"WHAT?" Eby could not believe his ears. "Shreya? What are you saying Farhan?"

"No wonder you can't believe this. You were busy cooking up stories which I have not even dreamt of."

"But I thought.. I thought you hate her.. you always ignore her." said Eby, still in the pool of shock.

"I ignore her because I know how deep are my feelings for her. And I knew it was better not to express when she had this intimate thing for the one who is one of us.

"My hate for her was not built in a single day." He heavied a loud sigh. "Remember the day I told you about our friendship?"

"I too was one among those who despised her over boldness. But being with her, changed everything. I realized she was far away from the wild character I sketched for her. It was just a shield. A shield to protect her personal life."

"She never had a thing called love in her entire life. No parents, no siblings, no friends. No one! She made me realize how rich I am to have all of your love and care. And I was always there to share half of my happiness with her.."

"I thought I could be happy the same way with Kaira too. But it seems impossible for me. I could not let anyone cross my heart other than her. I tried to distract my mind hanging out with Viha and all. But that too didn't work. I love her. And it's her. Only her.."

"But.. but she was just making use of me. To get him. The great Ishaan." Eby felt somewhat scared watching his eyes blazing with anger and jealousy, mentioning him.

"Am I a joker or something? Or a dustbin? You tell me." He stepped towards Eby.

"Farhan.. we can't do anything with that. It's out of our hand. It's her life. Her choice. Why you need someone who is not even worth of having you? It's over. Just leave it."

"I left it the same day I came to know of this from her." He smirked.

"But the thing that irritates me is Him. After I heard her disclosing her feelings for Ishaan, I didn't felt the need to see him anymore. Seeing his face was equal to killing myself. Atlast he himself gave me a reason to detach from him. That whole drug thing. But how long I can stay away from him? It was not that easy as I thought. That long break was enough for me to forget everything."

"Once the issues were going to seek an end, he proposed her behalf of everyone, giving another grand treat for me. I didn't know at which point he felt that way for her. But thinking of her happiness, I was ready to forget it too."

"But! But when he began to take control over her, my Ainu, that's something I can't let. She have been there, beside me, joining my happiness and pain. I cannot do without her. But being the loser, I lost her too. She has gone. She will not be with me again." He knelt down facing the floor lacking words.

"Farhan, why you are thinking everything in negative sense? She is.. she is still with you. She won't ever leave you.. you know her, right?"

"I thought the same for my dad. My mom. And Shreya.. And where the hell are they now." He paused leaving Eby in a difficult situation.

"You know what that lady, my mom, called me? Loser. And she said how she wished to have Ishaan as her son. And it.. It hurts!!!" He groaned in frustration.

"I know..  Ainu will also leave me one day. She will choose him over me one day. She too will say I'm a useless. She too will leave me.." He paused shivering.

"And I can't see that same thing happen again. I can't let myself bear that pain again. I better leave.. I'm.. I'm leaving.. yeah, I'm leaving."

With that he stood up, walking towards his baggage and began packing.

It was then when Eby realized how weak was his friend. How tragical his life was. How much pain he was suffering inside. How possesive he was for Ainu. Eby felt it hard to block him as he didn't know what to say at that precise moment.

"I'm not taking his things. These are all mine. All mine." He zipped his bag before taking his guitar.

"Where will go Farhan?" Eby found his voice shaking.

"I.. I don't know. But somewhere other than here. I need a break. Break from my sucked up life. I can't live here with you people anymore. I had enough. Have to go.."

Farhan wore his bag and started to move. "What about your final exams?" Asked Eby with a last hope.

"I have to learn how to live at first place. Then we can think about those paper tests." Farhan gave a faded smile and stepped out from his vision.

Eby clenched his fist cursing himself for letting him go. He screamed to loosen the thread of annoyance.

▪▪▪▪

"Happy birthday Juan!" Eby gave his gift to Juan, Anjali's only brother.

