"A true friend is someone who sees the pain in your eyes while everyone else believes the smile on your face." 

- UNKNOWN

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Kiara attempted to get out of Harshad's grip, pleading with him through her eyes. And the minute he loosened his grip, Kiara rushed from them. She wasn't planning to hear their conversation. She didn't want to feel those emotions again.

Kiara walked toward the rest of her friends that were staring in her direction. Aditi was curiously looking behind her, but Kiara forced the urge to not glance back.

"Is she the girl?" Kiara caught a hint of conversation happening among them.

"She is a friend," Yami felt a need to clarify seeing Aditi's emerging interest.

"They always say that." Aditi rolled her eyes.

"I think we don't have any right to comment on someone's personal life," Avni muttered grabbing Kiara's hand and dragging her along with her.

"That was rude," Kiara commented when they were walking in opposite direction.

"She should stop acting like an enemy." Avni grumbled, "it feels like she is holding a great revulsion towards us. Throughout the journey, she wanted to connect Ria and Harshad together. How can someone be so cruel?" Avni was fuming in rage, "she is making me hate her."

"She is our friend, Avni." Kiara attempted to calm her down. "I am also finding it difficult to understand it but maybe she feels that I will steal Dhruv and that's making her behave so defensively."

Avni shook her head, "then why is she against you ending up with Harshad? Her heart is corrupted against you. She can't see you happy even if it is with Harshad. She wants to provide you with pain, which gives her inner happiness. I really doubt if she holds any feelings for Dhruv. He is going to regret his decision in the future."

"Why will she do that? She is just overtaken by jealousy." Kiara was shaking her head in disbelief. "With time she will get over it when she will believe I am no longer her competition. She has Dhruv all to herself, she will realize her mistake. I just hope I will be able to forgive her then and maybe our friendship will stay the same."

"How can you be so optimistic?" Avni had a slight smile, "I too hope the same but I doubt it."

"For now, let's enjoy the amazing waves." And with those words, Kiara dragged Avni towards the sea.

"You haven't seen Dear Zindagi?" Kiara raised a brow, they were a few inches away from the waves running towards them. "Let's play Kabbadi with waves?"

"Kabbadi with waves?" Avni was staring at Kiara in confusion.

"Yes!" Kiara exclaimed, her eyes glittering in delight. She walked forward to the emerging waves, "you should touch the wave." She touched one and rushed out before the wave could touch her leg. "Repeating Kabbadi," she winked repeating her action again.

"Kabbadi... Kabbadi... Kabbadi..." And she did another time, laughing out loudly.

"Seems interesting..." Avni was excited as well and both walked into the sea, muttering the word kabbadi.

"Kabbadi... Kabbadi..."

"Hey, this really freshens the mood!" Avni concluded following Kiara again in the waves.

"You lost it Avni, you should be fast." Kiara laughed, finding Avni trying to rush from the waves but falling into the water.

"It was due to you, you pushed me Kiara in the hurry to rush." Avni pouted while Kiara was laughing her heart out, soon Avni joined her grabbing the attention of the rest present on the beach.

Yami and Aditi were interrupted in their discussion about Aditi's latest case. "What are they doing?" Yami was getting curious, listening to their heart-warming laughter.

"Man! That melodious voice," Harshad muttered making Ria fume in jealousy. "Ria if you are done then please excuse me."

Harshad didn't even wait for Ria to respond as he walked in the direction of the melodious voice. It was as if they were opposite poles of a magnet, Kiara could always attract him toward her.

Harshad orbs glittered on seeing the beautiful face glowing in happiness. She was playing with the waves, those giggles popping out of her throat. Her orbs shone with inner happiness. Harshad heart skipped a beat seeing her. Harshad was having a glimpse of the kid in Kiara.

"What are they doing?" Aditi grumbled but Harshad ignored her comment. He didn't want to spoil his mood due to her. Harshad soon walked towards the two souls enjoying the moment. Behaving the weirdest self without caring about those judging gazes planted on them.

"What's going on over here?" Harshad inquired in a curious manner before Avni could answer Kiara blurted out.

"Nothing, you carry the conversation with your girlfriend. Or she will further fume in rage." Kiara muttered not even sparing him a glance.

"But I can smell someone else fuming in jealousy." Harshad commented in a joking manner but it triggered Kiara.

"I am not jealous," she growled and averted her gaze from him.

"Ugh! Leave it all, let's start." Avni attempted to change the topic.

"I am not in a mood..." Kiara muttered and was going to walk away but Harshad grabbed his wrist. "Harshad don't test my patience..." Kiara was struggling in his grip.

"Don't you know how you should behave with a girl?" Dhruv's authoritative voice was heard. "Leave her hand," he warned him adding more tension to the building scene.

Harshad was ignoring Dhruv's existence his eyes were fixed on Kiara. Those orbs had softened in concern. Kiara stared at Dhruv with horror. Why he had to jump between them?

