This chapter was supposed to be part of the last chapter but it was getting too long so I had to split it into two chapters.
Disclaimer- The shayaris and the quotes in bold, they are not mine...I found them in pinterest. And of course, BB belongs to SSP.
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Why it is that destiny always put him in awkward situations like this? Was there something he had done wrong in his last life?Was he bring punished for some unknown sins?
Glancing worriedly at the unconscious body in his arms he wondered.
He carried the girl to the stairs under which she has been hiding and settled her numb body on the foot of the stairs leaning her head to the side wall.
While adjusting her feet her dress caught his attention, it's the same blue dress that singer girl was wearing or unless two different girls in the same area have the same unusual dressing sense, unusual because no girl wears such gowns during the summer time in Italy, and wears their hair in the same way...then they are the same girl.
He bends down to get a good look at her face...and for a second his breath hitched.
Despite the low light and the obvious paleness, her face reminded him of a freshly bloomed flower. Involuntarily, his brain wondered if this is how an angel's face must have looks like.
The girl couldn't be older than 20. She still had her satchel crossed over her shoulder, there must be some clue about her identity but he felt hesitance to go through her personal belongings.
"Miss!!" He said softly while nudging her arm, but to no avail.
He tried again and this time he tapped her cheek, "Hello-" But the moment his fingers touched her soft cheeks he withdrew his hand back, shocked, literally. He felt a current ran through his fingers leaving a tingling sensation on its trail...
...what the hell was that??
...Anirudh don't touch her again!!
And think!! Why did she faint? She didn't bump her head...she wasn't in shock...
He vaguely remembered hearing a giggling sound while he was following them...and she was jumping around like a freaking acrobat. She seems alright ...until she saw him.
Suddenly he remembered her wounded palm the reason she got distracted. Ignoring the sensation he checked her palms...her right palm had a deep cut in it.
...how the hell did I not notice this? It's still bleeding...have to be cleaned and she is going to need tetanus shot too...
He pulled out a white handkerchief from his pocket and tied it around her palm.
...this would have to do for now...after she wakes up I'll take her to a doctor...
He eyed his handkerchief around her hand in disdain, blood had socked into the white cloth.
...hopefully that won't leave a stain...I'm going to need it back...
A blaring sound of police siren cut through his chain of thought and on cue the unconscious men on the ground start moving.
...Oh no, you don't!!
Sparing another glance at the senseless girl he strode across the alley to take care of the situation.
He had pushed the three half drowsy men, the other two has escaped, across two alleys when the police came running with the little blond on the lead.
Handing the attackers to the police he ran back where he had left the girl in blue dress...
...only to find an empty stair...
The whole alley was empty...there wasn't any sign of her anywhere.
___
Bondita was running along the sidewalk. Her boots pounded against the pavement and her heart against her ribcage.
It happened again...she saw him again...if these things keep happening she would have to start questioning her sanity. And the second time she saw him today he-he seemed so...real!!
A little different...but real!
When she woke up at the sound of police siren her first instinct told her to run...and so she did.
She ran and ran until she reached the Campus wall.
Bondita noticed or rather felt her wound while climbing the wall ...and the bloody handkerchief after she jumped on the other side. But it was too dark to examine it further, so she waited to reach her dorm room.
And as it turned out, she had a stroke of luck when she found the building door open ...and unguarded.
...it must be dinner time!
She consulted her watch and sure enough, it was dinner time. Everyone was at the Mess hall which is inside the next building. At the thought of dinner and mess halls her stomach loudly reminded her of its empty state, now that her adrenaline rush has faded she was hungry again. But controlling her roaring stomach she decided to take a bath first, she felt sweaty and gross, also she really needed to clean her wound. It was hurting like hell!!
The room provided by the University authority was a small room on the second floor with basic necessities, like a bed, a table and a chair, a rack and a cupboard. At least she doesn't have to share it with anyone else.
Dropping her bag and boot in her room, she pulled out a soft pink nightgown from her suitcase and headed for the communal bathroom shared by the whole floor.
After taking a bath she washed the handkerchief and headed for her room. The halls of the dorm was exact opposite of when she had arrived, students were swarming the hallway returning after their dinner.
Panicking, she quickened her pace...what if there isn't enough food left? Bhukh se mera sar chakra raha he...aur ager inn bhukkad o ne sara khana khatam kar dia hoga toh? Bondita bhukhi pet kase rahegi???
Rushing into her room she stashed her dirty cloths into the left corner of her suitcase and made a beeline to the open window. She was about to hung the piece of cloth on the bars of the window to let it dry...that's when she spied the two tiny embroidered lotuses...
She stopped dead on her tracks ...and almost dropped the cloth on the floor, in shock.
Her breathing quickened...heart beating like drums on her ears...throat dried...eyes widened in disbelieve.
"Ye-yeh yaha kase aya?"
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Seven years ago
English Channel, near the Cherbourg Harbor, France.
Bondita Das was occupying a lounge chair on the Second class Promenade deck. The sun was burning high in the sky and it was also the time of high tide so the ship was swaying around...but all this didn't divert her attention from her task at hand.
