Tears streaming down his cheeks, Prabir softly caressed her face.

Wiping off his tears delicately, she whispered," Prabu. I am so sorry".

"For what?"

"For making you cry" 

Smiling at her warmly, "Here this is for you" he smirked, handing her a chocolate, fishing it out from his jeans pocket.

"And this is for you", she said and kissed him spontaneously without taking the chocolate from him.
" Remember what you told? You can always borrow some sweetness from me".

"Yes! I do remember", he rubbed his nose softly on hers; restraining his urge to embrace her firmly, as hurting her was the last thing he would want to do.

Snatching the chocolate from him, she giggled saying excitedly, "Chocolates, ice creams, delicious food, parties!
You know Prabu,I have never been this happy in my life.
The time that I have spent here with you. It's amazing! It feels like I am in Paradise".

"Are you really that much happy? Brushing a strand of hair away from her face, he murmured,"Stop making a pretense that you are enjoying and having fun...that you are okay".

"I am not okay. I am happy... Extremely happy to be here with you" She retorted back instantly.

"Your eyes keep telling me a completely different story Bhargu"

Moving close to him, she looked up at him and asked," What stories are my eyes telling you?"

"I see a lot of sadness in your eyes Bhargu. A feeling of loneliness seems to be haunting you.

Locking yourself up in this room almost all the time... you keep up with the appearance of being engrossed in your studies and work, but I can see through it baby.

You can't deny that you are trying to sever all ties with Maa and Bhawani. Now can you? But are you really happy with this?"

Unable to say a word, she only gaped at him open mouthed for a while.

Burying her face in his chest, she mumbled,"I am trying to sever ties with no one Prabir. It's just that I am not needed in their lives anymore".

"This is not true! Maa is so regretful... for what she has done. And Bhawani, too loves you"

Moving away from him she spat,
"Regretful?! For what? For  letting me know how she feels about me? That I am desperate enough to sleep with men for money? A shameless girl? Or for thinking that I am a bar dancer?

Well Yeah! Bhawani certainly loves me but much less in comparison to Mr.  Ishaan Bagchi I guess"

"Why don't you ask them Prabir why things ended up this way?" She said almost in tears. "Bhawani failed in three subjects but never bothered to even inform me once, to attend her PTM".

Cupping her cheeks he whispered,"Why is my babydoll  crying?
Let Bhawu love her Mr. Ishaan Bagchi,
I will always love you... now, today, tomorrow and forever".

She had a beautiful sweet smile lighting up her face instantly.

"Maa, always calls me up when she misses you. She repeatedly requests me... to bring you back home Bhargu, because she believes that you will listen to me," he added smiling softly.

"I am not going home."

"You don't have to...go home.But you have nothing to be sad girl.

I'll be the one listening to Bhawu's teacher's rantings about her failing in the exams. It certainly won't be a pleasure.

And Maa,her eyes keep looking for you all the time. Everyday, she makes your favorite dishes, wishing for you to forgive her and return home. When you don't return home, she hugs your old clothes, and tries to sleep in your room. She's trying to understand that...you need time to forgive her.

I personally pleaded with her, not to call and plead you to return home...to give you some time to recover from the hurt she has given you.

We all make mistakes Bhargu. She isn't happy with what she has done". 

"Can I borrow your t-shirt for today's party? " She asked sadly, trying to avoid the topic.

"Yes! Of course you can. There's no need to ask me. Pick up anything you like, from my wardrobe. You don't have any obligation to return it back."

Rushing to his wardrobe, she put on one of his full sleeved long t-shirt's, that she had seen him wear numerous times.

"It's cute, you look so tiny in that. It's way too oversized for you", he chortled examining her. "Okay! Let's find something that's a little less oversized for you."

"Noooo!" She yelped.

Laughing, he strolled close to her and rolled up the sleeves of the t-shirt, exposing her wrists. He held her left palm and marking the ring on her finger,admired her face with a serious expression etched on his face said,"Please rest for a while now. Okay!"

