"She never believed in monsters... until one saved her."<br /> <br /> The outskirts of Nagpur… Dense forest, dim evening light, thunder rumbling in the sky above and the rustling of the winds. In that desolate silence, a luxury car screeches to a hal... "She never believed in monsters... until one saved her."<br /> <br /> The outskirts of Nagpur… Dense forest, dim evening light, thunder rumbling in the sky above and the rustling of the winds. In that desolate silence, a luxury car screeches to a halt. Inside, a boy… whose eyes were boiling with anger, and a girl… whose forehead was bloodied, and who was so broken that she couldn't even speak.<br /> <br /> He drags her out of the car. Shouts. Accuses. Shatters her heart into pieces.<br /> And then… leaves.<br /> Just like that.<br /> <br /> But there was something even more terrifying than that boy… someone who was hidden, watching his every move.<br /> <br /> Who was that? And why… did he save her?<br /> <br /> She ran.<br /> Slipped.<br /> And then… vanished into thin air.<br /> <br /> In a moment, that girl, whom everyone considered ordinary, became a part of a mysterious and terrifying world…<br /> <br /> "The one who scares you the most, might be the one who saves you forever."<br />
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Seeing the vampire before her, the girl instantly collapsed to the ground. Once again, her white clothes were soiled with dirt; fear was etched on her face, her brow furrowed, and she lay unconscious on the ground, having lost her senses. As she fainted, in the blink of an eye, that shadow also vanished. A strong gust of wind blew, and the girl disappeared.
Approximately fifteen minutes later, the same black shadow appeared at the same spot and, gazing at the flowing waterfall, got lost in the moment when the girl had stood there, drenched beneath the cascade. Her wet, moon-like beautiful face floated before his eyes. He lowered his eyelids, as if capturing that moment in his gaze; a serene, enchanting smile spread across his lips.
Remembering the girl, he said to himself,
"I came here to enjoy this season, the desire to spend a few moments in peace drew me here, but I didn't know that here I would find solace for my restless heart. I don't know if anyone has ever told you, but you look like a piece of the moon; so beautiful that words of praise fall short. That moment when you were fearlessly playing with the raindrops like a playful river, what a beautiful moment that was. The subtle fragrance emanating from your body thrilled my senses; there was a strange allure in you that mesmerized me."
"The temptation to keep you in my sight did not let my eyes stray from you even for a moment, but seeing me, your fainting broke this beautiful dream of mine, making me realize that you can reside in these eyes, but cannot be a part of my life. I can yearn for you, but I cannot dream of having you. You are a girl with a very delicate heart; there is no match for you with me. You have become the solace for my restless heart, but the restlessness you have awakened within me now has no end."
"We are creatures of two different species; our union is impossible. You are very special to me, but you cannot stay close. Perhaps this one moment was all that was destined for me; perhaps spending my life restlessly, staying away from you, is my fate. But I have no complaints; today, I was able to see you to my heart's content, that is enough for me."
"May that innocent smile always adorn your lips, that is my only wish. Being able to lift you in my arms was no less than a beautiful dream for me; this precious moment came my way, this too is a blessing of fate. Now I must spend my life relying on the echoes of your feelings. You will not remember anything tomorrow, nor will I, but I will never forget you, not even in my dreams."
The shadow opened his eyes, looked at the waterfall once more, and saw the same girl there, still drenched and smiling in the water. The next moment, like a gust of wind, he flew away from there.
As soon as he left, a bat flew in and, in the next moment, transformed into a vampire. His eyes were red with anger; he turned and looked at the waterfall, clenching his fists. His blazing, red, terrifying eyes stared in the direction from which the shadow had just gone.
The next day, at five in the morning, in a small room of a two-story house in Nagpur, a girl lay on her bed with her eyes closed; an enchanting smile spread across her lips, as if she were seeing something pleasant in a dream. The next moment, a pair of deep blue, terrifying eyes and teeth protruding from both sides of a mouth appeared before her eyes. That blurred face spun before her eyes, and her face turned white with fear.
The next moment, she sat up with a scream. Her entire face was drenched in sweat. She opened her eyes and saw a picture of a woman on the wall opposite her. The girl looked around nervously, then wiped her sweat with her palm and said to herself,
"This is my room, but when and how did I get here? I was in the forest last night; that vampire appeared before me..." As she said this, her body trembled; she clenched her fists and, trying to control herself, said,
"I remember it clearly, it was not a dream. Yesterday, Nihal had dropped me off near the forest, and I had entered in anger. Then, sensing someone's presence, I ran without looking and probably fell into a swamp... but then how did I come out? ... How did I get there? ... Someone was there, someone had picked me up and flown me away from there... I felt someone's presence there; someone was watching me... but then that vampire appeared, and I fainted from fear... But I saw in TV that vampires drink human blood; why didn't he kill me by drinking my blood? ... And how did I get here?"
The poor girl was terribly confused; she couldn't understand what had happened to her yesterday. She got off the bed, took clothes from the cupboard, and went to bathe. The events of yesterday were still running through her mind. After coming out, she tied her hair into a braid, then put on a dupatta around her neck, which reminded her of Nihal's words from yesterday, and her heart sank. She looked at the ring on her left ring finger and began to take it off in anger; then someone's voice came from outside,
"Anya..."
Hearing the voice, the girl, whose name was Anya, stopped her hands. She adjusted her dupatta and stepped out of the room to find a man, a woman, and Nihal standing there. Seeing Nihal, Anya's temper flared, and she glared at him, saying,
"What are you doing here now? Coming to see if I'm alive or dead? Don't worry; I'm not so weak that I'd give up my life in grief after you broke off the engagement."
"Anya, don't say that; whatever I said yesterday came out of my mouth in anger. You know, when I'm angry, I don't realize what I'm saying," Nihal said, offering an explanation with a pathetic look. Hearing him, Anya replied angrily, sarcastically,
"Yes, what you said and did yesterday was all in anger. You probably didn't realize what you said and what happened; now you must understand that you did very wrong to me, so you've come to my house first thing in the morning."
As soon as Anya finished speaking, the woman grabbed her arm and turned her towards her, shouting angrily, "What kind of way is this to talk to Nihal? Have you sold off all your manners, shame, and modesty?"
"Leave it, Auntie, it's my fault, not hers; her anger is justified," Nihal defended Anya, and Kaveri ji released Anya's arm, but Anya's expression did not change; she was still glaring at Nihal with anger.
"I am very ashamed for what I said to you yesterday and how I treated you. Please forgive me; give me one chance, I will never make such a mistake again." Nihal apologized to her, but Anya's expression did not change at all. Seeing her demeanor, this time Ajit ji, meaning her father, reprimanded her, "Anya, lower your gaze; what are you staring at them for? They are apologizing to you, so forgive them."
"I won't forgive him," Anya said fearlessly, meeting his eyes, and he began to glare at her angrily. Now Anya turned towards Nihal and said with extreme anger,
"You said it right; what you did yesterday, you will never be able to do again, because I will not give you the chance. What do you think of yourself? Yesterday, when you were angry, you left me alone on that deserted road, surrounded by dense forests on both sides. You didn't once think about what would happen to me; all you saw was your anger. Even if I had died yesterday, no one here would have cared, I know that, but it matters to me. Yesterday, in your anger, what didn't you say to me; you were taunting me as if you had done me a great favor by getting engaged to me."
"But if you're forgetting, let me remind you, I didn't come to you; you were interested in me. I told you so many times that we are not a match, but you were infatuated with love; you made so many promises, but I still didn't agree because there was never anything for you in my heart, but you didn't give up. When you couldn't convince me, you showed up at my house with my proposal. I agreed to this engagement and marriage only under pressure from my parents."
"You already knew I was like this; I clearly told you to make any decision after thinking it through, because I will never change myself for anyone, ever. If you will love me after I change, then this deception, this deal in the name of love, is not acceptable to me. Yesterday you told me that you were breaking off this engagement with me; today I tell you that I want no kind of relationship with a two-faced snake like you." Anya took off the ring from her ring finger and placed it on his palm, saying, "Take this cheap ring and get out of my house and my life."
Anya was furious for the first time today; Nihal stared at her, dumbfounded. As soon as Anya fell silent, a loud slap landed directly on her cheek, and her ears went numb. Tears welled up in her eyes; she looked up to see Kaveri ji standing before her, who slapped her cheek again and screamed angrily,
"How dare you break off this engagement without our permission? Do you even know how difficult it was to find such a good boy for you? If this relationship breaks, who will marry you? And what did son-in-law Ji say wrong to you? Didn't he just say to wear clothes of his choice in front of his friends, but you didn't listen to him and now you're yelling at him? Listen carefully to this one thing too; you will marry Nihal Ji, and you will have to change yourself according to him."
"I won't change myself for anyone; even if you kill me, I will never marry him," Anya screamed back in anger. The next moment, a resounding slap landed on her fair cheeks once more, and Anya's head spun. This time the slap was very hard, and the person who hit her was Ajit ji.
"Your marriage is fixed, so correct your behavior. You've become too talkative these days; don't forget your limits, or we will also forget that you are our daughter," he roared angrily; hearing his words, tears welled up in Anya's eyes.
"Your wedding is fixed, so mend your ways. You've become very argumentative lately, don't forget your limits, or we will forget that you are our daughter." He roared with anger. Anya's eyes welled up with tears upon hearing his words.
She wiped her tears and, looking at them with tear-filled eyes, said, "When did you even remember that I am your daughter and you are my father? You never saw me. You never saw my tears; all you see are your wife's tears, all you hear are her words. I never existed. I know you will consider her right even today, so I have nothing to say to you.
If you cared about me even a little, you would stand with me today, not against me. The boy who left your daughter alone in the middle of the forest at night, saying he had no relation with her anymore, your wife wants me to marry him happily, and you have no objections.
You also want me to marry Nihal, just so you can get rid of me from this house. But I will never marry a person in whose eyes I have no existence or self-respect. If you both want to get rid of me, tell me, and I will leave this house myself, never to return, but I will absolutely not marry Nihal."
"How can you not get married? You have to get married at any cost. I also want to see how you won't get married and how you step out of this house. From now on, you will only leave your room on the day you agree to the marriage." He grabbed her hair and started dragging her towards her room, but Anya didn't say a word, biting her lips to somehow endure the pain.
He shoved her into the room and, locking the door from the outside, said, "Until you agree to the marriage, you will get nothing to eat or drink. I want to see how long this pride of yours lasts. When you are deprived of food and water for two days, all your arrogance will be shattered, and you will come crawling to me, begging to get married.
You will only be free from here when you get married and go to Nihal's house; until then, you can neither leave this room nor step out of the house."
