A/N: to the Watty readers who ask paid readers for spoilers or PDFs, please don't. I've received a few complaints. The paid readers are annoyed now. They don't wish to be bothered.

-• i'm here to stay •-

Atharva was a regret I never considered a mistake. Meeting him so unexpectedly was never in my wishlist, but now that it happened, walking away didn't feel right, neither I wanted to.

He has changed.

A lot.

He always had that mature charm in the way he behaves, but now it reflects in his looks. But I'm glad there's still the boyish hint to the way he expresses himself. His grin is still the widest, and the dimples deeper than what I remember. I'm more taken aback by the fact that he can speak again, it's a deep, rich tone, firm and levelled, it's not whispered anymore, neither strained or broken.

And I find myself loving the way he speaks. It's calm, composed, and patient. We often overlook the kind of men who don't strike us as an enigma, who don't walk around like an alive mystery, who are open and honest, who may not have anything interesting to say, and they may not be a risk that makes your adrenaline rush, but they are safe, stable, and while they might have a dead-end, it wouldn't be like standing at the edge of the cliff, but reaching the end of the road that opens to a new one. And now as I stand between the two clear differences, it makes me realise how grounded Atharva makes me feel, very contrasting to the way Shourya or Rudra did, like I had to walk on eggshells around them.

I'm glad I let him go when I was sure my feelings about him weren't changing. I can't imagine myself hurting him more than I already had. He deserves someone special.

"You can speak again," I say in awe.

"Yes," he chuckles, and I'm still not able to wrap my head around it completely. It feels like a dream. When we were dating, I so badly wanted him to speak above a whisper, to flirt with me using cheesy lines, to talk to me on phone calls for hours long. And now that it's no longer a wish, but a reality, we're facing the opposite directions of life. "I was in speech therapy for the last two years. It helped me greatly."

I nod. "That's great to know."

His eyes flicker to Shourya, then back to me. "Are you guys together-"

"No."

"Yes."

I glare at Shourya. Did he forget he has a fiancee?

"Isn't this what being together means?" He refers to us standing next to each other.

I hold back a scoff. He's not fooling me with that crap. "We bumped into each other. I'm here with Janet." I clarify.

Atharva nods.

"And you? Are you here with someone?" I inquire.

"Yeah, I'm with Anagha. She's in the bookstore." He points over his shoulder. "She saw a dress on a display so she sent me to check the price."

"Reader's Heaven?" I guess.

"Yeah, how do you know?" Atharva frowns.

"Janet and I just came from there. She wanted to buy some books. But the silly girl forgot her phone on one of the shelves so she went back to get it." I explain.

"So," he trails, licking the corner of his lips and looking at me nervously. "Are you still single?"

I stop myself from tucking the free lock behind my ear. "I am."

His lips tilt at the corners. "Good to know."

"And you?" I query.

He rubs his nape. "I still think of you sometimes."

"Oh," I whisper.

Something crashes to the ground. We both startle and look at Shourya. He shrugs innocently. "It fell." He says, referring to the mannequin. "So, are you buying this?" He looks down at my dress.

I turn around again and take a careful look at my reflection. Both the men stand on either side of me, making me self-conscious. I thought men hate doing such things? "It looks good." I whisper, more to myself than anybody else.

"Why don't you try that blue one?" Atharva points to the mannequin on display wearing a turquoise blue off-shoulder gown. "Remember I told you blue suits you more? It'll make your eyes stand out." I notice Shourya's lips twisting to the side as he sighs.

"Tara?" Janet's voice whips me around. I sigh in relief, before my breath hitches spotting Anagha enter the store just behind her.

"All I see is a blue eyed fat British girl."

I place a hand over my stomach and suck it in, tearing my eyes off her bright ones as I rush to Janet and drag her inside the changing room, leaving the three alone outside. I need a moment to absorb everything. It's all happening so quickly and without my permission.

