Vivaan sat on his sofa with a stiff peg of whiskey gazing wistfully at his mobile. The few hours with Nehal had been a good past-time but they had only served to stir him further. He wished his grandpa hadn't ordered him to hold back. But then there was no such decree with Aditi. He would go far and beyond with her if he got another chance.

Closing his eyes he stretched his legs before him. His mind involuntarily strayed to the library. The touch, the feel, the scent, the slap! How it gave him the kick! Next time. Next time he'd return it with interest. And claim what was rightfully his.

His phone buzzed and he smiled. Finally, his wait was over.

"Hi, Aditi, how are you? I was waiting for your call." He spoke lovingly, imagining her worried face. He pitied her. Poor girl had unnecessarily brought this on herself.

"Vivaan, is Nehal with you?" She came straight to the point. Vivaan smiled.

"Sorry, Aditi. You just missed her. She just left a while ago. We had a very good time, I wish you were here to see us."

It felt nice to talk to her. The last time they talked, it had ended rather unpleasantly. This time he'd make sure he got the desired result.

"Vivaan, please. Whatever it is, it's between the two of us. Don't bring Nehal into this. She is innocent." She sounded stressed, which was good. She should be stressed, she should be worried. That just showed how well she knew him.

"Ah, but there's nothing between us, is it?" He mused. "Didn't you say just yesterday? So I am free to do as I please."

"Vivaan! Your problem is with me. Please don't harm Nehal. She trusts you."

"Don't worry Aditi. I have no intentions of harming her...yet." He smirked, twirling the glass in his hand. "She was here just for emotional support. Yes, we did get a bit carried away...but you know, these things happen. It was all very innocent...and consensual."

"Vivaan! How could you! Nehal loves you. At least have some decency. She is your childhood friend too! "

Vivaan scoffed. Childhood friend, his foot! When they were little he hardly noticed Nehal. She had a habit of trailing behind, watching them hungrily as he and Aditi lead the pack. Mohit was little, yet tried to keep up with them, but Nehal was a pure nuisance. She was no friend, a voyeur at the best. And now she was just a useful tool to achieve his goal.

"Vivaan, you are still my friend. And we will remain friends. But please, leave Nehal out of this. Don't mess with her, please."

Vivaan shrugged. "Sorry, Aditi. I was never just a friend and had no intention to be. We have a word from your grandpa and it must be honored. So it's no use begging me. You can fix this yourself. And you know how."

Wishing her goodnight, he cut the call and sat back contentedly. This was much better than his usual methods. Nehal and Aditi, it was a win-win situation all the way.

*****

Aditi rushed home in a frenzy. She had to see her sister. She had to see Nehal with her own eyes to make sure she was okay.

Entering the house she sprinted upstairs to Nehal's room, only to be stopped outside by Mansi Chachi. "She doesn't want to be disturbed. She is tired and needs rest." Chachi always made sure her daughter got enough privacy. Her room was forbidden to everyone else. When she was little, Nehal spent hours there, playing alone with her dolls. The only time she mingled with other kids was when Grandpa Raisingh visited with Vivaan.

"Please, Chachi. I just need to see her once." Pushing past her, Aditi entered the room. Nehal sat on the bed painting her nails in a shade of peach. She looked like her usual self, cool and collected, with not a hair out of place. Aditi's heartbeat eased a little.

Letting out a sigh she glanced around. The room had changed for sure. In place of the little play kitchen, now stood a giant dressing table with an array of cosmetics and perfumes lined on it. Gone were the doll houses and countless teddy bears. The space was taken by rows of branded shoes and bags. What caught her eyes was the open wardrobe doors. Rails of clothes hung there, half of them in different shades of red.

"What do you want, Di?" Her sister's question drew her attention back.

"I...just came to check if you are okay. You didn't answer my calls today. I was worried."

"I am fine Di. Just busy. And my phone was in my purse." She went back to painting her nails. Aditi waited for more, but her sister remained distant. This was how she was. This was what she did to fend off unwanted people who interfered in her matters.

Bracing herself, Aditi ventured ahead. "You went to see Vivaan today."

It came as a statement. Nehal looked unruffled. "So?"

Aditi licked her lips. "So...I want you to stay away from him."

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"Why?"

"Because I say so." Aditi persevered. "Please, Nehal. Vivaan is not right for you."

Nehal put her nail polish away. "He is not right for me because I am not you?" She asked coldly. "Because I am not the princess with beauty, brains, and bank balance?"

Aditi exhaled. She knew this would take this turn. Ravi Chachu compared himself with her father, Mansi Chachi with her mother. And Nehal felt compelled to do so with her. There was nothing she could do about it.

"You are getting me all wrong, Nehal. Vivaan doesn't care for you, and neither does he care for me. He is only using you to spite me..."

Nehal smiled. "He does care for me, Di. And you are right, he doesn't give a damn about you. So why don't you go and mind your own business, Di? Just go and leave us in peace."

Aditi felt her blood heating. "Mind your language, Nehal! Vivaan is only doing this because I rejected him. You know about his...issues, his anger episodes, right?"

"He gets angry because of you, Di." Nehal sneered. "He gets angry because of your wanton behavior. You and your friends, horses, and that filthy riff-raff of villagers! Why don't you just go and live with them, Di?"

