Hello guys!
To make up for the delay in updating Enigma... here's a double update of this one :) Really intense chapters and I recommend kids under 16/17 to not venture into the Sikandar Ingrov parts. :)
Just a pre-warning... do remember that Ingrov is a prostitute and she isn't the person to hold grudges. That's all for today.
Really looking forward to this part! I can guarantee you that the part after this will contain all the "dhoom dhadaka" we are so familiar with!
With love,
You Know Who
Chapter 5
A low thrum in his body and cool splash on his face woke Arjun from his unconsciousness. He coughed back the water and rest his palm against his dizzying head.
Arjun moaned as another shot of pain buzzed through his head. He blinked repeatedly as the blurred vision cleared.
We kissed
I refused her
She walked away
Into the warehouse
I followed her
Warehouse blasted
“Oh!” Arjun muttered and tried to stand on his tired limbs. “Stay put Arjun.” Arjun squinted his eyes and focused his gaze on the Commissioner.
“What do you remember?” The Commissioner asked.
“Sir… I don’t remember anything at all. I was walking behind Sakshi towards this warehouse when everything blasted.” Arjun closed his eyes, not yet able to cope up with her death.
A tear trickled down his sooty face while he took in a deep breath. “We came here to investigate drug and organ samples.” With the help of a constable Arjun got up and balanced himself on his wobbly knees.
“Samples? Arjun, we searched the entire warehouse and there’s nothing of that sort, instead we arrest you for culpable homicide. You have caused the death of Sakshi Anand, Ayesha Kapoor and Ch… Chandrakant Patil.” Arjun gaped at the commissioner and stared in disbelief as he was handcuffed.
~*~
“Rescued her on time eh?” Kapoor smiled as Liza lay sleeping on the couch, ugly bruises showed her battle but then they were proud as Liza put up a fight.
“Hmm…” Verma answered, Kapoor frowned for Verma was never so stiff. “What happened Verma?” Kapoor prodded for an answer.
“Will Arjun be able to recover from her death, no matter how much that man wasn’t my ideal choice as my friend… something tells me it will hit him hard.” Verma sighed “Abbey he never loved her! Can kiss her but can’t love her.”
“The kiss was insinuated from Sakshi’s end and she was very well aware that Arjun wouldn’t be able to give anything to Sakshi because he is too broken. Sakshi left for that reason. She shouldn’t have pushed her luck.” Verma sighed.
“Someone save me, Verma defending Arjun?” Kapoor mocked while Verma glared.
“Enough, once Liza gets up I want you to do a thorough check on her. If she manages to get to see or hear either one of us then she stays here until the mess is cleared up.” Verma got up while Kapoor stopped “But where are you going?”
“News dekha? Apparently Arjun is responsible for the death of Sakshi, Ayesha and Chandrakant. How very convenient! I am going to make sure Karan reaches to him, rest is where Arjun’s capabilities lie.” Verma said nonchalantly and walked out.
Kapoor sighed and looked at Verma’s retreating figure.
Couldn’t the mess be easier to sort out?
~*~
Karan listened to the instructions very carefully, after having heard to the millions of rules and policies he gently flicked aside the bluetooth and tailed the police van carrying Arjun. It did make him wonder as to why didn’t Arjun do any super cop activity.
Like burst out from fumes or simply vanish from the van when smoke comes.
Sighing at the lack of heroism, Karan shot into the tires and punctured the van - only when it was running slow. If he did anything else then he would probably be setting a garland on Arjun’s photograph!
Bored with his duty he walked out and threw gas bombs, which diffused into the air and made everyone fall asleep.
Walking towards the car he picked up Arjun, which in no way was easy, and strapped him in the car.
Happy at the success of a mission which would put Bond to shame (sarcasm intended) Karan drove out of the scenario. The gun and bullets were anyways stolen hence no one would be able to track him.
“Karan! You deserve a bi… UGH…” Karan pushed break and fought as two hands came around his neck.
