Kashish opened her eyes to find the other side of the bed made perfectly. She frowned, slowly sitting up. It took her a while to go back to sleep after waking up in the middle of the night. However, Virat had drifted back into sleep quickly. She reached out to teh nightstand on the other sid eof the bed and picked up her phone. It was a few minutes past nine. She got out of the bed and wlaked to the washroom. The pain in her knew was still there, but it was rather dull. Her jaw pain had almost vanished. 

Tidying up her appearance she walked put of the room. He was in the living area, seated at the dining table. "Good morning!" He said without immediately looking up at her. She was beginning to realize that he was way alert than a normal person. 

"Good morning!" She wished, instantly having his gaze on her.

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better."

"A good night's sleep is all it takes." He remarked with a small smile, getting up from the chair. 

"I hope, omelet and toast is okay for breakfast?"

"Yeah, perfectly." Kashish replied slowly following him into the kitchen

"Would you mind if I fix myself a cup of coffee?"

"No, uh, do you want me to..."

"I can manage." She replied looking around the kitchen. Her gaze went back to him as he handed her a small steel milk pan.

"Here's the milk, and sugar," He said placing them for her. "And instant coffee powder." He added, placing a glass bottle.

"So, how much can you  cook?"

"Breakfast stuff. For lunch we usually get tiffin delivered. And dinner is also tiffin."

"Hmm," she said as she went about preparing the coffee. "Will you have some?"

"Nah, I already had my first cup of tea." He replied putting the breads into the toaster. He turned to look at her. 

She glanced at him. 

He looked away and then back at her. 

"Thanks for last night."

"Don't keep saying thanks for everything, okay?"

She watched him carefully, slowly nodding. She drifter her gaze back to the pan of milk.

"Uh, Kashish,"

"Hmm," she glanced back at him.

"I may come off a little rude and bossy... I have been told that at multiple times. But, it's just the way I speak. Sorry, please, thank you, I am a sort of hard wired to use them very less. I uh, just realized that... you.. what I mean to say is... you don't have to be obliged to do what I say or agree with whatever I say. You understand what I mean, right?"

Kashish smile and turned to face him fully. "I understand. So, have you also been told that you smile also very rarely?"

He stared right into her eyes, a small smile playing on his lips. 

"You can definitely go wider than that," she said pointing at his lips.

His smile widened and he turned away. Kashish was amazed, who knew that the serious, rough-tough looking police officer could blush.

"Nice smile, officer!" She complimented turning around to monitor her coffee in making.

"How come you don't have an American accent? I mean, most people tend to have it after living there for a few years."

"Yeah, maybe you should focus on my fillers, they'll give it away. Like totally!"

He chuckled softly as she said that in a proper American accent.

"Have you ever had pancakes?"

"No,"

"I make pretty awesome cheese pancakes. I will fix them for you .."

"Er, I don't like cheese."

She turned sharply to look at him. "REALLY?"

"Yeah, I... I don't like cheese."

"You don't eat pizzas and pasta and nachos with cheese?"

"No,"

"Damn. Are you, like, allergic to cheese?"

"No. I said I don't like cheese. Anyways, uh, omelet is ready and so is toast. You have breakfast while I get ready."

"Hmm, have you never had cheese filled garlic breads?"

His classic small smile was back. "Eat breakfast, we need to report to be at the police station."

"What, why? We?"

"Relax. I just don't want to leave you alone. I understand that you're fully capable of taking care of yourself, but after the incident that happened last evening I wouldn't want you to be alone. I will request Sujoy to have a officer accompany you at all times."

"Okay!"

* * *

Kashish didn't like the vibe of the police station at all. She was sick of the place in no time. Sujoy and the strict lady officer whose name she learned was Mehak interrogated her again. It was mostly the same set of questions. They were probably trying to verify she wasn't lying the previous day. 

In addition to the same old questions, they asked her a few more on what she had observed both before and after the murder time. Kashish did her best to tell them that she hadn't seen anything peculiar or anyone for that matter. Nothing that would threaten a probable murderer.

They sort of assumed she knew something that she wasn't revealing to them, which is why the attack happened on her. She answered honestly, that she had no clue who attacked her and why. They seemed unconvinced, nonetheless.

She took a seat in one of the passageway chairs as they asked her to wait.

"Water?"

 A few minutes later glanced up, to find Virat standing beside the chair. 

"They still think I am the ..."

He didn't bother to hear her out completel, and interjectedsaying, "No, not really. But you haven't been crossed out on the list of suspects. I think your parents may have to verify that you reached home around ten thirty- forty." His eyes were continually looking up and down the passageway.

"Dammit!" She muttered, covering her face with her palms.

"Don't worry," He said placing a hand on her shoulder. "It will all be okay. What's your plan for today?"

"Staying at home. I have called Sara home. She's the boutique designer I have been working with for the brand —"

"Okay, so I have spoken to the officer. His name is Bharat. He will accompany you in plain clothes and be outside your house at all times. If you want to go out, he'll be with you. In case... you feel it's better to have him inside the house. You can give him instructions. He's one of the most trustworthy person I know here."

"Okay, can I leave?"

"I think they would probably want your fingerprints."

"Fingerprints, why?" She asked warily.

