Riposte

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  "That will be five pounds fifteen, Steve. Do you want me to help you with that?" Arjun looked up from his magazine at that familiar voice, as he stood by the cashier, behind his trolley, waiting for his turn. Well, if he had only known he would bump into her like this!

  "No thanks Darling, I need to work my muscles up a bit." The old man smile at her as he proceeded to pack his things. "You must have been here since morning. Aren't you tired?"

  "Exhausted, actually. But my shift will be over in five minutes." Aamanda replied, smiling at him. "Alright then, have a good weekend and see you next week."

  "It's a date." Steve winked at her. "You too." He turned and hobbled out of the supermarket on his stick.

  Aamanda turned to see a huge trolley with things piled up to the top. Groaning inwardly, she looked at this person who gave her the impression that he was out to buy the whole supermarket, but momentarily stopped breathing when she saw his face. Arjun Singh, the lawyer.

  "Well, well, well, fancy seeing you here, Miss Wade." His velvety voice floated over the counter and she felt her heart beat pick up pace, as though he was going to attack her in front of all the customers. His last trade at the court a couple of days ago was still etched clearly into her mind, as she tried not to look at him. Without replying, she looked back at the trolley and forced her muscles to start on her work.

  Few groceries, wine bottles, beer bottles, plastics cups, plates etc. Someone was gearing up for a party and she had a horrible feeling that a certain Sahil Verma would be on this guest list. Silently, however, she continued passing each object under the scanner while he looked at her closely.

  "May I know how much it is?" he asked her, forcing her to look up and give him one of her dirtiest glare. As though he couldn't see the numbers on display! After a while, she answered in a steady voice.

  "Forty twenty nine."

  "Will cash be fine?" he asked, and she nodded curtly. The moment the money hit her palm, she snatched her hand away and handed him the change, careful not to touch him as though she'll burn or catch a disease. That made Arjun frown slightly, but nevertheless, he packed the things in his bags and headed off.

  Aamanda sighed in relief when his back turned and he walked out of the store. When she looked down at her hands, she saw them shaking, with fear, was it? It was weak of her, and she knew it. But she couldn't help it! The moment she had seen him, heard his mocking tone, everything came rushing back, and she hated how she couldn't control her thoughts. But then again, had she been able to do that, she wouldn't have had those God forsaken dreams over and over again would she?

  "Ammy?" A hand on her shoulder shocked her back to the present surroundings.

  "Whoops, sorry to startle you." Robin's smiling blue eyes caught her attention, while her long nose twinkled in the light and her short hair bobbed above her shoulders.

  "No it's cool. Ready?" Aamanda asked cheerfully.

  "As ever. Bring it on." Robin replied, and took over.

  Arjun saw Aamanda step out of the supermarket, put on her gloves and head off to the nearest cafe while he put his shopping bags in his car. Determined not to lose her, he followed her through the crowd in the city centre, keeping sight of the maroonish coat which hugged her figure. Why he did that, he had no idea. But something was nagging him to ever since he set his eyes on her in the supermarket.

  "May I have a seat?"

  Aamanda didn't need to look up to recognize the owner of that voice. What was he here to do? Why was he following her like that? But it sounded as though he would not stop trying to talk to her until she gave in. This thought made her want to lash out at him, but she kept her cool, and nodded once.

  "So, how are you?" he asked softly, trying to make eye contact with her. She however, thanked the waiter who brought her coffee for her at that point, and took a sip before answering back.

  "Weird seeing you care." Was her short, cold reply.

  "You'd be surprised. I'm just curious to see you work at the supermarket." He pursued, hoping this would get him somewhere. He had no idea why he was trying so hard, when clearly... she didn't even want to see his face.

  "Why?" she asked back curtly. "It's a great base for you to make fun of me in the court room again? Wouldn't it make the best introductory statement that I work at a supermarket store,

  for your 'Let's Humiliate Aamanda' speech which you manage to form and express so well in front of everybody?"

  Ouch, he thought, as her bitter words stung somewhere. He wasn't as heartless a person as she made him out to be. He really wasn't, but this was his job! He was trained to do that. However, she did have a point. He had gone down so harshly on her a few days back. And he did admit it to himself when he thought back to that day, but a lawyer should never lose his cool. He should never think or get emotional. It just wasn't in one's nature. So, despite the prickling feeling her words had on him, he curtained it all.

  "Firstly, thank you for saying I do my job well. Secondly. I wouldn't want to mention our meeting in the court. It might make things uglier."

