*I would like to mention beforehand that I'm not focussing on side characters... the characters highlighted are important

Hope you guys are enjoying your Navratri..

She stepped out of the washroom, her eyes restraining the unshed tears within its confines. His words, managed to push her into the spirals of emotions that has given her sleepless nights leaving her with tears and lesions.

She wanted explanations, she was thriving for confrontation but she couldn't. She feared that history would repeat itself. Her desperation for the same, had left her with more pain, unfathomable trauma and she isn't strong enough to unfold any of them again.

Earlier he carried her to her room in the same position as if she weighed nothing. He denied acknowledging her body weight but she wanted the weight of her heart to be acknowledged. However he appeared to care less or he was too blind to notice the conflict surfacing into her demeanour.

So the moment he let her feet back on the ground, she dashed inside the washroom locking herself in. Rather than transparentizing her vulnerability in front of the man who was the sole reason of everything, she decided to gather her emotions together to again cover herself in the veil of fineness.

She changed herself into a pair of t-shirt and pjs, not taking the chance with her tunic which may ride up while she is asleep. There was no other room in her apartment and he was stubborn that the bed is enough for two. At any other time, she would have objected, but after the secret breakdown she found herself too drained for any protests.

Her body was stiff as she lay on the bed, trying to put every ounce of distance she could put between their bodies. By the deepening of his breaths, she could tell he was already asleep but she couldn't find sleep to consume her exhausted body and mind. And she didn't know how many more sleepless nights were awaiting for her with her nightmare everywhere around her.

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The night was as dark as the gleam of those eyes staring at it. Her humourless chuckle creates a chord with the night breeze and as hypnotising her voice was, the intentions lurking behind were more traumatising.

Her dark grey eyes, can almost be taken amiss as black while they with utter fervency stared at the dark twilight, as if challenging its darkness with the darkness of her own.

Her gaze was unwavering unlike her attention which was constantly diverting to the text she received this evening. It simply read 'Stop troubling me. Stay away from me.' But those simple words were taken as a challenge by her. She was adamant, she always has been.

**F L A S H B A C K B E G I N S**

"You are purposely ignoring me ?" He knew that she knew that he heard her yet he decided to act as if she wasn't even there. And it did piss her off. She pleases by ignoring, getting ignored doesn't lie in her list. And she hated that he had been ignoring her.

"I'm being nice so you should stop acting like an ass. I'm trying_"

"I don't want you to be nice. And I definitely don't want you to try." His tone was polite however Ishan kept his words and demeanour firm. "And please, you are two years senior than me. Stop troubling me."

With each and every word, he was testing the thin string of patience which Rhea was trying to impound on her rage. "Just how tough is it for you to digest that I like you and want you to be with me."

"But I don't like you at all and neither want to be with you." Putting the cap on the water bottle he was filling, he exclaimed exasperatedly. His tone came clipped and more offensive than what he intended. Nevertheless he didn't try to explain any of it.

He made a bee-line back to the corner of the multipurpose hall, where he was sitting earlier preparing notes with his best friend.

He was now occupied with his best friend and it angered her. He was helping her with something and it angered her again. He was laughing with her and it angered her even further. He chose to be with someone else which wasn't her and it enraged her to the extent that broke the thin string of her patience.

Her fingers rolled into a tight fist as she gritted her teeth. Every pore of her body was steaming with furry. So much fury that she wanted to destroy anything and everything.

**F L A S H B A C K E N D S**

Backing off without twisting the game according to her liking is not her thing. Turning the tables the way she desires is what she loves to do. And she would go lengths to have the satisfaction to dominate them as mere pawns, watching them submit for her sadistic pleasure.

"Stupids go on destroying the game if they begin losing. I rather believe in putting the kibosh on the prize, in one shot the entire game along with the players will be wrecked." Her acrylic nails danced above the metal of the railing.

"Misinterpreting me flightless as my name will be your biggest mistake." Her lips smacked together marking the emergence of another wicked grin. "For being on height I need not to know to fly or have wings. The thirst for it is what matters. I may not fly but definitely know how to suppress them under the point of my heels."

The ticking of the clock was making notes of the volumes her words carried, bundling up the blueprint of desecrate syllabus. "People are pathetic coming up with excuses. To survive in the sky you need to destroy others' wings to create your own plumage. So hang in there."
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"Why don't you have A.C here ?"

Her gaze remained fixed on her paperwork as she again answered another of his abrupt questions. "Because I don't need one."

"But I do." Came his suggestive retort. "You don't have a T.V either. What is it ? Some cave of stone age."

She didn't like the way he was talking about her cosy place. She didn't like how he was mocking while making remarks. And she surely didn't like that he somewhere is contemplating that he could turn her home according to his comfort.

She didn't know what was annoying her so much ? He had been less irritating than she had anticipated. He even had been less clingy which she was thankful to. Yet she couldn't settle herself with the thought of having him around and sharing her comfort with him.

Then how was she supposed to share her entire life with the boy she called her nightmare ?
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Their giggles danced along with the flow of the wind as Sitara drove her scooty to Mishika's apartment building with Mishika at the back. This little drive managed to squeeze out the exhaustion of a bustling work day.

"Good night. Give a call once you reach your home." Busy among each other, both the ladies didn't notice the silhouette approaching them until it was looming over their frames.

