Sonakshi ended her dance by slowly uncovering the veil that partially concealed half of her face. The entire hall thundered with loud claps and whistles from the squandered and wasted lot of men while they showed no sign to stop with the bottoms-up of the iced beer bottles in their hands. But that was the last thing Sonakshi cared about, for her heart was on the verge to betray her as she felt herself trapped under the gaze of the very man who had royally seized hold of her sleep for the past five months.
Their eyes met like lava meeting the ocean. Rohit’s gaze bored through the figure in front of him as he stood still in his place with the drink in his hand. His jaw clenched painfully seeing strangers whistling and passing comments on her.
Sonakshi stood in her place, thoroughly incapable to cope with the emotions that surged through her. She didn’t even know if she was dead or alive, her mind scrambling with vivid sentiments. The bitter images and hurtful words that had been long buried somewhere within her swooped down on her with a severe blow and she stared at him with pain and accusation in her eyes. All she wanted at that moment was to evaporate into thin air.
Slamming the glass on the table, Rohit rushed to her side, an unknown protectiveness engulfing his being.
“What are you doing here?”, he asked fuming.
Sonakshi looked away from him and walked past him as though he was invisible. She walked up to the host of the party as she smiled sweetly, “Hi”
“Hey! You were outstanding.. What a performance, my goodness!.”., Vinit grinned at her leaning against the bar.
Sonakshi felt Rohit’s presence as the hair on her name stood up and she looked at the man in front of her, “Thank you!”
For a breathless second, her feet faltered to the heavy pounding of her heart. Her insides felt void and her mind clouded with thoughts she had long buried. She didn’t even know what she was doing anymore, talking to a stranger who was clearly trying to flirt with her. She hated to admit the tranquility that spread over her heart at the presence of the very man standing behind her who she loathed with a passion...or so she thought.
“So...what’s your plan for tonight?”
The guts of this loser!
Rohit curled his fingers into a painful fist as he shook with fury. In one swift motion, he stood between sonakshi and vinit, “Please excuse us for a moment. I gotta have a word with her.”
Without waiting to hear his reply, he dragged sonakshi away from him.
“What the hell are you doing here?”, Rohit asked, anger replacing his being.
“What makes you think I’m answerable to you?”, Sonakshi looked at him with an unknown fury and rohit was taken aback for he had never seen what he saw in those eyes. His heart clenched painfully as he searched for the right words.
“Answer me Damn it!”, his patience began to wear thin and he gritted his teeth in fury.
“It’s none of your business!”, sonakshi spat back with equal rage.
“Don’t test my patience Sonakshi, I-”
“Hey Sonakshi, would you like to have a drink with me?”, a random guy stood by them as he kept looking at her from head to toe.
The slight flirtatious voice was ignored for Sonakshi had been too busy reading Rohit’s face. And that, was something no one ever wished to witness ever again. She saw the muscles at his jaw clench, nose flared, fingers balled into a fist, his teeth grinding against each other, eyes spat fire and the vein in his forehead that ticked like an atom bomb. Rohit Sippy was a threatening volcano that would erupt any moment.
“She doesn’t drink alcohol”, rohit pronounced every word through his teeth in a crisp cold voice.
“Oh it’s quite annoying how people like to assume.”, Sonakshi feigned a laugh as she looked at the guy on her left before looking at rohit, “ Do all guys like to control women like this, Dr. Sippy?”
Sonakshi brusquely asked him as rage got the better of her and she had this sudden urge to give the taste of his own medicine. She looked back at the man who was still waiting for an answer.
“As a matter of fact, I badly need a drink right now. So, shall we?”
Rohit watched them push through the crowd and he wanted nothing but smash whoever the f*ck he was on the ground. He was about to follow him when he received a call. He wanted to ignore it but it was important. He quickly went out to attend the call.
By the time he came back and looked for sonakshi, he found her at a distance, laughing with the same guy who seemed to have cracked a joke. But that’s not what bothered him. His eyes stayed glued at the two beer bottles that were in her hand.
In a few long strides, he reached her, “Sona, that’s not for you. Give it to me”
He was about to snatch away the bottle but she raised her hand that halted his steps. Her other hand moved forward as she challenged him dangerously, “You come one step closer, and I drop the bottle”
The man just stood there dumbfounded, not knowing what to do. He had no idea what was going on and why Rohit Sippy was taking so much interest in this woman.
“Do you really think I give a damn about this party?”, Rohit scoffed as he snatched away the bottles. But to his surprise, the bottles were empty. He shot his head at sonakhsi for some explanation, “Well?!”
“I finished them both. Now gonna go for the third round”, her voice slurred as she grinned at him. Rohit closed his eyes as though to gain some power so he could deal with this mess without losing his mind.
Opening his eyes, he shoved the two bottles in the man’s hands and dragged Sonakshi out of the hall but not before shooting daggers at the man who looked like he would faint any moment from the intensity of Rohit’s gaze.