"Fine, see this, it's not my pride, it's my self-respect. Even if I die of hunger and thirst, I will still say that I will not marry Nihal." Anya shouted from inside. But Kaveri ji locked the door and left, joining her hands in front of Nihal and saying, "Forgive me, son, she's become very angry and stubborn over small things lately. Don't worry, she'll calm down after being locked inside for a while, and then she'll call you herself. This marriage won't break, rest assured."
Nihal said, "Ji Aunty," and then left after bidding them farewell.
Kaveri ji then looked at Ajit and said angrily, "Are you seeing her behavior? We've raised her with such care, and how rudely she talks to us! She's becoming more stubborn and ill-mannered day by day. We are her parents, so we tolerate everything, but what will happen when she gets married and goes to someone else's home? We are very worried. She's a young girl, and her behavior isn't right; she's slipping out of our hands. Now, even physical punishment doesn't have any effect. Did you see how she was looking us in the eye? I say, let's get her married to Nihal as soon as possible. If things get out of hand and this relationship breaks, no one will marry Anya. Besides, the sooner daughters leave their parental homes, the better.
If you say so, shall I ask Samdhan ji to move forward with the marriage talks? If the wedding happens as soon as possible, our worries will end, and perhaps Anya will also improve after marriage."
She ensnared Ajit ji with her sweet talk, and he easily agreed. Kaveri ji's eyes sparkled. Nihal was supposed to give her ten lakh rupees after Anya's marriage, which is why she wanted to get her married quickly. But Ajit ji didn't know this, while Anya knew nothing was hidden from her. She knew her stepmother was selling her to a boy named Nihal in the name of marriage, a boy who saw no existence in her, who only wanted to possess her body.
She had refused the proposal before, but they had tortured her similarly then. She was locked in her room without water and food for a week. Her health deteriorated so much that the doctor clearly stated her survival was impossible. Anya wished she would die because no one loved her here anyway.
Her mother had passed away to heaven immediately after giving birth to her. After that, the midwife raised her. She was three years old, but her father had still not seen his daughter's face. He only fulfilled her financial needs, perhaps fulfilling his duty, because, after all, Anya was his daughter. One day, he suddenly brought Kaveri ji with him.
They both got married. That day they saw Anya's face and only told her that from now on, Kaveri ji was her mother and went to their room. The little three-year-old child, who had never felt her mother's love, nor seen her father, stared blankly at Kaveri ji.
She had spent three years with the midwife. For her, the midwife was everything. Suddenly, Kaveri ji arrived. The midwife explained to her that she was her mother and would now take care of her. Little Anya was very happy. That day, calling out "Mom, Mom," she went and clung to Kaveri ji's feet, but that heartless woman kicked her away, making her fall.
The child fell to the ground and started crying, but Kaveri ji didn't care one bit. The midwife quickly picked her up, held her to her chest, and looked at Kaveri ji in surprise while trying to console her. Hearing Anya's cries, Ajit ji came there for the first time, otherwise, he had never paid any attention to her before. As soon as he arrived, Kaveri ji snatched Anya from the midwife and started to console her. The midwife could only watch his changing demeanor.
After that day, she would act in front of Ajit ji as if she loved Anya dearly, and in his absence, she would scold and hit the child at every opportunity. Two years passed like this. The midwife could no longer bear this cruelty. When she told Ajit ji, Kaveri ji, in turn, accused her of stealing jewelry and got her thrown out of the house.
Now she had sole authority over this house, and this is what she wanted. Ajit ji never saw Anya or her tears; he was completely under her control. She had trapped him with her sweet talk and beauty such that Ajit ji only heard what she said and did what she wanted. Anya's last support, the midwife, was also taken away from her. The little child couldn't understand what crime she was being punished for.
Anya was five years old, and from then on, Kaveri ji made her do all the household chores, even though she didn't know how to work. Sometimes she would get hurt, and sometimes there would be no one to tend to her. If Ajit ji accidentally asked, Kaveri ji would falsely accuse her, saying she played and fought with the neighborhood children all day long, which is why she got hurt.
Five-year-old Anya would stare at them in bewilderment but say nothing. She had understood by then that her father would neither listen to her nor believe her words, just as he hadn't believed the midwife's truth despite her pleas and had thrown her out of the house. This had a profound impact on her delicate heart, and she became estranged from Ajit ji, giving up all hope. She would cry alone with her mother's picture but wouldn't say anything to anyone.
When Ajit ji started seeing wounds on Anya's body for several consecutive days, and every time Kaveri ji said she played and fought outside all day, he got tired of the complaints and admitted Anya to school.
Unknowingly, he had done her a favor. Now he himself would drop her off at school in the morning, lest she run off somewhere else, and would also go to pick her up. Anya spent half her day at school and the other half doing household chores. She would study late at night because it was the only thing that brought her joy. There were never any complaints from the school teachers about her studies.
Gradually, she learned to work, so she got hurt less, and the injuries eventually stopped. The atmosphere in the house was such that Anya learned to hide all her pain within herself and smile and laugh from a young age. Looking at her, no one could tell that she was living such a wretched life. She was very quiet at home, but at school, she became a completely different person. She would laugh, smile, talk a lot, everyone was friends with her, and she kept everyone laughing. Teachers were also happy with her, her lips always had a smile, she was good at studies, and she created a very good atmosphere in the class. She herself would laugh, make others laugh, and also study with them.
She was eight years old when a little guest arrived at their home. Kaveri ji gave birth to a son five years after their marriage. It was very difficult, and Ajay was born after a major operation, so Kaveri ji was on bed rest for a month.
At that time, Anya was on her summer vacation. She didn't go out; she stayed at home and did all the housework all day. She wouldn't even move a glass from here to there; all responsibility fell on Anya's delicate shoulders, but she was happy because she loved children very much, and little Ajay was the center of her happiness. Although Kaveri ji didn't let her go near him, when Kaveri ji went for a bath, Anya would play a lot with Ajay.
For Ajit ji, everything was going well. Anya's praise came from school, and she also did all the chores at home. After Ajay's birth, Kaveri ji started hating Anya even more, thinking she would be a competitor to her son, and now she started poisoning Ajit ji's heart against Anya. Poor Anya frequently fell victim to their wrath without any reason, but she wouldn't say a word, bearing everything silently. She wouldn't even let tears escape her eyes, which Kaveri ji called impudence and would also hit and beat her herself.
To be continued...
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Anvay reached Aurangabad with Anya. Rahul and Simran also met them on the way. Anya felt good talking to them; Anvay didn't say much, just got angry and glared. Both of them were friendly, so Anya quickly mingled with them.
The four of them reached Aurangabad. Anvay was carrying both their bags; Anya walked slowly, talking to both of them. Anvay turned his head and seeing all three so far behind, he stopped there. After some time, all three reached there. He looked at them with displeasure and said,
"If we walk a little faster, we can reach our destination quickly."
"What are you saying to us? Your friend is walking slowly, and now you're running ahead of her, leaving her behind. We can't walk fast leaving her alone," Simran replied instantly. Anvay's gaze shifted to Anya. Understanding the question in his eyes, Anya said softly,
"My slipper broke while running after the bus. It's very old, so it broke. I can't walk like this."
"Oh, you should have told us earlier! There's a shop ahead, let's get you new slippers," Rahul said with a smile, seeing her upset. Anvay's angry gaze was fixed on Anya. As soon as Rahul finished speaking, his phone rang. He spoke and seemed a little troubled.
"What happened? Why did you suddenly become worried?" Simran asked, seeing him troubled. He replied, looking at her,
"It was Mom's call, Dad's health has worsened, he's in the hospital. We need to get there quickly."
"Yes, you two should go, and please let us know how Uncle is. He will be perfectly fine," Anya immediately reassured them. Hearing her words, they both smiled slightly. Rahul gave Anvay his number and said,
"Now that we know each other, tell us if you need anything. We'll come to meet you when we have time. Stay in touch, and take good care of Anya. Don't be so strict with girls, deal with them a bit more lovingly."
Rahul advised him, but Anvay's face showed no emotion. He took the number but said nothing. As they both got into the auto, Anya bid them goodbye, and the auto moved forward. Anvay's gaze was fixed on her. Anya hadn't spoken to him even once the entire way, and now she wasn't even looking at him. This thought seemed a bit strange to him.
He took his eyes off her and moved forward, saying,
"Come on, let's get slippers for you, otherwise, it will be morning by the time you reach where we need to go."
Even here, his arrogance was evident. He walked ahead, but Anya didn't move from her spot; she just stood there. When Anvay realized this, he turned towards her and asked,
"Why aren't you walking now? What do you want? Should I carry you to the shop in my arms? Or do you think I'm a magician who can pick up the shop and bring it in front of you?
If that's the case, I'm telling you in advance that I'm neither a magician nor someone who will carry you anywhere in my arms. You'll have to walk to the shop on your own feet, and walk a little faster, we have to go somewhere else too."
"I don't have money. I don't want to buy new slippers. I'll get these repaired," Anya said softly after he fell silent. Hearing her words, Anvay's gaze went to her slippers; they looked quite old and had been repaired a few times. Looking at the slippers, he asked,
"How many more times will you get them repaired and wear them? Is there even one spot left that isn't broken? And how many years have you been dragging these slippers?"
"I don't know, I don't remember, maybe five years. The last time they broke, I asked Mrs. Kaveri Sinha to get me new slippers. They broke completely, so she beat me badly and said, 'Do money grow on trees? Your father works hard all day and earns a few pennies, and you just keep wasting his hard-earned money on useless things. Your education is already costing a fortune; if we spend everything on you, then my son and I will have to beg on the streets.'
After that, I never asked her for anything. When my college sandals would break, my friend Aarti would get them repaired with her own money. Once, in anger, she threw my sandals away because they were completely broken, and she even got me new sandals. But when I went home, your father's wife said so many things to her that she threw the sandals in the trash and beat me severely with a stick. I had bruises all over my body, and I couldn't go to college for a week. After that, I used to wear all my sandals and slippers after getting them repaired.
The day before yesterday, my sandals got lost in the jungle, and I didn't have any other pair, so I ran away from home wearing these slippers. And today, these broke again. But don't worry, I'll get them repaired, and they'll be fine. You don't need to spend money unnecessarily. I'm already indebted to you, so don't increase my debt to the point where I can never repay it."
There was something about Anvay that made Anya, who had kept her words hidden in her heart for years, say everything so unhesitatingly. Hearing her, Anvay felt pity for her. He placed his hand on her head, and Anya looked up at him and said,
"Oh, why are you being so serious? I'm fine. I don't feel bad remembering those things anymore. I've gotten used to these things. I've only received taunts and beatings from childhood; it doesn't even hurt anymore."
How easily she hid her pain behind her smile. Anvay held the handles of both bags in one hand and with the other, held her wrist and said,
"Come on, I'll get you new slippers."
"I don't have money, and I don't want to take any more favors from you," Anya said, pulling her hand away. Anvay turned towards her once again and said seriously, looking into her eyes,
"Fine, if you don't want my favor, then I'll leave you here. Make your own arrangements. Why should I keep favoring you?"
