The legal formalities done, he walked up to his room. It felt so good, being back to the place where he belonged, but it just din't feel the same. The people who made that place home were missing. He had been occupied with too many things hadn't even realised that it was almost dinner time. As he entered the room, his eyes rested on her. She had, had a sound sleep and was now sitting up straight on the bed her eyes closed, stretching her arms. He smiled. She was indeed the best friend he had ever had. Weird enough, she was not a bit of the kind of people whom he would keep ties with, yet she was the closest person to him. She was very different.

He had been so engrossed in his own thoughts, thinking about her that he hadnt heard her greeting.

"Wo kab neend aa gayi pata hi nahi chala...!" She continued, sitting properly on the bed. He walked ahead and stood beside her and smiled,"Its okay, I know you can sleep anywhere, anytime!" He teased.

Her eyes wide and eyebrows raised, she gave him a fake icy look."Ooo Please...wo...

"Ok Let's cut it short, Aren't you hungry? Mere paet mein naa chuhe kud rahe hain!" He said in a go and soon covering for himself, "Tumharri Language Mein Bolon Agar!"

She suppressed a giggle, enjoying his animated expression.

"So you quickly freshen up, dinner is ready, okay?"She nodded and walked to the washroom.

When she came out she saw him, standing by the window looking out at the pool, his expression solemn.

She walked up to him and without a delay he looked back at her as she proceeded to stand beside him. "Aap ka Ghar Bahut Pyaara Hai!"

"Thaa...!" He sighed looking at a far away point.

Then turning to her. He took her hand in his, while she looked a little taken aback. "Thank You! I know a thank you just isn't enough for all that you have done for me...but that's it... I can't even thank you...you saved my life, you gave me a new life and today you gave me back what was once mine! Also sorry for what you had to hear today... All because of me!"

She smiled. "You don't have to say it ! Friendship mein...

" I know I know! But, I just...!" His voice shook with emotions and without any second thought, he hugged her. At first taken aback, she got settled to the situation. After much hesitation she finally, let her arms rest on his shoulder. "Thank You! " Was all he murmured. Slowly he broke apart, blinking his eyes to hide his tears. "Let's go eat!" He said turning away to wipe his tears.She smiled and turned the other way to wipe away the tears that were now shining in her eyes.

He spoke about the house, about what happened where etc, quite unnecessary for her to know. But she loved listening to him. He spoke so cheerfully, though she could make out the faint line of unhappiness in his voice. She also spoke and annoyed and irritated him with her words. He reprimanded her, but in the end he knew that he had actually started enjoying her company. Both occasionally, caught themselves not listening but just staring at the other. Though the other remained oblivious, thanks to their own thoughts that kept them too preoccupied to notice the other.The dinner done, she rose knowing it was time for Her to leave. "Ok then Mr.SSO,

" I don't get it why can't you just call me by name.. !"

"Meri Marzi!" She said haughtily.

"Admit it, you just like to irritate me with that!" He said boring his gaze into her eyes.

"O hoo...break lagaaiye,...main kyun aapko irritate karoongi...mere paas aur koi kaam nahi hai kya...irritate aap hote hai iss mein meri kya galti hai!"

"You know what, you are impossible..!" He said folding his arms.

"Don't worry, ab aapko mujhe jhelna nahi hoga!" She giggled.

He looked at her , and they shared a unknowingly knowing eye-lock.

She won't be around.

He won't be around.

She feared his gaze for some reason, she couldn't comprehend. Killing the silence she teased him-"Why do you look at me like you will miss me!? Mere bina aap bore hoo jaayenge...waise hi aap itne boring hai!"

He chuckled, pondering over the question himself. "Yaan tum mujhe miss karogi..!" He said playing all along.

"Main toh pakka karoongi...

A smile lit up on his face.

" aapke sanwhiches, pasta ko, aur ab cook kaun karega, one time meal..." She said grumpily.

He rolled his eyes."You are such a...!"

Both laughed.

"Ok main nikalti hoon,

" I will drop you!" He said moving a step ahead."Nahi... I will go its fine!" She said, holding his wrist.

"I am not letting you go all alone in the night...! Not a chance, so no point arguing, I m not going to listen to anything." He said like a teacher to a student.

"Arey you rest, Khanna Jii will drop me! Kaise Bhi Humein apna game continue karna hai! Ok?"

"Game..!" He asked confused.

"Haan wo, Antakshri..! Khanna ji ek dum takkar ke player hai." She said excitedly.

"You got to be kidding me.!!! You were playing An..Antakshri with Khanna!?" He asked bewildered.

"Haan...aapke saath silence mein chalne se baithar hai...main Khannaji ke saath khelte huye jaaoon...aur wo unki beti ke liye birthday bhi plan kar rahe hai, toh main.."

" Its okay Anika, I get it..!" He said shrugging.

Anika looked at his smile. She couldn't risk a drive with him. Her emotions had lately been crazily driving her insane. She din't like the fact, that he would, no longer stay with her, he would soon cease to be a part of her life. He was Shivaay Singh Oberoi after all, he had duties he had a big empire to look after, she was just a small part of his life. Wasn't this day going to come any day. Maybe she was just too used to him and maybe would be fine in a while she thought.He din't want her to leave. But had not a single reason to stop her.She looked around, finally deciding to move. At the right moment, Khanna appeared and told that the car was ready at the door. Both nodded.

