"We practise letting go. And in the process, we find peace." 

- LEO BABAUTA 

^^^

Kiara nudged Amrita's shoulder from a side, attempting to wake her up. But it was Amrita! The girl that could sleep peacefully while horrible sounds of ghosts tinkering around could never be affected by Kiara's nudging.

"Why the hell do they even have to move to an isolated house?" Avni grumbled as she was peeping from under her blanket.

Kiara had kept her curiosity at the side, not for once glancing at the screen. Her entire concentration was to wake up Amrita and force her to start 'Jab We Met.' By the time that movie would finish, everyone would be dozing off. So, she had set her plan, but the main lead of her strategy wasn't planning to co-operate with her.

"What the hell!" Avni screamed in horror making Kiara glance at the screen and she regret her action a minute later. That same kid that had haunted her entire childhood was talking to his friend who in reality was a ghost. Kiara shut her eyes close, trying to convince her heart it was just a film. "Why does he has to be the one?" Avni was voicing her worry about the child. "That poor kid!"

"Avni!" Dhruv groaned, "would you shut your mouth? I can't even enjoy the film properly." Dhruv was shooting daggers at Avni. He had planned to play revenge on Kiara. She had troubled him enough with her disappearance, it was his turn to annoy her but Avni was spoiling his plan.

"Yeah, so stop watching it. None of us is enjoying it." Kiara voiced for the first time, shaking off her control.

"Stop acting like children. You both are grown-up women, and nothing is much scary in the movie." He rolled his eyes, annoying Kiara more.

"If that's the case then we are fine being children."

"I was correct only Aditi acts mature in you three." Dhruv shook his head but that comment stabbed Kiara in the deepest corner of her heart.

"That's the reason you choose her," Kiara muttered, loud enough to get into everyone's ears.

"What do you mean?" Dhruv stared at her with curiosity. The way she voiced those words out. Dhruv felt a need to clarify it.

"Nothing..." With that, announcement Kiara stood from the couch and walked away from the living area.

"You shouldn't have said those words..." Avni muttered, lowering her gaze to the floor.

"What words? I hadn't commented anything..."

"Let's keep it for tomorrow, I better get going." Avni stood from the couch, following Kiara's direction.

Dhruv stared at the screen with a blank look. He had done it for fun, hadn't they pranked on each other? Hadn't they annoyed the hell out of each other in past? What was wrong now? Wasn't he allowed to pull their legs? Had friendship between them changed? If that was the case, why hadn't anyone informed him about it? Muttering some inappropriate words under his breath, he switched off the tv and walked out of the house in need of fresh air.

___

Amrita was strolling in the kitchen, as she was wrapping her long hair into a bun. The early bird among them. She was searching the refrigerator to find something useful.

"Good morning, Amu..." Avni greeted walking into the kitchen. "What are we going to make for breakfast?" She inquired as Amrita glanced at her, removing a packet of bread with some veggies.

"The only thing your refrigerator holds is this..." she eyed the ingredient in her hand. "Sandwiches!" She shrugged her shoulder making Avni grin.

"Sandwiches are healthy breakfast," Avni countered back, taking the packet from Amrita's hand and pulling it open.

"But I am not going to start my day with sandwiches," they heard grumbling from Dhruv. "You people might be diet conscious, I am in no need of pulling my weight." He was groaning at his friends that were staring at him with an annoyed look.

"Bhai, you are in very much need of dieting, not us," Amrita commented, her eyes slowly rooting on Dhruv's emerging stomach.

"Don't you even comment about it?" Dhruv glared at her, staring at her bulky figure. It wasn't unknown to their friends as both Rathod siblings weren't diet conscious. Neither was any of them but maybe they were less foodie than those two.

"Dude, a day sandwiches aren't going to spoil your stomach." Avni voiced out, applying butter to the bread.

"Kiara, isn't up?" Amrita inquired on finding an absence of her one friend.

"She had gone to visit her office mate," Avni informed making Dhruv curious about the matter.

"Wasn't it decided that we would spend our week together? No works, no other causalities." Dhruv sounded offended as if Kiara had broken a scar promise.

"She promised that she will be here before we start with the day." Anvi was trying to make excuses on Kiara's behalf. Her eyes slowly glanced at Dhruv, hesitating whether to voice out or not. "She was affected by your last night's behaviour." She concluded at last.

"What last night's behaviour?" Dhruv acted more defensive. "She can't keep disappearing and accept us to be alright about it. There wasn't any information about her whereabouts, she had totally cut herself off from us."

"It wasn't the first time she had done it." Amrita attempted to make Dhruv understand. "She had often disappeared for days from us. She at times longed for peace and she got it from disappearing for a while. We know, that's her nature." Amrita stopped for a minute. "We had got used to it, haven't we?" Amrita was staring at her brother for a response but he avoided her gaze.

Dhruv was aware Amrita was voicing facts. Kiara hadn't done it for the first time, maybe physically disappearing from the city was first but she had emotionally detached from them at equal intervals. He never adored her that habit. Avoiding calls, texts and at times trying to cancel the plans of get together.

Kiara always complained that Dhruv never shared his innermost thoughts, and emotions but at times Kiara used to shut herself from the rest of her friends as well. Her deepest pain, insecurities, and emotions were never expressed vocally. Maybe it was a way to process her feeling, and make herself understand what on earth was she feeling before she could express it to the world around her. That trait of hers was never appreciated by Dhruv. In the same manner, Kiara never adored Dhruv holding his feeling back for the harmony of others.

