Hey, everyone! Back with another chapter. Just like all the other ones the nervousness quotient is high here too. But hoping the chapter ain't bad enough to...hehe. :DChapter 35
The day passed on without any hustle or Ishani cut herself out from the questions being hurled by the people all round the town as well as media. She received messages and mails both of apology and abhorrence which she found tiring to answer. Mr. Khanna made sure to have proper security outside her house so that she was not troubled by the ceaseless questions which she did not wish to answer in that moment. Ishani was requested to stick inside her room which she did willingly for there was a moment the amount of people trying to reach out for her was beyond control. However, the situation was taken under control within minutes and majority had to walk back disappointed. She was in no mood to reveal anything that she had done in past 16 hours. Speculations in the town were still on, and so were arrests. She was informed one of Mr. Zaveri's men was arrested who had stolen, legally manipulated and then hidden the fake papers of Ranveer's 4 companies few hours before all the events took place and Ranveer had been to see Mr. Zaveri in his cell but had shown no clemency even now. All the charges on Ishani were cleared by now for Mr. Zaveri was found guilty by Law.
It was around 9 in the evening when Ishani still sat in her room, staring towards the clammy, quiet woods, for not even a single twig of the trees moved. The security still remained as firm as ever outside and no one was allowed to enter the house unless Mr. Khanna permitted, though by now the number of the media persons had considerably decreased. Her mother had called 4 times since morning, asking if she had been able to manage tickets for her flight to which she assured her she had. Ishani was to leave for India in two days, but something felt wrong. Extremely wrong. Many times she felt like dropping the ideas to leave the country but her mother's concern forced her to make her mind towards one thing only and she decided to take a visit of India.
However, late at night, Ishani heard a sound at her door as she skittered towards it, as if she was expecting the newcomer. She had not come halfway when she saw Mr. Khanna, followed by Ranveer, walking towards her worriedly.
"I think Mr. RV wants to talk to you. Please be careful; he looks intensely infuriated," Mr. Khanna whispered, slowly, looking at the puzzled Ishani. She did not like the look she saw in Ranveer's eyes; however she kept herself composed lest anything goes wrong.
"Sure," she said, as Mr. Khanna made his way out of the room.
"Who asked you to do the honors?"said his deep, troubled voice.
Ishani closed her eyes, before speaking the little she could. "I don't know."
She felt him move towards her as she closed her eyes even tightly, feeling her heart thumping in her chest heavily.
"Look at me," he said, but Ishani did not move. "I said look at me," he repeated.
Ishani opened her eyes, slowly. He stood in front of her, his gaze fixed at her unsettled face, riveting her under the spell of those dark brown eyes, smothering her softly without any escape.
"Why?" he said, stirring her softly from her shoulders. Ishani kept quiet. She did not like the idea of letting anyone know the mystery of her actions.
"I don't know. That was the only thing that came to my mind in that moment..." her voice faltered as she managed to look into his eyes again.
"And you think it was very wise of you to do so?"
Ishani did not say anything.
"Did you?"
Ishani shook her head.
"Do you know the consequences of your foolishness? What are they talking about you?" he said solemnly.
"I don't care about that," Ishani whispered.
"You don't care?" Ranveer answered. "Might I know why?"
Ishani stood silently, again gazing towards the window and reticent gloomy trees outside.
"Ishani," Ranveer said, turning Ishani towards him, "I asked you something. Don't you get it?"
"What should I answer you, Ranveer? I have told you everything I know. I did not mean anything I said that evening."
"I know that," Ranveer answered. "But I want to know why would you do that."
"I told you, I have no answer."
"You do and I wouldn't leave without getting any answers from you."
"Trust me, Ranveer, I cannot say anything more than I have told you."
"Really?" Ranveer said as he moved closer. "You can't?"
Ishani tried to ignore the emotions that suddenly hurtled over her, a temptation to tear away all the feelings and reasons before him filled her heart as she turned her eyes away from his.
"What is it?" Ranveer said, while Ishani closed her eyes. "What is it?" he shouted, shocking her terribly. "Don't you see what's happening out there? What they're talking about you, about Mota Babuji? You wanted him to get his lost name and reputation back, right? Now, see what you have done! They're laughing at him again. And it's because of you and your foolishness."
"Papa would never have been mad at me for doing what I did," Ishani said with a gasp.
