Jaanvi wrapped the rugged blanket around her body and slowly tried undoing her lock again. This was Christmas season and lots of bodyguards had taken their leave. The centre only had one security and receptionist doing their duties that night.

She was shifted to a prison-like cell to sleep that night. It was to keep her monitored all the times since she had tried fleeing a few times. She had a few others also locked up in similar cells nearby. Jaanvi looked out to see the entire laneway dark, with everyone already asleep. Her door was half opaque while the bottom half had lined with bars.

Jaanvi prepared herself for the right time. Somewhere along the lines, she was afraid. This time, she was genuinely afraid of the consequences. If she was caught again, then she would be doomed. Dev had already warned her that she should stay put.

Disobeying him was her only regret. But she had no option. Rehabilitation centre was chewing off her brains. She was becoming so depressed down there. Apart from her withdrawal symptoms, staying there was a hellfire. She was bullied, abused and continuously pulled down. There was nothing good about the environment there.

She missed seeing real people and having normal conversations. She missed her home food, parents and just her normal way of living. No matter what, her mind could not see things the way she used to be. Whenever she decided of escaping, she would warn herself to back away.

Dev's words always rung inside her ears. They were more than just words. But now, even Dev gave up.

Arjun left... Her parents left. What more is left?

Jaanvi sat down and finally decided to execute her plans

Jaanvi tried taking the small metal pin that she had found near the toilet basin. She repeatedly tried opening the lock, but all her attempts was a failure. Even a tiny noise could wake the security on duty.

She kept chanting a silent prayer and tried unlocking with a little more force. This time, she really saw the locks getting loose and shaky. With a little more force, she tried her best to turn the locks without the clanking sound

She inhaled a deep breath and allowed herself to rest for a while

The locks were really secured this time. Since she had tried escaping a few times, they had secured the gates safely with a two kilogram heavy metal lock. There was no way she could unlock that.

Just as she was mourning over her failure, she sensed a strange movement outside her cell. Her back stiffened and she waited extremely paralysed in fear. She didn't want to turn around in case anyone was spying on her

But the moment she heard someone clearing their throat, she flinched. She immediately moved away and turned to see a dark shadow hovering outside the place. She bit her lips and gazed upwards to look at that man who belonged to that silhouette.

The minute she looked up she regretted. It was a guy, wearing the same uniform as her. He must be from the nearby cells. His face void of any emotions as he gave her a mocking look. How was he outside at this time?

Her eyes landed on the guy and her heart stopping in her chest. He had shiny black hair drawn down to his face, covering his entire forehead messily. His dark eyes were so intense that she failed to see the real colour of his eyes. His smile nearly sent chills down her bones.

"Hi" he said, his voice feeling so cold Jaanvi sensed some danger there, but with whatever courage she had she just nodded in response.

"I said, hi." The man repeated again and Jaanvi just took in a deep breath.

"How are you out of your cell? Aren't you supposed to be sleeping?" Jaanvi asked softly.

"Don't you answer the questions that you're asked?" he asked cockily, making her frown.

"Your 'hi' is not as important as my questions." she said, still frowning widely.

"Okay... Were you trying to escape?" he asked, and this time Jaanvi was knocked out of her breath. Was he checking her all this time?

"What do you want?" she replied, not giving away anything.

"Well, I am here to escape too. But I am not sure which exit to take. The old guy is out at the main gate and I am confused. I know u have escaped this place a few times. Any suggestion?" the man asked cockily and Jaanvi's eyes widened.

"How did you unlock this damn gate?" Jaanvi asked with lips wide apart.

"Ouh easy... See this." the guy snickered as he waved at her a set of keys. Jaanvi's eyes popped out of her sockets as she looked at those keys. Those were the same set of keys found at the lady-warden's pockets.

"Oh my god..." Jaanvi covered her mouth with her palms.

"See, if you decide to shout, then I may have to kill you."

"Why have you come to me?" Jaanvi asked suspiciously. If this guy wanted to leave, he could have done so. Why was he there?

"How the hell did you leave the previous time? I don't think I could leave from the main entrance. The security guard is there all the time." that scary looking guy stared at her for answers.

"When I escaped, that security wasn't there. He went to the washroom and I took the chance. But now, the securities are tightened and they have a gun too." Jaanvi spoke quickly, fearing that the guy would harm her.

Even though she was inside her cell, she didn't feel safe. This guy had the damn keys with him!

"Fuck, you think I don't know that?" that man shouted and Jaanvi flinched. How did his voice get unnoticed?

Jaanvi kept staring at his stressed-out face and contemplated for a while. Should she take the risk and tell him? But what harm could he do, right? He wanted to escape, just like her. Both of them wanted the same thing. That man had the one thing Jaanvi wanted, and Jaanvi in return had the one thing he wanted. They could do this.

