The next morning…...
Mouli had spoken to the master and managed to get Advika a job as well. Now, both Mouli and Advika were working in the fields. Advika wasn't experienced, so she was copying others and working slowly. She had covered her face, so only her intense black eyes were visible.
The other women were singing folk songs in the local dialect.
Mouli and Advika were bending down and planting rice seedlings like everyone else when Mouli suddenly felt a hand on her waist. She quickly moved aside. Advika looked up to see Darshit standing there with a sleazy, lustful smile.
Running his hand through his hair, he said,
"Your dupatta... it's getting dirty in the mud..."
His eyes shamelessly fixated on Mouli's chest.
Mouli uncomfortably adjusted her dupatta.
Advika glared at Darshit. He sensed her intense gaze and leaned toward her, trying to see her face.
"Who's this?" he asked, since Advika was shorter than him.
Mouli quickly stepped in,
"She's our distant cousin. She'll be working here from today."
"Oh ho… now working will be more fun, right Rajan? What do you say?" Darshit said, scanning Advika from head to toe.
Rajan shamelessly added,
"Absolutely, bhaiya ji."
Advika gave them both a fiery glare. Rajan, angered, grabbed her hair and said,
"This b**** dares to look at us like that?"
He began dragging her out.
Mouli clung to Rajan's feet, begging,
"Please, master, let her go… it was a mistake..."
"I'll beat the arrogance out of her… looking at me like that!" Rajan snapped.
Just then, Darshit elbowed Rajan to stop him. He let go of her hair and dusted off his hands,
"Fine, fine... we're generous people, we'll forgive her this time. But make sure to explain it to her next time."
Mouli stood protectively in front of Advika.
"Yes, master," she said meekly.
Advika looked around and noticed Anay Thakur entering from one side, seemingly inspecting the work.
Ah, so that's why they suddenly acted merciful... otherwise, death would have been certain for both of them.
She glanced at Anay again — his face glowing in the sunlight, his toned body in a black kurta, hair neatly styled — a sight that could win anyone's heart.
From a distance, Anay felt someone watching him and turned. His eyes met Advika's again. He squinted slightly — he had caught her staring at him twice now. He'd felt the heat of many girls' desirous eyes before, but this was different. In hers, there was no desire, no love, no lust… no hatred either. What exactly was in those eyes?
Advika looked away. Anay began walking toward them. Rajan and Darshit, seeing him, put on fake smiles.
"Bhaiya ji, you're here?"
"How's the work going?" Anay asked, glancing briefly at Advika before focusing on the rice plants.
"Everything's good, bhaiya ji," both of them chirped nervously.
"Why are you two just standing around? I'm not handing out prasad here!"
At his stern voice, the two men fled as if their lives depended on it.
Everyone got back to work.
Anay also walked a little ahead and sat down, pretending to be busy on his phone — but his eyes kept returning to Advika. Though she looked like an average girl — medium height, dusky skin, slender waist — his eyes always got stuck on hers. He had never really noticed her body. His gaze simply wouldn't move away from her eyes.
By evening, Anay was still there. When all the women finished work and began to leave, Mouli and Advika washed up and started walking.
Anay felt a sudden urge to stop Advika somehow… but why? And what would he say? What if she misunderstood?
He quietly watched her leave, but as she walked farther away, his heart started pounding with restlessness. The desire to see her again was growing stronger.
Advika left, and Anay slammed his hand on the table.
What the hell is happening to me? Why does my heart beat like a bullet train when I see her? Why do I long to see her again? Why did I think of stopping her? Who is she to me…? Just a worthless laborer… an ordinary girl… nothing special that Anay Thakur would fall for her…
Just then, his phone rang. He glanced at it and smiled seeing the name flashing on screen.
"Well well, missing me already? You left that day swearing never to speak again!"
A mocking voice came from the other side,
"I'm home now. Are you going to come or just keep taunting me?"
"I'm coming…" Anay replied and got up to leave. As he walked out, his eyes fell on a single earring lying there. He picked it up — it was Advika's. After thinking for a second, he slipped it into his pocket.
Meanwhile, Rajan and Darshit were sitting in the warehouse, drinking.
"She's acting too bold, that little rat… daring to glare at me," Rajan said while gulping down liquor.
"What do you say, should we teach her a lesson?"
"And what if bhaiya ji finds out?" Darshit asked with a sideways glare.
"How would he know? His heart and soul is with his friend now. And you know how it is — when his friend is in town, he spends the whole day with him. He's not paying attention to these laborers," Rajan replied.
"Then it's perfect. Let's do one thing — tomorrow evening when they leave, we'll corner them and scare them a bit. Maybe even steal a kiss or two," Darshit said, drinking shamelessly.
Rajan laughed wickedly in agreement.
To be continued...