27~ The Actual Story
ADHYAY
Surprised would be an understatement. I was shocked at such an intensity that I was scared that the next time I would open my eyes would be at the hospital where a surgeon would be operating on me.
Akriti literally shocked me. I was not ready for her to ask for marriage.
I mean, I was thinking of trying to convince her slowly but she did it before me and that too straight away marriage!
That was certainly unexpected, but at last she gave the reason as well.
She wants to get married for her mother only.
As much as it hurts, I'll rather keep quiet and go with the flow.
People also fall in love after marriage and I hope she does.
But if she decides to leave and take divorce, I am no one to stop her.
It's her life, her rules.
I am scared to take a step and marry her, I don't want to get hurt again, when I know there's a 99.
9% chance that she will leave me. But again, I don't want her to get hitched with some other man who isn't me.
It's easy to say that we'll live without love but in reality it isn't. Respect, trust and love are the foundation of any relationship.
If either one of them goes missing, the relationship falls just like a building collapses.
The question is that am I willing to take the chance and marry her?
Thinking on a broader side, I don't think I have a choice.
I can't imagine getting married to some other random woman.
Secondly, I still need to talk about Amayra, and third, it's a golden opportunity.
Akriti is herself willing to take steps towards me.
When she suddenly asked me to marry her, I literally couldn't believe my ears and my eyes watered. Not wanting her to see me cry, I walked away and after I was fine and controlled, I hugged her. My only love had proposed me!
I entered back home with a smile playing on my lips as I reminisced about Aadhya's sudden proposal. She is definitely unpredictable.
"You are looking happy, what's the reason?", mom asked as soon as I closed the door of our house. Did I tell that my mother has eyes like a hawk?
"Why? Do we need a reason to smile?", I asked back, plopping a cookie from the box in her hand.
"No, but something is unusual about this smile", she stated.
I chuckled at her observation and replied, "Akriti proposed me".
Her mouth fell open in surprise and I nodded smiling. She finally smiled and said, "Wow! That was quick! I was expecting 10-15 years for your story to move".
I rolled my eyes at her poor sarcasm and said, "Well, she did and I said yes".
"But you know that right now a big function like marriage won't be fine, provided Hrishika is not well", she said and that was when my whole imagination came crashing.
What was I expecting? To get married as soon as possible.
How can I forget that it will only affect my sister more? I don't want anyone to feel left out.
"Yeah, we'll see after she recovers", I said in agreement. With a smile she went to the kitchen while I went to my sister's room. I want to know what happened.
I tiptoed towards Hrishika's room and opened the door slightly. The lights were closed, I slowly opened the door and stepped inside. Switching on one of the lamps, I saw Hrishit sitting beside her, softly caressing her hair.
It broke my heart to have witnessed both of my younger siblings suffering. Even though they fight a lot but if one of them fells ill, the other one also stops talking.
"How's she?", I asked taking a seat beside him and looked at my sister who was sleeping but peace was nowhere to be found on her face. She had worry lines etched on her forehead and had dark bags beneath her eyes.
I don't know how she was keeping it all, suffering alone without telling anyone of us. The whole thing is traumatic and even imagining it brings terror to my veins. How scary it would have been to be followed by a stranger who has nothing but sinful thoughts.
"She was not willing to sleep, she was scared that he would do something while she was asleep", Hrishit let out painfully.
I closed my eyes momentarily trying not to let out a sob.
"What did he do to my sister?"
I cried and kissed my sister's forehead.
She mumbled something in her sleep and then eyes fluttered open.
She sat up with a jerk scaring both of us.
Her breaths were quick and face was full of panic.
She looked at us with her panic struck face and took a breath of relief.
Her eyes were watery and she was ready to cry.
It was shattering every bit of me to see my dear sister in this condition.
I am so used to her happy face and beautiful smile that her cries irked me and ignited the fire within me to kill the culprit with my own hands.
But then I am reminded that I am very different from him.
"It's okay, everything is fine. Calm down Isha", I softly said and she nodded, wrapping her arms around me. I patted her head, trying to calm her down. Slowly, her breaths came to a normal rate and I felt her taking deep breaths.
Hrishit handed me a glass full of water and I helped Isha drink it.
Cupping her cheeks I asked, "Was it a bad dream?".
She nodded and whispered, "Very bad bhai". Her voice was cracked and full of terror.
"Bhai, I don't want to live like this, in terror", she whispered after a minute of silence and I exchanged a knowing look with Hrishit. He nodded at me, signalling to put forward my questions. I took a deep breath and asked, "Isha, how did it happen?"
Her eyes teared as I prepared myself to hear the story which I know is not going to be nice. Wiping her tears, I held her soft hands in mine, trying to assure her that whatever happens, her brother will always shield her.
She looked at Hrishit who smiled half heartedly and nodded at her.
"5 months back, he visited to get his mother checked up", Hrishika said and suddenly everything started making sense. The crook became obsessed with my sister and instead of confessing like a man would have, he scared her and started harassing her.
She wiped her tears and said, "He visited every week, bhai every week.
But one day, he came alone, without his mother.
I was confused but suddenly, he uttered that he loves me and wants us to get married".
She sobbed, her face etched with pain as if she didn't want to get reminded of the incident.
"I politely said that I was not ready and still needed to focus on my career, but he became mad. H-he threw things here and there, Pagal ho gaya wo", she cried, angering me more.
"From that day, he started following me and one day, h-he p-pulled me in the store room and tried to-
She started crying without completing her sentence and I took her in my embrace, keeping her closer to my heart.
Hrishit painfully looked at me, and a tear cascaded down his cheek.
We both were scared of what she was going to say next.
"I somehow managed to run away but I knew that it wasn't over",she said putting a brave face and I sighed.
"This continued and I ignored it until dad said to work under aunt Ridhi since I was upset. I was elated, I was finally free from him but that day, h-he c-came in my cabin and threatened me".
Her soft sobs broke my already shattered heart. How could he do that? Being a man doesn't mean you will force a woman!
"I said that I was not scared of him and I will tell the police but his sinister laugh scared me to the core. Bhai, he said that of I tell anyone, he-he w-will r-rape me in front of everyone".
I gasped, my eyes shutting close at the revelation and my hands fisted. I was boiling in anger.
"I h-had a panic attack", she stated and gulped, wiping her tears.
"You are so brave Isha, my little sister is so brave", I croaked and hugged her to my heart's content.
"Nothing will happen to you Isha, not until I'm alive", Hrishit stated and I felt my sister smiling against my chest. I patted her back and pulled off, smiling proudly.
"He will get punished, I promise you Isha but now promise me that whatever happens, you will not hide things from us. Mom and dad are so worried about you", I explained and she nodded understanding my worry. Wiping her tears she said, "Sorry bhai, I will tell you everything".
I smiled at her when Hrishit said, "Ab na tu rona mat, mujhe heart attack aa jayega".
We both laughed as Hrishika said, "Haan Haan theek Hai, jaa ab. Nahi ro rahi".
I smiled finally but the trouble was not yet over. Now that I know what happened, there is nothing stopping me from seeing him behind the bars. I will return his every deed with interest.