VashmAy SS - Deceptions (Chapter 7 Page 4) - Page 3

The day all hell broke loose

He stirred in his sleep, groaning out loud at the unusual uneasiness. His head felt awfully heavy, his eyelids trying to catch up on an extra ounce of sleep. And his throat felt unimaginably dry; as if it had been constantly brushing against sandpaper. He could faintly hear a female’s voice at a distance, and his subconscious instantly identified it as Vashma’s. But why would she be here, this early in the morning, his mind reasoned.

Tired and confused, Uday finally decided to give up on sleep and squeezed his eyes open. It took him a second or two to adjust to his surroundings. He was still in his clothes from the previous night, all reeking from alcohol. The window in his room gave way to blaring rays of sunlight, his sky blue curtains bundled up to their sides. And then he noticed. A woman paced to and fro, speaking to someone in hushed tones.

With a frown, he sat upright and rubbed his eyes, “Vashma?”

She walked up to him, surprisingly in her nightwear with her hair piled up in a bun on the top of her head. “Hi.”

His lips curved into an inevitable smile, “Good morning.”

“Afternoon.” She corrected. “About time.” She raised a brow.

“I just love my sleep a little too much.” Uday boasted with humor.

Vashma walked up to him and sat on the edge of the bed, “Well, so did I until you ruined it last night.”

His brows furrowed in confusion, “What exactly happened last night? It all seems a blur.”

“You got drunk at some shady bar and I had to get you back home.” She informed.

Snippets of the previous night flashed past him, but there was nothing he could decipher properly. His head pierced with a pain that resembled a bad hangover.

“Thank you. And sorry, for ruining your night.” He mumbled, running his hands through his disheveled hair.

She merely smiled, and for a second he wondered whether she was real or just a figment of his imagination. She held a look of adoration; something he hadn’t been a recipient of from her. Had something changed last night?

“My throat feels so dry.” He tried to cough out the bile, all in vain. Vashma brought him a glass of water and it instantly reminded him of a similar vision. Had he been dreaming of her?

“Well you did say a lot of things last night.” She pointed out, handing him the glass.

He downed a few gulps, finally feeling a little at ease, “I probably didn’t mean any of it.”

Vashma caught onto his words and Uday watched her stutter a little, “What?”

“I was drunk, Vashma. There was no way I was making any sense last night.”

“Don’t people confess their deepest feelings when they’re drunk?” She asked.

He scoffed lightly, “Yeah, only in films. In real life, half the things you say don’t even mean anything.”

Her hands trembled and her lips quivered. She felt like such an idiot. Vashma was clinging onto words of hope that Uday had clearly deemed redundant. How could she have relied onto claims he made in a state of intoxication? And here she was, prepared to confess her feelings as well. He probably didn’t even remember what actually had transpired between them last night.

Trying to maintain the composure in her voice, she mumbled, “Of course.”

Standing up, she began to gather her belongings, slipping her phone inside her purse. “I need to get going now. I’ll see you later.”

She had only reached the threshold of his room when he called, “Vashma.”

Slipping out of bed, he walked up to her and waited for her to turn. Once she did, he asked, “Are you okay?”
His words sounded so sincere, his gaze so intense yet innocent that she could feel herself melt under its warmth.

Vashma barely muttered, not meeting his eye, “I’m okay.”

“Did something happen last night? Did I say something to upset you?” His words came out frantic, his orbs pooled with worry.

She had the chance to repeat all that he’d said to her the night before. She had the chance to confront him about his feelings. This could become something beautiful, a bond void of miseries and pain.

Vashma shook her head, “Nothing worth mentioning. I’m just a little tired and stressed about work.”

She couldn’t confront him. Vashma wouldn’t, not until she was completely certain of her feelings for him. Not until she could give a name to these feelings. Right now, she wasn’t sure. She knew he wasn’t either, for he refused to say anything in affirmation.

His gaze scanned her face, before taking her hands in his, “I’m sorry for troubling you last night.”

She sighed with wary, “How many times are you going to apologize for it, Uday?”

“Until you truly forgive me.” He answered.

She grasped his hands in reassurance and decided to confess what she was certain of. “I’m not upset with what happened last night, Uday. I’m happy I was there with you.”

He took one step closer until he could feel her breath on his neck. “I’m happy you were there with me. I don’t know what I’d do without you, Vashma.”

Vashma’s heart skipped a beat and hope flickered within her. Every time her hope would dwindle, he would say something that would reignite that within her, bringing a smile to her face.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you, Uday.” She repeated his words, sincerity brimming in her tone.

“I hope we never have to find out.” She continued.

“I hope we never do.” He agreed, letting go of her hand.

His heart started beating erratically, as if there was something his heart wanted to convey but he couldn’t.

In an attempt to make her stay, he called out again. “You know, one day I’ll return the favor.”

She held the door with one hand and turned around with a smirk on her face.

“Don’t hold your breath. I don’t get drunk, Uday.”

She heaved a deep breath, stirring in her sleep.

With another sigh, her subconscious appreciated the unusual comfort her bed and pillow gave her today. It’s when her pillow rose and deflated in perfect sync to her breathing that her mind alerted her. She could faintly sniff the scent of a musky cologne; a scent she identified quickly as Uday’s. Vashma fluttered her eyes open, only to see her hand on a hard male chest. She tilted her head up to see a sleeping Uday Sahani and her eyes widened in shock. When she tried to shift, his hand instinctively tightened around her waist, pulling her to him. She immediately blushed at their close proximity, wondering how they’d arrive in this position. She remembered going to a club the previous night and having a few drinks, but the rest of the night seemed like a blur to her.

Something seemed wrong. Vashma hadn’t had that much to get herself intoxicated beyond control.

She shifted again as her head throbbed with pain. He groaned at the forced movement, turning his head over his shoulder to face her. Vashma looked up at a snoring Uday Sahani and wondered how someone could look so innocent.

Before she knew it, she whispered, “Uday…”

“Mm...Vashma.” He mumbled under his breath. He had a distant smile on his face which made her ponder whether he had been dreaming of her.

“Uday, let go of me.” She tried to push his arm away.

He shook his head and frowned in his sleep, “I don’t want to.”

It was when he said words like these that her heart would leap into her hand and would persuade her mind into believing that he too was just as in love with her as she was with him. He’d said it once when he had been drunk, leading her to believe that he had feelings for him up until the bonfire incident. He was saying this again, in a state of sleep. His claims had proven to be deceptional, time and again, always confusing and misleading her. Who knew whether this was a genuine representation of his feelings?

Brushing these thoughts aside, she whispered, a little louder this time, “Uday, you’re not dreaming.”

He blinked his eyes open in a daze before realizing where he was and tersely shifted to the other side of the bed. Rubbing his eyes, Uday recalled the events of the previous night. After Vashma had fallen unconscious in the parking lot, he had taken her to her place. While he had been able to tuck her into bed without any resistance, she had refused to let go of his hand. One thing had led to another and he had ended up occupying the space beside hers, never realizing when he had fallen asleep.

“Vashma, are you okay?” He scanned her from head to toe, his orbs filled with concern as he checked.

“I’m fine. Just a heavy head and parched throat.” She informed. Before she could get out of bed to grab a glass of water and Advil, he handed them kept on the bedside table on his side, “I was prepared.”

She looked impressed with him and Uday’s heart filled with satisfaction and pride. As she guzzled down chugs of water, he broached the subject, “Do you remember anything from last night?”

“I remember not having enough alcohol to get myself drunk.”

“Yeah, what’s that about?”

She turned towards him, folding her legs underneath her as she investigated, “I was drinking within my tolerance level, I’m sure. But some weird effects kicked in after I hung up the call with you. I started feeling dizzy, my vision started to blur more often than not…” Her words trailed off as realization dawned upon the both of them.

“Uday…” She whispered, absolutely shocked.

“Your drink had been spiked, Vashma.”

----------

Once she recovered from her shock, she began to pace. “I don’t understand. Why would anyone spike my drink?”

“Do you suspect anyone?” She shook her head in response to his question. “I don’t remember having bad relations with anybody. Hell, I don’t even remember what exactly happened last night.” She clutched her hair in frustration.

Uday’s hands clammed together in nervousness as he reconsidered reminding her of what she had confessed to him the previous night. “Well you did say quite a few things.”

Vashma rubbed her forehead, her mind slightly distracted, “I was probably blabbering nonsense.”

His heart stuttered to a halt, “You didn’t mean any of that?”

“Any of what?”

He was at a loss for words. Uday didn’t know how to repeat things she now considered irrelevant.

Vashma walked up to him, “Uday, I was too hammered last night to have said something I really meant. I mean, I’m not the only one to abide by that theory.” she tapped lightly on his shoulder.

He knew what she was talking about. He had soon recalled that night. He knew it was unfair of keeping himself at advantage while holding her at gunpoint but he had to know.

And so when she turned around to do something, he stopped her. “You said you didn’t like Trisha.”

She turned around and he expected her to deny all that she had said about Trisha. Instead, she wore a determined face and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “That’s quite believable, actually.”
“What?” He stood alarmed and dumbfounded.

Vashma callously shrugged. “You’re right. I don’t like Trisha. She’s not my type.”

He mirthlessly chuckled at her judgment, “Not your type?”

“She’s the kind of girl who has no thought process of her own. The kind who’s nothing but a wannabe, the kind who looks for no one but hotshots like you.” She revealed with a scoff.

“You got all that from one meeting?” He raised one brow cynically.

“One meeting was enough to decode her character.” She curved her lips into a thin line.

“You know, you think she’s so shallow but here you are trying to get a makeover to look just like her, Vashma.”

“Yeah, because guys like you don’t appreciate anyone else but people with shallow character!” She vented out, regretting her words the next instant.

Her eyes widened in realization and her heart began to thump in her chest. The more she wanted to hide her secret, the more she was giving away.

“Uday, I need some time alone. I’ll see you at work.” She tore her gaze from his.

He clutched her wrist before she could escape, “I’m not leaving without answers, Vashma.”

She inevitably raised her eyes to meet his burning ones, “I didn’t mean what I just said.”

“You aren’t drunk anymore. You can’t use that as an excuse, Vashma.”

“Is that what you’re calling it? Is that how you escaped from owning up to things you said that night, Uday?”

Her eyes lit up with an intensity that burned through him. Uday gulped, fear overpowering every other emotion. She couldn’t have remembered, could she? She couldn’t have been relying on his drunken talks.

He chose to deflect. “Don’t turn this on me, Vashma.”

“I’m not giving you any answers when you can’t face my questions, Uday.”

When tried to walk away, he clutched her by her elbow, drawing her face-to-face. “You can’t just say something and expect me to act indifferent to it. Why does my appreciation matter to you so much? Why did you go through this sudden makeover? Who the hell are you trying to get over?!”

He bombarded her with questions, getting nothing but silence in response. She finally opened her eyes to the storm brewing in his, and murmured softly, “I’ve said this before. I’m saying this again. Not everything revolves around you, Uday. Whatever I’ve done, I’ve done for myself. Not to get some sort of petty approval from you.”

Her stone cold eyes pierced through his, slicing his very soul. A part of him wasn’t ready to believe her. Something in his heart told him that she was hiding something; something so big that had changed her into an austere version of herself. He suddenly couldn’t remember the last time he had seen her wholeheartedly laugh.

His eyes softened, searching through hers. “Then why does it hurt you so much?”

“I’ve grown impervious to pain, Uday. Honestly, I just wish to forget last night.” She turned away, looking nowhere in particular.

