"Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired." 

—Robert Frost

^^^

"Can I meet Dhruv Rathod?" Kiara was standing at the receptionist's desk. The lady moved her glasses, staring at Kiara for a longer period.

"Sorry, ma'am. I am ordered not to allow anyone inside." She averted her gaze back to the screen.

"Say, it's Kiara Ahuja." Kiara's voice was filled with confidence, even after Dhruv's frequent ignorance of her text and calls.

"But ma'am, try to understand he isn't in a..."

"Give it a try..." Kiara pointed at the phone on the desk.

"Ma'am try to understand..." but before the receptionist could brush Kiara away. The door of the office was pushed open and Dhruv emerged from the room. The view before Kiara made her feel guilty about why she hadn't arrived early. The suit no longer was wrapped around his body. Lie loosely hanging on his neck. Sleeves of shirt rolled up till his elbow. And his exhausted orbs staring at Kiara with guilt.

"Allow her in..." he muttered before walking inside his office.

"Dhruv..." without waiting for the assistant permission, Kiara followed Dhruv inside. "What's wrong with you?"

"If you want to talk about Aditi and me then..."

"I want to talk about you. Why aren't you responding to my messages?" She accused him, folding her hand around her chest. Glaring at the human who seems drained from within.

"I wasn't in a condition to have a conversation."

"I was just waiting for a response that you were fine." Those words made him glance into her eyes. Allowing her to glimpse at the inner pain he was undergoing.

"Why can't everyone be like you?" He inquired getting infuriated as well as broken. "People are least bothered if I am fine. They just want to know why have I asked for a break? Not even Aditi wants to know it. Isn't she, my friend as well? My childhood friend! She wasn't like this. Do this relationship tag change everything between a friend?" Dhruv sounded confused with the reaction he was offered to his action.

"I wanted some breath of relief from this relationship drama. It was suffocating me. I don't understand but I wasn't able to deal with it any longer." He buried his face in his palm. Kiara stood at the corner allowing him to unbottle his frustration.

"Don't you think, you hurried with accepting the proposal?" Kiara inquired as she was keenly observing him.

"I believed friends could turn a better companion. But maybe I was wrong. A friend should be left as a friend because if you take any step further it breaks the beautiful bond." Those words by Dhruv hit Kiara differently. She felt like he has rejected her indirectly. "Aditi wouldn't ever see me as her closet friend. I lost her, Kiara." He stared at her, shattering her into pieces.

He seemed lost and at that moment a spark of jealousy concurred in Kiara's heart. She couldn't believe herself even in such a situation, she wasn't able to keep her emotions aside. "It isn't like that. Your friendship isn't that weak to break like that. She will be fine and will understand the reasoning behind your decision." Dhruv seemed far away from getting convinced by her words. "Dhruv..." she kept staring at him and he back at her. Not a word was exchanged but simply staring into each other souls.

At that moment they realized how far they had come, how grown up they were. Their life complication had grown as well and so had they learned to hide things from a bunch of their friend. Kiara was keeping that deadest secret hidden in the deepest corner of her heart. The feeling attached to him, her closest friend.

"Why is everything so messed up?" Dhruv voiced his concern. "I feel so jumbled with my life. I am really so confused, what do I really want with myself?" He was blabbering his orbs averting to the files on his desk.

"Can I..."

"I just need space, Kiara. Hope you understand." Those words were spoken very harshly by him. She wanted to make herself understand that he was messed up yet her heart yelled he was trying to distance himself from her. Not allowing her heart to have control over herself. She skipped out of the room. Her orbs were fixed on the floor. Not for once raising her gaze if she did anyone would have noticed tears rolling down her cheek.

They were drifting apart and she was convinced about it. Her favourite gang was going to shatter into pieces and all she could do was keep quiet and witness the scene unfolding before her.

___

"What did the boss say?" Yami asked on finding Kiara walking out of the boss's cabin with a disappointed face.

"He didn't approve the article." Kiara's face had turned pale. "And even shared his displeasure on my recent articles. He thinks it isn't up to the mark." She grabbed her chair and rested her head on the desk. "I think, I am losing it." She confessed at the end, closing her eyes in defeat.

