Anidita : The Flaming Flambeau

CHAPTER 3 : LIBERATING THE SHACKLED

Rudhira's p.o.v

For the first time since I've met her, I'm seeing hostility in Bondita didi's eyes for me. And to say I felt guilty would be an understatement! It was as though she was shooting fire at me with that suspicious gaze and I was burning under those eyes of her helplessly – not being able to justify or explain myself. What should I say? That I'm about to play a game whose result is unknown to me? Should I say her though I aim to not hurt this family which warmly accepted me, I can't quite promise them that because nothing's really in my control? Or should I say my life is so messed up that everybody who ever came in contact with me had to have their own piece of suffering because of the simple reason that they know me? When I was going through all those choices for a reply, Batuk came to my rescue.

"Hum duplicates le rahe hai Boudi. Taki hum Genghis ko, mera matlab hai Rudhi ke Baba ko asli ki jagah nakli kagsat de sakoon"He replied nonchalantly, as though this isn't a big deal for him. But the bowl of Chom Chom in his hand isn't unnoticed though...

"Tumhe pata tha?" Didi's voice was hard to catch.

Batuk just nodded his head in response. But my unsettled thoughts couldn't stand at a place and they wandered over the memories of that day - the moment I told him what my father's next move was.

I was distracted for only a second but that was enough for him to flip us upside down and take control of the situation. I twisted and fought against his hits, trying hard to ignore the proximity and get out of his grip. But I realize my idea of shaking him away was the worst I could've done when he landed face-first on me flatly, his lips gracing the surface of my cheek in a peck. Coming out of the kiss induced trance, we both got up to our feet awkwardly before dragging ourselves to our respective positions to sleep wordlessly. But needlessly saying, sleep tend to ignore us for the night. The silence wasn't unnerving though. It was in fact, very much comforting. But the moment I heard Batuk shifting in his position, I knew the events of the night weren't over yet.

"Rudhi..."His voice at the beginning was determined but as my name went on, it lost its confidence and tended to appear as a whisper.

"Hmm?" I responded anyway.

He sighed before sitting up.

"I'm sorry"

At that, I too got up and switched on the table lamp beside me.

"Kis baat keliye?"

"Woh..." he swirled his index finger in the direction of the floor where we lied not more than a minute ago "woh jo hua, uske liye"

I shook my head, my gaze never leaving the blanket clutched tight in my hand.

"Usmein tumhari kya galti thi? Meine khudko chudwane ki koshish ki aur woh sab..." I waved a hand to make my point clear.

He chuckled darkly before replying.

"Haan, mujhe pata hai galti tumhari thi"I looked up at that, one of my eyebrows raising on its own.

"Phir tumne maafi kyun mangi?"

"Kyunki humara iske bare mein baat karna zaroori tha. Agar hum iss mamle ko aj hi khatam nahi kiya hota toh pata nahi aur kitne din tak ek doosre se ajeeb vyavahar karte rehte hum... Tum kabhi iske bare mein baat nahi karti toh meine socha mein hi shuru kar deta hoon... Mein sach mein nahi chahta humari dosti par kisi bhi baat ka asar ho. Tum meri ek achi dosth ho Rudhira. Mein na tumhe, aur na hi iss dosti ko khone de sakta hoon"