Damini came out of her thoughts by the same laughter of two little children. Along with the video camera, Damini looked in the direction of the laughter. Seated on the sofa, she can saw Prithvi's brother and his wife along with his parents. They're all looking so happy with their faces lit up with laughter. They're eyes are so bright with happiness as if they have no idea that something like sorrow even exists.
"Damini" he puts his hands on her shoulders. "Damini kya hua?"
"Shaadi?" he thinks hard, as he knows that there is something very important happening regarding marriage. He looks at Damini for some help. But she also doesn't know as to what is so important regarding marriage that is just tugging at her.
It is around three in the afternoon and Damini has her head leaning against Prithvi's shoulder while he's driving. He's trying very hard not to stare at Damini and try to remove the fringe of hair that caress her cheeks once in a while. He smiles looking down upon her, seeing her sleep like an angel. It's just when Prithvi takes in a deep breath that Damini decides to wake up. She looks up at Prithvi sleepily and smiles seeing his face. They both stare at each other happily. Damini looks upon the road and sees a car coming full speed ahead at them.
"Prithvi!!!" she screams.
Prithvi looks up at the road and sees the car coming right at them. He makes a sharp left turn and goes onto a dirt road. He was about to stop his car, when he looked into the rearview mirror and saw the same car coming behind them again. He kept on driving without stopping as the car behind him followed. The road that they were on was a very long one, therefore, Prithvi and Damini didn't see a clearing until it was dark. Prithvi rolled out into the clearing, just to find himself ontop of a cliff. Prithvi stopped the car, while Damini looked around her to see if there is any other way out. The car that was following them stopped a few metres behind them, while the driver remained inside. Furious, Damini stormed out of the car and marched her way over to their stalker. Once she reached the driver's window, she started knocking on it, expecting to see who it is that is harrassing them.
"Damini. Come back." Prithvi warned her coming out of the car.
He started walking towards Damini to bring her back, scared of what danger lies before her. To prove his fear true, the door to the driver's seat opened and scared Damini to death. Her face lost all of its color and seemed as if she was about to faint. Prithvi ran over to her as Damini started taking a few steps back. Prithvi held onto her, protecting her from whatever it was that was scaring her. Prithvi looked at the figure that stepped out of the car.
At first, it was hard for Prithvi to see anything as the stalker's clothes were camouflaged against the dark color of his car and the darkness of the night. To Prithvi and Damini, it seemed as if they were now surrounded by darkness and there was no way out. Prithvi put his hand on Damini's cheek and looked into her eyes. Some of the color that was lost in Damini's face, came back as she saw that Prithvi was right there by her side. She knew that with him by her side, nothing could possibly go wrong.
They both looked back at the stalker as they heard a hmph sound coming from him.
"Kaun ho tum? Kya chathe ho?" asked Prithvi.
The stalker tilted his head so that he was looking at the ground on his right. He then looked up at Prithvi and Damini, although all they could see was pitch black as his black hood was up, covering his face from them.
"Damini."
This shocked Prithvi but not Damini as she knew who it was. There was only one person who could go this extent to attain her.
"Tumne mere sawal ka jawab nayi diya." replied Prithvi possesively. "Kaun ho tum?"
The stalker put his hands in his jeans pocket and held his head high up. He remained silent and stared at Damini. She had changed so much since the last time he saw her. He just realized that this is the first time that he's seen her in a sari. Oh God! She looked so beautiful in the orange sari. Oh! How he wished that it was him who was holding her so protectively. Oh! How he wished that it was him who Damini looked at so lovingly. Oh! How he wished that it was him that she felt so safe with. He could do anything to get that right, which he believes is rightfully his. He knew that Damini knows that it's him. He also knows how much she loves him. She didn't want to get married. She was forced into this. And now, he would free her from this prison.
He extended his hand out to Damini as she said his name. A tingling sensation went through Arjun as he heard his name come out of her lips after so long. He closed his eyes and had flashes of all those beautiful moments that they spent together. As he opened his eyes again, he found Damini standing just a few feet away from him. He encouraged her to put her hand in his. Arjun saw Prithvi standing from behind watching them with pain in his eyes. It felt good to see him in such pain and agony. He deserved it for separating them.