He felt his heart crumble for some uncanny reason, as if it had been crushed without having been given away. He wanted to say something, anything that would make him stay.

But she seemed adamant on making him leave. “I need some time alone, Uday.”

He swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded with difficulty. His steps retreated and he pulled the handle to her door.

For some reason this felt like a goodbye he was never welcomed to.

----------

Vashma shut her laptop screen, her headache being a constant companion to the otherwise morbid day. She never liked fighting with Uday; especially to the point where it put their friendship at stake. But she couldn’t grasp a hold over her feelings which plunged their relationship into a puddle that muddied them both.

She got up for some coffee, hoping that would relieve some of the lingering tension in her mind. On her way, she absentmindedly bumped into someone.

When Vashma looked up, a sense of relief flooded through her and she apologized, “I’m sorry Rajat. I dunno where my mind’s at today.”

“Still stuck at last night, perhaps?” His voice had a tinge of menace that alerted her.

“Excuse me?” Her brows furrowed in confusion, wondering how he knew of her whereabouts.

Rajat and her weren’t that close to be spilling their hearts out to each other. She hadn’t perceived Uday to have made it a public announcement either.

“You know…” He began, walking towards her. She retreated simultaneously, her instincts wary of his presence. “...you looked really hot in that little black dress.”

His words leered in her ears, making her feel dirty and cautious all at once. She hung onto his words, “You were at the club last night?”

“Of course I was.” He spoke slyly. “You go, I follow. I would never leave you alone, Vashma.” He began to caress her cheek and she flinched, stepping away from him.

Her frown deepened and her tone turned suspicious, “Why were you there last night?”

“How could I have missed an opportunity to see you lose control, Vashma?” He answered with a question, making her shudder.

His eyes had darkened with an emotion she recognized instantly. Lust. It didn’t take her long to connect the dots.

“You were the one who spiked my drink?!”

He sarcastically clapped his hands, chuckling in response. “Look at this. Beauty with brains. That’s a rare combination, don’t you think?”

She tried to control her temper and gritted through her teeth, “Why did you do that, Rajat?”

He ignored her question and instead commented, “You know, I’ve always been told that women from your kind are great in bed. So I thought, why not try for myself?” He sneered, forcing her to cower.

She didn’t surrender, but repeatedly blinked, realizing how he had effectively cornered her into a secluded part of their office. “My kind?”

“Yeah, women who follow your religion. The other kind.” He spoke in dramatically hushed tones, making her cringe. Vashma hadn’t expected discrimination on the grounds of religion amidst her work colleagues. Apparently, some needed to be taught a lesson.

“Convincing you wouldn’t have been difficult either.”

Of course it wouldn’t have been, considering her inebriated state.

“How dare you?” She seethed.

“My intentions had been honorable, Vashma. I loved you. I still do. But you just couldn’t look beyond Uday Sahani.”

“What?!” She shrieked in disbelief.

Rajat approached her yet again, filling the distance between them. Her face contorted at the proximity, looking away with a shudder as he pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“Let me prove it to you.” He huskily whispered, latching his lips onto hers. She hadn’t expected this, and wasn't prepared for it. But the minute he did, her insides swarmed with disgust and she pushed him away.

“What the hell?!” She screamed, her breaths heavy with fear and anger.

He continued with his ministrations, running his hands up and down her sides. “Stop with the pretense, Vashma. We both know this isn’t your first time.”

“I said get away from me!” She persisted, swatting his hands away. What had this leech thought of her?

His temper started to rise too. “What’s your problem, Vashma. You anyways had eyes for someone our kind. Uday or me, what difference does it really make? In fact, he isn’t even worth--”

Slap.

“This is for spiking my drink.”

Slap.

“This is for insulting me, my religion and my community.”

Slap.

“And this is for thinking, even for a second, that what you felt was love, Rajat!”

The palm of her hand tingled, her heart beat erratically and her mind rejoiced with anger and satisfaction. She couldn’t believe she had befriended someone as cheap and disgusting as Rajat. She couldn’t believe she had allowed this to happen to her. She didn’t want to believe what could’ve happened had Uday not have made it in time.

When she watched Rajat grit his teeth, her fury flared to life and Vashma warned.

“Don’t you dare come near me. I’ll report you to the cops, Rajat. And trust me, women of ‘my kind’, as you put it, won’t hesitate to do that, not even for a second.”

----------

She dashed to the nearest bathroom and locked herself up, letting down the strong facade in front of her tears. Her lips trembled and her body shivered as she slumped against the door. It’s when she burst out, hiding her face in her hands. She felt ashamed of herself. Her body had been violated, her soul completely crushed. Tears sped down her cheeks as her mind grimaced her with glimpses of the incident. She didn’t know where she had mustered all that courage from, but Vashma was proud that she did. She wasn’t weak, at least not in front of the world. She muffled her cries with her hands as she weeped. She forced her eyes to remain open, for shutting them from the world only reminded her of the one touch she absolutely despised.

A knock resonated from the other end of the bathroom, alerting her. She hastily wiped the remnants of her tears, wondering if it was Rajat on the other side. A shiver ran down her spine as she clung onto the doorknob, preparing herself for the worst. It was only when her best friend called out from the other end, that she let her guards down and opened the door.

Amrit was instantly engulfed in a tight hug as Vashma let her tears fall down. With concern evident in her eyes and tone, she asked. “What happened, Vashma?”

Watching the strongest woman she knew break down like this wasn't a common occurrence for Amrit. Something terrible had to have happened to have caused her so much pain.

When she repeatedly asked, Vashma finally succumbed in front of her best friend. Saying it out loud made it all the more real, and she could feel every emotion she had at the time pierce through her again.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to face myself anymore, Amrit.” She sobbed, falling to the ground.

Amrit crouched next to her and took her in her arms. Tears pricked her eyes as well as she shook her head, “It’s not your fault.”

“I shouldn’t have left my drink unattended.” Vashma scolded herself. “I should’ve seen through Rajat to the leech he truly was.” She shook her head vigorously, constantly blaming herself.

Amrit cupped her face and spoke with tenacity. “You became a victim to his sick schemes. But the way you tackled him was so brave of you, Vashma. Not everyone is courageous enough to face men like Rajat this way, no one but you.”

Amrit was in awe of her best friend and her respect for Vashma doubled. Never could she have handled a situation the way Vashma did. She was proud of her best friend, of the way she stood for her dignity today.

When Vashma remained mum, Amrit continued, “Do you want to go home?”

She looked up glisten-eyed and sniffed, “No.”

Amrit thought Vashma was too traumatized to be alone right now and so she offered, “I’ll come along with you.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Amrit. Not because I can’t stay alone right now, but because I can’t let him think that he has won.”

And there Amrit saw it again, the vengeful fire in her eyes.

----------

His eyes burned with predatory fire when he walked up to the other man.

His hands balled into fists, the knuckles white from the intense force. His teeth gritted together, his jaw taut from all that pent up fury. His nerves thrummed with newfound energy as he finally spotted his target, browsing idly on his phone at the nearby tea stall outside their office.

Don’t do anything that’ll hurt her, Uday.

Amrit’s words echoed in his ears, but to no effect. Today, he would get even with the person who dared to touch Vashma. Uday flexed his right hand and curled it back again. He called out to Rajat, his tone succinct. Before the other man could properly turn, he launched a punch in his face. Rajat faltered in his step, the glass of tea crushing into tiny shards on the ground. He could barely recover, when Uday landed him another blow, this time aimed directly at his nose.

“This is for spiking her drink.”

He grabbed hold of him by his collar and clocked him with the back of his hand, the rage evident in his eyes.

“This is for insulting her, her religion, and her community.”

Before Rajat could swing back to his feet, Uday kicked him in the stomach, throwing him onto the concrete ground.

“This is for thinking, even for a second, that you could touch her without her will.”

He breathed heavily, his knuckles red with blood as he saw a similar shade taint Rajat’s face. A few people had gathered around and whispers made the rounds. Rajat got back on his feet and made his way towards Uday. Clutching him square by the shoulders, he pushed Uday to the adjacent wall. “How dare you touch me?!”

“How dare you touch her?!” Uday roared back.

“Why the hell do you even care?!”

“Because I…” He stuttered to a stop, the words resting at the tip of his tongue.

It couldn’t be true, for he would’ve known otherwise. It couldn’t be right, or else the fear in his mind would not have prohibited him from uttering. It couldn’t be real because the realization should've made him happy. But it didn’t. It only scared him.

“You’re such a coward you can’t even say the words out loud, Uday. At least I had the guts to do way more than that.”

Uday was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn’t see the blow come right at him. Before he could understand, he had been plastered to the ground, his forehead streaming with the same blood he had marred Rajat with. He rose to his feet despite the flinching pain on one side of his head, ready to swing his arm in Rajat’s face when someone held his arm from behind. Uday was about to retaliate when the intruder made her way in front of him.

Vashma stepped between the two men and faced Uday, not releasing his arm. “Stop it, Uday.”

Her tone was stone cold, mimicking the sternness of her eyes.

“No Vashma I--”

“I said stop it, Uday.” She repeated, gritting through her teeth. Her fingernails snuck into his skin, making her point evident and clear.

Turning towards Rajat, she uttered succinctly. “Step away.” She seethed.

“What makes you think I’ll listen to you, you little--”

“I said, step away, Rajat. Unless you want me to reveal your dirty little intentions to our bosses. Because trust me, I won’t mind.” Vashma threatened, tilting her head to one side with a vicious smirk on her face.

Her menacing tone was enough to rob Rajat off of his supposed manliness. He wiped a trail of blood from under his nose and turned to leave, but not without sparing a warning stare in Uday’s direction.

When Vashma turned to face him again, she found a similar glint of anger and revenge in Uday’s eyes.

He could barely suppress his anger, his focus still on Rajat’s retreating figure. “You shouldn’t have stopped me, Vashma.”

She looked up at him and answered. “You shouldn’t have started what I had already put a stop to, Uday.”

It was when he caught her pained expression that Amrit’s words rang in his ears once again.

Don’t do anything that’ll hurt her, Uday.

He had done the one thing he never wanted to do to Vashma.

----------

The second her colleague had informed Vashma about Uday and Rajat indulging in a street fight outside, she had rushed past the double doors of the main gate to the office building to stop them. She didn’t know how her incident with Rajat had gotten to Uday, but she had an inkling of the possible repercussions.

It was those repercussions that she was tending to now.

Wordlessly, she had pulled him inside and had taken him to the storeroom of their office. Fortunately most of her colleagues were on their lunch break which meant that Uday could get cleaned up without drawing any attention. After all that she had been through what seemed like eternity but was only half a day, Vashma was physically and emotionally exhausted.

She unlatched the plastic first aid box she usually kept in her bottom drawer of her desk in case of emergencies and sat Uday down on a table positioned precariously in the storeroom. His eyes did not waver from hers as she worked meticulously. Neither did she deter from keeping her mouth shut. Vashma was too jumbled in an emotional mess to say anything right now.

“Back to the silent treatment, are we?” He asked, his tone edged with bitter sarcasm.

She muttered with a sigh, “You’ve earned it this time.”

Uncapping the bottle of Dettol, she soaked a piece of cotton and brought it to the bruise on his forehead.

He held her wrist before she could touch the wound. “Why did you stop me? Rajat deserved a lot more bruises, Vashma.”

“I already gave him what he deserved, Uday. You didn’t have to get involved.” She pressed the fluff of cotton to his forehead.

A little too harshly, for he immediately shut his eyes and a sizzle emanated from his lips. “Ouch.”

