Staring on to the old walls of the monument, her eyes wandered towards the lessons she had learned in her life. Blinking softly, listening to the families chirping excitedly about stories behind these walls and their built, she smiled to herself.

The wind caressed her cheeks and flirted with her raven hair. Those dangling earrings swaying along her movements of the face, made her look ethereal.

Feeling the familiar heat of the continuous gaze, shyness added to her smile, making her push back all those flicks behind her ear and lower her eyes.

"Stop staring," she mumbled, blinking softly, waiting for the sunset and silhouette of the old fort.

Shrey shrugged his shoulders, looking away towards the visitors. His hands slide back as he leaned backwards while heaving a sigh. They were sitting on a big window corner of the old fort.

"What's wrong with staring at what's mine?" He murmured, smiling to himself. "Or I make you nervous like always?"

She looked at him, narrowing her eyes. "I am over that Romeo-phase."

He chuckled, turning his head towards her. "Mhmm," he said in amusement, now facing her confidently. "Let's check if that's true."

Sakshi stared in light brown eyes, controlling her smile when he gave that serious look of his to melt her heart. He would always knew how to charm her anytime.

A comfortable silence followed, Sakshi saw his eyes moving on her lips. They were sitting on a secluded corner but still, they had never kissed in the public area. Sakshi hesitated when he started leaning closer, her heart beating erratically.

Sparks flied all over her skin, seeing him closing his eyes. On accord, her own eyes closed and hand reached to hold his arm.

Before she could feel the taste of his lips on hers, a whistle blew right near them. Both of them jumped up on their seats on the old bricked seat.

"I haven't even showed my presence and you both already made me feel like a third wheel," teased Aarush while handing Shrey a bag full of cans and chips. "I rather watch that movie alone, I am telling."

Sakshi blushed while Shrey laughed loudly, patting his forearm while asking, "I won't mind. Ask Sakshi."

Aarush flared his nostrils humorously when Sakshi laughed and gave him a soft smile. "He is joking."

Aarush crossed his arms across his chest while fake glaring at Shrey who gave him the boyish smirk.

Sakshi laughed at seeing Aarush chuckling. "He knows, I can't stay mad at him for long." Aarush joked while Shrey got up and squeezed his shoulder in a side hug. "He brings out the hidden gay in me."

"Hey! He's all mine." Sakshi said humorously while Aarush rolled his eyes, making faces.

"Don't worry, I'll introduce you to all the girls that are coming tomorrow night, except for my cousins," Shrey said while running fingers through his hair.

Sakshi tore one of the chips packet and started eating and sharing with them. But her mind was focused on finding out if Aarush was anyway affected by Aditi's absence.

After the scandal months ago, Aditi was punished for her share of crimes by helping in all the blackmail and clicking the nude pics in the first place. Even the memory of those days would make her shudder. But Aditi did pay well.

She was slapped twice by her own father when she lied about not clicking the pics. Aarush intervened and asked her to confess. She did and that led to her paying fine and getting her name in the records. She was even suspended for two weeks by the Principal.

"What are you thinking about?" Aarush asked her while clicking fingers in front of her.

Shrey observed her while she, without any hesitation replied, "Aditi."

Aarush's smiled faded.

Shrey too listened to her quietly when she explained, "I saw her with those two new friends of hers. She looked happy and I am happy to see that. But she was also standing with Ronnie's gang in the cafeteria."

"She is a bad person and that's why, she has gone back to them." Aarush muttered while looking away towards the people passing.

Sakshi shrugged her shoulders. "She didn't smile at me when she caught me looking at her."

Aarush looked disappointed while Shrey gave her a soft smile. "In guilt, people often treat others like they are the one who did wrong."

Sakshi gulped, exchanging a sad look with Aarush.

"She taught you both a lesson and that's what matters. Remember the memories, not her. Greed makes a person do horrible things to his or her own friends," said Shrey, remembering his own incident of suffering betrayal.

It felt like a previous life that he lived. His life was different now, he overcame his problems. These past months he had been so happy and growing, he had become mentally strong. The past horrors reminded of lessons he had learned.

