|the naive rebel|
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xxxv| It's your fault
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word count- 2957

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INAAYAT
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Nikhil smirks at me, while I can feel Sameer freezing next to me. I realise my computer's desktop wallpaper, which I had shamelessly not changed.

It said log-in-inaayat, without spaces or hyphens. I have an excuse ready but the way Nikhil didn't even take a second to break the word as Inaayat, made me question his innocence.

But, then I am becoming way too paranoid. Thinking and trying to figure the meaning between the lines when in reality there is no hidden meaning between them. I shrug nonchalantly, focussing back on the book before me. Ignoring the frozen Sameer and the smirking Nikhil.

"It spells, Login Aayat. I needed a longer username, and therefore added two in-s instead of one." I answer confidently, flipping to the next chapter of the book, I am reading.

Nikhil nods understanding the simple fact while Sameer finally breathes. "What all do you want to include in your CV? Requirements." I say switching back to the main reason we all are here.

I would have to leave for my flat soon or else I'll be stuck here for the entire weekend which I can't afford seeing the fact, I had planned the trip to the club on Sunday.

Which makes me realise, "You were on a call, right? You told the person-you were with me..who was it?"

"Shaan," Nikhil answers as he continues reading the mail searching the list of required documents. The fact that Ishaan knows I am with Nikhil, worsens the matter.

"Shaan." I hear Sameer rolling the name on his tongue as if checking how it sounds.

"Hmm?" I look at him amused at the concentrated look which paints his face green.

"Shaan." He repeats and Nikhil raises his head from the screen to pass him an incredulous look.

"What?" He questions and Sameer again repeats his name.

'Sameer has gotten used to Shaan being Ishaan. Seeing how oblivious he is acting.' I sarcastically roll my eyes.

I have to stop Sameer from interacting with our friends, till the time he is cool with the fact of Ishaan talking and swearing.

"Idiot," Nikhil teasingly taunts before resuming his work on my laptop and I pass a not-so-subtle glare to Sameer, telling him to shut up.

The next three hours, I help Nikhil piling up his resume, with all the necessary documents and details. Sameer volunteers to click his portfolio shots at night but I dismiss the idea of him being alone with Nikhil.

"We'll meet tomorrow morning for the portfolio. Sunlight will help enhance the pictures."

"You are going to your house now, right?" Nikhil asks and I nod in agreement.

"Hey, you don't have to specially come back here to help me. Sameer and I would handle everything." Nikhil offers.

"It's not even a bother, trust me. I'll love to come back to college on a weekend." The beeps of an imaginary lie-detector resonate in my ears and I spit a web of lies.

I would never spoil my weekend for college. For any college.

"Then I guess, we'll meet tomorrow?" Sameer concludes. While they both leave towards the hostel building, I move towards the gate. Dropping Mishti a text explaining my weekend plans, I finally search the road for any rickshaw.

Even though I do not spot any means of transport, I see a familiar car parked away from the college gate and seeing the headlight illuminating the tree rooted in front of the car, I know the person is still inside.

I brisk walk towards the car, using the footpath to avoid being seen by him. Hoping that he doesn't leave before I reach the car.

The one thing I detest is the silent games. If you have a problem, be mature enough to acknowledge it. Confront the person and clear the problems.

No good would be done, if you just keep the matter bothering you, to yourself, the other person would never find out and thus get no chance to apologise or to rectify his/her mistake.

Ishaan Khurrana will have to grow up and voice out the thing that's bothering him and therefore has to stop troubling me in the process.

I thank my luck, as I reach the car breathing heavily. I need to do some sort of physical activity. Sighing for one last time, I cross the road and thus reach his car.

Ishaan is busy reading something on his phone when I knock at the passenger door's window. The sudden sound startles him and he looks up with a jolt.

I fake smile at him, pointing at the handle. His eyes scrutinise in dismay, but he unlocks the car, nonetheless.

"What?" His voice is reserved and impertinent. I have a strong urge to leave the car and let him brood over the matter-whatever it is.

"We need to talk." I spell out the words for him. Instead of replying with a yes or any affirmatory word, he just uninterestedly shrugs and starts the engine.

"There's nothing to talk about. The plan for Sunday works fine, but you would have known that only if you checked my messages. Nonetheless, there's nothing left to discuss or plan." We pass the college gate, the darkness of the night, with the non-functional street lights working to keep our covers intact.

"We have. We need to talk about you. What's wrong with you?" I speak in vexation.

"Nothing." He clicks the word. With the familiar route, I know we are heading towards my flat.

"You and I both know that there's something wrong. Why the hell are you ignoring me?"

His knuckles tighten around the steering wheel, his eyes strictly focussed on the road.