“This is what you deserve for interfering.” She deviously smirked before gently blowing onto the wound.

No matter how upset she was with him, Vashma couldn’t see him in pain.

He looked at her in awe, her cool breath soothing his wound as it fanned his face. Only she had the ability to rile him up one second and calm him down the next. He didn’t know how she did it, but couldn’t imagine how mundane his life could’ve been without her.

“How did you find out about...it?” She debated on the choice of words before deciding on remaining discrete.

“Amrit told me.” He meekly answered.

She raised a brow challengingly, “She told you or you forced her into giving in?”

Uday rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. The moment he had seen a worried Amrit exit the bathroom with Vashma by her side, he knew something had gone wrong. After their recent bout of tension filled arguments, he knew Vashma wouldn’t easily open up to him. She was just as stubborn as him at times, much to his dismay. And so he had surreptitiously went up to Amrit without Vashma’s knowledge and had pestered her until she gave in to his continuous stream of questions.

“I needed to know what was wrong.”

She couldn’t help herself from asking. “Why?”

“Because I needed to know whether you were okay.” He admitted, meeting her gaze.

His eyes searched her face, and she could feel her deepest secrets slowly unravel in front of him without her control. “Vashma, are you okay?”

Her answer was instant, almost a reflex. “I’m fine.”

“After what Rajat said to you, did to you--”

“I said I’m fine, Uday. You didn’t have to interfere.”

“Of course I had to. I couldn’t let someone who hurt you get away like that, Vashma.” He lashed out with authority yet his eyes held a pleading look.

She pondered upon the irony of the situation, wondering what he’d do to himself had he known how much he had indirectly hurt her.

“Look, I appreciate you taking the effort to tackle the situation--”

“Appreciate?” He suddenly sounded offended and she felt guilt seep through her at the formality of her tone. “Since when did we become so formal with each other, Vashma?”

“Ever since you failed to understand me, Uday! I don’t need this, I don’t need this drama. I don’t need you to be some knight in shining armor for me.”

“I hadn’t done anything on--”

“I had everything under control, Uday. I know how to fight my battles. I’ve never needed any help, nor do I do now.” She spoke frostily, fire glinting through her orbs.

Uday’s face deflated and his heart fell as he blinked rapidly, absorbing the words she hadn’t spoken but he had heard. She didn’t need him anymore. She didn’t want him around anymore. Their distance hadn’t seemed longer before this moment, where he felt as if he had lost the right to even touch her. They were drifting apart; Vashma was voluntarily distancing herself from him. She didn’t need her assistance in protecting herself, she never did. But she no longer needed him as a friend either. Nor as a companion. She had already begun her search for alternatives, probably finding a suitable match in Ayaan.

And yet he clung onto the single shred of hope that her cold nature towards him was only temporary, only because she was traumatized with the events that took place today.

“Look, I know you’re upset with what Rajat said today--”

“I’m not.” She tersely denied. “In fact, he was right in what he said.” Uday’s frown deepened as he sat appalled.

“What?”

Vashma wore a distant smile as she spoke. “It’s been more than seventy years to our independence, and yet some things shall never change.”

“What are you talking about?”

“We might be slowly progressing towards better days, but some aspects remain sore even today. I’ll always be seen as a woman of ‘the other kind’. An outsider.” Her voice cracked at the end, reducing to a faint murmur.

“That’s not true.”

“But it is, Uday!” She grew frantic. “Everyone’s living in peace and harmony when it comes to friendship. But any Hindu-Muslim relationship beyond that is still considered an act of treachery. It is still frowned upon.”

Uday wanted to retaliate in response, but his own words echoed in his ears. He had always been in the belief of finding life partners within one’s own community. Perhaps it was because that’s how he had been taught. Perhaps he only chose the easy route to avoid any controversy.

Vashma broke their gaze and focused on packing her first-aid kit as she grabbed the bottle of antiseptic. “And they're right. We must find love within our boundaries.”

“You said love saw no boundaries.” His words made her breath hitch as memories from his drunken night flashed before her eyes.

“You remember?” Vashma asked aghast.

“Who said I forgot?” Uday casually shrugged, his eyes sparkling with an emotion she did not want to face.

Vashma gulped. If he remembered what she had said that night, did he remember his confessions as well? Of course he had to, she chided herself. But he never acted upon it, never mentioned it again either. That clearly meant that he didn’t have any feelings for her. All he said that night had been a drunken mistake.

“Well you should. Whatever I said was stupid. I hadn’t known the real world.”

“You’re not one to change your belief so soon, Vashma.” He pointed out.

“Maybe you just haven’t understood me well enough.”

“Impossible.” The tenacity in his voice startled her. “The Vashma I know had firm beliefs in love. She wouldn’t have given up so easily.”

“Well, when you see society constantly demarcate these lines between individuals like us, it’s hard to ignore.” She snarkily answered.

He grew equally annoyed. “Oh, stop blaming society for everything, Vashma. When were you one to follow its rules?”

“Ever since I realized the consequences of not following.”

Her tone held so much grief that it reminded him of the night at the bonfire, when she had shared with him her friend’s tragic one-sided love story. What was it that she was hiding with so much effort? Apparently there was only one way to find out.

He threw a taunt in her face. “Consequences, really? That’s a little dramatic, don’t you think?”

She looked at him with accusation, “What do you know, Uday? You chose the safe choice and got together with Trisha.”

“How are you any different, Vashma? Didn’t you choose Ayaan Siddiqui...oh wait, that’s right, someone from your community as well? You gave up and chose the easy route without even trying, Vashma.” He ridiculed, provoking her further.

“You don’t know anything.” Her hands balled into fists as she tried to keep her emotions in check.

“But you did, didn’t you?” He continued with his onslaught. “You had this unwavering belief in love that you suddenly just abandoned. You gave up, Vashma. Admit it.”

“That’s because I had no other choice!” She reasoned, her lips beginning to quiver.

“Wow, this damsel in distress excuse, seriously?! That’s a new low you’ve reached.”

“It’s not an excuse!” She snapped.

He bit back, “It isn’t the truth either!”

This was the last straw.

“You want the truth. Well, here it is! I gave up because my first chance at love was too damn painful.”

“You’re lying. You don’t have it in you to fall in love.”

“You’re right. It was nothing but a lie, a deception! I fell in love with a man who brought light in my life, a man I could no longer have imagined my life without. I crossed every boundary and fell head over heels for him only to find out that he’d never see me that way!”

She vented out, tears shriveling down her cheeks.

“I fell in love with a man who considered me nothing more than a friend. Who saw me as nothing more than a sister!”

Her eyes widened in fear the instant she confessed. He looked too shocked to even react. Uday felt every memory shared with her replay itself.

There stood the lies he had been blinded by. And here was the truth, gnawing right at his face. His head started spinning. His throat went dry. His heart sped erratically while his hands clammed with sweat. He could barely breathe as his words began to haunt him. She looked so broken, so tormented, so hurt, all because of him.

Before he could gather the courage to say something, the door creaked open, revealing someone Vashma had never expected. She wasn’t even given the time to react or question when all hell broke loose.

“Uday Sahani, you are under arrest.”

............................................

DUN DUN DUNNN!

Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! Do let me know what you thought of it! 😃

An end everyone saw coming

He didn’t resist when the cops dragged him out the room, his hands shackled in handcuffs. He didn’t protest when they pushed him into a police van. He didn’t utter a word in response to Vashma’s incessant words of reassurance as she promised to get him out of this mess. Everything seemed like a messy blur to him.

Uday was too numb to react. He didn’t want to face the truth.

He tried shifting his focus to the mundane view through the windows of the police van, but all he could see was a desolate Vashma Baig calling out his name at the top of her lungs as she slowly diminished into oblivion. When he diverted his attention to the handcuffs around his wrists, his vision zeroed onto the silver kada on his arm, reminding him of the matching band he gave her as a birthday gift. The memory made him choke on his breath. He decided to look ahead again, past the bored faces of the police constables into nothing in particular but all Uday could see was her tear-stricken face the moment she confessed her deepest secret to him.

How had he been so oblivious?

“I gave up because my first chance at love was too damn painful.”

How had he failed to see the change in her feelings for him? How could he have broken her heart so badly? A trembling chill ran down his spine as he shuddered, the reality of her confession weighing down on him. He was the person she had fallen in love with. He was the person that indirectly tormented her beyond repair. He was the person who did not deserve her love, who wasn’t worthy of someone as beautiful and kind-hearted as Vashma Baig.

“I hate that I’ll never be her.”

At first he thought it was just a playful bout of jealousy. He thought it would be something they would laugh over years later. Uday had always had a slight inkling that Vashma hadn’t liked Trisha. But he never realized her jealousy had been so intense that it had put her own confidence in jeopardy. No matter how much Vashma chided him on his face about Trisha’s lifestyle preferences, inwardly she always thought she had been lacking.

“What I mean is, I chose this makeover because I wanted to look desirable.”

If Uday could, he’d instantly refute her insecurities, and would tell her how she didn’t need to be someone else. She was unique in her own personality, she had the ability to draw attention like moths to a flame. He still remembered their first encounter; an incident that had left him floored.

If she hadn’t snuck up to him so soon and hadn’t become so special to him, he would’ve immediately used his charm to ask her out.

“Before she could tell him about her feelings, she found out that he doesn’t feel that way. He’s never seen her more than a friend.”

She was so much more than a friend to him! She was the person who brightened his days at work, who was her companion outside of work too. She shared her dreams with him, she understood him better than himself. She was the one person she felt connected to; on a level deeper than what could be described in words. He had been lost until the day he met her. And now that she had found him, he couldn’t bear the loss of her.

"Oye, Vashma is like a sister to me! No way can we ever be dating?!”

He cursed these words now; the words that had driven him and Vashma to the point of separation. He had never meant to say it to her; it was a poor reflex on his part on getting out of a situation he feared. Dating would mean having Vashma as a girlfriend. And having her as a girlfriend would mean dumping her within a few weeks. It was Uday’s motto. He didn’t stick around for serious relationships; only cared for casual flings. And he couldn’t bear the idea of not having Vashma by his side once their relationship would end. It would inevitably affect their friendship and he wasn’t ready for that.

He wasn’t ready now either. But it seemed like she had already made the decision for him.

----------

Uday had his hands tented to his forehead in front of him, his elbows resting against his knees, when he heard her rushed footsteps. He looked up beyond the barriers of the prison cell to see Vashma Baig panting with relief and regret. Her hair had broken free from her single braid, the creases of her faded pink shirt looked a lot more prominent. She looked as devastated as he felt.

Vashma instantly clutched the steel bars and uttered, “Uday.”

His heart leaped into his hand and he felt on the verge of tears. It had been so long. So long since he heard his name from his lips. His eyes met hers and glistened immediately. His name held so many emotions when they left her lips - grief at seeing his current state, regret at hiding her biggest secret from the man who had the right to know the most, longingness at reconciling with him; even if it meant with their differences in between them. Her eyes pooled with similar tears as she bit her lower lip and slightly tilted her head to one side, wordlessly wondering how they had ended up here.

She lightly sniffed before shaking her head. “I’ll get you out of here, Uday. Don’t worry. All of this will be over before you’ll even realize.”

Her last sentence drew his attention. Of course she meant it within the current context, yet all his mind reverted to were the feelings she had hidden from him for God knows how long. How many times had she planned on doing the same thing to him?

