Shreekant took his leave from the afternoon session of classes since Shreya wanted to roam in a mall after lunch.

"Next time, come on a weekend." He mumbled. If Dhriti was a little bit smarter, he'd have no problem covering what he missed in class.

"Yeah."

After a few minutes, Shreekant was restless. He was really worried about whom he could go to for help with the class he was currently missing out on. "What do you want to buy here?"

Shreya hummed. "Nothing really."

He glanced at her. It was not like her to disrupt his classes without rhyme or reason, especially coming over from kilometres away, and that too just to go back that night. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Is it that hard to cope up with? For you? Someone with all India rank in single digit?"

"It is kinda difficult sometimes." Truth was, he had already missed enough getting into impulsive fights and resting in the infirmary. "Let's go look at some clothes. Since you are here, help me get some nice shirts. I'm bored to death with the same twenty."

Shreya smiled. "Okay!" Then they went to the third floor which had clothing brands.

Buying stuff, especially clothes, eats up time. Without realising, they shopped until nightfall.

"Shreya! The time!" Shreekant was shocked. "You have less than half an hour to board!"

Shreya was shocked too. She checked the time. "Wow, time flies." She smiled with a shrug.

"You... Really now, what's wrong? Are you really okay?"

"Of course. What do you want me to do? I can't make it anyway... So, let's have dinner and I'll take whichever flight I can."

Shreekant frowned but trailed behind her, watching her.

"Are the bags too heavy?" Shreya paused for him and took two bags from him despite his protest and both walked together.

Shreya led them out of the mall.

"Just eat something here and leave before it's too late..." Shreekant said as he watched her look for nearby restaurants on her phone.

"What's your deal? Stop nagging. Flight biz is around the clock."

Shreekant could not put his finger on it, but something was definitely off.

Dinner was quiet compared to their lunch.

"I'll pack some desserts for you. Share them with Dhriti." Shreya called the waiter and placed the necessary order.

After a while, Shreekant said, "Sis-"

"Stop being weird," Shreya cut him off. She never liked being called a sister. She told him to use her name when he was 5 years old and somehow, their upstanding and morally disciplined father did not mind. Since then Shreekant only ever called her sister if he got emotional or if he was seriously serious about something.

Shreekant spoke again, "I will drop you at the airport."

"Fine. I just wanted to let loose and be stress free. You became so naggy."

"Your job became stressful?"

"I am in a promotion race with a good friend." Shreya and Zahra were indeed competing for the promotion. Shreya did not actually put much effort though.

"Oh!" Shreekant was finally relieved. "Don't worry! You will get it and she'll still be your friend. If not, what kind of good friend is that!"

At the airport, Shreya gave him a hug and walked ahead without looking back.

Shreekant was in a hurry to get back to his dorm in time and he set off once he saw her go past the security. Yet, he received another bad remark on his already blotched record. At this rate, he should be worrying about keeping his admission and not the subject he had no friend to help with.

As he lay in his bed, he smiled. That day was quite nice.

∼•∽

Shreya did not have to wait at all. The next flight to Mumbai was in 10 minutes and the airline's personnel helped her with her ticket and boarding pass. The last minute ticket was cheap, thankfully.

Shreya boarded and checked her phone. Lakshya asked her for flight timings so he could come and fetch her home.

Her shoulders drooped as she leaned back and relaxed in the seat.

She replied, 'Just boarded. I should land at 11:30,' and put her phone in airplane mode.

'See you soon,' Lakshya replied but it was not delivered.

Lakshya guessed she might have something to eat on the plane, but still he placed an order for two. She could eat more frequently if she ate less. He really did not know how an adult could function eating as little as she did.

The next day was off for him so he had zero qualms about staying up late. He ate and passed his time until the flight landed. By 11:30, he was at the airport. Since she did not have any check-in bags, she would come out in 10 minutes.

He found her and and both walked over to his bike.

At midnight their ride back home started. Lakshya asked her everything about the trip. Shreya answered well at first, but soon, despite his warnings she fell asleep on his back and he slowed down. Should he start thinking about getting a car? Well, that will take a few months since he spent quite a bit on the rings. On second thought, he could buy a car together with Shreya. But, they were yet to have a joint account. He hummed and smiled. He had to take her to the bank soon.

∼•∽

The next morning, Shreya got up very late.

Lakshya was on the couch in the living room watching something.

Shreya asked him, "Have you eaten?"

"You're up. I ate. Had your portion from yesterday's dinner. Did you wash up? What shall I order?"

