It's so quiet here
And I feel so cold
This house no longer
Feels like home.

Shivika watched silently as Anya left the game, making an hasty excuse of an important call and Shivika knew she was wrong. She had wronged her sister in many ways and her best friend too but the worst was the way she broke both of their hearts. She had noticed the way Nikhil's gaze travelled to her sister every few minutes, how his eyes were searching someone else in her. Someone even she had searched for so many days but never found and every second Nikhil's gaze lingered on Anya and Anya's gaze lingered on her phone. She realized what a terrible mistake she had made.

Nikhil was the best senior and her and Omisha's bestest friend in the whole school. He was your typical good, popular guy kind to everyone and exceptionally good at everything studies, sports, arts you name it he nailed it and she has noticed the huge crush Omisha di got on Nikhil on tenth grade, the same time he started getting mysterious letters and poems from his secret admirer and she watched as how Omisha's heart broke silently everyday and she cried everyday watching him fall for the write of those letters day after day and it was her heart hurting watching her condition like that and she wanted to help her di anyway she could so when she learned that Shivanya was the writer of those letters she couldn't help but be shocked first and then angry. She remembered dadi telling her how Shivanya di killed Shivaansh bhai and snatched her parents happiness and now she was making her Omisha di cry and snatching her love too. She couldn't allow Shivanya to succeed, no Omisha di would be heartbroken if Nikhil learned the truth and she knew their were chances Nikhil will choose Shivanya after all in the whole school only Nikhil tolerated her presence, talked politely with her and thought about her feelings too. So, she told Nikhil that all those letters were written by Omisha di as she was too shy to confess her love to him fearing for their friendship and Nikhil believed her after all he was her best friend and obviously he will trust her over everyone.

She had seen the excitement in Shivanya di's eyes when Nikhil invited her to the beach trip, the shy glances she passed her and the moment she proposed Nikhil and claimed herself to be the writer of those letters. She saw Nikhil loosing his calm thinking her pleadings to be lie and her truth to be a way of gaining sympathy and she doesn't regret anything more than watching the pain in Shivanya's eyes when Nikhil slapped her in front of Omisha and her. She watched gleefully as Nikhil proposed Omisha there and she accepted happiness blooming back at her face as the three of them left the beach, leaving Shivanya there alone with a broken heart and she hates herself for lying that day cause Omisha and Nikhil weren't compatible with each other. They broke up soon and when the truth come out he refused to talk with anyone of them. He is back in her home after so long just because of one reason and that's Shivanya di's reentry in her house but now it seems too late as Anya is too lost in Viaan to notice anyone else and Nikhil's gaze won't leave Anya for a moment.

She watched as Mudit looked between Anya and Nikhil in pure confusion. Even she thought she knew Anya when everyone said she had a crush on Mudit, the bad boy of the school and Nikhil's other best friend but looks like she didn't as in Anya's diary which she had left at home in her hurry and a diary that she made sure her parent's doesn't get hold of even by mistake as they would be just too heartbroken learning of Shivanya di's fate in school clearly stated that she was just too intimidated to speak in front of the school's bad boy and she never knew their ignorance had such an impact on Shivanya di's life. All of them ignored her in school and acted as if she wasn't even there. So, they didn't know how badly she was being bullied, they didn't knew she contemplated Suicide many times but back out because of some promise she kept on writing about but never said what was the promise.

She didn't knew Maya and Mukti had hit Shivanya many times and verbally abused her, She didn't knew many of the school boys had tried to force themselves on her when her image as a slut spread like an wildfire in school. She didn't knew everyone was verbally abusing her in school and she fucking didn't knew how even the smallest taunts and japes on her weight or her character drove her over the edge, shattering her non existing self confidence.She had cried herself to sleep after learning all this and she had broke her friendship with Maya and Mukti for what they did with her sister yet nothing erased the fact that somewhere they were responsible for her sister's that condition if they had just thought about their actions or it's impacts but no they were young fools, thinking whatever they did was right and they ruled the world but their actions were costing them now.

Shivaaye watched as Shivanya slowly disappeared out of the room. He thought she will be happy watching her childhood friend's but no happiness made their way on her face. No, she wasn't the excited gleeful girl anticipating their visits. No, she wasn't the girl whose eyes shined with happiness every time they visited the house. No, she seemed more disappointed by their visit and she seemed disturbed as if something was troubling her and he just didn't know what to do anymore and she won't tell them anything and when hearing those godforsaken surnames the way she moved away from everyone. He wanted to scream after her and tell her that she doesn't need to fear them. He made sure they were rotting in jail for hurting her but no words escaped his lips as she had already moved so far away.

"Anya Mam, there is someone here to meet you" a maid informed her as she continued staring blankly at the screen, she just nodded in her direction asking her to bring in whoever is here to meet her as her fingers flipped the channels carelessly.

"All ready for the match, Anya" the jovial voice of Ishana ma greeted her as she entered the house with an endearing smile and open arms. She looked at her direction shocked for sometimes took few dazed steps in her direction before running in her arms like an arrow shot out of bow, wrapping herself around her like a swimmer swimming in ocean for days finally stepping into familiar solid land below her feet.

"Ma, you really here" she asked in a tone full of disbelief not believing her eyes even though she was totally wrapped in her arms.

