It is said that life is not a bed of roses. It's a path full of thorns with nothing to protect your souls. Nobody could guess but could feel. And the fate connected to his life wanted him to experience the unexpected.

It feels like you don't have a choice at all. It's compulsory to walk down the lane even if it tears your skin apart, bleeds you to the point where you want nothing but to give in to the self consuming pain and fly away like a free bird to wherever you feel like, where nobody could catch you or bind you.

You have to keep walking. You need to or else watch your world fall apart right in front of your eyes. Like the fog vanishes in the presence of sunlight.

His mother always taught him that everyone have their shares of trials, struggles and pains that they all have to overcome or learn to live with them. They have to keep the hope that someone will always be there to save them from the struggle. She was wrong. No one can save anyone from these ramifications, from the agony. We have to deal with our pains and difficulties on our own to survive.

Life is hard but not impossible. But still his life had been merciful enough. There were some good parts too though. His rose. His angel. His sister. His Minnie. A beautiful rose, as a gift, in this garden of thorns.

He can't feel anything but grateful to his life, for once, for lending him the innocent angel straight from heaven. Just for him.

The person who is everything to me. The person whom I can't live without.The person whom I love most in this world. His heart recalled softly.

And the person whom you should hate from the bottom of your heart. The person who snatched away your everything. The person who made you an orphan. The person...

His mind was cut off by his heart, NOO!!

But it's the truth, the mind declared.

But it's not her fault, the heart contradicted softly with sadness.

Nothing soothes a soul like a fresh walk on the beach. This is what has brought Aarav Kapoor, early in the morning, on his 29th birthday here, to watch the sun rise expecting that the beautiful rays will at least cast some of its glow to his lonely life.

Aarav had always been attracted by beaches unlike Kairav who admired mountains. Strolling on the beach, watching the waves wash his legs sitting on the shore, was one of his favorite hobby. The serene calmness of the ocean were always able to calm down his raging thoughts. The light winds never failed to tend the burning pain in his heart. So, without a second thought, he slipped into the silky seat of his SUV and drived up to place where he loves to spent most of his time. While cooling off his scorching soul.

The mind replays what the heart can't delete. And Aarav could never be able to delete the corner of his heart which still hated his sister for snatching everything away from him even after trying desperately not to.

He and Kairav always wanted to have a baby sister who will sweetly call them Bhai. He was so happy when his mother told him that she was bringing a sweet angel just for him to play with. He still remembered the promise he gave to his mother that he will always protect his sister, no matter what.

He used to be so happy, dancing around his mother, doing naughty stunts, believing that one day, he will save his sister from their mother's scolding, when she will be here.

Suddenly, one day without any warning, everything fell apart. Such that he wanted nothing but to hate her sister from the core of his heart. He wanted to hurt her for ruining his everything.

But one look at her beautiful smiling face, her radiant face beaming at him, her glowing deep ocean like light blue eyes,  her small tiny hand clutching tightly at his little finger like she was holding her whole world at that moment. And he knew, it was late, too late to let her go. Because even before he could turn to have a look at her angelic innocent face, he was already in love with her, more than anything else in this world.

Just then, a sound of tingling laughter brought the train of his thoughts to a stop. He turned to have a look at the object of his disturbance. And the image in front of his sight speared him like frozen blue ice. It pierced all the way through his heart and soul, ripping him open. And he gasped and took a sharp breath to disguise his pain. Every second seemed to hurtle around him in fast forward, cocooning him in an invisible lonely bubble. He felt as if his heart would explode. Right in front of him was a child of about four years, playing happily with his father in the water. A lone tear travelled down his cheek. It was like watching a dream.

A dream which was shattered, broken even before it could be formed. A dream whose wings were smashed, crushed brutally even before it could learn how to raise them. A dream which was like a butterfly, trampled, wings torn even before it could come out of its warm cocoon.

Another tear rolled down his cheek.
He has imagined this sight so many times and had seen it broke every time right in front of his eyes. Now it even hurts to look at it for a moment. Too afraid that it would bring back the memories of the person who was probably once his idol, who he used to adore, who he couldn't live without but he left. His father left him in the middle of the road to seek someone else, to love someone else, and to start his new life without a glance at his son, without a peek at her new born daughter. Did he even knew the meaning of word 'Father'?

