AsHlok FF~Love Finds Its Way~ Chapter 12 Pg 134 *up28May14* - Page 39

The road was empty, Astha gazed up at the blue black sky bubbling with stars and smiled sadly. She was about to cross the road when her ears caught the sound of a distant approaching car. Her eyes widened as multiple thoughts clicked in her mind. The morning news flashed in front of her eyes.

Four girls abducted from Pune streets last night.'

She caught hold of her pepper spray and started walking with her trembling legs. She walked towards the blocked side of the road where at least the car could not make its way. Astha heard the car stop; its headlights fell behind her back and then soft footsteps made their way towards her. She pushed down her saliva and marched a little faster, but the pace of the intruder also fastened. She, being the coward she was in such situations, didn't stop to see who he was. He came close and called out her name, even before realising it she pressed her index finger against the head of the pepper spray and a shower sprang out right on his face.

"Oh My GODDD!" She shrieked, seeing whom she had targeted just now.

***

Chapter 7

The Troublesome Snow White

Not in her life she could have imagined it to be Shlok. She stepped back aghast, an intense sense of compunction moved her. He pulled back almost yelling out her name, and extending his hands to cover his eyes now throbbing in an acute pain. The irritation kept augmenting. Astha closed in immediately and held back his hands.

"It will irritate more..."

"To hell with the irritation... do something about this! Argh!" He yelped in pain. Astha in her process of thinking ended up helpless. There was no way out. The spray would render him blind for at least half an hour and the irritation even more.

"Drive!" He tossed the car's key towards her. She looked at them for a second and then held his hand guiding him towards the passenger seat.

Astha drove carefully as he told her the address.

"What on earth makes you girls so self protective... this thing is eating out my eyes!" Astha kept quite trying to concentrate on the road while he kept saying whatever came to his mind.

At Agnihotri mansion, Astha took him to his room and left him outside the washroom. It was near ten and no one was awake. Something clicked her mind and she started looking for something on his dressing table.

What is wrong with you? Why would he use such a thing.' She was rushing out heading towards the main entrance when she heard a voice from somewhere near. It came from the kitchen. She saw a pretty little girl come out with her eyes half open.

"Bashful, Doc... Dopey... Grumpy... Happy... Sleepy...Sneezy" She repeated in her sleep walk. Astha came to her and held her by her shoulders, trying to wake her up. She opened her half drowsy eyes and exclaimed, "Snow White!" The little fellow hugged Astha in sheer happiness. Astha laughed aloud remembering she was repeating Snow White's seven dwarves' names in her sleep. She pulled back from the hug.

"I am not snow white." She said cupping the girls face in her hands. Her smile faded away.

"You are not?" She asked despondently. Astha regretted blowing her little bubble away.

"No... i am Astha." She whispered looking here and there to see if anyone was around.

"I am Princess Kavya... Astha what are you doing here?" she whispered and looked around just as Astha had done, making her laugh.

"I am lost... and am looking for a pink room with windows." She whispered again. Kavya curved her lips and held her hand in hers.

"I have a pink room with windows... come with me." She took her to her room. Astha kissed her on her cheeks and told her to sleep. Kavya was still very sleepy so drowned off to sleep almost immediately. Astha sighed rubbing her hands together.

"Finally!" She exclaimed and headed for the attached washroom in the room. There she found what she was looking for... a baby shampoo. She grabbed it and ran back to Shlok's room.

He was still rinsing his eyes with water. The pain wouldn't go, Astha cursed her pepper spray and was about to knock on the door when she saw him take off his wet shirt. She turned around, sighed, and knocked.

"Who is it?" His irked voice came. She bit her tongue and answered.

"Sir... its me Astha!"

"What now?"

"Umm..." She entered inside and stood beside him. "Sir this will help... let me..." She took out a little shampoo on her hand and took some on her fingers to rub it near his eyes. He pushed her hand away.

"Please Sir...let me." He sighed and dropped his hands in the sink. She gently rubbed the shampoo around his eyes. His features relaxed a bit as the irritating sensation slowly drifted away. He felt better and better as her fingers ran around his eyes. She then rinsed them with water and dried with a towel, taking extra care not to cause any further harm. The burning sensation was gone, he could now open his eyes, although the traces of irritation were still there. He deliberately opened his eyes, seeing her se close made him forget everything for a moment. She was deeply engrossed in taking care of his eyes. He stared down at her through his half open eyes.