"Why don't you say anything clearly? I'm not here to play riddles," Ranveer said. "Tell me. Tell me why did you do this?"
Tears trailed down Ishani's cheeks but they left no impact on Ranveer (or so she thought) as he still gazed deep within her eyes, wounding, shattering, and destroying her in any way possible.
"Don't look at me like that," she said, softly, "it hurts."
Ranveer, slightly embarrassed, took two steps backwards, giving Ishani enough space to breathe. "Answer me, Ishani," he said, surrendering, "Please."
She could not say anything, no words felt enough to describe her feelings the moment she had surrendered herself to authority for a crime she never did. In the silence of the night, she could hear his heart beating furiously with her own pounding delicately, each beat of it coming in a special, inexplicable rhythm.
She looked at his demanding eyes again. "When Zaveri uncle told me the consequences of the entire incident," Ishani began, her eyes staring the floor underneath, "I did not see RV, the King of Dalal Street, or the man who was able to conquer the International market with his skills. I saw Ranveer...Ranveer who grew up with me, enduring the insults, abuses of the society, and humiliations from the people he had devoted his life to. I saw that little boy, again, before my eyes whose loyalty was doubted when no one could be as loyal as he even though he had nothing by his side. I never wanted to see that bruised boy again, struggling, trying to rise up, but being pushed away from the gentlemen of the society." Ishani wiped her tears.
"Sympathy," Ranveer said. "Isn't it? You felt sympathy for that little boy who used to work as a driver for you."
Ishani shook her head. "No, no," she said shaking her head. "It's not sympathy. We were friends..."
"Friends!" Ranveer repeated with an injured laugh. "Yeah, we were friends. Could you not think of any better excuse?"
"Excuse?" Ishani said, confused.
"You think we are friends good enough that you can make such big sacrifices for me?" Ranveer said, while Ishani trembled painfully at his dangerous tone. "Am I not the one who came in between you and lover, Chirag? Why make any sacrifice for someone like me? Am I not the one who tried to molest your sister? Why make a sacrifice for me? Am I not the one who fell in love with you and betrayed your friendship? Why destroy your entire career and life because of me? If not sympathy, what is it?" Ranveer finished his last words quietly.
Ishani did not dare look at him, for all the time he spoke her gaze was towards the floor, while he did not avert his from her.
"You never thought anything beyond that, did you? Sympathy was all you felt ever since we met. When Baa would beat me, Disha insulted me you stood up only because of it. That's what you did again, Miss Parekh. Thank you. Thank you for reminding me who I am, and who I was. No matter what happens. I am made for your sympathy only. Why don't you leave me? Leave me for my own life?"
Ishani shook her head. What deranged, wild thoughts crossed his mind in that moment was beyond her understanding. Her repeated corrections in her statements and further clearer explanations went futile, for he kept shaking his head in denial and whispering his own made up assumption of sympathy. His apoplectic self failed him to see the truths of his own heart.
Slowly, Ishani saw Ranveer's head drooping on her shoulder as his eyes fell lower and he kept murmuring her name still, along with the disappointments that he had expressed few moments back. Ishani held him by his shoulder and waist and brought to the room which was most often occupied by air only besides the generals in a room. She made him lay on the bed softly and took off his shoes, as tears fell from her eyes feverishly.
"I told you not to drink so much," she shouted, as if he could hear her, but he did not. "You think that was sympathy? No, it was not. What should I say when I don't know why I did that? But why don't you take care of yourself? You can't keep a driver with you, you can't take Puneet with you, and you keep drinking so much. Why? And you expect me to leave you? How can I?"
Ishani gradually fell silent, and slowly she could hear Ranveer snoring lightly, the traces of tears, and signs of worry and heartache on his face were still clear and fresh. She gently wiped the tears away, careful enough not to wake him up, and held his hand closer to her. Ishani slowly fell asleep by his side, on a rock chair, as she separated herself from his grasp. The slow movements in him could still wake her up from her light slumber. She came to believe what her heart told her since the last night: something had changed within her; although it was too painful at the moment to acknowledge.
______________
Ishani woke up as the first rays of the morning sun hit her face gently. She opened her eyes to see Ranveer still asleep on the bed, comfortably. The last night's harsh memories came back rustling over, making her feel shattered as she stood up, quietly. She did not dare wake Ranveer up. To her surprise his face bore a tiredness which for a moment frightened her but the thought passed as soon as it had come; for he barely had had time to breathe properly since last many days. Ishani got up as she needed to get to the office, even though Mr. Khanna had asked her not to.
