"A man who has nightmares every night of his life is in pain."
Rahul POV:-
Sweat. Cold dripping sweat coursed through my body as I gawked ahead.
"Don't open the door, Rahul," She whispered. "Don't open it. Stay quiet." She whispered, again and again, flailing the words in my weak mind.
My eyes wonder around, my hands trembled in cold and legs quivered in fear. I grasped her hand tightly, shaking my head. I couldn't leave her alone. I needed her.
"Grow up, Rahul," She hissed. Catching my arm, she hurled to my room and closed it shut. Scared, I ran and banged the door again and again.
Open the door. I yelled in my mind. Don't leave me alone. I banged my fist. Open it.
Shivers became my new personality. Screams. Yells. Breaking. Every corner was filled with darkness, blinding my view then the smoke filled the room.
Burning. Burning.
Stop it.
Something is burning.
Rahul get up and run. Take your mommy with you and run. Burning. Don't be scared, run.
"Momma!" I yelled. "Momma!" Arms pained from the efforts. "Momma! Don't leave me."
Then the scenery changed. The girl was standing in front of me. She cupped her mouth, and after a second, a wail omitted her throat. Pain engulfed her face as she bent down on her knees, screams escaped her mouth and all I could see was her and the pain.
It enveloped me. I wanted her to stop wailing. It was shattering me into pieces again. It was scaring me.
She was screaming again and again like she couldn't be happy anymore and she lost everything of her. I wanted to help her but I stood.
She was screaming.
She was wailing.
I was screaming.
I was wailing.
I jerked up from the sleep. Sweat cloaked my skin like a tight layer. Running my hands through my hair, I took deep breaths. That was a nightmare. My hands felt cold, legs quivered in fear again. Swallowing the emotions, I rubbed my hands over my face.
Fucking nightmares.
They never let me sleep and scared me to no end. In teen, I would lie on my bed, hug myself tightly and keep on whispering. It was scary and terrifying.
Swirling my head on the side, I saw Tina, giving me a scared and terrified look. Rolling my eyes, I bent down on the floor, took my pants and wore them under the blanket.
"You see nothing. You hear nothing."
"You were yelling momma," She smirked. "Aren't you big enough to live without your mom?"
Smirking down on her blanket covered body, I caught the edge of it, removing it away from her body. Her face flushed, passing me glares and trying to cover her body. Like I had seen nothing.
"Aren't you big enough to wear clothes without your mom?" Grabbing hold of my shirt, I wore it. While buttoning, I ordered, "Leave."
"But--"
"Leave." I gave her a deadpanned look. I wasn't in the mood to argue with her. My mood was already grouchy from the usual nightmares, haunting and gripping me again. Sleeping pills weren't working to tone them down. "I told you last night it's ended."
But she insisted I spent one night with her for the last time. I had two reasons to agree. One, she was hot. Second, I was a man with needs and appreciated when things came to me.
"I thought you were joking." She stood up, grabbed her clothes and started wearing them. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Kabir was calling.
"I don't joke."
"But why? Is it about what I said about Nisha's parent? Why do you care? You don't even know her."
My jaw clenched hearing her name. I hated her to nothing. She was a spider, weaving her way through someone, make a trap and then eats them. I wasn't into spiders. I was more into someone who didn't become the reason of my nightmares.
"What you did yesterday was unacceptable." I hated Nisha. I didn't hate Kabir. Their parents were like mine. When I felt alone, Kabir took me to his home and his parents made me feel like family. "I break up. It's ended."
Taking hold of her jeans, I threw at her.
"Leave when you're done." I trudged to the door but before opening, I spun and said, "Don't steal anything. My room has cameras. I would hate to call the police." Winking, I banged the door. Her screech filled the whole mansion but ignoring I called Kabir.
He didn't pick up. First, he called me and then didn't pick my call. Some friends I had. Walking to the kitchen, I was met by someone I never expected to see at my house. Wearing an astonished look, I walked towards her.
"What the hell are you doing here, Nisha?" She didn't look at my direction, and silently drank the juice, and wrote something in her book.
Ignoring me.
"I can throw you out. You're in my house and ignoring the question." Grabbing the orange from the basket, I sat on the stool and started peeling it off.
Again, she didn't pull her head first. What was the problem with this girl? She never looked into my eyes and finds a reason to fight with me and when I ask her politely, she ignores me. Being good in this world wasn't needed. I should behave like a jerk with her. I hated her too much.
She was a spoilt brat of her house, always got things in an expensive silver plate. I had seen Kabir being worried about her and she always gave him a reason by wetting her hands in stupid things and waiting for her family to correct it.
I hated such people who thought others would make things better for them. People who were walking attention seeker and she was one of them. I remember the first time I met her. She was yelling at her mom because she didn't iron her dress. I hated her at the same time. She wasn't a child and could do things. But like I said. Born with a silver spoon in their mouth.
Pushing one piece of orange, I yelled for security.
Annoyed, she closed her book with a thump and glared at me. Giving a fake sweet smile, I kept on enjoying my orange.
"I'm here to study with Raghuvir."
"Why?"
