Ram woke up to the smell of fumes burning
and the sound of Kush balling frighteningly at the top of his lungs... Rushing to
his feet he ran to Priya's bedroom where he saw that Kush and her were
entrapped in a web of flames. "Mr. Kapoor!!" she screamed upon making out his
figure past the scorching fire that grew rapidly in size. In a panic Ram
stuttered out some words of reassurance looking around for something to help
him get into the room, "Priya..H-hold on... I am coming...Just hold on..." Taking
off his suit jacket, he shielded himself with it before pushing through the
flames and into the room... Priya handed a screaming and
protesting Kush to Ram, ordering him to take him to safety... She turned to go
towards the closet but Ram demanded that she leave with them... "Where
the hell are you going Priya?" He screamed covering Kush with his jacket for
protection...
"Mr. Kapoor I have to get something... Take Kush
please...Make sure nothing happens to him..." She screamed back at him, trying to
span out an opening to the closet with her eyes... Ram grabbed her arm and pulled
her along with them... "Come on Priya, I'm not leaving
you..."
"Mr. Kapoor leave
me..." She repeatedly screamed angrily at him but he was rightfully so in no mood
to heed her ridiculous orders. Instead he dragged her out of the room, grasping
firmly on to her wrist. She squirmed to free herself, glancing back at the
closet door, burning to ashes along with patches of her already broken
identity. Riding on a thin line of luck Ram managed to get Priya and Kush out
of the house. They were breathing heavy when Sudhir
and Shipra pulled up in their mid-sized two-door car, struck by horror at the
sight. Ram handed Kush to Shipra who soothed him with gentle rubs on his back.
In that split second, Priya was set free from Ram's grip and apparently that
was all it took for her to run back into the unstable house...Ram wouldn't have
noticed her leave if Sudhir hadn't called out to Priya... When he
turned around, she had already entered the house that was gorged in flames and
he knew exactly where she was headed to but not sure why... "Sir just stay here... I know where
she is... it's not safe for you to go in there." As much as Sudhir hated to admit
it, Ram was right... He stood outside with baited breaths praying for Priya to be
safe...Ram called out to Priya fighting over the crackling flames that seemed to
be competing with his voice, screaming to drown him out. Taking
brave defined steps, he walked further into what could have very well turned
into his coffin at the rate that the fire was engulfing his surroundings.
***
Obedience, is it a taught trait or inherent to selective
individuals? Priya was obedient for as long as she could remember being on this
earth but she was by no means subservient and her stubborn tantrums were proof
of that statement. That's why when Ram asked her with a subtle brush of his
lips against her soft cheeks to go upstairs and wait for him, she held her own,
remaining fixed where she stood. Someone had knocked on the door, whoever
he/she was Priya's curiosity got the best of her. She needed to know the more
he tried to keep it a secret.
"Priya, I said go upstairs, na."
"And I said I won't"
Kissing his teeth Ram sighed and than asked, "Why not yaar... C'mon it's
a surprise..."
"Surprise?" Pulling her hair into a messy bun, she added. "What kind of
surprise comes knocking at someone's door at 1 in the morning?"
"If I tell you than it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?" he
followed her hopelessly to the living room, when they heard the knock again
forcing him to pace his persuasion. "Priya... fine... atleast go upstairs and put
something on... I don't think you'd fancy being seen by anyone else other than
myself in your makeshift dress."
Not the least bit keen of the smirk plastered on his lips, she followed
his gaze to her attire and than it hit her. "Shit!" she uttered her reaction.
All this while she was insisting that she would be the one to open the door but
it had completely escaped her mind that she had his shirt on and a thin panty
with nothing else underneath. Now that it was brought to her attention she felt
naked to his eyes and the shade of blush on her cheeks clued him in on her
feelings. Tugging at the ends of the dress shirt she tired to pull it down even
more before she attempted a mad dash up the stairs. But to her misery Ram held
her arm, right above her elbow, she glanced up shyly taking in a snapshot of
the side of his face making out the faint sketch of a smile that he was
actively trying to suppress. In this moment of heat she noticed every detail
and movement of his body before he spoke, "Don't change... I love this outfit on
you the best...And plus, the night is young."
Finally the smile she had keyed in on earlier erupted in all it's beauty
and sin as he glanced sideways with a naughty glare in his eyes, shielded when
he winked; she scrimmaged out of his hold, but truthfully he let her loose
easier than he would otherwise...Watching her speed walk up the stairs until she was
swallowed by the darkness leading up to their bedroom Ram shook his head, mesmerized
by her innocence before he finally opened the door.
