PIHA'S POV:
[A FEW HOURS LATER]

Smuggling closer into Dad's arm, I let out a harsh breath and continue to scold myself.

Idiot Piha. Can't do one thing right. All can do is make him angry, it would've been better if he was mad at me— but I didn't mean to make him angry. I'm so furious at myself for annoying him, for irritating him.

I should just stay miles away from him— I'm not the same as he is. We're from two different worlds.

Do not say that, Piha, please... Imagine being strangers with him. Who'll you share your thoughts with, who'll be your friend, who would you talk to all day, who'll bring a grin on your face after all the pain you've suffered? Are ready to give up on that, those butterflies he gives you, that laughter of his, the way he allows himself to be vulnerable in front of you, will you let that all go?

I shake my head at my internals.

But we can't always have what we crave, right? If I make him unhappy, then shouldn't I leave him alone? If I talk to him just for my happiness, wouldn't I be selfish?

You remember what he said, Piha? 'It's good to be selfish till a limit. Doesn't everyone do everything for their happiness? Like, you want to make your family proud, so that they can be happy. Why do want to make them happy? Because their happiness makes you happy.

It's not wrong, Piha. All you want to do— is be happy.

Guilt begins to take over me as Dad rubs my back and says- "Pihu beta, tell me what's wrong? You've been this gloomy since you came home, is everything right at the hospital? Is something troubling you? We're worried about you, Pihu."

That's all I can do—either make people worried or angry.

Not to forget— I can also kill people.

I try to convince him- "No ya, Dad. It's nothing, I'm just a bit tired. Do not worry about me, I am totally fine."

Saying, I shoot him a fake smile, only for him to say- "You're my daughter, Piha. Do you think I can't figure out when you're tired and when you're upset? It's okay Piha, you're a big girl now. It's fine if you keep a few problems to yourself, but know that I'm here, okay?"

He bends forward and kisses my forehead and my lips curve up on their accord.

Dad loves you so much, Piha. Do not lie to him, please.

Should I tell him? He'll be worried, but he'll be more worried if I don't tell him. I'm sure he would respect my privacy and not question further.

My gaze drops and I begin hesitantly- "It's nothing, Dad. I fought with my friend and now I don't think they'll ever talk to me again. I feel so bad."

I say and bury my face in Dad's side again and he says- "Pihu, don't worry okay? They'll get around you soon. No one can be angry with my doll for long. If your friend cares for you, he or she won't let you be sad for a long time, okay? Don't take too much tension about it."

He rubs my back making me want to cry. Will he ever talk to me again...He probably hates me now. Couldn't God make me a little less annoying?

I lift my head as Di's voice falls onto my ear- "Pihu, it's a call for— what the hell? Have you been crying?"

Crying? No, of course, I'm not, but I guess I might soon.

"No ya Di, why would I cry? And which call? What call?"

She ruffles my hair and passes me her phone as I throw her a questionable look.

Is it Rahul Bhaiya? I miss him so much nowadays, I Miss our brother-sister bond, the way he was protective about me just like Roman was.

I hope he's doing good.

Attaching the phone to my ear, I say- "Hello? Rahul Bhaiya?"

I widen my eyes as Di hisses- "It's not Rahul."

My eyes almost fall out of their sockets as I hear a deep yet soft voice- "It's me, Piha."

Ansh.

He called me.

It's not your phone, Piha. It's Di's. That means he called Di to just talk to you.

He would never do that. But...why would he call me? Not wanting to give my brain a hard time, I say- "O-Oh."

"At least reply to my texts, Piha. I'm worried about you," I hear him sigh. "call me, okay? Don't be mad at me, please. I-I...Just get on a call with me, now?"

Why does want to talk to me-— after hanging up on me?

Just call him, okay? Clear all your fights, arguments, please. Just do it for God's sake. You know you can't deal with this restlessness any longer. Talk to him, so that you can feel at rest, Piha?

I inwardly nod as I say- "O-Okay."

Hanging up, I pass the phone to Di and ignore the suspicious looks Dad and her throw me.

"I'll go to my room now, I feel a little tired," I say as leave them both behind and run to my room, shutting the door behind me.

