Found Hearts

37. Found Truth

This couldn't be happening

I kept repeating to myself that this was impossible. The whole universe was playing some kind of sick joke on me since yesterday because shit like this possibly couldn't happen in real life, right ? 

Wrong. 

Because the energy of chaos surrounding the room was unhinged. 

And all I could pray for was - Hey God, please let the ground beneath my feet open and swallow me whole. 

Yes, I was that big of a coward. 

Even bigger one, because I was hiding behind Kabir's back. Even he was silent, but he felt like the only person on my side for now. 

Because Maami Jii, Vicky, uncle and aunty were standing opposite of us. And Jeet and Latika were in the middle, ready to act like a mediator, if and when needed. 

The need was not right now though, because there was no counter argument. Kabir was just standing silently with tension rolling off of his body, as all of us heard Maami Jii go on and on about my character, or the lack of it there of. 

"I told you girls like her, step foot in houses like ours, for just one and only one thing. Didi and Bhaisahab, both of you kept shrugging it off. And what did you use to say didi ? That they fight all the time ? Banter all the time ? Look what that banter led to. She knew. She knew how to trap Kabir. And she did right that. Ask her the money he earns yearly. I bet she knows it all, with his bank balance." 

I flinched at whatever she said, cowering farther away behind Kabir. I didn't even have it in me to look up and see disappointment and betrayal gracing Uncle and Aunty's faces. 

God, what have I done ?

They're gonna hate me. They're gonna hate me for life and never forgive me. 

No one said anything for some seconds, the room easily an example of the saying, 'calm before the storm'. 

I just didn't know on which side the storm was brewing more strongly. 

Because I if I had it in me, I would have closed my eyes and never opened them again, when Kabir grabbed my arm gently, and pulled me from behind him, making me stand shoulder to shoulder with him. 

My wide eyes met Rekha aunty's sad and still confused ones. But she wasn't looking at me. She was looking at Kabir. And Shekhar uncle's body was the same as Kabir. Full of tension and anger. I avoided looking at Vicky and Maami Jii for personal sanity and reasons. 

Before Maami Jii could open her mouth again, Kabir decided to shut her up. 

"She does." 

Two words. He just spoke two words. And confused faces met him with my own. 

He decided to repeat. And repeated so clearly that for a second I had to confirm mentally that I heard it right. I had. But I still couldn't fathom he spoke something like that. In front of his family. 

Because he said, 

"You're right. She does know all about my income and bank balance. She's the first person who I told it to, and the last person who'll ever know." 

Eyes wide, and heart picking up speed, I stared at his side profile. 

What was he saying ? 

Clearly he had lost his mind. 

He should have said something else, to calm the situation like 'we were just sharing friendly hugs in that picture Vicky showed, because I had a bad day and he helped me', or something like 'we were dancing together during the Sangeet function because we were testing out our skills'.