~Edited.~

Please listen to the song above...

At the start of every chapter, there will be a snippet of Nandini's past from the beginning.

~

Natasha Irina Volkov stood in that extravagant, mirrored bathroom and patted her face, bringing colour onto her pale face. She wasn't made for hot weather therefore, mostly spent her time indoors and only went out for certain missions. She sighed at her tired, pale and tankless expression, knowing that it would stay that way until she was sold. Like cattle.

Turning to her escort, she smiled, "Pensi che stia bene?" She spoke smugly, before sighing when the guide didn't speak and instead glowered at her. {Do you think I look good?}

She stuck out her tongue before walking out of the bathroom, her tight leather bodysuit feeling even tighter when she became a spectacle to everyone as soon as she stepped out of her room. She held her head up high and walked in a straight line, her hand on the hilt of her dagger on the left side. The training room wasn't something special except that only she was allowed to train there, all alone like she would be for the rest of her life.

Panting, she slid down the glass wall of the training room, unravelling the boxing tape around her knuckles and watching as the guards drag her opponent out of the room, leaving a trail of blood in their wake. She did that. A few years ago, she wouldn't have even dreamt of plucking a rose but here she was, beating people twice the size. What has she become? She didn't want to do this since the start but now, it is the one thing she looks forward to. Even after they re-booted her brain, using electricity and even after they had broken every single finger and asked her to fix it herself. She was still here. Every torture she had endured had strengthened not only her body but also her mind. The interplay between body and mind when in trauma is essential to someone like Natasha who's past is filled with both mental and physical and to be able to distinguish between the real and façade drives people crazy. The mind says "did this trauma really happen or did I make it up?" and the body, with it's aches and pains, with it's specific type of memory says "It was real." 

Here at the Academy, however, every few weeks, all their memories had to be "reset" so it was the mind that forgot what they had been through but the body still regained that memory of training therefore no knowledge was lost but it made every candidate unpredictable which is exactly what is needed.

A voice sounded from the door, "Natasha?" She looked up to see who the unsure sound came from but scoffed when she saw Alexandria Cortes. 

Cortes was beautiful, if she had to say so herself but of course, everyone here was. Beauty is a weapon against men who think with the wrong head. It may be sad to say, but for women, to be beautiful is to be powerful. Whether you like it or not, it is true that part of women's power has to do with their appearance.

"Do you want another broken nose?" To Natasha's dismay, Alexandria's nose was now fixed thanks to the plastic surgeon they had on speed dial. Natasha rolled her eyes but moved a little to the left as Alexandria walked up to her and sat down. 

"I wanted to apologise." Alexandria stretched her legs in front of her, her neck rolling around, taking the small knots out. They didn't get a masseuse, at least not yet.

No one is this godforsaken Academy ever apologised for anything, "So, apologise..."

"Oh, that was it." Alexandria chuckled as Natasha's lips twisted to hide a smile. Sometimes, she forgot how similar they were. She struggled to not release a noise when he knuckles hissed in protest as she tried to flex them. They were already red and bleeding profusely.

They sat in silence until Alexandria spoke again. "My father wasn't a good man." Alexandria's voice cracked but she realised who she was talking to and cleared her throat. "He hurt me... One night, he held a gun to my mother's head and I remember they were rolling around on the floor and I heard a gunshot. She killed him. I was so scared but she was no saint. She threw the gun in my hands and bolted. Fucking bitch! Police found me and sent me here." Alexandria looked around the room, explaining the sequence of events that led her to this. At lease, it was better than being homeless.

Natasha felt a wave of pity but she squashed it down; Her own story wasn't as elaborate so she couldn't just say that he father just didn't want her. Well, he did but he wanted a different version of her. Natasha's hand moved with slight hesitation, and was placed on top of Alexandria's, giving her a tight-lipped smiled. Alexandria looked surprised but smiled through her tears all the same.

"We're all damaged goods," It was a statement rather than a question even as Alexandria looked down at her scarred hands; they were marred with little cuts, her thin fingers sparkling white in multiple places.

