PART 36
Roli walks in to the interiors of the old and partially broken fort nervously. She is very much new to the place apart from that she had heard of it couple of times. She just looks around to see the half broken walls which posed the threat of falling down anytime. Then, she slowly walks through the dusty floor while her eyes kept searching for Siddhant. Will he be here or somewhere else, she wonders. The slight sense of eeriness that the loneliness of the place created scares her a bit. For a moment she wonders if it was a mistake to come over to this place while the next moment she consoles herself that this step of hers is very much necessary. She walks further in, only to the reach the farthest end of the fort from where the lake could be visible. Maybe he is not here, she concludes and just turns to right, only to see him sitting on a broken pillar that has slanted down, lost in thoughts. Her heart starts beating so rapidly that she could actually hear the 'lub dub lub dub' outside. There is an unbearable congestion in her chest that makes her eyes moist. Just then, a wind blows past Sid brushing his hairs and he casually turns towards Roli's side. He is obviously dazed by her presence which at the next moment he doubts as a daydream.
"No! It isn't her. I'm just fantasizing.' Sid says as he turns against Roli, confusing her to the core. she involuntarily walks towards him, while Sid who is yet in the belief that Roli he got see a while before is a fantasy, closes his eyes leaning on the wooden grills of the fort. Roli reaches him without a second thought, wraps her arms around his waist, and closes her eyes digging her face in his broad shoulder. Sid is surprised with the sudden contact and looks down to see her soft hands wrapped around his waist. He quickly holds her hand and turns towards her only to see her breaking in to tears. His surprise drifts to shock and he instantly cups her face in his arms, worry piling inside him.
"Roli!!! What happened? why're you crying? Roli?' he questions as she falls on to his chest, not able to control her tears. This panics Sid more. He quickly wraps his one hand around her back and other on her head trying to console her.
"Roli! Nothing! See nothing! Stop crying. Tell me, what happened? Roli? Just tell me. I'm there for you. No matter what it is, but just open up to me, I'll see through the rest. Roli?' he goes on continuously as he frees her from his chest and cupping her face, makes her look in to his eyes.
"Tell me na!' he pleads more with his eyes than his tongue while Roli feels touched by his concern.
"I have to tell you something Siddhantji.' Roli begins nervously.
"Is it something you got to ask me? Just open up.' encourages Sid as he holds both her hands assuring her not even realizing that he's so close to her. At the moment, what matters to him is just that thing which has made Roli upset, nothing else.
"Siddhantji!' Roli bawls as she pulls her hands off from his and turning against him starts walking a few steps while Sid is extremely confused.
"I've always been surprised.' Roli begins as she stops by a pillar a little far from Sid, still turning against him. Meanwhile Sid is more than surprised, not knowing where she is getting at. But he's kind of sure that it's something big, which made her reach there in search of him and behave so strangely. While he keeps musing on all these, Roli continues,
"There was always something that kept pulling me towards you. I always wondered why I felt closer to you, a goon, a so called beast, but was never able to find why'
Sid's eyes widens, listening to Roli's confession. What does she mean, he wonders. He is already confused with her words last night, and now this adds up to those confusions. Meanwhile Roli turns towards him, meeting his eyes which are filled with confusions.
"But now, I know why that happened. Because, this so called beast isn't a beast in real. But this is a weak soul, a very weak soul who wasn't fortunate enough to get his mother's love and care, who wasn't fortunate enough to live the life he wanted, to continue the profession he yearned to pursue. This is that person who got falsely accused and detained for killing a girl whom he considered as his sister, this is that person who got lost trust in the world through the perfidious wrongs that happened to him. Finally this is that person who pretends to be a beast, just to project that he's strong even after going through all these.' Roli says while Sid's eyes get moist after hearing all what she just said. He's overwhelmed by shock and just sits down on a pillar just to compose himself. Roli gets worried by his response and rushes to him, sitting on her knees on the floor near him.
"Siddhantji?' she begins confused.
"Amar told you?' Sid questions wiping his tears first and then his whole face.
"Hmm.' Roli just coos, her eyes still moist.
"And you felt so pity towards me that you came here running just to express how bad you felt knowing my tragic story, right? Well, thanks for your sympathy!' Sid says impassively rising from the pillar and walking away from her. Roli is obviously shocked by his response. Did he just think that she was venting her sympathy on him?
"Siddhantji!' Roli calls as she gets up from the floor and walks towards him. Sid stops, but doesn't turn towards her. His face is dead serious, or at least he's pretending so to show her that he isn't weak. Roli, meanwhile just walks and stands in front of him, looking straight in to his eyes.
"What did you say? I came here to let you know that I felt sympathy knowing your story? she questions looking to his eyes.'
"Of course. That's the maximum anyone can feel. Sympathy! I've got it enough, but let me tell you Roli, I don't need this. I don't need anyone's sympathy, not even yours' says Sid as he looks away from her. Roli's eyes get welled up as she hears this. But she quickly wipes her tears and cupping his face in her palms, makes him look at her.
"Look! Look in to my eyes and say it. Say it that you're just seeing sympathy in my eyes. Come on Siddhantji! What are you waiting for? Say that Roli came here to express how bad she felt hearing your story. Come on!' she urges, looking straight in to his eyes. Sid, who just looks in to her eyes get extremely puzzled. No! It isn't pity in her eyes. But instead, it's concern, it's love, it's more of the warm feelings for him which can't be made worthless by just word 'sympathy' Roli, feels disappointed by his numbness and takes off her hands from his face.
"You probably won't understand!' she says as she wipes her eyes and turns against him. But just then, she feels, Sid holding her hand, stopping her. She looks back with widened eyes and finds him all teary eyed looking at her. She looks at eyes as if asking him if he got to know her feelings while he nods with a teary smile. She breaks in to tears again while he quickly pulls her in to a tight hug, enveloping her in his arms.
"I love you Roli! Love you lots! Lot more than can even imagine!' he mumbles as he hugs her tighter.
"love you too Siddhantji!' she says as she smiles in to his shirt amidst her tears. They hold on to each other until their sea of emotions settle down.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Current Affairs
44