Anidita: Kuch Toh Hai Tere Mere Darmiyaan

Chapter 20

He watched her cheeks reddened and lashes lowered, veiling those beautiful eyes. Her feminine smell, soft skin and her hair were making him feel electrified. Anirudh was having a hard time not to ogle at her, when she stood in his arms like this. He had a sudden urge to pull her even closer and hug her. She was looking ethereal.

The only whispers were of the rain to the earth and their breaths.

Anirudh wished to look in her eyes. Pulling her closer, if that is even possible he held her face. Her hands which were hanging by her side, went up to his torso as she held on him, one on his elbow and the other was on his fast beating heart and she looked up at him. Her face looked peaceful, just something you wanna look at according to Anirudh.

The two faces were only a couple of inches away from each other, as desires accelerated Bondita stepped closer to him, their noses were almost touching each other's. Her gaze dropped down to his lips, lingering there for a few seconds before making it back to his eyes. Her heart was thumping in her ears. She would've been shaking, had she not been overcome by sudden adrenaline.

She leaned closer to him, heart hammering and Anirudh didn't know if it was the coldness in the air that had frozen his brain or was it his heart who wanted it all. He was too agog to stop her.

There was just a inch gap between the two quivering lips ready to be united. Anirudh squished bondita's waist making her gasp and part her lips a little more so as to fit his lips perfectly...

A jolt of blinding lightning filled the sky with a sudden potency, followed by a sky tearing sound. Anirudh opened his eyes wide in realisation of the vulnerability of situation.

His thoughts and judgement were clouded with desire inconclusive to him. It was exotic but forbidden! A pool of guilt surrounded him. His head started to spin in helplessness. 'What kind of touch is this? Why is her touch kindling an unventured territory inside him?' he wandered swallowing a dry lump in his throat.

He desperately needed answers. And before his desire to get more ideas Anirudh withdrew his hands with a jerk.

Bondita had felt Anirudh's touch on her wrist, to cease her advances. At that moment, she felt a sudden blow hammering her back to reality. Tears stung her eyes in realisation. The smile adorning her face faded into a sad pout.

Anirudh turned his back to her, avoiding eye contact in disappointment. "Pati Babu, mujhse koi galti hui hai? Aap u nazre kyu chupa rahe hai ?" Bondita held onto him in desolation. Forcing him to look at her she half yelled in anxiety "Kahiye na, aap jawab kyu nahi de rahe hai mere sawalo ka?" Her tears mingled with the raindrops scattered.

"Mein ..." Anirudh was tongue-tied.

'Tum mere liye sirf ek zimmedari ho Bondita, zimmedari thi, zimmedari ho aur hamesha rahogi. Lekin iss ke Siva humara vivah, mere liye koi mayne nahi rakhta Bondita.......' Bondita remembered the words from the ominous night of their first wedding anniversary 'Humare rishte ka aur koi matlab nahi hai Bondita. Humare beech na kabhi pati patni ka rishta tha aur na kabhi rahega.'

"Kya mein...aaj bhi ek zimme..dari hu?" Bondita managed to utter, her heart heavy with anguish. "Aap inkaar kyu nahi kar rahe hai? Boliye na" she pleaded desperately.

As silence prevailed, Bondita took steps back in heartbreak. She had been a fool. He had always been clear about the fact that he was never going to love her. Ofcourse she hadn't anticipated falling for him, but it happened nevertheless. And somewhere in the line, seeing him care for her with tiniest of his gesture, she had started living in a imaginary world where she pretended to herself that he loved her. Almost.

Without another word, Bondita abruptly left the place. She couldn't bear any longer, the pain too raw and consuming. The world around her seemed blurry, as she entered her room gasping for breath. Her mind was a battlefield of emotions, her heart torn between love and devastation. The weight of revelation threatened to crush her spirit, in that moment, she needed space to process.