Sandhya held back her desperation to know more about Kavya and decided that she would not question Akash about it. Why should she doubt Akash just because of what Varun had said? Her hands held the file where she maintained the details regarding Roja's behavior and the events at the orphanage. She sighed after looking at them for the third time. A thought crossed her mind and she froze; there was a pattern that she could see. She gasped, hoping that her observation was not true. A person's life could be destroyed if she took one wrong step; she had to be absolutely sure before coming to any conclusions. Maybe she was thinking too much; maybe this was just a coincidence. With her hand on her forehead, she decided on a plan that would probably provide the answer.
~
A bored Akash sat among the guests. He had tried to avoid the Sangeet ceremony of the village president's daughter's wedding. All he wanted was to spend as much time as possible with Sandhya but his mom was adamant this time and he had run out of excuses. It frustrated him to go without seeting Sandhya even one day; how would he tolerate the separation when they both moved to different cities? He recalled the way she had continually tugged at the dress he had bought for her, trying to cover her shapely legs. He smiled. My Sandhya...my cute and innocent Sandhya. He caught his sister Puja dancing merrily to the Bollywood songs that the DJ played.
He blinked a couple of times. There was this gorgeous girl wearing a classic turquoise Ghagra with embroidery all over the dress, standing shyly among all the girls on the stage. Her eyes shifted and met his; instantly they sparkled, and a smile lit her face. His heart skipped a beat. This girl never ceased to surprise him. He smiled widely, his heart filling with joy. His Sandhya was here! Seated far from the stage, he started enjoying himself as he watched Sandhya dance to the music along with the others.
He found some guys checking her out and gritted his teeth. A few of the guys joined the girls on the dance floor. Sandhya danced gracefully with his sister Puja and a few more girls. She signaled for him to join them. Akash moved his head sideways. Nah. He wasn't into dancing, that was all girly stuff. He looked sideways to check if his parents were taking notice of Sandhya; it would make his life so easy if they liked her. But, as he suspected, his mom was staring at Kavya. Kavya looked beautiful as usual as she danced among the group on the stage. She was his mom's friend's daughter and his mom had been trying for many years to convince him to marry her. There was nothing to dislike about Kavya, but he dreaded that his life might end up like his parents' if he married her, where everything looked perfect on the outside but there was no true happiness in the relationship. He had rarely witnessed his parents being amicable with each other, other than when their kids or others were around. Their whole life seemed like an act. Of course, there was no question about anyone else after Sandhya had come into his life. He smiled at the wonderful future he imagined with her. His smile disappeared when she started dancing with Dhiren, looking far too comfortable for his liking. He sensed that she was having a good time with him. Anguish overtook his happy mood, and he grabbed the chair tightly to control himself. He overheard Dhiren's parents.
"Who is that pretty girl talking to Dhiren? Is that Sandhya? She looks like a good match for Dhiren."
Paranoia hit Akash like a bullet. His own parents were staring at Kavya when other parents considered marriage proposals with Sandhya for their sons!
A short while later, he saw Varun dancing with her on the stage. The look in his eyes...was that lust? Akash clenched his fist. Sandhya moved towards the area where his sister danced but Varun danced his way towards them. That was it! Akash stood up, kicked his chair back and started walking towards the stage, taking big, fast strides. Someone bumped into him and by the time he looked back at the stage, Sandhya had disappeared and Varun was dancing by himself.
He turned sideways and caught her speaking to Dhiren's parents! Towards his left, his parents headed towards the garden with Kavya's parents! How could he introduce Sandhya to his parents with Kavya's parents around?
He saw Sandhya walking into one of the corridors and followed her. She must have heard his footsteps as she halted, turned back and smiled. He did not smile back as he walked towards her. How could she be so happy when the whole world seemed to be plotting against them?
"What happened? You don't seem to be happy to see me," she teased. He held her hand and pulled her towards him into a hug. She immediately pushed him off and said, "Akash! Someone might see us!" Anger surged within him and he stood glaring at her. Taking deep breaths, he cooled himself but felt desperate to be alone with her.
"Let's go to your home," he stated.
