Ananya's POV :

"We were so close to the finale. I can't believe they cancelled the whole thing just like that", Dulquer said angrily.

"It's not just like that dude", Shilpa reminded him "Two people almost died".

And both of them were connected to me! I alone knew the agony of that. Everyone was upset but I was shattered.

The finale had been cancelled after Kishan had attempted suicide. I hadn't seen them taking him away to the hospital. I'd been in the hotel room, crying the whole time.

In the wee hours of the morning, we had received information that Kishan was going to make it. That was enough for me, at that moment.

"Well, whatever", said Raghav, "But I know I'm gonna miss this place. It was sick at first, but then I grew quite fond of it".

We all agreed.

I then realized, I had never really indulged into the exotic comforts that this hotel had provided. I was too busy taking turns to worry about Kishan and Arjun and had hardly relished the milkshakes in the restaurant, the five star pool or the luxuries of the rooms.

But all the same, I was glad to see the last of it. This hadn't been a enjoyable ride.

"None of us got the prize though. It's not fair", said Oviya looking understably upset.

"But you've all won something", Roma butted in, not missing a last opportunity to lord over us. She was garbed in a periwinkle blue pantsuit and had one hand on her suitcase.

"What? I missed it!" Raghav protested.

"You've all won the ability to value what you already have in life", Roma said "And you've realised all of you already do have a lot in your lives to be grateful for. You've realised that there are far more important things in life than winning a large amount of cash."

Well, my feelings towards Roma had become slightly better and what she said was true at least for me and Arjun.

The others however did not seem touched.

"What are you going to do next?", I asked Roma.

"Me? I have a lot of work lined up", Roma answered brusquely, "I'll get back to vlogging on my Youtube channel. And then, I have my RJ duties. I also got an offer from Star Network to host their upcoming show."

We all towed out of the hotel building into the driveway where the families of the contestants had come to pick them up.

Now that we were no longer competitors, everybody seemed a lot more at ease and nicer. All of us shared goodbyes very pleasantly. It was hard to believe these same people were fighting like animals, not one week ago.

Shilpa came up and shook my hand brightly. She leaned in close to my ear and whispered, "You know, that Oviya never had the guts to confess that she stole my Carnation perfume. So much money down the drain!".

I looked at her, flustered. Now was the time for a courageous act.

"Umm...actually Shilpa, Oviya didn't steal your Carnation perfume", I said.

"What?" she asked "How do you know?"

I put my hand into my luggage and fished out the perfume bottle, and held it out to her.

I waited for a lash out of cuss words.

But instead all I got was a chuckle. I looked up at Shilpa and saw that she was laughing her head off.

"I should have known, you bitch!" she laughed slapping me on the shoulder.

I smiled back bleakly.

"You can keep that", she said "I'll send you more if you want".

"Huh? Thanks", I said.

"What did you want it for anyway?" she asked still grinning, "Let me guess. Kishan?".

My eyes widened in surprise and amusement, "You knew I liked him?"

"All of us knew, idiot" she said, "And we knew he liked you too".

"Oh I don't know", I said.

"Shut up. He really likes you", she said "He was just having his own struggles. That's it. Now it's all over. Go see him in the hospital when he's better. He'll be really happy".

"You think so?" I asked doubtfully.

She nodded and then she touched my arm, "You know, you really are a nice girl Ananya", she smiled.

She looked so good when she genuinely smiled, without the glint of malice in her eyes.

"Umm..thanks", I said gracefully (not!) and then added, "I'm sure you'll be a very successful supermodel soon".

"I'm sure I will", she winked "Successful and sexy!"

I grinned.

"Let's keep in touch", she went on, "Are you on instagram?"

"Yeah", I nodded.

"Cool. Send me a request", she urged.

"Sure", I smiled and she shook my hand again before leaving.

And then came Oviya.

"It was nice meeting you An", she said grasping both my hands, "Sorry if I got a little wild sometimes".

"Well, we all did" I sighed.

                                        ~~~~~

My parents dropped me at home before going to the hospital.