"Thanks Eby. And thank you everyone for being a part of this party." Juan smiled widely at everyone only to get treated with a sad smile.

"Eby, why can't you tell me yesterday? I would not have thrown a birthday party at this situation." Anjali asked, taking hold of his arm, making sure that her brother could not hear them.

"It's not just you. I didn't tell anyone yesterday about this. I was not in a frame of mind for it and I didn't want to blow away Juan's happiness on his special day."

"It's now that I have told them. I don't know what I will say to Ishaan. That he is the reason for all these dramas? I can't do that Anjali." He paused looking down.

"And look at Ainu. She have not said a single word after I disclosed it. Didn't even asked where he went. Is it the end of our.. our friendship?" Eby looked at her helplessly. It was the first time Anjali have seen him that way.

Eby always had solutions for almost everything in the entire world.

But now what?

Amaaya looked at the waves coming back with greater force wishing the things she had lost would come back too. Her face held no expression. Her mind threw light on the incidents happened the last day.

Flashback:

Amaaya walked carrying thousands of thoughts in her mind.

"If you have a little thing remaining for me, the best thing you can do now is leave me alone."

His words kept playing in her head though she knew it would hurt her more.

Amaaya climbed the steps to Com-villa, making up her mind to believe that what happened was nothing but Faru was just fooling her as he did every other time. Just like he had done on Ishaan's birthday.

"Enough! Ishaan. Ishaan. Ishaan. Is he a son of god or something? Everyone is sticking to him as if he is the breathe to their lives." She got jerked up by his high pitched voice. His unending jealous for Ishaan could be measured by his tone.

"I got it! I got it now the only thing which matters is money. Only money. That's why you too sided with him, right?" Amaaya wondered what on earth made him to speak that way. He was not like that. She hid behind the door lacking the courage to face him at that second.

"Ishaan has eveything. All the money and power. And look at me. I'm a total zero. No wonder why you people keep running after him."

"But I never thought she too would.." It did effort to let her tears to flow down her face as she knew whom he was going to mention.

Amaaya tried to control her pain hearing him sharing the shattered love story of him.

"I know..  Ainu will also leave me one day. She will choose him over me one day. She too will say I'm a useless. She too will leave me.." He paused shivering.

She felt each of his words as bullets to her heart. It was then she realized she could not hear him anymore. She could not see him breaking himself in pain.

She walked out, wiping her tears.

Flashback ends..

"Come Aju, help me finish this castle." Juan called with his mud stained hands.

"Uhh, you go on Ju." Aju plastered a smile.

"What happened with you people? Why all are so gloomy? Come on, let's celebrate my big day."

"Juan, don't just irritate others. They have their own issues. We arranged the party in your favourite beach, cut the cake and wished you. And that's it. Now you can play with your friends." Anjali ordered him leaving no other way.

"Eby, Aju, dany... everything will be okay. He can't go like that. I'm sure will come back within a week. He just asked for a break. Don't take it as a big thing. God will find a way to solve all of your problems." Rinu tried to console them as she could not see their desparate faces.

"Guys..." All averted their eyes back to see the source of that voice.

Ishaan was standing there, with his car key on one of his hands. He looked fresh and vibarnt in his white shirt, spreading his million dollar smile.

"You came back?" Aju asked in the dumbest way as possible.

"You don't want me to?" Ishaan said with a half smile but treated back with silence.

"Ishaan..."

The next thing he could see was Amaaya. His heart beat had increased drastically just at that single sight. She ran to him. Her eyes seemed tired and wet. Unlike every other time.

Before he could utter a single word, her arms circled his muscular body. She rested her head on his broad chest, sobbing up.

It took couple of seconds, but he broadened his arms, holding her more closer to him.

For Amaaya, the heat of his protective arms was enough to calm her nerves whereas for Ishaan, he could sense the love in her breathe.

They hugged as if the entire world had stopped to see that moment. As if they were the only ones remaining there.

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"WAIT PLEASE! DON'T FORGET TO HIT THE STAR : )"