It's poetic, Drishti thinks as they danced along to the slow music coming from the settlement along the shore they were at. Hands on one shoulder and waist while the other rested in each other's soft hold- gentle, delicate like a bubble blown by a child.

Their relationship has always been similar to this dance, the shore and its waves. They moved together in tandem on the sandy surface, heels digging in to steady themselves- the fear of toppling at any given moment was always present if one moved without the other or in a different direction. Their entire relationship could crumble with one wrong move - word- or one accidental step- crossing the line. Throughout the time they have known each other, they've slipped up. Toppled over and off, because while Rakshit tried to come closer, drishti pushed away. They came back together each time, catching each other right before one hit the ground. The push-and-pull notion is a lot like dancing.

As the music faded out into the night, they stopped dancing. They found a little wooden bench just by the waves and decided to rest there.

"That was fun," Drishti admitted. She hadn't experienced this much thrill and joy in a long time. Or ever since she closed herself off to everyone, too afraid that they couldn't dance along with her. "I didn't know you could be so analytical." They had been in the escape room for less than ten minutes before Rakshit figured out the way out. "It was an impressive feat."

"Kind of comes in the job description. We are meant to keep a keen eye for things."

"Does finding good relaxing spots in the city come in the job description too?"

"Kind of. Sometimes it helps to give the students a piece of mind." Rakshit offered her the punch they got from the settlement along their way here.

"Fair point, counsellor." She kindly rejected it and instead, drank the plain water she brought along. "Rakshit, I've been meaning to tell you something. A Lot of things actually."

Rakshit studied her for a moment. It took a beat for him to realize what she meant and he was quick to give her some reassurance. "You don't have to. Take things slow, I remember that."

"No, it's not," she struggled to find her words. She didn't know how to explain this to him. "I want to. I've just... bottled up so much for so long. But now I have someone to talk to about all of that and I need to say it."

Rakshit scooted closer to her and gently took her hand, giving it a soft squeeze. "If you are sure," He would wait for as long as he needed to but if Drishti wanted to talk he said would listen too. Not as a counsellor but as a friend and supportive partner. "I am here for you always. Nothing and I mean nothing you say can make me see you differently. You will still be Drishti Sharma. The amazing kind and caring Drishti Sharma."

she looked away as the heat crawled up her skin. She took a calming deep breath before facing him. "I had-have a sister," she immediately corrected her tense, shutting her eyes tightly. "She is five years younger than me."

"Really?" he asked, surprised at the revelation. He tilted his head a little. Drishti had never mentioned anything about a sibling. He assumed she was an only child. "I've never heard you mention anything about her."

"That's because I don't like talking about her much." she had a feeling that came out wrong. It sounded almost like she was bereaved of her sister

"Oh. bad blood I see."

Drishti mentally slapped her forehead. Yup, it came out wrong. "No. It's not about having bad blood. I..." she took a deep breath. "My sister has been missing for the last thirteen years," she spoke her voice cut throat dry. "That is why I fear attachments so much. I am afraid that one day, like her, they will leave too."

Rakshit despite his eyes bulging out of their sockets, respected her silence and waited. He didn't bother with words. He just held her hand reassuringly and let her lean on his shoulder. They stared at the beach site. Both lost in the maze of their own thoughts, accompanied by a companionable silence.

Things started making sense to him. The attachment phobia - Philophobia- refusal to open up, hesitation to start anything. Since camp Viva, he knew something had happened. Yet, he was a little guilty for being ignorant towards the possibilities of it being so deeply rooted- since childhood.

"I still think that if I hadn't fallen asleep, she would have been here with me today," Drishti told him after a while. "Our family would have been complete. Mom wouldn't always look out the door expecting her to miraculously appear. Dad wouldn't be such a workaholic. I wouldn't be so reticent."

That was arbitrary reasoning. "It's not your fault..." he began, only to be cut off by her insistence.

"Mom and Dad say the same thing. But every time I see that longing in their eyes, that statement seems a little more false."

She lifted her head towards the sky- bright stars twinkling as if they were smiling amidst their own darkness, finding the silver lining. She tried to smile too. It turned out to be more of her rueful grin that didn't reach her eyes. This was the price of irresponsibility.

Her eyes were deprived of the sight of her sister for so many months and years that she was beginning to feel fictional. She needed to see her, needed her to become real again and not just a fantasy her muddled mind made up. Say you're coming back.

