"So...we're really doing this huh" Anika shaded her eyes with her hand, squinting up at an apartment looming over them. Prinku nodded, and started for the stairs.

"Wait" Anika jogged up to her "I still think we should go to the cops, instead of her"

"No. the cops, the media, everything is dead end, cause everyone is covering up for some one big. And we need to find out who that is. Plus" she paused "we can't attract attention to ourselves"

"And you think, this Rithika is our best shot?"

"Well she is the only one who got away from them, even though we still don't know how. I think for now she is our best shot" they rounded a corner coming onto the third floor.

"But" Anika scrambled behind her "something doesn't add up.." Prinku halted "what doesn't add up Anika?" she huffed, placing her arms on her waist.

"Listen" Anika clutched her arm " I know you grew a soft spot for her, with all the suicidal thingie, but isn't it strange that those men, to whomever they work for, were gonna kill you just for taking up a story, but she miraculously happens to be alive even after she apparently ran away from them?" Anika quoted with her fingers in the air.

Prinku shook her head " I thought about it, but maybe because she was sort of a public figure, and was on the tv for a few days, maybe those men were careful not to mess with her, and also the police were questioning her too, maybe she had witness protection!"

Anika frowned "I just.... I just want us not to fall in trouble, these men are not to mess with Prinku, and I've seen what they've done" she shuddered.

Prinku nodded "don't worry, I'll handle it" Anika opened her mouth to deny her stupid confidence when the Prinku rapped on the door and two minutes later, both of them were inside Rithika's gloomy living room.

Anika's knee jerked restlessly as she watched Prinku and Rithika huddled in the corner of kitchen speaking in low murmurs, while she sat in the sofa. Time to time Rithika's eyes flickered to Anika with suspicion glistening sharply in them. Anika rolled her eyes and looked away. She was the last person to be seen as a threat at this point.

She reached into her pocket flipping out her phone, notifications flooded her screen. Her eyes darted scrolling through her screen "No text from him yet?" Priyanka asked softly, sinking into the space beside her.

Anika stared at her blankly "from whom?"

"From bhai! Who else!?"

Anika snorted "and what gave you that idea?"

"Your face when you were looking at your phone" Anika shook her head "we fought, whatever was or if there ever was anything between us is over" Prinku nodded " yeah I know, too bad your eyes tell a different story" Anika's lips pressed into a thin line, she looked away, running her hand through her hair " so was your new bestie helpful or what?"

"SHHHHHH!" Prinku hissed leaning in closer "lower your voice, she might hear you"

"I really don't like her, Priyanka" Anika whispered back "there's just something really unsettling about her, I swear" she shivered rubbing her hands over her arms "this place gives me the creeps too. Can't we just leave!?"

Prinku rolled her eyes "oh give her a break! She is just a poor victim"

"She doesn't look like one"

"Tea" Rithika arrived suddenly with a two cups, Anika shook her head and gave a disappointed look to Prinku as she took her cup cheerfully.

Rithika sat across them, sipping her cup gently " so what brings you here?" she asked.

Prinku smiled "I was actually hopping you could help us"

"In what? I don't know anything to tell you about"

Prinku set her cup aside and leaned forward "yes we know, but no matter how hard we try we are ending at a dead end, we just want to know what really happened with you" she touched her knee "you know you can trust me, I would never bail on you" Rithika gulped, and her eyes flickered to Anika, Anika raised her hands " whatever she said" she mumbled nodding at Prinku.

Rithika clasped her hands "I was returning from work late at night when I was kidnapped, and drugged for days. I was blindfolded for all of the time and didn't see any of their faces. They used to feed me, two times a day" she paused " that's how I kept track of time, when I protested or cried they'd hit me"

She shuddered and Prinku immediately held her hand " but one day they were drunk I think, forgot to tie my knots tightly, I snuck out and started running for all I was worth, I didn't stop till I reached a village, I called for help and managed to get back home" a single tear slipped out of her eye "I didn't want anyone to know what happened because it would affect my work, I needed the money, but by the time I came back, someone had already filled a missing case, the media got the wind of it, and I was soon in the papers"

"But you said they had let you go on their own" Prinku said, recalling the information she had collected.

Rithika shook her head "I said that so that the police would strike off the case because no damage or motive is being seen, but I didn't expect the media to take it so seriously" Prinku rubbed her back " did you see or remember anything from those days?" she sniffed " no I didn't see their faces"

"Did you see any other girls? Like maybe they kidnaped someone like you" Rithika stopped sniffling and stared at Prinku "other girls?"

Anika kicked her softly, as a low warning. "I mean if you ever remember anything at all you can call me, you have my number right?" Prinku rushed and stood up, clutching her bag " we should go" she told Anika, and she nodded.

