[Please check the previous chapter before reading this. Many of the readers suggested me to go with the old plot itself. So I am republishing these chapters again.]
How much ever I tried to avoid him, fate always brings him in front of me. I always try my best to make a minimal conversation with him and even when I did, I would always try to come off as rude but
this guy always finds a reason to annoy me.
It's not like I hate his presence or I hate him as a person, it's a much more dangerous feeling than hate. I just don't want to put myself in a situation where I can't move back or forge on.
That is the very reason why I portray myself as if I hate him unbeknownst to the truth. It's a way to protect my wounded heart.
Even now also, when he stood in front of me, I felt like my heart was on a marathon. I just wanted to escape from these traitor feelings and this torturous situation because he was that forbidden thing to me.
Unlike every time, I ignored Aaru's blabbering and kept my face towards the window. That was when I felt a surge of pain in my lower belly as if something was penetrated into it.
Damn..this thing never will come on time.
I balled my fists and bit down my lips to control the agonizing pain which had become my every month's routine the moment I hit puberty.
Though cramps were pretty common for everyone, the pain I always experience was another level when compared to the rest.
Gathering all the strength in my body, I asked him indirectly to stop the car but he denied it and like a thug, forced me to come with him.
Yet again he unknowingly provided aid to me when I was in the need. Did he even know what he was doing to me and my heart? These were thoughts that are running in my mind as I closed my eyes.
I opened my eyes when I felt someone nudging my shoulder and witnessed that Indra was looking at me cautiously as if he was afraid of disturbing me.
Nodding at him, I took my bag and got off the car. As I started walking ahead slowly, he kept on walking behind me. I spun around to question his actions as he halted on his way.
"Why are you following me?"
"You don't even have the manners to thank me for dropping you safely at your house. So you lost the right to question me. But since it's your house, I will tell you the reason. I am thirsty. So let me grab some water from your kitchen."
He stated and marched forward as my nostrils were assaulted with the powerful whiff of his manly woody scent.
I didn't know his purpose but I knew him too well to guess that he was lying. He was the type of person who could do everything with a straight face. Whether it was lying or expressing concern for someone or showing care.
He was capable of doing without even a twitch in his facial muscles. I had hardly ever seen him smile. It was like he had to pay tax for his every damn smile.
Though it was very hard to gauge his emotions, I somehow knew some of his actions. From my observations, he would keep his face too straight when he lies.
Shaking my head, I caught up to him slowly where I saw the kid who delivers milk to my mom's place, placing the milk near the gate. It seems like he got delayed for some reason today as we always get the milk before seven in the morning.
"She again kept the keys under that flower pot only," he said in an unshered tone by keeping his hand sideways in front of his mouth. See, even the boy who delivers the milk knows her so-called hideout.
Nodding at him with a smile, I walked ahead once he left from there. Instead of taking the keys from her hideout, I let them be like that as it was her daily routine, and after considering the well-maintained security of our area.
I took out my keys and opened the door to welcome him, who was silently following me like a well-behaved kid.
"Make yourself ho-" I stopped in the middle when I saw him sitting comfortably on the dining chair as he grabbed the apple before taking a bite of it while blinking his inspecting eyes all over the place.
‘He is very much getting comfortable as if it was his own home.’ I shook my head and went to the kitchen to get him some water.
"Please close the door on your way out," I told him in a weak tone before making my way to my room, ignoring his scrutinizing gaze that was fo00llowing my actions.
I again reminded him to close the door as I trust him so much to not think of him as a fine gentleman and person with great morals.
Once I went inside, I opened my hygiene kit to get the essentials and marched inside the washroom with the home wear in my hand.
As I came out, I chucked the idea of consuming the painkillers as I knew how harmful their effect would be on my body.
Clutching the lower part of my belly, I dragged my tired body to the bed and engulfed it with the duvet. Snuggling into it, I whimpered in pain and closed my eyes, forcing myself to get some sleep.
After what felt like an eternity, finding a comfortable position, I willed myself to be consumed by the dreamless sleep.
My eyes shot open when another pain shot through my body, making me cry in despair. Wiping the tears, I lifted myself from the bed and switching on the bed light, I glanced at the clock to know that it was nearing the evening.
I thought to grab the hot pack to use it to get some relief and decided to take the painkiller as the pain was getting too unbearable. Then I felt my surroundings spinning and l lied lymph on the floor as the darkness consumed me.