***
There was no answer when he screamed out for her and at first
he cursed her for her silence, thinking that she was hell-bent on having him
killed. It wasn't until he reached her bedroom that he realized the reason for
her silence. A piece of the crumbling ceiling had her pinned by the shoulder to
the ground. Somewhere in the struggle to get up from underneath the wooden
debris she must have lost her consciousness. There was nothing in her room that
could have been salvaged at that point; the fire had consumed mostly everything
and whatever was left stood directly in it's destructive path. Ram picked Priya
up off the floor carrying her limp body out in his arms. Thankfully Karthik had
just returned, and along with Shipra and Kush, Ram used his car to drive Priya
to a nearby hospital.
Officer: (tapped Ram's shoulder with his baton) Oye... If this
drama is over now, I would like to get a statement from Ms. Sharma...
Sheena: (injecting her venom in an already poisonous
situation) Officer, What will she tell you... She's a bloody liar... (Priya
flashed Sheena a look that could kill)
Officer: (thoroughly frustrated with her antics) M'aam if you
don't shut up and sit down, I will charge you with interfering in an
investigation.
Ram: (ignoring both the officer and Sheena, he took both Priya's hands in
his) look at me Priya and answer me dammit! Why the hell did you go back in? Do
you have any idea what would have happened to me if you... (he paused) gosh I
can't even say it, let alone imagine... But you... You don't care... do you?
Officer: (enraged he pulled Ram back and away from Priya)
Enough! I don't have all night here to listen to this nonsense.
Priya: (grabbed a hold of Ram's hand) Officer please... (the
officer let go of Ram and turned his focus to Priya) Mr. Kapoor didn't do
anything... It's true he came to my house but he not to do all this...
Officer: (scoffs) well than who did it?
Sheena: (seeing her plan unraveling, she stood up) Isn't it
obvious? This was all a trap...
Officer: (slams his baton in frustration against the wall)
That's it!!! Constable, arrest her... (Pointing to Sheena with his baton)
Sheena: (watching the constable approach her, she pleaded)
Wait. R-Ram... Do something...
Priya: (spoke up against her desire) Please officer don't
arrest her... I want her to hear this... Actually we both...
She glanced at Ram who went and stood beside her, hand in hand they
walked up to Sheena and than smiled shyly at each other before Ram said,
"Bhabhi, we are in love... The moment we realized that our hate for each other
was just a disguise for our love, we wanted to tell you..." VIkram looked on,
appalled and Sheena's jaw dropped, her lips quivered to say something but
before she could find the words, Priya continued. "Officer, Mr. Kapoor couldn't
have done this...We love each other (she sighed in a state of bliss and than
looked up at Ram) a lot... we love each other a lot...
Officer: (annoyed) okay, if you say that Ram is innocent than I
guess I have no choice but to let him go... But do you have any idea who did
this?
Priya: I am not 100% sure right now... (she looked at Sheena,
acknowledging her with a fake smile)
Officer: Well, if you remember anything than just give me a
call (he handed Priya his card). Until than you are all free to go...
***
"Who could it be? What's taking him so long?" These thoughts
raced on a looped course in her mind. Not knowing was driving her insane but
she trusted that he knew what he was doing and this offered her heart a
momentary solace. Somewhere in the clouds the gods must have been getting bored
and so to spice up the night they whipped their lighting rod with such vigour
that left both lovers blanketed in the darkness, alone. Priya screamed, "Ram!!"
and instinctively fisted the surrounding bed sheets. The moment the lights
wiped out, Ram stopped what he was doing and made his way up the stairs, using
the walls and the distressed sound of her voice to guide him. "PRIYA!!" He
screamed back... "DON'T WORRY PRIYA, I AM COMING..." She never told him
directly but call it lovers sense Ram knew she was mortified of the dark. The
sky lit up in an instant allowing Ram to get a glimpse of Priya. His heart
suddenly got warm as it quivered like a bowl of jelly hearing her sob in
utter fear. "Shh...Priya, I am here..." Ram whispered, his knees digging into the
mattress as he crawled towards her. "I
am here." As soon as she felt the heat of his body next to her she hurled
herself in his arms and sobbed some more. "Ram I was so scared..."
"I am here now...You don't have to be scared anymore." Ram's hand
caressed her hair lovingly, holding her head securely against his chest. She held him tighter, breathing heavily
against him.
"Ram... Darkness always takes something away from me... I don't know whether I am
more afraid of the dark or the light." she sniffled and added, "Because until I
open my eyes everything is fine."
"I'll fight the dark for you Priya, even if I have to stay up all night
for the rest of my life. Just know that as long as I am here, no one can take
anything from you..."
