PART 3B
She was crouched on the garden, her knees drawn in to her chest. Bending over her knees, her long hair fell down in soft waves over her shoulders - hiding her face. But he could hear her distinctive sob - it clenched his heart.
He crouched down beside her and laid a hand on her shoulder - surprised that she hadn't gone still at her touch, "Naira" he called softly, her name almost a caress.
She didn't look up, but she also didn't ask him to go away. Taking that as motivation he continued, "why did you do that?"
Silence.
Sighing, he got up and walked in front of her, crouching down in front of her,, he placed his palms over her wrists. She seemed to be aware of his touch, but she didn't brush his hand off.
Realising that it would be almost impossible to have a sane conversation if she didn't even look at him, he urged, " Naira, look at me"
Big mistake.
Her big black eyes were pools of tears. Her usually expressive face was bereft of expression. Her tears ran down her cheeks and her lips were quivering.
He gulped. He didn't know what to do - what to say, but he did know that watching her like this disturbed him. Deeply. He wanted to brush those tears off, but more than that he wanted to make the cause of those tears disappear. So that she could and would always be happy.
Her past - and what had happened, it was clear that was troubling her, but what?
Frustrated that he couldn't do a thing about that without knowing the real reason, he settled with the present. Deciding to deal with this in the best way he knew, he cleared his throat and tried to put on an irritated expression, " what was the need for that??"
Her sadness changed to confusion.
So far so good.
"Inside with Rukmani daadi. Why did you do that. Now you've jeopardised my job" he finished. She looked iritated and opened her mouth to say something, but maybe he did such a pathetic job of masking his concern for her that she saw right through his act.
"mendak" she muttered, shaking her head. A hint of a smallest smile creeping up her lips.
Kartik chuckled along with her, dancing with joy internally for having got that hint of a smile on her face,
She stood up suddenly, he got up along with her " nice try" she said, looking him straight in the eye. He feigned ignorance
Without saying a word, she turned around to go back inside.Leaning forward, he quickly grabbed her hand.
" let me go" she said, in her nonchalant voice. He knew it wasn't nonchalant.
"No"
" what do you want Kartik, I am tired" she said, still facing away from him. He knew it wasn't physical tiredness. She was mentally, emotionally tired.
He clenched his jaw, and tightened his grip on her wrist. Wincing, she tried to wriggle free from his grip, He had little time. If not today, it would never happen. So he decided to take the issue head on,
" why did you run away from home?"
She went completely rigid.
Three. Two. One he counted mentally
" none of your business" she spat like he knew she would. He chuckled humourlessly, shaking his head, " too late"
"Huh?"
Catching her by her shoulders, he whirled her around to face him. Meeting her eyes, he said, " I said it's too late. I have made it my business"
Naira looked down at his hands on her shoulders.
I have made it my business. He said. Why did he care so much? No, Naira knew and had accepted by now that he cared. A lot. The real question was, why did that make her happy.
Irritated with herself, she quickly rearranged her features, " stay away from my life" she barked. She could see he was getting irritated with her iciness.
Good. Exactly as she had intended.
"if you can trust me, then why can't you trust your mother, goddammit??" Kartik snapped. He didn't want to do it this way, but the girl was being so damn stubborn that he couldn't control himself. Ever since he had heard her the other day at the church, he had understood that there was serious misunderstanding between Akshara aunty and Naira and that was the reason Naira had left home. If he could just get the two to talk, he believed it would get better. Akshara aunty would be happy. Naira would be happy.
Naira would be home!
Naira stumbled at the mention of her mother. All those years. All those memories came tumbling back again. She swayed with the heaviness of those feelings. To say they were overwhelming would be an understatement. The mother that she had loved and trusted. The mother whom she secretly thought was the perfect woman, but would never admit out loud. The mother whom she loved dearly had wanted to turn her into the police for a crime she didn't commit.
And because of that she had grown up an orphan. Only she knew the pain she had gone through all those years, and yet it was her fault that she ran away.
" I hate her" Tears sprang to her eyes. For the first time in her life, Naira was left speechless.
Kartik curled his fingers into fists. God! She was crying. He ached to take her in his arms. But he knew if he did that, she would go all rigid again and retreat into her shell, and he be damned if he let that happen.
Not today. Not anymore.
" hate? Was it hate that made you panic when Akshara aunty was kidnapped?" He pointed out, " stop being a stubborn prick Naira, and open your eyes to what you have."
"Excuse me?" she said with great difficultly, very proud that her voice hadn't given away to sobs threatening at her throat. His words hurt more than she cared to admit
Just a little bit more, Naira, Kartik urged mentally. She could try as much as she wanted to put a brave face, but he could read those eyes in an instant.
Telling himself that he was doing this for her, he said " you're just angry. And anger can be resolved. You are lucky to have this family, you are lucky to have Akshara aunty as a mother. Don't ruin it"
Tears stung her eyes. She didn't even bother looking away. Everyone. Everyone thought her mother was perfect. That it was all her. She was the stubborn one. She was being unreasonable. She wasn't ruining it.
Even Kartik?
It felt like someone had punched her in the gut. She angrily pushed his hands off her shoulders and stepped back from him, anger pulsed through her. It was so strong that she could either die from it, or kill for it " ruin? I am ruining it? What the hell do you know, mr. Kartik? Were you on that train? Did your best friend die? Did your mother think that you were the one who pushed her? Did your mother say she would turn you in to the police? Did you grow up an orphan? Do you have no one to love? No? THEN STAY OUT AND DON'T TALK TO ME"
Not caring for the ghostly look on his face; tears blurring her vision and anger pulsing through her body, she turned around violently to leave.
No sooner had she turned, She was pulled back hastily by warm hands. The movement was so sudden that she went straight against his chest.
He wrapped his arms tightly around her, locking her against his body. She struggled to break free " let me go" she shouted, pushing him with all her might. He didn't budge, " cry, Naira. Let go. I am right here" he said softly, gently stroking her hair.
Naira felt herself relax in his arms, her sobs coming freely now .She didn't want to, but she felt safe to let go and just be. His breath was warm against her hair, his voice soft and his words caring.
" Itne saare log" she muttered, her words broken, her whole body shaking with her sobs, " but still all alone"
" I am right here"
She looked up, he was smiling down at her. She met his eyes, and found tears glistening around the corner of his eyes. Her breath caught in her throat as the enormity of his words sinking in.
At Hrishikesh with the children. Saving nanu. Anmol. Her mothers kidnapping. The qawwali completion. Her dress zip. Taking the blame at the police station. The dance competition forms.
He had always been and would always be there for her. No matter what.
He raised his brows questioningly at her - as if asking her what she was thinking. She shook her head with a smile - she had a feeling he already knew.
" talk to your mother, Naira. You deserve it" he said, stressing on the you.
She didn't say anything. He didn't need an answer.
Feeling at peace after a long time, she closed her eyes and buried her head on his chest.
****
Author notes
1: phew!! That was super long and tiring. Hope you guys liked it.
2: lets just assume that all these incidents (dress zip - at a rehearsal, police station and dance forms) happened before the Christian wedding, shall we. Because I need the Christian wedding for the next part! :)
3. Kartik's feelings and PoV to follow in the next part
4: so I am almost done with this. Just one more part and an epilogue.read and review pl.
Thanks,
Mridzy
Cricket
Indian Mythology
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