Gun and Guitar-a RANTARA ff(note at pg150) - Page 47

Chapter 20

Antara opened her eyes and jumped on the bed with wide eyes. The last thing she remembered that last night she was on that chair and raghu was unconscious on the bed due to alcohol effect. But how did she reach on bed? And also who put that quilt on her?! She didn't have any illness like sleep walking so she couldn't reach to bed all be herself. So someone must had put her on bed and covered her with that quilt. And there was only one person on the room last night! Antara moved her alerted gaze allover in her room but no sign of raghu. She saw the door of the balcony was wide open. So he had gone through the same route in which she came back. Antara dug her head in between her knees in frustration. Each and every moment of last night flashed in front of her eyes one after another. Raghu's entry in the room in drunken state, their closeness, each and everything was crystal clear!!Antara's whole feature shivered in so many mixed emotions. She was literally terrified by his movement! If it happened again?!! She couldn't even imagine that something like that could be happen. She had to close the door of balcony after all that happened. But there was something rather than just fear. Feelings she couldn't describe. She didn't know why when he was close to her last night, touching her without any hesitation; she didn't felt disgusted towards raghu! She hated to admit that when he was coming close to her, touching her, she was feeling her heart was running in superfast speed out of excitement. That excitement could never be caused by any negative disgusted feeling. A woman feels that type of feeling in heart when...

STOP IT ANTARA!!!' she almost screamed in her mind. She just couldn't think that. How?!!! How could she letting that merciless killer to affect her in such a way. He just made a man blind in front of her eyes and still she allowed him to touch her with that same blood drifted hand. Shame on you antara! How can u think of him in such a way?! He is a ruthless killer, a gangster!! A man who doesn't understand the value of someone's life and you were just becoming weak in front of that man?!! No antara kaul you can't! It's not the education and morals your father gave you.' Antara's inner voice spoke and she looked up with a determined face. She went towards the open balcony door and closed that harshly. Like, she was trying to detach all her connection with him closing that door. "antara are you awake?!" saroj called from downstairs. "yes mumy I am coming!!" antara said and rushed downstairs. It was the first day for her in music academy also so she had to get ready fast.

"Abey s**a mach mach!! Tere uss bubbly aunty ki wajah se apun se kitni baria lafra ho jata mallom hain?!! acha huya apun ko jaldi jaldi hosh aa gaya waha se satak liya... Warna aaj toh tera khair nahi..." raghu said in all irritated voice. "bhai galti ho gayi bhai... maaf kar de issbaar ke liye.." mach mach said from hus side with poor face. raghu, mach mach and pakiya were hovering at the tea stall of the basti. "thik hain chor ab... Kaal tu kahe raha tha ki uska number lake dega.. kahan hain uska number?!" raghu asked. "haan bhai mila naa... ye hain number... NINE!" mach mach said. "ye kaisa ajib phone number hain be?! Sirf ek hi number?!" raghu get confused. "arey bhai ye toh usske chappal ki number hain." mach mach said. "tere ko chappal khana hain kya?!!" raghu was hell irritated. "arey bhai main too..." mach mach couldn't finish his words and pakiya suddenly jumped on his seat. "bhai udhar dekh!!" he indicated towards the door of govind's house. Three pairs of eyes slowly moved towards the point. Raghu saw antara coming out of the house with a handbag. She was wearing a yellow and white mixed full sleeve salwar. Her hairs were left open which were moving slowly in light wind. A pair of ear rings dangling from her both ear. Even in that simple get up she was enough to attract anyone with her first look. She had the god gifted pure natural beauty and the impression of her pure heart in her eyes and also her personality complemented her beauty. Raghu couldn't get his eyes off from her. he was all ready very much lost in her. antara felt something and moved to that direction. She found raghu near the tea stall looking directly towards her with such a pleasant look in his eyes. Antara gave him a silent unreadable look and then looked away from him. she started to walk along the road and moved out of basti. "areyy ye kya bhai... Yeri to aap se baat kiye wagar hi chali gayi!!" mach mach said with a confusion. "ha re baat kya hain bey?!!" even raghu was hell confused. "arey bhai... Sharma gayi hogi... bhala aap se baat na kare koi aisa kabhi ho sakta hain?!! kisi ki himmat nahin hain iss basti mein.." pakiya said. "haan sahi bola vey..." raghu caressed his hairs with such a huge grin looking towards the way where antara had gone a moment ago. "lo bhai to kaam se gaya... kashmiri chori ke ishaq mein bawra ho gaya..." MM said from side. Both pakiya and MM burst out in laugh. But raghu didn't even bother to listen to their taunts. His gleaming eyes were all fixed towards the way. Daya mai was standing at the balcony of naik sadan and observing the whole incident. A worried crease appeared on her forehead looking at raghu's huge innocent grin and lost eyes.