Saying this, he let go of Anya's hand. But hearing his words, Anya quickly grabbed his hand and said,
"No, I'm scared alone. I'll go with you."
Hearing her words, a sly smile played on Anvay's lips, and he walked forward, holding her palm. Just one street away, they found a footwear shop. Both went inside. Anvay asked the boy working there to get Anya some nice slippers and sandals. Anya wanted to say something, but Anvay's stern gaze silenced her.
After trying on a few slippers and sandals, Anya couldn't decide. When Anvay asked her to choose, she replied with her head bowed that she didn't know how to choose. She had never bought anything; whatever Kaveri ji brought, she would quietly accept.
Finally, Anvay chose the slippers and sandals for her, got the sandals packed, paid the money, and they both left the shop. Anya kept looking at her feet as she walked. Anvay noticed this and asked her as he walked beside her,
"What happened? Don't you like the slippers? You keep looking at your feet. If you prefer the other ones, let's go and get them."
"No, it's not like that. The slippers are very nice, and your choice is also very good. I'm wearing new slippers after such a long time, that's why I'm happy looking at my feet. My feet look so beautiful, just a little dirty," Anya said with a smile, looking at him. Anvay didn't say anything after hearing her, and started walking, looking ahead. Then Anya asked,
"Where are we going?"
"We're going to arrange a place to stay. No more questions after this. Just walk with me quietly," Anvay said strictly. As he fell silent, Anya spoke up,
"Why do you always tell me to be quiet? Mrs. Sinha at home also didn't let me speak. If I said anything, she would hit me, and now you also don't let me speak. Do one thing, just tape my lips, then I won't be able to speak even if I want to, and everyone will be happy."
Anya pouted in displeasure. Hearing her words, Anvay realized how difficult her life had been. He didn't say anything now, although Anya also didn't say anything further and walked with him, pouting. After a few streets, Anvay stopped in front of a house. He rang the doorbell, and an aunt came out. Anvay greeted her, and she blessed him to be happy forever. Then, looking at Anya, she said,
"Who is this doll? I've never seen her with you before. Did you get married?"
"No, Kaki. I met her on the way. She needed a place to stay, so I thought she could stay with me here until she finds another place. Do you have any objections?"
"Why would we object, son? It's your room. Just stay with respect."
"Don't worry, we'll just stay as roommates," Anvay assured her, and the aunt went inside with a smile. Anvay came inside and moved towards the stairs. Anya also quietly followed him. There was a room upstairs. Anvay put down the bags, took out the key from his pocket, and opened the gate. Then he switched on the switch from the board next to the gate, and light filled the room. He came inside with the bags and, making them stand aside, said,
"The room is a bit small, adjust yourself. I don't like noise at all, so keep your chatterbox shut. If you live here, you'll have to follow my rules. Otherwise, it won't take me long to show you the way out."
Anya didn't pay attention to his words. She was looking around the room, her eyes scanning it. Although the room wasn't very big, it was neatly decorated. In the middle of the room, against the back wall, was the bed, with a table on the side with a lamp on it. On the other side were shelves with many books. Opposite the bed was a table with some papers on it. The room had an attached bathroom and a separate kitchen on the other side. There was also a balcony, and next to it, a large window that was currently closed. Right opposite the bed, on the wall, was an LCD, next to it a dressing table, and beside that, a wardrobe. The room was painted white, the bed also had a white sheet. There were few things in the room, but it still looked very good.
Anya said, looking around the room,
"This place looks like someone already lives here."
"I do," Anvay replied in a stern voice. Hearing him, Anya's astonished gaze turned towards him. She widened her eyes and looked at him, saying,
"Your house is in Nashik, right? Then how can you live here? And I heard your sister-in-law saying that you don't work, so where did you get the money for the room?"
Hearing her, Anvay glared at her sharply. Then Anya realized that she shouldn't have said that. She bit her tongue, looked at Anvay with furtive eyes. Seeing his glaring gaze fixed on her, Anya cleaned up with an innocent expression,
"I was just listening to what was being said about me. I had no intention of eavesdropping on anyone's conversations, really."
Hearing her, Anvay took his eyes off her and said,
"I didn't like living with my sister-in-law, so I used to stay here most of the time. And I am not a useless, idle, or vagabond boy. I work as an accountant here, just that no one knows about it. And now I've also got a lecturer job, so I have enough money to support my own expenses."
"Hmm, then I just need to find a good job for myself," Anya said thoughtfully. Hearing her, something clicked in Anvay's mind, and he sat down on the bed and said,
"By the way, you've made new friends now, so you won't need this stranger anymore."
"Who told you that I don't need you?" Anya asked quickly. Hearing her question, Anvay stood up and walked towards her, saying,
"I thought now that you have so many good new friends, you wouldn't need to tolerate a rude stranger like me."
"I'm not tolerating you. I feel good with you, and you are that stranger who is closer to me than my own people. From the very first meeting, I felt like I've known you for a very long time and very well."
"If I'm so close, then why didn't you tell me that your slipper broke and you were having trouble walking?" Anvay was still walking towards her slowly. Anya's heart beat faster, and she took a step back, replying,
"When you told me to be quiet while leaving the house, you were shouting at me, you were angry, so I was scared to speak to you."
"When I told you to be quiet, what were you talking to Rahul about?" Anvay's sharp eyes were fixed on Anya's face. Anya, looking nervous, stepped back and said,
"They were misunderstanding our relationship. I was just telling them that there isn't the kind of relationship between us that they are assuming."
"Then what kind of relationship do we have? What do you think I am that you trust me so much that you're willing to stay in a room with me?" This time, Anvay's questions made Anya look at him with troubled eyes. Seeing her silence, Anvay raised his eyebrows and questioned with his eyes. Now Anya quickly said,
"Friends, we are friends."
"When did we become friends?" Anvay posed the next question. Poor Anya had no answer, so she said nothing.
To be continued...
"When did we become friends?" Anvay asked the next question. Poor Anya had no answer, so she said nothing. Anvay now stood directly in front of her and, fixing his serious gaze on her face, said, "Why were you crying on the bus?"
Hearing his question, Anya's surprised eyes looked up at Anvay, and he continued, "Why were you clinging to the gate when I was left behind? Why weren't you going inside despite my pleas? And why were there tears in your eyes when I boarded the bus?"
Hearing his question, Anya remembered that moment and a flicker of fear appeared in her eyes. Lowering her gaze, she said, "I was scared when you were left behind. If I got separated from you, where would I go? I don't know anyone besides you. When you boarded the bus, my life came back into me, that's why my eyes were moist, because I was afraid I would lose you."
Silence reigned for a few moments after she finished speaking. Anvay moved back towards the bed and, lying down, said, "This room is mine, so I will sleep on the bed. You make your own arrangements."
He closed his eyes, resting his arms behind his head. Anya looked up at him, then glanced around the room. There was an empty space beside the bed, and a cupboard behind it. Anya looked carefully and saw a mat placed on top of the cupboard. Seeing this, a sparkle returned to her eyes, and she said with a smile, "It's okay, I'll sleep on the floor. I'm used to it. Just tell me if there's a mattress or sheets in the room?"
"There isn't a mattress, but there are rugs and sheets in the lower shelf of the cupboard. You can take them if you need them. And don't disturb me for anything anymore. Because of you, I first had to go to Nashik and then travel here. I'm tired, so I need to sleep, and I can't tolerate any disturbance in my sleep. So keep your mouth shut and maintain silence if possible," Anvay said with his eyes closed. Anya made a face at his words. She took out sheets and rugs from the cupboard and placed them on the table. Then she looked around the room and noticed a broom and a dusting cloth kept behind the door. The room was a bit messy, meaning it had probably been closed for a few days and had accumulated dust.
Anya tied her dupatta around her waist. Then, seeing Anvay asleep, she didn't clean the whole room but just wiped the things. Then she carefully swept the floor without making noise. Searching around, she first went into the bathroom, then came into the balcony, and finally found a damp cloth hung on the clothes drying rack. She filled a bucket with water in the bathroom and then started mopping the room. The room now looked cleaner than before.
She then moved towards the kitchen. Dirty dishes were piled up in the sink. Seeing this, Anya wrinkled her nose. She first cleaned the cobwebs in the kitchen, opened all the cabinets, and cleaned all the containers. She took out empty containers and dishes for washing. After cleaning the platform and the gas stove, she washed and wiped all the dishes and arranged them on the rack.
Now she looked around the kitchen and saw that the kitchen looked clean and organized. Remembering Anvay, she thought to herself, "He doesn't seem so careless to look at, but maybe it's in boys' genes to have these dirty habits. They seem to be enemies of cleanliness. When Ajay used to come home, he would also mess up the house, leaving dirty dishes somewhere and dirty clothes somewhere else, and I would have to find everything, wash it, and put it back in its place. But you spread a little less dirt than him."
As if listening to her thoughts, Anvay, lying on the bed with his eyes closed, smiled faintly. After this, he drifted off to sleep. Anya then moved towards the bathroom. She looked and saw a pile of clothes gathered behind the door. She held her head and said exasperatedly, "Not at all, I was wrong. You are even more irresponsible than him. You live here alone, yet you can't do your own chores. It feels like all the work has been piled up for me."
She put detergent in the tub and put all the clothes in it, leaving them in the water for a while before returning to the kitchen. She returned about half an hour later and sat down to wash all the clothes. It took her an hour to wash the clothes and bathe.
Today she was wearing a sky-blue Anarkali suit with orange leggings and an orange dupatta. She stood in front of the dressing table. She took out her comb from her bag and, after detangling her hair, tied it into a braid again. She didn't do much to her hair anyway, but still, she looked very beautiful as always. Now she looked at the sleeping Anvay and went into the kitchen to bring two plates. Placing them on the table, she came to Anvay.
It was four in the evening by the time Anya finished all her chores. She started to reach out to wake Anvay, but then stopped herself, took two steps back, and said, "Excuse me, the food is ready. Wake up and eat, then you can sleep."
Anvay gave no response to her words. Then Anya moved a step forward and said, "Anvay, wake up and eat. It will get cold."
Anvay still didn't budge, so Anya, giving up, reached out her hand and touched his shoulder, saying, "Anvay, please wake up. The food is getting cold. I'm very hungry."
Even in his sleep, Anvay felt something strange when she touched him. Some images started to flash before his eyes, as if it had happened before, but everything was hazy. Anvay tried to see everything restlessly, but nothing was clear. Only this sound could be heard. When he didn't wake up, Anya shook his shoulder vigorously and shouted, "Anvay, wake up! If you don't wake up now, I'll bathe you here!"
Startled by her shaking him, Anvay opened his eyes and saw Anya's face in front of him. He sat up abruptly, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his palm, and said, "What are you doing here? Who gave you the right to come near me?"
