Fanaa- Until The End❤

.16.

Chapter-16
The last prank.

"So, how's aunty's health?" The incoherent question from his mouth made Rahul feel stupid about himself. He wanted her to talk. He knew exactly why they were going to the medical store. For her own medicines. But she wouldn't speak about it, unless he broke her walls.

He wanted to start with a simple conversation but Anjali didn't reply. She was lost. So much that she didn't see a vehicle coming towards her. Rahul immediately held her hand and dragged her towards him.
"Have you lost your eyes just like your brain! Where are you!" He growled.

Anjali couldn't take her eyes off him. She looked towards him genuinely with all the love and adoration she had stored for 7 years, when he wasn't there. She didn't know why her mind and body went out of control whenever he was near her. She couldn't actually think sanely.

"Anjali! You're alright?" The question from another boy's mouth made her look towards the voice.
It was Vinay, Kumar uncle's son. He was a very good friend of her as they had joined the same college and Kumar uncle owned a retail store that was famous for giving people the daily needed items on credit.

"Yes I am. Thanks Vinay." Anjali said promptly though she found Rahul's death glare on him irritating.
"This is Rahul, Ranjani Maa's son. He came back from Mumbai few days ago." She introduced him to the stranger.
"Oh! Dr.Singh's son! I guess we went to the same school, Ooty convent?" The unexpected over friendliness irked Rahul to an extent.

"Yeah Vinay. But you were in the other section." Anjali replied instead of Rahul.
"By the way, 7 years man! Long time. It's still a mystery of this town." Vinay added much to Anjali's sour mood.
"What? Your existence?" Rahul coolly asked as she glared at him.
"No no! Your leaving." Vinay found nothing but humor in his words and heartily chuckled.

"I intend to keep it that way. Any problem?" The sudden change in attitude made Vinay think twice before he said anything. To escape the devil's wrath, he immediately masked his fearful expression to that of a wide grin.
"No Rahul. It was nice meeting you. See you around." He bid bye.

"See you never." He muttered that was strangely audible to her.
"Can't you keep your mouth shut for few minutes?" She questioned.
"You're the one to talk. The people in this town have still not learnt to keep their nose out of other's lives." He strode away.

"As if you have." She said loudly.

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"That's 800 rupees beta." The shopkeeper, Harish smiled fondly.
"Uncle, what about Aspirin? Dr.Singh said it will be available here. The hospital pharmacy was out of stock." Anjali asked.
"Let me check it." He said and walked away immediately.

"Aspirin is not suggested for, until it's 2nd or 3rd attack. It's still the first one and aunty doesn't need it. It'll simply cause more side effects." Rahul said looking something on his phone.
"But Maa said it'll help in preventing blood clots." Anjali retorted.

"Your Maa doesn't know about medications more than her son." He smiled.
"Is that so?" Anjali giggled and shook her head.
"Yep. If you want an opinion ask him." He said as Harish returned with the tablet.

"His words were absolutely true beta. Since you asked, I just brought it." Harish smiled apologetically.
"75 mg is fine maybe." Rahul said gaining his attention.
"Yes Anjali. You can ask Ranjani behen before giving it to your mother." Harish said with a nod of approval.

"Thanks uncle." She said and handed the amount he quoted.
"God bless you beta. Go to checkups regularly and don't miss out any medications." He warned as Anjali's eyes grew wide in horror.
"Yeah uncle I'll ask Maa to do that." She dodged the topic and left a confused Harish to ponder over his words.

"You and your secrets Anju." Rahul muttered as he calmly followed her.

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"Ranjani, you think they'll settle with all of it?" A confused Anuradha questioned her equally stressed neighbour. After Rahul had gone to the market with Anjali, Ranjani and Anuradha had sat together, to discuss about talking with their kids.

"But, it's way too late to think about it. Rahul knows a bit of the truth and he has not questioned me so far. Anjali doesn't know anything so it's her we have to be worried about." She sighed.

"Anju has never been open about her father. She, err, was angry with him when he left all of us, and she still might be." Anuradha said sadly reminiscing about her husband's death. It was never easy to face Aravind's demise for her. Anjali was just a 12 year old kid when it happened.

"And the horrifying part is, my husband was responsible for it." The tiredness laced in Ranjani's voice didn't go unnoticed by Anuradha. She immediately held her palm and squeezed it in assurance.
"I still don't believe Randeep did such a thing Ranju. I can't. If we ever get a chance of meeting him again-"

"No. We are never meeting him again." Ranjani said with an unknown determination.
"He might be in jail Ranjani but we are still allowed to speak to him." Anuradha coaxed.
"No Anu. He has done enough. I'm still ashamed that my kids share his blood. And I won't ever risk their lives again by putting his wrath over them." She spoke.

"What if Rahul wants to meet him?" Anuradha asked a question that didn't carry an answer.

Sadly, Ranjani accepted her defeat.

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"So you did scuba and sky diving? With what courage?" Anjali giggled as Rahul kept a bad face.
"I'm braver than you think." He scoffed.
"Yeah. I've seen your bravery when you promised you'd come back to solve the issue." She said not knowing the consequences.

Immediately she was yanked closer to him by a terrifying speed.
"You think taunting will make it easy?" He seethed. He tried to keep his anger in bay but he failed when she uttered those words without thinking, as if it did not hurt him.
"No. I think you spilling the secrets will suffice it." She spat. His gaze softened.

"What do you think? You can escape from me without a valid reason and you can come back whenever you want and claim a right on me! Whom are you fooling Rahul?" The outburst was unexpected for both him and her.

"Look, I just- I can't okay. I can't tell why." He gave up. Anjali sensed his vulnerable tone and felt guilty for going overboard. She couldn't enjoy the few moments they had without triggering the past. She couldn't do it even though knowing that she had a little of that time left.

"I'm sorry. I won't raise the topic." She admitted.
"A day of shocks indeed." He said simply flushing his hands into his jeans pockets.
The simple ignorance irritated her as anger surged through her. She suddenly wanted to play that prank to annoy him. Deciding, she prepared and began speaking.

"I, I wanted to, actually, never mind." She stuttered.
"Is it me over reacting or the sun has set in the East today? You are fumbling with words!" He joked and giggled.
"Okay, Rahul wait." She said as they stopped walking. They were on the bridge that they used to travel back to home from school years ago.

"What? Can't find a comeback?" His mischevious comment made her heart beat quicken.
"Rahul, let's elope." She said with a softened voice and held his hand.

"What!" He screamed.

To be continued