"These rocks are so slippery!" Siddhi complained grabbing on to my elbow for support.

"You should have burrowed my shoes," Zoya was staring at my heels in concern.

"I am not going to climb those rocks," I confessed as they started walking towards it.

"You got to be kidding me!" Zain stared at me in horror. "I had planned an entire thing of purposing you on the top and you're backing off."

I giggled at his over-dramatic flirting. "One day you're getting your head choked due to your extensive flirting from Abu," Aahana was glaring at her brother.

"Everyone don't have childhood crush," Zain argued. "Some has to work hard for their love stories," he passed an innocent glance at me. I couldn't help myself from laughing at his cute-antics. He had some superpower of changing the environment. He could easily lift anyone's mood.

"Yes, and some no matter how hard they work often ends into a disaster." Zoya glared at Zain. "I had said to you before, she is off limit." Zoya wrapped her arms possessive around mine.

"I won't stop until my last breath," he huffed in annoyance as he began his journey on those rocks.

"Sometimes... he behaves like a kid..." Zara commented following his favorite cousin.

"You really won't accompany us?" Siddhi was pleading with me through her orbs. I could tell, though she was getting along with rest yet she wanted my presence around her.

"She will break her ankles if she walked in those heels," Aahana commented.

"But coming so far and not able to glance that view...." Zoya was feeling dishearten on behalf of me. "I had seen those pictures; I am aware how beautiful it is and..." she glanced at me. "You wanted to see it as well," her orbs averted to Faizal. Surely, he had informed her about it.

"Nothing will happen," Faizal was examining my heels as his orbs were locked on it. "Those aren't that of height," he argued wanting to encourage me the way he always did. I stared at him with uncertainty, I was a clumsy person and I couldn't trust myself that I could carry myself through those tricky rocks without getting any of my bones broken or drowning in the lake.

"What are you waiting for?" Zain screamed from the distance, "Nivi! You're forced to accompany them if you don't want me to call your online-crush and inform him about your feelings." I widen my orbs in horror as he was screaming it out so loud.

The crowd kept staring in my direction making me feel embarrassed. "Bhai!" Aahana was glaring back at him. "He is lost case," Aahana groaned in disappointment. "I apologize on behalf of his stupid behavior," she genuinely seemed concerned as she rushed towards his elder brother in a mission to drop some sense in him.

"Zain really needs to behave," Zoya shook her head as she eyed me to follow her. Siddhi walked after her, I waited for Faizal to move but he stood behind.

"Go," I eyed him. Though I was slim and never had much weight but I never viewed myself as fit. I was a lazy-ass, I rasped for breath within few minutes of walk. So, I knew I won't be able to climb those rocks even if I did, I would feel exhausted within few minutes. On top of it, we nearly hadn't sleep last-night. Exhaustion was already showering my senses, unlike people surrounding me. As much as I wanted to grab the beautiful opportunity, my body wasn't cooperating.

"You," he gestured me to go.

"Then don't complain that I am slow," I narrowed my orbs at him.

"I am aware of your energy-level," he chuckled while I glared at him.

I stamped my foot in annoyance as I took a step on the rock. We kept moving and with each passing moment, I felt like giving-up. "How many more rocks are remaining?" I inquired as the path seemed like it wasn't going to end. Numerous people passed us with their high speed. Siddhi and the rest were no longer in the views, we were seriously lacking behind due to my unhealthy-self.

"You have just started the journey," Faizal commented suppressing his chuckle.

I turned to pass him a glare but due to my sudden movement, I lost the balance on the rock. "Damn!" I groaned as my ankle twisted. "Ahh!" I screamed in pain.

"Careful," his hands were around my waist, helping me from not landing on the ground. "Are you fine?" He inquired getting concern.

I gave a slight nod, still trying to grab my posture due to the pain I was feeling in my ankles. "Ouch!" I screamed as I felt the pain as my feet reached the ground.

"Don't tell me you broke those bones?" His orbs were glaring at me through his hands were wrapped around my waist, assuring that I won't lose my balance on the rock. "Who on the earth will marry someone with broken bones?" He winked, as he chuckled at his own joke.

I was shooting daggers at him. "I am in pain!" I screamed at him, "rather than offering sympathy, you're making fun of me."

"You're to blame for the pain! Who had asked you to have a sudden turn?" he faked a glare as he leaned down, he was on the verge of touching my legs but I pushed it away.

"What are you doing?" I exclaimed in horror. "Don't touch," my legs were muddy and if he touched it, his hands would be offered with the dirt.

"Is there any problem?" A passerby inquired, seeing Faizal bending before me.

"She just twisted her leg," Faizal answered in my behalf as he in spite of my protest touched my muddy legs. "It's bleeding," he whispered it softly. I almost hold back my tears, I hate bleeding. "Not much," he attempted to assure me as he raised his hand to glance at my face.