The good news was that his anxiety problems were gone for months by God's grace and Sakshi's care.

"What does Kabir was wishing for by blackmailing me?" Sakshi asked him, wanting unwanted answers.

Shrey and her had conversations about this topic already many times. Shrey had tried to teach her to overcome these incidents. But only time could heal her, he thought now observing her still remembering them.

"If not for Miss Khanna putting allegations on him, I wouldn't have gotten justice."

"Wrong," said Aarush while giving them a blank look. "We had the proofs. Aditi gave her confession too. Your brother was here to protect you. We all were there. You weren't alone. The police did a good job by getting those pics deleted and putting Kabir in jail for whatever time given. Three weeks I guess, until that marriage thing happened."

Shrey nodded in agreement. "The family lawyer idea was a great one that led to Kabir realizing his mistake of lying to Miss Khanna. The woman with true words and bold personality, overpowered him. And if by any chance, Kabir had denied to marry her, he would have been jailed for years."

Sakshi took a long breathe, swallowing the lump that formed at the mere memory of it. "But he seems content to me now, with her as his wife. They look happy together. Infact, Miss Khanna is his type, totally. I don't understand why Kabir did all that to me and ruined his own time."

Aarush sat beside her and looked at the visitors quietly. "He did have a bad experience in love. That makes people do crazy shi.t too."

"When are they leaving the college?" Shrey asked, remembering that Kabir was transferred to another college of the University that was in other city, Noida.

"A week later, maybe." Aarush muttered, taking a chip from the packet. "He will be out of our sight and that's what, makes us believe in might God for being fair."

Shrey smiled while Sakshi mentioned, "When their court marriage was done, and I and Bhai had to go to the police station for last formalities. Kabir apologised to me officially and emotionally, he cried. Because his parents were there too, appreciating Miss Khanna's boldness and beauty. Guess, he realized who was actually made for him."

Aarush nodded while staring at the dreamy sunset. Sakshi smiled while putting head on Shrey's shoulder, intertwining her hand with his.

"But at last, all the problems are gone. Our souls have grown with lessons and love." Shrey said, giving a light kiss on her head while smiling slowly at the beautiful sunset.

The light wind blew their hair when Shrey suddenly asked, "You are reaching my home tomorrow at seven sharp. I don't trust my cousins with all the work. I need help in supervision. It's all those certain rituals with Henna and Sangeet. Rishabh will have my head if anything goes wrong with his wedding."

Aarush smirked, giving him a side look. "Sure will. Only If I get to wear that stupid dhoti in time that my mom finds so cool."

"That stylish dhoti is actually quite cool," complimented Sakshi while giving him a stern look.

Aarush rolled his eyes when she added, "My family will arrive tomorrow too."

Shrey smiled at her. "I know. Your brother has called me an hour ago, telling the same. Rishabh will be on cloud nine but still would continue giving those arrogant smirks at Raghav."

"That's Rishabh bhai, we are talking about." Sakshi chuckled. "But I can't wait to see my Bhabhi. She must be glowing."

"So will be Raghav," commented Shrey, teasing Sakshi since all of them knew how happy her brother was.

"Bhai was not ready to bring her to the wedding cause you know, it's not really good for a pregnant woman to attend weddings. But like I said, pregnant. Bhai can't ignore her single wish when she's having all those mood swings. Bhabhi will skip the wedding night and meet Rishabh bhai and Alisha next morning. She will stay in her brother's home in Delhi only," described Sakshi, with a brief chuckle.

"They are goals," smiled Aarush. "How far is she?"

Sakshi counted the months in her head. "Three-four months, I guess."

"Ten," came a new voice.

All three of them looked at their right side, at the intruder.

Sakshi gasped with a wide smile reaching her eyes. "Aakriti?"

A laughter escaped her as she got off the bricked path and hugged Aakriti who did her best at not meeting eyes with Sakshi's friend staring at her already.

Shrey got up and side-hugged Aakriti. "Big people who doesn't attend calls from us little ones."

