Shor khamoshi mein bhi hota hai
Aur Alfaaz bezubaani bhi bayaan karti hai
Anokhi couldn’t decipher the right that blurred through hereyes. Tears certainly weren’t her companion in loneliness. Then why her heartshook as she watched her brother handcuffed, standing some feet away from her. Peekingthrough her lashes, she eyed him as he stared back, his eyes accusing.
Her heart flinched yet she stayed blank. She was aware ofher mother crying on the other side of the room. Her father stood there staringat the floor lost in his own turmoil. Anokhi blinked before finally looking upat him. All her strength came crashing down to nothing as she watched him standingashamed and bewildered.
From childhood, Anokhi had craved for that little care andlittle love from her father but then at a very small age she had accepted thatshe would never be celebrated, neither her achievements nor her talents, noteven her existence.
Her father loathed her.
Apparently everyone of her gender.
There were times when Anokhi had been jealous of her brotherand wanted her father to see how she was better but she had never intended toprove it like this.
She couldn’t even say that how much she wished her brotherwould not have done it.
Police dragged ------- away. Anokhi kept sitting but heard footstepsof her father as he retreated back dragging her mother out along with him.
“Anokhi ?” Shaan called her.
“Yes Sir?!” She didn’t look up.
“Thank you” He pat her head.
“It’s fine Sir” She mumbled finally looking up at him, hereyes blank.
Her mind traced back the memory of Shaan screaming at her andaccusing her few hours back when he got to know it was her brother who tried toshoot Aastha. At the time, Anokhi was too shaken to say anything. The truththat it was her because of whom her brother tried to kill her teacher was toomuch to bear. She had never imagined that her decision of running away from herhome would lead to something like this.
Anokhi had felt responsible.
But then at the same time and maybe for the first time she hadfelt a strong sense of hatred for her father and her brother and even hermother. Were they too blind to differentiate between the wrong and the extentof wrong?
And was her mother that weak who couldn’t even raise hervoice against such heinous crime?
Anokhi blinked as she heard faint voice of Shaan who talkedto the inspector. Swallowing the lump that formed in her throat, she stood uppicking up her bag. Turning, she watched Shaurya standing near the pillarhearing his father in silence.
The guilt traced back. Her Aastha Mam could have died andthat too because of her.
She looked away. She didn’t have it in her to meet his eyes.Silently, she walked out before she heard Shaan, “Anokhi ?”
“Yes Sir” She turned back, her voice low.
“How will you go?”
“My parents are waiting” She lied without a blink beforewalking away.
Shaurya watched in silence as Shaan signed some papers. Hedidn’t know what he was doing here. All he knew was he couldn’t stay behind. Hedidn’t have it in him. His eyes went to Anokhi who was walking out of thepolice station. Would he have been able to do it? He asked himself.
He didn’t know. All he knew was it must have taken all hercourage or maybe it would have taken nothing of her to admit truth and acceptit. But the unbelievable calm and strong determination in her eyes wasterrifying.
Shaurya shook his head and decided to leave.
Shaan was aware of his retreating steps but he didn’t say anything.For him, it was enough that Shaurya even decided to come on his own.
As Anokhi walked out, she was surprised to find her parentswaiting outside for her.
“I was right. All my life I was right. I don’t know whatsins I have done that I got a daughter like you. I always knew you would put usto shame but like this I had never imagined” Mr Bhalla cursed her. “He is yourbrother. How could you do this with him? How could you do this with us? We fedyou, we nurtured you and you did this to us?” Mr Bhalla cried grabbing hershoulders and pushing her away.
Anokhi held the tree for support. Her father grabbed her armbefore he raced forward to slap her. Her mother stopped him “Bhalla Ji what areyou doing? Control yourself we are at the police station”
Anokhi couldn’t believe her mother. Maybe she had been blindall this time. Anokhi knew how much her mother has suffered because of her andhow much love and support she gave her but the woman standing in front of herfelt somebody else.
Anokhi wiped the tears that slipped through her eyes andpulled her hand back from her father’s hold “This time I want to tell you thateven I am ashamed to be born as your daughter, both of you. It would have beenbetter if you would have killed me in your womb”
As the words left her mouth, she watched her mother breakingbut that didn’t stop her this time.
As she turned to walk away, she stopped as Shaurya startedat her intently. Ashamed and not wanting to meet his gaze she walked away.
Anokhi didn’t go to the college. Instead, she decided to goto her home where she was staying. As she entered the house, she was stopped byVineet at the door.
“Where to?” Vineet rolled his sleeves up.
Instead of answering Vineet her eyes went to her sisterwhose face was yet again painted with new marks and bruises.
“Di...” She let out a mumble.
Dolly stayed mum, tears flowing from her eyes.
As Anokhi attempted to walk inside, her bags were thrown outas Vineet shouted at her to leave.
