Hold on to your love

Prologue

He looks at her downcasted eyes. She has very beautiful dark brown eyes. Even though he does not love her, her warm eyes always settled his mind. It had been three weeks since he saw those beautiful eyes. It was very unusual of her to not meet him in weeks. He remembered she used to meet him even during her boards and he used to scold her for that. He smiled slightly without his knowledge.

He came out of his thoughts when he saw her beautiful lashes being lifted up. Her eyes always brought him warmth. But today her brown eyes were telling a different story. The warmth was missing in her eyes. Instead sadness and stress have build there home there.

The only time he saw stress and sadness in her eyes was during her father's minor accident. He saw worry in her eyes for first time then. At that time she was 17. He was proud how she had handled her family back then. But the sadness today was not the same as before. There was something unsettling in those eyes too. Was it the fear that he saw in those brave eyes?

"Hi", she said in her nectar filled voice. He still can't believe that this woman is actually a bad singer. He pulled himself out of her thoughts and said, "Hey, Poncho. How are you? You did not visit in three weeks. Payal already seem to have reached her depressing state. Today morning she was singing Tujhe yaad na meri ayi at the top of her voice in the bathroom like a broken hearted drunkard." He tried to put a smile on her face by saying that. It did put the smile on her face but not the warmth filled one he likes.

"Are you alright?", he asked out of concern. "Yeah it is. It's just the stress from studies", she replied. "Ah, that explains why you forgot this valentine's day", he said smilingly. Her crush on him was not unknown to him. She had proposed him on her 16th birthday. Even though he denied her proposal, she said that it was her right to pursue him unless he finds someone else.

"Uh... About that," she said with a smile, "You don't have to worry about it anymore. I am not going to irritate you anymore. No more flowers, no more chocolates and I guess no more me." A slight pain tugged at his heart hearing that. But he was glad she was moving on from her infatuation for him.

"May I know how Madam Zaara, who promised me of pursuing me suddenly decided to move on.", he said with soft smile. She looked straight in his eyes with seriousness and a broken smile, "Some things are never meant to be. Some things are beautiful when left unattained. I am glad I realized this early."

Somehow her words unsettled him. It seemed like she was still in love with him but now gave up on him. He thought she would never stop pursuing him. He tried remembering any incidents or his words that left her hurt. He never scolded her for pursuing him. It was never needed. She always maintained the dignity of their relation as friends. At first he used to be annoyed but he realised that she was not obsessed with him. He believed that with time her small crush will pass away.

He felt a tug at his lips. Looking down he realised that her soft fingers were trying to stretch his lips into a smile. "Oh ho... Why are you sad? Don't think that I took this decision because of you. You were right it was just an infatuation. It has passed with time. I realised that my dreams were big and I have very less time to accomplish them. So from now on no masti, no shaitaani and I won't tease you too. From now onward only focus on goal.", she said dramatically like she always does. But this time it didn't have that hint of naughtiness and cheekiness which she always have. It seemed forced to him. Also her calling her love infatuation did not seem right to him. He always knew it was just a crush then why did it hurt him so much.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he did not see her moving away from him. She went a bit far from him and looked at him lost in thoughts with her teary eyes. "I never knew calling my love infatuation would hurt me like this. My heart feels like being squished down by heavy weight. But I promise you to find the best bride for you. After all who knows you better then me.", she thought to herself. Something wet fell on her hand. She didn't realise she was crying until then. Damn it is hurting like this now, how would it feel seeing him getting married. But she has to do it for him, for herself before she leaves him forever.