Ehan called Ira again, ringing her door bell one more time. But there was no response. He could hear her ringtone from inside. Too many negative thoughts started invading his mind. He know she was a sleepy head but she never took this long in the past days to open the door.

He called her again, only to become more panicked. "Ira" he knocked on the door, fighting the urge to kick it until it swings open.

After calling her for a couple of more times and ringing the door bell hastily, he sighed.

"I never thought of doing this, but..." He pulled out his wallet and took out the spare keys of Ira's apartment.

His hands stopped before he inserted the key into the hole. He rang the bell again, in the hope that atleast she'll wake up now and open the door. But nothing of that sort happened.

Sighing, he inserted the key and twisted it, unlocking the door. Hesitantly, he pushed it open and the sight infront of him looked confusing.

There lays Ira on her bed, hugging Hunny bunny. Her head resting where her legs were suppose to be. And legs; one was on the pillow and the other hanging aside.

"Ira" he quickly walked to her and called out.

"Ira, wake up" he rised his voice but she didn't even stirred a bit.

"Ira, we are getting late" he patted lightly on her shoulder.

When she didn't budged, he yelled in her ear, "Ira, wake up I said. You can sleep afterwards". It only made her pout in sleep and nuzzle more into Hunny bunny.

He hit his head in frustration. She was looking too cute to be disturbed, but he had no other option.

"Ira, I'm warning you. If you don't wake up now..." He waited for her to responded but it didn't looked like she atleast heard him.

Clenching his jaw, he grabbed the water bottle placed aside and sprinkle a very few drops on her face. She so skillfully wiped face in a nano second and buried her face into Hunny bunny's furry body.

"This is not happening" he shook his head.

Keeping the bottle back on its place, Ehan grabbed Ira by arm and forced her to sit. She was ready to fall back as soon as he let go but he held her.

She clicked her tongue in annoyance and jerked his hand away, "I just slept, Ehan. Lemme sleep some more" she mumbled, making him confuse.

"Ira, wake up. You had enough sleep for tonight. You can sleep after exam. You have to revise your syllabus now" he said, pulling her out of bed to stand.

She sat down back on bed with a thud and whined, "I didn't had enough sleep. Laura lied that the party will be over within few minutes"

Ehan's narrowed eyes went wide and turned wrathful in a moment.

---

"Ehan, I'm sorry. I thought..."

"Let's just not talk about it right now. Have your coffee and listen to me. Barely an hour left for the exams to begin" Ehan cut Ira off, who was looking at him with red sleep deprived eyes.

After she confessed that she went to restaurant and returned at 3.40 am, Ehan angrily stomped out of her apartment, which made her run behind him, locking the door. She tried to convince him that she was sorry and could manage without sleeping. But the tiredness from work could be seen on her face. He let her sleep for a couple of hours on his sofa, controlling his anger. When he tried to wake her up after that, it was a task for both of them. She had to fight with her tired self to open her eyes and freshen up.

"Just hear me clearly as I explain the concept of some important topics" she could sense the anger in his voice.

Fighting the urge to hit the sofa again, she listened to Ehan as he gave her a blurb of the important topics and instructed a few techniques to keep things in mind.

Yawning, she rubbed her eyes. Ehan looked at her worried. He could see her struggling to stay awake.

"Ira, listen to me very carefully" he made her look in his eyes.

"It's all in your mind that you're sleepy. Tell yourself they you're not. Trick your mind by assuming that you had a peaceful sleep last night and you're feeling fresh" she blinked at him, taking a deep breathe and nodded.

"Let's go" he handed her bag and they both made their way out.

---

Nauseous, tired, annoyed, fuzzy and sleepy are the things Ira was feeling throughout the time of examination. As she handed the paper to examiner, she could see her future.... Back in orphanage; washing clothes, other girls' taunts, punishments, sleeping empty stomach, Mary in jail. The last thought made her bite her lower lip, to control the tears.

She don't know when was the last time she felt so horrible, so stupid and so useless. Her stupidity was surely going to land Mary in jail and her, at the orphanage; forever.

She slowly descended the stairs, looking at nothing in particular. Her head was spinning and eyes heavy. She absentmindedly walked out of the campus, though she could hear Ehan's distant voice, calling her name.

She didn't paid heed to anything and kept walking until she reached her apartment. Taking out the keys, she unlocked the door. She could see Ehan running towards her. Without waiting for him she stepped inside, leaving the door open.

"Ira, I was calling you" he held by her elbow breathing heavily from running and made her turn to face him.

She looked up at him, blankly. In a second, her empty eyes filled with tears and rolled down her cheeks, making his heart squeeze.

"I messed everything" she whispered, letting another fresh set of tears make their way out of her eyes.

"Ira..." He was about to cup her cheeks but she fell on her knees, crying. He joined her in a moment, holding her by her shoulders.

"Ehan, I messed everything. I don't even know what I wrote. Now, now I'll lose my scholarship. I have to go back to orphanage..." She kept both her trembling hands on her cheeks, her fear filled eyes roaming in space.

"The same old life" she palmed her face, letting out a sob.

"Ira, calm down" he removed her hands from her face, making her face him.

"Relax..."

"And Mary? How will she react? I disappointed her. I let her down. She trusted me so much. And the debt..." She became more panicked.

