"Aarav!!!" She screamed.

Before her laid Aarav. In a bathtub pull of water. His eyes closed, wet hair falling on his forehead.

"Oh my god, Aarav?" She shook him before draining the water.

"Aarav?" She was on the verge of crying, she was feeling helpless.

She checked his pulses. To her wonder, his pulses were absolutely alright. She pressed her fingers under his earlobe,yes! his heartbeat was fine.

He was alright. Then why is he lying like this? Prank? Is it a prank?

She pushed him with force making him yelp.

"What the-" he rubbed his head to lessen the pain.

"You stupid asshole! What did you think? Does this sound funny to you? Scaring me to death is funny to you?" She shouted, her eyes burning with rage.

He pursed his lips to control his laughter.

"What's with that look, loser?!" Hritika yelled again.

This time he couldn't control anymore, he started laughing like a maniac. His face turned red, tears almost to spill out, but he couldn't stop laughing.

"Stop it!" Hritika stated.

"Stop it." Hritika pleaded.

"Stop it!!" This time he did. She was crying.

Hritika stood up holding her palms to her face.

"Hritika! Hey I'm sorry! Wait! Hritika!" He ran after her.

"Hritika! Stop! I'm sorry! Hri-" he huffed, out of breath.

Hritika ran out of the building, walked and walked until her feet gave up, then sat on a bench by the roadside of an unknown land.

For a moment, she felt it was justified. But probably walking out alone in a foreign path wasn't the best idea. She looked here and there, where was Aarav?

She tried for Siri, maps would help she thought. But alas, fate was really playing it's trick. Her phone's battery was dead.

"Lasciatemi cantare
Con la chitarra in mano
Lasciatemi cantare
Sono l'italiano" a voice could be heard in a distance, sounded of a drunkard.

Hritika regretted her impulsive decision.

"Buongiorno Italia gli spaghetti al dente
E un partigiano come Presidente"

The voice became clearer with the distance cutting short between them.

Hritika felt scared a bit, cold too but mostly, she felt extremely tired.

She stood up, started walking the road, aimlessly searching for an aim, the right destination.

"Buona notte Italy!! Bu..ona notte" he slurred.

Hritika walked faster.

Much to her fear, a pair of firm hands surrounded her. She shrieked.

"Shh.. it's me.. Aarav.."

"Due amanti" the drunkard's voice still could be heard.

Hritika sighed, relaxed tilting her head on his shoulder, forgetting his unforgiven mistake.

"Let's get to the resort fast." Hritika hurried to get rid of the drunkard.

Aarav held her closer as they walked into their resort.

None of them talked, silently both slipped under the covers.

After few silent arguments in his own mind, Aarav finally spoke "Hritika?"

"Hmm?" She replied groggily.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean.. eh.. I just didn't know you'd get worked up like that.. I'm sorry. It was a stupid dare Siddharth and the other guys made me do. I shouldn't have.. Hritika? Are you sleeping?" He looked at her face, eyes peacefully closed, breathing so even.

"Indeed you are" he muttered before kissing her forehead and whispering goodnight.

When the sun set out high, and it's rays abducted everyone's sleep, Hritika still was sleeping. Amidst the chaos, Aarav let her sleep more.

"Where's Hritika?" His mother asked. Hritika was someone she counted on, Hritika was a responsible woman, trusted and worthy of that trust.

"She's sleeping. Why?" Aarav asked casually, checking the arrangements for returning back to India for the couple's reception parties.

"Oh, I was just wondering where she was. She hasn't had her breakfast yet."

Aarav smiled at his mother "Don't worry, I'll feed her when she wakes up. She's very tired. Probably it's work. I've told her not to tire herself so much...but she's the still the stubborn bird I married." They laughed.

"Then she needs to be scolded! She needs to take care of herself!" Said his mother.

Later that day, in the aeroplane Hritika slept like a wet cotton pillow again! When everyone felt that it was funny, Aarav was worried.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked when she woke up.

"We're not on talking terms, if you don't remember." She almost yelled.

"That was a silly dare Hritika. And I'm sorry. " Aarav tried to settle things.

"Whatever! I just don't care!"  She yelled, as if disgusted.

"You're acting funny Hritika, are you alright?"

"None of your concern." She yelled again. 

Aarav sighed deciding to talk about this later atleast when they're alone.

A week passed away like sand falling out of fist but tonight Aarav was determined to either settle things with Hritika or kill Siddharth for forcing him to carry out that silly plan of his.

"She's gonna forgive you, Bhai! Don't look at me like that!" Siddharth held up his palm as if it were the CA shield.

Aarav walked out of the gift store with the expectation that Hritika might forgive him after he apologises but much to his disappointment she wasn't home.

