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Thank you for enjoying the story so far. I shall not be able to send out pms.
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Chapter 2
Two weeks laterSanskar frowns, not happy with what his mum just told him. Oblivious, Sujata continues, "you have been avoiding all family functions. This time you can't. We shall soon be related to that family, once Laksh and Ragini marry."
Sanskar looks at his mum and says, "I am surprised that this marriage is going ahead. Isn't the lady in question Bengali? How did the dadi agree to the match? I thought her views were as staunch as this family's."
"She is not happy over the alliance," Sujata says, adding, "she has no choice. It turns out that Shekhar and Sharmista love one another all these years. They were lovers in the past and have a daughter, Swara. Lovely girl, you would have met her had you come for Laksh's engagement."
"Mum I am busy," Sanskar snaps,turns back to his laptop, dismissing his mother. He stops typing, looks at his mum, his smirking, he asks, "so is bade papa going to break Laksh's engagement now?" Seeing confusion written on his mother's face, he says bitterly, "ragini's new mum is Bengali." Shaking her head
Sujata replies, "Ragini is not Bengali. Hence bade papa has no reason to break the alliance."
Slaming his laptop shut, Sanskar thinks fumingly, "what the hell? I expected the grandmothers to create an uproar once they found out. The pictures I sent should have created fireworks. What of the father and mother? Definitely expected fireworks over their different attitude towards life. Instead they have been busy preparing for their marriage."
Shoving his chair roughly, he gets up and paces about, trying to understand why his plan backfired. If not Swara then Ragini should have told the elders in the family. He stops midtrack, cursing aloud, "damnit, they haven't told anybody. Damn her for messing with my plans. Now I shall have to think of something else." Deep down certain that Swara has the pictures.
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Dida watches Parvati welcome the Maheshwaris from a far. Swara walks up to dida, says, "let's go greet Ragini's in laws." Holding her back, dida says, "there is no need," her displeasure clear on her face. Turning to Swara,maybe adds, "I dislike that family. You stay away from them." Laughing, Swara replies, "not possible. Firstly, Laksh is my friend and secondly, they are Ragini's in laws."
Swara's steps slow down, eventually stopping, her smile no more as she watches a familiar face admist the group. It was a face she never expected to see again. Watching the way Sujata aunty was introducing him, she is filled with dread, thinking, "he must be her son... Laksh's cousin." Too shocked to react, she stands still, wondering what the hell was going on... Why did he... Did he know who I was?
Heavily pregnant, Kavita, dida's grandniece, second cousin to Swara walks up to her concerned, asks, "what's wrong? You look like you have seen a ghost." Turning to her, Swara smiles reassuringly, and says, "no, di. I am fine. I was just wondering who that guy is?" "Who?"Kavita asks. "The one talking to Laksh," Swara replies.
Kavita's gaze falls on Sanskar, her heart immediately warms up with the affection she has for him, her first love. She turns to look at her husband, who was across the hall, he meets her gaze, she smiles as she reads the warmth and love in them, thanks God that she was lucky to have found love a second time. Oblivious to the inner turmoil Swara is experiencing, Kavita says, "that is Sanskar. We studied together. Come, I shall introduce you." Shaking her head, Swara replies, "you go ahead. I have something to do."
Sanskar looks up, his gaze narrowing as he watches Swara head towards her home. Wanting her to witness the spectacle he had prepared, he follows her with the intention of bringing her out into the courtyard. He didn't care of the consequences she would face, or of that of her family... All he wanted was to savour the pain he would see in dida's eyes. Since he was not successful in hurting her in private, then in public it would have to be.
Swara walks into her room,annoyed with herself for feeling weak... For believing in him... "Oh I am so stupid," she mutters, "not everyone is dad. Not everyone is pure." Her heart feels heavy as memories she had buried deep, resurface. Closing her eyes, she relives their final moment... Of them going round the bonfire... The love... Passion... Warmth... Honesty... she saw in his eyes for her... The thread he tied around her neck, symbolizing that they belonged to one another... "I was so stupid," she says aloud. "Yes you were," a quiet voice says behind her, startling her.
Recognizing his voice Swara turns around. Calmly asks, "lost your way?" Leaning on the wall, grinning lazily, Sanskar says, "nah." Pushes himself from the wall, standing upright, a predatory gleam in his eyes, as he walks towards her, saying, "you look pretty with clothes on." Affronted, Swara trying to think of something to say without showing him his emotions. She did not want to appear vulnerable. Deciding silence we best she says nothing, just watches him. Stopping inches away from her, his hand reaching for her face, lightly caressing her, wanting, no, craving a reaction from her, he says softly, "though you look prettiest when you are under me."
Taken aback for she was not expecting such a bold statement, Swara collects herself and says sarcastically, "resorting to lies, are we?" Curious and confused when he read certainity in her eyes, he wonders why she does not believe him. He says, "I thought pictures said a thousand words." Smiling, Swara says "true... But one has to see the pictures to hear the words... And those pictures not a soul shall see." Seeing the satisfaction in her eyes. Sanskar is angry, thinking, "wait and watch... See how I wipe that smile off your face."
