After venting out a part of his anger Abhedya was expecting Swarnima to say something. She must be sad or crying? She was such a cry baby and her tears were only meant to be wiped and kissed away by him.

But this 'new' Swarnima just said, "all I can say is, you can be angry, you can dislike me and say whatever you wish to. I know I deserve it. My apologies will not fit for forgiveness."

Abhedya observed her before saying, "the first time you saw me was in the kiss challenge right?"

"Yes," Swarnima replied.

"Oh !! Now I get it. The 'princess' telling me she had to abide by the guidelines laid by someone else. Who?? Let me guess... Ummm is it that 'heart' of yours? Which just broke seeing me with someone else... No! no! no!! Not just seeing me with someone else... seeing me KISSING someone else!! Because you were still in love with me and were jealous to see me like that? Were you still stuck with the deal? And since I broke the deal, you decided to take revenge?" Abhedya just spoke... the rage in him made him say the meanest things.

Swarnima could not take any more hatred since he was questioning their love, so she came close to him, clutched his T-shirt looked straight into his eyes and answered, " YES YOU ARE RIGHT ABHEDYA SIR!! MY HEART BROKE WHEN I SAW YOU KISSING SOMEONE ELSE! But you know what, I wasn't a bit JEALOUS. As the kiss or should I say the little peck 'WE'  shared years before when we did not even know what we were doing was FILLED WITH PURITY and LOVE as against your FILTHY, LUSTFUL KISSES. And yes!! MY PROMISES WERE and STILL ARE INTACT."

Swarnima left his t-shirt and asked him, " if your Q/A session is over get dressed eat dinner... I have cooked  'palak paneer' and 'chapati.' If you want to eat it, it's on the table, if you don't want to, feel free to order something from outside. At 11 in the night, we have to go to your house chachu and masi celebrate their anniversary tomorrow. So there is a midnight celebration and NO! I am not ordering you, this is just... forget it."

Swarnima left for her room and Abhedya just stood there thinking what Swarnima just said.. 'she is still keeping her promise? Does that mean she still loves me?' Abhedya smiled at the thought but his smile disappeared soon. 'She does not love you anymore. She is a royal and royal's choose royal's. She has her own Prince Charming waiting for her. You are just her protector Abhedya. She will never love you. Do you love her?? No!! I can never love someone like Swarnima is, now.'
Abhedya decided to keep his thoughts aside and took a long shower to cool his nerves. He had fought enough for a day. He came out of the bathroom of his room and ordered himself a pizza.
He ordered her favourite junk on purpose or he wanted to eat it himself, he could not answer. When the doorbell rang he went out when he saw Swarnima had collected his parcel. She gave him the pizza and sat at the dining table.
She served herself the food she cooked and waited for him to join. Abhedya went and sat on the sofa and started to eat his pizza moaning as the cheese melted in his mouth. His sounds were purposefully louder. He thought Swarnima will not be able to resist and join his pizza party but Swarnima was a rock now... the strongest of the temptations didn't affect her. Abhedya, however, was an exception.

After finishing two slices Abhedya gave up and ate quietly. Swarnima giggled to her herself and remarked, 'such a baby. But he is my baby.' Swarnima was happy that she confessed her feelings. His ignorance was more than welcome. The guilt she had to face every day that she was hiding from her best friend, her soulmate was no longer to be borne. Her birthday could not have been better.
Abhedya may not have wished her till now but he was with her the whole day and that was more than a present for her.

"Here... grab on a piece." Abhedya forwarded the pizza box to her. She took a bite and forwarded her plate to him.
"Have a chapati you have been eating outside the whole day."
Abhedya also took a bite and widened his eyes and asked, "You have made it??"

"Yes. why..?" Swarnima asked him.

Abhedya sensed Swarnima's nervousness so he kept eating and didn't say anything. Swarnima waited for him to say something but he didn't so she got up and put pickle in his plate.

"Did I ask you to put the pickle on the plate ?" Abhedya questioned her.

