Destiny's Gamble

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A/N: Are we on a roll or what? Another double update!! The string of good days just doesn't seem to want to end.

"I've heard a lot about you." I say, recovering from my momentary state of surprise. "I mean, not a lot, but the wind has carried your name into my ears a few times." She smiles at me with...pity, is it? 

"That must be tough," Rebecca says, her hand reaching out to pat my forearm. I frown, confusion clouding my mind at her words. 

"Pardon? I don't quite understand." 

"You don't have to act innocent with me. We're on the same boat. Even I've been a victim to Manik's sick games." 

"What do you mean? What games? I really don't understand anything," I say. 

"Let's walk, shall we?" Rebecca asks, grabbing her bag off the counter. I nod, slinging my own bag over my shoulder. We head towards the bathroom door in silence. 

"Manik was my real good friend once upon a time," Rebecca begins. "Or so I thought. Honestly, I blame myself for being such a fool and not seeing through his veil of goodness."

"I think you've misunderstood Manik," I defend my husband. "He's not a bad man. In fact, I've never met anyone with a purer soul." Once again Rebecca's eyes fill up with sympathy for me.

"He's fooling you too, isn't he?" She shakes her head with disappointment. "You need to be strong and see through his facade. Manik isn't a good man at all." My mind takes me back to the tracks yesterday when Dhruv was accusing my husband. What did Manik do?

"But what'd he do?" Rebecca looks away from me and towards the floor. When she makes eye contact with me a few seconds later her eyes are shining with tears. 

"Ask anybody and the most important thing for them will be their self respect. Manik stole that from me," she says, her voice quivering. Whatever happened in the past has quite clearly traumatized her till today. I can tell that the memory is painful for her and so naturally I don't wish for her to relive it, but I also desperately need to know what Manik is guilty of - if he's done something of course. "Can we please sit?" Without waiting for my answer, Rebecca makes her way towards an empty table in the food court. I follow close behind her heels. Once we're seated, she takes a deep breath, folding her hands on the table.

"It was my birthday," she continues. "And Manik decided to throw me a supposed surprise party on a yacht. He sent Dhruv in the evening to pick me up and bring me to the venue." Rebecca glances up towards the ceiling, trying to push her tears back in. "I gladly went with him, thinking how this will be the most memorable birthday of my life. It was, but not for the right reasons.If Manik hadn't planned all this I would've never gone. The thing is, I come from a conservative background and male friends aren't greatly encouraged. But my family and I trusted Manik as if he was my own brother." Her voice cuts off towards the end, a tear slipping down her cheek. 

"It's okay," I assure Rebecca, placing my hand over hers. "Take your time." 

"I'm fine," she nods to herself. "You need to know this for your safety, unless Manik has already compromised it." Once again her words provide me with nothing but confusion. "When we reached the yacht it was pitch dark. I was grinning to myself thinking how everyone's going to jump out and yell 'Surprise.' The way it happens in movies, you know? Instead I was met with a hand groping me in the dark." 

No! That couldn't possibly have been Manik.

"It was Dhruv," Rebecca continues, relief washing over me. I knew Manik couldn't do such a vulgar act. "He kept telling me how this was the surprise for my birthday and that Manik will be joining us shortly. I refused to believe him, continuously fighting against his forceful advances." By now soft sobs are shaking Rebecca's body, tears streaming down her face without seeming to want to stop.

"H-He said that their gift was to strip me off my purity," Rebecca chokes out. "I still didn't believe that Manik could plan all this. How could I when I had such blind faith in my friend? Then I heard Manik's voice." A shudder runs through Rebecca's petite figure. "Dhruv locked me up in a room on the lower deck, saying that's where Manik wanted to see me." She stops talking for a few minutes, visibly gathering the courage to continue with this scarring tale. "Dhruv went to meet Manik on the upper deck. I heard Manik say that he had prepared the sheets and pillows upstairs. Then Dhruv asked whether he had brought along condoms. Manik's reply was, and I cannot forget those words because that was the day I lost trust in friendship, 'How could I forget? We don't want her getting pregnant, now do we?'"

I can see the woman in front of me break as she relives that haunting day. Standing up, I move around the table and embrace her, passing my hand over the back of her head.

"Somehow I managed to escape," Rebecca manages to say through a sob. "Manik tried to stop me but I kept running, without looking back even once. I haven't been able to properly enjoy my birthday since." She adds in a hushed voice. "The day that should be the best day of my life has turned into the one which carries the worst memory for me."  Instead of allowing my brain to begin working on overdrive, I shut it down completely, presenting myself with a blank screen. My priority at the moment is this shaking girl in my arms. Once this situation is under control I will allow myself to think about what she's just told me.

"L-Look, if he's holding something against you to keep you with him, tell me." Rebecca says, pulling away. "I'll help you somehow. No woman should suffer through what I have." I shake my head, smiling.

"I'm okay, really," I assure her. "Manik hasn't tried anything with me." Rebecca watches me with doubt in her eyes. I can tell she thinks I'm lying and trying to cover up for my husband.

"Perhaps you're with him for the money," Rebecca muses out loud. 

"Trust me I'm not." I shrug. "I'm not that kind of a woman." 

"Okay, I understand. You don't wish to open up to me," Rebecca says. "Of course that's understandable considering I'm an absolute stranger, but maybe someday you'll want to. For that, I'm leaving you my number." She opens her bag, fishing inside it for something. Rebecca takes out a pen. She grabs a napkin from the center of the table and jots down her number on it. "For later use." Smiling, she slides the napkin towards me.

I hope I never have to use this, I pray. Nevertheless, silently I fold the sheet in my palm.

"I'm sorry for breaking down in this manner," Rebecca says, standing up. "But you had to hear this. I'll get going now." She smiles, turning to leave. "Listen," Rebecca turns back around to face me. "If he is abusing you in any way please don't silently bear it. No woman deserves to be treated like she's a bag of trash." 

I should say something - bade her goodbye - but words are escaping me at the moment. I watch as Rebecca gels into the crowd of the mall, her words echoing in my head like an irritating alarm. I suddenly feel drained of energy. Placing my head on the table, I shut my eyes. The ringing of my phone causes them to fly open. I gaze into my bag to find the screen displaying Manik's name. Sighing, I shut my eyes once more, ignoring his persistent calls.