Beauty & Beast

WARNING

dil par dastak dene kaun aa niklā hai

kis kī aahaT suntā huuñ vīrāne meñ

It was way past midnight. The roads were deserted. A lone car was racing towards narrow lanes of a locality. Latit was driving his boss to show the address of their target.

After taking a right turn the vehicle stopped at a familiar house.

It was the same house where he once had taken shelter for a night..

A realisation struck him.

That girl with intriguing big brown eyes.. that face which kept lingering in his thoughts since then..

Why you? A faint voice inside him growled

'This is the place. Let's go and make them understand right now, I say' Lalit pointed

Abhay didn't say anything. He eyes fixated at her window where a dim light was burning.

Should he go in her room just like before and talk to her directly?
It wasn't really that difficult to access the roof. He had reached there while he was wounded even.

But it felt wrong. Sneaking into someone's room and threatening them was not his cup of tea.

'Let's go. No need to create a scene. Talking to her alone will be enough'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Exams were so close.. Priya liked to spend her free periods in library. Kinjal has started skipping college occasionally as she was busy in preparations for her wedding.

Priya was browsing through shelves of books but she was not able to find the book she was looking for. Had Kinjal been there she would have already gotten bored and dragged her out of library. Priya smiled at this thought.

Oh! I am going to miss her terribly.

Abhay entered inside library with rage in eyes. A boy was leading them towards her direction. Boy was visibly afraid. He pointed towards her direction and left almost running. His job done.

There she was... Abhay stopped in his tracks watching her.

She was wearing a white dress. Her pink dupatta carefully draping her. Her fingers were carefully scanning the shelf catalogue.

Her soft features..
he felt his anger melting a little..

Just a stupid girl, he thought

He was not in business of threatening little girls. Infact he felt it below his stature that he had to come here. But this clueless girl has decided to create inconveniences to him. She needs to learn the hard way.

Suddenly Priya sensed an eerie silence in library. She looked up and her eyes caught his sight.

She felt all the blood of her body got dried up suddenly. She held the shelf to steady herself.

She saw him looking at her. Some other men behind him..

She noticed his fainted scar, his sharp jawline, his serious face and intimidating features. He started coming closer to her and she felt the air around her getting warmer. She wanted to back down but her body failed to respond.

He stopped few feet from her and both faced each other for few seconds in silence.

'so you wanted my attention? Now you have it.' He remarked.

What kind of statement is that. Priya thought but she didn't respond. She was trying to compose herself to this situation.

'Why are you handing wrong information to police that I killed someone ?'

Priya got surprised at his question, How easily was he lying
She still didn't respond.

'I am asking something.' Abhay took one step more. He was being irritated now.

Her mouth felt dry like thrones..

'I am not the one who's lying' she finally spoke gathering courage.

'You think you were the only one there with eyes ? '

Then he came a little bit closer to her and bend his back a little so that his face came in line with her.

She noticed his eyes. They were of very peculiar colour.
Green..like ocean

He spoke almost whispering 'You are not supposed to tell those tales whose part you don't want to be.'

A chill rose from her backbone. His voice was Cold.

'Whatever you THINK you saw it's better to forget.
Don't play the game where you don't know the rules.
Trust me, I won't be this forgiving again.'

'What is happening ?' suddenly a professor walked towards them. 'Ms. Priya? Is something wrong? Who are these people?'

Priya took a sigh of relief. Abhay signaled at Lalit who started 'Oh nothing professor ! We are just convincing students to vote for me'

'All of you guys are convincing one girl? Or are you threatening her? And how did you all come to library? It's a place to study, do your politics outside. Ms. Priya you go to your class, I will talk to administration about this.'

At once she paced away from him and as far as possible..

Abhay watched her go.. If she is smart enough she will understand.