"No, but I thought since you didn't like the vegetable you can eat with pickle." reasoned Swarnima.

Damn!! Abhedya loved her concern. She had always been the caring one. She could never see anyone in pain and distress. Today, she is taking in all the pain and handling it so beautifully. 'Stop admiring her Abhedya' reminded his brain.

"Did I say the vegetable is not of my taste? You were also having it, did you find it distasteful?" Abhedya twisted his questions.

"I was eating it but my mind was busy in those cheesy bite moans you were making," Swarnima gave him his own dose of sarcasm.

Abhedya did not have a comeback so he ate quietly and was thinking of a better comeback but decided to give up since the simple vegetable and chapati tasted heavenly.

Swarnima was washing the utensils when Abhedya came to the kitchen and asked her,  "'princess' can not afford a maid?"

"I cannot!" Swarnima replied.

"Move I will wash. Go get changed. Else you will take hours and spoil midnight celebrations," Abhedya teased her.

" I won't take time. But have you got a gift for your parents?" Swarnima reminded him.

"You are reminding me NOW? I have not bought them anything. We were together the whole day NIM and you are asking me now." Abhedya stomped his foot while saying.

Suddenly both became tensed as the tensed atmosphere just disappeared and they talked like friends... old and true friends.

"Umm... I will see what I can do." Abhedya left saying and searched if he could get something online.

'Damn! I can't find anything... Such a fool you are Abhey. Didn't remember your parents anniversary.' Abhedya kept surfing his phone and cursing his careless behaviour. Just then it struck him that his mother told him of a surprise so he ran to the kitchen and asked Swarnima, "you know about the surprise? Don't you? Tell me."

Swarnima knew he would ask, he could never curb his curiosity so she smiled and hinted him, "its a surprise... duh! The best you can get."

Damn that smile of hers!! 'I have already got the best surprise. I got you Nim. I never wished or wanted anything else. Just be with me.' Abhedya's heart pumped love into his body.

"Are you going to wear this?" Swarnima asked scanning his dress.

"Yes, why? I am going home only... and I look good in whatever I wear." Abhedya said combing his hair from his hand.

Only Swarnima knew how she controlled herself from not ruffling his hair... those smooth, silky, soft hair. 'Uhhhhh!! Swarnima get a grip on yourself'. Swarnima reminded herself.

"Okay, I will change quickly and come," Swarnima told him.

"Yah yah! Just go and wear those boring blank and white clothes of yours. Why do you wear such boring clothes with no design, no colour, plain simple?" Abhedya asked the million-dollar question which the entire college wanted to ask and had asked her.

She lied to them but to Abhedya she couldn't, "there are two reasons. One, the State is mourning with a black flag and there is no one on the throne, so I cannot wear happy colours and fancy clothes.
Two,  the late queen, her protector and a part of the council felt that applying makeup, wearing fancy clothing will deviate my attention from the goals that I have to achieve. You know what the funny part is, they think if I wear better clothes I will look pretty and grab unnecessary attention and maybe someone might propose to me and I end up in a relationship. But if I look 'BORING' as you along with the whole college feels, no one will be interested in me and I will not end up in a relationship, which is strictly prohibited till the throne is claimed."

"WHAT THE FUCK!! who gave them the right to choose the way they live? You didn't even oppose? Are you mad? You are the heir to the throne... why haven't you claimed it yet? What are you waiting for?? If such fools are in the council our State is in serious trouble. And who says you won't grab attention? Trust me you look damn pretty in whatever you wear and..." Abhedya shut his mouth. He couldn't believe he just said what his heartfelt. But with his Sona around, his heart ruled.

"Hehe!!" Swarnima giggled ignoring the last part as it would only increase the already high awkwardness they had.

"There are reasons the throne is yet not claimed," Swarnima said in a tired tone.

"What?" Abhedya asked bluntly.

"God!! Go study history and civics of Swarnbhoomi to get your answers!." Swarnima did not want to answer him so she left.

