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Kabir entered the room which consisted of too much furniture. He disliked the hues which had been chosen. He would have appreciated even if the walls would have been painted plain white but the walls were all burnt orange with red circles. There was no television, no bookshelf and no dining table. Only three chairs were arranged around the bespoke fireplace which leaped with a gas flame. The photographs which were based on weird historical themes were hung on the wall. He kept his documents on the table and glanced at Shrikha.

"Shri, these are my clothes." He spoke as he found her packing his bag.

"I know that Kabir, you need not stay here for me. I can take care of myself." Shrikha replied.

"I won't let you live alone, at least not in this place." Kabir said as he kept his clothes back in the cupboard.

"I can take care of myself Kabir. I don't want to trouble you. I have seen you working late nights and accompanying me in the morning to my surveys and projects that need to be done. I have heard you cancelling and delaying meetings just because of me. I don't want to disturb you Kabir. I will return back to Sameer's mansion after few days, once my work gets completed."Shrikha spoke.

"You are my priority Shrikha. Kaam toh baad mai bhi ho sakta hai but your safety is more important to me than all these things. I am not going to leave you alone in such a place. Don't stress yourself Shri, you ain't troubling me." Kabir said as he placed his palm on her cheeks with a genuine smile lingering on his face.

"Why do you like me so much Kabir?" Shrikha questioned him as she stared at their handholds for seconds.

"Because you cook really well," Kabir replied.

"I am serious at this moment Kabir." Shrikha wailed as she frowned.

"I don't need a reason to like you, Shri."

"Kabir be serious. There must be a reason for liking me." Shrikha said again.

"Shri if I liked you for a reason, then it is just infatuation or lust. There will be no genuine feelings but just hidden motives. You are rich as well as beautiful, I guess these reasons are enough for loving a person." Kabir replied to her in a way as if these are the only things he cared about her and no more. Shrikha pursed her lips trying to hold back her laughter. She wanted to laugh because she found his honesty very cute. This might be the real answer behind him loving her, she was quite impressed by his answer as people often cover it up using lame reasons to justify themselves and she had always adored him for his truthfulness.

"That means that you don't value my inner strength and qualities. Your thoughts are so superficial and materialistic. Well, I am just okay financially and could be termed as a settled person. I don't consider myself rich or very beautiful. But seriously, there are tons of girls who are rich and beautiful, a lot of them are prettier and wealthier than I am. I wish for a person who values my uniqueness and my own value." Shrikha replied but frowned as he heard his giggles.

"Can I ask you a few questions?" Kabir said at which she bobbed her head in a way of yes.

"Why do you cook food for me even though you don't like cooking?"

"Because I care for you. I have seen you munching on junk food. Eating junk food on a daily basis is not good for your health."Shrikha replied again.

"Why do you end our fights by compromising?" He asked her.

"Because most of the fights begin just because of me. I know I am short-tempered and mostly take out my frustration on you. You still listen to me patiently and it's really rare that you revert back angrily. If you do so that means you are really disturbed with something so I prefer compromising and apologizing rather than dragging the fights. It's basically because I don't want to lose a friend like you." She replied.

"Why do you listen to all my shitty things when I am angry and counsel me to fight back life when I feel upset and disappointed? Why do you act as a catalyst to boost my confidence when I feel low?"

"Because I genuinely care for you and always wish you to be happy." She replied.

"Your unconditional love, care and many more things make me like you. If you won't accept loving me, I will always be there for you and wish for your happiness. It really does not matter to me about you being rich and pretty. Even if you are not pretty and rich, I would still like you in the same way as I do at this moment. I was just playing with the words Shri to annoy you." Kabir spoke with a sweet smile plastered on his face. He stared at her eyes which swirled with unknown feelings, overwhelmed by his true words.

"Let's date." She uttered, making Kabir stare at her in horror.

"I guess I heard something wrong." He mumbled while Shrikha hit his head playfully.

"Let's date for a month. I don't know whether I like you or love you at this moment. Neither do I wish to take any decision in haste. I guess if we spend some time with each other, I would get a clearer picture of what I must do. Vaise bhi I always wanted someone who has a great sense of humor and who genuinely cares for me. Let's see if things work out between us." She replied at which he bobbed his head in a way of understanding.

