Author's POV
"Kittu... Get up Beta...."
But the female on bed only turned and twisted her body to other side.
"Get up Kittu.... I need to check your health."
Kritika opened her eyes slowly and glanced at her mother's worried face before letting out a gruff morning voice.
"What happened to my health?"
"That's what I have to check. Last night Anshu and Arjun brought you home saying your health is not good. They didn't even told me what actually happened there."
Kritika sit up and stretched her body trying to recollect the events of last night. She yawned with half closed eyes but they opened fully at her mother's question.
"What's this wierd smell coming out from your mouth?"
She peeked at her mother who was looking at her curiously, before bringing her hand infront of her mouth to smell her own breath. Her furrowed brows eased in realisation when Rehan's words rang in her mind.
It was vodka.
"I am asking you something Kittu."
"Vo mumma...... Actually....."
"She ate some unknown dish Aunty."
They saw Anshika entering the room. Kritika thanked God mentally because she knows she can't utter just anything. If her mother is unaware of last night incident then she better stay quite and let Anshika take the lead.
"She started vomiting all of a sudden, so we brought her home. You know na how cranky she gets during sickness."
Kritika stared her friend who lied smooth like butter and her mother who looked concluded with her excuse.
"That's good. Now both of you come for breakfast. I'll make something light for you."
Anita spoke the last line specifically referring to Kritika before exiting the room leaving raging Anshika behind.
"You idiot girl. What was that? Do you know how worried i got? I lied to Arjun just to save your drunk ass. Now explain what you and Mr. Rathore were doing in that parking lot? And since when you started drinking?"
Anshika threw her pent up anger on her friend who gripped her head sitting on the bed in loose clothes which she changed last night in her unconscious state.
"I am waiting for your answer? What exactly happened las-"
"I don't know. I don't remember anything, about how we ended up in parking lot. I only remember the things before getting drunk."
Her voice came out a bit harsh due to anger and irritation. First this throbbing headache and then Anshika's shoutings caused her to be grumpy. She narrated the incident rubbing her forehead to ease the pain.
"So you don't have any idea what happened after that?"
Kritika shook her head in denial and got up from the bed to freshen up.
"You guys were together for almost an hour or maybe more than that. God knows which kind of stupidities you did in that mean time."
Anshika's words halted her steps. She looked back and replied in a duh tone.
"Chill!!....... Nashe me thi main. Nashe me log murder tak kar dete h, maine to phir bhi flirt hi Kiya hoga."
( I was drunk. Drunk people even commit murder, I must have flirted only. )
She entered the bathroom and locked the door behind. But she heard Anshika's distant voice questioning.
"And what if you did more than flirting?"
Kritika's POV
More than flirting!!
Nahh!! I'm not that type of girl.
I trust myself but i don't trust my mouth. God knows what the hell i blabbered infront of him.
How i am gonna face him now??
Kittuu....... What did you do?
Did i blurted my secrets to him?
He will use them now.
One second!!! Why am I panicking?
I was drunk. And drunk people sprouts nonsense. I'm sure he must have also felt I'm not serious. He must haven't taken my words seriously. Even if he did, he's not idle enough to use them against me.
But what if he did?
So what!!
He is also a human and human do have secrets, including him.
After the conversation with my inner self, i pushed myself to freshen up and have breakfast. I took rest for few hours after taking medicine. There was only me and mumma at home, others decided to resume their everyday routine. I also wanted to resume mine but this headache didn't let me. So, i ended up taking one more day off.
After sometime, i noticed weather slightly turned cold. I was expecting rain but it was just cool breeze with dark clouds. And that was it!!.........
All the pain jumped from the window and suicided when I reached the terrace. I inhaled the deep breath feeling the coldness of the winds, which left me quivering. I freed my hairs and twirled myself to enjoy the weather.
My eyes stopped on a park nearby. I could see the people of every age group enjoying the weather just like me. I saw childrens running to grab their seats on the swing. An idea came to my mind. I descended the stairs and changed myself into a white anarkali suit from loose tee's.