"Heard anything from Aditi?" Inquired concerned Yami. Kiara could never understand Yami's concern over Aditi when according to her Dhruv was facing more misery.

"She is having a beautiful trip in Shimla. Every hour a new post is shared on social media. I sometimes get annoyed with her coping mechanism. Even if she is enjoying why does she has to share it with the world? When she knows Dhruv can see it." Kiara expressed her annoyance.

Yami smiled at her grumbling. "You are so biased towards Dhruv. You are forgetting that he was the one to ask for a break." She pointed out making Kiara groan.

"None of you can understand him. Can't he act selfish? I mean for God's sake he is human as well." She was yelling at Yami but the latter one was staring at her with a smile.

"Had he initiated a conversation with you?" Yami inquired making Kiara to shook her head.

"He is ignoring my existence."

"Maybe he needs time..."

"The ignorance is only towards me. He is answering Avni's calls. Observing Aditi's stories and obviously talking to his sister."

"So, are you upset because he is ignoring you? Or because he isn't ignoring the others?" Yami had a teasing smile, and Kiara offered a glare in her direction.

"I don't even want to waste my time, talking to you." Stamping her foot in annoyance she walked from her desk towards the canteen area making Yami smile at her friend's childish behaviour.

Kiara was strolling towards the canteen when she caught a glimpse of Harshad talking fondly to a girl. Kiara rolled her eyes, ignoring them and walking inside. But seemed like Harshad wasn't in a mood to ignore her. "Kiara! You can't ignore me like that." He rushed behind her making Kiara shake her head in annoyance.

"Can't for once you imagine that I am invisible?" She groaned making him chuckle.

"Never! When it's so amusing to see you getting frustrated with me. Your hands, are on the verge of throwing punches and your legs holding themselves back from kicking me." Harshad snickered at the end.

"So, you love violence."

"No, but if someone as beautiful as you is doing it. I don't mind." He winked at her. Kiara clenched her fist and shut her eyes in need of peace.

"Control, Kiara. Control..." He muttered making her glare at him.

"You are going to get killed by my hands." Announcing it, she walked past him.

"Hey! At least order your coffee." Harshad snickered on finding her walking out of the canteen.

"You are interested in that girl?" Came a question from another co-worker present in the canteen and had witnessed the scene unfolding before his eyes.

"She is different, she can sparkle anyone's curiosity."

"But she isn't your type. She doesn't seem like a girl to believe in dating. Much like a girl who believes in old romance. Soulmates, life partners and marriages."

"And maybe I am interested in having a view of her world. Wanting to see what having a soulmate feels like." Harshad winked at him as he walked away from the guy towards his desk. It was time for work.

___

Kiara was in contact with Avni. Harshad had been a constant source of irritation for the past few days. She had yelled at him on numerous events yet he was adamant not to leave her side. Kiara huffed loudly as her Scooty wasn't in a mood to drop her home. She rubbed her forehead in frustration, wiping off some sweat away.

"It's an unusual scene to witness a lady sweating on a winter evening." Harshad voiced the fact by leaning on his car as he had parked it beside her Scooty. Kiara groaned loudly not raising her head to glance at her rival. She had enough of him.

"Aww... your most famous ignorance..." his husky voice was back making Kiara shoot daggers at him.

"Harsh, we are getting late." A melodious voice purred next to him. Kiara's eyes averted from Harshad to her for a minute. The lady was attempting to get closer to him. Like most of the ladies of her company, her face was packed with dark makeup. The dress was extra short, she kept on revolving around Harshad for the past few days.

"Yeah, babe..." he muttered using his flirty tone. "Was just glancing if anyone is in need of help?" His orbs darted to Kiara, those brows raising in question.

"I guess, she can manage herself." The lady beside her jumped making a smirk grow on Harshad face. He was well aware of her growing interest in him.

Kiara rolled her eyes concentrating on her stubborn Scooty, so she wished that Yami hadn't left early. At least she would have got a ride home. "Hey, Sweetheart..." Harshad called her out. "Do you need a lift? As your Scooty isn't in a mood to wake up." He mocked making the lady beside him giggle.

