"Your friends told me about the hiking plan they made. They asked me and my friends to join," Siddharth told me, on our way to home.

"Yeah, do you...want to go?" I asked him. "Do you want me to go?" he asked me back. "Yeah, why not?" I said rather quickly making me regret it later. Why did I sound so desperate? He smiled and nodded.

"Why are you suddenly in a good mood?" I asked him. He shot me what-do-you-mean look. "No it's just that, you smile a lot today," I said and he smiled again. There he goes, trying to make me faint with his smile.

"You don't want me to?" he asked. Why is he turning everything to me?

"No, it looks good. It's just that it's been days since I saw you smiling like this," I said and looked away. I looked outside the window and enjoyed the view. The busy city, the noisy vehicles and I still felt I am missing something. I had my best friends with me, and I have the man I like and the man who I possibly spend the rest of my life with. But still, I am missing something, someone.

It would've been perfect if Vikram bhai was not angry with me.

The rest of the journey went silently just like that.

*********

"Hurry up guys!!!! We are leaving in five minutes," Harish shouted and I struggled to pull the bag as it was heavy for me. Suddenly, two hands came up to my bag and carried it to the car. I just muttered a thanks to the owner of the hands.

"No problem," Siddharth said, too cheerful for my liking.

"Ananya, you come with Siddharth. We will all go in a car," Harish said. "I know what you are trying to do Harish!!!" I whispered to him in a voice audible to just the two of us.

"Come on I am giving you both more chance to talk. Use it wisely!!!" he smirked at me and went to the car. I am not kidding, Harish is known for his cupid ways since my college days. He always wanted to set me up with someone because 'I am too depressed and closed off'.

His words, not mine.

In fact I was not depressed at all. I clearly was not too happy with my life. Obviously, everyone was their parents to love them and I didn't get that. I feel like that will be a lacking factor in my life. But, I was not depressed. Depression is not a thing to play with, so I don't want to tell everyone around me that I am depressed.

Sandhya, Kavya sat at the back seat with Harish driving in their Black SUV and Abhi in the passenger seat. Siddharth and I came in his red BMW with him driving, of course.

Siddharth had a big fat smile on his face and that makes me wonder why he is this happy about this trip. Because, I am not exactly comfortable with this travelling and all. Don't get me wrong, I love my friends and I like spending time with Siddharth. If only there is no travelling, I would've been over the moon. But, its okay. I can bite the bullet just to spend quality time with them, I guess.

"Why are you so happy?" I blurted out.

"What?" he asked me.

"You heard me," I said, not wanting to repeat my question.

"I don't know. Being away from all the office stuff with you guys makes me happy. I have always wanted to have road trip with my friends. But, Sandhya was away from us all this year. It was just me and Abhi. We thought it would be too boring with just the both of us. So, now going with all of you, it feels good. Its one thing down in my bucket lists," he said.

"If you have just said that, we could've rented a big car and went together in the same car. We are the only person in this car and this is going to be boring," I said.

"No no no, I like being with you the most," he said and I blushed. I goddamn blushed.

"So cheezy," I said, trying to cover up my blushing.

Keyword : Trying.

"Its fine as long as it is cheezy enough to make you blush," he smirked. He was enjoying this. But I don't mind. Why? I don't know. I like that he makes me blush, as weird as that sounds.

"You know, I was not the type of person to blush that easily," I said and he smiled.

I swear I heard him say 'Good'. What? Me blushing because of him is good?

"Let's play a game," I said and he nods for me to continue. "Let's play 20 questions or however much it takes for us to be bored," I said and he nodded again.

"Let me start then," he said and he made a thinking face. Basically his eyebrows furrowed together, The Classic.

"What is your favorite genre of movies?" he asked me.

"I think rom-com. What about you?" I asked him back.

"Definitely action. I am a big fan of Avengers movies. I have watched all the movies in that series," he said.

"Hell yeah, it is the only series of action movies that I watch. I love Iron Man the most. He is like so smart, handsome and funny," I smiled, like a love-struck teenager.

"Of course you do," he mumbled. I think it was not meant for me to hear. I just let it slide, instead of asking why he said that.

"So, the next question. Books or Movies?" he asked me.

"Books definitely. I love reading. I don't know why it is like a way for me to escape the real world. My friends would always tease me saying I am too obsessed with book, but honestly I don't care," I smiled.

"True, I like reading also. Have I ever said to you, I have a whole lot of collection of books in the store room? Last time, I would always read but now I just don't have enough time to read, so I packed it all in the store room," he sighed.