"I will go back," I was no longer in the mood to walk forward. I was hell exhausted, Faizal shook his head. He got on his feet, his orbs staring ahead. As if he was lost in thoughts!

He leaned again but this time he scooped me in his arms. I gasped in horror as unintentionally my arms got wrapped around his necks. "What are you doing?" I was staring at him as if he had gone nuts.

His face was straight as if determined with the goal in his mind. "Faizal," I whined in protest.

"For once, can you stopped being stubborn?" He groaned, I pouted at him.

"You will get tired within few steps," I mumbled. "And what if you lose balance on this slippery rock and we both end into that water. I don't even know to swim and I am already bleeding..." I attempted to peep at my injured feet.

"Damn," he shook his head. "Did you always looked so cute while complaining in those texts?" His orbs were sparkling in curiosity.

"Are you trying to flirt with me?" I raised my brow, trying hard to hide my blush.

"Flirting, am I?" He chuckled as he shook his head. "And I am not carrying you up, I don't want to end into hospital." He raised me by my waist as he made me seat at some corner rock, "is it stable?" he inquired; I gave a slight nod.

He glanced around at the passerby until he found a bottle in a stranger's hand. "Will you mind to share the water?" He inquired in a polite manner. The guy stared between us as I took the time to examine my wound. It wasn't a deep cut but it was bleeding, I cried at the sight of it.

Faizal convinced the guy and he was sprinkling water on my wounds. He had made me sat at such a height that he no longer had to bend down to examine my injuries. As we had climbed enough of rocks, we were surrounded my trees and water wasn't that visible. Faizal removed the handkerchief from his pocket as he wrapped it around my injured feet. "The bleeding might stop if you hold firmly to the spot and stop moving," he passed a glare at my direction as I was peeping at it.

"It hurts," a tear escaped from the corner of my orbs. Faizal's orbs soften. It wasn't that big of deal and I almost acted strong around others as if it wasn't that big of a deal because I never wanted to be a joke in front of them but with him it was different. Everything was different when it was about him.

"It will soon fade away," he reassured. Not laughing, not scolding me to act mature, not claiming that it wasn't such a big deal. Rather he stood there, passing a smile at me in concern, staring at me in adoration. Those dark-black orbs, they always stared at me as if I was the most beautiful women, he ever set his eyes on. He always had time to my nonsense, listening to all the rubbish on the planet.

How was I not to fall for the person that made me feel comfortable in my skin? Who made me feel wanted, seen, worthy in every possible manner!

"Thank you," I mumbled looking straight in his orbs. Confusion showered on his face as he raised a brow, "for everything..." I smiled at him. Forgetting about those injuries, blood and pain.

He pulled my cheek as a smile played on his lips, "you don't have too..." he shook his head.

"You really climbed there at night?" I stared as those rocks were twisted and shaped in such weird ways, "while recording..." I added glaring at him.

"I wasn't alone, I had my friends."

"Those good for nothing friends," I rolled my orbs, "they laughed as you tripped." I was still mad at them. "You know when each time you used to lose the balance... my heart used to jump out of my ribs. I was so scared... like so scared..."

A beautiful smile was playing on his lips as he listened. "Why?" He asked, and I frowned at him.

"What you mean by why?" I shot a glare at him. "There were high chances if you lose balance in those rocks..." I pointed at those, "you might get your legs fractured..." I mumbled, the thought of it was so scary.

"That's true!" He nodded in agreement.

"So, you're not risky such a thing again?" I stared at him in confirmation. I wasn't against him hanging around with his friends. I wanted him to enjoy his life but I was always aware about all those foolish things male did in order to be seen as cool. I never wanted him to risk his health in the order to have fun. I was highly against him using phone while driving, or driving fast.

"Yes, ma'am..." He smiled, "I don't want to get my legs fracture as I want to get married." He winked at me as if teasing me. "Unlike you..." he chuckled while I attempted to hit him on his head.

Things were so beautiful with him just by my side. My days weren't going well! Nothing was going right from the moment I had arrived Meerut. His parents disliking towards us, I wasn't able to enjoy any of the pre-wedding function, I lost the bus and finally when I was going to glance at one of the locations that I was yearning for, I had injuries. Nothing was going right!

Yet here I was sitting in one of the rock, trees surrounding me. Passerby glancing at us as we were lost in our mini-world. I had missed this! I had missed us! From the moment I had arrived Meerut, we were so occupied with things surrounding that we couldn't be us. Our raw self! Our foolish-self!

Our friendship wasn't based on common goals in life. We were two different individuals. Coming from two different world. We were each other escape from the cruel reality happening in our life. We were source of happiness for each other. During our initial interaction I was convinced that I was more invested in the friendship than he was, it took me months and almost a year to understand the complex human being whom I called my best friend.

Rather than finding peace in sharing his trouble he opted to ignore it while spending some time with me. I was his source of distraction, his moments of peace. At least I would like to believe it! Because he won't ever accept it.