Kriya

"Kriya, what are you doing?" Smriti asked out of the blue while brushing my hair.

"Huh?"

"What are you doing with your life? With Swayam?"

"Auntie please, we are friends and us being married doesn't change that equation between us. Stop forcing the relationship on us." I might have sounded rude, but I was irritated. First, she talks to Swayam and then seeing that would go nowhere, to me. It is our lives. Can't we just live it like we want to?

Smriti dropped the matter for the time being. And I was glad of that. "Where's Vicky?" I asked, realizing I hadn't seen him since the night of the attack.

"Swayam said he's out with his friends. He'll be back tomorrow." Smriti informed me, helping me lay down on the bed.

Swayam

The rest of the day, Kriya mostly slept. The pain-killers and antibiotics kept her drowsy for most part. As night came, she found it hard to continue sleeping. "Swayam, can you take me for a walk?" She pouted as I sat on her study table working. She never questioned me about it. "I can't sleep anymore."

Without looking up from the laptop screen, I told her. "Kriya, it's late and cold outside too. The weather will clog your blood and it needs to stay warm."

"Get up." She ordered. "Come here." I did. "Put your arms around me." I was confused as she ordered me to. "See! All warm." She proved her point. She wasn't realizing what she was speaking.

I rolled my eyes, sighing. "Fine. We'll go, but only in the backyard and around. Not far."

Her face lit up as if she was five years old offered bunch of candy. "Oh thank you thank you thank you soooo much!" Excitedly, she pulled me in a tight hug. I chuckled at her cute reaction.

Wrapping her in a blanket and a thick jacket after putting on a jacket myself, I led her out. Smriti had already gone to bed so we made sure we were very quiet while leaving the house. I led Kriya towards the back of the house where a mini yard laid. She hadn't walked in almost a day and half, so I walked besides her to make sure she didn't stumble around, least she hurt herself further.

One could never be too careful around Kriya. She'd get into accidents all the time. If she didn't hurt herself at least thrice a day, she wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully. She started to run when I pulled her back resulting in her crashing into me. "Careful there." I helped her balance on her feet once again. "I agreed on a walk. Not a marathon."

She narrowed her brows and let out a low growl to show her displeasure but nevertheless, abided. When I was sure she'd be able to handle herself, I let her walk in front. I knew she had to feel the cold on her face but was still adamant on staying outside.

She walked slowly making sure the movements weren't causing her back to strain. No matter how much she hides her pain, sometimes it was just easy to let it show. After a few steps, she paused and looked up at the night sky. Seeing how it was brightly lit with stars and the shimmering glitter all around, a sweet smile spread on her face.

That was all it took for her to feel happy and forget all the problems and pain in her life. In that one moment, she could forget it all and her heart would feel very light. The soft cold breeze chilled her skin, but she didn't seem to care. Somehow, it calmed her nerves and she seemed to like the feeling. I know because she had told me once. I could never forget that night.

It was her birthday party, but she wasn't inside with the guests. It felt more like a party on the reason of her birthday, but no one really cared about that. I had found her outside, laying down in her garden.

"Shouldn't you be inside?" I asked.

She smiled and sat up seeing me. "I could ask you the same question."

I found myself smiling at her courage to reply back to me. Just a day ago, she was scared. And now, the opposite. "Yeah, parties are not really my scene."

She replied, "Neither are they mines. Too crowded. You can barely hear yourself talk. What's the point?"

I asked, "It is for your birthday. Wouldn't your friends want to talk to you?"

She simply shrugged. "They aren't my friends." I must have looked confused, for she went into details. "They are all Sharon's friends. And my parents business associates and their families."

"Then where are your friends?"

She didn't answer for a second, looking sad but then smiled and pointed above. "Right there." I followed her index finger and saw her pointing at the stars.

"Stars?" Not the answer I was expecting. It even sounded childish.

She nodded. "Yes, I can tell them anything. They won't judge me..."