"What happened to your hands?" Alexandria had been just as long, maybe even longer but she had never had as many scars.

"Being the Leader's protégé hurts." It was a sad but true statement. There were a part of her now, representing who she is or has changed to. What the Academy does to you is so damaging because at the end of it, they leave no physical mark. By the time time she would be sold, she would have no idea what was real and what was not, not without the scars and the marks that torture would leave on her physical form. The mind can't comprehend the erasing of the trauma it has experienced therefore cannot prove that the pain was real.

The body bears the scars of the mind in real, significant ways. The Academy basically tells you that you would be the same person but not recognise the body you are in, even if it is an enhanced version. 

They sat, from foes to friends, watching the garden outside from the building. The glass wall restricting them from their freedoms outside. They were allowed outside but only for a set amount of time and only for their missions.

Natasha, now at the tender age of 8, was given missions. Of course, not something that would put her life in danger but sniper hits were hard especially since most of her targets had security and were ready to chase whomever shot their boss. It was exhilarating to watch as a clean hole formed on their forehead but Natasha never actually got the time to enjoy it, running in between alleys and dodging people to get into the black SUV.

It was even more fun when whispers surrounded her as she came back to that same glass building that she was being trapped in. She had no choice, there was a chip in her neck. It would explode the minute she ran and the Leader found out. At first, she had no idea what it was but she had seen some of the trainers talking but they didn't know she could read lips. 

They tried everything from switching to different languages to confuse her or to learn more about her but even if she had understood what they were saying, she didn't let on. Information was power and if someone has that kind of power over you, everything would be catastrophic.

Currently, her tresses of brunette hair were tied into a messy braid , flowing to the side of her shoulder, her skin clear of any blemishes and her hazel eyes shining bright under the light. Her pixie-like nose pinched in concentration and her cupid's-bow lips, decorated in lip balm revealed perfect alabaster teeth. Her dimpled, pressed under her high cheekbones made her looks older than she was. An asset in her field. Leather gloved covered her hands along with the rest of her body. She, now, stood at 5'3 with a voluptuous figure, poured into a perfect hourglass. She had her mother to thank for that; she had seen pictures of her birth mother who was practically the most beautiful woman in the world.

Alexandria had since grown closer to her; little smirks here and there along with iconic winks. They occasionally sat down in her training room, reminiscing over their individual memories.

"What the hell are you doing?" Natasha had returned to the car, parked in the middle of nowhere after having executed someone at the Notre Dame. She had changed her clothing in an alleyway and walked casually to the car like a normal tourist as screams sounded from behind her, having discovered the dead man. She opened the back door, only to find the driver with a slit across his neck, his head splayed back onto the headrest. Alexandria sat next to her seat, flicking her dagger back and forth before getting out of the car and telling her to do so as well.

"Follow me." Alex replies in a whisper to her enraged question and Natasha stares bewildered at her friend and confidante. They escape the car and follow a trail filled with grass and flower before crossing the grounds from behind and instead of entering the mansion situated there, headed into the stables, effectively avoiding the guards. 

"Ta-da!" Alexandria put her hands up, in an almost animated gesture, pointing towards the gate.

"It's a horse?" Natasha ran her hands over the pitch black horse, whose eyes bored into hers with almost a compassionate stare.

"It's an Arabian horse." Alexandria muttered, before coming to step beside her, her eyes growing huge with excitement.

Natasha didn't understand her excitement behind this rare breed but that may be because her father was a collector of stallions and mares from the middle east and effectively stored them in the grounds on the main Palace.

"Have you seen anything more beautiful?" Alexandria was, of course, not accustomed to the luxury of having their accumulated wealth and Natasha had to remember that this excitement was almost child-like, which she lacked.

Natasha rolled her eyes, as they continued peering over the fence at the majestic horse, "Yes, about a hundred times."

"Well, it's just the thrill of stealing." Alex looked at Nat and then back at the horses as they jumped the fence and stood right next to the horses.

