The morsel choked in her throat. She coughed loudly, trying to look for water to ease her breathing. She couldn't believe this man was infront of her. She thought college would be the last time she saw him.

And to think, he saw her in this state - stuffing the pizza in her mouth like a thirsty man in the desert.

He walked closer to her and offered the small packaged drinking bottle. She quickly opened it and gulped it down and got up from her seat.

He wasn't the college student who studied in the same class as hers. He was a guest of the hotel. She has to behave professionally.

She smiled a fake smile and said, "Hi Mr.Ahmed, how can I help you?"
Why wasn't he in the party? Was he lost?

He looked intently at her, almost searching for something in her face. Ofcourse, he left the party when he saw her and came behind her, but he wasn't about to tell her the truth.

"Umm, nothing. I was just not feeling good there. So...how are you, Pari? Still love pizza?" He tried to play it cool infront of her. Salem was the type of man who could talk to anyone. He never feared anyone, except his father. He was a chill guy who was never awkward around people for him when he talked to people but with Pari, he always felt a certain way when talking to her, especially when initiating the talk. He feared her reaction and judgement.

"Yes...you know not everything changes." Pari quipped.

Hearing the statement, Salem had a slight smirk on his face. Till now, she wasn't the Pari he knew. She was a professional person working here with 'Mr. Ahmed.' But with her last sarcastic statement, he saw the old her who was always fiery, the Pari he liked.

"You didn't answer me. How are you?" Salem asked again.

"I am good. Thank you for asking." Pari replied formally. She didn't want this to go anywhere more than a conversation.

Salem just nodded at her reply. She was again being formal. Atleast, the job taught her to say thank you, he thought to himself. He asked for a bottle of water and left from there.

That night, Pari couldn't sleep much. The flashes of him came back to her. She had to wake up in the middle of night because she saw a dream where she was angry with Salem and threw something at him and he coaxed her. At least, he was coaxing her in her dreams.

Two days passed and she didn't see him again. She was at peace, atleast that's what she tried to tell herself. The more he was away from her, the better.

Because of her long hours at job, her family was also relieved. Pari was a tantrum queen. Her mother always thought that Pari's tantrums would lessen if she grows older, but she was shocked when Pari would still fight for her clothes from Priya, would still engage in a physical fight with Kabeer. Infact, it was Kabeer who had grown calmer and quieter.

Everyday, Pari's mother would talk to her sister-in-law, Priya's mother about Pari's marriage and who'd marry her.

"God has shown us that only beauty is not the answer to all problems. We pray for a healthy child and a good looking girl, so she has no problems during marriage. But if beauty is as poisonous as Pari's, it's better to have an ugly daughter. I don't know who'd even keep Pari as a wife?"

Priya's mother was also accustomed to Pari's tantrums. But she'd never heard Pari's mother talk so much ill about her own daughter.

She consoled her saying, "You are thinking too much. Men are pigs who only see beauty. If they get beautiful wife, they become a slave of hers. You should be thankful to have a beautiful daughter. If I just tell people we want to marry Pari, there would be a line of men."

"Only because they don't know how she is. Once they come to know of Pari's nature, they would all run away, like the boys in our area. Bhabhi, girls should be like Priya. They should think of the family, do all the household chores, go to work, take care of everyone. But Pari, she only thinks about herself. Her clothes, her jewellery, her money. Is there even a world for her beyond these things? Not once has she come in the kitchen and said 'Maa I will help you today.' Okay, she may not be fond of cooking, has she ever cleaned her room on her own will, helped us buy groceries from the market? No! Everytime it is about her, her needs and how we are lacking. I am...." Pari's mother sniffed and bit back her tears...."I can't stop thinking."

"Ab nahi hai uska swabhav aisa." (Her nature is different.) Priya's mother tried consoling, "Now, look at me. I also hated doing household work but after marriage, circumstances teaches you all this. You have no choice but to adapt and learn. I am sure even Pari will learn. And Pari, she is not a bad kid. She is one of those who likes new and fancy things. It's okay. You are thinking too much. May be, she will get a husband who will take care of all her demands."

**

It was an usual day for Pari until she saw Salem in the hotel with Shonali and the other leading girl, Mugdha.

