On the Run

Chapter 13: Refuge

6:00pm, Road to Karwar town.

It had been nearly twenty minutes since the rain had stopped. I had successfully removed the battery, and now Manik and I were walking towards the nearest town in order to find a mechanic. However, we hadn't had any luck so far, and in my opinion, our prospects of finding one were quite bleak. The town that was close by, was so small, that it barely had any houses. But obviously, the monster wouldn't listen to me if I told him that!

It was a miracle that I was so functional, after shedding silent tears for several minutes. How? How could I let it happen? He kissed me, and I didn't object! Nandini, how stupid can you be? You let yourself develop feelings for a criminal? So what if he says he's going to protect you? He just needs you in one piece so that he can get, whatever the hell he wants, from the Singhanias, successfully. Also, in all probability, he murdered his own father! And you expect him to give a damn about what happens to you? Of course he doesn't care! He must be kissing different girls everyday...I guess it's all just a game for him.

Then why did kissing him send chills down my spine? Why does his touch make me quiver? Why did I feel so complete in his embrace? And more importantly, if he didn't care, why did he repeatedly risk himself to help me? Why did it matter to him if I hurt myself while using the wrench? Why did it matter if I caught a cold or not? He could hand me over to the Singhanias even if I was sick! Ugh! This man is the literal personification of an oxymoron!

Nandini, you can't waste any more time thinking about this! Don't mix your feelings with the deal you made! Your aim should be to reach the Singhanias' home as soon as possible and contact Chacha-Chachi immediately! Just focus on that!

"Do you see anything? Any motor or car-repair shop?" Manik, asked bringing me out of my muted rant.

"This town is really small! I doubt there's one here, even!" I said, in an annoyed voice, without making eye contact with him. There was no way in hell I was looking into those orbs again! I would fall weak once more!

"That's just great! Couldn't you have said that earlier?" He asked.

"Well you never listen to me anyway, so why would you this time?" I asked, in a sharp voice.

He face-palmed and gave me a frustrated look before continuing to move forward. He had walked a few steps when I spotted a small house a few metres away from the road we were on.

"Manik, look there's a small house over there. Should we go and ask for help?" I shouted so that he could hear me from afar.

"What? What do you want a house for? We need someone to fix the car!" He said, confused.

"Manik, that's really not our only problem! We're both drenched! We have to change our clothes! And let's not forget the dressing for your cut! It's already oozing blood again! We need a proper antiseptic for it! So let's just go and ask for help! Anyway, it'll be dark soon...so we'll need a place to stay, since the car's ruined!" I said, explaining to him the benefits of paying a visit to the house.

I may be angry with him, but there was no way I was going to let the wound get infected. Septicemia is very painful...and no one, not even a monster like him deserved such pain!

However, my speech seemed to have made a negligible impact because he remained glued to his spot.

"Fine! If you don't want to go, don't! I'm going! Good luck blackmailing the Singhanias now!" I said, and started walking towards the house.

When I had finally reached the doorstep, and was just about to ring the doorbell, I felt his hand catch hold of mine.

"Wait! I can't let you go in there alone! What if there's some sort of psycho inside?" He said. He almost sounded sincere, but I wasn't going to let myself get carried away.

"Don't you think, it's an 'out of the frying pan and into the fire' kind of situation? I'd just be trading one psycho for another!" I said, in a rude voice. He definitely brought out the worst in me sometimes!

"I'm ignoring the taunt because I just don't have the energy to argue anymore!" He said, in a tired voice, before ringing the bell.

We waited for a few seconds before the door opened, and we saw an old woman with a pleasant expression staring at us curiously.

I decided to start the conversation. After all, I knew how antisocial this monster was!

"Hello Aunty...can you please help us out? Hamari gaadi kharaab ho gayi hain aur hum dono poori tarah baarish mein bheeg chuke hain! Aur gaadi ko theek karwane ke liye koi mechanic bhi nahi mil raha...kya hum andar aa sakte hain? Please?" I said in my most sincere voice.

"Haan beta...Come inside. Both of you! Please!" She said with a smile on her face.

I smiled in return as Manik and I entered her humble residence. She seemed very polite and helpful.

As soon as we took our seats on the couch, she handed us towels so that we could dry ourselves. She sat on the chair opposite us and waited until we were done with them.

"So beta...I'm Alka. And what are your names? " She asked, in a gleeful tone. I realized that she seemed to be the only one in the house. I guess she never had people visiting her home. Maybe she was lonely, that's why she so readily agreed to take us in.

"I'm Nandini and this is Manik." I introduced both of us before he could stop me. I turned sideways, and saw him giving me an irritated look.

Shit! Maybe I shouldn't have used his real name! What if Alka aunty had seen him on the news? I highly doubted it though. Aunty seemed to be disconnected from the outside world. As I scanned her house, neither did I see a T.V nor a computer. There was just a large bookshelf, filled with a library of novels. I guess that's what she did to entertain herself.

"And where are you both off to?" She asked.

"We were actually driving to Goa for some work, but our car broke down. We were trying to fix it but it started raining..." This time Manik spoke.

"And what kind of work is this?" She said, in a teasing voice.

Wait! What was she trying to imply?

Shit! She thought we were a couple! I looked at Manik and he looked just as flabbergasted as me.

"Haha ..." She giggled and continued. "It's okay beta, you don't have to share the details with me...but looking at the two of you the situation seems pretty obvious. So tell me, tum dono ki shaadi kab hui?"

"Shaadi?!" Both of us exclaimed at the same time.

"Haan...shaadi. Oh...don't tell me, that you two aren't married either. Iss generation ne shaadi ko ek bada mazaak bana ke rakha hain..." Her voice, trailed off. She seemed extremely saddened by our marital status.

All of a sudden I heard Manik say, "Nahi Nahi, aunty, aap aise mat sochiye... of course hum shaadishuda hain! Humari shaadi ko ek mahina bhi nahi hua na, issliye hum kabhi-kabhi khud hi bhool jaate hain!" He said with an absurdly awkward laugh, trying to have her convinced.

I was about to object immediately when I saw Alka aunty's expression change as she heard this. She seemed so genuinely happy. I couldn't burst her bubble.

"Listen...just play along. Otherwise, she may refuse to help us...she seems like she's very conservative." Manik whispered into my ear as he put his arm around my shoulder.

What is wrong with this man? He kissed me an hour back and then made it seem like he wanted nothing to do with me! He hurt me a great deal by doing this and didn't even consider my feelings even once! If he was such a monster, why was he ready to pretend to be married just to put a smile on aunty's face?

Aiyappa, please save me from this capricious man! How am I going to pretend to be his wife?