She had seen it for the last thirteen years. Since the sixth October two thousand and eight to be precise. This longing had become a broken road Vidya, Sarthak and Drishti herself had walked on for what seemed like forever. They would continue to do so but to see Divya would be such sweet relief. Relief from this constantly dwindling hope that required so much resilience to keep up.

She wasn't naive enough to think her dad spent all his time working. No. He spent half of that time looking for his missing daughter, exhausting all his resources to find a lead that would eventually bring them to Divya. It always ended at a dead end.

Her mother tried to deal with it her own way. Turning her attention to the child she did have. In the beginning, she was downright paranoid about Drishti's whereabouts. She waited outside the school gate every day and held her hand all the way till they crossed the threshold and were safely in the house.

"You didn't know she would sneak out when you were asleep. She made her own choice, that isn't on you."

"I am learning to accept that. But sometimes, I can't help but think about the possible scenarios. The what ifs."

"There is no point in thinking about those. They won't happen. What matters is the here and now. Your Mom and Dad, you three are still here. I don't know if your sister will ever come back but I know that she wouldn't blame you either."

There are times when the road and weather like to fight. The sun became hot and unbearable for her barren skin. It overwhelmed her and she felt angry. Anger masks sadness. There is only so much sadness of separation she could take.

The tears appeared again, falling past her eyelids and she let them. She sobbed, hard.

And maybe that's okay.

"I will only know for sure when I hear her say that but until then I am going to work on it,"

Rakshit nodded in response. Progress.

"Rakshit?" she asked. "How do I know that...that you are not going to go away like her?" It's not fair to put him on the spot like that. It sends a wave of shame up her chest.

He blanches at the question but manages to form a coherent answer. "I can't vouch for anyone else. But I can say this. I am not going anywhere. Even if this doesn't work out, I am always going to be here."

"What if you just decide to sneak out while I am asleep? How can I trust you?"

"By trusting yourself. By knowing that you made the right decision about us. As for me," he pauses to unclip the watch strapped onto his wrist and safely deposited it onto her hand. "Romi gave this to me when we were kids. It was our first token of friendship. You keep it."

Drishti sighed looking at the slightly worn-out piece of work. This was wrong. "I can't." She tried to give it back to him but he refused. Then, she tried to strap it back onto his wrist but he moved it behind his back. "Rakshit..."

"You can. This is me promising you that I am not going anywhere. Romi will kill me anyway if he sees me without this." he chuckled a little at the end.

"Then I am definitely not keeping it."

Rakhsit thrust the object back into her hand and spoke before she could protest. "It's not permanent. Keep it until you trust that I am not going to leave you. No matter how long it takes. I'll wait."

"Rakshit this is not what I meant." Drishti gazed at the device in her hand. She knew what Romi meant to Rakshit from the way he often spoke about his best friend. They were like brothers- they are brothers. If Rakshit was giving away something that precious, he was genuine.

"I don't know how I can make you believe in me," he said honestly. "Trust is a process. It does not happen in one day. But what I do know is that my friends mean the world to me. Before my partner, you are my friend. I would go to hell and back for you. So no, I'm not going anywhere when you're asleep. I am not going to let you down."

She smiled at him. "I know."

She doesn't, they both know that.

"Tell me more about your sister." he prompted, wanting to talk about something a little less gloomy. He also wanted her to remember the good parts and memories she had with her sister.

A fond smile tugged at her lips. "She was playful, mischievous, spontaneous. Always up to some kind of prank. Stubborn too sometimes, I believe she got that from our dad. He is a hard-headed businessman who does what he wants. No one can stop him once his mind is set. Like Divya. One time, she painted the front of our door with her favourite cartoon character. Mom was livid."

"Then what happened?"

"What always used to happen. She got our dad to distract her and eventually she forgot until of course the next day, when she got grounded," a few stray tears she was holding on to for so long feel- free. She didn't bother to stop them today. She let herself be vulnerable. She wouldn't deal with it alone- Rakshit reminded her with a squeeze to her hand. "The drawing is still on our door to this day. I am glad that I didn't get the chance to clean it off that day."

Rakshti chuckled at the words. It seemed like such a five-year-old thing to do. Romi and he were way more well-behaved but he couldn't deny the urge to scribble on the walls at that age. "What's her name?" he asked, unaware of the answer about to be spoken.

"Divya Sharma."

Rakshit stuttered for breath as he fixed Drishti was raised eyebrows. "What?"

