The moment Raj’s black sneakers touch the ground, Pari squirms out from his arms. She moves away but keeps her dark brown eyes locked with Raj's black ones. The infirmary window has brought them behind the school where only huge green, leafy trees can be seen.

“What are you? Your eyes were red and you also jumped straight from the sixth floor without any help and that too carrying me.” Pari stumbles behind as she gets dizzy but still has a certain determination in her eyes as she stares at Raj through her half closed eyes.

“Pari!” Raj dashes in front of Pari within a blink of an eye and holds her waist to stop her from falling. Their breath mingles as their noses touch. Despite feeling a heaviness, Pari pushes herself  to lock her eyes with Raj. A layer of haze is covering her vision, yet she sees the red colour of Raj's eyes turning back to his usual black.

Her whole body numbs. Stuttering, she mumbles, Va... Vam...pire.”

Bringing her strength together, Pari pushes Raj back and moves away. She sways and holds her head keeping her eyes closed. Her legs tremble as she sits with a thud on the ground. Raj moves forward to hold her but she pushes his hands away. Squinting her eyes, she looks around but black dots start clouding her vision. She gulps down the dryness of her throat mumbling, “That night... it was real... not my hallucination. He killed Sohini... by sucking her...” Pari shuts her eyes with all her strength as if she is trying to remove a disgusting image.

“Raj!” Hearing a familiar voice, she looks up but her vision is already engulfed by darkness.

“Uncle! Thank God you are here. Pari... she saw...” Pari loses her consciousness as Raj continues, “...me, my real self.”

Pari lies on the ground with a thud sound which attracts their attention.

“Shit! Pari!” Raj rushes towards an unconscious Pari. He is about to pick her up but stops when his uncle signals him not to, using his palm. With furrowed eyebrows, Raj looks at his uncle who is staring at Pari's face intently.

“What are you trying to do?” Raj says while tapping his right foot.

“Sshh... don’t be so impatient.”

“We need to take her home. I just can’t understand why we are wasting time like this?” A suppressed growl comes out from Raj's throat.

“Don’t show me your anger. And she is going back to school, not home.” Raj's uncle looks straight into Raj's eyes which is screaming that there is no room for any more arguments.

Raj breaks the eye contact and moves his focus towards Pari who is still unconscious on the ground. Like a hurt child Raj mumbles, “But why? She has already fainted twice.”

“Raj. Don’t be a kid. She shall not know the truth.” Saying this, uncle kneels down beside Pari. He puts his left palm on her forehead and closes his eyes. Soon a purple glow illuminates beneath his palm.

“Uncle! You... this is wrong! Reyna will kill you for this.” Raj furrows while sitting on his feet on the other side of Pari. He moves his hands towards Pari's forehead but pulls them back without doing anything. After a few seconds the purple glow vanishes into the air just as it appeared from out of nowhere. Raj's uncle opens his eyes and removes his palm from Pari's forehead heaving a sigh of relief as the scarlet hue of his eyes become black.

“Uncle! This...” Raj begins but gets cut by his uncle who says, “This is for all of us.” Saying this, uncle turns towards the open window of the infirmary.

“But...”

“No but. Bring her back to the infirmary.” Uncle says as he jumps and enters into the infirmary like a wind.

A reluctant Raj carries Pari in his arms and leaps onto the windowsill of the infirmary. He looks into the room and finds the doctor lying unconscious with her head on her desk still now. His uncle is closing the door of the infirmary from inside. Sighing, Raj enters into the infirmary and makes Pari lie down on the bed.

“Do you even know what you have done today? What if I was not there? What would you have said to her? The truth? Foolish kid!” Uncle lashes out at Raj.

“But we all know that Pari herself is not a human being. She is different, like us. What’s the harm in saying her the truth? I don’t like to lie to her.” Raj says while taking Pari's hands in his.

“She is not like us and she will never be like us! Look Raj, I don’t care what you both do together but she shall never ever know our truth. I don’t want anymore arguments. I'll talk with Reyna and Serein later. Now no more discussions on this. They will wake up in a few seconds.” Uncle says while looking at the two unconscious females at a glance.

Within a few seconds the doctor wakes up and the first thing she says is, “She was tired due to lack of sleep. She felt good after taking rest. But she went back to her home today.”

Uncle and Raj give each other a knowing look. Raj hurries towards the doctor. He looks into her eyes and waves his right palm once in front her face. A sudden jolt of heaviness attacks the doctor as she holds her head and closes her eyes.

“What... what happened?” The doctor asks in a low voice.