  "Then why are you so hell bent on talking to me?" she asked sharply, resuming the connection between their eyes. "Isn't it best to leave everything pretty and beautiful for everyone to see?" The double meaning behind her words once again caught him off guard. There was something inside this woman, something that longed to be released, and something that demanded fairness. And he hated to admit what he knew.

  "Because let's see. I get very bored by myself and I need someone to talk to. Plus, since I'm not too familiar with this area, coz I am from the capital, maybe you could help me."

  She sipped her coffee and chose to ignore that answer, breaking the bond between them. Arjun frowned, wondering why this was going so wrong. He wanted to apologize, he wanted answers. Especially from her side, ever since he saw her working at the counter. But she was making this so much harder for him than necessary!

  "Why do you care?" she asked directly. "So you can falsely prove it to everyone during the second hearing that I sold myself? That I need more money so I trapped Sahil in my so called charms?" Her sarcastic tone burned. But once again, he did not show it.

  "Just genuine curiosity."

  "I don't believe it."

  "I wouldn't lie to you."

  "I don't believe that either."

  "And I will get what exactly by lying?" His quick answer came back and she pursued her lips, as though thinking of an answer. When she finally couldn't anymore, she looked back at him, while he refused to let his gaze wander away, changed her sight and cleared her throat.

  "Fine then. If you really want to poke your nose. I can't work under the same roof as the man who…" she faltered in her sentence, and glanced up at him, but his eyes did not suggest anything as he kept looking steadily at her.

  "Who... Who raped me."

  Coming to terms with it was difficult. Being able to say it out loud was even more difficult. And she had finally managed it! How? When it had taken her the last five months to admit it to herself. How had she just suddenly gathered so much strength, so much will power to be able to say it out loud? But as people say that voicing it makes it lighter, she wasn't too sure at the moment. Especially not when she could feel his disgusting touch crawl over her body like unwanted snakes, which made her clench her jaw in sheer effort to stop try and peel her skin off herself. When Arjun kept staring intently at her, however, she chose to continue, regardless of the torment every word was putting her through.

  "But you obviously think otherwise." Arjun's hands twitched slightly uncomfortably, however Aamanda did not notice. "Can't live off your friends for the rest of your life can you? So I needed a job to contribute to some of the expenses at least." Afraid that she might open up in front of him, she stole her eyes and looked away, making her coffee mug the most interesting thing in her life at that particular moment.

  He leaned back in his chair slowly. She could mask feelings almost as well as he could! No wonder she had chose
n a doctor's degree. Though she probably would have made a fine lawyer. Here, all her straight answers had a hint of pride hidden in them, making him, Arjun Singh, the best lawyer in the country, in total awe of his opposition.

  "But why not work in another hospital? Why have you stopped practising?"

  She shrugged, wondering whether or not she should answer him. The simple answer was that she was desperate for a small, busy, time consuming job and they were desperate for any sort of employee. So it was an advantage on both sides. Opening her purse, she took out two pounds and left them on the centre plate. The waiter came and took the coins, before she chose to answer his question.

  "This is just temporary; I will never stop my practise. There is no way I will stop trying to save people's lives, even when the likes of you try to destroy mine."

  With that, she got up and made her way out of the cafeteria, taking care not to look back at his stunned expression. She could feel her insides her trembling. And instead of feeling scared, or nervous, she felt overwhelmed. Overwhelmed that she could answer him back, so directly when he was not in a suit. She managed a small smile for herself while continuing to take each step away from him in what she hoped was a poised, dignified manner.

  Arjun kept watching her figure grow smaller, before he decided to change position in his seat. She really was one heck of a woman, he thought to himself. She was strong. She had courage, and he admired that in her. In fact, he admired that in every woman. But the key thing to it all was her determination which kept building every second.

  Despite giving her a taste of hell in the courtroom, humiliating her, she had still managed to look him in the eye and not give up. That fearless attitude in her made him want to salute her. And he had a feeling, that even if he dragged her through mud during the second hearing, she would still stand up and challenge him once again, till he was the one who gave up. But somehow, the thought of doing that did not appeal to him at all.

