Parastin (Verb)
protect (to keep safe)
♡♡
🎶 Saiyyaan (Heroine)
One chance.
That’s what she asked from life. Every single day she woke up to find that single chance in happiness, in life to live without an ounce of worry, fear, vigilance and alienation. She wanted to live, explore just like the world rated, just like the freedom was personified as the open wings in the sky, abundant space to fly and explore. She wanted to stare the wide open blue sky with nothing blocking her sight, with no one interrupting her.
She was in need of that chance to just be the Mishti her father called as little gigglemug, the girl with no worries in this world surrounded with the most loving parents in the world, who kept giggling at every single word. Mishti, She loved that nickname once, so much that a single call and she would jump and squeal her way to him. She loved him so much.
How happy she was then ?
Why she wouldn’t be ?
She had it all until one fateful days.
She was so happy that day when a single phone call crashed her whole world. The very moment her smile fell and never came back. She have never been that happy again, each time she tried to accept happiness she wished this would be that one chance where her fears would halt, her nightmares will leave her alone and her eyes would twinkle with Emotions.
Unlike today, unhappy, broken and empty. They have been the same for past months. The little light which kept her old self alive, though in a corner hidden but present, it left her the day she decided to lower her guard, believe someone, put her trust in a person who’ll only break it into a billion pieces.
Her eyes seemed dead to her, and mirror didn’t help her thoughts. She shut her eyes forcefully wanting to ignore the vision of her pale face, ugly dark circles and plain brown eyes.
She quickly dabbed a layer of concealer under her eyes to cover the eyebags, a stroke of eyeliner to make her eyes look better and a thin layer of gloss. She didn’t wanted to resort to make-up but then she can’t let others know about her disaster of a night and the deception of a Marriage.
She discarded the nuptial chain inside the basin drawer, hating it’s sight.
Taking a deep, calming breath she turned and walked out of the washroom, picking her things quickly in her arms she decided to stuff in her bag on the way out.
She was setting things from her right holding some in her left and bag hung around the elbow. Not looking up kept walking when her figure collided with the dining table, making her things fall to the ground.
She sighed in frustration, crouching down and picking them up when one of her pen rolled on the tiled floor. She leaned forward to reach it when a pair of slippers came in her view.
“On your knees early in the morning !? Didn’t expected after yesterday” A sleepy voice chuckled tauntingly.
Mahira rolled her eyes inwardly and decided to ignore him, She didn’t wish to start her day looking his face.
“I may not be the best husband but I don’t wish to see my wife crouched on the floor. Get up Ira” He stepped back from her.
She scoffed and stood up, turning immediately avoiding his face.
She heard him yawning again.
“Good Morning to you too husband” She murmured, gritting her teeth. She placed her zipped tote bag on the dinning table and started preparing tea for her.
From her peripheral she jaw him entering kitchen and taking out a water bottle and settling back on the bar counter. He muffled his yawns and blinked few times to clear sleep away.
The phone vibrated and he gulped a sip of water before receiving it.
“Yes, I’m awake dad” he rolled his eyes in annoyance. “How are you ?”
Dad ?"
He was talking to his father but so early in the morning ?
She couldn’t hear what the person said on the other side but the number of times he sighed in irritation and almost rolled his eyes, She could guess he was getting a good lecture from his father. He slumped against the table, eyes drooping but he shook his head, yawned and focused back on the conversation.
Mahira bit her lower lip seeing this side of his, he was dangerous, beasty and cold-hearted yesterday but right now he looked like a normal man getting scolded on phone. He looked so different from yesterday.
She strained her tea in one cup and peeked at him, he was still rubbing his eyes to drain out sleep. She sipped on her cup thoughtfully, should she offer him a cup too ? But will he have a cup of tea made by her ?
She pursed her lips and strained the left over tea in a mug. She planned to keep the cup near him and walk away picking her things.
She did the same.
She quickly picked her bag and walked out of the door not glancing back to see if he noticed her action or if he took even a little sip of the drink.
“Why should you care Mahi ? After what all he said to you yesterday, you better keep your distance from him.” She mumbled to herself in the empty lift.
She stepped out and walked straight towards the door, this morning the gates were open and the man on duty was fresh and awake. She passed him a tight-lipped curve to his greeting.
She glanced behind her after walking out and little away from the building. She felt someone watching her, following her. She was growing paranoid learning about the type of man she married. He had spies.
What if he bugged her things too ?
