Shehnaaz had just reached home a while ago. Keeping her bag on the table, she went to freshen up and shower. She felt tired and spent today.
She poured a glass of water, her throat felt parched. The glass left her hands when she felt a sharp pain at the back of her head,water falling over the floor. She turned around and a scream left her mouth. She knew that touch. That dirty, disgusting touch. She had felt it before. It was Sahil.
"Long time no see, hon!" he said through gritted teeth, pulling on her hair.
"Noooo" she yelped.
The hands came up to her mouth, preventing her from shouting, her cries died in her mouth. The little shreds of glass pricked on her feet, cutting them. She looked around searching for something to free herself, struggling under his strong hold. Her hands landed on something beside her on the table. A fork. She picked it up from stealthily, and then very slowly she stabbed his arm with it.
Sahil was taken aback for a minute he screamed in pain, and then the vengeance, the anger took over him.
"You bitch. Tujhe toh ab dikhata hu. You'll repent every fucking second of your life." he spoke with utmost hate lacing his tone.
He dragged her towards the exit, she cried at her helplessness, she cried as she found herself calling one particular name for help, and she cried more as she remembered his message. He had asked her to be safe. Did he sense this happening? Was this why he was sulking so much all day? She shed silent tears as she surrendered her fate to the one above, the almighty, she found herself numb, as that filth dragged her to the door. She couldn't hold on anymore. She was spent,exhausted. Trying hard not to give up, she ultimately fell unconscious. The last thing she saw as her vision blurred and eyes closed was the evil laughter let out by the disgusting man crouching down near her.
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Sidharth did not know where to look for her. He felt a sharp, excruciating pain in his heart as he remembered her beautiful face, the way her lips upturned every time she smiled. He prayed helplessly for her safety. He'd apologise to her when for dragging her in this mess, but right now he was willing to do anything he could to find her, safe and sound. He couldn't lose her. No, he could never afford that. Losing her would cost him his own life. The unbearable pain took over him, as he made his way to a bar, drinking away his miseries. He didn't want to face the reality, so he needed an escape. He knew he had to begin a search, but he didn't have it in him to start. He hadn't yet come to terms with the events that unfolded. The realisation had refused to sink in, he couldn't process it,no matter how hard he tried. A part of him continously screamed that it was all a nightmare, he'll wake up to her beautiful face when it ends. He didn't know that sometimes your realities turn out to be the biggest, scariest nightmares you could ever think of.
The ache in his chest intensified ten folds as he stepped inside in his room. He saw one of those earrings kept on the side of his dresser. It was hers.
"Shehnaaz aur kitni der karegi baby! Ho gayi na taiyaar aaja neeche kabse wait kar raha hu!" he spoke into the phone as she paced around the room, confused and baffled.
"Sidharth aap thori der nahi ruk sakte, aa rahi hoon bas 5 minute" she searched for matching earrings everywhere she could.
"Ek to ye earrings... khotteya jab zarurat nahi hoti har dusri jagah jhaankte hue dikh jaate hain abhi zarurat hai toh pata nahi kis kone me dab ke marr gaye hain haye!" she exclaimed making him laugh at her irritating cries.
A while later, she walked out, all dolled up. She adorned simplicity with elegance. And it made him go crazy.
" Uhm-uhm"she cleared her throat breaking his trance.
"Chalo" he said holding the door open for her. It had become a habit now. Half of the things that he'd do with her around, it was done subconsciously, out if habit, without even hin realising. Like the way he rested his chin on her head when she hugged him, her face resting in the crook of his neck, or how she would lean back on him a little when she held her from behind, or how one moment they'd be sitting with a considerable gap between them and the next moment their hands would be in each others, fingers entwined, as she told him stories.
"What took you so long, Madam?"
"Bakwas nahi kariye."
"Tu karti hai, main nahi."
"Acha matlab mai bakwas lagti hu?"
"Yeh kab kaha main ne?"
"Abhi."
"Maine kaha bakwas karti hai. Lagti nahi bola maine. Gadhi"
"Acha ab gadhi bhi lagti hu aapko?"
She looked at him with puppy eyes,frowning at him, trying to fake her anger. He smacked her head.
"Nautanki."
And their banter continued,till they reached the desired place. There was this thing about him, even if they'd had one hell of a busy week, he'd make sure to spend the best weekends with her. They'd talk, joke around, play like kids and fight, life was good being around each other.
"Sidharth mai sachi bakwaas lagti hoon aapko?" she asked as they lay on his terrace, doing what she loved the most, and what he had grown fond of, lately - stargazing.
He frowned listening to that, given the seriousness she had asked the question with.
