007

Niyati spent extra time choosing her outfit for the day. Normally, she would just throw on the first suit she found, without worrying about creases or matching pieces. But today, she paid special attention to her appearance.

The beautiful lavender-colored suit hugged her body in all the right places. It wasn’t too extravagant—just a simple, plain kurti that reached her knees, paired with a matching dupatta and leggings. She also decided not to braid her hair as she usually did. Instead, she left it loose, holding it back with a simple hair clip.

She glanced at herself in the mirror. A pretty girl stared back at her, her face glowing in the soft morning light.

The situation today was almost the same as yesterday. She walked all the way to the main road, hoping to find a rickshaw—though if she secretly hoped to see him again, no one needed to know. But luck wasn’t on her side.

Despite leaving earlier than yesterday and waiting for several minutes, no rickshaw or any other vehicle appeared on the road, forcing her to walk to college once again.

The thought of seeing him ran through her mind freely. What had happened to his eyes? Were they better now? Was he still in pain? Just then, someone honked loudly, startling her.

Thinking it was her fault, Niyati moved to the side to let the vehicle pass. But then she noticed him.

It couldn’t be anyone else.

Dressed in a dark green shirt, sunglasses, and black denim, perched on top of a sports bike like a king, he looked so dashing that, for a second, Niyati’s eyes betrayed her sense, remaining fixed on him.

Another honk broke the glass-like stupor she was in, snapping her back to reality.

Her feet went cold as she clutched the side of her bag tightly. Her eyes darted around in a quick 180-degree sweep before locking on his face again.

Had he really lost his mind?

Following her and stopping on the main road, where anyone could see them together.

Had she lost her mind too, standing there, letting her eyes drink him in, ignoring the world around them?

The thought jolted her out of her little world—a world filled with the man standing in front of her—and she quickly strode away, picking up her pace.

The bike followed her from behind, then cut her off, stopping right in front of her. She took a step back in surprise.

_

Achintya has left the house earlier than before. Yesterday, he notices the slight hurtle in her walk, no rickshaw or transporting method runs this early in Begusarai. She must have walked all the way from her home to the college.

So today, he decided to pick her from the street near her house and drop her to the college himself.

He has perfectly fine bike in his hand, no need for her to give pain to her legs.

A smile graces his lips as he remembers her reaction of yesterday, how flustered she get, her round eyes full of worries, for him, she must have been guilty of her deed.

Achintya knows enough about girls to be sure that surely that she too fall under the same category of people who easily can be guilt tripped.

Atleast for now. As she was, really at fault. His eyes has not let him sleep peacefully, the irritation had gotten worse at night and not to forget the overwhelming questions and care he get from the ladies of his house-

"Babu.. drink this haldi ka doodh . It will definitely soothe some of the pain." Nupur bhabhi has insisted and didn't left his side untill he finished the glass.

Durga devi did not shy away from cursing the reason for which her grandson was in so much pain. "Satyanash ho! May that person die painfully who put the black eye on my son." Followed by Rukmani Devi who did the three step ritual to remove that said black eye.

And if she will not be, Achintya is there for that. Manipulation has always been his forte, if Niyati would not been feeling bad for him, he can very easily make her feel that. No problem.

He has expected at least ten different scenes to happen after her seeing him but her completely ignoring him did not happen in any of them.

What?

She saw him right? She did. It is hard to ignore his presence lest he is standing infront of her and then bring ignored, no something has happened and he is not getting it.

He stops his bike infront of her, making her take a step back as she looked at him with the expression of person who thinks the one infront of them has lost their marbles.

"Have I become the Mr India overnight? Why you are ignoring me?" Niyati heard the accusations in his voice and for a second smiled at his tone but soon control herself remembering exactly where she was standing.

The place was too near her colony, the chances of being seen too high, it was making her heartbeat run marathon.

Her increasing heartrate has nothing to do with his eyes being set on her and the nervousness to be woke inside her.

"None of that. Why you are following me? " Achintya's heart soars listening her voice. She has the alluring and beautiful tone in her voice,her big Kohl laden eyes, small nose, red tinted lips, and tresses flapping behind her back, in the calming colour of the lavender.

She looks like the enchanting fairy in the silence of the morning gracing the earth to take away his heart.

Achintya has read many poetries and shayaris during his college days and had always wondered how come a normal person can woven such enchanting words together. Could it really be possible to see this wretched world not in the colour of the red that denotes violence and angst but in the colour of the red, which symbolises passion and love.

Looking at her, now, standing there, he can finally understand how and why a man could describe even the heart break in the form of the ecstatic.

"I am not. I asked you yesterday, can we meet again,you didn't replied so I came today to get my answer." Is- Is he real?