"Wait! We're stealing?" Natasha whisper-yelled at the lunatic beside her who was too busy brushing her knuckles in the horse's mane.

"This English Lord owns them. How fun will it be to steal them?" She cooed and murmured, stroking the horse's muzzle. "He's planning on testing them out in half an hour." That explained why they were already saddled.

"And?" Natasha whispered, holding out a hand for the huge black mare in front of her to smell. The mare's nostrils flared, her velvety nose tickling Natasha's fingertips.

"And then he's either going to give them away as a bribe, or lose interest and let them languish here for the rest of their lives." Compassion shone in Alex's eyes even as Natasha realised how much this meant to her so she nodded with determination.

The guards didn't know what was happening until the horses had already rushed past them in a blur of black and grey, and they were through the main palace gate before the guards' cries finished echoing. There were about four guards trying to get in cars faster so that they could catch up to the rare breed of horses.

But the girls were already through the gate and into the almost desert-like in front of them. Natasha riding as if the Devil were behind her. Alex could only race after her, doing her best to keep in the saddle. Natasha's horse moved like thunder and turned with the swiftness of lightning. The mare was so fast that her eyes watered in the wind. The three guards were still far off, but not nearly far enough for comfort.

Natasha had a sudden moment of clarity then, as her hair ripped from her braid and the wind tore at her clothes. Most would never experience this—she would never experience anything like this again. And for that one heartbeat, when there was nothing more to it than that, she tasted bliss so complete that she tipped her head back to the sky and laughed.

Natasha and Alexandria knew their little escapade with the horses would have consequences. However,  Natasha had at least expected to have enough time to tell a decent lie about how they acquired the horses. But when they returned to the Academy and found the Leader's second-in-command waiting, along with three other assassins, she knew that word of their stunt had somehow already reached the Leader. They were then led in with supervision into the sound-proof room, awaiting their punishment.

Natasha exchanged a look with Alexandria before looking down, kneeling at the foot of the dais, their heads were bowed so they could only hear the footsteps and not see what punishment they were going to receive. 

Natasha felt it, she felt each footstep and almost feel the phantom bruises on her face, throbbing with the memory of fists raining down on her.

"We only wanted to have some fun," Alex mumbled quietly, in fear of what is to come. "We can return the horses."

Natasha, head still lowered, glanced towards Alex who was still staring at the Leader as she towered over them, "I am sorry."

There was no response, no one said a word and Natasha was too afraid to even suck in a breath. Natasha flinched when she felt her calloused fingers hook under her chin. She lifted her head so she was forced to look at her, the Leader's face lined with disapproval. She remained perfectly still, bracing herself for the strike, already praying she wouldn't damage her too significantly. But then the Leader's sea-green eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"It was my idea," Natasha blurted, her words too loud for the glass wall. "I thought it would be fun. You know, stealing and all." She gave her a shaky half-grin, and the Leader's brows rose as she looked between them. For a long, long moment, she just watched them.

They waited with bated breath as the Leader finally came to a halt in front of them. Suddenly, she picked up her foot. Natasha sighed, thinking she was going to walk away but her relief was short-lived as the foot landed on her hand, crushing it under the weight of the boot.

The other assassins watched as the little girl screamed in pain, her face scrunching up. Alex's hands fisted at her sides, keeping her eyes on the wall in front of them.

That was the day Natasha learnt that sorry and thank yous meant nothing and words remained redundant.

~

Both Nandini and Manik enter through the double doors of the villa, having heard the music from a few miles away. Luckily, it was in a stranded area otherwise the police would've showed up with neighbour complaints. Manik held the door open for Nandini, and immediately grabbed a wine glass from the waiter and handed it to her. Taking the glass, Nandini cringed at the dancing done by drunk college students and proceeded to head into a corner, away from the party. Manik, too, looked for his friends and side-hugged Cabir whilst Alya saddled up to him, touching his chest.

