His Hated Bride | √

28 | Why Would She?

RISHIKESH RAILWAY STATION

Vikrant:

"And why are we here at Rishikesh?", I asked looking at simple yet beautiful station surrounded by distant mountains, the sky was cloudy and a cold wind blew.

This felt so different after a year of darkness and isolation in the prison. I felt like this was a new birth altogether. All my memories seemed to fade away except Simran.

"Kedarnath doesn't have it's own railway station, Vikrant bhai.. We are going to reach there by road.", he said as I nodded. I had allowed him to call me "bhai", he seemed like a good chap - he was arrested for pickpocketing but he didn't seem like the criminal folk.

I had trimmed my beard in the train, although I stuck to the dusty look because I didnt require people to recognise me on the train. My hair, which had grown to shoulder length now, was tied neatly. I didn't look particularly handsome, but it was fine. I was not here to impress women, I should look like I had suffered for a year. I was wearing a blue and red checked sweater while Raju was wearing a purple sweater over his cream colour t-shirt.

We took a car from the station to Kedarnath. The sky was darkening with clouds.

"What did you do here, Raju?", I asked the boy of around twenty.

"I used to work in the temple.. I just got a little greedy and started pickpocketing. Don't worry, I know every bit of the place, we will find your wife very quickly.", he said.

"Thanks for giving me hope.", I said looking out of the window. There were highlands on one side of the road and a deep valley on the other. The weather was cool and comfortable.

After around five hours of journey we reached the holy town. 

We stood for a moment or two gazing at the crowd of people, some here to complete their pilgrimage, some youngsters just because this was a cool travel spot and some here to write about the town or make a documentary. 

"So where next?", I asked Raju.

"Bhai we should first visit Bholenath's temple. We should pray there for Simran didi, and then we will search her here.", he said, as I nodded. "Isn't it a long long walk?", I asked looking at the unending inclined plane of the road before us. "It is slightly tiring for sure, but it is worth it."

......

KEDARNATH TEMPLE

We stood before the temple after a trudge. It was already dark. The evening aarti was happening in the Temple. 

It was a vintage temple, a beautifully carved out stone structure. Snow capped mountains stood all around it, the scenic beauty was beyond words. A weird feeling of satisfaction coursed through me.  There was a crowd around it, bustling about.

I turned to my side to find Raju's eyes shut and hands joined praying. I had been an atheist all my life but for once I wanted guidance and help desperately. My situation was helpless. I drew in a deep breath, shut my eyes and joined my hands. 

I could see Simran in my thoughts, her smile, her anger and her stubborness.. everything seemed to be heavenly. I felt a drop of water on my shoulder, probably rain had started, but who cared? "Vikrant bhai, it is raining.", Raju said as I replied, " You go, I will come after completing my prayer."

The rain fell with more intenstiy, but I was lost in her thoughts, absolutely zonning out.

 I felt like I could hear her voice.."Come on na.. I am going inside the temple...", my eyes flew open in the rain. I wiped my face with a hand and looked around. The crowd had somewhat cleared out. 

"No Radhika! We are not doing this!", I heard another voice.

I turned back and froze. 

"Meenal I am done with you. I am going myself. Rain doesn't bother me.", she said. My heart paced wildly. It was her, it was Simran. She wore an ochre yellow kurti, her straight hair tied in a pony tail. She was walking right towards me. I rubbed my eyes once, but nothing changed. I wasn't dreaming. She walked up to me.

"Mister, move.", she said. I kept looking at her, barely hearing what she said.

"Simran..", I said softly, she gave me a confused look. "Is your brain fused or something? Move!", she said, I stood frozen as she irritably pushed me to a side. Thanks to the slippery floor and rain I lost my balance and fell. I immediately clicked out of my daze and stood up. I went and caught hold of her wrist, in a attempt to stop her. She looked at me, angrily and the next moment I knew I was slapped across the face in front of a hundred people.

"Who do you think you are? Shameless!", she shouted before yanking her hand free and walking away.

Tears ran down my face, both because I was hurt and because of the impact of the slap. It had been hard. 

Raju immediately ran down to me in the rain. "Are you okay? What a annoying and arrogant girl! I have never seen someone like her!", he went on, and then he paused, "Why did you hold her wrist though?"

"That is Simran."

"Not possible.", he said dismissively, "Why would someone you love so much, your wife, behave this way in public?"

"She has the same tattoos, I noticed the one on her wrist.. it-it is her..but..", my words failed me.

Now what was I going to do?

What had happened to Simran? Why was that other girl calling her Radhika? There were so many questions, but no answer.

....

Fishy much? Stay tuned to know the answers to Vikrant's questions!