Then, it all made sense. Due to Sharon, she never had her own friends. If anyone was friends with her, it was so they could use her to be friends with Sharon. We just sat there in silence, when she suddenly asked. "Will you be my friend?"

"Excuse me?" Again, not what I was expecting.

"See, you don't have a choice. If you're going to be sitting here and not let me and my friends have a conversation, you're going to have to be our friend. So we can all talk."

I laughed at her response. Not in a way to mock her, but simply because I was amused by her reply. She was too nice for her own good.

"So will you?" She asked for an answer.

Without thinking, I nodded. I told myself, I only nodded because I wanted to stay here a bit longer and not have to go back to the party.

She squealed and hugged me. I sat there frozen while she blabbered on, "See, stars, now I have two friends. You and the one who is right next to me. You guys leave in the morning, but he won't leave me. Okay, stars, this is Swayam. He likes to think he's very dangerous, but he's actually not a bad person at all. I don't get why even my dad says that. Or everyone else, for that matter. See, he's our friend, isn't he? When no one else wants to be. Then, how can he be bad?"

I cleared my throat. Did she even realize that she was talking about me like I wasn't there? And that she was still hugging me?

When she looked back at me, she must have realized, for she pulled back. "Oh. Um, I'm sorry."

I asked, "So, will you introduce me to all of your friends?"

She nodded excitedly and got up. "Come." She pulled me to a telescope at a distance and adjusted it, before saying, "See, that's..." And on she went on to pointing each constellation. I wondered, how someone who was just 14 know so much about constellations, astronomy, and recognize them all. She sure did spend a lot of her time here.

I finally caught up to her when I decided she had enough of the cold weather. "Alright, stop." I made her turn around and buried her face, pulling the blanket around her tighter. "Kaisi bandi ho tum yaar? [What kind of a person are you?] Your face is literally going white but you still want to stay outside."

"Tum ho na." She smiled and put her hands around my waist, like she had that night, as she hid her face in my jacket. She then walked backward and I front. She didn't pause to think before replying or hugging me. I was sure of that. She never did. She just went with her impulse, and acted before thinking. It got her in tight situations many times; she never seemed to learn from past incidents, however.

"You're crazy." I whispered to her.

Kriya

I rethought my own statement and realized just how much I had started to depend upon him. For even the smallest things in life. I realized I was so used to this life that I couldn't imagine a life now without him in it; without things being the way they were - even if they were twisted at the moment.

Twisted was the new 'normal' in my life.

When he was leaving, I asked him. Something about the way he was looking at me was different. "Are you coming back for the weekend?”

He didn't respond for a few seconds. "Yeah," He finally said.

I smiled and hugged him lightly, without hurting myself. "See you then. And oh, don't forget to call when you reach?"

He nodded. "Be safe." Then, he turned and left.

I went back inside and asked Smriti, "Did you think Swayam was behaving differently?"

She just shrugged, giving no opinion. Now, I was sure she knew something. She never held back a comment unless she knew.

I sighed, and left for my room to get ready for college. I opened my closet to change and saw it was a mess; all thanks to Swayam. In just a matter of four days, he had turned my room upside down, from clean and spotless to the worst.

Somehow, I didn't mind.

Somewhere, it was my fault.

I kept on asking him for all these things and kept on changing my mind about what I wanted to wear. Making sure not to let the pain elevate, I sat on my knees to pick up the pile and one by one, hang them. I came across a white-netted half-coat. To say, it was meaningless. But I just kept it, even though it didn't fit me anymore, because that was what I had worn to my first day of high-school.

"Please... let me pass." I politely asked the tall guys that I did not know. Seeing how they were bossing others around, I only assumed one thing. They were seniors, maybe some of them even juniors or sophomores.

