AvNeil TS-Fragile Love (Part 2 on page 5) *Complete* - Page 4

This chapter is for all those who wanted me to write a part 2. Sorry for the delay and hope you enjoy it. The title is an inspiration from the poem Sold Bodies by Mohammed Sadriwala, Navaldeep Singh, Simar Singh. Do watch the recitation of this beautiful poem by Kunal Kapoor. 👏

I tried writing in point of views form after a long time😳

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The Lost Body

*Neil's POV*

I was wrong when last night I assumed that I would sleep peacefully. Neela Maa had forced me to go to sleep at some 4 o'clock, but I had only tossed and turned till around 6. I wanted to rush in Avni's room, but I knew she was sleeping. Slowly, sleep did overcome my wandering thoughts and when I opened my eyes at 10, the first thing I thought of was Avni. I rushed to her room and didn't find her there. Neela Maa had left for her office and I was sure Avni hadn't accompanied her.

"Avni? I called out to her as I heard the washroom door's knob open. She stepped out of the washroom dressed in the black dress she wore that night. Seeing her in the dress was enough to bring me back to the reality, that she was still not ready to let go her past. Fisting my palm, I looked in her eyes. She smirked and walked to the mirror. It was as if she was challenging me and was in no mood to accept defeat!

"What the hell is this Avni? Tumhe ek baari mein samajh nahi aata kya? Thank God Neela Maa ghar pe nahi hai, I stood behind her and spoke, looking at her reflection. Surprisingly, I wasn't shouting at her, my voice had anger, but I didn't raise my voice. I guess even I had an agreement with the fact that she wasn't ready to move on.

She gathered her hair on her left shoulder, revealing her white skinned back with red marks on them. Those weren't just marks for her, those were dark memories. My hands trembled as I ran my fingers on her back, tears gathering in my eyes.

*Avni's POV*

I winced as Neil touched my wound. My lips were trembling and tears had prepared to fall off my eyes, but no! For Neil, I had to do this! He didn't need to stay with a s**t like me, he had a life, and for him, I was ready to let him go!

I controlled my tears and turned to look at him. Was he staring at my body, this was the first question that came in my head as I looked in his eyes. But no! The Neil I had left back was still the same.

"Teri aankhein baat karti hai, aur meri aankhein sunti hai

He used to say. He was still staring in my eyes, questioning me of my attire. I guess even he knew I wasn't comfortable. Gone were the days when I wore off-shoulder dresses, now, even revealing an inch of my skin seemed like experiencing hell.

"Don't you want to know how men f**ked your girlfriend? I asked him, smirking. Tears threatened to fall off, again. It was as if someone threw pieces of hot coal on my stomach and had held my mouth tightly, not letting me speak.

"Don't you want to know how I died every minute for you? He questioned me back.

*Neil's POV*

I knew I wasn't strong enough to let her speak of her past. The only option I was left with was to change the topic. After all, it takes huge courage to fight the memories of the heinous dreams of your girl being raped every night.

She tried to retort but words failed her. I held her by shoulders and pinned her to the nearest walls. Anger was surging inside me and I knew I wouldn't be able to control it.

"Can you stop punishing yourself? I asked her.

"You saved me from that hell Neil, what about this one? She pointed at her body.

It pained me to hear her call herself hell. I moved away from her. She fell on the ground like a broken glass. The anger in me died down as I knelt down before her.

She wrapped her arms around me and cried. I held in my arms, hoping that my presence didn't remind her of those bas***ds, or that she doesn't misunderstand my love for her.

"They f**ked a corpse, Neil, all of them Avni spoke after a long silence.

"Main unke aankhon mein lust dekhti thi, toh maano jaise mera jism mujhiko dhoka deta hai, aur sirf meri saansien chalti thi, dhadkan chalti thi,aur dimaag? It would just die!

She continued speaking of how she and the other girls were mistreated, or should I say, killed, every minute, but I wasn't registering anything that she was saying. I just stared at her. I doubted whether my eyes were emoting Love, because all I felt was fear of losing her, again. I don't know why that fear came to me, but yes, I feared to lose her.

As I recalled our last night's conversation and her changed behavior today, I realized that she too, feared me leaving her, that I would stop loving her, for the trauma she has gone through. That like the world, I would judge her.

Damn! How could she think that!

"I love you Avni! I interrupted her, surprised that I voiced my thoughts aloud.

*Avni's POV*

I stared at him, startled. My heart was beating fast against my ribcage. My breathing was faster. Here I was talking about my past and this guy! A smile formed on my lips, correction my injured lips.

I looked at his face. Still the same beautiful face! Everything except me was still the same. Here I was trying to push this man away from me, and he? He was more interested in healing me.

"Neil, can't you see? Tumhare aage ek future hai! A future filled with hope and Love. Move on with someone who you deserve.

"I deserve you Avni, mujhe aur koi nahi chahiye, tumhare liye teen saal ka wait kiya hai maine, aur todhi der aur sahi, par haan, main wait karunga, tab tak, jab tak tum mujhe apne life ka hissa banane ke liye tayyar ho,

"Main khud ke toote hisse jod nahi sakti, Neil! I spoke with pain in my voice. He held my hand and helped me stand.

He took me to the mirror, adjusted my hair to hide my wounds. None of us spoke. The sweet memories of us came back to me. I wish I could just go back to the past.

"We can't go back there, but we can definitely walk away from this, and trust me, for once, running away won't hurt. He smiled between his tears. It was as if he was reading my mind.

I remembered the sleepless nights I had spent when no men used me to satisfy his hunger, the nights that I spent wondering if Neil and Neela Maa would accept me back in their lives. Slowly, I started feeling like a fool to push them away. I knew surviving without the two was next to impossible for me, yet I was pushing them away, thanks to my insecurities. Was Neil right when he said that I am growing selfish?

I turned. I remembered being sent to Delhi, courtesy the raids in the red light area. I had laughed and told Ashfaq then, that MY Neil would save me and the other girls. I had mocked him and he had slapped me. I was still mocking him.

"I ran away the day they kidnapped me. My thoughts came back to you, every minute. I laughed at them when you almost reached them, I laughed at them when you helped so many girls, and I prayed for you, I was physically there, but emotionally, I was here Neil, with you and Maa. You are right, running away doesn't hurt."

Neil had smiled. Maybe the thought of him being my strength made him a little happy and had reduced his guilt. Seeing him smile, I smiled back.

A few moments, Neil pushed me in the washroom to change. I undressed and stared at my wounds. I touched them. Neela Maa had consulted a doctor who had assured her that the physical wounds will heal. She was right. I was healing.