She decides to stay

Raj and Priya spoke to the dean about the stalker .The dean assured her full support and filed a complaint to the college administration formally and promised her that the stalker will be dealt with in accordance with the college policies. Priya felt relieved on hearing this. As they came out of the dean's room Priya noticed her friends walking towards her.

"Shucks" she cursed making Raj stare at her sudden outburst. They were still at the far end of the corridor and hadn't noticed them yet. I still have a chance! She quickly took Raj's hand and exited out of the corridor from the other end.

"Excuse me? What the hell are you doing? If you really wanted to hold my hand , you could have told me in the bathroom dear." He told her nonchalantly.

She turned back to show him what she thought of his ridiculous idea with a huge frown, but now was not the time. She had to ensure she was far away from the purview of her friends.

Once they reached the south gate of her college where Raj had parket his Tesla, she let go his hand. Raj smiled and said " Wow, that was the first instinctive reaction I ever saw from you. Frankly, your "thank yous" were kind of getting on my nerves. Now can you please explain to me why you dragged me out as if you had seen a ghost?" He was still rubbing his wrist where Priya had held him. Priya knew this was to infuriate her further so didn't fall into the bait.

How could Priya tell him the truth that she didn't want her friends to see her with him? That she didn't want them to know that she was a married woman who had stowed away a husband right in Arlington! No way she was going to tell them that. She wanted to finish the rest of the course peacefully and quietly and go back to her country to pursue her career in writing. Wasn't that simple wish to fulfill? Already her plan was falling apart!

"No-...I did not see anything. My class is going to start soon so I thought I will send you off before I go back to my class. That's all. You should leave now." She told him hurriedly.

"Hmmm, OK I will leave. I will pick you up in the evening. Send me a message ok?".

She wanted to tell him that she can go back on her own but she decided against it as she didn't want to bring any more trouble to herself then she was in. So she just nodded.

During the lunch hour she described her previous day ordeal to her friends sans Raj. Sean was extremely concerned with what had happened, he immediately quipped "God, Priya why didn't you call me? I could have come and picked you up. Why did you suffer the whole night in that hole of a house. We have spare bedrooms in our house and my mom has always welcomed the idea of you staying there.Why don't you move into my house? Don't smile. I am really serious," Sean looked really serious indeed.

Priya noticed Anita and Samaira exchange looks at Sean's impassioned speech. They always thought he had a "thing" for her but Priya did think it was not the case. He liked her , she could sense that but nothing beyond friendship she was sure, at least from her side. But the way Sean was reacting to her situation she also began to suspect that he did have more than friendship on his mind.

"Ah thanks Sean for the offer. The dean has agreed to take care of the issue and I would like to give it sometime before I begin to look for another place. Anita, you did say that your roommate is moving out by month end. Any chance I could take her place?", Priya queried Anita.

"Hmm, yes Priya she is moving out but she has already got another friend of hers to move in after she moves out. Really sorry. Let us put up an ad on the college pinup board and see if anybody could help us out? What say?" , she suggested with enthusiasm.

Priya could only sigh and nod. So basically her house problem was not solved but she decided not to give up. She was determined not to stay in Raj's home and she would not give up on it.

By three thirty her classes got over and Sean offered her a drop to her home. She refused vehemently remembering the fact that Raj had specifically asked her to message him .

She told her goodbyes to her friends and decided to go to the library as it was the safest place for her. She was still shaken by yesterday's incident so she decided not to take any chances. As she entered the library she messaged Raj and switched her phone into silent mode before settling down with a book. After what seemed like ages, she wondered why Raj had not called her yet and looked at her phone only to find 10 missed calls from Raj!!!

Realising that her vibrating mode was off she ran out of the library dreading to face Raj. She called him as she ran across the huge playground to reach the south gate. She heard Raj pick up and literally "Where the hell are you? Do you understand what is going on in my mind?? In another five minutes I was about to call the cops!".

That stung Priya. Oh it stung a lot.She looked at her phone and realised that she was just five minutes late.!!Who was he to scream at her the way he did? Yes she missed his call but couldn't he wait for five minutes before imagining the worst?

"S-sorry Raj, Are you at the gate? I will be there in another two minutes" She told him tersely and ended the call. She was brimming with anger which made her face hot and palms sweaty. By the time she reached the gate, she saw Raj waiting, leaning onto the Tesla's door. When their eyes met it was very clear that he was mad at her and she was too! She refused to acknowledge him and stood near the car waiting for Raj to move away from the door. Raj sighed and moved to open the car door for her and once she had settled , he moved to his side and drove on.

