The morning light found Abhimanyu tangled in the sheets, another nameless woman by his side. He wasn't driven by lust. No, this was a calculated exchange, a sacrifice at the altar of financial security. But Abhimanyu's path to acquire it was a twisted one. Unacceptable, really. Yet, there was no one to guide him, no voice to whisper the difference between right and wrong.

Unlike his early start yesterday, Abhimanyu woke up running late. The same dream lingered in his mind – a vision of breath-taking beauty. Though her face remained elusive, he felt her ethereal presence, a celestial being descended from the heavens. Like a heavenly maiden that she was in his eyes.

It was around eleven o'clock in the morning when Abhimanyu crawled out of bed and headed for the shower. Gambling was one reason for his eagerness, of course, but desperation played a bigger role now. He craved not just the game, but also the banter between Roop and Raghav – a taste he wouldn't miss after experiencing it.

Emerging from the shower, he dismissed the woman (though "scram" might have been closer to his actual words). He then set off towards the elementary school. The bustling street buzzed with activity: people working, some casting him curious glances as they gossiped (about Abhimanyu, as was previously mentioned). A tarnished reputation, as we know, invites chatter. Abhimanyu, however, remained unconcerned.

Reaching the school gate, he found a few children playing marbles right by the entrance. Confusion clouded his face as he pulled the gate open. The children stared back, initially frightened. Abhimanyu was a tall, well-built man with a beard (and the scar on his lips was not helping), a combination that could come across as intimidating. Ignoring them, he continued towards his usual gambling spot. There, to his shock, he found everything in disarray and Raghav gone.

As he stared at the truck unloading near the school building in confusion, Abhimanyu noticed few people there: an old lady in a wheelchair, a policeman, and Sakhee, Roop's friend who had come by yesterday to bring Roop back. He wanted to ask what exactly was going on, but he wasn't sure who to ask.

A small voice startled Abhimanyu. "Are you with those bad men from earlier?" he heard, followed by a tug on his track pants. He looked down to see a little girl, probably six or seven years old, staring at him fearlessly. Abhimanyu was surprised by her lack of fear. He had seen fearless eyes before – Roop had them – but it was rare to see such courage in a child so young.

"What happened to those men?" Abhimanyu asked. Before the girl could reply, Roop whisked her away from him. Looking at the person who interrupted their conversation, Abhimanyu realized it was Roop, now protectively shielding the girl.

Amused, Abhimanyu smirked. "Oh, it's the foolish woman from yesterday," he mocked. "What did you do to my friends?"

"Friends, huh?" Roop countered. "Some decent friends you have there, lazy man. I know you're not like them, so why hang out with people like that?"

Uninterested in Roop's psychoanalysis, Abhimanyu demanded, "Just tell me where they are."

Roop rolled her eyes. "In their rightful place – prison. Happy?"

"Did you get them arrested? Do you have some connection with the police?" Abhimanyu asked, recalling the officer helping unload the truck earlier.

"It's not your concern," Roop replied firmly. "Just know that what I did was right. These kids deserve this place more than those thugs ever did. I asked them to leave nicely multiple times," she explained. "It's not my fault they left me with no other choice but to use force."

So, this is what Raghav meant when he said this woman was capable of doing something big. This was his definition of "big." Feisty and unconventional, Roop wasn't what Abhimanyu would call "typical." He'd be lying if he said he wasn't impressed. Here was a woman who'd made enemies of all the local thugs in Lucknow for the sake of these kids.

"You're one troublesome woman," Abhimanyu said. Roop scowled at him for a moment.

"Says the one who hangs out with thugs," Roop countered. Abhimanyu smirked, looking down at her. Roop happened to be nearly a foot shorter than him.

Today, she again wore a Patiala suit, a lighter shade of pink with beautiful white embroidery. A bindi adorned her forehead, and kajal rimmed her eyes. She looked like one of the Apsaras, the beautiful dancer-nymphs who resided in God Indra's realm.

"You're quite adamant about considering me the good guy," Abhimanyu commented. "You keep calling my friends thugs, but never call me one yourself."

Roop sighed. "Chand, go help Naani-maa settle her room while I talk to this man and get him out of here," she instructed the little girl peeking at Abhimanyu from behind Roop. Chand was clearly intrigued by Abhimanyu. Perhaps Abhimanyu had just gained a little fan.

Chand emerged from behind Roop, standing in front of Abhimanyu with her hands folded. She looked up at him and spoke, almost like an order, "We will talk later, tall handsome man!" Then, she darted off towards the school building, leaving Abhimanyu staring after her in amusement.

After Chand disappeared inside, Abhimanyu turned back to Roop. "Is she yours?" he commented.

Roop frowned. "What?" she asked in confusion.

"I'm asking if she's your daughter," he clarified.

