The difficult part is, it appears unnoticed, when you least expect it. It hurts your heart, and wide opens all those angry scars engraved on your heart. The pain never subsides; it just changes into a continuous warning buzz, nagging at the back of your mind. When you finally accept its arrival, the thought of rejection engulfs you. It makes you fear the attention you're receiving.

To quote the situation with author Lang Leav, "Your first love isn't the first person you give your heart to, it's the first one who breaks it."

And Priyasha was certain that exactly would happen.

Moments of awkwardness stretched between them as warmth rose to her face. Finally, when it was impossible for her to stare anymore at his face, Abhiraj cleared his throat. "We should get going."

"Yes." Priyasha exhaled in relief.

They moved toward Gate 2, where he had the Himalayan parked.

"But how do we go? Should I book an Uber?"

"That'd prolong the travel time unnecessarily. I have another plan," Abhiraj murmured walking ahead.

On hearing that, she became confused. "How am I going to travel then?"

As they moved through the people-less place, Abhiraj spoke up, "Did I say, you're not going alone?"

"I kind of figured that out." Her words dripped with sarcasm as she rolled her eyes. For you being my kidnapper and/or safeguarding me, how could you even leave me alone?

As they neared the Himalayan, he declared, gesturing at the motorcycle, "We go by that."

She flinched upon hearing that, as she glanced at the vehicle then back at him in horror, while he went forward and climbed onto the Himalayan.

"Are you joking?"

"Did I sound so?" He asked calmly. "Considering, this is a sensitive situation and you have an urgency, I think this would do."

She eyed his facial expression carefully; he certainly wasn't playing a hoax. He was still calm and composed, being dead-serious. "But I'm not feeling very confident about this arrangement. This is too dangerous and risky."

"Trust me, there's nothing to get panicked about."

"But you're hurt."

"Just scratches. Nothing serious."

"But..."

"Are you going to argue with me for the rest of the night? Then, I'm positive, you can easily avail the next bus," he interrupted her in amusement. "However, as far as your worry is concerned, I can assure you safety as long as I'm with you." She stared into his eyes as they held each other's gaze for a fraction of a second. She always knew, those eyes would lead her to trouble someday. She sighed, tearing away her gaze as she reached behind him and climbed on. "This is a bad idea."

He let out a small silent chuckle and kick started the bike. "Rely on me this time."

Priyasha wasn't sure why he chose those exact words that moment, but it made her relax and a sense of rightness settled in her chest.

Abhiraj navigated the Himalayan through the night streets, making turns each now and then. Once they reached the highway, he became more cautious about the ride. Sometimes overtaking other vehicles, sometimes letting the whizzing by heavy load trucks pass on. She had her palms resting on his shoulders, and at times when she looked sideways, she noticed the sudden change of the wide fields and infrequent trails of trees into some dense forests. It made her panic obviously. She didn't even know why she agreed.

It was mostly a silent ride until the Palsit toll plaza came, around 3 in the morning.

"Priyasha?"

"Yes?"

"You can hold me around the waist. It'll be more convenient."

His suggestion made her squirm in bashfulness. She experienced warmth on her face as her hands slid in front of him. Her front grazed against his back. Her attention diverted to the feel of his body against her as the motorcycle ran through the night for the next fifteen minutes or so.

The vehicle needed a filling at this point. After the filling done, Abhiraj asked for the location of the nearest Dhaba to a member from the filling station.

"Aren't you hungry?" He asked once they left the petrol pump.

"No, I'm fine," she answered. "But I know you're starving."

"I'm famished!" He shrugged.

"I'm sorry to cause you all these troubles."

"You're indeed a big trouble for me," he said quietly. She couldn't tell, if he was actually telling the truth. But it definitely spoiled her mood. So, as a response, she swatted on his back making him chuckle. That irritated her even more.

She huffed. Then the thought dawned on her. Where did he go before Vishwa's men showed up? "Abhiraj?"

"Hmm?"

"Where were you gone before they came along?"

He didn't respond immediately as they already reached the Dhaba. "Let's get something to eat," he said once parking the bike, then went ahead to order the food. Priyasha found a small empty table in the opening and settled down.