Was that not the reason she didn’t wore that nuptial chain ? Regretting this Marriage was another.
She kept herself calm and made way towards the metro station, navigating using her phone GPS.
She again glanced back to catch a follower but people looked busy and minding their own business. She fastened her steps.
She tried to get herself lost in the crowd, wanting the invisible, imaginative follower to lost her tail. She sat at the corner of the compartment, away from many eyes and having watchful eyes all around the place.
Not for once she stopped tapping her foot, it was irritating her fellow travelers but she passed a innocent look Everytime a glare was shot towards her.
She hurried towards the Spesh and entered, stealing glances at her back only to bump into one of the person. She quickly jumped back and apologized to the middle-aged lady who gave her a once over disapproving her behavior.
Mahira lowered her gaze, murmuring “I’m sorry”
The lady left with narrowed eyes and Mahira blushed in embarrassment.
“Why are you standing there Mahi ? Come on get in here” Sakshi’s voice boomed in the floor making her startled.
She nodded fervently and walked towards her desk, she dumped her things and bee-lined towards the break room.
Another cup of tea in peace may calm her heart and thoughts.
Mahira signed on the last page of the reports she was going through for last one hour, she quickly flipped the folder close and placed it on the pile. She sighed tiredly and closed her eyes, rubbing her temples to lessen the bubbling headache.
The sound of knocking made her snap her eyes open and she jumped up to sit straight seeing Vishal at the other side.
She grimaced seeing him carrying two-three more folders but quickly hid it as he passed her a sheepish smile, almost apologizing.
“Can you have a look on these ? They just came from the Marketing team. They need your assistance with numbers.” Vishal informed.
Mahira stole a glance at her table clock, Vishal’s eyes flickered as well and his smile dropped.
“You were leaving ?” he asked unsurely “This is kind of important Mahira, I don’t wish to hold you back but I hope you understand” he trailed.
“I do understand, I’ll have a look on them” She took files from him and his grateful smile returned.
“What about I treat you with lunch for this overtime ?” He raised his brows asking. “A cheese sandwich ?”
“That’ll really do. Thank you” Mahira passed him her all time practiced curve and huffed a breath as he left her cabin.
It was already 1 and she also have to be at Vīrya seeing the stunt she pulled but failed to accomplish properly. The emails she got from them this morning had her squirming in her seat.
First one was from the HR stating the rejection of her termination request.
In the second, Mr. Goyal ordered her to have a talk with him as soon as she reaches the building. He had made it clear how annoyed he was receiving her resignation letter.
Veer really did have spies in Vīrya. She feared how many he had. If she had to guess one, It had to Ritvik.
That man have tried sabotaging her work and job there plenty of times to be declared as her workplace enemy.
She let her wondering thoughts go back to the new files she was handed in return of a cheese sandwich, she exhaled letting her eyes take in figures.
Numbers were so easy to make out, so easy to understand unlike human beings. Human beings were complex but their minds was more than convoluted, it was just not a tangled mess of thoughts but the most difficult maze of the entire universe, once lost you can never find your way back. Either you get tired waiting for someone to come find you or you are tired of searching a way out, At the end you’re exhausted and stuck in the middle. The deeper you go, more thorny and torturous it gets.
Mahira was stuck in one such maze, the difference was this one was dangerous, any threat could be encountered any point. She never liked humans as much as she loved numbers.
They were simple.
They were loyal.
They were easy to work with, live with.
Only if she had the power, she would have chose numbers to spend her life with instead of people.
Her lungs left the breath in relief as her fingers touched the last page of the file, signing she closed the last one and hurriedly stood up to leave before another person came and dropped work on her.
She crushed the silver foil and tissues and dumped them in the bin, dusting her hands she picked her bag and grabbed the files.
“Uncle please take them to Vishal Sir, Tell him it’s done and duly checked” She handed it to the elder peon who quickly turned on his heels to complete the given task.
Mahira didn’t look around to bid bye to her friends, she feared another teasing session from them. The morning was already nerve-wracking. How come these people have such vivid imagination on things and how quick they could make a scenario in their head ? Mahira was still baffled.
She waited for the elevator to reach the ground floor to step out and rush to her next destination.
Now that she thinks for her reason to take on an extra job, she feels like a fool. She wanted to move out of that cursed hostel building along with Neha, she wanted to earn enough to support an apartment in this city.
Only then if she had an idea how things would change for her, most importantly how this extra job will change her life. Veer played her all because of this god forsaken Job. If she didn’t had accepted Goyal’s offer, He would have left her alone.
