The Aftermath.

Summary - Post Shreya's engagement to Siddharth, Daya decides to end everything between them once and for all.

Every time he saw her post her engagement, it felt as if a little part of him was dying. Every day he would walk into the CID bureau just to get a glimpse of her even though he knew he would never feel her love or be able to tell her how he felt about it all. And then there was this stupid diamond ring glinting on her finger constantly reminding him how his dreams had been crumbled into dust.

Daya noticed that Shreya had been avoiding eye contact with him too. Her eyes were always on the ground whenever he was around and she always tried to keep the ring out of his sight by keeping her hands inside her jacket pocket. It angered him very much. He didn't want her pitying him or sympathising him. He decided to confront her one evening when no one was within ear shot.

"Take it out" Daya snarled under his breath.

"What?" said Shreya looking mortified.

"Your hand... take it out of your jacket pocket. Let the ring show. I noticed you know, that you were trying to hide it from me"

"No, I wasn't!"

"Don't you lie to me on my face. I know you. I know what goes on in your mind" said Daya. "Come on, let the everyone see the ring"

"I don't want to, okay?"

"Do it now or I will do it for you" Daya threatened.

"What the hell is wrong with you? What do you want from me, huh?" Shreya yelled, tears burning her eyes.

"What would I want now? I want nothing from you!" Daya said in an equally anger filled voice.

"Okay I am really sick of all this stuff now!" Shreya said, waving her arms in agitation. "Since my engagement you have been acting weird. You haven't been talking to me since that day. What is wrong? What is the problem?"

"You are really asking me that? You don't know?" Daya said breathing heavily. "And what exactly are you so sick of? You took the decision without telling me. You told that guy yes. You could have refused!"

"No, I couldn't have!" said Shreya.

"Why not, huh? I can see that this new relationship is suffocating you -"

"No it's not" Shreya said, wiping tears off her cheeks.

"It's all over your face" Daya snarled.

"Stop it!" Shreya shouted at him. "It's not true!"

"Really?" he said advanced her until she backed against the wall.

"W-what are you doing?" she stammered

"Do you love him?" Daya asked, his warm breath fanning her face.

"W-what?"

"You heard me" he said. "But here you once again- Do you love him?"

She watched him unable to answer his question. Everything around her was spinning. Nothing was making sense.

"I thought so" Daya murmured moving away from her.

"What did you just say?" she managed to say.

"You know what, you can pretend to love Siddharth for the sake of everyone around you and maybe to console your ownself but it doesn't change the truth. You and I both know that you are with the wrong guy."

"I don't-" Shreya began to protest but Daya held up his hand.

"No, you don't need to give me any explanation. I don't want to hear it. I just wanted to tell you that - I don't intend to get in your way. If this is what you want, if this is what makes you happy, so be it. I don't need you pity or sympathy. So, try not to hide your ring from me anymore. It's fine really" he said and walked away not showing a single sign of remorse even though his world was crumbling as the reality of his own words sank in.

END