Chapter 15 | Her
Coming to this party with my creepy fiancé was the worst decision ever, because the jerk can’t keep his hands to himself.
About an hour ago Apeksha informed me that she’ll be running late and will meet me directly at the venue which is about an hour and half from my place. I had to bear Abhay’s atrocious company for the entire two hours from booking a cab to reaching the venue which was on the goddamn other end of the city. At one point I was literally concerned about my safety when he tried to touch my legs acting like he dropped something. The last thing I wanted in life was a groper for a fiancé.
Regardless of the horrific time I spent on the way, I quite did not anticipate this sort of crowd at such a remote location; so many familiar faces, after such a long time... it is refreshing indeed. I was growing skeptical of what this party might turn out when we drove out of the city, but it was not such a bad decision to turn up here.
One of our friend’s friends is among the organizers, so finding familiar faces will not be a big deal. Seniors, juniors, friends and whatever alumnus were in town... everyone is here. All marking their attendance as they sign the entry forms.
Filling out a form for us, I look around the entrance for any sign of Apeksha; she’ll kill me if I go in alone. But asking for it is only going to end in another argument and I’m done with him for the night; so, I don’t wait for him to answer when I ask him to head in without me, walking away towards the parking area, which is oddly quiet making it an ideal place to call her.
As soon as I start speaking, the call disconnects. Keeping my pace towards the exit for better network coverage I keep looking at the signal bar which is testing my patience stuck at three. The moment four bars flash on the top of my phone screen, I pause and try making the call again. The phone rings and this time I can hear her, although the music is loud behind her.
“Hel – hello... can you hear me now? Where are you exactly?”
Her voice is still gurgling, but I keep trying, “Hey...Hey Apeksha. Am I audible? Where are you?”
Two Ninja’s pulls up in the parking, annoying the shit out of me with the loud ass engine sounds. I almost curse under my breath before turning to look at two almost breathtakingly attractive guys on their individual motorcycles. I mean call me a slut but damn those two, even with those helmets are pure sin. Traditional clothing plus biker gear is probably my new secret kink.
One of the men spots me and does a little hand greeting. A sheepish smile spreads on my gawking face when I reply with a hello of my own. The other one is staring me seated casually on his bike like he’s got nothing better to do.
And I got nothing better to do than blush at the sight. You’re engaged, stop acting like a teenager. But you weren’t like that even when you were in fact a teenager.
He gets up and starts walking in my direction as the first one leaves busy on a phone call. I gulp down hard, before realizing how darn secluded we are in this parking lot. I mean cars and bikes are crowded, but not a single soul.
Suddenly adrenaline kick in as I sense an unknown fear... indescribable, and certainly unnerving. Before he can approach me, I start speed walking back out of the parking and towards the venue entrance. When I turn to calculate if I’m at a safe distance from this guy, I spot him where I lost him; there he is, staring right into me, like he stopped in his tracks the moment I started walking away.
Is it what Déjà vu feels like, because I feel like having lived in this moment before.
Exiting from the parking, I spot Apeksha waiting for me at the entrance with a wide grin on her beautiful face. Then I spot his boyfriend beside her; so that’s the reason for the huge smile. There is a different kind of glow that brightens you from within when you are with the right guy. Lucky her.
After introductions, we find ourselves the perfect spot near the mocktail section. Drinks in our hand, we head scoop our way inside the chattiest group we could find. The elites of our batch, which is another word for drama queens; although some of them are actually kind of sweet.
“Did you guys see that guy over there... I bet he’s in love with me,” One says.
Her friend replies almost nonchalantly, “Chill... He asked for my number too...”
“The fuck...” Apeksha chuckles almost spilling her drink, before dragging me to another gossip gang. Like old times, sis. I mutter under my breath.
This other one is full of people I practically had no business with at school but the chatter going on is interesting to my bestie here, so I’ll probably have to endure.
“Did you hear Sakshi has moved in with this guy. He’s a software engineer. I heard they were in a relationship in college.” Bhawna says.
“That’s not true. I was in the same campus. They were friends, I heard she cheated on her boyfriend for this guy.” Shreya replies.
“What about Harshika? She updated her profile pic with a kid.” Ruchi was a friend of Harshika before they got into an ugly fight over a guy, that’s what I heard.
“Yeah. I attended her wedding two years back. That was when she told me about the premarital pregnancy. Lucky for her, her fiancé was more than happy.” Bhawna replies.
“Our gossip girl is still on duty... but she sure won’t talk about the professor she’s dating for that research paper,” Apeksha whispers Bhawna’s dirty little secret in my ear while I fight for my expression to remain neutral. The thing with her is that she’s all ears but both of us lack the talent for creating or circulating news in the name of hot talk.
