Chapter 22
Abhay's shoulders sagged in relief. She was safe. But...where the hell was she? The thought sent worry coursing through him. Why couldn't he sense her?
He closed his eyes and tried again, but like the last time, he could only get a very fuzzy, unclear picture. A sudden suspicion took root in his mind. He reached out with his mind, searching frantically for a blockage- and soon recognized it.
He let out a low curse. Reina's signature was stamped all over this one.
He rammed against the block, but it remained unyielding. Belatedly, he remembered Chand's warning to never exert the full power of his mind, in case the energy radiated caused destruction and drew attention..
Getting into his car, he made his way into the woods. Once he was in, he concentrated with all his might on the irritating blockage.
He had never needed to fight with his mind, but now he did, unmindful of the trees that were uprooted nearby due to the enormous amount of energy that made the earth around him shake.
...and still, the block remained stubbornly there.
It was hurting him, as he had expected. It was as though someone was scalding him with silver again and again, but unbidden a memory of Piya flashed into his mind from earlier- a happy, bright Piya, who smiled up at him, her eyes full of love-
He launched another attack on the mental block, desperately trying to find a chink in it, anything which he could use as a weakness. It was a long time before he found it at last, and wasted no time in demolishing the mental block.
He searched for Piya again. This time he saw he clearly, stepping into something like an office... No, it was a cabin... And then she faced Sid.
His eyes opened and he took a moment to process his next course of action. He had to get to her- had to take her away from Sid, no matter if he was sort of human now. He didn't trust Sid an inch.
'Interesting use of powers there, Abhay,' said a soft voice.
Reina was leaning against a tree, luminiscent in the darkness.
'You,' he hissed. 'You sent her to Sid, didn't you?'
Reina shrugged gracefully. 'Why don't you ask her and find out?'
Abhay's fingers curled into fists.
'You were blocking her from me.'
It was a statement, not a question.
She nodded, a quick birdlike dip of her head. 'I was. However, you broke that particular barrier, of course.'
'You shielded her thoughts from me,' he hissed. 'Why?'
She looked suddenly shocked, but he saw the mockery in her eyes. 'Why, Abhay, are you telling me you were trying to find out all her secrets? Now that's invasion of privacy, you know. Lucky isn't it, that I decided to protect Piya's inner thoughts from everyone?'
'You have no right to mess with her mind,' he hissed in a low voice.
'I never 'messed with her mind' as you so beautifully put it, vampire,' she snapped. 'You were the one who messed with her-'
'I'm leaving,' he hissed. 'I don't have to stand here for more of your ridiculous mind games.'
He didn't look back as he got into his car and drove away. He knew where the office was, and he reached in about five minutes from the time he had started from the woods, driving at a breakneck pace.
Then he caught sight of Piya. She was exiting the office, her face calm and unruffled, talking to that werewolf, Alina Khurana. He was almost sure she was Reina, but it wasn't Reina's identity that he wanted to know now.
He got out of his car. Neither of the two noticed him. Then he heard Alina make an offer to Piya about giving her a lift.
'That won't be necessary,' he interrupted, before Piya could agree. 'I'll drop Piya home myself.'
She whipped around to stare at him in shock.
'What- what are you doing here?' she said.
'I could ask you the same question,' he snapped. Her mind was as shielded as ever. 'Get in,' he said, holding out the door for her. Piya's eyes flickered from his eyes to Alina and back to him again.
'All right,' she said in a low voice. As she made to sit in the car, she turned and waved to Alina. 'Next time, okay?' she called out.
To his surprise, Abhay saw a genuine smile spread across her face, a happy grin. 'Sure,' she said. Then her gaze landed on Abhay and it became mocking again...
There was silence in the car as Abhay drove. He broke it at last. 'What were you doing there, Piya?' he said.
Pause.
'I was getting a job,' she replied matter of factly, her face pressed to the window.
'In Sid- I mean, Malik's office?' he asked, careful to keep his voice even. Neutral.
'Yes,' she answered. 'I need a job anyway. Modelling is not really what I want to do.'
'You could join Dad's company,' he offered. 'You didn't have to join Malik Industries.'
She turned to look at him. 'I don't want favours from you, Abhay,' she said, looking suddenly tired and lost. 'God knows, you've done enough for me- plus, I want this job.'
He willed himself to be calm. 'Piya, Sid is not a good person,' he said, hoping she wouldn't be a stubborn brat now. 'You need to stay away from him.'
Unfortunately, today wasn't his lucky day.
'Just because you have a preconcieved prejudice against everyone doesn't mean I should follow the same, ' replied Piya calmly. 'Why don't you let me decide who I want to work with?'
'Piya, for God's sake-' began Abhay.