"I had a hunch you met her brother when she told me he went to this store but what's Shourya doing here?" She demands, putting our bags aside as she unzips my gown. It pools to my feet and I step out, grabbing my wrap around black skirt from hanger and putting it on, followed by the grey crotchet crop top.

"Well, he said he isn't giving up and he's definitely living by it." I grunt, tucking the ends of my top in the skirt and pulling the off-shoulder sleeves down my arms. I click my tongue realising my neck is bare for his predatory eyes to feast on. I swear the man was a wolf in his past life. Or a vampire. Or a hybrid of both. Is that even possible?

"Wow, not a quitter I see." Janet hums.

I shoot her a disapproving glare through the reflection. She raises her hands in surrender and picks up the bags from the bench. I grab the dress from the floor and walk out, ignoring the three as I make my way to the counter.

"Tara," I flinch hearing Anagha so close.

"48,999, Ma'am," the man behind the counter says.

I dig through my purse searching for Bhai's card, using that time to ignore Anagha. Someone else takes that opportunity to step next to me and slip their card in.

I look up with a glare, not surprised to find Shourya.

"What do you think you're doing?" I hiss at him, trying to push his arm away. "Please, don't accept it." I request the salesman.

He looks between me and Shourya puzzled.

"Consider it as a token of my apology for that night in the club." He places the card on the surface and slides it towards the man.

"I don't need your apology." I grit out, putting my bag on the counter and reaching on my tip toes to look through it carefully. The salesman eyes me in exasperation. His impatience, along with Anagha's presence and Shourya's attitude fuels my clumsiness and I end up knocking over my bag to the floor, everything inside now spread on the carpet.

I look down at the mess in defeat, and crouch to my knees.

"Take this." That's Shourya, having won against me for the umpteenth time.

I see three familiar feet step closer before they kneel to the floor, helping me pick up the mess. Then Shourya squats beside me. We reach to grab my lipbalm together, our knuckles brushing accidentally. I meet his eyes, unable to ignore the buzzing electricity searing through my body at his one touch. His gaze drifts lower, to my bare collarbones before they flicker back to my blue ones. Then he inhales deeply, just like he did that morning near the car on the day of our camping, and had managed to reduce me into a mush of fluttering lashes and empty swallows.

"Tara," Janet calls out, breaking the stare, and I quickly look away from him.

"Thank you," I say to the four of them, clutching the card in my hand as I close all the zips. I sling the straps over my shoulder and get up, turning around to face the counter again.

The brown haired man hands me the paper bag holding my dress and returns the card to Shourya.

"You shouldn't have insisted to spend on me, Shourya." I say stiffly.

"You can spend on me in return." He smirks.

I roll my eyes. "Was that your plan from the beginning?"

"What if it was?" His eyes glow with mischief.

"Cheap." I mutter and turn to leave.

"Feed me then," he follows me instantly.

"You're an asshole but you've got the rizz." Janet compliments.

Shourya smiles proudly.

"Don't encourage his shenanigans." I push the glass door open.

"Tara," Anagha calls out again.

I sigh and drop my arm to the side, letting the door fall close again. "Wanna tag along to the food court?" I offer the Saxena siblings.

Atharva nods with a smile.

"Thank you." Anagha whispers.

Fifteen minutes later, we're sliding inside the window side booth. I gawk at Shourya when he grabs the seat beside mine, leaving Janet standing in shock.

"You can sit here," Atharva gives up on his chair. She sighs and sits beside Anagha, while he drags a chair for himself from the nearest table and settles it adjacent to the opposite ends.

"If you think you can steal my bestfriend, you're wrong." Janet leans forward, squinting her eyes in a warning at Shourya.

"Who said anything about stealing?" He leans in too. "I'm trying to earn her."

"With a ring on your finger?" Janet cocks a snide brow at him.

"My fingers are empty." He waves them at her.

"Akansha might cry a river if she hears you."

"Please gift her some tissues the next time you meet her." He counters.

