Akdha FF: Feast of Memories (On Hold) - Page 8

Chapter 15: A Little Change In Scenario

We were all prepared for the shoot. I had noted that Jalal was actually good at his work. He knows how to handle stuff.

"Take a little left, Vikrant." Jalal told him. Vikrant did so.

"How are you even dealing with this guy. He's not even professional model." Diya, one of his friends at creatives in advertising asked. She told him with the poses and explaining the scenario. I guess, the major reason for Vikrant to be that way was that Jalal was the photographer. Tarun and Daisy were just over the cloud that they were in this shoot.

"I think we got a good one." Payal, the editor suggested.

"Good. I think we should take a few more. You see this angle is a little odd." Jalal told her.

"We can edit that part." She assured.

I don't know how many photographs were taken.

Jalal Ali Sheikh, recently had taken over almost everywhere in my life. One, the way he speaks to me sometimes like he had always known me. Two, the fact that my heart does something when he smiles. He has a beautiful smile. Three, the fact that he feels so close to my heart. There is this weird feeling in my chest around him. I know I'm comfortable but also slightly nervous.

It was late by the time everyone finished their parts and a little work was left. I had noted that Jalal had a habit of not leaving something unfinished. When it comes to art, he's one who likes perfection in his art. It was just Vikrant, Jalal and me. Our shoot was happening in a hillside.

"This place is rumored to have like some hardcore thieves hiding. I can't even believe we have stayed so late here. It is like almost begging to be killed." Vikrant complained.

"For once in your life be a little cooperative, Khurana. You don't have to keep complaining all the time." Jalal taunted him.

"I am brought up rich, Jalal Ali Sheikh. I never had to walk like a middle class man in this manner to find a ride back home." He complained.

"If you think that we're all not brought the same way then please do remember that we're brought exactly the way you were, Khurana. So, shut up and keep walking if we're not complaining." Jalal told him.

"You're not going to say anything, Jodha?" Vikrant asked me.

"Vikrant, I just want to go home. Unless we walk a little fast, we're not going to find a cab to take us back home. Please walk faster." I told him.

"I don't know what he is doing to you that you're becoming like him. Where's the spoilt girl who knew her worth?" Vikrant asked.

"What could possibly make you think that he is anywhere near a good boyfriend material, Jodha?" I asked.

A little ahead, we found a cab.

"There's the last cab. Fast." I told them. Everyone started walking fast. Vikrant was first to reached. Suddenly, on a motorcycle, three people came up. They grabbed me. Jalal was first to react.

"Let her go." He warned.

"Don't be smart with me. Give us all the money you have." They threatened him. Jalal took out his wallet and kept it down. Vikrant did the same. Jalal had a dangerous look in his eyes.

"I am going to only say this once, man. Let her go. If there is even a single scratch on her, I'll rip you apart." Jalal threatened him.

"This is not the time to be a hero, pretty boy. Just do as they say. We're all under attack." Vikrant shouted at him.

"You can be a coward as you like, Vikrant. I'm not like you." Jalal answered. Jalal's eyes met mine. I don't know how, but, I knew what he was trying to convey. He signaled me to twist his arm. I moved from the free side, grabbed his arm and twisted it. Turning to face the man, i kicked him between his legs. Jalal punched the man next to him on the face and he fell down. It was a matter of few minutes and around seven or eight men came over.

"You did all this mess and now we're all going to be killed." Vikrant complained. We were all gathered. Jalal had started fighting them. I noted that he was good at fighting. The moment Vikrant found an escape, he shot off with the last cab.

"Now, your friends ran off with the last cab. Who is going help you?" The men asked.

"I should be asking you that question. Who is going to help you now?" Jalal asked them. He grinned. Before I knew, Jalal was beating black and blue out of the men. He kicked one of them between the legs, kneed the next one on his gut, punching third one on the face. He picked up a stone and threw it at fourth one. He crashed the fifth one against the sixth one and kicking away the seventh man. I picked up the stones and attacked them, helping him myself. I guess my aim wasn't bad because they seemed to hit my aspired target.

"Does you phone have battery?" He asked.

"Yes." I gave him my phone. He dialed a number.

