Destiny's Play!!

Chapter - 9

Karan returned on Tuesday evening around seven. He could easily have a house in Delhi and stay there for work and come over weekends to Manali but he liked the peace and quiet of this place. Not the city. He hated it. The noise, the unnecessary hullabaloo about things. Here it was just plain beautiful. No matter the season, no matter the hour, peaceful. And majorly because he was not in main Manali he was outside. And the comfort of his own house. No matter where he went his house was the most comfortable place, after all he had practically built the house himself. He parked the car and went inside to be greeted by his dogs who were equally happy to see him home. After giving them a treat each he went upstairs to change. He showered and changed into his sweatpants and t shirt. He combed his hair and wondered if he should shorten the length just a little. Then decided against it. After all it did cheese off his father to see his unruly hair. He smiled cynically. Then peered at the house on the other side. Lights glimmered in the approaching darkness. And then grudgingly his eyes went towards the room the girl was using. Avni. She had never told him her name, but he remembered from how his mother had been addressing her when she had fainted that morning on Sunday.

The lights were on. She was still here. How long was she staying? Who was she anyway? He didn't recall anybody in his parents' friend circle who had a daughter with that kind of name. It suited her though. She was a pretty girl. Young too. And he knew his rude behavior had scared her. Though it was good in one way because if she was the snooping kinds that would make her stay away. It was another matter altogether that he hadn't liked it. Scaring her. He could have said one kind word, after all she had fainted but over the years staying alone had roughed up his finer edges. The only people he spoke nicely to were his mom, sister and brother and sometimes not even him. Even in his office and amongst his friend circle he was famous for being impolite. He never cut anyone any slack. No wonder he had only a handful of people who were his friends. Even his clients knew not to mess with him but he was good, bloody good at what he did and so they had no option but to tolerate him. And he found it amusing. But the fear he had heard that day, the nervousness it had unnerved him for a second. Just for a second and then he was back at attacking her. She didn't deserve it. She had only come to apologize. Those big beautiful almond shaped eyes of hers had haunted him ever since. He couldn't get her out of his head every time he wasn't focusing on other things.

Why was that? He had wondered. Why had she been able to fix a place in his thoughts? But he couldn't find an answer. And even now he was thinking as he watched her moving around in her room. The curtains were drawn out and he could see inside as the lights were on too. His house was right across the little yard that separated his property from his parents'.

When they had moved here five years ago he had fallen in love with this place but he never could stay in the same house as his dad since the age of seventeen. This piece of land awkwardly shaped had been for sale too and he had bought it as the owner was desperate to sell then. He had cleared the land where he had built his house two years ago the rest he had let the way it was. With big, tall pine and fir trees and wild foliage. He just had a bit of garden in the front and back that was it unlike his father who had cleared up most of the property leaving just a few trees around to line up as a fence and privacy. Karan even had a different driveway he used. When he had started his company eight years ago he had still been young and fresh out of his college but he had quickly built up his clientele. As the market boomed with foreign investments and IT his company made its name with the best security systems available in the market. He had worked hard and the results were here. His was one of the top five companies in India.

He moved away from the window of his bedroom and padded barefoot down the wooden staircase to the kitchen. He heard the bell ring and Don rushed towards the door while Kiser waited for his instruction. Out of the two Don had always been a bit more playful. He patted Kiser on his head in appreciation for his good work and snapped his fingers which was a signal for Kiser to follow and he did staying by his side as he reached the door.