Apeksha chuckles before her eyes widen at the silver chain in my hair, “By the way your earrings are super pretty. Where did you get them from?”
I bite my lip before spilling, “I wanted to tell you something...” Did I say I am extremely nervous breaking it so late to her.
She raises a brow, “What?”
“The gifts are back...”
My mind drifts to the note the parcel had in it – Congratulations on the engagement! Enjoy while it lasts...
And these are not sent by the creepy face painted ass. Because then he would’ve asked whether I liked it or not.
And he cannot be in this city. The asshole must have gotten someone to slip the pen drive in the bouquet; because those kinds of things are possible remotely.
This... is not his work. Because if it is, he’ll have to be present here to see which earring I picked when we went Navratri shopping. And I’m sure as hell that I did not spot any creepy looking face painted man anywhere around.
That doesn’t rule out the possibility. But you cannot connect dots when they are miles apart.
She gups visibly before acting like the badass she usually pretends to be. “What do you mean?”
“I mean it was there in my mailbox this morning. I had to bribe Mahika with a chocolate cake in return of keeping it from telling Mom and Dad.”
“Okay I get it... Was that the reason why you were bothered after the engagement party?”
“No, that was something unrelated.” I tell her about the groping attempt Abhay is making and keep the creep and video part to myself. Maybe, I’ll talk to her about it in a more comfortable setting, some other day.
Reassuring me she says, “God! You don’t need to strain yourself with all that burden sweetie. Just try to stay away from him for a while. We’ll figure something out.” Her brows crease before she speaks again, “And Disha, don’t hold back anything of this sort next time. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to be kidnapped without anybody knowing.”
I never thought about that, but the cryptic message on it... it must mean something that I believe I’m not ready for.
I spill to her the entire story of how things are appearing in my mailbox all over again. Every single object I show even a little interest in ends up at my door. But she kind of knows this stuff, she’s been my partner in crime back in school days, when it all started. She’s seen enough and been with me through everything.
At one point of time, both of us contemplated talking about it to my parents. There were chocolates, books, flowers, dresses and what not. Everything I liked even a little, used to be delivered unnamed either on my doorstep, or on worse days as a package inside my desk at school. Someone has to know about it, to deliver it inside the school campus. We went berserk once love letters started appearing everywhere.
And they were nothing that a school goer could write or imagine for that matter. Those were graphic; porn on paper. Describing all sorts of sordid things, the alleged lover boy wanted to do to me.
That was one time when we were fucking terrified.
I started believing that the stalker had disappeared after I left for college; but he soon made his presence known by sending presents to me including candid pictures of me directly in my hostel mailbox.
Between my studies and the pressure to not piss off a complete stranger, I managed to scoot through college without dating even once. And even the times I took even a little interest in a guy, they seemed to either leave college or get caught in something illegal or get expelled.
Some kind of negative force has always been walking beside with me, forcing people out of my life.
Thankfully, I had Apeksha for almost all the time that I remember; even when our colleges were situated in different states. We bombarded each other with every last detail whenever we came back for holidays or on weekend calls.
However, I haven’t found the courage to tell Apeksha about the things I’ve been subjected to, or the sins I have voluntarily committed after the appearance of my current stalker, despite the fact that I have a hundred percent faith in her. It would complete the picture, and we could brainstorm a solution for the situation.
Apeksha nudges and I bounce back to reality, “Look happy, D. You’re attracting eyes looking lost like you were two seconds ago; people know about the engagement. Trust me, the last thing you’ll want is to be on the headline gossip tomorrow morning.”
I quickly rectify the look on my face, but I guess it’s already late.
Are they looking at me or past me?I wonder when I find some of them murmuring things into each other’s ears.
“Hey, that’s one beautiful ring... you getting hitched?” Anushka asks with a gentle smile on her face.
“Yeah... It just happened so suddenly.”
“Too bad! You could have made a wonderful sister-in-law...” She giggles softly, before smirking at Karishma, who leaves looking royally pissed.
I mean who wouldn’t considering the fact that she dated his brother when we were in school; and they broke up on unfriendly terms. Legend has it that she’s going to destroy whoever the fuck the guy left her for.
“By the way, is Naksh home for Navratri?” One of the other girls says.
“Yes, he came. He didn’t plan on it; just a last-minute thing. But really, where is my brother? Did you guys see him?” Anushka asks.
“He’s here?” The way their eyes are shine on the name; I realize some of my classmates haven’t changed a bit.
Although I would want to see who the guy is, to make them thirsty as hell and unabashed in front of his sister. By what I’ve heard, he’s got to resemble a Greek God.
“He did not come to drop me, but he did inform me last moment that he was coming to the party with Divit.” Anusha speaks, looking around.
