Chapter-6

"Nothing? What do you mean by nothing'?" Ishani casually asked Ranveer, who was tensed.

"Uh? What?"

"Ranveer? What's wrong with you? Why have you got this mood swipes every time? I asked you something, remember?" she strained the same point again hoping that he would answer.

"Yeah, I do. I told you, it's...its-nothing."

"No. There's something that you are hiding from me." Ishani stressed upon the same words until he gave a bare nod.

"Have you planned to open up? Or shall I leave? I have better jobs to do." Ishani got up, turning back to the door.

"Hey, one sec-"

"What? What happened?" Ishani loped swiftly and sat down opposite to him.

"Well, the thing is...it is for you to think upon."

"Huh? I didn't get you."

"Join the puzzles, you'll crack it" he smiled at her. Looking at him bemused, afraid of what was he upto, she got up, in deep thoughts.

"Will you, Ishani?" he asked her again, seeing her expressions.

"Um, well, I'll have to." Ishani said, getting back again to work. Coming out from the cabin, she thought, "This guy is definitely weird. It wasn't even five minutes before that he was glad and beaming. The next minute, he's dull. And now, he's smiling at me, again. Is it his normal behaviour? I guess I'm thinking too much."

Seeing her go out from his cabin, he walked out from the place and leaped forward to his personal room, which had all the amenities needed to survive.

It was silent. Dead silence.

Entering the room, he sat down, silently and looked at the plain ceilings and walls. It was his usual routine. He visits this room once or twice a week in this fashion. He looked around the place and heaved out, holding his head in distress.

"Ranveer" the voice was seemingly different than the usual ones.

He looked around the place to find a cloud coloured figure. Getting up from the place, he observed it; his chocolate ones transfixed seeing it.

"Ish-Ishani?" he leaped and came forward to embrace it.

"Uh-Huh! I'm not Ishani! Definitely not! Don't you find me different from her?" the voice said, in an imposing fashion as Ranveer saw it taking its full form. It had black eyes, dark ones. Mist coloured and shapeless, he saw it, confusing and gaped at it with his faltered eyes.

"Who are you, then?" his voice choked out, soaking droplets casing his tanned skin.

"Someone. Just someone. You may call me whatever you feel like. But she's not coming back to you anymore." Ranveer heard it say, its voice as commanding as ever. He stood shocked with its words and stared at it, his eyes red, as hot as blood. Blood wasn't a big deal for him. He has seen blood so many times, credit to his seven slits all over his body, during the course of his twenty five years.

"Why? I want her and not you!" he screamed to his vocals' fullest as he heard its evil laugh, from a bare distance. Searching for it, he turned around to see it sitting on air. Shocked, he blanched.

"Scared? Are you frightened? How will you even reach a reputable spot in the society?" Ranveer heard it say to him and looked at it, scared. Shuddering, he turned towards it and backed out.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked, fearing for his life. He saw the abnormal figure which took a shape of a dagger now. A sharp, dagger. Advancing towards him, its laugh echoed the whole place making it a den for evil and devils.

Drawing closer to him, it showed its pointed end and said "I want you, DEAD." It said, deceitfully. Stunned, he flinched back and screeched "No! No! Please leave me, alone! I want to live my life, happily! Why do you even come?" he folded his hands in agony as hot tears cleansed his face. He has been having this beleaguered time for a while now and he is still scared about them.

"Hey! I have just come. It was she, who approached you, always seeking for love and affection and talking garbage about how you both love each other. I have just entered your life. No...I had, already. I hope, you still remember your first cut in your wrist. The mark is still evidently seen. I am not making an exit from your life until I take back the life out from you!"

"Stop talking nonsense, you!" he said distressed and continued "I don't want you! I want her..."

"You are still a kid, Ranveer. There's still long way to go" it said.

Died out.

He looked at the whole room once again and screamed her name when he heard the knock of his door. Getting up, he walked down to open the room as he stood still, coming back to reality after having the flashes of the past ten minutes. Those horrifying moments were a part of his life now.

