"Breathe... Nothing will happen... Just breathe Agasthya..."

Agasthya murmured to himself, closing his eyes and trying to regain his rhythm of breathing.

Being aware of his terrible nightmares Agasthya tried his best to resist falling asleep but his body was too weak to fulfil that desire. So he slept for an hour only to wake up being more afraid and tired.

"Don't stop beating okay..."
He said keeping his hand over his heart which has a habit of getting freeze in situations like this.

It has been two days since Agasthya was locked inside that room... Or three days?
He already lost the sense of night and day. Everything was still and the same for him... Intense darkness and loud silence...

"When will you come to rescue me bhaiya... I am dying here..."
Agasthya rubbed his eyes, sniffing.

"This Varun is a bastard" He yelled in grief and frustration.
"Devil... Moron... Stupid... Coward... Monster... Rascal... And... and..."

Suddenly he heard footsteps outside, making him regret what he was shouting about. Agasthya felt a cold shiver passing through his spine. Varun is going to kill him for that, sure... Covering his mouth with his hands Agasthya somehow managed to control himself.

He could see the window which quite high on the wall opposite to him being opened with a low cracking sound.

Agasthya blinked his eyes at the shining white light spreading in the room defeating the shadows. He turned his head, moving backwards. He has nothing to do but wait for Varun's shout and punishment.

"So... You are not a child!."

Agasthya rolled his eyes in confusion.
"Why does he sound like a girl?"

"Because I am a girl..."

"What?"

He stared at the window with wide eyes. It was a girl... A girl with cherry lips, slightly pink cheeks and a pair of lovely eyes...

"Are you a thief ?"
Her voice was melodious but Agasthya stepped back without altering the eye contact.

"What is wrong with this guy?"
Diya bit her nails. She couldn't see his face clearly because he was too far from her.

"Who are you?"
Asked Agasthya.

Diya narrowed her eyes being annoyed.
"How dare you... Thief... You peep into my house without my knowledge in the absence of my jiju and asking me 'who am I?'

"I am not a thief..."
He hissed moving forward.

Diya's mind shouted to her to move away from him when she saw the bloodstains and wounds on his face. He was looking like a movie villain after a major fight... Dusty dress, messy hair and heavy breaths.

But she was enthusiastic. She could see wet tear marks on his face and that made her hold on.

According to her, tears are formed from the depth of one's soul... No one can fake that.

"I am Agasthya Thakur..." He whispered in a shivering tone.
"I am neither a thief nor a criminal..."

"Ok... Ok... Then what are you doing here?"

"It's him... That Varun... He kidnapped me..."

"What?" Diya asked in surprise.

"Jiju never keeps his prisoners in the house... You should be kept in the police station..."

"I have told you already... I am not a criminal..." shouted Agasthya.
"He is going to kill me... Devil..."

"Mind your language, Mr... He is my brother in law." Replied Diya in a strong voice.
"He would never do anything wrong..."

"Of course..." Agasthya chuckled in agony.
"He killed my Papa... He took me away from my brothers... He shattered our family... I lost everyone I value..."

"I don't think that I would ever believe you..." said Diya.

"You could never understand what was my life... You could never guess how much I suffered... Enjoy the happy and blessed life you have..."

Diya couldn't help but smile.
"What do you mean by happy and blessed life? You can't judge anyone without knowing their story..."

"I don't want to know anything about you... I am living in hell... I am alone..."

"Life is not hell, Agasthya... It can be smooth or rough, there will be highs and lows... But still, it's beautiful... And no one is alone..."

"Optimism..." Agasthya smiled sarcastically. "It's a theory made for people like you... Who has everything they want in their life..."

"There is no point in continuing this conversation..." Sighed Diya.

"But let me clear something... Every coin has two sides. Just like that, everything that happens in our lives can be treated in different ways... You choose the grief and night but I want to find the joy and sun... I am not just optimistic, but I am faithful..."
She said these and started to close the window.

Agasthya was still trapped in her words.
He felt her as a girl who is matured beyond her age.

"One second... What is your name?"
He asked in a very low voice.

"I am Diya..."

"Diya... Diya means?"

