Still Star-Crossed- A Ali Rhea FF Scene 3 Update PAGE 3

Scene 1 Still Star-Crossed:

"These violent delights have violent ends

And in their triump die, like fire and powder

Which, as they kiss, consume"--- R&J

She didn't quite understand why, but all Rhea could think of, sitting in the middle of the street right now, was how she always kept her eyes closed whenever he came close to her. Ali used to tease- if she was so repulsed by him, maybe she should stop seeking him out. She hated him back then. His family hated his entire background- they still do. She had a fianc as well. But she still came back to him and closed her eyes as soon as he neared. Every time. She'd just snap at him, slap him, make a snarky comment and allow him to kiss her into calmness. She'd never told him why she did it; she wanted to keep their moment of intimacy with her as long as possible, captured in her lashes like the sandman's everlasting dream. Who knew if she'd get to touch him again? So, as her love lay dead on her lap, his blood soaking through her white cotton dress, colouring her pregnant belly red, she kept her eyes closed.

She couldn't tell how long it'd been since she closed her eyes. She could hear her sister screaming to her husband about how what happened to her parents can't happen to her sister, Neil asking her to snap out of it and let him go, Ali's Nanno yelling hysterically- perhaps cursing her. Neil kept on asking her to let go of his body for post-mortem. For a second Rhea wanted to retort that she couldn't even leave his body for Neil, what makes him think she'd leave it for any other reason and then laugh like a maniac. But she wouldn't let anyone ruin her focus right now. Rhea was decidedly stubborn and the romantic little fool she was raised to be was not going to let reality rob her of her happiness. She kept her eyes closed and continued to hold onto him. But alas, a death strong kick from her inside forced her to open her eyes and her hands to let go of him to rub soothing circles around her belly as has been instinct as of late. Rhea came back to reality as Neil and a bunch of other- perhaps police yanked away her happiness from her arms. She looked down to see her hands covered in dried blood which she was now smearing over where her child rested fitfully. She rubbed her hands to get the blood off but Avni came and stopped her.

A: Rhea! Hosh mein ao! Kya kar rahen hon? Itna ragroge toh haath mein chaale par jeyenge.

She holds onto my face. Rhea tumhe chot toh nahi ayi na? Aur yeh sab kya hua? Kisne kiya?!? Kya yeh sab dadi ne kiya?

Rhea could see and hear her sister's desperation but honestly, she couldn't be bothered unburdening her curiosity with answers when her own lungs felt like they were about to crush under a brick tonne. She couldn't breathe and all she wanted was to eat something and wash herself clean of the blood that was beginning to crust up. Rhea jerks off Avni's hands and starts walking the home she shared with her now dead husband.

R: Jinhe mujhe chorke jana tha who sab chale gaye. Main ghar ja rahi hoon- bhukh lagi hain. Mera bhuka rehna bacche k liye thik nahi. Main freshen up hoke tumse Neela Chachi k waha milti hoon. Thik hain?

Rhea starts walking away.

A: Par Rhea...

Nanno puts her hands on Avni's shoulder and addresses Rhea.

N: Kaha jaa rahi hain tu maharani? Moi Ali ko toh kha gayi yeh dayawanti ki saya, aab usike ghar jaarahi hain? Teri himmat kaise huyi? Pata nahi kaunsi manhoos ghari thi ki yeh ladki moi bacche k zindagi main aayi. Kitni baar kaha use- nafrat karti hain dayawanti humari zaat se, jaan le li usne moi Ayesha ki aur teri jaan bhi le legi, par usne meri ek na suni! Pyaar ki patti parhayi thi na tune use! Kar liya pyaar? Mar diya mere bacche ko?

Over the past four months that their relationship had been official, Rhea hadn't managed to win over Nanno. And to be honest, she didn't have the patience for it. She was polite but being pregnant meant any and all patience was wearing thin. So eventually she stopped trying. She'd hoped if not Ali, then her baby would be the bridge but she'd never warmed upto her child either. Not that she could blame her- Rhea's family had treated her daughter much worse than she ever could. So she tolerated. Ali may've been no Ashish Chachu but she knew Nanno was very important to him. But now, she's had it.

A: Nanno yeh aap kya bol rahe hain. Is mein Rhea ki kya galti thi? Uski haalath toh..

Rhea turns around looking like a mad woman and shushes Avni immediately.