"Take your time though I never expected us to date each other so early, I would make you fall for me." Kabir said. He smirked only to receive a glare from her. He pecked her fingers softly and sat on the extra bed that was placed on the floor checking his files. Shrikha stared at him for seconds.

"Listen, do not give me the chance to go away, Kabir." Shrikha said with a smile on her face.

"I have a better idea Shri, stay with me forever." Kabir said, making her smile but at the very next moment she realised something. She wore a shrug which was placed on the table and took her purse.

"Where are you going?" Kabir questioned as he rushed towards her.

"I had to meet Maa, she must be waiting for me. Yo-You know I met her today morning and she responded to my talks. I have to go, I had promised that I would meet her." Shrikha said with a constant smile on her face making Kabir worried.

"Listen, Shri. Everything will be okay. Don't stress yourself." Kabir spoke as he held her face in his palms staring at her eyes.

"Kabir I am getting late and everything is fine. My maa, she must be waiting for me." Shrikha said as she took off his hands gently.Kabir kept staring at her retreating figure, then palmed his face letting out a sigh.

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"Naina." Sameer called her, placing his palm on her head. She looked at him as she wiped her teary eyes and gestured to him to speak.

"Trust me, when I say you will be safe I mean it. Those you had troubled you in the past would surely get what they deserve. I am there with you, there for you." Sameer said as he caressed her face with his thumb. He stared at her, only to realise that her brain had built walls which prohibited anyone from entering the vulnerable side of hers leaving her lonely on the other side. He only wished if she would have given him a chance to unravel her and help her to be the carefree child which she is by heart.

"Even you would hate me once you know about my past." Naina uttered, breaking the silence which had prevailed.

"I would never leave you because of anything related to your past. In fact I know your past, I know that you had been harassed by your uncle. I had said this before Khaza, all these things don't matter to me. I would still respect and care in the same way I used to." Sameer said.

"This is not even a part of my miseries Mr. Maheshwari. There are a lot of things you ain't aware of. You are still unaware of the ugliest truths of my life which would make you hate me." She replied as she shifted away from him and stared outside the window. He pondered over what she had just said. 'Was there even more left to be known?' He questioned himself. He gazed at his wife who had rested her head against the window, tears still streamed down her cheeks which pierced his heart. He leaned towards her and pecked her cheek, intervened his fingers with hers, resting his head on her shoulders.

'Being sad is the book of what hurts you and it takes courage to read pages inked in your own tears.'

Sameer got down the car as they reached a hotel. He opened the door for Naina and leaned towards her, resting his hands on either side of her on the seat.

"Let's go back home. I-I don-don't want to go there. Mujhe nahi jaana vaha." Naina sobbed, evidently trembling.

"I am there with you." He said, placing his palm on her cheeks.

"B-But you had promised me that you won't take me where I do not wish to go. You lied to me then. Y-You are a liar Mr. Maheshwari who knows how to play with words! Y-You can never understand me else you would have never lied to me." Naina yelled.

"I have never lied to you Naina! I won't do anything that would hurt you. I had promised you and I am going against it for a reason which I can't tell you at the moment. I am assuring you that I would be there with you, can't you trust me once!" He screamed, making her flinch. He pressed his temples, cursing himself for losing his calm.

"Sorry." Naina mumbled, staring at her fidgeting fingers.

"We are getting late." Sameer uttered. Naina got down from the car and stared at her husband for a few seconds.

"Can I hold your hand?" She asked him, at which he nodded his head in a way of okay. She wrapped her hand around his bicep. Sameer fished out a red box and took out a gold ring from it.

"Naina." He called her forwarding the ring. She stared at him for a few seconds in confusion.

"For me?" She asked.

"Yes, it's just for pretending as a happy couple before your family. Don't take me wrong." He replied and slipped the ring in her finger. Naina bobbed her head in a way of understanding as she noticed him wearing a gold ring too. She touched the ring in daze, noticing that it was Celtic, the strands of the trinity making the eternal knot. It felt blessed to be given a ring by her man but at the very next moment her happiness was crushed. 'Just for pretending' he made her wear it. Emptiness embedded in her heart. She considered herself decent at hiding her emotions, masking it with normal human emotions but it did hurt. It hurts to be sidelined always.Passing a fake smile to Sameer she preferred to stay silent.

"Hello." Sameer said as he picked up the call.

