HONEYDEW (A murder mystery)

Chapter 15~

Aahil looked at me with complete adoration in his eyes. I felt myself melting at his intense gaze.

My heart fluttered and made a summersault as whoosh a feeling of electric current passed through me reaching my limbs. This was a rare moment in my life. A moment that I couldn't quite comprehend.

He held my hands in his and I let him wrap his fingers in mine. We were only inches apart and this made me scared. What if he rejects my advances towards him?

If he did that, it would break my heart so I turned around and started walking away from him before my weak self would do something foolish or regrettable.

We were still in the parking lot and I tried making a mad dash towards the villa when someone held me and dragged me towards the backyard.

I screamed, shouted and tried loosening the vicious grip the person had on my arms, but the grip became stronger and started hurting. I tried kicking but to no avail and then I heard the familiar evil voice say, "Finally, I have you. It's been a terrible game of cat and mouse. Now it's time to get rid of you once and for all."

"Aaaahil," I shouted his name at top of my lungs, hoping that he would come to my rescue.

Two strong hands were shaking me as I tried my best to look at his face in the darkness, "Aleena..wake up..calm down sweetheart."

I scream, "Please leave me. I swear that I have no knowledge of any research papers," I pleaded as tears flowed down my cheeks.

A gentle hand began wiping my tears and holding me close, "It's alright hon- calm down."

I opened my eyes to find a familiar set of eyes fixed on me and those eyes were laced with worry? Care? Concern? I didn't know.

I just kept staring.

He began soothing me with kind words but my brain was too fogged to register the words. I liked the sweet-soft tune and god knows why I cried harder.

"Shh..please don't cry, sweetheart."

"I know nothing. Please stop accusing me and stop calling me sweetheart," I screeched between muffled sobs.

"I believe you," His hold became tighter and he tried his best to stop my sobs by his soothing and sweet words.

Finally, when my sobs subsided he gently laid me on the bed and poured a glass of water from the jug on the side table and handed it over to me, "I am sorry that I had to hug you, but you were having a terrible nightmare and shaking all over," He looked really concerned.

"Do you wish to speak about it?"

I did not reply.

He usually slept in the couch opposite to the bed and it was heartbreaking to see him act like a stranger. So even though the nightmare was terrible, I was happy that it had made him show some concern.

Have you stooped to accept even small bites of concern thrown at you? The feminist inside me was surfacing. You can do far better on your own.

He tucked me inside the blanket, read a few duas and stood up to leave, "Do you feel alright?"

I shook my head.

'Stop acting like a fool' a tiny little voice kept nagging in my head.

I pushed that voice farther back to my mind, "Please don't leave me, I am afraid to sleep alone," I sounded childish to my own ears.

What was wrong with me?

Surprisingly, he did not taunt the way he usually did. Rather, he came and slept next to me but as far away as possible.