The Girl Next Door

~ Anirudh ~

"Hey Anirudh I am here" , Pia waved to Anirudh as he came to pick her up.
"Wow Pia, or I must say Dr. Pia! I am sure Samaksh would be very proud of you." I knew he would. Samaksh always supported me in my dream of becoming a doctor. "Hey? I am sorry, shouldn't have taken his name"

"No it is fine. I just miss him a lot. Being back here also brings a lot of memories back for me.But you don't look that bad yourself."

"Is there any problem Pia? You look worried." Anirudh asked her while opening the car door for her.

Before she could say anything Mandira greeted them . She was a beautiful woman and they definitely look good together. All of us went in and started talking over dinner.

After dinner while Mandira was cleaning up Anirudh started talking to Pia,

"So Pia tell me. You definitely have something on your mind"

"Anirudh tell me something, how did Samaksh die?"

Anirudh went pale on hearing this. "What happened Pia?"

"I am asking you the same thing. WHAT HAPPENED?"

ANIRUDH -
"Pia we were in Lonavala. Samaksh, Vidyut, me ... Samaksh had a business proposal, some new investors. We were about to meet them at the office when..."

PIA -
"Office? Which office?"

ANIRUDH-
"I don't know exactly . We never got to go there. We were in my flat waiting when I got a call, I don't know exactly but there was some problem in the Mumbai office so I had to come back. After 4-5 hours I got a call from Vidyut saying they both were in an accident and asked me to rush out to help. When I reached there, there were already many people and police had sealed the whole area. Vidyut had already been taken to the hospital. Uncle was already the scene and was kneeling beside a body.." Anirudh stopped when he saw Pia crying... "Pia...."

PIA-
"Anirudh what happened to Vidyut?"

ANIRUDH-
"Vidyut told everyone that the investors had cancelled the meeting that day. Samaksh and Vidyut got to drinking and while returning he lost balance of the car and it slipped down the valley and caught fire."

PIA-
"What about the post mortem?"

ANIRUDH-
"Pia...Uncle aunty claimed the body. They were so devastated that they wanted it all to be over. You were also in an other world, trying to be strong but we all knew how torn you were.."

PIA-
"You knew?" ..

ANIRUDH-
"Yes we all did....Now tell me what is this about?"

PIA-
"Do you know Rishab Singhania? Do you think he might be involved in the accident?"

ANIRUDH-
"I know Rishab... Not personally but I met him when I used to come by your place. Now I know him as the youngest most successful business man...And wait a minute, Why would he be involved?"

Before telling him Pia thought that she should not say anything before finding out everything about him. "Nothing Anirudh, just seemed strange, I mean since I have been back he has not asked me about Samaksh and they were friends before the accident, not good ones, but seemed strange"

Anirudh laughed at her thought, not knowing what was actually going on in her mind and said,

"Pia....as far as I know, Rishab is not much of an outgoing person, he may have thought that it might make you uncomfortable and moreover......."

"Guys are you both done talking? Pia its already late, why don't you stay here tonight..."
 
"But I have to.."

 "I know you have to go to the hospital, wear my clothes, and Anirudh will drop you"

"Yes Pia, Mandira is right...you should definitely stay here...In fact, whenever you feel, you can come right here and stay with us. Its really good to have someone in the house..."

After Pia agreed, the 3 of them spent the whole night catching up events of the past year.

'Now it is Ananya's turn'  thought Pia before going to sleep.