"Some people fit you in such a manner as if they are key to your lock." 

- SANJH

^^^

"Are you ever planning to throw that human out of your house?" Harshad was growling staring at the source standing at the entrance. The aged figure was smirking at the car. The devil's smile on his evil face was making Kiara nervous.

Harshad glanced at Kiara's direction due to her lack of response. The minute his eyes met Kiara's state. He was filled with panic, Kiara was sweating in nervousness, her hands shivering, those set of orbs locked on the creature before her. Her face seemed pale as if she had forgotten to breathe.

"Kiara," Harshad called her out.

"Kiara!" Raised his tone but Kiara was lost. "Kiara," he nudged her shoulder, and Kiara's eyes met Harshad's. Her eyes widen in shock and soon she hugged Harshad tightly. She was gasping for breath as if she had run at high speed. Her heart was hammering in her chest. Harshad was dazed to react. He couldn't understand her sudden behavior. Could Ranbir's mere glance make her panic? How was it possible? What had Ranbir done to her that made her fear him so much? Why on earth wasn't she unfolding the truth to him?

"He... he..." she was gasping for breath, clenching Harshad shirt tightly in her fist. Kiara had nuzzled her face in Harshad's chest. "He... has... returned..." Harshad was trying to grasp her shattering words. He wrapped his arms slowly around her waist, pulling her slowly towards him. Caressing her hair softly, allowing her to express her frightening feelings. If he had voiced a word she might have pulled away from him.

"He... is... bad... he had returned again to harm me, to... to..." she paused as if gasping for breath. "I had thought he won't be back in my life. He had provided me with enough bad memories. He had used my coward self, enough. I don't want to go back to him. He scares... he scares... shit out of me..." Kiara was blabbering, tears rolling down as she pressed herself further into Harshad chest. "He had mentally as well as physically harassed me, Harshad." She choked, raising her eyes to face him.

Those black, round orbs stared at Harshad with fear of judgment. She kept staring at him for a response, cursing herself for voicing her troubles to him. Why she had to utter the truth? Harshad face was rigid, devoid of emotions. His eyes were staring straight as if he hadn't realized that Kiara was staring at him.

He clenched his fist, his orbs fixed on the human responsible for Kiara's devasted state. The inner-rage building inside was making it impossible for him to sit still. His eyes were finding it difficult to move from the culprit that had provided Kiara with trauma for life. Flashes of her broken, shivering self would constantly display before his eyes.

"Harshad," her faint murmur and a delicate touch on his cheek forced him to stare at the broken, fragile human staring at him with fear. His heart ached at the view. Only if! Only if, he could wipe away all her fear. Only if, he could erase all her bad childhood memories. He could see in those beautiful set of orbs that she had faced the pain alone.

"Sweetheart," he sounded so helpless. Nothing like the joyful, mischievous self, Kiara had witnessed around. The fear taking a better place in her heart, she attempted to move but Harshad held her tight. His set of intense orbs not leaving her for a minute. "Why did you shield him?" Harshad accused, glaring at her direction.

Kiara took a minute to register those words. Harshad wasn't going to back off, Kiara sighed. She lowered her gaze, "I didn't know what to do? It was confusing as a child. I knew, it was something wrong but I wasn't sure if anyone would believe me. They would think, I was mistaking it. He never behaved oddly in front of my parents. He acted nicely in front of them. My parents trust him like a part of a family. My dad considers him a brother. I just can't imagine how broken he will be if... if... he ever discovers..." Kiara shook her head, the thought itself scared her. "He won't be able to take it. He won't be able to believe that someone like him could harm me to such a level."

Harshad cupped Kiara's face, she got startled but later grabbed herself together. "You can't let him escape after destroying your childhood, Kiara. He had tortured you and had built such a fear that till today you shiver at the mere thought of him." He was softly caressing her cheek, brushing off the tears.

"I can't..." Kiara shook her head. "I don't know... how? How did I confess the thing to you? But I can't ever confess it to anyone. That memory can make me shiver, frightened, it pulls me back into that... that destruction." She confessed nuzzling her face into his shoulder as if that could erase those devastating thoughts from her mind.

There was silence for a few seconds before a knock was heard on the car window. It forced Kiara to clutch more to Harshad's shirt. Harshad caressed Kiara's hair softly, scowling at the interrupter but found an unknown figure standing in front of the window.

Rajeev was staring at the car with a scornful look, his orbs rooted at Kiara in Harshad's arms. "What are you staring at?" Harshad acted defensively, hiding Kiara further in his arms. He wasn't in the position to trust a stranger.

Rajeev's orbs narrowed at Harshad. "Kiara," he called out to his daughter making her jerk her head in horror.

