Chapter 3
On normal days, Bollywood Vista Office is like a pub in the daytime. It is so shiny and noisy that sometimes I feel that it was a bad idea to join full time. The only time I write peacefully is at home. But today, there is a silence spread over the entire floor since I walked in. Katherine's Office is locked from inside since morning. She hadn't come out to get her usual coffee. Even now, the meeting is going on. Aakansha whispered something to Shawn in the nearby cubicle. I wouldn't have listened if the word Aditya Hooda was not popped in their conversation.
I sat in front of my laptop frozen with a sudden fear and tried to listen to each and every syllable that fell down from Aakansha. Now I understand the reason behind the whole 'silence in the office' thing. Some new development has happened that I am not aware of. Katherine is in a high-level meeting with someone and its been going on for some time. Fear gripped me and I could feel the cold sneaking into my skin. I started sweating profoundly. When I interviewed Neethu, I was motivated by the rare opportunity to be a super girl to someone even though anonymously. I never thought about the consequences.
Even if I had thought about the consequences, I am sure I would have opted to do the same, I thought in defiance. It would have made Abbu proud. Also, how can I drop a chance to give it back to Aditya Hooda? Maybe I should resign and start my online freelancing work again. No more trouble. Come on Zoya, I chided myself. I am thinking too much. How can they ever link the tape with me! I am such a nonexistent person that, these big people won't even see me from their glass castles. I decided to take a break and get a cup of Coffee. I don't like coffee, but the walk to get the Coffee would get me some freshness and vigor.
Even before I could get up, Harilal came running to my desk.
'Ma'm, Madam is calling you to her Office.'
I gulped. Somehow, my senses told me that it is gonna be about Aditya Hooda and the tape. The unmistakable sympathetic look Aakansha and other interns gave confirmed my fear. That's why people were giving me all kind of weird looks since morning. I cursed myself for talking to Neethu at all that day. Al I wanted was to spend a day at the Office, doing my work and here I am, walking to Katherine's Office while everyone else looks on. My skin burned from embarrassment. The sweating, the nervousness, and the embarrassment made me look like a sick person. I gripped my dupatta's end with a such a firmness that I could feel my finger bones protesting it's every movement.
"Come in..." Katherine answered when I knocked her Office.
A person was sitting down in front of Katherine with his back facing me. I couldn't guess the person from behind. But he is a well-built person, slightly on the heavier side with a rich smell oozing out from him.
"Miss Siddiqui, Please take this and read it" Katherine's face was inscrutable.
The man sitting in front of Katherine turned around to face me. His tiny eyes focussed on me mercilessly and I know instantly that everyone in the room is aware that It is me, Zoya Siddiqui, who had recorded the tapes. But how?
Like a robot, I moved closer to Katherine's Desk and reached for the Folder Katherine was pointing. Even before opening it, I knew what was about to come. Maybe it is my intuition, but nothing good is going to come out of that folder and hell, I was so right. It is my termination letter with a waiver form, a waiver of my rights to go to court. Is it even legal?. With trembling hands, I try to hold the paper and read it. The letters appeared blurred. I don't think I can read it in detail while standing in front of them like a criminal. But how, how do they know, it's me?
"Hello, Zoya" The man muttered, with a smirk of a man who just hunted down his prey.
I looked at him with a baffled expression. Katherine cleared her throat and cleared the air for me.
"Meet Mr. Shah, Aditya Hooda's PA. He is one of our esteemed shareholders since yesterday."
That settles the matter. I could guess what could have transpired between him and Katherine. I understand, whatever offer she got on the table was the best offer Katherine could get for her. It would be wise to just sign and leave, and I want nothing better. I just want to be alone. In a city full of vices, what can a Zoya Siddiqui do? That too an orphan without any connection. I have no will and courage to fight now, all I want is to walk away and get back home and sleep. How do they know it's me? I have been careful with courier and digital footprints, still, how did they track me! Well, now it doesn't matter.
"Alright..." All I could manage was a resigned murmur.
Wiping off the tears with the back of my hand, I signed the documents in silence. An awkward silence filled the room, while I took the folder in the hand and started walking towards the door. Maybe Katherine expected some resistance from me and it reflected in her voice. She sounded surprised.
"Zoya..." I turned to look at Katherine.
"Harilal will get your stuff from your cubicle. Just take your bag. You can go to reception and return the ID" Katherine's voice was stern and polished but I could feel a slight trembling beneath the veneer.
I nodded and I guess she really appreciated the way I got out without making much fuss. Confrontations are never my thing. All I can do now is walk away from here, go home and never ever come back to this cursed Industry. I braced myself to face everyone outside. Well, all I have to do is to look down and walk straight. The real effort is to hide the tears one which I have literally no control. I was being fired from my first job ever and all thanks to Mr.Aditya Hooda.
***
This is the fourth round I am taking in this route around the apartment. I walked slower. My legs scream with tiredness and pain. With all the exhaustion, I might be looking like a huge tomato walking around. I tried visualizing me being a big tomato, just to wipe out all the other scary images from my head.
Don't worry baby. Why worry when Abbu is here. I tried to imagine what would Abbu say if he was here with me. Alas, what is the use of thinking the impossible? There is no place to run anyway. After walking around for many miles, I realized the deal Katherine struck for me. Maybe she would have agreed to fire me and keep me out of everything to keep me safe. A person who literally rules the movie industry isn't it possible for him to wipe out a little slum girl? Why did I decide to help Neethu in the first place?
My mind has split it into two. A part which admonishes me for being such a coward, for not giving it back to Katherine and Mr.Shah. The other side chides me for doing such a stupid thing and being at loggerheads with one of the powerful people in Mumbai. I think I don't have the courage. Of course, children with no parents will never have enough courage to stand up against anything. Ammi, why did you leave us? Ammi left me and Abbu long back that I don't even remember how she looks. Even if I wish, I can't bring her back to my life. I have no clue where she is.