'Left, please,' said Piya. He raised an eyebrow. 'Your house is not on the left.'
'I know,' she replied. 'I live in the hostel now, so if you could please drop me there-'
He braked abruptly, the tyres screeching to a halt. 'May I ask why?' he said, voice low and dangerous. Piya shivered.
'It was my decision to make,' she said. 'Please, Abhay, I needed to-'
'You NEEDED to stay away from your family?' he asked in disbelief.
'I can't face them now,' she mumbled, eyes downcast. 'Not after- everything...'
Something seemed to clear in his eyes. 'I'm sorry about your sister,' he said . 'I understand...that it must be hard for you-'
She turned around and spoke without thinking. 'Of course you're sorry, one of your methods to break me has gone, hasn't she?' she said cuttingly.
Abhay's eyes widened : he stared at her in shock.
Her hand flew to her mouth in shock. 'I'm sorry, Abhay!' she said, sounding panicked. 'I didn't- I really didn't mean to- It wasn't your fault, I-'
She sqeezed her eyes shut, trying to stop the tears from falling. Hadn't she promised herself to keep her feelings aside when talking to him? One day, and she was already slipping up, going back to her old self , which wanted to hurt Abhay for hurting her. Why, why did she have to mess up everything now?
'Piya?' she heard Abhay's voice, confused. He touched her arm, and she flinched from the contact.
'I'm sorry,' she said, her voice shaking with the effort not to cry. 'I really am.'
'Come,' said Abhay, and then he was out of the car, helping her out and guiding her towards the hostel. 'Are you okay?' he said, as they reached.
Piya looked away, half-wishing Abhay would be mean to her and give her a scathing retort.
'Why are you being so nice to me?' she said, looking at him. 'Please just stop it Abhay, I- I can't-'
Hot tears filled her eyes and she ran into the hostel, leaving him all alone.
As Abhay drove back into the hostel, his forehead was furrowed in worry. Not because of Reina or Sid or Alina.
Piya was baffling him. There was something she was hiding- something horrible. In the car, her outburst had caught him by surprise, but then she had started to cry. And the way she was apologizing...
Abhay felt something clench inside him at the memory. He had never seen her like that- as though she was almost begging him. Almost like Piyali-
The car screeched to a halt as Abhay got out in front of his house and shot up to his room, without sparing Chand and Haseena a backward glance.
Door locked, he opened his closet and pulled out a dark, tattered cloth from the depths of the cupboard. The material was rich, but old...centuries old.
He didn't know why he still kept Piyali's veil. He had found it clinging to one of the branches after she had gone, and had kept it.
He hated himself for even keeping that souvenir of friendship between them. Why had she done it to him? Why had she betrayed Maithali as well? It had never made sense.
For a while, he had tried tracking her down. But it was as if she had simply vanished, like she was vapour.
However, the veil had remained, caught in one of the branches.
He made to set it aflame , but something- perhaps the recent way Piya had pleaded with him- held it back.
And for the first time, he wondered...wondered, if maybe... Just maybe, if Piyali had really cared.
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Alina stopped her car outside a quaint house of a person she held dearest. She rang the bell and waited.
Presently the door, and a very pretty woman opened the door. Casually dressed, she was wearing a smile as she saw Alina.
'Hi, Miss Gupta,' said Alina.
Miss Gupta shook her head.
'How many times, have I told you? You're not a student now. Call me Dishu, okay?'
'Okay, sorry Dishu,' said Alina, entering.
'You look so tired, Alina,' said Dishu, holding out a glass of iced tea. 'Your boss overworking you as usual?'
Alina took a sip of the cool liquid, feeling the tension seep through her as it always did around Miss Gupta.
She had formed an unexpected closeness with her in a matter of a few days, yet it felt as though she had known Dishu all her life.
Which was why she had come over to her house to relax.
'Not really,' said Alina finally, considering. 'I mean- he's still a slave driver, but he seems to have loosened up a bit.'
Dishu nodded. 'Do you want something to eat? I know you haven't eaten all day.'
'I- no, it's okay, I just need to talk,' said Alina.
Dishu nodded. 'But you'll stay for dinner after that, I hope?'
She let out a laugh. 'Okay, Dishu. Better I have dinner with you than with...them.'
She said the last word in a tone of distinct irritation. Dishu looked concerned. 'Do they bother you often?'
'Not really, no,' said Alina. 'I mean- I stay away from them, you know, so-'
'Good plan,' said Dishu. 'You still haven't told me what's put the shadows under your eyes,though.'
Alina sighed. Almost as though sensing her need, Dishu came to sit next to her, and Alina rested her head on her shoulder, feeling safe and warm.
'I wish I could...fit in, somewhere,' she muttered. 'Anywhere. I want to be...accepted. I want to be respected.'