“I’ve contacted a lawyer, he’s on his way. He’ll free you of your charges, Uday. Don’t worry, I’m here with you. I--”

“How long?” He interrupted her incessant rant and clutched the edge of the single bench located against one wall of the cell. He didn’t need her sympathy. He didn’t want her consolation. He was ready to demand for answers.

Her lips quivered as she stood startled.

“How long have you known…” He couldn’t bring himself to finish his sentence.

She hysterically chuckled before completing, “That I had feelings for you?”

He tore his gaze from hers, but nodded nevertheless.

“You really want to talk about this right now?” She asked.

“You’ve got a better time?”

She sighed deeply, trying to come up with an answer to his question. To her surprise, she couldn’t recollect when exactly she had fallen for him.

“I don’t know.” She breathed.

He frowned. “You don’t know?” Uday repeated, more of a retort.

She grew annoyed, “Yes Uday, I don’t know. It’s not like I woke up one day and found out I was in love with you!”

Hearing those words made him swallow a lump in his throat. “I thought that’s how it usually happens.”

She mirthlessly chuckled, “Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you. It was a gradual progression of feelings for me. I hadn’t realized it until…” She trailed off.

“Until?” He pressed.

She gulped, meeting his eye again. “Until that night when you got drunk after your encounter with your father.”

His heart raced and he leaped up from the bench to hold the very bars of the prison cell she had clung onto. Her step may have faltered from the sudden jolt, but her eyes refused to waver from his own.

“That was nearly three months ago.”

“Two months and twenty-four days.” She corrected, making his gaze soften.

How had she suppressed her emotions for so long? Why had she endured so much pain while he continued living his life like an oblivious fool.

“Why?” He shivered in his tone, trying to hold back tears that threatened to fall. He felt so helpless and torn.

She barely murmured a response, “I thought it’d be worth it.”

He felt his heart crumble into pieces at seeing her dejected expression. She looked so broken and he didn’t know how he could fix this. He still wanted to fix this.

If only she’d allow him to.

“But I realized it wasn’t.”

“Vashma, what I said at the bonfire was--”

“Even if it wasn’t true, Uday. You’ve still moved on. You’re happy with Trisha. I don’t want to bind you to me out of guilt. I can’t force you to feel what I once did for you.”

Uday stuttered in his breath, “Once did?”

She cleared her throat, and raised her head to face him, “You heard me. I don’t want to feel for you anymore.” She clenched her jaw and her hands balled into fists.

He clung onto her words, “You don’t want to. But you still do?”

“No I don’t.” She immediately denied. “Most of it is gone anyways.”

“But some of it is still there?” He repeated with hope in his tone.

“What difference does it make, Uday?”

She was right. What difference did it make anyway? It wasn’t like she was going to give him a second chance.

“You’re right.” He bitterly nodded.

“I’ll complete the formalities.” She sternly informed him, turning away.

He didn’t even have the courage to thank her anymore. She didn’t wait for him either.

Instead, Vashma walked up to the sub-inspector Ahluwalia’s desk.

“Sir, I want to know of the charges imposed on Mr. Uday Sahani.”

He looked up from his files disinterestedly, looked her up and down and scoffed, “And what will you do?”

“Listen Inspector, I do not have time for your nonsense right now. Don’t make me ask you again.” She glared at him.

He straightened his uniform and opened a red colored file. “An FIR has been documented by Mr. Rajat Verma against Mr. Uday Sahani under Section 323 of the IPC.”

When she frowned in confusion, the inspector explained in simpler terms. “Mr. Rajat has accused Uday Sahani of voluntarily causing injuries. He had proof.”

“He did it for me, Inspector!” Vashma immediately defended.

“This isn’t some Bollywood film where you expect the hero to get lauded for his action skills!” He slammed the desk.

She wanted to lash out at him for raising his voice. She wanted to scream at him for his insolence. Vashma forced herself to calm down. Anger would get her nowhere, but patience would.

And so she took a deep breath and hunched her shoulders as she perched over his desk.

“In that case, I would like you to write an FIR for me as well. Against Mr. Rajat Verma. And trust me, I’ve got proof as well.”

----------

Uday looked up at the sound of the prison cell unlatching and frowned. It had been just about two hours, and he was being let go already?

A constable made his way inside the jail, “You can come out now.”

“What?”

“You’ve been granted bail, Uday Sahani.” He informed, leaving Uday in shock.

This had to be Vashma’s doing. She looked so determined when she came to visit him two hours ago. He recalled something about her already contacting a lawyer as well. Of course this had to be her. His heart had surged with overwhelming gratitude as he searched for words to thank the woman when he looked up and his breath hitched.

There stood a woman. But not the woman he had hoped to see.

Her hair had been styled into wavy curls, all pushed to one side. She slung a Louis Vuitton handbag across one arm and dressed in a cute purple dress as if she was about to run the ramp walk. Or was it lavender? He shook his head, freeing him of these thoughts as he made his way up to her.

“Trisha.” He acknowledged.

“Aren’t you happy to see me again?” She smirked, taking him in a tight hug.

He had been attacked by the oversweet floral perfume she had worn, or probably had showered with. Suppressing a cough, he agreed. “Elated. How’d you know I was here?”

“My uncle is an Inspector-General here. When I couldn’t figure out where you had disappeared, I contacted him. And look where I found my boyfriend?” She trailed off with a rhetorical question, her hands lingering at the nape of his neck.

He humorlessly chuckled.

“How the hell did you get involved in a fight?” Trisha asked.

Uday leveled his gaze with hers. With her four-inch heels, she was just about his height.

“I was fighting a lost cause. Turns out, it wasn’t even worth it.” He muttered bitterly.

She looked a lot more perplexed than before, “What do you mean?”

“Nothing. It’s not something I want to waste my time on anymore.”

Taking her hands in his, Uday began, “Thank you for saving me from this mess.”

“That’s okay.” She smiled.

“No it isn’t.” He instantly denied. “You’ve been such a good girlfriend and I haven’t been able to give you much of my time.”

“You’ve been busy.” Trisha reminded him.

“Not anymore.” Uday resolved with determination. “I’ve always been and will always be honest with you, Trisha.”

“I want us to take the next step in our relationship.”

Trisha’s eyes widened in happiness as she stammered, “Are you sure, Uday?”

Vashma’s face blurred before his vision and he became more tenacious in his decision. It was the pain that she had given him that fueled his resolve even further. She wanted him out of his life. He’d show her what it looked like. If she could move on, so could he.

His lips curved into a smile as his eyes hovered over his girlfriend’s. Taking her into his arms, Uday spoke.

“I’ve never been more sure, babe.”

----------

Vashma barged into the police station, determined to free Uday this time.

She had all the necessary documents for bail, even had a decent lawyer by the name Prashant Rathi prepared should things not fall into place. She crossed a narrow passage that led to a large hall with desks on both sides. Rounding up to sub-Inspector Ahluwalia’s desk, she began.

“I’ve brought all the papers required for Mr. Uday Sahani’s bail.”

“I’m afraid you won’t need them anymore.” He casually shrugged, turning back to his files.

“What do you mean? You can’t just lock him up, Inspector. This is a bailable offence and I have--”

“Exactly, Miss.” He looked up from his files again with annoyance.

“Uday Sahani has been granted bail already.”

Her heart stopped beating for a moment as she allowed herself to process that bit of information. Along with happiness and relief, something else radiated through her. A question constantly bombarded her. Who freed Uday? She had been in touch with Amrit and Randheer and had they had any role in Uday’s bail, they would have informed her.

“How long ago?” She asked.

He huffed once again before calculating an estimate. “Around an hour.”

It had been an hour to his bail and he didn’t even bother telling her? Had their friendship severed to such an extent that he didn’t consider disclosing such a huge piece of information to her important enough? She felt like a fool. She felt stupid for running around the city, trying to find a lawyer and every necessary document only to find that he had left. Who had helped him?

The sub-inspector seemed to have heard her question. “Some Trisha Mehra had come to free him.”

Of course. Trisha. His girlfriend. Of course she’d be here to save him. Vashma blinked repeatedly, trying to not make a complete mockery of herself as she silently thanked the lawyer. Pushing strands of her hair behind her ear, she gathered her purse and turned on her heel, ready to walk away from a place where she had only faced embarrassment.

She had absentmindedly started walking down the passage again, too engulfed with her thoughts to notice a certain someone’s presence.

“You know, it’s a pity.” His taunt resonated in her ears and she looked to her right.

Rajat sat on one of the benches, his wrists handcuffed.

“You’ll still do anything for him. And he still won’t care. You’ll always come in second for him, Vashma. He’ll never see you that way.” He had scornfully mocked her with her greatest fears.

She blinked back her tears and gritted through her teeth, letting her anger for the man in front of her overpower every other emotion. “You’re right. It is a pity.”

He wickedly began to smirk when Vashma continued. “But not as much of a pity as seeing you rot in jail, Rajat.”

She had reported him under Section 354 of the IPC for outraging a woman’s modesty. After the way he had molested her at work, he deserved this. The incident still burned fresh in her mind and suffocated her, but she made sure Rajat paid his dues. Even if she somehow managed to get over this traumatic experience, she ensured he wouldn’t.

“Go to hell!” He seethed with venom.

It was her time to curve her lips into a wicked smirk. “You already are in one.”

With that, Vashma walked off, with her head held high. For the first time in a long while she felt a sense of victory jolt through her. But that couldn’t stop the pang of anger and resentment that flooded through her. She needed some answers. And she wouldn’t stop without them.

----------

Vashma walked the three steps up his porch to his front door and incessantly knocked. If he thought she’d let go of him without a proper confrontation, Uday was surely underestimating her. When the door did not open, she knocked again, louder this time. She could hear muffled voices from the other side, but had never predicted who the door would reveal.

Okay, maybe she did.

Trisha stood at the threshold, barefoot and giggling. One strap of her lavender dress slipped past her shoulder, her lipstick looked a little smeared and her hair had tangled itself into a mess. A wonderful mess. A mess that looked more of an artwork by…

“Vashma.” She acknowledged, breaking her chain of thoughts.

“Trisha.” She managed with equal excitement. “Didn’t expect you here.”

She giggled a little at a joke Vashma knew she hadn’t made. “Well you wouldn’t, ‘cause we just made this decision a few hours ago. Uday and I--”

“Are moving in together.” His voice echoed from the background before he came into vision.

His shirt was completely unbuttoned, revealing his toned body. His hair was disheveled, much like hers, and she could faintly see the marks of her lipstick on the column of her neck.

It was when she had looked away in embarrassment that the words settled deep within her. The second she processed their meaning, she looked up in shock, “What?”

The realization of his statement finally dawned upon her and Vashma faltered in her step.

“Did you trip over something?” Trisha asked as soon as Vashma regained her balance.

Her eyes shifted from Trisha’s pair of concerned ones to Uday’s deflected orbs.

“Just a little betrayal. Nothing I didn't see coming.” She spat out, garnering his attention.

His muscles grew taut and she clenched her hands together. He was angry. Good, ‘cause she was as well. The rage brewing within her was as intense as his, if not more. He needed to know that.

Trisha remained oblivious to the meaning behind her words and chirpily said, “Would you like to come inside? Oh my God, I can’t believe I’m the one offering hospitality here.”

She brimmed with joy, still too surprised at Uday’s recent change of heart.

Vashma politely shook her head, locking her eyes with Uday’s. “No, that's okay. I don’t think I’m welcomed here anymore.”

She didn’t want to step into a home that was now Trisha’s as well. She did not want to believe this is how he had reacted to her truth. She did not want to accept this reality. But she did need to clarify a few things.