"Damn it, he's an asshole. I can't win." Janet sits back.

I kick him on the feet. "Stop that bullshit."

"I was being honest." He shrugs.

I nod mockingly. Honest and him?

Atharva chuckles.

Shourya's jaw clicks in place. "Something funny, Saxena?"

"No," Atharva shakes his head. "Just realised you haven't changed a bit. I remember you entertaining multiple girls at the same time back in the school."

"Yeah, and I remember you getting insecure when your ex-girlfriend started to spend the extra hours with me in the library."

I freeze.

"For studies." Atharva grits out.

"Is that why you glared at me everytime you saw me in the school?" Shourya smirks. "Is that why you punched me when she broke up with you that day?"

My head whips to the men in shock.

Atharva looks away, his hand on the table curling into a fist.

"What? What are you talking about?" I force Shourya's shoulder so he faces me. "Atharva punched you?"

He hums. "He thought you broke up with him because of me."

"Is that true, Atharva?" I frown at the copper eyed man.

"It was a misunderstanding." He justifies.

"Misunderstanding?" I repeat in disbelief.

"You wavered, Tara." He looks at me accusingly. "And I know it was because of someone. I assumed it was him."

I feel hurt. "So you punched him? Punched someone who had nothing to do with us?"

"What did you expect?" Atharva grits out, his eyes narrowing at me. "I couldn't speak, I couldn't reach out to you, I couldn't do anything. I felt helpless."

"Maybe -"

"Okay, stop guys." Janet hisses. "What is this? Rekindling with my ex a reality show?" She says sarcastically.

I sigh and lean back on my chair, willing myself to calm down. I don't really have a room to argue. He is right, afterall. Not Shourya, it was someone else, but there was a third person.

"Why don't you guys give it another chance if you think there's still some history?" Anagha mumbles softly, then she flinches under Shourya's glare. "I- I mean, that is if you're not with anyone else right now." She adds timidly.

"I'm not with anyone else, but I'm not interested in relationships right now." I make it clear. I'm not giving anyone hopes like the immature sixteen year old me did.

She nods.

"We're here because of you, Anagha." I continue. "And because I've a favour to repay." I glance towards Shourya. "I believe you've something to say to me. What is it?" I come to the point.

She twists her fingers together. "The day before we left Jaigarh, I said some horrible things to you. I was pissed, but the words were uncalled for. So I wanted to apologise." She meets my eyes firmly. "I'm sorry, Tara. Whatever I said that day, I didn't mean it. I was angry. Forgive me."

I nod. "It's okay. I understand where you were coming from. Yeah, the words were unnecessary, but I forgive you."

She smiles in relief. "Thank you."

I shrug.

"That was easy." Janet comments.

"Yeah," Anagha murmurs. "Now we should leave," she gets up and grabs her bag from the table. "I'm sorry for taking so much of your time. Bhai, let's go," she looks expectantly at Atharva. This time, I ignore looking at him. "See you at the party tomorrow," she smiles at me.

I don't let the surprise show. I didn't know they were invited.

"Will you be returning to Delhi?" I ask hesitantly.

Before she can answer, Atharva chips in. "No." Our eyes collide. "We're here to stay."

"Oh,"

"Yeah, we're starting our University here." Anagha adds softly.

"What major did you choose?" I ask her.

"Law."

My head turns to Atharva. "And you?"

"Journalism."

Shourya stiffens, Janet spits out the water from her mouth. He flinches. "What the fuck is wrong with you, woman?"

Janet places the glass down and frantically offers him tissues. "Sorry," she says, struggling to hold back her snickers. "You okay?"

He shoots her a glare and wipes his face dry.

I shake my head at the two and look back at Atharva. "I'm taking journalism too."

He smirks. "We're meeting often then." With that, the duo walks out of the restaurant.

"Use the washroom if you need to." I look down at Shourya, watching him clean his face with a handkerchief.

"You need a change of bestfriend." He snorts.