'We all do, Alina,' said Dishu softly. 'Sometimes people have trouble being accepted by others.'
'They hate me,' said Alina. 'At the office. They hate me, because the men resent that someone gets paid more than them and the women all have crushes on my boss-'
Dishu snorted. 'Most of the people I've met don't accept me either. Don't let it affect you. They aren't worth it, because in the end, you're always alone when you have to fight your battles. Find someone who understands you and will accept you and trust you- and you will have a proper friend.'
'Talking of friends,' said Alina suddenly, 'Piya is joining in the designing department. Sid- Mr.Malik- offered her a job.'
'Excellent,' said Dishu. 'Good for you, and for her. By the way- does Abhay Raichand know?'
'Oh,' said Alina, a smirk forming on her face. 'Yeah, he does. He was nearly blue by the time he reached. He took her home.'
'But of course,' said Dishu. 'He won't want her away from him.'
'Except that she now wants nothing to do with him,' said Alina morosely.
'She told you?' said Dishu. 'Well, well. They just love to play the push-and-pull game with each other, don't they? He pushes her away, she runs after him. She pushes him away and-'
'He runs after her,' completed Alina with a laugh. 'Love makes us fools, doesn't it?'
Dishu smiled wistfully. 'So it does.'
They talked for ages, discussing what they both loved- books, authors, writing styles. 'Have you seen this one?' said Dishu, pulling out a glossy book from the shelf in the reading room. 'It came out recently. I really liked it.'
'Beautiful Stranger,' she read. 'How new is it?'
'Pretty new,' said Dishu, 'But it seems to be gaining in popularity.'
'Cool,' said Alina, running her hands over it. 'Could I borrow it?'
'Of course,' came the answer. 'That's why I gave you that one. I think you'll like it.'
'You're brilliant, you are,' said Alina. Dishu pretended to preen. 'But of course.' she said, bursting into laughter.
Dinner that night was much more...comforable than Alina was used to with her family. Dishu had a marvellous sense of humour, which she loved. Consequently, she had a lot of fun.
'We should meet more often,' she said, grinning. 'I haven't had so much fun in ages.'
'Agreed,' said Dishu. 'Come by whenever you like, okay?'
Alina sighed, getting to her feet. 'I should leave,' she said at last. 'Of course,' replied her host. 'I understand.'
But when Alina left, Dishu was standing alone, watching her go. She hoped Alina wouldn't get into trouble with her family again.
It was almost 11 pm when Alina reached home. Predictably, her detested mother and brother were standing in the living room, each wearing a scowl.
'Do you know how late it is?' she heard Jeh say.
'I believe it's five to eleven,' answered Alina frostily. 'Have the clocks stopped working, brother dearest?'
'Insolent girl!' screeched Dipannita. 'How dare you talk to your brother like that!'
'Mom, calm down,' said Jeh. 'I'm sure she was with some friends-'
'Friends?' repeated Dipannita mockingly. 'This- this pathetic excuse of an heir will have friends?'
'If you're done, I'm leaving,' snapped Alina curtly. 'It is none of your business to poke your nose in what I do and with whom.'
She stalked up to her room, leaving a shocked silence behind her.
Siddharth Malik was sleeping. Or at least, it felt as though he was till his eyes flew open.
Piyali was standing in front of him, tears in her eyes. 'How could you?' she said softly. 'How could you do this to me?'
He moved to console her, but she vanished.
Sid awoke with a jerk. Piyali berating him again through his dreams. He supposed it was his guilt manifesting through. God, he needed to tell Abhay the truth. But would he believe him? No...he had to gain his trust first.
A burning in his throat distracted him. He opened the refrigerator and downed several glasses of cold water. His thirst abated, but not entirely.
His thoughts turned to the events of the evening. Piya's memory returning was a surprise indeed. It made his plans that much easier. He had seen Abhay take her home, as he had been hidden in the shadows, and his poor brother had been preoccupied. When they had left , though, he had got a look at Alina's face- and was shocked to see the exhaustion visible. She looked sad about something, too. But then she had got in her car and driven off.
Sid was rather intrigued by his secretive secretary. She spoke to no one, smiled at no one, and kept to herself unless some task needed to be completed. He knew nothing of what made her laugh, or cry,what she liked or disliked. His knowledge of her extended to her ability to complete the biggest tasks within the deadline.
The thought brought him up short. Since when had he been interested in what others liked? Could he possibly be-
He dismissed the thought at one. He didn't think he had it in him to forget Maithali ever. Besides, his brother was a living...well,dead example of what love did to you. He needed to maintain a professional rapport with his secretary, and by the way she had maintained her stiff, cold denamour, it shouldn't be a difficult task at all.
Edited by bookworm-ALS-- - 12 years ago
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