Arranged to be mine ft. Shardul Thakur

𝙴𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃𝙴𝙴𝙽

"Who would gain anything by doing this?" Anushka said.

And something striked Shardul's mind.
'There is someone who can gain by harming her image.'

Ishika was sitting in her room, sitting and staring outside.
'I am having a brain fade right now. How baseless these allegation are..
But the fact is I have to face it. Pata nahi Shardul kya soch rahein honge.. Aur unki aaii? Unka toh bharosa hi uth jaayega mere upar se.'

The situation was nothing but a headache to Ishika. On regular intervals, Ritika was knocking at her door, but Ishika would just avert her by saying she needed some time alone.

At around 9 p.m. at night, it was yet another knock on her door. She again gave the same reply. But this time, the answer from outside was different.

"Ishika darwaza khol do please." Shardul requested calmly. "Sab pareshan ho rahein hain na."

She finally opened the door. He was standing there with a plate of food. She let him in.

"Naraz ho kya kisi se?" he asked sarcastically and she nodded in a no.

"Phir khane se kya narazagi laga rakhi?" he was scolding her like a kid.

"Shardul, mera man nhi hai." she said plainly.

"Par mera toh hai na. Mujhe bhookh lagi hai."

"Toh aap kha lijiye."

"Pagal ladki!" he said head-palming. "Hum sab itne patthar dil dikhayi dete hain kya. Main nahi khaunga jab tak tum nahi khaogi. In fact, bahar koi bhi nahi khayega. Arey at least hum sab ke pet pe toh rehem khao." And she chuckled at this.

"Okay fine! I will have it." she said and had her meal as Shardul joked with her to lift her mood up.
"Now since I have had it, I request ki aap sab bhi khaayein khana." she said.

"Haan, hum kha lenge don't worry. But you need to rest as well na. Tum abhi chup chap sone wali ho. Okay?"

"Mujhe abhi neend nhi aayi."

"Achha mazaak hai. Madam, tumhari aankhein chilla chilla ke keh rahi hain so jaao."
Saying this he started to go, but she held is hand and stopped him.

"You trust me right?" Her voice cracked.

"Of course, I do." He turned around, hugged her and carressed her hair.
"You never need to worry. No matter what, main hu. Hum sab hain."

"You all are worried and I am responsible."

"You are not baba. This is a news, kyuki hume log jaante hain. You are just being dragged. Abhi have rest." He planted a kiss on her forehead and left.

In the living room, everyone were indulged in some discussion about how to deal with this.

"Rohit, obviously media terse puchhegi. Toh deal terko karna hai." Virat said.

"Koi zarurat hi nahi hai jawab dene ki. Apne game pe focus rakho. Worst condition mein keh dena, I am answerable for the sport, not my family issues." Mahi bhai suggested and Rohit nodded.

"Nush! You must be having connections in media. Can you find out the person behind this by any means?" Sakshi said.

"I can try. But these media people have this unsaid rule. They never reveal the source." Anushka said.

"We can bait them with some other news. Vaise bhi itne bikau hain, kisi bhi side jhuk sakte hain." Virat said who was getting angrier with every passing moment.