Drop your inline comments if you can! That's my biggest craving❤❤

"I saw a girl today......."

"What.....ouh...wait...okayyy...............and?"

"And........trust me dude! That's when I realised I am a real man"

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Sona's POV

Finally, the most awaited moment was here. I was going to attend my first lesson in the University.

For the past one week, Natasha had taught me on how to use the public transport so that I do not fully depend on her during emergency. Natasha was also enrolled in the same university. However, she wasn't studying medicine with me. Due to her average results, she couldn't enter that course and ended up taking another course.

London was a new experience to me. I had heard lots of experiences from my schoolmates before, but being there itself felt surreal. Since I knew how to speak English fluently, surviving there wasn't as hard as I thought. Everyone looked friendly and approachable...or that's what I thought.

It was too difficult to contact others since my phone was broken. I didn't know whether I should feel sad or happy. But somewhat, I felt relieved that I was not able to talk to that psycho Karthik. He screamed at me that day, when I told him that my phone broke. He warned me that he would call my apartment number everyday instead, and I should be there to pick it up. Such a sick prick!

I tried accessing the bank account of my mother and thankfully, it worked. I was shocked to see quite a huge amount of money saved there. There were days I woke up and my mother's memories haunted me. I knew the amount in the bank wouldn't be sufficient for four years but at least it was sufficient for a year or two.

Natasha would give me money to buy groceries so that I could cook for her. She used me like a personal cleaner and cook but that didn't hurt me a lot, because she was still paying for my education and I at least owed this much for her. I never spent money on any shopping or food outside my flat unless it was really necessary. I even avoided having lunch at university most of the time.

Classes were tough! Harder than what I had expected. It required lots of homework and extra lessons for me to catch up with their pace. I came back home only to do my house works and study past midnights.

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It was eventually the third week of school.

I came back from school after a hectic day when Natasha informed me that we were going out for dinner.

"Nats, I really have lots of topics to revise on. It's hard to cope. Maybe you could go out..... I will come some other day with you?" I spoke tiredly as she scowled at me.

"Sona.... I didn't ask you! I said you are coming. I need to introduce you to my friends you know.... It's been a long time and they keep bugging me about who my roommate is. So I had to do this. We are going to visit the most popular and well-known place. The Chandelier Hotel! You won't even be able to see those kind of food in your life later. So better tag on when you are able to!" Natasha said and walked to her room.

My eyes suddenly swarmed up with tears and I hurried to scrub them away from my face. I knew that my tears would lead to sympathy, and sympathy would just lead to more tears. Why does she have to throw it on my face that I was living a pathetic life? Everytime she insults me, I felt like quitting my studies and walking away from London. But what would happen to me after that?

I would be stuck with that abusive family and a loveless life. Maybe I would be living a life same as my biological mother...............or even worse.

Pushing all my thoughts, I decided to get ready for the dinner. I looked through my closet and decided to go with a simple jeans, white tops and a cardigan along. I brushed my hair smoothly, pulling some to the front and draped it over my chest. I applied some lip gloss and loose powder.

I didn't have any make-up items but Natasha said that I could share hers'. Truly I didn't feel like using them. They made my face look horrible or maybe I just didn't know how to use them. I wasn't sure if Natasha's friends were judgmental like her but honestly, I don't care.

After 2 hours of grooming, Natasha left her room. Natasha was truly a beautiful lady. Slim and about five-feet-four, she could get any man she wanted. Something I had always envied about her was her confidence and boldness. She always managed to make eye contact with every guy whom she talked to.

And here I am.....freaking out even when a guy asks for direction!

"Ok Sona, I am going to warn you! Look at the person's eye when they are talking.... Don't go into your blushing mode! No one is going to be interested in you by the way" she huffed as I gritted my teeth hard.

She can be really nasty at times but I don't blame her. Being shy wasn't an adored quality in a woman anymore.

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"Hey guys! This is my friend Sona. Sonakshi Agarwal... and she is studying her MBBS here in UCL. She used to be the topper in our school back in Delhi....and-" Natasha kept boasting as I tried to breathe in normally.

I was supposed to feel good by that introduction.....but that didn't feel good at all. It felt awkward. I usually didn't know how to react to compliments so I just warmly smiled at her friends. There were two girls and two guys sitting around the table. Slowly everyone started ordering their food when I noticed something.