"Nehal! You are crossing your limit. I am here to warn you. Vivaan doesn't care for you, he is only doing this to spite me.."

"Oh, get over yourself, Di." Nehal laughed scathingly. "Everything is not about you, the world doesn't revolve around you. Vivaan is with me because he prefers me. He's finally seen your true colors and has decided you are not worth his time."

Aditi reddened, heat pounding her head. Nehal continued, savoring her discomfort with delight. "First those four boys, then that stranger. And God knows how many more you've had in the past six years. How shameless is that, Di? What right do you have to tell me to stay away from Vivaan?"

"Nehal!! How dare you!"

"Oh, I dare, Di. I have been wanting to say this for a long time. Truth is that you don't deserve Vivaan. It's only that silly promise that's binding him to you. I wish you would go away. I wish you would disappear like your parents so Vivaan would be finally free."

Aditi closed her eyes as waves of insults crashed over her. Leave, leave, leave! The chant was getting unbearable. Her sister's feelings were not new, they were a mirror of her parent's feelings. Ravi Chachu resented his brother. Mansi Chachi, a yesteryear's failed actress, had always felt inferior to her mother. Her Dadaji's openly preferential treatment hadn't helped. The bitterness had only festered with the passing of time.

It had only ebbed with the death of her parents. Ravi Chachu had finally relaxed and given up trying to impress his father. He didn't need to, there was nobody to compete with any longer. Mansi Chachi had been the same. She had produced the sole heir to the family, that was her achievement to gloat over her mother's death. And Nehal had inherited these sentiments.

Aditi always thought Nehal would have been much happier if she'd never returned from her course, or found some doctor to settle away permanently. And today she had just confirmed her suspicion.

Well, tough for her. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

"That's enough, Nehal." Her voice was ice cold when she spoke next. Her shaking fingers tightened into fists. "Now listen to me. I am not going anywhere, this is my home, and I am here to stay. Get that in your thick head!"

Nehal looked at her askance, her face turning pale.

"And you are going to stay away from Vivaan. Do you get that? Stay away from Vivaan, or I'll get Zorawar to lock you up and make sure you behave. I'll not have your acting stupidly, jeopardizing your own life and mine with it."

Her sister's face whitened. Aditi smirked. Zorawar's name held power. There were only two people in this world who could stand him - one was her Dadaji, and another was herself. The rest feared him, and rightly so. Nobody wanted to mess with an ex-murderer, a man who'd served a jail term for an unforgivable crime.

"You can't do that." Nehal blurted, finding her voice back. "You have no right. Dadaji will never allow..."

"I can, Nehal. And I will. You know Dadaji will support me. So get over it and get in line, that's best for you."

Nehal stared at her wide-eyed, disbelief, hatred, and anger oozing out of her every pore. Aditi could feel the heat but stood her ground. Just this once, just this moment. She had to stay strong for herself and her sister.

"Why are you doing this, Di? You don't even love Vivaan. How could you be so selfish, Di? How could you be so mean?" Nehal wailed pathetically, her bravado a while ago disappearing into thin air.

"Call me whatever you want, Nehal. I don't care. But you are not seeing Vivaan again."

She turned sideways to see Mansi Chachi and Ravi Chachu glaring at her. Next to them stood a shocked Mohit and Kanta Chachi.

Aditi sighed. She hadn't realized they had an audience.

"Aditi, how dare you threaten.." Ravi started vehemently.

"Good you are here, Chachu," Aditi cut in cooly. "You've heard it all. Make sure Nehal stays away from Vivaan. And if she doesn't, you can find someone else to sign your next cheque."

Turning on her heels, she walked out calmly. Mansi and Ravi stared at her open-mouthed, then rushed to console their sobbing daughter.

*****

Aditi entered her room and shut the door behind her. Walking to the terrace, she stood against the wall. The night was cool, the air was heavy with heady scents, yet nothing helped tonight. Sliding to the floor, she sat with her back against the wall. The cold marble felt soothing, almost numbing the pain.

The bravado, the pretense, the fake nonchalance, everything was in tatters. No armor had been thick enough to stop those barbed words. They had pierced like arrows and found their mark.

Characterless. That was what they thought she was. First Vivaan and Mohit and now Nehal. She knew that expression of utter disgust and hatred. Revulsion. She had seen it on him. She had seen it on Darsh Rathaure when he asked her to be friends.

Maybe she was. She was marked for it, even had the stamp for it. It must be true if they all believed it. She'd better start believing it too. It'd just make her life easier.

Yes, she had to make her life easier. She wouldn't let Vivaan control her, nor would she allow her sister to act stupidly. There was only one way to avoid disaster and that was to put her foot down.

They will hate her for it, she was sure of that. But then they already hated her, there was nothing new.

Closing her eyes she let the hot tears roll. She had to calm herself. There were worse things in this world. She had her Dadaji, who loved her and believed her truth. And then there was Aron, who didn't need any explanation. A smile lit her face as she thought of him. Her friend, her sweetheart, her buddy. Getting up from the floor she squirreled down the vines to Aron's stable. He whinnied excitedly and hurried forward to nuzzle her face. Aditi stood against him, holding him for dear life, running her fingers through his silken mane. Slowly her nerves calmed. Yes, she didn't need anyone. She didn't need anyone as long as she had Aron and her Dadaji.

***** *****