Abhi and Yuvraj were waiting for the last fifteen minutes at a safe distance from Aaradhya's auto. She stopped near the same village they visited during their field trip.
"I don't understand. What is she doing here?" Yuvraj said.
"We came here during our field trip. She looked lost that day too," Abhi answered.
"Let's go and ask her," Yuvraj suggested.
"Are you dumb? She did not tell anyone of us means she doesn't want us here. Let's just wait here," Abhi said.
"What if she gets into some kind of trouble? I think we should go to her," Yuvraj said again.
"We are not going there. Either wait here or leave. I'll take care of the rest from here. Thanks for the lift," Abhi said in a very irritated tone.
"You can leave if you want. I am not going anywhere," Yuvraj said.
"Then just shut up and sit," Abhi said glaring at him.
"This is my Jeep. I'll shout in it if I want. You are no one to tell me that, Abhimanyu," Yuvraj said.
"Fine. Sit here and shout. Let the whole village know you are here. I am not going to sit here with you," Abhi said jumping down the Jeep.
Just then they saw a girl coming out with a man. They took her inside a car and left. Aaradhya's auto followed it immediately. Abhi took the passenger seat again. He had no choice. By the time he would find another auto, they will be lost.
"What happened? Again need my help?" Yuvraj smirked.
"I'll pay for your service. Just drive fast," Abhi said clenching his jaws. It's all because of Aaradhya. He has to keep his self-respect aside for her. If he was not worried for her safety, he would have never asked for this idiot's help. He is gonna ask his dad to send his car or bike here.
Yuvraj followed them keeping a safe distance so that Aaradhya doesn't see them. It's because of her that he has to sit with this dimwit here.
They stopped outside an expensive hotel. It looked so beautiful. Aaradhya was shocked to see the view in front of her. Why the hell is Sharda's family here?
"Oh fuck! Those people from the village celebrate their parties here?" Yuvraj said shocked.
"Something is not right. Aaradhya must have noticed something weird," Abhi said.
"Oh seriously? I thought everything was normal. We were just following people for fun," Yuvraj said sarcastically.
"Shut up! You better shut.... Hey, why is Aaradhya going inside?" Abhi asked.
"Let's stop her," Yuvraj said.
"No, let her do what she wants. She started it, let her finish it," Abhi said.
"What kind of man are you, dude? That girl is going in there, we don't even know what kind of people are there and you just want to sit and watch?" Yuvraj asked.
"Why are we here? To protect her if she gets into some trouble, right? Let her do what she wants. She must have thought about it before coming here. Let's just follow her. Don't disturb her," Abhi said. He wants Aaradhya to do whatever she wants. He wants her to realise what she is capable of.
"Ok, let's take this with us," Yuvraj said taking out his gun.
"What's wrong with you, Shekhawat? Why do you carry this with you everywhere?" Abhi asked. This boy was gonna be a doctor in a few years. Why does he have to keep a gun with him all the time?
"For situations like these," Yuvraj said jumping down the Jeep and walking towards the entrance. Abhi followed him immediately.
Aaradhya saw many other girls dressed beautifully entering the hotel. What was going on here? And these men looked rich but creepy. Should she call the Police? But what would she tell them? She herself doesn't know what's going on here. So she decided to enter the hotel. It was risky, she knows that. But she has pepper spray with her in case things went wrong. She just hopes it helps.
She entered the hotel and followed Sharda. They went to a hall. Lights were very dim there. She can see and smell alcohol everywhere. If this was a children's party then why is this place filled with drinks?
She saw a man coming towards Sharda and her uncle. He talked to her uncle for some time and then looked at the girl. Then he caressed her face. Even a blind can tell that girl was very uncomfortable. But why was this good-for-nothing uncle not stopping him? Aaradhya looked around. She could see the same expression on almost every girl's face. Even animals were better than these men. She could not think what these girls would have been going through.
Just one piece of proof and she will call the Police. She took out her phone to record everything. The man held Shard's hand and started dragging her with him somewhere. Aaradhya waited for some time before following them. He took her to a room. Aaradhya could not let this happen. She knocked on the door furiously. The man opened the door with an irritated expression on his face.
"What? Didn't I inform your hotel staff not to disturb me!" he said.
"We are sorry sir, but this was an emergency," Aaradhya said.
"What emergency?" he asked raising his eyebrows.
"This!" Aaradhya said spraying pepper on his eyes.
"You bitch! What's wrong with you?" he shouted rubbing his eyes.
Sharda came out and stood behind Aaradhya. Aaradhya just pushed the man inside and locked the room.
"Are you alright?" Aaradhya asked looking at Sharda.
"Di," Sharda said crying and hugged her. It was not the first time a man was going to touch her. But she felt the same disgust every time.