The two guys who sat across the table stared at me like a hungry animal. They gave me that look which I had always hated. Their gazes started from my hair line and rested on my chest for longer than what seemed forever. I uncomfortably shifted in my place and adjusted my cardigan. When the food arrived, I started to distract myself with it. However, my eyes widened when the large bottle of wine reached the table. Oh god....I am not touching that!

"Hey Sonakshi, why don't you try some.... Natasha said that you never tasted alcohol before. You should try...." One of the guy insisted and I looked at him with dismay.

"Uhm.... It's okay. Thanks for your offer but I am really full. I don't want anything else.." I politely rejected but he was too persistent on me, trying the drink.

He kept asking me to try the wine till there was a point I started getting irritated. He poured the wine in a glass and tried to forcefully feed me. I flinched when he cupped my jaws with his fingers.

"I said stop it!......STOP IT!" I screamed harshly and the next moment, everyone's eyes were on me. The guy had a smirk on his face while everyone else glared at me.

"You were right.....she is a tough nut to crack Natasha" one of the guy said while everyone started laughing out loud.

What just happened?

The scene was quite unbelievable and shocking...really. My mind was sent reeling, unable to comprehend what was happening around. It was then I saw Natasha's eyes drilling hole on my sides. After that, no one talked to me. I didn't know what mistake I did. I just rejected the drink because I didn't want it. Was that a huge mistake?

"Natasha what do you-" one of the girls started when her voice was cut off by her phone ringing.

"Hello....what? Really? Where?.......................... okay I will be there.....update me..... we are coming!" she said hastily while standing up.

"Nats! Guess what? My friend got extra tickets for the 'Star-Night' concert tonight and I bet Dev Sharma would be there!" the girl squealed in her high pitch voice as I internally cringed at how she sounded.

"Oh my god! DEV SHARMA! Are you serious? Can we go there now?" Natasha asked as I gawked at her with wide eyes while the entire gang started talking. Was she serious? Does she know what the time was?

"Of course we can! Let's go..." the guy who sat beside replied, as I looked at them blankly.

"Sonakshi....you don't need to follow us! Finish your meal, take a cab and go back okay?" Natasha ordered and quickly packed her things.

"But Nats I will come with you-"

"No need! You have done enough for the day. We will meet at night and talk about other things! Call me if you need anything." she said and ran after her friends who looked like a bunch of clumsy high school brats.

"But I don't have a phone....." I tried saying but my voice died on the way as I saw her disappearing through the door.

Dammit....now what do I do? I had some cash... hopefully I would be able to take a cab with that. Noticing everyone staring at our table, I quickly decided to finish my meal and leave the place as soon as possible.

I ate my pasta with silence and prayed that I should reach home safely. Once I was done with my food, I stood up, adjusted my tops and headed to the door when the waiter stopped me.

"Hi mam..... Should I get for you the bill?" he asked as I froze.

"Bill? I thought my friend paid it...?" I asked doubtfully as I myself was unsure whether they did or not.

"No mam. I am sure they didn't. Do you want me to recheck again?" he asked as I quickly nodded. I instantly dug my wallet to find out whether I had any cash with me but as expected there was only a few bucks there. Maybe I should just throw my wallet the next time..... I mean what's the use of it, if there's nothing in it! I bit my lips and looked around. There were a few more couples sitting down there, staring at me.

Damn you Natasha!

"Hi mam, here's the bill. I have checked and it's not paid." He told me with a sympathetic look. Inhaling a deep breath, I looked at the bill.

My heart literally stopped when I saw the amount written on the bill. It was an amount that I wouldn't be able to pay even if I worked in that hotel an entire month! I rechecked the bill and realized that the entire food they ordered was FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS with service charges and free champagne!

Who the hell pays five hundred pounds for just food? Did Natasha do this purposely? God....what should I do? Looking through the purse I could barely find 5 pounds there. Embarrassed by the situation, I asked the waiter if I could use the phone in their office.

Gladly he agreed. With his help, I tried calling Natasha from the phone placed near the cashier's place. However, luck wasn't on my side that day. Natasha didn't even answer the call. I would have at least tried calling her thirty times. Anger, fear and embarrassment engulfed me. I felt so low and cheap.

How could she do this to me?

Everyone who came to pay for their food, looked at me with a judgmental look. I just couldn't take it anymore. It felt like I was being stabbed at the same place where I was injured. I closed my eyes to stop the tears from running down my cheeks. I had to find a solution. Time was running and it was getting dark outside.