"Ranveer! Open the door!" he heard her voice from the other side of the door. Recognizing some positivity, he opened it within an instant.

"Ishani" his voice cracked out, bursting down to tears as he pulled her into his arms tightly, embracing her for the first time.

"Ranveer? Are you okay? Why are you so cold?"

"Ishani, don't leave me. I cannot stay away from you" he cried his heart out as Ishani said after breaking their hug, "When did I even leave? I just went to check the ledgers and was helping with the preparations for this Sunday's party. What's wrong with you, Ranveer? Why am I having the sensation that you're feeling low?"

"Ish-Ishani, promise me that you'll never leave me. I'm afraid. I cannot live without you, not this time" he sniffed hard as she smiled at him and continued, "May I come inside?"

"Huh? Yeah, sure" he let her come in as she sat down on the couch. Closing the door, he went towards her and asked "Promise me, Ishani. I'm afraid."

"Okay. I promise you that I am not leaving until my death. Okay? Now, show me your smile. It's painful to see you crying." Ishani pleaded to him as he looked at her and said, "No, I will die before you. I promise to your savior, Ishani" he cried and buried his face to the floor when she saw him tensed. Kneeling down, she held him by his shoulders and caressed his hair saying,

"Ranveer, look at me" she said as Ranveer's teary eyes met hers. Caressing him, she continued, "Who told you that I was going to leave you?"

"Uh? Who? There was someone inside the room torturing me that you were going to leave me." Ranveer sniffed hard as she sat down, opposite to him and said "Who was here, in a first?"

"I don't know. But there was someone here. Someone" he said, going away from her and scuttling back, tired. Tired of life.

"There's no one here, Ranveer. It's just your intuition." Ishani said, wiping the red, boiling tears which fell from his face.

"Is it? Are you sure?"

"I am, Ranveer. Please smile!" she wailed, trying to make his features cool.

"Only if you promise that you won't leave me."

Smiling at his innocence, she pulled him close to her and embraced him, tighter than the last time and closed her eyes in pain. She did not like the fact that they were only friends. Nor did she like him crying.

"I am going nowhere. Okay? I will always be by your side. Anytime." Ishani reassured him as he smiled, contended. Breaking from their hug, Ishani said, "I guess you need some rest, Ranveer. You seem panicky of something. Tell me, what's the matter?"

"It's okay, Ishani. I am fine and I've got so much to do." He got up, trying to avoid the topic. He was never feeling pessimistic anytime in his life. He always had an optimistic approach towards life. But today, he was drowning in the ocean of worries and stress. He wasn't worried. He was afraid. Frightened that Ishani would leave him. He was fed up with everything. Life seemed nothing worth for him except Ishani. Had she been not by his side today, he would have been dead now, according to him.

"Ranveer, stop being a coward. Okay, I agree it may be something personal. But I tell you, a sound sleep for you is a must now. Get back to bed, now!" she ordered him. Ranveer looked at her amazed. For once, he was wondering whether it was his office at all.

"B-But, let me at least check..." Ranveer tried to explain.

"No buts, please! This is going too much now. It's noon now. Sleep until two till I bring your lunch. Okay?" Ishani ordered him as he saw her in contentment. He always loved her to take advantage of him. Possessiveness, they say.

"Uh, well, fine."

"What? Make your bed!"

"Yeah, I will, Ishani. You continue with your work." He replied nonchalantly as she hit her head and walked towards his bed, making it for him.

"Hey! What are you doing?" he asked, following her like a tiny pup. He was always her pet puppy, according to him.

"Making your bed, Mr. RV. Take good rest. Now, please...I cannot make you lay down. Help yourself for that" she said as he lay down, closing his eyes in fear, still having the flashes of his conversation with Someone.

"Have a good sleep, Ranveer" she said the last word of hers gentle and tender. She caressed his cheek dreading about him as she turned away for work when his hand contacted hers.

