And my favourite month just started! I hope August brings you all the happiness and love it has always bestowed on me! Have a great month and life.

Enjoy:)

"What's the occasion?" Anya asked when she saw their dinner that night.

"Your friend wanted me to cook for you."

Anya frowned instantly, "Huh? Why?"

"He wants you to be happy."

"If he wants me to be happy he must give me money. What will I do with food? Am I Ali to die for it?"

Dia pressed her lips together. "You should give him some importance."

"Why?"

"Because he deserves that. Give him some attention, please. Trust me when I say this but men want more attention then teenage girls." Anya chuckled which made her cousin frown. "I am serious."

"Why do you talk about him so much these days?"

"I meet him more than I meet you."

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"He talks to me. He also shares. It's like we are best friends. You don't tell me things. You aren't my best friend."

"That's hurtful," Anya said with a smile.

"That's true."

"What do you want me to share?"

"Anything. Just talk." About your feelings, where the unspoken words.

"This reminds me of something."

"Tell me. I am listening."

"I got just the ingredients and few stuff because I didn't have enough money with me. I didn't know that stuff costs so much."

Dia closed her eyes. "I am sorry."

"What are you sorry for? It's not your fault. Will everything work for now with all that we have?"

"Yes, yes. I can manage with them."

"I will get everything else on the first of the next month. As soon as my salary comes."

"No, no. It's ok. I can manage."

"You can, but you must be totally equipped. You owe that to your customers. It's just a matter of two weeks."

"You don't have to do that."

"I want to. It's for my own self. Once your business flourishes and you start making millions I will take advantage of it."

She smiled. "As if that would ever happen."

"Of course it will. I believe in you. More than I believe in myself." She smiled and looked down. "Don't be upset. It's a new beginning. Start with a smile."

She shook her head and smiled. She was upset but this time instead of crying over the fact she decided to think differently. She promised herself to take away all of Anya's problems once she was standing again on her feet. She decided to change things when things change. She was filled with hope for the first time in years. Anya's one positive sentence brought positivity in her. She was now determined to bring happiness in Anya's life sooner or later.

A doorbell burst her little bubble of joy. Anya quickly stood up and ran to the door. She was sure not to make any noise. In a second she came back running to the table. "It's your brother."

Dia stood up in alarm. "NO."

"Go into the room. "

Dia quickly followed her order while Anya kept everything back inside the kitchen. After one more doorbell, Anya opened the door.

"Rara! What are you doing here?" 

"I have a real name."

"Which is very boring." She smiled before opening the safety door. "Water?" She asked him.

"Yes, please."

She went into the kitchen. On the way, she checked if the door of her room was closed properly or not. She was frowning the whole time she was in the kitchen but before coming back in the living room she did not forget to smile.

"Thank you," her cousin said with a smile.

"Who told you where I live?"

"Your dad."

Anya raised her left eyebrow and sat on the sofa. She was in the far left of the sofa while her cousin was in the far right.  "OK. How are you? How's everyone at home?"

"Worse I have ever seen them."

She looked down unable to react otherwise. "How are you?"

"Fine. I came here to talk about something."

"Hm. Go ahead."

"I heard what Aman said."

"Aman? When did you start calling him by his name?"

"The day he lost my respect."

"That's fair. What did he say?"

"That you know where di is."

Anya smiled. "I don't understand why he is being like that."

"Probably because he is right."

"What do you mean?"

"I know he is a big idiot but he is not stupid. Although he is acting like one. Something tells me that he is not wrong."

"Why?"

"He told me what you have told him in every meeting. Your words don't sound like you."

"Why is he going around talking about ME?"

"Man's got nothing else to do. But that's not the point." Anya looked at him. "Your behaviour says too much. Why are you being like that? You weren't close to di as of recently."

"That does not mean I don't love her. We may have not talked to each other in years but we definitely weren't strangers. "

"But your sudden interest in her is questioning. I mean why are you so worried about her?"

"You are questioning my morality, my love and my honesty."

"I am no"

"Wait. That's so wrong of you to say something like that."

"You know something. Don't you?"

"That's not the point right now. The point is you insulted me."

"I did not mean to. I just want to know if you know where she is or not."

"Why is everyone asking me?"

"Who else we got? Do we know anything or anyone?"

"That does not mean I can be slaughtered."

"That was not my motive. I just want to know where she is."

"Even I want to know that." He crossed his arms and looked into her eyes. "What?" She instantly said.

"You really don't know?"

"Why do you think I know? Aman is crazy he can think anything. What's with you?"

"Many things don't add up."

"Like what?"

"You suddenly went to his house after she went missing. You hardly talk to your cousins but you talked to his cousin. You have had more conversations and meetings with him than with me, in fact, more than your parents. Am I wrong?"

"Are you spying on me? Who told you all that?"

"He talks. And not just to you."

Anya wanted to chuckle.  Her cousin's smartness impressed her. She wanted to praise him but she was still hanging on the words he said earlier. She was hurt but momentarily forgot about that.

"I went to him because I was angry. I met Dia a month before she went missing and I could not stop thinking about her since she was in the hospital. So I went there to release my anger. I talked to his cousin only because she talked first. And I asked a few basic questions. And about him, even I am curious as to why I met him more than anyone else in these past few months. Probably he is the one to be questioned about that."

"So you don't know where she is?"

"No!"

"Don't say that. At least lie. Say that you know where she is. I don't want to know where she is. I just want to know that she is fine, safe and perhaps alive."

"Of course she is Alive! Why will you think like that."

