ShiVi Stories

Her Strength Forever

Blemishes, taints and every stain,
Being offered by the world was a world of pain,
Strangers to her, ready to dissect her character,
They were each ready with their own slander,
And right in the middle of the chaos,
Stood a woman whose pain she couldn't disclose...
Tears in eyes, pain in the soul,
Peace of her mind, which this world stole,
And then there was this inability,
Due to which she watched them helplessly...

The water cascaded down her face and then her torso as she sat in the tub and watched the wall before her blankly. She blinked the water from her eyes and her lips were trembling as she reminisced what happened sometime ago. She took the soap from beside her and began to rub herself extensively with too much force, leaving her finger marks all over it's surface and squeezing it harshly. She then took the loofa from its place and started to use it harshly all over her hands and arms. She was sobbing softly now but her sobs were in contrast to the harsh scrubbing her neck received.
She threw the loofa away and began to use her nails to clean herself. Even in the torrents of water, when she used the soap to clean herself, she felt dirty and used. Her throat closed off as she remembered their hands on her. She closed her eyes to block the image from her mind, but failed terribly. She felt disgusted at herself and at them. She felt disgusted at the helplessness she had endured then and was enduring now.
Her nails had left scratch marks over her arms in some places. Tiny droplets of blood were now making appearances before being washed away harshly. She started swaying in her place as she cried softly, smothering the fury and pain within her so her family didn't have to listen to it. Their words began to ring in her ears as they mocked her. The fear which had held her captive since that moment was even now holding her in chains. She keened lowly, unable to stop the sound that emerged from deep within her. Her heart trembled at their actions. They were so fearless when they warned her and she? She had been scared even when she had done nothing wrong. She had just wanted to take the right course of action. But she still lost... In her innocence, in her courage, she had forgotten her biggest crime. She... was a woman.
Her tears merged with the water and flowed down as flashes of the past some days blinded her momentarily and she wondered whether she would ever be able to live normally now! Their words were tearing up her courage and the will to fight. Their warnings were squeezing her heart and messing with her mind. She could hear the fury as they spoke to her echo throughout her soul and the terror of their vulgarity ripped her apart. She wished for the first time in her life that she wasn't a woman. Wished that she was a man and would not have to face this. Because this was making her realise how weak she was. She was so weak that she couldn't do a thing to them when the were toying with her today. She wanted the earth to tear open and swallow her as shame and fury flowed in her veins. But the fear that had her shackled there was higher than anything she had ever felt before. That mind numbing, gut wrenching fear was what she had felt for the first time in her life and it had impaled itself on her heart and soul. It refused to move away. Even loud noises and boisterous laughter were scaring her out of her skin. She couldn't even step out of the house in fear.
Her Maasima had enquired a lot but she had refused to divulge any details on her silence. She didn't want to talk. She had talked about it to someone and that had just worsened it all. She just wanted to stay hidden and fade away so she didn't see anyone of them.
She closed her ears and cried in frustration, helplessness and fury. She cried for herself and every woman on this earth who had to face more than what she had faced today. She cried for the resolve that was breaking apart. The resolve of helping the victim get justice was now breathlessly watching her fade as she had herself become kind of a victim. She sobbed.
"Raavi! Tu theek hai baitha? Mujhe laga tu abhi chillayi! Gir gayi kya?" Maasima called out worriedly. Raavi wiped away her tears harshly and swallowed twice.
"Haan MaasiMa! Main theek hoon. Thoda slip ho rahi thi to cheekh nikal gayi. Par main theek hoon. Giri nahin hoon." Raavi replied and stood up.
"Oh Accha... Chalo ab bahar aa jao beta. Sardi lag jayegi. Bahut samay se andar hai." Maasima told her and walked away.
Raavi stood in the shower and reminisced.
•••••
15 Days Prior.
Raavi smiled at Dev and waved him away as she entered the college. His slight smile didn't dull her excitement at all. She had been pestering Dhara di for this ride and loved it immensely. She hadn't been silent for a second as they rode to the college together. He didn't reply to her much and only hummed in answer sometimes but she didn't let anything dampen her mood. She just loved the moments she got to spend with him and made sure she memorized each and everything about the moment. The way his shirt felt under her palm as she placed it there. The way he smell a little of jasmines. The way he hummed when she asked for his opinion on something. The way he slowed down at the bumps on the road and rode so carefully. She lived the moment.