“WHO ARE… tu?” Arjun almost shouted and let go of his hands while Karan gasped for air “Saale maine tujhe bachaya! You b**** I saved you and over that you were going to kill me!”
Arjun shook his head and relaxed in the seat “Care to explain.”
In a few words Karan explained how he got to know Arjun got arrested and how how released Arjun.
“Why did you do this for me?” Arjun asked while Karan shook his shoulders “You saved me once, helped me out… I did this back for you.”
Seriously, for saving a man out of jail to prove his innocence did have its returns!
Arjun nodded and held his sore temples when Karan asked “Waise Shera, how come you didn’t do anything fantastic!”
“Fantastic?” Arjun muttered while Karan explained all the super heroic stunts he expected Arjun to perform.
“I am cop, not a batman or superman! I don’t recall myself as Houdini to produce smoke and vanish in thin air, once I would have the opportunity I would banish myself from there.” Arjun said.
“Oh… I see. So what happened?” Karan asked and Arjun stilled as he opened his mouth to reply. The effects of the past few hours had caught him so bad that he had almost forgotten the death of his team.
The death of Sakshi.
Reality slapped on his face as understanding seeped in. A strange ache clawed his heart and he held his head in his palms. She couldn’t die, he didn’t see her dead body.
He opened the window as the air got suffocating, he let the raindrops pelt his face… wishing this was just nothing but a horrible nightmare.
Karan stopped whistling when he found Arjun gripping the edge of his seat, gasping for breath. His face had aged dramatically and it almost seemed that he was going to have a stroke.
That scared him. “Shera?” Karan touched his wrist but Arjun flinched. Arjun shut his eyes and let the tears trickle down his cheek. He remembered, asking Sakshi to leave him alone.
But he never meant this!
He crouched on his seat and pressed the base of his palms against his eyes as he tried to control the tears and horror of the situation from eating him up.
Karan’s jaw slackened at noticing how Arjun tried to control his pain. A dull ache in his heart reminded him of what he lost.
Perhaps Arjun did have feelings for someone.
He steered his vehicle to his garage cum house and waited for Arjun to collect himself.
“Thank you.” Arjun whispered and cleared his throat as he walked out, allowing Karan to guide him to a spare room. Simran’s excited hi melted as she saw his red puffy eyes and slumped shoulders. Having the wisdom to leave him alone, she warned little Anjali - her neighbour - to not disturb the new guest.
Arjun laid on the bed, staring at the white ceiling. She couldn’t leave him… none of the members of his team could have died. He couldn’t believe it. The team which he had given years to create and reckon as a family couldn’t have dissipated in one day.
That to due to a sad excuse such as a blast.
His throat clogged up as a memory decided to haunt him…
“But I do lov…”
She croaked and found herself bearing his wrath
“DON’T SAY THAT! I HAVE NEVER LOVED YOU AND NEVER SHALL. NEVER. Do you get that? Please stay away from me, forever.”
“No…” he whispered.
“I didn’t mean this…” He whispered to himself.
When he had lost Roshni he felt he had been broken and left to die. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t eat. He felt like as if his mere existence was a painful burden like a man with a spoke of wheels on his head.
Yet when Sakshi came, she unknowingly relieved him of his burden… she had tried to stitch the torn shreds of his heart with a startling gentility. His ETF team began to create a new space in his heart, the one for a family he never had.
He settled his callous fingers over his heart, repeating to himself that it was nothing but just a dream, a nightmare.
He was afraid that he couldn’t bear it, fate having brutally torn his flesh to pieces. A need to harm self rose in Arjun, he couldn’t live any longer. The pain, injustice and anguish seemed too much.
He hadn’t been able to recover from the death of his beloved had life snatched away the only other person in his life. He got up and searched for an escape like a madman.
Karan entered the room on hearing a banging sound and held a frenzied Arjun in his arms “They can’t leave me… mujhse ab aur sehen nahi ho raha hai! I am just a human! JUST A HUMAN!” He screamed and begged Karan for mercy.
