An Innocent Crush ✓

39 | What the-?!

Reshmi looked gorgeous in her pink Kanjivaram saree and intricate gold jewelry. Her hair was styled elegantly with a white Jasmine braid, and her makeup accentuated her natural beauty.

Despite her stunning appearance, a vital element seemed missing—a once radiant smile that now eluded her, leaving her face devoid of its usual joy.

“Kitni pyaari lag Rahi hai humari Reshmi, nazar na lage,” an elderly lady praised Reshmi's beauty, gently placing a black dot of kohl on her cheek, “ab ek smile toh do, Varna hone wala pati dar jayega,” she added, trying to elicit a smile with light-hearted banter, yet Reshmi remained silent, hiding her inner turmoil behind a composed facade.

"Leave… I said leave! Please leave!" Her voice, filled with tremors, urged them to depart, prompting a heavy silence as the ladies quietly exited, sensing the weight of her unspoken sorrow.

Reshmi was getting betrothed to a man much older against her wishes. Her father seemed indifferent to his daughters' happiness, more concerned with their departure.

“Please come soon, I'm scared…” Reshmi whispered to herself softly, gazing at her reflection in the mirror. Despite her external beauty, her eyes reflected a hidden distress unnoticed by those around her.

She heard the door being opened, Reshmi's heart raced with hope. Her sister appeared with the person she awaited eagerly. Reacting swiftly, she rushed towards him, embracing him tightly, seeking protection in his arms.

"Vikram… I was so scared, I thought you won't come," her voice, muffled against his chest, revealed her relief and vulnerability. Sensing her distress, Vikram responded with a comforting embrace, his gaze protective and focused on the floor.

"Let's go…" he chuckled softly, releasing her from the hug. Confusion painted Reshmi's face as she gazed at him. "Go where? Vikram, this is crazy—" she began, trying to make sense of his unexpected words.

"Oh, absolutely! The car's all set, and our 'kidnapper' is ready too," he quipped, gently clasping her wrist. "Kidnapping me?" she exclaimed, a mix of surprise and disbelief in her voice.

"From my own house? You're in for trouble, buddy! My appa's no joke," she retorted, bumping his coat with her fist.

"And your appa doesn't know me…" he winked.

"What's the plan?" she inquired, wrapping her hand around his left bicep. Vikram flashed a small smile before turning to Reshmi's sister. "Come on, go! Create some distractions," he whispered urgently.

Reshmi's sister nodded and dashed out of the room. Vikram swiftly pivoted back to Reshmi, planting a quick peck on her lips, eliciting wide-eyed shock from her. "Are you trying to get us into trouble?!" she protested, shooting him an incredulous glare.

With a mischievous grin, Vikram replied, "You look stunning—absolutely, mind-blowingly, fantastically stunning," before pulling her into an embrace. "I've missed you so much…" he added.

"I missed you too," she whispered, seeking comfort in his embrace. Vikram sighed, a sense of urgency in his eyes.

"Let's go, time's running out."

"What about amma and appa?" she asked, her concern evident.

Breaking the hug, Vikram looked at her compassionately. "Your appa never cared about you, Reshmi…" he said gently. Reshmi shook her head, “he's still my father.”

"Okay then! I'll get you out of here, right under your appa's nose… trust me!" he assured her, taking her hand and leading her towards the exit.

As they hurried towards the exit, Vikram's grip on Reshmi's hand tightened, his eyes scanning their surroundings, alert for any sign of trouble, he saw a few men were arranging chairs and other items.

"Hold on tight, we're about to shake things up!" he murmured, they slowly started walking towards the other way when suddenly, a loud voice reverberated behind them. "Stop right there! Ay! Reshmi!" It was Reshmi's father, his face a mix of disbelief and rage.

"Oh boy, who's that Kattappa?" Vikram muttered under his breath, offering a nervous grin to Reshmi. "Hold onto your saree, we're about to break a few records," he joked before glancing back at the bald man, who was running in their direction.

Reshmi shot him a look, part panicked and part angry. "You're enjoying this chaos, aren't you?" she whispered, tightening her hold on his hand.

"Ayy, catch them!" The command echoed, and they were closing in on the gate when it suddenly shut. Vikram cursed inwardly, halting abruptly. A huge, bull-size, muscle-bound man charged towards him, prompting Vikram to release Reshmi's hand.

"Wait here," he whispered, clenching his fists, gearing up to punch the shit out of the approaching Goliath.

As the hulking figure thundered closer, Vikram's mind raced. "This isn't quite the welcome I was expecting!" he muttered, shooting Reshmi a glance while bracing himself for the impending collision.

"Sorry, buddy, I'm allergic to trouble," Vikram quipped, preparing to fend off the man charging towards him.

The muscle-bound man thundered onward, closing the distance, and just as the two were about to collide, Vikram swiftly sidestepped, causing the man to rush past him, stumbling and crashing into a nearby pile of chairs with a resounding crash.

"Whoopsie daisy!" Vikram exclaimed, exchanging a quick grin with Reshmi as they seized the opportune distraction. Grabbing Reshmi's hand again, Vikram dashed towards the gate, now slightly ajar due to the commotion.

“Ayy!!—”

Vikram swiftly spun around, shouting back, "Ayy! Kattappa!" He was beyond tired of this bald man's repetitive 'Ayy! Ayy!'

"Ayy! He is my appa!!" Reshmi whispered-yelled from behind. Vikram quickly bit his tongue, “sorry! Kattappa appa… I mean appa! I mean Sir! But your daughter loves me and I love her!” He shouted.

“Nāṉ uṉṉai koṉṭu koḷḷuvēṉ maṟṟum nāykaḷukku uṇṇalām!!” Reshmi's father shouted at him before grabbing the cleaver from the bundle of logs.

Vikram inhaled deeply, then leaned towards Reshmi. "What did he say?" he asked in a whisper. Reshmi tightly held his wrist and translated, "He said he will cut you into pieces and feed them to the dogs," while staring at her father.

Vikram nodded slowly but suddenly realized the threat. He turned his eyes towards her father, who was walking towards them with the cleaver. "What the hell!" Vikram began searching for something to protect them.

Finally, his eyes landed on a small knife near the table. He quickly grabbed it. "What are you going to do now?" Reshmi asked, her voice trembling with fear. "You're going to do it..." he answered.

"What?"—

"Well, it's not like your father will kill you, right? He's after me... so I'm going to use you as a human shield," he said, quickly placing the knife under her chin.

“Ayy! Ay!”

“Ay!”