"No, thanks..." Kiara groaned, shooting daggers at Harshad.

"Can we leave?" The woman was growing impatient with every second.

"Ria, go and seat in the car." Harshad sounded annoyed. That sparkled Kiara's curiosity, she had never witnessed him losing his calm. Ria gave a look of bafflement before offering a glare to Kiara as she made her way inside the car. On discovering Harshad orbs on her, Kiara diverted her gaze.

"For how long are you planning to stand and stare at your Scooty?"

"Can't you understand?" Kiara yelled at him in frustration. "I have no interest in joining you on your date." Narrowing her eyes at the girl sitting on the passenger seat. "She already hates me..." Kiara muttered those words to herself.

"Don't tell me, you're jealous of my date." He winked making Kiara groan in displeasure.

"Have you lost your senses! I and jealous of you." She huffed making Harshad chuckle in response.

"Just to clear your conception. I am dropping her home and not going on date." He shook his head while a huge grin was playing on his lips. "But I won't mind going on one with you." He winked at the end making Kiara shower a punch on his shoulder.

"You better stay within your limits." She warned making him laugh aloud.

"That means my proposal is accepted?" Kiara stared at him with a killing look. "I mean..." he raised his hand in surrender. "The proposal of dropping you home." He held back his chuckle on seeing Kiara's face getting flushed up. "Don't let your mind have stupid thoughts." Laughing loudly as he walked towards the driver's seat. Kiara shook her head, and a small smile spread on her lip. She wasn't sure how? But he had mastered the skill of shifting her mood whether it was annoying her or making her smile wide.

She had made herself comfortable in the backseat after muttering her address to Harshad. Her eyes glimpsed out of the window, listening to the melody playing in the background. None was speaking a word and Kiara admired it as she wasn't pleased to be disturbed while travelling and when her favourite songs were playing in the background. She was stunned to discover, that Harshad had decent taste in music. Maybe something they had in common.

"Who is she?" The lady glooming in sadness finally spoke making Kiara grunt in displeasure.

"Who?" Harshad inquired, looking confused with her sudden interrogation.

"The girl that you were drooling over..." her words were out in a sarcastic manner.

"Hold your tongue, don't forget she can listen to your words." Kiara's orbs widen on the realization that they were talking about her.

"I don't give a damn! Who is she? For whom you yelled on me?" She was demanding answers. Kiara behaved as if not a word got in her ears.

"Have you lost your senses? That's not a way to behave. Grow up, Ria. You can't go on disrespecting my friends and I will play cool." Harshad was warning her, telling her to shut her mouth. Kiara was astonished by the view before her. She had often glanced at Harshad as someone playful. Not someone who could get furious.

"Friend! Wow! Very lovely, friend." She turned to glance at Kiara making Kiara feel more conscious. "I guess... both of you can have your alone time. Please stop the car." She yelled at top of her lungs.

"You have fucking..."

"I said fucking stop the car..." And Harshad pulled the break. "And you... go to hell..." she groaned as she walked out of the car banging the door loudly.

"Fucking moron!" Harshad cursed driving the car at the highest speed. Kiara's heart was on the verge of jumping out of her ribs. She was getting anxious about the speed Harshad was driving the car at. For a second, she considered calling him up but later rejected the suggestion. Harshad was furious and she wasn't planning to flue his anger.

"Fucking, baster!" he groaned as slowly he punched the fist on the streeling wheel as he pulled the break. Kiara was unprepared for the sudden halt and her forehead banged on the seat. She gulped in pain but Harshad seemed lost in his own world. Kiara took a minute before realizing that she was before her house. She glanced at Harshad for a minute. She could feel he was in need of a companion but she brushed the thought away.

"Thanks..." she mumbled maybe it didn't get into his ears as he didn't respond back. And for a change, she didn't like his ignorance. She shook her head getting out of the car. She walked towards the building confused by Harshad actions. There was more to Harshad Mathur than his carefree, flirty nature. That Ria was something more to him than just a random co-worker or was it something different?