But, restlessness forced Aarav to drive himself to her hospital.

"Where's Hritika Malhotra?"

"Huh?" The nurse asked.

Annoyed Aarav, kind of frustrated too, asked "Hritika Malhotra! Your goddamn CEO!"

"Oh Hritika Kapoor ma'am! Any emergency, sir?"

"First of all, ma'am, she's Hritika Malhotra. She's married. And secondly, yes there's emergency, please see if she's available."

"Sorry, but you're mistaken! Her name is Hritika Kapoor. And yes, I'll ask her assistants to talk to her."

"She's- ugh. Okay. Whatever, it's a waste of my time correcting you. Just tell her husband is here and wants to meet her."

"Husband? Wha-. Please follow me." The confused lady walked ahead.

Aarav was now sure he'll make her forgive him. He walked behind the nurse until she stopped and showed him the way.

Derek, knowing Aarav, smiled at him "What's up? Why here, lover boy?"

"Messed up a bit." Aarav scratched the back of his neck smiling callously.

"She's free now though. Don't make her stay awake for long nights, dude. She looks so tired." Derek laughed.

Aarav joined in "Woah, she didn't even talk to me since a stupid prank. And tired..yes...I thought it was work.."

"Um.. probably..." Derek looked as if deep in his thoughts. Dismissing his thoughts, he laughed "Just go in! Or you're planning to take me home tonight?" Derek laughed more.

Aarav rolled his eyes before bidding his goodbyes to Hritika's friend and walked towards her cabin.

Taking long strides, he kept walking until he stopped to prepare himself for the apologies he's to make.

"This isn't normal. Take a test!" A male voice came from her cabin.

"I don't know..I don't think so.." Hritika said, her voice low.

"Talk to your husband, dummy!"

"He's going to get worried unnecessarily. Whatever, I'm going home."

Aarav was confused. What were they talking about? Hritika was sick? And she didn't care to tell him?

Clouded by his questions, he entered her cabin.

There was Neil standing while Hritika was in her chair. Their heads shot up seeing him.

He went to Neil "what's wrong with her?"

"Um- nothing. She's alright."

"Hritika, tell me..please?"

"We're not talkin-"

"Stop it. That's not a way out. Tell me!"

"Tell you what? We aren't talking."

"Hritika, you're worrying me.. please just tell me.. I won't bother you about it I promise."

"It's not a big deal! Let's go home alright? And let's not talk about this."

Aarav huffed looking away out of the window. Neil, sensing the tension thought it'd be better to leave the couple alone to talk it out.

When Neil left, Aarav walked closer Hritika, grabbing her palms he said "Please don't hide it from me, love. Tell me, I promise I won't get bothered unnecessarily but don't I even deserve to know this?"

Hritika didn't know what to say. Her heart broke at the sight of Aarav. She sighed "Aarav I might have a tumor. I'm not sure. But... I just don't know.. I didn't want to tell you because I am not sure. Let's go through the tests, then we'll think about it, alright?"

Aarav stood there numb. Even if he remembers the promise he made a while ago, he couldn't help but fear losing her all over again. Even if it might be a small one,we still vision the worst when it comes to our loved ones.

"Hey, I'll be alright." Hritika hugged him softly.

Aarav held her closer, kissing the crown of her head he spoke in a low voice "I won't let anything happen to you. We'll be alright." He concluded with a kiss on her forehead.

"Look what I brought for you" he pulled away from the cwtch.

Hritika gave him a beautiful smile, excitedly she said "What is it?"

"See for yourself!"

She unwrapped the box, it revealed a black small box. Inside it was a pendant.

Hritika let out a laugh out of excitement.

"Look closer at the centre...into the gemstone" He asked.

When she did, it had their picture in it. Their day in Paris, when they had kissed letting the snow shield them.

Her eyes watered at the memory hoping her disease isn't chronic.

Aarav pulled her closer, walked out of the hospital with his hand never leaving the protective wrap around her waist.

They drove home hoping that tomorrow, when they'll have the results, it'd be in their favour. She's alright, Aarav wanted his heart to accept.

At night, as they lay beside eachother, Hritika voiced her fears. "I'm scared, Aarav."

Aarav's heart broke at her statement. "Nothing will happen to you, my love. Even if it's a tumor, so what? I've checked through internet, and the probability of getting well is very hopeful. Anyway, you're stuck with me, nothing can ever take you away."

Hritika laughed through her tears "You've become cheesy, eww. This is not the bossy arrogant Aarav I was forced to marry."

"And you have to remind me that. Everyday." He laughed trying to keep aside her worries, and let her sleep peacefully for none of them knew what awaited them.