"What have you done? Why did you ruin everything? Our story was a fairytale dream come true."
She kept thrashing her arms on the door with full force, only for her pleas to fall on deaf ears. Her wedding bangles broke and fell, her wrists bled and h...
"Shhh.. you'll wake her up. Let's talk outside." He escorted his father outside and gently locked the doorknob.
"A scoundrel attacked her and she fainted. I couldn't leave her alone. It was already dark."
His father looked at him in disbelief. "But son…?"
"But what? Dad, you should be happy that I am alive." He scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"Atleast, my mom didn't teach me to abandon a person needing help." He smirked at his own little, devilish remark.
"Scoundrel? What? Who? Where is he? What happened to him?" His father was flabbergasted, and also annoyed by his taunt.
"I… killed… him."
A jolt of electricity ran through him. His mouth opened wide in shock.
"What? You killed him!"
He took a step back, shaking his head, in disbelief.
A few minutes passed in silence.
"I am proud of my son. I knew you were brave enough." He covered up the silence and hugged his son.
He evaded this attack as well. If only I could have this girl dead. For some weird reason, she barges in everytime and he gets away with it.
"Thank you, dad." He reciprocated his embrace.
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"Did the scoundrel get to her?" His mother sounded genuinely concerned.
"No, mom! I was there. Don't you trust your son?" He raised his hands dramatically. "I would never let anyone get close to her."
He sat down near the edge of the bed.
She was sleeping peacefully like a baby.
God, she is so beautiful and innocent, even in her sleep. When will she wake up and look at me with those beautiful, wondrous eyes? I miss seeing my reflection in them.
"Then, who hurt her?" She pointed to the red marks on her arm.
He got up with a jolt. He remembered the sequence of events.
"It was me, mom. Your son is a monster too."
He walked out of the door.
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He tip toed inside the room.
She was still sleeping, with her back towards him, lying on her side. She was snoring, infact, in deep sleep.
He found it the perfect opportunity to go near her and confess his feelings.
Nope, not the feelings of love, but of guilt. He wanted to apologise for his arrogant behaviour.
"I am so sorry, I was so rude to you. I hurt you. I know that you're scared of the dark."
He looked around to check if no one was listening or eavesdropping through the door. He got up and went back to bolt the door.
He returned and sat down on the sides of the bed again. He spoke in slow, soft whispers.
"I shall walk with you, like your own shadow. And I shall always be there to protect you. Anything adverse has to first face me before reaching out to you."
She moved suddenly, and turned around to face him. "Did you say something?"
She was wide awake. Just a minute ago she was in deep slumber.
"Nothing, I was just whining about how ungrateful some women are. They don't even care to thank me for saving their life."
She got up from her sleep. "In case you don't know, I am a light sleeper. I wake up from the deepest of sleep just by a hint of the slightest of sound." She giggled.
He was a bit embarassed at the discovery. He turned around to leave. "Good night." He wished her in a low voice.
"Rudra?" She called out to him, just as he moved out and was about to close the door.
He looked back at her.
"I am extremely sorry… I misjudged and underestimated you. I am indebted to you for life. You saved my dignity twice. I owe you a lot."
She smiled at him.
It felt like a shock wave. He became alive from the dead; her smile revived him. He felt the soft presence of love. And he smiled back.
To heck with intimidating her. I will protect her. I can't be an arrogant lad infront of her. I will an asshole otherwise.
"Thank Raghav uncle for giving me shelter in his house." She continued, smiling still.
He blinked his eyes. Raising his eyebrows, he asked, "So, you know my father?"
She laughed heartily and placed her chin on her palm. She looked at him advertently.
"I know about your entire existence as well." She said assertively.
Raghav uncle's son has returned from the USA.
Her mother's words were ringing in her mind. She finally joined the dots and deciphered everything.
He came back inside the room, and closed the door.
He looked down, and sighed. "Actually, I have something more to confess."
She looked on eagerly. "Please do."
"I know about your father. I know you consider my father as the culprit."
He looked at her with tears in his eyes. He had such an earnest and honest emotion in his eyes that she just couldn't ignore it.
"But I am here to fix his mistakes." He concluded.
