"When you truly care for someone, their mistakes never change your feelings because it's the mind that gets angry, but the heart still cares." 

- UNKNOWN

^^^

"Sweetheart," he attempted to wrap his arms around her shoulder but she jerked him away. "Okay, I shouldn't have brought him up, but he isn't allowed to hurt you."

"He isn't hurting me," Kiara acted defensively. "Can't we make peace with his existence?" Kiara pleaded displaying defeat. "Why do I have to keep defending you both?" She questioned, "can't you both make peace with each other."

"Not until he stops hurting you." Harshad's remark made Kiara glare at him.

"You have hurt me as well." Kiara pointed out, "so you should be angry with yourself as well."

"Why can't you stop defending him?" Harshad groaned, sounding frustrated.

"The way I can't stop defending you in front of him. Why can't you both understand that you both hold an important part in my life? The way, I can't choose between Yami and Avni. In the same manner, I can't choose one among you both."

Harshad stared at her for a minute longer, Kiara calmed herself before reaching for his hands. "You don't need to get insecure with his presence."

"I won't ever get jealous of that human being." Harshad groaned, withdrawing his hand from her. Kiara warned him with her eyes, "I don't even want to talk about him." He walked away from her grabbing a seat on the couch.

Yami and Avni stared at each other, eyeing to initiate a conversation but later opted to provide them both space and Avni switched the television.

As Yami got a chance alone with Kiara, she initiated a conversation. As both Avni and Harshad had left the living area.

"So?" Yami was staring at her with a questioning gaze.

"I know, you will be questioning my action as well." Kiara shook her head, "I understand that Harshad doesn't appreciate Dhruv's presence around me but I can't walk away from the friendship moreover I don't want to walk away from it. I value my relationship with others' Yami. I know Dhruv and Aditi acted in an appropriate manner. If I was in your shoes I would be getting mad at myself as well but can you all attempt to understand my views?" Kiara paused for a moment staring at Yami in plead. "I can't just walk from a friendship I had invested in for years. They were part of my life and it feels like forever. Imagining my life without them isn't less than a punishment."

Yami nodded in agreement, "I understand but they are worried because they care about you, Kiara. Avni and Harshad can't see you walking back on the same path and getting hurt."

"They won't hurt me, Yami. They are my friends," Kiara attempted to convince her.

"They had hurt you before, Kiara," Avni muttered returning from the kitchen. "I had seen you in miserable condition, I won't be able to see you in the same position."

"I can promise you, Avni. They won't hurt me." Kiara seemed determined about the matter.

___

Another get-together was planned. Though Harshad and Avni were against inviting Dhruv and Aditi, Kiara was adamant to give their friendship another chance. Harshad was unknowingly getting anxious as he hadn't left Kiara's side for her second as Dhruv and Aditi had entered. His eyes were intact on her, noticing her every small moment. "You aren't eating anything." He whispered to her making her eyes widen.

"You should stop spying on me," Kiara grumbled back making him laugh and as a result, they grabbed the group's attention.

Yami giggled, "can we know what is going on between you two?" She inquired in a teasing manner making Aditi join in it.

"Yes! The way Harshad's eyes aren't leaving Kiara. Should I carry on with the suggestion of a double wedding?"

"I don't think that it will be a good idea. I want to enjoy your wedding and being a bride isn't going to help me." Kiara expressed making the rest taken aback for a minute. It was the first time she had commented on their wedding plans. "I want to see that you have the best wedding of the century. I had missed the planning before but I promise you, I am going to be by your side at each function."

Aditi stared at Kiara for a minute before walking towards her and pulling her into a bone-crushing hug. "I am so lucky to have a friend like you. I can't thank you enough, Kiara. Those words mean a lot to me." She whispered in her ears, pressing a kiss on her forehead.

Kiara smiled at her, pulling back the emerging tears. She was going to make the best out of it! She was going to enjoy it for Aditi. "After all, she is my best friend." Harshad winked as he wrapped his arms around Kiara and pulled him further into his chest. "I am glad that people have started realizing her worth." It came in a sarcastic manner but the rest ignored it.

___

Kiara had walked into the kitchen to help Avni with baking a cake. She was excited to try the tricks Maya had taught Kiara. Aditi glanced at Harshad, who seemed engrossed in the cell. "Are you mad at me?" She couldn't take his aloof behavior.

Harshad kept his gaze fixed on the cell. "Should I be mad at you?" He raised a brow.

"I am glad that someone is offering me revulsion for my actions." Aditi sounded pleased, "it doesn't make my heart burdened with guilt. Or my friends are so eager to forgive me."

"Maybe they love you enough to forgive you for your deeds." He rolled his eyes.

