𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬: अनुरागी

❀ 6

The sky was clear and blue as Reyansh packed the picnic basket into the car. Esha, bouncing with excitement, tugged on his arm. "Hurry up, Bhaiya! We’ll be late!"

Reyansh smiled at his sister’s energy. She had been the one to insist on this picnic, dragging both him and DD along. He turned to see DD—no, Divya, as he’d started calling her—getting into the passenger seat, looking calm and collected, though her face always softened around Esha.

"Alright, alright, we’re going," Reyansh said with a laugh, closing the trunk. He slid into the driver’s seat, stealing a glance at DD. He couldn’t help it. Over the past few weeks, something had shifted in him. He wasn’t sure when it happened, but he realized that his feelings for DD had changed. Every time he saw her, his heart sped up, and whenever he called her "Divya," her ears would turn a deep shade of red, and he loved that reaction.

"Ready?" he asked, starting the car.

"Ready!" Esha cheered from the back seat.

DD, or Divya, gave him a small smile. "Let’s go," she said quietly, looking out the window.

They drove to the park, where the trees cast long shadows over the grass. The weather was perfect, with a gentle breeze that made the picnic even more pleasant. They spread out the blanket, and Esha immediately started running around, chasing butterflies and laughing.

Reyansh watched DD as she helped lay out the food. There was something about her now, a softness beneath her tough exterior. But despite the warmth she was showing, Reyansh could tell that she still kept her heart guarded. She never really let anyone close, not even him or Esha, though Reyansh could see that she enjoyed their company. 

He called her "Divya" again, just to see her ears redden. And they did. It made him smile. He liked calling her by her name, the name that seemed to reach past her walls, if only for a moment. She pretended not to notice, but Reyansh didn’t miss the way she blinked and bit her lip, as if flustered.

After eating, they played some games. Esha dragged both of them into a game of tag, and soon they were all laughing and chasing each other. For a while, it felt like they were just a happy group of friends, a makeshift family, enjoying the simplicity of the moment. And DD, Reyansh noticed, looked happy too. Happier than he’d ever seen her.

Later in the afternoon, as the sun began to dip lower, they packed up to head back. Reyansh felt a sense of calmness. But that calm didn’t last.

As they walked toward the car, something caught DD’s eye. She stiffened, her body tense, and Reyansh noticed her glancing around, suddenly on high alert. Before he could ask her what was wrong, DD stepped in front of him, her body moving quickly and deliberately. 

In an instant, a shot rang out, but Reyansh didn’t hear it. He didn’t see anything except for DD moving to push him down, her arms shielding him. The next thing he knew, they were both on the ground, and the sound of a car engine sped away in the distance.

"Divya, what the hell was that?" Reyansh asked, his voice shaky as he scrambled to his feet, pulling her up with him.

DD didn’t meet his eyes. "It’s nothing. I’ll handle it."

"Nothing?" Reyansh’s voice grew sharper. "You pushed me out of the way. What’s going on?"

But DD just shook her head, her jaw clenched. "I said, I’ll handle it."

Reyansh could see the hard look in her eyes, the same one she used when she didn’t want to let anyone in. He wanted to argue, but he could tell she wasn’t going to say more, not here, not now. He gritted his teeth, hating the feeling of helplessness that came with her silence. But he nodded.

They drove back in uneasy silence, Reyansh’s mind spinning with questions. DD dropped them off at the house and told them she had something to take care of at the office. Reyansh watched her leave, his chest tight with concern.

---

When DD arrived at her office, she found a small package waiting for her on her desk. Her heart sank the moment she saw it, a sense of dread washing over her. She ripped it open and froze. Inside was a doll, its head missing. Beside it was a note, scribbled in familiar, hateful handwriting:

You can’t get your happy ending, witch. You’ll lose everything. 

Your father.

Her hands shook as she held the note. Memories flooded her mind, memories she had tried to bury. Her father had always been cruel, tormenting her since the day she was born. He had never loved her, had never believed she was his daughter. He had accused her mother of betraying him, and had blamed her for everything that went wrong in his life. And when her mother died giving birth to her, the torment only grew worse.

She had grown up under his abuse, his hateful words, his constant accusations. But one day, it had all ended. He had died in a car accident, and DD had thought she was finally free. She had rebuilt her life, hardened herself, made sure no one could ever hurt her like that again.

But now, it seemed her father was back. Not in the flesh, but in spirit, determined to destroy everything she had created. He couldn’t stand the thought of her being happy, of her having something good.

DD clenched her fists. She wasn’t going to let him win. She had survived his torment once before, and she would do it again. But she couldn’t let Reyansh or Esha get caught in the crossfire. She wouldn’t let anyone hurt them.

She crumpled the note in her hand, her eyes burning with anger. She was done being afraid. It was time to face this head-on, just like she had faced everything else in her life.

But as she left the office, her mind kept drifting back to Reyansh. The way he had looked at her, the way he had called her Divya. There was something about him that made her feel... different. She had always kept her heart closed, but for the first time, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to keep it that way.

Still, she couldn’t afford to think about that now. There were bigger things at play. And whatever her father had planned, she would stop him.