She might not have gave him the clear cut answer but surely her hesitation has answered enough.

Or did he not caught that? It could be possible. He was in so much pain yesterday, that it must have slipped past his eyes.

Which brings her head to rise and look at him. Properly.

He has sheltered his eyes with sunglasses and while it makes him look extra dashing today it was also obscuring her view of his clear brown eyes.

Hesitate but worried Niyati asked "is- your eyes, are they okay now?"

Achintya knew, he always has prided himself for being the better judge, he just knew Niyati is not that heartless despite her ignoring him. Which is rude. He is not someone who can be ignored easily, it bruises his ego.

Niyati saw him hesitating, had she really hurt him that bad? "No..no...it's fine. I'm okay now." Oh no! She surely has done that.

The eyes were indeed looking red and painful to start with, and then who knows what shape they have taken overnight. The pepper spray Niyati has bought from Indore was of level 5...and if the warning on the bottle is anywhere near to truth, then-

"Let me see" sputtered Niyati taking a step close near him. With her hand raised, she took away the glasses and what she saw makes her gapes.

His eyes- they were swollen and red and looked so very painful it was miracle how he was not weathering in pain but was here, relax and assuruing the person who put him in so much pain.

"Oh no..! They- I am so sorry." Conceded Niyati.

Achintya, on the other hand has forgot the reason behind her guilt or anything. She was standing close to him, peering in his eyes, being worried for him, and suddenly Achintya has stopped feeling anything.

The pain was now nothing in front of her beautiful face contouring in distress. It was like all his discomfort and agony of last night has evaporated in thin air.

"Do not be. It just looking worse than it is. No need to feel bad for me. I'm all right." It just feels wrong to him to agonize her further. While he did wanted to guilt trip her to care for him, seeing her expression full of that said emotion just do not sit well with him.

It does not sit well with Achintya.

For all his life, he has never let other's emotion affects himself, he is the master not the the slave of the them, for fuck sake. But seeing her being troubled on behalf of him, for him,- did not give the same satisfaction as before.

"But-" Niyati starts.

"No but. I actually came this early so I can drop you to the college. So hop on." Achintya said. He put his sunglasses back. He could not let her see the feral looks of his eyes.

Niyati feels a bit taken back by the sudden coldness of his tone. But what make her total speechless was what he said next. Drop her off? To the college?

It was one thing to follow her- not a good thing, she knows that- but demand her to sit on his bike, no. She did not ask him to grace her from his presence at this early.

"How can I?"

"Like yesterday, I guess." Splotches of red covers her cheeks hearing his words. Thus this man has no filter?

"I'm not a retard. I know that much by myself too, I meant as..why would I?" A weird expression crosses Achintya's face.

Why would she not?

"It is either you sit behind or we both stand here in the middle of the road in the hope of catching your relatives." The work is done, Achintya thought from the way her eyes increases ten times more understanding that him being..him won't budge until he will gets what he want.

Niyati stared at his face, waiting to find atleast a little bit of guilt or shame for blackmailing her so bluntly..but found none.

Instead his lips were curved in the smirk, like he too was aware that his dirty trick has -will- work.

Having no choice, the girl scanned her surrounding before huffing as she get behind him and sat on the bike.

__

"Jiji... do you think Meena 's choice is right?" Rukmani asked from the chair.

The two elderly women were sitting on the terrace, enjoying the cool night air. Rukmani was concerned. Meena, known for making impulsive decisions, seemed to be doing the same again.

"Pressuring Vijay into marriage won't work," Rukmani continued. "I don't understand why Meena can't see that."

Durga Devi, gazing up at the night sky, was lost in thought. "Hm... I'm more worried about the girl Meena has chosen. She's too young and naive to see Vijay for who he really is. Even her parents are blinded by our name and fame."

Meena had introduced the girl and her family at a recent function. The girl was undeniably polite and charismatic, but her innocence worried Durga Devi.

A girl like her, coming from a modest background, had never encountered the harsh realities of life. She had been sheltered by her innocence and would never survive in a family like the Chaudharys.

And Vijay... Vijay could never adjust to someone like that. Sure, he might be charmed by her beauty at first, but that would fade. And what would follow would be hell—for her.

Meena’s decision was deliberate. She had picked someone who would never question her, someone who would follow her every word, a person Meena could completely control. Something she had always wanted but never achieved—especially not under Durga Devi’s watchful eyes.

Rukmani broke the silence. "Since Vijay and Achintya are the same age, maybe we should also start looking for a bride for Achintya."

Durga Devi laughed, shaking her head. "That boy and marriage?"

"Why, Jiji? Have I said something wrong?"