Fab 5 stand together, talking until Cabir and Mukti find Navya in the crows and suddenly get an idea. Calling a waiter over who was headed towards Navya, they spike her juice and plan to get her as drunk as possible. Nandini suddenly looked up, hearing a big commotion from the middle of the room only to find Navya dancing like there is no tomorrow, making a big scene on the stage.

The party went on until 1am during which Navya continued to drink the spiked shots, which resulted in her screaming hateful words at them. This gave everyone pause as the DJ shut the music, watching the reaction her words might spike. However, these words didn't mean anything to Fab 5 and seeing this, Navya grabbed a priceless vase and chucked it at the wall, causing it to shatter into a million pieces. Navya immediately sobers up, only realising the severity of the situation. Manik tells her to pay for it and then asks the DJ to continue the music, leaving Navya distraught. The party soon comes to an end as everyone leaves, with only Fab 5 and Navya and Nandini remaining.

Navya leaned on Nandini as they made their way out of the villa. Nandini then informs Manik that she will pay for the damages caused by Navya to which Manik disagrees but Nandini insists that Navya lives in a hostel and cannot pay for a showpiece.

Manik considers this and refuses to accept money and wants something else instead. Fab 5 then get in their jeep and bike before smirking at the girls who are now stranded. Suddenly, they hear the roar of an engine as it comes to a stop in front of Navya and Nandini. The guy takes his helmet off as Fab 5 glare at him.

"Hello, girls." Harshad looks at Nandini with interest and Navya with an expression of disgust, seeing her vomit-stained outfit. "Need a ride?"

The question was directed at Nandini; Harshad had seen the canteen fiasco and wanted Nandini on his team in order to finally defeat Fab 5. 

"Actually, can you take her with you? She lives in a hostel or something." Nandini directs Navya onto the bike who is mumbling unintelligibly and holds on tight to Harshad, feeling the muscles on his back.

"What about you?" Harshad wanted to impress Nandini and was instead stuck with someone who smelled of vomit and was gripping him like he was her lifeline.

"I have a ride." Just as those words came out, another engine roars towards them as a man on Nandini's bike comes towards them. She thanks him as he holds out her helmet and gets on the bike and puts on her helmet and mockingly waves at Fab 5, leaving them in the dust as they too drive their separate way home.

Nandini shifted herself into an apartment because she knew that Manik will find out where her house is and come to meet her. Her dad had bought the entire building just for his family. Besides, this apartment was more like a penthouse building, with the floors being gyms and spas etc so it was nothing short of the luxury she was accustomed to.

In the morning, just as Nandini had anticipated, Manik came to her apartment and was surprised to see it as well as the furnishing. He reached the top floor and got out, looking around the penthouse.

The window at the side of the penthouse is so large that it looks like a store-front of Gucci but high enough that no one will even get a glimpse of it. It's triple-glazed and so clear that the panorama is like a high definition screen at the movie theatre. The birds travel past, buffeted by the winds that whistle through these towers, as if to remind us that we're in their space now.  The city below is so far away it's like another world, those ant-like people and all their problems are of no more consequence than temporary static on intercom. 

He walked into her bedroom, after staring at the overwhelming view of the city below, and found her still sleeping so he grabbed a bean bag from the corner and sat on it before leaning over and caressing her arm.

Nandini knew from the second he entered not her room but her penthouse, for his steps were heavier than those of the maids as they knew to keep quite in the morning. The minute he entered her room, an aroma filled the air even as she clutched the duvet tighter, pretending to be asleep. Something touched her arm, but she knew better than to wake up so easily so she rolled over and groaned into the pillow even as he called out her name.

She got up slowly, rubbing her sleepy eyes and looked at Manik who gave her his infamous smirk as his eyes bore into hers. 

"What the hell are you doing here?" Nandini usually slept naked not only because removing your clothes improves blood circulation, which is good for your heart and muscles and ensures quality sleep but also because it just gave her an air of confidence. She was happy in her own skin and her body, according to herself and no one else's validation, was beautiful.

