VANSHIKA
✨
When a bird discovers that it can fly, it has wings, it discovers a new kinda high.
Veer's existence in my life had given me that kinda high. He was turning into my addiction. So much so that I didn't care that I was abandoning my family and going to him. And why wouldn't I?
I wasn't a consolation prize for him. I was the only one for him. There were so many girls who wanted his attention but he only wanted mine. He made me feel wanted. He made me feel that I'm important to him and I liked that importance. The reason why although I was angry and upset leaving my home, I was happy because I was going to the man who was slowly becoming my home.
I was riding so high on him that I ignored everyone's phone call. Dad's phone call, Daadi's phone call, Aaryan called tol. Damn it...I was so blinded that I even ignored Dev Daadu's and Mypie's phone calls as well. But above all I was angry that neither did Mom try to call me nor message me once. Like she didn't care at all. Well if she didn't...I didn't care either
Luv called but I was pissed at her. I had blocked her number because I held her responsible for everything that had happened in my life although she wasn't but my stupid brains were jealous of my own sister. I thought she was the reason I went through all this. That moment I even was angry with God that we were twins.
I practically loathed her existence. I don't know from where I developed so much hatred for my own sister. Was it the age, the immaturity, the hormones, young blood or jealousy? Well she was always the good girl, the perfect child. The matured one. I was always the ugly fat kid, who wasn't good in studies, nor good at looks and was the naughty one too.
I tried to be on par with my twin. I tried loosing weight but I loved eating, I tried looking pretty but she got straight silky natural hair and I was a curly mess. She spoke softly with everyone where as I was the tomboyish loud twin but I tried. I really did. I studied so much that I top my classes. I played sports when Luv did dancing and modelling since our school days itself. But I didn't understand why the society compared us both. Initially it didn't bother me but later as everyone started praising her and giving her more importance I started getting annoyed and then I pushed her into the backwaters.
But the moment I did it I was guilty. I apologized as well and confessed my mistake too but instead of giving me a chance they chose to punish me. I cried and begged them to not put me into the boarding school but Dad and Daadu were adamant. They thought I had to learn discipline. I accepted that too and slowly adjusted in my boarding school as well. Luv got all the love from family but I was happy because I was treated like a VIP because I would come home only for vacations.
I liked the importance but then when I had to leave to the boarding it also made me realise that Luv will always get more than me. But call it my self respect or my ego, I never asked them to settle me back in Bangalore and I was fine. Madikeri became my new home.
And anyways I was a believer in marriage and love. I had seen people holding hand in hand and loving each other in their old ages too. So many powerful love stories in my family. I always knew when I'll meet my man it will be forever. I was always the one man woman types so when Rajveer entered my life I knew it was him. I had even made plans of pursuing my higher education in his country, so we could see each other, grow together, build a career and then get married.
I was clear.
A double graduation by 23. 2 years of job in a lavish organisation, buy a home at 25 and marry at 26 and kids by 28. Life was planned and sorted.
Atleast that's what I had thought of...
But does everything go according to our plans?
✨
The moment I stepped down from the bus I knew where I had to go. It was almost 9:30 pm at night and I didn't care who thought what but I knew Veer wouldn't be fine. I couldn't get over his sulking face. Tomorrow was Diwali and I didn't want to ruin his first big festival in India. He must be feeling lonely. The reason I decided to visit him was to go to his house.
However I was shocked to see loud music and a lot of young boys and girls dancing around. Some held cigarettes whereas others had alcohol. Wow!!! These are hardly 18. Is Veer crazy? If police catches them all it's going to be a scene? I rushed into his home trying to look for him everywhere but Veer was not to be seen anywhere. That's when my eyes fell on Yamuna who stepped down from the staircase. She looked at me and slowly tried to wipe her lips. There was a smirk on her face and that suddenly got my heart rate quickened.
Without waiting a second I rushed upstairs. The room door was slightly ajar. I pushed the door open only for my eyes to widen as I saw a shirtless Veer trying to buckle his pants. My heart almost stopped. I tried connecting the dots and that's when Veer saw my reflection in the mirror and just when he was about to talk I closed the door with a thud and ran out of his bungalow. I didn't care if it was late at night I wanted to run away from here.
I wasn't in my senses exactly when suddenly a car honked and it's lights almost blinded me. I froze in fear when suddenly I felt someone grab me by my waist and pull me into a bone crushing hug. The fragrance was familiar and that's when I realised it was Veer.
'What the hell do you think you are doing Vansh? Are you crazy? You almost killed me!!! What if something happened to you?' That night I saw a weird fear in his eyes. I had never seen him so scared and angry but then the visuals of Yamuna's expressions and Veer buckling his pants made me shiver and I pushed him away.
'Stay away from me!!! And why do you care about me?'
