After the unanticipated visit from the person she wished never to see, Anya could not hold her emotions within her. Her tears were not for the present event but for the months that had tested her time and again. She was aware her life was no fairy tale what she was not aware of was it became a maze of frightening events, coming out of which was difficult if not impossible. Wake up every day she hoped for a better day but each day brought new challenges and fear. Recently, She had been tackling them without a shoulder to cry on. In the past month and a half, she was a closed book. No one was informed of her thoughts, fears and health. When things became difficult she could not talk about anything else but slowly that reduced and eventually she could not talk about it. She became more and more reserve and people seemed more and more distant. An introvert that she was, never objected to it. Not knowing that she was a human being whose features did not allow her to survive alone. A feature which indicated that a human must not be arrogant in thinking he was sufficient. A feature Anya had always denied.

A knock on the door announced the arrival of a guest. She had her head rested on her knees and wished not to move but moved when she heard her cousin's voice. A sudden realisation crept in her mind. Wiping her tears she stood up and opened the door to find two of her cousins standing in front. She ushered them in and closed the door again with all the security she had available.

"What is happening?" Anya asked for an explanation.

"Your rara came and told me Aman was coming here." Dia started. Anya looked at her younger cousin for further information to which he did not delay. "It was my fault. He heard me talking to her last night. Turned out, he is keeping an eye on us. You too."

"Why? And he knows everything  now?"

"No. His ears could only gather that you helped her. Nothing much. It can be easily taken for a mistake in hearing but he was paranoid already. I managed to send him home without any action last night and planned to come here immediately in the morning."

"You should have called me. We could have done some arrangements. And what happened in the morning?"

"I did not think he would do something that stupid. Anyway, I woke up and got ready to come here but before doing so I called him to check what he was up to. He told me his plan for raiding your house. I woke my father and told him his plan excluding the part I was involved in. Dad went there and I came here. It did not occur to me to call you and when it did I had left the house and my phone in my room. So, I rushed here as fast as I could. We were lucky as dad could stop him for a while. Upon telling her the situation she told me there was an empty flat in the building and the keys here. We went there to hide. Rest you fill in. I saw him and dad leave through the window some time ago. What did he do?"

"He wanted to see the house to check whether she was here or not."

"Did he check?" Asked Aman's impatient wife.

"No. Your father did and your husband made him make a video which he saw. I did not allow him in the house, so video."

"That is good, " said Rara. " I wish I could stop him from entering our house, too. If he wasn't her husband I would have never entertained him."

"You all the entertained him which caused the whole problem," Anya said," Anyway, he won't be quiet now. We all must be careful. Our carelessness has caused all this. Did you say he is keeping an eye on us? That day probably he was following me. Jerk! Can I complain against him?"

"You can." replied the young man. "Nothing will work. His father is not going to let anything or anyone ruin his goal. Don't mess with a politician about to win elections."

Anya rested her head back at the headrest.  She was sitting between her two cousins on the sofa. It was quiet for some time. They allowed themselves to be isolated with their thoughts. Only the wall clock made the noise. Standing up in a rush Anya announced, "I am going to sleep."

"Sleep?" Dia asked.

"I am tired. I am going to sleep until this problem is solved. You both should sleep too. He will be calm for a while so let's sleep while we can."

They thought it was her stress talking but she did what she said. She went to her room and did not come back. She seemed to be lying down but when checked she was fast asleep. Dia was alone after her brother left. Anya continued her sleep for the next three hours. When she woke up it was ten past twelve. Dia was sitting alone in the living room and Anya came out rubbing her eyes. "Did he do anything?"

"Dad dropped him home and no news since then."

"Good. We must be careful. He is keeping an eye on us."

