Abhedya was still trying to sink in what Swarnima wished. His heart and mind were debating. It was then he closely observed her room. It was a medium-sized room. Not too big not too small just perfectly cosy. Her bedsheet was a plain white one with two very fluffy pillows. Reading lights on both sides. Plain curtains, a doormat with strips, a small closet she wears same clothes her regular t-shirts and jeans they would fit on a single shelf. A dressing table with a moisturiser, face cream, comb, hairbrush, hair oil. That's it! Haha! Girls have their dressing loaded with makeup... she doesn't have anything? Must be hidden. To divert his mind Abhedya got the files, hard disk and laptop in Swarnima's room and sat on the bed.

He went to the kitchen to get himself something to drink but just milk? No soft drink, cola, nothing. How does this girl survive? Abhedya thought. So, he came back to the room inserted the hard disk and hit run the programme. He went through it for an hour, when he decided to take a break and explore the room. Abhedya was curious to find something that would help him solve the mystery Swarnima is. How could one survive in such extreme conditions?

He went inside her bathroom. It was sparkling clean. The floor tiles and wall tiles shined. The fruity smell of orange and lemon hit his nose and he remembered Swarnima smelled fruity. Though they haven't been physically close enough. The thought of going that close to her brought a red hue on his face. He saw his face in the mirror and it was then something seemed different to him.
He did the mirror check and found it was a two-way mirror. He removed the mirror from the wall and found a picture. A picture of Swarnima's family, his family and Maan's family. It was the same picture he gifted her, he knew because he had made a heart on it with Swarnima and himself in it. It was probably one of the last pictures they had together.
Fond memories!!
Best time.
He took the picture with him. It was laminated to protect it from any damage which means she also considered it precious. There was nothing from the past in her house except for this picture which was his gift. Does this mean he holds a special place in her life?
'You idiot! I told you, you do and she still rules ME accept it.' Abhedya's heart was shouting.
'She may feel for him but he cannot reciprocate her feelings. She is not his type.' His brain argued.
'His type? She is tailor-made for him.' Abhedya's heart rests on his case.
'She cannot be anybody's type. She is still hanging on to her sorry past, those baseless rules she follows. She needs help and as an acquaintance, what her parents have done you should help her.' Abhedya's mind suggested.
Abhedya found his brain's argument logical but the picture in his hand was messing with his decision.
So, he again jumped on the bed and started working. The programmes seemed logically and analytically correct. The girl had indeed put in a lot of effort. The sorting criteria were perfect. The commands were easy and the programme was user friendly and interactive. Still, a proper design and its security were to be planned.
Abhedya was highly impressed. Swarnima was intelligent and put her knowledge to use. No doubt his father wanted her to work for him.

After two hours Swarnima entered her house and didn't find Abhedya. She thought he must have gone. So, she came to her room and found the cutest and the dreamiest site in front of her. Abhedya was sleeping with a laptop in his hand and his head tilted to the left. He looked oh! So adorable.
'Adorable? Sexy! That is what you mean Nim. At least don't lie to yourself.' Swarnima's heart scolded her and a smile came on her face.
The hair that came on his forehead were telling Swarnima to put them in their right place. Swarnima's hands were shivering but her resistance gave up and her hand slowly reached his forehead when he opened his eyes.
Time stopped!
Swarnima's hand a millimetre away from touching his forehead.
His eyes captured in her spell.
Only heartbeats could be heard. After a minute Swarnima's hand reached its place without achieving its motive. Abhedya also cleared his throat and asked, "done with today's class?"

Swarnima nodded in a yes.
"The programme was good. The sorting criteria look correct too. I still have to check though." Abhedya told her.

"Yes, please take your time. It has to be flawless." Swarnima replied and went to the bathroom with her khadi Kurti and pants.

She came back after changing and held Abhedya's collar and asked, "with whose permission you took out the photograph?"