Then i convinced mumma to let me go outside to have some fresh air. She hesitated first since I wasn't well, but then allowed. Because she knows how much I love rain.
The ambience and the greenery made the environment more soothing. But i was still not contented. My main reason of coming here wasn't fulfilled. I couldn't got the chance to sit on swings.
Call me psycho,
But i was wishing those kids to fall down, so i can replace them.
I sulked and left the park. They were so smart, no one moved from their seats. And when I was about to sit on an empty seat, one of the aunty there glared me like i am abducting her child.
What was my fault if that was kids zone. Management should make some swings for people like me also, who are hanging between teenage and adult age.
I came across a snacks shop on my way back home. I was selecting what to buy when I felt unknown presence behind me. I turned and found four men standing there with mask on their face.
Must be here to buy something.
I thought and gave my order. I felt their stares but ignored thinking it's normal. I again felt their stares on my back and this time it creeped me out, because I was all alone with them. Shop owner was inside and there wasn't even a single person on the road. My throat went dry. I gulped the lump formed in my throat due to uneasiness, before calling out for the owner.
"Uncle thoda jaldi kijiye please."
( Uncle please hurry up. )
Suddenly, one of the man put his hand beside me on the counter from behind. His hand was full of knife scars. I was looking at his hand when someone pressed my nose with a cloth. I struggled to free myself but they grabbed my hands and legs to stop me from making any movement. I tried to control my breath but nothing worked. Soon everything went blank.
Author's POV
"Fast Shamsher......"
Shouted Rehan, at his driver who nodded his head hurriedly before speeding up. His heart was beating fast. He won't admit it but he was scared when his father called him and asked him to reach Kritika's house urgently. He had no idea about what happened or why his father asked him to come fast without explaining anything. His mind was full of negative thoughts. It seemed to him like something wrong is going to happen.
"Sir, we are here."
His thoughts were disturbed by Sharma. He opened the gate and dashed inside without thinking about other things. Rehan met with tense faces of his and Kritika's family when he stepped inside. His brother came up to him and dropped the bomb.
"Kritika is missing since last 8 hours."
"What?" He let out in disbelief.
"Yes Bhai. Aunty is saying she went out around 11 AM and now it's 7 PM. There's no trace of her anywhere."
"Friends??" He asked his younger brother who denied straightaway.
"Aunty... Can you explain me everything in detail from the starting?" Rehan asked Anita sitting infront of her taking her wrinkled hands in his. She did as he asked.
"Sharma...... From here to park, get me all the CCTV footages of cameras installed in this area."
Within 20 minutes Sharma came back with a tablet in his hand. Everyone was surprised to see his speed but no one questioned, since it was helpful.
"Sir, mam is kidnapped." Everyone was left in gasps when Sharma informed them of Kritika being kidnapped, showing a footage as a proof.
"But who would kidnapp her? We don't have enemies, neither she." Everyone exchanged their gazes at Arjun's question.
She's a young blood.
"Javin Malhotra" Rehan whispered under his breath clenching his fists, which was inaudible for anyone to hear.
He proceeded toward the gate to leave but before he can exit, his father stopped him.
"Where are you going?"
"To bring her back."
"You know where she is?"
"I am not sure but i think I know. Just trust me dad, uncle??" He looked at Vijay in hope that he will trust him.
"You saved my life that day. How come i won't trust you?"
Rehan nodded his head in understanding and said before leaving.
"I promise you all, she will be here before next morning."
Kritika opened her eyes when she felt a sudden splash of water on her face. She found herself tied to a chair in the middle of the hall.
"Rise and shine babygirl....."
She raised her face to look at the source of the voice. A man was standing infront of her. His face appeared blurry to her eyes due to water running down her head. Her face was scrunched up because of the heavy effect of chloroform.
She blinked her eyes several times to get a clear image of him. His shirt was half buttoned and there was some lipstick marks on his neck and exposed chest.