"Wait!" Rithika called to them just as they were about to leave, "during my days there... I heard them talk about a place a frequently, here" she held out a piece of paper to Anika " I wrote it down for you, I don't know if it's of any use" Anika nodded stuffing it in her pocket.

"Priyanka" she said looking at them with swollen eyes. " I appreciate you trying to find the truth in all of this, but I am coming to terms with the fact that what happened to me was just a tragedy, I was just at the wrong time at the wrong place. I am trying to move to another city to start fresh, so..." she trailed, Prinku nodded " I won't bother you again Rithika, nor will I let your name come out in any of this, I promise"

Anika exhaled loudly as they reached the bottom of the stairs. "I thought we'd never get out of there!"

"Let me see the paper" Anika handed it to her "don't tell me you are thinking of actually going there"

Prinku shrugged "we gotta try, this is the only thing we've got" Anika shook her head " uhuh! No hecking way are we going to believe that woman!"

"Just because you didn't get the right vibes from doesn't mean she isn't the victim"

"Ok. Let's just talk about this in the car, I gotta get out of this locality, I'll go get the car, you stay here" Prinku nodded, watching Anika walk away.

Cold breeze rustled through the trees, dry leaves scattering the empty front side of the apartment, an empty swing to the side creaked as it swayed to the wind Prinku shivered, clasping her thin jacket tight around her, Anika was right this place was creepy as hell. She shuffled her legs growing impatient, she checked her watch, seven minutes had passed since Anika left her where was she?! A sudden feeling of being watched settled down on her. Prinku clasped her phone tighter. She turned around slowly, too scared to look anywhere else.

The wind wailed louder around her, picking up its velocity. It whipped her hair across her face. Prinku's hand trembled as she tried to restrain her hair. Through the dark wisps of her hair, she squinted to make out a figure about ten feet from her. Her heart hammered, and she scrambled to clear her vision.

Her hands froze, and her eyes met his.
Her jaw clenched and her heart throbbed with pain that rang down into her stomach. Her jacket suddenly felt suffocating. She opened her mouth in low exhale, watching him walk closer.

"Hey" he smiled and she felt her heart squeeze.

Stand up straight. Don't let him see how weak you are. Don't give him that power. She took in a ragged breath, ignoring the burn in her chest, her lips pressed into a tight smile "hey Arjun"

"uh...what are you doing here?" he asked, his voice low, and void of his usual cheekiness.

"Am, just...." She racked her head for the right lie " I was just...." God damn it
He chuckled. A low throaty sound, that in spite of everything awoke a wave of butterflies in her tummy "still can't lie, can you?"

She wanted to smile with him, brush it all away and pretend they were just hanging out, just like old times. But old times were what she had been running from ever since he left.

She pushed up her glasses "yeah, still can't lie as well as some people, but I'll get the hang of it"

He flinched and she saw something flash across his eyes. Hurt?

"I....." he reached out, holding out his hand, as if to touch her, Prinku watched it warily "I am really sorry...for what I did to you Priyanka" he said, his voice raspy like the wind.

Prinku cocked her head. The clouds above them rumbled darkly " what did you do to me?"

He looked at her confused. She shrugged "it's not much of a deal, and am sorry you think it has had a huge impact on me, but you're wrong"
liar liar liar liar.

She swallowed the hard lump in her throat, feeling the moist creeping under her eyes. Don't loose it.

His eyes softened, and his lips quivered. For a moment he stood there looking so lost and lonely, that Priyanka almost hugged him.

A car honked behind, and both of them jumped "I have to go" Prinku blurted, her voice trembling thick with tears. "Wait" Arjun said and caught her wrist.

Heat rushed to her cheeks, placing her heart into a free fall. " if you ever need me, am just a call away" he breathed. His dark eyes fixed on her, she felt herself melt. This close to her, she could finally see his face. The same face that she had been dreaming about ever since. Those same piercing eyes, that stern jaw, the stubble peppering his jaw, only in her dream he always stared at her with hatred, pushing her into the rain. While now he stared at her like she was his last hope.

Rain started pelting against them, she jerked her hand from his grip "I really have to go" she whispered, she turned running to the car, resisting every nerve in her body to turn back. She opened the door and almost collapsed inside.

"Was that Arjun!" Anika squealed trying to look through her review mirror.

"Just drive" Prinku mumbled.

"Oh my god are you ok?"

"Drive!" Anika pressed on the accelerator and the car shot forward, Priyanka's eyes flickered to her mirror. He stood in the rain watching her as he grew farther farther away. They turned a corner, away from his gaze and Prinku slumped in her seat, tears gushing out, holding onto her chest as if her heart had been ripped out.