####READ AUTHOR NOTE AT THE END####
*Jhansi's POV*
"Okay, okay fine!" I said, raising my hands in surrender "I won't laugh now."
Again, I burst out laughing, Rajesh growled in frustration and started walking towards the entrance of the temple. Ajay quickly came out of the temple and whispered something to Rajesh who now had a pained expression. What's going on?
Ajay was talking to Veeram ji, as Rajesh approached me.
"What happened?" I asked worriedly. But he muttered some incoherent words. I turned my head slightly to see that Veeram ji ordered a boy to bring something. I took a deep breath and took Rajesh's hand in my own "Calm down, calm down, take a deep breath like this" I took a deep breath "Come on take, inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale"
After calming down Rajesh said "They are here."
"What do you mean by 'they'?" I asked as I turned around to see that all the people are gone except us.
"We need to get out of here, the murderers sent his gang, there is a small house hidden in the forest on the backside of the temp-"
"So look who are here? I thought it was going to be difficult to catch these punks. But looks like they have surrendered. Guys catch them." A person wearing a mask said.
"Shit. Run!" Rajesh said and started running towards the backside of the temple pulling me with him. They started running towards us. "I don't want to fight. I promised her that I won't fight, God please help me" he muttered to himself.
"Do you know the route to that house?" I whispered.
"Yeah, Ajay showed me the path in case we were caught" He took his hand from mine and turned "Thank God they lost us, come on we need to hurry" he said and started running, I was tired as hell after running but surprisingly Rajesh didn't look tired. After carrying me and climbing 300 stairs, then running at least 2 kilometers, he is not even breathing heavily.
"Wait!" I said as I bent down touching my knees, I was breathless. After a minute or two I looked up only to find that Rajesh was missing. "Shoot! Where did he go?" I turned around in hope to see him anywhere, I couldn't. I stood there helplessly, what should I do?
To say that I am scared is an understatement. At this moment, every person would think either about his family or God, but... But I was thinking about the person whom I didn't even know about 1 week ago.
Rajesh!
Just when I was about to lose hope, there he stood the last person I wanted to see. I took two steps away from him "Guys come here, one is here, I think other is somewhere near too" I started running away from that masked guy. I ran and ran but couldn't lose them they were behind him. I kept running at least 20 minutes. Only if I didn't go there that night. Only if I didn't see that brutal murder. Only if I didn't ag...
Wait, is he Rajesh? I quickly started running towards him but he was gesturing me not to. But why? I gestured him why, but he didn't say anything but disappeared. Ho... how could he leave me like that? I knew that he was cocky and arrogant, but I didn't know that he was a coward. And here I was, thinking that he was the only one who could save my life. I felt like it was a waste of time running away from them after ten minutes. When I am going to die eventually then why am I running?
I stopped running and turned to see that only that masked faced guy was following me.
"Tired huh?" he asked smirking. I didn't say anything. He came closer, but I didn't back away. I just stood there emotionless, he caught my upper arm started to drag me with him. "Guys, what happened to you all?"
I looked up to see that we were alone, and all the other goons were lying. On. The. Ground. Unconscious. Suddenly Rajesh jumped on the masked man and punched him in the face.
That man losing his balance, fell down on the ground, but quickly got up and gave a swift but hard punch to Rajesh in the stomach. He stumbled a little bit.
"Rajesh!" the other man made a mistake to look at me, Rajesh took the opportunity and kept his index and middle finger on the side of the neck of that man and twisted it. Surprisingly enough the man fell on the ground, unconscious.
I without wasting any time ran towards Rajesh and hugged him. He stiffened, then relaxed and hugged me back. For once I thought that his breath hitched, but I shrugged it off.
I was too scared to think about it. I felt safe in his embrace, I hugged him even more tightly when I remembered how he disappeared before.
I pulled away and started hitting his chest softly. He caught my hands and scowled saying the words that I least expected from him in this very situation.
"You hit like a girl for the first time!" he exclaimed showing his surprise. My jaws dropped.
"SHUT UP!" I yelled only to receive his deep laugh. His laugh somehow made me relax. Seeing him no one could think that he was- I mean he is in danger. How could he laugh like that after fighting with that masked man? Masked man... then I remembered the reason of punching him like a girl. Wait! What do I mean like a girl? I am a girl. Ugh! "Why did you disappear earlier?"
