Present Day

In the changing room, Bondita's heart had suddenly surpassed the speed of the world's fastest jet engine, as she realized that Anirudh Roy Choudhary was in here with her. 

She immediately reached to the front of the dress, holding it up against her chest, so that it wouldn't fall and expose her. Her back was still unzipped, and this was very much possible, if she didn't zip herself up fast. 

Bondita kept her bare back to him, her hair was parted in the middle and pulled in front of her body over her shoulders. She could see through the floor length mirror that was embedded in the wall -- and as she gazed up at him, her fast-beating heart immediately melted with warmth. 

Oh, how much she had missed him.

Anirudh made eye contact with her through the mirror, and Bondita looked down nervously. 

"You won't say anything?" Anirudh asked, "You made me wait a whole month to see you, and now you're making me wait to hear you too? How much will you make me wait Bondita?" 

Little did they know, that the month that they waited was barely chump change in comparison to the waiting that their souls had to do to meet again. 

Anirudh continued, "Fine, you don't want to see me or talk to me... then fine. I'm willing to... to wait... for you." 

Bondita's heart melted all over again, and a blush crept up on her cheeks. She still didn't say anything though. 

"Then why did you call me here?" Anirudh continued, "If you don't want to look at me or speak to me... then why?" 

Bondita looked up with surprise. 

She had called him here? When? 

Anirudh stared at her reflection in the mirror like he just couldn't figure her out, and Bondita's blush got deeper, as she continued to process what was happening. 

How was this possible? Why was Anirudh here? 

It would be one thing if she ran into him at the mall -- even that would have been a huge coincidence, but he had literally walked into her dressing room! 

"Bondita," Anirudh said in a pained voice, and Bondita turned around to face him, still holding her dress up against her chest. 

"I... I didn't call you here," she told him softly. 

"Then how was I sent here?" Anirudh demanded. "If you didn't call me, then how and why did I get sent here?" 

Bondita looked at him, a glimmer in her eyes, her cheeks still burning. 

Maybe she had called him... maybe her soul yearned for him and had asked him to come, and the universe had sent him right to her. 

Perhaps this soul connection was way deeper than anything else. Perhaps calling him physically didn't even matter. 

Maybe she could spiritually call him, and he would come... every single time. 

"Why did you come here?" she asked softly. 

Anirudh pressed a hand beside her head, against the mirror, and Bondita looked at him with surprise. 

"Because dammit... I dunno, I miss you," he confessed. 

When he said that, her heart fluttered, and a smile appeared on her lips. 

Suddenly, she forgot that she was getting married in a month. She forgot all about her insecurities. She forgot about everything. 

All she could see, all she could process and remember was him, Anirudh Roy Choudhary. 

"When I heard you were here, I couldn't stop myself... I had to come... before you could get away again," Anirudh told her, a look of longing in his eyes. "Maybe I've gone crazy. I'm not like this. Never... I would have thought ten times before going inside a woman's changing room, but..." 

Bondita looked at him, her eyes sparkling, her heart fluttering with excitement with his words. 

"But?" she asked softly. 

"Rimi said you called me... and I just trusted it. I never would have... I would have triple, quadruple checked, but I needed to see you... Bondita, I just... I can't let you escape from me again," Anirudh confessed. 

"Escape from you?" she asked. "Did I... escape from you?"

The fact that Rimi had sent Anirudh here hadn't even processed in her mind. All she could process was that Anirudh was saying such loving words to her... words that she had been subconsciously aching to hear from him. 

Bondita had assumed, if she didn't speak to him, perhaps he would forget about her with time. Perhaps she would just be a fond memory of one night. But it seemed like she had somehow made a mark on him... that just like she couldn't forget about him, he too couldn't forget about her. 

Anirudh brought his other hand up and this time he brought it to her cheek, caressing it gently, and making her shiver. 

His fingertips running across her skin was sending all the right sensations everywhere at once. 

"You very well did escape from me," he told her firmly. "You didn't call me! Do you know how long I waited? I was worried I'd never... see you again." 

Bondita leaned into his hand, and whispered, "See, fate brought us back together." 

Anirudh leaned closer to her, making Bondita's stomach perform somersaults. 

"I don't want to count on fate. Give me your number right now," he said cutely like an order. 