Abhedya held her hand and repeated, "I asked you something, answer me."

"The throne is not only waiting for its heir but it's Protector as well. You do know after the king/queen, the protector holds the most important position in  our State." Swarnima enlightened him.

Abhedya left her hand. He didn't know what to say.  Swarnima was waiting for her protector, that was HIM. And he still wasn't sure if he wanted to accept his role. Swarnima left for her room.

At about 11 she came with a big frame in her hand which she was unable to hold.

"Ask for help! It won't reduce your stature!" Abhedya saw her struggling with the frame. "What is it? It's so heavy."

"Anniversary gift." Answered Swarnima.

"Write my name on it too." Abhedya requested her.

"You always do that. You don't remember getting gifts then write your name with me and take half credit. But, no one will believe you have helped me in this one." Swarnima told him.

"Why? What is it?" Abhedya questioned her.

"A painting!! Can you even hold a brush?" Giggled Swarnima.

"Stop giggling. Just wait and watch I will get a better gift than you tomorrow then don't ask me to write your name on my gift." Abhedya challenged her.

"I bet whatever you get, my gift will be better, "Swarnima replied with confidence.

Abhedya put his hands on his waist and bet confidently, "we shall see." Saying that he pulled Swarnima's nose lightly.

"Aaouuuuu!" Swarnima rubbed her nose.

Hahaha hahaha, she heard Abhedya's laughter and stared at him.

"Let's go." Swarnima told him and went to the 'Mystery WALL'.
She pressed a button on the wall and it opened just like an 'elevator'.

"Wooaaa!! What's that? Dad came from here too." Abhedya asked curiously.

"It's a secret elevator which people who want to visit me use. Those are the people you are about to meet. It opens directly in the parking where my car is parked and I can leave without anyone noticing." Swarnima answered.

" you live in a hi-tech fort! You keep such a low profile. Who would even notice you?" Abhedya questioned.

"You have no idea! Dushyant Singh is a dangerous man! He has his moles everywhere.
He is planning something big." Swarnima alerted him with potent threat.

She opened her car boot and Abhedya kept her frame in the car. She took the driver seat when Abhedya said, "get down! I don't sit on the passenger seat with a girl. It's against the rules."

"Seriously? Abhedya sir?? That is such a chauvinistic attitude. Where were your rules when we were asked to follow the police yesterday? Now just sit else we will be late." Swarnima told him and put on her seat belt.

Abhedya banged the door hard and sat.
"What?? You can't be so angry for not letting you drive." Swarnima enquired as she drove.

Abhedya who was all riled up said, "you are indeed so much into your character. The stupid rule of college to call your seniors SIR/MADAM, you are following it still?"

"Is there any other relationship we share? Other than that of a senior and junior." Swarnima asked him honestly.

"We are... we are..." Abhedya didn't have an answer. They were friends, lovers, sweethearts, soulmate's but they were nothing of the above 'now'. Abhedya had declared "we cannot be friends" to her and himself. He was firm in his decision that he would never forgive her.
But with her around, the firmness in him melts. The child in him came out even without him realising. How will he stand on his decisions?

Swarnima crossed his house gate and Abhedya asked, "have you forgotten the address? You just crossed the house."

"We will use the back gate of the outhouse," Swarnima informed him.

They reached and Abhedya was about to get down when this time Swarnima held his hand and requested him, "I know that you will not be able to forgive me and I shall wait for the day you accept my apologies but just for the sake of family, can you pretend to have forgiven me and them. You see they didn't have a choice and they were only watching out for my safety and the State's welfare. I know it's too much to ask for, but if you think it's in your capacity to do so, can you? Please?"

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Dear Readers
Isn't it sweet that even though  Childhood sweethearts grow up their rants and fights and love remains the same?
Swarnima is madly in love with her Aby.
Abhedya also loves her but is unaware or pretending to be unaware.
But how long can you stop the love you are made for and meant for.
Next, update Abhedya's surprise.
Stay hooked
Lots of love.