“Please tell me this is a dream. Why am I being punished? What did I ever do!” He screamed and buckled on his knees. He tugged on his hair and screamed his lungs out.
Roshni, Sakshi, his team…
For what was he being punished? What did he ever do in his life? Yes he accepted he did one mistake.
That he had kept aside a file for Roshni’s sake, that he never investigated what her brother, being a police officer, had done to a woman. He believed for the sake of Roshni that her brother had committed the sin unintentionally. For the sake of Roshni he had let the doctors run compounds of benzine run through the woman’s system to make her forget her recent memories. For the sake of Roshni he never did a background check on her brother.
And this was the price he had to pay.
“I can’t live anymore…” Arjun cried out and slumped on the floor. “Shera…” Karan stood by him and held on to Arjun, allowing him to pour his heart out.
“I love Roshni, I couldn’t allow Sakshi even if… I felt something for her. I asked her to go… it was my mistake Karan! If only I had stopped her for a longer minute. If only I had accepted her and she would be with me. If only I would make a call to my team to wait for the backup. If only I would have done a former assessment of the warehouse. It’s all my fault Karan! I can’t live… help me die.” Arjun broke down and banged his head on the wall.
“Shera! Handle yourself!” Karan found himself flung at one end of the room as Arjun barked at him.
“HANDLE MYSELF! HOW! HOW THE F*** COULD I HANDLE MYSELF! FIVE YEARS, JUST FIVE YEARS BACK I WAS GOING TO BE A FATHER WHEN MY LIFE, MY ROSHNI WAS STOLEN FROM ME. SHE WAS IN HER THIRD MONTH! MY BABY… I SAW THE DEAD FOETUS. HANDLE MYSELF? I DIDN’T AVENGE FOR HER DEATH NEITHER OF MY CHILD’S!” Arjun bellowed.
Pausing to take a breath he stared at her “I never felt nor thought about another chance. I was a widower, I needed solace. If I accepted Sakshi, I would be called as someone who didn’t love my wife. If I didn’t accept Sakshi, I would be called heartless. WHAT COULD I DO? YES, I DID THINK OF A FUTURE WITH SAKSHI AFTER ALL THIS! I HOPED TO BE IN LOVE ONCE MORE! I HOPE OF A FUTURE! WAS IT MY SIN? I TOLD HER TO GO AWAY AND SHE WENT FOREVER! I DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW SHE DIED… I DIDN’T EVEN SEE HER BODY! HANDLE MYSELF?”
He leaned against the wall for support “My family, my ETF… they were everything for me! They were snatched away for I don’t know why. HANDLE MYSELF?”
“I can’t Karan… it’s too much for me to bear. I can’t get over it Karan. I CAN’T! I am just a HUMAN!” Arjun clasped his hands and shook as sobs racked through his body.
Karan blinked away the tears which filled his eyes then and there.
He took tentative steps towards Arjun and held his hand. “Listen to me, you can avenge Sakshi’s death… you can avenge your team’s death.”
“I can’t… they are too powerful.” Arjun replied in a dead voice and stared ahead. “No… it’s not him. It’s the chief minister. Apparently he has been running this organ racket. Trust me Arjun, with us being together we can break through this. We can. It’s time you stopped getting lost and focused on repaying everyone for their sins. She was worth it… wasn’t she?”
Arjun just stared at him blankly while Karan helped him to bed. Simran passed him a blanket, wordlessly.
Arjun didn’t even realise when he had fallen asleep. All he remembered were hushed voices of the women he loved the most.
A love he could never complete.
A love he couldn’t understand.
~*~
Sikandar stared at himself and let the biting wind hit him. A bolt of lightning thundered across the sky and he reflected on himself on what he had done.
He had punished an innocent.
Gulping, he walked towards his bedroom when a stench disgusted him.
That’s when he recalled, he had kept Ingrov locked in the cupboard.
Stench?
An unknown fear caught on him as he unlocked the closet door, his heart failing him as he tried to open the door.
What had happened to her?
He opened the door and expected the worst of scenarios, to find Ingrov sleeping at the corner.