Shonali asked Pari to have their lunch arranged in the room and also for a chicken salad. Shonali usually went with what is in the menu, so it meant Salem was having the lunch with Shonali and Mugdha. But didn't the staff say that Shonali and Mugdha don't get along. So how are they having lunch together?

Pari shook her head and concentrated on her work. How does it matter to her if the girls get along or not.

Once the lunch was arranged, she took the servers to Shonali's room. She knocked on the door. Shonali opened the door and asked them to come in.
She saw Mugdha on the couch abd Salem relaxing on the bed. Pari glanced at Salem who was staring at her. He didn't bother to take his eyes off her.

The servers arranged the lunch and Pari smiled at Shonali asking her to call her incase she needs anything else.

The following week, she saw Salem coming often to the hotel. Sometimes, he was with the team or the director. But mostly, he was with Shonali.

Did it irk her? She tried to deny it but it most definitely did. The boy who was always after her was now not even talking to her. It did hurt her ego more than she wanted.

But it has been a year and a half, ofcourse, he would move on, especially when they had nothing. It was not like he is cheating on her.

They were never in a relationship nor did she ever confess her feelings for him. So why will he wait?

But her rational side couldn't win over her emotional one. She was angry at him.

As her shift ended, she said bye to her colleagues and left. She waited for a rickshaw or a bus for half an hour but no bus came and the rickshaws denied her.

She decided to walk a few meters ahead in hopes of getting rickshaw or a bus there.

As she walked, she felt someone following her. She walked faster and the steps followed her. She looked back to see two men following her.

"Don't....don't get scared we won't do anything." One of them said and they walked towards her.

She started taking her steps back. There was no one around and the cars passed at full speed.

"Look, you stay away....and let me go my own way." She managed to utter those words to the cheapsters infront of her.

"Let you go...? A beauty like you?" The second man, who was bigger in size said and took lecherous steps towards her.

"Don't...don't come closer to me and don't follow me." Pari said in a warning tone.

"And what if we do it? What are you doing to do?" The men laughed. Pari took three steps behind and they walked closer to her.

"I warned you..." Saying that, Pari slashed a knife in the bigger man's face. He screamed in agony as blood gushed out of the wound on his face.

The other guy screamed and tried to grab Pari's hand when she stabbed his hand with the other knife in her hand. 
The men stepped back seeing two sharp knives in her hand.

"Come closer, come na. Are you afraid now?" She went closer to the big mam who was still holding his face. It was a big slash on his face, from his left eye to his right cheek. She stabbed his hand holding his face and made a big slash on his hand.

The other man stepped back and yelled, "Are you mad? You mad woman, this is murder."

He watched Pari smirk and said, "Is there anyone around? I am sure noone will care if I just end you both. And this is not murder, this is self defence." She took the other knife and went closer to the guy to attack him, when a voice stopped her.

"Pari. Stop it." Pari saw Salem walking towards them. His car was parked at the side of the road as he came with another guy.

Where was he? Was he watching this drama all the while? She thought.

"Save us! Save us! She tried killing us. This mad woman." The men yelled.

"Oh, did she?" Salem sarcastically asked. The men nodded and said yes accusing Pari of attempting to kill them.

Salem took a deep breath and smacked both of them. The smack made them fall to the ground. Before any of them could get up, he thrashed them with kicks and punches. Pari was shocked at the turn of events, but also concerned at how ruthlessly he was hitting the men.

His other friend stopped Salem from killing them. Salem stopped hitting them. He pulled their heads and made them look at Pari.

"Look at her. Look at her carefully. Think twice before you trouble her next time. Because if she won't, I will kill you." Salem said and left them. They begged and apologised to Pari.

He asked his friend to arrange a car for him and take these men to the hospital to treat them.

Salem took a look at her. Two knives in her hand, both covered with little blood and Pari looking incredibly hot.

Wasn't she a goddess?

This just reminded him why he fell for her in the first place.

He snapped out of it when he heard her voice, "If you wanted to hit them so brutally, then why stop me?"

"So that your hands don't get dirty. These beautiful hands don't deserve the blood of these bast*rds." Salem replied.

*****

Jan 22'24

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