'Why do I care? You are my girl Vansh!!! Why do you think I wouldn't care!!!' He yelled when I pushed him via his chest saying
'Ohhh really? Where was this care when you and Yamuna were...Chiiii...you are working around in my absence Veer?'
'Whatttt are you crazy???' He shouted
I laughed saying 'I am crazy??? You are crazy if you think I can't see. She walking down the staircase with dishelved hair and the shine in her eyes with that smirk that she's achieved a fucking milestone and you buckling your pants while there is a full fledged party in your house? What else could it be?'
He slapped his forehead saying 'What the...Juice well on my clothes and I had to change. The reason why I was like that in the room and Yamuna...huhhh she didn't even come to my room.'
'Lie!!! You are lying!!!' I said as tears rolled down my cheeks. When he cupped my cheeks and smashed his lips against mine silencing all my complaints. His warm mouth invading my mouth hungrily gave me butterflies in my stomach. It felt like one of the Kdrama moments. His hands brushed down my sides reaching my waist as he squeezed it tightly slamming my body against his roughly. We were in the middle of the road, almost dark, no human intervention practically speaking and we both were exploring each other's mouth. Call it my teen hormones or my need to be closer to him, I was enjoying this kiss. This man was my first and going to be my last.
After a few minutes we parted our hot mouths as he slowly cupped my face again and whispered
'Dont you trust me Vansh? You think I can ever ditch you?' he asked. His voice was a soft whisper when this time I rested my head against his chest as I said 'I am sorry!!! I just...Yamuna...she... she doesn't give me the right vibes.' I confessed when he caressed my head saying 'That way...the entire world doesn't give me the right vibes. I feel everyone is here to take you away from me but I'm never gonna let you go babe!!!' He whispered as a soft kiss was pressed against my head and I was so comforted. All my sadness and loneliness was gone and that's when my heart confessed what it felt
.
.
.
'I think I'm falling in love with you Veer!!!' and that's when his hands slowly loosened up and he tried to get rid of my hug. I slowly tried to pull him into the hug but he took a step away when I asked
'What's wrong? We are in a relationship Veer...this is bound to happen one or the other day!!!' when he said
'No!!! I think we are moving too fast and anyways I don't believe in the concept of love or marriage' he said leaving me shocked. I could hardly see his face due to the non existent street lights but I still tried to see his face which looked so disturbed right now. Although I wanted to tell him about my dreams for us both, I decided to take it slow.
I cupped his face saying 'Just because I love you doesn't mean you need to love me too...well not right now...take your time...I can wait... after all we have an entire lifetime!!!' I said as I giggled but he was still irritated and in an annoying tone he said
'You don't understand Vansh!!! It's not the way you think it is..I don't think I can ever lo-' when I kept my palm against his mouth saying
'Well then...ummm marry me and then let's make loads of kids. You can confess your love for me at our fiftieth wedding anniversary...hmmm maybe in Italy...no Paris!!! Italy would be our honeymoon destination???' I said when he shouted
'STOPPP!!! Don't you get the point? I'm not into love and shit like that? I believe in living in the moment? Got it? So next time I don't want to hear such nonsense from you...' saying he walked away from there leaving me speechless, lonely.
I don't know for how long I stood there all alone looking particularly nowhere when suddenly he carried me like a sack of potatoes and threw me on his shoulders and took me back to the party. The party was too loud for me and I was no longer interested to stay so I asked Veer if I could get some rest. Veer allowed me to take his room.
I changed into one of my tshirts and pajamas and lay down on the bed. There were numerous missed calls from home. This time even mom had called but I switched off my phone and let go off all the things that happened today morning
The music downstairs was still audible in this room but I was tired of all that happened today so I was fast asleep.
But then suddenly in the middle of the night I felt something crawling on my stomach and something warm sticking to the back of my body. As I was still tired it took me time to realise that someone was over my body and I opened my eyes wide when I felt a pair of lips on my neck and that's when I noticed a drunken Salim's mouth was on my neck and I screamed in fear. I tried pushing him away but he seemed drunken and intoxicated. I shouted as much as possible but thanks to the loud music no one could hear me.
His hands sneaked inside my tshirt trying to squeeze my waist when his other hands tried to loosen the lays of my pajamas when I tried to kick him in his balls and that made him groan in pain and he flipped on the bed and I got a window to sneak out. I ran towards the door only for the door to open and Veer to see me running into him.
I was shaking like a life when Veer's anger was sky high and he started beating Salim black and blue only for his friends to discover about it and a couple of them tried to stop them all when Veer shouted
'How dare he touch Vanshika? I'm going to kill him. Bastard!!!' he yelled when Salim who was still intoxicated shouted
'Why only you can have fun with her? I saw you both making out on the road. I can do it better... infact I can last the entir-' and before he could complete the statement I slapped him hard leaving everyone shocked.
'I can't believe it that I considered you guys as my friends!!! This is how you see your best friend's girlfriend as??? An opportunity to fuck??? Really???
