23~ The Blame
I held my sister closer to me as she continued to sob.
It was breaking me seeing my little sister cry and shaking.
It hurts so damn much to see a jolly girl in such a state.
I don't know what happened to her but whoever has done this to my baby sister, I won't leave him.
He will suffer just like I am suffering, my sister is suffering. God knows what he did with her!
Akriti was there with me, she was equally worried and her face was moist. She was crying as well. Anyone would cry after seeing Hrishika like this. Her breathing was getting shallower and she was crying without break.
Akriti opened the door of my car and I gently laid Hrishika on the back seat.
I nodded at Aadhya as she smiled weakly.
She held my hand in a comforting manner and whispered, "Everything will be okay, take care of her".
I nodded. She tried to leave my hand but I didn't want her to.
I was breaking inside, my every cell was crumbling seeing my sister like that.
Akriti left my hand when I noticed blood dripping out of her wrist. It was a wound, not very big but she was hurt. I can't see her hurt, no matter how small it is.
"Akriti! You are bleeding", I yelled and pointed at her wrist. She raised her hand and looked at her wrist.
"You don't worry, I'll take care of it. Go, your sister needs you", she said. I didn't want to! I wanted Akriti to be with me. I wanted her to accompany me back home but I knew she wouldn't. Why would she? Who am I to her? I am just a stupid man in her list who proposed to her.
Hrishit came running towards us, he was drenched in sweat and looked worried. As soon as he saw Hrishika was safe he started crying. I patted his back trying to comfort him as well but he mumbled, "I can't forgive myself. I failed bhai, I failed her, you and mom-dad".
"Come on yaar, don't blame yourself", I said but he shook his head. Settling himself in the driver's seat and asking me to take care of Hrishika, he drove the car. Akriti nodded and waved.
"B-bhai, h-he s-said t-that i-if I-I d-don't a-agree, h-he w-will r-rape m-me", Hrishiks cried clutching my shirt. I knuckles turned white as I heard about the bastard. Hrishit's gripped the stearing harder, his face bursting as well.
"Hrishika, calm down. He won't do a thing, I'm here okay?", I gently said as she continued crying. She nodded against my shirt and gripped me harder. I patted her back gently trying to console her.
As soon as home came into view, she hugged me tighter.
"W-What w-will m-mom s-say?", she cried. I wanted to laugh, like really. Mom will only support her, I don't know why she is scared of Mom and dad. They won't scold her when she never did anything wrong.
Mom was crying when she saw Hrishika. She loves her more than us brothers. I was surprised to see dad cry as well. I have never seen him cry, I mean never! Mom was not ready to leave Hrishika, she was just holding her close to herself as if she would vanish if she left her.
Both of my parents disagreed to leave her side and tried to talk to her. She is traumatised, and the thought of that bastard touching my sister, wants me to kill him. I just need to find who he was and he'll see hell now.
"She'll be alright bhai?", Hrishit asked sobbing.
It pained seeing the whole of my family in this much pain.
I wanted to believe that everything will be alright but how can I?
Why would he do that? A no means no! Love can't be forced, it's mutual.
It's such a shame that his parent's didn't teach him anything.
He must have a sister as well, how would he feel if someone does that to her?
Both lunch and dinner went extremely quiet.
No one said a word, mom was not alright.
She was crying non-stop. I wish I could have done something.
I don't know how much he harassed my little sister that she was scared to share it with our parents.
She never hides anything, since our childhood to adulthood, she used to tell everything to dad.
Mom tucked her to sleep and decided to stay with her in case she wakes up at night.
Everything was getting broken, me, my heart, my sister, my family, my parents.
Can one thing at least go well in my life?
I started to believe that God has some issue with me, things can never be easy!
I am hating myself now, I should have confessed early, I should have taken care of Hrishika, I should have been a better brother, but no!
I'm a failure. I have failed in love and as a brother.
Everything has been shattering. Why can't I stop it?
Why am I failing everywhere? Only if I had paid heed to Hrishika, had tried to talk to her, this wouldn't have happened.
It's my fault, whatever is happening is because of me.
Akriti doesn't like me, I understand why.
I am a stupid, a failure, who can't do a single thing properly.
I don't know what I should do right now, I feel suffocated.
When I was going to sleep, my phone beeped with a message. I sighed as I cancelled all of my appointments tomorrow. I'm not okay, and patients wouldn't like to see their doctor depressed. I was expecting one of my juniors to message to ask about treatment plans but it was a message from Akriti.
I sat up with a jerk and opened the message.
It read,
"How is Hrishika? Is she fine now?
".
I laughed humorlessly. Okay? She is not even a bit fine.
She didn't eat her food properly, is scared that he'll come and haunt her, and doesn't want to be alone.
I don't know how much time will it take for her to come back to normal.
"Do you want to hear a lie or truth?", I typed away and pressed the send sign. The arrows turned blue immediately and it indicated that she was typing
"Is the truth that bad that you want to lie?"
I bit my cheek at her question. She has a way with words, she's gifted with the ability to divert everyone with her clever words.
"Yes it is", I sent the message. I don't know why she is concerned about my sister. She shouldn't be, we are not related. A friend does not ask these many questions. I do love her but it hurts so much now.
"Everything will be alright, trust yourself and don't blame yourself please, you didn't do anything. The culprit will be caught. ", her next message said and I didn't know what to say anymore. How does she know that I was blaming myself?
"And Adhyay? I'm proud that you respect my choice.
Thank You so much for understanding me", she said.
I will always respect her choice. I'm not one of those men who go on forcing women just because they denied them.
I am not like the man who harassed my sister.
A no is a no, whether it is about denying a relationship or intimacy.
Parents need to teach this to their sons.
"You don't need to thank me Akriti", I messaged.
"I do need to. I assume something similar happened with Hrishika and she denied.
But the only difference was that that man wasn't like you, he took that as revenge.
", she said and I realised what she was trying to say.
She was afraid after seeing Hrishika. Stupid men don't give women the best example.
Their parents don't give them proper upbringing.
Women deserve the world, they should be treated with respect but some namesake men consider their manliness in oppressing females.
"I would never do that Akriti, not in my Wildest of dreams. I really love you, and true love doesn't harm you", I typed and sent the message.
She sent a smiley emoji and went offline.
I sighed and tossed my phone on the bedside table.
I wish that tomorrow brings something nice, I hope my sister heals.
The pain she is enduring can't be cured immediately but we all have to try, and the first step would be giving the culprit his punishment.