I stood in my place as Maanya along with Anish left for check in for their flight. Jose kept his hand on my shoulder. It has been decided that I will be leaving the company and help Jose here.

"I got to inform our managers." Jose said as I nodded my head in affirmation.

"You need to get back there, it is still yours if you remember" Jose said chuckling a bit. I nodded my head agreeing to him. Maanya was shocked to see my resignation letter being sent to our CEO, she held me and cried begging me not to leave the company and her. It was difficult to explain that I am not leaving her for this lifetime atleast. Even if I am begging on roads, I would prefer to do it outside her home. She now knows that it is her whom I love most not my friend whom I miss most. As I sat on porch of Jose's house, I felt a feeling of someone sitting beside me. A smile crept on my face knowing it might be my friend or my hallucination it made my nerves calm. Closing my eyes, I laid my head back on floor.

'Dwi, we are here to talk with the ocean. Nature never turns its back on us but maybe when it loves us so much, it gets greedy and takes us away'

'Why do you always talk about going away? Dont you love your brother? boyfriend? me?' I asked quiet irritated with her tone.

'I dont know. Dont worry, when you need me in your life, I will be sitting silently beside you and support whatever your mind wants you to do, maybe convince you to listen to your heart too?' she said with a smile.

'Then how do I call you? By telepathy? You are funny, you know I talk with you whenever I feel low or lost. I just hope there wont come a day when I have to talk with this ocean to reach you.' I said laughing a bit and she hit me.

A tear left my eyes and I wiped them. Someone patted my head and I opened my eyes to look at Freddy. He motioned me to come inside the home. I got up lazily, walked inside and plopped myself on the couch. Freddy released a long sigh rubbing his hands together.

"Did you resign?" He questioned me. I nodded my head as yes.

"Will they release you immediately? I mean, you have to go 3 or 2 months more or some formalties?" Freddy asked. I got up, sat straight not saying a word.

"I joined on a condition that I will leave whenever I want and he cant hold me back. As for the projects, I will be completing them and represent the company until they are done. CEO already confirmed my resignation." I said as he nodded his head in understanding.

Freddy has been one of the important people for me, he stood by me keeping aside his grief for his sister. Without him, I wouldnt be whatever I am today. Jose joined us shortly and we discussed about different things with light banter regarding our preferences. Among all this, the only person whom I couldnt stop thinking was Maanya. I missed her smile, her clingy behaviour, small pouts whenever she left I did not listen to her.

"What are your plans now?" Freddy questioned me.

"I will be going back to my place in our company. We need to plan merger deal with the company I have worked back in India. CEO already agreed for it, they will associated with us and we will have only 30% profit share plus will be assisting them with projects from our side." I said to which Freddy nodded his head.

"Did you tell her about your life here, who you are?" Freddy asked me.

"Only about your sister." I replied.

"She doesnt know that you own a company here? You are head of it? Why do you need to hide it from her??" Freddy asked. I shrugged my shoulders not wanting to explain everything to him. He did not question me further nor say a word regarding my choice. Jose gave me a look indicating that I need to gather my head together. As time passed, I missed Maanya more than I could ever imagine. Maria called me twice but I chose to ignore her.

"Hello?" I answered Maanya's call who was silent on other side.

"I am tired. Apparently some asshole is merging our company with theirs, I mean it is good coz we will get projects and all but Arrrgh! With you gone, the new recruit is hell for me to deal with!" She vent out her frustartion , I hummed not saying a word. I suddenly feel hypernormalization of my life. I want to react but I feel there is no need to be so expressive about my life.

"What are you doing there?" She asked.

"I thought we were on break. You are talking with me since I left our company??" I questioned her. Maanya was silent for a minute, took a deep breath and answered me.

"The thought of you being with someone and living so far from me is something I cant bear Dwijain. I would have hugged you if I had this feeling even here. Mind you! infront of everyone! You know how stupid I am, glad you are sorted one and clingy type. You give me assurance that it is ok to have distance and yet be in love. I dont feel insecure when I think of being with you. This feeling itself made me come back to you and say sorry?" Maanya spoke which my tummy flutter. I was smiling with tears in my eyes. Did she confess? or her emotions towards me intensified after being with me?

"Dwi?" She called me.

"I love you." I answered her smiling like a fool. I hear her breath hitching. She chuckled into our call.

"I wish I could show you how much I love you, I wish you could hug me as tight as possible. At the age of 29, this feels stupid but this is what I feel." I said to which she hummed.

"I will next time when I see you. So...if I hug will you kiss me? Your way of showing how much you love me??" She questioned. I smiled at her innocence.

"Yes, I will. How can I not? You are my woman and you dont care even if we work in same place. Right??" I asked her. Someone called her and she left saying bye and few kisses. Who knew I would confess my love to her in this way?

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unedited.

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