"I can help you escape, if you help me back..." Jaanvi found her voice. For a moment, she witnessed his muscles tense. His back was rigid and his eyes slowly raised up to stare at her.

"What do you want?" he asked and Jaanvi quickly re-visited her decision. She did not know if it was a wise idea to tell him. But at this point of time, she was just helpless.

"Help me out of this place. I will show you another way out from this centre." She hushed, making sure her voice got through him. The guy's eyes visibly widened as he listened carefully with his eyes narrowed.

"How can I trust you?"

"Well, you have no choice." She answered sassily, making the guy entirely amused. For some reason, he really believed her.

"You sure about this?" he asked as Jaanvi watched his muscles flex under this t-shirt.

"Yes. I know another way out from here. But you have to unlock me first." She told him firmly. This time, she could see the wires in his head working connivingly.

In no time, he was shuffling with the keys, trying to get Jaanvi out from the cell. Jaanvi felt her heart in her stomach. She quickly grabbed her blanket and wrapped it around her tiny frame.

Jaanvi couldn't believe her luck. It was as though god was helping her with her plan. God showed her the man at the right time and she was actually going to escape for real. She thanked her stars and prayed that she won this plan. Nervousness was killing her as she watched the man cautiously.

When he managed to open the gates, her heart almost leaped out of her chest. She slowly woke up and followed him.

Gosh, he looked larger than what she had expected.

He was tall, bulky and immensely muscular. His body looked as though it was made by rocks. His skin literally had zero fats in them. He had an intense look and with a tattoo which went down and hid behind the collar at the back of his neck.

Jesus, how did she even trust this guy?

Brushing away from her thoughts, she slowly guided him to the back door. Again, luck was on her side, because no one was monitoring that place at that hour. Jaanvi felt weird. All of the sudden, her instincts went sharp and she kept looking around for signals. Mysteriously, nothing was found.

Jaanvi inhaled a deep breath and punched in the codes for the back door. Her hands were shaking all the time, thinking of different possibilities. What if the numbers didn't work?

Surprisingly, when the gate opened, Jaanvi was the first to feel the skip in her heartbeat. She did it.

With great difficulty, both Jaanvi and that mysterious man managed to escape the drug rehabilitation centre. Jaanvi still could not believe her eyes. It felt like a dream which was far from reality. When she stepped out, she felt as though she was floating in the sky.

"You okay?" the guy next to her asked. For once, his tone did not scare her. He seemed a little eased-out when he was out from that place too.

"Yeah.... I just can't believe we did it. Come on, we have to get a bit far. This place is deserted and I am sure someone will let them know if they see us in this uniform. Gosh, you should have gotten a blanket like me. You could have at least covered yourself." Jaanvi alerted him, making him walked quickly.

He smiled at her and nodded thoughtfully.

"You are smart..." he commented out of the blue, making her turn around.

She pointed at herself and blinked cluelessly. "You talking about me?" she asked, making that guy laugh loudly.

"Shit sherlock! I was talking about the ghost behind you." He mocked and Jaanvi roll her eyes. She did not want to comment or crack jokes with him. Honestly, she did not even feel like laughing. Her heart was full of miseries that even the 'escape' didn't make her feel better.

She walked sceptically, thinking about her next destination. She could not go to her house now. Her father might probably report her back to the police. If she goes to meet Arjun, then there were higher chances of her getting in trouble too. Dev was the only option. But being a detective himself, he would definitely stay more loyal to the intelligence than her. Where could she go?

"Come on, don't think so hard and pressure your pretty brain. We could spend the night in this park and head to the town that side in the morning. I have some money with me. We could head to the dressing shop and change ourselves before parting ways." He explained as though he was talking to a kid.

For now, Jaanvi had no choice but to listen to him. She nodded and casually walked behind him. For some reason, his way of walking and talking were all so dreamy. It didn't fit well with his character at all. He just gave her some mysterious vibe. Was he even trust-worthy?

But again, she was in no position to judge others. Even if he was a bad person, she had no choice but to stick with him now. If she walked alone now, she was sure that she would get caught in no time.

"Why did you do drugs?" Jaanvi randomly questioned and that guy stoned in his place. He stopped walking and just gazed at the pitch darkness in front of him. Jaanvi stopped in her tracks and bit her lips tightly. Did she ask the wrong question? Oops...

"I am sorry-"

"Just took them for fun! My friends bullied me and challenged me to try it. They said I would be a pussy if I didn't do it. So, I took up the challenge. Now, I am just too addicted. I honestly miss it." He suddenly answered, making Jaanvi breath hitch.

"Oh... okay."

