"Maine Tumse kuch pucha. Tum mera peecha kar rahe the?" She asked as she made him face her.

Seeing his eyes averting her gaze and his previously angry face turning pale at her question, she got her answer.

"I can't believe tum aisa kar sakte ho. I mean tumhe mujhpe itna bhi Bharosa nai hai Kya?" Suman asked, as anger slowly overtook her.

"Mujhe jawaab do! How could you Shravan!? Tumhe sach me lagta hai, I would just date anyone? Kya aise mukaam pe humari dosti ko aana pada, ki tumhe mujhe literally stalk Karna padta hai?" She asked trying to keep her tears in check.

"God! I was so right. Na hi tum voh Shravan rahe, aur na hi mera best friend. Mera best friend toh kahi kho gaya hai, London ki chamak dhamak mein." She said as tears made it's way down her cheeks.

"Really!? Mujhe lagta hai tum kahi kho gayi ho! Maine Tumse kitni baar maafi maangi phir bhi Maaf nai Kiya. Har roz main tumhare ghar ke bahar 2- 3 ghante intezaar kiya, tumne kabhi mere liye darwaaza khola? Main nai balki tum badli. Sabse acche se baat karti rehti ho, bas mere saath hi nai. Arrey tumhe pata bhi hai mujhe kitna dukh lagta hai? Kitni chot aayi hai mujhe tumhari ignorance ki vajah se?" He let it all out as his eyes were gone red both due to crying and anger.

"Toh main aur Kya karti? Tum aise hi, bina bataye London aaye. Yahan tak ki, tumne apni friend se jhooth bulwaya ki tum yahan nai ho. Tumhe pata bhi hai hum sab kitne pareshaan hue!?" Suman burst at him. Sharavn tried to speak but she beat him to it. "Mujhe nai, Lekin kam se kam apne khud ke bhai se toh bolte ya apne dad se bhi!"

"Jaanti thi tum mujpe bharosa nai karte, Lekin tab pata chala tum mujhe apna best friend toh Kya, dost bhi nai samajh te." She said as she fell on her knees and cried. She couldn't take it any longer. She kept it in for too long.

"Sumo." He called out before sitting in front of her. He tried wiping her tears but got a whack on his arm. This made him smile, she at least did react even if it means by whacking him.

"Kya sumo sumo? Kaha na Suman!"

"Accha? Zara yaad karke dekho yeh naam kisne diya? Maine! Aur tum mujhe Sumo bulane se mana kar rahi ho? Aur toh aur, uss Aditya se kaha, 'you can call me Sumo'." He said imitating her.

"Haan toh? Tumse Kya?"

"Mujhse Kya? For God's sake Sumo, tum meri best friend ho, sirf meri! Tumhe pata hai na I have trust issues, main bohot hi possessive hoon, tumhare baare mein. I can't bare to see you talking with him so nicely whereas you're outright ignoring me. Main bhi ek insaan hoon. Mere seene mein bhi dil hai. Mujhe bhi dard hota hai." He whispered the last part.

"Haan, jaise main insaan nai, bhootni hoon hai na? Mere seene mein dil nai hain, feelings toh bilkul bhi nai hai, hain na? Arrey tumne mujhe joh hurt Kiya, yu achanak India se chale jaana, bohot hi hurt hoon main." She said. "Aur Aditya mera best friend nai, sirf dost hai."

"Aur Haan, main yeh sirf tumhare uss lose screw wale dimaag mein daalne ko hi bol rahi hoon, main aur Aditya cousins hai! Mujhe khud nai pata tha. In fact, uss din usne mere phone wallpaper mein mere mummy- papa ka photo dekha aur tab pata chala, yeh mere papa ke cousin ka beta hai. Matlab mera cousin hain, mera bhai jaisa hain voh. Aur toh aur, voh yahan aaya tha kyuki usko meri madad chahiye thi. It was his girlfriend's birthday today, so I just baked her a cake and helped him with the presents. Aur koi explanation chahiye?" Suman said as Shravan absorbed every word she said.

Now Aditya didn't seem like any villain to him. He no more had thoughts of killing in in a mysterious sadistic way. He was Sumo's cousin, her brother. And he had a girlfriend to top it off!

"Vaise uska birthday kal tha. It's past midnight." Shravan said with a smile. He was so happy hearing Aditya was her brother, he couldn't help but smile.