Relief flooded through his veins, momentarily.
Anguish made its own path as he noticed her disfigured fingers and the bruises on her body. He found slight patches of dried blood and on her lips… they probably split when he slapped her. Her tear stains marred the complexion on her cheek.
His nose twitched as a strong wave of smell hit him.
He gently shook Ingrov from her sleep.
Had she died in her sleep?
Not realising what to do, too frightened to touch her, he splashed water on her face and sighed as Ingrov grumbled and shook her head slightly. Tears flooded her eyes as the pain shot up from her hand. One of the finger was dangling in an odd angle and blood had clotted up in her palm.
She coughed a little when a voice stilled her “Ingrov?”
A small shriek left her mouth as Sikandar loomed in front of her. She didn’t notice the slight tenderness in his voice nor the concern etched on his face.
She broke into a cry and tried to fold her palms, begging for mercy. Sikandar’s body felt weak as he got acquainted with the fear he spread through thousands of people.
“It’s okay.” He whispered and saw her eyes widen as she tried to convince her innocence. Her feet had slightly swollen from remaining crunched in the tight position for long.
“Ss… sorry. I… i… dd.. do nothing. I’ll s.. stay here. Ppp… please don’t h...hit mmm...me.” She huddled herself further into the corner and kept on apologising. If anything would stop him from injuring her.
A gasp left her mouth as Sikandar fingered the torn clothing. “The smell?” He asked and looked in horror as a part of her dress looked damp. In the darkness he couldn’t figure out if she had.. bled.
Had he harmed her internally? He tried to recall every minute of what he did to her. An ‘oh’ from Ingrov caught his attention as he saw her flushed to a deep red and trying to pull back her dress, ignoring the pain shooting from her disfigured hand.
“What happened?” He asked, as softly as possible but Ingrov refused to speak.
“I said WHAT…” his voice stopped as Ingrov shook and began to speak incoherently. “Tell me.” He said softly while Ingrov mumbled “I… I… needed to pee. Y… you told me not to go a.. anywhere. I was ss.. so s… scared, I dd.. don’t know how I ll… leaked here. I… am… sss...sorry.” Ingrov folded her hands and looked down in mortification while Sikandar felt he was slapped on his face.
For a moment he forgot all his past experiences and stared at her, as a simple human. A girl, barely nineteen, was huddled in the corner - abused. The fact that she had peed due to fright and couldn’t control her own bladder.
Tears threatened him as he noticed Ingrov trying to wipe out the stains with the remaining of her dress, her face a deep red in shame and embarrassment. Bile rose in his throat to think that he had been using such a young girl to satisfy his sexual needs.
He wasn’t like this. Somewhere up there, would she be happy with what he turned into?
Ingrov looked so much like a young child, vulnerable and exposed. The stench didn’t bother him anymore as he walked closer towards her, biting back a curse as she cried at his proximity.
“Come.” He whispered and Ingrov stared at his extended palm. Several minutes later she held his palm and swayed as her feet refused to respond. She noticed the slight frown as he noticed the blotchy wetness on the floor. With trembling hands she continued to wipe the mess when he held her wrist gently, startling her.
“I am so s...sorry.” She whispered and shrieked when Sikandar picked her up in his arms as she wasn’t just able to stand up. Ingrov stared at the man before her and frowned as to what did he want? Her feelings were long washed over and logic ceased to be with her. She knew very well who was she to him, by now.
Unfathomable emotions escaped through Sikandar as he saw that Ingrov could barely stand due to her swollen feet, he decided to ignore the brutally disfigured left hand for now but he failed in that. One look at her fingers dangling off her palm and he almost felt nauseas then and there.
Ingrov absent mindedly moved her left hand to clutch his collar and screamed as pain ripped through her. Tears flowed down her cheeks and she immediately silenced herself as she recalled Sikandar was staring at her.
To her sheer surprise he walked her to the bathroom and switched on a hot shower. “Get ready.” he mumbled and he walked out.
Get ready… for what?
