Her hold on me tightened and her eyes roamed all over me as if making sure that I am alright. My eyes never left her beautiful face. Her eyes were tired and worry-filled.

"Are you alright?" She asked anxiously. No words came to my mouth. I was stuck. I was in a state where I didn't know what to do. I am elated.

Her eyes stopped on my face and averted shyly. I knew I was smiling like an idiot but I never tried to stop it.

Keeping her hands on my waist she bends down and picked up the cane. She gave it to me and after making sure that I held it properly she slowly removed her hand from my body and moved away living some space between us.

Instantly I missed the warmth. I wanted to pull her to me and keep her in my embrace and not let go ever. But like I said I was stuck. The happiness coursing through me was not allowing me to think. My eyes never left her. I was even afraid to blink. I hope this is no dream. She is here, right in front of me.

"Ved, the lift has arrived. Shall we go?" She asked and I nodded.

She led me to the lift and I followed her. We both stood at each corner of the lift. She was looking everywhere but me. She rubbed her palm staring at something on the floor awkwardly. That is when I realized that I was staring at her shamelessly. I couldn't take my eyes off her. I was afraid that if I blink she will disappear. Childish, I know but I can't help it. I felt like a treasure guardian.

The elevator ding brought me back to reality. The door opened and we walked into the corridor leading to my room side by side.

No words were exchanged. She opened the door to my room and gestured for me to go in. I entered and she followed me inside.

The heaviness of the awkwardness was evident. It's quite funny that when she was not around I wanted to talk tons of things to her but now that she is here my tongue is tied.

"You should rest. Don't strain your ankle more." She said while pointing her hand towards the bed.

Nodding I slowly sat on the bed.

And just like to save the situation the nurse entered the room with a tray of food. She placed it in front of me and gave us a smile.

"Good evening mam, I thought you left earlier today when I didn't see you on your usual spot outside." She said happily.

My head snapped towards Niharika and her eyes reflected shock and her cheeks were beet red. She looked down embarrassed.

She then gave a shy smile to the nurse.

"What do you mean by outside?" I asked the nurse.

She looked at us confused but still answered. "She was always there outside the room whenever your brother left the room."

My eyes fell upon her again. She gulped and wet her lips looking here and there.

If I was elated before, I am in ecstasy now.

She was here the whole time. She knew. She came and she cared. She was there for me. I wanted to jump off the bed and engulf her in a tight embrace.

My smile grew with my happiness.

"Okay sir, I will take my leave now." The nurse said awkwardly before leaving us alone again.

"You were sitting outside all this time?" My voice held a teasing tone.

She didn't tell me anything, instead, she took the bowl of porridge and started to feed me.

I let it pass and looked at her beautiful face. There are dark circles under her eyes and she looked tired and thin.

She kept on feeding me without looking at me.

She didn't say a word. I wanted to ask her a million things but truth to be told I am scared.

I don't know how to handle the situation. She is here and I am on cloud nine. I never want to come out of that happy bubble ever.

But I know we have to talk. The more we keep silent the more things get complicated.

She kept the bowl on the table and wiped my mouth with a tissue.

And without looking at me she stood up and turned around to leave.

Without a second thought, I held her wrist in my hand. She is not going to leave without a conversation.

"Niharika."

I could feel the tension in her body.

She stopped but didn't turn around.

"You were waiting outside all this time and now you are leaving without a word, why?!!" I could feel my voice getting hoarse.

Her fists curled and her nails were digging into her palms.

I wet my dry lips with my tongue, nervousness was creeping into my heart.

I tugged her back giving her a small squeeze on the wrist.

"Niha, please." My voice came out as a whisper.

She pulled her hand from mine and turned around.

"What do you want Ved? Moreover, why are you doing this to me?" Her eyes were brimming with tears.

I stood up immediately making me hiss a little. Concern crossed her face and she moved forward and made me sit back.

I looked up to see her face.

We stared at each other for a few moments, so many emotions swimming within our eyes.

Slowly she withdraw her hands from my shoulders but I held them in my hands, fearing she must leave again.

"Niharika, please listen to me once. Just once. Let me explain."

"Explain what? The man whom I thought was my father was having an affair with your mother? And they caused your father's sudden demise. You don't trust women because of your mother? I knew that already. You don't have to explain that to me." A tear ran down her cheeks.

"Sid?!!"

She nodded her head.

I shut my eyes before taking a deep breath.

"I know it scarred you deeply. And I am glad you pulled yourself up from that shit and made your dad proud. You might have your reasons for what you did. But it doesn't give you the right to fiddle with my life." She said and a sob left her mouth.