"Really? This is what you have to say?" I'm so done with you." She said as she was about to get up but he held her by her elbow and pulled her that she fell on his lap. Having her face so close to his, he wanted to do nothing but claim her lips in his, but he cleared his head of such thoughts. They were this close to clearing away all differences and complications between them. He didn't want his feelings to be another hindrance in their friendship, in case she didn't have the same feelings as him.

Fear.

Just a four-letter word, yet has the ability to control us. It is such an emotion that has the ability to overpower and encompass every emotion on the face of this earth, even love. It controls us, has us gripped in its clutches so much so, it has the ability of wreaking havoc in our lives.

Such was the case of Shravan Malhotra.

Had he not been scared, he wouldn't have had to leave India. Sumo wouldn't have been playing the I-don't-know-you game. He wouldn't have been jealous of Aditya. They wouldn't have been fighting at Suman's apartment at past midnight. Hell, Suman wouldn't have come to London in the first place!

"I'm sorry." He said as Suman scoffed. Even though all Suman wanted to do was let her guards down and be held in his arms, she didn't. She couldn't.

"Sirf sorry? Tumne aisa kyu Kiya Shravan?" She asked desperately. She had to know. She wanted to know. She needed to know.

"I was scared Sumo!" He shouted out. "I was scared." He whispered as he tried suppressing the sob that was about to erupt anytime soon.

"I was scared of hurting you. London se aate hi, I've hurt you so many times. Aate hi, I hurt you by acting as if I don't know you. I hurt you again, at the reunion, I insulted you so much! As if it wasn't enough, I started ignoring you. You brought Ma... Mrs Ahuja to meet me with the intention of wanting to unite us, but I told you off. I ruined all your hard work by destroying PCT. I was the reason you met with an accident. I was scared of hurting you again, that is why, I made sure you got back on your feet and I walked out of your life." He said as tears escaped his eyes without his permission. Suman was rendered speechless by him, once again.

"Sumo, as much as it hurt you, I've been hurting as well. But I thought it's better hurting myself than hurting you unintentionally." He confessed. He was not a man of many words, yet he voiced out his feelings.

"Shravan." She called

Who was this man? What was this man made of? How could someone be so selfless?

"I'm sorry." She said as she gave in to her deepest of desires and wounded her arms around his neck as she buried her head in between his shoulder and neck. Tears involuntarily made their way down her cheeks and before she knew it, she started crying.

"I was just angry at you and joh bhi aaya, bol diya Maine. Maine bhi kuch kam Thodi Kiya? School mein Maine tumhare saath itna bura Kiya. I deserved that humiliation. Aur toh aur, Maine tumhe ghalat samjha. Tumne PCT jaan boojke nai toda." She said as she tightened her hold on him.

"Tumhe kaise pata?" He asked as he broke the hug and cupped her face in his hands.

"Kamini Aunty ne bataya."

"Chachiji ne? I'm surprised."

"Me too." She said with a smile.

"I'm sorry." Sharavn said as he held one ear. The sight made Suman's heart melt in an instant.

"I'm sorry too." Suman said imitating his gesture making him laugh. They soon realised the position they are in and blushed. Before they knew it, Suman hurriedly got up as she brushed her fingers through her hair.

"Ahem, waise I should go. Kal milte hai." He said.

"Ruko! Kitna late hua hain." Sumo said looking at the digital watch that read 01:15.

"Its okay. I'll manage." He smiled happy with her concern towards him.

"Phone kar dena, pohochte hi." She said as a part of hers chided her for sounding too clingy and desperate.

"Okay madam." He said as he bubbled in happiness from within.

After he went Suman's heart and mind couldn't help but reiterate his words the whole time, 'Main bohot hi possessive hoon tumhare baare mei'.

》》●●●●●●●●●●●《《

The next day Suman had gotten up as fresh as a daisy. Afterall, she had gotten a good night's sleep after so many nights of tossing and turning in grief. She got out of bed and decided on just brushing her teeth as it was Sunday and she could shower a little later during the day.

She went into the kitchen and groaned as she saw the dishes lying on the sink and decided on washing them first. She decided on cleaning up the whole house and slumped on the couch as she switched on the TV. Hearing the doorbell ring, she watched through the peep hole and saw Shravan there. In excitement she opened the door without caring of her appearance.