"Hello, Kartik sir. This is Jalal." He spoke... "Yes. I have been left with some thieves here at Saryek hill....." he went on, "no, no. I came for work. Got a little late and had an encountered. No. I'm not hurt. I'll send you the location of these people." He nodded as he got a reply one the phone. "yes, sir." He went up towards the bike and checked the petrol. "I guess only a little petrol is there. Alright. Thanks."

He then sent the current location to the number.

"Kartik Pathak, he's the CI. My best friend's uncle. He's sending people to take care of them and leave us back home. Though, till then we'll have to stay here." He said.

"Thank you. You got into all this for me. I'm sorry for the trouble." I apologized. Vikrant actually ran off after getting scared.

"When you love someone, you just naturally would do anything for them." He told me. We sat down nearby a tree till then. I had never felt so safe with anyone before like this.

"Are you hurt?" I asked him.

"A bit of bruises. Nothing to worry about." He assured. I felt really tired and closed my eyes to sleep.

"Now stop being angry. It is not my fault that they attacked." He tried to get me to speak to him. Clearly, I was angry at him for something. We were sitting on a bullock cart. He wore a brown tunic. He looked really handsome.

He put his head on my shoulder. I tried to get off him but he put his arms around me and rest his head on my shoulder. The man in front of us gave him a look. Jalal just sighed.

"Shauhar hai hum unke." He assured the man. The man's look instantly softened. He guessed it was a petty marriage squabble. After all we weren't very old. Around 20 years old. He chuckled.

"What did you do to make her angry?" The man asked.

"I'd say, I have a silly habit of getting into a fight. She doesn't find it amusing. A group of thieves attack and I fought them. She's much of a soft non-violent person so naturally, the fighting didn't sit well with her. She said it would have been done with if we just gave them the gold and left our way but I didn't want to do that. Now, how can I sit calm when the man is threatening and forcing to take my wife's jewellery." He explained.

"I think you don't describe that as a small fight, husband. I'd say you almost didn't leave them till they were almost dead. You don't fight, you instantly get into 'battle' mode and almost have their heads off." I taunted him. He chuckled adorably at that.

"Jaan, how can I let him get away with daring to touch you? Let's say that I am quite old fashioned enough to say that I don't like any other man laying his fingers on you. You're mine." He replied with a grin but also had a hint of possessiveness.

"Not everyone has a husband who loves his wife that much, lady. You're lucky to have such a protective husband." A woman next to him commented. Jalal shrugged his shoulders and grinned.

"I'm not the only one who thinks you're lucky to have me." He teased.

"I'd appreciate if you let go off me. I don't want to amuse you with romance." I whispered to him.

"I can't help it. How is a man, who has someone as beautiful as you as his wife, supposed to keep his hands off his love?"

Regardless of my complains, I knew that there was no place in the world more safe for me than his arms. If I were to be brutally honest then I'd give away all my wealth to have the chance to stay in his arms like this forever.

The bullock cart stopped at our destination. He jumped off first. I inched to the end. He put his hands on my waist and helped me down. I'd say that it is the feeling of being young that you love being touched by the man you love. A beautiful palace was in sight. We walked inside, he suddenly pulled me in a corner, next to a wall.

"You're still angry?" I asked.

"A bit." I crossed my arms on my chest. He chuckled.

"I have a brilliant idea on how to melt you anger. All I need is a little co-operation on your part." He teased. His eyes whispering the message of his mischief. He softly started kissing my neck. My reaction was just uncontrolled. I entangled my fingers in his.

Very nice update didu plz continue it soon

Thanks for the update dear.. it was too good.. our hero never fails to protect his love.. now jodha is also getting glimpses of their old lives.. can't wait to see her reaction.. wish she realizes soon that vikrant doesn't deserve her.. i think she knows it too well but is so entangled in her web.. really looking forward for it.. thanks for the update..❤️

did jalal remember those or jodha started getting those flashes....nd hope she realises that vikrant is good for nothing 😞

Thanks for the update. Vikrant not deserve Jodha. He ran away scared. Jalal fought for Jodha. Did Jodha got those flashbacks? Excited for next chapter

Chapter 16: Just As Loving As Cruel

I looked at it and saw her sleeping peacefully with her head on my shoulder. She seemed quite tired after all the work. For the first time since we had met, we resembled something that we had been previously. If I could, I'd wrap my arms around her. A calm washing over her face. She looked ethereal.