"I should definitely get it out when we go back. Maybe, I can find a book that is interesting. I had a whole freaking library to myself back in my father's house. When I was 20, Vikram bhai found out that I liked reading, so he helped me set up a library and bought a lot of books to fill the shelves. Then, he would occasionally, replace the old books with new one. He would do everything for me without me even asking, that was how much he loved me," I said, and tears formed in my eyes. I blinked back my tears not wanting to cry and make Siddharth feel too guilty.

"He will still love you," he said and I smiled at his attempt to make me feel okay.

"I don't think so. He probably hate me for what I did," I said and he sighed.

"Ananya, you didn't do it on purpose. I am sure if you had a choice, this wouldn't have happened. On my understanding of your brother based on you said, he can't hate you. He will never hate you. He is just angry, which will subside with time. Believe me, no one can hate you," he said.

"You think so? He will come around with time?" I asked him.

"I am perfectly sure," he said and I smiled.

"Ananya?" Siddharth called me when I became silent after the topic of my brother. I hummed in response.

"What have you decided about u-us?" he asked me slowly, as if he is afraid of my answer.

"Siddharth, I am planning on keeping this baby," I said slowly.

"It's okay if you don't want to do that. You just have to tell me your decision and I will..." he cut me off. "You will go overseas if I don't want you to stay....." he said sadly.

"Yeah I honestly can't think of anyt..." that is when realization hit me. "Wait how do you know that? I don't remember telling you," I was shocked was an understatement.

"You friend, Kavya came to meet me, actually to scold me last Wednesday. She shouted at me saying I was the reason you are going away from your friends. That you are suffering because of me and all... She threatened me not to break your heart," he said. I literally had too much of shock already.

Kavya really did that? That is where she went that day. "I am really sorry about that!!!" I truly felt bad for him. He got shouted at without even doing anything. "She cares about me and that is why she acted that way," I said.

"No, actually what she said was the truth. I made you suffer so much in the past two months and I am sorry about it. But, I just want to say that I... don't want you to go. I want you to stay with me. But, it's your decision after that. I just want to tell I like you and I would like you to stay with me...forever. Hell no, dare I say I've fallen in love with you," he said and I couldn't find any words to explain how I am feeling right now. He was telling me about how he is feeling. I am hearing the words I've been waiting to hear since the day Sandhya told me.

"Oh, thank you?" what a stupid way to ruin the moment. Even though it was something I was expecting to happen anytime sooner, still it shocked me. But, one thing I know is that I probably look like an idiot, unable to control my smile.

"I know I probably shocked you with that," he chuckled.

"Are you sure about that? What if you change your mind after the baby is born. What if you decide you are too young to have this baby or something like that?" I asked my biggest fear out. I know he loves me now, but what if he doesn't in the future.

"Ananya, don't overthink things. I love you and more than that I love our baby. I would never change my mind. For the first time in my life, I am sure of what I want," he said. That brought a 1000 watt smile on my face.

"You just have to tell me, how urmmm how you actually f-feel about m-me?" he stuttered. He was nervous and it was evident on his face. His grip on the steering tightened as if he is afraid of what I am going to tell.

Yeah, what am I going to tell? I like him, I obviously like him a lot. But, unlike him I cannot name my feelings. Was it love or just infatuation or attraction? I want to be with him for the rest of my life, because that is good for my baby. But, what about me? Do I want him with me, because I want him? That doesn't make sense, I know. How do I explain what I am feeling?

"Siddharth, I really really like you and I have no doubt in that. Beside Harish and my brothers, you are the only man that knows the most about me. I didn't have problem connecting with you. But, I am too much of a coward to name this feeling. I don't know if I can name it love. I just don't want to give you hope," I said truthfully.

"Don't worry, Ananya. I can understand you. It took me some time, to name my feeling as love. I will wait for you, no matter how long. Now that, you don't want to abort our baby, you can take as much time as you want to decide," he smiled.

"Fine, I think you are stressing out with this, so let's change the topic," he said. "Let's continue our game, shall we?" he asked and I nodded.

"Is it my turn now?" he asked.

"Nope its mine," I said and he nodded.

"France or Hawaii," I asked him.

That is how the rest of our journey went. Oh wait, there was another part in our journey. That being of us stopping every half an hour.

Reason:

1. I had back pain from sitting for too long.

2. I was hungry.

3. To get snacks.

4. To puke out what I ate.

5. To pee.

What? Being pregnant is not easy. I was hungry so I ate, but then I was dizzy because of the constant moving so I had to puke it all out.

I had to give a salute to Siddharth for being so patient and do that with me. The car ride was supposed to be 2 hours, but with us stopping every once in a while, it took us 3 hours to finally reach the place.