" Mazak kar raha tha main."he answered with utmost honesty.
She had grown into somebody who loved and valued her own self. But there are some flaws im everyone. Nobody is born perfect, right. Everyone has some imperfections, she had some too. And at times she would get conscious and insecure of them. Like when she looked at the perfect watch-glass bodies of women, she would compare them with her own petite and curvy shape. She wasn't like the gorgeous faces you'd across in magazines, and Sidharth, well, he seemed to have had that kind of company.
"Do you..feel..like.. ashamed?" she whispered.
"What?"
"We.. I.. Dont.. Sidharth I don't do the fashion thing quite well. And you.. I accompany you at places..does that.. Make you.."
"Tum pagal ho gayi ho kya? Dimag hai? Yeh bat kaha se aayi?" he felt offended.
She didn't speak. Neither did he. She wanted him to say something, some words of assurance. None came. He was mad, more like baffled as he pondered over what she had been thinking that led her conclude this? She withdrew her hands from his, crossing them over her chest. He held them again, as his fingers fit into the space between hers so perfectly. She tried pulling her hands back again, but he only tightened his hold.
A while later she got up, waking downstairs, without a word.
"Shehnaaz..." he called after her, she didn't stop.
He went behind her. Reaching his floor he saw her near the door.
"Drop me. Its getting late."
The drive was silent. Not a word spoken. Sans music.
"Shehnaaz suno"
She was about to step out when he held her hand. She looked at him as he fiddled with the steering wheel.
"You could wear a sack amd you'd still be the most beautiful woman in my eyes." he caressed her cheek with his thumb. "And I'm not just saying it because you're apparently mad at me. I'm saying this because I truly mean it."
"Good Night." he said, cupping her face in his palms as his thumb brushed her face, amd pressing a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Good night." she smiled at him, teary - eyed.
As he was driving back his home, he found her earring on the seat. He picked it up, remembering the way it crinkled whenever she moved, and put it inside his pocket.
He couldn't help the tears that fell down his face, every moment that he passed he felt a huge weight of guilt crushing him under.
He puffed quite a few cigarettes, hoping the drug would calm him, soothe him, but nothing helped.
Absolutely nothing helped.
He was in dire of sleep, he needed peace, he needed assurance that she would be fine, and more than anything he needed strength to gather himself up and go find her,rescue her.
A place of warmth and solace was what he needed, and right now, he could only think of one person who'd understand his misery,with whom he could share his grief, to whom he could open his heart.
"Maa" he sobbed hugging her as soon as she opened the door.
"Sidharth? Kya hua?"
"I.. Shehnaaz.. Maa..Sab gadbad ho gaya wo khatre me hai"
"What are you saying? Saaf bolo Sidharth. Wait."
She handed him a glass of water.
"Here. Drink this. Ab bolo kya hua bacha?"
"Maa.. Sahil.. He took her, like.. He texted me this morning to be cautious because people are getting kidnapped and shit and I.. I was such a fool I knew he was planning on harming her. Because he wants to get back at me. But I.. I did nothing to keep her safe. I dragged her into this mess,. She would have been better off without me. Its my fault. "
She patted him all the while softly, as he lay in her lap whimpering.
" She.. Woh theek hogi na? Mom? Tell me woh theek hogi na? Usko kuch nahi hoga na? "he broke down in front of his mother.
"I don't let people in mom. I don't let people in, I let her in! She's.. I cant do without her "
"Woh theek hogi. Mera dil kehta hai beta. Kuch nahi hoga usko." she pacified him, caressing his head. Her son crying, afraid of losing someone, was new to her, but it spoke volumes of how he hadd been so happy with the girl.
"Her home.. Mom.. It was in a really bad condition.. Every thing was scattered and thrown around and..there was blood at places and.. Main maar dunga us haramkhor ko agar mere haath lag gaya toh!"
He was angry, he breathed fire, he was cursing himself, and his own fate, the universe for being so cruel on her. She was a fighter, but she was fragile. A scratch on her made him go berserk, this was a whole damn threat to her life.
" Abhi aage socha tune? Aise rone se kya hoga beta? Woh chal ke wapas aayegi? Nahi na. Chal shabash. Kuch khaya tune?"
"I cannot.. Mom.. Usne bhi nahi khaya hoga kuch..."
"Shshshsh.. Its okay. Hum milke dhundenge. Chal aaja muh dho apna. Police station jaa. Go file an official complaint. And use your sources. Itna dimag hai, par kaam ke time kuch nahi chalta tera" she said smacking his head.
"Mom.. Thank You." he hugged her tight, as he thanked her for giving him a few moments of peace, solace, sanity, and the strength and courage to hold on, and fight.
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