Of Mosquitoes and Madness
Chapter 4
A/N: Ohk, so I declare from hereon, I love alliteration. Random fun fact for the day xD Do read the massive note at the end :P
Enjoy!
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Dedications: To my WiFi, because it is such a DramaQueen that I need to satiate it's wishes sometimes in order to use the internet -.-
Ehehe, on a serious note, this for all my readers, because without you, OMAM would be nothing, really. *hugs and kisses*
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"I am the captain of this team, Sanyukta Agarwal, and don't you dare question me."
With gnashing teeth and clenched fists, Sanyukta tried to suppress the rising ire within her. It had been two days since their arrival at the village Tanshipur and her rendezvous with Randhir under the Banyan tree. Ignoring the abrupt mood swing he'd suffered from towards the end, she had believed the night spent with the mosquitoes and the equally maddening prat to be a success; the start of tentative comradeship, if not friendship.
The next morning, however, everything had gone back to normal. Almost as if nothing had happened. As if no peace offering had been extended (home-made, by yours truly), as if silly jokes and carefree laughter had not been shared, as if tendrils of attraction had not sparked be-
Hold on there! There was no - attraction? - what the - utter nonsense, I swear.
Shaking her head at her foolishness, she looked up at a visibly fuming Randhir, wondering why the bigoted MCP was so intent on ruining her life and her peace of mind. For reasons unfathomable, his behaviour was like a kick in the teeth. She felt deceived, dismayed.
Sanyukta took a deep breath to quell the inconvenient tears that had sprung up in her eyes, her glare unwavering. The heartless man might love antagonising her, but under no circumstances would she back down.
Never, you broody, beardy, bully!
Snorting at the nicknames her mind loved to come up with (quite a useful talent, frankly), she said, "You're the captain, Randhir, not a bloody dictator! Stop this hoity-toity rubbish of yours--"
"Hoity-toity?! Are you seriously--"
"--and for once in your life listen to what others have to say!"
"I don't need to listen to you, Agarwal."
"Why the hell not? I'm part of the--"
"No. For me, you're nothing. I don't need your help, I don't want it. You don't belong here, Sanyukta Agarwal. Remember that."
Sanyukta flinched, as pain pierced through the rage thrumming in her chest, flashes of her father's rejection and her brother's insults weaving through Randhir's words; taunting her, threatening to pull her down to a bottomless abyss.
F-fight it, Sanyukta! They mean nothing; those men are weak, their jibes pointless. Fight it!
She should've known, actually, that any expectations from that male supremacist were futile. What had she thought, really? Randhir Singh Shekhawat, the high and mighty rank no. 1 (always loved to rub that in, didn't he?) who'd been the greatest obstacle to her freedom, her dream for the past year, could never change. Why would her one act of kindness bring about any change from that brat? She should've known better.
Ashamed of how much Randhir's words affected her, Sanyukta stepped away. She needed a time-out, some reprieve from the disapproval and opposition surrounding her, suffocating her. She needed to get out of here.
Turning away from her group, she murmured a quite Need a walk' to Kaustuki before heading out to the open fields, a lantern clutched in one hand to dispel the blinding darkness.
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Randhir cursed, watching as Sanyukta hurried away from him and his cruel words: hurting, visibly tired.
Broken. I broke her.
"Randhir bhai?"
Hurt, angry and broken. Just like me.
"How dare you say that to her, Randhir?"
"Kaustuki, calm down, darling."
"No, Jiggy, not today. Randhir had no right to""
"Shush, babe. Relax. We don't need another fight, do we?"
Why did I...where did this boiling rage come from?
"Bhai."
Well, she deserved it. She deserved worse.
"Bhai, what you just did...said...that was un-uncalled for."
Randhir's head snapped up, incredulous eyes fixed on a bespectacled lad putting up a brave front. Jignesh, for probably the first time in his life, was taking a stand. Against him. Shame flooded through him, making him question his impulsive urges to hurt, to maim.
