CHAPTER 2
***************************************
Aditya landed at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and his security head in Hyderabad Mr.Abhilash Vardhan came with his team to receive Aditya, they escorted him out and left directly to his private home which is situated in jubilee hills, one of the richest places in the country....
It's a 12 story building which consists of a home theatre of 20 seating, a gym, a health center, swimming pool, ballroom, and lawn....
As soon as they reached his home, he waved his security off asking them to report at 6 in the morning....
Abhilash left the place instructing the other security staff their duties....
Aditya entered his room and immediately fell on the bed.... He was really tired and wanted to have some sleep before waking up early in the morning.....
He immediately got up to change to his tracks and sleep comfortably....
But to his bad luck, there are no tracks in his walk-in closet.... He clearly instructed the staff to have his clothes arranged there.... He mentally noted to give them a piece of his mind the next morning.....
He didn't visit the house lately.... The last time he visited was before a couple of years, that too with the whole deewan clan...to attend a family function....
He visited hyderabad once in every 3 months but for only a couple of hours to attend some business meetings and conferences, so he never came to this house but this time, it's different, he came to stay here, and he cannot sleep properly without wearing something comfortable....
He thought of calling his PA to arrange the clothes but changed his mind as he felt to roam outside for a few minutes.....
He wore his blazer and left to his car....
He asked the driver to take him to some nearby mall....
-----------
Priya came to their flat early as she had some shopping to do, pooja also did her packing as she too is accompanying her best friend to their home town the next day....
Priya and pooja got ready and left to the mall for shopping....
They reached the mall and are shopping....
Pooja (sarcastic) - wow.... How did this miracle happen??
Priya (sighed) - shut up pooja.... Come let's go there.... I wanted to take a few toys for advik...
Pooja - no Priya, care to explain.....U hate to roam outside, u don't like shopping, u don't like to have chocolates, u hate makeup, I mean u literally hate every single thing which makes u a girl.... U know what, the only thing which proves u r a girl is ur dressing style and ur long and thick hair....
Priya - so what, I'm happy this way... So let me be.... Basically, i'm not against makeup, I'm just too lazy to apply it....
Pooja - ya ya... Like I don't know.... U like to be natural, and yes u don't even need to make up, u r so fair and flawless....but me....
Priya (little bit angry) - don't u dare finish it pooja, how many times should I tell u?? U r very beautiful but in ur own way... Fairness doesn't decide ur beauty yaar.... Please try to understand....
Pooja (sadly) - it's easy for u to say Priya...
Priya feels bad for her friend, pooja is a beautiful girl but a little dark in complexion, she grew up listening to their relative's taunts, they used to say that their father needs to save more for her marriage as she is not as beautiful as her sister and it would be difficult to get her married.... Everyone compared her with her sister and even she started thinking that she is ugly which is so not true..... Priya is the first person to call her beautiful but pooja never believed her thinking she might be lying to her to make her feel better, Priya tried hard to make her believe her words but failed badly.... But she never gave up, she is determined to remove the narrow thoughts from her best friend's mind....
And for now, she thought to change her bestie's mood....
Priya - Okay... Now please change ur mood, I don't want to see u like this....
Pooja smiled at her best friend, held her hand, and the duo left to the kids section to shop for Advik....
They shopped for about half an hour and moved towards the men's section, and Priya started looking for shirts for her brother, and pooja is seeing some t-shirts for her father, pooja and Priya are far away from each other, no one is present in the store, as it's late and they are about to close the store in a few minutes.....
A group of men started staring at Priya lustfully, to which she is unaware of....
Aditya got down and his security person informed him about the store details and Aditya went inside asking them to wait outside as he doesn't want to create any scene, and if anyone sees the security beside him, people will recognize him and he doesn't want unwanted attention right now.....
As soon as he entered the mall, the manager came towards him and took him inside without any security checks....
He mentally appreciated his staff for that... Otherwise, he would have got mad if he had to go through the process like a common man.....