How much she regrets stepping her foot in the building for the first-time. She even lost her favorite silver bun stick, those bells kept reminding her of the anklets, a memory from her childhood.
Regret was for fools she thought to herself. She can’t keep regretting her past actions but she can always try to handle and shape her future Accordingly.
Only if her new husband would let her.
She passed Ritvik’s desk ignoring his squinting eyes, she walked straight towards Me. Goyal’s cabin and knocked.
“Come in”
His familiar voice came after a minute of wait. She took a calming breath and pushed the door open, an unknown chill ran down her spine stepping inside.
The place was the same old, but the vibe to it felt different so different.
“Hello sir” She nodded at him in greeting.
His eyes looked hard, and cold.
“Miss Bose” His teeth grinding.
Mahira frowned a little.
“What was the letter for ? Didn’t think you would try to resign just after completing a month in here. Is the place that bad ?” He asked sardonically adding “Or you can’t handle the work pressure”
Thank god her practice to keep a blank face was so regular or else the raging fury would be splashed all over her face and Satish Goyal would get the satisfaction of triggering her professional mask.
“Tell me Miss Bose. Are you not that hard working as you portrayed to be ? I should have known that Women can’t be trusted with professionalism”
Male chauvinistic Pig.
Mahira gritted her teeth “You might not know Mr. Goyal but half of your company department heads are females, You might like to choose your words wisely”
The wave of anger crossed his face, eyes burning her skin.
“I would be choosing my words wisely if I were you, Miss Mahira Bose” His tone held underlying warning.
Mahira composed her rage, this wasn’t the first time a man was questioning a woman and her choice to work. She was not the only one, millions of females face this everyday.
Ignore and delete
“I have had my own reasons to request termination, Mr. Goyal. I wouldn’t give my attention somewhere if I can’t give 100%. Ain’t this the reason you hired me ? To keep full check on the manipulation of records in your company. If I can’t do the assigned work with full dedication, I wouldn’t impose and take pay for something I can’t do”
“Before you had no problem. Why now ? What changed?” he asked with eyes fixed on her face to take in any of the emotion.
He wanted to see fear in her, but she had already mastered the art of hiding.
“My commitments have changed” She answered, keeping it short and clear.
He assessed her reply, his lips pursed as if in deep thinking.
“Okay!” He announced sitting straight. He fixed the lapels of coat.
Okay ?
Her brows raised in Question.
“I’m ready to accept your termination, also I’m ready to cancel this agreement..” He picked a file from his desk.
Mahira frowned in confusion.
“Agreement ?…”
“Yeah, Your employee contract which states that you cannot resign or leave this job for Atleast first 6 months, if any chance you do. You’ll have to pay back company 5 times amount of your monthly salary.”
“What ?” She almost yelled.
“Miss Bose, why look so stunned. I’m sure I asked you to read this file properly” Goyal shrugged.
“I did. But there was no clause stating this. I remember properly. I also have a copy of this contract. I’m sure there was no such clause” Mahira shook her head, pressing her thoughts to think back to the day she signed this piece of paper. “This wasn’t there”
“Are you insinuating I played you ?” He asked threatening.
“I…I..this” she chided herself to form words, proper words.
“Why don’t you have a look at your copy Miss Bose and come back tomorrow? I don’t wish to be accused of manipulation. Not when I’m not doing it” He put back the file. “Coming back to the condition I was going to offer. I’m ready to nullify this clause if you get Spesh on board for me.”
“Spesh” She whispered
“I want the software contract from them. Convince your colleagues, Get them to opt for this software.” He said standing up and leaning on his desk “Vīrya needs a strong contract and Spesh is just the right opportunity”
“No” She stated immediately, she shook her head to make her choice clear to him.
“No ?”
“Yes, Mr. Goyal. I’ll do no such thing. I’m not playing your agent. I’ll not convince or even talk about this Software with anyone in Spesh”
For your personal motives I’ll not let Spesh fall in a dangerous pit.
She promised to herself.
“Shouldn’t your loyalty lie with the highest paid job?” He glared.
“My loyalty is with my work Sir. Money is not a variable factor for me” Mahira said, starring straight at him, not fearing.
She was loyal to Spesh, It was her family.
“If this is what you wish to do Miss Bose.” He sat back. “ I expect a cheque from you tomorrow morning in return of your resignation, if you want one now that is”
Mahira blinked in frustration. “My request is rejected sir, I’ll get back to work”
She turned and walked towards the door when the door was pulled open after a knock, She saw ritvik smirking at her.