"Someone is sleepy." I teased.

"I'm just so tired. Let me sleep. Go away." She threw a pillow at me. I laughed as I picked up the pillow and walked to her bed. "You're not any different from a troublemaking child. Please let me sleep." She almost whined. I laid down on her bed next to her. I was about to say something when she put her hand on my mouth. "I want to sleep. You can either stay quiet and lay down here or go chat with all the other people in the harem."

Her eyes were very sleepy. She always makes me want to kiss her. I pulled her over me and wrapped my arms around him. She smiled in her sleepy state and slept on top of me. She was so soft and warm that it make me not want to leave the bed and just stay there for a long time.

"The wild cat is too sleepy to play." I said to myself.

Not much had changed when she sleeps. She's still the beautiful girl. My hands almost itching to wrap myself around her but moral lines making it difficult. I then saw the jeep arrive. I softly picked her up and walked to the jeep.

"Jalal Ali Sheikh..." I saw Kartik Pathak. He was Parth's uncle. He sat in the jeep as the police officers under him quickly put up the men who attacked in the other jeep.

"Thank you, uncle." I thanked him.

"Do tell me, son. How is it that you always end up near trouble?" He asked me with an amused expression. "Your new girlfriend?"

"I don't purposely go find trouble, it just follows me. I wish she was my girlfriend but sadly she's not." I explained to him. He chuckled. He looked at the way Jodha comfortable snuggled against me. "Don't give that look. If she was awake, she throw curses for sleeping over me like that."

"Anyway. I hope you're not injured much." He said.

"I'm fine." I nodded.

"Where does she live?"

I gave him the address. He first drove to her home.

"Jodha..." I woke her up slowly. She slowly woke up. "You're here at home. Chalo.."

I helped her up. She was still very sleepy. She almost stumbled a bit.

"I had almost been scared." Her father stood up. He saw me and Jodha and looked a little confused.

"We got a little late while working, having to finish the whole thing. Some thieves had come up and attacked. So, we had to wait for the police to help us." I explained the whole thing to him.

"Aakash, do your interrogations later. Jodha is almost dead sleepy. Let her rest for now." Jodha's dadi told and took Jodha with her.

"Thank you for helping her, Mr Ali Sheikh." Aditya Singh, Jodha's grandfather said. When I looked at him, he seemed like a man who knew a lot. Yet, the fact that he was making a son in law his heir rather than his granddaughter was a little confusing. He offered me his hand. I took it and shook hands with him. He was not meek or anyone to easily push down. A simple handshake proved it. On a regular instance, when a man brings your granddaughter home alone, you're a little irritated by that man or doubtful but the look in his eyes was that of a man who was succeeding in something. I was very familiar with that look. He was a man of plan. I've always been good at reading people. His confidence when he met my eyes made me question his ways. He was here, supportive of his granddaughter but then when it came to her ambitions, he was offering her dream up on a platter to another man. What was he planning?

Then I took my leave. Kartik uncle dropped me home as well.

I laid down on my bed. As much as I tried not assume much about her sleeping on me earlier, I couldn't stop. She was so comfortable. Almost reminded of Heer. I was really to have that small sign that maybe, just maybe, she feels a connection. She does say that she feels so comfortable with me and the way I know so much her makes her so confused but there was never a certain sign from her that she accepts it. So comfortable that even Kartik Uncle assumed that I was her boyfriend.

I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

I sleepily woke up with the sound of a call. Without looking at the ID, i picked it up.

"Hello..." I groaned.

"Umm... hello..." I almost fell off the bed in shock. "I'm sorry. I'll call you later. I don't know what I was thinking calling you at this hour..."

"Its okay... anything you want to say?" I asked resting my arms on the bed. Jodha calling me at 3 am is a surprise.

"No, no... its nothing. I'm sorry..." I could now see her reaction screaming 'Abort mission'.

"Jodha, you woke me up at 3 am for nothing? I was having a good sleep and you disturbed it. Now you just want to go off saying it was nothing? How sadistic is that?" I teased. She chuckled.