Durga Devi sighed, her eyes lingering on the stars. "Looking for a bride for him will be a waste of time. If we’re lucky, he’ll let us know when he finds someone. Otherwise, be prepared for a shock."

Rukmani’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Ram... Ram! Jiji, how can you say such a thing? What if he chooses someone we can't accept? What will we do then?"

Durga Devi chuckled lightly. "There won’t be anything we can do, Rukmani. That boy has inherited his father's stubbornness and his mother's strong will. If he has someone in his heart already, expecting him to forget her would be like expecting the Ganga to freeze."

Rukmani found Durga Devi’s words confusing, but the certainty in her tone made her uneasy. The future she envisioned was certainly not as peaceful as the present.

_

Raghuveer watered the plants in the courtyard while Roopa set down a cup of tea on the small table, inviting him to join her.

It was rare for the couple to find time for themselves. Roopa was always busy with household chores and the children, while Raghuveer shouldered the responsibility of both the temple and the store.

Moments like these were hard to come by.

Sipping her tea, Roopa glanced at her husband, trying to gauge his mood. She had something on her mind and wanted to approach the topic carefully.

"Reeta didi called yesterday," Roopa began. Her sister Reeta lived in Kanpur.

"Hm. What did she say?" Raghuveer asked, not sounding particularly interested. Reeta rarely had anything positive to say.

"She asked if we’ve started looking for a groom for Shivu. She’s the eldest, and it’s not like we’ll find the right match on the first try... we need to start somewhere, so why not now?"

Raghuveer listened. Roopa’s concerns were valid. With three daughters, he understood the importance of preparing for their futures. They were goddesses to him, blessings in his life, but society didn't see them that way.

The world outside was filled with dangers, lurking and waiting to pounce on the innocent.

"Tell Reeta to send the details. If the boy seems right, we’ll meet him," Raghuveer finally responded.

_

"How are your classes going? Enjoying waking up so early?" Shivangi teased Niyati.

The children were spending the weekend at Radha’s house for a sleepover. Maithli and Gola had already gone to bed after watching a movie, leaving Shivangi and Niyati alone in the dimly lit room.

Niyati was grateful that Gola insisted on turning off the light. Her face had turned beet red at the mere mention of her mornings. Even the thought of seeing him made her heart race.

"They’re... good. I’m actually starting to like—no, love—mornings," Niyati admitted.

Shivangi's jaw dropped. "Who are you, and what have you done with my sister?"

Niyati laughed, playfully shoving Shivangi. They tickled each other until they were both breathless, laughter filling the room.

But then Shivangi’s tone turned serious. "Say, Niyati, have you ever liked anyone before?"

Niyati turned away, her heart skipping a beat. "Why do you ask that?"

"You didn’t answer."

Niyati thought about it. Yes, she liked someone. She liked the way he woke up early to drop her off at college, even though he didn’t have to. She liked the way they bickered—how he knew exactly what to say to leave her flustered. She liked how he looked in the morning sun, his face glowing like a demigod. And she liked that it was him she saw first thing every morning.

But she didn’t have the courage to say any of that aloud. "No," she lied softly.

"Really? Never? But you had male friends back in Indore," Shivangi pressed.

Niyati laughed at how Shivangi said that, as if having male friends was the same as having a boyfriend. "No, dii. I had male friends, but I never liked anyone like that. Friendship and relationships are two different things."

Shivangi didn’t respond immediately, and Niyati thought the conversation was over. She rolled over, preparing to sleep, when Shivangi spoke again.

"I did."

Niyati turned to look at her sister, sensing the vulnerability in Shivangi’s voice.

"It was long ago, during my second year of college," Shivangi began. "A friend’s brother. She told me he had a crush on me and wanted to meet me."

"Did you meet him?"

Shivangi let out a sad, regretful laugh. "No. I couldn’t. Meeting him would’ve given him hope, and I couldn’t do that."

Niyati hugged her sister. "I understand. It must’ve been society and Kaka’s expectations that held you back."

Shivangi, as the eldest and a daughter raised in this part of the world, had lived a life full of regrets and "what ifs." The pressures and expectations from the Mishra family had crushed her spirit. And their grandmother’s constant criticism didn’t help.

"You know, dii," Niyati whispered, stroking her sister’s face, "for people like us, who are full of regrets, it’s hard to find true happiness. So, when life gives us a chance, we have to grab it with both hands."

__

A filler chapter it is, then. It is to show the live of every habitate of the Begusarai.

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What can I say but that Achintya is indeed the sly and manipulative and just knows how and what to say to silence Niyati.

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Likes and comments are appreciated. It is what motivates me to write further and push myself for better and better.

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Fun fact :- what Niyati said is true.

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