Undying Love |✔

Chapter 3- A Long Dark Night

After dinner, I managed to buy some essentials from a small store, which was located in a very remote area. How that shop was even working, I had no idea. But, I was grateful for it more than anything at that hour.

I even offered to drive, but Aamir refused. Not to be rude to him, I sat in the front passenger seat, and Rohini was as usual sleeping in the back seat, again.

To break the silence, I asked Aamir about the guy who was helping us but didn't hesitate to show his dislike towards me. "What's his problem?" as that guy took over our jeep.

"Who? Amit?" he asked, glancing briefly at me before concentrating on the road again.

"Well, if that's what his name is." I shrugged and looked at him from the corner of my eye. 

"Why would you think something like that?" he questioned, not helping my situation at all.

"I don't know. He doesn't seem to like me very much," I replied honestly.

He didn't say anything for a long time; when I thought he wasn't going to answer, he spoke, which confused me and piqued my interest at the same time.

"His problem is, his love is not with him, and he is here to help others."

"I don't understand,"

Because truly what could possibly prompt a person to be like this? I didn't ask him for his help, and yet here he was, walking around me in a sullen mood, not an inch of a smile on his face, and showing exactly what he was feeling: burdened.

I had lost all control over my tongue and asked exactly what I was thinking.

"Then, if he doesn't like helping us, why is he here? I didn't ask him to help us,"

"It's not what you think it is. Everyone has their share of the story. He also has one. Besides, if not for him, your girlfriend wouldn't be here sleeping soundly. She would've been...who knows...dead,"

That was true, and I was keeping my mouth shut for that sole reason. What actually made me curious was how he'd said something about having a share of story.

"What's his story?" I asked. Right now my curiosity was getting better off me than any other emotion.

He was quiet for a while as if contemplating the answer in his head as if battling with himself whether to tell me or not. But slowly his first creased expression appeared and he muttered, "Humph."

After a beat, I turned my face forward. As we kept on moving, the grey road, the passing trees, and the stars- they were all making it look like a dark night without the moon. As I got lost in nature, I'd even forgotten I had asked Aamir a question. But when he replied finally, I came out of my reverie in it.

"It is an epic story of undying love." 

I stared at him with confusion. He passed me a sad smile. But he also had a distant look on his face, as if the memory of something was keeping him from saying more.

That's rare I thought. And, in order to know more, I asked him yet another question.

"Care to elaborate?" 

He smiled and stated, "We have a long way to go. Let's just find a suitable place to spend the night. It's already midnight. We have to wake up early tomorrow."

At that moment I wondered, this guy was more than just a friendly face.

*

He stopped at a very shabby hotel after a few minutes; even if they were some minutes, they sounded like hours to me in this dark night.

It being far from the village was the only comfort.

My mind went back to yesterday when Rohini and I were hiding in a pit behind a tattered garage.

We will spare you city boy! But we will kill her right in front of you to teach every Dalit girl a lesson not to fall in love in the first place.

One amongst many had spat. I was so scared for Rohini, I had clutched her to me, and had sat there for a long time until the time came for running again.

You are lucky, city boy; you are not married to her. Otherwise, you, along with her would be dead by now. Leave her if you don't wish to be dead. Go back!

Honor killing was merely a word I was aware of but never had I ever encountered such a horrible thing. Sure, there were times when Rohini had mentioned this in passing, but she never talked to me about it in detail.

"You gonna come out?" Aamir's voice caused me to come out of my horrible memory. I looked at him and saw he was already out the door.

"Yeah," I answered and hopped out of the jeep.

This time, when I went to Rohini, I didn't wake her up. I just carried her in my arms, and she snuggled deeper into my chest.

Everything was quiet, and yet heavy. The fact that people were behind us was the reason my heart was such a mess. Aamir's words about Amit didn't help matters either.

These thoughts whirled in my head and stopped me from sleeping the majority of the night. I laid in a double-bed that creaked every time I tried to stir even a little.

The only thing comforting was the rhythmic feel of Rohini's warm breath on my chest.

I drifted off at some point, Rohini asleep, her head on my chest, and strands of her hair tangled around my fingers.

~*~

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