sup, Ma?" He then winced and brought the phone away from his ear "I'm sorry.. I didn't.. No, I'm okay... Yes, I ate. Yes, mumma. Yes. Yes. Yes. No. No.. Yes. Oh.." he paused, wincing again "Hi, Dad. No, I swear I..! No. Yes. Yes, absolutely. No. No."

I watched, amused. Serves him right, my conscience said. I giggled to myself before grabbing a slice of apple from the bowl and popping it in my mouth.

"..Yes. Okay." he said, his voice very small "Okay, bye." he said quickly, ending the call and throwing the phone back towards me

I couldn't help but laugh at his horrified expression. Looks like they had both given him an earful.

"Can adults be grounded" he asked, more to himself "..is it legal?"

Okay, they'd clearly given him more than just an earful.

"Serves you right for not telling them." I pointed out

"How was I to know that the traitor water was going to spoil the note?" he said irritatedly "..and stop laughing."

"I'm trying." I let out in between breaths.

He just muttered something crossly before grabbing the bowl of fruit off the table and picking at them annoyedly.

"Well, wasn't that something." I said, my laughing fit finally dying down "but you still didn't answer my question. What.. what are you doing, Ayaan?"

"Building a highway to Mars." he said, rolling his eyes "what do you think? I'm eating. But you wouldn't let me."

"You know I didn't mean it that way, Ayaan." I said with a serious tone "you couldn't fly a thousand miles just to 'eat'." I air quoted.

He stared at me, as if wanting to say something before he shook his head and placed the bowl back onto the table. He opened his mouth but then sighed, shaking his head. Again.

This went in a couple more times before I couldn't take it anymore "What?"

"Shh, I'm thinking." he said and then added under his breath "I'm not very good at this, okay."

"Good at what?" I asked him anyway

He looked back at me before sighing "Apologizing."

"Ayaan?" I said softly "you don't have to--"

"Yes, I have to." he stressed "I didn't flying f*cking halfway across the world to apologize for the last two years and have you forgive me right away. Have some respect for the money I spent on the air tickets, will you?"

I listened quietly, amazed "Yes, I have to f*cking apologize. For a lot of things. For starters, being a selfish, cocky asshole. I'm sorry for pushing you away when all you wanted was to help. I'm sorry for being so crazy about Aakansha's dead and making it all about myself. Wow, you were right. I really was crazy."

"No, Ayaan." I shook my head "it was very insensitive of me to say that. And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Sorry? You're sorry? Are you f*cking crazy? I should be thanking you, you idiot. And that's exactly what I will do. Thank you. Thank you for that slap in my face. I deserved it. Hell, I was in need of it. You know, when she.." he paused, breathing in "when she died, I hated myself. I hated myself for everything. And I thought that everything was my fault. I hated myself for hating Aakansha after she broke up with me. And I hated myself for living when she couldn't. When she didn't."

His voice was calm but I could see his nose slowly reddening. That was the thing about Ayaan. He was just like our dad when it came to emotions. He wouldn't let you know that he's crying. But his nose would slowly redden and he would pretend to rub his eyes casually.

And he was doing exactly that right now.

"I would completely understand if you don't want to talk to me. I've been a horrible brother. A horrible god awful--Oww! What the hell? Why did you slap me?"

"Because you wouldn't shut up. And you swore, more than once." I said "now will you let me speak? I could never hate you, you idiot. Sure you've been a butt to me in--"

"Wait did you just say butt? Oh my-- oww! Now what was that for?."

"For speaking in between." I said, satisfied at the silence which followed "So.. I was saying that you've been horrible to me and I was very angry at you for that. But let me tell you, those slaps have dissipated my anger. So we're good." I nodded, laughing.

"So you're not angry at me? Two slaps were all it took?" he asked, looking surprised.

"Well, I could always hit you more if you wa--" I was cut off by him pulling me into a crushing hug

"I missed you, loser." he said, rocking us back and forth.

"I missed you too." I laughed "..now you may stop crying."

"I wasn't in the first place."

"Oh yeah? Then why were you running your eyes?"

There was a pause "A bit of dust flew in them, I think."

"Sure." I laughed, hugging him tighter "please don't go back to what you were before okay? I wouldn't be able to hear it. Please."

"I won't."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

I sighed, enjoying the feeling of warmth engulfing me. I felt him tickle my side and I bounced back, squealing.

"Still ticklish, I see." he said and I slapped him, causing him to yell in surprise "now what was that for?"

"Still a sensitive flower, I see." I teased causing him to stick his tongue out at me childishly.

I laughed at him. I had been smiling for so long now that my cheeks hurt.

Afterall, it was the first good thing that had happened all day. And somehow I knew that everything was going to be alright.

~Liam~

The sky outside was getting dark and a low fog was setting in. The car window was fogging as I sat in the deafening silence.

I felt like an intruder for eavesdropping. Like I was hearing something I wasn't supposed to. Like I was looking at something I wasn't supposed to see.

"I love you, Ricky."

That's what she'd said before throwing her hands around him, hadn't she? I didn't stay. I couldn't.

I couldn't look anymore.

I buried my face in my hands, feeling a mixture of emotions whirl in me. But one emotion overpowered them all.

Defeat

Too late. I was too late. And I had lost her forever.

.

.

.

XXXXXXXXX

CAN I GET AN AMEN FROM ALL THE LITIKA SHIPPERS OUT THERE?!

Fina freaking ally

But he thinks she's with Ricky when she's not :/

Now what?

Idk. You'll have to see :3

Chapter dedicated to @MahiWayy

Happy birthday loser
You've been there through thick and thin, and I'm not just talking in reference to this book. Thank you for being you and slapping me when I deserved it x""D

Happy birthday babe, this is my birthday gift to you❤❤

The rest of you, Hi :3
Next update soon :*

Cote❤

Stay beautiful❤

Kay❤