Posted: January 8th, 2018

♕ Annie ♕

2.21 Touched With Fire

I should have known better than to take a short cut through an empty alleyway to get back home after my morning run. I should have stuck to my routine. Ever after Aarush had said just yesterday that I did not have anything to worry about from whoever was following me as if they were going to confront me, they would have done so already, I should have been more careful rather than drop my guard.

It is because I drop my guard that I find myself tapping the person's tight grip around my mouth and struggle to free myself as they come up behind me and grabbed me. My screams are muffled and I think, this is it.

Fucking hell.

Aarush was right about atleast one thing yesterday. I should have told Aarav 'I love you too'.

You never know what can happen next and turn your life too short.

I freeze when I hear the lock of a gun and an unfamiliar voice, "Let her go."

I should be terrified just knowing there was a third person with a gun. Yet, some relief enters my system when my captor releases his hold around me and puts his hands in surrender. At once, I twirl around to meet the familiar face and my step falters back as if the world has been snatched up from under my feet. "Noah?"

"I can explain," he says with a sheepish look.

Explain? How can he pull that look right now?!

Before I can exclaim those thoughts aloud, a fourth person enters the frame, holding a gun behind my savior's head. This voice, I recognize as well. "Drop the gun."

What the fuck is this? I have never seen these many guns in my life at one point. Okay, well... whenever I am around the Raizada's, I know their security details carry them - but I never actually have to see them, you know? So, knowing they have it on them and physically seeing it are different things.

"Aarush? What...?"

His gaze remains on the only unfamiliar person standing between Noah and him, "Hey. Sorry for the dramatics. This seemed the best and easiest way to lure him out."

I scold still catching my breath from that fight and flight response, "Best? Easiest? You damn well gave me the scare of my life, jerk!" I turn that anger to Noah, slapping his arm, "And you. You were in on it?!"

Noah defends rubbing his arm, "Hey, when the guy with a gun asks you for a favor, you don't say no."

My eyes widen at the insinuation that Aarush threatened him into doing this.

Aarush clarifies, "Hey, I did not pull a gun on you. Stop feeding her lies."

"Oh, dear Lord." I mumble under my breath.

I am starting to question the kind of company I keep around me.

Sadly, we are such people who get sidetracked - giving the real culprit the chance to push Noah aside grabbing the opportunity and hold me at gunpoint instead.

Noah gets scared, just as I, but Aarush remains calm. If anything, he lowers his gun. I exclaim, "Are you crazy? Use it!"

Instead of listening, the idiot tucks the only weapon away to his back. I hear my attacker speak by my ear, "Smart guy."

Aarush counters with not a pinch of worry in his tone, "Doesn't take a genius to know you don't really want to hurt her."

I hiss back at him, "He has a gun to my head!"

I'd say that screams that he will hurt me to get away if it comes to that. He's been following me for months, hasn't he?

Aarush continues to remain calm and I honestly wonder if there is a wiring problem in that brain of his, "Relax, Annie. He does not have the orders to hurt you. If there is so much as a scratch on you, he is a dead man walking."

What is he talking about so confidently? Why wouldn't this guy hurt me when it is obvious he wants something from me and has a gun to my head?

He directs to the guy behind me, "Now, how about you let her go and we can all have a conversation?"

He does move his arm which was around the front of my chest holding me captive and I look at Aarush apprehensively. He blinks at me in assurance and I dare to take a step away from the stranger, trusting that he wouldn't shoot. After one step when nothing happens, I take rushed ones towards Aarush - very much surprised by my trust in him as I throw my arms around him to comfort myself that I am safe and sound.

Noah too walks near and places a hand on my back. Parting from Aarush, I hug him as he briefly takes a moment to hug me back. "Sorry for the scare."

For the time being, I nod but we both know I will be giving him grief for it at a later, more convenient, time.

The stranger tucks away his gun as well, dropping his attempt to make a run for it, but still announces. "You are not getting a word out of me."

