IPKKND: The Bet {Chapters 1-6} - Page 19

Chapter 2: Stronger

She sunk to the ground as she looked at her tattered scarf lying in a heap beside me. Her lower back stung because of the dried bark that had cut into her flesh. She felt bruised and broken and filthy. She closed her eyes as rain drops fell on her face, ticking her skin as they seeped down to the ground silently.

It felt like her innocence had been robbed, her soul tainted. His hands had felt wrong; his touch had felt cruel and utterly ruthless. He had taken no mercy upon a girl who'd been accused of something she did not do.

But he did not care.

She didn't know how long she sat here, weeping into the night, maybe it'd been hours, or maybe it'd been mere minutes ticking away hazily in the back of her mind.

She jerked back fearfully when she felt a hand on her shoulder only to find herself looking into Reihana's concern-filled eyes. "Khushi! I thought you were right behind me! What happened to you? Why are you crying?!"

She looked at her warily before breaking into sobs all over again. "I…I'"

"Is that blood?!" Reihana cried while looking pointedly at her side. Blood was seeping through the thin white material of her salwaar suit.

"Y..yeah…I..guess so." She answered meekly.

"You guess?! You know what? Let's get you inside first and all cleaned up."

She took her arm and pulled her up gently while Khushi tried not to hiss in pain when she felt another tree bark hit the fresh cut on her back. Ignoring Reihana's worried look, she started walking with her, trying not to look at the empty spot where his Bentley was moments ago on her way and swallow the sobs threatening to make their way out of her mouth.

****

"So what happened? How did you get hurt?" Reihana demanded as soon as she'd had stepped out of her bathroom after taking a shower and changing into one of her salwaar suits. Khushi had kept telling her she needed to get home, that she had things to do, that Bua ji would get angry, but of course she paid no heed and was absolutely adamant on getting her to stay overnight since the party would probably end late anyway. She didn't want to stay here, in his house, after what he'd done, but once Reihana was persistent about something it was impossible to change her mind.

"I…I tripped over a rock and fell." She replied submissively, the excuse sounding lame even to her own ears. "So what about the surprise party?" She asked, trying to change the subject.

"Oh! Right, I think Bhaiya left with the car already. He should be back in a bit. Almost everyone's already here!"

"Does he even know those people?" She asked glumly.

"Nope!"

She snorted. This oughta be fun!

Not.

****

She pushed past the throngs of people gathered around the living room, trying to get to the kitchen and hoping to find something sweet to eat or better yet, make. She needed to relieve some of this anger that'd built up inside of her tonight and making some delicious jalebis seemed like the perfect way to do it.

****

"Why the hell is it so dark in here?!" He shouted, the anger from earlier tonight fast returning and making him want to smash something into the wall.

Suddenly the lights flickered on. "SURPRISE!" And he found myself staring at people whom he'd never seen before in his entire existence.

"What the?"

"Happy Birthday Bhaiya!"

"Reihana, what is going on? Did you invite all these people?" He asked while looking at her sternly. Her smile faltered a little and her eyes darted around the boisterous room before she spoke. "Y..yes..It was your birthday, so…"

His fists clenched on their own accord, and his back tensed. Reihana was such a child, she knew he didn't like crowds or parties yet she invited all these people?

"Chotey! Happy birthday!" Di's voice snapped him out of his train of thought and he gave her an exasperated look. Of all the people, he didn't expect her to be a part of this too.

"Unbelievable." He muttered before stomping towards the kitchen to get some water.

****

"Mmm!" She moaned in ecstasy while stuffing her mouth with another piping hot jalebi. "Ohhh this is so good!" She sighed after swallowing.

"YOU?!" She almost choked on her own spit when she heard his voice behind her. Hey Devi Maiyya! Raksha karna! She prayed silently before turning around to face the fuming Laad Governor who wore a glare that could be enough to kill Hitler, her rage equaling his own.

"Yes, ME!"

Maybe what he'd asked was meant to be a rhetorical question, because her reply seemed to have put him off and he took a step closer, his eyes ablaze with fury and his entire being rigid.

He grabbed her forearm and pulled her against his form. "What are you doing inside my house?"

"Let go of me!" She yelped while struggling under his vice-like grip. His hand went around the small of her back and she let out a cry of pain as she felt it pressing against her fresh wound.

"How dare you come inside my house? GET OUT! GET THE F*CK OUT RIGHT NOW!" He screamed in her face before pushing her back against the counter. She bit her tongue to stop the shriek of pain threatening to leave her mouth when she felt the edge of the counter dig into her back, and instantly knew the cut had started bleeding again when she felt hot liquid trickle down her skin.

Reihana came into the kitchen with a worried look on her face. "What is going on?!?" Her eyes widened as she noticed the tears streaming down Khushi's face and her gaze instantly went to her side. "Khushi, you're bleeding again!"

"I…I'm fine…I have to go."

"No, you don't!" She protested. "We need to clean that up!"

"Reihana, how do you know this…" He turned to face her with a sneer. "girl."

"She's my friend, Bhaiya. Were you shouting at her? Everyone could hear you outside!"

"You're not allowed to see her anymore." He said sternly, ignoring her question, all the while glaring at Khushi.

"What? Bhaiya, what the hell is this about?"

"She keyed my car, damn it! It's a good thing I caught her and taught her a lesson, though. I don't want you hanging out with girls like her. Am I clear?" He finally turned to Reihana, who looked as pale as a ghost all of a sudden.

She looked down at the floor and spoke in small, barely audible voice. "Bhaiya, I'm the one who keyed your car."

Arnav looked at her, flabbergasted, before realization dawned on him. "Reihana, don't try to cover up for her mistake!"

"I'm not! I did it! I wanted to throw you a surprise party but you said you'd be home all day so I thought I'd do something to make you leave for a while…until all the guests came, and I don't know…it seemed right at the moment! I was only thinking of the party! I dragged Khushi with me, but she couldn't do it. She was too scared. I'm so sorry!"

Arnav opened his mouth. Then closed it, looked at Khushi, opened it again, closed it. She thought she almost saw something like regret in his eyes, but it'd gone as fast as it came and it made her wonder whether or not she'd imagined it. "Unbelievable." He muttered, before taking one last look at her side, gulping, and marching out of the kitchen.