"Don't you dare!" Harshad yelled in rage, "she isn't alone. I will never allow you..." Kiara squeezed Harshad's wrist, his orbs diverting from Rajeev to Kiara.

"Don't..." she whispered softly, fearfully glancing at her father.

"Kiara, don't worry. He won't be able to harm you, I won't even allow him to touch..."

"Kiara!" Rajeev was losing his patience with Harshad. "Get in the house, right now!" He ordered, sparing a last glance at Harshad before walking inside the mansion in anger.

Kiara kept staring at his retreating figure. "Sweetheart," Harshad grabbed his attention. "You don't need to fear..."

"He is my dad," Kiara whispered, softly. She wiped her tears away. "l need to go." Kiara attempted to move away.

"I am coming along with you," Harshad decided but Kiara shook her head.

"It won't be appreciated by him. He is mad at you," Kiara glanced at Harshad's concerned face. "Don't worry, I will be fine." She attempted to assure him with a smile.

"Should I call Avni?"

"Do you consider her more mature than me?" Kiara sounded offended making Harshad to have smile.

"I consider that she can protect you the way I can." Harshad sounded like he trusted Avni the most. Kiara stared at Harshad with admiration, only if she had met him early in her life.

___

"You heard what?" Dhruv growled in frustration.

"She was going to inform Harshad that she can't love him in that manner," Aditi repeated her words back, staring at Dhruv in concern.

He banged his hand on the desk. "Why this girl is so stubborn?" He was fuming in rage, "why is she making it more complicated for me?" He leaned his head on the desk in exhaustion. "It was better if you hadn't mentioned a word."

"You had asked me to..." Aditi reason-out.

"I acted impulsive, I was missing her presence but you were aware that it won't lead to..." Dhruv trailed off.

"Why can't you just confess the truth?" Aditi suggested staring at Dhruv in worry.

"Are you mad?" Dhruv yelled in horror. "Don't you dare to say a word to Kiara! A lie isn't holding her back if she gets the slightest doubt." He shook his head at the consequence, "there will be no way of holding her back."

"Your heart desires to spend some moments with her, Dhruv."

"Not at the expense of her happiness."

"Do you think, she will be able to survive after knowing the truth?" Aditi questioned him. "Do you think, she will be ever able to forgive herself for not being there for you when you needed her the most?"

"She will heal..."

"Whom are you lying to? To me or to yourself?" Aditi was sounding frustrated. "She will hate herself," Aditi pleaded to him.

"She will get over me, she needs just a few more days. Her heart had started feeling for Harshad, she needs just a few days and I will no longer exist in her picture." Dhruv attempted to assure his heart but his heart wasn't convinced maybe it knew her better.

____

"What is happening, Kiara?" Rajeev demanded the minute Kiara entered the mansion. Kiara could feel Ranbir's intense orbs but she chose to ignore it.

Kiara softly raised her eyes to glance at her fuming father. "He... he is just... friend..." Kiara attempted to justify her and Harshad but Rajeev's orbs weren't convinced.

"I hadn't hoped to find things about you in such a manner. I trusted you, Kiara. I attempted my level best that you will trust your parents enough to voice such things to..." Rajeev sounded heartbroken, "we had never limited you. We had never forced you or opposed you and you still chose to hide it from us?" Rajeev's orbs were accusing Kiara.

Kiara stared at him in the puzzle. "Dad, you're mistaken. There is..."

"What's the matter?" Kajal rushed from the kitchen in hurry. "Why are you shouting at her?" Kajal came in with her daughter's support.

"Ask your daughter," Rajeev hissed. "Ask her, what she is keeping from us." Rajeev averted his gaze from Kiara. "I hadn't expected this from you..." he muttered climbing the stairs and leaving Kiara to explain the matter to Kajal.

"What is it?" Kajal walked towards Kiara in tension.

"I wasn't... we weren't... it was... just..." Kiara wasn't able to bring proper words from her mouth, she shook her head and rushed into her room.

She felt defeated. How could Rajeev not trust his daughter? He didn't even allow her to defend herself. Maybe he found them in an inappropriate situation but he would've no worries if he had seen her with Avni just because the person was a guy, would her character be questioned?

Ranbir was correct, Rajeev trusted him more than he trusted her. Kiara could never bring the truth in front of Rajeev, he won't ever believe her. Ranbir has wrapped him around his finger.

Kiara had locked herself inside the room. Kajal attempted twice to get her down but she opted to have her dinner in the room. Kiara could feel from Kajal's orbs that she also believed in Ranbir's words. Kiara for the first time felt a stranger in her own house. She felt as if Ranbir had more authority in her house than her.

Her cell rang grabbing her attention from the devastating thoughts. Kiara groaned at ID. Why was he so stubborn? She was continuously ignoring his message can't he get her clue? She wasn't interested in talking to him.

