Chapter four : Acceptance and Amendments
18th August 2018
Rehan felt a rush of anger, relief and curiosity as he stared at his twin. Not knowing which to enact on, he just stared as Rayan looked around and made himself at home like he had never left it in the first place.
"Can't stop staring at this pretty face?" Rayan asked to which Rehan just rolled his eyes.
"Where the hell were you babu?" Rehan started with his first question.
"Where the hell was I? What the hell was I doing? Why the hell did I leave? Can we please ignore all these questions and jump onto the main concern?" Rehan wanted to punch his twin for his nonchalant behaviour.
"And if I may ask, what is the topic of concern for you?" Rehan asked calmly trying to control his anger.
"There are lots to be honest. But I am here, you are here, we have our entire life to discuss them. Whats the hurry?" Rayan said sounding uninterested of anything going around.
Rehan could feel anger radiate through his entire body as he punched Rayan on his face. Taken aback by the sudden attack, Rayan fell off the couch. Rehan waited for his reponse as Rayan wiped little blood under his lip. But it never came, instead Rayan looked at Rehan and gave him a smile.
"You still land solid punches as before, I see. But why didn't you hit some on me?" Rehan raised his eyebrows confused at Rayan's question.
"Why didn't you punch some sense into me when I first did drugs and crashed dad's car? Why didn't you drag me into the big mess we got into after dad died? Why didn't you punch me hard when I couldn't see or feel the pain of our mother? Why didn't you punch me when I kept doing things wrong, again and again. Why don't you just hit me hard, scold me and kick my ass when I do something like every brother should. Instead why the hell do you become the bigger person and clean up my mess every time. When dad found out about the drugs and car you could have gave me away but no, you had claim the mistake as yours! When he died, we should have stood together, handled everything together but no, you had to send me away to fulfil my dreams while you sacrificed yours! Never did you mention about our mother's condition! You always made it seem like rainbows all while you were suffering under the rain alone! And why on Earth did you marry Avilasha when I left? Why Rehan? Why? Why do you have to become the bigger person always?"
Rayan didn't realise the tears that had fallen down his eyes as he kept going on,
"Avilasha didn't want to marry me, I left her in the alter. Whatever were our reasons it was our marriage, it was our problem. Why did you have to interfere? Cause you knew that Avilasha's parents would make her life a living hell. She would be not only dejected by them but thoroughly blamed and taunted. You married her to save her from them. You married cause I was an idiot who signed a contract with them and you had to be become the bigger idiot and follow those clauses! Why didn't you let me suffer the consequences? I knew what problems I would face if I broke the contract, I knew I would lose all my properties and shares to them but I didn't care about those. I had thought it through babu! Why do you always underestimate me? Why do you feel the need to save me from the world? Why do you feel you have to do everything for me? For god sake babu, you are just a minute older than me! Why do you have to act as though you are my father and not my twin brother!"
Rehan listened carefully all while Rayan poured his heart out. Once done, he collapsed on the couch rubbing his head.
"Remember when we were five we had gone to our family house for a wedding. I had befriended a lot of our older cousins and hung out with them while you didn't leave Aama's side at all. You were weaker when we were young, you got sick frequently and everyone was more careful around you. Our cousins used to bully you all the time calling you a momma's boy, they used to trouble you and I used to join them. Laugh along with them at my own brother's misery. One day, Sagun the eldest one of the group dared me to lose you in the jungle nearby. I wanted to make a good impression so badly that I agreed. I remember the day very clearly, I took you to jungle with the excuse of playing. Then I ran away from there leaving you alone. Your tried to follow me but lost my sight soon. I could hear your cries, you begging me to come back, asking me to help you out but I didn't even turn back once. We never knew how dangerous our prank was. After an hour Aama noticed you gone and everyone started searching for you. The whole house turned upside down trying to find you. It was late evening when dad and uncle found you, drenched in rain, half unconscious. You were rushed to the hospital and the doctor concluded you had nuemonia. For four days you were in the ICU and for two weeks you were in the hospital. I never visited you in the hospital, was too guilty to even face you. Everyone thought I was too sad but I knew I was more than guilty. All while I kept remembering you begging me not to leave you alone. And when I finally did go to visit you, all you did was smile at me and asked me to share my snackpack with you.That day I promised I would never do something that would hurt you or would never let anyone else hurt you either. You suffered my mistake that day, I would suffer thousand more of yours." Rehan shared as Rayan listened silently.
"The day we lost our father, you were crying as you held mother. That day I saw the same five year old Rayan. The lost helpless child who just wanted to a shelter of protection. So I decided I wouldn't let you suffer, whatever would happen I would bear it alone. I would everything in my hands to keep you away from the pain and struggles."
"But I am not six year old Rayan anymore. " Rayan said after a while. "I am grown adult and I wish to grow up. Don't try to protect me every time babu. Let me learn from my mistakes."
Rehan nodded his head at Rayan's request.
Rayan got up and pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. He held it in front of Rehan, "This is the same piece of paper that has made you and Avilasha suffer. But not anymore now."
Saying this Rayan tore the papers apart and burnt them with his lighter. Rehan widened his eyes at his actions.
"What the hell did you do babu?"
"Burned it. No more contract, no more clauses, no more problem. They can do whatever they like I don't care anymore." Rayan said. "And I know they wouldn't hurt me. You wouldn't let them."
Rehan smiled as he hugged his brother.
..
Avilasha hugged the life out of Rayan the minute she saw him.
"Relax. I know sometimes I can be irresistible but you don't have to make it so obvious."
Avilasha laughed out. She had really missed his self obsessed statements. She had really missed him.
"How are you?" He asked, genuinely concerned.
"How could I be when you left me for all these time!" Avilasha complained as Rayan laughed.
"I am sorry. I really am. What I did is not forgivable but if you can please try to forget about it. I was big idiot who never thought anything through."
"No Rayan! It was never your fault. I would have done the same if I was in your shoes. It was my fault. I gave you the false hope of marriage."
"Why did you do that? If you knew all along why did you agree to marry me?"
"Cause that was how it supposed to be. I was supposed to marry a good guy and live happily. I thought I could change myself, I could fit myself into what was expected of me. And I knew if I did try marriage, I could only do it with you. If there was one guy I cared about it is you."
"Are you angry with me?" Avilasha asked scared of his reply.
"I was earlier but that was very childish of me. I was selfish, I believed loving meant gaining someone one but now I realised its not just that. Sometimes loving someone means letting them go cause they are happier that way."
Avilasha smiled to her fullest hearing him before hugging him once again.
Lately, I've been, I've been thinkingI want you to be happier, I want you to be happierEven though I might not like thisI think that you'll be happier, I want you to be happierSo I'll go
Babu - term of endearment which means small boy
Word count : 1563
Total words : 15000
3rd Milestone complete.
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