Guess, he could never find out. Because they were nothing but a burden for him. A burden which he no longer wanted on his shoulders. So he left, breaking the promise to be back with a bag full of gifts. Sometimes your hearts needs more time to accept what your mind already knows. And at that time, Sid's heart couldn't believe that his father has left him to never return back. Not even to ask how was his son, what does he looks like, how was his daughter whom he left even before she could learn to crawl on her own.

He would just call his uncle, his guardian now, to tell him about the money needed, while he would stand impatiently but silently waiting to talk to his father just for a second, if possible. But his father would flatly refuse, saying he is busy. Too busy to even say a hello, to wish him happy birthday when he would be waiting desperately and stubbornly refusing to cut the cake without talking to his father.

Time passes, memories fade, feelings change, people leave, but heart never forgets. And Aarav's heart refused to forget what his father did, even now after so many years. It was like an ache now, an ache which only got deeper with time leaving bruises all over his heart. It ran straight like a knife through his heart which took a 360 degree twist every year to tear his heart apart slowly and painfully making it almost impossible to ever heal back. It was like a hole has been formed making him feel hollow. Breaking him bit by bit and killing him from inside every moment.

Sometimes he wanted nothing but to end this life and free himself from this excruciating pain in his heart which flowed through his vein like venom. A pain so intense that he wanted to run, run and never look back to this vast stretching expanse of despair, like white hot blades are slashed through his entire being drowning him in the never ending ocean of pain. He held a fist to his chest as if he could soothe the pain in his heart. He couldn't crumble now, he have to stay strong. He had to live, if not for himself, then for his sister.

As the image of his sister registered in his mind, he stopped, and recalled. As the thought made its appearance in his mind, he stood stunned, agony ripped through him as he felt that it was reality. His reality.

A wave of pain was washing over him again and again taking him underneath, deeper and deeper until he could no longer breathe. His body whole body shivered with the intensity of the pain knocking him backwards and astonishing him with its force. His knees no longer supported him and he knelt down right there on the cold sand. He opened his mouth to inhale a mouth full of air. He didn't know that just a moment has passed or an eternity. His heart beats escalated, breaths coming in short gaps, sweat beads formed on his forehead. His insides writhed in agony. He struggled to choke back a sob and swallowed the lump formed in his throat; it was like swallowing a bitter pill. This couldn't be happening. This was too, too cruel. Life couldn't be this harsh.

And yet Aarav knew time and time again that it very well could be, with his expressive eyes full of agony.
It was this day, this very day when his father left him, the day when he took a promise from Aarav and Kairav.

A promise which could destroy everything, devastate everyone. A promise if fulfilled would leave his small world in ruins he had made with both of his hands so lovingly. A promise which asked him to tell his sister everything, truth about her existence. A truth which was hidden from everyone, even from his guardians. A truth which burnt him all the day and night.

No, his father couldn't care enough to be in his life, then why should he care to fulfill his promise. His father left and decided to never come back again, so why should Sid care about his so called words. They no longer mattered to him and he would never allow the truth to come out in the open.

He would destroy the existence of everything that would try to hurt his sister. His sister is everything for him, the only and most important person of his life. He would burn the world if needed to protect her. He will be damned if he couldn't, his heart admitted.

With this, Aarav took out his Ray bans and covered his welled up eyes, covering his emotions and changed his vulnerable face to his rigid, hard one, giving away no emotions with tightened sharp jaws and high cheek bones. Not a hint of his inner turmoil reflected on his face. He couldn't afford to break down. He would fight with everything and everyone to protect her sister. With a last look at the sight in front of his eyes, he got up, turned and walked briskly towards his SUV.

Gripping the steering wheel till his knuckles turned white, he gritted his teeth hardly, clenching and unclenching them together, breathing heavily with his heart pounding and accelerated his car and went back to his house, where his angel, his Pari would be waiting for him, worrying about him, with a promise within his heart to never allow anybody to hurt her, ever.

Unaware, of the gale that was on its way. A gale so strong that it would destroy everything and everyone, it will erase the very essence of the existence of beings who will dare to come its way, devastate everyone to an extent to never put up together again. And it will be inevitable. A fierce wind that will make all the trees bow down to. A wind that would bend him down. And if he didn't, it would rip him out of the ground, roots and hall and throw him away ruthlessly. And when it would be gone, nothing would remain behind but shattered, broken pieces of his heart and ruins of his soul which will be way too damaged to be repaired.