"What? What are you talking about? The ceremony isn't over yet. I promised that I would stay back and help later," she replied, agitated.
He grabbed her wrist. "The ceremony is almost over; what else is here other than—" He halted and then continued. "Am I not leaving with you?" he questioned seriously.
Sandhya shrugged his hand off. "I am not coming!" she responded, angry and frustrated. She took a few deep breaths before asking, "Why do you want me to leave?"
He froze, surprised by her resistance. Why the hell did she care about this dumb ceremony? Gritting his teeth, he took a step towards her and said, "People are talking about alliances for you!" Somewhere at the back of his mind, a tiny voice said that he was acting stupid and crazy but his mind was overcome with a weird anxiety that removed all sanity from his thoughts. She stared into his eyes for a few minutes, her chest rising and falling abnormally, her jaw tight. "You want me to leave for that reason?" she whispered bitterly.
"Is that not enough? Do you want to socialize more so that your marriage gets fixed right here?" he blurted out. Her eyes turned red in anger.
"Maybe I should," she shot back. "Maybe I should get my marriage fixed with somebody, because you are behaving like an obsessive maniac!"
The words hit him like thunder. They both glared at each other with reddened faces for a couple of minutes before he turned around and walked away, taking long, fast strides. She stood staring in his direction, her heart thudding, for a few minutes. Big droplets appeared in her eyes and she traced her steps into an empty room, her heart gripped with anger, her mind disturbed by the words that she had uttered. It was obvious that he was jealous, just like she was when she had seen Kavya. Knowing that Akash and his family were attending this ceremony, she had borrowed the costume with excitement, wanting to look her best to make an impression on his family. She also knew that Kavya would be attending it. Her heart sank the moment she got introduced to Kavya; she was so beautiful. They had spoken briefly and she seemed to be a knowledgeable girl too. Then why didn't Akash want to marry her? Why would he love her rather than this gorgeous Kavya? She had seen Akash's parents observing Kavya and jealous, bitter thoughts consumed her mind. Why was she not like Kavya? Why was she not from a wealthy and huge family like hers? Anguish. Frustration. She wanted to see Akash; she wanted to know how he really felt about Kavya. Could there be some segment of truth in what Varun had said? She had frantically looked around the seating area for Akash. When she saw him, looking stunning in his attire, his eyes fixed on her, immense relief flooded her. His eyes...they seemed to convey everything. She decided that she would never question him about Kavya, for that would mean insulting their love for each other.
She had been so eager to meet and talk to him. And what happened? He had to ruin everything. Why did Akash act so stupidly?
Wiping her face, she got up and walked towards the hall, knowing that every minute that she spent at the ceremony would be a burden and not a celebration. The dress that she had borrowed and worn with so much eagerness didn't look elegant anymore; instead, it felt tight and uncomfortable.
Akash did not come to her home that evening, nor did he show up the next day to pick her up. He didn't think that she was serious, did he? Even though her heart got heavier with each passing minute and her hands fiddled with her cell phone countless times, she didn't call him.
She walked to her home from the orphanage, lost in thought, when halfway through, she heard the sound of a bike, the sound that she longed to hear, like rain in a dessert. Akash stopped beside her but did not speak or look at her. When nothing came from him after waiting for a minute, she silently sat on his bike. Once they reached her house, she got down, but he remained on his bike, looking ahead. She waited patiently before turning off the ignition and grabbing his bike keys. The silent drama continued as he got down and walked with her into the house. Once the door was closed, they stood staring at each other before Akash lost the battle and pulled her towards him. She melted in his arms, her heart a thousand times lighter and happier. They remained there, hugging and kissing each other for a long time.
"Why do you do this? Why do you treat me like trash? I am a human being. I have a heart and feelings too," she whispered in anguish against his chest.
Akash closed his eyes and replied, "I didn't mean to. I saw Dhiren's parents talking to you and I could not handle it. I wanted to scream to everyone that you are MINE and that they should leave you alone!"
Her brow crinkled as she looked up. "Don't you trust me?"
"Of course I trust you!"
"Then all the things that you just said wouldn't have mattered to you," she said, freeing herself.