The first day of music academy went smoothly for antara. all of the students and teachers were really amused to hear her beautiful voice. Antara was that type of girl who didn't need to outshine to get populerty. She was like the jasmine flower whose fragrance was enough to indicate their presence. She made so many good friends there. Aliya, Tina, Jasmine, Rajeeb, Hiten... each and everyone was so humble and helpful. Specially, the guy named Aditya aka Adi was really helpful to her. Antara was quite amused when she heard that he was the son of the top industrialist of Mumbai. When antara said that she was feeling difficulty in leaving naik basti Adi offered her to come and stay with them in their mesh. All of them lived there together and that would be wonderful if she joined them too. Antara liked the offer. But she needed time to think of the matter and she should discuss with their mama and mumy too. After the collage was over, all of them offered antara a lift to her basti. Antara denied at first but they insisted and she had to accept the offer.

It was 4 pm after noon and raghu and mach mach were in the garage. Raghu was lying beneath his jeep fixing the parts and mach mach was also busy to tight the screw of a motor part. Then suddenly a big horn sound got into his ear. MM looked up and his jaw dropped when he saw the big audi coming inside the basti. Raghu was under the jeep so he didn't notice that at first. "bhai!! Udhar dekh!!" MM said. "kya hain mach mach?!" raghu asked. "arey tu upar aa na..." MM said. Raghu slipped out from the beneath of jeep and got up then the car got into his notice. A frown appeared on his face. suddenly they saw antara coming out from the car and it made him dazed and after that a boy also come out from driving seat which made both raghu and machmach's eyes wide in shock. "arey bhai ye toh wohi bewra hain... mittal ka beta adi!!" mach mach said looking at the boy. "haan!..." raghu answered in a low voice. His expression was getting harder. On the other side of the road, antara smiled towards adi, "thx a lot adi!!" she said in a grateful voice. "my pleasure antara!! Well if you say we can come tomorrow to drop you, you can go to college together." Adi proposed generously. "t's okk Adi. I will manage!!" she denied in generous tone. "as you wish antara and don't forget about our proposal." Adi said and stretched his hand towards antara. "of course Adi!! Thx a lot!!" antara shook adi's hand in a friendly manner. All things were happening in front of raghu. Mach mach sensed something and he was looking towards raghu with an worried eyes. He noticed how his silent but dangerous eyes were fixed towards Adi and Antara. His jaw was becoming hard and his all ribs and muscles were getting alert in some unknown rage washing all over his body. He was holding the spanner in his grip so hardly that MM afraid it would either break or he would hurt his own hand. Adi got inside the car. "it's nice being with you antara!!" her other friends said from the car's window. "Mine too!!" antara answered back. All of them greeted her goodbye and Adi started the car engine. "bye!!!" antara cheerfully waved her hand towards the car. The car went outside of basti and suddenly she felt a burning gaze on her. antara looked back and find raghu standing at the other side of road with his hard eyes were fixed on her. he was standing at the other side of the road. Still from that distant he could feel the vibe of rage coming from his side. That unreadable hard look shook her heavily for a second. Bur she controlled herself. She moved back and stepped towards the door of her house. But before she could knock the door a hand flashed in front of her eyes and dragged her roughly. Her scream stopped in midway by the strong palmed clamped over her mouth. Someone turned her to the back side and she felt a tight grab in her arms. Antara faced a pair of black eyes, really angry and hurt, emanating desperation for her. That look numbed her for a while. The rough and tight hold on her arms and mouth indicated that how much mad he was. The vibe rage coming out from his corpse shook her all over. Her eyes widened in fear and helplessness.

