Broken but Alive

17

  She turned her face around and saw Vikram, leaning on the door frame, hands crossed, his angry eyes staring at her. 

"Sidharth. The man who kidnapped you. Out of all the people you know. Well done Shraddha! You made us all fools. Me, Adi, Ranbir and your siblings", he yelled, loud enough for her parents to hear.

Shraddha got up from the bed and pulled him to her side. "Listen to me first!" She began explaining everything that happened. That was exactly what her father had told her to do. A while later he was satisfied but still angry about why she chose to be in touch with him. 

"Yes, we don't know him personally. I get it Shradds, but... you know what, ask him to come and meet us, at my place. Okay?"

"No! I won't. You don't trust me, do you?"

"I do. I thought we could be good friends. Nothing else", he gently touched her shoulder. "Okay?"

"I can ask him", Shraddha said walking outside her room.

Aditya was in his office, thinking about Shraddha. He cared for her more than she or any of their friends could imagine. To his surprise, a knock on the door caught him off guard. 

"Come in" he said and the person he was thinking about walked right in with Vikram. "Vikram? Shraddhs? Is everything okay?" 

They sat in front of him, clueless. Aditya couldn't make out what was going on between the two. 

"She wants to talk to you. She wanted me to bring her here, to your office. Do you want me to go out Shraddha?" 

"No", she nodded, grabbed a paper from the table, and wrote a few lines keeping it in front of Aditya. 

"What did you mean when you said I love you? Do you mean it or was it just upon concern?" he read in his mind, crumbled the paper and threw it in the bin beside his table. "Why?" he leaned forward. 

She grabbed another paper but Aditya stopped her. "You don't have to write. I understand your gesture. Go on", he waited as she gestured, her hands moving constantly until it stopped suddenly. "So, if I say its out of concern, you will love someone else and if I say I truly love you, you will love me back. Right? Unbelievable. Tell me Shraddha, who is the other man?"

"Sidharth", Vikram said once again surprising Aditya. "I knew eventually this is what would happen. Maybe he's a good guy or whatever but Shraddha, you told him you guys are just friends until he thinks about getting married and if he thinks you're the one, he'll marry you. Tell me truly, can you two just be friends? He will surely and what about you Shraddha? You even thought you loved me once, when you were at my house, you thought I didn't notice it. Me, Sidharth, now Adi. You don't fall in love for the sake of having someone to love you back. When its true and real, you'll know. Whatever is happening now, is not love Shraddha. You are attracted to men because you have a feeling that nobody loves you. Your mind is tricking you. You are not in love with anyone".

"Shraddha, this is not funny. I don't want to tell you what I feel about you. I'll keep it inside me. Be it love or not and as for you, you will understand when its time. Until then, lets all be friends. Now if you may excuse me, I've got work to finish. Vikram please get her back home, safe".

"Yes, ok Adi. Come on Shraddha, let's go home", Vikram pulled Shraddha from the chair even though the men noticed tears in her eyes. 

"Wait", Adi said and walked to her. He embraced her gently. "You'll be fine", he said and held the door open for both of them and watched as they disappeared out the door. He exhaled out and sat back on his chair and unlocked his phone. He stared at it for a moment, the home screen which had a group photo of the friends group, cropped to Adi and Shraddha.

After dinner, Alia was on the call with Ranbir while Aaryan and Shraddha was in their room. He was finishing his work while she was lying in bed, lost in thoughts. Aaryan noticed her for long but decided to let her be in her own world. He had noticed how she was always in her own space after Sidharth left her home. Something was not right and he was yet to figure it out. An hour later, he kept the laptop aside wanting to talk to his little sister.

"Shraddha", he called and she turned her face to her big brother. "You have an appointment tomorrow with Doctor Uncle. Its at eight in the morning, you are his first patient. So don't make it late", he said as she nodded her head. "Is there anything you want to talk about?" he asked hoping she would open her mind but unfortunately she said "no". "Okay, please turn the lights off. I'm tired". He covered himself up and waited but she didn't move. "What is it Shraddha?", he asked.

"I'm sorry. You lost the love of your life because of me", she felt guilty for what happened with him and Kiara.

Aaryan felt horrible and immediately embraced her. "Who told you its your fault? Please don't feel bad. Maybe she was not the one for me. What if we were in a relationship and she would break my heart? Isn't it better this way? Yes, it hurts but you are more important to me than anyone else. Understand? I don't want you to think about whatever happened. Yes, its been so many years and its hard to forget her but if I lose you, I'll never get another sister", he kissed her. 

Shraddha was overwhelmed with his love and the emotions which was too much to take in. She embraced him without letting go. Feeling safe and peaceful inside her brother's arms. Alia walked in on the sight and joined the embrace.

"No huggies and kissies without me", she smiled as the three siblings shared their soulful moment. "Can we watch a movie after this?" she asked.

"Why? Did your guy go to sleep?" Aaryan joked. 

She let go and so the others. "Aaryan, don't. You do this all the time to spoil my mood".

"Its my job as a big brother to trouble you and her", he grinned. 

"You know what. I'll watch all the movies I like and go to all the places I love with my guy after we get married and the two of you can sit at home all day, sulking about your boring lives!", she got up proceeding to leave. 

"Oh... we'll watch out favorite movies and go to all the places we like, with Ma and Papa", Aaryan said giving a high-five to Shraddha, who was equally excited to annoy Alia.

"I know, you two are a team. It always has been...", she said as her face turned pink.

Aaryan and Shraddha held her hands and made her sit down between them, planting kisses on both cheeks and squeezing her with tight hugs. 

"We love you silly", Aaryan said bringing a little smile back on her face.