"Aww! So cute and innocent little freshman can be!" One of them mocked. They started circling around me. I held on tightly to the books in my hand. I was scared. I hadn't even done anything to them, and yet. I wasn't able to understand why they were being mean towards me. A tear made its way down my cheek. Why did no one tell me high school was like this? Or... is it just like this for me?

"Let her be." A firm voice startled them all, including me. With blurry eyes and more tears threatening them, I lifted my eyelids to look up at the source. Swayam. He walked closer to the one who seemed to be their leader. "I said, let-her-be." He gritted through his teeth.

"Oh, look. Now, some nobody is going to tell us what to do and what not to." He taunted; however, it did not make Swayam flinch a bit.

"Come on, now." Swayam eased, "Why should you guys have all the fun?" My eyes widened. And here, I was thinking that he was speaking in my favor. The boys laughed. "She comes with me," Swayam continued and added, 'that is if you guys have no problem with that."

"Now we're talking." The leader nudged Swayam, as if they were friends since long. "Let's go guys, we have other things to do." Everyone left, leaving Swayam and me alone. It was rare, and this was one of the rare moments when I was fuming.

Swayam rolled his eyes and grabbed my wrist, forcing me to walk with him. "Let go of me!"

"Your schedule?" He asked instead of heeding to me. I gave no response. He sighed, getting frustrated, and grabbed my books from my hand, leaving my wrist. It was as if he knew, without my books, I wouldn't go anywhere. Flipping through it, he found my schedule. Noting the room number of my next class, he shut the book and once again grabbed me by the wrist.

"Give me my books back!" I yelled at him, surprising myself. I never yelled at anyone.

Swayam chuckled. "Decide, books or for me to let you go?"

I frowned, squinting my brows at him. "Both."

"There's your class." He replied instead and handed me only one of the books from the three. I waited for him to give the other two, but he did not. "I'm going to hold on to these until after this class. I'll be in the football field. Come find me when your class ends, if you want them back."

I wasn't understanding him now. I looked down at my wrist which was still captured by him. He followed my gaze and realizing, let go. I turned to leave, but he stopped me for a brief second, "You're welcome, by the way."

By the time I connected the dots, he was long gone. It took me some time to realize that he had said what he had so they'd leave me alone. He had walked me to my class so no one else would bother me. He had taken my books so when I would go to meet him to get them back, I'll be with him and no one will bother me.

"There is good in you." I whispered to no one in particular. Smiling, I entered the class.

Coming out of the past, I gasped. Suddenly, it all made sense. I grabbed my phone and dialed Swayam's number. I didn't wait for him to say hello, and just informed. "Swayam, hey, I figured it out; how Rey is connected to all of this."

I was met with silence for a few seconds, before he replied, "I'm coming back."

Once the phone call ended, I sighed and waited. This sudden realization was making my heart heavy. I knew there had to be a real reason why I disliked Rey, and not just because he was a stoner, badass, and all that.

I knew it'd take time for Swayam to turn back around and drive back. So, I decided I might as well attend my classes for the day. I've already missed a lot of them.

Hannah and Caroline found me where I was sitting in the cafeteria. They immediately bombarded me with questions.

"Where the hell were you?"

"You can't even reply to your texts?"

"You can't let us know about your accident?"

"We don't even know where you live! How are we supposed to come meet you?"

"GUYS! Chill, I'm fine now, as you both can see. As for the messages, I did not have my phone with me. Aunt took it away. I'm sorry I couldn't inform you both." I replied.

Hannah made me promise, "Promise it won't happen again?" I willingly nodded, also to get out of the situation, knowing that was the only way they were going to let me go. But... I was starting to guilty. They were my friends. They cared. They deserved to know the truth. But, I was afraid.

Fear.

It always did pull me back from everything that I should have done, but never did despite it being the right thing to do.

××××××××××××

As I sat in my class fidgeting with my pen and not really taking notes or paying attention to the lecture, Taani took the seat next to me." How're you feeling now? She passed the note.

