"How... How I came here?" It was her first question when she saw the person who she was about to go to the haunted haveli sat next to her out of sudden. Now, After whatever happened to her, She was not ready to trust anyone in her life, She just wanted every information she heard in her subconscious state should be true and she should be free from all the strings including her father who is responsible for every mess. 

"I saw you subconscious in the seashores, Over then, I recognized you're Anika Rathore sister of Anish Rathore who studied in my college. So I felt responsible to save you. That's it." He said gazing at his intertwined palms without meeting her eyes. She was confused, Anish's friend? But she knew nothing about him, Neither she knew nothing about her brother's friends either. Her brother has always been so secretive and silent. And also, He's the same person whom she contacted that day to visit the haveli he owns. He might have told her by then. 

"I know what you're thinking. I planned to tell you everything on the way to that haveli and you didn't come. Also! These things! Everything okay, Ms Rathore."  He asked looking straight into her eyes, For some reasons, She couldn't even ignore his eyes. 

"Please call me, Anika. That's my name." She said without breaking the vision, It has some magic which she can't ignore and leave it unnoticed like he usually does.

"Okay! I will just... Do you want to be alone?" He asked her without looking at her eyes. 

"No." it was a constant reply from her. she didn't want to be alone and also she couldn't find the reason to trust him but she really wanted him by his side. She was scared to hell. 

"If you have any work, Please go ahead! I don't want to stop you." She added, He smilingly nodded 'no' to her. 

"Please take rest, I will be there by your side! In the couch! Call me, If you want anything." - Shivaay said with a smile. And Anika's senses were not really in her control. Due to the lack of friends and her house situation, She limited talking to anyone even to her teacher who also teases along with her fellow students and makes fun of her. She used to imagine a lot and couldn't able to stop herself from drowning in the wave of her imaginary world where her prince charming will always come for her at the end and solve everything. It was the outcome of loneliness she faced in her school and college. She had no friends, No wellwishers and now an official orphan. 

But now, Looking at someone who saved her from the hell and brought her to the safer place was telling her that it was nothing but her imagination, And also, In the corner of her heart, She needed a person like him. He conveyed an unknown promise that he will be there with her for a lifetime. But it always ends up to a disappointment. She was even ready to face that. Looking at his face, She couldn't resist herself thinking the first wave of imagination happened in her heart seeing his display picture in the email address. Official email address. She got the face to her imaginative friend, Billu. He was the one who helped her to cope with everything that happened to her in her mind and didn't let her give up even after face humiliations in the schools, Colleges and workplace. 

And also when her brother died in depression after her mom's death. She knows He's nothing but her imagination, But she came out from those moments by holding her imaginative friend's hand, The only thing she imagined was his eyes- Shining blue orbs and his hands - A little wider than her's. But looking at him, She finally got the whole picture of her imaginative friend which didn't appear once since she saw him as a real person and interacted with him in the mail. What fate is trying to tell her? Does she finally get her friend back? As a real person? Can she trust him like her imaginative friend? Will he judge her? Will he make fun of her? Will he understand her? Will he try to go into her heart and understand her wounds? Will he be with her as a friend?

"Are you there when my brother attempted suicide?"  Anika asked him, Her mind said, Don't ask these types of questions but her mouth went out of control and asked him.

"Nope. I was not there and also couldn't able to help him when he needed help. I am sorry about that!" He said looking at her, Tears crossed her eyes uncontrollably when he heard someone was ready to help her brother to come out of the depression, That thought from a person like him was enough to her. He walked to her in a second.

"I am sorry, I couldn't." He said reaching her, She immediately picked his palms and held it tightly. 

"I am happy!" she struggled to speak half sitting in the bed, the words slurred. Her palms shivered. He sat opposite to her without breaking the vision. 

"I am happy that my brother managed to yearn a human who could see his heart and his sufferings."  She cried, Most of her words died inside her mouth when she cried heaving out her chest.

"We literally had none, My mom died and dad was... I am happy that you willed to help him, That's... I am thankful for the whole life. Thank you." She cried holding his palms. She bowed her head down to his palms, And he caressed her hair. 

"Please don't say you have none from now on. Because I am there. It was the least I can do for my friend. And from now, I will be your friend!" He said Tears sealed up in her in a second. She was surprised more than getting emotional and her heart weighed less. In a fraction of second, It happened. She stared at him with questioning eyes. Does he mean it? Or just for consoling?