Ishani arrived at the office sooner than usual and realized ambiance of the place had changed slightly. It seemed the building carried a dull air in it, and the genuine spirit of the place had died away since her last visit. It broke her heart. Ishani reached her own cabin with a heavy heart, feeling tired from everything that had happened in last few hours. Even the place did not grant her the comfort she sought. Ishani wondered where Ranveer might be or if he had woken up when she was there. She had arranged breakfast for him, if he cared enough to have it, and she hoped he did.
Around noon Ishani saw Puneet knocking at the door of her cabin, as she gestured him in.
"Hello, Ms. Parekh," he said. "I'm really sorry for everything that happened, but it was necessary; and I hope you are doing well."
"I think I am," Ishani answered. "These few days have been too heavy."
"Indeed," Puneet said, smiling, "but things will fall into their places soon. We have to give it a bit of time."
Ishani nodded, as Ranveer's behavior from last night flashed in her mind once again. "I hope so," she said.
"If you don't mind, Ms. Parekh, could you please read these files and work on their implementations until tomorrow?"Puneet said, producing a bunch of documents from his bag.
"I should like to, but I cannot study all of them, Puneet. I'm sorry," Ishani answered ruefully. Looking at Puneet's puzzled face she added, "I have to leave for my home tomorrow. I cannot delay that. I hope you understand?"
"It's alright," he said, with a smile, "but you are coming back, right?"
"Yes, I will," Ishani said. "Right now it's very important to go there, or it might cause some unwanted troubles."
"Fine, but please come back soon, Ms Parekh."
"Puneet, could you please do me a favour?"
"Why not!"
"Could you please stop calling me Ms. Parekh'? I don't like that."
"But...how can I?" he fumbled, "I'm sorry, I can't."
"Please," Ishani pleaded. "It's embarrassing to see more worthy than me calling me like that."
"Don't say that, and don't request either."
"Do you agree then?"
Puneet looked confused but Ishani's requests made his agree the offer.
"Okay," he said, finally, "but this feels so awkward."
"It will be fine in a few days." Ishani smiled.
"Alright, Ishani," Puneet said, nervously, as he left, smiling.
There was a change in Puneet's tone which Ishani found curious. It felt he tried to say something, or if it was she herself who assumed this, Ishani could not guess. She wanted to escape from things, from life, though she felt it was an act of cowardice, but she could no longer contain herself, holding up in the abyss of emotions, having no end, and torturing her without ease.
________
The day melted into a melancholy evening but Ishani saw no signs of Ranveer in the office that day. Puneet said he had not seen him as well and nor did his phone work as Ranveer had ordered him not to disturb him. Ishani grew worried for leaving him alone in the state he was, was not a wise thing to do. It was almost night when Ishani saw Ranveer advancing towards the office, looking as grave as he did a night before. Ishani flitted towards him urgently, yet softly, as he caught her eyes. He looked disgruntled at her sudden appearance as he turned away from her.
"Ranveer, talk to me, please," Ishani said, as she followed him into his cabin.
"You were going home, just leave," he answered coldly.
"Listen to me, but..."
"I said, leave!" His cavalier tone forced her to subdue her panic and, although reluctantly, Ishani turned back...to leave.
"I don't think there is any way I can convince you of the truth. Bye, Ranveer. I'm leaving," she said, in a low voice.
Before Ranveer could turn back and trace her words she was gone. He came out immediately to see if she was real or he had just dreamt of her, but found no one. Only the marks of her car's tier on the dewy road suggested her presence a few minutes ago. No sign of hers was there. Ranveer returned back, his heart aching as if someone had carved a hole in it with the sharpest of the swords. He had spent the whole day alone, sitting by the sea, calculating the incidents which one by one divulged a new story, a new hope but only to be crushed ultimately. He still did not understand Ishani...her behavior or her feelings. Always his eyes fell upon her he saw a light leading upto his life but that was not what the reality was; and reality was proved again and again.
The betrayal of Mr. Zaveri broke a part of him into pieces, proving how foolish he was. After the events in India, he found himself cursing for trusting someone so blindly, thinking of someone so dearly. He still wished Mr. Zaveri could become the man he always thought he was, but reality was different and harsh. Ranveer could not think anything. Hope anything beyond a dull life meant to be lived in the chasm of darkness.
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