I reached the Palace in about half an hour. I hadn't noticed before but my hand was bleeding. Maybe between the fight. 

"Where were you?" Anshu asked me. She was standing with her friend right next to the entrance door. 

I quickly hide my hand behind. 

"Y-Yes sis?" 

"Where were you? You know you missed all the climax." 

I decided to play dumb. 

"What climax?" 

"Well, Dhruv was suddenly missing and then so we're you. They found Dhruv near the armor shop and guess what, he saved us, he saved us all…." 

Yeah, yeah Blah Blah.

"But that wasn't what I was worried about. I was worried about you. Where were you?" 

"I was in the cafeteria." 

"There's no cafeteria here." 

"Then I might be in the bathroom." 

"Karan checked. You weren't." 

Girl could she just leave a spot where I could say that I was? 

Change in the plan. Change the subject. 

"Leave it. So… What were you telling me before, about that friend of yours?" 

"Oh silly me! Neel meet Shoubdha, the one I told you about." 

I turned to see a girl with a bit of tanned skin. "Hi I am Shoubdha." 

"Um- Hi. I am Neel. You might not know me." 

"I surely do. Your name is Neel Soni, the whole Graham knows about you." 

I gesture to sis. 

What is this? 

She gestured me back. 

You are so dumb. 

What should I do? I have a zero experience level. 

Go! Ask her to talk to you in private. 

What!! 

Give her some attention. Girls love it! 

How do you know? 

You are really dumb! 

"Are you people doing some sort of play?" 

"Ahm- Um-" 

"He was just going to ask you -" 

Look what I got myself into. 

"There's a really nice garden in the palace. I was just thinking if you.." 

"My pleasure." 

"What?" 

"Weren't you just asking me to come and visit the garden with you?" 

The girl was really into me and it really sucks! 

¤¤¤¤¤

I was moving around the garden with Shoubdha. The wound on my ha ND was still bleeding, hankie had done no better, but at least he was able to hide it. 

"So tell me about yourself. What's your favorite color?" 

"It's actually my name sake, Neel, Blue. Yours?" 

"Yellow. It makes me feel warm…." She stopped for a moment and the started again. 

"What's your favorite bird or animal?" 

"Peacock. Yours?" 

"Hummingbird." 

"What do you like doing in free time?" She asked again. 

"I usually listen songs or read books." 

"That's so boring. I like to dance. Mostly classical." 

"Classical is a nice choice. I mean one remembers his/her culture." 

Then there was another long pause. She looked upset. Girl! It was my fault. She was obviously making efforts to talk to me and I didn't know how to reply. 

"Can you do something for me?" 

"Off Course." 

"Can you just pluck a rose from the nearby?"

"Sure." 

That's wher I hit my head on the wall. 

There's no problem in plucking flowers. But the one is that one of my hand was bleeding. There was a large fence on the borders of every flowered leaving the space of barely one of my hands. If I use my spare hand, she might see the wound. So the only option I had was of using my wounded hand. 

I decided the second one. 

I put my hand through the fence. As I was going to pluck a rose, it's thorn embedded in my wound. 

Ouch! 

"What happened Neel? Why are you being so late?" 

I tried again but again I met a thorn. 

Bad luck! Really Bad luck! 

While a drop of blood oozed out, I quickly pluck the flower and stood up. 

"H-Here's the rose for you." 

She got the hold of my hand. A thorn was still pushing hard against my bare skin. Just then she squeezed my hand unknowingly. 

Aagghhh! 

"Thanks Neel." 

"Well, it's nothich much to ask for. I mean I wasted much of your time." 

Her grip was still tight over my hand. She came closer to me. A bit more closer. I could literally smell her breath. 

"Oh no no! It was pleasure to meet you. I mean…Who's that?" 

I felt as someone locked arms around mine. 

"Sorry, but he's occupied at the moment." Vaani replied to her as she just gave her a look. 

Dragging me backwards, I saw the rose drop as we left the garden. 

When Shoubdha was nowhere to be seen, I somehow dischaned my arms from hers. 

"What?" I asked sounding a bit angered. She just ruined my date! Was it a date? Maybe it wasn't. But obviously, I left Shoubdha alone and that was what I was worried about. 

"What what?" 

"You just- why did you do that?" 

She just took my hand, took out some cotton from her hand bag and rubbed over the wound. 

"Ouch! Girl, it hurts." 

She didn't answer to me. But she just said what she wanted to. Like someone who wanted to say something but just wasn't able to say. 

"Where did you get that?" 

"I just fell off the ladders." I lied. 

"You think I am a fool? You- You know what, I know that you were the one who fought that attacker and I know now you will say no! It wasn't me. It was Dhruv. But let me tell you mister Neel. I am not blind. That wound isn't one which can be caused by a ladder. And I know my brother's fighting style. The knife was stabbed in the body, something Dhruv doesn't do. He slashes but doesn't stab. And now you are here all the way hiding the wound. I have eyes Neel!... " She stopped I order to inhale oxygen,something which is mandatory. "WHY IN THE WORLD IS IT SO DIFFICULT TO IGNORE YOU!!" 

I didn't utter a word. Let her speak. It was her turn now. 

"I thought you were good. I thought you were different. But you boys, you are all the same. You people think that you can handle things but you can't. I have started to REGRET the day I saw you in the temple. 

One side you seem INNOCENT while in the other side you are DANGEROUS. What are you Neel? WHAT ARE YOU?"

"I am sorry." That was all I said. 

"AND HERE COMES THE SORRY. AFTER CREATING SO MUCH TROUBLE IN MY LIFE, SORRY IS ALL YOU WANT TO SAY? You know what forget that you ever met me. Forget whatever you did. Just leave. It would have been better if I would have LEFT YOU ALONE FOR DYING, like what will surely will happen to your PARENTS."

"What just did you say?" 

"Can't you hear, YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT FAMILY. YOU ARE JUST A SELF OBSESSED PITY TEENAGER WHO DOESN'T HAVE GUTS TO TALK TO ANY GIRL." 

She was going off topic. She too was going too far. 

"You know what, there's no point in discussing things with you." 

"Off course there won't be. It would have been if I would have been some other girl right?" 

"No. You are wrong. It would not have changed." 

" Off course it wouldn't. Why? 'Cause Little Nody is self obsessed. He doesn't care about anyone but himself. He stays in his own world. Bringing you to the sad reality Neel, you are the monster who ATE his parents up!"

I lost my temper right then. 

"What do you mean ate his parents? You assume them dead?"

"If they aren't, the will be. I am sure of it." 

"What do you mean by sure of it? They are not going to die! I am telling you this last time." 

"This won't change the fact." 

"You are too fond of facts right? So let me tell you Princess, I was the one who killed the attacker. I even had a conversation with him. You want to hear what

I think the death of another royal would make them realise that the parent's son are what we need. As the parents themselves were not quite useful… You all are going to die and the very first installment in this plan will be your parents….The kingdom will once again be in chaos. Those who you will love will wish for a death which won't be granted. The river of blood will regain it self and you all will be our slaves."

Remember me child. Remember me. His words still echoed in my ears like thunder. 

"So now you are risking the lives of a thousand more people than just yours? You are selfish Neel, but you know what, you are not human in this trait. You don't have humanity. You are just a disgrace." 

I couldn't hold it longer. I left the garden and ran straight not knowing where to. I just wanted to go somewhere where I couldn't be found. Somewhere I felt like home. Then it happened again. A loud pop in my ears as darkness engulfed me.