Hola forumwasis...so this is a scenario which I've wanted for a long time, and decided to give it a go after a lil encouragement. (Thank you mariaš³) It's a tough one, so sorry for the disappointment.
She chuckled. Then her chuckle turned into a giggle.
There was something about her laughs, something indescribableā¦ something so pure, so untainted that it was beyond this world. She could laugh amidst the storms,surrounded by hurricanes. Her unwavering purity enabled her to be the light in the darkest of times.
But today,it was a hollow laugh. For a moment, he was scared. A shiver went down his spine when he heard that laugh from her. It was not her laugh.
He could feel his trembling heartbeats. Now all of a sudden he doubted himself. Was this really the right thing? Was he ready for this confrontation?
*A day earlier*
āYou need a new planā¦ maybe chocolates too with roses. Tejo Bhabhi donāt like food wasteā¦so sheāll at least keep the chocolate.ā Mahi suggested.
āOr maybeā¦you knowā¦ā Amrik was amidst his plan, where they were suggesting what Fateh could do different in wooing Tejo back.
āGet out.Both of you.ā Simran told her younger siblings as she entered.
She took a deep breath and felt an anger rising upā¦ But then she remembered something. Her own past.
āFateh do you really think these little poems, rosesā¦ will help you?ā Simran asked bluntly.
āDiā¦ I know what I did wasā¦ but I have to do something. She loves me. As much as I love herā¦ all we need is a new beginning.ā Fateh sighed.
āAnd what about herā¦ her pain?her past? your past... All she has suffered? Ever thought about that? All I can say is, to move forward, she needs to talk. She needs to open upā¦ She needs to tell what she feels.ā
Fateh gulped. Somewhere in his mind, he knew, they needed to talk. Actually talk. They have not talked really for a long time. After she exposed his illicit affair with her sister, she created walls around her heart, walls so high that it felt like they were touching the sky. There was no way he could get through them. There were times he tried to knock them down, to get some sort of reaction, to get a sign that there was still something between them, a crack where he could see a single ray of hope, but she shut down completely. All he found was hard cold stares and unaffected shrugs.
And now this is how he was here, after a long series of planned events, bribing,sneaking a bottle of rum in collegeā¦. They were āaccidentallyā locked in the college auditorium in the evening when everyone went home. With dead phones,there was no way for them to connect to outsideās world. He felt slightly guilty as he saw her shivering her a little, but he knew he had to do this, for both of their sake. He offered her his jacket but in true Tejo fashion she acted as if he was invisible. After an hour or so, she quietly noticed the bottle, and just gulped a few shots. Within few minutes, he could see her demeanor change.
āTejoā¦ are you feeling okay?ā Fateh cautiously asked.
āIām fineā¦ā
āFateh.ā She said his name softlyā¦
āWhat do you want from me Fateh? Why are you doing all this?ā she was exhausted. Keeping her feelings in check around him was already a burden for her, but he simply wonāt stop stirring her emotions and she was scared, that she might give in.That was the last thing on earth she wanted to do.
āTejoā¦ I just want us to be happy. Iā¦I know I messed up. I know I donāt deserve youā¦butā¦but you deserve happiness. If you were to move on with someone else, trust me, I would never stop you. Iāll never even show my face. But that dayā¦when I heard that you still love me, so much that itās almost beyond wordsā¦ Then why Tejo? Why are you holding back? Just give us one chance naā¦ I promise you, Iāll never ever make a mistake. I promise Iāll make everything alrightā¦ Just one chance, thatās all I ask. Why are you hurting yourselfā¦ if you do not want to be me then please move on. Be happy with someone elseā¦ā he begged.
āYou think this is badā¦ Fateh Iā¦Iā¦ā she lost itā¦. āI donāt even know whatās real or notā¦ā Tejo looked in his eyesā¦ āYou think being alone is badā¦ no Fatehā¦having the illusion that youāve someone by your side, just to see theyāre not there anymore, and they have left you with a knife stabbed in your backā¦ thatās much worse. I can live alone. Yesā¦ I love you. Iāll always love youā¦But that does not mean Iāve forgotten what you did. Just because I love you does no tmean I can forget everything you did.ā She came closer, looking in his eyes,searching for somethingā¦ Fateh could feel the anger, the pain radiating from her. He was transfixed, unable to move, bound to her.
Something rose up in her. A flashback of memories came up in front of her eyesā¦everything, every moment they had spent together and apart flashed across. Hot anger bubbled within her and she lost every restraint, every bit of control. And she chuckled. That hollow laugh. It was like the devil has possessed her.
She went to him and looked in his eyes. She was infuriated at his audacityā¦
āYouā¦ your promises. Do you remember that promise when we got married? When you promised that youāll protect me, cherish me and be with me? After dragging me to the mandap, immediately how you left me after the wedding? How you threw the milk at me in front of everyoneā¦? Or how you told me that nothing will ever happen in our marriageā¦? Promisesā¦. These were your promises Fateh.ā
Fateh trembled. Tears sprang up in his eyes, and he wanted to comfort Tejo. She must be in so much pain right nowā¦ Recalling her worst memories. But when he looked in her eyes, the pain and anger was so intermingled he forgot what was he supposed to say to make her feel better.