Under the ongoing circumstances, it was evident that after Vishwa's first strike, he'd not stop until success. Whether with Abhiraj or under the protection of police, the danger now had increased tenfold. Priyasha was well aware of Vishwa's reach. It was still a relief that his younger brother was still in jail. Nonetheless, the size of her anxiety had been growing since the thought of her family's safety crossed her mind.

Despite all the imminency, she still found herself curious enough to learn why had Vishwa agreed to work with Abhiraj. He clearly had the capability to reach her easily, just like it happened a few hours ago. Abducting her couldn't be the only reason for this deal. Vishwa could have done whatever the hell he wanted with her, but why did he wait for Abhiraj's deal? She wondered, what were all these conspiracies behind this reputable name of Permabell? There was something very fishy going on among the big men.

She must have been lost in her thoughts, that when she sensed a movement beside her, she jumped up startled and almost misplaced herself from the chair.

"What's wrong?"

Her heartbeat made an extra thump-thump when she leveled her gaze with a very alarmed and confused looking Abhiraj.

She shook her head, composing herself as he sat down beside her. He had two trays of food, one was a heavy meal, the other tray had cold drinks, chips, and sandwiches.

"I figured you don't eat out, so I get you these," he said when he saw her rubbing her forehead. "Is that okay?"

She nodded. "Yes, that's perfect. Thank you."

Abhiraj took a bite of his food and was now focusing on her. She feigned a stoic expression to cover up the worry and took a sip of the mango juice.

"Well, you didn't tell me, where were you gone before they showed up?" She asked him in an undertone, but was certain he heard her.

"If I tell you, you'll get offended."

She furrowed her eyebrows as her eyes darted toward him again. "Why would I get offended?"

He shrugged while continuing gobbling the food.

"Abhiraj?"

"It's not something I should or would tell you. So, stop asking," he stated that with a mouthful.

Her forehead crinkled, as a silence ensued between them. The only sound was of him chewing on his food.

Once they finished the food, she realized she needed to freshen up. The restroom was behind the dhaba. She'd have to round the front stall and cross the makeshift footbridge to reach the behind. As she excused herself and separated from Abhiraj, he actually looked cautious and told her to hurry.

Hygiene was not something you would expect to see in these kind highway-side dhabas. To her relief, there was an ample amount of water which probably was the only thing one could expect here. She quickly did her job and hurried to get back.

On the way back, she took long strides to the place where they were sitting. She saw Abhiraj talking to someone over the phone and drinking something from a small bottle. As first it didn't occur to her, but as she went closer, a better look of it informed her it wasn't just any drink. He was consuming alcohol.

She stopped dead in her tracks.

Alcohol. The second most forbidden thing after meat eating. How could he consume alcohol in the middle of a long ride? What if he got caught? The police would definitely charge him fine and she didn't even know what else! She slowly made her way to the table and sat down quietly beside him. He noticed that and stood up continuing his talk on the phone. "You should be more careful. I am sure we are missing onto something. There must be something under the sleeves." There was a momentary pause before he resumed, "What if he's lying? Listen, I need you to do it for me." More pause. "Yes. Whatever you want, I'll give it to you... but... okay. Only if you succeed, yes." Another short pause then he said, "Alright." Then he hung up the call.

Priyasha stared up at him. His gaze was fixed on his phone's screen, the small glass bottle was almost empty, he gulped down the last droplet of the liquor then threw it into a nearby dustbin prior his gaze fell on her and their eyes locked. He'd clearly realized what just happened.

No one said a word for a few seconds, then Priyasha asked, "You went to buy alcohol?"

Abhiraj didn't respond and beckoned the waiter for the bill.

"Why did you drink it? You can get caught by police!"

"I'll not get caught."

"How can you say that?" She realized the reason for his vagueness about the matter. Right now, she was practically fuming. She hated alcohol since the day a very drunk man stole her innocence. Not only that, alcohol alone was very harmful for health. What frustrated her more was, even after knowing its harmful effects, everyone loved consuming it. "Why would you consume alcohol?"

He chided, "Heaven's sake, Priyasha! I was stressed, and it was the only thing I could think of to reduce it. Is that enough to satisfy your queries?"