When they reached their home , Priya got down from the car in a quick jerky moment and walked quickly to the main door with Raj following her. As Raj opened the door, she quickly moved in when Raj caught her by her hand and said

"Priya, please. Look I am sorry I screamed at you. They were just five minutes for you but for me they were something else!" His voice had a peculiar gruffiness to it which made Priya turn back and look at him which made him turn away as if to avoid her eyes. But he was still holding her hand , the touch sending a frisson into her deep core.

"I have put up an ad on the college pinboard for a house. Do not worry I will leave as soon as something comes up.I do not want to trouble you more than I am doing right now. "

Raj dropped her hand, his face anew with frustration and anger.

"Are you serious? Do you know what you are talking about? You are lucky that the guy did not follow you today, otherwise you wouldn't be home today and those five minutes would have been enough for the guy to do anything. What is wrong if you stay here for just three more months? What is going on in that little head of yours? Tell me!" He roared.

This provoked her to no end and she countered back with equal intensity.

"How can you speak like this? When you clearly know I cannot stay with you. How can we share the house like a normal couple when we clearly are not? What am I going to tell my friends? This is an outrageous idea. Look ,I am really really thankful to you but please don't ask me to stay here."

"Damn you , I am still your husband.In case you have forgotten about it.I still have right to protect you and make sure you are alright.I will not let you go and if you are worried that I will impose myself on you physically like some lecherous male then please take it off your mind. If I was that kind of man, trust me I wouldn't have waited for two years. Female company doesn't always mean the same to me ." He thundered.

Ok calm down .She told herself. She was never into histrionics and she never would be. She needed to make him understand somehow. She simply cannot stay with him. She found it scandalous herself. What would everybody else think? He was still a stranger to her and she knew that she cannot trust him. She never trusted anyone. Her parents themselves felt so remote to her. Why would she bow down to this man? No way! But you trusted him enough to rescue you! Her heart screamed.

She sighed . And suddenly she realised that Raj was watching her while her face was betraying her emotions. For some weird reason her heart started to thump.He was waiting. He was waiting for her answer.She decided that it didn't make any sense for her to argue with him and she didn't have any place to move to as well at least right now. Her friends had not given her any hope on that prospect at least. She let out a deep sigh as if she was tired of everything happening.

"Well"? He queried in a calm voice.

"Can you give me some time to think ?" She asked him in a still calmer voice but inside she was squirming with uncertainty.

Raj looked deep into her eyes and suddenly turned away and said "OK, as you wish"

Priya was utterly confused by his reaction. What was going on in his mind? Wish I could guess! She wondered and said "Thank you" .

She went into her room and closed the door behind her.She could hear his footsteps as he climbed the stairs . By God's grace Raj had informed her by evening that he was going out for dinner and she could make whatever she wanted in the kitchen.

She ate some fruits by eight as her hunger had gone down totally with all the things happening in her life! With dinner done she quickly retired to her room to ensure she didn't encounter Raj again. But deep in her heart Priya did wonder if he had gone on a date perhaps? Well it was none of your business Ms Priya. If he goes on a date or sleeps with other women, it wouldn't bother her. She decided with fierceness and jumped onto the bed to finish up her assignment and didn't know when she slept off or when Raj had come back.

"Priya , are you still asleep? I am leaving for the office.Just wanted to let you know." Raj spoke as he gently knocked on the door of her bedroom.

She sprung from her bed hearing his voice. She quickly replied "I am coming.Please wait".She knew that he wanted her answer now. The truth of the matter was that she hardly gave it a thought. Oh!What should she do?. She quickly brushed her teeth and changed into her jeans and T-shirt and came out.

She saw Raj with a cup of coffee and a paper.Oh the smell was so tempting! She thought as the fresh smell of coffee reached her nose, which made her almost ask him for a cup,but she decided not to overstep the line . So she kept quiet but made enough noise for Raj to look up . He smiled. This was the first time she had actually seen him smile and he looked so charming.She almost smiled back but ended up giving a cold nod instead..She cursed herself for what she did. The man was just smiling at her , she could've at least smiled at him back? Somehow this man made her feel this way.It may be the marriage thing.She told herself.

"Do you want coffee?" He asked her in a cool way .

"Yeah , thanks". She replied.

"Can you make yourself a cup?" He asked her .

Why was he doing this? Maybe to make her feel as if she belonged to this house? Or was he the kind who wants women to be in kitchen? Was she overthinking? Stop!Stop!.It's just a cup of coffee.

