My Own Worst Enemy

Chapter 16

Rajen was confused, wondering what the hell Samara was saying. "Who's Farah?"

"You didn't tell him? Wow! This is your true love? Ha!" Samara laughed.

"What's going on here, Lalitha?" Rajen asked.

"You remember asking me why I told you the story about my lover? She is my lover! Farah!" Samara replied, pointing to Lalitha. Rajen's mind boggled. He could not get his head around those words. Rajen looked at Lalitha for any sign of denial. Lalitha did not even budge. She kept listening and staring down the road as Samara spilled her poison.

Rajen's mind went to have his vision of Samara's love story with Lalitha. He replaced his image of a guy being Samara's lover to having Lalitha, whose actual name was Farah, and it all made sense.

'Farah told me that I would look more beautiful if I had short hair. I told her to cut it. My father won't know because I will be wearing a headscarf anyway. She took a pair of scissors and brought me into the shower. I removed my headscarf and my clothes. I was just standing there in my bra and underwear. I turned on the shower tap. Warm water splashed on both of us and our clothes. Both of us got wet. Both of us got silent. We just looked at each other's eyes. Many thoughts were running in my head. I knew this was wrong, but I wanted to do it badly. I wanted to taste it and experience it. Farah took the scissors, held my long hair, and gently cut it out. I could feel her scent, and her breath was on me. I was in paradise. I wanted to feel all of it. I went closer to her face. The scissors stopped cutting. Farah smiled at me. I kissed her on the lips'

That was why Samara's father agreed to bring her home and let her stay. It was because the friend was a girl! No conservative and religious father would have allowed their forbidden love. Samara's father did not do anything when the villagers punished them, but they destroyed the whole village.

"I'm sorry, Rajen," Lalitha stood up and said. Rajen stood there feeling cheated.

"You're such a disgrace to our gang, your husband and me, and you killed your brothers. You don't deserve to live" Samara raised her handgun, pointing at Lalitha, and as she was about to squeeze the trigger, her hand blew up, throwing her gun away. Blood, parts of flesh, and bones flew in all directions, followed by a shriek.

A round from Farhan's handgun blew her hand. He and Malvin had arrived at the scene.

"Shit!" Samara said when she saw the two of them. Both the police started to shoot at Samara randomly. They had enough of her. Samara, who by now was seriously injured, scrambled on the road to get the handgun. She picked it up and went around a huge pillar for cover. She had a few rounds left in her gun, and she had to keep it for Lalitha.

Lalitha, sensing the danger, grabbed Rajen and ran into the shopping mall. "Let's get out of here!"

Both of them entered the posh and neo-futuristic shopping mall. They kept running up and saw a majestic artificial indoor waterfall called the Rain Vortex. The Rain Vortex collected rainwater from the building's ceiling and spiraled the water to a center hole, creating a waterfall that fell through the mall, creating a spectacular sight. The waterfall was covered with a huge garden all around it. A tall suspension bridge with transparent glass floors called the Canopy Bridge ran across the mall close to the Rain Vortex. Lalitha and Rajen ran around the Rain Vortex to find a safe place. Lalitha saw the high suspension bridge and decided to get up there. They ran on the bridge and stopped midway to break from all the running.

The water splashing on the ground floor was noisy and filled the ambiance.

"It's safer here," Lalitha said.

"Who cares. Who are you?" Rajen asked. Pissed.