Bondita couldn't help but smile.

"Anirudh..." she said softly, and his heart jumped when she took his name -- the fact that she was taking his name for some reason was so precious to him. 

"What?" he asked, pouting slightly. 

"You came inside a woman's changing room, and you're asking for her number? How do I view this act of yours?" she teased, a small smile on her lips. 

"I'm sorry," he finally said, "I can leave..." 

He was about to back out when Bondita grabbed his arm to stop him. Her other hand was still pressing the dress against her chest. 

"Wait," she said, and he stepped towards her again. "I didn't mean it like that." 

Anirudh smiled now and he asked, "So you don't mind me being here either?"

"No," Bondita admitted breathlessly. "There's a comfort... for some reason... I feel very comfortable with you being here." 

Anirudh looked at her, still smiling and confessed, "The thought of coming here wasn't uncomfortable to me either. Maybe that's why I came here. It felt like..."

Like many times before, he had walked in on her changing. 

Even now, while her bare back had been so tempting and beautiful, it wasn't a sight that made him feel like a lustful beast. 

In fact, he did want to run his hands over her body, but in a way that was filled with admiration and appreciation. He wanted to touch her, but it was not awkward or uncomfortable to think about. It was something that was genuine, something that felt no different than him interacting with his own self.  

Anirudh finished with, "...Forget it. Just give me your number Bondita. I'm waiting." 

"Okay, I'll give it to you," she said softly, "But first do me a favour..." 

Anirudh looked at her lips, his heart hammering. 

A favour? 

"Anything..." he said breathlessly, glancing at her lips, and wanting to close the distance between their mouths. 

It had been so long since he kissed those lips, since he held her in his arms. He wanted to hug her and not let go ever. 

What was this feeling? 

"Zip my dress please," she told him, blushing. 

Anirudh smiled and he playfully said, "But you look nice with it unzipped." 

A deep blush reached her cheeks, and she just said, "Hey!" 

"What?" he asked, chuckling, "I'm only being honest." 

Anirudh then held her shoulders and pulled her close... so close that Bondita's mouth was pressed against the lower end of his collarbone, her nose inhaling the scent of his cologne. 

Then he reached behind her, wrapping his arms around her, and touched her bare back with his fingers for a moment while trying to get the zipper, causing her to shiver in his arms. 

Bondita squeezed her eyes shut and pressed herself against him, suddenly feeling desire build within her. She wanted to get even closer to him. 

She liked the feeling of his fingers on her bare back. She wanted to feel it for some time more. 

He found the zipper at the base of her spine and was about to zip it up when Bondita whispered, "Wait." 

Her arms wrapped around him, and she just hugged him tightly. 

Anirudh's heart melted when she did this, but he asked, "What's wrong Bondita?" 

"Just hold me first..."

Anirudh was surprised, but he did as she asked, wrapping his arms around her, his fingers brushing over her back. 

As she felt his fingers sweep across her back, Bondita shivered with pleasure. 

Bondita hugged him even more tightly, feeling his muscles over his shirt. He was wearing a buttoned up checkered white and grey flannel shirt and black jeans. 

The hug was quite intimate, and Anirudh's hand moved up into her hair, feeling her head, neck and shoulders through them as he held her. 

Bondita turned her face into the crook of his neck, her lips brushing over his skin slightly, making pleasurable sensations form in Anirudh's body. 

What was she doing? 

Whatever it was though, Anirudh was enjoying it. He moved his hand down her back, his fingers brushing over her spine, making her shiver with excitement. His other hand reached to her face, moving her hair out of the way. 

Bondita looked up from her position and Anirudh glanced down at her lips. 

After so long... he wanted to kiss her. 

He leaned towards her, and Bondita squeezed her eyes shut, her heart hammering as she felt his lips approach. 

That was when there was a knock on the door, and their intimate moment was interrupted. 

"Bondita!" Rimi's voice said from outside, "The staff is asking why you're taking so long!" 

Anirudh nearly groaned! 

This was the second time that Rimi had done this. 

Surely, Rimi was an Angel that sent him to Bondita in the first place, but she was also the Devil who was taking him away! 

"C - Coming!" Bondita said. 

"Look, I know the changing room might be a fun place to... you know, but you have to make it quick! You can't have a long session in there!" Rimi said, "Bondita, different places have different needs! In some places you have to do it quickly!" 

