Safeena

The other woman

IN AGRA

It was late evening and Safeena was walking towards the lake wearing a huge white coloured long sleeved anarkali suit with dupatta tied around her waist. She was expecting someone to be there at the lake .

" I knew you would be here."
" Safeena? " He turned back .
" Hey Salim!"
" You here? Come , sit with me."
" Actually, I wanted to thank you"
" Oh my god, the princess safeena is thanking me? I must be blessed Today."
" Shut up! Don't mess with me. I am very serious. Thank you for helping me with Saif. "
" No problem, it was my duty."
" When is he leaving?" She asked
" He is supposed to leave right now. Maybe he has left already."
" He must be holding grudges against you. You both were friends afterall." She said
" I don't care about that. I saw cuts and blood on him though."
" Of course, I had to defend myself. If you had come a little bit late, you would see his dead body lying on the floor."
He laughed.
" I know you are capable of doing that."
" What are you writing?"
" I am writing a letter."
" To ?"
He paused.
" Let me guess, Madhuri?"
" Yes." He blushed.
She smiled and Salim immediately changed his expression.
" What happened?"
" She isn't replying to my letters"
" Why?"
" I have no idea, maybe she is still pissed off with me leaving without telling her."
" I don't think so."
" It's been years I am writing her letters but I didn't receive anything back from her. I haven't heard from her at all "
" And you still write to her?"
" I do, hoping that she would reply ."
" You do love her a lot, don't you?"
" I do and I miss her like hell."

They both sat in silence for few minutes.
" I heard you today." He said
" what ?"
" Your reason ."
" You did?"
" Yes"
" Then I will just say it, I love you Salim, I do. And I know your answer but I think confessing was worth it. "
" It is. I am honoured, really. I felt really good that you love me. And I am so sorry that I have to reject you, not because you have something less or anything it's just because I love Madhuri. A lot , she has been there with me since childhood and I want her to be with me ahead too, I hope you understand."
" I do! Don't feel bad about rejecting me, I will be fine. I don't want to be another saif." She laughed.
He smiled.
" Or should I?" She said and they both started laughing.
" You are so lucky to have her, Salim."
" I am."
" Okay then, I take your leave, you continue writing."
" Good bye!"
She got up and left with tears in her eyes but didn't let it fall .

She took her bow and arrow and went to her favourite place that is the archery field she had made for herself in the forest near the palace.
It was so dark but each and every arrow always struck right at the target.
" You are so good!" Her little sister, Shaheen complimented her .
" I know!" She said.
" What happened? You look disturbed?"
" I had a talk with Salim "
" And? Okay I got that with your late night practice."
Safeena was still shooting Arrows one after the other.
" Are you okay?"
" I am"
" You don't look like that."
" What am I supposed to look like then? Am I supposed to cry all night? That's what you want?"
" Stop getting at me, I just asked because I was worried."
" Go away "
" It's okay if you lose him, you will find someone else who will love you."
" Lose him? Shaheen we lose people only when they are ours in the first place. He wasn't mine to lose ."
" Safeena?"
" Go away please let me practice."
" But it's late , you should go to sleep."
" I won't repeat my words again."
" Fine "

As her sister left , she went towards the target to get her arrows . She was thinking about Salim.
" Maybe I will always be the other woman or Maybe I will live for the hope of it "
She heard some noise behind her.

" Who is there?"
She heard some weird noise like someone is crafting something out of metal.
She took her bow and arrow and stood ready to aim.
" Come out ! Who's there?!"
She searched for some time but had no sign of anyone.
Then she heard someone running against her. She ran behind the shadow she could see .
That shadow led her to a darker place.
" I said stop or I will shoot ."
Someone stopped but didn't look back.
" Who are you ? And what are you doing here?"
" Don't try to run! Hands in the air."
As she stepped near him, they heard a loud bark . Just that moment, that person threw the dust on her face from the ground and ran away.
" You man !"
She shot her arrow without looking and someone yelled. She wiped her eyes and could see a blurred image of the shadow running into the dark . That's when she knew she accidentally hit someone else.
"Oh no no no!" She yelled
" Are you okay ?"
" No ! My leg hurts ! " It was a middle aged man yelling with pain.
" Shit ! What are you doing in the middle of nowhere , you stupid person!" She yelled at that man.
" I was going home from work"
" This late ?!"
" I should ask you the same thing."
" I am princess Safeena"
" Oh my god , I am sorry" He got scared a little.
" I missed that person because of you. Okay now listen , don't tell anyone that I shot you okay ? Please! My grandfather would be furious, okay ?"
" Okay"
" I will treat you , don't worry but please don't tell anyone about this? Got it ? "
" Okay your honour "
" If I came to know that you did something, then I won't spare you got it ?"
" Yes "
" Here , show me."
She pulled the arrow out of his leg and threw it .
" It's not too deep. It will heal quickly." She tore her dupatta and wrapped that cloth around his leg .
" Now you are good to go "
" Thank you"
" Yes okay , remember my words"
" Yes" As that man left, she started looking for that shadow again but had no luck.
" I am going to find you no matter what!"
She searched for some time and then went back towards the palace.