Destiny's Play!!

Chapter - 16

Karan had just been about to close the lights to his room when he had seen the lights in her room come on. Curious he had gone up to the window to see what she was up to when she had opened the door and come out. So she was not all that a great follower of rules as everyone else believed he had thought to himself and had felt his lips curl in cynicism. He looked at the clock by his bedside. It was a bit over twelve. The house was otherwise quiet and dark so everyone was sleeping. Where was she sneaking off to at this hour? Shrugging he had decided to let her do whatever she wanted to, it was late and he should be getting some sleep if he wanted to work tomorrow. He had almost slid into his bed when he had gotten up restlessly to check on her. There was no need she was old enough to take care of herself but some strange part of him wouldn't listen and grudgingly he had followed. It had irritated him to no end at how he was behaving. Then he had silently opened the side door and watched her. She had seemed to be debating which way to go as she had paused then slowly had picked the path going towards the river. What was she dumb? Who in their right minds went to the big rocks and boulders at this hour and in such darkness? Apparently she did. Shaking his head he had followed at a distance. What if she fell and got hurt? He had maintained his distance and had halted by the tree at the edge to watch her. He would keep his distance to make sure she was alright. She sat on the high rock next to the boulder. She looked as if she was thinking but with her back to him he couldn't really know what was going on in her mind. He had seen her at the table. She had looked uneasy. As if she wasn't comfortable with what was happening around her. Maybe she wasn't. Maybe in her family people just didn't burst out like that. But there was something else too. He wasn't sure what. She seemed to get nervous at the slightest indication of hostility.

He had stood there watching her for almost forty minutes before he had decided it was enough. So he had walked up and announced his presence. Unfortunately he had startled her. How come she never knew there was someone around? In her haste to get up she slipped. Thankfully his reflexes were strong. He caught hold of her wrist and pulled her to straighten her probably he had pulled a little too hard. He had forgotten how weightless she was. And she fell forward towards him. He released her wrist to hold her shoulders to keep her upright and yet she collided with him. Her head falling hard against his chest. For a second he forgot to release her. Her body felt warm and soft against his much harder one. Then he had straightened her slowly. The gentle breeze blew her open hair across her face and she quickly put the wayward locks behind her ears. That gesture had made her look so vulnerable he felt something stir deep inside him. A softer feeling and he hated any kind of softness so he refused to dig deeper and evaluate. At that he did release her making sure she was steady on her two feet though then he heard the world famous words she always said to him.

"I am sorry," she whispered.

"You know what," Karan responded curtly, "you really should come up with a new apology. Your sorry has started to sound lame," he told her.

She looked up and he saw a mix of emotions on her face. She looked as if she was about to cry but there was also pain. Had she hurt herself in some manner? But that wasn't possible. She hadn't fallen so how was she hurt. But in the dim moonlight he could see only so much. And she turned her gaze away. Then she took a step back creating some distance between them which was fine by him.

"You startled me," she said slowly.

"You did too when I saw you making your way down here," he said as he crossed his arms across his chest, "who in their right minds does that? It is way past midnight and you are here the rule bearer breaking the Dogra house rule number two. What if you had fallen and gotten hurt? But the thought must not have crossed your mind?" he said firmly, "How about an animal attacking you? There are people here but most of the place is still wild," he said annoyed at her stupidity.

"I couldn't sleep," she said quietly looking at her feet, "I thought a little fresh air would do me good as the medicine wasn't helping," she told him.

For a second Karan felt bad. She had just wanted fresh air because she couldn't sleep. Maybe the scene at the table tonight had disturbed her. After all Manya had told him she was very shy and quiet. But still that did not give her the excuse to come here in the dark. And what did she mean by medicine?

"You take sleeping pills?" he asked her suspiciously.

Some people needed them to fall asleep. But it was a bad habit. It was a drug at the end of the day and too much of it could make one addictive.

"No," Avni said as her head shot up, he was misunderstanding she thought, "I had a headache and so I took the medicine to help numb it but after some time when I still couldn't sleep and felt restless I came out then I don't know I just wanted to sit here for a while," she said and then looked away again when she couldn't hold his steady gaze, "I am sorry. I caused you trouble," she said slowly.

"Next time you have a headache and want to sit out in the open there is a better place on the property," he said just as quietly, "a swing, over there," he said and pointed it out she tried to see it but in the dark could just make out a thin frame, "sit there. The rocks are slippery and in the dark the shadows can give a false sense of shape," he told her. "Next time you fall I will not be there to save you. You will be responsible for breaking your own neck," he said sternly and turned to walk back.

"Can you help?" she asked demurely.

Karan turned to look back at her. She didn't look like she was sure anymore. She had been when she had come here probably. But after what he had said and her near fall she seemed less confident. Was she scared this easy? He could help her. But he wouldn't.

"If you can make it here, you can make it back too," he told her then turned and walked back.

He felt like a heel at that but he heard scuffle of feet behind him so she was following him. Good that way she would know where to put her foot. He didn't turn to see how she was doing. He kept walking though slowly and took the stone path towards his house. He paused just at the threshold of the door he had used to come out and turned to watch her slim figure slowly make her way to the door of her room. Only once she had entered and drawn the curtains he went inside. She was a strange girl. How could she take his rudeness this easily? Why didn't she ask him to go take a hike? She hadn't even gotten angry. Who behaved like that? Did she ever get angry? Her attitude irritated him. Being shy and quiet did not mean you let other people step on you. But she did. Why? It bugged him. Shaking his head he stomped to his room. The lights were still on in her room. Damn the girl. She hadn't even asked him what the hell he was doing out there following her around.

Irritated with himself and her he slid in his bed and switched off the lights. He stared up at the ceiling for a long time before he finally closed his eyes his dreams haunted by that look he had seen on her face when he had spoken rudely to her. The girl was beginning to seem like an enigma and he had always found enigmas challenging and challenges were something he could never ignore.

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