Savior

Chapter Nine

Any meal is incomplete without the dessert. Similarly the drama for the day couldn’t have ended without a midnight scare. The hand on my mouth was stopping me from saying anything but that didn’t mean my hands weren’t working, which is exactly why I grabbed my perpetrator and kneed him.

‘What is wrong with you?’ My victim groaned in pain while saying that.

Quickly I got up and switched on the lights to see who had intruded my room. ‘You?’

‘Who else?’ He said, still holding the side of his stomach. ‘Switch off the lights.’ I tilted my head and narrowed my eyes which he clearly saw but still said, ‘Just do it.’

‘Why? What are you doing here in middle of the night?’

He gave me a frustrated sigh and then got up to switch off the lights himself. ‘I know this doesn’t look decent to you but I’ll explain later.’ I immediately moved and held his hand.

‘I remember asking you to leave, then why are you still here?’

He shrugged off my hand and switched off the lights. ‘What are….’

‘Shhh’ He placed a finger on my lips and my stupid heartbeat accelerated again. When pointed to his ear and then to my door, I turned my head and listened carefully. There were some noises. My eyes widened. ‘There is someone in the house.’

I removed his hand away from me and asked, ‘Who?’

‘I don’t know. They’re wearing black clothes and going around the house breaking things here and there.’

‘Why didn’t I hear them?’

‘Maybe because of medicines you’ve been taking.’ That could’ve been true.

‘You still haven’t answered what are you doing here.’ I asked.

‘I was about to…but then I saw these people getting in the house through the kitchen window.’

‘Let me call the police.’

‘I already have.’

‘Then what do we do?’

‘Just stay here until they are gone.’

‘What if they try to harm us?’

‘If that was their motive they would’ve come to your room first. But since they haven’t I’m assuming they have a different motive.’ My brain seemed to freeze for a while unable to think what to do next. But a sound of something, probably my grandmother’s vase from an antique collection, crashing against my door made me jump. Seeing my reaction Sole pulled me towards him and both of us sat on the floor trying to hide from whoever it was outside my door.

Some other things were thrown on my door and I flinched every time that happened, but Sole kept calm and made sure to never leave my side. After a while the assault on my door was stopped and we heard some footsteps, after which there was complete silence.

‘Where did they go?’ I whispered.

‘You wait here. I’ll go check.’ Sole was about to stand up when I held his hand.

‘Don’t go.’

He touched my cheek gently and then said, ‘Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.’ We were near the window and the moon was throwing light in my dark room. His eyes in the half-lit atmosphere looked nothing but enchanting.

When he slowly pulled away his hand from my grasp I didn’t want him to but left with no choice I complied with him. Taking one step a time, not making much noise he opened the door and peeped outside.

‘There’s no one here.’ He whispered looking back at me. I stood up and joined him near the door. ‘It’s still not safe.’

‘I’m not leaving you alone.’ He held my gaze for a second when I said that and then looked away. Silently he took my hand in his and I followed his lead. We moved ahead almost tip-toeing.

We had almost made our way downstairs to my grandfather’s study when someone shouted, ‘They’re here!’ I turned around. There were about five-six well-build men wearing black clothes which appeared to be uniforms. They looked like…

‘They’re someone’s bodyguards?’ Sole questioned.

‘Seems the same to me too.’

The one who had shouted came towards me but Sole was right on time and pushed him away. ‘Who are you?’ He asked the man who was on the floor now.

‘Someone who will put you in your place.’ He gave a sly smile and got up quickly on his two feet. He appeared to be trained well, which meant they were professionals.

I was busy brain-storming who these guys were when all of them assembled near the study and were to attack me and Sole.

‘Pick up anything that comes in your hand.’ Sole said still staring at the guys.

‘I don’t understand.’

‘I can’t fight them alone and you don’t look like you know how to fight. So at least pick something up to defend yourself from their attack.’

I gulped and looked around for something that could be useful and the only thing that came to my mind was one of grandma’s vases. Since half of her collection was already destroyed by these goons, I’m sure one more won’t harm her. So I picked the beige one and held it with both my hands.

‘I’m ready.’ I said and Sole looked at me, it was as if he was saying that he trusts me with his eyes.

One of the black uniform guys shouted and marched forward with full speed towards us and Sole blocked him from coming towards me. They started fighting each other and soon the others joined in. I was still struggling to place myself in the fight. There were fists flying, kicks from all the sides and collars were being grabbed. All this while I stayed outside watching Sole fight like a lone warrior. I must say I was impressed that guy not only looked good but also had skills. But they weren’t enough to save us from all these intruders.

Then one of them came to attack Sole from behind. This was my cue and I smashed the vase on the attackers head. He shouted and fell to the ground. Sole looked at me in appreciation and I was already breathing heavily.

‘Are you alright?’ I would’ve loved if Sole would’ve asked that but the question came from someone else.

‘Aunt Maria?’ I was confused. My aunt along with both of my uncles was standing in the doorway. Before I could ask what was happening, Police sirens were heard. The intruders quickly pushed Sole away and ran out the window of the living room. But Sole was fast enough to get hold of one of them. He grabbed him by the back of his collar and held on to him until police came in and took him.

‘Can you tell us what happened?’ The officer asked Sole.

‘Luna! Darling what is happening here? Are you alright? Who were those men?’ Aunt Maria asked with furrowed brows.