She went into the kitchen and Raj followed her. He took a cup for her and poured some milk into it. He brushed past her and got the instant coffee and sugar bottle for her . She suddenly felt as if the kitchen had shrunk into one small mat and there was no room left for them to move around.

She wondered if she could survive with this man for another three months. But she had to make up her mind. At this point she hardly had any options left. The bedsit she took was out of question now.She could sublet it to some other student. But where would she stay? The university dorm was too expensive and her friends' apartments were already full.They may accommodate for a week or so but after a week it would be too much burden on them. She had just enough savings from her part time job and she couldn't afford another apartment for sure. What Raj was offering was like heaven on a silver plate. Any woman would jump and take up the offer. But why was she hesitating.Because she knew it would be not ethical on her part to do so. She never considered Raj as her husband and now to take advantage of him made her feel like a lousy user. But what else could she do? Suddenly she thought of an idea! She just hoped Raj would agree to it.

"Priya ? Where are you lost?" Raj asked her from the sofa.

Priya was startled and then she realised that she must have gone into her own thoughts .

"You have been making your coffee for the past ten minutes. Either you do not know how to make one or there is something else going on in that pretty head of yours" He told her.

She was kind of annoyed by his sarcasm.Why did he always ridicule her like this? She wondered.

She cleared her throat and said " I can perfectly make a cup of coffee .So please banish your doubts on that account. "

He chuckled listening to her petulant voice.

She made her coffee and came to the living room where Raj was .She sat on the sofa across from him with her mug .

She took a sip and spoke in a hesitant voice " I-I was thinking about the offer you made.I am ready to stay here but..."

"But what?" Raj retorted.

"Do you have a housekeeper?" She asked him suddenly.

"I have a WHAT?" Raj asked in an incredulous voice.

"A housekeeper.Who cooks for you? Who takes care of the house?" She asked him again.

"Ok I have no idea where this is going, but my housekeeper Anna comes in every two days and cleans up the house.And cooking I do .I just eat anything which is easy to cook. " He told her.

" I was wondering if you would mind if I did the cooking and took care of the house for these two months or at least till I find another place to stay? I do not want to be a burden on you and I know you wouldn't accept any rent from me.This is the least I could do.My classes end by four in the evening and I would have the whole of the evening to do all this stuff. This is just my way of repaying . And I enjoy cooking and taking care of the house. So it is not as if I would be struggling to do it. Please don't say no. " She told him her piece of mind.

He just looked at her and let out a sigh. She wondered why it seemed so difficult to him.

He got up and went towards the window .His back was towards her and she couldn't comprehend what was going on in his mind.

He finally turned back ,after an eternity and spoke.

"Ok, for these two months treat it like your own house.Cook whatever you want, take care of the house. Are you ok now?Will you stay now?" His voice seemed to have suddenly become thick.

She just nodded .

"I must say ,you have a great bargaining technique. You always come up with things like "you do this ,I give this" etc. . We have been talking that way since our first meeting ." His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

She knew that he was referring to their marriage. But damn him ,she had told NO and he was the one who had gone ahead with the marriage.And it was his own selfishness! She was clear from the beginning . Now why was he shifting the blame on her?

She couldn't stop herself and told him "You were the one who said yes.I told you from the beginning what I was thinking. Why did you agree then?"

His hands had twisted into a ball now. He punched the sofa with it and said "You will never know, will you ?. To know it you must have a heart which is warm and yours is as cold as an ice cube. Nobody in this world can melt it. You wish to be independent, which is good, but being independent doesn't mean running away from people and relationships. I hope you understand that one day"

How dare he accuse her of not having a heart? What does he know about her anyway.He didn't know a single thing.He didn't know that her own parents abandoned her and left for the US.That she spent most of her childhood in her room and that it was a ayah who fed her ,a driver who dropped her at school ,that her school programmes were attended by her nannies. That there was no one to appreciate her when she came home with a trophy nor to console her when she had her first fall. When her own father accused her of ruining his life and her mother never found a single good thing to tell about her? Oh.She was going back to it again.She had fought hard to not to be pushed into the quicksand of the past and yet her heart was going back to where it all started. NO WAY. She will not let this break her.Let him think whatever he wishes but she will not tell him that she indeed has a warm heart which is cold from the outside but warm inside which craved to be part of a world where she was free to be herself. He was virtually a stranger to her anyway. But you are ready to stay in his house?.Her heart questioned her . She couldn't say no now. Now that they both had amicably agreed to what they wanted.