"That" his humored expression was replaced with a serious one, he sighed, turned me around and pointed at the unconscious bodies lying here and there "To do this. Did you think that I was a coward who ran away to save his life?" he raised his eyebrow.
I couldn't help but blush, true to his words I thought the same. "I uh I... I" instead of agreeing with him, I changed the subject.
"That" I pointed at the masked man. "Who is he? Let's see his face" he looked between me and the other person a few times then gave a big time sigh, nodding. He removed the mask of that person. After seeing his face I fell on my knees. The person behind that mask was none other than the murderer himself. Rajesh dropped his body and in the next moment he was squatting down in front of me wiping my tears. "He fo...found us? He came to ki...kil...l" I couldn't even complete my sentence as a sob escaped from my mouth and I completely broke down
"Don't worry, you are safe now, he is unconscious. Okay, from now on I will protect you" he said looking in my eyes. I couldn't help but ask him to promise me. "I promise you."
I quickly hugged him feeling a little bit strong. I was a type of girl who gets scared easily yet I didn't show this side to anyone. Only my parents knew how weak I was. And today Rajesh had seen the real me. I can say that he is quite shocked about this but was smart enough not to comment about it.
"It would be best if we keep on moving" Rajesh said as he pulled away after sometime.
"But this man..." I started saying.
"Don't worry about it I am going to take care of him." He said while carrying him on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes "Ajay will come rescue us next morning until then we have to keep him. I presume you don't have any problem with this arrangement and don't worry he'll be unconscious"
I nodded and started to walk beside him. I don't know why I did the next thing I did, I took Rajesh's left hand in my right hand. He raised an eyebrow at me. I shook my head rapidly yet didn't leave his hand. He tightened his grip as a response.
"By the way, you look beautiful in that saree of yours" eyeing me from top to bottom few times. I for sure knew that I was a complete mess after running for that long. I was about to mutter a thanks when he added, "you actually looked like a girl."
"I hate you!" I said, pulling my hand away, but his reflexes were fast enough to grab my hand again.
"Jhansi we both know that you don't hate me at least" he said with a small smile. I rolled my eyes at him, but didn't say anything. It's true that I hated him. Heck! I hate him even now, but deep inside I knew that I don't hate him anymore and I am too reluctant to admit it.
+++++
To say I was shocked would be an understatement. When Rajesh said a small house... It's actually a house, unlike huts which were the only shelters. This is made of wood. Hell, I didn't even know there was a forest even though it was a dry forest.
We were about to go inside the house when Rajesh said that our bags were in the house. On asking how, he said that Ajay sent a boy named Kalyan to bring our bags here. He further said that it was some secret place that only Veeram Ji, Ajay and the Kalyan boy knew. I just shrugged and went inside.
True to his words there were our bags lying on the floor at the corner of the room. When I went near the bags, my face lit up seeing the food beside them yet I silently took my clothes and went to the modern bathroom. After taking shower, I felt fresh. After I came out taking a shower, Rajesh went to the bathroom ( after tying the murderer ).
I took the food out and was waiting for Rajesh silently thanking aunty ji.
+++++
The sun had already set. We had already eaten our food and were thinking about sleeping arrangements. There was only a queen sized bed with only two comforters. This was a problem because there were 3 persons and only two comforters and a single bed.
No doubt that the murderer will be lying on the floor, but will have a comforter. He once woke up while we were eating. I started freaking out, but Rajesh just rolled his eyes and started eating once again, telling me to do the same. I on the other hand was looking Rajesh as if he has just grown another head yet did what he said.
After completing our food, Rajesh washed his and went near the murderer, pressed his index and middle finger on his neck and twisted them. The poor murderer fell on the ground.
I was sure as hell that my jaw was grazing the ground because Rajesh started laughing as he saw me. On asking how he did that, he just shrugged. That bastard just smirked and went outside.
Rajesh said that he would sleep can the ground, but I didn't agree. I want him to sleep on the bed. After a lot of arguing, we concluded that we both will sleep on the bed. My heart started doing a weird dance. His closeness affects me a lot, it triggers the warm feeling in my heart.
