WHAT NEXT?

Chapter 7 (WHAT NEXT?)

Chapter 7

The house was pretty big than she had expected it to be. Infact, it was like a palace.

"You live here?" She was bewildered.

It was still raining.

"Yaah.... You must be wondering... umm... My parents are very rich!" He told her so that she stops bothering him with further questions.

"Why do you work then? You already own a fortune!" She exclaimed.

"Well, I like to work. What kind of a life will it be? Just sitting at home every day having nothing to do!" He said.

"But you could have parties all day! Have fun with friends! Why bother yourself with work pressure? " She questioned.

"So you think that all rich people have a gala time? They do nothing? " He smirked.

"At least their children! " She said sarcastically.

"Well, if you are done with your questions then we may please get out of the car!" He opened the door.

"Whatever! " She snorted.

A man, she presumed to be the Butler was standing outside with an umbrella.

Ryan escorted her to the guest room and unlocked the door.

She hadn't dried up yet so he asked one of the maids to give her one of his sister's dress. He figured out that they were almost of the same size.

"You have a sister?" She asked.

"Yes.. She doesn't live with us anyway, she is married now!" He told her.

"Ohh! So you live here with your parents and..." She looked around the corridor.

"and I guess... a few thousand servants!" She chuckled.

"What is there to laugh about Miss Lisa? Do you find everything so funny?" He touched her nose with his knuckles.

"Your nose is red!" He grinned.

"So is your's!" She repeated his actions.

The distance between them had shortened and they were standing very close to each other. She could smell him. Just then the light flickered and went out.

She gave a loud shriek and hid herself in his arms. It was very dark and nothing could be seen.

"It's fine Lisa.... don't worry, I am here. You are safe. The lights will come back soon!" He tried to assure her, but she refused to move away from him.

He held her like that for a few moments when the Butler came with a torch.

"Sir, there was a short circuit in the kitchen and the main power supply has been cut off." He informed.

"How much time will it take for the light to come back?" He asked.

"I am afraid to say sir, but untill tomorrow."

"WHAT?" Lisa faced him.

"It's fine, you may go now!" Ryan told the Butler.

"You can keep this torch with you, sir. It will be of great help." He handed over his torch.

"How will you go back?" Ryan asked him.

"No problem sir, I have my own." He took out another torch from his pocket and went.

"What will we do now?" Lisa asked him.

"Well, my room is just in front of your's. Either knock on the door or call me if you need anything. It's almost midnight, we must sleep."  Just then the maid appeared with the night gown. Ryan quickly parted from her and took the dress from the maid and ordered her to leave.

"Here, take this and change, otherwise you'll get sick" Ryan gave her the gown.

"Wait! Umm... why can't you stay with me over here?" She suggested.

"Come again?"

"I mean, I don't know about this place and the lights have also gone and I don't even know where the bathroom is.... so why don't you come with me only?"

"Ohh! No issues Lisa, Mrs. Drew will put on some candles in your room and the bathroom is towards the left of your room. You can find that easily!" He told her and turned around to go.

"But... But... Why don't you stay with me until she comes?"

"What is the matter Lisa? Why are you acting so scared? You have this torch in your hand and this place isn't haunted!" Ryan said.

"THIS PLACE IS HAUNTED?" She dropped the torch and hugged him again. They were surrounded by complete darkness. The torch must have broken when it slipped out of her hand.

"I said, this place  IS NOT haunted!" He held her tightly.

"There are NO ghosts or beheaded people or even witches around here! Nobody is going to scare you with a knife or a hook. There are no eagles or owls or bats! You are not going to be dead!" He teased her by saying all the scary things she was afraid of.

A haze of fear surrounded her. She remembered her past. It was dreadful.

"Shutup!" she hit him harshly on the chest.

"I know you are trying to scare me! I know you want me to be afraid. I know you want to see me crying. I know you hate me!" Tears welled up in her eyes and began rolling down her cheeks like rivulets. The cold black night pierced her very bones. 

"Lisaaaa.... Stop crying sweetheart.... I didn't mean to make you cry... I was just teasing you...! And who said that I hate you? I don't hate you.. You are my sweet little Lisa... how could anybody hate you?" He tried to soothe her. He didn't expect her to feel that way. He had no idea that she was so scared of the dark that she literally trembled.

"You are lying....You are doing this because you hate me, just like she did."

Her eyes were puffy and red after all the crying. He couldn't understand what she was saying.

"I know... now you will slap me. Then you will tie me to the chair and hit me with a belt!" She started crying out loudly. She felt as if her heart had been ripped from her body. 

She faced downwards and her eyes were shut. Her hands were behind her back, it seemed as if she was preparing for what she had said.

Ryan was totally confused and had no clue why she was behaving like that.

"No! I am not going to hit you....How could I hit you? You are so nice and lovely! I couldn't even think of doing that!" He took a step forward to hug her but she stepped back.

"Please do it fast, I can't wait any more, otherwise I'll cry again and then you will burn my fingers....like she always did!" she shook her head slightly. Her eyes flashed with anger and resentment. 

'She had a terrible past.... Are those burnt marks on her fingers? Who could have done that to her?' He wondered.

Mrs. Drew had arrived with the candles and Ryan gestured her to take them to his room instead. Lisa was still wearing the wet clothes and she would definitely get ill if they weren't changed soon.

"Come with me Lisa.... You have to change your clothes now. Nobody will hit you, I promise." He assured her and held her hand to take her in his room.

"You are lying. You will do bad things with me." She screamed her head off and pushed him a little. She was like a bull in a china shop. 

"NO, I will not! I will never hit you! NEVER ! Because I LOVE YOU!" His voice echoed in the corridor.

She didn't react, instead she stood there so silent and still as if she had heard nothing.

"You are a liar." She murmured and closed her eyes again.

"No... I am not lying... Why don't you believe me?" He asked her softly and held her hand in his.

She didn't reply and stood like a statue. He could think of nothing so he swiftly lifted her in his arms and carried her to his bed carefully. She had not revolted and had not even spoken a single word.