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Karthik was surprised to find Sindhu fidgeting with her hands inside the car instead of getting out.

He opened her door and asked in worry "What happened?"

She looked at him grumpily "Look at my dress. How can I come out wearing this?"

He sighed "Its ok. No one will notice in the dark"

"You could've told me we are not going to pub. I would have dressed casually"

"I wanted it to be a surprise. Now, come out. No one cares what you wear" he said softly, giving his hand to her.

She took it before leaving her wedges in the car and got out when he closed the door behind her and locked it.

"Why did you leave your shoes?" he asked casually, as they walked into the sand.

"They will be spoilt in the sand and they are not even mine"

As they walked closer, Sindhu observed that he brought her to a secluded part of the beach where not many people were present.

"Is it a date?" she blurted out without thinking. In an instant, she closed her mouth with her hands in mortification.

He chuckled "If you want it to be, then yes"

"Where should I sit?" she asked, looking around.

"You don't want to go into the water?" he asked, feeling surprised.

"No. I like watching the sea"

"Then, let's sit here" he answered, showing the ground.

"Are we going anywhere after this or directly home?"

"We will go for dinner. Why?"

She groaned "I can't sit down then"

"You can sit on my lap" he chimed in.

Sindhu turned to look at him to know if he is teasing or being serious. When she found him with a straight face, she murmured "No. I will be fine standing"

Karthik sat on the sand as he looked at her bare legs and smirked "I don't mind sitting here; the view is pretty great"

When Sindhu found him gazing at her legs, she sat down immediately making him chuckle.

He pulled her on to his lap "You said you won't sit"

She blushed "But you were--- um—I think I should get down"

When she tried getting out of his lap, he tightened his grip on her waist "Don't leave"

Her heart fluttered hearing him and she continued to stare at him with a dreamy smile.

"I thought you like watching sea" His teasing words brought her out of trance as she mumbled still in a daze "It's ok. I like watching you too"

The moment those words left her mouth, Sindhu wanted to find a hole and crawl in. She closed her eyes feeling incredibly stupid when she heard him laughing.

"Stop laughing at me" She elbowed him in his ribs, looking grumpy.

"How can I? When you are so----" He stopped himself before saying 'cute'.

"When I am so?" she said, raising her eyebrows in anticipation. Is that almost a compliment?

"Nothing" he said with a playful smile, understanding what she was trying to do.

Groaning, she turned her attention to the sea. She wanted to hold hands with Karthik, the last time she was at a beach but this is so much better than that.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Smiling, she turned to him adjusting herself on his lap "Why should I when you won't tell me what's in your mind"

He smiled shyly "Nothing's in my mind"

"Ok then, you won't get an answer from me too"

After a few seconds of silence, he cleared his throat "Um.. I—saw your Camera" When she looked confused, he added "I mean—um—the pictures in it"

She sat dumbfounded with her eyes wide open as he continued "Are you going to say something?"

She shook her head, still looking astounded that he found out while he added in almost a whisper "That was cute. It made me realize that---"

"That? It made you realize what?" she said, raising her eyebrows.

He smiled, blushing slightly "Nothing"

"You look really good when you are all shy and embarrassed" she said with a grin.

"And you look---" he stopped himself before saying anything; all that he wanted to say since he saw her.

She groaned impatiently, fighting back her smile "Are you ever going to say something?"

"I don't want to lie that you look beautiful tonight" he said in a teasing tone.

Her smile was lost that instant and she averted her eyes down.

"Hey.. I was joking" Karthik chimed in, looking at her in worry.

"No, it's not that" she muttered, in a whisper.

"Sindhu.. Look at me" When she still wouldn't meet his gaze, he tipped her chin upwards only to see tears in her eyes "Hey.. I didn't mean it. You are always beautiful to me; not just tonight"

A couple of tears dropped on her cheeks as he explained "Sindhu.. Please don't cry.. I like you even in your pink night dress"

"It was a stupid dress and had teddy bears on it" she whined, trying to keep her tears at bay.

"It did? I didn't notice" His comment made her chuckle through her tears.

"Sindhu.. " He started slowly, kissing her forehead "I didn't mean it.. It was a pathetic joke"

"No, it's not that.. I just---" she stopped herself, looking away.

"Why did it upset you?"

"I – I remembered our first meeting. I t-thought I looked good that day but you made me f-feel so ugly" she confessed, feeling insecure.

"I am so sorry for that. And for everything that followed. I was a moron"

"You were but it's ok. It's all in the past" she said in a soothing voice.

"No, it's not. Look at you, doubting yourself about everything I confess. Why do you take shit from me? You should be confident"

"What am I supposed to say then? When you said I don't look good" she demanded softly.

"Don't you know how you look?" He chided, taking his cell phone from his pocket and clicked a selfie of themselves.

"Look how beautiful you are" He said, showing their picture to her.

