Chapter 173 - 172. ... see even you are treating me like a kid.

Family… Nobody knows its importance more than Shreya. Because she was someone who had lost a family and then later found another. So she knew what it's worth and what it brings to life.

Her family… Anand uncle, Bhagya, Bhavna, Akash, Adam, John… and every single person she cares about and who cares about her… She cherished them with utmost care.

They were what gave her direction… they were what gave her the will to fight… Their safety and security are for what she was fighting for. Having them was what gives meaning to everything she does.

Sometimes, even when they are gone… they end up helping you. That's the power of family. Without her parents or their love… she wouldn't have the urge to fight so hard. If only this company wasn't her fathers… if it hadn't been Adithya's legacy… she wouldn't have worked so hard to run it.

And as far as Charan and Akira were concerned… 'happiness' as a concept and feeling is lost to her without those two people in her life. She did not know how to smile without them now. She wanted to be with them so desperately that she would end up doing anything and everything in her power to make it happen.

"Family is important… more important than your fear…" Shreya whispered. Because a part of her understood his fear. It was almost similar to her own fear of ruining Charan's life just by being with him… putting him in danger by being in his life.

She also knew his fear was not the same as her. After all, what he was most afraid of was not his sister's safety but her rejection. What he was afraid of was ruining her mental peace… disrupting her peaceful life. But she knew none of it would ever matter to his sister as long as he could be with her… that he could break all hell and nothing would ever change between them.

"I know…" Srinivas simply agreed and stayed quiet. He sat there hugging his knees lost in his thoughts.

Shreya pulled back and laid down on the rock comfortably discarding her backpack on the side. Anyways it was waterproof… and of course, she did not really have anything other than the water bottle. So she did not bother with it.

Coldwater brushed under her every now and then teasing her skin whenever the tide was stronger. Her back became completely drenched very quickly. Shreya closed her eyes and enjoyed the stillness. They just kept each other company quietly without saying a single word.

"You are going to catch cold like this…" Srinivas said slightly concerned after a long time. She was practically soaked as time passed.

Shreya just shrugged disinterestedly not even bothering to open her eyes.

"Shreya…" Srinivas sighed.

Shreya's eyes opened at last when he called her by her name with an amused smile, "At last I trained you right…" There was a triumphant smile as she said it.

"What do you mean??" Srinivas asked frowning.

"You did not call me ma'am or Madam for once…" Shreya replied closing her eyes all over again.

Srinivas was slightly taken aback. Then he scratched the back of his head embarrassed.

Before whenever they met, it was always due to work and mostly at her office. Invariably the atmosphere always reminded him to be very formal and disciplined. But here, in this casual environment and with how easy going Shreya was… he unconsciously got comfortable and did not even realize he called her by her name.

And Shreya had this uncanny ability to make the people around her feel at ease. It was almost like a mirror effect… because she acts so at ease… you end up being at ease.

"It's just… unconsciously… without realizing…" Srinivas mumbled.

Shreya just shrugged off chuckling as she said, "Don't worry… When I am done with training, you will be calling me by my name every time…"

Her expression was clearly telling him that she was making fun of him. It's been long since he had faced such a situation. But there was also a strange sense of warmth that spread through him.

It felt as if he had gotten himself a very bratty mischievous little sister for himself. He just shook his heads smiling.

"Okay, enough of teasing. Now get up. It's getting late… let's go back before Zack gathers a search party…" He said getting up.

Shreya looked up but still reluctantly got up and hoisted her backpack. It was very small and only had water in it. But as soon as her eyes landed in the front, she frowned.

Jumping down from a higher rock to a lower one was easy… so she hopped around like a rabbit and got here. But the reverse is going to give her a headache. Especially given how short she was.

Srinivas on the other hand easily got up and extended his hands to help Shreya.

Shreya frowned at him irritated this time around. She made a grumpy pout and took his hands reluctantly. She was looking at him as if he had committed a grave crime making him speechless.

"What did I do now??" Srinivas asked bewildered. He was just trying to help after all.

Shreya humped and grumbled all the way of climbing one rock as she said, "Tall guys like you would never know the pain of short people like us…" She stood up straight and got even more irritating seeing as she barely reached his shoulders.

Srinivas did not know whether he should laugh or be offended by her glares. But he couldn't really control his lips from twitching as he suddenly had this urge to pinch her puffing cheeks while Shreya was still whining. A minute passed and he actually gave in to his urges and pinched her cheeks before he could stop himself. But as soon as he realized what he was doing, he took back his hands hurriedly and looked at her nervously. Even though Shreya was easy going, she was still his employer and there is some basic etiquette that had to be followed in such a relationship.

But Shreya did not flinch nor did she look offended, instead she complained all over again, "See… even you are treating me like a child because of my height!!" She huffed and puffed innocently.

God knows, more than her height it was the way she behaved that made people treat her like a kid. But Shreya would never believe it even if he said that. So he just let her be.

Srinivas's eyes warmed and his hands extended and ruffled her hairs more confidently this time. It really felt like having a little brat around… which just made him miss his own sister so much more than normal. Maybe he could actually go and see his sister as soon as he went back home.

"You be careful and follow me okay… Careful not to slip…" He nagged as he led her out of the rocks one at a time.

It took them at least half an hour just to get out. The rocks had pebbled due to constant flow of water which made this extremely slippery and so much more harder to climb out of.

"What would you have done if I hadn't come today??" Srinivas asked handing her some water once getting out of the rocky terrain.

Shreya was slightly out of breath as she gulped down the water. Once she brought her breathing to normal, she answered unhurried, "I would have just waited for Zack to find me…"

Because there was no way she could have climbed those rocks without Srinivas here. She would have been stranded here for god knows how long. But then she was not exactly bothered or afraid about that perspective.

"That is why you should think before you act!" Srinivas scolded her and led the way out.

Shreya just stuck her tongue out at his back without replying but just as he turned back to give her his hands, Shreya closed her mouth and looked at him innocently.

"I saw that…" Srinivas said rolling his eyes.

He had long wondered, why Zack and everyone else treated her like a little kid sometimes when she was so good at giving orders and bossing everyone around. But now he knew why… There was no way he is going to be able to treat her seriously after seeing this side of hers.

As his boss, he always had immense respect for Shreya. The things she had achieved at the age she was… it was commendable. He admired the way she carried herself and went ahead with business. But the warmth she had sowed in the softest part of his heart in these two hours they spent together… he could feel it blooming leaps and bound rapidly with each passing minute.

This was Shreya… she moved people's hearts with utmost sincerity. She never used brute force to gain loyalty. She moved them with her earnestly.