Bondita's face turned extremely red, and she pressed it into Anirudh's shoulder, hiding herself with embarrassment. 

Anirudh was also quite embarrassed to hear Rimi speaking of such things. 

"Anirudh, it's been a month, I know you're probably going wild in there, but take her home and finish it!" Rimi continued, "Otherwise we'll be banned from this store!"

Anirudh groaned for real this time. 

"Rimi, can you go?" he just asked. 

"Rude!" Rimi huffed, but nevertheless she stormed away. 

Bondita finally lifted her face, red from embarrassment. 

"You should go," she said softly, "So I can change back into my clothes." 

Anirudh looked at her with a glint in his eyes. 

"After one kiss," he said in a low voice. 

Bondita looked at him with a small smile. 

"We'll be late," she said, "And Rimi will get mad --" 

"So hurry up and kiss me," Anirudh teased. "Then I'll go." 

Bondita pressed her face into his chest, hiding herself again, and Anirudh chuckled, hugging her lovingly. 

"Your dress is still open," he murmured, "And you are breathtaking. It's going to be difficult for me to leave without your kiss."

Bondita's heart fluttered, and she lifted her head up, smiling. Then she turned her face and stood on her tiptoes slightly, pressing her lips onto his cheek, feeling his stubble prickle her. 

Her heart was beating extremely fast, and there was a certain moisture between her legs that was building, as she craved for more. 

"Cheating," Anirudh teased, but nevertheless, his heart was jumping with happiness as he felt her lips on his skin. 

As soon as Bondita stepped back, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her forehead lovingly, making Bondita's heart flutter as she felt his love.

"When you come out, I will get your phone number," he informed. "Do you know how difficult it has been for me to find you? I couldn't find you on social media either. And the account that Rimi had messaged me from on Facebook, she had deactivated!" 

Bondita confessed, her heart hammering inside her chest, "She deactivated it for exams, and she never activated it again." 

"I don't want anymore excuses now," he warned, and Bondita just smiled, licking her lips, almost seductively. 

The sight of Bondita licking her lips was doing something else to Anirudh but he took a deep breath to control. 

They would certainly get banned from this place, if Anirudh acted on his desires right now. He wasn't about to enjoy her quickly. If she allowed him to, he would take his sweet time with her. 

Anirudh opened the door to the changing room just slightly, before peeking outside and slipping out. 

After he left, Bondita locked the door, and pressed her back against it, blushing hard and hyperventilating with excitement. 

She had never expected that! 

Anirudh met up with Rimi and Neil inside the store, frowning slightly at Rimi because she had interrupted his kiss yet again!

Rimi just went to him and teased, "So did you take your one month's frustration out in there?" 

Anirudh just looked at her with a slight glare, as Neil ran a hand through his hair, chuckling. 

"Rimi, you don't know how crazy he has gone over this month," Neil said, "Everytime we spoke, all I heard was Bondita! He was trying really hard to find her."

Rimi sighed and she said, "Well, I hope you two work out! You are a far better man anyways!" 

"Far better?" Anirudh questioned, but Bondita had come out, in her pink salwar suit, and he was distracted by her. 

She was looking down, a blush on her cheeks, as she went to stand beside Rimi. 

An immediate smile appeared on Anirudh's lips and he asked Bondita, "Alright, so what's that number?" 

"Let's leave this store and talk," Rimi said, "The staff have been eyeing us for a while. I think they're suspicious." 

The four of them walked out of the store together, and began to walk through the mall. Neil and Rimi walked a few steps ahead, while Anirudh walked behind them with Bondita. 

"Number," Anirudh said again. 

Bondita blushed and she said, "Give me your phone." 

Anirudh turned on his phone and handed it to her. Bondita typed her name and number in it. 

"There you go," she told him with a smile. 

"Now I won't leave you alone," Anirudh teased, and as they were walking, his fingers gently brushed against Bondita's on purpose. 

Bondita's face turned red again and she turned to look at him. 

"I want to hold your hand, I want to hold you, I want to kiss you..." he confessed to her in a soft voice as they walked through the busy mall. "Please Bondita." 

"If someone sees..." Bondita whispered, her stomach performing somersaults at his confession. 

