• Kabhi Laage Meri
             Toh Kabhi Parayi
            Jaaun Main Aise Ulajh•

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Riddhima's POV :-

"Riddhima, itne dheere dheere kya chalrhi hai... Jaldi Karna"

My best friend Sejal said turning behind.

"Ye heels bhi na"

I murmured lifting the pleates of my Saree. Walking in a pleated Saree that too when you are wearing pencil heels is a tough task, I'm telling you... This all is happening because of Siya... When I was wearing that blue churidaar, What was the need to ask Anupriya Maa to convince me to wear this 6 yards cloth...Now see, I'm not even able to walk properly

And above all this, Sejal is asking me to walk fast... How am I suppose to increase my pace when I am hardly able to walk in this pencil heels.... I'm literally limping. And all the students passing by us are looking at me as if I'm a joker. Let me reach home, I am going to give a nice earful to Siya...

After what felt like eternity, Finally we made it to the college gate. All thanks to Sejal for holding my hands while I was walking...

"Aaj tera driver tujhe lene nhi aaya? Lagta hai aaj apni duty bhoolgya... Kaamchor "

Sejal said making me roll my eyes. I don't understand her equation with Aaryan. Whole day she talks only about Aaryan and then pretends as if she dislike him.

"Wo aata hi hoga... Usne bola tha aadhe gante me pohochega"

I replied looking at the message that Aaryan sent me when we were in class...

"OK then let's wait for him..."

Sejal said taking out mobile from her bag. She called her brother Kabir and informed him not to wait for her.

Twenty minutes passed and we were still standing at the college gate waiting for Aaryan. I tried contacting him but his number was out of Coverage Area.

"Ye tera driver abhi tak aaya kyu nhi? Mai bol rhi hu, ye ek number ka kaamchor hai... Salary kaat iski Riddhima"

She said making me more irritated than I already am... From last Twenty minutes I'm standing here. My legs are aching because of these stupid heels... And above this, Sejal is eating my head...

"For the last time I'm telling you Sejal, Aaryan is not my driver. And for God sake, chup ho jaa meri Maa. Mujhe kuch sochne De"

I said in an irritated tone. I need peace to think. Looks like God granted my wish, because the next second Sejal threw her bag in my direction and started running back to the college... What the hell?

I thought of following her but dropped the idea when I found her entering the canteen area... This girl and her mood swings... God, I don't know how her future husband is going to handle her.  Few minutes ago she was fine and now she is running to canteen as if she has been starving for weeks... Bhukkadi.

Tedhi hai par meri hai..I feel blessed to have this bhukkad in my life. If she wanted, she could have called Kabir and ask him to pick her. But no, she decided to wait with me. Bappa you are not that cruel, I agree you snatched my family from me but in return you gave me another family. And I can't thank you enough for that.

I stood at the roadside, gazing at the sky which was beginning to darken into the shades of graphite gray. A drop of rain hitting on my face made my lips curl up to form a happy and contented smile.

I was too lost in my world to realize about the surronding. The pingpong pingpong sounds of the vehicle horns brought me back from sky to the earth.. I mean from my dreams to reality.... I realized I was standing on the edge of road.

Before I could take few steps back from the Road side, A Cortina White Audi Raced with 90 Kmph on the road stopped near my feet making me gasp in horror....

With a cracking sound, the door of frontseat unlocked. I saw a charcoal black umbrella coming out from the door n finally a Man getting out of the car holding it above his head.

Our Eyes Met momentarily. I gulped Looking at his face. No doubt, He was handsome. The big black almond eyes, Fleshy Lips, gelled hairs, perfectly trimmed beard, Grey coat with the white tie and loose pants of the same colour made my heart skip a beat.

"Done Checking Me Out? Now get inside the Car. It may rain anytime"

He said making me dumbfounded. Wasn't Aaryan suppose to come to pick me? Then what is Vansh doing here? Did he really come to pick me? But Why? Where is Aaryan ? Should I ask him whether to go with Vansh or not?

"Are you deaf? Can't you hear I have asked you to sit inside? Look, Stop wasting my time for God sake. You might have all the time of the world, but I'm in hurry...."

He shouted breaking my thoughts... I nodded my head and tried opening the back door of the car...

"What the hell?"

He cursed under his breath with a stern look... And then took a deep breathe to calm himself...

"Mada'am , Do you want others to think that I'm your driver?  Stop looking at my face and Sit on the front seat..."

He barked on my face making me flinch in fear... I obliged and sat on the front seat  and kept my bag on the back seat. He sat inside the car. He was about to start the car when I remembered about Sejal....

Oh no... But how to tell him? I gathered courage and tried to speak...

"Va...Vansh. Please wait for a minute. My friend Sejal is coming... "

I stopped in midway seeing him bang his hand on the steering wheel with a force.

