"Watch your mouth Chhotey, don't get any wrong ideas!" Randhir chided Parth, who refused to back down. "Dada, she is attracted to you, it has been obvious from day one, even Vidushi knows about it. When you were well aware of how she feels you still let her sleep in your bed all these days, surely you are not looking forward to Raksha bandhan after this!" Parth justified himself. "She is just a confused, maladjusted kid who needs some looking after, that's all! And we all know the backstory of Dad and her mother. Don't start putting wrong notions in her head, I don't want to see her hurt in any way, besides Dad would kill me first if anything happened to her." Randhir warned Parth. 

"All right then, how are you going to get her over you?" Parth posed a very relevant question to his brother. Randhir mulled over it for a couple of minutes. "That should not be hard, she'll will get over things in a few days!" He responded enthusiastically. "What are you planning to do? Hope you are not going to be harsh with her, I think after she began working for you she has become more vulnerable." Parth asked. "Don't be silly, she is just a child, how can I be mean to her? And you will know soon enough! Now let's go down for dinner before we get room service." Randhir put an end to the discussion. He had an idea forming in his head but was unsure of its consequences. Should give it a shot, maybe it will work, his mind told him although his heart did ring out a warning. 

Dinner consisted of cream of mushroom soup and mushy moong dal khichdi. "Hey, this is worth falling ill for again, but it also means a longer workout in the gym!" Randhir complimented Sanyukta on the simple but delectable nosh drizzled with ghee just like he had asked for. "Convey my regards to your mother Mowgli, she has done a great job training you to cook!" Parth told her affectionately. "Actually she only lets me help to keep me from meeting my gang, otherwise she insists that I study rather than invest my time in the kitchen. She is scared that I will end up becoming a wastrel if I hang out with my friends." Sanyukta admitted, and the boys grinned while Vidushi smirked.

"Why don't you hang out with girls instead, surely your mother would not have a problem with that!" Vidushi suggested. "Well, girls my age have their heads filled with romance and dating nonsense, plus they spend way too much time and effort in salons trying to draw attention to themselves, I find that quite trivial. It is liberating to be among boys, they are more outdoorsy, with their interest in sports and biking. Also I don't have to doll up to be accepted, they don't care about my looks!" She admitted candidly. " That's because they hardly notice you are a girl. Some day you will realise that dating and  being wined and dined is better than scrambling up trees. It is charming when a guy pampers you, but how would you know anything about that?" Vidushi winked at Parth as she spoke. 

Vidushi's words changed the mood. Sanyukta did not respond and they finished the rest of their meal in silence. Later, as she drifted off to sleep on his bed, Randhir continued to work on his laptop, responding to mail and brooding over reports. He glanced at her sleeping form and wondered how much she was affected by Vidushi's jibe. Her brash words had made it clear that Vidushi had a low opinion of her. Like other girls in his circles Vidushi was class conscious to a fault, to her Sanyukta's background reflected dependent culture, with no stake in the life of the privileged. Salon and spa treatments, which girls like her regularly indulged in, were beyond the reach of the working class. To Vidushi, Sanyukta's lack of sophistication was a reflection of her modest means . 

The next morning when Randhir came down for breakfast after his workout and shower, the maid told him that Sanyukta had gone home to do some tidying up and would go to work on her own. He guessed what had caused a change in her routine, Vidushi had managed to do what the good-natured Shekhawat boys would have never dreamt of, belittle Sanyukta. For a moment he considered going after her to make up for Vidushi's folly. However, he changed his mind after he realised that being jolted out of her illusions was what she really needed. Vidushi's words could be a powerful negative motivation to help change her outlook. He resolved to take the next step in that direction and reached for his phone to call up someone he knew.

When he got to work he noticed that Sanyukta has started her day early, while Nafisa walked into the office alongside him. There was no words exchanged as they were occupied and later Randhir took a client out for lunch. After he returned he continued to work until around 5 o'clock when he had a visitor. Rewa Hada, an exquisite beauty, was Randhir's age and had grown up with him. Their parents were good friends, their families had even vacationed abroad together.  She was wearing a sheer white short summer dress as she confidently strode into Randhir's cabin and gave him a warm hug.  The whole office eyed the pretty girl who seemed to know their boss very well, although Sanyukta's face belied no emotion and she kept her eyes on her computer screen. 