"Whose mobile is this?" Aaradhya asked when she saw Sharda holding one.
"That man's. I brought it with me so he cannot call anyone," Sharda said smiling between her tears.
"You are very smart," Aaradhya smiled at her.
"Who are you? What is this girl doing outside? Where is Mr Kapoor?" a voice came.
"Mr Kapoor asked me to wait here with this girl. He had an important call to attend," Aaradhya said whatever came to her mind. She has to take Sharda out of there safely and call the Police. She is not capable of fighting these many men alone.
"You are not a hotel staff. Who are you?"
the man asked again.
"I am from the hotel staff, Sir. I joined recently," Aaradhya said. God! Please! Save her this time. From the next time, she will never come alone. She was a little scared now.
"You won't answer like this," the man moved towards her. He was going to hold her hair but someone caught his hand mid-air.
"Easy there, Mr whoever you are. I don't think that's the way to treat girls," Abhi said tightly holding the man's hand.
Aaradhya felt relief overwhelming her. Abhi was here. She felt safe. She felt very safe. She didn't know till now how much she trusts him. It's like she knows everything would be alright just by his presence.
"Who are you all?" the man said again. Aaradhya took out her pepper spray and sprayed it over his eyes, opening the door of another room. Abhi pushed him inside locking the door.
"Let's just get out of here. We'll call the Police after that," Abhi said. Aaradhya nodded holding Sharda's hand tightly and followed him. They found Yuvraj at the corner of the corridor.
"You are here too?" Aaradhya asked surprised.
"We'll explain later. Now just leave this place. It's not safe," Yuvraj said.
"Where are you taking her?" Sharda's uncle approached them when they saw Sharda going with them. Everyone was busy with loud music, drinks and touching those small girls inappropriately.
"Come, we have to take you too," Yuvraj said going towards him, putting his hand across his shoulders and pointing a gun at his stomach.
"Wh... Who are you? What do you want?" her uncle said scared.
"Don't talk. Just move with us. One more word and that would be your last word," Yuvraj said.
As they came out of the hotel and went towards the Jeep, Aaradhya slapped that man hard. Really hard.
"You disgusting animal. How could you? She is just a small sixteen-year-old girl. Don't you have a heart?" Aaradhya said with a hatred-filled voice.
Yuvraj and Abhi have never seen her this fierce. She has always been a soft-spoken, calm and mature girl.
"Call the Police. We don't have time. And you decide whether you have to tell everything to the Police or you want to die," Aaradhya continued.
"I can't say against those men. They are dangerous. They will kill me," Sharda's uncle spoke.
"Who are those men? What do they do? How many girls are involved? You are going to tell them everything you know," Abhi said punching him several times.
"And if you don't, I would not hand you to the Police, neither I am gonna kill you. I am going to torture you for the rest of your life. You will ask for death but you won't get it," Yuvraj said holding that man's face in a tight grip.
"Sharda you will tell the Police whatever they did to you. Tell them whatever you know. I promise no one will hurt you," Aaradhya said gently to the girl.
The next two hours passed in a blur. They informed the Police. They noted Sharda's statement. Her uncle told them many things which made the three friends disgusted. Many like him sold their daughter's bodies for some money. Some rich and elite businessmen wanted small girls for their pleasure. Yuvraj knew the inspector. He asked him to not bring Aaradhya's name anywhere in the investigation and Sharda was taken to the orphanage for which Yuvraj worked.
Now the three of them were going back to their campus in Yuvraj's Jeep. No one spoke. Aaradhya had many questions to ask them. How did they reach there? Were they following her?
"How did you both reach there?" she asked finally.
"I.. We... We... Abhi, tell her," Yuvraj said. What should he say? They stalked her? What would she think? Abhi asked him to follow her. It's on him now.
"I.. We.. We were just passing by the hotel and saw you," Abhi lied.
"Oh ok. Now tell me the truth. You both were following me?" she asked.
"Abhi was. I just joined him," Yuvraj said.
"Shut up! I was worried. You lied to Tanu and I saw you going somewhere in the auto. So I... I... You know... I just... thought to check if you might need some help," Abhi said. He doesn't want her to get mad at him. And he saw her slapping that man today. God! She was strong.
"Oh.., Thanks," she said.
"You are not upset that we followed you?" Abhi asked turning to look at her.
"No. I don't know what I would have done if you both had not reached there," she smiled.
"You would have handled the situation, Aaradhya. I know you would have saved yourself and that girl too. You don't need us to help you. We just helped you to get over it earlier," Abhi said smiling.
Aaradhya looked away. She is not sure what she would have done but he trusts her, that was enough. She tried to stop it but yet again her heart increased its pace.