Taking a folded envelope out of his pocket, Sanskar gives it to Swara and says, "here a gift" Compressing her lips, curious, Swara takes the envelope, thinking, "what now..." Stares at the picture, horrified. Masking her initial reaction, she looks at Sanskar and says, "much better. At least now both of us can be seen clearly... Before it was just my face that was visible..." Completing the remainder of the sentence in her mind "... In the compromising positions." Smirking, for he knows that she is not as composed as she wanted to portray, he says, "see... I told you I like you best under me."
Unable to mask her emotions, her eyes fiery with anger, swar glares at him, crushing their photograph, she says in a strong voice, "nothing happened that night." "Oh yea," Sanskar challenges. "Yes," she yells, interrupting him, "nothing happened," she repeats. Jabbing her forefinger at his chest, she says, "Nothing happened. I know because I went to see a gynocologist. I was a virgin... I am a virgin. Nothing happened." Surprised, Sanskar just stares at her, never had he dreamt that she would go to the doctor.
Swara tears the photograph into tiny pieces, saying, "I don't know why you have gone to so much lengths to frame me. I won't let you hurt my family." Watching her tear the photograph, Sanskar bursts out laughing, says, "do you honestly think this is the only picture." Grabbing her by the arm, he pulls her forcefully to him and whispers harshly into her ear, " there is one heading straight to your dadi as we speak."
Panicing, struggling to release herself, Swara says, "let go... Let go." Grabbing her other arm, holding her with both hands, he glares into her eyes, growling, "make me."
"Swara... Swara...," dadi screams, "come out here now." Hearing her name called out. Her heart racing as she is filled with dread. She pleaded with Sanskar to let her go. "Why do you hate me?," Swara asks softly. His eyes hard, no sign of remorse, he says, "I don't. You mean nothing to me... You are just a means to an end." Glaring at him with determination, Swara says, "you are forgetting something very important." "What?" Sanskar asks sharply. "I can prove that these pictures are false," Swara says calmly.
He stares at her silently for several seconds, trying to contain his temper angry that she, a slip of a girl would thwart his plans, says coldly, "tell a soul and next time you won't remain a virgin." "Touch me again and you will find yourself behind bars," she says equally coldly. Nostrils flaring, anger emanating from his body, he says, "challenge accepted" crushes her into him as he kisses her with bruising force. Breaking the kiss he says sinisterly, "you are forgetting the photographs... Honey", pulls her back into his arms. Telling himself that he was kissing her to punish her and not because he wanted to.
Breaking the kiss, he gazes at her possesively as he takes in her bruised lips. Refusing to let her go, he says, "I will let you go on one condition." Hearing her name called out, panic rising, she looks at him with relief, says, "whatever it is I agree." Surprised at how easy it was, staring at her with disbelief, he sense a slight annoyance at her naivety thinking, "the girl doesn't learn." Instead of scolding her for agreeing to conditions she did not know, he says harshly, "you will regret it if you backtrack." Her focus on what could be going on outside, Swara says, "I won't. I promise."
Swara rushes out, her heart in her mouth, trying not to cry, thinking, "oh gosh, what am I going to tell mum." Dadi stares at her and asks in a concerned voice, "why are you crying? What happened?" Shaking her head, everything hazy because of her uncontrolled tears, Swara says, "Dadi I can explain..." Dida bursts out laughing, wiping her tears, says, "there is nothing to worry about Parvati. These are happy tears." Hugging Swara, dida says lovingly, "my sensitive fool." Dadi smiles with relief, says, "come along... We are all waiting for you." Confused Swara follows her grandmothers.
Relieved that nobody had seen the photograph, she joins Ragini to tie the ghat banyan for her parents. Standing by the side, she watches her parents take their vows, her memories automatically race to the night she took similar vows. Heavy hearted she looks around, wondering if she will be as lucky in love as her mother. Her gaze falls on Sanskar as she recalls the words she had used in Goa to describe her parents love for each other... To love with no conditions, no expectations. Watching a gentleman place on envelope in Sanskar's hand, swara wonders if she was ready for such a love.
Meeting her gaze, Sanskar smiles and winks as he waves the envelope slightly, thinking, "I like playing with you... So let's play." Rolling her eyes, releif pouring in, Swara huffs as she focuses her attention back on her parents, muttering, "unconditional love... My foot... Unconditional hate is more like it."
Seeing the possesive gleam in Sanskar's eyes as he watches swara, Kavita smiles with relief. She had been out of her mind with worry when she had overheard their conversation accidentally, but now watching Sanskar and Swara she knew deep down she had nothing to worry about. Walking up to her husband, she smiles thinking, "Swara will handle him."
Edited by angelpureness - 9 years ago
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