Anvay glared at her angrily, and Anya stepped back two steps, saying, "Why are you getting so angry? I wasn't trying to take advantage of you. I was just waking you up. The food is getting cold. Since you're awake now, wash your face and come, I'm very hungry."
Saying this, she started to go towards the balcony with the bucket of clothes. Anvay's eyes fell on the clothes in the bucket, and he said in surprise, "Where are you taking my clothes?"
Anya turned to look at him and said with a pout, "I'm going to steal your clothes and sell them. I'll get some money."
Hearing her sarcastic reply, Anvay's eyebrows furrowed, and he glared at her, saying, "I don't like such sarcastic jokes. Tell me quietly, what are you taking my clothes to do?"
"You always walk around with such a gloomy face, so how can you like jokes? Anyway, you have enough brains, but it seems you just woke up, so perhaps your brain isn't working. So I'll tell you, your clothes were dirty in the bathroom, so I washed them all, and now I'm going to dry them," Anya said, making a face. Hearing her, Anvay's eyes narrowed in anger. Gritting his teeth, he asked, "You washed my clothes?"
"Yes, they were dirty, so I washed them," Anya shrugged in confusion. Anvay glared at her and asked again, "Did I hire you to do my chores here?"
"No, but..." Anya had just said this when Anvay interrupted her, saying furiously, "From now on, there's no need to touch my things. I know how to do my own work, so it would be better if you also learned to mind your own business. I don't like anyone touching my things at all. You are here for a few days, so behave yourself, stay away from me and my things. I've already said that I don't like anyone interfering in my life, nor do I tolerate people who try to force their way into my life or disrupt my peace. From now on, don't touch anything of mine without asking me."
"Okay, I'll keep that in mind from now on. Shall I go and dry the clothes since I've washed them?" Anya said calmly in her usual manner. Hearing her, Anvay's eyes widened in surprise. He looked at them in surprise and said, "Even after being scolded by me, you're worried about drying clothes? Do you have any self-respect or not?"
Anvay seemed angry once again. Hearing him, Anya said with a slight smile, "You only scolded me. I used to do all the household chores even after being beaten. It's a habit. I don't feel bad about these things anymore. But that doesn't mean I have no self-respect. My self-respect is immense; I ran away from my home to save it."
Her innocent words once again melted Anvay's stony heart. He looked away from Anya and stood up. Anya said again, "Shall I dry the clothes?"
"Do whatever you want, just don't talk to me right now," Anvay said irritably and went into the bathroom. He slammed the bathroom door shut in anger, and Anya said loudly from outside, "Hey, why are you closing the door so hard? If it breaks, it will cost money to fix it."
"It will cost me, so you should shut your mouth, or I'll charge you for talking. You don't have money anyway, and you'll sell yourself in your chatter," Anvay shouted angrily from inside. Anya's mouth fell open in surprise at the mention of charging for talking, but she didn't say a word. Who knew, if she said something, he might actually come out and ask her for money. So she remained silent and went to the balcony with the bucket. She dried her and his clothes on the clothes drying stand, then came back inside. By then, Anvay had also come out after bathing. He was now wearing black lowers and a black t-shirt. The black color suited him very well, as if the color was made just for him.
Anya looked at him. For a moment, her gaze lingered on him. He looked so amazing that Anya seemed lost in him. There was something about Anvay that drew her to him. But she controlled herself, looked away from him, and went and sat on the sofa. Anvay also came and sat near her, but he made a face seeing the food, while Anya ate quietly. Anvay also started eating. They both ate, then Anya took the dishes to the kitchen. Anvay said, following her, "Leave it. I'll do it. You've done a lot of work, now rest."
Anya said nothing. She silently placed the dishes in the sink and left the kitchen. Anvay was a little surprised because Anya had been completely silent since he came out after bathing. But then he shook his head and started washing the dishes.
Anya went outside, spread a mat on the floor, then spread a rug and a sheet over it and lay down. She was indeed tired, so she soon fell asleep.
When Anvay came out, he saw Anya sleeping peacefully, unaware of anything. The dupatta she had over herself had slipped off her body. She looked even more beautiful while sleeping. Anvay's gaze lingered on her. He had watched her peacefully for a few moments. The color suited her a lot. He stood there for a few moments looking at her, then took a sheet and carefully covered her properly. Anya was sleeping with her arm under her head. Seeing this, Anvay took a pillow and carefully placed it under her head. Anya snuggled and turned in her sleep. Anvay then got up and lay down on the bed. He turned off the lights and lay down with his arm under his head.
It was around two in the morning when Anya woke up. Having slept early, she woke up early. Seeing the sheet and the pillow on herself, her surprised eyes turned towards the bed, where Anvay was still lying in the same position, perhaps asleep.
Anya got up and stood. The room and the sky outside were illuminated by the soft moonlight. Anya turned to look at the sleeping Anvay, then opened the balcony door and went out into the balcony, holding the railing, and silently looked at the moon illuminating the dark night with its moonlight and the twinkling stars around it. It had only been a few minutes since she went out when Anvay also opened his eyes. After thinking for a few seconds, he came and stood by the window next to the balcony door and began to watch Anya, whose back was towards him and whose eyes were fixed on the sky.
Coming soon........
No response from Groq.
No response from Groq.
Yes, so I said I like to look at the moon and stars in the dark of night, I didn't say I love the dark. I'm human, I've been afraid of the dark since childhood, I can't sleep in the dark, and I have no desire to stay up all night like an owl, so the lights will be on at night. I've conceded one point to you, now you concede another to me," Anya immediately presented her argument and announced her decision. Anvay agreed and added, "I will cook my own food and you will cook your own."
"No, that would use double the gas. You cook one day, and I'll cook the next," Anya quickly changed the subject and, before Anvay could say anything, continued, "You're vegetarian, aren't you? You don't eat non-veg?"
"I do, why?" Anvay looked at her, confused, as Anya's reaction didn't make sense to him. Hearing his words, Anya made a face and said, "If you eat non-veg, then eat it outside when you want to. No non-veg will come here. I feel like vomiting just seeing non-veg."
Anvay stared at her with odd eyes. Annoyed, Anya said, "What? It's a matter of personal preference. I can't stand it, what can I do if I feel like vomiting?"
"Are you even human? I mean, you can't sleep in the dark, and you vomit at the sight of non-veg. I understand people not eating it, but how can someone vomit just by seeing it?" Anvay asked, looking at her strangely. Anya retorted stiffly, "The same way I do. Now don't argue with me about this. I've said it, if you want to eat non-veg, eat it outside, no non-veg will come here."
Anvay reluctantly agreed and continued, "I don't like noise, so remember to control your mouth, which keeps chattering like a tape recorder non-stop. Otherwise, be prepared to face my anger."
"Fine, I have no problem with that. I can talk to myself, I don't need you," Anya retorted with a pout. Anvay glared at her and said, "The TV is mine, so you can't touch it. However, if I'm watching something and you want to watch it too, you can."
"It doesn't work like that. Everything here is yours, does that mean I can't touch anything? That won't happen. Mrs. Sinha also wouldn't let me watch TV, she'd say my father pays the electricity bill. I never said anything, but my father did pay the bill, yet she watched that drama all day and wouldn't let me come near it. I love watching TV. I used to watch TV secretly, and now that I have the chance to watch TV legitimately, you're also forbidding me from touching it. That's not right," Anya said, sulking with displeasure.
Hearing her, Anvay sighed and said, "Alright, I only want to watch TV occasionally, for matches and things. Just let me watch then. Other than that, you can do whatever you want at a low volume."
Anya was happy to hear this. A few more points were discussed, and then everything was finally fixed. Anvay looked at her and said, "Now it's my turn, so I'm going to take a bath. If you have to do something, go and cook. I have to go to college today for work."
He gave her an order and went into the bathroom with his clothes. Anya stared at him in surprise with her mouth open. Then she went into the kitchen and saw the empty utensils. Something then occurred to her, she came out of the kitchen and went near the bathroom, calling out loudly, "I forgot to tell you, your rations are finished. There's nothing left except salt and spices. By the way, one thing, how did you live here? What did you eat? There's nothing here. Did you eat boiled food? Or did you survive on tea alone? Only tea leaves are left!"
Hearing her, Anvay said from inside with mild anger, "Don't you have any peace anywhere? Can't you be quiet for a while? I'm in the bathroom, and you're still babbling away."
"I'm not babbling, I'm telling you there's nothing to cook in the house. If you have the money and time, I can make a list of things, and you can bring them from the market," Anya said again from outside. Anvay replied irritably, "Couldn't you have said that after I came out?"
"And what if you had started throwing a tantrum about food after coming out? That's why I told you in advance. And one more thing, I was going to arrange my things. I'll shift whatever belongings are in the right-side cupboard to the left-side drawer exactly as they are. If you have any problem, let me know, and I'll keep your things outside." Anya stated her intention and waited for his response. Meanwhile, Anvay's blood was boiling with anger, thinking that this girl couldn't stay quiet for even two minutes. He was very angry but controlled his temper and said sternly, "I'll shift my belongings myself after coming out. You don't need to touch my things."
Hearing him, Anya pouted. Since she couldn't do anything else, she picked up the broom and started cleaning the cobwebs. She hadn't been able to do it yesterday because Anvay was asleep. She cleaned the cobwebs, dusted everything, and then started sweeping. By the time Anvay came out, Anya had cleaned the room, balcony, and kitchen. Only mopping was left. Anvay came out, drying his wet hair with a towel, and headed towards the balcony. He hadn't seen Anya in the room, so he assumed she was in the kitchen. When he reached the balcony, Anya was standing there with both hands outstretched, eyes closed.
It was the rainy season, and the weather today was also like rain. The sun was hidden, dark clouds had surrounded the sky, and cool, pleasant breezes were blowing. Anya was feeling those cool breezes with her eyes closed. A captivating smile spread across her lips. Her dupatta was missing from her neck, and strands of hair escaping her braid were swinging on her cheeks due to the wind. The captivating smile on her lips and a distinct radiance on her face held an allure that attracted others. Anvay dried the towel on a stand and began to change his clothes.
Sensing movement, Anya opened her eyes and turned. Seeing Anvay, her smile widened. The next moment, she saw his clothes and said with a pout, "Tell me something, do you have a problem with all other beautiful colors?"
Anvay looked at her with confused eyes at her question. Anya continued with a pout, "I agree you look very handsome and hot in black, but that doesn't mean you should underestimate other colors. Other colors have their own magic, try them sometime. You are so handsome that you'll look amazing in every color."
Anvay didn't respond to her words. The words of praise from her mouth melted like sugar in his ears, and his gaze was lovingly fixed on Anya. Anya was lost in her own thoughts, and looking at his clothes, she added, "By the way, I only washed your clothes. You should have thanked me, but you got angry at me."
