There was pitch darkness surrounding her. She could barely even see the floor she was standing on when she looked down. When she looked around her to enquire where she was, she saw a light in a distance away from her. It was a focus light.. the kind of light they use on stages. It took her a while to actually get accustomed to light again. She slowly focused her eyes and her eyes instantly brightened.

It was Adithya and Susmitha.. it was her mum and dad. She did not even think for a second as she called out to them excited..

"Mum.. Daddy.. Look behind you.."

But they never turned to look behind at her no matter how many times she called out for them. They were busy talking to themselves. Her dad had his hands over her mom's shoulders and was flirting with her shamelessly as always.

Shreya got frustrated when they did not respond to her calling. Next thing, she shouted to them at the top of her lungs. Still the same.. no response. She then tried to reach them. She started walking towards them.. but with each step she took, they just moved away from her. She tried to run after them but somehow the distance seemed to remain the same.

That's when panic set in and she dropped to her knees and started wailing and screaming for them to turn and look at her. She was desperate for them to turn and look at her. When nothing worked she, at last, realized she was seeing things. She was having a dream but she still did not want to wake up.. At least here, even if she couldn't touch them, she could at least see them. This was so much better than facing walls and TV screens. So she just curled herself into a ball and watched them.

They seemed so happy and so lost with each other. A few tears escaped her eyes without her realizing it. She could sleep forever if it meant she will be able to just see them like this.

"I miss you guys.. I miss your food dad.. I miss your bedtime stories mom.." She mumbled in her sleep tired. It was almost incoherent. All Charan could make out was mom and dad. But that was enough for him to know the reason behind her restless sleep and tears.

Charan reached out and wiped her tears away. But after a few more tears, Shreya seemed to calm down somehow. She just curled up against him and slept quietly after that.

The next morning, Shreya woke up with a pounding headache.

She groaned loudly. She knew too well what it was.. after all, this wasn't the first time she got drunk. She tried to shift. She searched for the remote so that she could draw the curtains. Facing sunlight with a pounding head is really not the best of ways to wake up after all. But she found she couldn't move. Someone was holding her in place. But she did not really have time to ponder on it since her stomach started acting up.

She sprinted from the bed pushing Charan away as bile formed at the pit of her stomach. She made a beeline towards the bathroom and as soon as she stepped in, she barfed. Her throat burned and her empty stomach pained like hell. It felt as if someone was squeezing her stomach.

She sat right there on the bathroom floor without being able to move. She felt like she would pass out if she tried to stand up.

Right then the doors to the bathroom opened and Charan walked in with a bottle of water scolding her simultaneously, "You have bottles and bottles of booze but not a single bottle of water in that fancy fridge of yours.. I had to call-in room service. Here drink it.." He said and extended the bottle towards Shreya.

Shreya reached for them gratefully and gulped down on the water hungrily.

"Hey, hey, hey.. Slow down, will you? You are going to make yourself sick.." Charan said and took away the bottle against Shreya's protests. But then he fed her sip by sip slowly. He then helped her up on her feet and carried her to the sink. He sat her on the counter and carefully wiped her face and mouth.

She looked like shit will be an understatement in all contexts. Her hairs all messed up, her head felt as if someone was hammering her skull and on top of it, she reeked of booze. And she felt equally shitty too.

Charan drew her a bath like an angel he was.

"Wash yourself up a bit and relax. You will feel better.." He said and left her alone in the bathroom.

After a long shower and a few aspirins, Shreya finally felt like a human being. When she walked out all dressed up, she found Charan sitting in the dining area of the room with a newspaper in hand and breakfast spread around in front of him.

She silently came and sat in front of him. Somehow she sensed that he was pissed at her. Now that her brain seems to be working again, she noticed that from the moment he woke, he did not meet her eyes or looked at her when he talked. And even when he talked, he was precise with his words.

As soon as she sat down, Charan quietly served her breakfast.

Shreya immediately cringed. Just the smell of food did not sit well with the stomach. She looked at Charan with a pitiful look but he just looked at her sternly and gave her a glass of lemon water.

"Drink this first, then have a little to eat slowly.." His stern voice ordered.

Shreya instantly lost her will to protest. She obediently took the glass and took one big gulp still peaking at him. You know how kids do, as long as mum's eyes are on them, they will obediently eat the veggies but as soon as she turns, the veggies will go straight into the gutter at lightning speed.

But then Charan had experience with Akira. So he pretended to look away and instantly Shreya scrunched her face in disgust and took the glass as far away from her as possible. The sour taste still stayed on her tongue and made her cringe. And that was the sight that greeted Charan when he looked back. And by reflex, Shreya brought the glass near her and hid her face behind them without looking at Charan.

Charan couldn't help but chuckle at her antics.

"You are worse than Akira.." He said and took the glass away from her and kept it back on the table.

Shreya hung her head low. She felt guilty. She lied to him yesterday. She said she had work but instead got passed out drunk and got found out. And on top of it, he seemed like he did not get any sleep last night and she was sure she was the culprit. And of course, she also remembered the way she had sent him out of the conference room so sternly and none of them helped her cause.

"I'm sorry.." She said without really looking up at him.

Charan did not really say anything. He walked to her and stood right in front of her sitting figure. He smiled at her hung down head and just leaned down and gave a kiss on top of her crown.

"You don't have to be sorry.. you did not do anything wrong. I was just worried.. You scared me last night.. When I walked in, you were passed out on the chair.." He said softly bringing her into a hug. It may be the way he found her passed out drunk or the way she tossed and turned and wailed the night or the way he woke up to her puking- everything had made him sick in the stomach with worry. He knew she was dealing with stuff but it still made him pissed when she did not take care of herself.

Shreya leaned in and wrapped her arms around and rested her head against his torso. Such a simple gesture but it made her feel like everything was okay with them. Everything was forgiven and forgotten just like that.