Part 2
RK now sat in the arm chair of his room. The chair was his grandfather's, the only one to whom he could relate to now. He missed him. His grandfather was maybe how any grandfather would be. Loving, caring and bowing to all his demands. He would often overrule Balraj's decisions in RK's favour. But he died a few years back leaving him alone. RK had pondered innumerable times about what his grandfather's stand would have been if he was present during the storm he had to face. But couldnt decide. Balraj always said that he wouldn't have favoured him this time but his heart always said otherwise.
He was still lost in thoughts of his morning today. The girl remided him of the first time he woke up this way. He remembered how he had cried hard in the shower. He felt disgusted and felt like he betrayed the only love of his life. Her sobs echoed in his ears merging with his own cries.
He felt the door opening and he quickly looked up. His mother stood at the door.
"Rishu.. are you okay?" She asked in a scared voice.
"Why do you care?" RK said uninterested.
" I care for you son.." she said trying to defend herself.
"Ok I agree..." he said carelessly.
"Why are you angry with me Rishu..? I havent done anything.." she said on the verge of tears.
"That's the complaint mom.. You cant do anything except for saving yourself from all the blames.. Mothers do everything for their children's happiness but you just saw Dad destroying me.." He said angrily as blood started to boil in his veins..
Radha looked at him guiltily not knowing what to say.
"Please dont waste your time here.. Your husband would be coming back soon.. Dont you want to score more points for the ideal wife award..?" RK said sarcastically resting his head on the chair rest with closed eyes.
Radha stood there for another 2 minutes but then couldn't hold back her sobs and ran away. RK opened his eyes to see the empty doorway and painwas evident in his eyes. He didn't want to hurt his mother but he didn't know what happened to him whenever she came. He had just become so negative and insecure that he felt like just keeping himself aloof from all relations so he doesnt have to face the betrayal again.
Madhu on the other hand was staring at the mirror trying to remember the night. She couldnt believe she actually went so far. She was trying to believe that nothing really happened. She remembered she had a fight with Sultan in the evening. She remembered walking into his apartment and seeing him climbed up over a naked girl engrossed in some parallel world. She remembered him looking at her shocked and then trying to defend himself with jumbled words which hardly made sense or maybe she wasnt listening. She had fumed out of the apartment and then last thing she remembered was gulping down shots after shots in that club. She had felt the noise of the music and dance drowning the violence in her mind at that time. But going so far as having sex with a stranger didnt really seemed like it was her. She couldn't decide that she was more drunk in alcohol or fury.
Finally she did get an image of that Rishabh Kundra climbed up on her. Even he had anger radiating through his eyes. Was she raped!? Suddenly popped in her mind.
No.. he didnt seem like the one to do such a thing. But then rapists don't have it written on their head. After contemplating a lot she finally decided to get to the truth. She had to go there again today and ask that man what the truth was. She deserves to know if she actually did that or she was innocent. Even if Sultan had betrayed her but her loyalty and innocence mattered to her.
The whole day was extremely difficult for Madhu as she just kept looking at the clock every 15 minutes waiting for the evening while RK kept distracting himself from one thing to other. He usually felt so suffocated at home so he always went out in search of some peace.
In the evening RK was sitting at the bar counter again but this time he wasnt drinking. He didnt even know but he was searching for Madhubala. And even though he somewhat knew that she would never come back to this place but his heart hoped otherwise.
Just then he saw Madhu coming from between the crowd. His face somewhat lit up as he expected her to come to him again. She wasnt the way she looked yesterday. Her stride was confident yet it seemed she was feeling thoroughly out of place. He knew he was right, she wasnt the kind of girl who would be getting so intimate with random strangers.
"Hii.." he said casually as she approached him.
"I want to know something.." she said in a firm voice.
"What?" He asked confused.
"Did I consent for what happened between us or I was raped? " She asked with a hint of guilt and anger in her voice.
RK stared at her not believing and then burst into laughter. It was after months that he was laughing so heartily while Madhu stared at him shocked. She didn't crack some joke here. While RK was still laughing he himself felt that he hadnt laughed for months and he felt like betraying himself. His eyes started filling with tears. He turned around and gulped the whiskey he hadnt touched since an hour while sitting here.
"I asked you something Mister.." Madhu demanded angrily.
"That's not worth answering.." he said uninterested now as his own grievances started overpowering him.
"But I want to know!" Madhu tried to raise her voice but it only got shaky with tears.
RK turned to her sharply hearing her voice, he stared in her eyes trying to see those tears as if it reflected his. Joy had become such a stranger to him but sadness and tears felt like his own. They both kept staring at each other.
"Which of the option would make you feel better?" He asked her.
"The truth.." Madhu said as tears started forming in her eyes.
"If you want to prove to yourself that you are innocent and the whole thing just happened out of the blue then let me tell you that you are innocent. The culprit was the one who broke you so much that you did that." RK said as he gulped another sip.
"How do you know that someone did wrong with me?" Madhu asked amazed that this person was a mind reader.
"Because that is what happens all the time.." RK said staring ahead angrily.
"You mean I consented to it?" She asked looking down in shock.
RK was about to tell her that she actually initiated all of it but seeing her face he decided otherwise.
