"Mumma yaar! Pehli baar thodi na jaa rhi hu."
(I am not going for the first time.)
Charvi whined to her mother who was working in the kitchen.
"Aur maine kabhi mana bhi nhi kia. Lekin raat ka safar hai aur itni dur mai akele toh nhi jaane dungi tujhe."
(And I never denied. But its night journey and so far I am not sending you alone.)
She whined yet again and said.
"Toh kya kru mai? Mana krdu kya?"
(So what do I do? Deny them?)
She asked annoyed and her mother shrugged.
"Mujhe nhi pata. Ya toh boss se kaho ki din ka safar kre. Ya phir mana kr de."
(I don't know. Either ask the boss to shift the journey to day or else deny.)
"Mumma din ka safar nhi ho skta na. Uss din client se important meeting hai. Aur agar same day night ko nhi nikli toh waha jaake next day ki arrangements nhi ho paayengi."
(It cannot be day journey. I have a meeting with the client that day. And if I don't leave the same day then arrangements for the next day would not be possible.)
She explained her mother and she turned to Charvi.
"Mai samajh gyi beta lekin mai aise kaise tujhe akele jaane du. Din ka safar hota toh mujhe kabhi koi dikkat nhi hui lekin raat ko itni dur nhi. Papa bhut gussa krenge. Aur safe bhi nhi hai."
(I understand that but I can't let you go alone. If it was day journey I would never have denied but its night journey and too far. Papa will be angry. And its not safe.)
Lowering her head she went to the only person who could understand her right now.
He was in the living room when she slumped beside him.
"Vansh!"
He chuckled and slid her hair from her face.
"Kya hua?"
(What happened?)
She told him the entire problem and he nodded.
"Haan toh sahi toh keh rhi hai aunty. Agar office se koi saath hota toh kisi ko problem nhi thi. Aur aunty uncle toh kitne supportive hai. But this is not safe Charu."
(Aunty is right. If someone from the office was there then there was no issue. Aunty uncle are very supportive.)
"You are supposed to help me."
She whined and he smiled caressing her hair.
Just then Namrata came there and he stopped sitting straight.
"Kya hua? Aise muh kyu latkaya hua hai?"
(What happened? Why this sad face?)
She asked Charvi and she made a crying face.
"Aunty!"
She told her the entire problem and Namrata smiled.
"Arre toh Veer ko bhi jaana hai Chandigarh. Wo agle din subah jaane wala tha. Mai bol dungi raat mai nikal jaayega. Tu uske saath chali jaana. Phir bhabhi ko bhi koi dikkat nhi hogi aur tera bhi kaam ho jaayega."
(Veer also has to go to Chandigarh. He was supposed to leave next day morning. I'll ask him to leave in night. You go with him. Bhabhi will not have any problem then and your work will also be done.)
Charvi smiled widely and hugged Namrata.
"Aunty you are the best!"
Namarata chuckled and caressed her head.
So everything was decided and it was finalised that Charvi was going with Veer. Her parents too didn't have any issue because they knew Veer very well and trusted him.
Charvi was all ready with her luggage and was waiting for Veer to pick her up.
He reached 10 minutes later and helped her with the luggage. She quickly hopped in the front seat and put on the seatbelt.
She was too happy and excited. All during the journey she kept blabbering something or the other or singing along the songs playing on the radio or simply giving her comments on any topic.
It was almost morning when she finally got tired and slept off with her head rested on the seat.
The car stopped at a signal and Veer looked at her for the first time during the journey.
He saw her sleeping form and reaching to her side he removed her seat belt and inclined the seat backwards so she sleeps properly.
He smiled remembering her nonstop talks and shook his head with a chuckle.
A thought came to his mind and his smile fell and the rude facade took over again.
Charvi was so happy because her boss was all praises for her. Because of her diligence they had got a very big client and she was sure of getting a increase in pay now.
Veer's meeting too went well and today they were leaving for Delhi. It was already evening and Veer didn't want to wait for another night before going back. He had urgent work back home.
So they started their journey in the night itself. They decided to have dinner on the way itself.
It was almost 9:30 when Veer stopped the car in front of a restaurant. Both of them got out and had their dinner.
They resumed their journey and still had to cover 4 hours of journey.
Charvi informed Vansh and her parents of the same.
It was almost 12 and Charvi was very tired. They were somewhere between Panipat and Karnal when Veer stopped the car suddenly.
Charvi looked at him confused and her confusion turned into fear when she saw a lot of men standing in front of them at a little distance with long sticks in their hands.
One of the men came to them and knocked on Veer's side of window.
"Kaun ho dono? Itni raat yaha ke kr rhe ho?"
(Who are you both? What are you doing here late night?)
He asked and Veer replied.
"Kaam se Chandigarh gye the. Wapas jaa rhe hai Delhi."
(Went to Chandigarh for work. Going back to Delhi.)
Charvi was not getting good vibes and was getting scared by the moment.
"Yo ke lagti hai teri?"
( Who is she to you?)
He asked looking at Charvi and she sunk into the seat in fear.
Veer's hands on the steering wheel tightened and he replied with gritted teeth.
"Dost hai."
(Friend.)
The man went back and said something to the men and returned back with two others.
"Chalo bahar niklo dono."
(Come out both of you.)
They ordered and Veer asked.
"Baat kya hai? Kis liye roka hai hume?"
(What is the issue? Why are you stopping us?)
"Beta baat yo hai ki ek kawari ladki ke saath raat mai mahre gaam mai pakda gaya se tu. Aise toh na jaane denge. Mahre gaam ka kanoon aur mahol kharab na hone denge hum."
(The issue id that you are caught roaming around with an unmarried girl in our village. We will not let you leave like this. We will not let our village's law and atmosphere ruin.)
They said in their native language. Charvi's eyed widened in fear and she looked at Veer scared.
He blinked his eyes in assurance and opened his door. One of the man proceeded to open Charvi's door when Veer yelled.
"Ladki se dur!"
(Away from the girl!)
The man backed off with an evil smirk and Veer helped Charvi out who immediately held his arm. He held her hand and intertwined their fingers and she kept holding his arm with her other hand tightly hiding behind him.
The men asked them to follow and they walked behind them slowly trying to understand how to get out of the situation.
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