Chapter 6
Oh of course… it was night now, tonight was one of those when he would use her. How silly of her to forget! Ingrov muffled her screams as hot water soothed yet stung her at several places. He seemed to be nice now… she could probably request him to not hold her left hand when he has sex with her.
She struggled to dry herself with one hand but she gave an honest attempt. “No tears…” Ingrov smiled at herself on the mirror, acting was a key part of her profession.
Yes, it did hurt her this time. For she had to go and fall for this client but she bore its consequences. She blinked at her willowy form and dabbed tissue to her eyes till there were no more tears.
Taking nimble steps she approached Sikandar, who for some reason, decided to sleep in another room in his lavish mansion.
With only a thigh level lace negligee hanging on her frame, she walked towards him and stared in slight horror as there was another person.
And she had dared to dream.
Gulping the bitterness of betrayal she walked in. Betrayal? I don’t remember Sikandar having sitting beside you making sweet promises or vows before the altar?
Ingrov’s conscience mocked her and she knew that her mind was right.
“I’m ready.” She rasped and Sikandar walked up to her and held her arm. Today he just didn’t look into her eyes, she tried to see into his but he diverted… did she disgust him that much? She couldn’t help but recoil when he touched her. The fear still loomed in the air.
Sikandar tried to ignore the faint jab as she recoiled in fear but dismissed it just as quick. “Oo.. one rr… request.” Ingrov alternated her glances between Sikandar and the woman.
Woman, she felt sick on having to bed her as well… but then beggars can’t be choosers.
“Tell me.” He replied and she finally saw his eyes… there was guilt, again. Probably because he was sleeping with her - he always had guilt on his face. Though, she never stopped to think why was it so prominent today.
She knew very well that wasn’t allowed to think.
“Wh… while s.. sex d… I mean pp… please don’t touch mm.. my left palm. Only rr… restriction. It hhh… hurts. Aa… after one ww… week nnn… no rrr… restrictions.” She turned up to find Sikandar stare at her blankly.
“Why would I have sex with you, now?” He looked at her in confusion while Ingrov chewed her bottom lip “Oh… yy.. you want to ww… watch mm…”
“Stop stammering damn it!” Sikandar yelled and Ingrov shook like a quivering leaf, nodding her head repeatedly. “NO wait I mean…” Sikandar said while Ingrov shook her head again.
“Ss… sorry. You’ll ww… watch me with hh… her. I’ll t… tell her tt… to not touch mm… my left hh… hand.” She whispered while Sikandar stared at her as if she grew two hands.
“What the f*%$ are you saying? Why the f*#$ will I want to see you f*@#$%g another person in front of me? That too a woman? Have you #$%@@$g gone nuts?” He yelled at her and Ingrov whispered “Why ww...would you ask mm,...me to b...bathe and gg...g..get rr...rr..ready?” She stammered and held her palms over her heart.
He uttered another expletive and closed his eyes “To see the doctor damn it!” He signaled the white coat on the woman who looked at them with a blank face. “Oh bb… but why?”
“Why? Because your bloo*y fingers will fall off any moment and you’re running through a fever and you have several scars on your body!” He roared and Ingrov huddled into a tiny ball. She tried to hid her dislodged fingers and said “Ss… sorry for disgusting y.. you. Gg… give me a ff… few moments, I’ll hh.. hide it.” She tried to put her palm under her dress while Sikandar crouched towards her.
“I am not disgusted Ingrov… I feel… feel… so low.” He whispered and closed his eyes while Ingrov’s eyes widened. He felt guilty because of what he did to her?
She almost cupped his cheek but then withdrew her hand back as she noticed that his eyes were trained on hers. “It’s okay.” She smiled but he looked at her in surprise.
“It’s okay?” He asked while she sniffed in response. “You dd… didn’t do it purposefully.” “I did! I so wanted to hurt you.” He said, exasperated at her response.
She stared back at him and walked to the doctor who was patiently waiting for her.
