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Placing the bags on the back seat of the jeep, Aahnik locked the gate. Turning around his eyes landed on the figure approaching him.

Khwaab was adorning a huge grin on her face and was approaching Aahnik. Her eyes widen in surprise as she looked at Aahniks changed appearance.

He wasn't wearing his normal crisp blue shirt and the dark blue pants with all the batches of his hard work but instead, he was wearing a white full shirt with black denim. The leather jacket completed his look and Khwaab was drooling even before she could realise.

Did he plan to kill her? Of course, he did.

Who gave him the right to look like this?

He already looked like a freaking meal in the formal but this informal look was turning her into a crazy fangirl.

He told her not to flirt with him and now there was no option left because she's not going to stop after what she has seen.

Aahnik tried his best to avoid looking at Khwaab and instantly sat in the jeep. He took deep breathes and concentrated on the front view rather than the girl stepping inside the jeep and sitting on the seat just beside him.

Her lavender and the rose fragrance was driving Aahnik crazy but he still didn't even glance at her.

Khwaab just rolled her eyes at his stubbornness and locked the gate with a sound.

"We will travel through the NH-1 and directly stop at Sonmarg. We can stop for food and other stuff if you wish. I hope it's fine." Aahnik instructed in a firm voice as if he was instructing all the cadets.

Khwaab huffed in irritation and rolled her eyes before looking out of the window.

She was done with his ignorance, the moment she saw him today morning, she thought to be playful but his already sour behaviour changed her heart and mind.

She'll make him taste his own medicine. He'll now understand what ignoring and making the person beside you feel like they didn't exist actually felt like.

Aahnik on getting no response started the jeep and a journey of something new started along with it.

"Just stop in the market. I've something important to do." Khwaab didn't tell him the reason because she didn't feel like and anyway he wasn't even interested in knowing things that concerned her.

Only if she knew.

Aahnik could not stop himself from glancing at his left side where Khwaab was looking outside the window instead of looking at him.

Looking at him? Seriously?
Who would she look at him even?

A terrible decision. A very terrible decision was to look at her but how could he not? The girl asked him to stop near the market. Did she forget that the whole city was under the shackles of curfew?

What was the need to go to the city? She had her belongings with them. Ayan had called at the hotel and got it delivered at the station last night.

Aahnik turned his head back on the road but it was already late. His heart started doing somersaults the moment his eyes seized her serene face which had a rosy tint on it.

The girl sitting beside him looked so adorable in the pastel red Kurti and simple blue jeans. Her hair left open and the early morning sun rays shined on her face along with the star-like something in her ears that Aahnik had no idea about.

His eyes could not remove her image from his brain even for a single second. Her rosy plum lips which generally held a smile were devoid of it today. Her big doe shaped eyes shining like stars looked dull.

He could not decipher the reason but it was making him a little restless. The way she had behaved with him in the past twenty-four hours had made him get used to her and her talkative side but today all of a sudden her silence and ignorance took him off guard.

He had no idea why but he did expect her to start passing him those silly comments again, to grin at him whenever she wanted, to tease him whenever she felt like, to make him go all red and embarrass the hell out of him.

He was missing her usual self in just a few hours and this thought was driving him crazy.

So many whys were eating his head but the main at that moment was the reason for going to the market.

Taking the main road for the city instead of National Highway, Aahnik entered the lane going to the market. He had no idea where she wanted to go since all the shops were closed and not a single person could be seen on the road except for the Army people.

He stopped the jeep in the centre of the market and fake coughed at Khwaab to gain her attention "we have reached the market."

Khwaab didn't say a word to him but got out the jeep and looking around she found a man who was God knows what doing outside in the curfew.

Aahnik didn't follow her, neither stopped her because he got no right to do that but he badly wanted to go with her irrespective of anything.

She didn't know a word about the city but was roaming as if she was born here. He could only get annoyed by her actions.

What in the world does she want?

His eyes widen when he saw her going away with the man who looked like a worker of the market and had a shop.

Aahnik without a second thought got out of the jeep and started to follow her without her knowledge.

He was quietly following her and maintained a good distance to not to make her realise about his sudden stalking.

Following someone without their knowledge is called stalking only even if it's for their safety.

Never in his life, he did that until she came but then never in his life he went through so many emotions in just a day and even that is because of her.

His plan to keep her away from him failed so badly and on top of that a trip with her for a week.