Akash stood silent for a few minutes and replied, "It's not like that, Sandhya. It's just that, I don't trust everyone else! I don't know what fate has in store for us! What if..." He could not finish his sentence as she placed her index finger on his lips.
"What are you saying? I cannot control what others say or do. All I can say is that I will not accept anyone in my life other than you."
"Sandhya!" He took her hands in his. "I don't know what happens to me sometimes and I behave like a beast."
"No...you behave like a jerk."
Akash smiled in relief. "Go on, call me anything that you want. I totally deserve it," he declared, smiling.
"I will save them for another day."
"I think I still deserve punishment. How about I cook for you today? Tell me what you want to eat," Akash asked.
She thought for a second. '"Biryani," she replied, knowing that he did not know how to make it.
"Oh." He frowned. She laughed and said, "You committed, so you have to make it. But I can tell you how to make it." She sat on the countertop of the kitchen and gave instructions which he happily followed.
"I wonder if the way to a women's heart is through her stomach too," he said, smiling as he fed her a spoonful.
"It does seem to be true...at least in my case," she replied, enjoying his presence and the love that he showered on her. Akash was possessive and drove her insane sometimes, but his affection was magnetic and she craved it. For many years, she had locked up her emotions within herself, a result of circumstance as well as her introvert personality. She recalled the initial days of her teenage years at her aunt's house. Once, she had walked into the living room after washing the utensils, wiping her hands on her cotton skirt. The strong aroma of kheer hit her and her empty stomach growled. She saw her aunt seated by a container and handing bowls of the dessert to Ajay and Vijay. Sandhya stood by the pillar, fidgeting and wondering whether she could help herself or not. Her aunt glanced at her a few times but did not say anything. She stood like that for about twenty minutes before her aunt said, "Sandhya, why are you not eating? Do you need a servant to serve it for you?" She immediately poured some kheer for herself and ate. Her taste buds were satisfied but somewhere deep down, she knew that she was a burden, an unwanted burden. She came out of her thoughts and observed Akash. Perhaps life was indeed fair and she had happy days ahead.
"I have to leave for a conference in New York in three days."
"What? For how long?" she asked, startled.
"A week."
She remained silent and nodded.
"I have something for you." She stood up, went to the cupboard and got a palm-sized box out.
Akash opened it and found a smart-looking watch inside.
"Wow! But you didn't have to buy it."
"It's your birthday present, although belated. Put it on, I want to see how it looks on your wrist," she said excitedly. She had found this watch in one of the stores in the town but had initially not purchased it as it was beyond what she could afford. But the more she searched, the more her mind kept returning to this watch. She finally gave in and purchased it. It would mean that she would only have enough money to go on for a couple of weeks. But then she was expecting her paycheck before she left for Mumbai. So she should be fine, she decided. Akash struggled to strap the watch on his wrist. She took it from his hand and tried to clasp it with her hands. It just wouldn't work. She got worried and tried hard to clasp it.
Tut. She heard a sound. Sandhya gasped in shock as she saw the clasp broken into two pieces. Her hands shook as she kept staring at the watch in dismay.
Why did this happen? Oh, why did this happen when she had bought something for him for the first time?
Akash looked at her distressed expression. "Hey! It's just the clasp that is broken. I can get it fixed."
He cupped her troubled face. "Look at me, Sandhya! You got something for me and that means a lot. Why do you worry about such a small thing?"
"I don't know, Akash. You are leaving in another three days and now...this happens. I was hoping that you would wear it when I am not with you." She hugged him, pressing her face to his chest, her tears soaking his shirt.
Akash ran his hands through her long, wavy tresses and said, "Tell you what, I will try to get this repaired before I go and if I can't get it repaired before I leave, I will still keep it with me all the time, OK?"
"OK."
"There's something else I need to tell you. I won't be here to pick you up from work tomorrow, I have to go to the town. You have to leave work early, before it gets dark."
She felt even more miserable and clutched him tighter, feeling a pit form in her stomach.
"Will you be coming later, once you come back from town?"
"I will try my best, sweetie. I will call you."
"Please, try." Her voice quivered.