"I just wanted to give you something." Nandini rolled her eyes before getting out of her bed and walking into her bathroom. Five minutes later, she emerged, freshly brushed and her face washed before sitting down on the couch. Unknowingly, as she performed this routine, Manik's eyes travelled to her bare legs which were toned and tanned to perfection. She told him to have a seat before snatching the folder off his hands.

"You have to be my spot girl for 100 days." Manik explained as Nandini's eyes travelled across the leather-bound file. Her picture was right at the top with basic details about her life.

"I told you, I will pay. Why do I have to sign this?" Nandini didn't understand why he had to make both their lives so complicated when she could give him hundred times that amount and it wouldn't even make a dent in her account. 

"As you said, Navya is new and all that crap about humanity and poverty. So, I wanted you to pay for her mistakes since you care so much about her." Nandini sighed before grabbing the pen he offered; their hands touched slightly and a shiver ran down Manik's spine as though he had been electrocuted. Nandini signed her new name with a new signature and watched as Manik gave her a smirk before exiting the room.

After Manik had made his statement and left her apartment, Nandini began to get ready. She opted for white suit pants that give me a sharp edge with a black blouse to highlight her warm skin tone. Her white coat hangs on her shoulders without her having to wear it. It's a quirk she learned from Dedushka, paternal grandmother, who had taught her many things but some of them stood out more than other. Her makeup was subtle and her hair was up in a frizzy ponytail, at the top of her head.

She parked her car a few streets away and walked to the college, her expensive heels tapping against the uneven concrete. Walking in, she met Navya who sat on the stairs with her head on her hands, almost in a love-sick daze. Nandini smiled amusingly as Navya spotted her and talked about she was already in love with Harshad. They both walk towards the washroom, and instead meet Harshad who starts a conversation with them. Navya is admiring his face whilst Nandini is just nodding her head and checking her phone in the middle of it which irks Harshad because he needs her support.

Navya smiled adoringly at him even as Mukti comes and starts talking about Harshad and warns Navya and Nandini to stay away from him and his manipulating nature. Harshad, in turn starts to insult her, leading to Mukti attempting to punch him but Harshad being stronger, twists her arm behind her back, purposely touching the exposed skin there.

Navya, seeing this, has a frown on her face as Nandini looks ta the scene in disgust; no man should ever put their hands on a woman. She didn't understand how countries were so lenient on abuse and marital rape and even in western countries where the women continue to stay with the abuse. Essentially, they are enabling the abusers to continue by letting them think that this is okay and that abuse is a form of power. It isn't.

She came up behind Mukti and grabbed Harshad's arms, applying the pressure from her thumbs and jerking him away from them both. Harshad smacks against the wall and looks on, shocked at Nandini. Nandini had, since last night, gotten this negative energy from Harshad and didn't like him using physical force. 

Navya also stood in the middle of the crowd and was praying that Harshad gets away unscathed, not even caring that another woman was involved, not matter how cruel she was. Harshad let go of Mukti and just as Nandini was about to punch him in the face, someone came up behind her and held her hand, pulling her back against his chest, away from Harshad's angry face. Nandini looked back only to see Manik with his famous smirk, looking down at her; he gently pushed her aside and taunted Harshad for picking on girl and asked him to fight like a real man.

Nandini was watching the exchange with interest, wondering what the story is between their hostility but she got a call and answers it by walking to a corner and watching the drama from afar.

Harshad did not take lightly to being mocked and instead looks past Manik at Mukti and continued to harass her, saying whatever came into his mind, knowing that Mukti's own wit was weakened because of him. Manik clenched his fists and came at him with a punch and they keep going back and forth, splitting lips and hurting their knuckles until Manik has him up against the wall, punching him repeatedly, taking pleasure in seeing the bruises across his face.

The entire crowd is watching in delight and moving back a few steps to let them fight it out like they usually do. Some were recording in order to send it to Cabir and put it on his YouTube channel for the world to see but other were looking on, fearfully, at what may come of this. An explosive fight like this resulted in expulsions, reports being written by bystanders.

