Aaina was cursing her luck leaning against her car. How the hell, she always ends up in such situation? Where the hell the whole population disappears when you really need them?Where the heck is everyone when you need them? She doesn't know but stuck in  moral dilemma, She couldn't help but just curse her stupid luck and friends, eyeing a thoroughly drunk Shivika sitting in the passenger seat of her car murmuring to herself.

God!!! How the hell did she ends up as a babysitter always? She isn't the mature mother hen of her group or even her friends circle that's Vihaan or Panchi most of the time but here she is being a mature person instead of being drunk senselessly. The night wasn't supposed to end like this, she had just gotten what she came for in this city. She should be allowed to celebrate right. She should be allowed to drink away her sorrows and forget about the whole world for one night, right.

But no, here she was leaning against the door of her car, hell frustrated, cursing right about everyone in the entire world right now. How the hell she always ends up as Shivika Oberoi's babysitter? The chronology behind this event was certainly beyond her. Her day out at the most prominent elite club in the entire city wasn't supposed to end as THE babysitter of a drunk Oberoi? But again, her stupid overly caring instincts made their appearance and she couldn't leave the wide brown eyed drunk girl alone leaning on the bar table.

Well, she really hates herself sometimes because of her own heart. Leaving her here would have been the perfect revenge. It's not like anyone would have dared to hurt an Oberoi, in an Oberoi owned club and it would also have been the perfect slap on the face of all the Oberoi's; who always taunted her! who always compared her! who always made her feel like she was worth nothing! They were too proud of their upbringing skills, weren't they? She was called the rotten egg and never given a chance to explain herself.

Aaina would have loved to see their reaction on this. The paparazzi circus and the reaction from the world of judgemental people, trollers, haters and people whose only aim in life is to make other's life hell too. She would have quite enjoyed the show. It would have been quite a sweet payback gift but no, her annoying soul had to jump in the matter, her stupid friends had to disappear too. She would have even left Shivika with Harvik if she was so given the choice, but no, that guy also had disappeared.

Sighing.

She sent a last lingering gaze towards the elite club. She took her seat behind the wheels, banging the door close with a little more force than required. Shivika just continued giggling to herself looking thoroughly under the maddening effect of whatever she had consumed? And it just grated on Aaina's nerves. She hated being with Shivika in close proximity. She hated it even more if the close proximity turned out to be in her car and she loathed the fact that Shivika was totally inebriated.

It ignited memories in her mind.

Painful memories of a day that successfully turned her world upside down. A day that snatched her softness, her belief, her trust. A day that led her down this lane of dangers and disasters. She hates it all. She hates reminiscing that day. She hates remembering that childish girl that was dragged away from the premises of a hospital screaming, crying and calling for her father.

She hates it all.

She.

"I don't like your friends" the overly-childish voice from her side, derailed her thoughts full of dark loathing.

Aaina didn't deem it necessary to reply to this childish statement.

"They're all obnoxious!" Shivika continued, her face scrunched up in a delicate frown. "that weird guy with pinkish hair cracking all crass jokes, pointing out people and that other guy, the sister stealer. He stole our Ri. She just talks to him now. She smiles at him. She looks at him like he is the most important thing in the whole world. It's so sickening. I hate them all. I don't like your friends. Can't you make them go away?" she finished half-complaining, half-demanding letting out an angry huff.

And Aaina couldn't help but smirk retorting with a, "I didn't like your friends too!"

There was silence in the car after her declaration for sometimes with the sound of the car zooming through the lonely roads leading to the back entrance of OM being the only sound reverberating around them and Aaina preferred it that way only.

She hoped Shivika had dozed off but no, that wasn't the case for the girl spoke again.

"Do you now?"

"No"

"Do you like me?"

"hmm.."

"Do you love me?"

"I don't think so!"

"Do you care for me?"

"As much as one human being cares for another!"

"But I want you...caremore."

"I want you to like me."

"Iwantyoutolovemetoo."

"Iwantyouback."

"Cantyoucomeback?"

"cantyou?"

Shivika continued with her slurred mumbling and Aaina continued being silent, talking with aa intoxicated person was useless anyway. She'll just drop this girl in the premises of OM under some bodyguard or something and disappear.

Yeah! she was going to do just that, Aaina was certain taking the turn nearing the entrance. She halted her car in front of the looming iron gates when they opened she drives in slowly, noticing a roadblock kept a little down the road.