Shreya simply shook her head. She was yet to brush her teeth. Her appearance must also be very unkempt. She went back to brush and take a shower.

"I'll order poha or something," he said.

"Too much outside food lately. I'll cook," she said and went into the bathroom.

Lakshya felt a little sad. He looked at the kitchen.

After some contemplation, he went in. He opened the fridge, took a look at every item, then softly closed it. Then she opened every cupboard, checked everything, and shut them. He went back and plopped on the couch with a stern face. He was disappointed with his weak will.

A little while later, the doorbell rang.

Lakshya opened the door.

A woman stood before his eyes. She looked familiar but he could not recollect her. "You...?"

"I... have no business talking to you. I am here for Shreya."

"Ah, I remember." Lakshya had met her at the comic con and then at his own wedding. She was Shreya's friend.

"Please come in," he said humbly as he opened the door wider. He knew what an awful first impression he must have left on her. That time he had absolutely no consideration for Shreya, or her friend.

"She's in the shower. Have a seat," he offered.

Neha sat and did not spare him another look.

Lakshya also sat with her. Since she did not look at him, he felt better.

Still, after a few minutes, he felt as if the whole world was accusing him and all that accusation was embodied in this woman. He was guilty. He was living through it, pushing it away.

"I'll let her know." He walked into the bedroom and knocked on the bathroom door.

"Shrey, your friend is here."

"Okay. I'll be out soon." Shreya's voice was soft and muffled.

Lakshya went to the kitchen and poured a glass of juice. He felt too awkward to serve it. He put a lid on it. Since Shreya would be out soon, she can give it to her.

Shreya soon came out with wet hair.

"Sorry I'm late. Just fifteen more minutes," she said when she saw Neha ready for the day.

"How will you cook and eat in fifteen minutes?" Lakshya shouted from the open counter by the dining table.

"You still haven't eaten?" Neha asked. "At this rate, why don't you just live off of air, huh sleeping beauty?"

"Well yeah, I just woke up. It was late yesterday," Shreya said and turned to Lakshya. "We planned to go out today. I will eat something outside."

"But you just said..." Lakshya did not say any further. Instead he grabbed the glass of juice and rather forcefully presented it before Neha. "Enjoy some juice, nice and slow. You can go out after she eats something."

Neha raised her brow at him. Her eyes seemed to mock him saying, 'What does it have to do with you.'

He put the glass before her and led Shreya into their bedroom by her shoulders.

Once inside, he softly shut the door.

"First, eat and go. Second, why didn't you tell me you planned to go out with her today?" She had told him beforehand whenever she went out without him. But last time, she booked her flight to go see Shreekant without telling him anything until just a day before. And today, he was clueless even after her friend came to their home.

"Sorry. I told her just yesterday... and it was already so late. I did not have the opportunity to tell you."

When he heard her say sorry, he told himself to calm down and not get angry.

"Eat here and go."

Shreya frowned a little. "I don't want to keep her waiting."

Shreya proceeded to dry her hair and rub some serum on it.

She quickly got ready and stepped out.

Behind her a gloomy looking Lakshya also stepped out. When he saw the empty juice glass, his gloom grew two fold.

"Let's go."

"I'll wait. Just eat or you'll happily faint."

"I'll be fine." Neha had only once seen her faint.

Neha tilted her head to look at Lakshya. "Just eat. He looks quite angry that I won't let you eat."

Lakshya turned his face to the side.

"We have the whole day, Shreya. Take your time."

"Hm." Shreya went into the kitchen to cook herself something light. When she was at it, she started making lunch for Lakshya too.

In the living room, Lakshya took his seat and tried to talk to Neha.

"So... I did catch your name last time."

Neha looked at him sharply but relented. "Neha."

"That... I..."

"Save it. Shreya told me you were being good to her. I don't need to know more."

When Lakshya heard her, he frowned. He felt something was wrong.

"There is nothing more to know." He was serious.

"Good then," Neha's tone was full of sarcasm.

Lakshya looked at Shreya. She was busy. He turned up the volume of the TV by 3 points.

"What are you trying to say?"

Neha turned up the volume by 3 more points. "You tell me. Is it nice seeing someone be grateful whatever you throw at them? What? Do you derive some sick pleasure thinking you're playing both sides?"

Lakshya's mind stilled before it buzzed.

His nose crinkled. With a clenched jaw he asked, "Did Shreya tell you that?"

"She's far too innocent for your games."

"I broke up with the girl you saw that day ages ago." He explained holding in his rage.

Neha nodded. "She said so. She said you told her about it. Then she said, 'But he still talked to her every night back then.' Don't worry. She took that back right after because she was not sure if she remembered correctly.