"You want a drink?" RK asked her forwarding a glass.
Madhu looked at the glass and was about to refuse but then took it and gulped down all in one breath.
"Dont drink so much that you end up doing what you did yesterday.." RK said sympathetically.
"Yea.. Thanks.." she said nodding her head.
After sitting there for sometime she felt like her head would burst with the loud music. She stood up trying to get out of that place but her feet betrayed her. She couldn't walk straight. She was about to fall when RK held her in his arms.. "Told you not to drink so much" he said while holding her in mid air.
"You said not to drink so much as to end up having sex with you.. and I didnt drink that much for sure.." Madhu said challenging.
RK chuckled hearing her. They stood up again and Madhu started walking to the door.
"Where are you going?" RK asked her.
"Out of this noise.. My head will burst!" Madhu screamed at him trying to make herself audible in the music.
RK decided to walk with her for safety sake.
"I am not going to have sex again! Its no use coming with me!" She screamed again
RK looked around dreading someone might hear her. "I am not coming for that!" He screamed back as he looked around.
After sometime they were walking down the street.
"I can't understand why you are walking with me.." Madhu said laughing
"Ammm.. so that you dont end up having sex with someone else.." RK said jokingly.
Madhu glared at him angrily.
"I mean there are a lot of bad people around here.. it can be really unsafe here.." he quickly corrected himself.
"You are a nice guy.. I wonder why your girlfriend betrayed you" she said disheartened.
"No.. She didnt!" RK said quickly.
"Then!" Madhu turned at him shocked. "You are betraying her! How dare you! All of you are the same!" Madhu screamed as she started getting angry.
"hold on madhubala.. i am not betraying her!" He said.
"Then?" She asked confused. "Is she dead?" She said as her eyes went wide.
"No..."
"I dont understand.. she isnt with you.. she didnt betray you.. you arent betraying her.. and she isnt even dead.. then what's the whole matter!" She said exasperated.
" That's a long story.. It won't interest you.." RK said getting upset.
"Dont get upset... we wont talk of it.." Madhu said feeling bad for him.
"well, so someone betrayed you?" He asked after some minutes of silence.
"Sultan.. I mean we just had a small fight and that man was banging this other girl shamelessly... And then he had the audacity to keep calling me all day!" Madhu said with wide eyes.
"What? He was with someone else? You saw him?" RK asked not believing how can someone betray his partner.
"Yes! But then even I did that.. Do you think that its the same now? Even i am an equal culprit?" She asked getting sad.
"No you are not.. he should have valued your love and loyalty..." RK said getting angry.
"But he didn't..." Madhu said looking down upset.
"Then why get upset for him? Cheer up.." RK said casually.
"I think you are right.." she said nodding her head.
"So where are we planning to go? Just walk on streets?" Madhu asked him with a smile. She didn't know if she wanted him to leave or to spend some more time with him.
"why you want another of the adventurous night?" He asked slyly. He didnt know why but for the first time after her, he wished someone said yes for it.
Madhu broke into a laugh. "Well I don't remember much of the adventures.. Do you?" She asked curiously.
"If I had ever remembered that, I might have not done it ever again.." he said looking away trying to absorb his pain.
"I hope you took precautions.." she asked getting suspicious.
"What precautions?" RK asked confused.
"come on we dont want to get pregnant for a stranger.. do we?" Madhu said exasperated dreading of the consequences.
"Ohh.. yes I remember doing that.." RK said shrugging.
Madhu took a sigh of relief as she had for a moment froze to the ground while RK kept walking ahead. She quickly hurried to him again.
"So you do remember some things." She said getting curious again.
"Yes of course... but those are just hazy images.. specially of the one where you came and kind of seduced me.." he said with a sly smile.
"No.. thats not possible!" Madhu almost jumped in surprise.
"Believe it or not.." he shrugged.
"I can't believe.. that's so not me.." she said laughing of embarrassment.
RK's lips played a slight smile seeing her laugh at her own self in amazement.
"Why do you smile so less?" She asked with frown as she noticed that in all their conversation he had hardly smiled except for that one laugh at the club while she had now started to giggle and laugh at every other thing.
"I don't feel like" he said shaking his head nervously.
"How is that possible?" She asked confused.
"Its good that you dont know how its possible.." RK said with a slight smile which echoed the pain in his heart.
Madhu frowned hearing him. "You should either tell me what your problem is or you should stop bragging about it.." she said getting angry.
RK broke into a laugh hearing her. Madhu looked at him getting lost. He looked so cute with the dimpled cheeks. "Ok fine.. I won't brag over it anymore.."
"That means you won't share it in any way.."
RK pursed his lips nervously. He didnt know how he would be able to put it in words.
"You should have told that before I told you my secret.." Madhu said disheartened.
"I will tell you but maybe some other time.." he didn't know why he felt close enough to this girl to share his sorrows with. There was actually no one left for him to call his own.
"Fine!" Madhu said exasperated as she hopped ahead. RK looked at her as peace started setting in him after months. And even though their meeting was more of physical satisfaction last time but they hardly thought of it now. He just felt drawn towards her.
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so sudha.. You being my brain twin, got me on Sultan and Madhu' story.. 😉
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