“You were checking Pari and then fainted all of a sudden. Are you feeling alright now Miss Ruhi?” Uncle says keeping a straight face.

“Huh? Yeah. I’m fine Mr. Mehta. Just a bit of discomfort in my head. I guess last night’s duty at the hospital has taken a toll on my health.” Ruhi says while bringing out her Tupperware water bottle from her handbag.

A thank god escapes from Raj's mouth heaving a soft relieving sigh.

“What do you mean Raj?” Ruhi asks, confused by Raj's behaviour while Mr. Mehta glares at Raj for his carelessness.

“I... I mean thank God that you are fine now. I meant this..."

“What’s... going on?” Pari's feeble voice saves Raj from further explanation as everyone’s attention goes towards her.

“How are you feeling now Pari?” Mr. Mehta is the first one to ask as his eyes search something in her eyes.

“I'm good sir. But for how long was I asleep? I'm feeling as if I've woken up after a deep, long sleep.” Pari looks at Raj who is looking at her anxiously.

“I think for thirty minutes approx.” Raj says looking at the wall clock.

“Leave all this. Are you feeling any kind of uneasiness?” Ruhi approaches towards Pari.

“No Ma'am. I'm fine now.” Pari says.

“Pari... my child, do you remember anything before or after fainting? I mean anything you felt or ate due to which you think you fainted?” Mr. Mehta asks with hope reflecting in his eyes.

“Not exactly. I was going back to the class after assembly and as I was about to enter into the classroom, I felt... a shiver. I mean as if... umm...  suddenly something cold touching my forehead, a sharp ringing in the left ear and... and a cold breath.... behind me. It was getting dark. I looked up at the sky and... and there was sun and moon both and...” Pari starts shivering again and her eyes have a faraway look in it.

“Pari! Stop! It’s okay. Calm down. It was just your hallucination. There are no such things in real.” Ruhi brings Pari out from her trance.

“Did you see anyone?” Mr. Mehta asks again with furrowed eyebrows which is rare on his usually calm and collected face.

“No... I...”

“Let’s forget all these. Pari! It’s our farewell. Do you plan to lie here for the whole day?” Raj says in his usual jolly way to lighten the situation. But his uncle stares at his back intently as he knows that Raj is only trying to stop him from asking any more questions.

“I'll take my leave now. I’ve a class.” Mr. Mehta says realizing that he is not going to get any more answers. Without waiting for anyone’s reply, he leaves.

“Is Mr. Mehta angry for any reason?” Ruhi asks to no-one in particular.

“I don’t think so. He is always like this. Khadoos.” Raj says looking at the open door.

“Raj.” Ruhi says with a warning tone in her voice and then shifts her concentration on Pari.

“Would you like to go back home or are you good enough to stay here?” Ruhi asks Pari with a smile on her face.

“I'll stay back. Afterall, someone has to save the people of the party from Raj's antiques." Pari says and laughs a hearty laugh accompanied with Raj and Ruhi's laughters.

“Okay. You both may leave now.” Ruhi says after controlling her laughter. Pari and Raj walk out of the infirmary and start going downstairs.

“Raj... who took me to the infirmary and who informed you?” Pari asks while crossing the last door of their classroom.

“I don’t know who took you but Maya informed me and uncle.” Raj says as they cross the last window of their class.

“You mean the girl who is always aloof from everyone most of the times?” Pari asks with a pitch bit higher.

“Sshh... don’t be so loud. Yeah, it’s her. Now let’s enter into the class.” Raj says as they cross the first window and halts at the first door of the class.

“May I come in Ma'am?” Raj and Pari ask together.

“Yes please. How are you feeling now Pari? Maya told me about your health.” A middle-aged sari clad woman speaks with a soft, motherly smile on her face.

“I'm good Ma'am.” Pari says while looking at the woman for once and then her eyes start searching someone among all the faces.

“That’s good. Please take your seats.” The woman says and Raj and Pari move towards their seats. Pari is about to sit, when her eyes lock with a pair of oceanic blue eyes.

“Maya...” Pari whispers.

Pari takes her seat but her eyes keep on travelling from the open book on her table to Maya and every time she finds Maya's ocean like eyes staring at her.

Not understanding anything, Pari goes and stands in front of Maya's bench as soon as the teacher leaves the class. But to her utter shock, Maya's eyes are far from any kind of blue. Rather it’s black with a little shade of dark brown like many other Indians.

Was I hallucinating again? Pari's mind follows this line of thought as a small dimple plays on Maya's cheeks.

Words in this chapter - 1807
Total no. of words - 4328