Aastik
"Bring me a cup of strong black coffee," I ordered Arjun.
"Right away sir," he replied, bowing his head slightly and left from there, closing the door softly behind him.
I leaned back on the chair, flipping through the same file for the last half an hour, but I couldn’t focus.
The words were just swimming in front of my eyes, meaningless.
My mind was still trailing on today morning’s scene.
Why did I care? It shouldn’t be my problem if she eats or not, how much she eats. That’s her problem.
But the way I reacted... when I noticed she hadn’t worn the sindoor or the mangalsutra I had kept in the drawer... was very unusual of me and it also proved something, and that is, that she is also like her family and mostly her brother.
That mangalsutra... it was made within a day by the best crafter ever known.
Though the crafter had said 'NO' at first for such an urgent order, but I have my ways to handle situations.
Just a game of money it was. Throwing a sum of money in front of him which he probably never saw in his whole life, that was the solution.
But the innocence in her eyes told a different story. She was scared of me, and I could read her face like an open book.
Yet, for the first time, someone had the audacity to look straight into my eyes for more than a few seconds.
To my surprise, it seemed like she was lost in my hazel eyes. And I won’t lie at some point, I found myself staring right back into those mysterious eyes of hers.
Her eyes were something I couldn’t look away from, right from the very first time.
Whenever I looked at them, it was impossible to tear my gaze away.
It was as if my body didn’t obey me, like it had been possessed by her eyes, pulling me in, holding me captive without a word.
Frustrated by my own thoughts, I threw the file onto the table with a heavy thud.
I massaged my temple, trying to ease the pounding headache, and reminded myself, "Don’t let a foolish girl take control over you, Aastik. Remember who you are, THE AASTIK MALHOTRA. You’re never meant for this shit."
I spoke to myself in a low, harsh whisper when a knock interrupted the silence.
"Come in!" I ordered without looking up.
"Sir, your coffee," Arjun said, standing beside me like an obedient servant to his master.
I barely glanced at him, keeping my eyes fixed on the file.
"Did you get any clue of his innocence?" I asked without lifting my head.
"We're on it, sir. It'll take some time," he replied quietly.
"Three days," I said firmly, not looking away.
"Okay, sir. I'll inform the team right away," Arjun said and left the cabin.
I glanced up once more, a sinister grin curling my lips, "Playing with AASTIK MALHOTRA, huh? Well, good try, but not the best," I said, my mind racing through the darkest permutations of the game he started and the end win will be mine.
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I arrived home around eight o’clock well, that was quite early for my usual day, but I couldn’t help it when all the work had been meticulously wrapped up for the day.
I stepped inside the house, it was engulfed in an oppressive silence like usual but today it shouldn't be the usual, it's not just me and Doggesh in this house anymore, 'Where is she?' this thought crossed my mind.
Slowly, I went upstairs to her room. The door was slightly open, I pecked inside the room, the bed was covered with her clothes, but what caught my attention were her sobs she was crying.
She hid her face and hugged her knees, her hairs falling all over her face, covering her like a mask
The scene in front of me broke something inside that I couldn’t put into words. I was about to go inside when her sobs grew louder. I stopped and looked at my hand, and thought, Isn’t it obvious she’s crying for her family? Maybe she’s missing them.
So, I’m the reason she’s in tears then why do I even care? Didn’t I bring her here for this? Maybe it’s right that she is crying. But why? Why don’t her cries give me any satisfaction? Instead, they bring a pain I haven’t felt in a long time.
I stood there silently outside her room, my steps were heavy to go inside to her, I just kept looking at her from the distance.
After some time she stopped crying and started gazing at the stars but I still wasn't able to call her so I silently walked away.
I came inside my room and threw my phone and blazer on the bed with a force.
Her sobs were echoing in my ears, I looked outside at the stars which she was looking, nothing special just some stones, huh... but gazing at stones did bring solace to someone's life, I guess.
Shaking her thoughts away... Or maybe trying my best to shake her thoughts away, I went to the washroom to freshen up. As I turned on the shower, the cold water touched my skin, relaxing my body and working like the perfect stress reliever.
My muscles relaxed under the shower, draining all the tension built up in them throughout the day.
After a few minutes, I came out wearing black trousers with a towel hanging around my neck. I dried my hair and sat on the bed, feeling a little thirsty. But to my luck, there was no bottle in my room. I sighed and got up, heading toward the kitchen to grab some water.
I moved quietly to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, I grabbed a cold bottle of water. After chugging almost half of it, I placed the bottle back inside and started walking towards my room.