Aarush smirks at him, unfazed. "No need. I already know who you are. The real question is whether I tell Annie or you do."

I wonder if Aarush is bluffing, and the guy seems to challenge the same as he raises a smug brow himself believing that Aarush doesn't have the knowledge, "Is that so?"

Aarush releases a scoff, "Honestly, what is with you two insulting my intelligence all the time?"

His brow pulls together but remains silent.

Aarush adds crossing his arms over his chest and nodding towards the guy, "Dude, you are literally carrying your identity on you and if you don't want people knowing who you are, you might want to cover it better from now on."

I look at the guy. What did he see that tells him who this man is? His skin is mostly covered with a full-length sleeve of a leather coat. His face is a bit ruffed up giving off this intense look but don't find any visible mark on him the way Aarush is talking about.

Even if I don't see it, the guy seems to accept that Aarush has figured out who he is. Mimicking his actions, he crosses his arms as well, "Who are you?"

I believe we should be asking him that, but I do not dare interfere between two people who currently have guns on them even if they are not pointing the barrels are each other. I have that much sensibility left in me.

"Indian army," Aarush replies.

After a moment, the man shakes his head. "No. That's not all you are. Indian army does not have the intelligence on how to recognize us and neither is their training as sophisticated for one of you to sneak up on someone at my level."

My head snaps towards Aarush to gauze his reaction but there is none. As often, his expression gives away nothing.

The man clenches his jaw momentarily before asking plainly, "I'll ask again. Who are you?"

Instead of giving a redundant answer, Aarush speaks to me even while his eyes are boring into the strangers, "Annie, I believe you should be asking that question to your stalker."

Uh... do I dare interfere?

The second the man pulls out his gun again to point it at Aarush, I have my answer. My back stiffens, and my lips remain sealed. He warns, "I have spared you thus far given you seem to be her friend, but I won't repeat myself a third time."

I worry for Aarush. Why is he being so stubborn? He has a gun but still won't use it! "Who I am is least of your worries. So, stop asking a question you are not going to get an answer to."

What... what does that mean? I've already concluded that Aarush is a private guy but is he hiding something pertinent about his identity? Is there something more than him just being a captain of the Indian army? Does he have a past that goes beyond that?

Aarush continues keeping his confidence, "I'm not here to turn you in to the authorities. I'm only here for her to get her answers, and if you hope to get her to believe you, then I highly suggest you stop pointing guns at her friends."

And here I thought this guy didn't take anyone to be his friend. But then again, I suppose that's just his personality. Even if he takes someone to be his own, he won't express it.

His jaw clicks again but sees sense in Aarush's words for he reluctantly lowers his arm. Meanwhile, my brain is off on a rampage to try to understand this. Get me to believe him? Why? And why would this man care for the fact that these people are my friends? Unless... he hasn't been following me to hurt me but the entire opposite? That... that would explain why he stepped out of the shadows when Noah pretended to abduct me, yes? His first words had been an order for Noah to release me. As if he was on my side. But... I don't even know him.

"Who... who are you?"

I don't recognize that it is me asking until his eyes avert from Aarush's to meet mine. Perhaps for the first time in the last fifteen minutes, he gives a straight answer and I suspect that the only reason he gives an answer is because I am the one asking.

"I work for your father."

Arnav wouldn't...

And then, as his words truly settle, my body stiffens. My mind numbs from a chilling effect. A shiver passes down my spine. Everything in my life changes for he is not talking about Arnav. He talks about my biological father. Someone I have never met or know anything about - even his name. But... if he employs guys with guns to follow me around, do I even want to know?

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. .

-The day after Annie's 18th birthday-

Aarav and I arrive at a beach after lunch at my favorite bistro. The second we are out, I pull my shirt over my head. At his look, I defend, "What? It's your fault. If you wanted to go to the beach, you should have told me and I'd have worn beach appropriate clothes."

He mocks, "According to you, only a bikini is beach appropriate, isn't it?"

