Noble Intentions (Completed)

11. Shattering

By the time Bhoomi came out with coffees for everyone, Vivek and Raju are no where to be seen. For a second Bhoomi's heart dropped, agitated that they left without seeing her. But then, Aakash filed in that they are in the backyard freshening up.

As much as it feels like it's been a while since she left and returned here, she knows that the backyard is not as unkempt as she anticipated. It was only possible because she takes special care of everything in the house which is why everything looks so organized and proper. Everything except the kitchen. That's probably because her aunt must have stepped inside to cook the previous day. It looked so messy that it might take an hour or two just to clean it.

Not leaving her alone to her thoughts, her aunt was on her immediately with questions about who Vivek is, where she met him, why did they accompany her and her brother, how much did she pay, and finished her questions with a skeptical

"Why would he come all the way here if you didn't pay him anything?

"Attha, I'm telling you, I didn't pay him anything, it's not like I am rich." The last bit came out condescending without any intent.

Her aunt immediately raised her hand as if to slap, but stopped. Bhoomi's face is frozen in fear. It won't be the first time this month if she was slapped. She has gotten more slaps on her cheek than on her back in appreciation.

"Trash." Her aunt left murmuring. She turned around and hollered "go make breakfast for everyone."

Bhoomi felt like crying. But didn't only because she did not want Vivek to find her like this. All he sees is how helpless and pitiful she is.

"Akka, this is why I asked you to come with me to live. You would have a far better life there."

"I'd end up being an additional expense to you Aakash. Sort out your life and be happy. At least one of us should be able to make it out there. Don't think so much. Go wash up, I'll get the breakfast ready.

"No. I'm getting food from outside for everyone, akka, how do you even do that? I can see the fatigue all over your face and you are going in to make food for everyone!"

"No need Aakash garu. Vivek sir asked me to get breakfast and I did. Here-" Raju announced. Bhoomi reached out to get the parcels surprised at the gesture.

Bhoomi mentally thanked Vivek for being her savior.

She could hug Vivek. What he did seems like a simple gesture, perhaps. But she thought about how considerate he is, and that he understood that all household responsibilities are hers to bare and didn't want her to be burdened with it.

He is a lovely human being and Bhoomi almost felt like she's taking advantage of his kindness. But it's not like she possesses anything valuable to repay him with.

Right at that moment Vivek stepped in with water dripping down his face and hair, pant sleeves rolled up and looked confused about everyone's eyes on him.

For a moment she imagined what it would be like to have him as her husband.

She once dreamed of getting married too, like any woman would. But all her dreams ended up being representations of her basic fears.

It wasn't until that one time Vivek saved her from the ruins of a disaster, did she consciously thought of a man.

It was for the first time when she was introduced to new feelings, and realized that she was a woman.

*
It was perhaps seven years ago. She was a young girl of 18 years and got once in a lifetime chance to go to her cousin's wedding in a city. Her cousin, as one would imagine is a sweet older girl who wanted nothing but the best for Bhoomi. It was also because of her being Bhoomi's father's older brother's daughter, why they were prevented to engage in each other's lives by Bhoomi's aunt for the fear of Bhoomi's property being 'stolen'. Funny how none of them even bother with what they still have left.

A few days earlier before other guests arrived, Bhoomi and her brother had gone to that city to have some fun.

In retrospect they barely had any.

On that November evening, her cousin Ramya and her brother took Bhoomi and Aakash to a Cafe. Bhoomi, who didn't know what a Cafe was, was too nervous to open up and have fun. Her focus was constantly shifting between observing people and staring at her surroundings. Her discomfort turned into foreboding for some inexplicable reason, and her gut feeling became true when her aunt called their cousin to inquire where she was. Her cousin lied that Bhoomi is sleeping as she was sick and her aunt was more than happy to cut the call without a goodbye.

They barely had a nice time, if she was being honest to herself, but the people-pleasing attitude in her forced her to lie when asked about how she felt going out like that.

She almost sighed when it was suggested they leave. She did not even have any money to contribute, and it's not like Ramya would let them pay.

She knows that being orphaned, they were constantly on the receiving end of pity & sympathy and were spoiled whenever their dad's side of the family met them -which is barely. Perhaps, it was for the same reason why they were almost overcompensated with love whenever convenient for the lack of their attention.

Bhoomi was behind the party when a tall and almost lanky guy literally crashed into her at the door.

It was how the movies show -dramatic, and where instant chemistry starts bubbling between the two protagonists.

Thankfully, there was no waist holding involved as the guy did not look like he could hold a milk-can, forget an 80 kilo girl of 18 years.

Still, he held her arm to steady her.

And at that moment, she felt like she was just a bag of feathers and her brain was stuffed with dandelions.

The funny feeling she then had transformed itself into a lonely girl's teenage dream.

"Careful" He said unconsciously, his eyes shifting between her eyes and her mouth, making her question if it's odd to smile like a predator given the situation. A moment passed, and she shyly stepped away, tucking her loose hair behind her ear and turned away.

The party was waiting for her.

When she matched their pace, Akash glared back at the random guy, and Ramya wiggled her eyebrows jokingly.

Bhoomi liked what she was feeling then.

It was new, enthralling, and beautiful.

She had hoped that memory will never be tainted. Which is why she decided to never speak of it to anyone and keep it locked in the depths of her heart.

As she slowly came back to her senses, she realized she left her purse in the Cafe. The money she had to account for!

So she ran inside after hollering them to wait till she comes back. No one followed her.

It was good that no one did, for as she went in after a beautiful girl in her pajamas, she could sense the ground under her feet shaking, the chandelier swinging violently, and chairs being pushed away. She found the lanky guy at the very end of the Cafe.

She knows how it was going to end, and as the said beautiful girl tried to run out, Bhoomi ran further in to help him, who was pushed against the wall by a table. She pulled the table away and took hold of his hand to run out when he pulled her back and got them both under the wooden counter shouting unsuccessfully among everyone's screams, warning people to take shelter under furniture.

He kept screaming Geeta-Geeta, and the beautiful girl looked at him angrily before getting under the kitchen counter.

And as if to please everyone who sat waiting for the inevitable, the ceiling has come undone, and the furniture was no match before the force of an earthquake to protect everyone in the Cafe.

When she woke up, she was told she had been hospitalised for four days, and was left to guess if what she saw and felt was reality or just a vivid dream.

*

A/N
How's the new book cover?