He stopped talking as the waiter came in for the payment. After paying the money, he proceeded toward the bike without waiting for her. Priyasha followed him and stood in front of him as he was to climb up. "Abhiraj!"

"What?" He was clearly annoyed, going out of temper. "What do you expect from me? I am out since yesterday afternoon. Haven't eaten, taken rest, in addition to that, I had to deal with something strenuous, plus the accident! What do you think? Ain't I human?"

Her eyes went wide. "You have been drunk since yesterday?"

"So what?" His voice rose suddenly.

Priyasha took a step back, shocked at the revelation. "But that's not good. It can cause damage to your health," she mumbled while looking at his agitated face. Abhiraj ran his hand through his hair looking sideways as his jaws clenched. "You don't need to worry for me. You shouldn't have known about this in the first place." He paused momentarily before adding, "Get on. It's getting late."

"How can I not worry for you? You're giving me every possible reason."

Uh-oh! Wrong choice of words!

The words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop.

Abhiraj turned his head swiftly, staring at her with his dark eyes, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "What?"

She felt heat rising to her face, her ears already went hot. "Nothing. Let's go." Thankfully, he didn't press the talk anymore.

23rd July

At one point, she dozed off leaning on his back. But it didn't last long. At the break of dawn, when the sky began to clear, Abhiraj awakened her from sleep. She squinted open her eyes and examined the place around. He needed a tea break, so he decided to stop and have some before entering the city.

Her heart skipped a beat when the throbbing returned with full force. The memories haunted her. She whimpered remembering everything she didn't want to remember. A cold sensation ran down her spine, embracing her with the dark cloak of her past. She closed her eyes in an unsuccessful attempt to forget her past. The stinging from the hot knife burning her bare skin was still afresh. The echo still rang in her ears. 'You'll always be mine.'

All her efforts in trying not to visualize the cruel incident, were in vain, as if the incident just happened yesterday. She shivered realizing the scar Romeo had imprinted on her would never fade away. The cruel pang would always return to her whenever she'd push herself in forgetting the incident.

She leaned against the parked Himalayan, shredding off her backpack, as a dizziness hit her for both the night ride and clouded thoughts inside her head. Abhiraj already had finished two cups and went for the third one when she denied hers. She neither felt the need, nor it could have saved her from the pain she had inside.

"Are you sure you don't want some tea?" Abhiraj asked her stretching his arms to shake off the fatigue. "He made it really good," he added, specifying the shop owner.

"No, I'm fine." Her voice cracked unexpectedly. Feeling very vulnerable that she was now, it was hard for her to keep a calm appearance.

Abhiraj glanced at her. "Are you okay?"

She nodded at first looking down, then slowly shook her head, biting the inside of her cheek.

"It'll be fine," he said, running a hand through his hair. "Mr. Chatterjee will soon get recovered. Don't worry."

She nodded and requested him to get going. Abhiraj asked her to call Vikash and get the exact location of the Hospital, which she did and hoped she'd get good news once she'd get there.

After that it was a silent ride until they reached the hospital.

Arriving at the hospital, Abhiraj excused himself without delay. He assured Priyasha that he'd join her in an hour. Nonetheless, he encouraged her to go, meet her family and check on her father when he noticed her stiffness and a shadow of fear raking through her face.

It was almost 5:30 am, and the visiting hours start at 9 o'clock. She'd have to wait until then to meet Kaushik.

The thick air filled with the scent of medicine made Priyasha's empty stomach churn.

Vikash and Maya was already there, waiting outside the intensive care unit door. Seeing Maya's tired and worried eyes, Priyasha felt the pricking lump in her throat.

"Maa." She went ahead and sat down beside Maya.

"Chini..." Maya wrapped her arms around Priyasha as tears flowed down her cheeks.

She didn't know the words that would console her mother at that moment. She only sat there silently with a hard knot inside her chest.

The day rolled by in a flash.

It was an extremely challenging task to feed Maya, but around noon Priyasha somehow managed to feed her a cup of soup. In the meantime, she introduced Abhiraj as her apartment owner and colleague to Maya and Vikash. Maya appreciated his help for bringing Priyasha safely. Although, it wasn't a surprise considering Vikash never liked interacting with strangers unless absolutely necessary, he didn't exchange a word with Abhiraj. In spite of that, Abhiraj was present there the whole time. But he remained quiet most of the time. Meanwhile, Vikash and the doctor who was treating Kaushik talked about his current condition several times throughout the day.