Now Anvay's trance was broken. As soon as he came to his senses, he averted his gaze from Anya and said calmly, "I was reminded of someone else, that's why I got angry at you yesterday when you washed my clothes. That all came out of my mouth unintentionally. I had no intention of hurting you deliberately."
"Ooo, so even Mr. Perfect makes mistakes? I thought you only found fault with others and lectured them, but it's good to hear you have some habits like ordinary humans. At least you make mistakes like us common humans, but you don't know how to apologize. Well, that's okay, I'll teach you that. By the way, was that lucky person you were reminded of a girl? Your girlfriend, right? You're so handsome, I knew you'd have a girlfriend. Where is she? Are you two still together? What does she look like? Is she as good-looking as you? If your girlfriend finds out you're living with a stranger, won't she say anything to you?" Anya's tape recorder had started once again and showed no signs of stopping.
Annoyed by her incessant chatter and silly questions, Anvay glared at her and went inside with his clothes. Since he didn't reply, Anya followed him, asking, "Hey Mr. Grumpy, answer my question first. Was it a girl? Your girlfriend?"
"There is no girl in my life, nor can there be, so keep your nonsensical questions to yourself," Anvay said, turning and glaring at her. But Anya was not to be deterred. She quickly retorted, "You're lying. You don't look married, you don't have a sister, so that leaves a girlfriend. It's usually a girlfriend who touches her boyfriend's clothes or belongings. But perhaps you don't want to tell me. It's okay, just tell me this much, is she more beautiful than me?"
Anya looked at him with twinkling eyes. Hearing her, Anvay's gaze settled on her face. Anya's wet, moon-like beautiful face from her bath near the waterfall flashed before his eyes, and he blurted out unintentionally, "There is no one in this universe more beautiful than you."
Anya hadn't expected such words from him. She stared at him with wide eyes in surprise. Then, Anvay realized what he had done and tried to salvage the situation by saying, "If you compare yourself to someone who doesn't exist, anyone would say that. She was indeed a girl, but not my girlfriend. She's my sister-in-law's sister, who starts messing with my things whenever she visits."
"Ooo, okay. Tell me something, is your sister-in-law more beautiful than me?" Anya asked with great curiosity. Anvay looked at her for a moment, then averted his gaze and said, "I don't know. I've never looked that closely. Perhaps she is more beautiful than you."
Hearing him, Anya's face fell. Anvay moved towards the cupboard, a sly, crooked smile playing on his lips. He took out his clothes and placed them in the cupboard on his side. Then, turning to Anya, he said, "Go and set up your things. I'll order food."
Anya agreed with a pout and started arranging her clothes from her bag.
Hearing Anvay's words, Anya's face fell, and she started arranging her clothes in the cupboard. Anvay ordered food and then began to get ready. Occasionally, he would glance at Anya, who was working with a sulky expression. Seeing her face, a smile involuntarily appeared on Anvay's lips.
He got ready, and just then his phone rang, so he went out of the room. After a while, he came back with a packet in his hand. He took it to the kitchen. He took out the food on two plates and came out with both plates.
"Anya, you can finish all this work later. Come and have breakfast first, or you'll say I didn't give you food and starved you," Anvay said, placing the plates on the table.
Anya was in a bad mood. She pouted and said, "I'm not hungry."
"Okay, don't eat. Your plate is here. If you feel like eating later, you can, otherwise leave it. It's your body; whether you eat or not is your choice. My job was to tell you, so I've told you," Anvay said carelessly and started eating. Anya first looked at him with displeasure, then returned to her work.
Anvay finished his breakfast and was about to leave with his bag. Then, reaching the gate, he turned towards Anya and said, "This place is safe, but still, keep the door locked from the inside. Open it only when I arrive."
Anvay explained, and Anya reluctantly agreed. Anvay left the room. Anya arranged her clothes, then after wiping the floor, she went to take a bath.
When she came out after bathing, it was already 10 o'clock. Strange noises were coming from her stomach, which clearly meant she was very hungry. She looked in the kitchen and saw her plate covered with another plate on the slab. Anya's eyes lit up. She quickly removed the plate and saw Pav Bhaji, which looked delicious just by looking at it. Anya took the plate outside and sat comfortably on the bed. Then she quickly turned on the TV and started eating with enjoyment while watching a serial.
There was no work, and Anvay wasn't there either, so what could Anya do alone? She made a list of groceries and then lay upside down, engrossed in watching TV.
On the other hand, it was Anvay's first day at college, and a small party was organized for his welcome. He was introduced to the other lecturers, after which he had some work in the office. Classes were scheduled to start from the next day, but today he had to finish the remaining administration-related tasks. All this took him until four in the evening. He started his bike and headed home. He mostly stayed here, so he had a bike, which he used to come to college today.
Anvay left college. He had come after the party, so he wasn't hungry. While riding his bike, he thought of Anya. He wondered if she had eaten anything for lunch, or even breakfast, and became worried thinking about it. Seeing Anya's foolish antics, he was quite sure that in her anger, she might not have even had breakfast. As he passed by the market, his eyes fell on a Chole Bhature stall. He parked his bike on the side and got a plate of Chole Bhature packed. Once again, he rode his bike towards home.
After a while, the bike stopped in front of the house. He reached outside his room and just as he touched the door to knock, the gate opened on its own. Seeing this, Anvay's expression became stern, and a mixture of fear and apprehension appeared on his face. He quickly opened the gate and stepped inside, but as soon as he took a few steps, his eyes fell on Anya lying upside down on the bed. He heard the sound of the TV and shook his head in displeasure.
Anya had fallen asleep while watching TV. Anvay glanced at her, then, after thinking for a moment, walked towards the kitchen. Seeing the washed plate, he understood that Anya had eaten. He kept the packet there and came out, walking towards Anya. Anya was sleeping with the remote in her hands.
Anvay looked at her, and her childhood innocence made him feel affectionate. Asleep, she was very calm and looked very lovely. Anvay took the remote from her hand and turned off the TV. As soon as the sound stopped reaching Anya's ears, she moved her hand in her sleep and said, "Why did my TV go silent? I want to watch more..."
She was trying to find the remote in her sleep and muttering. Anvay heard her nonsensical talk and stared at Anya, thinking to himself, "This girl is an antique piece; she doesn't get peace even in her sleep."
Anvay sighed in annoyance and then, calling her, said, "Anya, wake up."
Anya didn't reply, continuing to mutter to herself. So Anvay tried to wake her up again, but Anya didn't. Finally, Anvay went to the bathroom and came out, sprinkling a little water on her. With that, Anya startled and sat up, saying, "I didn't do anything... Don't hit me... I've finished all the work..."
Hearing Anya's words, Anvay stared at her, stunned. Anya's eyes were still closed. Seeing her anxious face, Anvay touched her shoulder and said calmly, "Anya, relax, I'm here."
Only then did Anya's voice register with Anvay. She opened her eyes and felt relieved seeing Anvay in front of her. Wiping the sweat from her face with her dupatta, she said, "Sorry, I thought..."
Before she could finish, Anvay interrupted her, "It's okay, go wash your face and eat something."
"But there's nothing in the house, what will I eat?" Anya immediately asked. So Anvay walked towards the cupboard and said, "I've brought something for you. Go and check in the kitchen and give me the list, I'll get the groceries."
Anya immediately took out the list from under the pillow and gave it to him. Anvay looked at the list, and his eyes widened. He said in surprise, "Are you ordering this for us, or do you intend to invite the entire Aurangabad for a meal?"
"Hey, this is a month's ration. It seems you've never done this before. Tell me truthfully, did you even cook at home?" Anya asked, looking at him sideways. So Anvay immediately replied defensively, "Yes, I didn't cook, so did you come and cook?"
Anvay said, staring at her. Hearing him, Anya blurted out, "What did you used to cook?"
"Dal-rice, vegetables, Maggi, everything," Anvay replied. Hearing this, Anya made a face and said, "Liar. Go and get the groceries."
Anya stared at him and went into the bathroom. Her actions always surprised Anvay; he was still looking at the bathroom door in amazement. After a while, the bathroom door opened, and Anya stepped out and looked at him, saying, "You haven't left yet?"
"I was just leaving," Anvay said, taking money out of the cupboard and putting it in his wallet. So Anya said affectionately, "Listen."
Hearing these words from her, Anvay's heart skipped a beat, and his gaze turned towards Anya. Anya made a cute face and continued, "Bring me a SIM card, with your ID, please."
"Why? If you have a phone, you must have a SIM, right? And why should I get a SIM card made with my ID for you?" Anvay asked, looking at her questioningly.
Anya lowered her head and said, "I broke and threw away the SIM as soon as I got off the train. Otherwise, they would have found out where I am from my number. If I get a SIM made with my ID now, they will know I am here, and they will take me back. I don't want to go back."
Anvay was listening to her attentively. Anya became very sad, so he said a little affectionately, "Okay, I'll bring it. Go and eat."
He then walked towards the gate, and Anya also started heading towards the kitchen. As soon as she reached the kitchen entrance, Anvay's stern voice came from behind, "Close the door first. I explained this morning too, to keep the door closed until I arrived, but you were sleeping comfortably with the door open. You don't even take care of your own safety. If you are careless like this again, no one will be worse than me, understood?"
Anya turned and looked at him. Anvay was glaring at her angrily. Anya understood that she had made a big mistake this time and had angered Anvay due to her carelessness. She made a cute face and said, "Sorry, I forgot. I'll be sure to remember from now on."
Anvay was still staring at her, so Anya walked towards him. As Anvay stepped out, Anya quickly closed the gate. Only then did Anvay leave. Anya went into the kitchen, and as soon as she saw the Chole Bhature, a big smile spread across her lips. She took them out on a plate and quickly took a bite, putting it in her mouth. Then, savoring the taste, she said, "Delicious, it seems you were spending your days eating all this. Well, your choice is good. The Pav Bhaji this morning was amazing, and now this Chole Bhature is also superb."
She picked up the plate and came and sat on the bed. Once again, she turned on the TV, but this time she put on songs. She ate the Chole Bhature with enjoyment, then washed the dishes, and turning up the volume, started dancing to the music. About an hour and a half later, Anvay returned, and as he climbed the stairs, he heard music. He listened carefully and realized the sound was coming from his room. His face turned red with anger. He reached upstairs with fast steps and knocked on the door. But Anya had the song playing at a very high volume, and besides that, she was engrossed in dancing, so she didn't hear the knocking at the door.
Anvay called out three or four times, but Anya didn't hear. Finally, Anvay, in anger, banged loudly on the door and shouted angrily, "Anya, open the door!"
At this moment, his voice sounded extremely terrifying. Every fiber of Anya's being trembled, and her feet seemed rooted to the spot. She nervously turned her gaze towards the gate, and once again, Anvay shouted her name, "Anya, I said, open the door!"