Sakshi smiled while Aakriti explained, "I have been shifted to the OPDs. All the times appointments, don't allow me much free time."

"That's better than illegally allowing ex-lovers to see each other like a Messiah," teased Aarush while not meeting her eyes, making her give him a long stare.

"Hey!" Sakshi fake scolded, "No words against this angel. If she wouldn't have been there, my love story hadn't even started again."

Aakriti's brown eyes brightened at her, her lips curved into a heartshaped smile. She looked at Shrey and asked, "Glad, I saw you guys here. I was here with my friends," she pointed back towards her group of nurses sitting on the grass and enjoying the blue evening. "Was something important you wanted to say?"

Shrey nodded, "You are the Messiah, because of whom I got my Sakshi back. You are invited at my brother's wedding."

Aakriti gave them a sweet smile. "Our doctor got the cards and he had distributed to the staff. I was aware-"

"But you deserve a special invitation, Aakriti." Sakshi said, while feeling Shrey's hand coming around her waist.

"When are you guys getting married, fresh couple?" Aakriti asked cheerfully, making both of them exchange a sweet glance.

"The moment Rishabh is married, they won't wait," joked Aarush, making Sakshi give him a look. "Already making plans for their honeymoon."

All of them laughed while Shrey noticed the tension between Aarush and Aakriti. They weren't really looking in eyes.

"You will know very soon," Sakshi told Aakriti who hugged them as she had to leave too.

Aarush looked at her adorably, watching her giving him an awkward but sweet smile. "Bye, Aarush."

"You remember my name. God damn!" He grinned ear to ear, "Bye, Aakriti."

Sakshi and Shrey chuckled hard, seeing him staring at her retreating back like a Romeo. The girl was all blushing from his bluntness.

"Smitten," commented Sakshi.

Shrey picked up the bags while Aarush shook his head slowly. "I can't wait to see her tomorrow night."

"Medics marry Medics, mostly."

Sakshi agreed with Shrey while he gave them a look of disbelief. "Come on, man! Don't say that!"

Three of them started leaving the fort as it was getting dark and they had a movie night at Shrey's home since his parents and all the relatives were staying at Rishabh's house.

"But she likes me," defended Aarush.

"She is not single, I remember."

"Maaaaan!" Aarush sang sadly.

"He's kidding." Sakshi chuckled while declaring, "These are just infatuations. You need to know the person, love them like there's no tomorrow without expecting anything in return."

Shrey felt overwhelmed at her words, his heart swelled in his chest.

She must be lying because she did cry when he had pushed her away like a toy. She was heartbroken. She was devastated.

But she also came back to see him nearly dying, helping him in feeling alive and wanted, doing so much for him without expecting anything from him in return.

Especially, not even his love.

Because she didn't even want him to know that she wrote those notes, earlier. If he wouldn't have run faster that day from his floor down that parking lot, he wouldn't have ever lived beautiful days like today with her.

His heart jumped at the thought of spending more with her, together. When had he became such a romantic to value these things in life, he thought and smiled to himself.

She was influencing him so beautifully.

". . . There are ups and downs but Life goes and if you have been able to keep your heart pure and full of love for them, God blesses you," completed Sakshi while looking at Shrey. "And Miracle happens."

Shrey gave her an innocent smile that she loved so much. If he had gotten successful in killing himself that night, he would have missed spending a life time with this soul who had now become the most important person in his life.

"If that is the way, then I must have been pure in heart." Shrey said, making goosebumps risen on her arms.

"Because you are the miracle happened for me."

Aarush rolled his eyes while teasing, "Well hurry up! Get married and make some little miracles looking like little versions of you both."

The conversation ended with their laughter but Sakshi and Shrey couldn't stop exchanging loving smiles.

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Well, please don't forget to comment and vote. We will talk about this whole journey in the next note I am going to write.

We have a come long way (I mean, 74 chaps) but it still feels like I had written the first chapter just yesterday.

You all have been so sweet and supportive to me and the characters in the books. I am glad, we are together from the days of Win Her Heart to even till here.

Thank you so much. ❤️