"Let's go then ... " He said while she nodded and started walking. Suddenly she slipped and fell above him on the bed. They shared an eyelock. They were completely drown in to each other eyes.

"Neil!!! "They heard a voice and he was shocked.

She quickly got above from him and Neil heard Shwetha calling for him.

" Avni... Mom is looking for me let's go... " He said looking here and there but not her.

Suddenly they heard the fire alarm. They looked at each other shockingly and ran downstairs .

"What happen Maa? " He asked her and looked everywhere checking whether everyone is safe.

"Pata nahi Neil... Fire alarm tab se bhajrahi hai.... " Shwetha said as it's been second time it's ringing and .

"What?! " Neil asked confused. He escorted everyone out being suspicious. He found Riya to be missing.

"I will check!! " He said and went in.

"Neil... I will also come... " Avni said while Neil stopped her.

"No Avni... I can't take risk.. " He said stopping her

"Neil.. Trust me! " She said and went with him.

He first checked kitchen for any leakage but Avni insisted him to go upstairs first.
She looked at the guest room and turned to see Neil.

"Neil... " She called while he came near her

"See there... " She pointed out while Neil looked down the door and saw full of smoke.

"Riya is in there I guess!! " He said and tried to open the door but it was locked. He tried breaking the door and finally broke.

They saw the fire there and Riya was crying sitting on the corner don't know what to do. Neil went out and bought fire extinguisher and calmed the fire.

"Neil.... " She said and hugged him tightly in fear.

" Riya you okay? " He asked her breaking the hug

"Neil... I got scared!! " She said while he took her out and made her calm.

"Riya how this happened? " He asked her while Avni was with them all the while.

"I don't know Neil.....The dress which.. Which you gave me..... I kept that dress on the bed and went to get freshen.. When I came back... I saw the dress burning... " She said and again hugged him while Neil was totally confused about this. He looked at Avni who was looking at him with same expression.

The ceremony abruptly ended due the small accident. Neil walked with Avni till they reach her car.

"Don't worry Neil.. Whatever happened. ..it's gone...." She said seeing him still tensed while he nodded.

"Take care of you... " She said while he hugged her making Avni straddle for a second.

"Thanks for coming Avni... " He said in between hug and broke the hug smiling at her while she returned a smile.

She got in and left while Neil sighed and left to his home.

At Night

Avni was walking on the porch with a black candle on her hand. She turned her hand backside and just tilted the candle a little while the candle wax slightly got melted and a black drop of melted wax fell on her hand while it didn't hurted her a little bit . She again looked at the flame of the fire.

"Not that much hurting.... " She said and looked at flame continuosly and remembered something.

Flashback

"Wanna meet me? " She said huskily passing by him while the man smirked and followed her.

While moving, Avni saw Riya entering into guest room. She remembered Riya's attitude. She went in and found Riya in washroom. She saw the dress kept on the bed. She took the dress and her eyes caught on the burning candle kept on the table. Avni throw the dress on the floor and went to pick the candle. She about the throw the candle on the dress to burn it but stopped. She took the dress from the floor and kept on the chair and placed the candle down. There was only few inches between the candle on the dress and she left from there making it burn slowly.

After few minutes, Riya came after getting freshen but didn't noticed her dress laying on the chair. She noticed that she left her makeup pouch which she had gave to her mom. She went outside to get from her. And the tip of the dress caught fire. She came after getting her makeup pouch and locked the door. And that's when she saw the dress on fire. She got panicked and tried to calm but it started burning furiously. She don't know what to do. She shouted calling Neil but alas due to loud music downstairs no one couldn't able to hear it. She tried opening the door but couldn't able to open it but couldn't able.

Flashback ends.

"She don't deserve his gift! " She said looking at Neil's pic

Days passed.

Neil approached Avni for a new project while she agreed to it. They work together for the project and they become really closer than before. Avni used to be always busy in her works while Neil always advice her not to take much stress and plans to chill sometimes. Neil used to share every things with Avni as they become good friend than before but Avni always remain a secret book to him.
She is not the open book type kind of person. Riya felt jealous of Neil being friend with Avni. Avni also felt connected towards him. She likes the way he treat others, she likes the way, he behaves and everything about him. He feels something when he was around her. But he used to always shrug off his feeling.

Once a day

At Night

Avneil were in her office. As it been late They planned to go home. They got into lift and was talking to each other. Suddenly the power went off and the lift struck in between. Avni sighed rolling her eyes and stood calm. It's been nearly 7 minutes still the generator didn't turned on. She gritted her teeth thinking how her team working careless.

Neil was looking straight at door as it's  getting a bit awkward by each passing minutes.

Suddenly something started flashing in her brain.

"Please open the door.. Please... Dar lagraha hai mujhe. ... Please "

Avni started breathing heavily seeing those flashes. Neil heard her heavy breath and went near her.

" Avni... " He called her and couldn't able to see her face as it was fully dark. She kept her hand on her heart and was struggling to catch her breath.

Neil quickly turned on his flashlight on his phone and looked at her.

"Avni... Shhh.. Calm down.. " He hold her making her to face him, she slid down breathing heavily while he hugged her in instant, stroking her back making her to calm down. Avni hugged him tightly in fear.

"Avni... Relax... Relax.... I am there .... " He said talking with her but nothing calmed her.

"Ne... Neil... I can't.... Able... To breath... " She said panicking struggling to put those words. He broke the hug.

"Do not Panic Avni... Look at me... " He cupped her face making her to meet his eyes. He slowly tapped her cheeks.

"See.. I am there... Nothing will happen... I am there for you....." He said looking into her eyes while Avni was continuosly looking at him.

"Calm down... Take a deep breath... And exhale.... I am there okay? " He said while Avni did as he told and hugged him keeping her head on his chest feeling something in her heart. She felt so good when he told her he is there for her. And now she is getting peace under his arms. This type of feelings are very new to her and she liked it. Neil was stunned for a minute when he hugged her but he hugged her back scooping her in his arms gently as he knows she need him now. A smile crept on his face when she relaxed a bit.

And the lights gets on while avni lifted her face and saw him who was an inch apart. Neil drowned into her eyes looking at her. She moved away from him and they quickly got up. The lift reached the ground floor. While they looked at each other and the door gets open.

"Take care Avni! " He said while she nodded and left from there quickly.

XXXX

Hola guys!!

Hope you enjoyed

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Much love

Reza.... ✨