Posted:
18 years ago
This is a new fan-fic about Angad and Kripa. Do read and give your comments so I know if I should continue with the storyline. Thanks. š
Part 1
Kripa was an interior designer and worked freelance. Most of the shops recommended her, and for a while things had been going very well. Every house she did had been a spectacular success and her name had been passed on at cocktail parties and coffee mornings. Now, though, things were different. Getting their house done was the last thing on people's minds and business was incredibly slow.
Going away would give her time to think, give her mother time to let Kajal know she was welcome, and as far as Kripa could see there was no danger. She had been invited by Madame Khanna. In any case she trusted Prithvi. He had talked endlessly about his home, the small island where his family lived. Her best friend Harshini was dead against Kripa going to a foreign country all by herself. But Kripa just brushed her off. There was one thing she hadn't told Harshini though, and that was that she had received a letter from Prithvi. It read:
My family are longing to meet the girl who was so kind to me in England. Please accept the ticket my mother sends as a gift to repay your kindness. Come to visit us and have a nice relaxing holiday. Actually I need a little help and I know you are game for anything. If you feel embarrassed about having a free holiday, you can rest assured that I need you. It is a secret that I will disclose when you arrive.
Kripa couldn't see anything wrong with it. What was wrong with going out to Greece to visit a friend, especially one who needed help? At the back of her mind, caution held up a staying hand, but she ignored it.
The invitation had come at exactly the right time, because things were beginning to get tough. She might well re-think her career if things didn't improve. Her mother married again after years of being a widow and her stepfather had a daughter, Kajal who hated everyone.
The holiday was a godsend because Kripa could never have afforded one herself and it was the perfect excuse to get away from it all. She was going to forget about everything in Greece and Harshini's worries would just have to pushed to the back of her mind.
Kripa stepped off the plane in Athens and walked towards the arrivals lounge. It was exciting. There wasn't much that Kripa feared. There was a sense of adventure in the air and she looked around expectantly. Soon she would see Prithvi and he would smile in his happy way.
There was a man standing at the front and Kripa suddenly found herself staring at her own name. He was holding a card up with her name printed in black. 'Miss Sharma.' That really made her smile. It was just like Prithvi. He would probably be hiding around the corner. She walked forward, her smile growing, too amused to notice the admiring looks she was getting from the men who passed. At any moment Prithvi would spring out at her. He didn't have any patience at all.
Neither did the man who stood at the back of the crowd It had been clear that this was the girl even before she had come that this was the girl. He frowned, his hands clenching in annoyance. She was not what he expected, but then poison could come in a beautiful package. She didn't look greedy. There was an innocent look about her.
Well, she had plenty of nerve, he could give her credit for that, and her eyes narrowed as she stopped and looked at the man who had held the card for him. She would need plenty of nerve, he thought with satisfaction and she was soon going to realize that. As far as Prithvi was concerned, this girl had not arrived and he would certainly not see her again.
Kripa saw him coming towards her and shivers of apprehension ran over her skin immediately. Harshini's words came rushing back into her mind as she tore her eyes away from the came purposefully forward. She wished Prithvi would hurry up.
The man with the card had vanished without her realizing it. The fact brought fresh alarm because the man was almost up to her. Soon he stood right in front of her and she had to look up a long way to meet his eyes. They were an amber brown and penetrating. He was incredibly handsome.
Kripa stared at his mesmerized, and when he spoke she jumped nervously. He didn't know her but he disliked her.
"Miss Sharma?" He spoke.
"Yes." Kripa was very anxious. Where the hell was Prithvi?
"Will you come with me please?"
"No thank you, I meeting someone."
"I am meeting you Miss Sharma. Let's leave."
"Will you please go away? I'm meeting a friend and I don't need any sort of assistance."
"You were expecting my brother to meet you Miss Sharma. Unfortunately he couldn't come, so I offered to collect you and take you to the island."
"You're Prithvi's brother?" Kripa could hardly believe it. Prithvi was so sweet and kind, and his brother was just the opposite. There was nothing kind about him.
"I am Angad Khanna, Miss Sharma, and I would greatly appreciate it if you would accept it. I don't have the time of day to stand around at a crowded airport."
"Do you have any identification?" That earned her a look of utter disbelief. But that was just Kripa being Kripa.
Angad sighed in annoyance and grabbed a passing man and spun him around. "Tell me who I am."
"You-you are Angad Khanna. You are head of the Khanna Shipping Line. You areā¦"
"That will do. I know everything else about myself. Will that do Miss Sharma or should I gather a whole chorus?"
Kripa blushed, but it was more out of annoyance. What an arrogant, self-centred man. He certainly thought too highly of himself.
"I'll come with you."
Kripa was sitting in a large Mercedes looking out to the scenery, but gave Angad malicious glances once in a while. There would be no conversation with this man.
Angad glanced across at her. "What is your first name?"
"Kripa."
"That is your name? It's unique." Kripa chose to ignore the sarcasm in his voice.
"How old are you?"
"Twenty-two."
They drove on in silence. The journey seemed to be stretching on and on and Kripa became alarmed.
"I didn't expect such a long journey. Will we get to the island before dark?"
"Probably not. It doesn't matter. You'll get to see Prithvi in the lamplight-more romantic."
"Prithvi and I are just friends." The audacity of the man to even make such a statement.
"I'm sure you are Angad." Angad replied sarcastically.
It silenced Kripa effectively. She was not going to explain herself to this arrogant man.
The road suddenly stopped and all Kripa could see were large iron gates. The road was a little more than a drive than the drive to some big house.
"Who's house is this." Kripa asked nervously.
"This is my house Miss Sharma." Angad answered.
"Do we have to stay here till morning?"
"Yes Miss Sharma."
"Is Prithvi here?"
"Is Prithvi here?"
"No, he is on the island and he will stay there if he knows what's good for him."
"But what about tomorrow? Will we be going to the island? You said we only had to stay here till morningā¦" Kripa asked now frantic.
"And many more mornings to come, Miss Sharma." Angad relied unsympathetically.