Awkward, awkward, so awkward!!

I stepped back, laughing uneasily, while on the inside I was screaming and groaning at the stupid situation I had created.

"I will...I will go and cook?" It came out as a question, as I tried my best to change the topic and get out of here.

"Yea...yeah sure," Rehaan stumbled on his words, looking uneasy as well, as he avoided my gaze.

"Ok then, I will go. You check the photos," I said, while backing away from the study.

I didn't even know if I was making any sense, but it didn't matter because Rehaan wasn't in the condition to make fun of it.

It seemed like we were riding on the same boat.

But why? I could understand that my feelings were acting up. But why did Rehaan become a statue? At the most he should have been annoyed by my actions, not this.

Did he also fall for me...?

"No way!" I waved off my own speculation.

There was no chance. That guy didn't fall for me when I was pretending to be his girlfriend. Why would he fall for me now? Especially after I ruthlessly broke his trust.

He was probably just startled by the suddenness of it.

Yeah, that must be it.

Or did he think I was trying to take advantage of the situation and...

"Nah! He wouldn't think of me like that," I muttered, trying to assure myself, "he really won't, right?" But that assurance didn't work as well as I had hoped.

The way I was going crazy about the entire encounter, I would say it was pure luck that the food turned out to be edible.

I don't even remember what all I added in it. Did I even wash the vegetables?

I guess Rehaan was in the same condition as me, if not more. He ate the dinner silently, not even looking up at me.

And the best part, he didn't even argue when I asked him to take the bedroom today.

I must have scared him away.

'He is probably going to lock the bedroom in fear too.'

Great going Muskaan! I am so proud of you, not.

★★★★★

I tip-toed outside the flat, softly closing the main door and turned to face the anxious Ananya Di, who was lighting bouncing as she waited for me.

She hurried towards me as soon as I closed the door. Eyeing the now closed door warily, she whispered, "Wh...What...what's wrong? Did something happen? Are you okay? Where is Rehaan? He is okay."

"Relax, relax, everything is fine." I inhaled and exhaled slowly, while imitating the action with my palm, motioning her to copy my actions and breathe.

"Shut it. I don't need yoga right now. Tell me what happened and I will calm down on my own," she said while whacking my palms.

"Let's go down. I will explain on the way," I said, while already on my way towards the lift.

Ananya Di grumbled but followed nonetheless.

After getting inside the lift, Ananya Di waited for let's say half a second, before threatening me, "Are you going to tell me or should I go and ask Rehaan?"

"I am telling you," I almost shouted as soon as the word 'Rehaan' fell from her mouth.

"Right now, we need to stay as far away from him as we can. Okay? So no calling him."

"Why, why, why?" She asked, hurriedly trying to match my steps as I walked towards the garden.

"Did something happen? Shit! Did he do something to you? He took advantage of your situation, didn't he? I knew he wasn't to be trusted. As it is, nothing good comes out of a guy and girl sharing a space." Ananya Di rambled on and on.

"Should I go up and beat him up? How dare he take advantage—"

"I did," I interjected, before she could go on a second round of bad mouthing Rehaan.

"You did," she almost laughed, before understanding dawned upon her and she yelled, "you what?"

"Sshh," I hurriedly palmed her mouth, before whispering, "It's midnight. Don't wake the neighbours."

I removed my palm after making sure she wasn't going to scream.

"What did you do?" She whispered, her eyes wide with tension as she gulped because of her own imagination.

"Phew, that's nothing serious. Your finger touched, not your lips. The situation is still salvageable." She visibly relaxed while wiping off the sweat from her forehead, after I explained to her the whole situation.

What happened was probably not that serious, but what I wanted to do next was.

Staying alone with Rehaan right now wasn't safe...for Rehaan.

"I know it's stupid but I was feeling really awkward because of the situation," I told her the half truth, "I wanted some fresh air. But I was scared of coming down alone. So I—"

"So you called me," she finished my sentence with gritted teeth, looking at me with narrowed eyes as her nose flared with temper.

"I...just...I was just...," I tried to explain in vain, but that made her even angrier.

"Am I your genie?"

"What?" I scratched the back of my neck in confusion. Now where did that come from?

