||Shrenu Parikh/Astha AT # 100||Lets celebrate||

Shrenu and Astha...

Ashlok OS

Lurid Obsession

 "Where is kinky dinky's key moma?" I yelled at the top of my voice. For the past three days I have been one ridiculous creature. All thanks to a stupid Transformers movie my friend dragged me into. Well I have never been a car fanatic; my little dad sponsored Volkswagen has always sufficed. But man its time one owns a car which has its own name like Gallardo or Aventador; I am sure there aint a person in this world who drives and hasn't dreamt of having pani puri while sitting in a Lamborghini. Is that too much to ask for? I do believe in the saying, to reach for the sky you have to aim for the stars but does that mean I aim for a jet instead?

I know girls my age are supposed to be thinking of good eligible guys with gorgeous, handsome degrees and sheen, immaculate careers but can I spare myself for that with such huge distractions and commotions  in my mind? And my mom blames me for that? I get my dad's sponsored car's key confiscated and rot in a rikshaw to get to my office? Oh!

What is practically wrong with this consumerism-driven world? I do wonder how can an average guy buy a super car, or go for a vacation to the Bora Bora Islands, or have a Facebook cover with him at the Bosphoros Bridge and DP at Rio or have a pool in his basement, or have a Batman-style underground workplace? Don't say these little sane wishes can't belong to a tiny girl.Are all these things really impossible to get?

A simple woman can't necessarily have humble dreams. Period! But that one bloody car cost's five times my dwelling!!! And you can't deny that fact that the heart wants what it wants so nothing can be done there.

But if you really come to think of it... there must be a way out. Some no-nonsense, viable, and legal way out...

Perhaps I should leave my job and start doing some business and wish against my soul to be successfully successful and buy myself one of those. But that would mean leaving my only source of income and that too without any weird traits like dropping high school, lacking social skills and such massive disruptions. I damn have a pretty okay life.

Or I could invest in my little savings in my computer freak friend and tell her to make this amazing app. OR better still become a model or an actress. But the one commercial I tried auditioning for said I was too fair for the fairness cream. Makes no sense but they could actually cast me beside tall men like Avinash and I'll be on my toes half of the time. 5" does me no good and there goes my acting career.

Make an association with people with that kind of money and then perhaps marry one of their rich kids? And on a brighter side actually marry a guy who owns a Lamborghini and stick to the rule what's yours is mine'. That is the key to success here. So hope is all I have; my greatest strength and worst weakness but then it's the only thing free in this world.

But...ALAS...I don't think a person with a Lamborghini would marry me, unless I already had three of those... Sighs!

And as I crossed the road to head back home wondering about all the possible rich faces in my social circle a sedan whooshed by like a bullet; its yellow color pierced my inside with the wavelength and I fell back on the green-belt with my back soaring in the throbbing twinge. But one thing I couldn't stop doing was... gawking... gaping at the most conspicuous thing in the world.

The blonde baby reversed until inches away from me and the shimmering glass pulled down with the flute it played. Two eyes behind a glistening pair of goggles came into my view. The boy scrutinized me and my awkward posture. I saw my ghastly stunned reflection on the surface of ... what do I call it?...my illusion? In a matter of seconds my spinning head would have spiked out my hair with the green of my face.

"I am sorry... are you hurt?" He asked. I propelled my head in affirmation.

"Yes..." I whispered back gulping the already gone saliva.

He leapt out of the illusion with his long legs emerging, emergine and emerging  out of it; man he had long legs. He came near me and sat beside me. I tried to focus on him but yellow has a higher frequency.

"Want me to take you to a doctor?" He asked being all concerned. I could not respond only gape at him in utter confusion. He looked back bizarrely and held me by my shoulders helping me inside the illusion. I knew it would dismiss in to nowhere the minute I settle but it didn't.

 "I am sitting in a Lamborghini and you are Shlok Agnihotri... I am sitting in a Lamborghini and you are Shlok Agnihotri... I am sitting in a Lamborghini and you are Shlok Agnihotri..." I pronounced in a trance and kept doing it days after the incident happened. HE was the ONLY ONE to own it in India.

And still...

I am sitting in a Lamborghini and you are Shlok Agnihotri..."

The Start of New Era

"Aayi, is it hurting a lot?" I asked with tear-stricken face as I put ointment on my beloved sasubai's burn and injuries. She gave me a teary smile shaking her head while trying to reassure me.

"I am so sorry aayi you had to suffer all this. I wish I had done something earlier." I couldn't help crying with sobs taking her hands in mine and giving them a wet kiss on each. The regret and guilt was gnawing at my conscious. My action or rather lack of it could have cost my aayi her life.

She affectionately caressed my hair as I kept my head in her lap. I wanted to cry to my heart's content. Aayi lifted my head and cupped my face. "Mera baccha, what are you apologetic for? It's not your fault. You tried your best, put everything dear to you at stake just for my sake. How can you think you didn't do enough or could have done something different to prevent what happened? Some things are meant to be and no matter what actions we take we can't avert them." Then planting a kiss on my forehead, she further added, "And why are you forgetting that it's because of your efforts and determination that we got to see this day. We won the ultimate battle today. The dark clouds of gloom and despair that were hovering over our house since years have now finally diminished. It's time to be happy, to celebrate..not to cry."

