Anidita : The Flaming Flambeau

CHAPTER 5 : INTO THE UNKNOWN

PART 1

Tapas's p.o.v

"Argh!"

I winced at the pain, proceeding to wrench the thorn out of my calf and glower at the wretched thing. I have to hurry. They might have found out that I've escaped by now. A smirk touched my lips. It took all of my willpower to not stay there and watch the expression of fury washing over her when she realized that I've tricked her.

It wasn't as easy as it seems though. She didn't fall for my annoy-her-out plan. It was as though she knew I wanted her to leave, not being able to tolerate my stupid jabs. And I admit that annoyed me instead. I've planned a lot of tricks and missions in my lifetime and honestly, only fewer of them failed. My plan for her was so smooth and I was optimistic. It was as though I underestimated her. And to be honest, my respect and admiration for her only grew after that. As a last straw, I asked her to bring some food for me and acted I was starving to death. That somehow did the trick. She left the room and it took me a moment to free myself and hence, here I am now. At the border of Krishna Nagar. Though I've heard a lot about the place through the stories that Batuk entertained me with, I haven't really got a chance to visit the place and the intriguing Das family.

"Kaka! Yeh... Das parivarwale kahan rehte hai?" I asked a man who passed by.

He eyed me curiously, his eyes raking over my cuts and bruises but responded nonetheless. He gave me the directions and I rushed towards the house. Entering through the gate, I decided that the Das haveli was huge. Its grandeur somehow made me compare it with the Roy Chowdhary haveli. It definitely put on a competition. The sky-kissing domes and the vast lush green garden gave out an intimidating aura. And I felt intimidated. How can I not? Not just the building but inside lived the people who even unnerved the never-intimidated Anirudh Roy Chowdhary. I fisted my hands and nodded to myself. Here goes nothing.

But before I could take a step, I was gagged and dragged back to the cover of an enormous tree despite my struggling.

"Tumhe kya laga? Mujhe ulloo banane ke baad mein tumhe aise hi jaane dungi?" A scoffed reached my ears and I immediately froze.

I know that sound. I know it too well. It's her. It's Manaal. But how in the name of –

"Ab meri baat dhyaan se suno. Chup-chap mere sath wapas aao. Agar bewajah bhagne keliye ladayi ki toh yaad hai na mein kya kya kar sakti hoon? Bhale hi mujhe tumhe behosh karna pade lekin mein tumhe yahan se lekar hi jaungi"

I struggled against her hold yet again but let me say the girl has got strength, though she never look like it. Still I tried my best and that might have infuriated her further because she kneed me down and forced my face against the tree. Pfsh!

"Mein bhi na..." I can feel her shaking her head "Kisse baat kar rahi thi? Mujhe samajhna chahiye tha ki mein ek behre ko samjhane ja rahi thi. Theek hai, tumhe seedhe jana pasand nahi hai na? Koyi baat nahi..." I felt her leaning closer to my ear and I would be lying if I said that didn't affect me "Weise bhi mujhe sangharsh bohot pasand hai" she murmured.

The nerve of her! And why the hell am I blushing like a tomato?!

She might have seen my colour because she immediately pulled back and for a moment, none of us talked. During those seconds, I felt her grip loosen a little. But I was so over the clouds and my mind was in a frenzy to even acknowledge that fact. By the time I pulled myself back, she had done it way before me and her hands held my hand and mouth in a bruising hold. She was about to pull me up when we heard the noises of footsteps. I twisted my head laboriously to see Senior and Barrister babu walking towards the haveli... hand in hand?