Had he been that bad?
"All Sanyukta had said was to talk to the villagers, to carry out a casual recon. A suggestion, Randhir bhai, nothing else."
Yes, he'd been a nightmare.
Truth be told, offence had always been Randhir's best defence. His childhood had been a series of disappointments, a constant barb chafing against his heart - the keen sting ever-present, impossible to run from. Hurting others, pushing them away, was now a habit; a twisted, desperate attempt to get away from the stifling loneliness.
And he'd taken his anger out on the pseud because she'd, involuntarily, evoked the unwanted loneliness within him two nights ago.
Rubbish! The smartass did no such thing.
So the lack of ulterior motives was not disappointing?
Bringing food for an enemy is the first sign for - ahem, I mean, what ulterior motives?
You don't fool me.
I can't believe this. I'm talking to myself.
Psh, Sanyukta does it all the time.
She's nutty in the head!
Aren't you too, though?
Frustrated and exhausted, Randhir growled at nothing in particular, raking his hands through his hair. "You're right, Jiggy," he murmured, unable to meet his friend's disappointed gaze.
"I-I am? I mean, yes, of course I am."
Sighing, he turned his attention towards the winding lane Sanyukta had hurried down, probably leading to the lush fields and open skies surrounding the village. Something tugged at him to follow the path, beckoning - like a curled finger - to walk and walk and not stop until that damned guilt didn't abate.
Maybe I should go to her. Maybe I will.
The soft brush of skin against his arm pulled Randhir out of his thoughts, causing him to whip around to seek its source. Kaustuki, the subdued tag-along best friend he'd once so gleefully tormented, had a hand placed hesitantly on his, an eerily knowing look in her eyes (frankly, she creeped him out at that moment).
"Do it, Randhir," she whispered.
Why is it that I'm surrounded by such shrewd know-it-alls?
"I don't know what you're talking about," he brusquely replied.
"You don't fool me."
Oh god, now she sounds like my bloody conscience!
Hey, no name-calling!
What the hell! I'm going mad!
Pushing away from the insistent girl, overwhelmed by the onrush of the jumbled emotions and confused musings churning within him, Randhir did what he did best - he hid. Shoulders stiff and tensed, lean hands tucked away into his pockets, his stoic facade veiled in the darkness of the approaching twilight - he painted an intimidating picture, and he knew it. He needed space, a break from the feelings best kept buried. So, Randhir hid behind his mask, as per norm.
"I can see it in your eyes, Captain, the guilt, regret. Despite your act. So, you better go and...do what is right."
Sneaking a glance at Kaustuki's pleading face (oh yeah, sly as a fox, he is), Randhir let his charade fall away, sending a curt nod at her before walking away. He had some questions (those unanswered bugs were crowding his genius mind, dammit!) and Sanyukta Agarwal would face the brunt of it.
While I'm at it, I should also probably figure out why my conscience sounds like that Farzi.
Shaking his head at all the tomfoolery, Randhir let a slight smile play along his lips.
Sneaky woman.
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NEXT
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A/N: So there! I hope you liked it? It's been too long, hasn't it? Boards, I tell you :P
A note of thanks to all those who commented : Galadriel, .scarlet., sandhirlover, PrussianBlue, riyasenak, PERFEQXION, ahuta, asyaforlife, daisydee425, richurachna, -silhouette-, yatup, unishaz, Sarunforeva, ABCDesiGirl93, srividhya68, BrunoMars, themockingblue., dola_cute, -Hudi-, -pearlblu-, ..Mellifluous.., angel_anisha, KReyAS
Also, I would love your opinion on one thing. I had planned this FF to be solely from the Sandhir POV. Yet, I have a few urges to explore the plot and that might need the other characters as well. What do you think? Suggestions and reviews would be appreciated, people! Thankyou for reading :*
For further PMs, Buddy me OR like THIS post. You shall receive the notification, pakka :D
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