I roll my eyes as I shimmy out of my jeans, "All I'm saying is I don't wear jeans and a branded button up to the beach."

He rolls his eyes as I am mocking his current outfit in which he looks way too formal. Starting to walk away, he announces. "Whatever, see you at the beach."

After throwing my clothes in the back seat, I run up to him and jump on his back. He lets out an oomph sound at the sudden weight pouncing on him, but hey, I don't even weigh that much. "That's what you get for not getting me a gift." I say locking my feet around his front and his hands come to my thighs to hold me.

"Damn it, Angel. Let that go already. I got you that camera this morning!"

I chuckle at his quick frustration for it is easy to tease him. Unlocking my ankles from around him, I kiss his cheek and then slide off his back. "Thank you for that, by the way."

He smiles back draping his arm over my shoulder, "Eh, it was nothing."

I lean into his side for a second before announcing, "Race you." And take off for the beach.

It takes him a second to realize before he's running too and in no time, catches up to me. No doubt, his longer legs making him faster as his arms drape around my stomach and he pulls me to a stop. "That was cheating. You didn't even give me a proper warning."

I chuckle as he twirls me around before setting me on my foot, "Kinda the point, darling. Do you think I'd win against you otherwise?" He lets out a huff as I tap his wrist to get him to release me, "Now come on, leave me. I'm getting in the water."

His arms do leave me though with a warning. "You're going to get a tan."

I frown, "I wish. Unlike you, I get sunburnt."

"This is why you should've kept your clothes on."

"Yeah, no. I wouldn't be able to feel the wind then." Shaking his head, he starts to unbutton his shirt. Suddenly nervous, I ask. "Uh, what are you doing?"

He continues the downward path, with each button revealing his almond complexion. Unlike any cliché situation you might expect, his eyes are san mischief and face giving away nothing, "Like you said. All I get is a tan."

I narrow my eyes at him still questioning his actions, "You don't like getting a tan. What was that you said about damage on skin and all?"

He sighs shrugging the shirt off his shoulder and out his arms. "I'll take that over you burning yours and then complaining every time you move that it hurts. I'm not going to have you whining during my graduation ceremony."

I snap at my heart to not melt at the sweet things he does because all he does are through the friendship lens. Sometimes I think the way he expresses his care is a lot more than a guy would do for a friend but then I remind myself this is Aarav. He doesn't keep a lot of friends but the ones he does keep, he respects that through thick and thin and treats them like his family. I am no different.

Then I blink out of my thoughts as he hands the shirt to me. While I put it through my arms, I recall his words. "Wait, graduation ceremony?"

He nods, stretching his arm across and walking at the slowest pace possible, "Mhmm. You're coming to US with me."

I raise a brow at the way he says it casually, "Am I? I don't remember you asking."

He cheekily responds, "Because I didn't ask."

I protest though a part of me is touched me wants me there and the other part does want to be there, "Aarav, I can't. I've got school!"

"Oh, right. I forgot to tell you. Emailed your teachers saying you were down with the flu and it's really bad and contagious. They insisted you stay home and rest and not to worry about missing school."

I gape, putting my hands on my hips, "Are you fucking kidding me? You hacked my email?!"

He winces at the language, "Mm, hacking sounds so harsh when I already knew the password."

I slap his arm regardless, "You can't do stuff like that!"

He appeases, "C'mon, you know you want to come. And what's the harm? They said you won't be marked absent."

I cross my arms over my chest, "Aarav, do you like it when people mess with some codes you live by? No, right? Then why do you think I'll be okay with you doing this? Not everyone has a trust fund that puts them through college. Education is important to me and you can't mess with that!"

"Hey, I know that." He calmly counters, "I know it's important to you and it's why I made sure you won't miss your assignments. C'mon, please. You know I wouldn't interfere in your life without asking you first."

I sigh for I do not want to have another argument with him. I know he isn't inconsiderate or one to pull these things on a normal basis. "Fine, but I still can't come."

