"Dekhiye bhaisahab. Mai maanta hu jo aap keh rhe hai wo sahi hai lekin mai kisi ko bhaga ke nhi laaya. Mai inhe abhi thodi der pehle mila hu. Inki dost ke ghar chhod raha hu bas."
He said calmly although he was just moments away from losing his shit. He was dead tired after a long day and needed sleep.
"Na! Mai kaise maan lu. Kya pata dost ke ghar ke bahane apne ghar le jaaye."
Anush closed his eyes in anger and spat out.
"Kya chahte hai phir aap?"
"Bhai baat saaf hai. Ladki kuwari hai. Saaddi se bhagi hui hai aur tere saath akeli hai. Toh ya toh tu isse yaha saaddi krke niklega ya hum iski saaddi hamare gaao mai kisi se krwa denge. Lekin saaddi toh hogi."
"What the fuck!?"
Anush yelled and Pari's eyes widened. Shit! Where were they stuck? She got this man in trouble too. Maybe she was the problem here.
"Teri marzi hai. Ya toh saaddi ya ladki. Wo rahi agni aur saaman tanne mil jaayega."
Pari looked down scared. His next answer made her look at him in fear.
"Thik hai!"
Ok? What did he mean by that? Was he leaving her here? With these men? No! She'd rather kill herself before that.
Anush got out of the car and walked to her side. She clutched her lehanda tightly.
He opened the door to her side and pulled her out holding her hand.
"Nhi! Please don't do this. Mai yaha se kahi aur chali jaaungi lekin please mujhe yaha mat chhodiye."
She cried but he continued walking. He stopped near the bonfire and announced.
"I'll marry her. Mai krungi isse shaadi. Lekin iske baad aap hume yaha se jaane denge."
"Bilkul bilkul."
The man smirked and got the things ready. Seems like a marriage had just happened here.
Pari felt like she would faint any moment now. What was happening with her life.
In no time she was sitting back in the car. This time not in a stranger's. This time it was her husband. A husband who she never wanted. A husband who didn't want her.
Anush drove away from the place as fast as he could. He stopped at a distance when he knew they were safe and banged the steering wheel hard.
Pari flinched but did not look up. They sat in silence. Anush tried to calm his anger and asked.
"Where should I drop you?"
Pari looked at him confused.
"Huh!?"
"You should your friend lives in Delhi. Address pata hai uska?"
He asked and she looked down. What was she thinking? That he would take her to his home now.
She nodded and he passed her phone to him.
"Put the location on the maps."
She did as told and he started driving according to the map. When he reached a familiar area he asked.
"She lives here?"
Pari nodded wordlessly and Anush looked around curious.
"Bas yahi."
She mumbled and his eyes widened.
"She lives in E34?"
"Nhi. E35."
She answered making his eyes go wide.
"She lives here? What is her name?"
He asked wishing she had the wrong number but the moment the name slipped out of her mouth he knew he was doomed.
"Vineeta!"
"Tumhe out of everyone in this world meri behen hi mili thi friend banane ke liye."
Pari looked at him wide eyed.
"I am sorry. Mujhe nhi pata tha ki aap Vinni ke bhai hai."
She didn't know why she was apologizing. She just knew that right now she was in desperate need of a shelter.
Anush pinched the bridge of his nose and said.
"Go!"
"Huh!?"
"Go inside."
He said and she ran out at once. She hissed as she felt a shooting pain in her legs. She limped towards the door.
She was hesitating to ring the bell. It was very late.
"Yahi khade rehna ka irada hai tumhara?"
Anush asked coming behind her and rang the bell. The door was opened by his mother.
"Der ho gyi bohot. Ye kaun hai?"
She asked looking at Pari who looked down fidgeting with her fingers.
Luckily for her Vineeta had come out of her room to get water when she saw her mother and brother along with a familiar figure.
Rubbing the sleep off her eyes she looked carefully.
"Pari?"
Pari looked up and her eyes relaxed in relief seeing a familiar face.
Not wasting another second and not caring about her swollen and bleeding foot she ran to Vineeta and hugged her.
Vineeta was taken aback by her gesture. Pari started to cry silently while holding her and Vineeta was shocked.
"Pari? Kya hua? Shh! Mai hu yaha! Sab thik hai meri jaan. Kya baat hai?"
She asked rubbing her back. She saw her mother look at them worried and said.
"Mumma aap log aaram kro mai Pari ko apne room mai lekar jaati hu."
She said and held Pari's hand taking her to her room.
"Pehle tu kapde badal phir baat krte hai thik hai?"
Pari nodded wordlessly while sniffing. Vineeta handed her a pair of her tshirts and pyjamas.
Pari changed into them and came out. She sat on the bed and Vineeta examined her injured legs.
She tended her injuries and then said.
"Yaha sar rakh!"
She patted her lap. Pari didn't need to be told twice and laid down. Vineeta caressed her hair and asked.
"Ab bta kya hua? Aur tu aisi halat mai kyu thi?"
Tears pooled her eyes as she narrated everything to her from the beginning.
Vineeta's eyes filled with tears while Pari was full on sobbing by the end.
Vineeta took her in her arms and rubbed her back.
"Itna kuch ho gaya aur tune ek baar bhi call tak nhi kia."
"Kuch samajh hi nhi aa rha tha Vinni. Itna mess create ho gaya tha. Sirf mai hi jaanti hu mai waha se kaise zinda aayi hu."
Vineeta hugged her and after a long silence asked her the question that bugged her since the start and Pari's heart beat rapidly due to nervousness.
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