  Twisting his blackberry in his hand, Arjun smiled in amusement at the view in front of him. Honestly, if he knew he was going to bump into her everywhere, he might not have taken this case at all! Ever since he'd seen her working at the supermarket, he couldn't help but walk past whenever he could just so he could get a glimpse of her. But seeing her like this was, well, just pure coincidence. He hadn't been able to believe his eyes when he saw the three of them walk into this very restaurant, Aamanda in between Aaliyah and Rohan, smiling occasionally at the jokes that the other two were cracking. She smiled genuinely, even when she had all the right reasons to cry her soul out. Even though this smile of hers, when she was with her friends, came from the bottom of her heart, Arjun could clearly tell, it wasn't whole. Something was missing inside her that made it empty. Something that Arjun hated to admit but had to. Something that his client, who was now strolling in with his hands in his pocket, forty five minutes late, had snatched from her.

  Sahil grinned wolfishly as he took a seat opposite Arjun, who sized him up. No wonder he had been rejected by Aamanda a countless times. He just wasn't up to her standards. Yes he had money and he had okayish looks. But he also had a sense of scruffiness and (was it possible to call a guy that?) cheapness which he proudly seemed to display as a badge on himself. Aamanda, on the other hand, was class. Period. She may not be the best dressed, or the best looking, but she knew how to hold herself, present herself, and charm anybody who thought otherwise. No wonder, he found himself thinking.

  "You're late." Arjun wasn't smiling as he made eye contact with his client.

  "Sorry Mr lawyer. But you know, got caught up at the hospital." Sahil's grin became wider while all Arjun wanted to dearly do at that moment was wipe it straight off, and render his face expressionless.

  "I've told you once, Mr Verma and I'll tell you this for the final time. I'm a lawyer, and I can see through lies as clearly as water, so don't," he paused for a moment for emphasis. "Even try." It didn't take particular law skills to conclude what had been happening after noticing the checked shirt, half tucked in, the messed up hair, and hands constantly itching to get back to his I-phone. But mission accomplished. That smirk disappeared from his face in an instant and Arjun turned his attention back to the file that was waiting for him at the edge of the table. They had work to get through, and Sahil became serious as he listened to Arjun intently and answered all of his questions.

  Once though, Sahil's gaze flitted across the room, to the trio sitting, having dinner and cracking jokes at the expense of each other. Arjun saw Sahil's eyes blaze with fire, and that scene did not sit down too perfectly within him. Forcing Sahil's attention back to himself, he said a quick,"Ignore them," and continued.

  While Arjun was busy writing down a few notes, Sahil excused himself for a bathroom break. Well, he could spare that much time at the moment; though if that took forty five minutes, Arjun wasn't sure his patience could hold for that long. After a full couple of minutes, when he'd finished taking notes, he looked up to resume to his favourite hobby, Aamanda analysing, when he saw Rohan and Muskaan's seats empty and a huge figure blocking his view of Aamanda.

  "Sahil." Arjun grit his teeth, and made his way over to the other table, hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

  "What do you want, Aamanda?" Sahil whispered furiously, while she stood up, refusing to cower against his rage, her own building up. He was the same guy who had torn her apart.

  The same guy because of whom she hadn't been able to sleep well for what seemed like a century. She wanted to hurt him! She wanted to punish him! She wanted to see him behind bars, and hope that would do her good. Her jaws clenched as she refused to answer back to him. There was no way he was getting the satisfaction of what he had managed to do.

  "Will you bloody damn answer me, bitch?!" he seethed back, fire spitting out of his mouth.

  "And if I don't, what will you do?" her quick answer came out, challenging him, rousing him all the more.

  "Listen Miss Aamanda Wade. It was just one fucking night. I wasn't fully aware of everything. For fuck's sake, stop screwing around with my life, and yours for that matter, and bloody get lost!" he seethed.

  "You complete bastard!" She whispered back furiously, unable to hide her disgust. "To you it was one night. To me, it was my LIFE! And I won't rest till I see you behind the bars, suffering, like I have been. And you can take my word on that." Aamanda felt tears prick her eyes, but there was no way she was going to let him see that. It would just give him more satisfaction of seeing her break, and she would never do that. Not in a million years! She had so much to express, but words failed her. Everything failed her at the moment! Flashes of that night kept portraying into her minds eyes, and she was sick of them! Sick to the core, and yet she knew that she'd have to live with them forever.

  "Look you whore. What do you want now? Just tell me the amount and I'll give it to you right away. Withdraw the case!" he ordered her and she looked up at him aghast, feeling the colour drain from her face, lost for words. Honestly, how low he could stoop, she had already seen, witnessed and experienced. But how low his thoughts could stoop about someone else, it was a first. Pressure building within her, she tried to look for distractions. Nothing came in her view, except probably his lawyer making his way towards them. She