~
Sandhya had been watching him discreetly since she arrived at the orphanage. He was smiling and going about his job; nothing unusual so far. She hoped that the remainder of the day would be like that.
The kids came out into the play area in the evening. There was Roja sitting in the swing, looking blank and nervous as ever. Gajanan worked in the garden a few feet from her. She felt a jolt in her heart. To anyone else, it seemed like he was stretching but to Roja, it was a signal. Gajanan looked around and Sandhya quickly bent her head over the file. He went inside the orphanage and a couple of minutes later, Roja followed. Her heart beating fast and sweat streaming down her face, Sandhya followed them, making sure that she was not visible. He walked past the orphanage and into the servants' quarters. As soon as she saw him closing the door of his room, she had no doubts. She ran to the door, knocked hard on it and called out Roja's name. The door opened in a few seconds. She found Roja in front of a biscuit jar with a biscuit in her hand.
"Sandhya, madam, did you have any work? Roja insisted on me giving her, her favorite biscuit. I told her that I had work but you know how little girls are. I will go back to my work now," Gajanan said, a bit too fast. Before she could respond, he left the room.
Roja stood like a stone with the biscuit in her hand. Sandhya ran up to her, knelt before her and hugged her. Roja dropped the biscuit. She understood why Roja was so bottled up. She was at such a tender age that she knew that what was happening to her was wrong and yet could not say it out in the open.
"You did not do anything wrong, Roja. YOU DID NOT DO ANYTHING WRONG!" Sandhya tried to shake off her blank expression and make her understand.
Roja looked into Sandhya's eyes. Suddenly, her eyes swelled up with tears and she started crying. Sandhya hugged her little frame protectively. Gajanan watched them from a distance before running away. The two ladies who worked at the orphanage were summoned and informed. As expected, they were shocked. Mr. George was out of town and would not pick up her call. They all decided to wait till the next day to write a police complaint about Gajanan. If Roja gave a testimony, then he would be put behind bars, but she was too shaken to go through all that right now.
Sandhya stayed back until late at night and instructed one of the ladies to sleep with Roja for protection, just in case. Akash had asked her to leave early but the circumstances were different today. Walking alone in the dark night, she reached the dreaded cornfield. She was about halfway through when she heard something from the cornfield. Her heart started beating fast as she increased her pace. Something glistened in the cornfield and it was moving! There was someone in the cornfield! Her sixth sense screamed "Danger!" That was when she saw the person jump out of the cornfield with a glistening object in his hand, which she figured was a knife. She ran as fast as she could; she could hear the footsteps behind her but she did not look back. The footsteps grew closer and suddenly, her hair was grabbed roughly from behind, pulling her back with force. She cried out in pain and tried to free herself but stopped as soon as the cold metal of the knife touched her throat. This was it! She was going to die! She would never see her Akash again!
The attacker loosened the hold as she heard the sound of a bike approaching, Akash's bike! The headlights blinded her sight for a few seconds. It slowed down for a couple of seconds before increasing its speed again. In an instant, the attacker cried out "Aah!" and fell sideways, freeing her. She recognized him. Gajanan!
She knew that it was Akash on the bike, based on the silhouette under the moonlight. He turned his bike around and charged towards Gajanan, who was up by now. As soon as Akash neared him, he caught Akash's shirt and pulled him down off the bike. The bike fell sideways and slid down the road. Sandhya gasped as she witnessed both of them having a fist fight, punching each other like animals. Gajanan got a hold of the knife. Akash's life was in danger! She grabbed a wooden branch lying on the road and ran towards them.
"Stay out, Sandhya!" Akash screamed. She ignored him.
Just as Gajanan was about to slash the knife across Akash's chest, she hit him hard on the head. Gajanan clutched his head and looked back at her viciously. She hit him repeatedly with the stick as hard and fast as she could, but he seemed to be made of stone and sprang onto her. Akash caught his neck and pulled him back, causing Gajanan to fall down with a thud. Akash quickly placed his foot on Gajanan's neck, cutting off his air supply. Gajanan grew weak as he struggled for air.
