Lost And Found

14. Behind the mask.

My henna had come out a nice shade of black and that was enough to make any Indian girl, with even a little superstitious background happy cause that meant your partner loved you well.
Laughable?
Yes it was.
But it was strangely sweet.
Everyone loves good omen.

At the breakfast table I screened for the strange guy.
The coast was clear.
I quickly grabbed a toast and coffee.

I chewed quickly and ran back into my room.
I was a coward and couldn't tell anyone anything about yesterday's incident.
Well in my defense, it was basically harmless.

So I would not panic.
I checked my mobile phone for any messages.
None from Riyan.

I was disheartened.
I needed a few things from market so I asked for directions to market from Amisha.
It was so complicated that I gave up after a few minutes.
Maybe I should ask Bubbly.

I missed Riyan so much.
I needed a distraction.

Now there was a question of whether Bubby would agree to go or not but that was not important because I intended to convince him well.

I checked out side my door for any traces of the strange guy.
Finding none, I stepped out with my wallet.
His room was just few doors away.
I was sure , I could make it.

I ran to his door but in vain.

The strange guy stood there, in full glory of his strangeness, face covered yet again.
Today it was going to be a battle and only one would come out alive, I decided.

I glared and stared.

He looked coolly mocking.

'What is your problem mister?',I spoke harshly.

'Where do you intend to go?',he asked simply, his voice muffled with the mask.

'I'm not answerable to you. Why do you keep following me?'

' Most agreeable. Then with the same principle I'm not answerable to you too.'

'Are you trying to act smart?', my eyes had narrowed at his cheekiness.

' What's there to act?'

I sighed and just walked past him.

He stood with his back  to the wall watching me with interest.

I ignored him like some dirt on my shoes and was about to knock at Bubbly's door.

'Don't do that. Don't go with him.', he said, almost warned me.

'Why not ever?',I challenged him.

'It's not good to trust people you have just met. It's dangerous.'

The nerve of him.
' You. You are the one who is most dangerous to me. How dare you question others !'
Such an hypocrite.

' Things are not always as it seems.'

I stopped at his words.

' Why would you even bother? I don't even know you.',I was genuinely curious.

' I'll take you wherever you want to go.',he said.

' No!',I spoke immediately.

' Trust me.'

' Never.'

' I will stay a feet away from you and not interfere. You will be safe.'

'I would rather not go.', I said.

' You probably want to go to market. Amisha wants you to go with me.'

Just then I received a text from Amisha:' I have asked Amish's brother to take you to the market. Get me some chocolates. I'm craving.'

I sighed.

Amisha probably didn't know what kind of guy he was.

But since someone knew I was with him, I believed he would not act up like the last time.

I gave up.

' Come.'
I felt like a fool and a prisoner walking behind him.

It was starting to drain my energy.

He had starting squeezing the fun out of my life recently.

But once we were in the market, his shoulders straightened like a soldier who heard the war baton go off.
He was alert and guided me well to the shops of things I needed.
He hardly spoke and kept his distance.

He was actually literally , extremely very strange, I decided.

What a mixed personality.

' Two hundred final.',I bargained ferociously for a set of bangles that looked very much complementing match to one of my dresses.

' Four hundred no less.',the lady selling the bangles didn't budge a rupee.

Only chocolates were left on my to do list. I had noticed a nice confectionery on the left side of the far end of the road.

I gave up on the bangles and made my way to the confectionery.
They were even selling pastries.

I looked for the strange guy but he wasn't around.
Maybe he got lost in the crowd, I cheered.

I decided to buy strawberry pastry because I was missing Riyan .

Just when I was about to relax, strange guy rushed into the store and stood one metre away, stiff like a bodyguard.

I made the purchases and turned around the corner to walk back to the hotel.

Strange guy walked behind me, keeping distance.

It was an empty stretch of a road.

A group of local boys standing to my left looked at me with unnecessary interest.
I scooted to my right and started walking fast.

One them catcalled.

I ignored him.
I had a feeling this wasn't going to end in smoothly.

They came after me unaware that someone was with me.

They were five and us two.
I did a simple math and realised things were not in our favour.

Plus I wasn't completely sure that the strange guy wasn't a part of this plot.

If he was then it was six to one.

They came closer and closer closing the gap between us.

Strange guy was a few metres away.
But I didn't trust him enough.
I could be on my own.

I was ready to scream and bring a crowd.

Or run.

But what I did, actually, astonished me too.
It was as if my subconscious mind was the one acting on my behalf.

I dialled Riyan's number.
Just once I wanted to hear his voice, if this was it for me. I would keep his call on. I wanted him to be near me , with me right now. I wanted my fallen angel, my protector.

At that exact moment, strange guy's phone rang.

I looked up and my mind started recalculating things that didn't add up at all.

That voice, his touch, the strange feelings.
Was I missing out on something?

'You. You... Riyan !',I sputtered.

Riyan pulled his mask down and picked up a heavy stick from a put out fire, with an annoyed expression.

I gasped loudly.
Holy crow!
What in the world was happening right now?
Did I conjure him up from my dreams?

He walked to me and pulled me behind him, breaking any notions of him being a mirage.
He was there.

'Trust me.',  he said.
I replied almost automatically,' Always.'