To anyone who feels Kaira's fear of Karan returning is irrational, look up at the news today. The rapist of Unnao Case got out on bail and burnt the girl he had raped. He burnt her alive when she was going to the police station. That is an answer enough.

I'm so shook honestly, such monsters should be treated as brutally as they treated the poor girl. He deserves it, she did not.

And then there was Priyanka Reddy, also raped and burnt alive. I hope both the girls get the justice they deserve.

My heart cries at what this country has come up to. So shocking and honestly devastating.

I'm so happy I wrote Kaira's character, and I'm so happy that so many of you could relate to her problems as well. Happy Reading.

~~~~~

Kaira's PoV

I walked inside the open ground a few hours later, picking my lehenga up, making sure I don't trip. It wasn't like I didn't like wearing Indian clothes, it's just that I have such less practice in wearing them, that I end up falling very often.

It's funny how that was my top concern until last night, and how twelve hours change everything.

At this moment, it was my least. I honestly wouldn't even mind if I trip and break my head or something.

I tried looking presentable. But dressing up after having a mental break down isn't really the best thing to do. My eyes were droopy and my face looked tired, and no amount of make up I applied could make me look happy.

But this was one thing I had specialised with. Giving a fake smile and pretending like everything was fine.

The only difference being, I didn't have to do that for the past few years.

Krishh never let me pretend a single smile. He taught me that it was okay to not be okay.

Krishh.

My entire self pained just thinking about him. He didn't come home until I was there. And, I didn't expect him too.

"Kaira," I felt a hand tug on my arm and my first reaction was to flinch. I couldn't get the Karan fear out of my head, and I took a deep breath to remind myself that I was safe here, between friends and family, where he couldn't get.

Mom looked at me squarely. It's been years, but when I see her decked up and ready, she still looks as gorgeous as her college days. "Yes, mom?"

"Where were you?" She asked, "I have been trying to call you for over an hour now."

I knew the look she was giving me, I call it the famous-mom-look-of-disappointment. I couldn't blame her though, I should be the first one to this function like I wanted to, having the most fun... and I was an hour late. Probably the latest of all guests.

"Sorry Maa, I got stuck up in a last minute work, you know how picky some clients get," I lied conveniently. Although I didn't wish to lie, I had to. It's crazy how broken people are the best liars.

And, here's the perk of living by yourself and working. Mom knows my works comes for me above everything else, and nothing, I repeat, nothing can stop me from finishing it.

She sighed and muttered to herself, "What am I going to do of this girl?"

"Maa," I gave her a pleading look, "I'm here now, right?" And then I gave her a convincing smile.

"Something's not right with you," she said, her eyes softening, "Did anything happen?"

True they say, mothers know best. It took my everything to not let the tears pop out and cry in her arms, telling her everything. But I kept it inside.

"Yeah, why?" I lied again. Nothing was alright, and I had to keep it that way.

"Nothing," she replied, letting it go, "Where's Krishh?"

"He's not here?" My eyes widened on the slip off.

Her eyes narrowed again, "Did you both fight?" The thing about Indian parents, they want to know everything.

"Not exactly," I muttered. We didn't just fight, we broke up.

She was about to say something, when Ruhaana came for my rescue.

"Kaira, kahan thi tu?" She pulled me away from Mom, and I could only sigh in relief.

"Sorry, got stuck somewhere," we stopped once we were in the corner, and I took a moment to look at her. She wore a beautiful pastel yellow lehenga with the dupatta pinned on one shoulder, and the traditional flower jewellery. Her makeup was elegant, but what made her the prettiest wasn't the designer clothes or professional make up or the traditional jewellery or that beautiful drying mehendi. It was the happiness in her eyes, the way they twinkled so happily, reminding me of everything I just lost.

