Pooja's P.O.V

I was changing Esha into a frock when the door opened.............

"Followed me thinking I would get lost in here. You donkey, if you remember what I told you, once upon a time I lived here .", I speak with my back turned to the intruder thinking it was Ryan.

"Pooja.", that voice, with a lot of pain, hurt, desperation and above everything hope.

Even though my body had gone stiff, I don't turn back. My mind and heart were screaming at me, to look at him, to hug him.

"What?", my voice hard and cold.

"Can we...... talk?", hesitation clear in his voice.

"About what Arjun?", I face him after picking up Esha and placing her on my hip.

He doesn't speak anything for a few seconds, his eyes trained on Esha and his face blank.

"How are you?", his eyes looking everywhere but me.

What am I supposed to answer to that question. Should I say I was fine even when I was still hurting inside....or should I scream at his face for making me leave his life.....

"Why do you even care?"

"I....Pooja...", he opens and closes his mouth not knowing what to say and once again his eyes rest on my daughter.

"Babes..." Ryan was standing at the door looking from me to Arjun and back to me. Esha starts clapping seeing him and stretches her hands asking Ryan to take her. He comes and takes her out of my arms. Arjun's eyes burns holes when Ryan pulls me closer with one hand around my waist while holding the baby with the other.

Ryan kisses my temple and whispers close to my ear, "Just go with the flow". He then turns towards Arjun and removes the hand from my waist and stretches to Arjun.

"Hi, couldn't introduce myself earlier, Ryan Philip.", his tone formal at the same time challenging.

"Arjun Kashyap.", his tone matching Ryan's.

"Everyone's waiting for you. Come.", with that Ryan holds my hand and pulls me out of the room to the backyard.

"What the hell was that?", I ask once out of hearing distance from Arjun, but Ryan just smiles and continue pulling me.

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My friends and I had come to the guest house that Ma had prepared for our stay after a very uneventful, if a staring match between Ryan and Arjun didn't count in, dinner. Esha was already asleep and we were all in the hall, going through some details for the arrangements to be made.

It was close to eleven when the door-bell rang. Nivya gets up to open the door but I ask her sit back, instead going by myself.

If anyone were to come at this time of the night, it would only be to see me. And for the best, I was wishing it wasn't Arjun.

Opening the door I was surprised to see a restless Megha. Her face and eyes were red. As soon as she saw me, she pulled me into a hug, which I return after a few minutes. I don't know why but it was hard for me to even speak to her.

Back in the evening, from the time I arrived to till this moment, I hadn't spoken to anyone other than Ma and my friends, if you didn't count the few words spoken to Arjun. I know I shouldn't be doing this to them, who was once my family, or even to myself. But it's easier saidthan done.

I ask her to come in and I could feel my friends staring as we walked into the hall.

"Ok guys! Let's catch some sleep before we set to work tomorrow.", it was Ryan who broke the stares and the uncomfortable silence. Everyone starts returning back to their allocated rooms, after giving me an encouraging smile and wishing goodnight.

"Need some water?", I ask Megha while gesturing her to have a seat.

"Sure.", her voice as dry as rubbing on sandpaper.

Giving her a small smile I walk to the kitchen where Ryan was sitting on the counter, as if waiting for me. Not minding him, I grab the jug of water and two glasses, and turn to go back when he stopped me by my elbow.

"Talk it out with her. You both need each other.", saying that he leaves my elbow and I return back Megha.

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