The sudden intrusion left them baffled, leading Sitara to lose her control over the scooty, which she was balancing by her legs, whereas Mishika stumbled, almost tripping over nothing in particular. However Sitara used her reflexes wisely, protecting her scooty and herself on time, meanwhile Mishika never kissed the ground, thanks to those arms that came and wrapped around her shoulders.

"I see you are already falling for me." His deep voice feigned above her ears causing heat to dance across her skin. Still caged in the confines of his robust arms, her gaze latched with his through periphery. Nonetheless conscious about the other presence, she quickly tore herself away from him.

"I think I've seen you somewhere ?" Sitara's eyebrows were arched together as she analysed Aarav's face. Mishika suddenly feared his answer, however he was so much cocky that he ignored Sitara altogether.

Realising Sitara hasn't recognized him yet, Mishika quickly shot another Good Night at her and turned her heels to the apartment building meanwhile she had his wrists clasped in her hand. Whereas all while he watched her actions with amusement morphed on his face.

"What were you doing there ?" Tapping her foot impatiently on the elevator floor, she plopped her back against the corner wall.

Though she suddenly tried to jump in a straight posture, finding his frame hovering over her. Her actions and her body turned stiff as he pressed his arms on the wall at the either side of her.

"Last time you were on for giving a strip show, I would like to check if you still are ?" His voice was beautiful, she won't deny but his words were like spikes and she had to grit her teeth at his smugness, the events of those two days flashed across her mind.

Gleam loomed across his dilated pupils as he took a notion of her face morphing with the crimson of furry and her chest heaved up and down. He wasn't unaware from the fact that him mentioning that eventful marriage only pushes her to the edge. Yet for the satisfaction of his twisted mind he keeps on doing that, reminding her of being aligned to her nightmare.

And somewhere she also knew that this was not just naggings, but the devil beast himself was hinting to her that he is forever going to preserve his most prized and desired rose within the realms of his obsecrate maze.

The confines of the elevator felt nowhere since she found herself shrinking amidst his body heat. "It is driving me crazy." His lips were warm on her nose bump similar to the sensation that ran through her nerves.

She has been told many times that the nose bump makes her look uglier. And she tries to neglect those comments as much as she was trying to neglect the tickling happening in her tummy.

She hastily sprinted out of the elevator, shoving him out of her way when the elevator finally chimed.

Very swiftly a smirk pulled on his lips watching her fumbling with the keys in her bag. She pushed her staggered feet inside her apartment moving to the kitchen in an attempt to hide her flustered state. Only she failed to notice that he already noticed.

With every gulp of water she wanted to gulp the sudden surge of emotions that she felt in the elevator. With every gulp she reminded herself of who he was and what she had to bear because of him. With every gulp she told herself that he will only play with her emotions with his manipulative ways.
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The ten days of living with him wasn't as trudgy as she expected but it was exhausting. She couldn't believe that she made it bearable. It wasn't so tough since they will leave for work for the entire day and he will come late at night. Throughout she had to remind him twice that he can't drunk-appear there.

"You drank again ?" Her groan resonated simultaneously with the thud of the door as she closed it after him.

Plopping his body on the couch, he unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt while rolling his eyes at her nagging. "I'm sober enough to maintain my wife's reputation in the colony."

As his eyes rose to her, she quickly looked away. She couldn't look him straight in the eyes, knowing that a strange feeling welled up inside her every time he denotes her that way. And she had to constantly remind herself that she shouldn't be feeling that.

"Why do you look pale when I haven't sucked your blood.. yet ?" Venting out an exasperated breath she made a bee-line to her room, having no energy to handle his snarky remarks. Whereas he just shrugged his shoulders, not giving much thought to it.

An annoyed groan flew past his lips feeling itchy all over his body feeling too hot with the room temperature. Kicking off the duvet he sat straight, his frown only etched further realising the fan rotating too slow. "Dam this shit!"

Not caring for her sleep he switched on the lights and his annoyance only heightened up in fury finding the speed set on slow. With a clenched fist he marched to her and in a blink snatched her blanket away. His mouth opened to lash on her; however, his words remained in bay finding her shivering and curled up in her place.

"Are you dying ?" was his first and blunt remark. Her forehead creased with the intrusion of light and without paying any heed to him she pulled the pillow to her face which she earlier had under her head. And her reaction made his eyes narrow.

Scrunching up his nose he dashed back to the switchboard and turned the regulator into high speed and walked back to the bed.

However his feet dragged back to the previous spot and this time he turned the fan completely off. "Don't turn it off." He gritted his teeth although let the fan be on medium speed sensing how hoarse her voice sounded.

Finding the warmth of the duvet back over herself, she instantly balled into it. Nonetheless the easiness wrecked out of her skin feeling his stout arms slipping around her frame. As a usual reaction her body turned stiff under his hold, however he knew the aftermath of his actions so he tightened his hold around her before she could show the sign of protest.

"Ease down Honey-eye. I'm not interested in feasting on lifeless prey." And it wasn't just his words but the unbroken brush of his warm lips upon her nape that converted her shivers more frantic.

Chapter Word- 2259

I've tried to give the dark vibes off Rhea as much as I can.. review it

Your thoughts about the chapter and the characters~~~

Signing off
~T.R