"Look at your eyes. They are radiant and ----" She cut him off with a scoff "I put concealer to cover my dark circles"

He groaned impatiently "Ok but see your lips.. They are so---"

"Colorful? I applied lipstick" she answered, feeling amused at the situation, instead of getting upset.

"No. They are soft; so soft like velvet.. And your skin---" He touched her cheek before looking at her to check if she's interrupting "You didn't apply anything right?"

She laughed, shaking her head and he sighed in relief.

He kissed the side of her face, loosening his grip on her waist "God!! You are--- such a handful"

He placed his hands on the sides of her face and connected their foreheads "And I feel so pathetic for hurting you so many times. I make you cry all the time"

"Please forget everything" Her voice was almost a whisper.

"How can I? Hemanth told he never saw you cry in all the years that you were together. But ever since you married me, I made---"

She cut him off seriously "How can he know what I would be like when I am in lo --"

Gasping, she shut her mouth realizing what she almost blurted out when Karthik pulled back to observe her face.

A bright smile played on his lips as he said "What did you say?"

Heat seeped through her cheeks and she looked away "Nothing"

He tipped her chin towards him but she kept her eyes lowered "I am sure I heard something"

"You must be—um—hallucinating then"

He chuckled "I am sure that was not a hallucination. Are you going to tell me now?"

She turned to look at him before shoving him away and ran towards the shore. She heard him yelling her name behind her but continued to run along the shoreline.

When he finally got hold of her hand, she tried to push him and run faster but with the sudden imbalance, both of them fell down on the sand, with her on top of him.

She tried to get out of his embrace but he wrapped his arms tightly around her "Karthik. Leave me."

"Nah. Not until you tell me what I wanted to hear"

"Please Karthik. We might get drenched if a bigger tide comes" she whined, trying to pull back from his arms.

"I told you. NO."

She placed her head on his chest after numerous attempts when she heard his soft voice "Aren't you going to say something?"

She looked at him and blushed seeing his knowing smile.

"I----- I ---"

"You what?" he demanded softly.

"I—I L-Love-----"

"Yes?" he smiled, waiting for her to continue.

"Shah Rukh Khan" she completed, making him groan in frustration.

She giggled seeing his reaction "Isn't that what you wanted to hear?"

When he gave a pointed look, she smirked "Ok --- Um Salman Khan?"

He narrowed her eyes at him when she continued "Abhishek Bachchan then"

"Enough. No more jokes"

"Let's get up then?" she said sweetly making him sulk.

"You are such a tease" he said glumly, getting up.

Karthik smiled, taking her hand into his as they walked back to their earlier place. She may not have confessed but he is still very happy with the way things turned out between them.

Where will she go? She has to spend a lifetime with me.

"Sindhu... Shall we go back tomorrow?" He asked slowly.

"Where?"

"To Hyderabad of course"

"Hmm?" she hummed as if thinking deeply before adding "I have a condition"

"What?" he asked, feeling a bit scared.

"You have to change that pathetic bed sheet in our room"

He chuckled, sighing in relief "Yeah sure"

After they left the beach, he took her to dinner and his smile never left his face listening to her continuous blabbering.

She kept talking about her aunt's daughters and how much fun they had the last time she came to Goa.

"Where is your aunt's husband?" he questioned, suddenly remembering that he hadn't heard about him all day in spite of staying at his house.

Sindhu lost her smile "He died a few years ago. From brain tumor"

"Oh. I am sorry"

"It's ok. I never met him. How did you know about my aunt by the way? I never told you about her"

"Your parents told me"

"I really hope my dad forgives her. It's been so long since that happened and she is alone now"

"Where are her daughters?"

"Naina lives in Sydney with her husband while Arohi is in New York doing her MS"

"Oh. She is living all alone here then?"

She nodded "She is handling her husband's business"

After dinner, they headed back home where Padma was waiting for them in anticipation.

"You won?" she asked Sindhu excitedly.

When Sindhu started "No.. He--" Karthik interrupted cutting her off "Yes. She won"

She looked at him in surprise when her aunt said "I knew you will win"

After showing their room, Padma left them alone and Sindhu questioned "Why did you lie?"

"I didn't. I complimented you, remember?"

"Yeah. Because I was crying" she retorted, feeling stupid about herself.

"What I said was true. In what context I confessed doesn't matter. And if it makes you happy, I don't mind losing to you anytime"

She wrapped her arms around his neck, placing her head on his shoulder "Karthik.."

He hummed in response, enjoying the feel of her in his arms when she said softly "I Love You"

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I hope you enjoyed reading. I would love to hear what you think of this chap.

The chap I was complaining about not being able to write is finally done. It took me two days but I am happy with the outcome.

This book wouldn't have been possible without snowflake_pink.She encouraged me when I feared that no one would read it. Have you read her book by the way? It's called 'Heartache'. If not, please do give it a try.

And yes, Happy weekend guys.. Thanks a lot for the support and love.

- JANAKI S