With a newfound sense of determination, he gently closed the locket and tucked it into his pocket, the weight of it settling against his chest like a promise. 

He took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving Abhira's face, and slowly sat down beside her on the bench. 

For a moment, he simply sat there, his presence a silent comfort to Abhira's grief-stricken form. He didn't try to touch her, or speak to her, he just sat there, a steady, reassuring presence in the midst of her turmoil. 

As the moments ticked by, Abhira's sobs slowly began to subside, her chest rising and falling with a softer, more gentle rhythm. He watched her, his eyes filled with a deep empathy, as she slowly began to come back to herself.

As Abhira's sobs subsided, Abhir's expression softened even further, his eyes filled with a deep compassion and understanding. He reached out a hand, hesitated for a moment, and then gently placed it on her shoulder.

Abhira didn't flinch, didn't pull away. Instead, she seemed to lean into his touch, her eyes closing as she let out a soft, shuddering breath.

As the moments ticked by, Abhira's eyes slowly opened, and she looked up at Abhir. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her face pale, but there was a sense of peace, of calm, that seemed to have settled over her.

Abhir smiled softly, his eyes filled with warmth and compassion. "Hey," he whispered. "You're going to be okay."

As Abhir stood up to leave, Abhira's hand shot out and grasped his, her eyes sparkling with a mix of emotions. She looked up at him with a hopeful expression and asked in a soft, trembling voice, "I can call you Bhai, right?!"

Abhir's heart skipped a beat as he looked down at Abhira, his eyes locking onto hers. A warm smile spread across his face, and he nodded, his voice filled with emotion.

"Yes, Abhira. You can call me Bhai. I'd like that." He squeezed her hand gently, his eyes shining with happiness.

Abhira's face lit up with a bright smile, and she leaned forward, her voice barely above a whisper."Bhai?" she whispered, her eyes sparkling with tears.Abhir's smile softened, and he nodded, his voice filled with warmth.

............

"What's preoccupying you, Abhir?" Ishika asked, her curiosity piqued as she noticed him intently gazing at the locket.

Abhir's eyes snapped back into focus as he heard Ishika's voice. He looked up at her, his expression a mixture of confusion and introspection. "This locket," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I found it near Abhira. It belongs to my mother."

Ishika's eyes widened in surprise as she took a step closer to Abhir. "What? How is that possible?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

Abhir shook his head, his eyes clouding over with uncertainty. "I don't know. But there's a picture inside... of my mother and me. I don't understand how Abhira got it, or what it means."

Ishika's eyes were wide with wonder as she gently took the locket from Abhir's hand. She opened it, and her eyes scanned the picture inside. Her expression softened, and she looked up at Abhir, her voice barely above a whisper.

"This is incredible," she said. "The resemblance between you and Abhira is striking. It's as if you two are... connected somehow."

Abhir's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with the implications. He took the locket back from Ishika, his fingers closing around it like a vice.

"I need to talk to Abhira," he said, his voice firm with determination. "I need to know how she got this locket, and what it means."

"Abhira seems so familiar, Ishu," he said, his voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and nostalgia. "There's something about her that reminds me of Mumma."

Ishika's eyes widened in shock as she listened to Abhir's words. "Abhira reminds you of your mom?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. "Abhir, what are you saying? Do you think...?"

Abhir's eyes locked onto Ishika's, his expression intense. "I don't know, Ishu. But I feel it. There's something about Abhira that feels... familiar. Like I've known her before. And when I saw that locket... I just knew that there was a connection."

"Tell me, Ishika," he said, his brow furrowed in puzzlement, "how did Abhira end up with this locket if she has no connection to me or my family?"

Ishika's eyes dropped, her gaze falling to the ground as she shook her head. "I don't know, Abhir. I have no idea how Abhira got that locket. But I think... I think we're about to uncover a truth that's been hidden for a long time."

She paused, taking a deep breath before meeting Abhir's gaze. "Abhir, I think it's time we asked Abhira some questions. We need to know what she knows, and how she's connected to you and your family."

Abhir's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in determination. "You're right, Ishu. It's time we got some answers." 

Abhir's eyes narrowed as he watched Abhira walking on the road, her steps slow and aimless. She looked lost, like a leaf blown away by the wind.

 Her eyes were vacant, her face pale and drawn. 

She seemed to be walking on autopilot, unaware of her surroundings or the danger of walking alone on the road. 

Abhir's instincts kicked in, and he felt a surge of concern for Abhira's safety. He slowed down his car and pulled over to the side of the road, watching as Abhira walked closer. 

He could see the pain and sadness etched on her face, and his heart went out to her.

Without thinking, Abhir opened the car door and stepped out, calling out to Abhira in a soft voice. "Abhira... Abhira, is everything okay?"

Abhir's heart skipped a beat as he saw the truck barreling down the road, its tires screeching as it sped closer to Abhira. Without hesitation, he rushed towards her, his arms outstretched as he grabbed her and pulled her towards him.

Abhira's eyes widened in surprise as she felt herself being yanked away from the road. She stumbled backwards, her feet tangling with Abhir's as they both struggled to regain their balance.

The truck roared past them, its horn blaring loudly as it sped by, mere inches from where Abhira had been standing just moments before. 

Abhir's heart was racing as he held Abhira close, his arms wrapped tightly around her as he tried to calm his own racing thoughts. 

For a moment, they just stood there, frozen in time, as the sound of the truck faded into the distance. 

Then, slowly, Abhira's eyes met Abhir's, and he saw a flicker of awareness, of gratitude, in their depths.

Her voice was barely audible, a soft whisper that sent shivers down Abhir's spine. "Bhai..."