Two pieces of a whole.

Unravel.

His fingers felt cold against the window, he saw the rain droplets making their way down, his eyes found their way to her terrace. Suman's terrace. The swing set, gently rocking against the wind. The place felt so empty, unlike the depth that Suman's eyes carried. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned around. "Shravan are you okay?", Bunty asked. "Yeah I'm fine.", he replied. He held his head, rubbing his temples with his fingers. "Stop lying Shravan, tell me what's bothering you." Shravan sat down on the edge of his bed, wincing in pain, as he put pressure on his injured leg. "I'm fine, Bunty.', he replied while cracking his knuckles. "Shravan, I picked you up, two days ago, from the tea stall you went to with Su-, he stopped himself, remembering how Shravan would look down chewing his lip, when he mentioned her, Suman. "You were dripping wet, sipping tea in the cold. You've not spoken a word since that time Shravan, you keep calling and asking updates about the mission you were supposed to go on, you keep looking at her terrace. Suman's terrace. So stop telling me you're fine.", he finished. Shravan kept staring at the ground, silence filled the room. Bunty sat down near Shravan.

"Everything feels so messed up, like my heart just aches, I feel so hollow.", he said, trying to explain. Bunty placed a hand on his shoulder. That's the thing about Bunty, he listens, he understands, he is there for him always, he never gives up on him, even when he is slowly losing himself and giving up on himself. "2 days ago, Bunty, I got to know, Suman called me." She called me after I left, after our fallout, for 5 years she tried, she tried reaching me. Then she stopped, she stopped calling me, trying my number, when her mother died.", he said, feeling a lump in his throat. He narrated the events of what happened that day after the verdict and Bunty's grip tightened around his shoulder."I can't even imagine, what she must have gone through. She asked why I didn't try to reach her, she asked me why I didn't pick up her calls." "When I left from here Bunty, I wanted to leave behind everything, I was hurt, my family was falling apart, I was falling apart. You know, I changed my number, left behind memories, I wanted to forget her, run away from her thoughts, move on. I was convinced she didn't care." He buried his face in his palms and he fell quiet.

"I think it's my fault.", he said finally. "No.", said Bunty. "It isn't anyone's fault Shravan, the situation, the circumstances, were a mess, you two were just 18, even adults wouldn't be able to act rationally in such a situation." "Suman was in pain, in shock, she lost her father, I wasn't around her much, but we all could see the respect, love, and admiration she had for him, reflected in her eyes." "You, lost Vijay uncle, you respected him and he motivated you, you were in shock, then the police arrested your father for being responsible for his best friend's death, you went back to her despite being slapped and ousted by her family members, she pushed you away, you left and took up the responsibility of your family, it wasn't easy for you too Shravan, you both suffered if there's anyone to blame it's the circumstances, the situation that drifted you two apart. "

"What should I do now?", he asked.

"Talk to her, tell her you didn't know about her situation, tell her your story, she will understand Shravan."

"Do you still love her?", asked Bunty hesitantly.

There was a pause, Shravan didn't know if he still loved her, he pretended he didn't care , like her presence didn't affect him, he managed to do that, but she never really left his mind. It almost felt like he had forgotten what love is.

"I don't know Bunty, all I know is that care about her, it hurts me to see her like this.", he explains.

Suman got off the car, and it wasn't even a minute until her 7-year-old cousin, Veer ran towards her and hugged her close. "Welcome back Didu!" , he said beaming. "Hello, Veer.", she said as she bent down to pull his cheeks. Kancha followed, racing past the yard and engulfing her in a big hug. "How are you?", she asked. "I'm okay.", she whispered with a smile as she hugged Kancha a bit more tighter. "There was no news about you, it was a week since you were gone,  we got scared." , she said breathless. "I'm fine now, Kancha.", she said. What happened to your forehead , she asked pointing to the jagged red line that ran across her eyebrow and a little down the side of her face. "It's just a cut, not too deep.", she said. Kanchan nodded finally let go of Suman when Veer tugged at the end of her kurta, faking his anger and demanding a group hug. She smiled and they hugged each other. This was the only time, this place felt like home, a place that she could come back to, a place she felt safe. The only time, Beena chachi, would talk to her and enquire about her without complaining. Somehow her eyes found its way to his terrace, and she was suprised to see him leaning against the railing looking in her direction. She looked away and stared at the ground, as she made her way to the house.

Suman chewed on her lips as she leaned against the bed post, hugging her knees close to her chest, it was 11 pm, and she couldn't help wonder how, Shravan, the one who never picked up her call, who felt she was to blame for his father's health condition, looked upon her from afar. "I don't know what he thinks of me, I told him everything I felt and everything I went through, what was I thinking? ", she thought. I should have pushed him away like I did before. But all she could think was how he pulled her into his chest and let her cry. He let her talk,  he understood. Maybe he just feels pity looking at her, or maybe he cares after all. She fell asleep finally, her mind at war.

3 days later.
It's been half a day and Shravan had come in for physiotherapy, CO Gujral thought it was best he be treated by her, she couldn't refuse. He kept opening his mouth like he wanted to say something but immediately fell quiet and followed her directions. "That's it for today, Captain Malhotra, you may come in tomorrow.", she said. "Suman-",he began his hand firmly gripping her wrist. She stood still, her heart racing, anger seeping in her veins, any sort of protest died in her throat , the familiarity of his skin against hers, his hands now rough against her wrist, but it's warmth the same. "Suman, I want to talk.", he said. "We have to." She was foolish to have thought he would let her breakdown slip away. Did he feel pity, seeing her that way? Did he understand her? She regained her posture, cleared her throat, and turned around, ready to meet his pity filled eyes, but was surprised to find his familiar soft gaze, that once made her heart flutter. She tried to free her hand from his hold. He sensed her discomfort and pulled away his hand and apologized. He still hadn't changed, at least not completely. In moments like these she found reflections of his teen self. "What do we have to talk about Capt.Malhotra?", she asked. "I need to tell you something you should know and I have message--". "Capt. Dr. Tiwari, CO Gujral, has called you to his cabin immediately.", said someone. She nodded." Not now, Capt.Malhotra.", she said. "Suman, please it's important, we have to talk."he said. "Okay then, let's meet 8 pm near the lake next to our mawa jalebi stall", she said as she walked away. 

"Our". A place they had memories associated with, she probably didn't realize, but he smiled slightly about the fact that she still remembered.