He seems to know my objection for he says it before I can, "I already got you a ticket."

I shake my head, trying to express my disapproval as I do not negotiate on this. "I'll pay you back."

He exhales knowing I won't deter on this. I may give in to his expensive gifts on birthdays and Christmas after a bit of an argument and sometimes even appreciate that his money can get us into nice places and cut a few lines but I still do not like to take it for granted. I've been living on my own last two years, having moved out of the shelter, and working on my own finances. I pay my own bills and it's how I like it.

I don't even let Arnav help me financially and I take him to be a father.

But this boy... he keeps defying my limits.

He moves a step towards me, forwarding his hand to finish buttoning up the shirt that I had left midway, pausing to having his disagreement. For the briefest second, his fingers brush over my navel and my stomach clenches in instinct, pulling in. The way he continues to speak, I doubt he even notices. "You can pay it back to dad, then. I used his credit card."

I glare further at his antics. Now I am going to have to continue the fight with Arnie and he always pulls the fatherly card on me, telling me he is allowed to do things for me as the only fatherly figure in my life.

Aarav dares to smile and holding the center of the shirt, pulls me a little towards him. "Now take that frown off your pretty little face and finish this." He leaves the buttons for it had reached up to my breasts and that is where he drew the line of decency.

Rolling my eyes, I finish buttoning the top three buttons and we find a spot to sit. Given it is a weekday and middle of the day, there aren't many people on the beach. Unlike the two of us, people have jobs and schools.

A few minutes after, he speaks up. "There is something else."

I turn my head in his direction, squinting to look at him through the brightness around us and the sun right above us.

"Now that you're 18, I wanted to ask you this. And I'll only do it if you want me to." He quickly adds the later so I know it's my choice and he is just asking for permission.

"Do what?"

"Find out who your parents are."

It leaves me confused and lost for a second. From what I know, it was a closed adoption. "That... that's not possible."

He explains, "A little difficult but not impossible. Look, don't worry about 'how'. There is always a paper trail to follow. I can get someone to pull your adoption files, find out where you were born, your birth certificate... your parents name will have to be on it."

Wow. This all feels too much. I never thought it to be a possibility. Do I want to know the people who abandoned me? I would be lying if I said I didn't sometimes wonder why they gave me up. What were the circumstances that they couldn't raise me themselves? It's not that I blame them for it. After knowing about Anjali and Aarav and why Arnav had adopted him instead, I more than understood why sometimes someone couldn't accept a child.

So, as I grew up, I taught myself to not blame them... but I would like to know. I couldn't deny that.

"I... This... You can do that?" I find myself fumbling to process my thoughts before asking.

He bobs his head to the side as if to lightly scold for me for even questioning it, "For you, ofcourse Angel. Anything. I don't like it when you get all sad on your birthdays. So, maybe if you knew, you could get closure."

I let out a sigh, releasing some of our previous tension along with it from the earlier disagreement. Things like this that he says and does... they are what sometimes make me question exactly what my feelings for him are. These are the moments when I want to scream at myself for not making this mistake because I cannot fall for him. There is no world where he'll reciprocate because his whole life, he has only ever kept Jhanvi in his heart and he has never once hidden that from me or lead me on.

I nod, deciding to focus on my life, figuring out who I am, and maybe in turn will be able to keep my distance from him. If I have my own things to worry about, then I won't be thinking of him unnecessarily because falling for him couldn't bring me anything but pain and I'd have no one to blame for that pain but myself.

So, determined to steer my own path, I say the two words. "Do it."

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

∞ author note ∞

Hi everyone, please check the announcement on my profile and hope this update was good! As mentioned, Annie's storyline will kick in slowly as things unfold.

QOTC: How do you think Aarush knows the identity of this stranger? And who do you think her parents are?

I don't have a set schedule for updates going on for rest of the book yet as the next semester doesn't start for about two more weeks and I won't know untill then when I will have free time. Will keep you informed as I find out.

Be back soon with another update!