Damini hesitantly started lifting her hand to put in Arjun's. This was it. This one decision of hers would change three lives drastically along with all those people who are connected to each other. This one decision of hers would break one's heart and mend the other's. But either way, it will be her who would lose, as she'll lose a part of herself. Arjun, who meant everything to her once would fade away in the past, whereas, Prithvi, who is her future, the one man to whom she has given up everything to - her home, her past life, the old self she used to be, her very soul - they all belong to him now. If she rejects him, then what is she? Just a living corpse. She'll be like a rock. It's there. You can feel it, you can touch it, you can damage it, break it millions of pieces it won't do anything. It won't react, it won't defend itself.. it's useless. Just like what Damini would be without Prithvi. Damini looked up into Arjun's pitch black hood with teary eyes. She hesitantly put her hand in his. Arjun squeezed her hand and she gave a very faint smile back.
Prithvi, who was watching this from behind, looked down at the ground and smiled. He should have known that she would go back to him. No one is able to forget their first love. How stupid could I get?! he thought to himself. Slowly, Prithvi started heading back to his car. Before getting in, he stopped to take one last good look at Damini. Damini was looking back at him, confused at seeing what he was doing. When the realization dawned upon her, tears started spilling out of her eyes non-stop. Arjun embraced her and started consoling her. Prithvi looked away as he couldn't stand to see his only love in someone else's arm. He got into the car and left them alone forever. While leaving, he took as many glances as he could of Damini in his rearview mirror. Damini watched him leave while her tears just poured out of her.
Throughout the whole drive, Prithvi just cried and cried. Even if he could he didn't stop them. It seemed as if now these tears are the only friends that he'll ever have. He drove out of the dirt road and came onto the highway and started driving somewhere. He didn't know where, just somewhere. Somewhere far from here. Somewhere where he wouldn't be reminded of Damini.
It was over an hour and the fuel level was becoming low when Prithvi finally stopped his car. His eyes had become red and stuffy from all his crying. He rested his head on the back of the seat and closed his eyes. No good that did as Damini's face kept reappearing in front of his eyes. He opened his eyes and looked at the passenger's seat. He couldn't believe that she was gone now. It was only a few hours ago when she was sitting here laying her head on his shoulder. It was only a few hours ago when she looked up at him so lovingly. Fresh tears poured out surprising Prithvi a little as he thought that for sure all his tears would have finished by now. He looked at the back of the car and saw the handbag that Damini used when she ran away from the house. He pulled it over to himself and opened it. He smelled in Damini's fragrance trying to keep it in storage. He took out a duppatta from her sari and held it to himself. He started feeling the silk that had adorned Damini's slender body once. Then he started crying into it even more. At one point, Prithvi wondered if it's possible to die out of despair.
Back at the cliff, Damini broke out of Arjun's embrace. Arjun pulled down his hood so that Damini could look at him again.
"Kya hua Damini? It's me Arjun." reassured Arjun.
"I know it's you Arjun. That's why I have to stay away from you. Arjun, you're too late. Mein kissi aur ki ho chuki hoon." replied Damini.
"What?" he asked confused. "Are you trying to say that, you would rather stay away from me than him?" Arjun said the last word with disgust. "You would rather leave me, your one and only true love, for him?"
"That him is my husband." she said with pride. "You better watch out for what you say about him, because I won't bear another word against him."
"I can't believe this." he grabbed Damini by the shoulders. "Damini we love each other."
"Used to." said Damini breaking out of his grip. "We used to love each other. You still might, but I don't. I love him. It's a sin for me to think of anyone else other than him."
"Damini. I love you. And nothing in this world can take you away from me. Do you understand?" he threatened her.
"No. Nothing in this world can make me become yours. If we were to be each other's then why do you think we were separated in the first place? Huh?" she asked.
"To prove our love." he grabbed her by the shoulders again. "To prove our love Damini. Don't you see, this was a test. Why else do you think I came back to you?"
Damini tries to get out of Arjun's grip, but it's too strong this time.
"Arjun, let go. You're hurting me." she whined.
"I'm hurting you! YOU'RE HURTING ME!!" he yelled at her. "Can't you see that?!! I LOVE YOU!!!"
He forcefully kissed her, shocking Damini. She started hitting him hard, trying to make him loosen his grip on her, or even better let go of her. He removed his lips from hers and started kissing her on her neck.
"NO!! Let go!! Arjun!!!" she screamed.
She felt his hands going all over body and she started feeling disgusted.
"No!" she cried.
She started crying as she found herself helpless infront of this monster. She started hitting him even more and she hoped even harder. Arjun tried controlling her hands, but it was futile. He slapped her hard across the face, making her loose balance and fall down by the car.
"It's time to teach you a lesson that you'll never forget." he said attacking her.
Heart-wrenching screams were heard as Damini screamed out for help. She called out one last time, hoping that her plea for help would reach him.
"PRITHVI!!!!"