After all she can proudly claim that she also had a one- track mind just like her Sakha Babu. Nothing can move them when they decided to achieve something.
So despite all the swaying she flawlessly pricked the right spot with the needle with green thread and pulled on the thread of the last stitch, creating a perfect Lotus Pad. She examined her nifty needlework then nodded, satisfied with her work.
She was passing a pink thread through the eye of the needle when she heard a heavy footstep coming toward her. Without looking up she adjusted the embroidery hoop on the piece of the soft white cloth...she didn't need to look up, she knew exactly who it was...and judging by the sound of his steps he was pretty annoyed.
"Bondita! Tum phirse ise lekar bath gayi?!" She snickered under her breath...she was right, he is annoyed, she also could tell that he has his arms crossed over his chest, "Jab se hum iss ship pe board kia he usi din se tum chalu ho gayi aur rukne ka naam hi nahi leti...padahi khatam hui nahi ki Madam ek kapda aur sui leke suru ho jate he..." he carried on with his ranting, "Arre apni aas pas dekho, kitni kuch dekhno ko he, kitni kuch sikhneko he."
Huffing, she over exaggeratingly looked around her with a hand against her brows, first to her right then to her left and then finally turned to face her Sakha Babu, "Apni aas pas kya dekhu? Samundar? Ya dhua chorti hui ye jahaaje? Pichle ek mahino se yahi dekh rahi hun...abb toh me bhi bore ho chuki hu." She put the cloth aside to give him her full attention, knowing how much he hated it when he thinks that she is ignoring him. She suppressed another snicker at seeing him standing exactly like she had imagined.
Gaining her attention he uncrossed his arms, walked closer and took the chair in front of her, "Tumhe pata he kuch hi ghanto me hum Cherbourg Harbor me pahunch jayenge!" He informed, his excitement was shining brightly in his eyes. Right now, he looked like a little child to her.
She smiled back, happy to see him happy, and asked, "Yeh Car-Charb- jo bhi ho, yeh kounsi desh me he?"
"Cherbourg! Cherbourg Harbor! Yeh France me he aur yeh na duniya ka sabse busy ports me se ek he."
She absorbed the information and tried to pronounce it again, "Cher-bourg...Cherbourg!" She clapped happily at her success and her Sakha Babu clapped along with her.
"Very good Bondita!" He praised her with a big grin, "Sabbash!!"
Her heart jumped with joy at that word. She can go to the end of the World just to hear him say that!!
"...aur tum janti ho kaal tak toh hum London bhi pahunch jayenge!" at his words she still and she felt she was dropped on the ground right from her dreamland.
...ek minute, kya kaha Sakha Babu ne?!...
"Hum kaal London pahunch jayenge?" she asked swinging her hand urgently in the air.
"Haan!" Her Sakha Babu replied innocently, not understanding why all of a sudden she looked horrified.
Her eyes widened in shock, quickly picking up the cloth and the needle she start sewing again only this time her hand was moving twice as fast.
"Sakha Babu mujhe meri kaam karne dijiye. Aap meri dhyan bhat- nahi, nahi, aap mujhe distract kar rahe he."
His mouth fell open, "Me tumhe distract kar raha hu?"
"Haan!" She stubbornly replied, this time purposefully ignoring him.
At her answer his nostrils flared, "Esa kya kar rahi ho tum jo meri Bondita ko mujhse bhi jyada important lagrahi he?"
"Woh me aapko abhi nahi bata sakti!" With a naughty smirk she told him dismissively.
She peeked a glance at him from under her lashes...he looked vexed, frustrated beyond words...and moments away from stomping his foot on the deck.
Well, he didn't stomp his foot but he did stomped away from there, angrily. Went back to his seawatching or was it Ocean watching?
When he went out of sight she starts giggling at his childishness.
...yeh Sakha Babu bhi na! Kabhi kabhi lagta he ke mujhse jyada bachpana toh unme he...aab unhe me kase samjhaun ke jab unki sath samunder dekhti hut oh samundar se jyada dhyan toh meri unper rahti he...
She remembered how picturesque he looked with vast blue ocean and the clear sky as the backdrop...his hair flying in the air with his eyes closed feeling the fresh air on his face...
A light blushed colored her cheeks...shaking her head she tapped her forehead with her fingers and went back to her stitching.
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The night before Anirudh's departure from London
Bondita was sitting on the four poster bed in her Hostel room with a heavy heart, watching her Sakha babu as he move around the room, checking that if he got her everything, for the hundredth time...
"Sakha Babu, aaj raat aap yaha nahi ruk sakte?" she requested in a low voice. This will be the first of many nights she will sleep alone in a room, they have been sharing a room since they have left Krishna Nagar over a month and a half ago. Despite sleeping on separate beds there was still the comfort of his presence.
From tomorrow on everything will change! She will be completely alone in London while he will be alone in India.
...kaal se Sharir aur Parchai ko alag alag jeeena padega...per sharir ke bina kya parchai ka koi astitwa he??