~~~
“Let me gooooo...ooooo”, Sonakshi screamed as rohit made her sit in his car.
“Stay put Sonakshi”, rohit commanded in no nonsense voice
“You can’t always be controlling my life….leave meeeee” sonakshi flung her hands and legs in the air as she got out of the car.
“Come back right now.”, Rohit warned as he chased her.
“Uh-uh!”, sonakshi shook his head as she walked like a lunatic, away from him.
“Fine, if that’s how you want it to be”, She had walked only some distance before she felt herself being swept off her feet. She was thrown on his shoulder like a potato sack.
He made her sit in the passenger seat once again for sonakshi to fling her limbs once again
“Which part of stay put do you not understand?”, Rohit raged in fury
“I understand noneeee of your ‘stay put’….now let me gooo”, sonakhsi fought back in protest.
She inhaled sharply when she watched him crane his head inside the car, his face too close for her own good, “Stay.Put. I won’t hesitate to tie you up if I see any movement from now on. And Keep your mouth shut until I let you speak, which I doubt will happen anytime soon.”
With that, he slammed the door shut and went around to take the driver’s seat as sonakshi sat there with her index finger to his lips, too scared about being tied-up to move or talk.
Seven minutes into the drive and sonakshi grew impatient as she started tapping her feet constantly. She wanted to talk but she couldn’t risk her life by moving that index finger from her lips and talk. She cleared her throat to grab rohit’s attention. Few impatient moments of doing so but all in vain. She coughed a little louder.
“Water is in the back seat”
Sighing, she tapped his arms to make him look at her. When he did, she gestured at the radio. Rohit stared at her as if she had grown horns.
“Speak up, will you?”
“But first promise meeeee that you won’t tie me upppp”, Sonakshi pouted cutely, after she finished the sentence. The rational side of her mind was ebbing away due to the liquor.
Surprised, rohit slowed down the car to look at her and what she saw melted his heart. Her nose was red, her eyes were sending out an unknown plea and her index finger on her lips - if sonakshi was in her senses, she would have noted the slight curve of his lips that turned into a handsome smirk. Rohit quickly hid it before replying, “Fine.”
“It’s quite a boring ride since you have decided to keep your mouth shut and won’t let me speak either. Can we at least listen to music?”, sonakshi pouted as she batted her eyelashes.
Rohit’s gaze fell on her luscious plump lips and if not for the mess his life is at that moment, he would have crashed his lips on her without a second thought. Rohit brushed away the arousing trail of thought before clicking the play button of the radio
~~~~~
The car came to a screeching halt in front of Sonakshi’s apartment. It was the longest ride sonakshi had ever been to. With rohit’s gaze fixed on the road in a deafening silence as he violently changed the gears and drove through the quite road, Sonakshi only wished and wished he would say something to her...say something nice….just like he used to when they were together. Her heart longed for the tender voice he used to take her name with. Her heart was surged with an unknown urge to feel the warmth of his embrace. Her mind clouded with the thought of her falling asleep in his arms….
Her brain rang that bell of a sense of abandonment that is going to follow soon because even in her not-so-sober mind, she knew he doesn’t live with her anymore. As he held the door open, gesturing her to come out, her eyes filled with tears as the feeling of unwanted seeped through her bones.
When she didn’t move an inch, Rohit sighed and unstrapped her belt before pulling her out of the car.
“Okay bye”, Sonakshi slurred as she bid him bye in disappointment. Her rational mind had been piled under the intoxicated intelligence as she concluded that he would leave her in this state ….only if she knew what was going on in that mind of his…
He held her close against him as he led her to the elevator, surprising sonakshi.
“You are not gonna leave me here?” , sonakshi voice laced with an innocent hope and Rohit sippy had almost turned into a puddle of emotion as surprise crossed his feature at her sudden statement. He held her gaze in determination, “Only a fool would do that.”
“huh?” , sonakshi scrunched up her eyebrows to analyze what he said. Her brain had stopped working long back. The two bottles of beer to be blamed.
Shaking his head, he scooped her up in his arms and entered the elevator. The void that had permanently found shelter in her heart flew away and a sense of belonging surged through her being as she put her head against his chest and snuggled into the warmth that the man in subject offered. The intensity of the emotion she felt came in such abundance that she felt her heart melt and eyes well up. It had been five months since she was hit with these sentiments. And all she wanted was to stay where she was for the rest of her life. The world was too cruel and she has lost her energy to fight and survive. She didn’t want to let go of him….she bunched up the lapel of his shirt in her fingers as though not doing so would make him vanish into thin air.
Rohit took a painful gulp through his parched throat as he felt the yearn in her touch. Anger was long forgotten and a sudden need to hide her under his skin took over his being.
The elevator rang as they reached the 15th floor. Disappointment seeped through her once again.
“So now you are gonna-”
“Shh...you’re gonna wake people up” rohit cut her off as he looked around the hall
.
