I was awakened by gentle shaking. It was a little hard for me to open my eyes as I could not quite adjust to the sudden bright sunlight. I covered my eyes with my palm and let my eyes adjust to the surrounding. The first face I saw was Riddick's.

"Morning Sunshine, the fishermen are already on their work, shall we leave?"

My stomach grumbled, protesting against the 'I am not hungry campaign' I did on the previous day. Riddick chuckled lightly and stood up. He extended his hand towards me and I took it. My diary fell off as I stood up. Riddick played the 'gentleman' part and took it for me.

"Breakfast?"

"No, thanks, I just wanna go freshen up first."

He walked me to my car and I noticed that his steps slowed down as we reached the car. We did not speak much during the walk. He walked with his hands in his pocket and I walked, looking everywhere but him. Is there a word stronger than awkward?

"So are we on again?" He held the door of my car with me sitting inside it.

"Umm...no" I smiled sadly at him and closed the door.

I was not yet ready to be in a relationship. I wasn't mourning over Arjun's death, he was not my boyfriend but there was something in me that held me back. I wasn't Arjun's girlfriend but I felt like I would be cheating on him if I said yes to Riddick.

On the other hand, Riddick was there for me then. He was not forcing himself to care me, I could feel and enjoy the naturality of his feelings. I did not want to let him down either, especially after the previous night.

"Not yet," I winked at him as he smiled goofily at me.

"Not yet," He said and smirked at me.

I drove away to my house with the lyrics of my favourite songs on my tongue and a smile dancing in my eyes. I was feeling fresh after so many days.

As I entered my street, my phone started ringing. I pulled over and attended the call immediately. Truly speaking, I was expecting a phone call from Riddick. I don't know why but yes, I was.

"Hello,"

" Keerthy aunty, " I recognized that it was Fathima's voice but it sounded a little weak and vulnerable.

"Yeah, Fathima,"

She did not say anything after that even if I kept calling her name. After about two minutes that felt like two decades, the call ended. I tried to call her back but the phone was switched off. I felt an adrenaline rush in my body as I thought of Chandni snatching the phone from Fathima and switching it off but then the weakness in her voice pricked me. Every possible dangerous scenario passed through my mind. I shushed my thoughts and continued driving.

It was when I was about to park my car near my house that my phone rang again. I wasn't expecting Riddick then, I was hoping it was Fathima. A small jolt of frustration travelled through me as I saw the contact flashing on my phone. It wasn't Fathima. It was Raziya.

Raziya called me to tell that she was feeling better and wanted to discuss something important with me. Raziya had told me that she was not well when I asked her to observe and make a report on Chandni's second apartment after the attack. Even if I was happy that she found something relevant, I was still frustrated since I wanted to hear from Fathima.

I freshened up as quickly as possible, once I reached the home. I did take a little longer time due to my humming and shampooing session. However, by the end of my refreshing session, I felt like a queen.

As soon as I left the bathroom, my phone rang again. This time it was Riddick. Though I deleted his contact after the breakup, his number was still by heart for me.

"Not yet?" He asked.

"Not yet,"

"Okay then, I want you to take your diary now,"

"Why?" I opened my bag and took the diary on my lap as I sat down.

"Open the page that I folded,"

There was only a page that was folded and I opened it slowly with a goofy grin adorning my face. I could smell men's body spray when I opened it. A rose petal fell of the page. I picked it up.

"Did you?"

"Yes, the page is opened, my lord,"

I started reading the printed note stuck on it as soon as he started saying those words through the phone.

"You, my sunshine, is the worthiest form of light that ever lit my way. You, my rose, is the possessor of the sweetest aroma that ever flavoured my life. You, my Keerthy, is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. I am no poet like you but I am in love with one and that is you"

I was speechless. The smile did not yet leave my face and my heart was beating like it was going to pop out at any moment. He whispered the last word 'you' and that was enough to spend a jovial chill through my spine.

"So what dod you think?" He asked.

"It was good." I ran my hand through my hair.

"any promotion from 'not yet'?"

"Maybe yes,"

"Maybe yes?"

"Yep,"

"I hope it is a big leap because that was one of my wildest cards, Miss Maybe yes,"

He hung the phone and I sighed.

I closed the book to keep it back but I felt the urge to read Riddick's work once again but this time, I noticed that something was written on the first page of my diary.

 I felt like the oxygen around me was getting sucked out as I comprehended the words written in my diary. I felt weak and held a chair near me for support.

It was Kaalan's handwriting.

Tick tock tick tock

tick tock tick tock

and stops your clock

Karthutty...

-with lots of love, Kaalan

Kaalan or someone who wanted to scare or harm me in the name of Kaalan was there with me on the previous night. Either of the two, I could feel the world around me slowing down and becoming louder. Each creak of branches or chirp of birds was ten times clearer but what I could hear the most was my own breathing as I tore off the page to see yet another with the same message.