Tejo on the other hand was freed. She smiledā¦ āNowā¦now you do not like to see tears in my eyesā¦? Now you want to make me smileā¦? Now you want me to protect from everything? Now you give me roses?ā
She needed to hurt him. She wanted to feel his pain. She grabbed his collars and used it as a leverage to slightly tiptoe so she could see him eye to eye. They could feel each otherās heartbeat right now. They could feel each otherās uneven breathingā¦
āYouā¦ where were you when I waited for you for hours? Where were you when I kept calling you again and again but you would not pick up? Where were your roses when I left it for you and you threw it aside because it did not matter to you? Where were you when you used to shrug me off because you wanted to go with your mistressā¦ when I was a burden on you? Where were you when I spent all the nights waiting for youā¦doubting myselfā¦double guessing myselfā¦wondering what is it Iāve been doing wrong? Wondering what can I do for you?...Where was your love when you told me you never wanted to see my face? Where was all this love when you fooled me, when you went behind my back to meet my own sister? Where was this respect when you f##ked me and then immediately afterwards went to MY SISTER? WHERE WAS THIS LOVE, THIS RESPECT WHEN YOU KEPT MY SISTER AS YOUR MISTRESS IN MY HOME FATEH SINGH VIRK? When you belittled me, mocked me, watched in silenceā¦actually gave her a helping hand as she mocked me?ā
Tejo lost her gripā¦ now she felt weak. Her knees trembled. She leaned forward and fell on Fatehā¦ who despite the fact that heās almost unable to move, like in a sleep paralysis, he was facing his darkest nightmare while he was awake, but could not escapeā¦ he was still able to support her. Heāll always be strong enough to be her shield. Her support. He tried to move his hand to engulf Tejoā¦ who was shivering, despite being buried in his chest, but his body went cold. He could not move even a fingerā¦but just tremble slightly.
That shook Tejoā¦ When she saw where she was, she felt disgusted. She immediately took several steps back and increased the distance between them. She was not done yetā¦ her body was trying to betray her, but she was stronger. Her will was stronger. She continued. āNowā¦ now when you have realized that Jasmine does not care about anyone but herselfā¦ now you want me back in your lifeā¦like a second option? You want me back so you can once again have a perfect wifeā¦ actually a perfect f##kmaid, who will clean your messes, take care of your family, and be a perfect doll to show around? So that once Jasmine comes back again then you can leave meā¦ What if she changes? Just like you say you have changed? WHAT LOVE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT FATEH!! Had not she done all the stupid unnecessary things you would have still left me. Alone. Alone with my tears and misery and doubts and pain. Where was your concern back then? DID YOU GAVE A SINGLE F##K ABOUT ME BACK THEN!!ā she collapsed on a chair. She did not have any more energy. Not even tearsā¦ Just choked up throat with caged sobs.
Fateh has had enough. As she reminded him of his crimes, he felt dizzy. He wanted to die.But that would hurt her more. He wanted to run away, but that would also hurt her. He did not have any answers for all the pain, hurt and tears he had caused her. He could not look at her without wanting to rip himself apart, but even if he had done that, she would have still cried for him. He needed respite. He just wanted to lose his consciousness. So he did what he was used to. He took that bottle of Rum and chugged until it was physically impossible for him to have some more.
As the hot liquid went down his throat, with a slight sensation somehow he felt liberated.A few moments passed by and he took a few sips more. Apart from their breathing, there was pin drop silence. A few minutes passed by and he suddenly felt clear headed than ever before.
āIt was supposed to happen. I was meant to break a marriage. It was written in my fate.ā Fateh laughed.
Tejo glanced at him, confused. It hurt her that he had so less regards for their relationship from the beginningā¦ but she was too tired to scream at him.
āI was doomed the moment I saw Jasmine and thought of pursuing her. That is where everything went wrong. I could have gotten married to her that day, and the vows would have still been shattered by me.ā Fateh chuckled.
This shocked Tejo. She looked at him wide eyed. What on earth this f@@ker talking about?
āyou donāt understand Tejoā¦ you donāt. Neither did I. For a long time. Butā¦I never loved Jasmineā¦ It was you. It has always been you. I have loved you from the beginning. Youāre the one for whom I fell. Hell I was dating you before the marriage, not Jasmine. Donāt you see? I donāt even know herā¦ I knew you. I understood you. For some reason, all I looked around for, was you. You know why I hid that affair, because despite my proclamations of love for her, nothing scared me more than you going away from me. You do not understandā¦ There was a reason I dragged you to the mandapā¦ in that moment I forgot the limit Iād set so carefully on myself, that you are, will be beyond my reach. You were too perfect for me Tejoā¦ just beyond my reach. Jasmine...she was someone I could get... an imitation of you...she was easy. But in that moment, I forgot that.Or did not careā¦ But alas! I fell for you before I understood myself. Before I knew myself.ā Fateh was shocked at his own epiphany. As he closed his eyes, all the moments he had spent with Tejo flashed in front of his eyes, and he wondered, how could he have not known such a thing.
Tejo looked at him, and got up. Just when she thought things could not have gotten more complicated, he dropped this nuke on her. She just wanted to stop thinking. She wanted to lose herself, even for a moment. She sat down near to him, and looked at him.
Fateh looked at her with a helpless, pleading look, for what, neither of them knew.
Tejo propped herself up, and looked at his face. Her hands went up to his shirtās collar, and pulled him slightly towards her. Then she moved and let her lips touch his for a moment, barely brushing and shared a breath. Fatehās lips parted in response. She moved away, and he felt confused and disappointed.
However,the next moment she fiercely pulled herself up and her lips crashed over his in a whirlwind of a kiss which erased any logic, anything rationality they had, and just let a wild animalistic, basic desire wash over them, as they started ripping each other's clothes apart.
Book Talk
Cricket