"Diya... The light..."
She said shutting down the window completely.

************

"What should I write about him?"

Diya murmured while turning the pages of her diary.

She has a crazy habit of writing about the people she ever met. No matter they are good or bad, no matter they are close or not... But she loves to do so...

"I don't feel him as a bad guy... Even though he is judgmental and stubborn..."

"Yes. Got it."
She smiled and uncapped her pen.

"Agasthya Thakur"

"A boy who is trapped in the gloom by himself... He cries a lot... But still has an irresistible charm..."

***************

At Mumbai

"Did you say them everything? Do Meghna, Aaryan and Simran know about Varun?"

Geetha Malhotra asked Anirudh. She couldn't believe that Varun is still alive and Agasthya is with him now.

"I had said them. But not everything... I don't know what to do..."
Anirudh replied glaring at the floor.
"And I have no one to share this all other than you..."

"How long will you suffer this alone, Anirudh?"

Tears started to roll down from Anirudh's eyes.
"As long as I can..."

Geetha sighed.
"It will break you. Your priorities are changed now... You have to save Agasthya... So stay united."

"Is that Varun is more dangerous than Akash Malhotra?" Anirudh asked.

"I don't know anything about Varun, actually..." Replied Geetha.
"Akash is highly manipulative and cruel... But I think we are going to face a tougher enemy now..."

"But why?"

"Because Prathap Deshmukh is the only one whom Akash was afraid of..."

"My only wish is a peaceful normal life with my brothers... And I am not ready to sacrifice them for anyone..."

Geetha could understand the inner battle of Anirudh. It is really hard to choose anything over loved ones.

"Then you should fight for that... Don't feel that you are selfish. Everyone close to our heart is precious to us..."

"Is there any way to solve this without telling it to Aaryan?"

Geetha realised that Anirudh is not convinced yet. But sometimes truth is the only way to find peace.

"We should be afraid of Varun. He had the right to revenge... Malhotra empire is made on the blood of his family..."

That was the final word. Varun may not know about the real winners and victims, but that has no importance in their life. Anirudh has to save Agasthya. If he wants him, then he should fight for him.

"I don't know how could I thank you for helping me... You are a great person..."
Anirudh said to Geetha.

"I am not a good person, Anirudh..."

"Please don't say that... I appreciate that you raised a daughter like Simran. She is a gem..."

"It's because I stayed away from her. That made her good... I have no role in that..."

Anirudh faked a smile. One day Simran will realise her mother's goodness - he thought.

"I have a small request for you Anirudh..." Whispered Geetha wiping her tears.
"My Simran never got the love of a family in her life... Please take care of her... Don't hate her for her father's deeds..."

"How could I hate her?" Exclaimed Anirudh.
"She is my sister from another mother..."

Geetha felt her heart is filled. She wants nothing more than it.

"I think I should leave now..."
Said Anirudh.

"Save Agasthya from Varun Prathap Deshmukh... He loves you... He needs you... Nothing else matters."

******************

"I won't force any of you to accept my decision... I won't blame you if you feel that I am an insensitive person..."
Anirudh said to them.

Aaryan first glared at Simran then at Meghna. Both of them were clueless like him.

"I want Agasthya... He deserves our love. He deserves the best."

"Did you get any information about him?"
Meghna asked with a jerk.

"Let me complete..." Anirudh replied calmly.

"I never lied to any of you... But I didn't say the complete story... Forgive me for that..."

"Ani... Come to your point, please..."

Anirudh could feel Aaryan's heartbeats even though he was standing opposite to them.

He was near the same window through which Anirudh saw his father for the last time.
Running away with him in his hands... 18 years back...

Sleepless nights... Thousands of silent apologies... Promises of heart... But still, Anirudh cursed himself for hating his father.

"Agasthya is not Papa's son Aaryan..." Anirudh whispered staring at the night.

"He is not Papa's blood..."

Aaryan stepped back in shock. He couldn't believe his ears.

Meghna bit her shivering lips to suppress
the scream.

"Was he adopted?"

Anirudh didn't turn back.

"No... He was kidnapped."

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Target: 100 votes