Vashma cleared her throat and demanded, “Uday, a word.”

He refused to back down either, and lightly crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah, come inside.”

She gritted through her teeth, hoping to calm her fury filled nerves. “I’d much prefer the air.”

“It’s quite humid outside.” He noted.

“I’d find it harder to breathe inside.” She chided, hoping he’d finally cooperate.

She was too drained; both mentally and physically, to be arguing with him right now.

He seemed to have seen through her, for he whispered something in Trisha’s ear and came out to the small patch of garden outside his home, closing the main door behind him.

Vashma paced around in front of him, trying to gather her thoughts. Perhaps bluntness would be the best way to go.

“You knew how worried I was for you. You knew I had been running like a maniac, trying to get you bailed, Uday. And yet, you couldn’t be bothered to tell me once you had been let out?!”

Uday couldn’t bear to see the torment he had caused her. She looked so devastated, so lost. Her hair was barely strung by a maroon hair tie, the ends of her dangling earrings getting caught up with her tangled strands. The kohl on the rim of her eyes had plagued the corners of her eyes; orbs that had reddened with tears. Her shirt was in crumples, her denim jeans marked with stains. Her hands were shivering and not because of the weather. He couldn’t recollect when she had eaten her last meal.

He hated what he had done to her. But he hated what she had done to him more.

And so he forced himself to act indifferent, “I’ve been busy.”

She stared at him incredulously. “So I can see.” She shook her head in disbelief. “I didn’t expect this from you, Uday.”

She hadn’t expected his outburst either. “Well, I’m tired of meeting up to everyone’s expectations. So for once, I wanted to do things as per my will.”

She couldn’t believe him. “So, you’re just going to cut me out of your life like that? This is what you’re choosing?”

“When have I ever made a choice, Vashma?! You have robbed me of ever making a choice!” Uday vented out, spewing fire along.

“You fell in love with me. You decided to keep it to yourself. You decided to distance yourself from me. You decided to suddenly move on. You decided to continue lying to me until the day it got too burdensome for you! You, you, you!” He lashed out with so much unfathomable intensity, it shook Vashma to her very core.

Uday clutched her wrist and pulled her harshly, “Did you ever think about me? Did you ever think how much it would hurt me?!”

His voice had reduced to a faint whisper, yet it made her heart burst into flames. Her eyes inevitably watered and she found it hard to breathe. Vashma never wanted to hurt him. All that she did was to prevent him from getting hurt.

“All I ever did was think about you, Uday.” She barely whispered, the effect of his close proximity getting to her.

“No. No, you didn’t.” He vigorously denied her claims. “If you had, even for one second, you wouldn’t have played with my trust, Vashma.”

“I didn’t want to lose you, Uday! I didn’t want to lose our friendship!” She cried out at the top of her lungs.

She didn’t care if she was making a public scene. She didn’t care if Trisha overheard. All she cared for was what Uday thought.

He let go of her and retreated his steps. “Well, your timing couldn’t have been more right.”

She shook her head, her vision blurring at the cruelty of the reality unveiling in front of her eyes. She took simultaneous steps towards him; hesitant yet determined, bold yet cautious.

She took his hands in hers and began to plead, “Please don’t do this, Uday. Please don’t end this.”

He forcefully freed himself from her grasp and retorted at her. “I’m not doing anything, Vashma. I’m only putting an end to what you started.”

“I can’t lose our friendship, Uday!” Tears rolled down her cheeks and her knees began to wobble.

“I can’t see a friendship between us anymore, Vashma. I opened up to you and you made it a misery for me. My friendship with you is my biggest regret.”

Her heart dropped. Her world stopped.

This was her worst nightmare. This had become her harshest reality.

She didn’t know what to do anymore. She didn’t know what to say. Vashma suddenly felt at a loss of breath. He had done it. He had ended the most precious thing to her. All because of her selfishness. All because of her stupid stubborn nature that refused to confess her feelings to him. All because of her fear.

Just when she thought she had been casted with the world’s greatest pain, he said. “And yes, I’ll need that kada back from you.”

She looked up in anger and resentment and disbelief all at once. For the first time in her life, she hated him. For he had never looked any less familiar to her. She couldn’t believe her ears. Vashma recalled the day he had gifted her his matching silver band. Those moments had been so invaluable, so memorable. And now he wanted to rob her off their best memories as well.

“You said it was for someone special.” Vashma echoed the words he had once said to her.

His glare turned austere and he told her. “Yeah, that's why I’m planning to give this to Trisha.”

She couldn’t have felt lower of herself. She couldn’t have felt more angry. He had just compared her to Trisha. To that wannabe, brainless so-called model!

He was an utter fool to have gotten smitten by her beauty. All that he cared about was her. She was right in her thoughts. If it came down to choosing between her and Trisha, he would always pick his girlfriend. Today he proved that.

“You know, she might be special, but she’ll never be the one.” She warned him.

He took one challenging step closer to her.

“How do you know she’s not the one?”

“How do you know if a guy’s the one?” She dubiously asked, pushing her ‘ghungroos’ inside her bag and sliding her bag across her shoulder.

He joked. “For a night?”

She rolled her eyes and swatted his arm. “For life, stupid!”

“Well, I haven’t had to think beyond a night - a week, maximum.” He shrugged, swinging his hockey stick around.

“Maybe that’s why you still don’t understand the concept of ‘the one’.” She playfully mocked, waggling her eyebrows.

They reverted to their usual silence, their footsteps and the faint howling of birds producing the only sounds between them. Vashma and Uday had just gotten free from their respective tutoring classes and had begun their journey back to their homes. Her light pink kurti brushed alongside his faded white jersey and she surreptitiously spared him a secret glance. Ever since he had drunkenly confessed his growing feelings for her that night, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it. She knew he had denied those claims the next morning, but her heart still swarmed with hope that maybe there still was a chance.

Foolishly enough, she had just asked her most private question to the one person she had feelings for.

“But your romance novels do, don’t they? Isn’t it when the girl and guy kiss and sparks fly, fireworks burst and they suddenly realize ‘the one’?” Uday guffawed at the absurdity of the idea.

How could one instant change someone’s entire life? How could a supposed chemical reaction have such a strong hold on someone’s emotions? Surely love was overrated.

Vashma narrowed her eyes at him, “Someone has been sneaking into my book collection.”

“Purely because of boredom.” He tersely defended, his hands up in surrender. “You were video-calling your family and I didn’t know what else to do.”

She remembered the recent incident. He had shown up at her doorstep unannounced on the morning of her birthday. She had only just let him in when her phone buzzed with a group Zoom call with her entire extended family. Needless to say, Uday had kept quiet throughout her video call, occasionally chuckling at the things her family members had said to her.

She twisted the kada around, loving the way it adorned her wrist, just like it’s identical match rested on Uday’s arm. It was the best birthday gift anyone had ever given to her. It was the most precious one as well.

“Well, a girl can’t go around kissing every guy to find ‘the one’.” She used air quotations, reverting back to the topic of discussion.

“Oye, since when were you such a prude, Vashma?” Uday teased.

“Who said I was looking for ‘the one’? I’m too focused on my career and dreams to be searching for eternal love right now, Uday.” She immediately rebutted.

Devising a convincing explanation, she reasoned. “Actually, Amrit was asking me about this. You know how she has a thing for Randheer, but she’s too shy to act upon it.”

“You think Randheer isn’t? He’s been debating his first move for ages now.” He chuckled.

Everyone at their work knew something was going on between Amrit and Randheer. The lingering stares, the secret smiles and the constant blushes had been proof of this testament. Vashma often cooed at how adorable they looked together. Though she wasn’t quite sure whether she was made for an innocent, no-physical-contact kinda love story.

Vashma and Uday continued their walk in companionable silence before Uday suggested, “I think I’ve cracked it.”

He looked as if he had received an A+ in a paper of his hardest subject. She amusedly asked, “Cracked what?”

“The way to find out if someone’s ‘the one’.” He clicked his fingers together.

“Okay…” She urged him to continue.

“You’ll know the guy is ‘the one’ if he knows your personal ticklish spot.” He spoke with so much conviction she tried hard to not laugh.

“What?! I’ve never heard of that one before, Uday.” She couldn’t suppress her giggles.

“And you won’t ever. It’s what I call it, the Uday Sahani doctrine.” He proudly presented.

She mockingly praised, “Very original, I must say.”

Vashma had begun walking again when she felt a hand wrap itself around her wrist and stopped her in her tracks. She turned to its source and Uday walked up to her. “It makes perfect sense, Vashma!”

“How?” She asked with a smile.

“When I say ticklish spot, I mean our own unique spots. Not the usual ones. A guy surely has to know a girl inside out to be able to decipher her ticklish spot. And someone who knows you that thoroughly, someone you enjoy spending time with and are comfortable around to allow him to tickle you, is probably the closest guess to being ‘the one’!” He finished with an accomplished grin on his face.

“Very profound.” She sang, though not before rolling her eyes. Surely it can’t be true. She had never heard of or read such an absurd concept.

He clung onto both her hands and locked eyes with her. “I can prove it to you.”

Something about the way he spoke screamed danger at her and yet she desperately wanted to know if his theory had any effect on her. In the end, her desperation won.

“So prove it to me.” She challenged, her eyes glimmering under the streetlights.

He stepped closer to her, so close that she could feel his cool, minty breath on her face. She inevitably closed her eyes, allowing herself to revel in the feelings he brought. Uday brought one hand to her face, gently cupping her cheek as he drew silent circles on the patch of tanned skin.

“Uday, that’s nowhere near my ticklish spot.” She lightly chuckled, trying to bring back a tinge of light-heartedness in their heated proximity.

“Shh.” He hushed her, wordlessly asking her to concentrate on the sensations his touch invoked.

She gave into his instructions with a sigh, still keeping her eyes shut. Vashma felt his fingers travel up her cheek, pushing a strand of loose hair behind her ear as he brushed against her earlobe. And then, very slowly, he traced a path with his index finger to behind her ear, just about a centimeter down the column of her neck.

It was then that she flinched, and a soundful smile broke out through her lips. She immediately cowered, trying to protect herself from his playful attack when she opened her eyes to him.

His orbs held a faint sparkle of mischief along with something else. Something more meaningful.

Very quietly he announced his victory, “Gotcha!”

“Fine, whatever.” She shrugged grumpily.

“Aww, don’t be such a sore loser.” He playfully mocked.

“I didn’t have anything to lose.” She pointed out, raising her head to meet his gaze.

“And yet I still won.” He smirked boisterously.

“Because I’ve got nothing more to lose. And you’ve still won.” She answered his question.

“You’re lying.” He said those words so instinctively, it pierced through her.

With whatever courage and determination she had within her, Vashma guaranteed. “I can prove it to you.”

Walking up to him, she raised her hand and feverishly cupped his face, just like he once had. She was surprised he hadn’t brushed her hand away yet, and considered it her last chance at being so close to him. Not able to look him in the eye anymore, she fluttered her eyelids shut. The palm of her hand brushed across his jaw, his stubble tickling her hand. Her hand traveled down the column of his neck, to the tanned skin of his bare torso. She lightly drew circles wherever her hand went, imprinting his touch to memory. When she finally felt the outline of his abs, she timorously shifted her hand to the right and touched a particular spot two inches beneath his ribcage. He instantly reacted, stepping away from her. She grimly smiled, knowing very well she had hit the mark.

When she opened her eyes again, she met with his stone cold ones. “That doesn’t mean anything.”

She simply shrugged. “I hadn’t expected anything else from you, Uday.”

