A Journey to Trust and Heal

6- Like it or not

I was dreading the moment Rudra would come to work here. Well I had pepper spray and pocket knife with me for protection but there was no weapon to protect me from his words. He was so going to boast about his win and my failure by coming back to work .

I twisted and turned the whole night imagining different scenarios where Rudra made fun of me. But one thing surprised me that there wasn't a single nightmare about my dad that ruined my night.

I didn't care about my loss of sleep as I had grown habitual to it. I would gladly take 100 more nightmares about Rudra belittling me over the nightmares about my dad.

I stood up from my bed when I heard of opening of the door. Looks like Ganga Tai gave her set of keys to her son.

I sighed and got ready to face my failure. I am already wincing thinking about his victorious smirk and the taunts he is going to throw at me.

To my disbelief, he actually went to the kitchen quietly after giving me a nod and started working. No smirk, not even a single taunt, strange.

I finished the breakfast he served me and stood up to leave for the college.

"Is it alright if lunch is prepared a little late?" he asked hesitancy clear on his face.

Upon getting no reaction from me he spoke further, "My last lecture is kind of important and by the time I would come home and prepare lunch it would be an hour late than your usual lunch time".

He looked at me expectantly after completing his explanation.

"Don't fret over it. You don't have to rush from college just for cooking. I can order food. So you just relax, I will inform Raghav about this. You don't have to come and work here. Concentrate on your studies", I said shrugging showing cool attitude but inside I was jumping happily on receiving a chance to get rid of him.

"I can manage college and work properly. It's just the matter of today, so don't call Raghav Sir. My Mom's impression would go down. Tell me if you can't wait for an extra hour, I will skip that class but please don't complain about me to Sir. Mom is already worried, I don't want to put more stress on her", he pleaded with worry clear in his eyes.

"Don't give those looks. I am not a snitch nor was I going to complain about you. Well whatever, I don't mind late lunch, so you don't have to skip your classes", saying this I left the house feeling stupid.

While making plans on getting rid of him, I didn't even think that it would put bad impression on Ganga Tai's job.

It didn't matter how sweet and caring Raghav was, he was really strict on the matters of business. I should not put the livelihood of Ganga Tai's family on stake just because I couldn't't trust her son.

I needed to bare Rudra's presence whether I like it or not.