I closed the file with a thud while groaning hard in annoyance as I couldn't bring my mind to focus on my work as it was wandering somewhere, precisely it was busy thinking about certain someone.
I stood up from my seat in vexation and standing in front of the window, l played with the lighter and lit up my cigarette though I never intended to smoke in the first place.
Holding the lit cigarette stick, I took out my phone and for the first time in my life, I hesitated in doing something as my fingers lingered on certain someone's contact name.
Chiding myself for getting distracted by this mere thing, I was about to throw my phone but stopped from doing so and scolding myself, I dialed Rishu's number from my phone while thinning my lips.
"Hello?Anna? Is something the matter?" She asked me once she attended the call. Clearing my throat, I answered her.
"Nothing Rishu. I just called you casually to know whether you want me to bring something like groceries, vegetables..like that." I asked her, hoping to hear the answer I wanted to hear.
"Oh. No need, Anna. Yesterday only, I did the grocery shopping. Moreover, I would be the only one to stay at the apartment these days. So don't bother about bringing anything. I can't complete them alone and they will be wasted for sure." She explained patiently as I heard the chiming sound of something.
"Why? Why are you alone? Where is that Ms. Prim and proper?" I asked her, feigning to not know anything.
"Yuktha Akka? She went to stay with her mom. She has to be home by now but I don't know why she wasn't here yet and when I tried to call, her phone and even her home number were left unanswered. I don't know whom to call as I don't want to worry anyone. Forget it. I am just being paranoid for nothing. She must be busy with her work." She answered as I furrowed my eyebrows when I heard that that 'unattended calls' part.
"Okay. I got it. Don't worry. I will go and look for her personally. Rest early."
"Okay. You too, Anna. Have your food on time and don't forget to call me once you got to know anything about her. " She replied sweetly and after assuring her, I ended the call and pondered for a minute before dialing Ms. Prithe m and proper's number. Just as Rishu had said, the call went unattended.
Sensing something was off, I rushed out of my cabin.
"Sir, are you leaving early?" Hari exclaimed as I just nodded at him and went to the parking area to get into my car.
Once I gave life to the engine, I started driving to her mom's place while thinking of all the possibilities but I shook my head immediately after realizing there might be scope for me to worry over nothing.
But she looked so frail this morning and this fact couldn't be ignored too. Though I didn't know the reason, I had deduced that she seemed to be in extreme pain.
That was the very reason why I forced myself to follow her inside and thought to make sure that she was fine but she just dismissed me by hurrying into a room.
I shook my head and parked the car at the side once I reached her place. Though I rushed here without thinking about anything, I was racking my brain to give her some suitable excuse once she opens the door.
'I will just tell her that Rishu is worrying for her. So I took the initiative to check on her. Perfect. It was a plausible one. You are awesome, Indra.'
I praised myself and with utmost confidence, I lifted my hand to press the bell but even after pressing it for so long, no one came to open the door.
'What exactly has happened to her?' I thought for a while and glanced at the flower pot on which underneath's there were the keys which I had used this morning to lock her door as I heard the ushering of that little lass.
I lifted the flower pot and took the keys before placing it into the keyhole after some initial little hesitation.
"Trespassing on someone's property is a crime." Whilst doing so, my mind chided me.
"Not when it is subjected to the wellbeing of the concerned person."
I consoled myself as I entered inside but the whole room was blanketed with darkness. So I used my mobile's torch and searched for the switchboard to switch on the lights.
I blinked my eyes to adjust to the brightness and glanced around her living room and then at the dining room.
There was nothing sort of suspicious that I had found there. Everything was as same as this morning. Even the water jug from which I had poured some water was still in the same position.
Frowning and after thinking about something, I glanced at her room's door before making a way towards it. First I tried knocking on the door but when I didn't get a response, I pressed my ear onto the door to sense any moments.
I could hear the humming noise of the fan, indicating that it was switched on. It was only meant she was inside the room. I again tried knocking even harder than before but still no response.
Tensing over for an obvious reason, I tried to break into the room by breaking it as I started hitting it with my shoulder.
OIce I succeeded in breaking it, I wiped off my sweat from my forehead and glanced around the room only to find her body lying there motionlessly as her whole face was looking so pale and her forehead was creased as if she was in extreme pain even in her unconscious state.
"Yuktha!! Wake up." As I reached her, her name rolled out of my tongue so casually, and ignoring it, I patted her cheeks a little but was of no use.
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