"Quick, Sandhya, Give me your dupatta!" Akash screamed. Sandhya grabbed her dupatta from where it was lying on the road and handed it to Akash.
"Hold the knife on his throat," Akash ordered her as he handed over the knife to her.
With shivering hands, she did as told. Akash tore her dupatta into two long pieces and tied Gajanan's hands and legs tightly. They both breathed in relief. Akash called the police and told them that Gajanan was trying to attack someone and he had stopped him. He turned to Sandhya and told her that the police would be there in ten minutes.
"Why didn't you tell the police my name?" she asked.
"You don't know the police here. You are a young woman. I don't want you to get involved in police affairs. Plus you may not be allowed to go to Mumbai until the case is cleared."
"But I had to give a complaint...regarding Roja. That was why he attacked me. I found out that he was abusing her."
"What?" Akash was shocked.
"Yes...it is true," Sandhya replied slowly.
"That bastard!" Akash cursed. "But still, I don't want you to be involved in this matter. I will make sure that he gets punished. We will decide again tomorrow about the next steps...OK?"
"OK."
Akash took a deep breath and said, "Now...I want you to walk home and wait for me."
"No! I am not leaving you here. What if this guy attacks you again!" she protested, clutching his arm.
"Please, Sandhya...go! The police will be here in five minutes! He is all tied up. He cannot harm me!"
She reluctantly nodded and walked away from him. Once she reached home, she tried to calm herself and waited for Akash. The distant police sirens indicated that Akash must be safe. Getting rid of her dirty dress, she took a shower, slipped into her nightgown and waited restlessly, each passing second feeling like hours.
After a couple of hours, she heard Akash's bike and ran out.
"Did they arrest him?"
"Yes, not only for the attack but for the abuse on Roja too. You see, he was already a wanted criminal and had joined the orphanage using a fake ID. He will be in jail for a long time. So relax."
Sandhya was badly shaken. Akash took her inside, made her sit on the sofa and sat beside her. Her breathing evened out and she placed her head on Akash's lap, clutching his hand. "You could have been killed because of me." She pressed her face on his legs.
He ran his hand over her head. "Don't say that... We are both safe and sound, that's what matters."
She wondered about the turn of events, the watch breaking off when she had bought it with so much affection. And now, they had both almost been killed today. She never believed in superstitions but she couldn't help but think that this all felt like a bad omen. She shuddered at the thought and clutched his hand closer to her chest. Without her knowledge, she drifted off into a deep sleep.
Akash looked at her tenderly. He had almost lost her today. What would he have done if something had happened to her? He picked her up and her lethargic eyes opened with worry. She looked at him, smiled faintly and kissed his chest before closing her eyes again. Akash shuddered. Much as he wanted to comfort her, it was difficult for him to have her so close and keep a lid on his desires. He placed her on the bed and pulled the blanket over her. He tried to wriggle his hand out of hers, but she clutched him tighter.
"Please don't leave me alone today. Please?" Sandhya pleaded.
Akash patted her hand. "I am not going anywhere, sweetie. I will be sleeping on the sofa in the living room. OK?" he said softly.
Sandhya nodded and drifted off into a blissful sleep holding his hand. Once she was sound asleep, he grabbed a blanket and lay down on the sofa in the living room. He was tired and soon drifted off to sleep.
~
Akash awoke with a jolt.
"Akash!" Sandhya shrieked from her bedroom. He sprang up from the sofa and ran to her.
Sandhya sat upright, her body shaking uncontrollably, her face terrified.
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/***Authors Note***/ "The Independent Girl" was published on JUNE 20th 2016!!!
Links to purchase:
https://www.amazon.com/Independent-Girl-Sneha-K-ebook/dp/B01GUSEPMO/ https://www.amazon.in/Independent-Girl-Sneha-K-ebook/dp/B01GUSEPMO/ https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/643119
https://itunes.apple.com/fr/book/the-independent-girl/id1121906593?l=en&mt=11 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-independent-girl-sneha-k/1119160004?ean=2940152772036 https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-independent-girl-1
Note that I will only be posting a limited number of chapters here on wattpad for you to sample.
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