*Jhanvi Pov*
"Come here Princess!" I heard dad yell from the garden. I shook my head and ran away from him.
"Sweetheart, you have to go!" He said but I still went and hid behind the tree like I always do. I soo don't want to go there! Everyone hates me there!
"Sweetheart?" Dad called but I still remained still. I peaked out of my hiding spot to know where he is.
He is nowhere in sight. I sighed as he isn't around.
"Boo!" Someone yelled and I held my heart as the sound was sudden.
I sighed as it was just my dad. He lifted me off my feet and I giggled at that. He laughed along with me.
"You caught me!" I shrieked and he nodded.
"I did darling." He laughed again and kissed my cheek.
"Now, how about ice-cream after you football class?" My face fell at that thought. Ice-cream is what I want but without football.
"I don't want to go! All the boys are throwing the ball on my face! They don't like me at all!" I whined but dad just smiled.
"Darling, what are you to me?" He asked and I sighed.
"Your princess." I answered.
"And what are princess supposed to be like?" He asked and I sighed again.
"They should be brave and strong enough to save their kingdoms." I answered and he nodded.
"So, aren't you brave enough to deal with those boys?"
"I am!" I answered and he chuckled again.
"So, let's go to the ground and prove to your coach and those boys that your too brave for anyone to handel!"
My eyes snapped open and I sighed in relief that it was a dream, just a dream of the most haunting moments of my life. I don't even know why, but I end up getting this memory as my dream. It was a ten year old me. The time I never wanted to go back to. Beautiful moments which ended with a tragic ending.
Sweat cover my entire body and my breathing seemed to be out of control. I closed my eyes for a moment to control my breathing. After I'm sure that my breathing is under control, I opened my eyes.
My throat felt dry and I eyed my surroundings for any hint of water. A glass of water is placed right on the nightstand beside the bed. I took it and drained it in one go. I soo don't want the same dream again. It remained me soo much of the man who loved my mother and me endless.
I wiped my face with my hands and took a huge breath in as my sanity seemed to enter into my mind again. I eyed my surroundings and tried to recollect how I ended up here.
The last I remember was the goons surrounding me and spraying chloroform onto my face. They abducted me and I let them. This is all because of my resolve. I once decided never to rely on anyone for anything but I did the mistake again.
I relied on Rajesh and that weakened me.
I opened up my emotional side for him and I don't even know why. Even before being abducted, I wished for him to be around. How pathetic of me?
This is not me, my father wanted me to be brave. He wanted me to be strong and take care of my mother in his absence.
I wasn't me when Rajesh is around. I don't even want to think about that. The past few days are different and these coming days would obviously be different. I walked to the door as I know that the abductors aren't the murders trying to kill us. Those men would shoot me on the spot but not abduct me.
I tried opening it and to my sheer luck or surprise, it wasn't bolted on the other side. I walked out to the room to find an argument coming from downstairs.
This is not a hide out as it looked like an olden age traditional Asamees house and this strangely felt too familiar but I just couldn't put my finger on anything.
The hallway opposite to my room is huge. I walked to the railing of the hallway to be met with a huge open space in between the house. The house is three storied and it looked like it is home to a lot of people. Not that I care of as long as it isn't a brothel. It might not be a brother as the hallways are a lot cleaner with wooden armchairs here and there and a few tables displaying traditional Asamees artwork.
A familiar yelling of a man put a halt to my thought. I couldn't make out what was spoken but I definitely know whom the voice belonged to. I walked more further into the hallway to find a staircase leading downstairs. I descended the staircase taking my time as these staircase spoke of high royalty with it's carpeted floor and portraits of a few men I hardly know of.
The argument seemed to be more prominent as I stepped on what seemed like the final stair. I walked towards the source which happened to be a closed double door with shutters on it. I contemplated on knocking on the door. Would it be like intruding?
"Then who asked you to get her here?!" Rajesh's voice pulled me out of my dilemma. It's better to listen to what shit he has got to say before he could start rambling on how reckless I am.
"What are you talking about? We find you after ages but in which way? In a disguise?! We wanted you home and she was our only chance!" I heard another voice and this seemed a sort of familiar, like I heard it somewhere.
"I don't care but we're leaving." I pushed the door open and to my luck this door isn't bolted as well or maybe this house dosen't have bolts at all.
How convenient?