"I guess, I slept a lot and lost sleep now. I wanted to say that thank you so much for bringing me home safely. I mean..." She was nervous. She wasn't sure what she wanted to say. It brought a smile to my face. I could imagine her pacing in her room. She was probably fidgeting by now.

"Jodha, can you stop fidgeting with your dress and tell me what you called me for?" I asked.

"I.. I am not.. fi..fidget. What makes you assume that?" She denied.

"I'll throw a cliche line at you, Miss Singh. 'Denial isn't just a river in Egypt'."

She laughed. I knew that laugh. Almost melted my heart. She'd be having that smile on her face. She would tilt her head a little and give that shy smile.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to thank you. I was probably a trouble to care for. I am usually not so weird but yesterday I was really exhausted and..." She didn't know how to go on.

"Jodha, are you eating something to calm your nerves?" I asked.

'No..." She replied instantly indicating she must have quickly put it aside.

"Let me guess, cookies?" I guessed.

"Yes..." She answered, admitting.

"Dadu was making cookies today. I don't what made him suddenly decide that. Although they aren't crunchy or a cookie like, I mean that they're really soft, but they taste good enough." She answered.

"You called me just to say thank you?" I asked her. I laid down on the phone.

"Yes??"

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

"Just treading on unsure grounds with caution. So, whatever sounds better to you. Asking or telling."

"To be honest, I wish you had called to say something more..."

She laughed. That laughter was a sign that she was laughing about something knowing. I wanted to put my hands in her hair right now because I know she'd look so adorable.

"Do you want to sleep?"

"That depends on what you are going to say next."

That was it and we had spent almost two hours on the phone. She told me about a lot of thing. Her high school stories. Then some college stories. I had noted that she spent a lot of time with extra classes her father had put her through. She didn't complain much but she did admit that sometimes she used to be really jealous of her step sister who had a much more fun years.

"I mean I never really held it against him for long though but when people say that I'm not cut out for the place of my father, I feel like really angry. I feel that if I was a boy, they'd instantly accept me regardless of my qualifications but because I'm a girl, I constantly have to prove myself. The most difficult is dealing with men who thinks they're better than me because they're simple a different gender. I mean its 21st century. We can't have the same 15th century mindset."

"I'll tell you why. There is a general ideology that women are majorly emotional kind. They make decisions with their heart in a haste without thinking through. That's because the kind of environment that most boys grow up around. Mother's softest affections and extreme pamper. Sister's secret care in everything. I don't assume it is women's fault but most men take it for granted that all women are just as emotional and don't think. Its all about having to prove that you can take decisions with both heart and mind. You're perfect, Jodha. All it needs is a little nerve of steel and confidence in yourself. When you doubt yourself, the others get a chance to doubt you. Sometimes, it is important to take a stand on your own when you know you are right."

"You have that kind of faith in me when my own people doubt me."

"It is a test of your nerves, Jodha. No one wins by losing temper and being a wreck. The one who can maintain themselves, build up their anger as strength achieve their victory. Only when you have people blocking your path, you know that you're on the right track."

Though about Aditya Singh, I have a strong feeling that the man was upto something. I didn't tell her anything. While speaking to Jodha, I texted Parth. Parth was clever. He had his detective agency. There was nothing he can't dig up. He often works with his uncle to solve cases. MNCs pay him to do a background check of the people they were planning to employ.

Parth, I want to find out about Aditya Singh's details. I want information on him. I sent him the text.

It was just a few moments when his reply came. He was probably working.

As in Bhabhi's grandfather? He replied.

Yes. I don't want the general information. About his company matters and personal information. I texted back.

Although, do tell me, what is making you doubt him enough to have me investigate him? His text came instantly.

Well, we got stuck today so I had dropped her home. Her father gave the natural reaction to some boy bringing his daughter home but this man confused me. He seemed as if his plan was working. I confessed to him.

Alright. I'll bring his file in three days. Just be careful, Sheikh. Somethings are often a laid trap. Also, chachu and I both feel as if the attack was not one coincidence. Someone sent them to attack you all. He told me.

Now, things were getting a little serious.

Awesome chapter hope so jodha vikrant ko chor kar jalal ke paas aa jaye continue it soon