Abhedya was startled by her sudden attack. He knew it was incorrect to invade someone's private space. "Ummm... I needed to use the bathroom so I went, found the mirror was a two-way one which could be you know... scam! So, I removed it and found the picture. So, just took it. Fond memories!" Abhedya tried his level best to sound convincing and cute.

Swarnima left his collar and said, "after finding everything is normal you should have kept it back."

"Why have you hidden it there? Is the bathroom a place to keep such beautiful things? It should be hanged in some frame." Abhedya was amused at the place he found the photograph.

Swarnima looked at him for a few seconds and said, "please give it back. That's the best place for it."

"I won't give! It was a gift from me and I will get it framed and re-gift it to you." Abhedya told her.

"Nooooo!! Swear on me or Swear on the person most important to you that you will never tell anyone that I have a picture. Please. Please I beg you please." Swarnima who was always tough was looking so helpless and vulnerable. And she started to look for the picture like a lunatic.

"Hey! Relax! What's wrong? It's here." Abhedya showed the picture.

Swarnima took a sigh of relief and hugged the picture tight. She hid it at the same place. Abhedya followed her and was clueless about her weird behaviour. Swarnima touched the mirror a couple of times before stepping out when Abhedya blocked her and demanded, "explain. No twisting."

"I don't owe you any explanations." Swarnima ducked from under his hand and went out of the room when Abhedya pulled her from her hand and corrected her, "oh yes do! You owe me everything."

Abhedya was dead serious with his question but this time Swarnima was too. "I do not owe you any explanations. I am sorry I trusted you with leaving my entire house. I had no idea you were going to carry on a search operation." She struggled to release her hand but Abhedya had an iron grip. The more Swarnima struggled the more Abhedya tightened his grip. Abhedya knew he had won the battle because Swarnima was not strong enough free herself. And "aaaooooo!!" Came from Abhedya's mouth. Swarnima tangled her knees with his in a way that Abhedya was on his knees almost in front of her.

"Don't you dare do that again?" Swarnima warned him.

Abhedya got up and declared, "the war is on! Five-point round if I win you tell me the reason if you win I will never ask ."

"Fine! Follow me!" Swarnima pushed on the elevator and got in. Abhedya steeped in.
It stopped at a floor above Swarnima's apartment.

The apartment was the same size as Swarnima's except that it was a huge hall without any rooms. It had a boxing ring. Wrestling mats, gym equipment and a mini basketball court.

"Woaaaa!! What's this? The princess has her luxuries hidden." Abhedya commented.

"Luxuries? If you think so. Anyways, here go get changed. The men's room is that side." Swarnima informed him and gave him a set of sportswear.

"Who else comes here that you have separate rooms?" Abhedya was not only curious somewhere jealous too.

"My trainers. who else?" Swarnima took her change and went to the ladies.

"You take 15 minutes to change?" Swarnima asked Abhedya.

Abhedya did not reply. He was captivated by the warrior in front of him. Wearing a black tank top with black joggers Swarnima looked every bit hot and sexy.

'Abhey, accept your defeat. You cannot fight such a sexy girl.' Abhedya's heart warned him.
'For once I agree. She looks so tempting. Abhey you are going to lose the war before fighting.' His brain agreed.
'I always knew she was hot. Abhey control your desires there are mirrors and it's visible.' His heartfelt is embarrassed of its owner.
Abhedya turned around and put his hand on his desires. When his brain applied logic and said 'hey this is cheating. It's a trap. Honey trap. You can never fight a sexy girl. She knows she cannot otherwise win.'

"And this is not an act of inviting attention?" Abhedya again listened to his brain and questioned.

"Sorry? What?" Swarnima could not understand.

Abhedya came close to Swarnima turned her to the mirror and trailed his finger down the length of her arm and said, "this. Looking all hot and sexy and coming to fight? So that opponent loses even before the game starts? Super tactic."

The sensations Swarnima felt at the touch of his fingers were gone by his comments.

"Five minutes." Swarnima went to the elevator and after exactly five minutes came wearing a knee-length Kurti over the joggers.

