Words Unsaid

Chapter 11

Next day, 8.30 pm

Manav rode his bicycle through the lonely road of Delhi. It was the shortest way to his house which his parents have prohibited him to use because it was too lonely. But he cannot help but take this route since he was very late after his football practice.

Suddenly he stopped his cycle and set his foot on the ground. Just few metres before him were a girl running towards him. He looked at the girl. Her face was covered by her hair and she was constantly turning back time to time that she didn't see him with the cycle before her.

She hit the cycle and he held her making her stand straight. Getting off the cycle and keeping its stand he looked at her.

"Ritika?" he asked surprised.

"Manav.....please....please save me...woh gunde...." she cried and held his hand, "They are coming after me....."

He looked to the way she came and heard many footsteps but not people. Surely they were many. He was just 17 and there is no way that he can fight many goons, even if he is good in martial arts!

"Come" he said and pulled her to the adjacent bush. Making her sit there, he ran and pulled his bicycle from the rod and dumped it to the steep valley on the other side of the road. And he ran and joined her.

"Sshh....keep quite..." he whispered. "Woh....they'll hurt me..." she cried.

"Keep quite Ritika. They'll find us!" he whispered furiously.

But she kept on hiccupping and he could hear the footsteps nearing.

"Manav...they are coming...." she said in tears and he pulled her to him. She fell on his chest and he turned her. Putting his palm over her mouth he pulled her so that she lied on his chest with her back leaned on him.

"Quite" he whispered and she held his hand which was covering her mouth and closed her eyes tightly.

"Where is that girl!" one goon asked the other.

"We lost her yaar. She was so hot!" another said.

"Looks like we have to find someone else for tonight!" another said and they all walked away.

He left her and she sat up. "Are you ok?" he asked softly. She nodded and said, "Thank you"

"What are you doing here alone?" he asked as he stood up. He extended his hand and she took it. He pulled her up and made her stand straight.

"I am late. I had...dance practise and....didn't get...any auto. So I decided to....walk! Then they......they came to me..." she said with voice trembling.

"We'll walk back and stop at the first shop we get. We can call your dad from there and ask him to pick you up" he said.

"My dad and mom are not at home. They have gone for a business trip. I'm alone!" she said.

He looked at her. She was trembling with fear. Clearly she is not in a state to be left alone. "Come with me" he said and started to walk.

"Where are you going?" she shrieked and ran behind him. She clutched his arm and cried, "Don't go!"

"I'm taking you home silly girl!" he said.

"But my home is in the opposite direction!" she cried.

"You cannot be left alone today. Look at yourself. You're trembling with fear" he said and held her palm.

Dragging her with him he said, "You're coming to my home. Call your dad and mom from there and tell them that you're staying at your friend's house!"

She kept mum and followed him.

"Have it..." Khushi caressed her hair and pointed to the porridge. Ritika smiled faintly and took the spoon and started having it. Khushi caressed the girl's hair and checked her temperature.

"You're burning with fever. You cannot go home with this sickness. You'll stay here till you're fine!" Khushi said.

"Arrey nahi aunty....main theek hoon. It's a small fever!" Ritika said.

"Small fever?" Manav said, "Mamma you should have seen her. She was shivering due to fear and caught a fever due to that shock."

Khushi nodded and said, "Ritika, give me your parents' number. I'm going to call them and inform them that you're gonna stay here for some more days!"

"Aunty...." Ritika began when Khushi cut her in, "No arguments. It's final! Do you have any servants at home who can fetch your dresses here?"

She nodded no.

"So you're staying all alone?" Khushi asked shocked.

She nodded and said, "I'm habitual to this. Dad and mom are never at home. They are busy in their business world! And I hate servants at home!"

Khushi looked at the girl feeling sorry for her. "Give me your address. Manav and I will go there and get your things!"

"Nahi aunty, I'm telling you na..." Ritika began when Khushi showed her palm stopping her.

"Manav..." Ritika turned to him. Manav lifted his hands in surrender and said, "If mom decides something, no one can ever alter it"

Ritika sighed in defeat. Suddenly she asked, "Where is Mahi and Mr. Raizada?"

Manav looked at Khushi who said with a faint smile, "We're separated Ritika. Mahi stays with her father!"

"Oh" Ritik said and looked at Manav who smiled tightly at her.

"Ha Arnav....the girl was really scared. So Manav brought her here. She even got fever! Poor one!"

"Did Manav see who those goons were? We should take action!" Arnav said.

"No he didn't. Even Ritika didn't see their faces properly but she said that she can identify them if she see them again!" Khushi said.

"Hmm....let me look into it. And did you talk with her parents?"

"I didn't get them. They are busy and I have left a message with their manager!" she said.

"Busy? Even I'm a busy man but I always have time for my children!" Arnav said.

"People are different Arnav. Being unavailable doesn't mean they don't love their children. But Arnav I felt bad for her. She longs for love. She wishes that her parents stay with her....like our kids. " she sighed and continued, "I really don't know how our children would take it Arnav. What will happen when they come to know that our divorce is fake? And what...." she suddenly stopped seeing the person in front of her.

"Khushi what happened?"

Khushi cut the call and looked at the person shocked.

Before her stood a frozen Ritika.