I could only gaze at her in awe thinking for the umpteenth time, just what a great woman she was. Her strength and courage never failed to surprise me.

She wiped my tears and gave me a hug assuring me that everything was alright now and in a way she was right. It was a really big day for us, esp. for my aayi. Today was the day that marked the end of my aayi's abuse and her slavery to a male supremacist. My father-in-law, NA, was finally exposed. The truth of his character was revealed in front of all today.

After facing several disappointments in attempting to expose him, I considered placing minicams in few rooms in the hopes to collect recorded proof against him. But before I could put my plans into action, something terrible happened. Somehow NA found out that Anjali has secretly filed divorce on behalf of Jyoti and as if that wasn't enough, he also found out about her reviving relationship with her parents. He, who was already at his wits end after sensing Anjali's increasing courage, completely lost it at her open rebellion act against him.

Unfortunately that day Anjali was alone at home with Sita. When NA came home, he was like an incensed bull ready to destroy everything in its path. He found her working in the kitchen in an extremely enraged state. Anjali knew as soon as she saw his menacing look that today she would suffer her worst blow yet. She thought if this time her body would be able to survive his torture. And sure enough NA did not only beat her but also burnt her hand by dipping it into the boiling water. The entire house shook from Anjali's agonising shrieks. Just then I arrived closely followed by Shlok, both of us were informed of the happenings by Sita. I called the police and got him arrested. Shlok was numbed from shock of seeing his so-called angel-like father's devil face. My heart was clutched in a vice when I saw my dear aayi sitting on the floor of the kitchen sobbing holding her burnt hand, her face tear stricken.

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Looking out of the window my sight fell upon a peculiar scene. The scene wasn't peculiar in nature...it was peculiar because in Agnihotri planet such a scene was impossible to occur. I couldn't help smiling, as I saw Kavya playing football outside and aayi and taayi sitting some distance away chatting and laughing heartily. It was sight to behold and cherish. The three Agnihotri women were basking in the freedom after God-knows how many years. Their liveliness, their beaming faces and the glow in their eyes were the evidence of their pursuit for true happiness which they just got lucky enough to find. An immense relief similar to a prisoner's who was liberated after years' of being held hostage, was reflected on their faces. It was a start of new era for Agnihotris.

I felt a movement behind me. I had a vague idea who the intruder was. He came and stood close behind me. The next second I felt his hand on my shoulder.

"I am sorry Astha!" There was hesitation in his voice. I felt my body tense up...a defensive reaction.

"Sorry? For what Shlok?" I asked, keeping a calm demeanour, without turning to face him.

"For how I behaved with you."

I turned to look at him. He was looking grief-stricken and regretful. His face was revealing the secrets of his guilty conscious. But this time I was in no mood to forgive him so easily. Yes, it was me, Astha Shlok Agnihotri, who had always bowed down in front of her husband out of her love and adoration, was finally putting her foot down. I don't think I had the strength to endure his cruelties anymore. It was finally time to stand up for myself.

"And when was that? You mean the time when you deceived me by trapping me into your love and married me to get a revenge on me? Or do you mean when I tried exposing Aditi but you chose to believe a total stranger than your own wife? Or is it for the time when I tried to reveal your dad's true face in front of you and you nearly slapped me? Or is it for when I tried to stop Jyoti taayi from being forcefully taken by Abhay and you slapped me and even tried throwing me out of the house?"

I was talking in a very measured, calm tone. I didn't want to give away my emotions. At least not yet. I knew my cool attitude would add to his guilt. He stood there with downcast eyes.

"If it wasn't for aayi I wud have been thrown out that day."

"I am really sorry Astha. I know I have hurt you time and again but please would you give me one more chance?"

"How many more times Shlok? I have forgiven you countless times...apologised even when I wasn't at fault, just so we could make up. The first time when you deceived me, I thought I should give you one more chance, while believing you are better man than you appear to be. But I was wrong. Every time you made me feel that I hold no importance in your life whatsoever. You make me sit on the thrown of the ninth cloud, show me beautiful dreams but the next second you pull me down to the earth, causing me to fall flat on my face. I am now tired of this repeated series of hurt Shlok."

I didn't want to rant but couldn't help it. After keeping all my emotions bottled up inside me for the past few weeks, now they were keen to be let out. I felt my eyes well up.

Seeing my tears, Shlok stepped forward and took my hand in his. "I am really sorry Astha. Each time, I was blinded by my dad's love. I couldn't see anything beyond him. I am truly regretful for everything that I have done wrong to you. I know I can not take away the pain my past actions have caused you but I promise I will make it up to you. You are everything to me now."

He was begging me for my forgiveness and my love. His words were again starting to melt my heart and shake my resolve. It was now a battle between my heart and mind. I tried to walk off before I gave in to him and my heart but he stopped me by holding my hand.

"Can't you give me one more chance? Isn't it possible that we forget everything that happened between us in the past and start afresh?"

I lifted my head to look at him. While studying the emotions in his eyes, I found a ray of hope in those eyes...hope for new start...hope for the new beginning of our married life.

"Yes Shlok we can but it will be some time before I can restore trust on my love again. Something between us has broken and we need to fix that...together! Over time, we may go back to being how we were but for now I need some time. And yes it would be best if we make a new start." I finished with a hint of smile. His eyes told me he was willing to wait for me. It looked like it was a start of new era in our relationship too.