Well then listen each one of you!!! I am a one man woman. This man here...is my everything. I can do anything for him and that's because I love him. I am not just another opportunity for him. We are a real couple and if you don't get it...you can see it for yourself in future!!!' I shouted leaving everyone shocked. Even Veer was shocked and speechless when we heard Salim was intoxicated and high started laughing like a maniac.
'This man??? A future with this man??? You are too naive Vanshika. Well if you are thinking of a future with this man..
It's only until you climb his bed. He's never going to be able to give you anything beyond a few flavours!!! Atleast I genuinely like you!!!' He confessed leaving us shocked when Veer lunged at him grabbing his tshirt collars as he spat
'Zip your bloody mouth if not I'm going to stitch it permanently!!!' He gritted his teeth when Salim shouted
'Stop doing this to her man Veer!!! What is it??? Your ego??? Your anger or that stupid bet??? Let her go man... she's too good for you and I love h-' and before he tried completing that statement he was punched on his nose leaving a bleeding Salim on the floor when my mine was still roaming around one word
'Bet!!!'
Veer was dragging me outside the room when I yanked my hand off his grip and with teary eyes I asked
'What bet???' And Veer stood there frozen.
My heart was bleeding.
When he said 'Vansh...let's just go out...I can explain'
And my anger was slowly growing as I said 'No!!! Now!!! What bet???' I asked when he was fumbling to explain but that's when Shabareesh said 'Veer and the boys had a bet that he would make you fall head over heels for you after the suspension incident!!! But...now he really feels for you Vanshika. We all can see it.' Shabareesh tried to explain but my mind had gone blank at the moment when I turned around and gave two tight slaps on Veer's cheeks leaving everyone in the party go silent.
It looked like a huge drama right now. Veer hadn't lifted his head up whereas I couldn't stop tears rolling down my cheeks. I couldn't stay there as I started running down the staircase leaving the house. I couldn't stop crying over my stupidity. He played with my feelings. I was nothing but a bloody bet for him. My life suddenly felt like a walking talking Wattpad novel.
I couldn't stay there anymore. I offered an auto driving some extra cash begging him to drop me to my hostel as it was already very late but then I had a huge surprise waiting for me. The hostel warden had got multiple phonecalls from my family and my college principal and a few of my professors were also waiting at the hostel office for me.
Oh my God!!! This is going to be worse.
✨
'How irresponsible can you be Vanshika? Your parents are so worried for you. The bus reached at 8:30...it's almost going to be 12 now...we are getting continuous phone calls from your family, what should we assume? Where the hell were you?' Principal Sir said when Acharya Sir said
'Where would she be Sir? Should have gone to that shameless Veer's house. After all he is her boyfri-' and before Acharya Sir could say another word I shouted
'He is no one to me Sir!!! I was upset with my parents as I had a fight with them so I had been to a nearby restaurant to have a meal and then I was spending time there. I didn't get an auto post that, so it got late!!!' I lied when Acharya Sir's rolled his eyes and smirked.
Principal Sir and hostel warden gave me a strong warning asking me to call my family home but I didn't want to talk to anyone. I felt unwanted and betrayed. I no longer wanted to do anything from anyone. I had decided to work on my goal. I wanted to get into my dream University and I was going to give it all my blood, sweat and tears. I had decided to break all my ties with Veer. This was going to be my first Diwali all alone. I didn't eat sweets, I didn't wear new clothes neither did I burst crackers. All I did was order pizzas, stuff myself in my hostel bed and sleep the entire day and night.
The next few weeks were tougher. Veer kept looking at me from far yet never approached me. I could see a wierd pain in his eyes. I no longer have any friends now.
Older ones...I abandoned them.
Newer ones...Were only with me for their benefits!!!
But it was better than having toxic people along. I was given names like the teachers pet, the broken heart and the armcandy. Veer was again to be seen with a bunch of girls in the same corner near the cafeteria and it hurt like a bitch as I was hearing hook up rumours about him. But I didn't care.
His piercing gaze kept challenging me in cafeteria, sports ground, classroom... everywhere yet I decided to stay away from him until one day Salim stopped me and apologized for his behaviour. He was genuinely guilty. I did forgive him but refused to be friends with him again. Veer's gaze was all over me when I was talking to Salim but I did not care anymore.
There was only 2 weeks more for our final exams and I had to revise everything again. Tomorrow was my birthday. Eighteenth birthday. There were so many plans Veer and I made for my eighteenth birthday but then he ruined everything. So I decided to let that go as well. On my eighteenth birthday I was going to have a massive celebration with my text books and notes. Anyways from tomorrow onwards were our study holidays.
Tonight was our sendoff function which I clearly wanted to avoid as I didn't want to see Veer until suddenly a rumour fell into my ears that
'Veer is going to get engaged to Yamuna!!!'
My heart was broken.