"And goodness you came, the brides and the grooms are supposed to be away from each other till the wedding day. And talk to Abeer. He wants to come here and meet Myra," she huffed in annoyance.

"And not Aarav?" I teased, "He doesn't want to come talk to you?"

"Actually..." her face flushed.

"Let me guess," I smiled, "He jumped in from the balcony early in the morning and already met you. Right?"

"How did you know?" Her eyes widened.

"I helped Aarav plan this yesterday," I smiled proudly, "And honestly, what else can you expect? He's Manik Uncle's son. And my Dad tells me, Manik Uncle was the most romantic amongst all of them."

"Nandini Maa is one lucky woman," she smiled dreamily.

"And so are you," I teased, and she nodded proudly before her smile disappeared. "But that's not the problem. The problem is, Myra and Abeer fought last night. She's in a terrible mood and so is he, but he wouldn't go on before apologising to her. Meine usse bola that not here, functional chal raha hai, but he said agar we don't help him meet Myra, he'll come here. And Myra's not being co-operative at all. She says she wouldn't budge from her seat because she doesn't want to talk to him."

My eyes widened. They become kids sometimes, really. "But wait, Myra And Abeer fought? Like actually fought?" They never fought.

Ruhanna nodded. "Actually, I forgot to ask why they fought. I was so busy tracking you down for help. But now you're here, come help me."

We moved to find Myra, and Nandini Maa told she's just went into the room for a touch up. Perfect. We immediately followed her into the room she was in, and I felt awestruck looking at Myra.

She was one of the prettiest girls I had laid eyes on, and today that she dressed like the bride, she looked even prettier. Her look was same as Ruhaana's except the lehenga was a pastel blue instead of yellow and the traditional jewellery had pink flowers instead of green. Her earrings were a lot bigger, almost touching her shoulder, and she was noticeably uncomfortable, fixing them in the mirror. Thank God they weren't heavy, since they were made of flowers and would be paperweight.

"Myra," Ruhaana breathed as we shut the door behind us. Myra crossed her hands against her chest.

"Don't talk to me, you betrayer," she accused me and my eyes widened.

"What?" I barely said. Had Krishh spoken to Myra?

"Can you stop acting so innocent," she snorted. Ruhaana was just as shocked as I was.

"Uh–," I tried but nothing came out.

"I know what you did, Kaira. And I'm never going to talk to you again," she said, and it looked like she could cry any moment. Oh my God.

"Myra," I protest, walking to her, "I'm so, so sorry..."

"No you're not," she pushed me away, "I feel cheated upon. My own bestfriend chose to be with my fiancé instead of me on my Sangeet."

"What?" I said loudly, in shock.

"Ofcourse," she pouted, "You think I don't know why're you late? You were them, weren't you?"

Ruhaana's mouth fell open and eyes widened. "You betrayer!"

"What?" I said, half smiling. This was so hysterical. "I didn't even know that both the grooms are not attending. I'm later because...." I stopped midway. I couldn't spoil their special day, "...because I got stuck somewhere. Not because I decided to party with the boys instead of coming to your Mehendi."

Myra looked at me squarely, analysing what I just said and I looked at her straight in the eye. Her anger vanished and she hugged me, "I'm so sorry," she whispered, "I'm just pissed at Abeer and then I thought he got you on his side too. My bestfriend."

"What did that douche do, hmm?" I asked her, gently putting the curls of her hair behind a shoulder. Damn I felt like a mother watching her children get married. Ofcourse I would, AbYra have always been my OTP. My ship had sailed.

"We have never actually fought," she said, sitting on the bed with a huff, "And we fought last night for such a stupid reason."

"And what would that be?" I asked. As much as I know Abeer, he could only fight on a very stupid reason. Maybe food?

"Our honeymoon destination." She said, her face flushed.

"What?" I and Ruhaana almost shouted at the same time, looked at each other, and then burst out laughing.

"Yeah–Yeah, laugh it off," she murmured, "The fight sounded so much more realer in my head."

"I'm sorry," I said, recovering from my laugh first, "What happened again?"