Hearing Anvay's voice, people from the adjacent room and from downstairs came out to see him.
Anya understood that she had awakened a sleeping monster. She quickly turned off the TV and ran to open the door. Anvay, standing there, glared at her as if he could devour her. Anya made an innocent face and said, "Sorry."
Anvay looked away from her and came inside with the groceries. Anya followed him, and he shouted angrily, "Close the door."
Anya quickly turned and closed the door. Anvay put all the groceries in the kitchen. Anya stood near the bed with her head bowed, knowing that Anvay was about to scold her. As Anvay stood in front of her, Anya started speaking with her head still bowed, "Sorry, I shouldn't have played songs at such a high volume. I know it's my mistake, and your anger is justified, but I am human, and mistakes happen sometimes..."
"Sometimes," Anvay interrupted her, staring at her. So Anya quickly corrected herself, "Yes, I mean, not sometimes, I'm making mistakes repeatedly. This is just how I am. That's why Mrs. Sinha used to call me a jinx; I ruin everything. But I promise, from now on, I won't give you a reason to complain. I will be very careful, I won't make any mistakes. God promise."
She looked at him with an innocent face. Anvay couldn't get angry with her, no matter how hard he tried. He took the SIM packet from his pocket and extended it towards her, saying, "Your SIM."
Anya took the packet from his hand. Anvay lay down on the bed, turning towards himself. He put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, perhaps trying to control his anger. Anya took her phone out of her backpack and stood beside him. Anvay lay with his eyes closed for a few moments, feeling Anya's fragrance nearby. After that, when Anya didn't move, he said with his eyes closed, "What do you want from me now?"
"Put the SIM in my phone," Anya said softly. So Anvay opened his eyes and asked her, staring, "Why? Don't you know how to do anything besides talking nonsense? Do you need me even to insert a SIM?"
"I know how to insert a SIM, but since you bought it, it will be easier if you do it. I'll have to ask you everything, and I have a lot of work to do right now. I have to set up all the groceries, and then make dinner too," Anya replied testily. Hearing her, Anvay stared at her for a moment, then took the phone and SIM from her hand and sat up properly to work. Anya also went to the kitchen.
Anvay put the activated SIM on the table and went to change his clothes.
No response from Groq.
Anvay was lost in his thoughts. Suddenly, Anya’s voice reached his ears, “Tell me, where did you get this tattoo done? It looks amazing on you, it suits your personality.”
As soon as he heard the voice, Anvay snapped out of his thoughts and quickly put on his shirt, turning towards her. “Don’t you think you’re very shameless and outspoken? How can a girl be so bold as to stand in front of a guy without clothes and stare at him shamelessly?”
“So what’s wrong with that? Heroes on TV also show their bodies, everyone watches them. So if I saw your body, where does the shamelessness come from? Anyway, I didn’t undress you, you keep standing in front of me without clothes. When I get to see a solid body like a live hero, why would I miss such a good opportunity?
You know, in real life, all guys are either dry like wood or spread out like footballs. You rarely find guys with such a good, hero-like body. By the way, Nihal was also good-looking, his body might have been okay, but I never felt like looking at him. I used to get negative vibes with him, I never had any interest in him.
But I enjoy looking at you. When I am with you, it feels like I am in the safest place in the world, where no one can hurt me. There is something in you that draws me towards you.”
As Anya spoke, Anvay’s expressions kept changing. Initially, he was irritated by Anya’s words. When she mentioned Nihal, Anvay’s eyes started turning blue, indicating his anger. But as soon as Anya said that she never had any interest in Nihal and was attracted to Anvay, Anvay’s expressions changed, a faint smile spreading across his lips. He listened to her silently. Anya continued speaking in her own rhythm.
“You know, you have such an attractive personality that any girl who sees you once becomes infatuated with you. Whoever gets an impression of you on their heart can never forget you. I am thinking, how many girls must have fallen for you until today, but looking at you, it doesn’t seem like you’ve ever paid attention to anyone.
If I get a chance, I would also like to see how long the list of your admirers is. Obviously, anyone who has looked at you intently even once must be wandering around, infatuated with you, because it is impossible for any girl to escape your charm. I feel that by staying with you, I too might become your…” Anya suddenly fell silent while saying this. As she stopped, Anvay asked, “You too become my what…?”
“Nothing,” Anya said, ending the conversation. But her deep gaze remained fixed on him. Anya couldn’t remain unaffected by him and, looking away, said, “May I not become your admirer too.”
Hearing her, Anvay smiled inwardly but didn’t let the smile reach his lips and, without saying anything, turned towards the mirror and started buttoning his shirt. Seeing his reaction, Anya was confused. She couldn’t understand if his silence was the calm before the storm or if what she said didn’t affect Anvay at all. She stood there for a few moments, watching him and thinking, then finally asked,
“Why didn’t you react after what I said? Didn’t you hear it, or did it not affect you at all? Aren’t you angry? You won’t throw me out of the house, will you? Say something. Are you angry with me? I didn’t say anything wrong, you are truly so handsome and attractive that anyone would become your admirer.”
“You too?” Anvay asked abruptly, turning around. Anya replied without thinking, “Yes, me too. I am also a girl. When such a handsome, charming, and hot guy stays with me, it’s natural to be attracted to him, and I am no less. Yes, you are tall and broad like a pillar, and my height is normal, but you are so handsome, so I am no less than a heroine in beauty.
You know, I have won the college queen award every year in college. It was a girls’ college, otherwise, how many boys would have been my admirers. One fell for me at first sight and has been after me ever since. If your list of admirers is very long, then if I step out on the street, a long queue of admirers will form behind me.”
Anya was once again speaking in her own rhythm and started boasting about herself. Meanwhile, her words were now starting to anger Anvay. He clenched his fists and, gritting his teeth, said, “Aren’t you speaking a bit too much? You’re so eager to line up your admirers, you’re running away from one, how will you manage the rest? And the admirers you’re talking about will only see your beautiful face and your body. They are not called admirers; one who wants your soul is your admirer, otherwise, this world is full of vultures who desire bodies and want to tear them apart.”
Anya was speechless at his words and stared at Anvay. Meanwhile, Anvay, with displeasure, looked away from her and said, “If you want admirers so badly, then you are in the wrong place, you can leave from here.”
Hearing him, Anya’s mouth fell open in surprise. She looked at him with wide eyes and said, “Are you kicking me out of here?”
“If you are so eager to line up admirers behind you, then go from here, because you won’t find any admirers here. I have been unaffected by everything until today, and I will remain unaffected in the future. No matter how beautiful you are, you cannot make me your admirer, so if you want to fulfill your desire, you are in the wrong place. The door is open.” Saying this, he turned towards the mirror and started fixing his hair. At this moment, there were no expressions on his face.
Meanwhile, hearing him, Anya looked at herself and thought, “Do I look so bad that he said with such confidence that I can never like him? … No, you are very beautiful, his taste must be pathetic. Anyway, what does it matter to you? I don’t have any interest in making such an arrogant guy my admirer either. Anyway, I don’t want to get into these complications.” She reassured herself, then looked at Anvay and said, “You are misunderstanding. I don’t want to make anyone my admirer, I want to live my life freely, alone. I don’t need anyone. So I am not going anywhere from here.”
Saying this, she went back into the kitchen. Anvay glanced up, watching Anya disappearing in the mirror, and thought, “I didn’t want to, yet you have made me your admirer. But this infatuation can never be revealed. You and I belong to different worlds. We can stay together for some time, but we cannot spend our lives together. No relationship is possible between us. As soon as possible, I have to send you away from myself. Just as you look at me, if we spend too much time together, you will truly fall in love with me, and then, despite my wishes, I will have to break your heart. I don’t want that.”
Anvay sank into deep thought. Then, to distract himself, he picked up his phone. After this, no more conversation happened between him and Anya. Somewhere, Anya felt bad that Anvay had clearly stated that he could never like her. Meanwhile, Anvay was thinking about keeping Anya away from himself. He had breakfast and left. Anya first locked the gate, then cleaned the kitchen, took a bath, ate, and lay on the bed scrolling through her phone. She needed to find a job, so she started searching for it.
Today was Anvay’s first day of taking classes. Seeing such a young and handsome professor, the girls became infatuated with him. Meanwhile, the boys became so jealous that they turned into ashes, thinking that if the professor is so hot, how would the college girls look at them?
Anyway, Anvay didn’t care about anything. He entered the class with his usual strict face and a completely killer attitude. Seeing his angry, stern face, no one could say anything. The class began. As soon as the class ended, one girl bravely approached him, but words wouldn’t come out of her mouth. Anvay waited for a few moments for her to speak, but when she said nothing, Anvay said with slight anger, “You might have time to waste, but I don’t. In the future, there’s no need to waste my time like this.” He glared at her angrily and moved on. That girl just kept looking at him, and the other students were also watching them. Anvay stopped near the gate and turned back, looking at the girl, and said, “If you seem too free, then do one thing, for the next class, read the entire chapter after what was taught today. First, you will be asked to solve some numericals, and then the lesson will proceed. If you cannot solve my questions, then you don’t need to attend my class for the next one month.”
Saying this, he walked out of the class. Everyone was watching him with wide eyes and open mouths. The poor girl seemed to have short-circuited. She quickly took out her book and saw that there were more than 35 pages left in that chapter. She sat down, holding her head. Meanwhile, among everyone else, talks about Anvay’s arrogance began. His personality was unique. As handsome as he looked, he was many times stricter.
Anvay moved on to the next class. His demeanor remained strict as always. He was busy with classes all day. He was free at four in the evening and left for home.
Anya had been trying to keep herself busy all day at home, but she got bored sitting alone. So she picked up a pillow and, making it Anvay, started talking to it. When the room door was knocked, she was still doing that. As soon as the door was knocked, Anvay’s voice came from outside, “Anya, open the door.”
Anya quickly put the pillow back in its place and ran towards the door.
To be continued...
Anya quickly opened the door. As soon as her eyes fell on Anvay standing in front, a big smile spread across her lips. Anvay’s face, however, was stern as usual.
“You’re here? I was waiting for you,” Anya said, smiling as she looked at him.
“Why? Don’t you get peace until I bother you, that you were waiting for me to arrive?” Anvay said, staring at her. Anya’s face fell at his words. Going inside, she said, “I was bored alone, that’s why I was waiting for you. But now it seems I made a mistake. It would have been better to talk to ghosts and vampires than wait for you. They would have been better than you too. They wouldn’t roam around with that perpetually proud, sour face like you.”
“Then go talk to ghosts, they must be your kind,” Anvay replied immediately. Anya’s face fell at his words. Without saying anything, she stomped off into the kitchen.
The very next moment, Anvay’s eyes deepened. Hearing the word ‘vampire’ from her mouth reminded him of the moment he had appeared before her as a vampire in the forest. Once again, he wondered why Anya hadn’t forgotten anything. Then he shook his head and had only taken a few steps inside when Anya stood before him once more.
