"Why I feel there is more to it, Sid?" Sara's eyes fixed on me, "This separation is forever?" She watched my face keenly, I just gave her a slight nod. Turning the tap once again. 

I sprinkled that water on my face, washing it up. "After what I witnessed yesterday, I don't think it would be safe for her staying along with me. It would be better you take her with you, that will be great of her." I was concentrating on washing off the mud at least was trying to prove the same to Sara. 

"And you think, you will take it? You will be able to take the separation?" She raised a question that I didn't want to answer. 

"I am getting late for office," turning off the tap. I tried to move but Sara holds my wrist, "Sara leave me I am getting late." 

"Whom are you trying to fool, Sid? You are not even able to spell it out from your mouth that you would be fine with the separation," Sara groaned. 

I turned and look at her straight, "I can take the separation. Did you hear me! I can!" I repeated the same word twice. Sara snicker, I signed. "Sara, why you don't understand? It's not about me but her. We have no clue about her past, what if she is married? What if she has someone in her life? Do you think she will be able to forgive herself once she is in her senses? I don't want her to feel guilty for spending time with me as it will break me. I won't be able to..." I trailed off. 

"Aww" I glanced at Sara who was admiring me, "I am so proud to call you my friend. You're a gentleman, Sid. So that she just doesn't have to face any accuse in her future, you want to distance yourself from her. But do you think she is capable of doing it? I have seen her missing you when you were away from her just for a few hours. Distancing yourself can lead to serious consequences, what if she is not able to take it? We have no idea how will she adapt to the changes. She might be grown up physically but mentally she is just a kid of nearly three-four years. Her thinking mud as chocolate, eating it up that all prove it. She might not be able to take the separation."Sara was persisting me to give it a second thought. 

"She will learn, the way a child learns going to school. She too will learn." Rather than telling her, I was assuring myself, I was scared of my feelings which I didn't want to confess in front of Sara as I was confused that what was the weird sensation? 

"A child comes back home after her school but you're also not allowing her that." She pointed out the fact, while I gazed at her. 

"I have no other option," with that I moved inside the mansion. I heard Sana calling me up but I ignored her making my way towards the room. 

I removed clothes from the wardrobe, moving into the washroom. Pulling off my clothes standing below the shower, that hot water calmed me a little. I was confused about my feelings.

The peck which she gave me last night had showered my mind with many questions. I didn't felt like pulling her away, but the thought that she might curse it later in her life pieced my heart. Why the thought that she might be married or love someone broke me? Why it was hurting me? She was just my responsibility, why was she gaining a place in my heart? I knew that this place would only hurt me in the future and I didn't want it to. I might seem a tough guy but was sensitive when it came to my feelings. 

Trusting people and investing emotion came with a lot of courage and it would shatter me down if I would invest with the wrong person. My brain was screaming that this girl would gift me with pain in the future but my heart was yelling to live in present rather than worrying about the future. Like always, I went with my brain and decided to distant away her from me. 

Assuring myself that my decision was correct, I moved out of the shower. Getting into my professional clothes when I opened the washroom door, someone rushed and hug me tightly. Her mere touch and all I felt was peace. Her tight grip on my back was murmuring something in my chest. 

"Kullu you're angry on me. Please talk to me Kullu." She whimpered, I kept my face blank. Fisted my hand, I couldn't melt, I couldn't repeating down in my head. 

"I am getting late for the office. Leave me Sana," I pulled her away, she got appalled. That innocent could melt me, I needed to move out. 

She followed me, gripping on my wrist. "Kullu why are you not talking to me? Please talk to me." She was persisting, I needed to be harsh with her or she won't stop. 

"Sana! I don't have time for your blabbering. I have many important things to do." Jerking off her hand, I descended downstairs.  

"Sana" Sara screamed, which made me turn. She was laying on the ground, on shit! Slapping herself up, I moved back towards her. What the hell was wrong with me? I was hurting her more in this process. She was continuously slapping herself up, while silently sobbing. 

I hold her shoulder and tried to make her stand but she jerked my hand. "Baby, are you fine?" I kneeled in front of her, cupping her face. 

"I don't want to talk to you, you're bad." She scowled, pushing me away. I was stunned, Sara soon reached upstairs. 

"Sana are you fine?" She asked her, making her stand. "Baby did you got hurt?" She sounded concerned, checked Sana up. Sara peeped at me while my eyes were fixed on Sana who was not meeting her eyes with mine. 

"I want to bath,"Sana spoke for which Sara nodded. Taking her towards my room.

Not for once Sana turned and glanced at me, it upset me. Did she consider me bad?

### Past end ###

That bright light made me blink my eyes, and finally open it up while rubbing. I glanced at my room, it was no longer night but a fresh morning. Urgh! Why couldn't night stay for much longer, as I was enjoying my stay over my past! I stretched myself and I jerked from my bed. Oh shit! Shehnaaz! Purab! Ring! I forgot about it last night after finding Raghav in her room. 

I moved to the washroom, gurgling the mouthwash, and spitting it out. I moved out of the room, knocking the same room door which last night I heard Shehnaaz giggling. No answer from the other side, was she still sleeping? I felt a touch on my shoulder and when I turned I found Sara behind me. 

"What are you doing over here?" She gave me a questioning look. Watching my face, "what's the matter you seem tense?" 