"Homecoming of the victorious warrior!" Arjun shouted dramatically as I opened the front door and stepped in.

I couldn't figure out what exactly was 'victorious' or 'warrior'ish about me padding pathetically into the living room, dragging my lumpy suitcase behind me with enormous difficulty.

My brother was lying on the sofa too comfortably, watching The Hunger Games: Catch Fire on TV and a bowl of Maggi in his hand which I assumed he had prepared by himself. Even from the distance, I could make out that it was overcooked and soggy and Janvi couldn't have messed up like that.

Gosh! We were going to miss her cooking like hell after four months. Shaheer was one lucky man.

And what an opportunist my lazy brother was! He had used his almost-death experience to watch as many movies and eat as much as he could.

"How are you?" Arjun asked a little more normally as I pushed him to the end of the sofa, threw my suitcase case on it and settled down infront of the TV too. Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson were already kissing.

"I never got to tell Kishan that I loved him", I blurted out.

"But do you?", Arjun asked turning away from the TV as if he was prepared for this conversation "You know, it's not always love though it can seem like it".

"What do you bloody know about love?", I snapped "You had five and a half relationships and none lasted more than ten weeks".

"Half?" Arjun asked looking struck.

"Yeah", I answered, disgruntled "Rubina was not even real. It was only from your side. So that's only half a relationship".

"You and your theories", Arjun shook his head.

"Anyway what were you saying?" I asked.

"I was asking if you really loved Kishan because a lot of things are like love but aren't really love", Arjun explained with the air of teaching a three year old that one plus one equals two, "Like me and Rubina was not love. Me and Farah was not love either. But Mom and dad? That's love. They team up regardless of what happens in this house. And Janvi and Shaheer. That is love too. Scars couldn't take it away. And me and music? That is one bloody eponymous romance."

"And what about you and Pooja?", I asked with a smirk.

"Well that's a love story that's yet to begin", Arjun said trying to sound shrewd.

"But I feel bad", I said "We didn't even properly spend time together".

Arjun smacked me on the shoulder, "What were you doing all that time? Your date and all the time you hung out together at Walters Residency? Looking for the auspicious time? You should have told him you love him, a hundred times and kissed him like there was no next day".

"Don't lecture me", I said sourly.

"Okay now answere this, what if you have to choose between your career and Kishan?" Arjun asked like he was conducting a rapid fire round.

"Hello? I've only gone on one date Arjun. You talk like I'm engaged".

"But just say.." he persisted.

"I've been slogging for two and a half years just to get that white coat Arjun. It's my dream. I'm not giving that up", I said "But I hardly think I'll have to".
  
                                       ~~~~~

Three Weeks Later :

I'd never been inside any hospital except Viraj and that damped hospital where Arjun had stayed in. But this one was really different from either.

There was hardly any commotion. It was neat, calming and everything was going on very smoothly.

I guessed, the lack of chaos was because it wasn't a general hospital and so there wouldn't be any emergencies or trauma cases.

I walked straight up to the second floor as Kishan's mom had instructed me. Being inside a new hospital alone, was intimidating but I'd insisted that I wanted to come here by myself to see Kishan.

I was greeted by a young nurse who asked my name and details.

"You are Kishan's?" she asked.

"Friend", I said.

"Right", the nurse smiled with a glint in her eyes, "I'm Sonia", she introduced herself.

"Can I go in now?" I asked.

"Yes", Sonia smiled a little more. She had a lot of warmth and if she was the one taking care of Kishan, then I was happy.

"Umm...sister, can I talk about his condition?"

"I think you can", she replied thoughtfully "As long as you don't say anything disturbing. You see, he did a lot without even realising what he was doing. It's all been very upsetting for him".

"Does he remember what happened?"

"Yes, he does now", Sonia said "But he didn't know when he was doing all those things. He began to dissociate and have blackouts."

"But why?" I asked unable to contain my curiosity.

"Well it's complicated", Sonia explained "He has a lot of childhood trauma. And the guess was right. His parents started fighting in the same five star hotel that you all stayed. That hotel proved to be a homewrecker for him. Being back there, haunted him. But he's a good kid. You can go see him now but not for long. Only ten minutes".