Around 5 in the afternoon, the update on Kaushik's health was much better than before, and upon hearing so, everyone let out an air of relief.

Priyasha was the first person to visit Kaushik during the afternoon visiting hours. Her eyes blurred seeing a very unconscious Kaushik. His thin arms were wrapped in saline and blood channels. Various wires connected him to various medical equipment to monitor his health condition. It was a pathetic sight. She couldn't stay with him longer than five minutes and left the room.

There were two more people who came to see Kaushik when she was still inside, Upasana (Vikash's wife) and the person Priyasha never expected to see there.

Vinita. Her best friend.

When Priyasha came out teary eyed, her eyes flew toward Vinita. She had also noticed her and within seconds Vinita came running and crashed into her.

"Priya!"

"Vini!"

They held each other in a tight embrace for a long time, while streams of tears rolled down their faces constantly. They sobbed like kids, just like it was in their childhood days. The big hollow created by the years of separation mended as they held each other close and cried it out. Only then, when all the sadness, grudge, anger subsided they pulled apart.

"Where have you been, idiot? I tried to contact you innumerable times all these years. I even came to Maya Aunty to ask about your whereabouts, but she said, you don't want to talk to old acquaintances. How dare you? Where the hell have you been?"

"Vini...let me talk at least. Will you?"

Vinita wiggled her mouth and looked away, sulking.

Priyasha smiled and hugged her one more time before saying, "When did you return from Canada?"

"About a month ago. All of these years, Priya, I missed you a lot."

"I missed you too."

"I looked for both of you but could contact neither you nor him."

Priyasha smiled and thought about her other best friend, Jeet. Soon after her nightmare happened, Jeet disconnected from everyone and went into seclusion. They couldn't find his presence, not even on social media. His parents too relocated back to their village, and every single string got disconnected.

"I know. He was gone soon after it happened." As soon as the words left her mouth, both of their eyes locked. Both of them knew the reference She mentioned by 'it'. The girls fell silent until Vinita cleared her throat and whispered, "I'm sorry, Priya."

"It's okay, Vini. I've been fighting and learning to deal with it, it doesn't bother me so much as it used to back then." It was a white lie.

Vinita nodded, understanding she didn't want to talk about the incident.

Their conversation interrupted by Upasana.

"Vinita, you can go, see Swasur-kaka now. The visiting hours will be over soon."

"Yes Upasana Boudi." Vinita agreed and left to see Kaushik.

Priyasha looked at Upasana and smiled. "Boudibhai, how are you?"

Upasana shot her an aggravated hard stare. "I'm good Chini, how long are you going to stay this time?"

She glumly looked at her and mumbled guiltily, "I don't know."

Priyasha knew her anger was reasonable. She had full rights to be angry. Priyasha had been irresponsible toward her parents and Vikash had to take the responsibilities all by himself. Because of that, Upasana always held a grudge against Priyasha. Although she never spoke about that directly, Priyasha knew she didn't like her. It was quite obvious to tell from her behavior which reflected her dislike toward Priyasha.

"Then, think about it. Think about your obligations, Chini. The sooner you realize that, the better it is for all of us." Saying that she didn't wait and went ahead to join Maya and Vikash.

Priyasha stared at her processing her words. Upasana basically wanted her to take up the responsibilities so that Vikash would be spared. She blinked, looking at her family that sat together a few feet away from her. She was equally upset and embarrassed by Upasana's harsh but true words.

To hide her embarrassment from her family, she walked toward the exit. She couldn't face her family without guilt. All this while, she had been running away from her responsibilities. She just couldn't go on like this for the sake of her nightmare!

She strode across the corridor and took a turn around the corner which would lead her straight toward the main gate. Hit hard by the truth, she absentmindedly glanced at the exit but halted abruptly.

Her brows furrowed first in confusion, then in suspicion. She saw Abhiraj talking to a person whom she could have never imagined even in her dreams, to be present here.

He was talking to... Aslam.

What on earth Aslam was doing in the hospital? ... In Asansol?