Dhruv walked towards them, trying to push Harshad away from Kiara. "At last, you had shown your true colors. You can only force women, only use them for your..." Dhruv was going to accuse Harshad further but Kiara interjected him.

"I had warned you before Dhruv. Don't judge a person you hardly know." Kiara was staring at Dhruv with revulsion.

"You are still supporting him. Even after he was forcing you, grabbing your arms so tightly. He is playing with your feelings, Kiara. He has a girlfriend but also wants to have you, how can you support such a person? What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with you, Dhruv? Why are you so against him?" Avni grumbled.

"Avni don't you dare come in between this."

"Why won't she? You can't keep talking rubbish about the person we consider a friend. He wasn't forcing me. He was just stopping me."

"Without your permission. You didn't want to be there and yet he was forcing you to stay."

"That's between us and I don't think you have any right in my personal matters. He is my friend and I share such a bond with him. You can please leave us to deal with it?" Kiara raised a brow eyeing Dhruv's hand around her elbow.

"Fine!" Dhruv gritted his teeth, "if you want to choose him who am I to argue?"

"Yes, you are none as you had withdrawn every right you held on me. Now simply leave me alone." Kiara jerked her hand away from him. Averting her gaze away from Dhruv as well. Dhruv gave an annoyed stare at Harshad before walking away from them.

•••

"I feel like a loser, dad." Aditi was grumbling into her cell phone. "I thought breaking the friendship with Kiara would make him walk away from her but he is so enchanted by her charm." Aditi shook her head, "she had him still wrapped around her fingers."

"It's not her who had wrapped him around her fingers, Aditi." Aditi was startled by the interrupter. She turned in the direction of the voice and found Avni standing a few distances away from her. "You have wrapped Dhruv around your fingers."

"I will talk to you later," Aditi whispered to the phone. "What are you doing over here? Don't you know it's bad to eavesdrop on someone's ongoing conversation?"

"It's also bad to gossip about someone. You should stop obsessing about Kiara. She is no longer in your life. You have seen with your eyes how Kiara had shoved him away. So, let her live in peace. Due to you, she lost her friend as well. Stop troubling her more. Don't make her lose the last hope she has in friendship. Don't make her hate you both. She won't be able to trust friendship if it ever happens."

"Why do you always understand the opposite person against me? Why is it so difficult for you to understand me? Why can't you see the pain I am going through? Dhruv has agreed to marry me but he isn't at all happy with me. I feel like an antagonist over here. As if I am a villain in their love story. I hadn't asked him to marry me but once he had decided shouldn't it be his responsibility to look after me? To be loyal towards me. I hadn't asked him to choose me over Kiara. Yes, I had attempted by level best but in the end, it was his choice, and still, after choosing me he keeps on running after her. If you were in my position, won't you feel insecure?"

Avni kept staring at Aditi without uttering a word. Aditi had always displayed her bold nature, never highlighting her vulnerable side. Maybe Avni had forgotten she was human as well, she also had feelings involved.

"He promised me that our relationship won't be as messed up as our parents but I can't help feeling insecure. What if one day he decides that he no longer can fake his happiness? He can't subside his happiness any longer. Our relationship suffocates him. He might get exhausted from fulfilling my demand and won't be offered any love in exchange. He doesn't desire me but Kiara. What if everything fades away between us?"

"Erasing Kiara from your life isn't an option. You need to make a place of yours in his heart. You need to learn about his needs, and how to handle him. How to understand him? Those things will be understood with time. You need to give your relationship time. You aren't having a competition with Kiara rather you are fighting to make this relationship work for both of you, Aditi." Avni paused for a moment, staring at Aditi. "Trust me, Aditi. Kiara was never against your relationship with Dhruv. It was just difficult for her to enjoy your happiness. The way you can't see them together, she couldn't as well. None can understand her feeling than you, Aditi."

"She is still waiting for a day when everything would sort out and we could share the same bond. Please don't let her hope in you vanish." With those words Avni walked away, leaving Aditi engrossed in a series of thoughts. For the first time after months of envy, a pang of guilt concurred in a slight part of Aditi's heart.

•••

"Knock... Knock..." Harshad made an action of knocking on Kiara's door.

Kiara rolled her eyes concentrating on the laptop before her. "Oh! The world-famous ignorance!" Commented Harshad walking into her room. "Wow! This room seems amazing." Harshad was glancing at the room with admiration. "Just like my sweetheart's taste."

"Harshad!" Kiara groaned seeing him not walking away. "I am not in a mood..."

"Nothing new! You aren't ever in a mood. I was just praying that my daughter doesn't end up being so moody like you."

Kiara jerked her eyes at him in utter frustration. Harshad raised his hand in surrender. "I was just joking," he had a sheepish smile.

"Why do you keep annoying me?" Kiara cried in defeat while Harshad chuckled.