‘I…they…came…I don’t know.’ I was finding it hard to breath.

‘They came in from the kitchen window and started throwing everything around. It seemed they were looking for us.’ Sole explained to the officer, ignoring my aunt.

‘Why were they after you?’ The officer asked.

‘Don’t know…Maybe they wanted money.’ Sole said and gave a stern look towards my aunt and uncles. Did he doubt them?

‘Well for now we’ll have to interrogate the man you caught and only then will we know. You might have to come to the police station to record your statement.’ The Officer said.

‘Sure. We’ll be there tomorrow.’ Sole said and the officer left not before giving me a slight nod.

‘Why would someone attack you Luna?’ My elder uncle said.

‘See this is why I was telling you that an adult is needed in this house. But you didn’t listen to me. Now I’m not going to hear anything. I’m staying here with you.’ Aunt Maria said.

But Sole immediately decline her offer. ‘Absolutely not!’

‘What did you say?’ She grew dark.

‘I said. None of you are needed here. Luna does not need a family who gets her attacked by goons for money.’ Sole gritted his teeth and my eyes widened. What was he saying?

‘Sole...’ I tried to say something but he didn’t listen.

‘I’m not saying things without thinking it through.’ He said and looked at me. ‘Those goons came from your younger uncle’s club.’

My eyes averted to my younger uncle and he looked baffled, something that I hadn’t seen before. He always acted cool. He was also okay with me living here alone then why?

‘I bet you all wanted Luna to think that she’s not safe alone and that she needs you guys.’ Sole’s piercing gaze brought out guilty expressions on my family’s face.

‘Did you really plan the attack?’ I asked looking at them.

‘Luna! How can you even ask us that? We’re you’re family.’ Aunt Maria pretended to be hurt but I could see through her now.

‘Do you have proof that we did it?’ My elder uncle asked.

Sole held out a ripped piece of cloth in her hand. ‘If you were going to send in someone from your club, you should’ve at least told them to change their uniform.’ He said staring at my younger uncle who was sweating the moment he saw the piece of cloth, which was black and had the blue logo of ‘Burning Moon’ stitched on it.

There was nothing that I wanted to say to them. They left my grandparents, their own parents alone and were so busy with their lives, I still never thought of them to be the bad guys. But when today they were standing here looking guilty of almost getting me harmed how could I not think of them to be bad.

The who had been there by my side today, Sole, seemed too angry to even tolerate them anymore, which is why he took both of my uncles hands and dragged then to the door, eventually throwing them out. He then turned and said to my aunt, ‘Leave while I’m being nice or…’

She walked towards him offended that someone who was not family was treating her like that in her own parents’ house. Sole took no time and pushed her out the door as well, finally shutting it on her appalled face.

He then walked in my direction, stopping to my side and said, ‘I’m not leaving this house for a while, even if you don’t want me here.’

‘I wasn’t planning on making you leave either.’ I said. He looked surprised but nodded and silently walked away to sleep in the guest room.

An unconscious smile appeared on face as I thought about the letter and how that god had granted my wish and I finally got my savior.

Present Day

Sole

‘Is something bothering you sir?’ Ricci asked.

I was standing near the window in my office cabin, looking out admiring the dark grey clouds. It was about to rain, just the weather that I liked.

‘Just appreciating the weather.’ I replied.

‘I still don’t get what’s there to appreciate but if you like it I can’t really complain, Can I?’

I smiled at him. ‘This is the only kind of sky where the sun is hidden and the moon hasn’t come up yet. It’s devoid of both sun and moon.’

‘Ahh got it.’ I knew he didn’t so I continued to look out at the sky. Luna and my story should also have been like this. We should’ve never met. Even when we’d met she should’ve never let me be in her house or in her life. Because once I was in there, she came into my heart and despite what she did, she never left.

‘Sometimes I wonder if we’d never met had our sky also looked so beautiful.’ I murmured but Ricci heard it.

‘She must’ve been special that you could not forget her?’ He asked.

I turned around, let out a breath and said, ‘She was much more.’

‘Is that why you want her back in your life?’

‘I just can’t see her happy.’

‘Can’t see her happy or can’t see her being happy with someone else?’ He had some guts to tease me like that.

‘She would anyways won’t find any happiness with the loser she’s dating.’

‘He’s not a loser.’ Ricci said with confidence as if he was talking about himself.

‘And how do you know that?’

‘Well, apart from being almost bankrupt there’s nothing wrong about him. He’s goo looking, he’s intelligent, he loves Luna and…’

‘Hold on, loves Luna?’

‘Yes, he was started liking her the first time he saw her during one of her cousins party and then approached her aunt asking Luna’s hand in marriage.’

‘Doesn’t matter. The marriage it definitely not happening.’ Not after the kiss we shared in the elevator, I thought.

‘Are you sure? Because I heard the invitations are being already sent out to the guests.’

‘What?’ This can’t be happening.

‘Why you look so surprised? Did you really think she would cancel her wedding for a mere kiss you shared in the elevator?’ I looked at him confused.

‘There are cameras in the elevator.’ He answered my unspoken question. ‘You need to put in more efforts if you’ve to get you girl back.’ He said and smiled as if he’d won a million dollar in a quiz. His words left me with an unsettling feeling and I could no longer enjoy the view outside my window.