"What, what? Do I look like a genie for you to call me anytime and anywhere you please?"

I made an O with my mouth, finally understanding her taunt.

"Ah! Seriously, this girl." Ananya Di clutched her hair in frustration as she paced around me while venting out her anger.

"Here I thought something major happened. I left my precious sleep, for what, this princess wants some fresh air. Just because I love and care for her, she misuses me. Doesn't even care that I have a long shift at work tomorrow..."

I hugged her from behind, stopping her from her angry pacing, while muttering sorry continuously.

"I am so sorry. I did wrong. You know how foolish I am. Please forgive me this once," I said cutely, even going as far as to make puppy eyes and holding my ears.

Ananya Di tried to keep her anger intact, but a smile slipped out, making her lose.

"What do I do with you?" She asked, shaking her head at me.

"I won't do this again," I promised sincerely, before cheekily adding, "but since you are already here today—"

"Youuu." Ananya Di ran behind me to hit me, while I laughed my way out.

She finally caught onto me and started raining down the light slaps on my shoulders. However, her hand stopped midway.

"Muskaan, don't turn," she warned me in a low voice, while clutching my arm tightly, "those goons are keeping a watch on us."

My heart dropped at the news. I instinctively turned, but Ananya Di pulled me back while forcing out a huge laugh to make it seem we were still playing around.

"I told you to not turn," she whisper-yelled.

"You also told me that we were safe now." I knew it wasn't the time to taunt, but I couldn't help it.

"I apologize for not knowing that they would go back on their words," she retorted in a sarcastic tone.

Taking a huge breath, she said, "Now let's slowly go back to the building. Laugh around and don't make it seem that we are aware of their presence."

And we did just that.

We safely managed to get into the house. As soon as we entered, Ananya Di locked the main door while I ran towards the bedroom.

"Rehaan, Rehaan," I shook him awake, while biting the nails of my other hand.

"Wha—" He was disgruntled at first but sat up straight as soon as he heard my tense voice.

"What's wrong?" He asked, before his attention went towards Ananya Di who just entered the room and he got even more confused.

We explained the situation to him. Well as best we could while fear engulfed our entire beings. It looked like he wanted to scold us for our actions, but he shook his head, before calmly stating out the next point of action.

"Take whatever you can use as weapons. Close all the windows and doors. And hide in the bedroom. Close the bedroom door as well."

"What about you?" Ananya Di asked him, looking at him with narrowed eyes.

It didn't even strike me until Di pointed out; in all these commands Rehaan wasn't there anywhere.

"I am going down to see who these goons are," Rehaan said with a look of determination in his eyes.

"Are you crazy?" Those words tumbled out of my mouth as soon as I heard him.

It was a suicide mission.

"Are you still not over your stupid plan of meeting with the culprit?" Ananya Di asked, looking annoyed as well.

Completely ignoring her, Rehaan turned towards me and said, "This is a great chance to know whether what I remembered was true or a made up story. The opportunity has walked towards us; I cannot let it pass away like this."

After saying his bit, he started walking out of the room.

"Rehaan, stop." I ran after him. Holding his arm, I pleaded, "Rehaan, please don't go. You will get killed at this rate. You barely survived last time as it is."

Gently shrugging off my hand, he said, "Don't worry, I will make sure to be cautious. This is our only chance, Muskaan. We can't afford to lose it. We won't get any better opportunity to figure out if my memories are correct or not."

"Why are you so hell bent on proving your memory correct?" I yelled, throwing my hands up in the air.

"Was your ego so hurt that I called them fake? Is that it? Huh? Tell me.

"You are so eager to prove yourself right that you don't care about the consequences. Is your ego way bigger than your life?" I shouted on his face, worry and angry mixing up

Rehaan sighed, before calming trying to explain his point. Taking a total opposite way to deal with my furious self. "It's not about my ego, Muskaan. Heck, I would be the happiest if my memories are proven wrong."

I snorted, as if.

If he heard my snort, he didn't react to it. He just went on to calmly and gently snatch the ground beneath my feet.

"I also wish that what I remember is fabricated and what you know is the truth. Because...because if my memories are correct then it will mean that for all these years you have been living under a huge lie.

"A lie way bigger and scarier than being my girlfriend."