I looked at her as if wondering how she knew. Taani took the note back and wrote. Roy told me you weren't feeling well? Besides, no need of an expert to figure out something must be wrong for you to not attend classes almost the whole week.

I wrote back. All fine now =)

If you need any notes, let me know!

I might need today's notes as well.

Sure! Oh and I'm having a party this weekend at my clubhouse - if you'd like to come? Hannah and Caroline will be there...

Reading it, I wondered why Taani was suddenly offering me notes and inviting me to party. We weren't really friends. It was only since maybe two weeks that we talked? I did find it a bit suspicious but then put that thought aside.

I'll try to. I might have something to do this weekend.

I wasn't sure how things would go after I tell Swayam what it had taken me a year and a half to realize. Taani nodded back in response. I thought and took the note back from Taani to write something more.

Can I bring someone along?

"Definitely." Taani said as everyone started getting up with the professor dismissing the lecture early for the day. At the front, the professor had put up a list. Everyone was paired up with another person for a project presentation. This was supposed to be 50% of our final exam for the class. I wish he had chosen to just give a test. I was so not a public speaker.

Reading the name next to mine, I sighed. Just great. I looked around to find him standing right next to me. He had the same look on his face, along with something else that I couldn’t recognize. It almost looked like he was happy. Then again, I told myself, ofcourse he would be. He’d just gotten another chance to irritate me, make me uncomfortable.He better not start asking me again about why I hate him. 

I wanted to avoid him. Avoid him for the reason he was related to Sharon, for the way he made me feel uncomfortable, and for what had almost happened that night. I had a feeling he wouldn’t let me forget about it anytime soon.

“So, partner.” He was the first to speak.

“I have to go,” I interrupted before he had the chance to say anything else. Until I talked to Swayam and figured things out, I wasn’t going to stay anywhere around him, even if we were partners and we had a major project to start and have it completed in a month’s time.

××××××××××××

Swayam

Once the phone call ended, I sighed. My plans never went the way I wanted them to when it concerned distancing myself from Kriya. I had thought of it all. I had asked Rey to look after her. I was sure he would. I had just forgotten one minute detail. He was connected to Sharon - in some way, which Kriya now knew. And I couldn't take the chance that Sharon could manipulate Rey, which could end in Kriya getting hurt.

I can stay away from her, but I can't live knowing she was hurt. As much as I didn't want to complicate things between her, myself and Rey, I decided I would have to return. I had told her I might visit over the weekend when she'd asked. In all honesty, I wasn't planning on it. Then again, I wasn't planning on returning this soon either.

I called my personal secretary, "Hey, it's me." I said when it was answered, even though I knew she knew since she had the number saved. I troubled the poor girl a bit too much daily, and it worked out fine since she didn't mind.

Given that I was driving, I had the phone on speaker. "I know, Swayam. What can I do for you?"

"Remember I said I was coming back today?" I started.

She already had caught on to what I was going to say next. "You need me to push back meetings because you cannot make it again."

"Yes, please?"

I could just see she was rolling her eyes. "Ofcourse, why think about what all I have to go through from your clients when they get pissed off?"

I sighed, "I know. I'm sorry Aashi. You know I don't do it on purpose. Things just come up."

"You mean Kriya?" She asked.

Yes, she knew everything about Kriya. Other than Kriya herself, and my cousin brother, she was the only other friend I had that I wasn't afraid to share my feelings with - things I couldn't tell Kriya because they were about her.

"You know me so well."

"That I do. Is everything alright? You've never been gone this long."

"I'm not sure yet. Rest assured, I am coming back as soon as I figure things out."

"Are you really sure you want to do this, Swayam?" She asked, speaking as my friend, not as I was her boss.

"It needs to be done. I'm just holding back her life."

She sounded frustrated, "You're an idiot; you know that? You're doing anything but that! Look, I might have not met Kriya, but from what you've told me, I can be damn sure that you're the only reason her life is all put together right now."

