IPKKND: The Bet {Chapters 1-6} - Page 26

Chapter 3: Dreams Be Dreams

She looked around the slight clearing, squinting her eyes as the very first rays of sunshine shone down through the trees.

"Looking for me?" A voice whispered into her ear before his laugh resounded throughout the woods, echoing across the waters and travelling into the wind. A strong breeze nipped her cheeks and she looked around wildly, fear becoming evident across her features as drops of perspiration beaded her forehead. His laugh grew louder and louder as seconds passed, and she furiously put her hands over her ears, willing it to end.

When it did not, she broke into a sprint. Her legs felt heavy, as if someone was deliberately trying to pull her back, but she continued to run, her bare feet begged for mercy as she stepped on brittle leaves and rocks, but the adrenaline coursing through her veins had increased tenfold along with her speed, refusing her stop or look back, for she was too terrified to do so.

Her breathing turned shallow and she came to a halt when she noticed a cliff not too far away.

She was trapped.

His demonic laugh still reverberated throughout the woods and she could not help the shrill cry of pain that left her mouth the next second.

"You can't escape me."

****

"Khushi! Khushi! Sanka devi! Wake up! What's wrong?! Wake up!"

"No!" She screamed in fear as Bua ji's face appeared in her line of vision and grabbed her arm, yanking her onto the bed while sitting up and throwing her arms around her.

"Bua ji! I...oh God! I...it was horrible! He...he..." She couldn't bring herself to complete the sentence and prayed that Bua ji realized who she was talking about.

Bua ji muttered soothing words that meant nothing yet everything while she continued to sob on her shoulder. "It's okay, Khushi. He's not here. He's in jail, you don't need to be scared. Shhh. Go to sleep."

Bua ji gently caressed her forehead while she clutched onto her hand for dear life.

It couldn't be.

He couldn't come back.

Not after all these years.

Soon, she succumbed to the darkness and fell into a dreamless sleep.

****

"Bhaiya! How many times do I have to say sorry? I'm sorry!" Reihana tugged his hand again while holding a plate of what seemed to be a cake that had 'I'm Sorry' written on it.

"You're going to apologize by giving me cake? You know I'm not allowed to have sweets."

"It's sugarfree!"

"I don't want it." He groused, aware of how rude he sounded but at this moment he could've cared less.

He looked up curiously when Reihana didn't respond to find her looking down at him, her eyes filled with tears that were threatening to spill out at any moment. But before he could open his mouth and tell her it was okay, she put the plate down on the coffee table in front of him and ran out of the room.

Great.

This was all that girls fault. He didn't know how, but it just was. Why did she have to show up at the wrong place at the wrong time? How was any of this his fault? He'd seen a key in her hand, and scratches on his car that she happened to be in front of at that moment. Any other person would've drawn the same conclusion. It was only logical for him to think that it was her fault.

He slammed his laptop shut when he realized what he was thinking. That girl was no one important. No one important. He did not need to waste his time thinking about her.

"No one important. Nope. Why should I care if she got hurt? It was only a small scratch. She'll get over it."

Oh God. He was talking to himself. This girl has already started driving him crazy.

Out of sight, out of mind. Out of sight, out of mind!

****

The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, and people were smiling.

She trudged out of bed reluctantly and made way towards the kitchen. The first rays of sunshine could be seen gleaming in through the windows and she tried not to sigh ruefully as she realized today was a weekday.

Weekdays meant college. College meant snarky professors that seemed to have a ball picking on her.

What was she? A pinata?

"How are you feeling now, Khushi?" Bua ji asked as she handed her a cup of hot tea while she sat down at the table.

She look at her, confused. "I'm fine?" Her answer came out more as a question. Bua ji never asked how she was feeling or how her health was, because those simple things, she just somehow knew. "Why do you ask?"

Bua ji's eyes widened and she averted her gaze suddenly, muttering something to herself while scuttling off the chair and whooshing into the kitchen.

O...kay?

What just happened?

****

She gazed at the ugly scar that was starting to form on her bare back before zipping up her top sullenly and draping her scarf across her neck. Bua ji had acted indifferent all morning, strangely avoiding looking into her eyes and always walking away from her if she tried to say something to her.

But why was she suddenly acting distant? She seemed perfectly fine yesterday.

Was it because She'd come home late last night?

Last night...

Her eyes widened as faint images and remnants of the past came crashing down. She tried her best to block out the pictures of him, but it was a vain effort. No matter how much she tried, she could never get rid of those bitter memories. They would be forever etched in her brain, haunting my dreams, refusing to leave.

He is in jail now.

He is not out, he is not going to come after me.

How she desperately wished these words would bring a sense of security someday.

****

"What is he doing here?!" She screeched while putting her hands on her hips and glaring at him through the windshielf of his white SUV. How dare he show up with his fancy car outside her house after what he had done? The audacity of the man!

"Khushi, Bhaiya says I'm not allowed to drive for a while after what I did to his car so he's going to drop and pick us up from college for a few weeks." Reihana stated sullenly while discreetly glaring at Arnav. She knew how much Reihana liked driving her new Jaguar, she called it her 'baby.' And to have it taken away from her so suddenly would not have made her happy.

"I'll walk, or take an auto." She grumbled before turning around and keeping an eye out for a rickshaw.

"Yeah, thanks a lot for that!" She heard him yell after her, though she paid no heed. "Now I won't have to worry about putting trash in my car!"

She stopped in her tracks. Oh no he didn't.