This time, she had a glass of water in her hand. Anvay said nothing, just looked at the glass and Anya with questioning eyes and a stern expression. Then Anya said, wrinkling her nose, “It’s just water, I’m not giving you poison that you’re staring like that. Anyway, there’s no point in giving you poison. You are already filled with poison, it just won’t affect you. So you can drink the water without any hesitation.”
“What do you want to do? Are you my wife that you’re taking care of me?” Anvay asked, fixing his deep gaze on her. Anya made a face at his question and said, “I don’t want to do anything, nor do I wish to be your wife. I just brought water for you, you must be tired after work. When Dad came home from the office, I used to take water for him too.”
“Then he was your father and I am a stranger. I don’t like it when someone does this for me,” Anvay replied without any emotion as he moved forward. But Anya hopped and stood in front of him and said with a charming smile on her lips, “You are my stranger who, despite being an outsider, is more special to me than my own people. Didn’t I tell you, I feel very safe with you? It feels like I’ve known you for a very long time, like we have a very deep connection. Now don’t be difficult and drink the water.”
Anya had almost ordered him. So Anvay narrowed his eyes and stared at her. Anya then made a cute face at him, and Anvay took the glass from her hand, moved forward, placed his bag on the table, and sat down on the sofa to drink the water.
Anya also came and sat next to him and said with a smile, “By the way, isn’t your college co-ed?”
“Hmm,” Anvay replied with a short response while drinking water. Anya’s eyes sparkled. She quickly asked another question, “Then there must be girls, they must have been smitten by you seeing you. They must have seen such a young and handsome professor for the first time. Did anyone say anything to you? Did you meet or talk to anyone? Or did someone directly propose to you somewhere?”
At her words, Anvay put down the glass and, turning towards her, stared and said, “I went there to teach, not to loiter around like some hooligans or to pick up girlfriends.”
“Oh, but when did I say you went there to make girlfriends? I was just asking. It’s impossible that no girl would be crazy about you seeing you. Someone must have said or done something, I just want to know that.” Anya smiled at him again, as if waiting for the answer to her question. Anvay remained silent for a few moments, staring at her with his gaze, then said sarcastically, “It seems you are very fond of listening to gossip, but you won’t get anything here. By the way, don’t you think that since I’ve come back tired, you should let me breathe for a while?”
Anya made a face and said, “Don’t tell me, I know. Someone must have hit on you, that’s why you’re so agitated, otherwise you would have directly denied that no one said anything. Fine, now breathe, I’m leaving.”
She said with puffed cheeks and got up to stand in the balcony. Anvay glanced at the closed balcony door, then took clothes from the cupboard and went into the bathroom. After some time, he came out, and Anya was folding clothes and keeping them separately on the bed. Seeing Anvay, she made a face and started putting her clothes away in the cupboard. Anvay also took his clothes and went near the cupboard. Both stood side by side. While putting away his clothes, Anvay said, “Aren’t you a little too excited to know if someone proposed to me at college?”
Hearing Anvay’s question, Anya looked at him, made a face, and said, “Yes, I was excited to know if anyone could risk proposing to you even after seeing your sour face? But now I understand that no girl can melt a heart of stone like yours, no matter what they do, they will always get disappointment in return. Because love-shove is not made for you, nor can it ever be. Because you don’t have a heart, so how can feelings be born for anyone? You are completely unfeeling, as if you are something other than human, a ghost or a vampire.”
Hearing the word ‘vampire’ from Anya’s mouth again, Anvay immediately asked, “Have you ever met a vampire? Do you know them?”
“No, but I might have seen one once. Do you know what happened that night?” Anya said, telling him everything from getting lost in the forest to seeing the vampire and fainting, and then looking at him with confused eyes, she continued, “I don’t understand how I fainted in the forest, then how did I wake up in my house the next day? And if he was a vampire, why didn’t he kill me after drinking my blood? Vampires drink human blood to quench their thirst, right? Then how did he let me go?”
“Not all vampires are the same, some quench their thirst by harming people, while some wish to live their lives peacefully, and don’t try to harm anyone,” Anvay blurted out unintentionally, and Anya stared at him.
Seeing her reaction, Anvay salvaged the situation and said, “What I mean is, just like we humans have our world, they must also have theirs. Some of them might think like me, that we shouldn’t interfere in others’ lives, live our own lives peacefully, and let others live peacefully too.”
“Yes, it’s possible that some vampires are arrogant, sour, and proud like you, but would some lively, chatterbox shops like me be there?” Anya asked, her eyes sparkling. Anvay looked at her for a moment, then looked away and said, “How would I know?”
“Yes, how would you know, you are not a vampire,” Anya said, hitting her forehead with her hand, and burst into laughter. Anvay’s staring eyes fell on her, so Anya put her finger on her lips, but her lips and eyes were still smiling.
To escape her nonsense, Anvay walked towards the kitchen and said, “I will make dinner, and I don’t want any arguments on this. You are not allowed in the kitchen, so stay here.”
He said his piece strictly and left. Anya watched him with a sulky face, then turned on the TV and started playing songs, forgetting everything and swaying to the lyrics. Anvay could also hear the sound of the songs, and he could also hear Anya humming. A faint smile spread across Anvay’s lips, and he started working while listening to the songs. After about an hour, he came out, but his steps stopped at the kitchen entrance.
Anya was dancing non-stop, swaying her waist with abandon. Her dupatta was fluttering in the air. Small strands from her braid had come out and were scattered on her face and neck, and beads of sweat were shining like white pearls on her face.
Anya looked even more beautiful at this moment. Anvay also remained unable to take his eyes off her. Just as his gaze had lingered on her bathing near the lake, his eyes were now fixed on Anya as she danced freely. He gazed intently at Anya’s exquisitely carved, captivating face, cherishing this form in his heart, then he averted his gaze and walked towards the bed.
Anya was lost in herself, swaying joyfully. Anvay sat on the bed with books, but all his attention was on Anya. She was distracting him, so Anvay pulled down the curtain in the middle, yet Anya’s blurred figure was visible through the thin curtain, and Anvay’s eyes kept yearning to turn towards her. After some time, the song ended, Anya smiled and fell on the bed, and the next moment burst into laughter.
Anvay was lost in her innocent laughter. Every gesture of hers was pulling Anvay towards her. For a few moments, Anvay watched her, then he focused all his attention on his work. Anya started mumbling to herself.
As night fell, they both had dinner, after which Anya sat on the bed, glancing around. Anvay was watching her. He watched her for a while, then gazing at the books, he said, “If you are bored, you can pick up a book from the bookshelf and read.”
At his words, Anya’s face lit up with joy. She quickly said “Thank you” and jumped off the bed, and Anvay’s eyes widened, and the very next moment, a smile played on his lips. Anya chose a book and sat on the bed cross-legged, reading the book.
It was 12 o’clock at night when Anvay finally closed his books and placed them on the table, and before going to sleep, he came to look at Anya once, and Anya had again fallen asleep with the book on her face. Anvay’s lips smiled. He took the book, placed it on the table, tucked her in properly, and covered her. Then he himself lay down.
Time was moving at its own pace. Rahul and Simran had neither spoken nor met. The friction between Anvay and Anya continued, but love was not yet visible.
Anya had made it a habit to secretly watch Anvay exercise every morning. Anvay also knew this, but he didn't say anything to her.
Now he had started exercising while wearing a vest, which made Anya sad, but Anvay would smile. He was deliberately bothering her because he knew that Anya would cling to the window early in the morning, tempted to see his muscular body.
As per the rule, if Anvay worked one day, Anya would work the next. If she made breakfast, Anvay would prepare dinner. Anya would now read his books. She still did things without thinking and kept bothering Anvay with her random questions. Anvay mostly remained silent, but Anya would continue her chatter.
Perhaps Anvay had also become accustomed to her chatter. As soon as she arrived, Anya's tongue would start moving, and Anvay would silently listen to everything she said. Arguments would still erupt between them over trivial matters. The more Anvay tried to push her away by getting angry at her, the more Anya was drawn towards him.
Meanwhile, after Anya left, Kaveri Ji, after reading her letter, once again filled Mr. Sinha's mind with negative thoughts about Anya. Because of this, he did not try to find Anya and considered her dead. But Kaveri Ji was looking for her. After all, she was his lottery ticket, so how could she let her slip away from her hands so easily? She had not filed a police complaint, otherwise, she would have been disgraced. Instead, she had asked Nihal to find her, and Nihal was indeed looking for her.
A week had passed since Anvay and Anya started living together, but nothing had changed between them.
This morning, Anya couldn't wake up. Anvay went to take a bath after exercising. Suddenly, Anya jolted awake and sat up, her face completely pale. She quickly got out of bed. She checked the bedsheet, then ran towards the bathroom and saw the door was closed. Today, she didn't wait for him to come out but knocked on the door and said,
"Anvay."
"What is it? You don't let me have peace even in the bathroom. What is it you want from me?" Anvay's angry voice reached Anya's ears. She continued knocking on the door and said,
"I need to use the washroom, it's an emergency, please come out."
"Can't you wait for a little while? This is my time, so wait for me to finish." Anvay shouted angrily once again. Tears welled up in Anya's eyes. She said with a heavy voice,
"I can't wait, please understand, it's very important for me to go to the bathroom."
"Why? Are you a child that you can't control yourself for a little while?" Anvay's question made Anya say tearfully,
"Come on, understand, I'm a girl, don't be so heartless. Please let me use the bathroom."
Anvay sensed the heaviness in her voice. He quickly bathed, dressed, and as soon as he opened the door and came out, Anya glared at him and said,
"If you don't move now, I'll kill you."
Anya said this and quickly went inside and closed the door. Everything happened so fast that Anvay couldn't understand anything. He stood there, stunned and confused, looking at the bathroom door that was now closed.
Ten minutes passed, but Anya didn't come out, so Anvay went to the kitchen. Although Anya used to make breakfast, she hadn't made it today. So Anvay started making breakfast as he didn't have much time. He made a sandwich and came back out. Seeing the bathroom still closed, he felt something was wrong. He knocked on the door from the outside and asked,
"Anya, are you fine? You've been locked inside for the last forty-five minutes, is there any problem? Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine, it will take me some time. You have your breakfast and leave, and please don't go near the bed," Anya requested from inside. Her words didn't sit well with Anvay. He asked again,
"Has something happened? If you need my help, tell me."
"No, nothing has happened, and I don't need anyone's help, just go away. I'll manage the rest," Anya said again from inside. Anvay asked a couple more times, but Anya didn't say anything, so Anvay said irritably,
"Fine, don't tell me. I'm not interested in knowing your problem, nor do I have the free time to stand here and wait for you to say something. I'm getting late, so I'm leaving. Breakfast is served, come out of the bathroom and eat if you feel like it."