Jaanvi suddenly walked infront, thinking about a way out. Her senses were all alert and she didn't trust this guy at all. He looked like he escaped to do drugs again. She suddenly wanted to get away from him.

"So, what's next?" the man suddenly asked, jerking her from her thoughts. Jaanvi looked at him and sensed something off. He just looked too mysterious to be around with.

"What?" Jaanvi replied again

"Do you know where you are heading to?" he asked and Jaanvi scrutinised her gaze at him.

"That's none of your business. I think we should split up now. You are free to go anywhere you want. Don't follow me." she spat and walked away.

Seeing her walk, the man quietly followed behind her. Few meters away, Jaanvi was still walking in the woods blankly. She felt his presence behind and decided not to respond to him. She would just move forward and find a way to deal with her life. She didn't need a creepy stalker behind.

"Hey you! That's the way to the forest. There's no roads there. You want to come back here or die in that jungle?" the man's voice suddenly stopped her from going further.

Jaanvi sighed and turned around to look at him.

"Can't you just leave me and go?" she grunted and the guy's eyes widened in shock

"Excuse me, I was trying to help you. I thought you were my partner in crime and I could help you a bit. But looks like you want to be dead for good. Fine!" He clicked his tongue and turned around to walk

Jaanvi looked at his retreating form and blinked. Okay, maybe she was overreacting for nothing He seemed harmless or that's what she thought. Apart from him, she had no one to trust either.

When she walked out from the forest path, she was shocked to see a lane which led them to the streets. The mysterious guy just walked infront as though he owned the street. A lone street to be exact. No one was there, except a small mountain-hunch decorating the roads left and right

She slowly started following when she realised that her heart was conflicting. She quickly stopped and looked ahead. Where is she going to go?

These were the times, she didn't know how to handle anything. Her head was not in a good place and she felt like she was going to have an emotional breakdown. She needed to clear her head before walking further.

"Hey there! How about you go first. I need a break." Her voice almost broke when she screamed out to him.

That man infront her just stopped and turned around. He still had his scary looks etched on his face when he walked towards her. All of the sudden, Jaanvi just held her breath. He just looked like he could slit her neck anytime. He was that unpredictable.

"Tired?" he asked and Jaanvi resisted to roll her eyes

"Yeap, I think so. You could go ahead if you want." She said softly and watched how his jaw ticked.

"And then leave you to get caught? So that you could get me trapped as well?" he snapped, making Jaanvi flinch in shock. Oh well, so that's why he was around her?

She didn't say anything after that. He looked at her from top to bottom, but she didn't have the time to look uneasy. She looked around and decided to take a seat on the grass there. She was just drained and she needed a space for herself. She didn't care what the mysterious man wanted. Yes, he helped her. But that was it.

Apart from that, they had no relation and she didn't want to do anything with him.

Jaanvi looked blankly at her surrounding and just laid back flat on the grass surface. She laid on her back and looked at the dark sky blankly. The heaviness in her heart slowly dissolved in the quiet serenity. She saw how the dark sky had no stars or moon to enlighten them.

It was just pitch black like a reflection of her life. Jaanvi always felt that this way when she looked at the sky. It always reflected her mood, life or something that was closer to the truth of who she was. She wondered, if there were people who were actually present there, perhaps sensing the fragility of Earth and the creations here. All the time she looked up, she couldn't help but wonder about the universe beyond the sky.

That's when she sensed the space next to her being occupied. Her eyes widened and she slowly turned to her left. There he was... being an absolute burden in her life.

That unknown man had shifted and laid down next to her too. If people walked past, they would definitely consider them a couple. Jaanvi was too tired to care about other's thoughts at this moment. She just wanted to relish that fresh air.

"Why did you escape so many times?" he asked and Jaanvi inhaled a deep breath. She hated when others intruded her lonely-moments.

"I hated being locked up inside. Made me feel claustrophobic."

"Shit Sherlock! How the fuck do you think others are feeling then?" he mocked, earning a distasteful reaction from her.

She slowly turned back and looked at the sky again. The chilling quietness soothed her soul. How much she missed, looking at the night sky.

A small chuckle left her lips when she felt the wind blowing her hair, making it caress her slender neck. She was tickled and she ended up smiling.

When she sensed an intruder's eyes on her, she stopped smiling and turned towards him. This time, his dark hair was brushed upwards, revealing more of his facial features. And this time, she managed to take a glimpse of his eye colour. One glance of those blue eyes, told her a lifetime of struggles that could never be put into words. Oh boy, he was truly a handsome man.

His intense eyes drank up her face in one look. His full lips and luscious eyebrows added to the rugged looks which he naturally pulled off. Uff... Those eyes...

Brushing her thoughts away, she shook her head again and glared at him. This was not the time to appreciate anyone's looks.

