ZEHRA
I pulled the dupatta closer to my chest, with the torn clothes underneath, hiding my body, but tugging of clothes was more of creating for defence. I hope whatever is going to attack me further will hurt less.
But I wonder what I am scared of his just physical pain?
My eyes to my sitting bother who had fallen on the floor, her hair was scattered, her lips were bleeding, bruises on her face and her arms. Murshad witnessed me. And in one long step and slapped me the pressure rang in my ears, my cheeks aching on the friction. I fell on the floor, and Murshad caught my hair.
Pulling me back on my feet, "How could you do this to our family!" He shouted at my face, his rage before my eyes, he was all red, I have seen Murshad in fury many times, but it never was this extreme that he would go red.
He stood me straight, and once again slapped me so hard, that I fell back on the wall, he did not stop there, his side frame towered over me, and he started to slap me again and again, shouting the same thing.
How could I ruin our family like this?
What would people be thinking of him?
I ruined our reputation.
His slaps, didn't stop, but my cheeks felt like a layer of my skin had shredded under his constant hits, when he finally stopped, I slid down the wall sitting on the floor, my trembling hand reaching for my face.
I was not at an impasse, at what pain was more extreme? The one I had been feeling inside, with what those monsters did? Or the pain that I had been feeling with what my brother did to me? Was it the pain of how many people will see my naked picture? Or was it the physical pain I bared in this house and in that fort?
I was at an impasse because each was as dreadful as any.
When I touched my cheek, I was not wrong. My skin had peeled off a little, his hands were rough with his manual work in the factory, and he had slashed my face.
I yelped when I touched the affected area, but then he kicked me!
"The problem is! I gave you freedom! And thought you should be educated! I should have just left you in the house! To rot before I marry you off! All this freedom got you to wreck us like this!" His words, he blames me for what happened?
How come men being an animal is my fault?
I stood up, tears slipping and aching as they passed through the affected area! "It's not fault!" I told him, and he abruptly turned towards me.
"It's not your fault?" He asked his face tilted to match my level, a hysterical look plastered, "Did they come inside our house? No! You went to their place! You went outside alone, that is what happened!" He spoke so deranged,
But suddenly a new kind of realization hit him, and he caught my forearms.
"Did they rape you?" I met his eyes, hoping it was concern that would cover my brother's face. But it was not, "It was disgust. He took his hands off, wiping it on his clothes!"
"They did not!" His hand stopped midway, and he once again met my gaze and slapped me once again, This time I fell on the floor before he walked away.
I sat there crying on the concrete floor of my house the door that shut behind me of the living room, my dupatta had partially hung low now, but I did not leave my clasp on it.
My mother crawled towards me, and she hugged me, crying on my shoulders. And holding onto her, I couldn't stop myself and fell into the well of tears.
~
"I was afraid you will way no!" Taara told me, her eyes wandering on Abhiraj who was engrossed in conversation with Daiwik in front. Something about the new inspector.
I just smiled at her response.
The car parked in front of a huge brown door, in front of a huge royal hotel, a place I had only heard of. The men were dressed in complete Indian attire with safa over their heads. They opened the door for us and when we stepped out.
The hotel manager, came to us himself, greeting Abhiraj and Taara, and then greeting me and Daiwik. He asked the workers to take the bags away, and in a moment the car was driven to the park, and the bags were taken.
Everything was so royal-like, it was one of the tourist attractions places, because many foreigners face.
When the manager joined his hand and bowed to me, Daiwik's hand wrapped around my waist. He pulled me closer even with the polite humble smile on his face.
The man personally took the task, to show us to our rooms. And we walked behind him, Abhiraj stared at Taara before he took her hand in his, and walked in front.
Daiwik did not let go of my waist, his thumb leisurely moving back and forth, tingling me. I smiled inwardly,
We were taken to the top floor of the hotel, and walked to the last stop, he opened the suite's door for Taara and Abhiraj,
A huge room, that was almost an apartment. And then next door for us, similar. Both were Maharaja and Maharani suites of the hotel.
Even if the stay was not long, it would cost an eye and a kidney to pay for it. Little nervousness crippled in me, with his luxurious space. But I kept my posture straight.
When Taara and Abhiraj retired to their room, it was almost evening. I entered the room, There was a couch in the left corner with two armchairs, and there was a tea table in between on the other side a wall was covered with a four-door closet.
On the other side were the bed, bed-side tables and a bench on the end of the bed foot, the carpet and the beautiful cremé and brown interior,
It was impeccably clean and beautiful, my eyes travelled on its decor while Daiwik stood there keeping his watch and his beads on the bedside table.