She didn't have to answer when he stroll into the kitchen with books in his hand, dropping them on the counter top. She passed him a grateful smile.
"Rahul," He said, settling his specs at the place. "Your girlfriend--"
"Ex-girlfriend," I corrected.
"-- abused me." Sighing, I gave him a look of what I was supposed to do with it. She was my ex-girlfriend. I didn't take care of how she treated people. I was not her babysitter.
Avoiding my gaze, he sat next to Nisha. He sat too close to her and she didn't even mind me. I had touched her hand and she yelled at me like I did something wrong.
As they both ignored my presence, I scrutinize them. I shouldn't be doing this. She could do whatever she wants. She could talk with my step-brother if she wanted but then one thing always stopped me. What if she did something reckless again?
I would have to solve her mess like always and hide it from her. I trusted Raghuvir. He was a nice guy with good manners while I was the opposite. He listened to our parents. I ignored them. He was becoming a doctor. I was messing with the wrong crowd. He didn't fight every other night. I got into street fights every other night. He didn't have any fucked up parents. I had.
"So what she is doing here?" I asked again. "You know we don't let strangers in our home. And you both--" I bounced my gaze between them. "--don't strike me as friends."
Raghuveer cheeks reddened. I passed a curious and amusing glance to my brother. Did he have a crush on my princess? I wonder what Kabir had to say about it.
"Nisha is my girlfriend." The halfway piece of the orange stuck in the air. I snapped my gaze to Nisha, who ignored him and continued her work.
"Since when?" I placed the orange and ate with difficulty.
"Two weeks." Nodding, I stared at her. She didn't pull her face, her hands continued to write. If she was your girlfriend brother, then why wasn't she leaning her head upwards and having a shy smile. What was the fucking problem with her?
I should make Raghuveer aware about her. She was a witch. She didn't do love. For her, it was come, go and replace but never reuse. I had seen her changing boyfriends from time to time like a tissue paper since her parents had died. I kept quiet, never said a thing to Kabir because of one thing.
Our confessions.
I had no idea why we both confessed our dirty secrets to each other. It was a one day thing we tried when she was shivering in fear. I needed to know what happened and put this up. She confessed all of it and I confessed one of mine. Since then we never stopped.
Mom strolled into the kitchen in her lab coat. She passed greeting to Raghuveer, and then to Nisha. Without sparing me a glance, she left. Of course, she left. She didn't care that her adoptive son was sitting right there, eating a fucking orange and trying to escape from the nightmares again.
Sympathy reflected through his face. My hands itched to grab his head and smash it to the table top. I didn't need those looks. He didn't know anything. But I held myself back. He was my brother.
My phone rang on the side. Groaning, I picked it up, leaving the kitchen.
"What?" I hissed. "I told you I'll pay back. What's the problem?" I had been doing street fights, indulging myself in a bad crowd.
"Debts should be clear as soon as possible, Rahul," He sang.
"These are not my debts. Go to the graveyard and ask the person who took from money from you."
"Your father. The contract says if he doesn't pay it, his heir will."
"Fifteen crores isn't a small amount. And I had some of it." Stupid was my father who took a loan of this much amount and lost it all in the share market. If he wanted to die, at least, he should've paid his debt.
At least, who should've seen from whom he was taking money.
"One month, Rahul. Otherwise, you know what happen."
Your gun on my forehead without any last wish.
"Yes. I'll pay."
"I'll send the consignment. You know what to do." Get money from the person through anyway. Kill or beat him but get the money.
He cut the call. One month was a small time period. One month was all I had left. I should be sad or angry or depress but I felt nothing like I was waiting for my death. Maybe it was karma.
Technically, I would have asked my adopted father if the amount wouldn't be this large and I felt comfortable with my adopted family but I never did.
Their was always this strangeness lurking over my head. I couldn't feel they were my family. My adopted mother didn't talk with me because her husband had affair with my mother. My adopted brother was a scholar, and looked down at me because I was a scum in his house, stealing his attention. My adopted father had an affair with my biological mother, and always looked at me in pain because I looked too much like her.
Sum of it. I was alone and it was better. If I die, at least, I know no one would cry over my grave except for four people.
Kabir. Alina. Dhruv and Sanchi. A little bit of Ria too if she remembers her Rahul uncle.
Nisha would be jumping in happiness knowing her former enemy was dead.
My phone rang again and I answer it.
"What do you want?"
"Good Morning to you too," I grunted back a good morning. "I need your help."
"What help, Kabir?" He sounded too formal nowadays. I hated his fucking mask of formality like a CEO of a company. Damn, he was a CEO of Oberoi's hotel.
"Nisha." I bit back a groan. "She has a new boyfriend. I need to know who it is."
"Ask her." I sat on the couch, giving a long stare at Tina as she walked down the stairs. Damn, she was hot. That's why I dated her for a week. Just a week.
I heard shuffling of papers. "I did and she yelled at me."
"Burn." I smirked.
"Shut up," He commanded. "Find her who it is and inform me."
"Why would I do that?"
"Simple because I don't want a repeat of school."
"You need to let go of it."
