"Taani Wake up! It's time to head out!" Swayam knocked on her door, puzzled as to why his sister was not the first one up and out for once. Maybe she'd overslept. Taani's head poked out before the door opened slightly and she slipped out.

Strange. Why was she being so weird?

"Is everything okay Taani? Are you okay?" Looking closer, he could see bags under her eyes, red and swollen, like she had spent the entire night crying. "What's wrong Taani? Were you crying? Did something happen again? Has someone said something to you?"

"No, it's nothing of that sort. I'm okay, just slightly under the weather. I think I'm coming down with something. You go ahead, I think I'm gonna stay at home today and rest. Plus, it'll give me a chance to call home and catch up a bit. I've been getting regular scoldings to actually call back home more often and for more than our weekly 30-minute chat." She shot a hesitant smile at her brother, hoping that the excuse would be enough to throw him off.

sigh

"If you're sure? I'm going to go, but if you feel that it gets even a tiny bit worse, I want you to call me immediately. I'll come and take you to see a doctor. Understood?" he advised her.

It was better to just not argue and let him believe what he wanted to. After all, it was only a matter of him leaving and a few more hours. "Of course. I'll call you if I feel worse. Now goooo! After all, you have rehearsals and you must be dying to see a certain someone huh?" she jested, mustering up all the energy she could to give him an over-enthusiastic smile, knowing that Sharon was a topic change that would divert his mind instantly. Whatever Sharon may have done against Taani, she would always be her brother's love.

Huffing out a small laugh, he turned and headed towards the door when her voice called out, a little more subdued- "Bhai! Thank you for being such a great brother. I'm incredibly lucky to have you." A few quick steps toward him, a hug, hands grasping the back of his shirt tightly, and a shuddering breath before she stepped back, her eyes shining.

His hands came up to cup her face "Hey, hey, hey- look at me Taani. What happened? I'm going to college, not leaving forever! Why the long face? I'm going to come back and when I do, we'll have a talk about what's bothering you okay? You seem very tense."

"I-it's nothing. I promise. I just realized that I don't tell you how much I appreciate everything you do for me, everything you have done for me ever since I arrived here. Sorry, bad timing." She let out a wet chuckle. That excuse sounded weak, even to her ears. But her brother, sweet Swayam, believed her anyways and headed out. She kept her eyes grounded on his back until she could see him no more in the distance.

Inhaling deeply, she let out the air through her mouth. Wiping the moisture from her eyes, she moved to her room, ready to put the plan into action. Only two people knew she was leaving and just one knew the details. She had revealed it to Rey in a moment of weakness last night, which is why it had become even more imperative that she expedited this process. He was still in the guest room, oblivious to the happenings of the foyer.

She'd spent the night alternating between packing and resisting the urge to breakdown and it was finally done. 8 boxes. That's what her life in this city totaled to. The movers were due to arrive in less than 3 hours. She had to get Rey out of the house by then. If he stayed any longer, he would tell her brother everything and then Sharon would know and if the three knew then it wouldn't be long before the entire team found out. They would try to stop her. They would help Rey come up with stupid, inane plans and schemes and she didn't know if she was strong enough to resist their collective efforts.

'C'mon Taani. One more push. Talk to him one last time. Get him to leave so that you can move on without the guilt of holding him back.' If she'd already decided to move on, why was it so hard to get her feet to comply? It was one foot in front of the other. So why did her feet feel leaden?

'You HAVE to move on Taani. Rey cannot have the kind of hold on you anymore. Break it. Break it Taani. A few steps, a few more sentences, one more cup of coffee from the pot you made for Swayam, one last packed lunch, and that's it. A few last things to wrap up. You CANNOT afford to get emotional right now Taani. Be strong. Be STRONG.'

Squared shoulders, her eyes set on the door of the guest room, she stepped determinedly towards the threshold and knocked. When no reply was heard, she poked her head into the room and the sight in front of her almost broke what was left of her heart.

Rey was crouched in front of the bed, right where she'd left him last night. Head resting on his folded arms, he was still as a statue. Taking a few steps hesitantly towards, him, she called out "Rey. Rey get up, it's time for college. Swayam has already left." His head whipped up at the sound of her voice as if realizing her presence for the first time since she had entered the room after last night.

"Rey it's time to go. I'll set out the coffee and lunch for you. Get ready. Swayam and the team must be waiting for you. Rehearsals start in 1 hour." She couldn't do it. She had to get out of this room. She couldn't look at him when his eyes shone with the pain and tears that she had put there. If he was the one crying, why did it hurt her so goddamn much?

Why could she hear his heart breaking when she was the one who had been hurt?

'STRONG Taani. You have to be strong. You told him to move on, but first, you have to show him that YOU'RE moving on.'

Once again, her conscience egged her on to do what was the right thing. She had to put on the toughest act of her life, of pretending that everything was okay, that the fragile illusion of normal they had constructed wasn't about to shatter in a few hours. She crouched beside him, "Rey, you have to go to class and for rehearsal. You can't just stay here. Bhai didn't know you were here, and he'll ask questions if you weren't in college, but here instead. Rey please, I don't want any trouble. You know he's already upset; I don't want to face any more questions. You have to get up and get going."

The unmoving gaze stayed on her for a few more unnerving seconds before he hoarsely whispered out "Yeah. Yeah okay. Give me a few minutes."

"Okay"

"Taani" his voice whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Can we talk later? After college I mean. Please? I just want to talk to you, once, for a few minutes. No expectations, no relationship drama, nothing except a few minutes of two people who know each other talking. Please Taani."

"I'm no- That's not a good idea Rey. There is no way that we will be able to talk without the pressure and the weight of everything that's happened between us hanging over us like a sword. We missed that train Rey. I'll set out the coffee and lunchbox on the dining table. Remember to eat between classes and rehearsal and please remind bhai to eat too.

"Wh- why does this feel like I'll never see you again? Taani?" face turned towards her, his eyes pleaded hers to say the things that were in her heart, everything that he was dying to hear.

A gentle hand cupped his face and with a soft touch of lips to his cheek, she whispered "Take care, Rey." Standing back up, as if she hadn't just shocked both their systems massively, she moved hurriedly out towards her room.

Locked away in her room, she could hear him puttering around next door. Footsteps going out to the kitchen. 'Picking up lunch and coffee.'

His footfalls progressed towards the front door, only hesitating minutely outside her door before moving on. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding as she heard the quiet click of the front door.

'That was a bad move Taani. What the HELL possessed you to do that back there? WHY? You know that that one little impulsive move of yours could do so much damage to everything that has been. You saw his eyes. It gave him hope. Hope for something that could never be again. Hope is a dangerous thing Taani, you know it all too well. Or have you forgotten?'