She gazed past him, ignoring his presence she walked out a step only to be stopped.
“You’re excused for today Miss Bose. Ritvik will contact you when we need your expertise” Goyal dismissed her.
She nodded in response and took another step back when her kurti fabric got stuck in the fort sill. She held onto the edge and tried tangling it away from it.
The door closed and her hand was squished between the door frame and the wooden door.
A loud yelp of pain left her lips, she skin was badly cut and bruised, blood dripping out.
She winced as she pushed the door open a little to let her hand out. The stinging ache enough to make her bit her lip and close her eyes. She took in a shaky breath seeing the warm liquid gushing out of her hand.
She held her palm in between fingers, analyzing the damage caused. The pain was unbearable.
The door opened and Ritvik came to her vision. “Oh no Bose. Did It hurt you ?”
Mahira gritted her teeth. Her tongue rubbing her lower lip to distract and not feel the burning pain.
“Why don’t I take you for dressing? You seem to need help” He said faking concern when his eyes sparkled with evil glint.
“No need. I’ll manage” She murmured.
“You sure ? Then do manage and try not to dampen the floor with your blood Bose” He said smugly and walked away from there.
Mahira glared at his back, she walked towards the washroom and let water drop to her palm. She closed her eyes, bit her lips to lesson the stinging. Once the blood seemed to be washed away, She quickly squeezed tissues using fingers to stop new flow of blood till she found her handkerchief from the bag.
Tying it around her wound she tightened it using her teeth, but a little tug at the cloth made her hiss.
Discarding the used tissues and picking her bag she walked out of the building. It was already dark. Must be later than office hours. She quickly moved inside the station when the overhead screen caught her eyes.
“Oh God No!” She exclaimed as the text made sense to her. “Why today of all days? Can’t they have chosen a public holiday to fix and make these check on locals?”
She wanted to punch something hard but then her eyes flicked to her hand where the handkerchief was partially red already. She needed to reach home and get aid for this.
If not Train then she has to take a taxi.
She tried stopping several of taxis but it seemed that none was of them were available. Each one had passengers travelling. She checked her phone to book an online cab but the waiting time was near an hour. It was already past 9.
Mahira entered the GPS location for his place and it said a 40 minutes drive with less traffic. Closer than her hostel.
A breeze passed her and she glanced towards the Bandstand.
Ain’t his workplace nearby ?
Was he home already?
Her finger hovered on his phone number but then she didn’t feel like calling him for help. He would rather leave her to die than come to her. She pushed the device back in her bag and searched for an empty taxi.
“अरे भैया रुकिए” (Hey! Bhaiya stop)
The taxi driver applied brakes. Mahira took a heavenly breath in relief, wiping the sweat away.
“इस जगह चलेंगे क्या ?” (Will you go here ?) She asked him giving the address.
The driver looked at her frowning, his eyes flickered to her injured palm and he nodded after few seconds.
She tapped her foot as the car moved and she took in the familiar road, She was good at remembering directions she was glad at the fact. It helped her at days like these, Veer took the same road at the day of their marriage.
She touched her palm and flinched as the blood was soaked in the cloth. If this was how much I kept flowing, soon she’ll be loosing all her blood from this wound.
Mahira passed him the bills and didn’t wait for the change as taxi drivers in Mumbai never gave change back. The whole building felt deserted to her, she was quite late. First the unproductive walk to Station then Taxi search followed by traffic. Her time was wasted on all of these.
She kept her head down walking inside and towards the elevator. She quickly pushed the floor number and waited to reach, tapping her foot in nervousness.
She had felt her phone vibrating once but she didn’t had the courage to check on it. She somewhere knew that it will never be him because he didn’t care, but then she equally felt disheartened that he had faked it all.
Not single ounce of his care was genuine for her. She had gotten so used to him in these past days that his real face felt like a hot knife in her heart.
The doors parted and she took tentative steps towards the door. She twisted the knob instead of using bell, wanting to try her luck when it clicked open.
The door slowly opened, the creaking sound making her gulp in fear. She was halfway taking a step inside when cold, icy voice made her turn into a statue.
“Cindrella is back before the midnight”
Days are super hectic, nights are too short for me to rest. I'm so stuck doing college and stuff that my passion is loosing my sight.
But I'm trying. And that's what matters.
Do tell me your views about this one.
Waiting!!!