"You know where Shehnaaz is?" I sounded desperate. 

"Yeah early in the morning I met her, she was in a hurry to meet some Purab." She was to recollect. "Yeah! to repair the ring which she broke." I widened my eyes, while Sara stood bewildered. 

"She went? Oh shit!" I was going to rush but Sara holds my wrist. 

"What if she meets Purab?" She was confused. 

"Purab is Guru's friend," that said I walked out. She was stunned after getting to know it, my life was a complicated mess. 

I went into my room, taking the car keys. I left from the hotel making my destination to Purab place, why on the earth did I choose the ring? The sole reason for all consequences. 

### Past ###

With a heavy heart, I stood on my legs. Walking out of my house, I wanted the same then why did her behavior affect me? 

Putting the engine to life, I moved towards the office. Work! That would be able to remove thoughts of her from my mind. As I got into the building, I was greeted by many people but it sounded rather formalities not a single greeting came from the heart. The reason I never greeted them back, I never understood these formalities! 

I got into my cabin and rang the bell. Simran entered in, with a notebook in her hand. She was all set to enlighten me with my schedule when I halt her up. "Simran see to it that my all meeting is attended by Kiran. As my state is not proper to deal with it, just give me files which are piling up from many days, will have a look at it." Simran nodded, all set to leave. "Wait! And it's my strict warning that I don't want anyone to enter my cabin rather then you or you would be fired." I growled, she knew whom I was mentioning indirectly. She gave me a frightened look, moving out of the cabin. 

I knew the day would be nothing sort then hell! I groaned on the thought, I had the overthinker mind, why I couldn't enjoy the carefree life like others? 

//

As I had predicted, the entire day was hell would be an understatement. I closed my eyes leaning back on my chair, stretching myself up. Closing the last file for the day, rubbing my eyes I extended my hand to pick up my cell. Not a single call from Sara, did Sara stopped her or she didn't even remember me once? Should I call Sara once and ask it out? 

From the morning I had resisted myself, not able to restraint more. I dialed Sara's number. At that moment I realized that it was twelve. "Hello!" A sleepy tone from the other side, she might be sleeping. I felt guilty for disturbing her up but at the same time, I wanted to know about Sana's whereabouts. 

"Sara are you at home?" I shook my head was it even a question to ask? 

"Sid, I am damn sleepy will talk to you tomorrow." She was going to hang it up but I stop her. 

"Wait! Where is Sana?" I inquired. 

"Where she should be, bye I need to sleep after a busy day." She hanged it finally, it was just twelve was behaving as if I called her at two! I scowled, getting up from my bed and moving out of the cabin. 

My life was back to normal no excitement to go back home. That home where I stayed alone, that what I wanted. I had told my mom, that I wanted to stay away, so I could concentrate on work. Moreover, I wanted to move away from that house which had memories of dad, those memories around it was so hard to move on. I was missing my mom so much! I need her solace at the moment. I needed her confirmation that what I did was right, I had not made a mistake pushing Sana away from my life. 

I made my way towards my house where I spend my childhood. I needed a friendly talk with my mom, I was so engrossed in the work that I had forgotten to be the son. Pulling the break I halt in front of the house. How much I miss staying over here? A sad smile on my face, taking in a deep breath I stepped towards the house. Knocking the door, I knew my mom was still up. 

And there she stood opening the door, in her plain white saree with a golden border. Her grey hairs tied up in a bun and delighted on seeing her son after a long. "Sid" she sniveled and I pulled her in a hug. I missed her, due to my drawbacks I was pushing her away. Me trying to move on was forgetting the people who were ready to shower me with love and happiness. 

She was already witnessing the separation from her husband and I was making her crave for her son too. "I am sorry," I apologized murmuring in her ears. For which she just rubbed my back, the gesture she always did when I hugged her. 

### Past end ###

I brushed off the tears which were threatening to flow from the corner of my eye. I was making her suffer the same but it won't happen in the future. I would learn to be happy in her happiness because she loves me the most. "I love you, mom," I murmured won't ever be able to say it loud but I would always love her the most. 

I reached Purab place, to my surprise I didn't found Shehnaaz car or any other car parked there but Sara informed me that Shehnaaz had come here. I moved out of the car been puzzled, making my way towards Purab's house. 

I knocked on the door, the moment Purab opened the door and found me. He stood there startled, why was he shocked? 

"Paji! You? Here? How?" Thousand of questions which didn't come out of his tongue but underlying in his face. 

"Why can't you come here?" His behavior made me stare at me been suspicious. 

"You can... come..." he hesitated to allow me in. 

"I don't want to but what to ask something," glanced at the house no one was present, surely Shehnaaz had come here. His tool was still lying on the table, he was working on something. "The girl who accompanied me yesterday did return?" I asked him out, he stood there quiet and his silence answered the question. "Why she came?" I inquired. 

"No one came..." he stuttered, I glanced at him keenly and he finally gave in. "She came to make the exact ring." 

"What!" it outraged me, "she asked you to make the exact ring? Why would she?" I was baffled listening to it. That meant she didn't give me that ring yesterday as she lost it but then what was the need to lie? What was even happening? 

"And she came along with your friend, the groom," Purab informed, staggering me off.

"Raghav?" I muttered, he too knew it? He was lying? What the hell was going on? 

TO BE CONTINUED... 

What the hell is going on? Can anyone tell?