"Jhansi? When were you awake?" Rajesh asked but I placed my hand in front of him asking him to stop. I walked in to be met with five men and all of them looked strangely familiar. A man kept eyeing me keenly but I ignored him anyways.
"I don't know who you people are but I think I'm staying here." I announced and everyone looked star struck.
"What are you talking about?!" Rajesh asked and I turned towards him.
"I think you have an even better idea?" I asked and he frowned. He didn't talk anything, he was just quiet.
"Why don't tell me your amazing ideas?" I asked but I'm only met with silence.
"I also think that she's right, dadu." A much younger boy said and he sighed.
"You must be Jhansi konnuru?" The elder man who kept eyeing me intently asked and I nodded.
"You were here, on an interview an year ago." He stated and then it clicked me. The familiar house and familiar persons. This is the case which bought me instant fame!
My program on the north-east's dictatorial group, The Shiv family.
How did I even forget that?!
"Mr. Siv?" I asked and he nodded. I couldn't help the wide grin on my face after that. He is one among the best leaders but he didn't choose the right path.
"You still remember?" I asked and he nodded.
"You were the only journalist to cover a positive story on the Shivs, how could I forget?" He asked and that is true. I always liked to show the other side of the story and that's what urged me to show the other side of the Shiv's to the world.
"It's a pity that most people never focus on the other side of your family." I said and he nodded.
"You both know each other?" This time it was Rajesh.
"Yes but the question is how you know about the Shivs?" I asked and he sighed.
"Dadu, I need some time with her." Rajesh said and every member in the room vacated at the room slowly. He must be related to them in someway. Rajesh then went and locked the door.
"What were you thinking when you said you want to stay with them?" He asked as soon as all the men left the room.
"Left with any other ideas?" I asked and he sighed.
"What do you know about the Shivs?" He doesn't know how much I know about them.
"A lot Reddy, in fact I rose to fame with my story on the Shivs." I said and he rolled his eyes.
"You were a reporter back home but here-"
"What do you even know about me Reddy? That I talk when you talk, smile when you smile and cry and fall to your feet?" I asked and he frowned.
"That isn't the actual me. Just ask anyone who Jansi Konnuru is, they'll tell you that I run behind trouble as that's what I like. I'm not just a reporter, I'm rather an editor in the leading digital media front and that day when we witnessed the murder I came to expose the home minister on the Farah Jamme murder case." I said and he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Yes I don't know much about you but Jhansi just please let's not do what you just announced. It's not safe for you. Please, for me." Where is he going? I guess to the same point which made me oblivious.
"I think we are safe only here, they seemed to know you as well which is an asset to us." He groaned and eyed me dead serious.
"Are you back to that cold hearted person I met Jhansi? Why are you even rude to me now?" I'm not falling for it ever again. He won't do me any good!
"Stop right there, mister. Yes, I went with the flow but we were pretending to be a perfect couple, isn't it? I tried to put on a good show and I think I did." I answered and he eyed me with obvious hurt. I felt a pang in my heart but this is better than going through shit again.
"You were pretending?" He murmured but it was quiet audible to me. I took in a huge breath of air to compose myself and eyed him dead serious.
"Obviously, Rajesh Reddy." I said and his eyes turned serious all of a sudden.
"Very well then, let's stay here till we're out of those murderer's reach Jhansi Konnuru." Bulls eye! He is back to his jerk self.
"Sure, just a few days and you'd be back to being a minister and I'll be an editor again." I said and he nodded. He then walked away from the room even without a word.
I hurt him a lot but it's for the best.
It's for my best.
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The later days at the Shivs was, let say quiet interesting. I spent my time talking to the men in the family. I've been to their weapons room and damn!
They have a lot of ammunitions. Ranging from automated to manual ones. They even have their personal set of vintage guns in a display and well, I'm impressed.
Most of their cases aren't dealt here and I wasn't able to witness any of their negotiations but I'm planning to do that very soon.
I wasn't allowed to see most of the things I'm witnessing now, when I shot a documentry on them.
Th women in this family are quiet strange, they either gush over me or give me huge toothy grins whenever I cross their path. Mr. Shiv's wife was no exception in it. She kept telling me that I'm like her daughter-in-law and I don't get this! People would usually compare a girl to their daughter but this lady is totally wierd. She doesn't even have a son as well for me to assume with.
Rajesh though didn't looking into my eyes after I broke his heart. Pity and sad, yes, but I didn't ask him to stop being friends with me, right? I could allow friendship.
