Hamesha, Yours!

-14-

-Mumbai: Stardust's Studio-

Harshad had past the studio's corridor ignoring the stares he got for his bruises, ignoring the winks he got from the people around him. A part of him wanted to be out from here away from his past, a part of him wanted to stay for her, and at the end a part of him wanted to get that nut head to think straight for her. The latter succeeded as it could only be the last straw that stuck him to sanity. He stopped by the water cooler and banged his fist into it making it shiver with under his intensity. He opened the tap and gulped down as much as he could and whatever it took to keep him cool. He closed his eyes trying to shut off everything that rammed inside him until a burning questioning poses at him again.

"Why are you doing this to us all over?" A sob stung him, "why?"

Harshad opened his eyes startles and twitched seeing her cry but then, he stiffened,

"Acha! Wait what is it that you are accusing me of, Aliya?"

"Don't act all innocent. I know you are here to do what you know the best!"

"And that is.. " his voice dangerously trailed.

"Harshad!" Mukti's voice boomed from behind and covered Aliya's shivering body.

"What I didn't say anything! She asked and I think I can talk to my sister here. Or, oh wait, did Manik snatch that too from me?" He leered and glanced at Manik who stood besides with the rest of fab 5.

"He is not a thief, Harshad and neither did he rob you from where ever you were lost back!" Aliya commented. "You, very well, welcomed yourself back. May be, to steal our peace?"

"Wow! Nice words, sis! But wait, what Manik! I never stole anything but you still stall I see, ever since that day. Why?" Harshad wondered. "I thought you trusted me, Manik. But oops, may be I shouldn't trust myself!"

Manik stood there silent letting Harshad say all what he wished. He had to take it out and may be once he would hear it all- it would be better. It would be all okay, once he faced it all-star the best and the worst. May be this was the worst. The best was gone with her, may be he was the last worst. If so, then Manik decided to let it be, let it all out and then, the night and the stars would be his, his guide to home would be the black lamps. Cabir stood there silent observing Manik. He knew where his mind ran. He was accepting stuff; he was accepting what she said. He didn't know the whole story but he was curious. He had met Manik at a very vulnerable stage, years ago- long ago near the boarding school park. These archenemies were a story of before, he had no place to day but only to protect when Manik couldn't anymore. And so, he stood there. The moment Cabir thought Manik was a dormant volcano that had to handle later on by him.

Harshad blasted out catching all of Fab 5 in shock.

"You bloody blooded everything in your favorite color!"

The last straw was burnt. The two's dual went over Cabir and Mukti except Aliya and Dhruv. They had no words to accept or to contradict. That day when Band of Brothers broke was known to both of them but they had memories only before and after. That day was particularly a void after which life turned them over to be adopted by isolation.

"Shut the filth, Harshad! It was...", Manik roared yet stay shut and took strides towards him until he saw Aliya. Tears streamed down her face and her frame shivering against Mukti who held her tight in her protective embrace. Aliya sniffled her tears back and opened her puffed eyes, she shot her brother a loved worn out glare and pushed him back slightly as if a childish sisterly punishment of the hell that broke loose so suddenly.

"Why can't leave us alone, Bhai? For once, please let us be alone!" She begged, "Stop messing with us, stop pulling our shreds!

Harshad softened a bit after the little push he got. Her hands are still small and soft just like before, he thought and a smile slipped through his lips. Aliya looked at him confused for his reaction of happiness and he blinked his eyes in defeat,

"It seems the contrary Aliya!" He shrugged in a tired tone and dropped slightly against the wall. His body willing let go ready to give up any moment. "Look around, you have love, you have friends, you have family. So what if out of the band of brothers, a mere brother doesn't stay. So what if a mere brother still stands here... alone!"

"Bhai... ", Aliya whimpered, an apology flashed on her face and she stepped forward trying to come a grasp him in her hold.

"No. It doesn't break my heart, Aliya. But, remember, he did break many." He murmured. Harshad brought himself back on his own balance and brought himself to stand in front of Manik boldly. This was the last, he thought to himself.

"You always claimed me to be uptight, cruel to you Manik but Manik, my bro! I hate you till eternity but what did you do? Stooped as low as me to hurt someone who loved you so deeply!" He patted his shoulders and stood there weighing himself slightly on him. Though Manik was hurt and torn by the words he spoke off, his eyes held a drop of concerned amidst the angst he had for him. It don't take long for Harshad to catch that and stood tall in front of him a fresh smirk on his face, fully on himself, he inched to Manik's ear.

"I'm not done yet, we go a long way back and we have a long way to go! Oops!" Harshad rolled his tongue and nastily looked Manik in the eye before walking off in all his strength.

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Hey, 

Short-sweet, old as ever... read or not, it will lie here forever!

Love,

HF