Epilogue
The sun was streaming down onto Aaliyah that spring as she got out of the shop, finishing the last bit of Sunday shopping; she and Aamanda had dragged Rohan through. Though now, it was only her and Rohan. Aamanda, who had had a hectic day after being called at six am to the hospital was sitting on the benches scattered around the shop, catching up with herself.
"Rohan, there she is." Aaliyah pointed out Aamanda to Rohan, who was getting quite panicky. "Don't worry. She can look after herself now. What are all those self-defence classes for?" Aaliyah questioned rhetorically, but couldn't help admitting to herself that in some corner of her heart, she had also been quite frightened when she didn't see her best friend around.
"I know. But..." Rohan trailed off, as he kept looking at Aamanda. "This fear. It won't ever go will it?"
Aaliyah shook her head, unable to say the words.
"Mr and Mrs Agarwal, what a pleasant surprise." They almost jumped at that smooth, velvety voice which filled their ears from behind.
"If it isn't Peter Parker himself." Rohan replied, composing himself, his eyes twinkling with recognition.
The guy laughed at the metaphor.
"Not that good, I don't think. And please call me Arjun." He replied, using his dimples to charm Aaliyah, who was just staring at him thoughtfully and when caught, couldn't help but blush once.
"Hi, Arjun. Aaliyah" She introduced herself, who replied with a simple, 'pleasure'.
"So, how and why did you disappear into thin air a year back?" Rohan questioned, coming straight to the point. He never did like beating about the bush. And he hated it when he didn't have answers for questions.
"Let's just say, I didn't think I was needed." Arjun replied, his eyes scanning the crowd around them.
"You could have at least let us thank you." Aaliyah put forward purposely, guessing who Arjun was looking for. His blue gaze diverted back to her, and she could finally see the warmth gushing out of them, like Aamanda had described.
"Well, I don't think I deserved it." He dropped his gaze to the ground for a slight second, leaving both Aaliyah and Rohan speechless. "Uhmm...if you don't mind me asking, where is..." he paused. Was it right to ask them? He had been disappointed when he couldn't see her around them. But the road side scene a year back flashed in his mind again. Panic took over for a slight second before his heart forced him to calm down, and convinced him she would do nothing of the sort.
"Aamanda?" Rohan completed, seeing that Arjun couldn't. He nodded to her direction. She was sitting alone on the bench, soaking up the rare sun rays, while guarding herself against the infrequent atrocious wind. Her head was tilted slightly back, letting the butter yellow sun make her face glow, giving her an eloquent, surreal beauty. Arjun felt his lips curve as the random beats inside his chest started quickening. She really did look ethereal.
"She's so much better than she was a year back." Aaliyah murmured, glancing at Arjun. "But sometimes, sometimes I can still see the lost look on her face. And she still has those nightmares. Not always, but once a week, maybe twice. Otherwise, she's almost like she was before. Obviously, her outings have decreased, and she never wants to stay out alone for too long, but that's normal right?" She questioned softly, and looked up at Arjun to see his gaze fixed on Aamanda, his eyes slightly moist.
"She's strong. She'll pull through." Rohan added, making Arjun admire her more as he observed her calm posture.
"Do you guys mind, if I… talk to her now?" he asked slightly hesitantly, looking at Rohan, whose eyes shot back to Arjun instantly.
While Aaliyah's face enlightened with a smile, Rohan's froze with shock.
"Look, Arjun…" Rohan began, but Aaliyah gripped his hand firmly, causing him to stop.
"I don't think that should be a problem." She interrupted, and nodded encouragingly to Arjun, who slowly made his way towards her.
"Why did you let him go?" Rohan frowned at Aaliyah, still not too happy with Arjun's request.
"Because she needs someone more than she needs us." Aaliyah replied patiently, directing him away from where Arjun was heading to.
"What rubbish. We three are always together."
"Yes, Rohan. But it's time there were four of us. You don't want her to remain a spinster all her life do you?!" Aaliyah marvelled at Rohan's over protectiveness. Well, it was bound to happen.
"No…" Rohan looked uncomfortable. "But not Arjun Singh."
"She told me how he helped her during the case. He gave you the clue to put Sahil behind bars. He's not a bad guy just because he defended one, once upon a time."
"But…"
"Rohan she still has nightmares! She still gets lost in the crowd sometimes. What she needs is someone to hold her through it all. To assure her that she'll never be alone, or go through anything like that, ever again. We've done our bit."