Looking at her large fearful eyes, raghu's anger toned down. How much he was mad, just a chink of fear was enough to shake his determination. He slowly moved his hand from her face and placed that hand firmly on her other shoulder. Antara's lips moved a bit, like she was about to tell something. But before that raghu's index finger pressed her lips. "chup!!..." he said in a slow but dangerous voice. There was such a dominance in that tone that antara couldn't make a single word. She just continued to look at his eyes with dumb helpless look. Suddenly raghu dragged her along with him and moved on the roads of basti. Antara got out of her trance, "hey, leave me!!... kahan le ja rahe ho mujhe?!!" she said in a loud voice. But raghu didn't bothered to look back at her at all. With a firm determined look he continued to drag her towards the public library's building. "choro mujhe..." Antara screamed and tried to free her hand from his grip but she failed. The whole basti witnessed the scene but no one dared to speak a single word. After all they had only one single head over their shoulder. Raghu forced her all over on the stairs and came at the Terrence of public library. At last antara gave a huge jerk in her hand and managed to free herself. Raghu looked at her with expressionless hard face. antara's whole feature was shaking in anger. "kya zabardasti hain ye?!! Kyun laye ho tum mujhe yahan?!" antara asked in a loud voice. "baat karna hain..." he answered in a calm voice. "toh wahan niche bhi kar sakte the... aise tamasha karke yahan khich lane ki kya zarurat thi?" she asked even more louder. "tamasha?!!" his voice raised and he grabbed her hand all of a sudden, "tamasha main kar raha hoon ya tu kar rahi thi kuch der pahele?!! Aur ye kai kai karna bandh kar aur chupchap meri baat sun samjhi?!!" his voice was getting harder time by time. "mujhe tumse kuch nahi sun na hath choro mera..." she said angrily. "pahele ye bata tu uss adi ke sath kya kar rahi thi?! Wo tujhe aone car mein lift kyun de raha tha?!!" he asked demanding an answer. "to tumhe kya?! Main tumhe kyun bataoon?!! Meri life hain, main jis se chahein baat karoon, jiske car mein bhi baithoon wo meri marzi hain, tum kaun ho mujhse sawal karne wale?!!" she answered firmly. His feature became steal for a while. And then suddenly the calm eyes caught the madness again. "apun kaun hain ab ye bhi batana parega kya?!!" his voice was really really dangerous and alarming. It shook her a bit. The grip on her hand was becoming tighter time by time that she felt that her wrist was about to break. "dekh miss kaul!! Paheli aur akhri baar kahe raha hoon... fir nahin kahunga!! Tu uss adi se nahin milegi... kabhi nahi milegi... uss sey sau feet door rahegi... Samjhi na?!!" he said in a commanding tone. "kyun?!! Kyun nahin milungi main adi se?!!" antara asked in hard voice. "kyun ki apun kahe raha hain!! aur itna kafi hain tereko uss sey door rahene ke liye... Dekh miss kaul..." raghu toned down his voice a bit, "tere bhale ke liye hi kahe raha hoon... wo larka sahi nahi hain... uss sey door rahena hi thik hain..." he said to make her understand. "ohh!!.." antara mocked, "to ab mujhe tumhare jaise janwar se sikhna parega ki kaun sa insaan sahi hain aur kaun galat?!" she answered. Her words were the last thing to break his patience. The volcano erupted at last. "ANTARA!!!" he screamed in such a dangerous tone that she felt her whole fiber shook in tremendous fear. At the next moment she felt a huge push and he pinned her harshly to the wall behind. "kya kaha tune apun ko?!!... fir se bol..." he asked in a dangerous tone. Antara's hands were harshly caught against the wall in his grip. She was twisting her ribs to get rid but each and every time