"Can we not talk about this?" I asked. Well, more like telling her that this conversation was going to end right here. I didn't need her to talk me out of things I had worked so hard on to decide.

She laughed, surprising me. "Sure, boss. But mark my words. I already know that you won't be coming back on Monday like you do after every weekend."

"Yes, I will." I argued back, and demanding myself that I will prove her wrong. Sure, there were tons of times when she challenged me into things and she always ended up being right. She never rubbed her 'I-told-you-so' line on me, but it was well-implied.

"Keep telling yourself that, and maybe you'll believe it. I, for one, know you don't really mean that."

I asked, frustrated. "How?"

"Because I know you love her, and no one can leave the person they love just like that. Not when the extent of their love is as deep as yours, and not when the two of you share this bond. Trust me, I know."

Now... there was nothing I could argue back with. She did know, because she had tried to do the same. Even though she knew it was the right thing to do by leaving, she couldn't do it. Not wanting to indulge her in her life and in talks that I knew would hurt her, I sighed.

"I'll see you soon, Aashi. Take care."

"Bye Swayam."

An hour later, I was back. Walking in, I saw Smriti was still here. Seeing me, she looked confused for a second, before she ended up grinning that smirk. "Couldn't stay away, could you?"

"I can."

"But still, you're back. Why can't you just accept it? You can't not come back. For Kriya, you will always come back."

"You don't know that," I snapped. I was starting to hate just how people were starting to assume things about me. So what if it were true? Is it a crime to care?

She laughed, "I do know that Swayam. The guy who can change so much because of her can never leave her."

"Whatever," I mumbled and went off towards my room.

"I'll see you later!" She yelled back, before leaving. I heard the front door click, and I knew she had left for her place. I indulged myself in work while I waited for Kriya to return. Everything people around me were saying was messing with my head. But no, I had made the decision. It was time for me to leave. It was time for Kriya to live without fear.

I would know how Rey is connected, figure out how to get to Sharon through him, and then... give her what she wants so she will leave Kriya out of this. Knowing her biggest weakness, I was going to play this so called Love Game.

And, it would be on my terms.

It was about time we meet again.

××××××××××××

Kriya

I saw Swayam's car in the drive-way and I knew he had returned. I rushed in, just wanting to tell him so I could feel relieved. It was starting to take a toll over my heart, and I didn't like the feeling.

"Hey," I breathed out seeing him in his room. He was lazing around on the bed.

He sat up seeing me. "Hey, how was college?"

I shook my head, "I'll tell you later. First... about Rey." He nodded, and I sat down opposite him at the edge of the bed before telling him the story. "Remember first day of high-school? Your second day living with us?"

He did. "Yeah, your birthday."

I nodded. "Yes... you saved me from those guys."

"How is that important? It's the past."

"Because one of them was Rey. He was the one who had started to harass me before his friends joined."

He was silent for some time, as if connecting the dots, and then I could see realization dawn on his face. "That was him?"

I bobbed my head up and down. "I don't know why I didn't see it before. He doesn't look all that different... but yes. That was him. I knew there was a reason why I didn't like him."

"And he was Sharon's friend." He muttered.

I narrowed my eyes, "How do you know?"

"There are things you don't know Kriya that I do."

Okay... what does that mean?

"Okay. Does this help you though? Figure out why Sharon is looking for him now? After all these years?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I got a pretty good feeling I know the reason."

I waited for him to tell me, but he never did. Instead, he told me to freshen up before he left to make dinner. I sighed and did as he asked. I guess I didn't really want to know the reason, else I would have made him tell me and he would have eventually given in and told me. I guess it was because it was connected to Rey... Roy... oh, whatever his name is!

××××××××××××

Roy

"So?"

"So... she did say she'd try to come but she might also be bringing someone. And if I were to guess, I'd say it was that friend of hers you mentioned." She replied.