"I have thought a lot of things so far. You have no idea what's in my mind."

She wanted to scream out loud. Pity, guilt, anger and pain was making her want to tell him everything. What stopped her was Dia. She knew it would not be ethical to tell him anything without her permission. So she kept denying. But in her heart, she wished to tell him the truth.

"She is fine and I am a hundred per cent sure about that. You know her. She is a survivor. She is not going to give up. You know it's impossible to suppress her. She made a rich evil lawyer a crazy man. You think this world can harm her?"

He looked down and said no word. Anya consoled him after she made him believe in her innocence. She did not want him to be sad, partly because she felt he was sad because of her and partly because he was her favourite cousin and she could never see him upset. She, not for a moment, did anything that would raise his doubts again. She was careful, very careful.

After an hour when he left Anya felt week, Physically and mentally. She did not move from her place nor did she put any pressure on her brain, she reminded thought-less. After ten minutes Dia came out of the room.  She looked equally exhausted. She kept her head on Anya's lap and lay down on the sofa. For a long time, they remind silent. Their both wanted some peace.

"Can we please tell him?" Anya could not keep herself from asking.

"He is not going to tell anyone."

"Of course not. He is a sweetheart."

"and there is no harm in telling him."

"No."

Dia looked up at her. "Then can we tell him please.?"

"Yes, please," Anya said with a smile.

Dia sat up straight. "I cannot wait to meet him."

"I can certainly wait for him to label me as the biggest liar of all times."

Dia smiled. "You did really well."

"I am a professional now."

She smiled again. "I really liked how you turned his words and acted as if you were hurt. I am sure that's what convinced him about your sincerity."

"I can become an actor now. I know, I am very good."

Dia smiled widely. They talked about how and when to tell her brother about the little adventure they both have been on. Anya wanted it to happen in a day or two while Dia wanted to wait for a couple of days until his birthday. Anya could not win this time and It was decided they would do it on his birthday. They finished their incomplete dinner after that and then Dia went to sleep. Anya could not sleep. She had acted as if what her cousin said did not hurt her and made Dia think she was acting but in reality, she was hurt and that was her real reaction. She had not been in touch with them but she always loved them and they were in her heart if not in her mind. When her cousin made it seem as if she did not care for them or love them, it hurt her. She never thought her cousin would think like that. She knew, more than often her actions were unreasonable and doubtful, but she never felt it made people think her heart didn't beat. It was a stain she did not know was on her.

The next morning it was scheduled for Dia to meet Samar. Dia who had started enjoying and being proud of herself for leaving the house all alone did not like the idea of Anya accompanying her but she could not say no when Anya offered to go with her. So they both left the house together. They didn't talk much as Anya had something in her mind and Dia was sleepy. They both liked the calmness and quietness, something their life lacked. When they reached their destination they found Samar on stairs.

"Good morning," He greeted them

Anya smiled but only Dia replied to him. "Good morning. How was the cake? Did your mother like it? Did you like it?"

"Everyone liked it. In fact, my mother asked me where I got the cake from. She told me to order cakes only from this shop now."

Dia smiled widely, "really?"

"Really."

Dia smiled again. She then motioned through her eyes towards Anya and said, "I will go inside."

They both watched Dia go and once she was safely inside he turned to her. "Was the cake really nice Or were you being nice like always?"

"It was really nice. My mom didn't say that, but she defiantly liked the cake."

"Thank God. I don't know why I was worried. I thought maybe it was not good."

"It was good. She is good."

"That she is."

"You aren't coming inside?"

"No, I need to go to the office."

"Then why did you come all the way here?"

"I don't really know."

He smiled. "Good. Very good." He nodded his head. " Now off you go. You will be late."

"I am always late."

"Nothing is as true as that."

After exchanging few more sentences Anya left. She felt good after talking to him. She did not know why she went with Dia but she was glad she did. Her head was spinning for a long time and it was brought to rest. Samar helped her breathe without trying to help. But his brother soon nullified his efforts. 

"Hey," Anya said when she met Kabir on her way to the office from the station.

"Hi. You are late."

"Yeah, dropped Dia and met your brother before coming here."

"Of course. He left the house early. I knew there was a catch."

"A catch?"

"Yeah,"

It was still unclear but she let it go. "How are you now? Still in pain?"

"No."

She shook her head. "How is your Natasha?"

"She is not my Natasha."

Anya rolled her eyes. He pulled his phone out when it vibrated and was scrolling through it when Anya said, "Whatever. How's life?"

"How can I have an exciting life when  I don't have people in my life who love me so much that even if I treat them unfairly they stay with me. You are lucky in that case."

Anya smiled but said,  "That is kind of insulting."

"You are saying that? You are the definition of insult. You insult anyone and everyone."

"When have you seen me insult someone who is not my best friend or who I am not close to?" Anya was careful not to be rude or angry.

"My brother. You will agree that he isn't your best friend and you never considered him close and yet every single day you insult him like he is your personal servant."

"Why is he in every conversation we have!?"

"You must think about it."

"I really do not understand what I did for your bitterness."

"My bitterness is plainly the result of your own bitterness which has caused everyone pain but oh well, you were too into yourself to see what was happening."

Saying that he walked ahead. He didn't want to walk with Anya anymore so he was walking faster, unaware that Anya had stopped walking. She watched him leave in utter silence. When he was no more in her sight she slowly looked up at the sky. What was happening and why it was happening she asked. She felt emotional, She felt angry but most of all she felt lost. She resumed her journey but her mind did not leave that place, that time and lived there the whole day.