"When are you coming here? We have been waiting for you guys." A man spoke on the other side.

"I have booked a room and will attend the get-together after 8." Sameer replied.

"All of us are waiting for Naina, missing her so much." The man spoke.

"See you soon, Naresh." Sameer said as he hung the phone.Naina

"Why are y-you doing this Mr. Maheshwari? I had told you what he had done, still you are talking to him, being so friendly as if nothing had happened. Even you don't trust me like others?" Her voice trailed off slowly, as if her words were unwilling to take flight. There was an imbue of sadness in her eyes while her brown orbs turned glossy. She slipped her hand off him and moved away from him. Sameer swaddled his hand around her waist.

"Listen to me Khaza." He said calmly as she pushed him away.

"Is there anything left to be listened to, Mr. Maheshwari?" Naina asked, pushing him away from her angering Sameer. He pushed her against the car and held her by her shoulders.

"Just trust me. I am doing it for the best, for you and your happiness." He said hoarsely as he pecked her forehead.

"Trust is earned Mr. Maheshwari but your actions are completely opposite to your words." Naina spoke as she averted her gaze,not looking at him.

"I am doing these things for you Naina. I have been literally begging you to trust me once, can't you trust me for once?" Sameer replied.

"I want to go back home." Naina mumbled against her breath.

"We can't, not at this moment." Sameer replied as he stepped back.

"I just want to go back home!" She yelled. Sameer stared at her for a few seconds and scooped her in his arms. She tried wriggling off his hold, hitting his shoulders asking him to leave her. As they reached their room, he made her sit on the bed. She huffed in anger seeing him. Sameer let out a deep chuckle seeing her angry.

"You look cute even when you are angry Khaza." He said as he pecked her flaring red nose and went to lock the door. Naina got up and sat on the sofa, hugging her knees and dipping her head between them.

"Why are you so scared Naina?" He asked as he placed his palm on her head gently.

"You won't understand."She uttered as she tilted her head to look at him.

"I said I am with you. Why do you cry so much, Naina. When they tortured you could have taken help of law? You should have taken a stand for yourself Khaza." Sameer said as he sat next to her.

"I couldn't because they are my family." Naina replied in a low tone.

"So in that case they could do anything to you and you won't correct them. Galti sirf unki hi nahi hai tumhari bhi hai Naina. People like you support them in their wrong doings. Family hai toh kya hua, don't you have self respect? Nobody has fucking rights to touch you in a wrong way, hit you without any fault. When I say nobody, it includes your so-called family and also me." Sameer spoke.

"But I don't have the guts to do that. Nobody used to trust me there. Even if I would have screamed my lungs out they would have never believed me. When I told my parents about Mamaji with whatever courage I had left  in me, they said that I deserved it. I had nobody by my side. Even when Dhanish tried to help me I refused him to do so because at the end of the day he was just a friend of mine, a mere stranger to my family. If those people come back again saying that they accept me, I would welcome them in my life without any second thought. I just wish for a family and crave for being loved since my childhood." Naina spoke as a lone tear rolled down her cheeks. Sameer wrapped his arm around her waist and held her head with another hand caressing her hairs softly.

"Am I so hateable?" She mumbled as she sobbed,clinging against him.

"Not at all, Khaza. Sometimes it's okay to not be okay. Never cry for people who hurt you, Naina." He murmured at which she hummed in response. After a few minutes, he could feel her body relaxed, clinging to him breathing steadily. He made her lay on his lap as he did not want her to hurt her back when she woke up. His staring session was disturbed by the ring of his phone.

"Is everything okay?" Sameer questioned as he picked up the phone.

"Shri has gone to meet her mother." Kabir replied.

"You should have accompanied her," Sameer said.

"How can I? How will I face her mother? Even if I meet her mother, I will feel guilty for those things." Kabir spoke as his voice trailed.

"You weren't at fault Kabir, even you know that. Why don't you tell the truth to Shrikha? She will surely understand." Sameer advised.

"She would hate me, Sameer,"Kabir replied helplessly.

"So will you never tell her about these things Kabir?" Sameer asked.

"Not at this moment at least. Everything between us is just getting better and I do not want to lose her. I would tell her when I feel it's the right moment." Kabir replied.

"If you feel like doing so, go ahead." Sameer replied at which Kabir hummed in response and cut the phone.

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