His Hated Bride | √

29 | Radhika-Krishna

Vikrant :

I was sitting at a tea stall with Raju, sipping hot tea and feeling better about life. Or rather, trying to feel better. The scene repeatedly flashed before my eyes like a movie still. It was her, I knew it was her. But yet she behaved like she didn't know me.  

The rain had stopped. The small shops and tea stalls had opened with their lights on. The sky was now dark with several stars shining in the horizon.

"That slap was hard?", Raju asked looking at me.

"Obviously.", I replied rubbing my aching cheek lightly.

"There she is!", He said as I instantly turned. Simran was laughing with the other girl about something. "Vikrant bhai, you sit here, I am going and talking to them.", I nodded with a sigh.

They were standing close so I decided to not turn and look at them talk. I didn't need to be slapped once again. 

"Hello..", Raju said as the girls stopped. "Who are you?", this was the other girl. "Actually I am Sudama.. I am a friend of the man you slapped..", I face-palmed. "You didn't have to say that.", I said under my breath.

"Oh that pervert?"

"I am not a pervert!", I shot back standing up.

"Holding a woman's wrist in public, what does it otherwise?". Simran asked crossing her hands before her and looking at me annoyed. "Whatever it is, you will-you will not call be pervert.", I said fumbling, and looking away.

"Huh! Pervert.", she said, I would have screamed and made a scene if it hadn't been Simran, but I chose silence. I kept the earthen vessel of tea on the small wooden bench.  

"Didi.. he didn't mean it do any of it.. forgive him na..", Raju said as Simran looked at me judgementally. She walked down to me, looking at me continuously, as if surveying. 

"Which cheek did I slap you on?", she asked as I immediately placed my hand on the cheek that was still red. "It is still aching?", she asked. I nodded, looking down. I didn't have the courage to meet her eyes. "Yes, it is aching.", I replied.

"Will you ever try to hold my wrist after this without my consent?", she asked. I immediately nodded into a "no'. 

"And who is Simran?", she asked. I looked up at her, I desperately wanted to say "you" but this was enough for me to realise something had gone very wrong with her. Her eyes spoke a little more than she was doing, I wanted to read but after that slap, I was afraid - she might mistake that for staring at her for no reason.

"Simran.. Simran is my wife.", I replied honestly, "She looked like you."

"Oh-okay.", she said, "So you thought I was your wife?", she asked softly. "Yes.", I replied.

"Fine, now say that you will never mistake me as your wife.", she said. I was looking at her wrist, it had the three moon goddess symbol inked. I sighed. "I will never.", I mumbled.

"Good.", she said. I felt her fingers on my hand, on my cheek. A warmth coursed as I shut my eyes, it had to be her. My heart knew it.

She slowly removed my hand, and placed hers on my cheek. My eyes remained shut, enjoying her touch after a year. I wanted to break down in her arms, but I felt so helpless.

"Sorry for that one.", she said softly, and removed her hand. I opened my numb eyes and looked at her, she turned away and walked down to the other girl. 

"Now it is done and dusted, although I still don't like you..", she paused looking at me, "What is your name?", she asked. I wanted to reply with Sher Khan. Before I could reply, Raju did it, "Krishna Yadav."

"I am Radhika Srivastava.", she replied as I nodded. "Anyways, this sorry doesn't change the fact that I still not like you, Krishna.", she said as I smiled, my eyes were numb.

"Why do you not like me?", I asked. 

"Your aura doesn't match I guess or maybe the Universe doesn't want us to like each other", she smiled sarcastically.

"That is sad.", I replied, sadly.

"Not much. Some people are just not meant to be you know. They might love each other forever and beyond, but they may not be together at the end of the story.", she replied.

"Like Radha-Krishna?", I asked.

"Much like that.", she said before turning away to leave. The other girl followed as they walked down the wet slippery path. 

"She doesn't remember you I think.", Raju said walking down to me. I was looking my hand where she had just touched.

"How is it possible?", I asked.

"Like it happens in all television soaps na Vikrant bhai!", he said. I nodded into a no.

"My life is not a daily soap, and Simran is not damsel in distress. I need to know why she did this.", I replied looking at the path she had just walked down.

"Let us follow them then. Sitting here in anyway won't help.", Raju said as I nodded and both of us started jogging down the path, we caught them up soon. 

We were walking just behind them, tip toeing. 

"That guy was handsome Radha-", the other girl said laughing.

"What handsome? Did you see how he held my wrist? Only because it is me, that I forgave him, no one else would. Huh!", she said, "He looks like a frog and his name is Krishna.. what an irony!"

Raju immediately held my wrist tightly and placed his finger on his lips, trying to keep me calm.

SHE CALLED ME A FROG! How was I supposed to shut up? But I somehow drank the insult and followed silently.

"Radha.. you also na.. see there we are.", and they walked into a double storey house, "Srivastava", the surname was written outside.

"So this is where she is staying.", I said.

"This is good news! I know Srivastava babu, he allows tourists to stay on the top floor! We can stay here.", he said as I nodded with a smile.

I had to find the reason behind Simran's behaviour.

..........

Has Simran really lost her memory or is this all a clever trick?

What do you think?