Anokhi didn’t argue. Instead she looked in the eyes of hersister and spoke, “Di, come with me”
Vineet piped in with a snort, “Yes, go. You too. Both theBhalla sisters leave” He turned to Dolly, “And Dolly listen to me once you walkout of this house you will never be welcomed again”
“Di” Anokhi pleaded.
Dolly looked away.
“Go” Vineet shouted again.
“Di please” Picking her bag from the floor, Anokhi pleadedagain.
This time Vineet pushed her away. Anokhi stumbled but heldthe wall for support. Anger bubbled up inside her as she leaped forward pushingVineet with all her strength.
“Don’t you dare touch me” She shouted “Or else I will callthe police” She took out her phone.
Vineet watched her bewildered.
“Nikki Go” Dolly jumped in between crying.
Anokhi couldn’t understand her sister. Why was she so scared?And what for?
“Di”
“Nikki .. I said Go. You have done enough already”
“Okay I am leaving but Di remember it’s not just him” Shepointed at Vineet “It’s you too”
Turning, Anokhi picked her bags and left.
Stopping outside the building, Anokhi let herself catch herbreath. She felt too tired to move. As she looked up, she watched the sunsetting on the other side eloping to a different world, the orange still grazingthe sky in shades of pink— the pink that was absolute but felt void, the orangemixing with the blue far above the sky as dark approached in jiffy. Birdsreturning back to their home, and leaves waving to sleep. Everything feltserene.
And unexpectedly Anokhi too.
Like some burden was taken away from her shoulders and shewas free to fly. Her sky might be crumbled and her wings might be torn but shedidn’t want to give up. Not now. That feeling didn’t reach her.
Anokhi smiled for the first time in the day as she thoughtabout her life, she didn’t have shelter over her head and she had negligiblemoney in her pocket yet there was no fear.
For a moment she thought about calling Shaan and ask him forhelp but then she stopped. It was time she decided for herself and stopped draggingpeople every time who were ready to help her. For today, she knew she couldspend the night at the hospital taking care of Astha but then from tomorrow sheneeded to do something.
______________
As Shaurya entered the class, his eyes involuntarily went tosee Anokhi sitting at the back reading from her book. Her eyes slightly puffy,she looked tired. Something about her today irked Shaurya and it was certainlynot Astha.
A flash of how her father attempted to hit her yesterdaywhile she spat venom with utmost vulnerability crossed his mind and he feltanger bubble inside him. For what he was not aware. He didn’t look away and watchedher reading lost in her own world having no care of the world.
Blinking away, Shaurya started with the lecture. Throughoutthe class his eyes would involuntarily reach her and try to read what sherefused to display. As Anokhi tried to control her yawn for the third timeShaurya couldn’t hold back, “Miss Bhalla out”
Anokhi gasped at the sudden firmness as she stood straight.
She knew she was wrong. During the whole class she couldn’tunderstand a single world that he taught. She was tired and sleepy and stressedfor a home.
Looking him in the eye, she mumbled an apology beforepicking her bag and walking out.
It took few seconds for Shaurya to even register that shewent out just like that— Without pleading him that she was not at fault orwithout giving him any excuse or reason for her absent mindedness. Hisagitation grew more as he continued with the lecture. His eyes drifted outside the classroom tryingto find her taking notes but she was not there.
The day passed further and as he was returning home he sawher walking out after finishing the work in the canteen. As he waited for Makhanto drive the car to him, his eyes keenly followed Anokhi as she picked hersuitcase from the watchman’s office.
Thanking the old man, she walked out of the campus to take ataxi.
As she sat in the auto, Shaurya couldn’t help but ask Makhanto follow her. He was intrigued, curious and wanted to know more.
Much to his surprise he saw her stepping outside the policestation and instead of going inside taking a bench for herself. The female constablebeside her didn’t say anything as Anokhi laid down putting her bag under herhead.
And amidst the darkness Shaurya realised that pain is not always the result of absence but sometimes presence hurt too.
Bematlab diyaan ni gallan sun gaur karle ve
Hayee mareya nai je halle ishq ek hor karle ve
Lab cheer channavaan nu hoke mazboor avega
Jo tera hovega zaroor ayega
Pavee
Kinna vi Oo yaara chala door jayega
Jo tera hoyega zaroor ayega
___
A/N- I can’t believe I wrote a fan fiction again. You see Ihave been writing for years now. And I love writing and I love reading. But after Manan I never thought I will dothis. There are only two couples who have gained my attention ever on ITV andthose were Manan and Arshi and now again I am hopeful. I was in seventh standard when IPKKND came onTV and I was in high school when KYY aired and I started writing. KYY left butfor me writing stayed.
About this one shot, this was not at all planned, I justwrote it so randomly but I hope it was readable.
To enter this world again, feels weird yet wonderful.
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