Chapter 03
•| Daksh
The night was quiet, silence covering all the surrounding, just opposite of what I was feeling. Chaos, chaos inside my mind. I could see blanket of stars circling above, ever so sparkling the beauty of this place and if I would've been calm, free from the storm brewing somewhere deep in me, I would've given priority to wandering thought about abandoning the situation I was in and completing my task. But I couldn't. Not when she was here all alone, knowing nothing what problems could arise.
I turned away from the window, staring at her sleeping form. Accepted, I was irritated with her in the starting, annoyed that why my precious trip was ruined but the anxiety in her eyes when she was lost, the fear when she saw her brother restricted me to be selfish.
I had seen her smiling, glaring, scrunching her nose and I would definitely pray her to only feel warm and happy emotions, never the bad one I had witnessed yesterday.
It was bothering me, much more than it should. She was escaping from her dark situation and pursuing her dreams, that were her priority.
It was past midnight still I did what I thought was right. Picking our bags, I stuffed them with our belongings. After completing this task on hand, I dialled few numbers and sighed when the last work was also done.
Slowly, I crept towards the bed, halting and watching her face as the moonlight directly fell upon her face. Those Illuminating radiance focused upon the curving of her lips, small black lashes decorating her eyes, few acnes rooted on the side of her cheek. Just like moon, she had those features moon also had, which was often named as flaws but as per my thinking, these so called flaws are what makes someone beautiful. For me her acne wasn't a flaw, it was a feature that enhanced her beauty.
And this led me to memory of yesterday when I somehow managed to secretly click her pictures. In some she was astonished, in some showing the smile of hers. I don't know what came in me, either curiosity or something else that compelled me to capture her every moment and gaze at her everytime.
"Arnika," I whispered, brushing away the escaped flecks of her hair from her face. There wasn't any movement from ger. I gently shook her and in seconds her eyes flew open, the raw fear in them visible to me.
"Hey, it's me." My fingers grasped hers, other free arm of mine rubbing soothing circles around her back.
"What's happening?" She rubbed her eyes, squinting in the darkness.
"We are shifting." I pulled her out of the bed, her eyes now fully open with my answer. "Shifting?" Her question was direct, "But why?"
"Cause it's dangerous here. Your brother has already entered in this city, moreover he has met with few peoples residing here. It won't take him time to find you out." I could see the hesitancy in her eyes, the confusion clouding over her features.
"I wouldn't do something to harm you Arnika. And I won't leave from here if you aren't comfortable or you don't trust me. It's your decision." I let my fingers to pull out from her grasp, our hands falling limp on our sides but it was gone as quick as done for she had grabbed my hands. She gazed into my eyes and for few minutes everything was still, just the lift and fall of our body as our breaths mingled with one another. Then she whispered, "I trust you Daksh and I'm ready to go."
Her reply warmed my heart.
Our cab was already booked. So when we came outside after checking out, the ride was already there on the road and we slid in without wasting any time. I had chosen a hotel which I thought was safe and we pretty much reached there before estimated time.
It was bigger than our previous one and as it was pretty late, we checked in hastily, especially Arnika because she was sleepy. A chuckle escaped my lips when she fell head first on the soft bed after entering and sighed.
She's surely a sleepyhead!
I covered her properly with comforter, switching off the lights and then let my body relax in the softness of bed. But sleep was way far from me, even though every muscle in body was aching, my mind was fresh and brewing with endless thoughts. Mostly of keeping Arnika safe.
We were practically strangers, brought together with the force of fate. I know nothing about her except her reason for being here. She has spent her days here irritating me yet I couldn't bring myself to stop thinking about her. It's like she has started residing in my heart twenty four-seven that too without rent.
And that's something new.
I didn't ponder over them for too long because maybe my brain was tired of thinking too much as it let me sleep.
•| Arnika
Everything was confusing. I couldn't pin point the happening all around me or why I was liking how Daksh was perplexed about me. But it wasn't meant to happen, right? Nothing was. Neither my abscondance nor me being here.
He was here, not giving a damn about his trip and helping me. Getting all worked up just for me and I wasn't liking the fact that I felt protected with him or that I was happy with him here.
And this was seriously scaring cause I haven't felt this with anyone. Maybe it's just my head making things up or maybe this all is real.