I looked up to see her beautiful eyes brimming with tears.

I stood up to wipe her tears, but she backed away from me.

"Niha."

She lifted her hands in front of signaling me to stop.

"Don't come near me. Stay away."

She tried to control her sobs.

"I... I was always this submissive, obedient girl everybody wanted. But everyone took advantage of me. Everyone I trusted just took me for granted. I let every one of you play with my feelings. Nobody cared about how I might feel. How much more do you want me to get hurt? Every one of you was selfish. And I am done with it. I just want to live a normal and peaceful life without any dramas. And this time, I am doing something for myself, for my peace of mind. I am going to live for myself for once."

No, no, no. This is not happening. The panic rose in me.

I stalked towards her cupping her face in my palms.

"You don't mean it. Please say it's not true. You are not done with me. Please." A fear ignited in the pit of my stomach. I have never been this scared before.

"One last chance Niha. I promise you I will make it up to you for the rest of our life. Please don't do this to me. " I begged.

Her eyes softened. She brought her palm to my face and wiped the tears which, I did notice were there. Her touch calmed me for a second, but her next words tore my hopes into pieces.

"Please let me go." She said with tears flowing down her cheeks.

"No. No. I can't. Please Niha."

She closed her eyes tightly. She is annoyed now. Opening her eyes, she stepped back from me. She was raging.

Her voice raised and, her eyes were burning with anger. And I knew that anger was directed toward me.

"Why don't you understand? It hurts Ved. It hurts me every second I am with you. It hurts when you take care of me, it hurts when you ignore me, it hurts when you are angry at me, it hurts me when you go back to your ex, it hurts when you accuse me for things that I didn't do and, it hurts me when you don't trust me."

The pain of betrayal in her voice made my guilt burn even more and, it was squeezing my heart painfully.

I understood that the pain I caused her was too deep to forgive me easily.

She spoke again.

"It hurts to see you hurt. Do you know how all these months I was trying to move on? I was piling up all my anger towards you so that it could turn into hate. And then I could forget about you. But then you have to show up in front of me suddenly. And in a few hours, you were on the TV all bloodied and bruised." Her eyes showed fear and sadness now.

"Do you have any idea how I felt seeing you like that? How desperate I was? If something had happened to you then, how would I live the rest of my life knowing that I turned my back on you when I saw you for the last time." Her sobs were uncontrollable now.

"And you know what hurts more? Knowing that you will never be able to love me like the way I love you." Her voice was a mere whisper but, it sent a wave of shock and surprise through my veins.

I stood and gazed at her, awestruck. The words that fell from her mouth took their own time to process through my thick skull.

She scoffed at my reaction.

"See. I am the loser at last."

A sad smile appeared on her face.

NO. It's not true. My ears are playing games with me.

I closed my eyes and facepalmed.

She loves me!!! She loves me!!!

I chanted it like a mantra in my mind.

Wow!!!

YEY!!! SHE LOVES ME!!! MEEEE!!!

A thousand fireworks were exploding in my head right now. A smile made its way to my lips.

But when I looked at her again, there was only the white wall staring back at me.

SHIT!!

I ran out of the room and saw the lift closing behind her back.

No. No. Not again. This time you won't run away Niharika.

The adrenaline rush made me forget about my twisted angle.

I ran down the stairs, as fast as I could.

I was panting heavily with my hands on my knees when the elevator dinged in front of me.

The doors opened and, three pairs of eyes stared back at me in shock and surprise.

Along with Niha there, was a nurse and another person in the elevator.

I straightened myself and entered the lift without wasting another second.

I stood in front of her, determined.

"Wha..."

I didn't allow her to complete it.

"I love you," I said aloud with my uneven breathing.

She stood gaping with her mouth open and closing like a fish. The shock was evident on her face.

We stared at each other without a word for how long, who knows.

A chuckle made our heads turn sideways. The nurse was half-covering her face with the file she held and, the man was suppressing a smile.

They both left the elevator soon enough, giving us our privacy.

Huffing, I turned to look at her again.

Creases appeared on her forehead.

"Did you just run down the stairs? Are you out of your mind Ved? Do you realize that you are not fully recovered yet? And still, you ran with your injured leg?" She kept on ranting. Her voice was full of anger, and her face was bright red.

I scoffed and pressed the number to my floor. The door closed behind me.

Wasting no time, I pulled her towards me by her waist.

She gasped in surprise and, her ranting stopped.

"Did you hear what I said?"

"Huh.."

"I LOVE YOU."