My eyes crossed. "I think I'm starting to dislike this friend of hers."

Taani laughed, teasing. "Worried your charm might not work on her?"

"Oh please!" I brushed her teasing away and we went off to skip the rest of the college day.

That evening, I decided to stop by Kriya’s house. Two reasons: the project, and Taani’s notes. If we hadn’t ended up working together on the project, Taani had made it a point that I still get to see her, by asking me to give her notes to Kriya. I still felt horrible. I knew the feelings she had for me, and one’s I didn’t reciprocate. Yet, she didn’t hate me. She didn’t stop becoming my friend. She was still the only one closest me, the only one who kept me together and knew the most about me. To others, I wasn’t, but to her, I was an open book.

Swayam opened the door hearing the door-bell, to see me on the other side. "Hey" He greeted.

"Taani had asked me to give these to Kriya." I informed.

"Sure, this way." He led me to his room where Kriya was on his desk. I knew this wasn’t her room, because there was nothing ‘girly’ about it, and also because if I looked from my balcony, I could see her room. Sure, we lived on different streets, but it was the same neighborhood. This was why I was surprised that night when she drove me to my house. She knew where it was, despite never being there, and she had said her house was right off the next street.

I couldn’t ever see her clearly from my balcony, given the distance, but I knew it was her room since I often saw a figure in the balcony at night.

She smiling, hiding something though that, and taking the book from my hand. "Thanks!"

Swayam went back to living room.

"Can I ask you a question?" I leaned back on the table. She looked up at him, waiting for me to ask. "That night, you fought like a pro. You weren't scared at all."

She chuckled at my question, and pointed towards the certificate on the wall. "Black belt in karate and also learnt Tae-kwon-do."

I wondered why her certificate would be in Swayam’s room.

“Right. Well, about our project…”

“Yeah… we can start tomorrow?”

I nodded, “Your house or library?”

“Why not your house?” She asked.

“Too many people.” I lied, “We won’t have a quiet place there.” I hoped she’d buy that. I just didn’t want her there when my father would be home. I didn’t want her to witness any of it.

She nodded, “Okay, my house then. I’m not supposed to walk around much just yet.”

“Right, your stiches. Does it still hurt?” I asked. It had barely been a week.

She shook her head, “Not as much. It’s better, but Swayam says I should be careful.”

"Are you coming to the trip next month?"

"I - I don't think so."

"Why not? It'll be so much fun!"

"I know. But my 'doctor' over there might not give me permission to travel that far away."

"He's a fun-stopper, no offence."

"None taken! He is."

"I heard that." Swayam marked his presence at the door. Kriya and I wore a guilty-as-charged look on our face as we shared a look and looked away.

"Anyway, see you tomorrow."

I made a quick escape. I walked out, but not before hearing Swayam asking, “What 'fun' am I stopping now?" Swayam asked.

Kriya

"Just a trip to Maldives. Remember I told you about it?" I answered his question.

Swayam nodded. "You're right. This doctor isn't going to let you go."

I gave an idea a try. "You know, I'm 21. So technically, I don't need your permission."

"You're not 21 yet. And legally, I'm your husband. So yea, you kinda do."

He played that card and I slumped down on the chair.

"Kriya does not like this husband of her's at all." I whined speaking in third person, making Swayam chuckle.

He followed the rhythm. "And Swayam loves this so called husband of Kriya."

He left after giving me his laptop back and purposefully kissing the top of forehead, knowing it would only make me fume more. He loved it when I pouted so cutely. Even my anger amused him. I didn't understand that.

"Can I at least go to Taani's party this weekend? It's not across seas." I asked as he walked away from me.

"I'll think about it." He turned the TV on to a music channel and raised the volume up. It filled the house. I found it easier to study with melodious sounds playing in the background. I was studying in his room, because I had to use his laptop. Mines got some virus and it crashed. He said he would take it and have it fixed tomorrow.