That’s when I heard a faint murmur cutting through the silence of the house. My whole body tensed, instantly alert, as I turned towards the source of the sound.
With slow, steady steps, I moved through the dark hallway, following the vague whisper. The more I walked in that direction, the clearer the murmuring became.
And in the next moment, I found myself standing in front of her room.
"What is she doing, it's already soo late," I thought in my mind and was about to open the door but paused in mid-way and took my hand back. My fingers hovered in the air for a second before I let them drop to my side. And for the first time ever, I was feeling nervous.
I thought for a second and wondered if I should just leave but suddenly she screamed, and that was it. Without wasting any second, I threw open the door.
The scene almost shocked me. She was getting a panic attack.
Her whole body was trembling. She was struggling to breathe, each gasp raw and sharp. Her clothes were soaked in sweat, clinging to her skin. She hunched over as her shoulders shook.
Her face was pale, drained of all colours. Her lips quievered with fear. Damp strands of hair clung to her temples
Without wasting a second, I rushed towards her and hugged her tightly,
"breathe Ahana... breathe... everything is alright... see, I'm here na... you're alright" I whispered softly against her ear.
I kept patting her back gently,
"shant ho jao...kuch nhi hua hai...sab thik hai" I said again, my voice low, trying to soothe her. I cupped her cheeks and made her look at me, her tear-streaked face broke something inside me but why... But right now it's not the time to think why.
"Look at me Ahana... look at me," I whispered again, with my softest voice.
"Please... I'm... sorry... please... please..." she kept mumbling through her sobs, her voice choked as she cried over my shoulder. I held her closer, wrapping her tighter in my arms.
"See no one's here to harm you... You're safe in my arms...try to breathe Ahana" I said trying my best to calm her down.
"Everything's fine... shh...shhh" I whispered again and again, trying to calm her trembling body.
"Copy me... see... take a deep breath... and now exhale it... good... again sweetheart..." I guided her softly, my palm rubbing her back in slow circles.
We repeated it a few times. Slowly, I felt the tension in her body ease just a little. But she was still trembling, her fingers clutching my biceps as if letting it go would shatter her. I kept stroking her hair, my other hand gently patting her back, not letting her go for even a second.
After fifteen long minutes, her breaths became soft and steady. Her body too stopped trembling bit by bit. I laid her gently on the bed, pulling the blanket over her.
Just as I was about to leave, her frail fingers caught my hand in her sleep, her grip weak but desperate. "P... please... I'm s.. sorry... p.. please don't l.. leave me a.. alone... I... I'm scared..." she murmured, her voice barely audible.
I sat back down beside her and held her hand tighter, "I'm not going anywhere... I'm right here... with you," I whispered, brushing her hair softly as she drifted back into a fragile sleep.
I sat beside her, her small little fingers held my hands with hope. Her hold was light but the weight of it was heavier than I thought.
I looked at her red and puffy eyes, dried tear marks on her cheeks hadn't faded which was making my jaw clenched without me knowing.
I was looking at her very intently, trying to solve an easy yet tricky puzzle.
I was trying to read the book behind her face she was trying hard to hide, a side so vulnerable and crushed that she is getting panic attacks because of that.
Is she really what she shows or is she someone who she hides behind her fake eyes and fake smile. Whenever I look at her she seems fake. Her smile seems fake like she was forcing it, her eyes seem fake like she masked it brilliantly. There was something so rehearsed in the way she smiled, the way she looked.
But her eyes never lied to me. I feel absorbed by them, a pair of chocolate brown orbs pulling me into a world of ruin, where I'm ready to walk without any second thought. I feel like her pain reached out through them and wrapped itself around me without her knowledge.
She's bleeding silently and her eyes were the only place she let it show, but it depends on them who wants to read it, who wants to devastate themselves getting ruined by her chocolate brown orbs which pull me towards her like a force I can’t name
"I want to learn you, Ahana," I said, sitting beside her, my eyes locked on her, never blinking for a second, it feels blinking for a second would be a sin, a sin to not see this sinful book, cover by this painted face.
I was busy looking at her when my phone started vibrating. The sudden buzz felt too loud in the stillness of the room. I quickly silenced it, making sure it doesn’t disturb her sleep. Carefully, I slid the phone out and checked the number.
The name that flashed before my eyes was the one I least expected.