I gathered my courage and tried convincing the waiter that I would pay him the next day, but he strictly told me that their hotel doesn't allow such payment methods.

"Please understand.... I really don't have anymore cash with me" I said in a pleading tone when another waitress came there.

"Look madam, we will give you another fifteen more minutes. It's our closing time and if you are not going to pay by then, we would be forced to report you to the police!" he said as I felt my head spinning with dizziness. I looked at the time and sighed.

The fear was weighing heavy on my ribs and there was a dull ache in my eyes. I looked around and saw a couple giggling softly while staring at me. The inner devil inside me wanted to go and throw the cup of water on their faces and shove them away, but the real Sonakshi Agarwal would never do that!

Wiping the tears at the corner of my eyes, I walked to a small corner from the receptionist area, where a huge mirror was placed. I stared at my reflection and saw how pathetic I looked like. A weak, scared and idiotic woman, crying at her own unlucky fate. Every negative emotion was buried inside even before I could feel it, making me a passive and weak person. That's when I spotted something.

My chain...

It was a gold chain gifted by my mother. I never removed the chain from my neck as it always reminded me of my mother. It was the only memory I had from her. I was sure it costed more than six hundred pounds... I adored the chain so much but now, I had no choice but to give that away....

The thought of giving away my favourite chain pierced like a knife through my heart. I had no one to question except for god! Why was he punishing me like this? What did I do to deserve such punishment?

Removing the chain clumsily, I looked at myself again. The empty neck already had my heart bleeding but I had no choice. I walked towards the waiter and told him to accept the chain instead and requested him to keep it till I returned his money back the next day. But his reply only horrified me!

"Excuse me mam! What is this? We strictly do not accept any other things in exchange of money. If you can't afford such expensive food, why do you come here in the first place? Do you want me to get fired from my job or something?" he yelled as the tears which I controlled, started flowing freely down my cheeks.

"Look I am really sorry. My friend is not picking up her phone and I have nothing with me now except the chain.... I am new to this country and I don't know much people here too. Please....help me" I pleaded but he huffed and pinched his temples with frustration.

Just then an elderly man came there. He was also an employee. He walked towards us and enquired about what the problem was. Gaining some hopes, I told him everything.

"Look James, what is she talking? How can I accept this chain?" the waiter guy ranted again as I looked at them helplessly. The old man turned to me with pity.

"Okay, I understand dear. Don't cry... You have to understand that this hotel doesn't accept these kind of things. It's against the rules.... but....hmm.....ok you know what? I will try talking to my boss about this. You can give me the chain first...." He asked and I immediately gave it to him.

He slowly walked inside the room which was near the reception area. I turned around and looked at the huge mirror again. This time my face looked more miserable than before. Keeping my fingers crossed, I just hoped that the old man came with a good news. I tapped my foot impatiently while my eyes never left the door.

Why is he taking so long?

Finally the old man walked out with a small smile.

"Ok great, dear! Boss is in a good mood I guess. He agreed to let you go. But make sure you make the payment soon or else we will pawn your chain. And also please leave your contact details behind..." he said.

"Thank you...........Thank you so much sir! I will never forget your help" I said. I breathed a sigh of relief and quickly rushed off from the place after writing down my apartment number.

When I walked out, my breathing hitched...........The rain bore down mercilessly upon the heart of the city and pounded on the rooftops.

How bad can my day get?

I was already worried of how I was going to reach home and now, there were more hurdles I had to fight.

For the first time, I regretted not having a phone with me. With no other way out, I walked out in the heavy rain, which was accompanied by lightening and thunders.

I need to kill Natasha...I thought while I bit my lips to control the sob.

The rain was really crazy....it was worse than hailstones. I wouldn't be surprised if I have pneumonia the next day. But what worried me most was, would I be alive tomorrow? I walked around and saw no vehicles down the road. I walked down the road and spotted a small sheltered place with a bench. It barely provided any shelter to my body, but it was at least better than nothing.

I sat on the bench, shivering in cold while waiting for a cab to pass by. Cursing my fate, I wrapped my arms tighter around myself and prayed for help. The rain was getting heavier and my hopes were slowly dying. I wished that I could just pass out instead of surviving this harsh weather. I closed my eyes slowly.........only to hear my mother's voice.