He waved off the manager saying he would take care from there.... And the manager left....
A young couple looked at him and they recognized who he is, and are about to approach him, but he rushed away, he picked a cap on his way so that he wouldn't be recognized.... He went inside a store and started shopping, he himself felt odd about all the happenings as this was the first time he was trying to hide from the crowd and doing all the stuff, he never shopped his clothes as he always wore clothes designed by the his personal designers and he doesn't even know y he came out himself when he could get the clothes to him within minutes....
He was picking a few tracks and t-shirts for himself when he saw some commotion in the same store.... He saw a girl rushing from his side to the other side.... He moved in that direction to see what's happening there..... He saw a few men teasing a girl and her face is not visible as they surrounded her, he wanted to go there and help her but stopped himself as it's not clearer, the boys displayed it as they were normally talking and no one could see anything wrong going with the girl, so he thought they might be her friends.....
When Priya was seeing some shirts for her brother, the boys surrounded Priya, and when suddenly Priya noticed them, she got panicked but put a brave front...
Priya(bravely) - what do u want??
One boy - well, can u give us anything we want??
Priya(disgusted) - u seem like decent people, y r u doing this??
Another one - well we r not....
Saying this he held Priya's hand...
Just then Priya saw pooja rushing towards her....
Pooja (rudely) - hey.... What r u doing here.... Just stay away from my friend...
Saying this she pulled Priya towards her.....
They are about to approach them but pooja removed a small knife 🔪 from her bag and showed it to them.... They left from there glaring at pooja and Priya.....
Aditya saw all this, he felt bad for not helping the girl but he got relieved as she is safe now.... He moved a little nearer and that's when he saw the most beautiful woman of his life(well that's what he felt)for the first time he saw a girl with such an innocent face, she is fair and very beautiful with long braided hair and sparkling eyes but now they are filled with unshed tears....
He felt a sudden pain inside for not be able to protect her, he felt a sudden possessiveness towards her.... He is surprised with himself as these all are very new to him.....
He is surprised to look at her as it's literally his first time to see a girl without any pinch of makeup on her face, he was always surrounded by a very sophisticated and high-class woman who gave very much importance to their appearance.... But this girl just didn't even think about it a little....
She wore a light blue formal top and leggings, small gold ear tops and a gold chain, a bangle on one hand and a watch on the other one, to his surprise, she also wore a bindi which added to her beauty..... He is completely awestruck by her features, Can anyone look this beautiful without even trying ?? Yes they can, answered Aditya to his own question looking at her....
He got out of his thoughts as he saw them moving towards the billing counter, then only he noticed that they are closing the store.... He too picked his clothes and went there....
Priya is trying her best not to cry as it's the first time any man had touched her inappropriately, it's a big thing for any girl, but it's a very big thing for a girl like Priya, she is a very shy girl, she is always uncomfortable with boys, yes she did have some very good male friends but she never let them touch her physically, the maximum they had done is a handshake..... The thought and feeling of someone holding her hand inappropriately didn't sit well with her... She is very upset but controlled herself....
As pooja was getting the bills dome still holding the knife in her hands, Aditya went to the other side of Priya, she is startled by his sudden appearance but composed herself.... As soon as her eyes met his, she felt something good inside....
She doesn't know what the feeling is as she had never been in a relationship till now.... She got nervous and turned her face to the other side where she saw her best friend getting the bills done... Seeing pooja, her eyes relaxed.....
Aditya is observing her every expression.... And finally thought to break the ice....
Aditya - R u fine miss....?? (He badly wanted to know her name)
Priya looked at him and nodded....but to his bad luck just then pooja arrived... And started giving a lecture to him.... And this irked him a lot....
Pooja(sarcastically) - what a gentleman u r?? U r asking my friend how is she now?? Instead of helping her??
Aditya's anger raised to its peak but it got down immediately listening to Priya's words.... He is surprised as to how can a person be so understanding, most of the people in her place would have blamed him which is the right thing to do too....