Saying this, he went to the dressing table to get ready. Suddenly, while setting his hair, Anya's words echoed in his ears about not going near the bed, and his steps moved towards where Anya slept. After thinking for a moment, he pulled back the sheet and the next moment, in panic, put the sheet back on the bed and took two steps back.
Seeing a faint bloodstain on the bedsheet, he got scared that Anya might have injured herself somewhere. He immediately went to the bathroom and knocked on the door again, saying,
"Anya, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere? There's a bloodstain on the bed, if you've injured yourself, come out, we should go to the doctor."
When Anya, who was inside, heard his words, her eyes widened in surprise, and the next moment she screamed angrily,
"Didn't I tell you not to, why did you go near the bed?"
"I was worried about you, you've never behaved like this before," Anvay's worried voice reached her ears, but Anya, still roaring with anger, said,
"Since when have you started worrying about me? I told you I'm fine, you go away from here, yet you didn't listen to me. I don't want to talk to you at all, you leave from here, I'm very angry with you. There's no such thing as privacy anymore."
"Why are you getting so agitated? If you're hurt, come out, we'll go to the doctor." As soon as Anvay said this, Anya screamed angrily,
"I'm not hurt, nor do I need to go to any doctor, but your mind must have gone bad, so you should get it checked by a doctor."
"If you're not hurt, then that mark...?"
“I’m not hurt, and I don’t need to see a doctor, but your mind is definitely not right, so you should go see a doctor.”
“If you’re not hurt, then what’s that mark…?” Anvay asked confusedly, but Anya didn’t reply. Anvay let his mind race for a few moments. Then, suddenly, something struck him, and he stared, stunned, at the closed door. Now he understood the reason for Anya’s anger, and he himself felt uncomfortable. His mother had passed away when he was very young. There was no girl in the house, so he knew only as much about these things as he had read. He had never been in such a situation before, so today his mind had shut down. He started remembering everything he had studied in school at some point.
He remained lost in deep thought for a few moments. Then, gathering courage, he knocked on the door again and said, “It’s okay, this is normal. Are you going to lock yourself in the bathroom all the time now?”
“I can’t come out, just leave,” Anya said irritably. She was frustrated with herself for not realizing it earlier. What would she do now? If she were at her own house, she could have figured something out, but here she knew nothing.
Anvay quietly thought about her once more. After that, Simran’s thought came to his mind. He quickly took out his phone and called Rahul’s number, but the number was switched off. He became worried once again.
He understood Anya’s problem, but now he didn’t know what to do. After thinking for a while, he went out of the house. Hearing the sound of the door closing, Anya knew he had understood, but she couldn't muster the courage to come out. She sat inside with a dejected expression, blaming herself for not paying attention earlier, and wondering how she would get out of this situation now.
Anvay went straight to the chemist’s shop from there, but he didn’t have the courage to go inside. He had never felt such embarrassment before. After pausing for a few moments, thinking of Anya, he stepped inside and scanned the shelves, but said nothing. Then the shopkeeper asked, “What is it, sir? What do you need?”
Hearing the voice, Anvay looked at him. His lips moved, but no sound came out. He felt embarrassed. The shopkeeper waited for him to say something. Gathering immense courage, Anvay said softly, “Girls have… monthly problems, so they… use this, I need that.”
Poor Anvay started sweating as he said this. Seeing his nervousness, the shopkeeper, Uncle, took the lead and said, “You need sanitary napkins?”
Anvay nodded slowly. Then he asked again, “Which one do you want? Tell me.”
Now Anvay was startled, “Which one do I want? What do you mean?”
“There are different companies, different types, everyone uses them according to their convenience. Which one do you need?” The shopkeeper was used to it, so he was completely at ease, but Anvay was becoming even more uncomfortable and was now badly troubled, wondering what to do. The shopkeeper was looking at him.
Perhaps today God took pity on Anvay’s condition. A girl arrived a few minutes later, and the shopkeeper became busy with her. Coincidentally, the girl also needed the same thing, so she took it and left.
Now the shopkeeper turned towards him again and said, “Tell me, which one do you want?”
“Is the one that girl took good?” Anvay asked hesitantly. The shopkeeper nodded yes, so Anvay had it packed and left.
When he reached home, Anya was still locked in the bathroom. Anvay placed the packet on the bed, then knocked on the bathroom door and said, “Anya.”
Hearing the voice, Anya was startled and said in a flustered manner, “You… what are you doing here? You had left, hadn’t you?”
Anvay didn’t answer her question but spoke softly, “The item you need is on the bed. I’m leaving, so please don’t keep yourself locked in the bathroom, and have breakfast too.”
Saying this, he picked up his bag and left. Anya started thinking about his words. After some time, something occurred to her, and her eyes widened. Gathering courage, she stepped out of the bathroom and opened the packet on the bed. Her face turned red with shame. She squeezed her eyes shut, thinking about how much of a mess she had made today, and what he must be thinking about her. Suddenly, it struck her that Anvay had brought it for her himself. Feeling his care, a faint smile spread across Anya’s lips. She took the clothes and the sheet and went back into the bathroom.
Anvay still felt strange. As soon as he reached college, he went to the canteen and drank two bottles of water. He hadn’t had breakfast, but now he didn’t feel hungry. So he went to class. He kept himself busy all day so that Anya wouldn’t come to his mind.
He was free in the evening, but he didn’t feel like going home. For the first time, he felt awkward about facing her. He rode his bike towards the forest. He sat there in solitude, admiring the beauty of nature. He always felt better when he came here.
Today too, he felt good coming here. Darkness fell. Suddenly, Anya’s thought flashed in his mind. He looked at his watch; it was 10 o’clock at night. He started worrying about Anya, so he dialed her number, but Anya didn’t pick up the phone.
Anvay started feeling restless. He was still quite far away. He got on his bike, and the bike sped through the roads, cutting through the air. It was nighttime, the roads were deserted, yet it took him an hour and a half to reach home. He parked his bike and unlocked the house, coming inside. He reached outside his room but, considering the time, he didn’t knock.
He called Anya once more. A voice came from inside, but Anya didn’t pick up the phone. Anvay disappeared from there like the wind in the blink of an eye; the next moment he was near the balcony.
Anvay felt restless. He was quite far away at that time; in a moment, his bike was slicing through the air, speeding on the roads. It was nighttime, the roads were deserted, yet it took him an hour and a half to reach home. He parked the bike, unlocked the house, and went inside.
He reached outside his room but seeing the time, he didn't knock. He called Anya again. A voice came from inside, but Anya didn't pick up the phone. Anvay vanished from there in the blink of an eye; the next moment he was near the balcony. He had transformed back from a bat into his human form.
Anya always kept the balcony door open. He knew this, and they had argued many times about it because Anvay used to ask her to keep the door closed, but Anya wouldn't agree. Because of this, Anvay used to get angry with her. But today, he wasn't angry with her. He entered the room from the balcony, and as soon as he reached Anya, his heartbeats slowed down seeing her. Anya was lying with her arms wrapped around her stomach, knees drawn up to her chest, her face hidden between them, sobbing.
Anvay came to her with quick steps and said in a worried tone,
"Anya, what happened? Are you okay? Why are you crying?"
Hearing the voice, Anya looked up at him. Seeing her red, swollen eyes, Anvay got even more scared. Anya glanced at him and, hiding her head between her knees again, said softly,
"Hmm, I'm fine."
"If you are fine, then why are you lying like this? And why are you crying?" Anvay looked at her, troubled. Anya had now wiped her tears and, with a faint smile, looked at him and said,
"Thank you for worrying about me, but you don't need to be concerned, I'm perfectly fine. My stomach is just hurting a bit, but it's normal, it will get better on its own in a day or two."
"Your stomach is hurting and you didn't think it was important to tell me? How will it get better on its own? Do you know some magic?" Anvay said, getting angry now, and stared at her.
"I am fine, this happens to me at this time, I am used to it, it will get better on its own in two days." Anya was trying to appear as normal as possible. But the pain was evident on her face. Hearing her, Anvay said with slight anger,
"Okay, if you are so used to it, then why were you crying? Look how red and swollen your eyes are! Your face is covered in pain, and you are saying you are fine? If you are always in pain, then why haven't you ever seen a doctor? As far as I have read, there is nothing compulsory that one must have unbearable pain at this time. If there is pain, you should have seen a doctor, right?"
"Who would take me to the doctor? I couldn't tell my father anything, and his wife didn't care about the pain I was going through. She just wanted to save her money. I used to do all the work even while enduring the pain, but she never noticed my pain, she would only hit me if the work wasn't done on time. Father also used to taunt me, calling me lazy. There was no one to listen, if my mother were here, she would have understood my pain, but she left me alone after giving birth to me.
Perhaps Father was right, I am the killer of my mother; because of me, she left this world." Her voice choked as she said this, and tears welled up in her eyes. She somehow controlled her emotions and continued with a faint smile,
"Didn't I tell you, I am used to it? It's just a bit much right now, it will get better on its own, and in two days I will be perfectly fine again."
Anvay could see her smile and also feel the hidden pain behind it. What a difficult battle she had fought in life to survive. She was fighting herself to achieve this smile; Anvay was not unaware of this struggle. He looked at her silently for a few moments, then, moving towards the kitchen, he said,
"Did you have breakfast and lunch?"
"No, my stomach has been hurting a lot since morning." Anya couldn't pretend anymore; she never needed to lie to Anvay. There was something about him that made Anya tell him everything from her heart; the pain she had never shared with anyone, she would reveal to Anvay, without any fear of what he would think of her, she told him everything.
Hearing her, Anvay's steps paused for a moment, then he moved back towards the kitchen. Anya lay down again, holding her stomach. After some time, Anvay came out of the kitchen; he had a tray in his hand with a hot water bag and a coffee mug. Placing the tray on the table, he said,
"Anya, get up and sit properly."
Anya looked up at him when she heard his voice, and he gestured for her to get up. As Anya sat up, Anvay extended the glass towards her and said,
"Finish this. If you haven't eaten since morning, your stomach will hurt. You should have eaten something."
"You don't know, it hurts more when I eat," Anya looked at him with a pout, and Anvay stared at her and said,
"And not eating has made the pain disappear like magic, hasn't it?"
Anya lowered her gaze and made a face. Anvay looked at her face and then said a bit more calmly,
"Finish your coffee quickly, it will give you some relief. Until then, I'll make something for you to eat."
He gestured for her to drink the coffee with her eyes, so Anya took the coffee mug and brought it to her lips. Anvay picked up the hot water bag and placed it on her stomach, saying,
"Hold this like this, it will give you relief from the pain."
Anya was shocked at first, then she held the bag and nodded affirmatively. Anvay went back into the kitchen and started making oats for her. After some time, he came back there again and was shocked by the sight in front of him.
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