“Her fingers don’t have to be amputated, they have been put into a cast which she can change periodically. She’s running through a fever due to her pain and the body’s shock to the sudden bout of injury. Her scars will heal with the cream I have set here. And yes, I’ve given her painkillers so she’ll be fine in a week’s time. Lastly, the swelling in her feet has reduced but since she’s facing lack of essential nutrients she won’t be able to walk steadily for some time. However you can continue sex. Thank you.”
The doctor pattered off the list and walked out with a check from Sikandar.
Ingrov had been tucked in bed by the doctor and just alternated her gazes between a focused Sikandar and the mechanical doctor. “Why?” Ingrov choked with emotions on being cared.
“Why show me a dream and bb… break it?” She whispered to herself but his ears didn’t miss that. “Aa… are you going to hh… hurt me more?” She asked, her raw pain naked in his eyes. He tried to shut his eyes and remove the images but nothing worked.
“I dd… didn’t mean it.” He pointed to her fingers which she slipped beneath the cover. “I’ve faced worse.” She replied.
As Sikandar stormed out of her room, he heard her loud sobs and raked a hand through his hair. Why… why was her pain hitting him? Was guilt strong enough to…
He walked to his room and broke everything, as a form of venting out. He relaxed on the recliner as the past twenty four hours played in his mind.
He would be lying if he said that he didn’t notice a woman’s touch to his house.
He wouldn’t be lying if he said he didn’t notice the extra attention he got.
He would be lying if he said he was oblivious to the care she gave him.
He would be lying if he said he didn’t like the way she ran her fingers through his hair when she assumed he was fast asleep.
Sikandar groaned as memories of their nights filtered by, her naivete in spite of being a prostitute, her tenderness and her eyes… they held a captivating power.
He had long stopped filling her in place of his dead wife. She was irreplaceable.
Ingrov on the other hand… was something else. She had never lied to him. A fact that he was yet to learn. He hadn’t met a single human in this planet apart from his secret right hand man, Ahmed, who wouldn’t lie. Ahmed would lie… only for Sikandar’s benefit.
And here was this one girl… who gave her everything to him.
He wasn’t a fool to not notice that she gave more than her body each night. She traded her soul for his. The results were evident.
He had unknowingly begun to heal and she had knowingly begun to scar.
Scar, a flood of images of him viciously biting her hit his mind. What was he angry on her about? Did he actually do nothing but vent it out on her?
Restlessness twitched in his body and as night settled in, his crave for her began.
He wouldn’t pause to describe what it was…. but that girl had done something to him. She gave him what no one else gave him till date, relief.
He was startled on their first night when he felt all the agony and despair drain from his as he harshly made her softness a part of his.
Denial was going to be another thing… he was too tired to fight off anything.
Against his will he found his legs taking him to Ingrov, whose eyes fluttered open at his presence. “What have you done to me?” He rasped and before she knew it, he had dived into the bed and held on to her firmly, careful to not touch her left hand.
She closed her eyes as he nibbled, bit and suckled “I can’t let this go… what have you done to me.” He pulled a fistful of hair gently as he pushed a few more kisses to her mouth when he tasted something salty.
Tears.
He stopped and looked at her, a small smile hinted on her lips yet tears flowed endlessly. “Did I hurt…” “Never, except…” Ingrov sighed and looked at her hand. How could she forgive him? Unless she was in…
His eyes grew wide as he read her love for him in her emerald eyes.
“Don’t go…” She weakly mumbled as Sikandar was about to get out off the bed. “I might ravage you like a beast but you need rest.” “I just want you… please.”
“No one has treated me like this before.” She smiled as he searched her eyes for any sort of deceit but found none. “There was a man…” Her smile dipped and his fists clenched. He didn’t want to hear about any other man.
“But he left me after I became a prostitute.” Her eyes filled up. Sikandar looked at her while she sobbed quietly “It wasn’t a choice… it never was. I am ss… sorry. I am telling you my stories when you clearly don’t want to hear them. Can I tell you one thing more?” She asked as Sikandar nodded, hesitantly.