"Yeah but where is your dada?" I asked Ishan as he kept detailing me on the business the Shivs are involved in which didn't include drugs, surprisingly.
"Which dada? Abhi dada?" He asked and I rolled my eyes. I wonder how this Abhi Dada is. Everyone has this name in the tip of their mouth but I don't understand why they bring him in between when I talk about Rajesh.
"No! Your Rajesh dada!" I said and he nodded like he understood.
"Come, I'll take you to dada." He said and walked towards the big double door which is the only entrance of the house.
He spoke something to the men in guard which I paid no head to as I was busy admiring their well built bodies.
Nothing bad in admiring their muscle work, right?
It's a guilty pleasure.
We both walked passed the men and Ishan walked a little further and I followed him obediently. We walked through the huge farm to be met with an open shooting arena. This is no-where professional at all. A few logs are placed at a distance upon which targets are painted. The range is quiet smaller than an average shooting arena. This might be where the men are trained.
Only two men were shooting, one was some unknown and the other, Rajesh dada. I think I'm growing a liking towards calling him that.
I shooed Ishan away as he kept protesting that it isn't safe for me. He left reluctantly anyway and I made my way towards Rajesh.
"Is the log, me?" I asked him as soon as I reached him.
"No." He answered as he loaded his gun and pulled the leaver.
"Then why were you avoiding me?" I asked and he raised his rifle towards the target on the log.
"I'm not." He said and pulled the trigger. The bullet didn't hit the log anywhere.
"You might be occupied with thoughts to miss it." The man beside Rajesh spoke and gave me a smile for which I just nodded in acknowledgement.
"I'm not!" He said and pulled the trigger again but missed it.
"He's been missing his target since yesterday." The man said and I nodded.
"Try changing your angle." I said and both the men turned towards me.
"This is shooting Konnuru, keep your physics out of it." This guy is absolutely dumb.
"Give me your gun." I said and he frowned.
"Why?" He asked and I glared at him while he glared back and turned back towards the target.
"Give it dadu! She'll anyways loose and no-one will get hurt even if she misses her target." The man said and Rajesh sighed while turning towards me.
He shoved the gun into my hand with a grumpy face. I want to laugh out loud at that face. His innocence is what impressed me at first and still is.
I eyed the gun and instantly recognized it. It's a Beretta 90two, Italian made, 2006 model.
I held the gun in my palms and felt it's power for a while. I pulled it's leaver and raised the gun towards my target. It's not of a larger range. Not equal to the ones I've practiced too. This will be very easy.
I focused on the bulls eye and set my angle accordingly. I pulled the trigger thrice and three bullets pierced through the wood at the same point. I smirked at my handiwork.
I turned towards the two men to find them shell shocked.
I snapped my finger in front of Rajesh and he snapped out of his surprise.
"I might not be good with a hand to hand combat but I never miss a target." I said and Rajesh rolled his eyes.
"Are you a journalist or a shooter?" The man beside him asked and I chuckled at his question.
"I am a journalist but shooting is my passion. I was part of the rifel and pistol club at Yale University where I've done my masters in mass communications." I said and the man just nodded.
"Leave us for a minuite Tej." Rajesh said and the man just nodded and walked away.
"What are you here for? For rubbing it on ny face that you are capable enough of protecting yourself from those murderers?" He asked and I sighed.
"No Rajesh, I'm here as I owe you an explanation." I said and he just huffed and turned away from me.
"I just can't do the romantic thing Rajesh. I'm not built for that and whatever happened is just an impulse." I explained and he turned towards me.
"We kissed and that's an impulse?" He asked and I sighed.
"I've done even more intimate things with a couple of mem. That kiss wasn't my first." I said and he looked broke but that is the truth! He isn't my first but he definately is special. I felt something in that kiss with him which I never felt with any man.
"But it was my first, damn it!" He yelled and I took a step back.
"I understand and I can't help you in this. I'm just trying to make it clear to you so that your hopes won't be up. I don't want you to be hurt in the end." I said and he sighed.
"Fine but can we be friend atleast?" How can I say no for that?
"Sure." I said outstretching my hand for a handshake which he took with a smile.
"Let's start this over again." I said and he nodded.
"We need not pretend as a couple too. We can start this all over." He said and I sighed.
A huge weight lifted off my heart. He isn't too hurt but the friendship must suffice for anything.
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the chapter is by JheovaCindy , thanku for picking up the duty of writing this chap...
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