Leaving behind my fearful self, I pick up my phone.

What if he hates? No no, whatever it is— I am not going to pick a fight with him. He's very popular, rich and influential, if he wishes— he could destroy me within seconds.

I instantly curse myself for thinking all of this. He would never do that. He's one of the kindest and nicest people I've ever met.

I unlock my phone only see 21 unread messages and 4 missed voice calls.

All from one person— Ansh.

Quickly pressing the call option, my fingers reach my mouth and I bite my nails.

And,

Declines my call.

"Why did you ask me to call you then?" I yell to my phone. My phone rings only to be dropped to the floor.

Ansh
Incoming video call

Maybe he accidentally pressed the video call option. I open my and see his text, which proves me wrong.

Ansh : Pick up my call, please.

My trembling fingers quickly type a message and hit send-

You : Yes Ansh, I was going to...but I guess you accidentally pressed the video call option, nevermind I'll connect to you through voice call if that's okay?

Piha, stop being so annoying. Didn't he say he wants to talk to you, so just talk to him?

I do not want to annoy him, but on the other hand, I don't want to make him angry too.

I scratch my temple and look at my phone as it beeps-

Ansh : No, it's not okay with me, Piha. I need to see you now. Please, for me Piha.

What's with him? Is he okay?

You : Are you okay, Ansh?! Is everything right there?

I patiently wait for his reply, but instead my phone rings again with his video call.

Not wasting another minute, I sit on my bed and swipe up the green icon and his handsome face instantly fills my screen.

And my eyes immediately meet his blue orbs.

Can something in existence be that beautiful? So beautiful, that I feel lucky to be in their sight. I want to watch them and be watched by them all my life, hating the fact that they look at other things except me.

Piha! You're attracted to him, aren't you?

I widen my eyes and blink a few time only to realise what I've been thinking. Ending my trance, I hear him say- "Piha."

The voice of his giving me tingles all over my body and racing my heart at a speed that could easily win me an F1 race.

I let out a sigh as my mind revolves around reality, he's angry, and the reason is me. He's irritated, and the reason is me. Why else would he hang up on me? Or maybe because I'm boring.

I hope it's the last one as it seems the least painful among all.

Lifting my gaze, I look at the man who makes me feel so many things at once. Getting to the point I say - "You're very mad at me, right? No, not mad, you're furious at me right?"

His eyes soften and his lips curve up as he says- "Do you want me to be?"

I gape at him and my heart instantly opposes his words, causing me to whine- "No, not at all. I hate the sound of that, someone is mad at me." Especially you.

He lets out a hearty laugh and I stare at him as I place my phone on the table and it leans against the table lamp.

What's up with him? I feel so sad and he's all smiling and laughing. But he should be that way— always happy. Pulling my knees to my chest and place my chin upon them as I watch him pass me another heartwarming smile.

"I wasn't mad at you, Piha. I-I just...I don't know what happened with me. I know I behaved like a jerk, but I didn't mean to argue with you. Also, the minor upset emotion deep down there disappeared the second I saw you," He says only for me to grin.

Yay! He isn't mad at you, Piha.

But wait, let me assure myself again- "Ansh, like pakka na? (really, right?) You aren't mad at me, right? Let me be sure. I'm sorry for annoying you, and boring you all the time but don't be mad at me, please. I'm just this way ever since I remember. But I'm trying to improve."  Breathing heavily I realise how anxious I sound.

He lowers his head and my eyes immediately groan at the loss of warmth coming from the Blue ones.

But why isn't he looking at me? Is he mad at me again.

Maybe he was mad at me from the start, he just told me he wasn't for giving me some peace. He's still mad at me, and there are still possibilities we won't speak in future.

I shake my head rapidly and look at him as he lifts his sight and the emotions in his face and eyes change, they aren't happy or joyous like before. They aren't angry or furious too.

I can't read it. What is it? Hurt? Upset? But I didn't say something which would offend him.