Janet scoffs out a chuckle. "And you need to focus on your girlfriend."

"You keep coming back to her. Why? Like her? Should I hook you up with her?" He offers condescendingly.

"I'm sure I'll treat her better than you but no thank you. I don't swing that way." She snaps back.

"Then mind your own business." He states.

"How about you listen to your own advice and stop troubling my best friend?"

"You say you don't swing that way but worry so much about the girls around me. Need a hand to step out of that closet?"

She gasps. "Asshole."

"Bitch."

"Don't be a jerk to her!" I shove him on the arm.

He rolls his eyes and shoves the handkerchief in his pockets. "I'm leaving." And he gets up from the chair.

"Good riddance." Janet says under her breath.

He opens his mouth to retort when I cut in. "What about the food?"

"Pending." He shrugs. "And you need a life." He glares at Janet. I sigh in defeat.

"And you need manners."

"I already have them."

"Definitely not towards girls." She smiles sweetly.

"If only I considered you one." He strolls out, leaving my bestfriend fuming behind.

For the next two hours we shop around, Janet doesn't stop complaining and swearing at Shourya. "He's hot, but that doesn't mean he can be a jerk!" She grumbles, shuffling through the clothes on the aisle and almost rattling the stands. I look awkwardly at my guard, the man looks so poker he might as well be dead given how he doesn't change expressions even in the slightest.

When we return to the palace, Janet storms upstairs along with me, even though her room is on the ground floor. I let the boiling lava erupt until it reaches the threshold of calm.

And it does. Late in the evening.

"Why is he so hot!?" She grumbles, kicking at the floor like a whiny little kid. "It's not fair!" I chuckle. She opens her eyes and looks at me earnestly. "Tara, in future if I encourage you to go for that asshole, punch me in the face, okay?"

I nod.

"I'm not kidding. I'm serious. Just punch me." She states. "Fiction has fucked up my head, Tara. Men like him are a red flag, okay? Don't ever try to cross limits with him. I swear he's addicting."

"Why? You have a crush on him?" I tease her.

She nods frantically. My smile slightly fades. "Not for me. I can't imagine myself with him. It's for you. I've a crush on him for you, can you imagine? The way he looks at you, Tara," her tone actually softens.

I blink. "What do you mean?"

"He looks at you differently." She gushes. "Like he's losing to you, but winning you, all at once."

My stomach breeds thousands of butterflies. I turn the desk chair back to my laptop. "He's engaged." I remind her.

"Yeah, and everyone can see just how loyal he's to her." She snorts.

"Janet, I taught her a lesson because she was wrong. I'm not about to prove her right. She can have him."

"You sure?" Janet asks.

I don't look away from the screen, simply shrug.

She sighs and gets up from the bed, before I feel her presence behind me. Her arms come around me and she rests her chin on top of my head, swaying us sideways gently like a swing. "I know it's complicated. I know he's not worthy of your trust. But maybe his feelings are different?"

I scoff. "Are you suddenly his lawyer?"

She clicks her tongue. "When you and Atharva started talking about past, I saw this strange fear in his eyes. I don't think he realised it though."

"So what? Do you want me to wait for a committed man?"

"No." She states. "But I don't want you to blame yourself for feeling something for him. I understand why it is the way it is."

I exhale shakily. "I feel so guilty, Janet." I look down at my lap as tears brim my eyes. "Everytime he came close and I couldn't push him away, it felt as if I'm doing Akansha wrong and it just made me feel like the worst person alive." I can't explain in words what his proximity does to me. But it renders me estranged, in a mental space where only he matters.

There's a thin line of rationality and morals that hold me back from pulling him close to me. And that is more than enough to remind me of the fact that in some way or the other, my mom did the same with someone else, and maybe I feel this way because I'm her daughter.

Janet hugs me tighter. "It's okay."

It's not. And it's time I tell him that. It's time I end this for once and all.

Shourya's pov upcoming!

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Don't forget to vote and comment. Makes my day.