"Mr. opponent I hope these clothes do not come under the category of 'strategised clothing'. You choose to wear shorts and Ganji and me wearing joggers and a tank top is inappropriate?? Now, stop making excuses." Swarnima registered her anger.

'Abhey! She looks even hotter in that Kurti. Does she not know that ethnic clothing makes a girl more desirable? But first, apologise for your pervert thoughts and behaviour.' Abhedya's heart suggested him.

"Sorry! It came out that way. I didn't mean to say that." Abhedya was saying when Swarnima cut him and said, "I know the sequence. Now, you choose two forte of yours I choose two of mine. The final one will be a knock out round. Agreed?"

Abhedya had no clue what she was saying how was he going to fight? He blankly nodded his head.

Asking his brain to take over and his heart to rest he said, "ladies first."

Swarnima stated, "fine! Plank pose till one gives up."

Both of them spread the yoga mats and after deep breathing came to a plank pose. Three minutes passed and none gave up. At the fourth minute Abhedya's legs shivered and he fell flat on the floor. Swarnima rejoiced at her victory. She held her hand for support to Abhedya to get up, when he pulled her down on him. She quickly rolled beside and whispered, "there are cameras! Stop!"
"So, if there weren't it was okay?" Abhedya winked and got up. His brain gave him the idea that if the opponent cannot be defeated divert their attention. And his flirty remark got Swarnima thinking.

"So, my turn! Treadmill. Incline 4.5, speed 7. Same rules whoever gives up first." Abhedya explained.

They set the treadmill and started. After only fifteen minutes Swarnima gave up and sat there panting heavily. Abhedya did his happy dance and thought at least he didn't lose 5-0.
When he realised Swarnima was breathing heavily. 'Damn she has asthma. Fool Abhey! You should have known.'

"Here have water. Are you okay?" Abhedya asked with concern and guilt. "You should have reminded me about your problem. But No! Your ego won't let you! Now see you have spoiled your health." Abhedya wiped the sweat on her forehead.

After taking in few breaths Swarnima said in a low voice, "I am fine! Next round?"

"You know what? I accept my defeat because you won't! If you fall ill everyone will blame me." He came close to her and whispered, "don't tell me anything that happens or has happened. Who am I to you?"

He got up and went to change in the men's room. Swarnima also changed.
They both stepped out at the same time and Abhedya pressed the elevator. He was angry. Very very angry. The girl standing next to him was stubborn, foolish, egoistic, self-centred... Okay, not self-centred but someone who has decided to not open up to others at any cost.

They reached her apartment and Abhedya went to her room and started working on the project...

Swarnima smiled seeing his face. He is a child in a grown-up body. 'Child! A child who just sent shivers to you?' Her heart teased. She ignored her heart and went to the kitchen and made coffee for bin front.

She put the glass infront of him. He didn't respond. Why is he so difficult. Swarnima thought. So, she put away the laptop and dragged him out of the room.

"Now will throw me out of the room?" Abhedya asked.

Swarnima smiled and said, "can I do that? You know till date no one except Nandini masi has entered my room. But you are an exception. You self invited yourself and self invitees don't go so easily. Do they?"

Abhedya pulled her other hand and confirmed looking in her eyes, "they don't! And I never have and never will require any invitation. When it concerns you I have the sole authority. Do you get that?"

The authority with which Abhedya spoke gave Swarnima goosebumps. She could see her Aby who always wanted to be her whole and sole. So, bewitched by past memories and Abhedya's words she just nodded.
Abhedya left her hand with a jerk. Swarnima rubbed her hand and in a requesting tone asked, "sorry! For being so secretive. I cannot tell you the secret behind the picture, now, but would you like to see the cupboard tagged with your name?"
Abhedya and Swarnima are fighting so much but they surely are going to stay in each other's life. Just like Tom and Jerry!
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Dear Readers,
I hope you liked the above chapter.
The secret of photograph shall be revealed later on in the story.
But the next chapter will reveal the secret to the mystery cupboard.
Also, three rounds to decide the better warrior are still left.
Stay hooked!
Lots of love