"You do care about Kiara." It wasn't a question but a statement. Harshad was forced to glance at Aditi's admiring face. "Your actions show that she means the world to you."

"Why does it even matter?" Harshad shrugged his shoulder. "She holds feelings for someone else," their eyes found their way to the source. Dhruv was having a conversation with Yami.

"Do you think that I came between them?" Aditi seemed concerned. Harshad eyes met hers. Harshad was stunned by her words. She glanced at him again, waiting for his response.

"I don't think so," Harshad shrugged his shoulder. "Dhruv might have never built up the courage to voice it out." Harshad shook his head. "If it wasn't you maybe he would be rope with someone else but he might have never voiced a word about his happiness. I seriously, don't understand him. Kiara claims that he cares, can't he see how his mere acts are hurting her?" Revulsion was visible in his orbs.

"Some people are experts in hiding themselves." Aditi muttered, "you can never understand what is beneath the surface." Harshad stared at Aditi in curiosity but no further words were exchanged after it.

___

"You should add coco power," Kiara mentioned trying to recollect the recipe.

"Do you want to share something?" Avni inquired shifting Kiara's mood.

"I don't want to discuss it."

"You can't keep running from the conversation." Avni grumbled while Kiara stared at her with a pleading gaze.

"I don't know, Avni." She confessed, her smile fading to distance as the true emotions displayed on her face. "I feel that ignoring Dhruv isn't going to work. My heart needs frequent assurance that he is fine. A deep unsettling feeling keeps crossing me, it keeps telling me that he is in need. I know he acts ignorant but my heart wants to believe there is a reason behind it. You people can call me insane because I don't know how can I explain it to you." Kiara brushed the tears, pressing a smile on her face.

"Where is Harshad in all this Kiara? Are you going lose him for Dhruv?" Avni sounded disappointed, "he loves you Kiara, the way none ever loved you."

"I know..." Kiara pulled her tears back, "but that simply can't make me have feelings for him, Avni. I will be always worthy of it, but the thing I feel for Dhruv... it can't be compared to anything. I am aware that I have started growing attracted to Harshad. And maybe slowly I will start having feelings for him but a part of me will be always longing for Dhruv and that will be injustice with Harshad."

"So, what are you going to do?" Avni inquired.

"I am going to make it clear to him."

____

"Hey, Sweetheart!" Harshad groaned, "how long are you going to offer me the silent treatment?" He grumbled making Kiara smile at his annoyed features.

"Why are you like this?"

"Like this?" He raised his brow and glanced at her before staring straight at the road ahead.

"Yes! Like this," she smiled and Harshad heart melted at such a delighted view. He was finding it difficult to concentrate on the road. "You should be mad over me. Disappointed at me but rather you're attempting to shift my mood."

"And may I know, why I should be mad at you?" He inquired having a cocky smile.

"You know what I mean by it," Kiara avoided the gaze, staring out of the window. Cursing herself for bringing the topic up. "I am aware you're furious at me for walking back to Dhruv. Allowing him to insult my feelings at frequent intervals, becoming a joke for him. I know you're hurt that I walked back to him even after providing you hope." She spared a glance at Harshad. "Trust me, Harshad. I want to move on but it's not that easy."

She paused for a few minutes and Harshad didn't speak a word either. "Even after his claim of not having any feelings, even if he hates me. I won't ever stop caring about him. If I get to know he is in trouble, I will just walk back to him, Harshad." She shook her head, "I might never stop caring about him. Not until my heart is convinced there is someone to look after his needs or he had learned to keep his need before others." Kiara groaned at the end, recollecting his selfless nature.

"I know I don't deserve you. I can't prioritize you, Harshad. I won't hold you. You are free to leave..." Kiara suppressed her pain. She was aware that Harshad held importance as well, she could not see him with someone else but she couldn't act selfishly. She was aware Harshad deserved better.

"Okay, I was mad at you for the past few days but when I saw you crying in front of everyone breaking into pieces. Without giving a second thought that maybe unintentionally you had hurt my feeling, I walked to you. At that moment you were my priority, I had the urge to console you, to see if you were fine and at that moment I understood you. I understood why you walked back to Dhruv. The way I couldn't see you in pain, in the same manner, you can't see him in pain." Harshad reasoned out making Kiara astonished with his understanding nature.

"With you, things are so easy..."

"Yet you can't force your heart to love me." The pain was visible in those words.

"I do..." Kiara whispered avoiding eye contact. "But it's way different from what I share with Dhruv. It's just that I know you can deal with yourself if I walk away but Dhruv won't be able to. I can't trust him with himself."

"I know..." Harshad whispered back and silence prevailed around them for the rest of the journey.

^^^

I don't know if Kiara makes sense but girls like her exist! They do!