“No idea. We just arrived.” Apeksha replies uninterestedly.
“Divit? Is he in town too?” Another one asks her, her face bright too. How bad I want out from here... watching this much thirst is unhealthy for my brain cells.
I excuse myself and try looking for Abhay in the crowd, spotting him instantly beside the photo booth. The jerk is so busy with two women, that my whereabouts are hardly a concern for him. And this isn’t even jealousy, but since we are supposed to be a couple here, I wonder if I even matter to him.
Apeksha walks over to me; her eyes tracing mine to find him sitting chatting with the women on the other end of the garden, looking more interested than he should. “Let’s go change the mood,” She says before wrapping her fragile fingers around my wrist.
“Are you serious?” I roll my eyes as she drags me like a child.
“You’ll feel better, I promise. Let’s find you a dance partner...”
The idea sounds enticing... I need my fiancé out of my mind.
We collect our masks and dandiya sticks from the registration table and head ahead to the dance area. And the area is booming with people dancing to the rhythm of a famous Bollywood number being shuffled by the DJ who is also traditionally dressed with a mask on his face.
Lord! forgive me, but why is this such a turn on?
The thing about being masked in dance parties like these is that you don’t have to be ashamed even if you screw up. Nobody is going to recognize you for bad dancing.
A shameless mind is the first step to good dancing.
We stand in a huge circle for beginning the next round of dandiya. There are two concentric circles; the outer one comprising of men and the inner one of women. The people are coupled in the beginning, and are shuffled at random when the music changes.
Apeksha and her boyfriend seem more than happy with this arrangement. I on the other hand did not bother calling Abhay; he looks happier with his company. And to be honest, I have nothing to complain either; I’m definitely doing better without him.
I look back at the guy coupled with me, and for an instant I am transported back to my bedroom. What is he doing here?
His eyes...his face, whatever I can see of him has a strange resemblance.
Or it’s all in your head. Are you going to be afraid of every grey eyed man now? Quit being a pussy, Disha.
His deep voice hardly audible over the loudspeaker, “Don’t mind the colors... Me and my friend got in the middle of festivities on our way. Didn’t get a chance to wipe it off. By the way... I’ve never had a chance to have a dance with such a pretty girl.”
The smoldering smile behind his mask peeking and pulling a shy smile from me.
“First timer?” he asks.
“Yeah...” I speak loudly, bending forward to make my voice audible, “Why? Is it obvious?”
He laughs and shakes his head in negation, “No... you look nervous.”
The DJ raises his hands and screams something to the crowd before playing the dandiya shuffle, commencing the round. The rhythmic hits to our sticks match the beats for about two rounds before the music changes; and then we are moving two places to our new partners.
Almost immediately my new partner is shoved aside by the previous guy.
“Hey!” I gasp at the sudden move.
“Sorry dude, that’s my partner.” He tells the guy, before turning his attention back to me.
“What are you doing?” I ask him but he seems too engrossed in making the dance steps look in sync with the others.
“Why did you shove him away... we are supposed to switch partners.” I ask again.
A low laugh escapes his mouth like he did not like the sound of those words.
“I wanted to dance with you...” His eyes have a notorious shine.
I respond with a bite to the lower lip while staring at him with narrowed eyes. The truth is that I’m blushing underneath the mask and everything on display is just a cover.
Did you see God? What did I do to not end up with someone who talks to me like this... My misery, even strangers are more attractive than the moron I’m supposed to marry.
The pairs keep reshuffling and the crowd moves two places in the opposite direction each time, but he keeps coming back to me; the smile on his face has not faded for even once.
“By the way your dress is beautiful.” He speaks eyeing my dress down, that makes blood rush to my face.
“Thank you.” That’s all I manage; the heat on my cheeks intensifying.
There’s a level of shyness when a stranger, compliments you. Except that you don’t feel like a stranger to me. Do I know you? Maybe I do, since most people here are somebody’s somebody.
He looks straight in my eye with the same shine in his eyes before muttering something, “I intend to take it off later.” Those eyes... why so captivating?
“Wait, what?” I may not have heard it correctly. The music is so loud and my mind is a mess. Shut up and finish the dance, Disha.
“Nothing.” Stoic. I must’ve imagined it.
We go back to dancing, and I try to avoid talking for the rest of it. He never takes his eyes off me and it takes a lot of effort to control the butterflies or whatever creature resides inside me to stop frenzying.
As soon as the round ends, I rush looking for Apeksha in the now dispersing crowd. Need to tell her what just happened.
Although she’s nowhere to be seen, I can’t stop myself from picturing her with her boyfriend sneaking away from the crowd to some place more private. Smiling at the picture in my head, I type in a message on my phone to come find me in the lady’s room later, and send it to her. But the message ends up in a single tick.