"Nafisa, I am headed for the Marriott, Rewa and I are meeting some friends for drinks and dinner. Look after the office please, and give me a buzz in case something important comes up." As he spoke he noticed that although she stopped breathing for a few moments when she became aware of him standing so close to Rewa, Sanyukta's face remained an impassive mask and she continued to focus on her work without even looking up. He left the office with Rewa and as he drove them to the waterfront resort he knew he had hit the mark. Sanyukta needed to see the real Randhir and his lifestyle. He was destined to be amidst the rich youth who preferred hooking up over secure relationships. The boys in their 20s were too busy to offer more and the girls were fine with that. Eventually they would marry within their class, often due to strategic alliances between their families. 

As he lounged over drinks with friends Randhir relaxed visibly. It had been a long time since he unwound and he forgot about the girl whom he had left behind as he caught up with everyone. They exchanged gossip and business tips while those who were dating exhibited intense public display of affection, not caring about what anyone thought of them. As he danced with Rewa the inevitable happened, her lips found his and she led him into a slow, meaningless kiss, her contours pressed closer to his toned abs. It was then that he was jolted back to reality. "Whoa, easy girl, we don't want to start anything here that we are not ready for!" He told her. "But you did respond, which means you were at least half-willing. How about we take this behind closed doors and see how compatible we are?" She made her intentions quite clear.

"It is natural to respond to a kiss. We are friends for a long time now, casual sex ruins friendship, and I don't want to get into anything more right now." He clarified. "Is it because you are seeing someone else?" She had to know. "Not really, I am too busy for that. Look Rewa, I really like you and our families are close. If we sleep together it will get complicated and there will be expectations, don't you want to enjoy your single status for longer?" He knew he was right, so did she. "Am I not desirable enough to go out with?" She asked, not willing to take no for an answer. "Are you crazy, every guy present here knows how hot you are. If we had just met I'd definitely date you, but since we know each other I care about you as a friend and honestly, it would not feel right. Not unless you want to take it further. Come on, let me drop you home!"

As he stopped the car at the entrance to her bungalow she leaned into him and he gave her a friendly peck on her forehead. "Are you sure you won't change your mind? Mom and Dad are not home right now!" She made a last-ditch effort. "Am very sure, you take care, and keep in touch." He bid her farewell and headed homeward, not knowing what to expect. He let himself into his room and found it empty, he checked the guestroom and Sanyukta was not there either. When he went back to his room and changed his clothes he noticed that her things were still there, which meant that she was around. He knew how to find her. He used the tracking software installed in his phone and realised that her phone was still in the house. 

He checked the CCTV footage of the floor and knew immediately where she was. He went up to the roof, looked around and failed to see her. There had to be just one place to look, she was definitely here. He climbed the ladder to reach the top of the water tank and there she was, staring up at the sky. "Admiring the view from up here?" He asked her softly. "Just trying to get over my mild fear of heights. How was your evening?" She asked him casually.  "It went very well, met all my friends and had a good time!" She kept quiet for a minute or two. "You smell of perfume and there is a lipstick stain near your mouth, I am surprised to see you back so early." She said, looking away from him. "You know I was with Rewa, we danced and she kissed me, but we are not dating." He did not know why he told her that. 

"You don't need to explain, I know you have a private life." She nearly whispered. "Then why do you let these things affect you so much? This is life for people of my background, dating is not a big deal to us ." He wanted her to see things his way. " I have never had a crush before, unlike you I don't understand the dynamics, and am unsure how to deal with things. But I will learn to cope eventually, until then just let me be my age." She stood up and began descending the ladder. He followed her downstairs. "I will sleep in the guestroom tonight, another thing I must overcome, the fear of being alone!" She declared. "Fine, but have your dinner first." He told her, leading her to the kitchen. "How did you know I had not eaten?" She asked him. "Because I am smarter than you think!" He had a genuine smile on his face.