(A/N: hey guys, I hope I didn’t made you all wait for a long period of time, where did all the readers go?)
Karthik hugged Naira for more than fifteen minutes, she was hugging him more and more tight running her hands over his back with something unnoticeable in her eyes, she had something for him which she didn’t had before. She had her chin on his shoulder but normally she would bury her head in his chest wanting him to protect her but today it was different, she didn’t do what she usually did. He didn’t notice all this as he was happy that she is back. He broke the hug and she did the same.
K: chalo room mein chalein.
He kept his arm around her as he usually did but she stopped him.
N: Karthik, I am tired, can you pick me up?
K: han, mujhe pata hai tum bas bahana kar rahi ho mujhse kareeb honay ka yeh keh kar ke tum tired ho. Chalo koi nahi, ajao.
He picked her in his arms. She mentally jumped in joy as this happened. She encircled her arms around his neck as he put her on the bed and as he turned to go, she wrapped her hand on his wrist and he looked back.
K: kya hua? Haan? Want me to sit by your side till you sleep? Don’t want me to go?
She nodded.
K: OK fine lekin tum change toh karlo, phir aaram se sojana, how will you sleep in these clothes?
N: mujhe toh bas tumhari zaroorat hai, tum mere pas raho gay, toh main jhatt se so jaungi even in these uncomfortable clothes, please yahan baittho na, sing for me.
K: OK fine. But which song? And are my songs in such a voice that u get sleepy after listening to them?
N: aray nahi nahi, I get lost in them and want to listen to them forever, bas koi bhi song suna do, my main motive is to sleep, tum socho, mai aai
She went to washroom. He knocked.
N: kya hua? Jee nahi lagta mere bin?
She said while smiling.
K: tum toh thak gai thi, tumhe toh kisi bhi kapro mein neend aajayegi mere hotay huay, toh ab kya hua? Irada badal diya?
N: tum ne baatein hi itni karli meri neend urr gai, chalo koi nahi, abhi main aaungi or hum soyengay saath mein, OK cutie pie?
K: Monster se cutie pie? Achha theek hai, wait karta hoon tumhara.
He went back to bed and she came back after a little while. He switched off the light as he was in no mood to sing a song at this time as his instincts stopped him to do so and wanted to say something he didn’t want to hear. She laid beside him and snuggled into him as he pulled the blanket over them and slept. She stared at his face as he slept and caressed his hair but he wasn’t liking it this time.
K: yar please tum so or mujhe bhi sonay do, am sleepy, good night.
N: lekin is baar tumne meri demand puri nahi ki.
K: kisi or din kardunga, final good night.
She creased her eyebrows as he said this and turned her back towards him. In a dark lonely place that looked like a godown, a girl got dragged inside with her mouth gagged that turned her screams into moans and her hands and feet were tied which made her helpless to fight back, she had blood running down her face that mixed with her tears, her hair were coming on her face, her hands were full of scratch marks. The men that were dragging her stopped at a corner and almost threw her there. Then they released the gag from her mouth.
Girl: please leave me, let me go, please.
Man: kahin jaanay nahi mil sakta tujhe, chup chaap reh, galti hui mujhse ke tere munh se yeh kapra nikaal diya.
He again gagged her and sat with the other men secretly keeping his eyes on her, she silently cried keeping her head on the filled sacks. Slowly morning came, the sun shone its rays on the girl’s eyes and she opened her eyes but was blinded by the strong rays of sunlight. Her face looked unrecognizable with the wounds, she turned her head towards the men and saw that they were asleep. She tried to free herself from the ropes but got unsuccessful and gave up, she looked up in the clear sky with tears in her eyes and prayed to God hoping he’s witnessing all this.
On the other side, in Karthik’s room, same scenario was there with a difference. Naira was sleeping with her back towards him and even though sunlight disturbed her, she didn’t hide her face in his chest and as it disturbed Karthik he kept his hand on his eyes and cuddled with her nuzzling in her hair and moved them to her front.
He whispered: Naira please close the curtains na yar.
She was too much into sleep that she didn’t even move an inch. He shook her arm this time and she angrily sat up.
N: what Karthik? Yar tumko toh neend aa nahi rahi, tum mujhe bhi nahi sonay de rahay..huh
She stood up and closed the curtains.
N: so ab aaram se kyun ke meri neend kharab karna toh aadat hai tumhari.
He got shocked by her behavior.
K: aisa kya kaha main ne jo tum is tarha baat kar rahi ho?
He was fully hurt now.
N: you ruined my sleep idiot.
His jaw dropped open at her changed behavior. She sat with a jerk with her back towards him and he neared her on the bed and hugged her while she rolled her eyes. He rested his chin on her shoulder blade.
K: achha? Chalo sojao na, kha thori jaunga tumko main, c’mon sleep.
N: neend urra k kehtay ho k sojao, ajeeb hai.
He moved her hair in front and nuzzled in her neck.
K: main neend dedunga tumhe, ab to sojao.
He made her lay down and slept as she slept. Later, she went to her workplace and he went to office. He received a call one hour later from Naira’s boss.
K: hallo
Gayatri (Naira’s boss): Naira kahan hai
K: ma’am vo ek ghantay pehle hi mujhe bata kar office gai thi? Aai nahi ab tak?
G: nahi aai
K: par vo to kabhi derr nahi karti
G: vo sab mujhe nahi pata, agar chhuti karni thi to bata deti
K: sorry ma’am, ainda nahi hoga
G: aap mere favourite rock star hain isliye maaf karti hoon, take care.
Call disconnected. He got thinking that how come she skipped office and lied to him. He recalled how she got angry on small thing and Gayatri’s words.
K: (in his heart) Naira ko kya hogaya hai? Vo kyun aise badal rahi hai? Us ne yeh first time kiya hai, mujhse jhoot kaha or mujhpe gussa kia, vo gussa karti hai lekin aise nahi k mera dil dukhay, uska gussa pyar se bhara hota hai, kal se hi main dekh raha hoon, yeh kal k us scene k baad se bohat badal gai hai, lagta hai vo bohat disturbed hai or darr gai hai, nahi mujhe usse sambhalna hoga uska khayal rakhna hoga, Anushka uske saath kuchh kar na de.
He calls Akshara and she picked it on first ring.
K: namaste aunty, Naira wahan aai hai kya?
A: nahi, vo toh nahi aai
K: OK aunty, I would’ve heard wrong.
Call disconnected. He calls her. Her phone rings but she doesn’t picks up.
K: kahan gayab hogai yeh? Office mein pohanch gayi hogi busy hogi, main bekaar mein tension leraha hoon, main Gayatri se poochhta hoon.
He called her but she said she didn’t come. He gets tensed. Meanwhile, Naira walked to the same lonely place and went inside. The goons stood up seeing her, she stared at the girl that was gagged, bruised, unconscious and tied up. Naira smiled at them.
N: ab jo hoga vo main karungi.
She smirked.