"I am-" His voice is thwarting but before he can complete his sentence, the phone rings.

He immediately picks up the call and I busy myself admiring the empty road ahead.

What a terrific sight.

"Is it?" I can hear the commanding voice from the other side."I-" His eyes drift towards me for a nanosecond.

"I can't.." He sighs.

"I know, but I am not alone." He tells the person. A brief pause and the person resumes speaking.

"Okay. I'll reach there. Try sending the back-up quickly."

"Yes. Sure, don't worry. I'll not let them slip away." He concludes. He keeps his phone back in the cup holder and starts the engine.

Taking a sharp U-turn from our current location, he is now speeding towards the opposite direction.

"What happened?" I ask, but I am not sure he heard me. The car passes the neighbouring trees and buildings so rapidly, as he speeds up.

"I have to make an arrest." His answer is short."Oh, okay. Stop the car, I'll leave?"

"I am not leaving you alone on this empty road, and neither can I risk taking you there with me. I am going to park the car far from the factory, lock the door as soon as I leave, and DO NOT leave the car at any cost." His voice has an urgency and I nod understanding it.

We drive through a different area, it's darker and emptier. It's a secluded area and the road is old and rutted and unpaved. Covered with potholes and rocks. The car noisily makes its way to a corner, where Ishaan turns off the engine.

He turns towards me, his eyes soft yet worried."Please do not get out of the car." He requests.

"I won't." Be careful. The words die in my throat as he hands me the key and gets off the car. He stands there, waiting for me to lock the car after which he walks towards a rusty metallic gate which I assume is the entry to the factory-he was talking about. I ain't able to see the factory building which means it's a huge property spread over acres.

I patiently wait inside the car, hoping that the back-up arrives soon so that he isn't alone there. I should have carried my gun, the thought crosses my mind.

Minutes pass as the car grows humidly foggy and makes it difficult for me to breathe. I am tempted to open the door for a nanosecond to allow fresh air to enter, but I know if I do that, Ishaan would personally kill me.

I close my eyes trying to concentrate on my ragged breathing when I jolt forward hearing the glass shattering. The sound alarms me to death as I turn my head towards the driving seat's (now) crushed window.

An olive-skinned man stands there smirking deviously at me. His face holds a brutal scar, and I am petrified.

"Open the door." The man croaks.

"N-no." I manage to speak. My skin breaks into goosebumps and I feel shivers travelling up and down my spine.

"OPEN." The man shouts breaking another window and I let out a shrill yelp. He unlocks the door himself and walks around the car- towards my door.

What should I do?

The man forcefully opens the door and harshly pulls me out. His fingers gripping my arm tightly.

"Leave me." I try mustering a strong voice but the fear on my face is evident. All dark thoughts flash before me. As I am panicking, I feel cool metal against my head.

"Walk."

"I am telling you-"

"Walk or else I'll shoot you." He gruffly warns."Walk."

He pushes me and guides me towards the same metal gate where Ishaan had walked to.

I don't know if this person will kill me or not, but that grumpy surely will.

The man pushes me cruelly and his grip on my arm tightens to the point it aches and I know it would leave an ugly bruise.

On the way, I deduced a plan to kick and then knee him. I am almost successful but he gets a handful of my hair and pulls me back painfully. A throbbing sob leaves my throat as he eyes me with angered vehemence. His ego is hurt as he plants his hand sharply on my cheek, leaving a stinging ache behind.

It hurts. But, I try not losing my strong demeanour. A strangled cry pricks my throat as I gulp the unshed tears back. The man, pulls me, now by my hair as he guides us towards another rusty gate. After what feels like a long time, I hear voices other than my own-croaky ones.

"Leave him, or I'll shoot her." The man holding me shouts, and I blink my watery eyes as we enter an open area again.

I see Ishaan and some more goons surrounding the place. A man, whom I assume is the leader, had his hands cuffed behind with Ishaan's gun resting on his head.

With his bellow, all eyes raise and zero upon me but the only ones I see, are looking at me disquietly.

"Leave him." The man holding me commands. Ishaan looks at my arm which was groped by the man and then at the leader. Without debating any further, he uncuffs the leader.

The leader iniquitously laughs and spins around to face Ishaan.

"Drop the gun." The leader roars, now pointing his gun at Ishaan, who drops his weapon on the ground. The silence around captures the thud of the falling gun.

His eyes meet mine, a whirl of emotion zephyrs between us.

Scared. Worried. Horrified. Tensed. And Anger.

"Where did you find this chick?" The leader spits.

"Car." The man holding me replies, tugging at my hair harshly.

"Aah-" I screech.

"Leave her," Ishaan shouts at the man and his leader.