"At that moment I wanted to yell at him, at her and at everyone!" Samar leaned back in his chair, knowing it would be a long hour. "Why should we be careful? Why should we do anything? We are not wrong. We did not hurt anyone and yet we must be careful? Why? I don't know if I deserve this but Anya di definitely does not. I feel a burden already and his actions are just too much. I really wanted to go and tell him the truth when I saw her sleeping. One thing I have noticed, whenever she is upset she is sleeping. When she is happy she is active. Every time we had a problem she was sleeping for hours. At first, I used to get angry. I cannot sleep if I am worried and she sleeps."

"Everyone has a different coping mechanism. She sleeps and you don't. It's just her way of dealing with things."

"You don't have to get defensive. I am not criticising. I am telling you I know she sleeps when she is worried. Do you know that?"

He smiled, "I did not know there was a competition between us. Did he do anything after that?"

"No. No one heard from him since. He is so bad! I want to hit him so bad! I really want to harm him."

"Do not do that. He has money and power. You have nothing. You cannot get out of it as he did."

"I wish I had money or power! Actually, money is power. I have seen that. I really wish I had money."

"If money makes you like him, then you are better without it. Anya is still sleeping a lot?"

"A lot. A lot, a lot, a lot. She is often on the sofa or on the bed whenever she is at home. If she is not sleeping then she is using her phone but she is lying somewhere. It seems likes she hasn't sat straight in weeks. It makes me so sad and so angry! I hate him so much! Now more than ever. How is that even possible?"

"We tolerate everything for ourselves but we cannot see our loved ones suffer."

"Yeah! She is right, he is a jerk. If I ever see him I will hit him so hard."

"You are becoming like"

"Don't say him! I will walk out of here!"

"I was going to say like Anya. She is violent not like your husband though." Dia looked down and shrunken her shoulders. "From your experience you know if a place is suffocating the best thing to do is to leave that place. Similarly, if this situation is suffocating you then you much leave."

"You mean I should leave Mumbai and hide somewhere else?"

"No, no. I mean if you are stressed with this situation then change it. Come out and say you want to leave him. Take a divorce and live freely."

"You think I don't want to do that? I cannot wait for that day."

"Then do it. I know it is not easy but what else will change the situation? Would you like to leave this city or maybe this country and start a whole new life? Can you live far from your family or the place you lived your whole life? And most of all can you live with the constant fear of getting caught? If yes, then go ahead and do that. I support it. But I don't think Aman is that dangerous. He is not that smart to be dangerous. People like him make noise and nothing else. Think about it. I would really like you to face your fears but if you cannot then find a way. This situation is surely not agreeable to you. Don't live like that then."

After being silent for some time Dia, still looking at her fingers, said, "some times I think it would have been easier to leave him before I did this. Now, I have troubled him more than he would like. He was not angry then. Few refusals and then a difficult divorce, free life. My fear to face him made me run and now I don't know how to go back. I can never go back to my normal life. This is my normal now. People have a different view of me. And I have troubled a family which has everything that can ruin me. I really made them angry. How will I escape from this? I really should have not left my house."

"And live the same terrible life?"

"It had fewer worries."

"And more bruises." He was silent for some time before saying," Do one thing, make a list of things you were worried about then and the things that worry you now. Also, make a list of things that make you happy now and which made you happy then. Why not now? I have a pen and paper."

Dia was engrossed in the list while Samar was talking to his worried mother. Both unaware that Anya was walking towards the building, intending to meet Samar. She was walking slowly and calmly lost in her own world when she sensed an observer. She looked to her right and saw nothing but a tree. She was not satisfied but kept walking. After five minutes she sensed it again. She looked around and nothing. She walked as fast as possible and hid behind a car. She did not a move and quietly stayed in the same place for ten minutes. Giving up she was about to resume her walk when suddenly Aman walked past her. Her first instinct was to hide in fear but a gush of anger took over her and she confidently walked to him.

"What the hell do you think you are doing here? Why are you following me!"

"You are very rude."

"People like you deserve that. Why are you following me?"

"I am not following you. I have better things to do."

"Like beating, torturing and sinning?"

"Taunting and always insulting. You call yourself a woman?"