"So we were generally talking on the phone last night, and Abeer wants to go to Cuba and Bahamas, while I want to go countryside, maybe Paris, or California or somewhere," she huffed.

I knew it would be a stupid reason. But I wasn't aware it would be this stupid. But atleast it's better than having fought on the food items of their marriage, because knowing the kind of foody they both are, they could totally fight on something like that.

"Does that even matter as long as you're together and doing what needs to be done?" I teased, biting my lower lip.

"What needs to be done?" I heard a voice behind me, and the door unclicked to let three ladies inside.

Decked in sarees from head to toe.

Shit.

Myra immediately got up and Ruhaana straightened.

"What needs to be done?" I heard the lady repeat the question in a squeaky voice. Were they– transgenders?

"Uh, sorry," she repeated, clearing her throat. One of the ladies to the end shut the door behind her and I tensed, grabbing the first object in my hand from the desk. A glass vase.

This is going to hurt. And it should.

It was Karan. He was back. Back for me. But this time I'm not alone. This time I wouldn't let him get to me. This time there's going to be no history-repeats-itself.

The lady got the dupatta off her head and I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding.

It was Aarav.

I deeply sighed, leaving the vase as I turned around, taking deep breaths to calm myself. The panic had stricken me with so much adrenaline, in Myra's biological terms, preparing me for a fight-or-flight situation.

When I turned back, the ladies– now men, were off their sarees. It was Aarav. Abeer. And Krishh.

When my eyes met his, I couldn't bare to look at them for more then a second. It's stupid but I could almost see something different in his eyes, something broken, something that pierced my heart.

Isn't it crazy how something as small as someone's monotone eyes can tell so much about them if you look close enough?

"What are you guys doing here?" Ruhaana freaked, distracting me and I snapped out of my thoughts.

"I'm here to apologise to my girl," Abeer said, "These two just helped me win the battle."

"What battle?" I teased, trying to sound as normal as possible.

"We encountered twenty five dangerous ladies on the way here, including Mom. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to lie to Mom?" Aarav sighed, stepping in to encircle his hands around his fiancé and she happily kept her head on his shoulders.

"And Kaira," Abeer laughed, "You actually grabbed the vase? I had to immediately strip myself down, couldn't risk to get myself in the hospital and make Myra a widow fiancé."

"Or you could just open your mouth and tell her who you are?" Krishh immediately came to my defence. It was like a habit, protecting each other, although I could see the regret written in his face, and it broke my heart as the diamond ring flashed in front of my eyes.

Abeer brushed it off, and steps towards Myra to talk to her and I step away, giving the couples their privacy, but I tripped on one of the sarees lying on the floor and as cliché as it could get, I felt a hand strongly gripping my waist and pulling my to balance, reminding me of how he always pulls me to my sanity.

And I pushed away the only man who could pull me together.

My eyes reached his, and a sad smile lingered on his smile.

Don't cry.

Don't burst out crying.

It was crazy how despite crying so much, I could still feel the urge to cry and bawl out.

"I told you, I'd always be there to catch you when you fall," he murmured and I wished I didn't know the meaning behind those words.

"And I told you," my voice quivered, "I don't need you to pick me up anymore."

The sad smile on his face faded as well and my own words felt like a dagger through my heart as I left the room, tears lingering in my eyes.

It's crazy how heavy an empty heart can feel sometimes.

~~~

Bonus Chapter 6C soon. Just wanted to ask, do you want to see Karan as well, and their final conversation?

Also, whom would you like to see Bonus Chapter 7 about? Myra-Abeer, Ruhaana-Aarav, or Kaira-Krishh? Or wait, how about Ishaan-Nisha?

Let me know in the comments below if you liked this, and don't forget to like the story, review it, and follow me to get featured on my Instagram.

Also, my new story If You Leave Me Now is out and available on Dreame now.

Thank you and so much love.

–H.