Prithvi looked up feeling something. It felt as if someone is remembering him. He doesn't know why, but he felt as if someone was in trouble. Prithvi started the car, and first went to the nearest gas pump and filled up his car. Then he went back the way that he had, driving at a speed which he never went on. He broke all rules regarding speed limit and earned himself a police car following him. He looked into the rearview mirror and saw the police officer telling him to pull over.
"Great." he said to himself.
Prithvi pulled himself onto the same dirt road that had made him lose Damini.
"So, he wants to do it the hard way, huh." said the police officer. "Follow him." he said to the constable.
They followed him onto the dirt road, not knowing where this would lead them to. As they got proceeded, they heard high piercing screams. They wondered as to where the heck have they come to. Is the place haunted? The two officers looked at each other and gulped.
As Prithvi came closer and closer to the clearing, he heard the same high piercing screams. Horrible thoughts started coming to him. Getting scared and angry, he slammed on the accelerator paddel and speeded even faster towards the clearing. Once he came out of the clearing, he didn't stop. He kept on going and going. He went so fast that he almost reached the end of the cliff. One would have thought that he would go flying off the cliff and meet his death over there. Luckily, Prithvi made a sharp right turn, and the car just brushed off from the edge. He started speeding towards Arjun's car.
Arjun who was confused as to what was going on, left Damini in the state that she was in, and got into his car. He turned it around to go out from the entrance, but he slammed on the brakes as he saw it was blocked by the police car. Arjun got out of his car, and tried to make a run for it, but he got captured by the police before he could.
They started beating him and took him into handcuffs.
"Wh-what are you doing? Wh-why are you arresting me for? I didn't do anything!" Arjun tried to defend himself.
"Oh yeah. Then what's that!" the police officer made him turn around and look at Damini laying on the dirty ground.
Arjun tried to say something but he couldn't.
"Huh! I didn't do anything. Try saying that to the judge now. Chal!" the police officer started hitting him with his baton.
They put Arjun into the back of the police car and they left from there while Arjun looked back at Damini and Prithvi who had just gotten out of the car. Arjun looked into Prithvi's eyes, but quickly averted them as Pritvhi's eyes told him, that if the police hadn't taken him away right now, then he would have been truly dead.
Prithvi ran over to Damini and scooped her up into his arms. He started lightly patting her cheeks, trying to make her wake up.
"Damini. Damini, aankhein kholo Damini." he requested.
He put her slender hand in his and kissed it. He then looked over at her body to see if he did anything horrible. But he was relieved to see that he came just in time.
"Damini, please utho." he said while his lips were upon her forehead.
"Prithvi.." said Damini weakly.
Prithvi couldn't describe how he felt to hear her voice again. They both looked at each other. Damini held her hand up with something in her hand. Prithvi gently opened her hands to see what it was. He was surprised to see her mangalsutar in it.
"Damini, yeh..." he asked confused.
"Meine, apna haath Arjun ko dene se pehle uthar diya tha. Mein sirf tumari hoon Prithvi. Kissi aur mard ki pas jaana toh kya, soch na bhi mere liye paap hai."
"Damini..." he silenced as Damini put her finger over his lips.
She blinked reassuringly at him.
"Humhe koi juda ni kar sakta Prithvi. Shaadi ka bandhan aisa hai, jo kabhi toot ni sakta."
"Shaadi ka toh pata ni, par han, pyaar toh kayamath tak rahe ga."
They both smiled at each other.
Prithvi and Damini are both just finishing off their prayers. They take their respects and face each other. Prithvi holds up the mangalsutar and ties it around Damini's neck.
"Ab yeh mangalsutar kabhi ni uthre ga." he says.
He kisses her on the forehead and they hug.
"Damini, beta tu aa gayi." says Prithvi's grandmother.
"Ji." she replies.
Everyone in the family come to see Damini again, in the house temple.
"Ab agar tu kahin bhi jaogi, toh Prithvi ko apne saath lekar jaana. Tumare bina bilkool akela par jaata hai." Prithvi's grandmother said.
Damini looks at Prithvi who is embarrassed. She just smiles looking at his cute expression.
"Aap fikar maat ki jiye dadi." she goes over and takes Prithvi's hand in hers. "Ab mein kahin nayi jaongi."
They both look into each other's eyes, knowing that, now, finally after a long battle, they are finally united.
Hello everyone.
I just want to take this opportunity to thank all those people who have read and liked my first fan-fiction on Prida so much.
I also want to thank all the readers who always take time out to post down their comments.
It's only because of all your love and support that I have been able to finish my first fan-fiction ever.
Thank you all so much once again. 🤗🤗🤗
I'll see you all in another world, in a whole entire different scenario in LNMDJ Fan-fic. 😉
Shiv Shakti
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