He locks his powerful gaze with mine and doesn't speak till a few seconds. Tilting his head, his words come out dangerously soft, healing you and breaking you, all at once- "How do you manage to think of yourself that low? Why do you say that Piha? Wouldn't people who love you— feel hurt. Your words affect so many souls, Piha. I understand, no one has ever told you your worth— is that why you hate yourself so much? You don't need others to tell you your worth, Piha. How can you not realise how precious you are? How precious your existence is... It might be a reason to keep some people alive."

"Do not keep talking bad about yourself, Piha. Everyone has flaws, if people were flawless— then they wouldn't have come into existence. What will a person who has everything they want— do in life? You work so hard for giving your loved ones a happy and perfect life, but what about you, Piha? Are you really happy living your life? Why do behave as if you're the person of least important in your life? It's not supposed to be that way."

"You matter, Piha. To world, to your friends, to your family. But what's most important is that— you have to matter to your own self."

"You're not annoying, you're not irritating...but to me. Piha there are 7.8 billion people on this planet, it can't be the same for everyone right? And it doesn't matter if it's same for them, because it only matters if it's the same to you."

He takes a deep breath and continues- "Do you know why I was upset today? Because I did not like the way you spoke about yourself but I can't change anything, right? It's you, it's your life— it's in your hands. I can just tell you Piha, do not think of others all the time, give time to yourself too. You'll understand why people adore you so much."

Not wanting to meet his eyes, I continue to fiddle with the zip of my top.

I don't love myself, is that why I don't expect others to love me too? I want to change, even I want to be confident and happy about myself.

Will I ever?

"Look at me, Piha."

No, I can't, what would he think of me? An attention seeker— who keeps talking bad about herself, so that others can tell her she's a good human.

"Piha."

No, I won't. I won't look at him. Burying my face in my knees, I sigh to myself. Will he think of me the way others do too?

As I'm about to think another thousand negative points, his words freeze me-

"Pihu?"

It rolls off his smoothly, no, that's a small word. It's addictive, I want to hear it once again.

Wait.

I'm hallucinating, right? Maybe he didn't say something like that. What if he really didn't? Why did I imagine something like that? I hate it when someone expect my family or Roman's family used to say that.

Then why do I want to hear it from him all my life?

No, no, I've been thinking too much lately. Maybe it's just because he has a very rough, probably that's the reason it sounded different, no emotions involved, right?

Lifting my face, I look at him as I see worry written all over his face. Though it looks like the words left his lips, I say- "Did you say something, Ansh? I mean I heard some-something, something you wouldn't say." But I want you to say.

I instantly see his face display a tint of guilt, as he says- "I said that, I called you Pihu. I couldn't control myself, I'm sorry. I know you hate it when others than your family call you that."

No.

I can't imagine him calling me Piha now.

No, I won't let that happen, but would it be creepy, if I ask him to call me Pihu now on? It sounds so good when he says it. I might just hate the word 'Piha', if he calls me that again.

Just say it, Piha. It's okay, don't friends call each other by nicknames?

Yes, I can say it. I call him Ansh too, so what's wrong if he calls me Pihu? I look at him as he runs his fingers through his messy hair and passes me a curious look. Biting my lower lip nervously, I say- "A-Ansh, you ca-can call me Pihu, aren't we frie-friends after all?"

I spot a worries worried emotion on his face as removes his hand from his hair and scratches his stubble- "Are you sure? You won't feel uncomfortable right?"

Shaking my head— a bit too vigorously, I say- "No no, it won't make me feel uncomfortable at all, in fact I wish you call me tha-"

I slap my palm on my lips as I realise what nonsense I've been talking.

I hear him chuckle and he says- "Really? You want me to call you that? I would love to call you the same, in fact,"

He bends forward and I widen my eyes as he whispers- "I've been dying to call you that, Pihu."

~√~√

Author's note*

Okay so I was literally blushing while writing the last part, imagine being in Piha's place—oops, Pihu :')
Haha, finally their argument is over and according to me—talking it out, making the other person feel important/better is what makes your relation stronger and also the best way to solve all fights.
Anyway, enough of relationship advices by my single ass...do let me know what you think of Raghvansh's words and also Piha's reactions to the same
Do vote and take care!