The Mafia's Collateral

Part 13

Arohi's P.O.V.

I woke up the next morning with a headache from all the crying from the previous day. I popped two painkillers in my mouth and checked my timetable for the day at the campus. I didn't have any classes and so, I decided to go somewhere with Danny to relax a bit and have some fun. I called him and asked, "What are you doing today?" "Your Mafia called me and asked to meet him urgently today so I have to go," he said. "Really? Ok, how about after your meeting with him?" I asked. "That would be great. We will have lunch together," he said. "Great then. Bye," I said and hung up. I took a bath and changed my clothes. When I went back to my cabin, my phone was ringing. I ran quickly to it and answered. "Why weren't you answering the phone?" Mafia asked. "I'm sorry. I was in the bathroom," I said. "Come and see me. Now!" He demanded. Before I could say anything, he hang up. I combed my hair in a messy bun quickly and allowed some strang of hair to fall carelessly on my face. I wore my shoes and took my bicycle and rode quickly to Mafia's place. Reaching his apartment, he was sitting and talking to Danny. He looked at me and said, "Sit down." I went and sat next to Danny. I looked at Danny confused. Danny also looked just as confused. Mafia spoke, "I had to call both of you here to speak about something very important." "What?" Danny asked. Mafia looked at him annoyed and said, "I have decided that Danny would be Cubic." I was shocked. "But I am Cubic," I said. "You will remain Cubic. Danny just has to act as Cubic in front of the world to keep you safe from danger," he said. "Me? Why me? Why do you want me to act as Cubic? To get killed?" Danny asked. "I thought that you would give your life for a friend," Mafia said. Danny looked at me and said, "If Arohi is that friend then I would." I was touched. He was the definition of true friendship to me. I smiled and held his hand. Looking back at Mafia, his eyes were fixed on our hands. "I will pay you for the job," Mafia said. "How much?" Danny asked. Mafia took out a cheque from his jacket and gave it to Danny. It was a blank cheque. Mafia was willing to pay any amount for this?

"Put your price in," Mafia said to Danny. "I will," Danny said and got up. "I haven't finished speaking to you. Sit back down," Mafia said. Danny sat down again and Mafia said, "You don't like me, I know that. I don't like you, you know that. But I still have to thank you for what you did for Arohi that day. You protected her. For that, I thank you with all my heart." I was taken aback. "That was what you call giving your life for a friend. No need to thank me," Danny said. He looked at me and said, "Are you ready to go?" I smiled and nodded. We both got up and was about to leave when Mafia stopped me, asking, "Where are you going?" "Danny and I are going to have lunch together and then catch a movie," I said. "You will not go anywhere," he said. I looked at him shocked and asked, "But why?" "Because you have work to do," he said. "I'll wait outside for you. And I won't hear no for an answer," Danny said to me. What dilemma am I stuck in? Danny left and I looked at Mafia with a frown. "Go and tell him that you can't come. You have work to do for me," Mafia said. I tried giving him my best of puppy eyes but it failed. He didn't even look at me. He is too stubborn. I guess I will just have to listen to him. I dropped my bag on the table and walked outside disappointed. Danny stood up on seeing me coming. "Where is your bag?" He asked me. I pouted and said, "I can't come. Mafia isn't allowing me to leave." He looked at me with a disappointing look. I felt horrible. All because of that Mafia. "You always do this Arohi!" He said frustrated. I frowned. "Fine, go and do your Mafia's work. I'm leaving," he said. "Why are you out here for so long? Don't you know that you have work to do?" Mafia asked behind me. I turned around and looked at him sadly. "Get back inside," he said. I turned to Danny and said, "I'm sorry." He nodded annoyed. I went back inside leaving both of them outside.

Deep's P.O.V.

Danny walked up to me annoyed. "Why are you doing all of this?" He asked. "Because her father is indebted to me. So she has to work and repay it. Isn't it that simple?" I said. "It doesn't mean that you snatch all the fun in her life from her," he said annoyed. I smiled and walked back inside leaving him unanswered. Walking back inside, I saw Arohi looking at her sister's picture. "What are you doing?" I asked. She was a bit startled by my sudden presence. "Ananya's picture is face down so I was just fixing it," she said. She placed the picture on it's previous spot and looked at me with a smile. I walked behind her and put my hand on the frame. I again faced it down. Arohi was quiet for a while and then asked, "Why did you do that?" "Can't you see that I am not interested in your sister anymore?" I said. I turned and looked at her. She looked shocked. "What?" She asked in disbelief. "I mean, I don't want to lose focus from my work by looking at your sister. Whenever I see her, I get very distracted. That's why I have the picture like this," I lied. She smiled and said, "My sister is like that, anyone who sees her gets crazy for her." "Not me anymore," I muttered under my breath just staring at her. "Did you say something?" She asked. "Nothing," I said and went to my office area. She followed me. I sat in my chair and she sat opposite me. Avinash came inside and brought me a cup of coffee. "Hi Avinash," Arohi said chirpy. Avinash held a straight face to her like I always do. He left and Arohi asked turning back to me, "What work do you have for me to do?" I gave her my laptop and pulled up a document. "Read it and translate it for me in Hindi," I said. She looked at it and with a shocked expression, she exclaimed, "Fifty pages?!" I sat back on my chair and looked at her while sipping my coffee. She began working. I took out my phone and looked at her pictures. I smiled. Glimpsing at her, she was smiling and looking at me mischievously through the transparent folder. When I looked at her, she stopped and said, "Sorry. I'm working." She looked back on the laptop screen.