It was as if God seriously wanted something opposite of what he wanted.

It wasn't new though. Was it? It's always been the same. When did things happen the way he wanted?

His life has been full of shocks, unexpected events, and people.

Though comparing her entry in his life to the terrible happenings in his life would be cruel.

No matter what he would say, her presence has been like the waterfall on the barren land of his dark world.

Her appearance in his life was terrifying as well because the emotions that he didn't want his heart to feel, she made him encounter all.

His mind didn't work around her and heart was all that pumped the blood crazily in her presence.

He stopped behind the door of the one-room house in which she went into.

"Why would she come here?" Was the first that crossed his thoughts.

"Her relative might be living here. But she looked like she belonged to a rich family." That's all he could make out of whatever he knew about her.

One thing that knew that Ayan did friendship regardless of caste, religion or status. He respected Ayan so much for that and followed it himself.

He could not hear much but he saw a girl of age around eight-nine talking with Khwaab and was smiling at her.

The man and women along with few more children looked like the girls family. Khwaab slowly opened her bag and took out a cheque.

She kept it in the hands of the father of the girl "I want you to make her study till wherever she wants. You won't stop her and let her study whatever she wants. Don't worry about the money and the fees for her school. I'll be sending it every month and also please call me where you have some problem." Khwaab took out a card which wasn't much visible to Aahnik but he was sure it was her card because he could see the initial of her name.

"Also you don't need to say thank you to me. It'll be a big satisfaction for me to help your daughter with the money that I earn and I'll forever be happy that I could contribute a little bit in completing someone's dream." Khwaab told the family with a smile caressed the girl's hair fondly.

Aahnik was too shocked to react or say anything. His heart suddenly got filled with a very beautiful emotion for her. An emotion that he could hardly feel for people around him these days except for the people that worked around him or in any part of the country for their citizens.

That feeling was of proudness. He was feeling really PROUD of Khwaab for what she did.

Until now he knew that she was an utterly crazy, over-talkative and maybe a beautiful human being but now he was sure that she was surely beautiful not only from outside but from inside too.

He didn't judge anyone but it was just his observation but what he saw minutes back changed a lot about his observation.

He was proud to have come across her, to come across someone who believed in helping someone in completing their dreams.

Why not? Since childhood, he believed that you should give what you have to people if you have it in abundance.

The fact that she gave her hard-earned for the girl's education made his heart swelled with pride.

It wasn't like she was someone to him or even a friend but the fact that she is with him and he would be with someone like her for the next seven days made him happy.

All the negative thoughts went out of the window and if not anything but one thing he knew that he would not ignore her anymore.

Yes, it wouldn't be like he'll reply to her comments that made him feel otherwise but he'll surely try to be his normal self with her.

She would be no harm. She was a sensible, mature and understanding girl and he knew that after whatever he saw.

The past incidents that took place were for fun purpose only and she meant nothing. That was the conclusion he came up with.

A smile of comfort took place on his face out of nowhere. It wasn't like she said that she'll no more pass him those flirty comments or she'll not irritate him but just knowing about her other side eased him to a great extent.

He knew everyone is not the same and so was she but for that, he could not behave rudely with her for anything.

She deserved to be treated nicely and warmly. He promised himself to be nice with her for the next seven days and make her trip memorable for her.

And the most important thing, his feelings. He'll not let his feelings overpower him again to turn him insane and rude.

It wasn't her fault that he felt anything. It was him, his heart and his mind doing that imbalance of hormones in his body and making him go through those extreme feelings.

He reached to the jeep and sat quietly on his seat and the very next moment h saw Khwaab coming out of the other corner of the road with the man.

She smiled at the man and turned to walk towards the jeep. Aahnik felt his heart sink as her smile vanished the moment she entered the jeep.

He has to get it back anyhow. But how?

He had no idea about girls, he was blessed with a younger brother but sister...

No, he'll not think bout those past events again. Not when he had something challenging and important to do.

He can't change the past but he can surely fix a few things in the present.

Pushing away from the negativity he looked back at the grumpy girl sitting behind him.

The silence and pensive look on her face made her look less or more grumpy only.

He started the jeep and reversing back finally started the journey for Leh.

Just after twenty minutes, they were on the national highway which would directly take them to Ladakh.

The sides of the national highway had breathtaking views. The high mountains covered in snow and a little bit of greenery was making it look surreal.