A thorough introspection of Prabir's actions, though proved that Bhargavi was special and important to him, she believed that she wasn't significant enough in his life, in a way that he would easily agree to get married to her anytime soon.

He seemed to be doing nothing to extend her stay, beyond a week's time. Avoiding medicines and not recovering, was an option that had made Bhargavi feel elated but every time she pretended to have forgotten to take her medicines, he always reminded her and when she tried to pretend to have fallen asleep, he just knew her too well to know that she had been pretending to have fallen asleep all the time.

Tired of these childish games, she decided to come to terms with the fact that Prabir needed time, he wasn't yet ready to get married. Already making up her mind, not to return home - to her mother and sister, the only alternative was to look forward to staying in a paying guest accommodation.

The mere thought of being able to see Prabir only in the college or maybe on the weekends made her miss him painfully.

"What happened?" She asked softly, unable to bear his piercing gaze that felt like drilling holes in her face.

Cupping her face, looking into her eyes he whispered," Now, Raghav Bhaiya's calls go unanswered and you only text back, that you were busy and are doing fine. You don't ask him anymore about Aaradhya Aunty or even about Raunak?"

"I don't want to bother anyone with my presence. Emotions are way too complex. I don't want to feel anything anymore. Scarcely am I needed in anybody's life."

"Do you even hear what you are saying? Why do you think that your presence is bothering me? And I need you now...today, tomorrow and forever because I love you",he replied shocked with her dull response.

"Hey! Just calm down okay! I wasn't talking about you.

Maybe, both Maa and Bhawani are extremely busy...to an extent that they don't remember that I exist", Bhargavi uttered sadly. 

Placing her phone in her hands, Prabir demanded," Call Maa now"

"Now. Why?"

Raising his eyebrows at her, he looked at her with cold eyes as she made the call.

"Hello! Maa!"

"Bhargavi?!"

"How are you? Why don't you call me? Are you still mad at me? When are you going to come back home?"

"Maa. How many questions are you firing at a time?
Yes! I am still mad at you and am not coming back home. Why do you even need me? I am a curse in your life"

"Bhargavi. I am really sorry for what I said earlier. Please come back home", she pleaded.

"I'm not coming back" she said and disconnected the call. Looking extremely upset, she whispered,
"Should I go back home?"

Prabir smirked at her," I purposefully asked Maa to not call you, as everytime she'll call you, she will beg and plead you...to return home.
And I don't want you to leave me and run back to her, at least not until you completely recover".

"Shouldn't I forgive her Prabu? Maa has forgiven me a million times." Bhargavi enquired.

"It seems you have already forgiven her. Now stop troubling that tiny little brain of yours and look at me", Prabir said raising up her chin with his index finger.

"No one hates you Bhargu, and we all need you Bhawani, Maa, me.

Bhawani can't muster up enough courage to face you anymore.
She realized that she was wrong about Ishaan. He broke up with her and on top of that scored very good marks while she failed in three subjects", Prabir replied with a smirk.

"He broke up with her? Is she doing okay?" She quizzed instantly.

"Relax! She's fine!

She was heartbroken but I managed to console her.

Ishaan told her that he was unwilling to handle the weird pressure of this relationship any longer and instead of trying to make a square peg fit into a round hole, she should look for a better fit.

Are you okay Bhargu?" He paused scrutinizing her face.

"Oh! Hmm...yeah!! I am fine!"

"You let Bhawu slap you? Why?" Prabir demanded.

"She misunderstood me Prabir and in a fit of outrage slapped me and walked away screaming that she hates me.

I was more hurt than angry and didn't know how to respond.

I know that I am ill-tempered and when I have had a rotten day sometimes my anger is misdirected towards her or Maa but...", she took a deep breath unable to continue.

Hearing a knock on the door they instantly felt silent and looked in the direction of the door open ajar.

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed reading!

Sorry for such a late update.

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