"Does this car look like a public transport to you?"

He asked in a calm yet dangerous tone... I gulped seeing his angry bull form.

"No but she was waiting for me. She is in the canteen... Wait for a minute please. I'll call her..."

I replied while searching her number in my mobile...

"None of my concern"

He replied. And before I could dial her number, He started the car...

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Vansh's POV :-

I had an important meeting with elites. But I postponed it thinking about Riddhima's safety. I messaged Aaryan to send me address of her college and told him to report in my cabin directly after delivering the file to Mr. Mehra.

"Ask Aangre to come in my Cabin"

I connected the intercom and within a minute Aangre was inside my cabin.

"Aangre tell the clients to wait for 30 minutes. I'm going to pick Riddhima from her college"

I said him.. He nodded his head, then thought of something...

"Umm Boss. If you want I can drop her home."

He said making me look at him suspiciously... He has so much work to do in office and leaving his work, he wants to do that girl's driver's job...that too for free. Did she do some magic on him like other family members?

"You are needed her Aangre. Keep the paperwork ready and check the presentation. Meeting will start the minute I arrive"

I instructed him. He nodded and left the cabin. I grabbed the car keys from the drawer and latched my cabin's door not before instructing my secretary not to allow anyone in.

I drove to the address Aaryan sent me.  Bijoy Institute of Design... It's one of the most expensive college in Delhi. Great,so this golddigger managed to get admission in Bijoy using Rudra Chacha's hard earned money. I'm impressed.

My blood boiled seeing her standing almost on the road looking at the sky. What if a car or truck comes and hit her ? Such a careless girl...

To knock down some senses into her, I purposely stopped the car near her feet. She came out of her dreamland hearing the screeching of the tyres and gasped in horror thinking that I might crush her feet under my car.

I unlocked the door and stepped out holding an umbrella above my head. She looked at me in shock and I know why. Because she wasn't expecting me...

Our eyes met, I saw her gulping her saliva... She was staring at me for too long and Even I couldn't stop myself from checking her out.

In the bright red Saree, she was looking like a full blooming Rose. Fresh and Beautiful.

I noticed a group of boys near the college gate looking at her with some different emotions in their eyes. Was it lust? My anger rose seeing them looking at her like that. I rudely asked her to sit inside the car. She nodded her head and was trying to unlock the back door.

Don't know why but I didn't like the idea of her sitting on the back seat. I wanted her to sit in front with me..  So I snapped her...

"Do you want others to think that I'm your driver? Sit on the front seat..."

I shouted on her face. She gulped and obliged me. I was about to start the car when she found a chance to irritate me once again by telling me to wait for her friend.

What on earth made her think that I would wait for her friend? I came for her leaving my important meeting behind. And the nerve of her...she was asking me to wait for her friend... Means my precious time has no value in her eyes or what.....

Vansh Raisinghania intezaar karta nahi karwata hai....

"Does this car look like a public transport to you?"

I asked in a calm yet dangerous tone... She gulped seeing my angry bull form.

She requested me once again to wait for her friend, But I started driving ignoring her pleas.

Now she is sitting quietly looking outside the window. Sometimes I wonder, if she is really dumb or she is pretending to be one... I remember a saying, Looks deceive.. And I'm sure it's same in her case. She is not as innocent as she looks...

"Why Saree?"

I asked the question that was running in my mind since the time I saw her gazing at the sky in this red Saree...

She looked at me startled as if she wasn't expecting me to ask this....

"Aaj college mein farewell function tha, So.... "

She replied before averting her gaze back to the window....

"Interesting.... "

I said concentrating on the road...

"Why did you turn take left turn? Ghar ka raasta to straight haina... Ye koi shortcut hai kya?"

She asked me when she saw the car turning to an unfamiliar road...

"We are not going home. I have some work in Office. You can wait there till Aaryan comes. "

I said. She nodded her head and then again turned her face towards the window...

We reached the office in next 20 minutes. I parked the car in our private parking area and asked her to follow me.
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Riddhima's POV :-

I got out of the car and started walking behind him. It's not like I'm seeing this huge building of "VR Associates" for the first time. I came here before as well with Anupriya Maa to meet Aaryan and Chachu... But this time the office is looking totally different...

It's more neat and clean than it use to before. I noticed how the receptionist stood up from her place as Vansh entered. All the employees stood up from the respective places and lowered their heads as Vansh walked without even passing a gaze to them. I followed him lifting my Saree slightly up so that I could walk properly. My leg can get entangled in my saree anytime and I don't want to embarrass myself by falling in front of all these employees...

Passing a fake smile to all the employees looking at me , I walked behind Vansh... We stepped in the elevators which stopped on god knows which floor.... and then he assisted me to his cabin.

His cabin is huge. But when did they construct it? I don't remember VR Associates having any Cabin here before.