"Ishani" he said, sleepily as she looked at him, in question.

"Don't leave me" he murmured as she smiled at him, eliminating her hands from his, reluctantly and got back to work. As she locked the door from outside, she thought "Wondering what's wrong with this boy. There is something about his past and I have to find it out. He is surely in distress now and I should help him. Poor boy, suffering a lot"

Two and a half hours later, Ishani opened the door with their lunch trays as she saw the room still silent. Assuming that he was still sleeping, she entered the room silently, making sure that he's not disturbed. Closing the door, she sat down, placing the trays which had French Onion Soup and Crpes with Sauted Pears, Aged Gouda, and Fresh Thyme for the main course. Checking random magazines which were on the table, she kept an eye on the sleeping Ranveer, who was calm, at least while sleeping.

Minutes later she heard sounds of twirling and curling. Turning around, she found him getting up from the bed, tired and his eyes, somnolent. Getting up swiftly, she rushed towards him and held him by his shoulders. As he rubbed his eyes, he yawned sleepily, trying to take in the surroundings.

"Good Noon, Ranveer." Ishani said, elated, having a broad curve in her lips. Looking at her, he smiled back, weary and tried to sit down, yawning again. "Had a sound sleep?" she continued as Ranveer nodded an yes. Getting up, he dawdled from the place quivering and stood alongside the balcony, taking in the fresh air.

"Are you okay now, Ranveer?"

"Yeah, I am" he replied nonchalantly as Ishani held his shoulders and said "Are you sure?"

"Yes, very much sure, Ishani" he smiled at her and excused himself, sitting on the couch. Opening the magazines, he diverted himself from her. Noticing this, Ishani stood in dislike as she leaped forward towards him, sitting opposite to him. Placing in the trays, she called him for lunch.

"No, I'll have it later. Thank you" he replied with a false smile as Ishani reprimanded "Can you look at me?"

He looked at her, teary eyed as she sat down saying "What's wrong with you Ranveer?"

"I don't know, Ishani. I'm not feeling good. And above all, I made you feel nervous, right?" Hot tears fell from his face again while his eyes were in the deepest of red one could find for.

"Okay. I agree, you did scare me and yes, I was scared, petrified with your behaviour. But how is going to be solved with you not talking to me?" she said, wiping his tears again.

"I'm sorry, Ishani. I-I don't know. But, I am sorry."

"Apologies accepted only if you smile and have your lunch with me." Ishani ordered which made his features cool down to ice from the enflamed ones.

"Okay, I will have" he replied, his face, vacant.

"Smile, Ranveer. Please! How much should I have to beg you now?" she chuckled, making sure that he smiled at least that time.

His lips broadened, giving his biggest grin to her whilst his eyes glistened because of the tears. She smiled, pinching his cheeks lovingly.

"That's my boy!" she ruffled his hair and served the soup in a large bowl. Drinking them silently, Ranveer asked "What's the time now?"

"It's going to be three now. Don't worry sir, we have our lunch break now" she winked and chortled. Sharing a decent laugh, Ranveer said "It's not like that, Ishani. I just wanted to know. That's it"

"Okay, Ranveer. I just want to see you smiling, always" Ishani said soulfully as Ranveer gazed at her hazel eyes which reflected warmth. Their love wasn't neighbourly, that's for sure. It has something deep down, emotionally. They both shared a deep relation. A passionate one, he thought.

"Ishani?" she gazed at him for a long time until he snapped his fingers back, "Ishani!"

"Tell me, Ranveer"

"Do you like me?" he asked, innocently as she looked at him and said "I do"

"How much do you like me?" he asked her again, which made her puzzled.

"How much? Well, I cannot describe it in words. I like you, in real sense" she said, her voice deep as he looked at her thinking "Whatever come may go, I am not letting you go away from me, Ishani. I love you"

Done! Constructive Criticism will be more than welcome and sorry for typos :D