"At least I don't pretend to be a man which you definitely aren't!"

"You!" Aman walked closer to her and just then she lifted her head higher.

"Sir!" A voice interrupted them.

Anya turned around to look at the voice immediately. It was the known policeman. "Why don't you come here?" He managed to pull Aman away. "Don't mess with her. Voting is next week. If you create a scene your father will not be pleased. Handle her later. Don't be impatient now." He kept talking for some more time and convinced him to go home. Anya watched their every move with suspicion. They were two people she disliked the most. One for multiple reasons and the other one because he talked to Samar. At that moment she did not know who was first on the list but they were the toppers.

When Aman left the policeman looked at Anya. She held a steady gaze at him. When he looked at her even then she did not remove it. He looked away after a moment, feeling uncomfortable. She refused to remove her gaze from him. Becoming more and more uncomfortable with each passing second he left the place but Anya followed him through her eyes until there was nothing to see. Then she continued walking. In ten minutes she was smiling at the receptionist which lasted only for a moment. She sat in the waiting area, trying on control her eyes this time. Her eyes unknowingly turned towards the receptionist frequently. She did not wish to get noticed so she was keeping her eyes in control which did not wish to follow her orders. Without her knowledge, her eyes were on her again. After some time, Anya got fed up by herself and her eyes. And she was angry at Samar, she didn't know why. She was lucky as she did not have to deal with it for long as soon the door opened and Dia came out of the room.

"Dia, when did you come here?" Anya was surprised to see her cousin.

"Hi! What at you doing here? You found out I was here?"

"No. If you are done then go home. we should not be seen together. I will come home soon." Anya whispered to Dia. The younger one followed the advice and went home, and the elder one watched her leave in an auto-rickshaw before entering the room. Samar welcomed her with a big smile to which she did not reciprocate. She sat in the chair for five minutes and said nothing. Samar did not disturb her as she seemed to have a lengthy discussion within.

"What is it? Want to talk about something? I am not so bad of a listener." She maintained her silence and posture. He gave her some time before saying, "Anya? You are making me worried. What happened?"

"Nothing. I will go home. I am tired."

"Anya." He could not make her stay. She came like a wind and was gone in a moment. The wind was stormy and sudden which affected Samar. His mind had only one person on mind including various questions. With his brother's sudden change of behaviour and his wish to declare his feelings he was stressed for many weeks which no one had taken notice of. He was lost in his thoughts when a visitor announced his arrival by a knock on the door.

"Hi." Samar was surprised to see his friend.

"I think your lady knows something. I saw her," He paused to choose a correct word, "talking to Aman and when I got rid of him she looked at me as if she was accusing me of something. I am pretty sure she knows something about me. Maybe my involvement with Aman or something."

"She was disturbed. Did you talk to her?"

"No. She communicated with her eyes though. Does she know you are my friend?"

"I highly doubt. But how does that matter? We are not exchanging national secrets. We were keeping a track of Aman and Dia to make sure they don't cross paths."

"I did nothing. I deceived him a little but he still caused problems and I gave you some information about him and his family. That's it! I am not in this."

"You were following Anya."

"I was in charge of Dia's case and she seemed suspicious. Anyway, I was saying I hope she doesn't misunderstand you. She seems capable of breaking your little heart." Samar looked puzzled by his remark which made him roll his eyes."I hope you won't pretend to be innocent. A kid can tell you are in love with her. The way you talk about her it's like a kid talking about chocolates."

Samar narrowed his eyes, "I don't talk like I would eat her."

"You get offensive real quick." Samar raised his hands in the air as a response. "I didn't mean that. But stay careful. You have hidden a few things from her which will create misunderstandings. You have high chances of getting dragged into this and beaten for no good reason."

Samar heard him and waved the topic, as he was sure nothing like that would happen. He was sure Anya would never find out about it and when she does, she would appreciate it, not knowing she was aware of his involvement and was waiting for his confession to react. How? She didn't know either.