“I dread leaving you. The feel of another man…” And she found herself pushed harder on the bed and her mouth clamped by his. “Not another man, not in this life.” He muttered in between and she looked at him in an expression akin to surprise, shock and joy.
He climbed on the bed beside her, stark naked and cupped her jaw tenderly.
“I can’t sleep on the same bed without stripping you.” He muttered darkly while Ingrov smiled brilliantly, causing a faint thud in his heart. Could he dare to dream? How could she still smile at him?
“I do know you… that much.” She smiled at his gentility when he removed the left side of her negligee and then proceeded to rip the poor material. She knew it was his lust, she knew it was a need but she reveled in the joy of being needed.
But his hands stopped, they just held her fragile, bare little frame firmly against his. She turned to look behind… waiting for him to start but he paused and looked at her and dug his head in the crook of his neck. “I never meant it. I am s.. so...” He whispered and she realised that he was talking about her hand. “It’s ok.” She whispered and found herself in a tighter embrace.
She easily found the heart to forgive him… nobody had known if she had been hurting or not. But he did and the pain that he gave her, she didn’t care. She wanted to live now.
“Why not another man?” She tipped his chin gently and his caramel eyes spit fire.
“Because I own you.”
~*~
“How’s he?” Karan’s ears perked at the voice and he turned behind.
“Thank God!” He embraced her and patted her hair gently. “How… I mean how did you…” Karan asked while she sat in his garage. “Double. I had been using her for a long time.”
“Double?” Karan asked while she nodded her head.
“Haan, many a times I have been in trouble for using the double.” She chuckled softly as old memories flooded through;
“Hello? Kaha khoi ho? Woh details kaha gaye?” Arjun snapped his fingers while she looked up at him and gave a sheepish smile. Shit! She should have asked her what were the details.
--
“What’s this?” Arjun pointed out to the vermillion and sacred mangalsutra! Oh damn! She closed her eyes and tried to think of a solution.
“Arrey! You know that I am a bachelorette and my description fits the bill of the next to-be victim! That’s why…” She said and for the first time she enjoyed what was happening. She almost smelt a tinge of… jealousy? Oh… she would be so amused to know that Arjun was falling for her!
--
“Hey, I have a limp… please cover for me.” The double spoke to her on cell. “Did he spot it?” She asked. “Yeah… I am so sorry! I don’t know how you’ll be able to cover for it…” The double slapped her head.
“No issues! I’ll just say that I sprained my foot from the accident.” “Sak! No one sprains a foot from an accident…” The double laughed while she laughed along. “But… then considering it’s Arjun, he’ll believe you.”
“Why?” The double smiled as she sensed an odd breathlessness and anticipation in her voice.
“Just thank me if you get any lifts or close up moments.” She laughed.
--
“I missed out on limping…” She told her “It’s fine… was he angry on you?” She asked.
“No no… no need to discuss that. Okay next plan is that within a few days we’ll go to the warehouse and get some samples collected and in short - conduct a raid.” She said.
“Okay so I’ll call Sir…” “No, I’ll go with him and you join him at the last moment, you have my dress right?” She said and the double mentally laughed. “Sure!”
--
“You’re panting? Why are your lips swollen?” The double asked while she shook her head. “Please go and check the warehouse, I need to attend a SOS.” She said and ran… to her horror the entire warehouse blasted.
--
“Reshma… I feel sad for her.” She said softly, sipping onto the cutting chai.
“But she isn’t the only one is it?” Karan asked while her eyes thinned to slits “I don’t see why we need to discuss that.”
Karan got the no-further-discussion tone and sighed. “Anyways, as far as Arjun’s concerned… he’s not keeping well.”
Her eyes turned watery and she shook her head “Doesn’t make a difference, it’s the team…”
“How long will you two do this?” Karan snapped at her and she blinked her eyes.
“Let me say he’s gone bonkers for you and belongs to the category of realising love after death. But this was a dirty game… I mean, he was just latching onto you with hope that…” She stared at Karan and removed her purse.
