Chapter Three
Omkara
For once, I felt so very proud of Rudra's prank that I could create a hundred feet tall statue of his 'beautiful-self' and tag it with a 'here stands the mightiest, coolest king of awesomeness' title and not feel freaked out.
The aforementioned boy was slumped on a couch, mumbling about how Shivaay, his older brother Shivaay, would murder him in his sleep tonight. While the man who occupied his thoughts, paced the room back and forth, back and forth.
As for me, I am leaning against the marble rails of the staircase, feeling pretty smug considering the situation that we're dealing with.
Thanks to Rudra, Tia and Anika are being treated in the guest rooms by the family doctor. Also thanks to Rudra, the population of Oberoi Mansion is blessed with a chance to see the great Shivaay Singh Oberoi actually giving off vibes of slight worry. And a secret thanks to Rudra, for making Shivaay and Anika's present status of their complex 'not-a-relationship' known.
The door clicked and all three of us instantly looked up to see Dadi walk down the grand staircase.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Rudra whined.
"Hush little one, Tia is completely fine. Just a scratch or two but she'll definitely forgive you if you promise to be nice." Dadi consoled him.
"Not happening." Rudra muttered to himself.
Shivaay paused and his shoulders relaxed. His stiff composure dropped and was replaced by a calm, bold one. I raised an eyebrow at that, was that all he had been concerned about? Tia? That's all?
"Dadi, what about Anika? How is she?" I voiced my worry.
"She's a strong woman, Om. Where on one hand, Tia passed out at the sight of a syringe, Anika is still conscious and has refused to take to calming draughts. She is probably in the shower right now, treating her own wounds." Dadi smiled lightly.
Rudra whistled in admiration but Shivaay scoffed. I shook my head at my idiot brother's indifference.
"Oh my mata, what the hell?" Pinky mom's shrill shriek echoed in the Mansion.
"Oh Pinky, shut up, will you? You give me a migraine every five seconds!" Mom walked out of her room with the flask of liquor still in her hand.
"Oho, jaithani ji, shut up! My darling Tia is hurt and she needs peace." Pinky mom made a face.
"I wonder how she'll attain peace with you sticking around like a ghost." Mom mumbled and walked past me, stumbling twice as she went away.
Pinky mom rushed down the last few steps and dramatically hugged Shivaay. "Oh my mata, Shivaay, look what terrible things are going on in this house since that low-class trash walked in?"
"I-" Shivaay started but was interrupted.
"Throw her out, Shivaay. She reeks of poverty and you know I hate that. That woman is inauspicious and I don't want junk to stain my son's engagement or wedding." The way she said it was so horrible.
"Pinky mom, I don't think it is right to-" I frowned.
"Oh Omkara ji, did your parents not teach you that it is unacceptable to talk when two-"
"MOM!" Shivaay boomed. "PINKY!" Dadi yelled too.
"Fine! Pinky will shut up!" She joined her hands in annoyance and stalked towards the kitchen where her weird, dusky assistant with tacky accessories was fooling around. Rudra snickered and skipped away, probably going off to escape the family drama' and busy himself with his workout regime.
Dadi sighed.
The next hour was pretty dull in the Oberoi Mansion, even my half-finished sculptures couldn't hold my interest for long. Rudra was still huffing and puffing in the gym, and I wondered how lifting such massive figures in pounds helped him relax.
"I am telling you, Priyanka, I should just leave and go back home!" I heard a voice whisper behind the door of the guest room.
"What home, Anika? That place you hate with a fiery passion?" Priyanka replied, irked.
I stealthily creeped closer to the door and leaned in to eavesdrop. Bad, bad Mister Omkara Singh Oberoi!
"Sahil is my home!" Anika hissed.
"Well then, what about your aunt? What about the way she treats you? What about the torture you'd probably have to suffer for walking back into that place without a penny? She'd kill you, Anika!" Priyanka whisper-yelled.
"Then so be it." Anika resigned.
I clutched the paint brush in my hand, shock at what I had discovered settling in. I don't understand, why doesn't she live with her parents? Do they hate her? Does she hate them? Who is Sahil? Her brother? Her boyfriend? And who is this aunt who supposedly tortures' Anika? What does she do to her? And what about the money? Is she a threat to Anika's life?
So many questions, yet not a single answer.
Before I could dwell on it any longer, the door swung open. I am so certain that I looked like a fool standing there with eyes popping out, standing sideways and leaning in as if I suffered a severe crick in my back while performing one of Rudra's calisthenics routine.
Priyanka coughed and I straightened.
"Well, well, well, look who's here! If it isn't the Mister I-am-so-chill-I-don't-even-bother-myself-with-the-world." Anika smiled wickedly. Damn! That girl can be scary!
"That was long. And mean." I tried a sheepish smile.
The next thing I knew, I was gasping for breath as a sharp pain shot up right below my pectoral muscles. My hands supported my weight as I kneeled on the cold floor.
Whoa! Did she just karate jab me?
"As much as I do love to be sweet and polite, I can work with mean too. Everything you heard is forgotten. I resent myself for causing you such pain, trust me, I do, but I can't let you open your mouth to anyone even if you want to try and 'help me'!" Anika drew the quotation marks in the air and smiled politely.
Dear gods, I am glad Shivaay did not see this demon within her.
"It is your secret to tell. I promise not to utter a word." I raised my hands in defense, standing up. "But I think that I deserve to hear the full story in return?"
Anika pursed her lips and for a moment I thought she'd jab me into a state of eternal unconsciousness. But after a long pause, she nodded.
I let out the breath that I wasn't aware I had been holding in all this time.
"I'll leave you two to it." Priyanka said and shut the door behind her.
Anika and I sat down on the bed with a decent fifty centimeters between us. "Where do I start?" She sighed.
"From the very beginning?" I offered.
Cricket
Anupamaa
