"Arvika, this side." I smiled as she turned toward my voice. I signaled Gia to move. We were playing blindman's buff, one of Arvika's favorite games.
"Clap," Arvika said. Dev clapped from where he stood, and she took another step toward him.
"Ms. Mathur."
My gaze shifted to Meera, who stood by the door. I frowned before walking toward her.
"Yes?"
"What are you doing?" She was wearing a serious look on her face.
I used to like it when she visited on weekends. Now that she was there daily because of Mr. Kapoor, she was commenting on everything we did.
"We are playing a game, Meera. Arvika is good, and she is done with her homework."
Before Meera could say anything, Arvika called, "I caught you."
I looked down to see Arvika holding my leg. Meera walked away as Arvika removed her blindfold and handed it to Gia.
Gia and Dev had warmed up over the last few days and become friends. They weren't awkward around me anymore, and they were good sports when Arvika wanted to play a game.
"You ready?" Gia asked as she tied the cloth around my eyes.
"Yep."
Arvika counted to ten as they spun me around.
"I'm right here," Arvika called out as the game started.
I was disoriented and it was hard to tell where I was walking. I heard a clap and Arvika's giggle.
I turned to my right, toward the clap. The clapping changed to the left, then back to the right.
Arvika was giggling the whole time, as I was stumbling around, not being able to find anyone. Suddenly, I didn't hear any noise from them.
"Arvika, aren't you going to clap? I can't take a step if you don't clap."
I stood where I was and waited for them to make a sound. They were being awfully silent.
"Dev? Gia? Someone make a sound or clap." I was about to remove the blindfold when I heard a clap. I took a step forward, then another until I bumped into someone.
I wrapped my arms around Dev as I caught him. I'd never realized Dev was this tall, maybe because I'd never been this close to him.
"I caught you, Dev," I said.
I tensed when he pulled me flush against him. I frowned when I didn't feel the softness of the shirt he was wearing.
I removed the blindfold and my eyes widened when they met with familiar hard eyes. My cheeks turned bright red when I felt his hands on my rump.
"Ugh.. Aa.... Aaaa.." No words came out. I tried to pull away, but he held me in a tight grip. My head turned from side to side to see if anyone was there.
No one was there. Dev, Gia, and Arvika were nowhere to be seen.
I tried to free myself, but it was no use. He just gazed at me while his hand started tracing from my bottom upward. My breasts were pressed against his chest.
"What are you doing, Mr. Kapoor?" I finally found my voice and spoke up, trying to push his hands away.
"What were you doing, Ms. Mathur? Trying to wrap yourself around Dev?"
I opened and closed my mouth as he glared at me.
"We were playing a game, Mr. Kapoor. I thought you were Dev, and I wrapped my arms around him to catch him."
"I don't want you playing with any of the men here. If I see you playing with Dev or any other man, I'll..."
I gulped at his warning. I understood the underlying threat.
"I was playing with Gia, Arvika, and Dev, Mr. Kapoor. I wasn't playing just with Dev."
He clenched his jaw, and his eyes hardened, telling me not to utter another word.
I stayed silent as his grip on my hips tightened, which caused something inside me to flare. I was breathing heavily because of our closeness and his gaze.
His gaze was different than the looks I got from other men. Even though I spoke with the bodyguards here, I'd never felt the nervousness and fire that I did when I was with Mr. Kapoor.
"Fifteen minutes to get ready. Meet me in the hall with Arvika."
I nodded my head, and he squeezed my hip.
"Words."
"Yes, Mr. Kapoor."
We stood there for another minute before he left me standing in the middle of the room with flushed cheeks, waiting for Arvika and the others to come back.
"Flower, we need to go and get ready! Papa wants us to meet him in the hall." Arvika rushed toward me and wrapped her hand around mine, pulling me with her.
Arvika changed out of her pj's into a pair of jeans and a red T-shirt from the collection of clothes we'd bought yesterday. I changed into my skinny blue jeans and an olive-green cropped hoodie, and we grabbed our shoes and put them on as quickly as we could.
Even rushing, it took an extra ten minutes, because fifteen minutes just wasn't enough time to make myself and a seven-year-old presentable. By the time we walked to the hall, Mr. Kapoor was already waiting with Meera.
Without saying a word, they started walking. Arvika and I shared a look before we followed them outside.
Mr. Kapoor's driver was already in the car ready to go. I stood there awkwardly, wondering if I should take shotgun or the back seat. My question was answered when Meera opened the passenger-side door, and Mr. Kapoor got in the back.
"I want to sit by the window." Arvika looked at me with puppy dog eyes. That had me sitting in between father and daughter.
I still didn't know where we were going, but the weather was slightly chilly. Good thing I'd made Arvika wear her jacket. Arvika was looking out the window, and her father was busy with his phone. Meera was working on her iPad. I played with the hem of my hoodie, as I didn't have anything else to do. The whole ride was silent except for Arvika's expressions of awe. Occasionally, Mr. Kapoor's arm brushed against mine.
The car stopped, and it seemed that we'd reached our destination. My eyes scanned our surroundings and I saw we were at some sort of school.
Arvika held my hand when we got out of the car. We looked around while Meera spoke with Mr. Kapoor.
"Mr. Kapoor, this school ranked second in the whole country. They have superb facilities, and the location would be convenient for traveling," Meera explained to Mr. Kapoor.
There weren't any students around; I guessed it was a school break. Mr. Kapoor started walking, and we followed him inside. I looked at the halls filled with portraits and pictures made by students.
We were in what must have been the administration block. The whole campus was huge and beautiful. It was divided into four blocks: kindergarten, primary school, middle school, and high school.