Dhruv wanted to be there for her. He wanted to be present at the moments Kiara needed him the most. He wanted her to trust him with her pain, make her aware that he won't ever judge her. But whenever she pulled her away from him that broke his heart. That made him feel that he had failed as a friend. His deepest motive was to help people, his friend in a manner he could. Make them happy and when he couldn't achieve that goal, he felt defeated as a human.

"What had happened to our famous most-understanding Dhruv?" Avni joked, finding Dhruv wasn't convinced with Amrita's words. Both the siblings were the most understanding creature they ever met. They ran from arguments as if they would burn them alive. Agreeing to things even when they didn't approve of them, was their way of coping with the difference in opinions. Or maybe it was that they were skilled to understand the viewpoint of others in any dense environment.

Dhruv stared at Avni for a minute before bringing himself to answer the question. "I just need a shower..." he wasn't able to come up with any proper answer as he left the two ladies to stare at each other with numerous question entertaining their minds.

There was a minute of silence between them before Amrita opened her curious mouth. "Is Kiara ignoring Bhai, in any manner?" Avni's eyes popped out of the socket at such a sudden question, indirectly suggesting to Amrita that her doubt was clear. "It is true, right? I am not imaginary things?" She was desperate to inquire further but Avni passed a caution gaze at her surroundings.

"There isn't anything like that." She attempted to cover up. "We know that Kiara has feeling for someone and..." Before Avni could complete the statement Amrita jumped in between.

"And that someone is Bhai." Amrita's eyes enlarged in realization. "How could it escape from my eyes? Their connection, the bond that they shared. That was something that I missed yesterday, in this past few days. That rawness in their friendship. That is lost due to this unwanted wedding, right?" Amrita shook her head not allowing Avni to interject. "Maybe that was the reason I could never imagine Bhai with Aditi di, because unconsciously I had imagined him with Kiara. Maybe that's the reason, I couldn't fully be happy for them because I could feel the vibes associated with it." Amrita was having a period of self-realization.

"It is said that ones doesn't realize what value someone holds until you realize that you are losing that person that is what happening with..." Before Amrita could complete her statement they heard a joyful Aditi's voice.

"Who is losing what?" She asked enthusiastically staring at her two friends that were horror-stricken. "Was it again something, I shouldn't have listened to?" Aditi inquired, shooting daggers at her friend. "Why have you people started keeping so many secrets from me?"

"Because you have started avoiding us Aditi. Where were you last night?" Avni dozed the topic off, making Aditi the centre of attention.

At the mere question, Aditi's body language changed a little, her face turning quite pale. And her eyes avoiding eye contact. Avni felt suspicious yet she allowed not to dig on the matter. She wasn't like Aditi to directly question but rather allowed people some space to open up. She wasn't of the view that friend should share each secrets among them. "I was busy with the latest case." Her orbs were sparkling, and those blabbers tongue that never had enough of her work were shut. Rather she sounded disinterested as if she didn't want to even mention the case. And Aditi they knew wasn't someone like that.

"The case didn't turn out as wished?" Avni inquired finding Aditi's behaviour weird.

"No, it ended up better than planned. But I just don't want to think about work, let's have a fun time together. I have taken few days off from the job. My whole week is dedicated to you, Amu." She managed to pull on a brighter smile but happiness wasn't reaching her eyes.

Amrita should have been overwhelmed by Aditi's decision but she rather felt concerned towards her yet she offered her a smile, pulling her into a side hug. "It will be wonderful week of the year." Amrita giggled, bringing a smile to the other face.

___

"I felt that you had forgotten us," Yami grumbled wrapping her arms around Kiara. A broad smile playing on Kiara's lip. She had felt guilty for leaving everything behind for her personal peace.

"You hadn't provided me with an opportunity to forget you." Kiara whispered pulling from the hug, "constantly troubling me with your calls."

"So mean Kiara, don't humiliate my Yami's concern for you." Voiced out a familiar hoarse voice making Kiara turn in his direction.

"Your Yami?" Kiara raised her brow in suspiciousness.

Harshad had a playful smirk as he walked toward them. "Yeah, my Yami." Harshad winked in her direction, wrapping his arms around Yami's shoulder.

Kiara was looking in between the two. Yami had a small smile as she witnessed their exchange. "What is happening, Yami?" Kiara folded her arms staring at her friend with a look of inquiry.

"Can't you see?" Harshad answered for her. "Your friend is no longer yours I am her best friend now."

"That can't ever happen. She won't ever make a friend like you." Kiara remarked making Harshad to fake his anger.

"Okay, let's ask her." Harshad averted his gaze to Yami. "Who is your best friend, Yami?"

Yami stared at them in dilemma. "Best friend?" Both her companion was staring at her with desperate gaze. Yami provided a hesitating smile. "You both are..."

"Saw!" Harshad responded making Kiara's eyes wide in surprise. "She doesn't want to break your heart so she is taking both of our names."

"There isn't anything like that," Yami jerked Harshad hands away glaring at him. "You both are my favourite..." Her eyes planting on Kiara. "So, for how many days are you here? You have to make up for your disappearance." Muttered Yami grabbing Kiara's hands in hers. "I am going to make each minute count..."

"Hey!" Harshad yelled after them as they walked out of the office building. "I am also joining you both..." rushing after them.