"What are you looking at?" she huffed.

"What plan were you making, while staring at that sky?" he asked, making her chortle in sarcasm.

"I was making a plan to murder you and then steal a few houses on my way. That way, I could become a mafia and lead the underworld criminals. Sounds good, right?" she teased, making his lips curve sideways.

Somehow, Jaanvi was not liking the smile of his. It was too attractive and misleading. It made her heart feel things for real. Jeez, snap out. It was almost as if he was dangerous and attractive at the same time. Why didn't she see him in the centre before?

"You are a funny shithead." he chuckled and looked at the sky. Somehow, his face looked peaceful when he was staring at the sky. He seemed to be enjoying the view with her.

"Why did you escape?" she found herself asking that man who had his eyebrows raised.

"To do drugs again. What else?" he scoffed and Jaanvi's heart clenched

"Oh..." she did not know what to reply for that.

"Isn't that the same reason you escaped too?" he asked and her heart skipped a beat. How dare he? This time, his voice was rough and had an edginess to it, which made her fear him.

"No, that's not my reason. I wanted to see my family. I missed them." She didn't know why she was telling him that. She felt offended that he thought that she was there for drugs.

Suddenly that man next to her laughed like he had heard the funniest joke alive. This time, his intense eyes connected with hers.

"Family? What makes you think that they would want to see you?" he laughed harder, making Jaanvi's nightmare come alive. That was her largest fear, and this guy was literally peeling it like a banana skin.

"Shut up!" she gulped and faced away. Her heart thudded faster and she started to panic.

"Don't you think you're a little stupid for that?" he said and anger rose in her heart. Although he was being creepy, something stopped her from answering back.

Her sixth sense.

She sensed danger from this guy. Something about his tone wasn't right. It was scary and treacherous.

"I am not stupid.... I helped you to escape. Without me, you wouldn't even be here."

"Well, I agree. For a girl who knows how to wrap a blanket to save her identity, you still lacked EQ to trust a guy like me at this hour." His voice was low as he slowly pushed himself off the grass, and balanced himself on his elbow.

His head rested on his palm and he slowly moved forward to her. Jaanvi stayed like a statue. She already sensed his change. He was up to no good and the worst part was, he was actually speaking sense.

"I was desperate to leave the cell. I had no choice." she whispered almost inaudible.

"What if I had killed you? Do you think it was a wise decision to trust me?" he asked and her eyes widened. His fingers came forward and stroked her cheeks tenderly. Jaanvi froze, but she did not attempt to move his hands away.

"If you had wanted to kill, you would have done that by now, right?" She still argued. Her voice didn't waver. The man's lips twitched and she could see that he was impressed. For some reason, she was pleased that he was impressed. She didn't want to let him know that he was actually scaring her.

"Come on, don't deny the truths, lady. A girl like you....coming from the rehabilitation centre at night with a guy like me? Do you think anyone would buy that? Do you think I would just let you go easily? What were you thinking when you left with me, pretty girl?" suddenly he sounded dangerous and Jaanvi couldn't predict what he was about.

Suddenly she felt stupid. Completely dumb. Yes, he was night. What was she thinking when she left with him? He could have abducted her, raped her or given her drugs to work under slavery. He could have done anything....

But when she looked at him again, she just felt normal. Something inside voiced out that he wouldn't harm her. Despite the dangerous aura that was coming from him, she still felt protected. She was confused at her own self. One time, she was scared and another time, she was ready to face anything. Gosh, wake up Jaanvi.

"I don't really care who wants me. I just want out..." Jaanvi's eyes were pleading for mercy.

"Hmm, interesting. So, what do I do with you now?" He hissed and tilted his head to his left as though he was in deep thoughts.

Jaanvi regretted lying down on the grass now. His proximity was too disturbing and it was actually making her feel intimidated. She did not know how to handle his strong personality. The flickering looks in his eyes caged her like a freaking statue.

She had been around several guards in the rehabilitation centre. But not even once, she felt intimidated like this. She never ever felt so vulnerable under a man's gaze in her life. Jaanvi knew she was stronger than this. But what happened now?

"What do you want?" she asked, fearing his answer for the first time.

"What do I want? Good question... " he laughed again and this time, she felt chilling vibes crawling up her spine. Her entire body froze and broke into cold sweats. She wetted her lips and looked to her sides to see if there was anyone following them.

When she saw the road deserted alone, she decided to turn towards the devil again.

"W-who are you?" she asked and the guy immediately stopped laughing.

He looked down at her and smiled widely. His smile was wide and deep as though it was coming deep down from his heart. His smile reached his eyes, causing a dimple to form on his cheek.

"Vikram... Dr Vikram Krishna."

****************

Okay, I don't know if it was expected.

I need to see more comments.