Sometimes, when one wakes up, having forgotten what it is that hurts or where, until one moves. There is a second of consciousness that is clean again. A second that is just us, without memory or experience, the warm person and waking into a brand new world. There is the sun dissolving the dark, and light as clear as music, filling the room where one sleeps and the other rooms behind one's eyes...

                     ----------------------------

At 6:30 AM, he was in his vest and tracks, sweating heavily after an hour of jogging and exercising. Standing on the beach while gazing at the sunrise, he let the breeze caress him with the beginning of a new day. He was breathing heavily with a smile, full of satisfaction, on his face. He had his life moving just the way he wanted.

Feeling the immense peace and joy in that quite surrounding while having a rendezvous with the nature itself, his ringing phone, suddenly, brought him back to the reality.

As he checked the screen, he knew he was in a big trouble. Her angry face came in his mind and he chuckled and picked up the phone.

A girl woke up from her bed. Stretching her arms, she yawned and looked at the sunlight falling through the window on to her shelf where several trophies were placed. She smiled and immediately got up excitedly. She is none other than Nayan Kapoor, the younger sister of Aarav and Kairav Kapoor.

Her curly hair falls on her forehead and covers it like dense clouds. Her light blue eyes, so beautiful that anyone can lost in them.

She always adores her brothers,Aarav and Kairav, whom she loves the most. Who have cared for her even if it costed him to stay away from their parents, even being their parents' own child.

And that was the sole reason why despite being Navy's handsome hunk, Aarav Kapoor was used to feel lonely.

Aarav picked up the call, "Hello," He answered softly.

"Mr. Kapoor, come home, like RIGHT NOW," Nayan replied angrily.

He tried to suppress his laughter and replied back, "Yes ma'am. In 15 minutes, I'll be at your service."

Nayan angrily said, "Okay, I will be waiting for you."

She disconnected the phone and slowly got up from her princess-like bed, still in her baby pink, knee length and bell-sleeved nighty. Her silky hair fell over her shoulders while she dragged herself to the washroom for a nice hot shower.

Her face was glowing and she looked heavenly with those red cheeks due to the hot shower. It was such a rare scene to see Nayan Kapoor's reddened cheeks. she dressed in a cerise cut-sleeved dress with her hair open and walked out towards the dining table ... she checked the breakfast and then glanced at her wrist watch ... she was "supposedly" fuming at him with still a smile was there on her face ... how could she be angry with her adorable elder brothers ...

Nayan is counting in reverse order "3, 2, 1 "...

Aarav ran inside the dining room while Nayan smirked to herself ....

Aarav is huffing as he entered the hallway and he managed to say only "I..am..sorry" ....

Nayan miffed and said "Exactly 5 minutes late ... you are on trial Mr.Aarav Kapoor, next time don't be late"....

Aarav folded his hands behind his back and stood like a school kid in front of his cute little sister ...

He replied with a puppy dog face.."As you say, ma'am" ...

Nayan retorted angrily..".I am so not melting on that puppy face of yours ... you broke your promise!"

Aarav responded sincerely "I am sorry, you looked so cute while sleeping, I didn't feel like waking you up"...

Nayan miffed and pouted "But I too wished to jog with you Bhai"..

Aarav smiled and said "Promise, tomorrow we'll go together and now please show me your cute smile on your face..."

He flashed his dimples and she has no choice but to give up ....

Nayan smiled and said "Bhai, no one can be angry with you for long periods of time but you are going to get punished".

Aarav was going to hug her but she moved back while twitching her nose and she started making faces.
Nayan replied "You stink!! Go and get fresh ... then you'll get your hug"

Aarav became sad and made a face "Yes ma'am!!"

Nayan giggled while Aarav walked towards him room ... 10 minutes later, he came down in a white t-shirt and jeans and both of them had their breakfast pulling each other's leg .....
Aarav said with his beautiful smile "All the best princess ..."

Nayan replied back with a hug "Thanks and same to you ... I wish you a very happy birthday.."
Aarav hugged her and said "Thank you for your wishes"..