Author's note: Let's just pretend Amayra is still a toddler

With her gaze casted downward, her nails dug into her palms, quite harshly, drawing blood.

Niha clenched her jaw, her eyes brimming with tears, not acknowledging the physical agony, it wasn't even as high as the mental exhaustion.

She glared at her phone before her vision blurred and she sank down on her bed.

Her blood matted hand went upto her hair, grabbing at both sides, frustration gnawing at her.

No, you're not going to cry.

Stop being weak.

Stop crying.

Don't be a crybaby.

It's not worth it.

They're not worth it.

Shut up.

Nothing seemed to work.

A muffled sob escaped her lips, the back of her hand pressing to her mouth in order to cover it up.

No one should be hearing you.

Don't be burdensome.

Too engrossed in her inner agony, she did not hear the repetitive knocks at the door, till the doorknob twisted and the door pushed open.

Her eyes clamped shut as the beam of bright light flickered into her darkened room and she buried her face in her knees.

The person walking in turned on the light sat down before her.

" Niha?"

She frowned, and lifted her face up to look at him.

" Kaka?"

Sachin looked at her tear stricken face, his forehead creasing as he turned her hand, and saw the blood trickling down her hand.

Disappointment and hurt morphed his eyes as he looked back at her.

Niha's heart clenched, guilt gnawing at her, realising she'd disappointed yet another person.

" Why would you do that?" His soft voice filled with concern pressed her to her breaking point and she burst into a fresh bout of tears.

His heart shattered, hating to see the girl who meant no less than his daughter to him, in such a pathetic shape

" Did Anant and Rashi call?"

Niha barely managed an imperceptible nod as she looked at him, her eyes suddenly morphing with horror as she grabbed onto his hand.

" Please don't call them. They'll think I was badmouthing them. Please. I don't wish to talk to them or see them till the wedding, which is still a month away. I want to avoid them as long as I can. Please don't call them Kaka."

" Niha-"

" Please." She begged, and begrudgingly gave in with a sigh.

" Alright. But you can't ask me to hide it from Anjali or Sara. They can tell. One look at you and they'll know."

" Kaka..." she murmured brokenly and before she could frame a proper sentence, Sara barged in.

" She said she'll be down in twenty minutes, it's forty-five minutes and she's still not-" She looked back from her Mother to her Father and her best-friend.

" Niha?" Her voice softened, concern morphing her features and Niha immediately wiped her tears, and made a miserable attempt of forcing a smile on her face as she stood up and looked at her best-friend.

The forced, cheerful smile slightly faltered seeing the expressions implanted on Sara's face.

" I want to talk to Niha alone." She softly, yet firmly told her parents.

" Sara-" Sachin and Anjali began, ready to defend Niha but Sara shook her head.

" Alone Mumma and Baba, alone. Please go downstairs, you can start with the dinner, Niha and I will join you in a short while."

Niha shook her head frantically, throwing the two a pleading look but Sara was firm, and she wasn't going to let this slide.

" How can the dinner start without the bride, give me a minute, I'll just change-"

" For once, it can."

" Shubman would be unhappy-"

" I'll talk to him about it later. He'll understand."

" Saru-"

" Niha." Sara cut her off, her voice soft yer firm as her eyes bore into hers and Niha gulped.

Sachin and Anjali left, shutting the door as they walked out and Niha paled, wondering what was about to come for her.

She stepped closer and Niha gulped as she turned towards the bedside drawer and pulled out the first-aid kit and sat down on the bed.

Niha fearfully sat beside her, her hand shaking as she extended it forward.

Sara gently tended to her wounded hand, and Niha teared up.

She didn't need anyone in the world, she had her best-friend.

But currently, her best-friend's silence terrified her.

The room was too quiet, and it was scarily quiet.

It was a kind of silence Niha hated.

She wanted her to speak.

Sara would be silent only when she's too upset, or too furious.

And right now, she was both.

" S-saru...."

Sara's gaze lifted up from her wounded palm, and she shot her a piercing glare, letting her know she was mad mad.

" Kaahitari bol."
"-At least say something."

" Kaay bolu? You tell me, do you want me to scream? Do you want me to shout? I don't like doing that, and you don't like it when someone does that. So what should I say? Tell me."
"-What should I say?"