Alya finally comes to separate them, having heard about the fight from a group of boys who were rushing to see it and Raghav immediately holds Harshad back. Cabir and Mukti watch on as Raghav tells Harshad to get cleaned up and continued to lecture Fab 5 on the importance of being role models and the peace this college represents. Manik is still heaving from anger even as Alya leads him away to the infirmary to get dressing for his hands.

Nandini goes to the washroom, and after using it, comes to stand in front of the mirror, applying a thin layer of lip balm and putting her tresses back and forth after they had come astray from the ponytail. She hears the washroom door open and has come to recognise the steps as Manik comes to stand next to her, leaning against the row of sinks. She gives him a forced smiled before grabbing paper towels and wiping her hands.

Every time she saw Manik grin, an almost hateful bubble glowed up inside her, begging her to end his life but she restrained because it was a playful one and not a mocking one but it still made her grit her teeth together.

"What are you doing in here?" She wasn't even surprised to see that he had entered the girl's washroom with no hesitation, knowing that him and Alya probably had a quickie or two in here like she did back in her teenage days.

"I came to tell you the rules." Manik's expression could only be described as one of pure delight like he was savouring every moment of her humiliation.

"What rules?" Even though she felt like cursing him with every swear word in the urban dictionary, she restrained. Her grandmother had always told her to be elegant and graceful even in a tense situation.

"The rules are in the contract. Rule #1: You have to call me Mr Malhotra and bow every time you see me. Rule#2: You have to follow me everywhere. Rule#3: You will only respond to spot girl. Is that clear?" Manik took pleasure in watching Nandini's face transform into horror, getting worse with every rule.

He steps towards her, but Nandini stares head-on and looks into his eyes even as he gets really close to her face, his breath mingling with hers. He smiled wickedly before letting her know how much fun they will have. She glares at him hatefully before they both turn to leave, Manik walking out first with Nandini following him. A girl, waiting outside, on her phone, stares wide-eyed as conclusions come to her mind. Nandini sighs before walking off, behind Manik who strode off without even looking back.

Manik walks into the canteen and finds Fab 5 sitting at the table and comes to sit next to them with Nandini following behind and as he sits down, he motions for Nandini to stand next to him. She exhales before putting her hand on her hip and tapping her foot impatiently. She found that antics like these annoyed people to such an extent that they completely forget the task at hand. Manik explains to Fab 5 about the terms of his contract and what he had done; Mukti and Cabir laugh like lunatics, Dhruv just looks up at Nandini from under his hood and Alya glares at her like she was her enemy, most likely perceiving her as a threat to her womanhood, muttering harsh words under her breath.

Manik grabs a yoghurt that Cabir had been stewing over and purposely drops it on his shoes before ordering Nandini to clean it up. He, helpfully, grabs a tissue for her, expecting her to kneel before him and clean his shoe with her hands but Nandini surprises him when she bends at the hips slightly to put the tissue on his shoe before putting the tip of her heel over his shoe and moving it back and forth. She made sure, at the end, to dig her heel into his shoes and knew it hurt when he suddenly dragged his foot back. The rest watched on with raised eyebrows as Nandini gave him a smile filled with triumph. Manik shoots daggers with his eyes at her before ordering her to get him some food.

Soon, the college day is over and whilst Nandini is in the process of walking out of the building, Manik comes up behind her.

"Spot Girl, you will come to my house in the evening today." He whispered, walking alongside her until she gave him her attention.

"I have to be somewhere so no." Some friends of hers from back in her college days were in the country and were throwing a party. However, Manik continued to annoy her until she finally agreed.

They both go their separate ways after Manik gave her his address and the time and duration of her visit. Nandini goes home first and relaxes for a little bit before her maid reminds her that she has to go to Mr Malhotra's house. 

~

 Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please vote and comment on the chapter because it lets me know what you guys think about it.