Taking three strides towards him, she lifted her head to meet his eye. “Essentially, it’s rude to demand something back that you gave as a birthday present.” She choked on a tear but continued with a wavered tone. “But since our friendship no longer exists, as you’ve made perfectly clear, I do not have the right to possess something as precious as this.”

Vashma slid the kada from her wrist and placed it in his palm.

And then she walked away, leaving behind the only relationship she had grown to love irrevocably.

----------------------------

Do let me know what you all think of it! 😃

It had to happen someday.

“Uday! You’ve got to see this!” Trisha chirpily bounced up to him as soon as Uday closed the main door behind him.

She bombarded his vision with a recent post on Instagram; a picture of them in each other’s arms, looking utterly in love. Beneath it were a thousand comments and about fifty thousand likes.

“Have you seen the number of likes, Uday?!” She squealed, jumping in her spot. He forced a smile on his face, clearly not bothered about social media popularity. He had bigger problems in life to be jumping over petty achievements.

“Trisha.” He broke her reverie, wanting to free himself from the raging whirlwind of thoughts inside. “Did you overhear anything?”

He held a breath inside, prepared to face the consequences. Her expression remained unfathomable before she relaxed and turned to face him. “I trust you, Uday. Had there been anything worth mentioning, you would’ve come up to me.”

The calmness in her tone failed to calm his nerves. Her words were so ambiguous he couldn’t help himself from asking whether she had in fact heard anything.

Trisha placed one hand on his shoulder and he slightly flinched at the touch. She didn’t seem to notice and continued, “Is there something you want to tell me?”

She was giving him an out. His heart constantly signalled at this, crying out for his confession; a confession he couldn’t decipher. His heart picked up beat and his hands started to grow clammy against each other yet for the love of God he couldn’t understand what it was that needed to be confessed. Whatever happened outside made no difference to him. He had a beautiful girlfriend, who was trying to understand him, but his soul only seemed to rebel against her advancements.

He quietly shook his head and repeated. “Nothing worth mentioning.”

Trisha’s smile grew as she sighed. “Then there’s nothing for me to worry about. You chose me over her and that’s all that matters, Uday.”

Her words should’ve given him a tranquil sense of relief but all it did was stoke his emotional turmoil churning in the pit of his stomach.

Trisha had effectively reverted her attention back to her phone and the incessant chimes of likes and comments. Casting him a glance filled with adoration she squealed. “I post a picture with you, and people can’t stop commenting!”

“You’re one in a million!” She pecked him on his cheek, startling Uday.

It wasn’t the first time that someone had left him startled. She always managed to have that effect on him.

Uday slumped in his armchair, still reveling in her touch. How had she known his personal ticklish spot? How had she still remembered the stupid theory he had once come up with? Uday remembered being boastful about it then, but now that he thought about it, nothing would have sounded more foolish. What was he even thinking, suggesting her ideas on finding ‘the one’? He didn’t believe in soulmates, in one person having the ability to completely enchant someone else for life. Women came and they went and he was used to going with the flow.

Currently, he was happy with Trisha. Yes he was, he repeatedly reminded himself.

He glanced in her direction as she excitedly typed back at the long list of comments on her post. So what if Trisha was a little self-centered? At least she wouldn’t betray him the way Vashma did. He shuddered at the thought, reliving the incident once again. Uday wouldn’t let anyone else treat him like that. He wouldn’t allow himself to be abandoned again. He had already experienced pain like that when his mother left him. When his father refused to love him. Somehow Vashma’s betrayal tore his heart apart more than he could ever imagine, but he wouldn’t give up. He would never open his heart out to anyone else, not even his girlfriend or his future wife. If he wouldn’t, no one would have the power to hurt him.

This was the right thing to do. Moving ahead was the right thing to do.

He was done with Vashma Baig. He just hoped his heart was too.

----------

She never thought Uday Sahani would be done with her so fast.

Vashma knew her actions weren’t forgivable. But she had hoped that she had become as important in his life as he had become in hers. Inwardly, she had been proud of the fact that they understood each other better than anyone else, that he wouldn’t be able to erase her from his life that easily. From all the people, she had had complete faith in him, that he would understand her. Her feelings, her inner turmoil, the reasons behind her harsh decision. But he didn’t. Uday disappointed her.

She wasn’t upset that he blamed her for her fault. She was upset because that’s all he saw; her fault.

One hand swept over her empty wrist and her breath constricted in her throat. She chagrined at her current predicament; at how much that one ornament had begun to mean to her. Without it, Vashma felt incomplete, almost empty. It’s void made her feel naked; robbed of her most precious memory. Each time his words echoed in her head, her heart ached a little more, her soul wounded a little more, and her body trembled a little more. Each time it did, she’d force her will to stay strong a little more, and would bite back tears once again.

She brought the rim of the bottle to her lips and swung it down her throat. The amber liquid burned through her but she had grown impervious to its effect. What was a little extra burn when her heart and soul was rampaging with fire. She looked to her side at the vacant spot; a place she always saved for him. Now she sat alone atop her car in an open parking lot secluded from the city. She kept the nearly empty bottle to one side and lay down, ready to immerse herself in the vastness of the night sky. A slow tear trickled down her left eye, dampening the corner of her ear in the process. Vashma exhaled a deep sigh, wondering how she found herself so lost in this utterly dark world.

She heard quiet footsteps at a distance and warily said, “I told you not to come here.”

Vashma felt someone climb next to her and sprawl across the front of the car. “And I told you I’m not listening to you anymore.”

She looked to her side to the golden brown haired girl gazing at the sky with determination. Vashma sighed to her best friend. “Look, I need some space right now.”

“But I want to talk to my best friend. So you better keep your ego aside so that I can speak to my Vashma.” Amrit spoke fiercely, her gaze piercing through hers.

Vashma gulped sheepishly, absolutely new to this side of her best friend. Amrit turned her gaze to the sky again, so Vashma followed suit.

Silence prevailed between the two friends and for a moment thought Amrit had chosen to stay mum.

But then she began, with a distant voice. “Do you remember the first time we met?”

Vashma instantly smiled as she recalled the incident. It had been her first day at work and she had been as excited as hesitant. She had entered the bathroom to calm her frazzled nerves, constantly reminding herself to stay confident and not to fall in an argument with anyone on her first day when she had heard faint whimpers from one of the cubicles. Vashma had frowned, deciding not to meddle in someone else’s business at first until the whimpers turned into sobs and she couldn’t help herself.

When Vashma had knocked on the door, she had heard sniffs and had watched the cement colored door open to reveal a golden brown haired girl, just about her age. The stranger had dressed in a yellow kurti with a red dupatta bunched on one shoulder. Her eyes had looked swollen with tears and Vashma couldn’t stop herself from asking what was wrong. It was then that she finally introduced herself as Amrit, another fearful intern, worried she wouldn’t be able to prove herself in a workplace miles away from home.

“Do you remember what you said when I was unsure of myself?” Amrit asked, shifting her head to one side.

“Life is too short to wallow in fear. Whenever your faith wavers, remember the people you want to make proud. Remember the love they shower on you. Remember how much they trust you. And then you’ll realize there’s nothing you cannot achieve.”

Amrit repeated what Vashma had once said to her. Another tear paved down her face and Vashma crossed her hands together, resting them on her stomach. She could no longer resonate with those words. She couldn’t relate to the person she was when she had set foot in this city.

Amrit reached out to rest her hand over her best friend’s and gave it a light tug. It unleashed a stream of tears Vashma had carefully kept within for the past three months. She couldn’t carry it on any longer, couldn’t maintain a facade when she was crumbling inside. She sat upright and hid her face in her hands, sobbing out loud. It hurt so much. It felt as if the more she let out through tears, the more her heart ached. The pain was so unbearable, death felt like an easier resort.

Vashma found herself being engulfed in a bear-hug and she clung onto her best friend’s arm.

“I don’t know that person anymore, Amrit.” She wept and cowered.

She could feel Amrit instantly shake her head in denial. “She’s still there, Vashma. And I’m here for her. I’m here for you.”

Vashma looked up, her eyes glistening. “He hates me, Amrit. H-he ended everything between us.”

Amrit couldn’t bear to see her best friend so distraught and broken. She despised Uday for reducing Vashma into a shell of what she used to me.

“Don’t think about him.” She shunned, cupping Vashma’s face in her hands.

Vashma frantically reasoned. “I can’t. I try so hard but I can’t. I can’t get him out of my head or heart.”

Another tear marred her cheek. “I never expected this to last this long. I had never thought he’d start despising me.”

“Listen to me, Vashma.” Amrit’s stern tone startled Vashma.

“Your parents were never in favor of the idea of you making a career for yourself. But you rebelled. You came here all alone, without a fear in the world. Hell, you helped me as well! You can’t forgo your career and dreams for one man, Vashma.” She pressed.

“I don’t have any dreams left. I no longer have the strength to fight for anything anymore.” Vashma barely fumbled, lowering her gaze.

Amrit huffed in response and got down to her feet. “You might be okay with ruining your future, but I’m not. I’m not okay when you were the one who gave me mine, Vashma.”

“You’re giving me too much credit.” Vashma mumbled.

Her tone turned gentle as Amrit approached Vashma. “If you hadn’t been there that day, I would’ve given up.”

“So I’m going to be here for you and I’m not going to let you give up.”

Tears pooled in her eyes and she helplessly asked. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because I know what you’re capable of. And I’m not going to let some petty guy come in the way.” She spoke with tenacity, her orbs shining with hope.

“He’s not a petty guy. He’s my best friend.” Vashma inadvertently defended. Amrit cast her a look and raised her hands to her hips.

“Who abandoned you without a blink.” She reprimanded. “Vashma, you can’t just give up on everything you’ve worked so hard for.”

“How am I supposed to get over this?! How am I supposed to get over him?” Vashma exasperated, her brows arching to the tip of her hairline.

“The minute you realize he’s not worth risking your dreams over, you’ll know how to get over him, Vashma. All you need is a little time.”

Vashma’s eyes widened in realization as it finally clicked. How could she have missed this? How could she have turned a blind eye to what Amrit saw so clearly? Time. Of course time was where she was lacking. She had never given herself enough time to get over him. But then again, she had never given him enough time to process her feelings for him either. She got down with fervor and determination swept over her features in a tumultuous wave. This is what she needed. This is what she wanted. And this was what she was going to do. She was going to grasp a hold over her heart and put it where it truly belonged.

“You’re right. I won’t stop fighting for my dreams. Not until I realize it’s no longer worth it.”

For the first time in days, her heart agreed with her mind.

----------

A week later, Vashma pushed the double doors to her office with exceptional chirpiness in her gait. The past few days had been wonderfully blissful for her. She had refrained herself from wallowing any further. In doing that, she had to a considerable extent been able to guard her heart from thinking about a certain Uday Sahani as well.

Okay, that was a lie.

But Vashma had been able to maneuver her thoughts away from him for the most part of the day. The nights had been painfully long, with her mind switching between two nightmares; the end of her friendship with Uday and the way she had been molested by Rajat. The latter had been a more frequent visitor and ultimately she decided to resort to sleeping pills. Albeit the haunting nights, Vashma was able to control her emotions during the day. She busied herself in work throughout the day, and compensated for the time lost in self-loathing by binge-watching movies and ice cream in addition to catching up with a few people.

Particularly one. Ayaan Siddiqui.