Tears brimmed Niha's eyes at her cold tone as she grabbed onto her hand.

" I'm sorry. I really am."

Sara sighed tiredly.
" What do I do with that sorry of yours Niha? How is it of any use to me?"

" I'm really sorry."

" I don't want you to apologize Niha. I want you to stop hurting yourself each time your parents call. Why don't you get it? They're not worth you shedding your tears or drawing your blood. They're not even worth the amount of importance you give them. Niha, they hurt you quite easily and don't even look back and think about it, while here you are, hurting yourself over them, when they don't even care and are enjoying their life quite easily."

Niha sniffled as Sara gently wiped her tears, embracing her best-friend, drawing comforting circles on her back.

" I love you." She told her softly and Niha's eyes brimmed with tears again.

" I love you too. And I'm never forgiving that best-friend stealer for taking you away from me."

Sara laughed, soft, melodious laugh escaping her lips.

" No one's stealing me from you darling. I'm always your best-friend first. Now let's go? Wipe your precious tears, and change into whatever you like okay?"

Niha nodded and got up, walking over to the closet.

Sara sighed as she washed her hands.

Why couldn't her best-friend share her sorrows with her?

Why did she have to always harm herself like that?

What all did she have to do to prove that she was not a burden, and her feelings were not unimportant?

She was failing at being a good best-friend, wasn't she?

Holding back her tears as Niha walked out of the closet in a pink coloured kurta, with a white palazzo, she gave her a soft smile and the best-friends made their way out of the room.

I forgot my stupid keycard!

Abhay's eyes widened in horror as he tried feeling his pockets, but all they had was his phone.

Shubi's gonna kill me for sure!

He franctically turned towards his best-friend who was patiently waiting for his fiancée.

" Shubi..."

" There she is!" Shubman's face lit up like a child's when he was given his favourite candy or toy.

He positively beamed as he stood up and rushed over to his fiancée.

Everyone at the table broke into chuckles.

But not Abhay, his gaze fixed behind Sara, as Niha tried her best hiding away from everyone's gaze.

A frown embedded on his lips.

She never shied away from the attention, what got her to be so...timid today?

He noticed her sunken eyes, so dull, blank and unemotional, unlike herself.

She looked like she'd just cried, the dark circles under her eyes were quite evident and she'd made no whatsoever effort of hiding them this time, almost as if she were tired of pretending, putting up a facade of something that really wasn't there.

She still looked like the prettiest woman Abhay had ever seen, with that pretty pink kurta and the flary white palazzo, his gaze flickered to her hand, and then he saw it-the bandage.

His brows drew closer.

There was nothing on her hand all day, why was it now all wrapped up in a white bandage?

What had happened to her?

A sigh escaped his lips, barely audible.

She wouldn't tell him.

No why would she?

Of-course she wouldn't.

He tore his gaze away from her when Ishan cleared his throat next to him.

He had this I know what're you upto look on his face, and it irked Abhay to the core.

Ishan, as dumb as he'd appear to be at times, with his antics adding onto that image, was twice as sharp and observant than anyone would've ever imagined.

And he always knew everything.

" What?" Abhay arched a brow at him, to which, Ishan's smug grin widened and he shook his head.

" I could ask you the same thing."

" What for?"

He chuckled, earning a glare in return.

" Bhabhii! Apne pati ko sambhaalo, varna maine koot dena hai isko."

" Koot do!" Aditi shrugged, grinning, well aware he won't do it and Abhay let out a whine.

His gaze flickered away as he watched Niha slip into the chair next to Sara's, right in front of him.

" NINI!" Amayra screamed in delight like she was polishing her vocal chords as she immediately wriggled out of her mother's hold and rushed across to Niha.

Abhay grumbled, but he'd be lying if he'd have said he did not find the sight before him endearing.

" Careful! You'll fall!" Niha immediately held her, and scooped her up in her arms, and Amayra settled on her lap.

Her blank gaze had now lit up like crackers.

He watched as Amayra babbled into Niha's ears, telling her things as Niha made sure to feed the girl, and Sara made sure her best-friend was fed too.

Obliviously, a smile danced on his lips as he watched his niece with his arch nemesis.