"Only ten? Okay, okay fine. I get it", I said hurriedly as she held the door open for me to go in.

And there he was.

Kishan was sitting on his bed reading Divergent by Veronica Roth while a couple of other books lay next to him.

His handsome face looked wasted away, his curls were an uncombed mess and fell on his forehead, the depth in his dimples had reduced a bit and the colour in his face had drained out considerably but he was still outrageously good looking. And I knew why, because when he looked up, his beautiful eyes were still shining the same and his lips curved into the same irresistible smile that I'd fallen in love with.

Resisting the urge to hold his face and crash my lips into his, I smiled back at him as I made the way to his bed and settled down at it's edge.

"Ananya! Why didn't you tell me you were coming?", he asked, putting away his book.

Okay so nothing had happened to his immaculate voice. Good.

"How are you?", I gasped, only then realising that I had asked another question without answering his.

"How do I look?" he asked.

"Very handsome", I said.

Kishan grinned very briefly before his face changed and he slapped his forehead, "To think that I did all of that!"

Uh-oh! The topic had been broached way sooner than I'd thought.

"It's okay Kishan", I said grabbing his hands "No listen, you didn't know what you were doing. And there's nothing for you to be ashamed of. Your trauma took over you".

"I let it take over me. Isn't that wrong?"

"It would've taken over anyone", I said "You've been incredible to be honest. I wonder I could've handled all that you have."

"Nobody else went to pieces like I did", Kishan shrugged.

"Come on Kishan! Are you serious? You really shouldn't be feeling guilty for this."

"Bad people will mock me for this An", Kishan said cheerlessly "And good people will do something worse. They'll pity me. And that is something I just can't deal with."

I frowned, "Why are you bothered about anybody else? Please forget this Kishan and start afresh. Your mom needs you too."

"Yeah about that", he said cheering up a bit "I forgot to tell you. My parents are officially getting divorced".

"Excellent!" I said enthusiastically "Now you and your mom can move away from your dad and those useless relatives of yours."

"I know", Kishan replied, "We're planning to move to a new house."

"That's another brilliant news", I encouraged "Look at how things are working for you Kishan! This is the inclination of a new beginning."

"I hope so", he said "But I don't know", he added nervously rubbing my knuckles with his fingers and then bent down to kiss my hands.

"You are going to be okay", I said ruffling his curls.

"The doctors have told me, I'll be discharged by next week. That gives me two months at home. Right in time for NEET", he explained.

"See? That's perfect", I said.

"Okay enough with me", Kishan said finally calming down "What's with you? How was your aunt's engagement?"

"Oh it was something else", I said gleefully, "I'll show you the pictures on Instagram. And my aunt is going to get a plastic surgery done. Hopefully her face will be much better in time for the wedding", I told Kishan.

"Visitor's time is up", I heard Sonia's voice behind the door that had been pushed open by an inch.

"Right", I said half heartedly getting up and bending down to hug Kishan, "I'll see you soon", I said.

"Kishan", Sonia had now come into the room "Your father called us again this morning asking us if he could come here. Is your decision still the same?"

"Yes, I don't want to see him", Kishan confirmed. I looked at him quickly.

Sonia nodded understably, "Okay we'll speak to him".

I raised my eyebrows at Kishan.

"Yeah", he said even though I hadn't asked him anything "I'm not going to meet my father. And I can't believe he still thinks I'd want to see his face".

I managed to smile, "Good for you".

"I'm afraid I really have to ask you to scoot", Sonia told me urgently.

"Fine, fine  I'm leaving", I said moving towards the door and pulling it open, "See you Kishan. Next time, maybe I'll bring Arjun too. He's looking forward to see you".

"Yeah Arjun was unbelievably great about the whole thing. He messaged me", Kishan said with a small smile "You have one hell of a brother".

"Oh I don't know about that", I said grinning as I  stepped out and closed the door behind me.

A/N : Long one and the last one from Ananya's POV ❤️ Please do vote and comment on this one before you turn over for the last chapter ☺️

Here we go 👉