"Let them," Anirudh teased with a glitter in his eyes. 

"What'll you say to those who ask then? Who am I to you?" she just asked. 

"Someone special," Anirudh answered, causing her heart to flutter. 

Neil and Rimi stopped in their tracks ahead of them and turned around to see what Anirudh and Bondita were doing. 

"You two are flirting over there!" Rimi declared with a heavy sigh, "Bondita, I would love it the most if some aunty sees you with Anirudh and causes a scandal and rumours! But you have to be prepared for that! Are you ready for such a thing?" 

Bondita frowned, and then suddenly, she recalled that Rimi had been the one who sent Anirudh to her changing room. 

"RIMI!" Bondita bellowed all of a sudden, causing Anirudh and Neil to stare at her with shock. 

Rimi just gave her a small grin, knowing what Bondita was shouting at her for. 

"It was for your own good!" Rimi huffed. 

"My own good? Sending a man in my changing room Rimi?" Bondita said loudly. 

Anirudh's face turned red, and he exchanged glances with Neil. 

"He's not any man! He's Anirudh Roy Choudhary!" Rimi said nonchalantly. 

"He's still a man! And I hadn't seen him for a month! If I got uncomfortable?" Bondita demanded. 

"Please, I know how uncomfortable you must have got while making out with him!" Rimi went on. 

She had no filter. 

Anirudh's face turned a deeper shade of red now, and Neil couldn't help but smile, finding this quite amusing. 

Bondita glared at Rimi and said, "Nothing like that happened!" 

"Then that's your fault! Why didn't you let it happen? I created such a nice moment for you, and you wasted it!" Rimi argued. 

"Rimi you're such a pervert!" Bondita huffed. 

"And you're a closet pervert!" Rimi answered back, "Don't act so innocent! I know what all you must have imagined to do with Anirudh!" 

Anirudh felt so embarrassed now, that he wanted to hide himself, but the idea of Bondita imagining things about him, was making his heart flutter at the same time. 

Bondita's face turned red and she said, "You should focus on your singing career instead of focusing on my sex life!" 

Rimi studied psychology with Bondita, but her dream was to become a singer. 

"Please, I'm doing you a favour Bondita!" Rimi huffed, "It's better you don't talk about your non-existent sex life. Actually, sorry, it exists, but in your closeted mind!" 

Bondita furrowed her eyebrows and glared at Rimi. 

"I --" she started, but Anirudh had grabbed her hand, pulling her close to him, and making her lose focus. 

"Bondita, why are you fighting with Rimi?" he asked her. 

"She deserves it!" Bondita huffed. 

"She made us unite again," Anirudh told her softly. "And now that I'm here with you, I don't plan to leave you for a moment." 

Bondita's heart fluttered upon hearing his words and a small smile reached her lips. 

"Rimi, you want to be a singer?" Neil asked, after Anirudh pulled Bondita's attention to him. 

"Yes, it's been my dream for as long as I remember," Rimi told him. 

On the other hand, in the mall, an elderly man with a head full of grey hair was walking with a cane, and he was passing the group of four. 

All of a sudden, he began to have a coughing fit, and both Anirudh and Bondita looked at the man with alarm, their hearts for some reason, beating faster than normal. 

The man sounded like he was having a hard time breathing, and without a second thought, Bondita rushed to his side, and asked, "Are you okay Uncle?" 

Anirudh rushed over after Bondita, while Rimi and Neil approached as well. 

"I - Inhaler," the man said, reaching into his pocket inside his shirt, but his trembling wrinkled fingers weren't on his side. 

It seemed like the man had asthma. 

"I'll get it," Bondita told him reassuringly, and she reached inside the man's shirt, pulling out the inhaler. 

When she did this, an ID card fell out of his pocket, and Anirudh bent down to pick it up. 

Bondita helped the man use his inhaler, gently rubbing his back in a soothing way, as Anirudh read the name on the card. 

Girish Roy Choudhary. 

-- 

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Mysteries are unfolding, and the plot is thickening even more! 

Do leave your comments, press star, and the next part will come soon!

Any predictions about anything at all? Who anyone is, or what will happen next?

How fast I update depends on how excited I see my readers, and what kind of response I get! It's the biggest motivation. 

Love you all! ❤️