"Is Abhiraj paying for this?" I asked when he shook his head. "He would have if I came alone, but since I was coming with you. I pitched in forcefully because I knew you would feel inferior to them. And you asking me this question? I was right."
It astounds me how he always knows everything I will feel, or I end up feeling about him. "You should change into something comfortable, for dinner downstairs in an hour!" he told me, twirling to face me and stepping towards me.
His hands rested on my forearms, and slid up till my shoulders, to my neck, holding onto it, by both his hands on either side, he stepped me towards the bench in front of the bed and sat me down.
But then he kneeled before me, his eyes meeting me, and started to undo my sandal for me, undoing the strap he removed, and kept it aside looking up with a smile.
I reached for the collar of his kurta.
My not knowing the truth will be the best thing.
I unbuttoned it, and down to the three communed, he waited patiently. My hands reached to remove his kurta over his head and kept it down on the bench, he was still kneeling my hands reaching for my waist, I traced the lord's face he had illustrated on his arm.
I have seen it before, but today, I truly saw it, "I and Daman got it together." he spoke to me, and I blinked. "He had a similar one?"
"No, he had a different lord," he explained and I nodded. "When did the accident happen?" I was very hesitant to ask this question, but he very calmly replied.
"A year before I saw you,"
The same year, Abu got paralysed. He too worked in that factory. I blinked looking at the hand. "You never told me before you had an elder brother?" I asked him, curious about his usual shunned words but sudden mention.
He did not say anything and just stood up, his eyes hovering over me, "Get ready!" He just turned and walked towards the bathroom.
~
His avoidance didn't bother me, he was sitting next to me at the table with Taara and Abhiraj,
Meanwhile, Abhiraj was explaining something to Taara related to business. She heard him with so much attention. And he had a smile on his face when he elucidated it to her.
"They are happy!" I said to Daiwik, and he nodded.
"She is on her fourth month, it's almost like don't open any door of the Haveli without knocking," Daiwik said casually sipping the drink. My eyes widen.
"What?" He had decorum bandaged on his face. He just smirked. And leaned to meet my eyes. "It means, they are doing what we will be doing after our marriage. Zehra!" he flirted with me. And pushed his alcohol whiskey on my lips.
I was taken aback but I sipped the drink from his hand. It was bitter, it burnt my tongue. He looked around, It was empty, with only a servant standing in the corner of the room, but the wooden folding partition wall covered the look
He inclined forward, his hand on the backrest of my chair, and kissed drank from the glass at the same place I did, and pushed it on my lips again. I gulped it down, another bitter tsunami on my tongue, and the next minute he leaned forward and kissed me, both his hands on either side of me with hands on the backrest now.
We heard coughing on the other end of the table, and he groaned on my face before he pulled back.
I thought he would be working the whole time, but looks like both of them agree that this is just a vacation.
He sat back, pulling away and I wished he hadn't, I want to be engulfed by him.
The waiter stood at the folding screen and only entered when Abhiraj motioned him with his hand, setting the table with the Indian food before leaving.
Everyone started to eat, "I and Daiwik will have to leave early tomorrow morning for work, so you and Taara can spend the time in the hotel only, don't go out." I was confused the spoon halting on my lips.
Was Abhiraj talking to me? His words indicated "Nothing would happen!" Taara insisted,
"This is not my town Taara. I don't want you to get down in the wrong hands promise me you won't defy me?" he turned to her, and she wanted to retort but she accepted his words.
I felt a hand on my thighs and turned to look at Daiwik who was eating nonchalantly. I smirked but he dropped his spoon before Abhiraj could indicate for new cutlery Daiwik went down, before pinching my calf and I almost jumped. He came up again, a new set of cutlery following behind.
He laughed secretly and ate his food. He is teasing me! I dropped the spoon myself and going down to pick it up I reached for his groin, cupping it with my hands, and he groaned very loudly. I controlled the pinch. He couldn't.
The other couple on the table's eyes widened, but I felt like the world would sink me. I thought he would try to control it. But he voluntarily grunted. I came up, and not once met my eyes with the people across me.
They left early but Daiwik refused to leave and said he wanted to stay a bit longer. I watched them disappear while they walked but Abhiraj told the waiters on stand-by to leave us alone probably because all of them disappeared as well.
Daiwik and Abhiraj seem to have no word-required friendship, "Yeah, so you are eager to hold on to things that might be scary for you? Zehra!"
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VOTES target - 70 VOTES
Oh my God! Is Zehra this bold? And god! I love it when Daiwik is cocky!