"Ira, calm down..."

"Oh my God! Mary will be jailed, Ehan. What will I do then? How am I gonna pay the debt? What if..."

Her words were affecting him more than her. He was as panicked as she was. The thought of their earlier life scaring them both.

"How could I be so stupid?" He cupped her cheeks and pulled her closer, resting his forehead against hers, he whispered, "Ira, calm down. Just calm down, I said".

She wrapped her arms around his neck and cried harder, hugging him tight. He held her more closer, holding a fistful of her hair in his gentle hold, closing his eyes.

"I don't wanna go back, Ehan. I don't wanna live that life again. I don't want Mary to end up in jail" she cried, fisting his jacket.

"You are not going anywhere. I won't let you go anywhere" he whispered, the thought of losing her scaring him.

"I'll lose my scholarship now and I will be sent back to..."

"I won't let you go anywhere" he whispered the same thing again and again, hugging her more closer.

Her eyelids begun to droop and the hold around his neck loosened. He cupped her cheeks and wiped her tears. Helping her stand, he made sit on bed. Removing her shoes, he helped her lay properly and pulled the comforter over her.

"Hunny... bunny" she said between hiccups. He quickly took up the toy from the corner of the bed and handed her, which she hugged tightly, letting a fresh set tears escape her eyes.

Ehan kneeled by her side and wiped her eyes, making her look at him. His hand patting her head, which brought a strange sense of relief she never experienced before. He unknowingly caressed her forehead with his thumb, making her eyelids droop and sleep take over her senses.

He don't know how long he sat there, patting her head and occasionally caressing her forehead. Only when he realised that she was deep asleep, he distant himself from her and sat in a corner, looking at her sleepy form.

She looked peacefully asleep but there were thousands of thoughts running his mind. He was feeling restless and scared. It wasn't even an year since she stepped in his life and everything changed. He couldn't deny that she was ruling his senses, his mind and his heart. She's the first and last thought of his day. She made him realise that he could be happy, he have every right to be happy. He learned to smile from her.

And now, he was gonna lose everything. EVERYTHING. His heart trembled at the thought, making his throat dry and eyes gloomy. The hours of loneliness seemed near, silence was again inviting him, darkness was just a door away.

"No  I can't let this happen" he whispered, shaking his head violently.

---

Stirring, Ira nuzzled more into Hunny bunny. Slowly, she peeled her eyelids open, feeling better than before. Her surrounding was gloomy, which made her panick. She turned her left to turn on lights. Only then she spotted Ehan sitting in a corner, too engrossed in his thoughts. He was leaning against the wall, one leg streched and on another, his left hand resting. He was looking at nothing in particular. The satisfaction she got from him being there for her, was much more than her fears of losing everything. She thought she was alone in the darkness, but the fact that he didn't left her, warmed her heart.

She relaxed and sat up pushing the comforter aside, which grabbed his attention.

"Ira, you okay? You need something?" He stood up and neared her. His eyes looking at her with concern.

"No. I'll go freshen up" she whispered, keeping Hunny bunny aside. She silently took out a fresh pair of clothes from cupboard and went to washroom. Shutting the door, she leaned against it. Her eyes closed as the thoughts invaded her mind. She was going to lose many things and one of those many things was Ehan; the one who was by her side since the beginning of her new independent life. Fresh tears formed in her eyes at the memories of her with Ehan. She took a deep breathe, blinking back her tears.

"Be prepared for the worst, Ira. Be strong" she whispered to herself, letting the tears free, not holding them back.

---

When Ira came out after freshening up, Ehan wasn't there anymore. A part of her was disappointed whereas the other part of herself know he couldn't be there for her, always. Besides, she has disappointed him. She let him down. She wasted the efforts he put on her so she could go on with her scholarship. She shut her eyes, cursing her stupid self.

The door swung open and Ehan entered with a box of food and water bottles. A small smile appeared on Ira's lips as soon as her eyes met his, her heart feeling content on his presence. He didn't smile back, making her smile drop.

Silently, he sat on bed keeping the food infront. She sat facing him, who wasn't even looking at her. He handed her a box and started eating from his. She copied his actions. There was an uncomfortable silence surrounding them.

To her, it looked like he was upset over her stupidity. But only if she knows, how much the thought of her leaving, bugging him. His restlessness was growing with every passing second and he don't know what he should do to stop feeling that way.

"I'm sorry, Ehan" she whispered, as they both went downstairs after eating in silence. He didn't looked at her and kept taking tiny steps ahead. She held his jacket sleeves and stood facing him.

"I know my sorry wouldn't..."

"You are not going anywhere, Ira. Everything is going to be okay and I'll make sure of it" he cut her off. His voice might be a mere whisper but his eyes were determined.

She lowered her eyes as his black orbs bore into hers. She know he was telling that just to make her feel better but her heart... It felt like everything is actually going to be okay, as he said.

---

Assalamualaikumb everyone,

How was the chapter?

Do you think Ira is going to fail?

Will she be sent back to India, to orphanage?

What will be Mary's reaction when she'll come to know about this?

Do you think Ehan have something in mind?

Will he be able to stop her from leaving?

What if he wouldn't be able to do anything?

Will their lives be back to the earlier one; dark and lonely?