"Divya Sharma," she repeated as if entranced by the mere mention of the identifier.

Names bring forth the recognition of close ties- mother, father, siblings- and as such are so powerful. Some names suggest travelling the road of destruction, making it the sole route to the destination. Others encourage us to brave the path of greatness, to be the best version of ourselves, and to request the inner angel to engage in battle with the inner devil to win.

Divya, born with a nerve for chaos was a rare case- stuck between both routes. The only way out is through. Maybe a little late, but she realized it soon enough- before the name strayed from its origins.

"Divine brilliance," still in her own bubble drishti spoke fondly of her sister, Rakshit's shell-shocked eyes glossed over. "She is brilliant, a little mischievous but still intelligent given the number of tricks she pulls off."

Rakshit opened and closed his mouth a couple of times. "Is that why you are so drawn towards Divya Singhania? Because she reminds you of your sister?" he asked carefully.

Drishti as if abruptly slapped across her face, snapped her lost gaze towards Rakshit. "I..." she squinted her eyebrows for a tiny bit before nodding to herself. "I guess so. I haven't actually given it much thought."

"I didn't think you did either." he nudged her shoulder slightly. "That's not a bad thing. I mean you are literally friends with the most feared person in school. No one is going to let even the thought of hurting you enter their dreams."

She smiled at his attempt to lift her mood. "Remember when on our first date I told you I wanted to visit Singapore? I wasn't completely honest."

"How so?"

"It is true that travelling to Singapore was on Divya's travel list...but just not the one I told you. Sentosa was my sister's wish."

"And here I thought you were gonna reveal another long-lost cousin or something," Rakshit quipped, grinning to let Drishti know he wasn't offended and understood her.

"Not a chance in hell."

---broken promise---

Anjali bit her nails nervously. "Where were you all morning? It's been nearly twelve hours." she snapped as soon as Divya stepped in the house but was relieved finally seeing her daughter safe and sound.

She looked confused at her mother. She was supposed to be at work, not at home. "Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

"I was but my teenage daughter went missing at four-thirty in the morning," She had left the house in the morning with Aditya but couldn't focus. Seeing how distracted she was, there was no point staying and raising eyebrows at her colleagues who were busybodies. She relented, packing her bag and coming home. "Where were you?"

The troubled girl walked further into the house before pausing at the steps. "out." Came her short and simple reply.

"Divya Singhania, don't you dare walk up those steps," The worried mother spoke slowly and firmly. She didn't want to have to do this but she didn't have a choice in the matter. "We need to talk about this eccentric behaviour."

Divya remained stubbornly rooted at her place, arms crossed across her chest staring past Anjali. "Make it quick."

"First of all, don't take that tone with me. And secondly, sit down." She pointed to the couch opposite her.

Divya did as she was told. Her mother was serious which meant this talk was going to be serious. This was also where they practised open and assertive communication. That was always the uncomfortable part for Divya. Being so open was like standing there naked. All her feelings, secrets and pain lay barren.

"Where were you last night?"

"Like I said. I was out."

"I ask you again," the furious mother remained stern despite the rebellious responses she received. "Where exactly were you last night?"

"Driving around." Trying to find a way to deal with this thing called guilt. Somehow I ended up at Miss Sorry Soul's house only to discover that she might be my long-lost sister. Yay me.

"That is still very vague."

Divya groaned, leaning forward in her seat. "What exactly do you want to know, Mom? How am I doing? What is happening in my life?" she flew off the handle with her questioning, forbearance curtling.

"Yes, Divya, I do and I also see that you are upset," her mother stated calmly, a stark contrast to her own tone of voice. "Let's talk about it."

"Like that has ever helped. We don't need to go around barking out our problems to anyone. It doesn't do shit for anyone."

"No matter what kind of day you had, there is no excuse for this rude behaviour."

"Whatever." she rebuffed, throwing her bag on the floor.

Anjali stood up from her chair to sit next to her daughter on the other couch. "Bambi, whatever it is, whatever is going on. Let's talk about it. I just want to help you." she whispered, keeping a hand on Divya's arm which she shrugged off rather dismissively.

"You're horrible at phishing."

"And you are embarrassing at dodging."

"Nothing is going on."

"Who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself?"

"Both." she shrugged and nodded her head in agreement before jumping to her feet and up the stairs.

"Divy..." Anjali didn't get the chance to complete her sentence as the room door banged shut. "Fish Balls!" she groaned and wracked a hand through her hair. "Teenage angst." She muttered under her breath. She walked up behind her daughter and stood by the door. "Divya, we are not done talking."