"It's protocol. I am not sure what the latest developments from the lab side are, but I will find out. Look, this can be very scary and nerve-wracking but you just need to be strong and confident if you haven't done anything wrong. That's the only way. Okay?"

She nodded warily.

"Kashish, I need to be somewhere else. But you take care okay. I have sent you Bharat's picture. Ask for his identity card when he comes to you. He'll probably meet you once you're outside. Call me any time you need me. Okay?"

"Thanks," Kashish said with gratitude, her hand holding his. "I really mean it. I am not sure how I would have deal with all of this if you weren't there."

That classic small smile came up. "You take care of yourself." He said giving her hand a light squeeze before walking away.

Kashish kept looking at his retreating figure till he disappeared. The place made her hundred times more nervous knowing that he wasn't around. She distracted herself by responding to mails and messages on her phone.

"Kashish!"

Kashish looked up to see Niharika, Naman and Tanushree.

"Hey!" She greeted, her level of discomfort going up by multifolds.

"Are you here for the Ishaan thing too?" Tanushree asked.

"Yeah," Kashish muttered.

"I can't believe he's no more." Naman remarked. "I mean the other night we were all together talking and having fun."

"I agree." Niharika said. 

"Why are they calling us anyway?" Tanushree said with an almost scowl on her face, looking around.

"It's good that we all were together that night. Maybe if Ishaan was with us too, he would be alive." Niharika remarked with sadness.

"So, What did they question you? I think you left way early right?" Naman asked.

"Yeah, I left early. Just the usual... how did I know Ishaan and of I saw anything peculiar that night."

"Okay, I hope that's all they want from us too. I can't let this block my visa." Niharika added.

"Where's Simi?" Kashish asked out of curiosity.

"Oh, she said she'll drive in with her lawyer. Her father wouldn't have it any other way." Niharika said. 

"I think we should get going. Room four. I don't want the cops to be mad at us for not being punctual when actually we came right on time." Tanushree said, looking at Kashish as though she had blocked their way.

"You should join us for lunch..." Naman spoke up. "We're planning to you know hang out together. This is hard for us all. I am sure even you'd be shaken with all this Police stuff."

"Yeah," Niharika agreed.

Kashish faked a smile. There was no way she was going to subject herself to the group. "I have some work after this. Some other time"

"Cool!" Tabushree accepted her declination quickly.

"Hey, what happened to your elbow." Niharika pointed out.

"Uh, this... actually I had a fall yesterday. Was just being absent minded."

"Oh dear, you should be careful." Naman said patting her arm. "I hope it isn't bad."

"Nah, tolerable," she said meeting his eyes and then breaking the eye contact, moving her arm away from his touch. 

"Excuse me, Miss Kashish Shukla?" A lady officer called out.

"That's me," Kashish answered walking with a slightly irregular gait towards the woman. 

* * *

The day had been just as hard on Kashish, as the previous two. Being alone kept reminding her of the night and the attack. She had literally sat herself down and recollected every event of the night, scribbling it on the back of her diary. There was nothing new her memory had to offer her. What did her attackers think she knew? The question bothered her relentlessly.

She was helping herself to some sweet corn soup that she had prepared, when the doorbell rang. She freaked out. She wasn't expecting anyone. Maybe it was Bharat, the police officer in his late forties who was outside the villa. 

With slow steps she reached the door and aligned her right eye to the peephole. She let out a sigh of relief seeing the familiar face of her fiancé. She opened the door.

"Hey!"

"Hi, all good?" He asked his eyes keenly watching her.

"Yeah, uh, come in," 

"Oh, I made some soup, should I offer Bharat some?"

"I just relived him of his duty." Virat answered. 

"Oh, okay," She replied, shutting the door, carefully locking it. 

"How was your day?" He asked.

"Okay, I guess. What about you?"

"Tiring. Uh, actually..." He turned around. "Would you be okay with me spending the night here? I don't want to leave you alone."

"I would like that," Kashish replied immediately with a grateful smile.

"Okay," He nodded.

"Soup? I just made some sweet corn soup."

"I would like that." He said and Kashish quickly began walking towards the kitchen. 

"By the way, there's good news."

Kashsih halted her steps and swiftly turned around. "You found the killer?"

"No, no. I think I established your alibi."

"Uh, okay. How?" She asked walking towards him.

"Your society gate, Kashish. There is cctv on the gates, plus the watchman notes down the entry time with the villa number."

Kashish's mind zoomed back to the night. Viola! The watchman did ask her the villa number. The watchman had even asked her if she would like to give him the job of washing her car which she had declined.

"Oh yes, the watchman. Why didn't I think of that! Does he have the time noted?" 

"Yes, I checked on the way in. It was ten thirty three."

"Oh My Gosh! That's...such a relief!" Kashish remarked, throwing her arms around him. "Thank you so much Virat," she muttered against his shoulder. "For everything!" 

She felt his hands near her shoulder. It was then that she realized that he may not appreciate the sudden hug. She pulled away quickly looking at him, "I am sorry, I just..." She mumbled embarrassed.

"Not complaining," He said witha  smile and this time it was the one which came up with a hint of blush. 

Kashish smiled coyly, "uh, you should probably wash up. I will serve soup."

"Yeah, that should be good." He replied walking towards the bathroom.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

Hope you liked this chapter. Would love to know your thoughts on it. What do you think about these characters and their story?