"Tsk Tsk-Good Job. The girl will be very useful." The leader utters and I look at him disgustingly.

"This is your fault." Ishaan again says. Though this time his words are directed towards me.

"What?" I ghastly reply.

"What what? I told you to be in the car but no-" He angrily shouts and I am scared for a moment. His words suddenly prove to be even more piercing than the slap.

"I was in the car. He broke the windows." I try defending myself as I quaff the brimming snivel.

Before I answer back, I inspect the look in his eyes. Once he finds me looking at him, he widens his eyes for a puny second.

He wants us to fight to distract the leader's attention.

"Oh c'mon. It's your fault. Why the fuck did you even force yourself inside my car."

"If you weren't acting like a bitch, I wouldn't have forced my way inside your car."

He sarcastically sniggers, "Right. I am the only one at fault, correct? You have never done anything wrong, is that what you think?"

"Obviously. You are the reason why I am here." I harshly reply.

"Right. Right. My fault, you being here, you in the case-GO." He changes his sentence mid-way, and I take the opportunity to hit my leg back. I kick the man's knee and then try to twist his arms back.

The unannounced movement stuns him and I quickly snatch the gun from him. Now, holding him at the gunpoint I see Ishaan fighting the leader.

He punches him square on his jaw, kneeing his leg and taking the opportunity to spin him around. He twists his hands and cuffs him quickly.

"Drop your weapons,"

All the other goons were terrified and speedily drop their weapons. The next very moment I hear the sirens and feel a wave of calmness flowing within me.

The back-up is here.

.

.

As soon as the other officers barged in, they took over the goons while Ishaan commanded some instructions to them. I stood there cluelessly but once he was done, he had walked towards me and swiftly helped me outside.

Now, we are sauntering on the broken road, him behind me. We walk in silence, and I try processing the happenings of today. It was traumatic and disturbs my mind.

I can still hear my heart quivering. We almost reach the car, when I see the flashes of the goon manhandling me at the exact position some time back.

I reach the passenger seat's door when I feel an urge to talk to him-to thank him, maybe? To tell how distressing it was, to (maybe) clear the misunderstandings, and on the instinct, I spin around but end up stumbling when I see Ishaan close behind me.

My hand steady themselves on his shoulders as I look at him surprised. His height causes him to tower over me, as we stand.

"You." The word comes as a mere whisper.

"I am sorry." He apologises, as his palms cup my face, his forehead now owning visible fret line.

"Are you hurt? Did he do something?" His voice is thick and bothered.

The hazy discolouration on my cheeks acts self-explanatory, his fingers skim through the aching area, circularly and soothingly. His eyes hold fury, as he takes a deep breath trying to calm himself.

"I shouldn't have brought you here." He miserably says.

"Hey, remember? I forced myself in your car." I humour, trying to smile but the ache stings back.

The next second it's just silence, I try obliterating today's memories as the darkness dances between us. The air is cool and humid. The crispy water droplets prick my skin, as it drizzles quietly. Something elapses, the moonlight tints the scene as we hold each other's gazes.

The next happening is just murky and impetuous.
I lean and he leans, his hold on my face tenses as it manages to heat my entire body. The cooling water and his burning gaze, extinguish my skin, as his lips slowly meet mine. Uncertain yet sedately.

My eyes flit close, and I feel myself evaporating as our lips move, his captivating hold lures me to forget everything that exists besides this moment. My fingers manage to slip near the area his neck meets his shoulders. Slowly coiling the strands of his hair.

His one hand slowly traces a path loosely towards my waist, sending wild tremors along my nerves, evoking from sensations which I never knew, I am capable of feeling.

He groans softly, low in his throat, as my heart frenzies and skin burns scorchingly.

The door digs my back, as he massages my lips with his rough ones in an unhurried manner, soft and sweetly. He lightly propels me towards the door, encaging me and engulfing me.

The unanticipated siren noises cause us to separate, my eyes flutter open and so does his. We look at each other for a brief second, puffing.

He quickly averts his gaze towards the sound of the sirens and walks towards the van that was coming our way. Avoiding any chance of possible communication.

Meanwhile, I look at the moon glimmering over.

Taking in the aesthetically pleasing sight over me, I realise how vulnerability brings the sense of attachment, makes you weak and dependent. An invisible bond forms after experiencing situations like we had faced today. The urge, the primal instinct that caused us to-

But, I am certain...

Vulnerability is a bîtch.

and..today was a mistake.

Even though somewhere, deep deep down...

AH-

Should I say something, or let myself process this?

Let me tell you, this chapter was never planned, i just got this idea on Saturday..and here it is.

don't forget to vote, comment and share.

till the next chapter,
keep dodging the bullets,
ऊ.