UPDATE 12
Shocked? Well, I guess you would be. I rarely give updates, and even when I do, those are quite short. But, I guess I am in the mood to write nowadays, so I am updating the next part now. Hope you enjoy..!! ;)
Soo here it goes..:)
"Seriously Uncle, anything.." Tani pressed on. The old man seemed to be having trouble remembering anything important."
"No, nothing as such..but yeah, I assure you, that young girl was a joy to have around, she didn't do this...this murder you are referring to" the retired security guard told them.
"Please Sir, anything else that you remember that might help us out.." Maya requested.
"My child, I would certainly help you but I know nothing else except that I managed to save Raghav Seth and Kalpana Baby." the guard told them.
"Sir, we came here with lots of hope.." Tani trailed off.
Eventually, figuring that even the security guard won't help them, the girls felt it wise to leave.
"Paakhi where are you going?" Maya asked her when she turned to go in the opposite direction.
"I'm going home" Paakhi said as she touched her forehead.
"What's wrong?" Maya asked her. "Just a headache" Paakhi said, then she walked off without any other explanation.
"She's acting strange.." Maya observed.
"Leave it, let's go" Tani said glumly. "We have a meeting at work that we must attend at any cost."
Maya squeezed Tani's shoulder and said, "Let's go."
Kapoor Mansion
"Sahil, Kamla just called, she wants to talk" Neetu told him. "Okay, let's go" Sahil said as he flung his coat over his shoulder. Paakhi turned against the wall as she watched her parents leave.
As soon as her parents had taken off, she entered her own red car and took off after them. "Mom dad, you did really wrong" she kept mumbling under her breath. "You shouldn't have done this.." A tear rolled down Pakhi's cheek as she remembered Kalpana's shattered face.
"Kalpana, I will get you out of jail, it is you friend's promise" Paakhi said emotionally. "Mom dad, you shouldn't have done this.."
-*-
"Kamla Bai, why have you called us over here?" Neetu hissed. "I told you right, that it is not safe for us to meet out in the open like this!"
"Neetu Memsaab" Kamla replied back with equal cruelty in her voice. "I do not care what you have or haven't told me, got it? If I am danger, remember guys, you are equally doomed."
"Kamla Bai.." Sahil said forcing himself to smile. "Why so harsh..I am sure we can talk things out.."
"I don't know Seith, just get my girl out of jail or else.." Kamla threatened.
"Or else what hu!" Neetu snapped. "Kab se you have been threatening us, if you really have the guts then tell them the truth!"
"Haan, if I tell them that we murdered the Singhanias, you two will be doomed for sure" Kamla said sharply. "I am giving you two a chance!"
"Oh just zip it.." Neetu said holding up a hand. "Why zip it hu, my Kalpi is innocent!" Kamla said shoving Neetu.
And they kept fighting.. unaware that someone standing behind the closest tree had video taped their conversation with trembling hands. ~
Two days later inside the Court
Tani watched Kalpana being led to the front of the room helplessly. Tani bowed her head in shame at the thought that she hadn't managed to gather any evidence for her friend's innocence.
"Maya, I'm so stupid na.." Tani kept saying repeatedly. Just then Paakhi came over and slipped into the seat next to them.
"Paakhi where were you?!" Maya said as she wiped Tani's tears.
Paakhi looked at Tani deeply. "Tanu, you are the strongest in our girl gang, you can't break down like this."
"So what else can I do Pakhi?" Tani said shedding her tears. "All this time I was so sure that we will be able to save our Kalpi."
"We will.." Paakhi said.
Both Tani and Maya looked up at Paakhi in surprise.
"What do you mean?" Maya asked Paakhi quickly.
"Voh.." Paakhi started, but was cut off as the judge started the discussion.
"Has anything new come up? Any other evidence?" the judge asked Kalpana's lawyer. The lawyer shook his head in embarrassment. "But" he said. "I would still like to say that my client Ms. Jadhav is innocent."