In her room, Divya stared up at her ceiling decorated like the solar system. She blinked twice and said nothing in response to her mother. Planets and stars hang upon nothing visible. They do not dangle aimlessly in space because there are forces working assiduously to hold them in a tight grip.

The little specks of rain on her window caught her attention. When did it start raining? Pitter pattern they dropped, so lost in their own rhythm. Divya glanced out the star-speckled window, drinking at the sight of the drops splattering on the ground.

She could hear some shuffling outside her room door and knew that her mother was going to camp out there until she came out or Anjali came in- whichever came first. Her mother was nothing if not adamant. She both valued and held an aversion to that quality of her mother- mothers.

Vidya possessed this quality too. She loved and hated it with a passion. It was under her trained sight that Divya learned what being stubborn meant.

Divya leaned her back against the door frame. "I think it's her," she confessed in a low voice.

"Who are you talking about?" Anjali asked from the other side of the door. Luckily she was listening closely for any sign of trouble- breaking of furniture, screaming, punching and general destruction. To her surprise, she heard whispers almost as if it was afraid to let someone hear but desperate to seek comfort in its lowest state.

"I didn't know what it meant. Adoption," Divya revealed the secret she held onto for a long time. She paused letting the words sink in. "When you and Dad asked me if I wanted to stay with the both of you, I said yes because I didn't want to go back to that cabin. I didn't know what it meant until later."

Anjali felt herself hitch a breath. "Do you regret it?" She asked, permeating her tone although she feared the answer.

"Never."

It was asinine, Divya realised. She was divulging this information without any confirmation and without bearing in mind the consequences- fear, confusion, awkwardness, and insecurities.

Her parents, Anjali and Aditya would live in fear of losing her. The insecurities would start to comprise their personal and professional lives. She could reassure them but the kerfuffle would be unavoidable.

Ragini just started referring to Divya as her sister, legally. The last part didn't bother either girl much. The tenacity of their love for each other outweighed all possible differences. The pianist dealt with her biological family dismantling by pulling even closer to her found family. Her family is her stronghold, her cornerstone and with Divya's biological family back in the picture, it threatens to shake that foundation; her security.

Lakshya and Shikhar would be supportive but awkward around them. None of them were good at dealing with their emotions. They tended to avoid them. But how do you ignore what is right in front of you?

If Drishti was really her Drishti di, she would have to make a choice. There wasn't anywhere else to run and neither was there a chance to turn back.

One truth would break so many lives to the point where she didn't think it was worth knowing at all. The strings of a mischievous destiny were not curled around her fingers, it would live her living the life of a vagrant soon enough.

—broken promises—

Destiny was a book written in the matte black ink of one's deeds through their lifetime and the storyline was various events assembled together like a play. Yet, in some ways, Ragini believed was predetermined. Fate was the end of the story, a cosmic decision that was the product of her karma- god and bad choices made. If anyone could save her from a bad fate, it was heaven's mercy and grace. she should beg for someone strong enough to guide her to make the right choices because ultimately those decisions are made by her.

She felt herself surrounded by the invisible forces of heaven-spun darkness. As if the divine and other demonic forces were fighting for dominance on this plane of emittance she was in, the two adults in front of her revealed their blood relationship before her.

Seriously, what the hell universe?

This tongue-in-cheek whimsical occurrence being written in her book that destiny seemed to find hilarious was starting to become unbearable.

She didn't know much about her mother's family because they never spoke about it especially with Sanjana being away most of the time. There were some rare occasions it was brought up but her mother was quick to change the topic of discussion. It seemed like a sour topic and Ragini knew better than to push.

It seemed like this was her mother's fate fabricated from all her karma. She could see it in the way she shifted a step back, a look of professionalism adorning her features, hand folded behind her back and a slight tilt in the direction of the sky; she was praying for empyrean intervention to save herself. Too little passion and a little too late.

Sarthak gripped the crumbled edge of the stack of papers in his hand, posture taut and eyes narrowed in accusation. "How could you do this Sanju?!"

"I didn't!" Sanjana bellowed back, taking a step closer to her brother. "Trust me."

"So these papers just magically ended up in your room. The day before the exams? Wow, what a lovely coincidence." Sarthak snarked at his sister who was offended beyond words.