"She won't be able to tell a cheating guy from a genuine one. So keep up what you are doing now. At least that'll save her oblivious happiness. She likes you so much, after all."

Lakshya's mind slowed down. He digested every word Neha said. He stopped contacting Moksha after the park incident. That was a week after his marriage. At that time he still had a lot of hate towards Shreya. Of course, he did not share with her what he thought was a setback of his romantic life. He simply did not want her to even guess, so he put on a facade acting like nothing changed between Moksha and himself.

Lakshya did not know when he started to like Shreya. He had no inkling at all until he found himself completely in love with her. His efforts to better the relationship between them also started some time in between without much realisation.

In that effort, somewhere he felt the need to leave no chance for Moksha ever. That was when he formally broke up with her. Only after that could he tell Shreya about it truthfully. Even so, now that he thought about it, he had waited and waited for Shreya to ask or accuse him about the affair. In the end, she did not show a hint of displeasement, much less any jealousy. So he blandly told her that he had no girlfriend since that day a week after their marriage.

So if she actually had a doubt, all thanks to the mindless show he had put up, then why did she not ask him about it? He would have clarified about everything. He would not have felt embarrassed about his previous nonsensical and egotistical pride. Instead she said sorry.

It was fine if she did not want to know more. But to think that she was living with such a doubt all this while... it put an awful taste in his mouth.

"What happened? Stopped pretending?"

Lakshya looked at Shreya instead. She was stirring food at the stove, her back to them.

"I have a lot to explain to her. It's my fault that she does not fully trust me."

Neha looked at him with some doubt. "Did you really break up?"

Lakshya glared at her. "I did. If it helps, my feelings for my ex were not even a tenth of what I have with Shreya." During the four years he was with Moksha, if she got mad or stopped talking to him due to some misunderstanding, he took time off from her and was at peace. He did not try to appease her pettiness or sometimes even very valid concerns.

But with Shreya, it was different. It did not matter if he saw her or not, her actions always bothered him. If she smiled, his heart would fill up. If she spoke one word more than usual, his whole day would brighten up. He freaking let her touch his hair! He could not go one day without talking to her.

"I hope you are sincere."

"I am!"

Lakshya quickly turned to Shreya worried his voice was loud. His face was no longer gloomy. He looked relaxed when he saw that she was still busy in the kitchen.

Neha caught his actions. Her tone became slightly amicable. "It's not in my place to tell you what to do, but since you seem to care, you've got to dispel her doubts."

Lakshya nodded.

Just as the conversation ended, Shreya filled two bowls. "Neha, come eat some. Lakshya, your lunch is ready too. It's rather simple this time."

While Neha stood up and walked to Shreya, Lakshya said, "Why did you cook for me too?"

He also went into the kitchen. His lunch was not the same as what the owls held. She had properly cooked for him.

Neha would have said something ironic had it not been for her talk with Lakshya just before. She did not say anything and silently looked into her bowl.

After the women ate, Lakshya walked them to the door. "Be careful. If you need me to pick you up, just give me a call."

"I'm not that irresponsible. Since I am taking her out, I'll drop her back." Neha said. She was talking with some degree of respect now.

"If it's too late, I can pick her up and you can go back."

"Bye now." Shreya said and the two left.

Lakshya's gloom came back instantly when he shut the door.

He had to clarify. But how?

He will definitely lose it this time if she starts apologising. What should he do?

∼•∽

Shreya's date with Neha was similar to the previous day she had spent with her brother. The only differences were that Shreya bought a couple of cute outfits for herself too, and that they went to the beach.

As they were walking on the beach, disrupting Neha's lamenting about how not a single guy she came across was good, Shreya's phone rang.

It was Lakshya.

She took the call as she looked at Neha and shushed her.

"Hello, Lakshya."

"When will you be done? I'll pick you up."

Neha could hear everything from the receiver since she was standing rather close by, almost snooping.

"We're at the beach. In another half an hour, it will be dark. Then we'll have a light snack here... Can you come here in an hour?"

"Okay."

"Bye."

"Bye." The call ended.

"So, how are things between you two?" Neha asked finally. She kept her curiosity to herself for the whole day.

"It's fine." Shreya smiled.

"Tell me!" Neha did not like the short answer.

Shreya chuckled. "I told you everything already. There's nothing more to say." She quickly turned to the sunset. "It's beautiful. I need to get a picture."

It was a beautiful scene, like always. The breeze, the sun, the reflection, the sound, the sultry ocean smell, it was all... way too beautiful. She looked on as the wind made her overgrown hair flow.