"Wo main aapki cheezein, Khanna jii ke saath bhijwa..

" No. !" He said immediately.

"I mean, I will come and take it...!" He couldn't leave a single opportunity, could he?

"Okay!" She said casually."you might be busy over the week, collect it at weekend, ?"

"Yaa!" He said both thinking a bit. He just wanted to prolong her stay.

"Ok!" She said, her hand playing with the strap of her bag.He managed to nod. "Take Care.!"

She smiled, "You take care too..! Bye!" With that she turned and walked straight upto the door. He sighed as he looked at her retreating figure. Unable to take the scene, he turned the other way. She wanted to turn back, but knew it wasn't an option.

He felt a sudden emptiness, like everything he ever had was gone. He stood there thinking nothing much, just stood their, all he waited was for time to pass.

As she took every step, towards the exit, she remembered every moment she spent with him. She felt something warm on her cheek, she touched it realising she was crying. Why? Maybe she had got to close to him. Rubbing it off, she walked ahead, still unsure. And listening to her heart she turned, to look at him. He had already turned the other way. Smiling sadlyvshe turned and walked straight out. He will always be in her memories.

The journey till her home from his, was quite silent. She looked out at the night sky, as though nothing was wrong, but her heart just couldn't be at peace.

He turned to look at her, she was already gone. Sighing he turned to look at the walls of his home. The place that used to be ever lively with their mothers arguing or his mother scolding Rudra, or the laughter of the family, was as silent as the graves. The silence which to him before was a relief now killed him. He sat lost. He had everything yet nothing. And now even she was gone. She was just a small part of her life. But wait, why had he assumed he was never going to see her again ?

Of course he will be seeing her on Sunday.And today was Monday!!

But that was what bothered him. He will get to see her only after 5 whole days!

She reached home, despite of the long nap she had, she was tired. Lot had been going on in past days. Her home felt unusually empty. She convinced herself that in a matter of a day she will get used to it. He chuckled as he got up to leave to his room. He was over thinking. Just that, his mind would have to get adjusted to the same old process again. With mixed feelings both fell asleep.

Three days passed.

Nothing changed. Both missed each others presence in life.She usually skipped the breakfast and had an apple instead. He had a complete breakfast, making it all by himself. He was used to cooking breakfast for his brothers, and of had changed to making it for her. But now cooking gave him no pleasure. He tried being cheerful and cooking like he always did. Nothing worked. He missed the people who made him Live.

She missed the drive to the office with him. She missed, teasing him in between working hours, cracking stupid jokes that always made him roll his eyes and then smile. She missed his scoldings. She missed his company. She tried hard not to think about his absence, but one way or other she always found her thoughts going to him.It was Friday. She sat aimlessly changing the channels. Her life had suddenly become too boring.

He too sat in his lavish living room, flipping through files after file. The days had been busy, despite of being busy hisbmind was also preoccupied by her thoughts. He chucked the file on the couch and sat aimlessly looking at the laptop screen. Thinking for a while, he finally signed in into his Aayka account. He started completing a few left tasks. Forwarding it to either Dev or Saumya. He din't want to simply overload her.

The office now knew that the two weren't husband wife but just good friends with a contract marriage. Just as he was going through the mails, one caught his attention.

The subject read-"Singhania Wedding Photographs "At once he opened it, like he was about to find gold. He did.As he scrolled through the photographs, he found hers. She was always around with Aastha resulting in many clicks with her in it. He smiled as he saw a candid pic of her smiling.

There was surely something about her.Something that made him happy just by looking at her. She was like the shining moon, in a dark night. She had lot up his world.He sighed as his fingers caressed the screen. He missed her. He missed her a lot. His life had gone all gray, not a slight color left except the tinges of her memories, which made him smile at random moments. He wondered whether she missed him as well.

Did she?

She couldn't settle herself to a single channel. As she sat bored, hogging the popcorn, her eyes rested on her phone. Smiling sheepishly, she picked it up and scrolled through the gallery, finally resting on his photos. The one she had clicked in the Super market, when he was all blue. She laughed. And then next photo made her blush, it was one which Aastha had clicked during their dance.

She smiled and then her breathing got uneven as she remembered the night of the reception and their almost kiss.

As he saw the various photographs, he went back down the memory lane.Grinning. He saw the pics of the reception, she looked so gorgeous that night. Yea, right Shivaay, you had almost kissed her that night! His grin grew wider. As he went through a few other photos, he stopped, wondering. Does she miss him as well? She had neither called nor a message? Has she moved on with her life ?

Move on?

Wait...

She had probably resumed her life like before.That couldn't be called moving on. She was used to staying alone. He wasn't!

He fingered his phone. Shall he make a call?

She wanted to badly hear him, should she make a call? No. What for? She looked indecisively at the TV.

Why should I make a call? To ask her her how she is! Simple? But, what if she... What do I speak after that ?He wondered. I can always speak about Aayka's last projects I handled. Yes.

He made the call.

She was still toying with her phone when her phone rang, she almost threw the phone in air, in surprise and excitement. He called!!! Just when she was planning , okay thinking whether to call or not! What if its his assistant or something? "Pick up the Call Anika!" She said aloud to herself. Taking a deep breath she picked it up.

P.S

Hope you all liked it.I cut short the "judai.."😂