Brown eyes and bangles

Prologue

The fire reflected in his coal black eyes and made them sparkle with an untamed wildness that sent chills down my spine. I watched him advance towards me with a gaze so intense. Like a hunter.

And I was the hunted.

In moments, he was right next to me, his face inches away from mine. My heart was racing but my feet remained glued to the ground. I couldn't move. I couldn't think. What was happening? All I saw was him. And the fire. They were so alike. Both were beautiful and mysterious. Both could kill with ease. And both of them, I despised with all my heart.

"Sahnya."

What did he just say?

"Sahnya." He said, louder this time. Oh right. That was my name.

"Y-yeah?" I mumbled lamely. I could already feel the knife slipping out my hands.

"You're so beautiful."

He wrapped an arm around my waist and his lips brushed past my cheeks.

"N-no." I gasped "What are you doing? You hate me remember? "

I leaned on the tree behind me, unable to meet his predator-like gaze.

"Is that what you think?" His voice was deep and husky and I could feel his breath on my skin. "There's no way I could ever hate you. The reason I act that way is because the truth scares me." His face transformed into an expression of compassion I had no idea he was capable of.

"What is the truth, Farid?" I asked,my heart melting. So I'd misjudged him all along! He didn't hate me! So then he'd definitely take me with him, I thought happily. The thought of having to survive alone, terrified me.

"Isn't obvious?" he replied. "I love you."

My knife hit the grass below with a thud. He loved me?!

I had no time to respond or even consider how i felt I about that, as he pulled me towards him. I closed my eyes and leaned in for the kiss.

My eyes flew open as my lips came in contact with cold hard metal. It took me a moment to process what was happening.

Farid stood before me with a look of pure disgust and pity on his face. In his hand was a sleek blade whose flat side was pressed against my face.

Before I could overcome my shock and muster up a nice long scream, he lowered the blade and stepped away from me sneering.

" You're pathetic. So gullible. You won't survive a single night on the streets."

My face was red with anger and humiliation. "You lied!"

"Obviously. Princess of the slums. That's what you were. And you're the last person I want travelling with me. You're on your own, sweatheart."

All my fear swept right back into me and I tried hard not to panic.

Farid strung his knife to his belt and started to walk away.

"Farid." I begged. " Please."

He turned around and I thought I glimpsed a flash of worry in his eyes. But the next moment his face was began into the usual hard mask of coldness.

My heart sank. Farid dug around in his pocket for a moment and then pulled out a golden object. He tossed it to me over the fire.

"You'll manage." he said as I caught the object in my palm. It was a plain bangle of pure gold.

I looked up and watched Farid vanish into the knot of trees ahead. His dark skin melted into the shadows of the forest, leaving me to contemplate how I was to battle the harsh streets of India with a bangle.