Zoya had only cried for about three minutes, but it was still the most painful three minutes of her life. See, for the shortest time she'd seen her childhood bully in a new light, he'd acted as if she was something to cherish and his comment about the waterfall had made her feel... special, but the memory of his words to Mahi had been brought back the very second his lips had brushed against her cheek and now she was far too worried that his actions had only been motivated by his want to get her into bed.

Two days had been spent with the door locked, tubs of ice cream surrounding her and a bundle of blankets over her skittle pyjama clad body. Hiding her face in a pillow at the sound of a firm knock, she pulled her knees to her chest "I'm not here".

Peering his head round the door, Aditya slid inside "Munchkin" he spoke with his arms crossed, a look of haughty derision on his face.

"She isn't here" peeking over the blanket, her eyes wandered over him.

"Oh, right" he nodded. "And you are?"

Poking her hand out, she shook his "Zoy- I mean Zo, my name is Zo" slipping her hand back underneath, she sighed, "Fine, I'm getting up" huffing loudly, she threw the blankets away.

"Zoya" he sat down. "About earlier I" closing his eyes, he shook his head "I was angry, jealous, I wanted you to myself and wasn't thinking about how my actions would affect you". This wasn't how he'd wanted to do this, he hoped to one day make a grand gesture and confess his undying love, but it seemed he had been too late for she'd never look at him the way she looked at his brother.

"Jealous?" Zoya moved forward, brown eyes so wide as she waited for him to look at her.

But he couldn't, not now maybe not ever or he would hide behind another comment that would send them backwards. "I have always seen you as mine, Munchkin, perhaps it's about time I realised that you never have been" he looked at her sadly, hand on her face that slowly slid away as he stood up, "That you never will be".

"Your what?" Jumping up, she stood behind him, heart racing so much she was sure she would faint.

Looking into the eyes he'd fallen in love with, Aditya smiled sadly "Just mine" his voice cracked, tears burning his irises. "But all I have ever made you is my victim and it's too late now to make amends for that, I know that now, always knew it but didn't want to accept it, but I will, for you". Dropping his head, he blinked past the tears "I'm going back to the army where I can't hurt you or me anymore, I shouldn't have come back, but I have always been a selfish man, no one knows that better than you, I just need one favour, please" he grabbed her hand, "Do not fall in love with my brother".

"Who, Arjun?" She yelled, "But he's Noor's fiance, silly".

"Karan" he corrected.

"Oh" her mouth formed a perfect O. "You can't leave, Aditya, I" exhaling a whooshing breath, she shuffled to stand in front of him. "I can't be the reason why you leave, Aunty and Uncle will hate me and that means they won't let me steal their food anymore, Arjun may leave Noor and whereas I would like my sister to live with me forever I know she'd be happier living with him, my parents will tell me off and I, well I wouldn't like myself as much as I do now" swinging her body, she looked up at him. "Stay, please?"

Swallowing back the thickness in his throat, he nodded "Okay" whispering, he smiled a little. "I didn't think I'd ever live a day where I would hear you ask me to stay".

"Well, what do you think I wished for, silly?" Giggling loudly, she fell back onto the bed.

"What?" He spun around on his heel fast, "You wished for me to stay?" This couldn't be real, she hated him, right?

"Of course" Zoya beamed. "I've never seen everyone so happy".

"Ah" he shrugged it off, it had been silly to think she'd wished for that because she wanted him here. "Anyway, I should be going" opening the door, he fell back when Noor ran in.

"Guess what" she jumped up and down, hair hitting everyone in the face as she did. "I know how left out you felt when I went away, sooo" she held up tickets and shook them "Me, Arjun, you and Aditya are going away tonight to a spa resort".

Her face fell "What about Karan?" She always felt a little safer when he was around, he wasn't confusing and flirty, it was easier to know where she stood with him, it wasn't like that with his younger brother.

"Oh, he's busy" she lied smoothly. "So, get packing, we leave tonight" winking at her to be brother in law, she sauntered away.

"Noor" Zoya growled as she grabbed her elbow to stop her from walking further away. "You know Aditya will only torment me, why did you have to invite him?" She ensured to speak out of earshot, hurting his feelings wasn't the goal, protecting her own was.

"Because, pagal" she grabbed her. "He likes you and if you can't see that you're blind, maybe he went about it the wrong way when he was younger, but he's trying and for that, he deserves a chance, you don't have to feel the same, but the only way you'll know is if you spend time alone together and you can't do that here, for me, just give him a chance to be your friend again and if you still feel the same then I won't ask again".

"What? No, he doesn't, you've been watching too many of Arjun's favourite films" rolling her eyes, she shoved her away. "Fineee, I'll try to be his friend, but one wrong move and I'll karate chop his little Aditya" she warned.

"Karate chop my what now?" His brow was raised as he leant against the wall.

"Your little Aditya" tipping her chin up, her eyes narrowed. "Noor says I have to be your friend, so" she shook his hand, "That's what we will become, but you have one chance, okay?"

"Okay" he couldn't wipe the smile from his face as he looked over at her younger sister and mouthed 'Thank you'. If only he'd known it would be this easy he would've sorted it before! Now was his time to show her he was a changed man and no longer that little boy who ruined her life.

Flinging her hair, she bobbed on her feet "I'm going to go and pack, byeee".

"You owe me one hundred" Noor held out her hand. "What? Don't look at me like that, I don't matchmake for free, pay up or I'll invite Karan" waggling her brows, she grinned when he slammed his credit card into her open palm. "Pleasure doing business with you" winking, she skipped away.