Amidst her fallout with Uday, she had completely forgotten about the man who had unexpectedly abandoned her at the club on the night of her first date. He had apologized repeatedly soon after his disappearance, clarifying that it wasn’t cold feet that he had gotten at the last minute, but an urgent family emergency he couldn’t leave. After a lot of debate with herself, she decided to meet him at a cafe around the corner.

Amrit would be delighted. Uday might be mad, yet again. As for herself, Vashma didn’t know what to feel anymore.

She refreshed her memory of their first date night together. They had gone out to a decent Italian restaurant, sparsely populated with soft music in the background. She had relished a bowl of scrumptious white sauce pasta with a glass of red wine as conversation flowed between them. Ayaan was calm and collected; more than she had imagined. He had not one strand of black hair out of place, his shirt prim and proper, his trousers tailored to fit. He had worn an expensive pair of black rimmed glasses of a brand she hadn’t quite heard of and his smile revealed a perfect set of white teeth.

He was perfect to settle with. Her mother would be quite pleased to hear.

Her phone rang, jolting her from her thoughts. An anxious curve of lips framed her face as she identified the number, remarking at the coincidence.

Answering the phone, she greeted. “Adaab Ammi.”

When her mother answered in a similar tone, Vashma asked, “How are you? How’s everyone else back home?”

Vashma grimaced at the formality of her tone. She wasn’t always so distant with her mother. But ever since she rebelled against her family’s conservative norms, she had simultaneously severed relations with her mother as well. While her father eventually accepted her desire to make an identity for herself, Zahida Baig could not resonate with Vashma’s inner fire. She wanted an obedient daughter and Vashma’s outspoken nature only screamed insolence to her mother.

“Everyone’s okay. Your brother has been promoted in his office.”

“That’s great. I’m happy for him.” She answered happily, because she truly was. No matter how she left things back home, she would never feel jealous of her brother’s success.

“How’s your work treating you?” Vashma took the question in surprise.

Her mother had seldom inquired about her work, never one to support it. Vashma was yet to reveal her part-time dance tutoring lessons.

She bit her lip and cautiously answered. “Good. I’m working well, enjoying my time here. I’ve transferred money back home as well.”

Her voice remained austere. “You don’t have to, Vashma.”

“You wouldn’t have said the same to Bhai jaan. Please let me do this.”

“There’s already a lot we’re letting you do.” She murmured to herself, but Vashma could hear the resentment.

She barely sighed, waiting for her mother to come to the point. There was no way she had rang her daughter up this early in the morning to exchange casual pleasantries.

“When are you coming back home?” She finally asked.

Vashma let out a breath she hadn’t known she had been holding. “I’m not sure. I haven’t thought of it yet.”

It had been a little over six months since she moved to Amritsar. “I might come for Eid.”

“Oh okay.” Her mother answered from the other end and Vashma could faintly hear scribbling of pen against paper on the other end.

“Why’d you ask?” She asked suspiciously.

“Nothing in particular.” Zahida tried to pretend.

Vashma ran her fingers across her temples. “Don’t, Ammi.”

“Fine. We’ve got a few marriage proposals for you.” She finally came clean.

Vashma refuted instantly. “I said I didn’t want to marry for a few years at least. I’m only 21, Ammi!”

“Which is just the perfect age for marriage. You should be happy we’re letting you choose, Vashma.” She huffed at her mother’s demeanor. Was she supposed to feel obliged at being offered consent for what was probably the biggest decision of her life?

She shook her head. “I’m not ready for marriage right now.”

“Every girl thinks that way. Unless…” Zahida trailed off, grabbing Vashma’s attention.

“Unless what?” Vashma probed warily, her hand clutching the phone tightly.

“Unless you’re already...involved with someone.”

Uday’s face instantly flashed before her eyes and Vashma’s breath hitched. All signs of color drained from her face as memories with him played like a rigmarole in her head. It was then that she reminded herself.

Ayaan. Not Uday, but Ayaan.

“I’m--it’s nothing.” Vashma stuttered, cursing herself for her lack of confidence.

Zahida picked up on her hesitance and dubiously asked, aware of her daughter’s rebellious and callous nature. “Is it...that guy Aarfa was talking about?”

“What guy?” Her brows crinkled but the name rested on the tip of her lips. Her heart nevertheless clenched at the mention of his name.

“Uday.”

“Uday!” She called out, running up to him.

He had just dropped her home after spending the entire day with her. They had gone bowling together with their work colleagues, had a lavish feast at her favorite roadside restaurant and spent the evening watching her cheesy collection of rom-coms he openly hated but secretly admired her reaction to. The entire day had been nothing short of blissful for her; Vashma felt as if she had been dreaming. Her face hurt from smiling so much, her stomach ached from laughing too much, but she loved every minute of today.

Uday seemed eerily silent on their way back. She had tried to ask him repeatedly but he refused to answer. Now that he sat in the driver’s seat of his car on the other side of the road, she rushed up to him. She couldn’t let the best day of her life end with the sadness of the one person who made it so special for her.

“Something’s wrong. And I’m not asking this time.” She stated, resting her hands on her hips.

He reluctantly stepped out of his car and leaned against it. Facing her, he pointed, “You just don’t take the hint, don’t you?”

“Not when I know you’re trying to hide something that you aren’t supposed to.” She tilted her head to one side.

He gave into her scrutiny but didn’t know how to put his thoughts into words. “It’s nothing really.”

“Uday.” She persisted.

“It’s just...are you embarrassed of me?” She looked taken aback at the question he posed and Uday suddenly regretted asking. Maybe he should’ve kept his thoughts to himself.

“Why...why would you say that?” She didn’t look offended, just genuinely curious. And so he decided to continue.

“You tried to hide our friendship when your family asked about me.” It was then that she realized what he had been referring to.

He had barged into her house with a surprise visit this morning and had coincidentally overheard her family zoom call as well. When her cousin Aarfa had teased Vashma about having a certain Uday Sahani bombard her recent Instagram feed, she had looked for excuses to conceal the revelation. Vashma had completely forgotten about how she had family members on social media who followed her. She wasn’t ready to reveal her bond with Uday to her family; certainly not over a video call. And so she quickly shunned her pesky cousin and diverted the topic of attention.

“I thought you found it amusing.” She recalled the words he had relayed to her.

“Yeah I thought so too. Turns out, I was lying to myself.” He lightly scowled.

She sighed and leaned against his car next to him. “I’m not embarrassed of you. You’re officially the most charismatic man in our office. I’d be a fool to be embarrassed by your company.”

“Well you might be a fool for other reasons as well.” He received a playful swat across his arm before he turned serious. “But…” He urged.

“My family...isn’t as understanding as you’d assume. My parents are very conservative. They still haven’t gotten over the fact that I ran out of the house. So telling them that I have a friend who--”

“Who is a Hindu.” He completed bitterly, demarcating the biggest difference between them.

She instantly rebutted, “I don’t see that difference, Uday. And I’ve repeatedly tried to argue with my parents as well, but they don't understand. After all, there’s only so much you can do to try to mend their mindsets.”

Of course he knew. He could resonate well with that statement. More than once he had argued with his father on certain things, but never did he understand.

“Our bond means the world to me, Uday. You’ve made every day of my life here at Amritsar worth it by just being there for me. I don’t want my parents to misunderstand what we have and demean it to another rebellious act of mine. Because that’s not what it is.”

His heart swelled with an overwhelming emotion he couldn’t fathom and her words made his lips curve into an inevitable smile. “What is it then?”

“Friendship. An epic one.” She beamed at him, settling for the one aspect to their relationship that would never change.

He settled for her answer and responded with a truth. “Wouldn’t have been without you.” He smiled back, opening his arms to her.

She immersed herself in his embrace, clutching him around his waist as she faintly heard the beating of his heart.

“Thank you so much for today. I don’t think I’ve had a happier day than this in my life!” She gleefully confessed.

“The pleasure has all been mine. I’m happy you’re happy.” Because he truly was.

Something about her vibrant smile radiated through him, filling him with optimism and elation. She was the epitome of beauty and strength for him, and while it was getting increasingly difficult to swerve his mind from thinking of her as more than a platonic best friend, he knew he’d do anything for her if she asked for it.

In fact, he’d do it without her having to ask for it too.

He retreated from the hug and nervousness swept across his features. “I’ve got something for you.”

Her brows furrowed in confusion and he clarified. “A gift.”

“You already baked me one in your kitchen.” She teased, but he could see the gratitude dancing in her eyes.

“A burnt gift doesn’t count.” With that, he pulled out a small, red velvet box from his pocket and held it in both hands. With a bated breath, he extended it in her direction.

“What’s this?”

“Open it,”

Her eyes shifted from his to the object in hand and she slowly unlatched the box. Her breath stuck in her throat as the box revealed a beautiful silver kada, similar to what he adorned on his wrist everyday. She looked at it in awe, unable to believe the replica. Had he bought what seemed like such an expensive gift, for her?

He answered her unasked question, “It’s my mother’s.”

Nothing could’ve left her more appalled. She knew what his mother meant to him, how close he considered her. Life had been cruel to him by not giving Uday any memories with her mother. For someone who had lost a parent before he could understand, her belongings definitely held a special value. Why would he give something so dear to him to her?

“This is the one she used to wear all the time before she…” He gulped and she felt her throat constrict.

“I thought that was the one you wore.” Vashma commented.

He shook his head with a reminiscent smile on his face, “She had designed one for me before I was born. It’s her personal heirloom of sorts.” He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

“Why are you giving me this?” She softly asked, still in a daze.

“A token of gratitude for always being there for me, through thick and thin. People come and go, but you’ve been the only person who has stayed longer to become my best friend. Which is why I want you to have it.”

“But it means so much to you.” She countered, amazed at how much trust he had instilled in her.

“So do you.”

He didn’t know how those three words made their way past his lips, but the reaction on her face told him it was worth it. He said it out of instinct, he said it because it felt right. He knew he’d never regret this moment.

She felt blessed to have a friend like him. “I don’t know what to say, Uday. You’ve left me at a loss for words.”

“I tend to have that effect on women.” He cockily smirked, bringing back their light-hearted banter.

When she slid the kada on her wrist, his grin widened to a huge smile, reflecting the dimples she seldom saw.

“Happy birthday, Vashma.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and she gave him a side hug.

“I’ll always remember this day.” She grinned, gazing at the kada that surprisingly fit perfectly on her wrist.

“Precisely so. I’ve given you such a precious gift just so that you don’t forget me when I get old and wrinkly fifty years down the road.” She chortled along with him as they made their way to the front of her porch again.

Turning around, she wrapped her arms around his neck, watching him follow her movements in surprise. Her eyes held a tinge of mischief but an entire whirlwind of gratitude and affection; two emotions that he received with a hitched breath.

It’s when she whispered the words that made his heart leap out of his chest.

“I could never forget you.”

“I could never forget him.” Her mother’s stern tone brought her back from another trip down the memory lane.

Vashma sighed into the phone. “There’s nothing going on between Uday and me, Ammi.”

“There better not be, you would do well to know your boundaries.”

“I do. Even if I didn’t, I always have you to remind me.” She fired back.

Zahida only reprimanded. “You would also do well to start thinking about marriage, Vashma.”

Vashma didn’t want to marry. Not when her heart was not in the right place. She couldn’t take such an important decision in haste. And there was only one way to put a temporary halt to her mother’s ideas. No matter how much she hated it.

And so she closed her eyes and grimaced before uttering, “Actually there is a guy. A guy I know you’ll approve.”

----------

Needless to say, her mother had been ecstatic after hearing news of Ayaan Siddiqui. Probably more ecstatic than she felt herself. Vashma felt a bout of relief spread through her the second she hung up the phone. This morning she had been excited.