Omisha wouldn't have told her to use this way if it was under construction. So, what was really up? She didn't know but something really felt off about the whole scenario. She thought deciding to turn back but the gate had been locked and suddenly a women was knocking on her window.

Every instinct in her body screamed at her to not roll down the window but there wasn't any other option too.

"Yes!" She asked authoritatively, not letting traces of her anxiety appear on her face.

"Ma'am! Can you step out for a moment! We need to have some words," The woman said warmly but the situation sent only cold vibes to Aaina. It wasn't right. She shouldn't step out but right now she was trapped.

There wasn't any other option too, discretely pressing the danger button on her watch. She stepped out of the car confidently, acting oblivious to the danger.

"What words?" she asked arrogantly, watching the woman in front of her babble some nonsensical things that didn't actually mean anything. She was so focused on searching the women for danger that she didn't spot someone else sweep behind her like mingling with the night, until they grabbed her.

On instinct, she struggled, but the person was stronger than her. A plastic bag was pulled over her head and she tried to claw at it, to pull that suffocating thing out but whoever had grabbed her, had also restrained her hand. She couldn't see that person and even the lady had disappeared from her line of sight too. She continued thrashing and struggling and trying to break free.

Her struggles were rewarded by tightening the plastic bag around her, almost cutting off her air supply, her ankles were tied painfully tight as her captor dragged her somewhere and then she felt herself being pushed. She braced herself for the painful impact with the hard ground, but it never came instead, she hit water.

Freezing cold water, knocking the air from her lungs. She felt herself gasp and water flooding all her senses. She tried to kick herself upwards but she couldn't, her ankles were tied.

"Come on. Come on. I'm not going to die here, not after everything, not now"

She thought frantically tugging at the knots. Her lungs burning for air. Her head spun. Her limbs felt lead like she couldn't move them. She tried and tried and she was sinking and just sinking. She tried yanking at the knots, her wrist rubbing harshly against the tight knots scrapping her gentle skin but it won't give in.

It just won't give in.

This wasn't supposed to end like this. She wasn't supposed to die here like this. They won't even find her in time. Her head was feeling too heavy and she was sinking, there was no denying, her lungs screamed for air and she wasn't supposed to die like this.

She didn't think they'll dare kill her now. She didn't think they'll drown her in their own lake. How many days will it take to finally discover her body? She had just gotten all the proofs. Her revenge was supposed to begin, now. Will she really not see the end it of all? She had just gotten what she had come here for?

And now, she is here.

Vihaan!!!

Savvy!!

Ro!!

My Family!

God!!!

"I won't be able to see them. I won't be able to tell them..." the dreading realization gripped her as she thrashed harder trying to free herself from her binds but it was for nought as she continued sinking.

"Was it worth it" Her heart asked her as it thrashed around painfully, as painfully as her lungs screeched for air. Was it worth it? The dead faces swirled in her mind. People laying down their lives for her swam in her eyes. Bullet shots rang in her ear. Death smiled around her and yes, this suddenly felt worth it.

Ranvit will have the proof. She might not see the end but at least, she has the satisfaction of knowing she will be their downfall. They have all the proves. They'll end it all.

The faces of her dear ones swam in her mind.

Vihaan!

The sweet memories flashed lulling her in the safety of sweetness as darkness slowly creep in and as she was about to black out. She felt a hand grab hers and pull her up. Everything after was big blur.

When she opened her eyes again. She was lying on the bank of lake alone. Their was no traces of her savior around. She could hear voices through, well, a familiar voice. But she didn't have any energy left to reply and it seemed like she didn't need to for they had spotted her.

"AAINA!!" Omisha kneeled beside her carefully helping Aaina up in a sitting position. Her anxious eyes taking in her appearance.o

"You okay! What happened? Are you could? You're bleeding, god!!"

"Your cologne?" Aaina's odd question surprised Omisha. She didn't know why Aaina was asking this but she still replied dutifully.

"Sweet Citrus!"

"hmm..." Aaina hummed letting Omisha pull herself up and led her towards Omisha's car. Her car was surprisingly still there and as Omisha led her inside the car. Aaina couldn't help but think about her mysterious savior and the only thing she remembers about him being the smell of his cologne.

The distinct sweet odor she inhaled in her quest of sucking in deep lungful of airs. The sweet odor of "Sweet citrus"

Who was it?

Why did they save her?

What did they know?

What do they want?

She didn't know but she was back to the square one.

Who should she really trust?

~to be continued~

okay, so the mystery is thickening.

Who's good?

Who's bad?

And how many real faces are around?