"Bondita!! Me Girl's Hostel me kase ruk sakti hu?" he retorted.
"Toh me aapki sath Hotel me chalti hu!" She jumped down from the bed starts to get ready.
"Bilkul nahi! Tum yahi rahogi." He scolded her lightly and immediately her face fell, "Bondita, me aungi naa subha tumse milne!! Abb chalo tum so jao, me chalti hu!"
"Nahi!! Rukiye!" she sprinted to her trunk and retrieved a hefty looking envelop from under the newly folded cloths.
She came to him and put the envelop in his hands, "Happy Birthday Sakha Babu!" she said looking deep into his eyes.
"Aaj meri birthday nahi he Bondita." He pulled out a dozen identical white handkerchiefs from inside the packet, all neatly folded and perfectly ironed...and all of them had two tiny entwined Lotuses and a Lotus pad, although the flowers were tiny the needlework was very intricate. Even the wavy borders were stitched flawlessly.
"Janta hu, lekin pata nahi kyu mujhe esa lag raha tha ki isbaar aapki janmdin aapki sath nahi mana payungi." She admitted with a sad smile, the sadness in her eyes reflected in his.
"Bondita...Please don't do this..." He uttered in a pained voice like he was having trouble holding himself together. She knew he was in pain too...who knows may be more than her. She can read the words of his pleading eyes, 'please don't make me weak!...Please be strong for the both us...'
...I'll Sakha Babu, but something tells me if I don't do this now I'll be too late!
She stepped closer to him and took both of his hands in her small ones...maybe there was something in her eyes or maybe it was in her intense looks which made him nervous and fidgety...and he kept evading her eyes...
"Sakha Babu, meri taraf dekhiye, please!" she asked softly yet firmly, "Nazre toh woh churate he jinke maan me chor hota he..." she could feel his hands sweating under her palm and beside being fidgety now he looked flustered too. A new fear was rising in her heart like a viper, "Aap mujhese kuch chupa toh nahi rahe he na?"
"Nahi!!" His eyes snapped to hers, his voice didn't sound very convincing to her but she let it slide, because now he was finally looking at her.
"Wada kijiye ke jab tak hum phirse nahi milte tab tak aap inme se ek rumal hamesha apni pas rakhenge, hamesha!! Kyunki yeh jab tak yeh aapki sath hogi aapse lakho mil dur hote hue bhi mera saaya hamesha aap pe rahegi, meri dua banke aapki raksha karegi."
His beautiful eyes were brimming with tears, he eagerly nodded his head, too overwhelmed with emotion to talk...
After all if anyone can make Barrister Anirudh Roy Choudhary speechless it was his Bondita.
Looks like it was her day to make all the promises...
"Aur me aapse wada karti hu, iske baad hum jab milenge tab tak aapka yeh parchai uski khudki astitwa dhund legi. Sotti!!"
They chortled together with teary eyes...for the last time for a very long time.
*****
"Iska matlab..." clutching the rumal to her chest Bondita whispered to herself, "Iska matlab aap yahi he..." She herself couldn't tell if she was crying or smiling ...tears were flowing freely from her eyes yet there was also a huge grin on her face.
She ran to the window and set on the windowsill, "... isi shaher me he...meri itni qarib..." resting her head against the window bars she pulled up her legs closer to her chest. She peered through the window at the Rome's night life...though she couldn't see much or hear for that matter, only honking cars and someone's radio playing downstairs, and yet her heart leaped in anticipation.
Her heart was dancing at an erratic pace...like it was rejoicing at the knowledge that the person who until today was only in her memories...the person who means the whole World...the whole freaking Universes to her was only probably few yards away from her.
A sudden realization made her brows furrow, "Iska matlab jinhe maine kuch der pahele dekha woh...woh sacheme meri...meri Skaha Babu the?!" After being hit by this epiphany she couldn't just sit still, she jumped down from the windowsill and started twirling around the room repeating 'maine meri Shakha Babu ko dekha' again and again...her long wet hair twirling behind her splattering water droplets around the room...
"...Aa jao ke tumhe dekh ke, iftaar kar le hum
Ek muddat ho gayi h, inn aankho ko roza rakhe..."
She tightly closed her eyes, trying to remember his face before she fainted but unfortunately she couldn't recall much, her thoughts and memories were quite jumbled at that time...
...Buddhu Bondita! Yeh bhi koi waqt hua behosh hone ka? Aab me unhe kase dhundu? Aur yeh Sakha Babu mari hath me yeh rumal bandh ke gayab kyu ho gaye? Kya apne apki Bondita ko itni si bhi miss nahi ki? Mujhe uss gali me akela chorke kyu chale gaye?
Disdain flashed across her face, then briefly it transformed into hurt but soon it was replaced by determination.
Aab chahe andhi aye ya tufan...chahe zamin phate ya asman tut pade...kaal Bondita aapko dhund ke rahegi!!
Sotti!!
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A/N- i have to admit this isn't my best work☹️ i am quite busy right now...so please forgive me for all the mistakes 🙏