Abir’s surprised and grateful eyes met her brother’s and he smiled.

“Sarvesh sahi keh raha hai beta. Aap yahi aa jaao.”

(Sarvesh is right. You come here.)

Her father too agreed and Abir nodded.

“Ok bhaiya. Ok papa. Mai…umm… mai kal aata hu apna saaman leke.”

(I…umm…I will bring my things tomorrow.)

He then bid her a bye and left after placing a soft kiss on her head.

The next day, Abir reached her home in the afternoon only. Only he knew how he controlled himself from running to her the first thing in the morning.

“Tu itni jaldi kaise aa gaya? Office?”

(How are you so early?)

Sanvi asked as Abir put his bag in one corner of her room. He sat beside her and she immediately placed her head against his shoulder.

“Manager sada hua hai mujhse. Teen chaar din ka work from home dia hai.”

(Manager is upset. He has given four days of work from home.)

Sanvi looked at him worried.

“Are they going to fire you?”

“Na na! He understands why I couldn't go but Manager hai, sadna toh banta hai na.”

(He understands why I couldn’t go but he is Manager, he has to show tantrums.)

“I'm sorry! Meri wajah se-”

(Because of me-)

“Shhh! What did I tell you? Mere liye tu important hai. Meetings aur opportunities toh aati jaati rahengi.”

(You are important to me. Meetings and opportunities would come and go.)

She felt extremely emotional due to the medicines and hugged him, hiding her face in his chest.

Two weeks have passed since the accident and the dosage of her medicines were now reduced. Sanvi had gotten accustomed to the cast and tried walking on her own sometimes.

Like right now, she had grown bored of sitting in her room and Abir had also gone God knows where, leaving her alone in the room to rest. She was tired of resting.

She held her crutches and carefully started walking out of her room. She saw her brother and Abir sitting in the living room. There back was to her and they were talking about something.

Sanvi stopped when she heard her brother's words.

“I'm happy that it's you that married Sanvi, and not Pratham.”

Abir looked at her brother with a frown.

“All of us were expecting you to pop the question. Pratham's proposal was a shock to even mumma and papa. Hum sab itne sure the teri feelings ke baare mai that we were expecting Sanvi to come home saying that you have proposed to her.”

(We were so sure about your feelings that we were expecting Sanvi to come home saying that you have proposed to her.)

Abir was surprised. He then sighed and remembered what had happened.

“Even I was shocked when Pratham told me he proposed… he knew…about my feelings…he knew I love Sanvi.”

Sanvi froze. He what? Abir loved her? And Pratham knew that? Even her brother was shocked.

“What? He knew? And yet he proposed? Why?”

Abir shrugged and said pretending as if it didn't hurt him.

“He said he liked her. And she said yes. Wo khush thi.”

(She was happy.)

The amount of emotions in his last line made her heart constrict. Abir remembered how angry he was when Pratham came home with the news.

Abir was sitting in the living room when Pratham came home, grinning wide. Abir raised his eyebrow.

“Something happened?”

“I proposed to Sanvi. And she said yes.”

Abir froze. He looked at Pratham and asked.

“Proposed what?”

“Marriage!”

“You proposed marriage to Sanvi?”

He asked in a small voice and Pratham bobbed his head happily.

“And she said yes!”

“Why?”

He asked in a broken whisper.

“Maybe because she likes me too.”

“Why would you propose to her, Pratham? You know I love her! You know I have loved her since the first year of our college!”

Pratham smirked and said.

“Wo toh nhi krti na! That's why she said yes.”

(She doesn’t!)

And Abir had backed off seeing her happy.

“Khush nhi thi. Confused thi.”

(She wasn’t happy. She was confused.)

Her brother commented and Abir looked at her.

“When she came back home, I asked her what happened. She told me that she had known Pratham for a long time. That he was her best friend. Kehti ki kya problem ho skti hai bhaiya? Mai jaanti hu usse, I know he is a good person. She did not say yes because she liked him like that, but because she thought she knew him well.”

(She said what could go wrong? I know him, I know he is a good person.)

Sarvesh clarified and Abir went in thought.

“Sanvi ko pata hai? About your feelings for her?”

(Does Sanvi know?)

Abir shook his head.

“Nhi! I don't want to risk what we have. Wo mujhe apna best friend maanti hai. Darr lagta hai ki agar bata dunga toh shayad dobara kabhi baat na kre. Zindagi bhar uska one sided lover banke reh skta hu lekin uski naarazgi aur khamoshi bardaash nhi kr paaunga.”

(No!...She considers me her best friend. I am scared that if I tell her she might never talk to me again. I can stay her one sided lover all my life but not tolerate her anger and silence.)

Abir said with a sad smile and Sanvi felt tears pool in her eyes. 

“Arre Sanvi? Tu khadi kyu hai? Per mai dard aur aa jaayega beta! Baith jaa!”

(Sanvi? Why are you standing? Your pain will increase! Sit!)

She heard her mother's voice and quickly wiped her tears. Abir and Pratham turned to look at her. Abir wasted no more time and sprang up from his place. 

He rushed towards her and picked her up bridal style. Something he had been doing a lot lately. 

“Tujhe bilkul khayal nhi hai na apna. Balance bigad jaata aur lag jaati toh.”

(You don’t care about yourself at all. What if you got disbalanced and hurt.)

He scolded softly while placing her down on the sofa.

“Tu hai na mera khayal rakhne ke liye.”

(You are there to care for me.)

She whispered and he smiled kissing her head. Sarvesh got up and cleared his throat.

“Mai Harshaali se kehke kuch banwata hu tere liye.”

(I will ask Harshali to make something for you.)

“Arre rehne do na bhaiya! Kyu bhabhi ko tang kr rhe ho?”

(Leave it bhaiya! Why are you bothering Bhabhi?)

“Sab sunai de raha hai mujhe, Sanvi! Kya khaaogi ye batao!”

(I can hear everything Sanvi! Tell me what will you have!)

She heard her bhabhi’s voice and bit her lip with a smile.

The same night, Abir carried her to her room and carefully placed her on the bed. He started going to the other side but she held his hand. He smiled and sat beside her caressing her hair.

“Kya hua? Thik hai tu? Din se bhut low lag rhi hai. Dard jyada hai?”

(What happened? Are you ok? You look low since the afternoon. Does it hurt a lot?)

“Mai thik hu. Tu hai na mere saath.”

(I am fine. You are here with me.)

She whispered and he kissed her head. 

“Hamesha!”

(Always!)

He promised and they shared an eye contact. Abir gulped when he felt her grip on his t-shirt tighten. Her lips parted, diverting his attention to them. He looked back into her eyes and they slowly leaned in, not realising what they were doing.

Abir cupped her cheek from one hand and snaked the other around her waist. Her eyes fluttered close and he shut his own as he leaned closer.