"Wait here. I have to attend an important meeting. Aaryan is on the way. He'll drop you home. "

He said pouring water in the glass. I averted my gaze seeing his Adam's apple pop out while gulping the water. Don't know why, but whenever he is near me I feel something strange....Something that I have never felt before. And the worst part is this feeling is not under my control....

I shifted on the couch which was in the corner of his cabin, while he was reading some papers when Aangre barged in,

"Boss, clients are waiting"

Aangre informed in his serious tone. Vansh scrunched his eyebrows and picked up his laptop...

"Let's go... "

He said before giving me a last glance.

"Don't let anyone enter inside except the family. "

I heard him instructing the guard who was standing outside the Cabin. Wait, did he lock the cabin from outside? But Why would he do that?

This was something new for me... Is he being protective? For me?This is really Hard to believe.

May be because he realized his mistake of judging me too fast.... Or maybe because he started accepting me as his family member.
I smiled at my own thoughts... Whatever it is, I'm glad atleast he didn't behave with me the way he use to do 15 years ago....

Just then, I remembered about Sejal...Oh no. What if she is still waiting for me at the college gate.. I need to inform her... But what will I tell her? That Vansh refused to... No no, I can't tell her this. She'll feel bad. But first I have to inform her.

I searched for my mobile... Holy f*ck. Mobile is in my bag which is in Vansh's car. Now how am I going to contact Sejal?...

I looked around and found a landline phone on table. Thank you Bappa...

Picking up the landline phone, I dialed Sejal's number but the call didn't connect.... I tried again... Again and again... Connection failed. Holy f*ck. What's the use of having landline when it isn't even working properly....

"Itna bada office hai, ek dhang ka landline phone nhi khareed sakte? Huh ...."

I murmured under my breath. Feeling disappointed, I was about to go back to sit on that same couch when my eyes fell on a mobile phone that was hidden between the files lying on his table.. But it was of whom?

Doesn't matter. I have to call Sejal first....

I picked up the files carefully and placed it properly in the other side of the table.

Taking the mobile, I prayed Bappa before unlocking it. To my luck, it wasn't password protected. I dialed Sejal's number but that stupid girl didn't pick my call...

Com'on Sejal, Pickup... I prayed but the call again went unanswered.

Fear began to surge inside me. What if she is in some problem? I hope Seju is fine... Bappa please keep her safe.

I remembered about her Brother Kabir and dialed his number. Thank God, I remember Kabir's mobile number. At least I can inform him.

"Hello... Hello Kabir... I'm Riddhi...."

Before I could complete the sentence, I felt someone snatching the mobile from my hand .. I looked up to find Vansh standing in front of me fuming in anger...

"Va...Vansh... I"

I tried to explain but he indicated me with his finger not to speak. I gulped  looking at him like this. He held the mobile near his ear for few seconds...

"Wrong Number"

Saying this, he disconnected the call...

Keeping the mobile in drawer, he moved towards me....

"What the hell you think you were doing? Calling someone from my mobile? Is this a P.C.O? Who was he? Your boyfriend?"

He shouted coming closer.... I moved back in fear...

"No... Actually my friend Sejal.... "

I tried to explain but he grasped my wrist and pulled me towards him...Our chest collided and my one hand landed on his shoulder for support....

"Don't you dare lie Riddhima. Jhoot bardaast karne ki aadat nahi hai mujhe."

He said tightening his grip on my wrist ....

"Yes but..."

He jerked my wrist. I looked at him shocked.

"Whoever he is ....I. DON'T. CARE. But next time, don't you dare touch my mobile without my permission... Do you understand?"

He asked eyeing my reddened wrist... He was about to catch it again but I moved back showing my palm to him....

"Don't Vansh"

I said sternly...

"I don't like anyone... Mark my words anyone manhandling me... "

I spoke raising my tone...

He murmured something under his breathe pulling his hairs in frustration...

And before I could understand anything, he took a long stride, and caught my wrist... I tried to free my wrist from his grip. He tightened his hold in response...

"Don't you dare to use this tone in front of me Riddhima. Otherwise I won't be responsible for the consequences"

He warned bringing his face dangerously closer to me...

I nodded my head not understanding what to do.

"Good. Aaryan has arrived. You can go with him now. "

He spoke taking a step back... I looked at him astonished.... What is he? How could he change his tone so easily? How could someone talk to you rudely and sweetly at the same time? Is this even pissible?

One thing that I noticed about him is how frequently his mood changes... He is unpredictable...

I moved towards the sofa to pick up my purse...

"Btw you smell good. What fragrance do you use? Is it lavender? "

My breath hitched hearing his husky voice. I looked over my shoulder to see him standing behind me in all his glory putting both hands in the pockets.

"I... I don't know..."

I replied before running out of his cabin...

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