It had been a week since Alisha started working at Advaith’s place. Today also she reached in her ever happy mood.

She stopped short at the entrance of the house seeing Advaith already present on the breakfast table. He wasn't alone though. He had his moody octopus with him this time.

And it was purple. Oh oh! He wasn't in a good mood. Knowing better than to say anything, she moved straight to the kitchen.

She remembered the look of pure bliss on his face when he had the sip of his banana smoothie and scrambled eggs on the second day of her work and decided to make that along with grilled sandwiches.

He served himself all the three items while she being a vegetarian took sandwiches and coffee.

First bite and sip of his breakfast and he changed the color of the octopus to blue. Alisha smiled seeing his move. He still looked disturbed though and her smile dampened.

After breakfast he got up and started moving back to his room.

“Advaith? Are you okay?”

He stopped but didn't turn. She did notice his fists clench. Something was bothering him.

“You want to talk about it?”

He shook his head and she got mummed. When she didn't say anything, he started moving.

“You know I am there if you ever need to talk right?”

He didn't answer and just moved back to his room.

This continued for a few days. He was too silent and this had started to worry Alisha. He thought they were making progress in the first week. But everything seemed to come to a halt now.

She was sitting by the poolside right now. Her leggings pulled up and legs dipped in water.

She heard the door open and Advaith entered in. Alisha started pulling her legs out but he stopped her.

“No! Stay please!”

“Oh! So you've decided to talk huh!”

His lowered his eyes and stopped and she cursed herself.

“I am kidding. Come sit!”

He nodded once and sat at a distance from her. Careful not to touch her. They remained silent for some time.

“What is it Advaith? Kya hai jo aapko itna pareshan kr rha hai? You've been too disturbed since the past few days.”

He didn't say anything still. Alisha saw him fidgeting with his fingers. He was nervous. And scared.

“I-”

Hs started but stopped. His voice sounded too hoarse. Like he was trying to control his tears.

“I didn't have this condition since always you know.”

He started and she frowned.

“I was a normal, happy child. Just like you. Just like everyone else.”

She waited for him to continue. His breathing was getting hard. She knew it was difficult for him.

“My father is a businessman. Mumma owns a chain of successful makeup studios. It's natural that they have a lot of enemies.”

He continued and then took a deep breath and she knew the difficult part was coming up.

“I was 7 when one of his enemiy’s men kidnapped me. And I was home. Mumma papa were too. I was taken in their presence. They were in the other room and I-I was playing in the living room.”

Alisha's hands involuntarily moved to hold his but she stopped remembering what she was doing. He looked at her and her hand hovering over his. She put her hand on his covered arm and rubbed in a way to give him courage.

He looked into her eyes for a minute and then got up.

“Give me a minute.”

“Huh?”

She looked at him with surprise.

“I'll be back!”

With that he ran out while Alisha sat processing what was happening.

He came back and Alisha noticed that he was wearing his cotton gloves now. The thinnest pair he had. The ones he used while gardening.

He sat beside her and immediately intertwined their fingers with his gloved hand and she gulped.

“Umm-yeah-so-”

She caressed his hand with her thumb and he closed his eyes for a moment before looking ahead into oblivion.

“They were three men. All armed with guns. Unme se ek ne meri taraf gun point kri. I got so scared that I couldn't even mouth a limb let alone run for help.”

Alisha saw him blink his eyes to get rid of the tears forming in his eyes. Her own eyes got misty.

“I was blindfolded and thrown into a car. Thrown. I was taken to some place. I don't know what that place was but it was so so stinky and greasy. Dirtier than a dirty bathroom. The floor was muddy and greasy. I-I-”

He choked and she felt his hands shake. She gripped it tighter and he exhaled loudly before continuing.

“I was stripped naked and tied there. On that dirty floor. I was fed all kinds of rubbish food. They-”

He licked his lips and bit them trying to control the sob from escaping and crying like a baby in front of the woman he had started to like.

“They touched me with their filthy hands. Slapped me. Hit me. It-it sounds weird coming from a man but I was-I was sexually assaulted. This continued until I was rescued 5 days later. My naked body covered in dirt and bruises.”

He wiped his tears from his free hand.

“I was taken to the hospital and when I qas discharged, I had multiple food allergies, i couldn't bear untidy and dirty places and I couldn't tolerate human touch or my allergies would be triggered.”

There was silence for some time. Alisha processed everything and tried to control her flowing tears. She continued to stare at him and he continued to look head.
**************************************
Please do leave your comments.

Also, please vote for the story.������

Laters!!��❤️