The morning of August 13th approaches fairly quickly. Jaimi does her morning routine and changes into shorts that reach her midthigh with a matching crop top that shows a bit of her waist. She pairs the outfit with a matching bolero. She ties her hair in a messy ponytail with a few loose strands and slips on her heels. She has her dark roast coffee with no sugar. She grabs her bag and leaves for Darshan's house around 8:30.

She reaches his apartment by 9 and rings the doorbell. After a few moments, Jyugal opens the door with a smile. She returns his smile. 

Jyugal: Hi!

Jaimi: Hello. 

Hardik: Hey Jaimi!

She looks to her left to see Hardik buttering his bread in the kitchen. 

Jaimi: Hi. 

She looks around to see everything out of place. There are pots on the dining table and the island in the kitchen has various things placed on it. The cushions are on the floor in the living room. There are clothes on the sofa and shoes on the coffee table. She presses her lips together and shakes her head. 

Jaimi: Uh- Mr. Raval?

Jyugal: Woh studio mein hain. 

Jaimi: Ok. 

She slides off her heels and makes her way to the studio. She knocks on the door and waits for a few seconds before entering. She sees him sitting on the chair with his back to her and has headphones in. She moves around to face him to see his eye closed. There's a mic placed in front of the chair. He opens his eyes and sees Jaimi standing before him. She is looking around the studio. He removes the headphones and mic before getting up. 

Darshan: Hey! Sorrry, mujhe pata nahi tha ki tum aae ho. 

Jaimi: Meine knock kiya tha but I think you didn't hear it. 

Darshan nods his head. 

Jaimi: Do you have any work for me?

Darshan: Uh- yeah! Woh kuch ticket book karvani hain. 

Jaimi: To where?

Hardik and Jyugal peek into the room. 

Jyugal: Sorry to disturb par hum dono office jaa rahe hain!

Hardik: Bye Jay!

Jaimi: Bye!

Jyugal walks out of the room as Jaimi starts to settle down on the small couch in the corner of the room. Hardik winks at Darshan before following Jyugal. Darshan shakes his head at Hardik's antics before turning to look at Jaimi. He scans her from top to bottom and lets out a sigh of infatuation. 

Darshan: Jay?

She hums in response but keeps her eyes trained on her laptop screen. 

Darshan: Mask. 

She looks up confused. He points to her mask and she takes it off before throwing it into her bag. 

Jaimi: Ticket kaha ki book karvani hain? Woh tumne bataya nahi.

Darshan: Ahmedabad!

Darshan can see that all the colors drained from Jaimi's face and she looked pale like she has just seen a ghost. 

Jaimi: Kitne logo ke liye?

Darshan: Abhi ke liye meri. 

She nods and mentally lectures herself to keep calm.  

Jaimi: What date?

Darshan: 16th ko shaam ko ho toh accha hain. 

Jaimi: Return date?

Darshan: September mein sometime so abhi se book mat karo!

Jaimi nods her head. 

Jaimi: On your personal tab or Indie Music?

Darshan: Personal. 

Jaimi: Ok. 

Darshan: Mein fresh hoke aata hoon tab tak tum kaam karo.

He leaves the room and goes to his. He freshens up then, slips on a white t-shirt and gray shorts. Jaimi finishes the booking process and sends the receipt and tickets to Darshan's email. He comes back about an hour later to see Jaimi doing something on her laptop. He sits on his chair and checks his email to see only his ticket. 

Darshan: Jay?

She again replies with a hum. 

Darshan: Tumhari ticket kaha hain?

Her heartbeat quickens thinking of a quick escape option. 

Jaimi: Tumne hi kaha ki tumhari akele ki ticket book karni hain. 

Darshan: Jay, mein jaha jau waha tum mere saath hi aati ho, so...

Jaimi: Tumne personal ticket book ki hain, so meri waha kya zaroorat hain?

Darshan: Iss trip mein ek concert bhi hain, so you have to come. 

Jaimi: Do I really have to?

Darshan: Haan. Tum meri secretary ho. 

Jaimi: Par?

Darshan: Par kya Jay?

Jaimi: Mein leave ke liye apply karne wali thi aaj. 

Darshan: For?

Jaimi: Mere kuch personal matters hain. 

She speaks without looking at him to which he crosses his arms. 

Darshan: Tumhe pata haina ki tum jhoot nahi bol sakhti!

Jaimi: Meine kab jhoot bola?

Darshan: Ahmedabad na jaane ke liye yeh personal matter ka bahana banaya uski baat kar raha hoon main. 

Jaimi: Bahana nahi hain. 

Their eyes lock and she is quick to look away. She closes her eyes and sighs to keep her calm. 

Jaimi: Mein seriously personal reasons ki wajah se mein nahi aa paungi. 

Darshan sighs as Jaimi starts packing her stuff. 

Darshan: Jay, discussion se bhagna band karo. I know ki yeh bahana hain so just quit!

Jaimi: Raval, you don't know of my personal matter, so just stay out of it. I'll talk to Bhai about it as you're not going to drop it without an argument. 

He pulls her against him as she walks past him towards the door. He grips her forearms and presses her body against his. He looks down and sees a hint of fear in the corner of her eyes. 

Darshan: Mein argue nahi kar raha hoon!

Jaimi: I know.

Darshan: Ahmedabad aane mein kya problem hain?

Jaimi: I told you I have personal matters that I have to tend to.

Darshan: Lie. 

She looks away from him.

Darshan: Mujhe batao ki kya problem hain. 

Jaimi: No!