"Peace," he winked walking towards her. He kneeled in front of her as she was sitting on a chair. "I love to annoy you as when those orbs stare at me with those irritated looks. Those lips want to come up with a solid comeback against me but your stupid mind is not able to respond fast. I love when you are fuming in anger yet so helpless to act. It makes you the most adoring creature. It makes me feel that only... only... if I..." Harshad shook his head, "never mind..." he muttered to himself.

"What never mind?" Harshad had unknowingly sparked Kiara's curiosity.

"Do you really want to know?" He interrogated having his famous smirk and Kiara reconsidered her decision.

"No," she lowered her gaze getting nervous.

Harshad smiled; he had anticipated her response. Harshad shook his head, raising her chin to glance into those set of beautiful, round, black orbs. Harshad never had enough of those gorgeous sets of orbs. The way it sparkled with delight when she was excited about something. The way it narrowed when he troubled her and when it slowly lowered her gaze in shyness, his heart would take a leap.

Harshad slowly raised from his knees, pecking a kiss on her forehead. A smile was playing on his lips. His thumb slowly caressed her cheek. Kiara had shut her eyes unintentionally; she was feeling waves of nervousness in her spirit.

"Only if I could kiss you." He muttered softly making Kiara's heart accelerate its speed. What was happening to her? He pecked another kiss on her cheek before walking out of the room.

Kiara couldn't muster the courage to open her eyes with anticipation that he might still be present. She wasn't in a state to face him. Her heart was feeling something inappropriate and she couldn't display it to him.

•••

"It's already night. It will be better if you all stay for the night. Driving at such an hour isn't a good decision." Kiara expressed her concern about them.

"I would have stayed behind if I didn't have a lecture to attend. I can't miss two lectures at a time." Avni was offering an excuse.

"The reason I didn't want you here in the first place. What was the need to bunk the classes today?" Kiara was scolding like an elder sister to Avni.

"It wasn't that important, tomorrow's is. So, I want to attend it." Avni was trying to convince her but Kiara was glaring at her folding her hand around her chest.

"Don't behave like her mom." Yami came in Avni's support. "She is an adult and she can make her decision." Yami rolled her eyes, "and bunking one class isn't a big deal."

"She had never bunked a class before," Kiara narrowed her eyes at Yami. "I am scared that your company will spoil her."

"Nothing like that is going to happen," Harshad jumped into the conversation. Wrapping his arms around Kiara's shoulder. "I will look upon it that she won't be spoiled." At those words, he winked at Avni but Kiara caught him making Avni giggle.

"You are the one who is going to spoil her."

"You're behaving as if I am going to spoil my daughter. Though I won't mind spoiling her as well." He winked making Kiara's mouth open in wide bafflement.

"Oh my god! Planning of kids is going on. You people have already decided that you are going to have a daughter." Avni spoke in a dramatic manner grabbing the audience's attention.

"Who? said we are planning about our kids? I am planning about my kids." Harshad smirked making Yami giggle.

"With his girlfriend," with those words, Kiara jerked his hand from her shoulder.

"And then she goes on saying, she isn't jealous." Harshad muttered making the rest two giggle.

"I am not jealous," Kiara grumbled sounding frustrated with that word.

Harshad was going to pull her cheek finding her adorable but Dhruv interrupted. "Shall, we leave? We are getting late." Dhruv was growling at Harshad.

Harshad had learnt the skill of ignorance from Kiara. He was avoiding Dhruv's presence, he was aware if he let himself consider Dhruv, he will knock him down on the floor and Kiara won't be pleased with his action.

"Yeah, it's already time." Ria agreed as she wasn't liking the view before her. It was triggering her to witness the building bond between the two.

They walked out of the house towards the car. Yami and Avni hugged Kiara bidding her bye. Dhruv, Aditi, and Ria got into the car. Harshad was staring at Kiara with some craving, and Kiara was avoiding glancing at him. His intense orbs were making her uncomfortable but at the same time, she was enjoying his attention. What was wrong with her?

Harshad behavior towards her was changing and she wasn't an idiot not to notice his developing interest in her. Kiara was doubting whether Ria was really his girlfriend. She had hardly seen him having a conversation with her.

"Bye... Maya," Harshad muttered Kiara wasn't sparing him a glance.

The minute he shut the door; Kiara's eyes landed on Harshad. His orbs were placed on her as well though he had started the engine of the car. The car started off but they were staring at each other from the rear-view mirror.

Kiara's heart ached to see him walking away from him. "Bye..." he moved his lips in a whisper but Kiara couldn't repeat those words.

Kiara had never been the superstitious woman but at the minute she couldn't mutter the word 'bye.' It felt as if those words would mean that she won't ever see him again. When had he grown so important? Why the mere thought of never seeing him again could make her heart ache in pain? What was even happening? 

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TIPS FROM THE AUTHOR: IF YOU HAVE A FRIEND LIKE HARSHAD NEVER LET HIM  GO BECAUSE YOU'RE DAMN FORTUNATE TO HAVE HIM.