Kiara answered the call, "what is it?" She shouted at Harshad.

"Finally! Done with your ignorance?" Harshad mocked making her more irritated.

"Don't you process some self-respect? If someone is ignoring you get a clue and walk out." She was infuriated and those words came out extra rudely.

"I can't," Harshad confessed. "Because I am aware you need me."

Kiara melted with those words, the thing she had done for people in her life. The way she understood the needs of others and finally, someone was attempting or desiring to fulfill her needs.

"Don't do this, Harshad." Kiara pleaded to sound defeated. "It will get scarier..." she sounded afraid.

"You should stop allowing fear to control you." Harshad muttered, "past isn't always going to repeat itself."

"It's scary to trust my faith. Maybe I am not gifted with it," Kiara muttered much to herself. "Don't worry about me, I am fine."

"How is your dad? Was he mad at me?" He sounded concerned. "I wanted to apologize to him. You didn't allow me to enter. He will consider me someone rude, and arrogant. Some false narration will be revolving around his head. I need to..."

"It's of no use," Kiara interrupted him in between his blabbers. He sounded worried as if the view of Kiara's father being mad at him wasn't fitting well with him. "He won't listen to your words. He is mad at you and it will be better that he catch no sight of you."

"But why? I need to explain to him that I mistook him for someone else. I thought that asshole had a companion with him. How could I judge your father in such a manner?" Harshad had started with his blabbers again, Kiara's brow knitted in confusion. Was he afraid of Rajeev's judgment of him?

"Are you concerned about your first impression, Harshad?" Kiara inquired in a teasing manner. "Is Mr. Harshad Mathur worried about his first impression on my dad?" Kiara giggled at her funny conclusion.

"You have gone mad," Harshad grumbled making Kiara's giggle turned into a laugh.

"Damn! Harshad, you sound like a kindergarten kid." Kiara pointed out in between her laughter.

"At least that kindergarten kid accomplished the task of making you laugh." Harshad mention made Kiara realize and shut herself. "Oh! My! Bad!" Harshad groaned missing the melodious laugh. "I shouldn't have mentioned it up. Never mind the point will be noted in the diary of "understanding Kiara." Harshad mentioned bringing a small smile to Kiara's face.

"Thanks for the smile," Harshad pointed out.

Kiara's orbs enlarged, she scanned around her room on assuring that he wasn't spying on her, and she answered back. "I wasn't smiling."

"Stop, lying..." Harshad warned, and Kiara narrowed her eyes.

"I am not lying."

"Quit with lies Miss Ahuja, aren't you aware that lying is bad."

"I wasn't lying. Why can you be so sure that I smiled?" Kiara inquired back seeing his confident self.

"Because I just know my best friend. I am even aware that she loves to be called, sweetheart." Kiara had smiled on listening to his observation.

"And..."

"And..." Harshad imitated her, "she is smiling again. And, she looks beautiful when she does that."

"Does what?"

"Smiles while attempting to hide it from me. I know she will be doing the same though I can't see her. She is naïve like that!" Harshad last comment made her groan.

"You won't change," Kiara grumbled. "You won't ever stop mocking me."

"Though I love your beautiful smile, I am in love with your furious glares."

Kiara laughed at weird remarks, "thanks for lifting my mood."

"Thanks to you for lifting mine as well." He muttered making Kiara confused, "good night."

"Good night," she wished.

"Don't trouble your over-smart mind much and grab some sleep." He warned in a playful manner.

"I will," she promised. She wasn't ready to cut the call. She wanted to feel his presence for longer. "You stop worrying about me."

"Why will I worry about you?" He questioned back in a playful manner. "I have much important work to finish."

"Yeah, that's the reason you were calling me for half an hour," Kiara smirked finding him speechless for a minute. "There will be twenty-four missed calls."

"So, you were counting them?" Harshad was back making Kiara whine in response.

"You, idiot! I wasn't counting them. They are flashed on my screen." Harshad laughed at her annoyed self.

"Bye... Sweetheart, wish me luck."

"Why should I?" Kiara raised her brow, "what stunts are you planning to pull? Don't you dare, Harshad! I am warning you. If you're planning anything stupid..."

"Will you listen to me first before accusing me?" Harshad groaned in response. "I am not pulling any stunts just starting a new chapter of my life and I need your wishes."

"Which chapter?" Kiara was getting curious.

"I will explain it to you later, first wish me luck?"

"All the best, give your best, and don't be stressed out if it doesn't act as planned. You still are the best," Kiara motivated him sensing that he was nervous.

"Aww, those praises. What won't I do for this?" He flirted making Kiara shake her head.

"Now, end the call. You need to sleep if you don't want to be late for your important day."

"Good night, have a wonderful sleep."

"And you have an amazing day, tomorrow."