Darshan: Why? Little Warrior, agar koi problem hain toh we can work it out together. 

Jaimi: Raval, no! I do not intend to discuss anything with you. Please mujhe jaane do!

Darshan: Not unless I get an answer! 

Jaimi: Stop! Just, stop! I don't have to answer you about anything. 

Darshan: You do have to, Ms. Patel! You are my assistant aur aap mujhe ek work trip ke liye mana kar rahi hain, so aap ko mujhe answer karna hoga. 

Jaimi: Meine aapko answer kar diya hain ki I have personal matters, Mr. Raval. You cannot force me and most definitely not touch me! 

She pulls herself away from him and they both take a step back. 

Darshan: Tumhara humesha don't touch me ka hi argument hota hain for every damn thing. Why don't you just say what's on your mind rather than hiding behind this formal facade? I'm trying to help!

Jaimi: And, I don't need your help! 

Darshan: Of course. What can a man like me help you with? 

Jaimi: What are you indicating towards, Raval?

Darshan: Stop acting like a rich brat! St. Xavier for school and Harvard for college like wow. 

Jaimi is confused. 

Darshan: Tumhari family ke paas duniya bhar ke paise honge aur tumhe secretary ki job karte hue bhi sharm aati hogi par agar job kar rahi ho toh be honest at least. 

She turns to leave. 

Darshan: Humari baat khatam nahi hue hain!

Jaimi: We're done! 

She exits the studio and puts on her mask. She slips on her heels and leaves. Darshan pulls at his hair in frustration before following behind to see her in the elevator. Her back is to him. One hand is running through her hair while the other is placed on her hips. He shuts the door with a thud. He sits in the studio and decides to finish up some work. 

Jaimi takes a cab home all while thinking about what Darshan said. She reaches home and locks the door behind her. She sits on the sofa in the leaving room and throws off the mask. She just sits there staring at the wall. Time passes by, but for her, the time has ceased. 

Around 2 in the afternoon, Ayesha enters Jaimi's apartment with a spare key. She sees Jaimi's heels and mask are thrown near the sofa. She is staring blankly at the wall ahead of her. Ayesha takes cautious steps towards Jaimi and sits beside her. 

Ayesha: Jay?

Jaimi is startled by the voice and jumps in her place. She places her hand on the armrest in panic but failed to see the broken metal frame that is on there. She winces in pain as the metal cuts her palm. Ayesha quickly takes the frame away from her and grabs a first-aid kit. She starts to clean the wound with hydrogen peroxide. Jaimi flinches. 

Ayesha: Tu sambhal ke kuch nahi kar sakhti? Kitna khoon beh raha hain?

Ayesha cleans the wound and applies a bandage. 

Ayesha: Scar ho jaaega!

Jaimi: It will heal just like the others. 

Ayesha opens her mouth to say something but closes it. She can see that Ayesha's brown eyes become dull as she looks away. Jaimi closes her own eyes and moves to the bathroom with a pair of casuals to change into. She strips to her underclothings and unties her hair. 

She looks at herself in the mirror to see the faint marks on her skin that cannot be seen with the naked eye anymore. She runs her hand over a few of them as a tear escapes her eye. Her throat starts to get dry and feels like it is closing up. She starts hyperventilating as a few of the memories start to play in her mind. Her heart rate speeds up and sweat starts to form on her forehead. She holds the vanity in front of her for support. 

Jaimi closes her eyes and feels her body shivering. She struggles to open the drawer of the vanity. She opens it harshly and fumbles through it. She takes hold of a white bottle and takes out a pill from it. She swallows it. She closes her eyes again and focuses on her breathing. Within a few minutes, she calms down. She looks at the mirror to see tears rolling down her face. She takes a quick shower and changes into her casuals. She sighs and steps out of the bathroom. 

Ayesha: Jay? Tu thik hain?

Jaimi nods her head. 

Jaimi: Aren't you supposed to be at the office?

Ayesha: Bhai aur Bhabhi koi function mein gae hain so mujhe unhone half-day de diya. 

Jaimi nods.

Ayesha: Tumhe abhi Darshan ke waha nahi hone chahiye?

Jaimi stares back at her with a stoic expression.

Ayesha: Kuch hua?

Jaimi: Woh chahta hain ki mein uske saath Ahmedabad jau. 

Silence falls over the room. 

Ayesha: Tume kya kaha?

Jaimi: Mein personal leave ke liye apply kar rahi hoon probably ask Naushad sir if I can end my internship. 

Ayesha nods. 

Jaimi: Bhai se baat ki tune?

Ayesha: I will in a few days. 

Jaimi: When are you leaving?

Ayesha: I don't know! They're pressuring me, but- forget it! Do you have a backup plan kyu ki tumhe Ahmedabad toh jaana hi hoga if Darshan wants it kyu ki tera boss ab wahi hain. 

Jaimi: I know.

Ayesha: You know I'm always there for you. 

Jaimi smiles.  

Ayesha: Tension mat le! Hum dono kuch na kuch kar hi lenge.

Jaimi nods. They both have a sandwich for lunch before sitting in the living room discussing plausible options. Ayesha leaves around 4 in the afternoon. 

Jaimi sits on the living room sofa with papers, stationery, and her iPad. She ties her hair in a bun and wears her migraine glasses. She gets to work. She didn't realize how quickly the time passed. 

Around 8 in the evening, the doorbell rings. She is startled, but gets up and walks around the pile of papers and stationery that she has littered. She looks through the peephole and bangs her head against the door seeing the person on the other side. 

**********