11. Young Maiden
Vikram stirred in his sleep, feeling something warm pressing against him. As he opened his eyes, a jolt of panic shot through him. A young girl, naked and asleep, was curled up beside him, completely at ease.
"Wahhh!" Vikram yelled, tumbling out of bed. "Who are you?!"
The girl stretched lazily, her voice soft and sleepy. "Don't shout in the morning. It's rude."
"Rude? You're on my bed! Without clothes!" Vikram stammered, covering his eyes with both hands.
Hearing the commotion, Aditya and Anu rushed into the room. "What happened? Are you okay?" Aditya asked, scanning the room. His eyes landed on the girl, and his expression darkened.
"I'm getting my belt," he muttered coldly, walking away.
"No! Wait, it's not what it looks like!" Vikram panicked, but Anu's glare silenced him.
The girl, unfazed, grinned mischievously. "Well, he was looking."
Anu tightened her fists. "Care to explain?"
Vikram scrambled to his feet. "I-I have no idea—"
"Shut up!" Anu snapped, punching him on the head. "Idiot."
The girl sat at the table, sipping tea as if nothing had happened. Vikram, now fully dressed, sat beside her, staring at the floor. Aditya, arms crossed, glared at him.
"Are you not ashamed?" Aditya asked.
"I didn't do anything!" Vikram protested.
"Then who is she?"
The girl interrupted with a smile. "I'm Onna. A friend of the Black Bird who saved Vikram."
Hearing this, Vikram's grandmother gasped. "Are you really friends with him?"
Onna nodded and showed a picture on her phone. The room fell silent as everyone leaned in to see. Grandmother's eyes filled with tears. "It's him… thank God…"
Her excitement caused her blood pressure to spike. Aditya rushed to calm her. "Mom, sit down. Don't overdo it."
"How is he? Where is he now?" Grandma asked eagerly.
Onna smiled gently. "He'll be here tomorrow, on Vikram's birthday."
Grandmother clasped her hands. "Thank you, God. Finally, I can thank him properly."
Before anyone could ask more, Onna stood. "Can I use your bathroom? I need to freshen up."
Aditya nodded. "Of course. I can't thank you enough for saving my son. Anu, show her the way."
Anu led Onna to the bathroom, leaving Aditya to prepare for work. As he buttoned his shirt, he felt something soft against his back. Turning around, he saw Onna, her wet hair clinging to her skin, her eyes gleaming mischievously.
"Daddy, will you dress me?" she whispered. "I'll give you a reward… maybe a kiss?"
Aditya sighed and flicked her forehead. "You fool. It's bad manners to walk around like this."
He draped a blanket over her shoulders. "What's your favorite color?"
Onna blinked, caught off guard. "Light pink."
Aditya smiled. "I'll get you the prettiest dress. You're like a daughter to me."
Tears welled up in Onna's eyes, a single drop falling silently. "Thank you…"
"No need to cry," Aditya said, patting her head gently. "Just wait till I get back."
As he left for work, Onna watched him from the window, her expression softening. "He's not like the others…"
Vikram entered the room, scratching his head. "Hey, uh… can I ask you something?"
Onna turned, grinning. "Sure… but only if you take me on a date."
Vikram hearing that said " what ! "