The boys exchanged glances as they mouthed to each other that he was giving her heart eyes.

The girls had noticed it too, given how Jemimah and Shreyanka giggled, and the rest joined too.

Amayra tugged at Niha's sleeve to earn her attention when she'd looked away to answer a question someone had asked.

" Yes sweetheart?"

" Shoklet!" She murmured, pointing at the assorted chocolates laid out.

" No more chocolates for you Amayra! You've had more than enough for the day!" Sania's firm voice echoed and the toddler's face fell.

" Nini, please."

" If mumma says no, mumma knows why right? If you have too many chocolates, you'll fall sick, then no fun for Amayra! How sad is that?"

" Very." She mumbled, clearly not liking the idea of falling sick.

" No chocolates either! No cheese, no junk, only bitter medicines and khichdi, that too very bland!"

" No!" Amayra gasped, her eyes widening in horror and Abhay's smile widened.

" Amayra..." Sara's soft voice cut through and she immediately hid her face in Niha's arms, and everyone chuckled yet again.

Amayra had a not so secretive crush on Sara, something that made everyone giggle.

She peeked out of Niha's arms, and Sara peeked back with a grin.

The interaction melted Shubman's heart, a fond glimmer dancing on his lips.

Amayra shifted into Sara's lap, her pale cheeks flushing red as she kept giggling.

" You so pretty!" Amayra said, patting her cheeks and Sara laughed.

" You're the prettiest!"

" Really?" She gasped in delight and Sara nodded

" Yes!"

" Mumma she says me pretty!" Amayra turned to her mother with the widest of grins stretched across her face and Sania laughed, nodding her head.

As the dinner ended, Abhay rushed upto Niha before she could disappear.

" What is it Sharma?" Niha asked, her kinesics made it quite clear that she was in no whatsoever state of bickering with him.

" I uh...here." Abhay's hand stretched out of the pocket with a tube in hand.

" What's that?" She arched a brow.

" Cream."

" I got that doofus, I'm asking what cream?"

" Oh uh...antiseptic. Komal Di says...it helps with wounds. I...often tend to hurt myself in the nets, and being an all-rounder I gotta avoid wounds, so...it just heals faster."

" I already have my wound tended to." She raised the bandaged hand, biting back the smile that danced at realising he'd noticed.

" Still...just...keep it." He thrust it into her other hand, heat creeping up his neck and cheeks, instantly reddening.

" Anyway, you look even more ugly when you're upset. At least you look tolerable when you smile."

" Are you saying you like it when I smile Sharma?" Niha asked, letting her playful demeanour slip into the open and he groaned.

" Fuck off Bakshi!" He turned away on his heel, leaving behind a trail of melodious laughter, a laughter that had his heart skip a beat, and elict a smile.

He ran into Amayra, whose arms instantly widened, demanding to be held which he gave into.

As he stood up, with her in his arms, she made him face the other side, where Niha stood, talking to Sara.

" Mamu." She tugged at his sleeve and he looked at her.

" Hmm?"

" Mami!" She pointed in the direction where Sara and Niha stood and Abhay nodded.

" That's right, Sara Mami cause Shubi Mamu's gonna marry her soon."

Amayra little palm went upto her forehead, shaking her head at how stupid her Mamu was.

" No no! Mami!" She pointed very clearly at Niha this time and his eyes widened in horror.

" Mayra no you don't point fingers like that! And she's not your Mami! Who told you she's your Mami?"

Amayra simply tore her gaze away to look at her Mother and Aunt standing in a corner who sighed, shooting Abhay a sheepish grin as they scurried out of sight as fast as possible.

Abhay glared at his sisters' retreating silhouttes, and inhaled a sharp breath.

" Amayra, woh aapki Mami nahi hai, okay?" He told her in the softest possible tone, hoping for her to nod and give a thumbs up, saying Okie enthusiastically like she always did.

But to his utter disappointment and horror, Amayra stubbornly shook her head, scowling rather adorably, yet fiercely.

" Mami!" She said, almost as if declaring that she was going to take no one else as her aunt, and Abhay felt like crying.

But sometimes, when Amayra was sure of something, it was quite hard changing her mind.

And, the situation right now, seemed to be no different.

So he simply gave a nod, letting out a defeated sigh.

Mami it is!