A boy is left behind by his mother and is rescued by a stranger. Soon after, two people are killed.
Twenty five years later, emotions are resurfacing. Ayaan Agnihotri learns that his rescuer is no more but the truth runs deeper than that. So, he emb...
Aakriti leaned back against the headboard in her room. Ayaan was brewing up a storm. Deepshika provided her thunder to make the storm deadly. Dhruv was seaching for an umbrella that might save the family. In the midst of action was one Aakriti Agnihotri playing her role as written by her best friend.
Layana Batra was your average, happy-go-lucky princess who believed that her life was a fairytale and a Prince Charming shall give her the most coveted happily-ever-after. She dreamt with her eyes open. Even at a young age, she had learnt the art of giving. She convinced her parents to fund the education for their servants' children. She, herself, would conduct tuitions for them over the weekend.
Like the moon with flaws, Layana's flaw was her possessive nature. She didn't tolerate when something of hers was taken away from her. They could borrow and she would lend. They could see and she would show. They take it from her without returning, and she would bring heaven and earth together in chaos.
Aakriti grew up in a contrasting background. Though belonging to the middle class of the society, there was never a dull moment in the joint family of twenty-two comprising of grandparents, parents, uncles and aunts. Aakriti was ten when her parents left for Nasik and never came back. Her extended family did a one-eighty and saw the siblings as burden and extra mouths to feed. Ankush, who had been a protective brother till then, retracted into a shell she couldn't break even today. At 15, Ankush left their house and moved to Ahmedabad. He funded his education doing small jobs. Aakriti had her chance when she was accepted to a college in Mumbai for bachelor's degree. The siblings reunited in Mumbai but Ankush continued staying in Ahmedabad.
Aakriti completed her studies, found a job at Batra Pharmaceuticals as an accountant. To fill her time, she took up a computer course* on Saturday evenings. It was there she met Layana. One day, Layana had forgotten her book and rushed out. Aakriti didn't know her so well but kept the book with her intending to return the next week. However, she didn't have to wait so long. On Monday, she received a call from the institute asking all the course attendees to visit the institute that evening. She took the book with her hoping to meet Layana. When she saw her, straightaway she passed the book, “You forgot it on the table.”
Layana's reaction shocked her. “Oh, you didn't steal, right?” Without waiting for the answer, Layana flipped the pages checking if pages were intact.
“Excuse me! Why would I? You left it, there was another class coming in, so I took it with me for safekeeping.”
In a flash, Layana's demeanour changed and she hugged Aakriti. “Sorry. And, thank you. I get really worked up when I can't find my things. I'm really sorry.”
From the next class onwards, they sat together, spent time before and after classes, got to know each other and over time became good friends. Since Aakriti worked in the company owned by Layana's family, it worked as catalyst to their friendship. Except for her possessiveness, Layana was easy company to Aakriti's reserved nature.
A knock on the door disturbed the train of the past. Raghav was at the door. Aakriti checked her laptop screen: that month's files were copied. She ejected the pen drive and handed it to Raghav. He took it and exited without another word.
The satin of the bolster case felt cold beneath her fingers. With a hope that Layana was happy with her doings, she closed her eyes. The tears running down her cheeks were the testimony of her unfulfilled wish for Layana to be alive.
---
Raghav tossed the pen drive in his palm. He had returned to the servant quarters on the grounds of Mahanidhi. It was a habit by now to safeguard the trinket. It was a SanDisk 64GB two-inch long USB drive with a short strap attached, rather soldered to it. The strap held the name 'Aakriti' in a typewriter font on the inside with movable charm beads concealing them. The pen drive changed every year, probably to increase the capacity. But the strap remained the same, now showing signs of wear on the edges.
It came with a strict instruction to forward to only Ayaan, when he needed. Aakriti called it a smoking gun. To Raghav, it looked like a solution to all questions. They just had to create situations so that Ayaan would need it.
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Here's a short update. Hope it answers at least one question and raises many more.
*In the early 90's India, computers were being introduced in offices and most of those who could afford attended courses to learn how to operate them.
Next update will be on Friday.
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