“Shh? You shushing me? How dare you shush me? No one shushes Sonakshi Rastogi. I don’t approve of this behavior”, sonakshi retorted in disapproval
Taking a few long side, Rohit reached the apartment and turned sonakshi around and asked her to ring the bell
“Oh so now you’re ordering meeee?”
“Just ring the damned bell, will you?!, rohit whispered through gritted his teeth leaving her no option but to quietly obey.
Pari opened the door and her eyes widened at the sight infront of her, “DI??!”
Sonakshi grinned at her as she proudly flung her legs as if showing off the position she was in, “Helloooo pari! I finally tasted beer today and mmm what a great taste it hadddd”, sonakshi slurred in drowsy eyes as she spoke smilingly.
“Aap?! What are you doing here and what happened to di?”
“I need some answers too but now is not the right time”, with that rohit walked straight into Sonakshi’s room and closed the door.
Placing her on bed, he tucked her under the duvet. For the first time in five months, he had a close look at her face and his heart dropped to his stomach as he slowly started noticing the pouch of dark circles, the crease lines in her forehead and just how exhausted she looked - and the beer had absolutely nothing to do with her condition.
What’s going on with her?
He wondered. He had to know. He had broken her heart by throwing her out of his life but he did see a fire in her eyes that reassured him that she would fight back and soar high. But her taking up a performance on an item song, that too for a Valentine bash definitely didn’t add up. She looked exhausted. Both physically and emotionally. His heart clenched at the sight and his protective instinct kicked in instantly.
“I’m gonna go. You should rest. Take these pills if you have a hangover tomorrow. And drink lemonade.”
He turned away to leave only to have his wrist caught in her grip. She sat straight up, trying her best to not pass out. Rohit sat on the bed and She looked into his eyes as she did so - they were bloodshot red.
“I really should lea-”
His words got caught in his throat as he saw her scramble towards him before wrapping her hands around him and slowly placing her head against his chest. Astonishment crossed his figure and he grew inquisitive. Allowing himself a moment, he tried to assess her movement. His heart drummed against his ribcage and he was sure if anyone else was in this room, they would be able to hear his heartbeat as well. He gulped the lump in his throat.
“Please take me with you…”, her plea hit him with such intensity that the hair on his nape stood up, his body trembled and his eyes prickled into tears.
A sudden need to take her into his protective embrace surged through him but before he could wrap his arm around her, he felt sonakshi holding his hand and putting around her body herself.
Dashing the tears away, he let her continue.
“I have been trying to hate you for the past five months. And my attempt is still on. Except that it is leading me nowhere. Because somewhere in my heart, I know that you can’t do this to me. You love me too much to hurt me like that…”
Her confidence in him blew him away and Rohit felt the tears finally escape the corner of his eyes and he made no attempt to wipe it away. It was long overdue. His heart had been aching for far too long and he couldn’t just pretend to be okay because he simply wasn’t.
She snuggled deeper as though trying to hide herself in his skin and his grip tightened around her, if that was even possible.
“Do you know how much i miss hearing ‘sona’ from your lips? Do you know how much I long your solace everytime I have faced failure in the past couple of months?...
I miss you...so...so much…I thought I would rebuild my life...but I simply can’t. I’m still stuck at the same place and I don’t know how to move on...I don’t even think I want to move on.”, he slurred sadly .
She paused before continuing, “Your image in my heart is too precious and I am not ready to taint it with allegations that my heart doesn’t approve of.”
Will he ever be able to thank god enough for blessing him with a woman as pure as her? Will he ever be able to stop loving her? How could his family not understand the unmistakable grandeur that she is?
Wiping away his tears, he pulled away from her and cupped her face as she stared at him with an unknown yearn that he couldn’t fathom. He cupped her face and drew lips on her forehead into a soft but first kiss before pushing her onto the mattress and tucking her under the duvet.
“You’re leaving me?”, she asked, restlessness took over the better half of her and she grabbed his wrist once again.
Rohit smiled and brushed his fingers through her hair, making her close her eyes for the moment, “I will be doomed if I dare leave you after this. “
Sonakshi scrunched up her eyebrows as she tried to understand the meaning behind those words. But after her futile attempt to do so in the intoxicated mind, she huffed in frustration and asked a more simpler question so she could receive a simpler answer
“Do you still love me?”
Rohit stared at her for the longest time. He didn’t know what went through him and what changed within that one evening, all he knew was that the thought of getting sonakshi back in his life never felt so dire.
“I do...with every fiber of me”
Sonakshi smiled as her eyes almost gave up on her.
He didn't know what tomorrow held for him. he didn't know how the mess will be sorted out. but one thing he was sure of was that the first, he had to clear up the mess in his life before he involves his mind into his family matters. And that, definitely meant mending his marriage. An unknown determination filled his eyes and he finally saw light in his pitch black tunnel.
Leaning in, he kissed her temple once again before whispering, “Good night sweetheart!”
~~~~~~~~~~
Let me know how you find it by commenting please. Love you guys ❤️
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