Neha continued yapping about her failed date. Shreya listened on with half mind. She was more focused on feeling every little thing.

∼•∽

Just as Shreya said over the phone, they grabbed a light snack at an eatery by the beach.

Right as they had their last bite, Lakshya called Shreya.

"This guy does not give us a break." Neha mocked him with her tongue out.

Shreya picked up the phone paying no attention to Neha.

"I'm at the bike park."

Shreya looked over. The bike park was visible from the eatery. She found Lakshya waving at her.

Shreya smiled and waved back. She said into the phone, "I'll be there soon."

Once she put the phone down, Neha said, "What a happy clam you've become."

They got up and Shreya gave her a hug.

When they parted Neha suddenly remembered something. "Oh! The seasonal con is next month! I'll get the tickets."

Shreya paused. "Let's see."

"That's a yes! See you soon!"

"Be careful!"

Shreya waved at Neha.

Lakshya walked over from behind. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah."

Suddenly she stopped and asked Lakshya, "Shall we take a walk?"

Lakshya turned back and stretched out his hand.

Shreya looked at it a moment too long.

"Come one. What's a walk without holding hands?" On a couple of occasions after he had scolded her for holding his hand in the beginning, he told her to hold his hand. For that, he always had a reason. This time, he did not have one.

This time, he wanted to hold her hand just because.

Shreya took his hand and they walked in silence.

∼•∽

That night, Shreya was proactive. She almost took the lead.

Lakshya lost count of how many times she kissed him and said she loved him.

He wanted to say those words back to her. But he dreaded that she would once again not believe him nor ask him if she thought something did not add up.

She fell asleep mumbling one final I love you.

Lakshya brooded over the matter. In the end, he thought it was best to take things slow, as they are now.

Next morning, Shreya was again going out without him. Third time in a row, she forgot to inform him in time.

By the time he had woken up, she was looking fresh in a chudidar as she brushed her hair.

"Breakfast is ready. Come and eat. I'll go visit my parents today."

Lakshya scrunched up his nose and scratched his head. "Are you serious? What came over you to go around meeting everyone all of a sudden?"

Shreya met his eyes through the mirror. Her fingers trembled slightly.

"Eat with me," she said without replying to his inquiry.

Lakshya did not like the sound of that one bit. His apprehension grew day by day since a month ago. After what he heard from Neha, it grew minute by minute.

He engulfed her in a hug. He was yet to wash and take a shower.

"What are you doing?" Shreya sighed and squirmed a little.

"What are you doing?" Lakshya grumbled and buried his head in her neck.

Shreya stopped brushing her hair. She stayed silent, giving him time to release her.

For a few minutes, they stayed like that.

"Lakshya?"

He hummed.

"Wash up. Food will get cold."

He took a few more moments but relented in the end.

They had breakfast together. Lakshya's eyes were following every moment of hers. She did not seem that down anymore. If anything, her energy these days can be called kicking for the person she is.

He did not face the actual underlying feeling for the whole day, but he was on edge. The thought that she might be avoiding him just stuck in his head.

"I'll also come," he said. Shreya was quite worrisome. She was worrisome in a strange way. For example, if he were to say that about her, 10 out of 10 people would think he was making up things. Or, perhaps he was unnecessarily worrying. He felt unsettled if she had little energy, and he felt even more apprehensive when she was active.

Shreya thought about it for a moment and agreed. "Then get ready soon."

This made Lakshya bewildered. Was it that simple? Then he would have gone to Delhi too, ditching his work. This also meant she did not avoid him.

For a second he felt good that she was not avoiding him. But a moment later, he frowned. How could she not avoid him? She thought that he was still contacting Moksha when he told her he broke up, but she did not ask him to clarify, did not get mad, and did not stop talking to him.

As he changed his clothes, his mind went back to the time when he did the blunder of calling out a wrong name. That was something he was waiting for her to bring up. Should he bring it up himself? Every time this thought crept up, he shut it down thinking if she really forgot it was for the best.

Then what was stopping himself from just forgetting if she did? He simply did not want any uncertainty. But now, all there was was more and more of it.

He had to find the right time and pour his mind out to her whatever may happen. Worst was all in the past.

∼•∽

A/N:
So the chapter numbering has changed because I clubbed the chapters. 2 past chapters are now 1 for consistent size of chapters. So from now on the chapter length is 3.5K - 4.5K.

Hope this is a good news. I did think about updating twice a month instead but decided to take a chill pill and just update once as usual, but with a longer chapter.