"What if it takes you away from me... Just like it did my parents"
Ram loosened his hold on Priya, she clinged on tighter in protest but
he had to break his embrace, scared that she might hear his heart break. Still
assuring her with closeness Ram rested his forehead against hers, their breaths
simmering tastefully. The erratic pattern of his breathing gave Ram away.
"Are you crying Ram?" Before he could make an excuse, her hands
travelled up his body feeling his moist cheeks. He cleared his throat in panic
and chuckled, "No, umm.. Something just got in my eyes..." She had
heard this excuse too many times to even consider it an option. Priya felt blessed, certain that Ram was
handpicked for her, the rarest of his kind. The reality is that there are very
few men like him in this world, the ones who hate with mere words but love with
all their heart. Not allowing him to continue she kissed him out of impulse, as
if she needed to feel that he wasn't just a fiction of her mind. What she
started as a brush of their lips escalated quickly into a passionate ordeal.
They were maddened by a new need that possessed them both equally. If he had invaded
his tongue into her mouth first while unbuttoning his shirt off of her
squirming body, she had begun her search for the button to rid him of his pants.
But something obstructed her, a cloth of some sort. He noticed her pause, the
passion reaching a sharp halt at the peak of no return.
"What happened??" he asked trying not to sound impatient in
his desperate need.
" What are you wearing?" she answered with a question running
her hand up his chest.
"Ahh.. That ... I threw on an apron." he said and immediately
began caressing her waistline hoping to pick up from they had left off.
"Wait? An apron but... What could you possibly cook..? I
searched..."
"Priya!" he whined and than kissed his teeth. "I ordered
food. Chinese... They deliver...that'd who was at the door. The delivery man...
With the surprise... You said you were hungry... And I knew my kitchen was
empty." Ram spoke quickly not bothering to compete his sentences. His mind
had travelled to deep into the land of his desires to be pulled back and Priya
had come to understand this paralyzing state of his far to well. Ram cradled
her petite hands in his, guiding it's soft texture to his back in the process
of fusing their bodies together for an intimate embrace. In the absence of
sight, his lips mapped out the different regions of her body as it touched,
nipped and bit her skin. By now his shirt was off her back and immediately
replaced with the caress of his hands. Priya had also reached the pinnacle of
her desire, laughing in the face of her shyness as she stripped him bare. It
was definitely a deed to be marveled, undressing a man while he made you
writher in complete intoxication, overdosing on his love. Backing her down onto
the mattress, his lips pressed impatiently against hers, he sucked her into the
world of his fantasies, writing his desires slightly different with each touch
of their lips.
***
Ram and Priya waved goodbye to
Sheena who rejected their gesture by rolling up the tinted windows in her black
sedan. Vikram exhaled deeply turning to face Ram, he shook his head like, "What
the hell just happened in there?"
Ram: (in response to Vikram's unspoken question) I know
what you're thinking? But don't worry, this is all part of the plan. (he gave
Vikram a brief overview of how he met Sid and how he came to realize Sheena's
truth even though at first he refused to believe it.)
Vikram:
(in shock he took a step back,
stabilizing himself to the momentum of the truth) oh my god Ram.. Sid is
alive...And Sheena...I mean I always knew something was off about her but I would
have never assumed that she was this evil... (he paused when a light bulb
switched on in his head) wait! Do you think she did this too? The whole fire...
Ram:
(spoke his assumption like it was a
fact) I am sure of it...It has to be her or her boyfriend... Once I get my hands on
him, I swear...
Vikram:
(his gaze spread equally on Ram and
Priya) So what will we do now? Priya why didn't you tell the officer...
Priya:
I have no proof...
Ram:
(sounding unintentionally conceited)I can't believe it yaar. The woman I
respected so much almost had me killed tonight...
Priya:
(spoke up defensively, sensing the hint
of arrogance that the delivery of Ram's words projected) Excuse me?! It wasn't
just you that she nearly killed... She probably didn't even know that you were
there... Kush and I were her main target. But you couldn't be bothered with
anyone but yourself...
That was ample attitude to provoke a
volatile character like Ram. He took a hastened step towards her to return the
favour...
Ram: (spoke in his most egotistic way) I (he emphasized)
I couldn't be bothered?? Who the hell do you think saved your ass, not once but
twice? You should be thanking me a millions times... If it weren't for me... you
wouldn't be standing here right now with your ungrateful self.
Priya: (angrily) Wow! thank you??? Even if someone put a
gun to my head, I wouldn't thank you for shit... Because of you I lost the most
important thing in my life... Who told you that I needed to be rescued?