"She shouldn't, she's taking self-defence…"
"Why are you so thick headed sometimes?!" Aaliyah was getting impatient. "It's not only the physical need. It's the emotional one as well. And Arjun connects well with her. He may or may not be the one for her. We wouldn't know now. But if we don't give him, give them a chance, how will we know, ever?"
"Ok…" Rohan succumbed, fearing his wife’s dagger eyes which were aimed at him. "But if he hurts her..."
"We'll have to take the risk won't we?"
"Yeah, ok." He frowned, and let Aaliyah lead him into a small boutique.
Meanwhile, Arjun was trying to figure out what he would say to her. He could feel something thudding against his ribs, making it a million times harder for him to think straight! So he concentrated on Aaliyah's words again. If he had known that Aamanda was still recovering, he wouldn't have left at all. Stupid, recovery was never instant. It took time. And a sometimes, a lot of it. He wanted to be the one to guide her through it. But then again, did she need his help now? Was she willing to see him? Be seen with him? Spend time with him? Because he didn't think he could ever come out of that God forsaken tag he'd earned for himself. What if he was just wrong about everything? What if she was happy, and seeing him would bring back her worst nightmares, once again. He froze. No, he couldn't do that to her. What if she was already seeing someone else? His insides clenched at that thought. Stupidly, questioning Rohan and Aaliyah about this had vanished from his good for nothing brain at the right time. Great. He closed his eyes, wondering if he should. Immediately, images of how the year had passed by clouded his inner eye. She had been there twenty four seven. Her thoughts, her actions, her memories. Involuntarily, he felt his lips curve. It hadn't taken too long afterwards to realize his feelings for her. And this time, there was no way he was letting go of a slight chance he had, which he'd noticed had been given by Aaliyah's consent. Recomposing his posture, he continued.
"Hi." He said softly, making her open her eyes instantly, snapping out of the day dream she was in.
Aamanda stared. Was it really possible? Was he here, in front of her? No, he couldn't be. This had to be another of her stupid dreams. There was no way... he would disappear in a bit. Yet he looked so solid, she couldn't help but reply back, amongst her racing heart,
"Hi." His dimples appeared, like a blessing, and indeed, he was real. That was when she felt a smile form on her face and her something flutter inside her before it picked up its pace again. He really was here! She couldn't help thinking to herself. He was in front of her, smiling with those beautiful, adorable oceanic and electrifying hues that she had been so desperate to see over the past year!
Arjun felt his dimples deepen when he saw her eyes light up at his presence. This may have been a lot more than he hoped for. Was she really that happy to see him? And when her smile faltered, he couldn't help but disagree. His heart sank, his brain preparing an 'I told you so' lecture for when he was alone. He had reminded her of her gruesome past. He had forced her to back to the torture she had been put through. And somewhere, he hated himself for that.
"Where did you go, so suddenly?" She asked quietly, not knowing
where to look. So instead, she focused her vision up to his. "You just left, and I couldn't even tell you."
Arjun felt his heart do a little victory dance. Hah, his presence didn't remind her of the awful time she'd been through. Or maybe it did, a snide comment replied, and she was just hiding it. Dream on, the positive energy in him replied, shutting it once and for all.
"May I?" he requested, indicating to the space next to her and she nodded, smiling.
He was such a gentleman. And that was probably one of the qualities which drew her towards him in the first place. And this magnetic field she was situated in did nothing to reduce the attraction. She felt his bare skin on his hand brush the back of her palm while he took a seat next to her, and felt everything inside her do a double flip. Biting her lower lip, she looked back down onto her laps.
"What did you want to tell me?" he asked, not daring to glance at her, in case he couldn't control himself.
"I just wanted to thank you." She uttered half the truth. "You, helped. Even though…"
"I guess I didn't want my Dad to remember a world where his own son stopped a person from achieving justice."
She turned her head to gaze at him and couldn't help but be awed by his answer. Heck, she was always awed by his answers.
"But you left. And I looked everywhere for you. The Social Care, the park." Aamanda turned her head away from him as she felt a small lump form in her throat.
It was true, she had searched for him. However, to no avail. So she had come to a conclusion, that maybe he hadn't fallen for her the way she had for him. He was just a genuinely nice guy, who helped her. And for that, she'd never be able to thank him enough. She couldn't have the normal dream of falling in love because, well, facing it, she hadn't had the brightest past. And what was the guarantee of her future? People would probably run away, or throw sympathy at her the moment they came to know she was raped. And he was human, he probably didn't even think of a relationship with her. She couldn't blame him, who would? But then, what had those moments, those sparks between them meant? She'd learnt to ignore those questions and continue living life, with him constantly in the back of whatever she did.