The apartment entrance is close by, few more steps and I am there. My screaming legs need a break now. A quick bath, food, and sleep will fix everything. A sound of a sudden movement behind me caught my ear. Hairs in the nape of my neck stood up. Someone is following me. I stood still for a minute. It was a wrong move. Whoever was behind me would have got alerted that I know something is wrong. I dare not look back. I can see the watchman Govind sitting near the gate and reading a newspaper. A few more steps and I am home.
I willed myself to move faster keeping my eyes fixed on the watchman. It is a relatively empty curve on the road and whoever behind me must be on foot, or else I would have noticed earlier. I could see the watchman slowly getting up and going inside his room to pick up a call. I am almost there and my heart relaxed a little. An iron like grip caught my hand from behind paralyzing me with fear. Even before I get a chance to raise my voice, his other hand closed my mouth. The person moved me closer to the wall nearby slightly away from the passerby if any.
"Who the hell are you..." I started screaming the moment he took his hand off my mouth.
"Shhh"
Cold brown eyes pierced me behind a bicycle helmet and I stopped midway. The eyes look familiar. He pinned me harder towards the wall, hurting my back and shoulder.
"So you are the Zoya Siddiqui! Hi beautiful" He scoffed.
Unable to comprehend the situation, I looked around him. It is just one person, not a gang, thankfully. I feared the worst. Now that I know it is just one person, courage broke it's thin veil inside me and came out rather strongly.
"Who are you? Leave me, or else I will scream."
I lifted my leg to kick him in his balls. As if anticipating my move, he pressed himself hard on me. I tried to shake him off violently. No one is moving around that area, not even a taxi. There is no one I can call for help. The watchman is inside and he won't hear me anyway.
"Come on Zoya, try a little harder. Maybe you are skilled in only taping whining bitches."
Aditya Hooda.
I stopped moving and looked at the face partially covered in the helmet. Unmistakably it is Aditya Hooda. The unbelievability didn't alleviate my discomfort. Being physically assaulted by someone, and being physically restricted by someone, I am not familiar with any of these.
"Get off me. You bas***d"
His eyes flared and he grabbed both my shoulders.
"Why? So that you can go and record another testimony against me? I will show you how to abuse someone. Don't you want to record it? "
I looked at him blankly, unable to respond coherently. Fear, the physical proximity, the apparent tension in the air has made me speechless. I waited to see what his next word would be. Somehow I was confident that, he may not intend to do any harm to me yet. Maybe I can talk some sense to him.
"Mr. Aditya, I didn't..." He didn't let me finish. He brought his face closer to mine. I could feel his breath on my nose and my eyes widened in fear.
"Shut up you..." He swallowed the remaining words.
"I came here to see you, one last time before your bad time begins. I wanted to see the person who sent me to jail!" He smirked and I could feel the hatred emanating from him. Aditya's eyes hovered around my face for a few seconds before he said in a resolute voice.
"I will make sure, tomorrow you won't even have a jail to go to"
Aditya word's hit me like a knife. Whatever he meant, I knew he will do it. He loosened his grip on my shoulders. In a surprising move, he moved his one hand close to my face, slowly picked up a loose strand of hair, and tucked it up behind my ear. My face burned under his sight touch. Fear combined with an unknown feeling, my body shivered.
"Zoya, Let's play a game. You run, let me try to catch you." He gave a smile that lits up millions of billboards across the country and he cooed.
"Run Zoya run...Let me catch you" Is he mad?
is he mocking me? or is he trying to scare me? Is he drunk again? My body started shaking involuntarily and tears fell down to my cheeks without me realizing it. The sudden show of weakness might have induced some kind of pity in him, Aditya Hooda allowed a little breathing space between me and him. Taking advantage over that small gap in space and time, I pushed him with all my might. I hoped he had crashed on the road. I never looked back to see what happened to him, all I did was to run, run for my life, run from the beast called Aditya Hooda.
It took a few minutes for me to run and reach my apartment. I closed the door safely, putting the double safety locks and started screaming. The sharp piercing cry helped me to let go of some of the frustration. Where will I go for help now? Abbu, please help me. It took me an hour of screaming to get my sanity back. I took the phone to dial police and file a complaint. He can't get away with that. He can't get away with attacking a woman, he is an animal. But she stopped just before dialing, what if police find out her link with the tapes. Maybe they already know it. Maybe I should go to the police station directly. Maahi can come with me. Will she help?
I sat down near the door, expecting footsteps outside the door anytime. What should I do? I cupped my mouth in frustration and was hit with the smell of Aditya Hooda. When he was holding me against me, the smell might have rubbed off my hand. Or was I holding him? I don't remember. I went to the sink and furiously washed my hands off. I stopped when my hands turned red and itchy. No matter how I wash, his smell will never go away from my soul.
"Maahi.." I started my call with Maahi with a weepy voice and by the time I finished the call, I was sobbing inconsolably. I didn't mention Aditya Hooda's name. Now, I was not sure if it is him or not. Am I hallucinating? I decided to follow her advice about not going to police till tomorrow morning. Anyway, It is not fair to call at this time to come with her to the police station. Though she offered to come, I am better off alone with Abbu here. It is gonna be a long night with no sleep. Zoya lies down on the floor in front of her Abbu's photo and closed her eyes miserably.
***
Far away, in a beach facing Mansion, Aditya Hooda paced around his lawn sipping his whiskey. He ensconced himself in a chair and looked at the dark sea in front of him. All he could see was a pair of plain piercing eyes looking straight back at him. He took another long sip and closed his eyes.
***
Anupamaa