As soon a Shravan's gaze fell on her, his eyes widened at the sight of him. Suman was standing there with a smile bright enough to light that entire building. But what got his attention was the fact that she was wearing shorts that barely reached her knees and a tank top.

Sensing his gaze on her, Suman flushed as she realised what she wore and immediately made way for him to enter without saying a word.

"Woh, Uhmm sorry. Mujhe nai pata tha, you woke up only now." He cleared his throat as he shook his head at his train of thoughts.

"Nai, I got up a while back. Main bas ghar saaf kar rahi thi." She said as he sat on the couch and she took a seat as well making sure she placed a cushion on her thighs.

"Main abhi breakfast karne jaa rahi hoon. Tum bhi khaalo." She said as he nodded his head.

They decided on having just a cup of coffee with jam coated toast bread, something they loved snacking on during their teenage days.

"Waise, mujhe ek baat batao. Tum toh humesha chikchik karti rehti ho, mujhe itne din ignore kaise ki?" He asked with an amused look making Suman throw the dish cloth at him and he effortlessly caught it.

"Kya? I'm serious." Mujhe laga tumhe koi bimari huyi ya mujhe dekh ke sadma laga." He said as he knew this would trigger Suman.

"Lambuu! Gadhe!" She shouted as she got up and Shravan sprinted from his chair. The two ran around the kitchen island as she chased Shravan. They felt so content. So free. Like their childhood days.

"Ab mujhe pata tum mujhe pakad kyu nai sakti. Afterall Sumo ho tum. Moti si, buddhu si." He laughed as Suman threw the cushion and it landed right on his face. He picked the same cushion and threw it back at her.

The chase started again as he sprinted to the living room laughing.

"Shravan gadhe! Tum ab gaye!" She shouted.

"No no no, not that!" Suman shrieked as Shravan picked up a vase for self defence but kept it right back.

Shravan ran towards the couch and tried using it as his shield, but seeing Suman sitting down, tired of chasing him, he too sat down next to her.

"Kya? Tum bhi thak gaye ho?" She asked.

"Nai toh." He replied defensively. "Mard thakta nai." To which Suman rolled her eyes. "Tumhari tarah nai hoon, Motu."

"You call me Motu!" He exclaimed with her jaw clenched.

"Sorry, Moti." He laughed as she threw the cushion right at his face.

After their bickering, the two decided on watching TV. At this point, Suman had completely forgotten that she was still wearing her night shorts.

"Waise, aisa Kya hai phone mein joh TV pe dhyaan hi nai de rahi ho?" Shravan snatched the phone, noticing her paying more attention to her phone than the TV.

"Shravan!" She exclaimed as she tried reaching out for the phone and he held it out high.

"Shravan I swear main tumhara mooh tod doongi." She threatened as he shrugged.

"Itne handsome ladke ka mooh tod dongi?" He asked innocently yet had a smug smile.

"Heh! Tum aur handsome? Shakal dekhi apni? Sade hue ande jaise lagte ho." She scoffed. "Pleaase do na!" She tried reaching out again, but couldn't.

"Sade hue ande? Ab toh nai doonga." He raised his hand even higher.

"Shravan!"

"Theek hai, chahiye na?" He asked while Suman nodded innocently. "Toh phir kehna hoga, I'm sorry Shravan, tum dunya ke sabse handsome aur intelligent ladke ho." Came his reply making her scoff.

Seeing she wasn't going to relent he continued, "Theek hai phir. Remember, I can take this home with me right now."

"Aghh. Shravan, tum-"

"Oye aise sada hua mooh kyu banayi hai? Acche se bolo." He smirked and enjoyed her getting annoyed.

"Sharavn. Tum dunya ke." She tried snatching the phone. "Sabse." Tried again. "Handsome aur." She tried again. "Intelligent ladke." She tried once more. "Ho." She huffed irritated as he kept on keeping his hand out of reach.

They suddenly stopped as they realised the position they were in. They only realised then that Suman, unintentionally, had her legs kept on either side of him, straddling him; the front of their bodies touching at its slightest contact and their faces a little over an inch apart. Her breaths had come out ragged at the intimate postion they were in and Shravan looked at her in an intense way, his orbs turning a shade darker....