It was eight in the morning and there was hardly any rush on the highway. It was not just because of the time but due to the incident that took place.

All the travellers had to stop either in Srinagar or in Ladakh since they could not travel but Aahnik and Khwaab were allowed by the Indian Air Force Department because of the important documents that Aahnik was taking to Ladakh office.

Khwaab couldn't help but gape at the beauty of nature that was in front of her eyes. Shimla was no doubt a beautiful place but like it was said Kashmir is the paradise on the earth.

The beautiful mountains, the fresh natural air holding the fragrance of freshness of nature and the clear blue sky made it look so so so beautiful.

Khwaab wanted to capture it all in her camera but unfortunately, she kept it in her bag and the bag was the back of the jeep.

She wanted to tell Aahnik to stop the jeep but no she won't do it.

She was on a mission of giving the silent treatment to Aahnik Singh Rathore and she'll not leave it incomplete no matter what.

Although the mission was looking almost like a failed one and Aahnik nowhere seemed to be interested in talking with her.

"She can try for a few more hours. Can't she?" Khwaab was trying to control herself from asking him anything.

She couldn't even squeal in front of him or tell him that she was going crazy looking at the view outside because the robot beside her won't react to her of course.

He was truly a ROBOT and got no human feelings what so ever.

But she was a human for god sake!! Enough of the silence, she'll speak to him and he can continue with his weird behaviour.

Khwaab was thinking all this when she heard a whisper from her left side "Sorry". It was said in such a low tone that she would have surely missed it if she was not sitting a little close to his seat.

Her head snapped at his side, eyes widen in shock and face laced with surprise.

Did he say sorry? Like S.O.R.R.Y? For real?

She was just looking at him while he was looking at the road and driving.

"What did you say?" Khwaab asked him genuinely and not to tease. She was expecting him to talk with her a little bit but here he was APOLOGISING to her.

Aahnik without turning said " I said I'm sorry for my rude behaviour. Please forgive me." and looked into her eyes directly as he stooped to the jeep on the side of the road.

Aahnik Singh Rathore could never break rules so he, of course, could never talk while driving.

Anyways the matter was important for him and he wanted to end her silence as soon as possible.

Khwaab stared back into his chocolate brown eyes which held sincerity and guilt.

Guilt? GUILT?!? Why in the world this guy was guilty?

Rude behaviour? When did he behave rudely? That silence of his is termed as rudeness for him? That trial of being a bad person yesterday was regarded as rude in his dictionary?

Was he for real?

Khwaab started laughing softly palming her mouth and Aahnik stared at her cluelessly.

He didn't crack a joke. Did he? He just apologised then what was she laughing at?

This girl confused him to an extreme level. Even the books that he used to study during his engineering days were easier than understanding the special specimen in front of him.

She was laughing without any care and it was so pure that Aahink could no more stop himself but grin back at her.

He didn't realize when he joined her in the laughing session. He didn't realise that he was laughing after months and he was really laughing.

The scene was worth watching. In the lap of the beautiful hills and mountains, two souls were laughing crazily at the side of the national highway without any care of the world.

One was laughing at the naivety of the other and the other was laughing because he couldn't control himself.

Weird they were but then their weirdness was something that went together absolutely well.

Things can change in the blink of an eye and that's how Aahnik was changing or rather say opening out the real self that got buried deeply long back inside him due to the circumstances and most people.

Khwaab had stopped laughing and she looked back at Aahnik who was still laughing.

Oh boy! He had a smile to die for. Why can't he laugh always?

"You should always laugh like this Leader," Khwaab told him putting an end to his laugh.

Aahnik abruptly stopped laughing and realised he was laughing alone because the one who started it for god knows what was now staring at him.

Aahnik didn't reply to her words but instead nodded at her with a polite smile.

Taking his nod as a positive sign for talking sh replied him "it's totally fine and you were never rude to me." Her eyes assured him along with her words.

Aahniks heart finally found peace and he felt calm and happy to know that she has forgiven him.

The girl was so nice to say that he wasn't rude. How can someone be that cool and calm?

But then she was unique no matter what his mind said. She was unique in her own beautiful way and Aahnik accepted her uniqueness finally.

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Donee!!!
3080 words. Well sorry for being so late. I had sudden exams which got postponed lol.

I know this chapter is total crap but is very important.

Vote and comment.