Madhu really hated this feeling.. this feeling of knowing you are not loved.

Because she was always obedient and always listened to Rekha, she had this illusion that Rekha actually loved her.. even if it is only a very insignificant amount. But today, these two slaps and her words proved how na?ve she had been.

There was also a part of her that was so surprised and pleased that Aarav and Abhijeet stood up for her.. but that part is now being crushed but the pathetic heartbroken part.

She never really resented her birth parents.. until that moment. If they did not want her, why did they ever bother giving birth to her? Knowing you are not wanted was not really a pleasant feeling.

She had forgotten that when Akash came into her life.. slowly she felt like she can do something for once. But all that went to drain just like that.. she was once again that orphaned unloved girl crying in her room.

If there was god, she resented him too.. why did he have to bring a person like Akash into her life just to take him away..

If she had never known him.. if only she had never known what it felt like to be loved, she wouldn't hurt this much at this moment. This moment felt absolutely cruel to her.. Her life felt cruel to her.

She quickly wiped away her tears and opened her doors scared when she heard someone knock.

This was a reflex reaction that was ingrained in her to absolutely be obedient within these walls.

To her surprise, it was not her mom who called for chores but was Aarav, standing there scratching his head awkwardly.

"Can I come in?" He asked softly.

Madhu instantly opened her doors..

Her room was pretty much the same as his.. he had never actually been inside here before. But then he did not bother looking around. Instead, he met with Madhu's eyes and instantly looked down feeling guilty. He awkwardly extended his hands from behind and revealed an ice pack..

"For your cheeks.." Aarav said gently.

Madhu blinked for a long time before accepting it.. if it was awkward for Aarav, it was absolutely illusionary for Madhu. She had never had this kind of thing happen between her and Aarav even in her wildest of imaginations.

Aarav is pretty stoic and an absolute mama boy.. he was not one to stand up for her and argue with his mom. Madhu had the serious urge to check his forehead for fever.. maybe he had a high temperature for a long time and his brains got fried.

Aarav let out a sigh and came closer to Madhu taking the ice pack she was holding idly in her hands and kept them against her cheeks where his mother had just slapped.

"HIssss." Madhu hissed involuntarily.. Her eyes almost popped out of her sockets as he stared at Aarav.

He actually had pretty sharp features.. his square jaws can cut a paper if only anyone bothered to try.. He was fit and handsome.. Madhu had just never really enough interactions with him so far to notice all this before.

"Are you really okay? Maybe you are having a brain fever or something!?" Madhu blurted out without being able to restrain herself anymore. He was behaving oddly today..

Hey, I am not that bad on normal days, am I? he thought to himself but then looking at Madhu he knew she was not exactly teasing him but was actually genuinely confused and concerned.

Okay, maybe I had been a jerk to her all along.. Aarav concluded.

She bit on her lips pretty hard as she stared at Aarav.. But her hands stopped midway when they tried to feel his forehead.. but then she suddenly remembers something her mother and gran said and quickly took a few steps away from Aarav.

"I- I am not trying to do anything with you.. I just suddenly thought of something stupid that is all!!" Madhu explained looking scared between the doors and Aarav as the ice pack slipped with a thud to the ground. Her whole face went sickly pale in seconds.

Aarav couldn't help but stiffen clenching his jaws.. His fists clenched.

He really could not figure out what screws are loose in his own mother and gran when it came to Madhu to have driven them to say something so freaking vulgar..

Did they really forget that saying such disgusting things about Madhu not only brought down their own reputation but also showed them how vile and low their thinking can get.. but at the end of the day, they were still his own mother and gran.. so, all he can do is sigh. He cannot exactly go and degrade them..

"Di.. don't listen to them.. they are just angry and said something not knowing what they were talking about. You did nothing wrong.." Aarav tried.

But with each step, he took towards her.. she took back two back.. So, he stopped and both of them came to a stalemate.

Madhu couldn't really be bothered about standing anymore as her legs gave out..

She did not want to cause them any harm.. that was not her intention. But seeing all the fighting happening because of her.. she let out a whimper hugging her knees tightly.

Nothing Aarav said made their way to her brains after that.

Madhu's phone rang right then.. seeing as Madhu was in no state to attend the call, Aarav peeked.. Seeing Akash's name flash on the screen, he actually took the call and put it on speaker mode.

"Hey, Madhu what happened to you.. why are you not picking up the call!?" Akash's voice came through the speakers.

Madhu's eyes snapped hearing his voice..