Priya(softly) - no pooja, how can he help me when he didn't know that I was in trouble?? They stood near me as if they r talking to me, anyone in his(aditya's) place would have done the same, and by the time they started misbehaving, u came and saved me....
Pooja (rudely) - wow.....as always think positive in every situation right?? Well tell me one thing Priya, r u just going to support only him or also the guys who have just misbehaved with u?? oh come on the ever defending mahaan Miss.Priya Anand is here.....
Priya is hurt by pooja's rude comments but stayed silent as she knew that her best friend is just concerned for her....
Aditya didn't understand a single word except for the name Priya Anand.....
He mentally danced victoriously knowing her name but he knew that her friend said something harsh to her by the tone she used and the hurt in Priya's eyes....
Pooja dragged Priya with her and the knife in pooja's hand hurt Aditya as he is standing just beside them...and he hissed in pain...
Priya and pooja noticed the wound... It didn't cut deeply but still, the blood is oozing from his hand.... Priya gasped looking at the wound....
Pooja(guilty) - I'm so sorry..... I didn't intend to do it.... I'm really sorry....
Aditya nodded, and Priya held his hand and tied her handkerchief on his wound.....
Priya(to the billing person) - do u have a first aid kit??
The person nodded and gave it to her....
She dragged Aditya to a nearby seating, made him sit and cleaned the wound, dressed it.... And handed over the box to pooja to give it to the sales person....
Priya(worried) - I'm so sorry for what had happened.....
Aditya for the first time after meeting her opened his mouth....
Aditya - It's okay....
The base and depth in his voice sent shivers to Priya.... Pooja returned to them, she also got Aditya's clothes billed and he paid it getting up and the trio walked out of the store....
While walking.... Priya asked him something in Telugu, without knowing that he doesn't know the language....
Priya(concern) - meeru bane unnaru kada?? Noppi ga unda?? (U r fine right?? Is it paining??)
Aditya gave her a puzzled look but the concern in her voice made his heart skip a beat, she sounded very genuine to him....
Priya is looking at him for an answer but pooja slapped her arm and said something in Telugu again....
Pooja - itaniki telugu raadanukunte (maybe he doesn't know Telugu Priya...)
Aditya listening to their words and the language name he guessed about what they are talking so he cleared it to Priya...
Aditya - Sorry, but can u speak in Hindi Or English, I don't know Telugu...
Priya - oh I'm sorry, I was just asking whether u r fine or not?? Is it paining too much ??
Aditya (smiled) - no I'm fine, thank you for the first aid, it's just a small cut.... U don't worry...
Pooja - see, even he is telling that it's just a small cut, u don't worry, u just need a reason to worry...
Priya gave a murderous look to pooja and turned towards Aditya....
Priya - I'm so sorry for what happened to u here and also for the rude words my friend uttered.... We are really very sorry, hope u recover soon...
Aditya is touched by the gentleness in her voice....
Aditya - it's okay, it's just an accident, it's no one's fault... U don't have to apologize.....
He is shocked with himself as normally he would have hurt the person who hurt him without thinking much whether they did it intentionally or unintentionally..... Forgiving was never his nature....and before he could stop himself he uttered those words which he shouldn't have...
Aditya - and u please forgive me for not saving u, I should have checked on u when I got a suspicious but I didn't.... I hate myself for letting u go through this....
Priya and pooja are shocked by his words as well as he himself is...
Aditya - I mean, I hate myself for letting this happen to a girl in my presence....
Priya smiled at him and told him that it wasn't his fault, pooja is not convinced with his explanation but let it go as they r not going to meet him again anyways....They bid bye to Aditya and went away....
Aditya asked the driver to follow their cab as he wanted to confirm whether they reached safely or not.... And also a little part of his wants to know their address....
After that he went to his place, changed and hit the bed, as he was tired from morning, he immediately slept with the thoughts of Priya in his head.....