his hands were pressing hard against her skin. Antara looked away squeezing her eyes tight. She was feeling so much pain in her wrist. She was also feeling dizzy a bit but she didn't want to show any weakness in front of this wretched person. "antara idhar dekh!!! Meri taraf dekh ke baat kar... aur bata ki kya kaha tune mere barein mein?!!" his dangerous tone flashed in his ear. She gathered her all courage and snapped back to him. "to aur kya expect karte ho tum. Arey janwar bhi to tumhare liye sahi nahi hain... rakhsas ho tum... RAKHSAS!!.. jiske hath nahi kanp te kisi ke jaan lete samay aur jo itni be rahami se kisi ki ankhe nikalte wakt ek baar bhi nahi sochta ki wo kya kar raha hain!!" she answered loudly. The haltered, despair flashed in her eyes for him froze him for a while. But again a mocking smile spread in his face. "janwar, rakhsas?!!... huh!!" he smirked and leaned a bit on her closing their distance. Antara again felt that chill but was suppressed by the anger. She looked away with despair. "abhi tu mere ko kitna jaan payi hain miscall?! Aur iss Mumbai naam ki jungle mein na bahut sare rakhsas aur janwar milengey tujhe... humare jaise janwar to hain hi par kuch aise bhi hain jo insaan ki chamri lagaye ghumta to hain, ek nazar dekhegi to lagega ungli chusne wale sidhe sadhe bache... par unki chamri utar jaye na to unse khatar naak janwar tujhe kahin nahin milega..." his low dangerous tone made her shiver all over. His breath was brushing on her face making her dizzy. She didn't know how she was managing to stand herself at that moment. "aur wo Adi bhi na usi kisam ka janwar hain jo humesha tere jaise murgi ki talash mein raheta hain humesha... aur apun tujhe us ski shikar nahi ban ne dega... tu chahein ya na chahein... par apun uss Adi ke bache ko tujhe barbad karne nahi dega... SAMJHI?!!" he said coldly. Antara gazed back to her. Still there was a hidden fire in her eyes. It actually amused him that the sweet, innocent chirpy girl he saw in Kashmir could had that much hidden fire inside. Such a rare combination of hardness and tenderness she was. Antara smirked a little startling him, "really?!! Tum mujhe adi se bachaoge?!! Tum kisi ko kaise bacha sakte ho... tum to bas chot dena jaan te ho... jot um abhi bhi de rahe ho..." she said. "ee maine tere ko kab chot diya?!" he asked in confused tone. Antara looked at her left palm pinned to the wall. Then raghu's eyes noticed it and his eyes widened in shock. Due to the pressure he applied on her hand, her glass bangles had broken and the broken pieces were stuck on her flesh. The red bloods were coming out of the fresh wounds and her whole wrist had become red. Antara saw how that expression of tremendous fear changed his arrogance. In a jerk he quickly left her wrist and stepped back. the broken bangles fell on the flore making sound. Antara couldn't hold herself and a teardrop escaped from her eyes. She was facing the unbearable pain for long but she didn't want to show her pain to this heartless, merciless man. Raghu looked at her wounded wrist with bewildered eyes and looked back to his own palm, oozed with her blood. Antara looked at him for last time with hard look and rushed downstairs with teary eyes. Raghu tried to call her but a single word didn't get out from his mouth. He was torn and shattered as well for hurting her.

Precap: "ye jakham to bhar jayengey... par tumne mujhse jhoot bolke, apni pahechan chupake jo chot di hain wo kabhi nahi bhar sakti... iss liye ab humdardi dikhake aur dawa laga ke koi farak nahi parne wala..." antara said with firm eyes. Raghu felt like someone stabbed directly in his heart.

ps: sorry for the length again. i don't know how this came out. to me it sounds horrible... but hope u like.