"yups as my son is on his sets with his father, I thought of coming here and giving my daughter some much needed company for the match and even your fiance may have ringed me several times begging me to watch this match" she spoke with mischievousness shinning in her eyes with balant delight in her presence as a smile automatically bloomed on her face. Yes, she needed this company very much.

"And here I thought you and papa were going out on a romantic dinner date"She asked her in a teasing tone enjoying the flushed look that glanced her cheeks

"Your papa and romantic are polar opposites" she informed her in a serious tone with laughing eyes as for the second time in her whole stay in OM, Anya laughed freely.

"So, Let's go and watch the match before your boyfriend starts whining about he lost the toss because his lady luck wasnt watching" the teasing eyes and blooming smile reminded Anya of familiar environment she has been living in for the past few months. Ishana's smile felt like home and she doesn't know how a smile can make you feel like this. How can a smile make you feel you're protected.

"yes, let's go" she said gleefully as all the traces of gloom disappeared from her face and relief shined in her eyes.

"Btw where is Panchi ma??"Anya asked Ishana curiously as she moved to the right channel

"Chilling out with her bhai and beloved Maussa ji" Ishana told her while rolling her eyes as the smile that had bloomed on her face didn't want to go away.

Both of them were looking at the screen as the anchor showed pitch reports and the stadium slowly filling in with various people moving in with banners and props in their hands, dancing on the drum beats,

"Ishana" the surprise filled tone of Anika ringed in the whole house as she saw Ishana sitting on the sofa with Anya watching match.

"Hello Mrs Oberoi" Ishana greeted Anika regally a soft smile playing on her lips as Anya rested her head on her shoulder

"Didn't know you were visiting today" Anika asked her with a frown as everyone settled around them looking at the screen, much to Anya's disappointment.

"Wasn't planned thought to surprise Anya" Ishana answered casually messing Anya's hair fondly who just shook her head whispering "no, ma" not realizing how this little call from Anya broke Anika's heart.

"So, Miss manager what do you think Viaan will chose batting or fielding??" Ishana quizzed Anya as Anya glanced the pitch reports and replied confidently "fielding"

Her prediction come true when during toss Viaan won and chose fielding and Anya passed Ishana a haughty smile as she rolled her eyes again

"Ishana ma, will you like some chips??"

"Ishana ma, pass the water please"

"Ishana ma" everytime Anya called Ishana Ma, Anika felt someone stabbed her heart...Anya didn't once call her ma after her return here and she is calling Ishana Ma after every sentence. None of them could bring the mirage of emotions on her face and the sparkle in her eyes like the way Ishana did with her smallest of comments and actions and all of that hurts more than anything. She watched the way Viaan roared on the field, displaying a variety of emotions from warm to cold entertaining the crowd who roared with them and Anya who seemed to be living the game, making sounds of disappointment and excitement and commenting on the players. She seemed to know all of them.

"Missing the feel" Ishana asked her knowingly as she nodded in her direction making a pouty face

"Dont worry baccha, the finals is here and we will be there together cheering for our team"

"Yeah, we all will be there cheering for our team" Nikhil spoke before her with some undertones in his words which Anya couldn't quite figure out but she chose to ignore it.

"You know auntie, Anya is a wonderful writer" Sheetal continued for the first time since her arrival here praising Anya

"Really Anya, Vi told me you were good at singing,sketching,painting and beating him at FIFA but he never mentioned about writing" Ishana asked Anya with a raised eyebrow while she rolled her eyes. Its just so like Viaan to complain about the game he lost to her to Ishana ma.

"Because I dont write ma and be truthful Viaan whined about the loss didnt he" Anya said the first part quite sternly but during the latter you could clearly hear the amusement in her tone.

"Maybe he did" Ishana admitted freely making Anya laugh again

"Yesss, Six" Anya cheered loudly for Savy's and their team's first six in the game surprising everyone around her but they couldn't wipe the smile of her face now. The smile that bloomed on her face watching her boys play brilliantly.

The family and Shivika's friend watched the match with Anya and Ishana but mostly they watched the chain of reactions crosssing her otherwise stoic face throughout the match and Anika wanted to see her just like that happy, smiling and letting her emotions out.

After the match Anya dragged Ishana to her room and just sat there with her, starring around the room for a long time before she spoke for the first time the pain inside her corroding the surface as it flashed in her eyes and seeped in her tone

"Did you notice the accusing look in her eyes when I called you Ma?? Did you notice the brokenness in her eyes when I called you Ma so easily without any hesitation trust me it wasn't so easy at the beginning. It hurted you know, you just cant call a new person Ma just like that Ma isnt a simple two letters word for godsake. Ma is an emotion, a sigh that automatically escapes our lips whenever we are in pain.You know after calling someone Ma for 17 years it's not easy to give that place to someone new. You know Ma is symbolic of infinite love and sacrifice, its not easy being a mother, it's not easy sacrificing all your dreams and aspirations someone and even though I never remember her love after the first 4 years of my life it was still hard giving her place to someone else, calling someone else Ma but then it became easy after that the hesitation slowly disappeared with the love that increased but still it was hard at first and she doesnt know that, she doesn't know how much it hurts when your mom stops talking to you"

...To be continued...

Thankyou so much for the lovely wishes and gift Princi106. I love you soooo much and this one is for you.