Sarthak on the other hand, was smiling like someone had waved candy in front of a five-year-old's face. He turned around to the chapel with a little glistening in his eyes. Hands folded in front of his chest, he bowed his head in respect to the god he believed in. He wasn't praying, he was thanking his creator- then looking back at Sanjana.

They were once simply birds on eternal summer winds. The person who had been his anchor he shoved her away. This wedge, the yawning chasm that their relationship slumped in was his own making. He let the tears flow. In these salty trickles were his regret, sorrow, and repentance; they swam like strong ocean currents, long and deep.

The ravaging confrontations flash in front of them. Once again standing on opposites of the shores, the waves of accusations meet the land. They can stand on the beach with an obstinate determination to pursue a reconciliation, eyes gazing at each other as if beyond someone's ken but their feet can't help but get soaked in the remembrance. They submerge their being trying to understand what went wrong.

"Mom?" Ragini approached her mother, carefully studying her.

Sanjana acknowledges her daughter with a nod, eyes still looking at the man standing in front of her. "Ragini, what are you doing here?"

"Seeking truths," she said casually. "And what do you mean by a long time no see? Are you siblings? Do you two know each other?"

"Very well," Sanjana scoffed before grabbing Ragini's hand. "We are going home."

Ragini didn't have time to react further as her mother started dragging her back towards the housing estates of the town.

"Sanju, wait!" His protest fell on deaf ears until Sarthak brisk walked and blocked their path. He looked at his niece he was now aware of in adoration. Just like her mother. "Please, listen to me."

"It's Miss Sharma to you. And we have nothing to talk about Sarthak. Get out of my way. I want to bring my daughter home." she made a move to go around home but he caught hold of Ragini's free wrist as she walked past him, forcing Sanjana to stop. After which he released it and sent her a silent apologetic smile.

"And I am not stopping you but we've met after so many years. I just want to know where were you this whole time. What happened after..." he tried to ask but Sanjana cut him off.

"I don't answer to you Mr Sharma and you don't need to know that either. You and I share no relationship whatsoever. the deal is off too, by the way."

"I was a jerk I know," Sarthak nodded remorsefully, keeping his head down. "I should have solicited and verified the facts..."

"You didn't! Now get lost before I do something we both regret. I don't want my daughter to witness this." she seethed once again moving around him while Ragnini tried to intervene.

She finally jerked off her mother's hand and moved away from her. She ran a hand down her face with a frustrated sigh. "Both of you shut up for a second!" she snapped. "What the hell is going on here?"

Sanjana didn't know how to respond to her obviously distressed daughter with her own emotions causing a tide in her. Her brother whom she hadn't seen since before her marriage to Rohan had appeared right in front of her. It's not that she wasn't happy. She was elated to see him in the flesh and finally get the peace of mind that he was healthy and safe.

But really? The investor had to be of this estate out of all the other places in Mumbai.

The wounds of his mistrust still stung her to this day. Those words that can't be taken back, those hurled accusations that couldn't be justified and those shoves that nature itself could reverse - she remembered like it was yesterday.

Taking a deep breath, she raised a resistant hand toward her child. "Ragini..."

"Truth. I want the truth, Mom. No more secrets like you had with Dad. We have enough skeletons in the closet."

Sanjana sighed to herself, destiny is an expired egg with rotten tomatoes. "This man," she pointed distastefully towards Sarthak who was keeping a fair bit of space between the mother and daughter. "Is your uncle and my brother."

"We have not seen each other in nearly nineteen years." the newly found uncle added.

Ragini rubbed her temple, exhausted from all the revelations. "Wow, such adulation there is for each other," she responded, sarcasm dripping from her words and smile. "This seems like a matter between the two of you," she declared, least interested in whatever bad blood there was between the two siblings. "I am going home."

"I'll drop you." Sanjana offered.

"I am sure you have a lot to catch up on. Don't let me get in the way," she said leaving the scene, following the path she had used to get here. It was immaculate that it would be a while before she saw her mother again or uncle for that matter.

"So..." Sarthak started kicking at his feet unsure of how to respond. "How have you been?"

"Better than you that's for sure," she responded. "Not that it's any of your concern. You lost that right way back when you accused me."

"I am sorry."

"That makes two of us." she nodded. "All I wanted was for you to trust me." She left the chapel area giving her last statement.

Sarthak swallowed the lump in his throat and let his tears of regret trial down his face. If only he believed and given her the benefit of the doubt all those years ago, they would have been one big happy family. 

A/N: Don't forget to R&R!