"I did but find who it is. I'm worried. She's in grief and I'm sure she'll do something bad in her anger."
I nodded at his words. She remained too much angry nowadays and always yelled at me without any reason.
"Don't worry. I know who it is."
"Who?"
"My brother, Raghuveer." I was met by silence for some minutes.
"Oh," He said. "Then it's not a problem. But make sure he doesn't do anything to her."
"I'm not her babysitter."
"You owe me," He hissed. "You both hid things from me in school. It's time to pay back. Because of you, her future was all spoiled if I hadn't landed in."
He would never let go of what we both did. I should've told him but it wasn't my place. It wasn't my secret to keep.
"I didn't make her nude video," I hissed back. He went silent and the guilt started coming back. But nothing was my mistake. It was of Nisha. Rubbing my hands on my face, "I will look at her."
"Thanks," He clicked his tongue. "Got to go. Meeting." He didn't wait for my response and cut the call. He was angry and pissed.
I stood up, thought about going into the kitchen but debated and went to my room. Dad would get angry if I didn't reach the office in an hour.
The rest of the day was passed in the office. I went to the factory, helped dad and learned how to do the work again as he pointed my mistake. He asked about the bandage around my hand, and I lied that something fell over it and he believed it. I knew he saw the cuts and bruises but he never dares to ask.
He didn't care what happened to me. Only he cared was how I handle his business, nothing else. I wanted him to ask me. I wanted to tell him that some people were threatening my life. I wanted to tell him that I was seeing the nightmares again. But I kept quiet.
I wish he did care but then stopped the word. Love and care were fake. They held no importance.
As the night stretched, I went to the bar and found her there in denim shorts and red top. Was she following me today? Wearing a cocky grin, I sat next to her but her precious attention was diverted to her drink.
"Drinking is bad, princess." She jumped, shifting her red eyes to mine. She didn't say anything and went back to her drink. "Nisha."
"I've a confession to make," I ordered my drink. It was the only time when we both listened to each other sincerely. "Remember Udisha's death and how it happened?"
I nodded, taking the whiskey from the counter table.
"That moment I wanted her to die." My hands tightened around the glass but I didn't change her gaze. "Kabir was along with her. I asked God to take her and leave Kabir to me. And he listened to it. He took her away. Kabir cried a lot and all I felt nothing. I didn't cry when she died. I was too happy he was alive and that God listened to me. I never told him."
Because if he did, he wouldn't look at your face again. He loved his di too much.
"I've one too," I whispered. Confessions always happened at weird places. Last time it was at the metro station. "But this one is different."
"Tell what you want, Khanna. I'm not free for games." She snorted.
"Play nice, princess. Your brother won't appreciate where you're sitting right now." Her mood turned sour.
"And you?"
Gulping the drink, I asked for another. "I could care less where you spend your time. You die, you live, I don't care." Her face revealed no emotion but she nodded her head.
"Mutual."
Something we agreed on.
"Blood keeps us stronger, blood drives us apart," I whispered. Her actions halted as confusion flickered through her face. I could explain to her if I wanted but I didn't. The lines were made because I couldn't afford to get the truth out.
It was mine to keep, mine to swallow and mine to devour. It was my sin to bury with.
I passed a thousand note to the bartender and stood up to leave when I saw him staring at me—or more like Nisha. Like an instinct, I obstructed his view to her. Stupid girl. Doesn't even know where to cry.
His smile got bigger. Stupid me for giving him a reason to look at her. He pointed his finger towards the door. I nodded and he left. Bending down next to her, I said, "Fucking go home."
"I won't." She scowled.
"This place isn't for you." I gripped her arm tighter and made her stand up. "Leave before I call your bro and say him to handle the royal highness."
"Shut up."
"Tina was right. You're spoilt brat. Looks like your parents died for good." Hurt flashed through her eyes and the pain clasped my heart. I didn't want to make that comment, but it was the only way to make her leave.
He saw her and he knew she was something to me. If I didn't pay them back and do their jobs, he would go after her. I couldn't afford it. That's why I never involved my family and friends. These were dangerous people. They kill without any mercy and I was tangled in the same cobweb.
I was in a big deep hole, falling deeper than before and living in the darkest place with blood on my hands and clothes.
"I hate you so much."
"Mutual feeling. Get the fuck out of here. Show your grief somewhere else. You just lost your parents, not a big deal." I was hurting her more but I needed her out. "People die every day and we move on. Stop being an attention seeker."
Breaking my hold from her arms, I walked out of the bar, hoping she would leave the bar.
But nothing stopped the guilt from wrapping me and her hurt face from illustrating in front of my eyes. Why I always hurt her? She did nothing wrong to me. I was the one who did wrong to her. I was the one who insulted every day.
I just hated seeing her face, knowing she had all the love and I had nothing.
But then why her mourns in my dreams made me frightened every night?
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So many things revealed in one chapter? Isn't it? Hard to take in? It's nothing compared to what will be coming in future chapters. This book is filled with twists and conflicts.
This was just an introduction to Rahul's character. No more chapters from his POV. Just a vision of his life I wanted to give.