We continued walking until we were in the primary school block. There were several people there, mostly parents arranging their children's admission.
For some reason, we didn't go to the principal's office. Meera wasn't anywhere to be seen, and Arvika and I followed Mr. Kapoor. Mr. Kapoor checked the halls and all the classrooms in the block.
"Mr. Kapoor, why are we here?" I asked him.
"Arvika will be starting second grade next week, and you will be teaching here."
"Huh? Teaching here?"
He turned around with an irritated look.
"I'm allowing Arvika to study in a private school like normal kids. You will be teaching here because she is your responsibility."
"But, Mr. Kapoor, why do I have to teach here? I can drop her off and pick her up every day, but please, I don't want to teach a bunch of kids," I said with a look of horror. "They can be a handful."
"I'm sure you'll get used to it. I don't want to hear any arguments." He walked away, heading toward Meera who'd just appeared with a file in her hands.
"I'm going to this school?" Arvika asked with excitement.
"Yes, baby, this is your school. Your dad is sending you here to be in class with other kids. Do you like it?" I asked her, crouching down to her level.
"I love it! And you're going to be there with me!" She wrapped her arms around my neck, and I chuckled, hugging her back.
***
"We got her uniform and books, sir," Meera informed Mr. Kapoor.
"Anything else?" he asked.
"Her shoes and other necessities will be delivered, sir."
I frowned. I didn't want someone else to get Arvika's things. It was her first time going to school, and everything should be her choice.
"But, Mr. Kapoor, it would be better if Arvika and I went to the mall to buy them. I mean, it's Arvika's first time, and she should be allowed to choose her own things."
Meera glared at me. "Ms. Mathur, you took Arvika out yesterday. It's not good for Arvika, and please don't get used to the idea of leaving the house," she said, while I tried my best not to roll my eyes.
I waited for Mr. Kapoor to say something, but he just stood there, watching my face. Is he not going to say anything?
"Ms. Sharma, hold down the fort."
Meera opened and closed her mouth, while I tried to understand what he meant.
"Are you coming or not?" he asked me.
I snapped out of my thoughts then followed Mr. Kapoor. He took the keys from the driver and got into the car.
"Get in."
Arvika pushed me toward the front seat when I started to sit with her in the back, so I took the passenger seat.
"Seat belt."
I pulled out my phone to make a list of what Arvika needed, and asked Mr. Kapoor to drive to the mall. Last time I'd checked, there was a bookstore on the second floor.
I turned around to look at Arvika. "Arvika, do you have a schoolbag?"
"Nope."
I added it to the list. Mr. Kapoor stayed quiet while I asked Arvika what else she needed and what kind of bag she wanted.
When we walked into the mall, I noticed people were looking at Mr. Kapoor and me. It was kind of awkward, but I started walking fast so I could ignore their looks.
First, we walked to the book covers. I wanted to take care of small things first.
"Which ones do you like?" I asked Arvika, pointing out covers in brown, orange, , , green, purple, and red.
"I want no colour."
Wouldn't have been my choice when I was a kid, but I admire someone who can make a quick decision.
We then went looking for book labels, pens, pencils, erasers, and scissors. Even though she had all those things at home, we bought them because she wanted to have everything new for her first day of school.
Mr. Kapoor followed us wherever we went.
"What kind of bag do you want?" I asked her.
"I want an Elsa bag."
I chuckled before picking up the Spider-Man bag.
"It will match my pencil box." She grinned, taking her new bag.
"Yes, baby, it will."
"How much time will this take?" Mr. Kapoor asked, looking at me and Arvika.
"We have to get her a lunch box, a water bottle, and shoes," I told him.
He gave me an are-you-serious look.
"Yes, I'm serious."
"Make it fast."
"We need to go to another store, Mr. Kapoor," I said, walking toward the counter.
He took the basket from my hands and headed to the cashier to pay. "Call me Atharv."
I blinked. I was in shock hearing him say that. He wanted me to call him Atharv.
By the time we finished shopping, Arvika and I were hungry. Mr. Kapoor, I mean Atharv was busy texting.
"Mr. Kapoor.. uh, Atharv, can we grab something from Domino's?"
"We can eat at a restaurant," he replied.
Arvika and I pouted because we loved Domino's.
"But we like Domino's."
He looked at us with his dangerous eyes. I was about to tell him not to get angry when he agreed.
"This is the first time," Arvika whispered when we sat down.
"First time?"
"Papa and I never go out to eat. He's taking me out for the first time." Her eyes shone with happiness.
"Then let's make your papa take us out every month," I whispered back.
"We can?"
"Yes, we can, baby."
Mr. Kapoor/ Atharv went to order.
After dinner, I tucked Arvika into bed. I washed up and went to bed early, too, wanting to be rested for the next day.
***
I groaned loudly as I shifted my sleeping position in annoyance, but the alarm didn't stop. I slammed a pillow over my ear, but that was snatched away.
"What in the hell?" I yelled, getting up. My eyes widened in shock, and I was wide awake now.
Mr. Kapoor I mean Atharv, as he'd ordered me to call him when we were alone was standing in front of me with a serious face.
I sat there, not knowing what to say. How had he gotten into my room? I'd locked the door last night. I was so deep in thought that I forgot about my sleeping attire. I remembered them when I saw the look Atharv was giving me.
His eyes were dark, and I looked down to see my uneven tank top exposing half my chest. The strap had slipped off my shoulder, and my shorts had ridden up, giving him a clear view of my thighs. I quickly stood up, pulling the strap back in place.
"What are you doing here, Atharv?"