About Roy, I wasn’t sure where we stood. Swayam had asked me to work on the project as if it were nothing. But how could I not behave differently? Like nothing had happened? He had bullied me! If Swayam hadn’t saved me… I don’t even want to think about what he would have done. He was my sister’s friend. If they met again, for sure he would take her side again. Wouldn’t he?

There was, however, one question bugging me. How come he didn’t remember anything? Sure, I’d grown up and looked slightly different from when I was a freshman in high school. It did seem like it was forever ago, almost seven years now. But still, I didn’t change all that much, looks wise. And he hadn’t changed that much either. Sure, he had a built body, and he was a taller. Then again, another question. What was he still doing in college? He should have graduated two years ago, just like Swayam. The two of them were in the same senior class back in high school.

I tried to remember as much as I could about my freshman year, but none of the memories had Roy in them, none except for how we’d first met. And I could only remember that because it was when Swayam had first been nice to me. The first time he had saved me, and he had been doing that ever since that day.

××××××××××××

Swayam placed the plates on the dining table. One for him, one for me and third for Vicky. I started munching on the salad, giving a grave look to Swayam. He was sitting in front of me, grinning and enjoying his burger while he forced me to eat salad and vegetables.

"You're no fun anymore." I scowled at him.

"Just eat.' He went back to his food. Neither spoke another word for the rest of the dinner.

“How come Roy doesn’t even remember you?” I asked. Roy was Sharon’s friend, and Sharon and Swayam were a couple. Surely they would have met? “You didn’t recognize him either.”

“Because we never met. Atleast not when I was with Sharon.”

“How is that possible? The two of you were always together.”

Swayam shrugged, and I had a feeling he did that because he didn’t want to tell me something. He was holding back, and I hated this. Off late, just like I was hiding some things from him, he was too. Since when did we start keeping things from each other?

“And as to why he doesn’t remember you… I did some digging around and as per hospital records, he got in an accident three years ago. The summer after we graduated. He was in coma for a year. Woke up with partial memory loss. Didn’t remember the last 2 to 3 years of his life. The doctors have asked for him to not try and recall either, as it might be dangerous, and if he tries too hard, he could very well slip have complete memory loss, or even slip back into coma.”

“Is that even possible?” I asked, I didn’t know much about medicine, but it didn’t seem like it should. Most people recall memories eventually. How come he didn’t even after years of waking up?

“Low chances, but possible in extreme cases. It’s possible he doesn’t remember because he doesn’t want to. His unconscious self is deliberately holding back the memories from him. It’s like a mechanism. To cope from something that could have happened years ago, and he doesn’t want to remember that.”

“So, if Sharon finds him?”

“Let’s hope she doesn’t. For his sake.”

I held back the fear, but I was sure it was visible in my eyes. I wasn’t scared for myself, but for Reyansh. And what scared me more is that I could even have any such feelings directed towards him. I shouldn’t be scared and worried about him, but I was, and that, I couldn’t comprehend.

Before he could say something to comfort me, I announced. "I'm going up. Don't start cleaning the plates now. Just pile it in the dish washer and they can be washed later on."

I entered Swayam's room that night, unable to sleep. I knew he must have been tired from taking care of me all these days along with his own work. I made sure to not wake him up and slipped next to him and found his hand in the dark. Holding on to it, I let my eye lids close. He must have felt me lay down next to him for when I held his hand, he gripped on to it tightly.

He shifted to face me, eyes still closed, and kept his other hand on top of mine. This action of his made it clear he knew I was there. "Good night." I whispered and he 'hmm'ed back in response. After that, I went to sleep with ease, the fear deep within disappearing for the time being.

××××××××××××

A/N: There's the reason! For more, wait for Swayam's POV (: It'll be in next chapter. This was getting too long... 18 pages!  It's Time to Return [B] will be chapter 10. I'm sure you can assume generally who shall return xP 

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Love,

~Araina.