Uncover( An Indian Romance)

Chapter 3

tw: Sexual assault

“What the hell is your problem, Shivam? I told you exactly where the documents were placed?” said Rumani as she entered the staff room.
“ You're ignoring me.” Shivam chuckled nervously,“ You're ignoring me,Right?”
“ I'm not.” She was ignoring him. There was something wrong with this guy. He asked her whether she watches porn or not through texts. When she didn't reply to him, he messaged directly on the phone,rather than on her social media. And the next day called her in the early morning. Bottom line was that,yes,she was ignoring him. She continued looking through drawers for the question papers,but didn't find any. She turned around and saw Shivam staring at her. “ I wasn't ignoring you, Shivam honestly. It's just that, I'm loaded with work. I have my own thesis submission deadlines.”
He smiled at her, pinching at her arm, “ Oh my god, you're so fluffy. How much do you weigh?”
“ I don't know, it's been a long time since I checked.”
“ Let me pick you up and I can tell how much you weigh.” said Shivam as he started pulling her by holding her hands.
“No.No. No…  No…” She resisted him. He left her hands as he saw a peon walking by their room. “ I think that file must be in the lab or the room next to the library.” Rumani nodded and left from there. She wanted to get out of that place as fast as possible. She searched through the drawers in the cabinet,but didn't find anything. She turned around and was shocked by Shivam lifting her up out of a sudden. Before she could say a thing,he carried her to a corner and tried to kiss her. Her vision blurred for a second. All she could see was his lips coming towards her. Her mind froze. She didn't know what to do. She was brought back to reality as he touched her breasts through the thin fabric of her kurti, “ No. No. Shivam.” She tried to push him away by using the force of her hands. “ Just let me take a peek.” He protested. “ No. No. Shivam. I have to go.” She somehow freed herself from his clutches and almost got away from her,when he placed his body against her from the back. Maybe he wanted her to feel the hardness in his pants. She couldn't feel a thing,her mind along her body was numb. He pushed his genitals against her from behind. She freed herself and exited the room in a hurry. “ Don't go like this. People will whisper.” He called after her.

What the hell had happened to her? Rumani wanted to ask herself that question, but she was in no way,in the right state to answer that. She needed to go from there. She just needed to give those question papers to HOD. Rumani left for the lab.
As Rumani was browsing through the shelf in the laboratory,Shivam pulled her aside, trapping her between his arms, and started kissing her again. She didn't kiss back this time either. She wanted Whatever this was to be over. She felt disgusted. “ Touch your tongue with mine.” Shivam barked in between assaulting her mouth with his lips. She moved her tongue forward,but she held back. She didn't let his tongue enter inside her mouth. As if he sensed,Shivam left her mouth,moved towards her chest,“ Just let me take a look.” He lifted her kurti, touching her breasts through the fabric of her cotton bra. Her mouth was turned away. He held her breast in his hand, “ Wow!” A sound escaped his lips as he touched her nipple and started sucking on it and glanced upwards to see,if she was feeling something. All Rumani felt in that moment was disgust and she wanted it to be over. She just wanted to go home. After sucking on her breast for some moments,he moved down, “ Let me see what's in here?” He said,his finger placed on her bottoms. “ I'm on my periods,Shivam.” Rumani whispered in a dejected tone. “ Just let me take a peek.” He glanced towards her again, “ Shivam, I'm on my periods, really. Please.” She pleaded. He got up, releasing her from his hold unknowingly, “ Will you suck my dick?” He asked urgently. “ No,No. No. I need to go, Shivam.” She tried to go away,but he yanked her back, “ Shut up! You're not going anywhere.” He  pointed towards a bench, “ Sit down here!” He barked. “ No,No. Shivam,I need to go.” She struggled against him. “ If not blowjob,give me atleast hand job. See how soft and smooth it is.” He said. “ No. No. I have to go.”
“ At Least take a look at it.” He said, taking out his penis outside. She didn't look. “ Did you see it?” He asked. She nodded and freed herself from his hold and ran away from there,not stopping till she had reached the ground floor. She entered the common room, looked at herself through the window glass. Her hair was messed up,her headband out of place. She pulled her hair band rigorously, pulling her hair along the way. Her phone chimed again. It was Shivam.

HOD is calling us in his office,he has got the papers.

Rumani sighed heavily, collected her hair in a bun,took a final look at her reflection and left from there.

As Rumani glanced outside through the window of the bus,She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. She wanted to tell someone what had happened to her. That somebody took advantage of her. Someone assaulted her. But who could she tell? Her family? No,she couldn't tell them. They'll call her back. Her friends? No,she can't tell them either. God,she felt someone had been trapped inside a water tank. Her breath was shallow.
That bastard! A lone tear slipped from her eyes. He hadn't just assaulted her. He spoiled her first kiss as well. Now,even if she wanted to forget this day,she could never. Rumani sniffed, looking outside.
Her phone chimed in again. It was a message from Shivam.

What's the size of your tits? Also your skin is very soft.

God,she wanted to vanish that feeling of his lips and his hands on her body.

“ Ahh! Obviously here too. The woman privilege prevails all! They have gotten seats,just for being women.”  A  Man snickered, standing by the pole in the bus. Man next to him,laughed along with him.
Men!
A sad smile made its way to Rumani's lips. That smile wasn't at that guy's snobbery,but at the patriarchy, which tried to show that women are equal to men,but whenever women are given their basic rights, roles and responsibilities,they were ridiculed. Their strength was questioned. They were laughed at. Raavan was portrayed as the villain in the Ramayana,but he didn't even touch Sita Mata. To her,he seemed like a hero. But what about Men in today's world,who were worse than Raavan. Did men even realise what it is to be a woman in this world? Men should never question the strength of a woman,who despite being assaulted, composes herself and keep working hard to achieve her dreams. Because if this world got to know about her assault, they'll not blame the man, instead they'll blame the woman who got assaulted. They'll find a way to justify the assault by the man. Sometimes it was women's clothes, sometimes it was her being a career woman, sometimes it was her living alone and the list can go on. Rumani was shocked,they didn't list ,a woman just  breathing in that list of reasons.This society has the unique liberty where it can patronize the victim and defend the Harassers. Did they realise,no woman ever dreams of being harassed. Did those harassers realises,with some touches,they have killed a soul forever and left just a Skelton of bones inside a body.
Rumani didn't know who to blame? Was it her polite behaviour? Or was it her full body covering clothes? Or was it just her? Her being a girl? But that wasn't her choice. She didn't choose to be born as girl.
Her phone chimed again. It was Shivam.

I hope you didn't mind.

Rumani smiled bitterly. Obviously,how could she mind? He just assaulted her. He didn't rape her. Or more likely,he couldn't rape her. At Least this time,it didn't take her years to realise that she was assaulted.

Writing this chapter wasn't easy for me. I want to tell all those women,who have been assaulted,in any way,that it's not your fault. You're the victim here, don't let the society making  you think otherwise. You're strong and you're brave. I admire you for your courage.
Love you all.