Astha felt his gaze and realised the close proximity she was in. Her one hand held the towel while the other held is head to keep it stable. Their eyes locked, Astha's hand stopped its work. She stared into his bloodshot but still deep eyes. He stared back at the concern for him in her eyes. Astha wanted to look away but her eyes failed her. Something in there enthralled her entire existence in its grip. He stared back equally spellbound.

"Is it okay now?" She whispered.

He wanted to say no but nodded a yes. Astha forced her gaze away and stepped back, in the process she slipped. Shlok instantly held her by her hand and pulled her close. Before another eye-lock both instantaneously looked away.

"You okay?" Shlok asked.

She nodded timidly, feeling the heat of the blood rushing in her cheeks. Freeing her hand she walked away.

"I'll wait for you outside." She said and ran out of the room, sprinting her way through the corridor and finally halting near the car. She gasped for air and placed her hand on her thumping heart. The blowing wind felt cold against her burning cheeks. She leaned against the car and closed her eyes, her beats still erratic. What flickered behind the closed eyes made her open them again.

"What was that?" She threw her question in the air. Her heart started thumping loudly in reply. The atmosphere sent another blow of cool zephyrs. She lost herself to the memory again and lost all track of time.

Shlok came back, dressed casually in jeans and a black shirt clinging to his muscular frame. She had never seen him in anything other than his usual three piece and now when she had, he looked more lively, boyish and happening in casuals. Astha gawking at him soon forced herself to look away, she realised she had never found herself so helpless.

He did not say a word and settled inside his SUV, Astha followed suit. Shlok remembered he had wanted to tell her something important regarding the project but then decided to let it go. Astha thought why did he come after her? But did not ask him. The rest of the ride was a silent affair. They could not talk, their eyes had already done too much of talking for the day.

She thanked God her parents were out of town for a few days, or else coming home this late would have gotten her in deep trouble. She did not have any sane reason to defend herself. What would she say? She sprayed in her boss's eyes and then tagged along to... whatever!

***

Tired from the day's work Astha dozed off immediately. So did Shlok. With his coffee laying untouched beside the lamp on his bedside. Outside the clouds roared and it was time for another happy rainy day.

***

She walked bare foot on the grass rationally wet because of the dew drops. There was no sign of the sun; the clouds heavy with rain covered the sky like a uniform sheath. There was a murmur of the soft winds on the tree tops caressing the air with rhythms of old songs. The flowers danced merrily in the wind with the balm of solitary musings. She sat under a tree; a vast sweet silence crept through its branches and leaves.

Some penetrating odors assailed her memory as something unforgettable, she let go of her inner self to her surroundings. The grass by her side flustered as someone gently settled down beside her. Her eyes met his, and she lost herself into a delirious wonder, with affection hovering in her gaze. He rested his head in her lap, she gently caressed his hair. The wind blew her long hair on his face. He felt the silk dancing in his face. She pulled back her lose strands and knotted them behind her, bending towards him a little in the process. His hand reached out for her jaw line, she closed her eyes on his touch. The clouds roared vociferously.

***

Astha woke up at eight the next morning. She lazily went to the kitchen to make herself a breakfast. With her still drowsy eyes she prepared herself a French toast and brewed a mug of coffee. She brought her breakfast out in the terrace with the newspaper. While going through the headlines she took a sip of her coffee. The moment she took it she spat out every bit of it; making a miserable face. She stared inside her cup incredulously.

"Black coffee? When did i start taking poison for coffee?" She face palmed herself.

***

Kavya ran into Shlok's room and sat on his stomach, trying to wake him up.

"Chachu wake up please!" Shlok lazily opened the shutter of his eyes. The irking sensation was almost gone. He smiled seeing the little Kavya sitting on his tummy.

"How is my princess?"

"Perfect!"

"What brings her to her chachu this early in the morning."

"I saw Snow White last night..." She told him widening her eyes in excitement.

"Snow White really?" He asked sitting up straight, making her sit on his lap.

"Yeah! I told baba and muma but they wont believe me... you know she told me she aint Snow white...umm what was the name yeah... she said she is Astha and not snow white... but she was snow white because i was dreaming about the dwarfs before that..." She told him half musing to herself all the time.

Shlok felt a current on the name. He asked Kavya to tell her everything that happened with her and her snow white. She told him all and left as Sojal called her.

"Snow white?" He repeated remembering how she had sprayed in his eyes last night and everything which followed. "A real troublesome snow white." He smirked.

***