The judge took notes for the next fifteen minutes. Both lawyers were talking around the same lines as last time.
Finally, the judge decided to make a decision. "We seem to be getting nowhere with this whole discussion, all this has already been said" the judge drawled. "A decision has to be made."
"Based on the evidence" he went on. "Kalpana is indeed a criminal.." "But taking into account that she committed this crime at the age of five, we have decided to lower the punishment by a little" the judge announced. "While she certainly isn't getting the death penalty, which she would've gotten had she commit the crime if she had been older than 18, she will remain behind-"
"YOUR HONOR PLEASE!"
Everyone present in the court were startled by the sudden outburst and turned to look at the source of the voice.
"Raghav.." Kalpi mumbled, as she recognized the familiar voice of Raghav's.
"Your honor, Kalpana is innocent!" Raghav said, his voice more pleading rather than the usual harshness in it.
"Is this a joke or what" the judge said aloud, obviously confused.
Raghav's lawyer looked at him in shock. They were this close to winning, so now what was Raghav doing..?
"My lord, I am sorry for interrupting you like this, but seriously Kalpana is innocent" Raghav spoke rapidly.
"And what proof do you have, look here, Kalpana has confessed to murdering your-"
"Your honor, a video" Raghav said, sounding out of breath. "A video."
Raghav glanced at Paakhi.
Paakhi looked back at him, her confident expression never leaving her face. She went remembered her talk with Raghav.
FLASHBACK
Paakhi was frantically knocking on Raghav's door. As soon as Sammy opened the door, Paakhi pushed past him and into the living room where Raghav was sitting, lost in his thoughts.
"Raghav.." Paakhi said. Raghav looked up at her. "What are you doing here, Ms. Kapoor?"
"Raghav I-I-" Paakhi stopped.
"What are you here for?" Raghav asked her, as he stood up.
"Raghav..Kalpi seriously is innocent.."
"Is that all?" Raghav asked her curiously. Paakhi shook her head. No.
"Raghav I know who did do this murder.." Paakhi told him.
Raghav's ears perked up, his eyebrows went up.
"What?" he said.
Paakhi stood there, tears rolling down her own face.
"Paakhi" he said striding towards her. "Say, who did this!"
Paakhi rummaged through her purse and pulled out her phone.
"Just watch this Raghav.." she said, her voice full of shame.
She clicked on a video on and handed the phone to Raghav.
Raghav looked at Paakhi seriously and grabbed the Phone from her hands.
Hitting the play button, he watched the video. His lips parted as he heard Kamla, Sahil, and Neetu's conversation.
Eyes wide, Raghav turned to look at Paakhi in shock. Paakhi decided to explain the rest.
"Raghav.. my mom and dad paid Kamla Aun- aunty to do that to your parents." "And I guess it was a coincidence that Kalpana was holding the box of matches, she didn't know what on earth was going on, she's innocent Raghav.."
Raghav and Paakhi looked at each other. "Why did you bring this video to me?" Raghav asked Paakhi.
"I- Raghav, I admit I'm selfish" Paakhi said. "I do not want to be the one to expose my parents.." "I don't want to fall in their eyes, even though they are wrong.."
"So.." Raghav said.
"I brought this video to you so that you could expose Kamla Aunt and my parents" Paakhi said. "I can't bring myself to do it..I- don't want my parents to know that I gave them away.."
Raghav nodded at Paakhi. As they both looked at each other intently, Raghav knew what he had to do.
End of Flashback
Paakhi was shaken out of her flashback mode, just as everyone present in the court had finished seeing the video.
Everyone looked from Kamla to Sahil and Neetu.
The trio's faces turned red in shame.
The judge punished them.
It was not death penalty.
Kamla and SaTu were to stay behind bars for the remainder of their lifetime.
Raghav looked at Kalpi.
He regretted his actions.
He saw her innocence for the first time.
Cricket
Arjun
Jhanak
Tum Se Tum Tak