I looked at him, he was staring at the ceiling. He was deeply thinking about something. I wonder what it is. His usual voice used to irritate me, but now his unusual silence is bothering me. I can't control it so I decided to talk to him. The Damn silence is killing me.
"What happened?" I asked and turned my body towards him. He was staring at me.
"Nothing!" He said
"According to me nothing is something very important is bothering" I said and looked at him with hoping eyes
"You really want to know?" he asked and I quickly nodded at him.
"Oops I forgot who Jhansi reporter is, she will insert her nose everywhere in every matter even if it doesn't belong to her" He said playfully.
"I hate you" I said and turned my body so that my back will be facing him. I heard a chuckle. Even his chuckle makes my heart flutter. Something is really very wrong with me and I hate to admit it but I like it.
"Okay, okay I'm sorry, so listen..... Long short story. When I was in high school, my father was murdered, I wanted to let out my anger. I hated God for taking my father away from me. I was always fought in the school. I found peace while fighting. It eventually became a drug to me. I still remember the day when I hit that boy because he called me fatherless. I punched him until his nose was broken. I was suspended. Then I started cage fighting, I hid the fact with my mother that I was cage fighter. But somehow she got the news that I was fighting illegally. She made me promise her that I will not fight again and I will become like my father. My father was a social worker and everyone loved him. He decided to start this political party. But my father was also having many enemies because my father was loved by the people. So they murdered him as he was the biggest threat to the next election. I didn't become like my father, but now I'm youth leader. I don't want any other youngster like me to destroy their life. If my mother didn't stop me, I nearly destroyed my life with my own hands. I feel sad because I have broken my promise today." he said and sighed
I never knew that he suffered that much. I quickly turned around and hugged him. He stiffened at my sudden action but slowly relaxed and hugged me back.
"Don't be sad, you fought to protect us." I said
"Yeah, thanks!" he said reluctantly. Then I pulled away awkwardly. I muttered a small good night and turned my back to him. He was sad, I could say it. I am missing his sarcastic remarks, his revenges, his mocking. I want him to irritate the heck out of me. Then it hit me like cold water that I like how he behaved with me because he irritates only me, no one else. I don't want him to be this sad.
So I turned back to see him lying on his back and eyes closed. I turned back quickly and snatched the comforter all for myself. I internally laughed at my childish behavior.
When there was no reaction I turned back quietly, he didn't even move. I was about to sigh when he opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow.
I smiled sheepishly and was about to give him his part of comforter when he snatched it from me saying that its my punishment. I smiled silently and snatched the comforter again and started to tickle him. He being he was not affected, he smirked.
"I'm not ticklish" I gave him a horrified look.
"Uh-oh"
And ladies and gentlemen, that was the start of my nightmare. I know that I am being a little bit exaggerated. It isn't my fault that I am ticklish and that Rajesh was on the top of me and was tickling the hell out of me and I was laughing like a mad man.
"Le...leave me...!" I said between my laughs.
"Say sorry then I'll leave you" he demanded smirking.
"No, Never!" I said, shaking my head and tried to swat his hands away.
"Okay then!" as he started tickle even harder to the point where it was starting to hurt.
"I'M SORRY!" I shouted and he didn't stop tickling. "Rajesh! Please stop" eventually he got tired, so he stopped.
Shoot!
Now we were in an awkward position, he was on top of me with his knees resting on the both sides of my waist and his elbows resting either side of my head and his face was an inch away from that of mine.
I froze seeing him this near. I wanted to kiss his peachy lips. I looked into his grey eyes suddenly drowning in them as they were looking into the hazel eyes of mine.
Then his eyes dropped to my lips, I saw his Adam apple bobbing up and down. His eyes returned to my eyes again. I felt him leaning as I closed my eyes.
And we kissed...
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Hey guys! Hope you liked this chapter
I am tagging TheQueenofTrouble
Signing out
- AryeZain
-----------------A reminder to say who are in this team---------------------
and background21- team representative... I am really glad this update to be on time with proper number of words and i am sure this will be the case from now on... thanku AryeZain for being in contact and for keeping in mind the time and word limit... please everyone be in contact atleast for the time you have to update and also check every monday whether you were challenged or not...
Thank you--- background21