Now after reliving a memory she longed to forget and having a strenuous phone call with her mother, all she wanted was for the day to end.

She rounded up to her cubicle, arranging her files and booting her laptop when she heard a sweet shriek in the background. Vashma identified that voice immediately and groaned out loud. If she thought this day would get any better, she was wrong.

She turned around to see Trisha lurking around the cafeteria, surrounded by her other work colleagues as she flaunted the silver band that had once been hers. Vashma had been hurt when Uday had demanded the kada back from her. But seeing it on some random girlfriend’s wrist who probably didn’t even know its value just pierced through her soul. He hadn’t just demeaned her, but he had insulted his mother as well.

“Uday gave it to me as a gift! Goes really well with my outfit, doesn’t it?” She squealed so loud, Vashma’s ears began to ring.

How could a girl be so oblivious?

She watched Amrit’s pained expression and decided to give Trisha a piece of her mind. If she wanted to annoy Vashma, she’d have to bear its consequences as well.

Walking up to her, Vashma retorted. “It’s more than just an accessory, you know that, right?”

Trisha squared her shoulders and walked up to her, her four inch heels making her tower over Vashma.

“I know that it was yours once but you no longer deserve it. That’s enough for me.”

She sneered back and Vashma did everything in her power to remain indifferent. Trisha knew her weak point and struck her just there.

Vashma raised her head to meet her eye and flared, “Now I get why he chose you. You’re almost as feisty.”

Trisha stared her down condescendingly before spitting, “And now I get why he left you. You’re a little too much to handle.”

The tension between them had spiralled so much a knife could slice through. Vashma was about to spew every curse she knew when Amrit intervened.

“Trisha. Aren’t you and Uday going on a dinner date tonight?” She asked, her eyes pointing towards Vashma.

Trisha flipped her hair behind her shoulder and boasted, “Yeah, I’ve picked out clothes for tonight as well. You know, something that’s easy to get out of.” She winked suggestively, irking Vashma further.

How promiscuous could this woman be?! Vashma felt disgusted at her crude nature, but couldn’t stop the wave of jealousy from churning in the pit of her stomach at the thought that she was the woman Uday went to bed with every single night. Her hands clenched into fists and she felt like delivering a punch to the other woman for setting eyes at her man.

But then again, who was she to call Uday hers?

Biting back a lump in her throat, she scoffed to Trisha, “Is that all you think of?”

“It’s what all men want. And I happen to be good at it.” She smirked, contorting her face into an expression that made Vashma want to throw up.

She somehow resisted the temptation and chose to utter words of advice. Because Uday deserved love, no matter who he chose to be with.

“Uday isn’t just any guy, Trisha. You’ve got to talk to him to get to know him.”

Trisha only rolled her eyes. “Save the lecture, Vashma.” Pointing her index finger at her, she accused with sarcasm, “You know, this is probably why he’s so fed up with you.”

Her heart dropped. This is what Uday had told her? Had he been badmouthing her all this while?

“Fed up with me?” Her voice reduced to a broken murmur and her legs began to waver.

“What else do you expect?! You just go on over-analyzing everything. Like this bracelet. It’s just a piece of accessory but no, you just have to impose some deeper meaning to it!” Trisha chided.

“Because there is!” Vashma vented out. “You would’ve realized it too had you paid a little attention to him. Had you tried to understand him. But no, all you want to do is stay on that stupid phone of yours, making your entire life public for no apparent reason.” Vashma lashed out.

“It’s pathetic, really. Seeing you so hollow and alone, Trisha.”

That was all that he heard from her. That was all it took for anger to take over.

Uday took three long strides towards both women and seethed, “Watch what you say, Vashma! That’s my girlfriend you’re talking to.”

Vashma could only stare at him, absolutely appalled by his actions. A tear spilled from her eye and she yelled at him, “You’re seriously defending her?”

“Who else am I supposed to defend? Someone as selfish as you?!” He barked.

She faltered in her step, his words echoing in her ears. “Selfish?” She barely spoke, her voice a feeble whisper.

For a second, she could ignore what Trisha had said to her. For a second, she could consider her truths as blatant lies. But hearing Uday agree with her completely shattered her. After all that they had been through, Vashma had stopped expecting much from him. She hadn’t expected him to openly trust her again. But at least she had hoped he wouldn’t humiliate her in front of everyone. He owed her that for the friendship they once had. But this wasn’t the Uday Sahani she had known and grown to love. This was a changed man; a man that disappointed her at every step.

Vashma scoffed to herself. What difference did her feelings matter to him, anyways? He had stopped caring.

It’s what Uday had hoped would happen. He was confident that he had been able to coerce his heart from caring about Vashma. But seeing what his words did to her made him want to choke himself. He clutched the screwdriver in his hand that he had used to repair the dwindling drawer in his desk and drove it through his palm. It didn’t do any justice to the pain he had verbally inflicted on her, but it made him a little less guilty.

The more he’d say to her, the more he’d believe it.

“That’s what you think of me?” She asked, her tone a mix of anguish and anger.

He gulped, wanting nothing more in the world than to take those words back. The most important woman in his life was anything but selfish. But all he saw was the pain she had given him over the past few days, all that he heard was how she had given up on them so soon. It was unfair, he knew. Uday was a hypocrite for wanting her to pursue a love he never fought for. But she wanted him to move on and he wanted to show her what it would look like. So here he was, battling between his heart and mind as his soul slowly perished.

“Someone who toyed with someone else just to move on, that too after betraying that person sounds pretty selfish to me.”

The screwdriver dipped further into his skin, but the drops of blood dampening his skin seemed irrelevant compared to the tears wettening her cheeks.

She refused to wipe them away, but stepped towards him, meeting his eye. He simultaneously hid his hand behind him, knowing she’d forget everything to tend to him if she found out.

Her tone dripped with malice, “Well then you shouldn’t be wasting your precious time around someone like me.” She cast one look at Trisha and reverted back to him.

She couldn’t believe she had allowed Uday to become so important in her life. She couldn’t believe she had given her heart to a man who would only step over it.

“I know I won’t want to be around someone as double-faced as you, Uday. Fortunately, I’ve got a perfect boyfriend who understands me way better than you ever could. One who deserves my love in more ways than one, if you know what I mean.” She insinuated, winking at the end.

His heart burned. She had moved on. She didn’t even need him anymore. She had a boyfriend who’d fill in every void in her life. However, it was her last sentence that caught his breath. Visuals of her between the sheets conjured up in his mind and he hated it. He hated the proximity they’d share. He hated that she was going to bed him sooner or later. He wasn’t opposed to her indulging in the physical aspects of a relationship. He just hated that it was Ayaan she’d do it with.

Not wanting to fall vulnerable under her fierce gaze, he tormented. “Go to hell, Vashma.”

“I’d go anywhere if it meant getting away from you, Uday.” She lashed back, turning away from him.

This time he couldn’t blame her. He had finally driven her away from him. He had finally eradicated the only reason behind his potential happiness from his life. He had finally freed her from himself before he could get attached.

It’s when the screwdriver dropped to the floor. And so did his tears.

----------

Uday had been gazing into nothing in particular outside their office building when Randheer found him. His cheeks had been marred with a trail of tears, his hand tainted in red. Unable to resist the torment these two were giving each other, Randheer walked up to him, ready to put some sense into him.

Uday sensed his friend’s presence and cleared his throat. He faced a stone cold Randheer as the other man studied Uday’s face with fury. Randheer seldom lost his temper. And so if he did, it was clear something had surely angered him to the extent.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” He pushed Uday by the shoulder.

Uday met his eye, leveling himself up to his friend. “So you’re going to defend her too?!”

“Someone has to, considering you’ve stooped so low.” Randheer berated.

It was the sudden jolt of anger within him that made Uday realize. “You knew about this all along, didn’t you? You knew she had feelings for me?”

“Yes I did. I knew it since that night at the bonfire. You had too had you not been so caught up in yourself.”

Uday couldn’t believe Randheer’s allegation. He was too self-absorbed?! All he cared about was her. All he wanted was her happiness. All he did was try to make himself capable of giving her that. But all she did was keep him in the dark.

“I don’t care. I’m not doing anything she doesn’t deserve.” He mumbled.

Randheer unleashed every bit of pent up rage. “Who are you to decide what she deserves?!”

Enough had been enough. Vashma had been like a sister to him and he couldn’t stand his friend hurting her anymore.

“She broke my trust.” Uday thought he sounded pathetic, clinging onto the only defense he had at his disposal.

“And what have you done? You’re breaking the only friend who stood by you.” Randheer vented out, the vein in his neck about to pop.

He also decided to reveal, “Vashma wasn’t boasting about herself in there. She was defending you.”

“No one asked her to.”

“Nobody had to.” Randheer countered.

“You’re lying.”

His friend huffed.”Yeah, keep saying that, maybe it’ll turn true one day.”

Uday cleared his throat and turned to Randheer, his face completely void of emotion. “What she did was wrong and nothing can change that.”

“But you’ve already punished her for that, Uday!” He cried out, frustrated at his friend’s stubbornness. “You’ve broken all ties with her. And yet you remain unhappy because you feel equally punished, Uday.”

Bringing his wounded hand to his face, Randheer explained, “You’re incapable of hurting her without hurting yourself.”

Uday flung his hand from his grasp and paced around. He took his head in his hand and wished to pull his hair out.

“And I hate that. I hate that I don’t know why she affects me so much. I hate that her tears make my heart crumble to pieces.”

Randheer watched his friend unravel to shards as Uday finally broke down. He rose to his feet, his eyes as bloodied as his hand as his lungs broke out.

“I hate that she’s talking about how much of a great human Ayaan is. I hate that she’s giving all her attention to him!”

She was happy. She was moving on. He could suddenly see her marrying Ayaan, having children together, spending a blissful life together as he stood in the sidelines. He didn’t want her to forget him. He didn’t want to lose her. But she had already decided. She had already chosen some other man to replace him.

Randheer could sense the inner turmoil his friend was going through but equally understood how Uday was unable to come to terms with his feelings. He had to make his friend see that for him to reconcile with Vashma.

And so he began, clutching his shoulder. “Ayaan gives her what she’s been looking for in a man, Uday. Do you not want her to be happy?”

“I--I, yes but--”

“God, how pathetic can you be, Uday?! How egoistic are you? You can’t even see her happy?”

“No, I--”

“You know, she did the right thing by moving on. Anything would be better than having a friend like you.”

“Of course, I want to see her happy, Randheer! That’s all I’ve ever wanted!” He pressed, finally interrupting his friend’s train of assumptions.

“But I--”

“You what?”

“I--” He struggled to find the right words.

“What, Uday? Or are you still as spineless as you were all along?”

“I’m not--”

“Let’s not pretend any longer, please.”

“Fine! I want her to be happy! But I want her to be happy with me!”

Uday watched Randheer sport a look of victory as the words echoed in his head. It couldn’t be true. It shouldn’t be.

“I think it’s time you admit it, Uday.”

He didn’t want to. He wasn’t ready for the expectations that came with it. He wasn’t capable of that. He couldn’t bring himself to admit it. Yes, he cared about her. Yes, he couldn’t go through one day without thinking about her. Yes, her happiness mattered to him. Yes, her absence made his heart ache. Without her, he felt incomplete, lost.

It’s when the truth struck him, faster than a lighting bolt.

He had fallen in love with Vashma Baig. And he had just forced her to fall out of it.

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Do let me know what you think of it. 😃