“Thank you for the tea. I see that he has evoked several sympathies.” Her cold tone angered Karan further. “Insaaniyat. I mean look at that poor guy, his wife died and he finally thought that he can support on someone… what do you think and how do you think he will react when he gets to know you’re alive? No honeymoon phases you know that right. Wait…” Karan stopped as her face blanched.
“You weren’t even going to tell him that you’re… bloo*y hell.” Karan cursed and shook his head.
“In fact now I am confused who’s worse… you or Sikandar? For that man hates Arjun yet he’s destroying him and you? You apparently love him and you’re destroying him? He didn’t want to live today! You’re all using him like a puppet… you showed your skills right! The girl I knew from high school and the woman now, before me. Just the effing same… you like using peop…” Karan never got to complete his sentence as a loud slap on his cheek.
“Don’t make this personal!” She cried silently while Karan glared.
“There’s no similarity between your situation and Arjun’s. I had never loved you Karan. I never used you. How could you even…” She pressed her temple and took a deep breath.
“I am sorry.” Karan whispered… the burns of being a spurned lover often showed up at the worst moment.
“No you are not. Let me tell you that I have a dead mother and father, a mentally unstable sister who’s probably killed herself somewhere and I am responsible for the death of my brother which I saw right before my eyes. Do you know how blood and flesh taste like? Smell like? Nope… you don’t. Insomnia has become my best friend and the Lord knows how many times I’ve been shot till now but that makes no difference because I am not here for a sob story..." She paused to take a breath.
"How can I live a life with Arjun? He’s too precious to be lost again. You do know right that Sikandar isn’t even the start of my enemies. How can I live with him knowing that every time I step out of the door, he might see my face for the last time? Every night I sleep with a gun tucked under my pillow, knowing that any time I might be wiped out of the face of this Earth aur tujhe pata bhi nahi chalega kab Sakshi Anand tapak gayi.” She blew out her steam and bit back a cry.
“Sakshi…”
“Don’t Sakshi me! Don’t you realise I love that man too much to give him a life of vulnerability. Yeah we get married and then Arjun’s killed because of me! Or he’s tortured or kidnapped due to me. I didn’t have anyone on this planet and I got infatuated with him, I agree… but… thank you Karan… really.” Sakshi wiped her tears in frustration and was about to walk out when Karan held her hand.
“I am so sorry Sakshi.” He whispered while Sakshi closed her eyes.
“Forget it… anyways, take care of him.” She said and ran out of the place, leaving a guilty Karan.
Damn it!
~*~
Sakshi sat on the window ledge, staring at Arjun taking deep, calm breaths. The medicine in his water was working… he’ll finally be able to tackle the irritable insomnia and the scary dreams associated with it.
Who knows the situation better than her?
“You took it far Sakshi, no point blaming him.” Verma nudged her slightly.
“Thanks for blaming me.” Sakshi snapped back while Verma chuckled “Issi ada pe hum deewane hai!”
“It’s not funny…” Sakshi buried her head in her palms while Verma solemnly held her shoulders “I never said it was.”
“What do you mean?” Sakshi stared up while Verma put on a little sad smile “You’ve been punishing yourself enough… promise me that you’ll get back to him once you have done everything you’ll be back with him.”
“I have too many enemies.” Sakshi cried, wanting to agree with him. “You don’t have to fight all of them Sakshi… promise me that you’ll be back.” Verma cupped her cheek and pressed a kiss against her forehead.
“Now go and seal your promise with a kiss!” Verma laughed as Sakshi smiled in spite of her tears.
She gingerly sat next to Arjun and cradled his head “I promise I’ll be back Arjun. I promise… just hold on for me.” She whispered and placed her lips on his, letting her tears drench the collar of his shirt.
She got up and looked at his face, pressing her lips against his forehead she vowed...
“I love you, always have, always will.”
~*~
To all who didn't get it she or her refers to Sakshi. And the she's and hers without the underline refers to the body double - do drop in your comments *click here*
No comments:
Post a Comment