*Featured story in Wattpad India reading list in horror genre.
* 26 on 20/09/17 in horror.
Rita was about to sleep when Jenny's message popped on her phone's display.
She unlocked her phone and when she saw her message, all colour drained from her f...
"Don't worry. She is fine now. May be because of weakness she had fainted earlier." A unknown voice spoke as Rita slowly opened her eyes and looked around her. She sighed in relief realising that she was on her own bed. She tried getting up but gave up immediately because of sudden feeling of dizziness.
She was wondering whose voice had woken her up, when she saw Raj walking inside her room.
Raj? Why is he here? Whats happening? She thought.
"I know that you are thinking what am I doing in your house. Am I right Rita?" Raj asked holding out a glass of water to her.
Rita just nodded her head in yes taking glass from him. She was still confused.
"Actually, if you try to remember that I called you two hours back and during our two second conversation, you sounded very tensed..and before I could ask you what was wrong, you just told that someone was in your house and with that call got disconnected." He paused before sitting on a chair beside her bed.
" The way phone got disconnected, I sensed that something was wrong. I tried ringing you back but it didn't connect. Since you are still new in this city, it worried me. The next thing I did was took out your house address from company's record and decided to see myself if you are fine or not. I quickly drove here, and on reaching here, I found you lying on the floor unconscious. I immediately called my family doctor and now, you are all good..atleast it seems so."Raj explained letting out a breath.
Suddenly memory rushed back in her mind. She can't tell Raj what actually happened before call got disconnected. She knew he would never believe it.
"Thanks Raj...but..I am fine now. You too should go back and take rest. Because of me, you had to go through so much trouble." She didn't wanted him to ask her more about that incident.
"Well miss Rita...I guess you owe me little more than just thanks...don't you think?" He implied with smirk on his face.
"Oh....I am so sorry. How about coffee?" She asked before getting up from bed.
"Yup...coffee sounds good but only if you aren't feeling too weak." He smiled.
Rita went to kitchen to make coffee. He too followed her outside.
"By the way...I broke your door's lock when I came here since you weren't answering doorbell. I hope my entry impressed you." He said before sitting on sofa in hall.
"Haha...No problem...I will get it fixed today only." She laughed while stirring coffee. "But if you had done that just to impress me then, you didn't need to do that. I don't think there is anyone who can't get intimidated by you." She joked while she walked out of the kitchen with coffee mugs in her both hands.
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"Does that include you too?" He asked mischievously.
"Y-yes...I mean no...What I meant is that you are really very good person and so everyone likes you... and I am not saying that just because you helped me out today." She said.
"Okay...then. I will take that as compliment." He smiled taking a sip of coffee. "Now, coming to the question I wanted to ask since I came here, will you tell me who was in your house when you called me because I definitely didn't saw anyone when I got in and door was also locked from inside because I don't think you just blurted it out of nowhere."
And that was the question, she didn't wanted him to ask.
"I don't know Raj....may be it was nothing. I was actually very tired and, also had seen a horror movie before sleeping. So, it could be result of my overactive imagination." She lied as her eyes travelled towards her room.
"Okay. I believe you. But, as much as I know you girls don't like horror movies...I mean you all like more of romantic Bollywood movies or chick flicks." He pointed out.
"May be I am different." She grinned before picking up empty coffee mugs and strolling back to the kitchen to rinse them.
Few seconds later, Raj too came in the kitchen and stood silently in a corner watching her lost in her thoughts while washing mugs.
"Rita...don't mind but I wanted to ask you something." He said while pausing for her to look at him.
Rita turned, her eyebrows narrowed at him.
"No...don't worry. Actually, I saw some sleeping and anti-depression pills on night table when I was in your room. You know, even my mom used to take those medicines and, thats why I know there effects as well as side effects..." He trailed off while trying to understand what she was thinking. "So...I was genuinely curious to know if you are all right. Is something bothering you? Was today's incident because of their side effects as I have seen my mom having some side effects because of continuous use of them.."
She didn't answered his questions but he could clearly see in her eyes that she was in some kind of dilemma.
"Look...its absolutely fine if you don't want to answer. I can understand."He said before he turned around to leave but suddenly stopped on hearing her soft voice.
"Raj....actually I-I am having difficulty in sleeping since I lost my nani three months back.". She paused before continuing. "She was my whole family. I am an orphan. My parents had left me to die on random temple's stairs when I was just 2 months old. Nani saw me there, brought me up like her own grandchild and now when she has gone I just don't know how to live without her...without no one to called mine." She said wiping trails of tears with back of her hand.
"Rita...I-I.." Raj mumbled.
"But, you don't need to worry Raj. My work will not get affected by it. I am on medications and, trust me I am much more calmer and better than before." She faked a smile.
"I am so sorry for your loss. I didn't meant to make you cry. I just wanted to help you...and I seriously think you are one strong girl. Embracing one's pain and weakness is sign of strong. Trust me you will come out of it."He apologized.
"Its okay Raj and, really thanks for everything you did today and I am feeling better now." Rita said.
The sun was about to rise. They went on her terrace. The view from there was beautiful, but Raj's eyes was on something else. The girl standing beside him...Rita. Golden rays of sun was illuminating her face making her look like goddess. She didn't noticed him staring at her as she seemed to be lost in her own world.
*******
After briefing her about presentation and some changes in it, Raj left for his home.
Surprisingly, Rita felt sad when he left. She didn't wanted to be alone in that house and, that pungent unexplained smell seemed to have increased which was bothering her. She was wondering how Raj didn't asked about that smell. It was there all the time while Raj was with her. And that women about whom Jenny asked, what the hell that could be. Obviously, Jenny wasn't on any medication neither would she joked on something serious like this especially knowing how Rita had difficulty getting to sleep. So many questions were in her mind without any answer.