***************

She's broken, Beyond repair, He could see that in her eyes, The way she still held his palms tighter inside her fists. He lied to her, He didn't know anything about her brother, Anish. He just came to know from the detective, He used his name just to make her believe that everything was happening coincided. He should be happy that she believed his lies but he wasn't. He was in guilt. If he knows her brother, He would have never let that happened to him. But it was all a lie at last. He left with just one word, Sorry.  Sorry for betraying her, Sorry for lying to her. But now he was not lying. From now on, She's his responsibility. Not because they are connected but because the shivaay who was sitting opposite to her completely fell in love with her, And he feels, He would feel the same even he knew nothing about their past life.

"I mean it, Okay. From now on, We are friends." He forwarded his hand when she looked at him without blinking. 

"Hello? Ma'am." He snapped his fingers before her. And held her palm forcefully when she left startled with his words. 

"What happened?"  He asked her when she stared at him without a blink. 

"No. Just. Are you for real?"  She asked him while tilting her head a little bit. 

"Ouch." She screamed in pain when he pinched her wrist which he was holding. 

"You can't feel pain in your imagination." He said chuckling which brought a smile in her face. She smiled after a long time, And this time, He promised himself that he will make this smile constant in her face. The conversation builds, They started talking about the random stuff. But soon, The tracks started to change when Anika asked the reason behind buying that haveli in the middle of the forest. 

"I don't know, I feel like buying it. That's why!" - He said bluntly. She smiled sarcastically hearing his motive. 

"What's the meaning behind that sarcastic smile?" - He asked her again. 

"Can you help me walk to the balcony? I want to walk!" - She asked him. He first stood up And helped her holding her palms upwards. She stood up, Initially, she struggled to take steps but soon walked when he wrapped his arm around her and held her other arm. The moment when her palms held the steel barricade, Her eyes went close. She took a minute to breathe the fresh air, And he felt fresh to see her relieved. 

"You didn't answer my question. What's the reason behind that sarcastic smile?"  He asked her again. She looked at him smilingly and stared at the sky again. 

"No, I am just thinking, You bought the whole 100 archers around the haveli without having any purpose. If you don't want me to tell you, It's okay! I understand." - She said to him. He felt the distance between them because of his answer, He didn't want that. 

"I had dreams from childhood, Sometimes it was just gunshots, Sometimes it was chuckle and sometimes there was groans and sobs. And everything happened in one house, When I saw that house in real, I couldn't stop myself from buying it." - He said, She looked at him shockingly. 

"Oh my god!" - She muttered. 

"What happened?" - He asked and expected her to say something similar to that. 

"People says it's cursed but it's not cursed. That haveli and forest are sacred, Sacred by two spirits with the blessing of durgamaa. I know I sound crazy. Believe me, It was just an unconditional love which sacred that place." - She said, He was shocked when he those words from her. He lived those moments. And hearing it from the person who was a part of it, He couldn't able to believe anything. 

"What do you know?" - He asked her, This time, In an impatient tone.

"I have already been there, Before 5 years. You know the crazy part. I didn't know that place exists till I visit that place. It was like my destiny brought me there over that time." - She said, He was almost stagnated to hear that. 

"What happened after that?" - He asked her. 

"Complete mystery! I went there. It was mid-noon when I entered, In a few walk, I reached the haveli and entered. The place was full of large grasses, The only thing I could able to see was Durga maa's old idol. We both are in straight to straight. I didn't faint. But that was the last thing I remember. I felt hypnotised when I saw that idol. When I got my senses, I was walking back from that place and already reached the bus-stop and it was night. I didn't faint, I was walking, Without my consciousness. All I had was an old notebook in my hand." - She said picturizing the whole incident in her mind. He was shocked. He knew the reason but why didn't she remember anything when he could. He didn't understand anything. But there will be a reason behind it. 

"What was written in that book?" - He asked her. 

"It's damaged!" - She replied. And she's lying he could see that in her eye-moment. 

"I am sorry! I sound so crazy, Right. Maybe it's because of the medications. I think I need rest!" - She said walking inside the ward but he stood stand-still at the same place. 

"Do you believe in fate, Anika?" - He asked her. She just turned her head around. 

"It's crazy shit. And believe me, Everything has a reason behind." - He said smiling at her. 

****************