Shut up Arnika!
I sighed, massaging my temple and then standing up. Daksh was out for God knows what. It's not like we are real husband and wife that he would tell me his whereabouts.
Ahh, this all is fucked up! And it's me who's the reason behind it.
Being an overthinker I knew how messed up my mind was going to be so I let my thoughts be aside and slipped out from the room. Albeit the building was large with many people grooving around here but I couldn't help the feeling of aloofness. I was all alone here with a grumpy stomach. The floor beneath ours had a beautiful restaurant which I had seen at night. With an exciting face, I stepped to wander there.
The restaurant was glowing with the fusion of lights, creating an ambience that was hard to forget. It's wall were painted with different beauties of Rajasthan which just took my heart away. And don't get me started with the food. It was ahh-mazing!
"Ab to sure ho gya ki tumhari ek bhi harkat insaano jaisi nhi h."
I paused, eyeing the spoon that wad still near my opened lips. And then I internally groaned. Out of all time why now?! Why when I was eating.
I tightly shut my eyes when he slipped in the seat opposite mine. This really has to be joke because only I know how my eating manners are. The first thing I noticed, there wasn't an ounce of amusement in his eyes. Was that statement of his said in an amuseing tone or irked?
Nevertheless I tucked myself in the comfort of the fluffy chair, disregarding those yummy dishes and at once glared at him. But the thing surprised me was his expression. He was silent and somewhat pissed? I huffed, shaking my head as I was unable to read him. I'm just like that, I can't read expressions.
"You are here."
No duh my body is here while I'm dancing with your ghost.
Deciding not to answer his question I rolled my eyes. He popped his elbow on the table and intertwined his fingers. There was an emotion in his eyes which was hard to comprehend, "Let me rephrase my question Arnika. Why are you out of the room when you know it's quite dangerous? That you can easily get caught?" It wasn't his questions that got me dumbstruck. It was the concern behind his anger, it was his uneasiness of me being seen by my brother.
His fingers lightly grazed over mine, sending those fluttering sensations around me. I had to curl my other hand when he clutched his pinky with mine. There was this urge in me to have his palm over my own, my fingers to be tangled with his and to feel the familiar warmth he provides.
I breathed a little, blinking my eyes to focus on him not on those urges of mine. "It wasn't like I would have enjoyed alone in that room. You left me there so I came here to do some pet puja." Shrugging, I pulled out my hand.
"Arnika."
It was just a whisper but the way my name rolled off his lips erupted some different feeling in me.
"I went where we were stanying to take these." He took out some papers and glided it towards me. "In hurry we left the main thing." The soft chuckle reached my ears but I was too engrossed in calming my wildly beating heart.
I was holding the certificate of my degree and registration form of the company I've applied in. This, I had left my comfort and all for my dreams which was in my hands. It was, by mistake, laying on our previous residence. And Daksh, without thinking of his work, went to collect it for me. For me.
I know I shouldn't, still I felt happy. It was alarming. He should focus on himself not me. Sighing, I stood out from the chair. I couldn't really understand myself. One time I liked his worry of me and other time I felt horrible for making him go through this. How confusing I could be?
As I started walking in the direction I came from, I felt a tug on my wrist. In a swift motion I was twirled around with Daksh standing infront of me. "What happened?" He mumbled, tucking a stray of hair that escaped my pony.
That's the problem Daksh, I don't know what's happening with me.
I shook my head, not able to open my lips. His touch on my skin became soft, a feathery one as he started rubbing my arms, slowly and steadily. "It's overwhelming." Words escaped out only till the region of his ears.
He smiled when I stared at him and I loved the upward curving of his lips. It was gradually becoming my favourite thing.
"I'm with you." Just these lines with so many meaning hidden in there, was soothing for ear to hear and heart to feel. And it did calmed me down.
I didn't felt like replying. With him being behind me, I resumed walking towards m- our room. I wish his hands could entwine with mine on this journey.
You know the crawling shivers around you, slowing down of your heart beat and a constant fear seizing your body when you know everything is going to break. That's what I thought when I saw the familiar face.
It was deja vu, like yesterday. What different was his focus. The day before he wasn't looking in our direction but now he was staring at me.
My brother, Roshan Jha was standing straight infront of me.
