Chapter 1

Khushi stared disbelievingly as the white SUV zoomed away. She was solely tempted to use his choicest words 'What the.." She took in a sharp breath and then let it go. Did he actually leave?

"Rakhshash kahika!" she whined as she scanned the surrounding area. The whole area was secluded. She could be the only person alive in the whole world. "Ghar kaise jaye!" she wondered and made a face. It was late at night and there was no chance of getting any transportation at this time in such a place. She leaned against the nearest tree trunk. "Don't worry Khushi, he'll come back. It always happens like this in films!"

She stood up straight almost immediately. "Tu bhi na Khushi! In films, heroes come to save their heroines. Woh thodi na koi hero hain! Rakshas hain, Rakshash!"

She searched in her bag for some edible things. But there were none. She always kept an assortment of snack in her bag as it gave her mental strength to have food with her. But she was so much troubled the whole day that she's eaten up all her supply of food. She waited another 5 minutes. Her jaws tightened a bit, he was not coming back. "Khushi Kumari Gupta! What was the need to poke that dragon in his eyes? Abh jaa ghar chalke!" 

"Dunno what his mother fed him when he was born. Pakka kerala ki juice peelaya hoga." she grumbled as she set her direction and started to walk. Her house was quite far and she knew it would be very late. Buaji and Jiji would be so tensed. But what to do, she doesn't even have a phone now, thanks to the Laad Governor. At that moment, it started to drizzle slightly adding to her misery. "Wow, what a timing!" she moaned. "Ye kya Balgopalji! It was supposed to thunder on his head, right? And it's me who's getting wet at the dead of the night. Blah!"

She tried to keep herself cheerful. Doesn't matter. I'll walk home. But with each step she took she felt terrible. What has she done wrong? It's always her to get into trouble. She was so very upset about the police fiasco and then Lavanyaji was also treating her so badly. And then the Laad Governor...wicked weak man!

She thought of Lavanya. Bechari! she thought. I know she's rude and not very smartest person and I don't like her that much; but I'd feel sorry for anyone who's to live with that monster. Why doesn' t she leave? 

"How'll she go, poor girl. He must've blackmailed her or scared her out of her wits to stay with him. Otherwise who'd stay with him? Grr..."

Rain was now falling heavily. She was getting drenched from head to toe. Her salwar suit was sticking to her like a second skin. She was cold, hungry, miserable. All because of him. All of it.

"Devi Maiya, protect me!" she said a little prayer and increased her pace.

...

He hard braked as her words kept playing in his mind. How dare she! How dare she insult me like this. From where does she get so much courage. Stupid girl! Her each words made his blood boil, she made him so angry that even he sometimes felt alien to him. Who's she to tell me about what to do and what not to do. How dare she talk about my personal life. 

He wanted her to go away from his life. He was tired of her, and the way she affected him. He hated how her tears moved him and his strange longing to wipe them. He couldn't bear the thought of her anything happening to her...

He's just left her in the middle of nowhere, at the dead of night.

...

For some reasons, the sound of the car behind her scared her. Who was coming at this time? Devi Maiya, raksha karna! Does any decent people roam around the city at this time?

She walked faster, but before she's gone two steps, the very familiar car stopped right beside her. The window slid down and she saw the last person she wanted to see at this moment. "Get in!" he barked, not even looking at her. 

She clenched her dupatta and tightened her jaw. She could feel anger rising inside her, the way it has risen at the construction site that night. She completely ignored him and started to walk again. She heard the door open and found her road blocked by him. "Didn't you listen? Get in!" he shouted.

"Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada, what do you think I am? Do you think of me as your pet dog or anything that when you'll say I'll get out and when you say I'll get in. Take that concept out of your brain. You're not even my boss! I work for Anjali Ji. Who the hell do you think you are? God? Well, let me tell you a home truth Arnav Singh Raizada. You are NOT God. You think that you are so much above the normal human, but you know what, actually you are so much below them. Now let me go."

"Khushi! Utter one more word and I.."

"What would you do? Tell me, what would you do?" she challenged him, looking straight into his eyes. 

"Get in the car." he commanded. 

"No."

"Khushi, I'm telling for the last time. Get in the car." there was an edge in his voice that she recognized so well by now. He was about to explode. But she didn't pay a damn!

She started walking again and yelped in pain as he grabbed her by her wrist. He let go at once hearing her yelp. "What happened?"

"What happened! This is you asking me, See!" Khushi tried hard to control her tears as she showed him her wrist. It was bruised. "You broke my bangle on that night and you grabbed the same place even at the poolside that night. Even today. Why do you do this to me always!" 

Quickly wiping her eyes, she silently started again. Arnav kept looking at her retreating form and then as if in a trance, started walking behind her. 

...

Khushi kept biting her bottom lip as she almost ran. Don't cry, Khushi. How many times would you let him make you cry. Don't shed tears. Why do you get hurt, he's a monster.

She could feel him following her. He was not making any sound while walking but she knew that he was right behind her. Strangely, the fact made her want to wail like a child. Why, why, why...

She found her vision blurred with tears and forcefully rubbed her eyes. She felt a stone under her feet and before she could realize what happened, she found herself lying flat on the road. She couldn't explain it but she felt helpless at the moment, more helpless than she's ever felt. She started to cry. She didn't answer when a concerned Arnav rushed to her and inquired whether she's alright or not; neither did she stop him when he picked her up effortlessly and took her back to the car. 

...

She was leaning against the glass pane, her eyes closed, tears were still raking her body. She was completely drenched and the cold air from the AC was hitting her directly. She shivered and tried to curl herself up to fight with the cold. She didn't open her eyes when she heard the car break. But her eyes flew open as she felt something warm and fluffy touching her. She was surprised to see the shawl on top of her. She gave him an incredulous look but he's by now started the engine again and was concentrating on the road.

"Anjali Di always get cold in the car. That's why I always keep a shawl." he stated after a few minutes. Khushi wrapped the shawl snugly around her and leaned her head back to the glass pane, she observed his face carefully. There was not a single emotion on his face. She closed her eyes again, she suddenly felt very thirsty. 

"There's water in the glove compartment."

Giving him another incredulous look, she opened the compartment and her jaws dropped. There inside the compartment, with a small bottle of water was a packet of vegetable crackers, a small box of Pringles and a bar of sugar-free dark chocolate. She kept looking at the items first and then at him. "Aap hi ka gaadi hain na?" the question came out of her mouth unintentionally. He only grunted in reply. She rubbed her eyes, was it her wild imagination or he was actually flushed!

The fact that he also kept a supply of food within reach just like her made her feel strangely connected with him. She sipped the water and eyed the food silently. "Go on!" she heard him mutter and gladly took out the chocolate bar and smiled. She didn't know why but she felt an unknown kind of affection towards him, after all the horrible things he's done to her. She remembered the words Anjali often tells her. Itne bure bhi nahi hain hamara bhai. 

Maybe...just maybe!

She shook her head, threw the wrapper out of the window and slid up the glass once again. Taking one last look at him, she closed her eyes and this time fell into a peaceful slumber.

...