"I'm sorry. I just didn't think I deserved to be… around you." His answer so quiet, that she wondered whether she'd heard him right! Insane! She shook her head, wondering how on earth he had come to such a conclusion!
"You were wrong." Was her straight reply, causing him to face her. He studied her for a small moment, letting realisation and joy sink in. She really thought he was wrong? Did that mean she had nothing against him? The answer was yes, as her fiery gaze told him all there was to know about the fire inside her. He slowly stated,
"Apparently I was." Once she realized, she couldn't help but start feeling uncomfortable under his piercing observing stare.
"So, how's your dad?" she questioned, happy to change the topic.
"He's getting worse. Sometimes he forgets me altogether." He whispered, and she couldn't help but feel something weigh down inside her. "But I'm surviving." He added, smiling grimly. Hesitantly, she reached her right hand out and enclosed his left, which was sitting on his lap. The touch brought him back to her.
"Sometimes, it's easier to let go." He nodded. He'd thought through it many times, but never found the courage to do so. And that was when it struck him that he probably needed her, now more than ever. To help him through this. To support him. To be his pillar. Because she had in her, what he probably didn't. The strength and the experience to let go of the past. And this just added one more to the reasons why he head over heels in love with her.
Slowly, he got up as he witnessed Rohan and Aaliyah making their way towards them. She got up too, breaking their contact.
"Are you… uhmm… do you mind..." Arjun frowned, knowing this was probably the only chance he'd get for a while. Then why were his words falling over one another. Why weren't the right words placing themselves in a proper sentence. He looked at her questioning hazel-browns and tried once more. "I mean would you like to go for coffee or… or dinner, sometime?"
As soon as he stuttered the whole words out, he had the pleasure of watching her eyes break into a shine he'd never witnessed before. And how captivating that look was, she probably had no idea.
Aamanda couldn't believe this was happening! He was actually asking her out! She had a chance to get to know him better! Not that she didn't already, but this was the first step. The first step to something that she had dreamed of, with him. She wouldn't ever be able to refuse him, even if she wanted to. The trusting, questioning look on his face made her want to melt.
Her eyelashes fluttered over to Aaliyah and Rohan, who had heard him. The former was positively beaming while Rohan had an understanding grin on his face. Their consent was given with Aaliyah's nod. Excitement rushing through her every pore of her skin, she gave her answer.
"That would be great."
And this time, it was Arjun's turn to feel his insides swell to bursting point. Composing himself, he asked for her number, which she readily gave him while Aaliyah and Rohan turned back to give them some personal time.
"I'll call you."
"Sure." She whispered back and the next moment felt heat rush up around her ears and neck, when he leaned in, ever so slowly, his mere breath on her skin capturing her in that span of time, that moment, which she was sure would never leave her memory. The wind tugged the ends of her hair across her face making him slide them out carefully and tuck them behind her ear. This didn't do anything to help the increase in the rate at which her blood was throbbing into every single vessel, so she shut her eyes apprehensively.
But suddenly, the tender touch of his lips on her cheeks was all that was needed to calm these frantic reactions within her body. He let his lips linger for a while, savouring something he had longed to do so much, ever since the first time he'd impulsively committed that act. And didn't it feel wonderful.
He drew back watching the colour that had just risen, play about on her face, depicting her emotions. Yes, he loved her. And when she finally opened her eyes, he winked once, and turned around, leaving her in a whirl. Her hand flew up to where his lips had been as she couldn't stop her own from widening at that very moment.
Sometimes, the bad has to happen, for the good to be appreciated. Indeed, some people may call this end, but most call it the beginning. The beginning to a new life, something everyone deserves and has a right to, the moment they let their past die. And though letting go may seem like the hardest task initially, it's the first step to having a brighter future.
About The Author
Anshuma Sharma from Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh (India). Pursuing bachelor’s degree in electronic media, a spare time blogger. Contributing Author of Zest of Inklings, Season of Love, Secrets of Soul, Tere hi Liye and she is also the editor of “Diary of An Unknown Winter”. For her the most precious thing is her phone ; she wouldn’t know how to survive without it. Reading is her favourite pass time, she enjoys thrillers, mythology and religion and other genres too. She writes with the memories of what she have or have felt in this life so far. Anything which she could see happen around- her life, her friends, neighbours, the old man lying crippled on the street, the dog with watery eyes expecting some food, the butterflies, leaves and flowers. She feels, she writes.
Contact Her :-
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/sharmanshuma?fref=ts
Twitter : https://twitter.com/_Awari_
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/anshumasharma
Email :
[email protected] Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends