Part 24
RK and Madhu were now sitting at the entrance of the fort. RK smiled nervously at her and then started to look expectantly at the road.
Soon they saw a taxi stopping and Dipali got down from it. RK looked at her with tears brimming in those eyes. She still had the same beauty but looked a little weak. A lump formed in his throat. RK opened the car door and got down. As soon as their gaze met, they ran to each other but then stopped when they were close. They should have hugged but neither of them felt close enough to hug the other.
"So finally you are punctual " Dipali said with a laugh as she tried to stop herself from breaking down though she couldn't stop her tears from trickling.
Rk smiled sheepishly though even he felt threatened by the emotions.
"I thought you won't come" RK said nervously.
"Even I thought the same.. That you won't come" she said with a slight smile directing the doubt at him. They looked at each other for a few seconds. It didn't feel comfortable together and it hurt them.
"Come let's walk.." Dipali said walking ahead as she took in a deep breath trying to control her racing heart.
"Your friend is really nice " she said as she looked at Madhu now standing at the car door.
"Yeah.." RK smiled seeing Madhu as he again drew his strength from her.
"Come on Madhu.. Let's go in " RK called out to her as they approached her.
"I am clearly not the one to play gooseberry.." Madhu said with a teasing laugh trying to hide her own tears.
Rk shook his head laughing at her while Dipali tried to contain her tears too.
"I will just look around this beautiful fort.."Madhu said laughing unnecessarily as she turned away. RK ran to her immediately.
He held her hand. "please don't go.." he said though barely a whisper.
"Please don't make me stay.. " Madhu almost pleaded. RK looked in her eyes for a few seconds and then left her hand. He understood what she meant.
" come back soon.. " he said softly. Madhu nodded her head and walked away.
Rk and Dipali were sitting on one of the broken wall. They stared ahead at the deserted landscape.
"How are you?" he asked after a few minutes.
"I am good " Dipali said nodding her head trying to smile.
"I am... I am sorry.." RK said looking away.
"why do you have to say sorry.. It wasn't your fault.. " she said looking at him.
"It was.. I should have been protecting you.." RK said looking at her.
"Don't blame yourself RK.. Maybe it was meant to be this way.. " she said sighing.
"yeah maybe it was meant to be this.." RK said nodding his head. "But I know however much I apologise what my father did to you and your family.."
"leave it RK.. " she interrupted. "I don't like remembering those days.." she said looking away. "But I don't hold you responsible for it.. You were as wronged as I was.." she said looking at him.
RK took in a deep breath as he nodded his head.
"What are you doing now? " he asked her.
"I am doing my post grad.." she said with a genuine smile this time.
Rk smiled hearing her. "That's great.." he said happily.
"And you? " she asked back.
"Started working under a senior lawyer a week back.. I will join post grad in the next sem.. " RK said smiling.
"Why? Then what did you do all this while?" she asked confused.
"I don't know.. Honestly I did nothing.. " RK said shrugging.
"Why?" Dipali asked a slightly angry.
"you know I had always thought to join dad's firm.. But after all that happened... " he stopped midway. "Well I nearly lost all hope but then Madhu shook the brains in me, to plan something.. So I joined under Adv Khurrana" RK completed.
"don't tell me it's the same Khurrana I am suspecting.. " she asked with widened eyes not believing but RK nodded his head with a naughty glint in his eyes.
"Oh my god that's crazy.." Dipali said as they both burst into a laugh. It felt good laughing with each other after an year. It felt like old times.
As the laughter died down Dipali felt a tear trickling down her cheek as she felt the hurt that everything changed so badly.
"Why have you come back RK? " she asked after a few minutes of silence.
"To see if you are fine.. And.." he stopped midway. Dipali looked at him expectantly. "And to say Good bye" he completed
Dipali looked at him for a few seconds and then a strange smile played on her lips as if laughing at her fate as she shook her head.
"I am sorry Dipz.. I wish nothing of this sort had happened.. I wish I had protected you from my own father's devilish side... I wish I didn't have to sit here guilty but it did happen and we are here.. But in all this the truth is that.. We have changed.. I am not that RK anymore whom you loved.. I am a completely changed man.. The innocent, and carefree RK is nowhere now.. It's the wounded and hate filled Rishabh now.. Hardened by the storms that have shook my world.. A lot more happened after you went away.. A lot more wounds were inflicted on me.. And I had lost to them and succumbed.. I had lost myself to the evil my father inflicted in my life, unless she came along.. I owe this life to her now.. She made me stand again.. In front of myself, in front of my family and in front of you.. It's her strength that has made me come all this way. . I can hardly imagine myself without her now.."
"You don't love me now? " she asked with a sarcastic laugh.
"I don't know.. But I can't imagine to breathe without her.. She is my life support now.. And trust me dips.. You don't love this me.. It's darker than the one you knew.." RK said looking at her.
Dipali nodded her head. "I know RK.. I knew your answer in the morning itself when she gave me that book.."
"How? " he asked confused.
"You wrote 'we' would be waiting for you and I knew its not my RK coming to take me back.. And honestly speaking Even I have changed.. Even I am not the Dipz you knew.. Life has turned upside down and I have changed to the extent of not recognising myself.. Only remembered the old me today when I saw that book.." she laughed slightly.
"the biggest motive of my life now is to become the most successful lawyer and beat Balraj Kundra one day.. He threatened my father and I swear I won't let things go that easily.. As for us.. It used to be my priority once but not now.. I hardly know if I can even love the way I did anymore.. " she said looking at him helplessly.
"trust me you will love more fiercely.." RK said with an assuring smile and Dipali broke into a smile hearing him. She knew he said that because he loves Madhubala that way.
"Is it good to fall in love like that? " she asked curiously.
"It's scary to be dependent on someone that way but it has its own high and passion.." RK said with a smirk. They both laughed slightly.
There was silence again for a few minutes. "she is nice.. " Dipali said with a bright smile and RK could see it was a genuine smile.
"Yes she is.." RK smiled nodding his head.
"Did you tell her ?" She asked.
"Well.. Not yet.." RK pursed his lips nervously
Dipali laughed hearing him. "That's why she thinks we would get back together.."
"Yes.. She was quite excited to reunite us.." RK said shaking his head at her as if it was something silly. Dipali too broke into a laugh as she too felt the same.
"If only she understood we are two different people now.." She said thoughtfully. They both accepted this truth but it did pinch them some where.
"You should tell her.." Dipali said smiling again.
"Yeah.." RK said nodding his head. "Yes i would.."
"And I mean soon" she said as if warning him.
RK laughed seeing her. "yeah I would.. Sooner than you expect.." he said assuring.
"she was upset when she left you here.. "Dipali said looking at him.
"Come on you noticed her and not me. Even I was upset" he said acting offended as he tried to lighten the environment.
Dipali broke into a laugh hearing him. "Come on then.. Let's not keep you both any more upset." Dipali said standing up while RK followed her with a smile. They both finally felt lightened. As if a burden was taken off their chest.
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RK and Madhu were now sitting in the car again. Dipali had taken their leave a few minutes back but she didn't say anything in front of Madhu because she knew RK wanted to tell her everything himself. Now Madhu was sitting frozen, she was kind of nervous to be with RK now, he felt a stranger suddenly. RK on the other hand was feeling utterly light. It felt so unburdened today.
"Madhu.. Let's go and eat.. We didn't eat all day.. I am dying now" he said happily as he drove away.
Madhu looked at him. How happy he looked. So relaxed. His voice was so excited. She smiled slightly as she was happy for him but her heart had an ache. She looked out of the window trying to drown her tears.
They checked in a hotel. "Why are we here?" She asked confused.
"We need to get fresh too Madhu.. Don't you think so..? " he asked back as of implying her to be stupid.
"Mr. And Mrs Kundra.." he said at the counter.
Madhu looked at him nervous. It didn't feel right anymore. Isn't it Dipali's right? RK looked at her as he raised his eyebrows asking what happened. She just shook her head and looked away.
They both entered the room now. While RK walked around excited whistling to himself every now and then, Madhu sat near the window stealing glances at him occasionally.
"Madhu.. You go and freshen up first.. And be fast " he said as he took his cellphone looking at it intently.
Madhu walked off without saying a thing. She didn't feel like speaking much suddenly. She didn't feel like being here. RK knew what was making her like that but he thought to let it happen. Because he wanted to see the ultimate delight and joy on her face when he tells him what she is to him.
"This is the last time you are going to be upset Madhu.. I promise.." he whispered to himself.
Madhu was now standing in front of the mirror. She looked at herself and so many emotions started to build in her. She forwarded her hand and reached out to touch the reflection of her lips on the mirror, remembering the kiss they shared last night. Tears started to pour out of her eyes as she realised what she has lost today. She slouched on the floor as she let her tears silentl
It had been an hour now and RK had gone somewhere as Madhu sat in the room alone thinking how her life has now changed. She tried to imagine her life without RK now but couldn't do so. She didn't even know what will she do now. She wanted to call her dad but then she knew it would just upset him. And after all it was her decision to carry out all the things that she planned with RK. She just can't drag him into it, not until everything settles. Then after all this ends she will obviously return to get dad and tell him. She was still do in thoughts when RK entered the room hastily.
"Hey Madhu.. Did you eat anything? " he asked worried.
"No.." she said as if she had to be reminded for that.
"okay my bad.. I am sorry... But we can have lunch at the small party we are going have.. " he said smiling naughtily.
"party?!" Madhu looked at him confused.
"yes... It's gonna be just.. "
"Oh. Is it for dipali?" she interrupted suddenly.
RK looked at her for a few seconds. "am yeah.. Kind of.. Yes Dipz is gonna be there.." he said quickly making up.
"Oh nice.. " she said putting up a smile.
"But see.. I got something for you..." he said stepping towards her nervously.
"for me? " she asked confused and a little delighted.
"yeah.. I am sorry if you don't like it.. I am not much experienced in all this.. But I got whatever I felt could match up to your radiance.." he said forwarding her the packet. Madhu looked at him dumb struck as she took the packet. Her eyes as if living a dream.
"Thanks " she said looking at him in a daze.
"can you be like ready in half an hour.. Not that I can't wait longer but it would be good if you got ready earlier.." he said winking at her.
Madhu quickly nodded her head. RK gave his devilishly charming smile and walked out.
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OK so.. I didn't want to keep Dipali as vamp because if I did that then it would have been proved that RK's parents were right in what they did.. And RK's position would have been weak.. He might not have loved Dipali as much as he thought but he took pride in the relation.. And all his anger towards Balraj was that he considered their relationship so low as to be just physical attraction.. And that was the reason RK slept around in stubbornness so as to prove to Balraj that his feelings were deeper.. And if Dipali turned out to be wrong it would have broken him..
Edited by k.atrina75 - 9 years ago