The moment his eyes left from me and swiped to behind me, I knew I was doomed. I couldn't see Daksh but I was sure he knew what was happening. I curled my fingers in fist as my brother started forcing his legs towards us.
The anxiety in me was rising but vanished the moment I was taken in a hug. As I buried my face in the familiar chest, the same hand cupping my head and the smell sinking that I longed to sniff, I realized I was crying.
I was in the arms my bhai and I fucking missed it.
"How much of fool are you Arnika?" His voice was quavering and I smiled through my tears. I wasn't the only one crying here.
"A little less than you." I winked, then giggled at his glare. I think my smile was enough to melt him as he once again hugged me and placed a small kiss on my forehead.
"I can't believe you. You ran Arnika? How could you take this big step?If you didn't wanted the marriage you could've told me. It's not that I would've forced you." His glare was back. He took my hand and his gaze softened when he realized I was really scared of him that time. "Nika, I can never pressurize you to do anything that you're uncomfortable with. I'm not that bad brother."
I shook my head in no, letting my tears fall. "No bhai. You are the best brother any sister can ask for. I-I was just...scared."
A throat clearing broke our senti scene.
"Umm, we should carry this in our room." Only then I realized Daksh was right. We were having our family thing among the public, in the lobby of a hotel.
The whole distance was covered in thick silence. Once we were inside, the silence was even more unbearable.
"I'm sorry." I mumbled and glanced at him. "I'm sorry bhai but you have to understand that I was scared. Marriage isn't even on my list now. You know that I want to have a balanced career. And after trying so many times which of course went down hill, I chosed the last straw. "
"I'm sorry too. Somewhere between becoming a great son, I slipped on my responsibilities as a brother and was unable to figure out your situation. But now I'm here. To give you a great start." Wiping my tears, he gave me a happy hug, erasing all my worries.
I was now with my brother. And I grasped the question in Roshan's mind with the way he was eyeing Daksh.
Brother's and their possessiveness.
After getting comfortable, I narrated my days here in Jaipur to my brother. And of course added how I met Daksh.
"We are leaving Nika."
Those words had my heart stopped beating for a second. It was like a sudden push. "What?" I wanted to yell but of course, it came as whisper. "I can't go back to Delhi bhai."
"We are not going to Delhi buddhu, we are going to Mumbai." He continued, not giving me chance to speak. "You got an acceptance letter from the company you've applied in and you need to be in Mumbai to work there. So, be ready. I'll be back in one hour to take you."
And after giving me a kiss on forehead he was out, leaving me behind.
There was a shuffling around and when I turned, I saw Daksh rummaging through the wardrobe.
"What are you doing?"
"Your brother is right. You have your dream and you have to achieve it." To my utter surprise he started packing my bag.
I don't know why but I just wanted to cry. I want to pursue my dream yet I don't want to leave from here, to be far away from him. But he was right. I have to do it.
So when one hour later I was standing on the door of the room which had been ours, with Daksh being engrossed in his phone, I wanted to run from the reality and curl myself somewhere afar.
"You won't drop me to the airport?" I asked him again not because I didn't heard him first time but because I couldn't believe that he was not going to say a last goodbye. And it hurt. "Sorry Arnika, I've an urgent work." He wasn't even looking at me. It was as if all those concerns, protectiveness was an illusion or some fragment of my imagination.
He wasn't the Daksh I knew.
Blinking back my tears, I stumped my bag on the floor and stepped to him. He was taken a back when I wounded my arms around him, resting my face on his chest. Eventually, his arms came behind me to hold tighter. He dropped his chin on my head.
If it was possible, I wanted to be here all the time. There was this sinking part of me that was screaming inside to hold more firmly, not to let him go. I silently whimpered in his embrace. I don't know why this was so hard?
When I pulled out, whispering myself to stay strong, there was wetness on his lashes and I felt the a hard pull in my heart. As our eyes connected, the stars around us sparkling an enthralling premise, I couldn't fathom if I had abruptly developed my expression reading talent or if it was him, barring those lost full eyes in front of me. Because one thing I knew for sure that the moment I uttered 'bye', the moment which was our last, the moment our hands had touched for last, he had shown me the emotion which was soaring through me also.
He was as much broken as me.
Maybe being broken by each other was written in our fate.
And maybe we were meant to fall apart.