Chapter- 2(2)

She played the violin sitting on the chaise beside a window, the music floated slowly to every part of the house. Rathi is having an incredible talent in this, she's just learning it for two years but she has improved to create her own notes which is kind of surprising to herself. She is no equal to a beginner, and no one could call her like that. Rathi considers this is God's gift and doesn't want to waste it in these four walls.

Her melody stirred up the house's lively mood and with the sound of rain in the background-- it's something heavenly. Not only she could play the violin well, but she also has a beautiful voice like a hummingbird. She sings occasionally while taking bath and traveling in the car. Shankari gave her an iPod containing thousands of songs which she listens to it whenever she feels boring. In that Rathi sounds like the extract version of a few songs that nobody heard.

Finishing the song like how she thought, Rathi had a happiness that no one could explain. This is the best one she ever created.

She opened her eyes and placed the violin on her lap. Tugging the hair strand that fell on her face Rathi felt something strange. Her keen eyes looked at the door, unhurriedly.

A sudden thunderstorm jolted her in shock, out of nowhere seeing the man standing in front of her has greatly startled her little bravery. For a moment she couldn't take her eyes away from him. Seeing his striking face, her heart started to thump in a different rhythm for the first time in her life.

Leaning on the door folding his hands across his chest he is intently watching Rathi and she doesn't have any idea who he is and how long he's been observing her.

His face was stern showing a perfect detail of his sculpted cheeks bones and his Iris colored in an unusual green mixed brown. He has long hair that fell on either side of his eyes until his cheeks and it looked messy. The white T-shirt and the black slacks fitting on his manly frame effortlessly. He is not too tall, must be five foot seven or eight inches. Totally he seemed to be a smart man who smiles very rarely.

Like disturbing their stares, his small smile made Rathi blink her eyes. She is blushed to see that man! And he must be around thirty-something!

In a confusion about how to react, she ended up looking at her feet.

Hey! What the hell are you doing? Ask him who he is? Her conscious alarmed her with this question.

Gathering up her senses she looked at him and he stepped towards her. She immediately got up from her seat when he is getting almost near to her.

Damn! God is a brilliant creator! She mentally thought after seeing the man closely.

"Who.. are.. you?" she stuttered.

"I am your guest," his deep voice echoed in that silent place. He smelled like a mixture of mint and cigarette.

"Oh, sorry I don't know," Rathi tried to smile but nothing is in her control.

"Fine, I heard your music and came to see you," he told sliding his hands into his pocket.

"Am I disturbed you? I thought there's no one in the house," Rathi worried whether he'll complain this to Shankari.

"No," he nodded. "I really liked it. You didn't waste my gift," he just revealed that in an impassive face.

Rathi's eyes widened in surprise, her lips curled in a smile. Tears welled in her eyes getting that realization.

"Is that you?" she asked him in disbelief since she thought it must be some old man.

He didn't smile just looked at her face, "Yeah."

Rathi's breathe caught in her throat and she closed her mouth for finding the man who once ceased her tears. "Thank you so much," she said and looked at him like seeing a wonder.

But he doesn't seem to care about her surprise either her happiness.

"I heard you're still going to the classes?" he asked.

"By this time you must be completed, am I right?" he added.

This made Rathi's face turn pale. How on earth did he know that? She thought, standing speechless in front of that man.

"Yeah... I am still practicing for my own album," she blabbered.

"Did Shankari know that?" he asked narrowing his eyes.

Here she is entirely locked up.

She huffed, "No, I didn't say that to her,"

He quirks his eyebrows hearing her reply.

"Please don't say this to her," she bites her lower lip having puppy eyes. This is embarrassing! She mentally cried for being in this state with this man.

"Is this the only thing you're hiding from her?" he questioned sitting on the chaise like he's her master.

Rathi was silent and she wanted to tell him, that's none of his business but she couldn't, thinking about the events that happen after that.

"I asked you a question?" he looked up.

"That's my personal, I don't want to talk that with you," Rathi decided to leave or else they would be fighting at the end. Wait have we started already? She thought.

He clenched his jaw, "Alright then," he stood up and that made Rathi shriek in fear. What if he tells this to Shankari? Her dream of getting freedom won't happen at all for now.

"Wait, why you're asking me this and who are you?" she asked him, at last. His tone, his gestures, and his glance everything feel like he knew her very well than any other people in this world but Rathi couldn't figure that out in the fear.

"You want to know me?" his jawline clenched.

She nodded yes.

"Then will you tell me whatever that you'd planned to escape from this place?" he put a deal.

"I am not escaping, you've misunderstood something, sir," she felt it is dangerous to talk to him or even standing before him. This man knows more than he could know.

"How much money you need to go to Mumbai and to start a new life?" he asked kind of in a mocking tone when she stepped to leave.

"Sorry?" she shrugged.

"What you're talking about? Are you here to extinguish my peace?" she rolled her eyes at this man who's now looking like a handsome villain and not to mention she thought he must be a good man at the start of their conversation.

"Rathi, you've disturbed my peace so that I am here," he cut off his sentence and looked at her.

"Tell me the truth. You want to escape from this place?"

"I won't tell this to Shankari so tell me?" he asked like a dad who's dealing with his five-year-old kid.

Rathi nodded her head slowly.

"Why? What is lacking in this house?" he questioned folding his hands.

"It's not about this place; I want to be free, I want to be like normal people who go out and do whatever they want. Look at me I am just caged in here and I don't want this life, anymore," She said without knowing who she's talking to. Her frustration came out openly with this man.

"And now, I don't even know you but you're ordering me like you know everything about me. I hate this completely,"

"I am Aadhiyan," he said his name while she's blurting out her life.

"I can understand you but you should not feel this way, ever," he warned.

"Forget about getting out of this place because that won't happen at all."

"Who are you to say that. I am going to leave anyway," she dared.

Hearing her strong mindset-- "I made a mistake," he muttered rubbing his forehead.

"Is that your final decision?"

"Yeah"

"Then can I tell you the way?" He asked in a tempting way and she blankly stared at him. Who's this man? Is he really going to help me? No! Don't trust strangers, Rathi.

"No thanks," she gripped her violin staring at his piercing green eyes that's looking deep into her. But in the deepest part of her heart wanted to know that way he's talking about.