Vikram: (nervously) ummm guys... stop it... let's not fight
outside the police station. Ram...Stop!
Ram: (enraged he stared dangerously at Priya; if only
looks could kill) Ek second Vikram... What
was so important huh Priya? Did you think about Kush even once?
Priya: (recognized the situation spiraling out of control,
she decided to cease) Never mind... There's no point in talking to you... a
heartless man like you will never understand. (she turned to leave but he
grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him)
Ram: (getting uncomfortably close to her as if he wanted
to stab her with his words itself) I am not finished yet... NOBODY walks away
until I am done talking. (she grimaced when his grip tightened) What did you
think? I saved you because I have a vested interest in seeing your face? (he
pulled at her arm and she winced, the wound on her shoulder being stretched by
his unrelenting tugs)
Vikram read Priya's expression like a
book and knew that Ram was too blinded in his rage to quit so soon. Being the
voice of reason, he immediately stepped in between Ram and Priya right after he
broke Ram's grip of her arm.
Vikram: (sternly) What the hell is wrong with you Ram? Can't
you see that you're hurting her?
Ram hadn't really noticed until it was
pointed out to him. It was only than that he recalled that she was injured. But
of course his pride refused to bring to his lips the remorse that dwelled in
his eyes as he watched teardrops teetering along the border of her bottom
eyelids.
Vikram: In front of Sheena you two were pretending to be in
love but now... (he shook his head overwhelmed) Ram what is this new act?
Ram: Woh.. actually...When I hugged Priya in the police
station, I told her quickly in her ears to pretend that we were in love.
Vikram: But why?
Ram:I know Sheena did this... And I think I am beginning
to understand why. She was always suspicious about Kush's father. And now the
suspense is over for her because she must know that Kush is Sid and Ayesha's
son.
Everything Priya felt, the pain, the
hurt, the anger dissolved upon hearing Ram's alleged truth.
Priya: (concerned) What are you talking about? How? Unless
you told her, there is no way that she could have found out that Kush is not my
son...
Ram: Why would I tell her? You have to believe me.
Priya: On what basis should I trust you?
Ram knew he was beating his drum to a
deaf audience; there was no way that she would listen to him...
Priya: I don't have time for this... My family needs me...
Ram:(sighs in defeat) I'll drop you home... Wherever you
all are staying now...
Priya: No... I'll manage...
Ram:Don't be stubborn... I said I'll drop you...
Priya turned around and kept walking
despite his offer that sounded more like a command.
Vikram:(put his hand on Ram's shoulder to stop him from
stalking Priya) Ram... leave her... Chal...let's go home...
Ram:(trying to hide his concern) but how can she go alone
at this hour and in her condition?
Vikram: Why do you care?
Ram: (scoffs) I- I don't care... If it
were anyone else I would have felt the same way... (vikram squinted his eyes,
analyzing him for a hidden meaning) Don't give me that look... Yaar why don't you
drop her in your car...She will agree to your offer...
Vikram: uhh... Not if you're with me, she won't ...
Ram:So? I can get my driver to pick me up... besides I am
not going straight to the mansion just yet... (Vikram looked at him puzzled) Don't
worry I just have to tie some loose ends.
So it was decided. Vikram dropped Priya
to the hotel where her family had booked another room for them to stay and Ram
went to his office making an urgent call to his lawyer. Nobody really slept
that night, they just closed their eyes and waited impatiently for the break of
dawn. Finally, Kush, who was constantly waking up every 5 minutes crying, had
fallen prey to his dreams. Priya put him down on the mattress that she shared
with her mother, while Sudhir and Karthik slept in a separate room. It was a
pretty crappy arrangement but crap was the only thing in their price range.
They would have shared a hotel room with Sid and Ayesha but that too was
minimalistic with only one bedroom and Ayesha's condition, it would have been
pushing at the seams. Priya returned from the bathroom, about to place her
phone on the night table and crawl into bed next to Kush. But before she could,
her phone vibrated in her hand prompting her to look at the display...
"Mr. Kapoor?" she thought..."What could he
want at this hour?"
Priya rejected the first few times but
than his persistence and her curiosity changed the course of her actions. She
answered and immediately whispered "hold on...". Propping a pillow securely next
to Kush she grabbed the hotel room key and stepped outside into the hallway,
not wanting to wake anyone up. Closing the door behind her slowly, she turned
around sharply and as soon as she did she opened her mouth to scream but the
palm of his hand muted her voice... "I am
dead... I dodged a bullet running through a land mine... I am dead for sure..." she
thought to herself, praying that this was just one of those twisted nightmares
she used to have as a kid.
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