Roop raised her eyebrows. "Yes," she replied. "All the children here are under my care. And you, Mister, still need to leave."

Ignoring her dismissal for a moment, Abhimanyu pressed on, "You never answered my question from before. Why are you so insistent on calling me the good guy?"

"I'm not trying to portray you as a good guy," Roop clarified, folding her arms across her chest. "I simply know you're not a thug. However, I'm not obligated to answer all your questions. Now, leave."

Abhimanyu sighed. "How about a deal? You get Raghav out of prison, and I promise he won't bother you again."

"That's not in my hands," Roop replied firmly. "No one can simply get someone released."

"Come on! You can't be serious," Abhimanyu retorted, his anger rising. "Weren't you the one who filed the complaint against them?"

This outburst was unusual for Abhimanyu. He rarely raised his voice, preferring a calmer approach. His deep, rough voice, however, resonated clearly in the air.

However, in this situation, Abhimanyu couldn't pinpoint his anger. Was it because his only friend got arrested, or was it the inconvenience of not being able to gamble until Raghav's release?

"Roop? Is everything alright?" The policeman from earlier approached them. He placed a hand on Roop's shoulder, his gaze shifting to Abhimanyu.

"It's all fine, Rishabh," Roop replied to the officer.

"So, you do have connections in the police, 'Foolish woman,'" Abhimanyu commented sarcastically, using air quotes around the nickname.

Rishabh glared at him. "Excuse me?" he said, stepping right in front of Abhimanyu. They weren't exactly eye-to-eye, as Rishabh was a few inches shorter. Compared to Abhimanyu's tall and well-built physique, Rishabh stood at a respectable height of around six feet.

"What?" Abhimanyu responded, a mocking smile lingering on his face.

"What did you call her?" Rishabh demanded, his anger flaring.

"Rishabh, it's alright. Can you please help with arranging the luggage?" Roop intervened, stepping between the two men. Rishabh's eyes, which had been blazing with anger a moment ago, softened as he looked at Roop. His concern for her was evident. Abhimanyu found the entire situation quite entertaining.

"Are you sure you can handle this thug hanging around?" Rishabh questioned, his concern returning.

"I was about to throw him out before you arrived, Rishabh," Roop replied. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Rishabh nodded, his glare lingering on Abhimanyu before he turned and left.

"You're surrounded by some interesting characters, Foolish woman," Abhimanyu drawled sarcastically.

"Speak for yourself, lazy man," Roop retorted. "Though to answer your question, I'm afraid I have to burst your bubble. I wasn't the one who filed a complaint. I simply spoke to Rishabh, and he obtained a warrant from the court. I told you and your friends that day – this is government property, not your personal gambling den."

"If you want to get your friends out," Roop continued, "you'll need to find a lawyer and get them bail."

"Lawyer? Do I look like someone who can even afford one?" Abhimanyu scoffed. Roop shrugged indifferently.

"Well then you'll just have to wait till they can arrange lawyers for themselves then. And it might be pretty soon considering Raghu's...resources." Roop said pointedly. Abhimanyu clenched his jaw. She was right, Raghav had more money than he knew what to do with, most of it probably ill-gotten.

Abhimanyu ran a hand through his hair, frustration simmering beneath his cool exterior. "You know you are a big hassle," he commented with a hint of exasperation in his voice.

Roop simply hummed in response, her arms crossed defiantly. "Well, now that you've finished your interrogation," she said, emphasizing each word, "can you please leave? You're scaring the children."

With a disgruntled huff, Abhimanyu shoved his hands into his pockets and turned to leave. The sight of the children playing freely in the open field tugged at a long-dormant part of him. Their carefree laughter echoed a lost melody, a glimpse of a childhood he never had. An unfamiliar warmth spread through him, a yearning for a simpler time, for friends – a concept as alien to him as the open sky above.

He paused, glancing back at Roop, who impatiently tapped her foot, clearly eager for his departure.

"You've made yourself a lot of enemies, Foolish woman," Abhimanyu said, his voice tinged with a complexity that surprised even him. "You'll need that policeman by your side if you want these kids to sleep soundly at night."

Roop scoffed. "I can handle myself, thanks for the unsolicited advice."

Abhimanyu shrugged, a gesture that felt oddly hollow this time. He turned and walked away, the carefree laughter of the children a lingering melody in his ears. Why did he warn her? He wasn't one to get entangled in other people's problems. He'd always prided himself on his ability to walk away from complications. He wasn't worried about Roop, not exactly. But the strange flicker of warmth he felt watching the children play… that was something entirely new. A feeling he couldn't ignore. A feeling he was determined to understand.

♤♤♤

A bunch of kids in my society are so going to heal my broken inner-child. They are the best thing that has happened to me this year >.<

Your love and support is what keeps me going so please do leave a bunch of comments, and don't forget to vote♡