The network is absolute shit in this place, I’ll have to move around to find a better signal. So, I head towards the lady’s room but the network looks worse there.
I then start walking ahead of it, to the pool without realizing that I’ve walked almost to the other end of the resort, directly towards the secluded emergency exit. When I make a turn to head back in, my path gets intercepted by a slightly tipsy version of Abhay.
“Hey darling... you leaving already?” he grabs my wrist in a tight hold; his smirk is a telltale that he’s isn’t in a talking state at the moment.
Pulling my mask off he signals in the direction where the girls from before are seated along with I assume, his friends, “We’re having so much fun here... Don’t you want to join?”
What shocks me is that he is behaving like that in front of his friends; and judging by the way they are dressed, I don’t feel very highly of them.
Three men along with two women stare at us from across the isolated near the pool. Some white powder and a few pink tablets are scattered on the table in front of them... And Lord! save me, is that alcohol on the table? In the middle of a Navratri party?
I retort, “I want to leave... let go off of my hand, Abhay,” not wanting to know anything about the junk these people seem to be sniffing. Burnt cigarette butts and half rolled joints are littered around them.
But then he forcefully is dragging me by the waist towards them, “Come sit with us, dear Disha...” Handing me a glass of water, he orders, “You must be thirsty... Drink.”
“Abhay... you – you look drunk. We can talk about this later...”
He lets out as frustrated chuckle before hissing, “I’ve wasted enough money on you. And I’m not in the mood for a no tonight... So, gulp it down before I fucking lose it.”
I take the moment to my advantage, snatching my hand away from his before slapping him hard across the face; his cheek red from the slap when he makes a crazy face, “Okay... So, you want it the hard way. Fine... I’ll gladly oblige you, sweetheart,” It’s filthy how the sarcasm hits at the end. And before I could get a chance to retort he is grabbing me once again.
Only this time he pushes me to the ground; shoving the liquid into my mouth, which ends down my throat a little in the struggle. I keep clawing at him to free myself from his hold, but he’s too heavy for me. He keeps pouring the whole until he’s content with what he’s done.
I try getting up, tripping each time before finally getting to my feet, staggering to create any distance possible. When he approaches me again, I make sure to hit him somewhere; probably infuriating him enough to spit at me, unimaginable curses falling from his lips.
“She’ll be out in five minutes. We can drag her back after that.” One of the men stops him from hitting me, but it’s not the kind type... its evil, that I can decipher from his tone.
The others laugh at my disoriented steps towards the exit. Moments later, I fall to the ground, not totally unconscious but somewhat paralyzed.
Immobility is a curse especially if you are surrounded by demons masked as regular people.
“The ecstasy is working...” One of the women remarks smirking at them.
The other one puffs on her cigarette, chuckling at me, “Someone’s getting hoed up tonight.”
“Abhay, I guess we deserve to have a taste after you’re done with her,” One of the men laugh making obscene signs to my motherfucking fiancé.
“Your fiancée looks like the hottest stuff around here. I bet she’s a virgin.” One of the men stare at me with hungry eyes.
They are going to hurt you. They are going to hurt you. You’re dead. This can’t be happening.My brain is screaming and my heart is thumping fighting its way out.
“I’d like to taste a virgin pussy. Let’s take turns after him...” His eyes dancing wildly on my body.
The third bastard gawks while speaking, “My God! What did you do to deserve an ass like that? Fuck! It’ll be so much fun taking her from behind.”
“Shut up, guys. You’re talking about his fiancée,” One of the women speaks, before giggling because – yes! It was a joke. My entire engagement was a fucking joke.
“By morning she’ll be our bride too.” The first one speaks and although his eyes are locked to mine, it’s hard to miss whatever’s going on inside his filthy head.
Disgust and fear fill my mind at the same time; that’s when my fiancé barks, “Wrong! She’ll be our slut... And I’ll make sure she knows this is going to be her life from now on.”
Tears are all over my face, down on the floor as I put all my effort to move my incapacitated limbs, still looking for an escape, to no possible avail.
“By morning you’ll all be in hell.” A deep voice cuts the salacious conversation.
My vision is mostly blurred but I still make out the tall man standing behind them. The same guy who I was dancing with earlier. When they turn behind in the direction of the voice, his mask falls off and I see him.
He’s here. He’s here to save me from these wolves.
It’s kind of unbelievable to find myself staring hopefully at the same man who has done horrible things to me.
Is he my savior tonight? My knight in pitch black armor!
My heart is screaming inside my ribs. Maybe, just maybe... he isn’t as bad as he seems after all.