My grip on the phone tightened. A dull, familiar pressure began to rise behind my eyes. It darkened with the thought of breaking this phone right now. I looked at her for a second, her face peaceful, unaware of the storm building inside me. Without a second thought, I blocked that person’s number.
That call was the least important call from the least important person in my life.
But this call did one thing very well, It gave me that damn Fucking headache. It was throbbing so badly, I was continuously massaging my temple but it was not helping at all.
I need to smoke, the urge to pull that intoxicating flavour in my lungs made me feel a bit relaxed but there's only one problem-
Her fingers wrapped around my hand stubbornly, the more I try to remove the more she frown with a cute look.
And let's be honest, I want her to sleep peacefully, her face looks ethereal while sleeping.
With no other choice, I laid beside her. My plan was clear. Just wait till she falls into a more deeper sleep, then slip away quietly.
But does something ever happen the way we plan? No, right?
My eyes started getting heavy. It was becoming impossible to keep them open, even for a few seconds and that fact alone shocked me. I mean, me, the Aastik Malhotra, the one who can work for three days straight without a blink of sleep now feeling drowsy?
Funny.... right?
But opening my eyes was the last thing I could do now, and before I knew it, I dozed off into a deep sleep.
Ahana
I was feeling peaceful, like I had no worries in my life, no problems, just a piece of solace that I found and embraced perfectly. But I knew better that the moment I opened my eyes, it would be that suffocation again, that cruel world in which I have to live no matter what.
But the moment I tried to open my eyes, I frowned a little in my sleep. I was feeling something heavy on my body, something that was warm yet hard, crushing my body under it.
Unable to unnotice it and knowing it couldn’t be a dream, I opened my eyes. And after seeing the thing or shall I say, the person beside me, my breathing nearly stopped. My eyes shot open, wide enough to pop out any second.
What is this Devil doing here? Why is he sleeping here? In my room? In my bed? Beside me? Is he crazy?
I looked down a little and saw him sleeping a little uncomfortably, like he had dozed off in the middle of something, and the thing I felt crushing me… was his hands.
This is the last thing I expected in the morning. The sleepiness from my eyes was long gone. I was feeling tense, nervous and many more things. I looked above at the ceiling and whispered, "Kya kar rahe ho Kanha ji aap!"
But complaining to Kanha ji won’t solve the problem I’m already in. I slowly turned my head and looked at his face.
The tension on my face faded a little as my eyes landed on his face. He looked… really handsome. Like unfairly handsome. For the first time, I was actually looking at him this closely, and now that I had the chance… I couldn't stop staring.
His long, thick and curly eyelashes... looked so ethereal. His soft, slightly curly hair, with a few messy strands falling over his face which only made him look more attractive, almost unfairly so. That sharp jawline, God, it looks like it could cut ice. And then there was that small cut near his eyebrow... giving him that dangerous edge.
And his Adam’s apple, my absolute weakness. It’s my favourite thing to look at. A small part of me wanted to reach out, trace my fingers along it... just once. But I can't. I can’t play with the Devil, not when I know I’ll be the one turning into his feast.
And then....his lips. I glanced down and immediately turned to the other side. "Don’t look at it, Ahu….it’s not something you should be looking at... idiot girl!" I screamed in my head, while my inner angel and inner devil were already at war.
[ IA- inner angel
ID- inner devil ]
IA: Don’t look at it Ahu. It’s not a good thing, okay?
ID: Oh please, didn’t he say just yesterday you’re his wife now? So what’s the big deal?
IA: Yeah, but if he wakes up and catches you....
ID: So what? He’s the one who barged into your room and is now sleeping beside you. You’re already in trouble.
IA: Ugh, you’re impossible! Always making everything worse.
ID: I’m just spilling the truth...
Before my brain could argue back like a complete idiot, I shooed them both away. But what ID said was true, he literally came into my room without asking. So after thinking hard with my tiny brain, I decided....okay fine, I’ll look, just a little.
And then I looked at his pink, plumpy lips, the most beautiful thing on his whole face. Just looking at them made my cheeks heat up. They were so soft-looking, that perfect pink-apple color, and I honestly wanted to reach out and gently touch them with my finger.
But haha….no way. That’s the absolute worst idea. If this devil even got the tiniest hint of what I was thinking right now, he’d probably eat me alive without even adding any spices.
I was busy looking at his face, memorizing every detail in my brain God knows why, when suddenly I heard a deep voice that sent a chill down my body—
"Done memorising my face wifey?"
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Hey roses, that's it for today please do vote the chapter and leave a comment and follow me on insta for spoilers❤️
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