R: Bas! Aur ek shabd nahi kahengi aap! Aap shayadh bhool rahi hain, k jiske bare mein aap bol rahi hain- woh Ali aap logon ka muh bola beta aur dost- pati tha woh mera! Bap hain woh mere bacche ka. Yeh uska khoon hain! Maine mara hain use? Woh main nahi thi jisne Dayawanti Mehta ko shrap diya tha ki uski ghar ki betin bhi ek din bin baap k bacche ko janam degi. Dekhiye mujhe! Hogayi apki iccha puri Fatimaji. Main barbaad hogayi. Chala gaya mera pyaar. Mar diya use goli. WOH BHI AAP HI K ANSH NE! AMOL NE MAAR DIYA MERE ALI KO! MAR GAYA WOH! MERI ZINDAGI, MERI KHUSHIYAN, MERA GHAR SAB KUCH USS BHAI NE UJAR DIYA JISKE SAATH MAIN BARI HUYI. Mere apne bhai ne.

Rhea breaks down in tears, hearing her screams of anguish Neil asks the police and all to go with Ali's body. Avni falls down beside Rhea and shakingly holds her.

A: Yeh nahi ho sakta. Rhea yeh tera vehem bhi toh ho sakta hain na? Mujhe pata hain ki Aman abhi bhi sahi raaste nahi aaya par woh kisiko mar nahi sakta.

She takes Rhea's face in her hands.

A: Bolna Rhea! Nahi mar sakta na woh? Chalo mujhe apna behen nahi manta par tujhse toh pyaar karta hain na? Tere pati ko woh nahi mar sakta. RHEA BOLNA YEH SAACH NAHI HAIN!

R: YAHI SAACH HAIN! KITNI BEWAKOOF THI MAIN! HUMESHA MERA ISTEMAL KARTE RAHE AUR MUJHE LAGA- nahi Rhea. Yeh teri family hain. Ek na ek din tujhe maaf kar denge. Yeh samajh hi nahi payi k jo bhai chup chap khara hoke dadi ko support kar sakhta hain jab woh mujhe marne ki dhamki de rahi thi, woh mere Ali ki jaan bhi le sakta hain. KITNI BEWAKOOF THI MAIN! USE KYUN MAR DIYA?!? UDHARWALE' SE PYAAR KARNE KI GALTI TOH MAINE KIYA THA! TOH PHIR MAUT BHI MUJHE HI AANI THI! ALI KYUN?!?!?

Rhea wipes her tears and in a frenzy goes to Nanno.

R: Aap toh mujhe suna rahi thi na? Yeh dekhiye. She points at the blood smeared all over her dress. Yeh mere Ali ka khoon hain, jo aapke apne khoon ne bahaya. Humare bhai ne. Aab kya kehengi? BOLIYE! DENGI MERE BACCHE KO INSAAF? BHEJENGI APNE BACCHE KO JAIL? NAHI NA? Main bhi nahi bhejungi.

Rhea breaks down and starts crying. Nanno cannot believe her own ears and she breaks down as well.

R: Mujhe bas shanti chahiye thi. Bas Ali aur humara naya family. Main tumhari tarah strong aur samajdar nahi hoon Avni. Mujhe yeh badla aur violence virasat mein NAHI CHAHIYE THA! Aur mujhe aab in sabse, iss family se aur sab se door jana hain. Rhea looks down at her blood covered stomach and starts crying again. Woh log mere bacche ko bhi mar denge! Kuch nahi rahega. She grabs Avni's arm who was sitting completely still on the road. Avni, behen hain na tu meri? Ali ka best friend? Arre woh toh tujhse pyaar karta tha. Saalon se. Mujhse bhi zyada. Please, main haath jorti hoon, tujhe uska vasta. Meri maadat kar! Mujhe yahan se nikal do! Nahi rehna mujhe iss desh mein. Please!!!

Avni puts her hand on Rhea's and looks at her determinedly.

A: Mar chuka hain humara bhai. Ali ke saath use bhi maan ke dafna diya humne. Iska badla Amol Mehta zaroor chukayega. Jab tak main aur Neil zinda hain Rhea tujhe aur mere nanhe se dost ko kuch nahi hoga.

N: Avni hum Rhea ko jane nahi de sakhte. Woh iss murder ki ek chashmadid gava hain! He turns to Rhea. Rhea main tumhe kuch nahi hone dunga, main tumhe insaaf dilaunga.

R: Insaaf? Mere Ali ko protection tak nahi de payi tumhara system. Insaaf kya dilayegi.

Neil tries to argue with her but is cut-off by Avni.

A: Yeh sab baad mein. Abhi ke liye Rhea ko ghar le jana bohut important hain.

Rhea looks around and looks to Avni.

R: Ali?

N: Rhea hum post mortem k baad Ali ko masjid le jayenge, Avni tumhe wahi leke ajayega.

She nods and Avni takes her home.