"You are supposed to grow up as a strong woman and fight the whole world Sona! Don't be a coward....like me"

Suddenly I gasped and opened my eyes... that was literally the worst moment in my life. I wished I could put those memories in a garbage and forget it. I kept telling my brain to recall something positive and nice but sadly, there was nothing happy in my life that I could remember. Everything was dark, like a cave....

Just then I heard a horn and found a car driving towards me....

I was still sitting on the bench with the cool drizzling rain falling on my face. I saw the headlights flashing towards my side in the dark road. My eyes glinted in hope as I was relieved that there was someone whom I could approach at the moment.

I quickly stood up from my bench and noticed that the car was arriving from the hotel's parking area. When I left the hotel, there were only a few of them inside. Could it be one of them?

The moment the window panel was opened, I gasped. The guy sitting on the driver seat was the same person whom I met a few weeks ago. He was the reason behind my broken phone. Or maybe his girlfriend was?

I had to agree that the way this guy looked at me, made me weak on my knees. He had tousled dark hair, which was thick and lustrous. His eyes were a mesmerising deep brown. His face was strong and defined, his features moulded from granite. He had dark eye brows, which sloped downwards in a serious expression. Muscles rippled across every part of his body. He was obviously a seasoned warrior. I had never seen a man with those features, but I knew, without a doubt, that he was rich, young and good looking businessman. His held a playful smile that had immediately drawn me into him. His perfect lips......oh god what am I thinking?

I quickly shook my head to brush of my thoughts and looked at him again.

"Hello there, don't you think it's a little too late for a beautiful girl like you to be out there?" he asked as I shivered slightly. Beautiful? I looked around and realised that he was indeed talking to me. I ignored the endearment and focussed on what he was saying. The way his eyes scanned through my body made me squirm uncomfortably.

"Who...who.......are you?" I trembled.

"Are you new to London?" he asked as I stared at him curiously.

"Ermmm....yea....how did you know?" I asked still trying to cover myself with my arms.

"Just a guess....Anyways, do you want me to drop you at your place?"

"It's.......okay........were you coming out from that hotel?" I asked while shaking uncontrollably. He looked at me with curiosity and blinked a few times. Was my question that difficult?

"Um....yea I am coming from there.....I just saw you on my way....so I thought maybe you needed help...." he said while scratching the back of his neck. He was right.... I seriously needed help! Do something Sona!

"Um.....yes....actually...could you help me........call for a cab?" I asked as he looked at me with shock. Did I ask something wrong? I mean how could I just go and sit on a stranger's car right? Although he was good looking....nah!

"Um....due to the harsh weather conditions, there won't be any cab service in this area.....why don't you get inside my car first? You are getting drenched..." he spoke while I saw the concern in his eyes.

I was totally reluctant to take his help, but that was the only choice left. I looked around and saw that there were no vehicles driving on that way..... Should I really do this?

"Hey.......I promise, you can trust me! I won't kidnap you away...... Please come inside" he asked politely and this time I couldn't refuse because I really needed to get away from this rain. Once I walked towards the car, I stopped again.

"What?" he asked.

"Umm.......your car...........actually, I am fully wet. Do you mind?...." I asked while pointing to his seats as he held an amused expression on his face.

"Of course not! Faster... get in...." He said and I quickly hopped inside.

"T-thank you soo much" I spoke in a shaky tone as he smiled at me. The car provided some relief from the nasty rain. However, my shivering didn't seize to stop.

Softly, the splashing water droplets hit the car windows, as he started driving silently. I watched the raindrops race down to the windows, almost making it difficult to see the view outside. I felt extremely drained and exhausted. The warmth, comfort and silence in the car made it so hard for me to not curl myself up and sleep.

"So....where are you from" I asked, trying to break the silence.

"I am a local...." He said and that's when I noticed his lips lifting upwards and his dimple on his left crinkling. I didn't know why I asked that, but it just made me feel stupid. I should have just kept my mouth shut.....You are such an idiot Sona!

But the next thing he said just made my heart skip a beat......literally!

"So why were you stuck in the rain alone......at this time Miss Sonakshi?"

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It's the start of a beautiful journey... Hope you all will enjoy this too!

Social Phobia – a phobia of where a girl/guy has problems making eye contact with others for more than a few seconds.

*Trivia- I used to have social phobia at a younger age too as I had difficulties having eye contact with people, but gladly, I overcame it at the age of 19 😊