''Let me introduce myself beautiful. So, my name is Jatin Malhotra. Son of Javin Malhotra. Jinke muh pe drinks phenki thi tumne, kal party me. Yaad aya?"
( On whose face you had thrown drinks, in the party yesterday. Remembered? )
He continued again when he found Kritika not giving any reaction.
"Oh come on babygirl!! Now don't tell me that you don't remember him. Otherwise, the whole hardwork i did to kidnap you for insulting my dad, will be wasted." His creepy smile scared Kritika but she didn't let her guard down.
"Achha.... To tum us..... jhulte ped ke sade hue fal ho. Hann!!" Her voice was hoarse but sharp.
( Oh..... So you are...... the rotten fruit of that swinging tree. )
"Uff... This attitude. So dad was right. You do have a feisty attitude. Is this your weapon to wrap both Rathore brothers in your arms? Ahh.... I can't wait to taste this attitude."
He caressed Kritika's face with the back of his palm. She tilted her face to detach his fingers. When he retrieved his hand back she looked into his eyes and spoke with utmost hate.
"FUCK.OFF."
"You look sexy when you curse. You should curse more often."
"And you look like an otter when you smile. You shouldn't smile more often."
He brought his face close to hers.
"You're taking me so lightly."
He grabbed a chunk of her hairs and tilted her head back. She winced due to pain but her glare didn't diverted.
"Look there. Do you know who these girls are? They are prostitutes. Soon, you're going to be one of them." He said forcing her to look in a certain direction, where she saw 7-8 girls standing in revealing clothes and overdone makeup.
"Not even in your dreams bitch." She spat on his face.
"Oh really!! Let's see then. Girls...." He gestured those girls to do something. Before Kritika can understand the meaning of that gesture, she noticed those girls coming to her. They opened her ropes and threw her onto the large sized sofa bed in the hall.
She tried to escape but they held her hands and legs. She flapped her arms and legs to kick them off but it was futile. They pressed her body to the sofa's surface. Their hands worked like cuffs which restricted her movements.
"Leave me" she shouted on those girls. But they only smirked at her in return. She saw Jatin hovering over her. He caged her waist between his knees and her upper body between his arms.
"Leave me you bastard!!"
She screamed at his face in disgust, when he touched her body with his.
"Sure!! But let me have a taste first." He spoke nuzzling his face on her neck. She tried to jerk him off by continuously moving her neck.
"Kaise namard ho tum. Mere hath pair bandhwakar apni mardangi dikha rhe ho. Hath kholo mere phir batati hu tumhe."
( Such an impotent you are. You are showing your masculinity by tying my hands and legs. Open my hands, then I will tell you. )
Her words angered him. He slapped her hardly making her lips to bleed.
"Mardangi dekhni h meri. Han!!"
( You want to see my masculinity. )
He held her suit from her right shoulder and tore it down aggressively. Her bra strap was visible when the cloth was torn off. He stuffed her mouth with the torn cloth of her dress. Her face turned red due to continuous screams, which got muffled because of the cloth.
Tears of helplessness and shame of not saving herself leaked from her eyes. Her struggles weakened her body. Two big dose of intoxication took a big toll on her system. She felt her eyes getting heavy. She inwardly prayed to God to save her because she herself failed in that.
She was obvious of the tortures Jatin was doing to her body. But her mind didn't let her to feel that pain. With her half closed eyes she witnessed him trying to remove his trousers while his upper body was naked. She squeezed her eyes in disgust. She felt his lips near her cleavage and more tears left her eyes. She lost all the hope. She started mentally preparing herself for the things going to happen and the trauma she will be facing.
She struggled till now to open her eyes to save herself. But now, when she has lost all her hopes her eyes started closing. And she didn't even bothered to keep them open. Why should she? She already failed herself. She lost her respect in her own eyes.
She shut her eyes down completely, unknown to the reality where someone came to her rescue.
Few words in the honour of rotten fruit??
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