And when he just smiled wanly at her and rode away she sighed dreamily and began to walk inside. She had just climbed the stairs when she heard soft cries and pleads from a room. She frowned and slowly peeked in through the broken pane of a window. This part of the college was usually deserted at this time because most of the students were either in the campus outside or in the central courtyard. Raavi stared anxiously at the scene playing within the room.
A girl was cowering in the corner of the classroom as three boys had her surrounded. She knew none of them but had seen the central boy around. He was the college goon and she concluded that the other two might be his sidekicks. He was slightly bent towards the crying girl and trying to kiss her forcefully, while she was pleading. Raavi whilped out her phone and began to record the scene.
"Please! Please mujhe jaane do. Please!" The girl pleaded.
"Aye chup kar. Teri pictures jo tune mujhe bheji thi na woh saare sheher mein mashhoor kar dunga! Chup chaap mujhe woh karne de jo main chahta hoon samjhi?" The goon warned as the sidekicks laughed. The girl was sobbing painfully.
"Tum mere saath ye kaise kr sakte ho Rahul? Maine tumse pyaar kiya tha. Tum par trust kiya aur tumne kya kiya? Mujhe woh sab lekar blackmail kar rahe ho?" The girl cried. The goon, Rahul huffed and pulled away the girl's dupatta and drew closer.
"Kisi pe bhi trust karke tu apni nudes unhe bhej deti hai kya?" The girl tried to slap him but he held her hand and pinned it above her head on the wall. The girl sobbed harder as her bangle broke and pierced her wrist.
Raavi drew in a shuddering breath and hid away, keeping her phone away too. She couldn't barge in the room. It would work against her and the girl. She began to run towards the Principal's office. She will have to get the faculty involved. Raavi burst inside the office where the Principal was discussing something with two other teachers. They watched her with a mixture of concern and irritation as she tried to calm down.
"Whats this behaviour!" The Principal exclaimed. "Who are you and why did you enter without permission?"
"Sorry Sir but I had no time. I have just witnessed a student of this college being molested by other students and I had to get help!" Raavi declared strongly. The three of them watched her horrified.
"Do you even understand what you are saying? Whats your name?" The Principal roared.
"Sir that can be queried later. Please come now!" Raavi pleaded. The three of them stood up and rushed after Raavi who lead them towards the room, she had witnessed the incident in.
She asked them to be silent as she lead them to the same window but the scene was different. The girl was sitting slightly scared in one row and the three boys in the other row as yhey discussed about studies. Raavi was shocked as she watched the scene.
The Principal glared at her and entered the classroom.
"Kya chal raha hai yahan??" He asked sternly.
"Padhayi sir!" Rahul answered innocently with confusion. Raavi clenched her fists. Somehow they had come to know about the Principal coming towards the room. She watched the girl as she nervously fisted and freed her dupatta.
"Humne suna hai yahan par zabardasti ki ja rahi hai ek student ke saath!" The Principa growled. Rahul and his two friends behaved like they were in shock.
"Sir! Ye aap kya keh rahe hain! Aap pooch sakte hai inse! Hum to bas yahan par baithe hue hain!" Rahul answered and indicated towards the girl. "Sapna tum kuch bolti kyun nahin ho!" He asked. Raavi could see the underlying hints of warning. Sapna watched the Principal helplessly and silently hoping he would understand her silence, because her words were akin to suicide.
"Ye jhoot bol raha hai Sir! Maine apni aankhon se dekha hai." Raavi said. She knew one of the faculty must have alerted Rahul of their arrival. So she had to be careful. She hid the mention of the video proof for now. She walked towards Sapna. "Tumhen darne ki zaroorat nahin hai. Main witness hoon jo isne kiya hai uski. Tum bejhijhak sach bol do. Ek baar investigation start hogi to ye kuch bhi nahin kar paayega, un pictures ko release karna to door ki baat hai. Strong bano." Raavi told her. Sapna just shook her head.
"I can't take the chance. I want to help you! I really do. But I know ki uske baad kya hoga and woh face karne ki strength nahin hai mujh mein."
"Case start hua to ye insaan kuch nahin kar paayega. Jitne pictures hai sab to waise bhi delete karea diye jayenge. Ghut ghut ke jeene se behtar hai ek baar sab kuch face karna! Agar tum silent rahi to ye aage jakar dusri ladki ke saath bhi hoga. Kya tum chahti ho ki ye dard koi aur bardaasht kare?" Raavi questioned softly. Sapna looked at Raavi. "Tum fikr mat karo. Main saath hoon tumhare! Peeche mat hato."
Sapna breath deeply and watched Rahul who was glaring at her in warning.
"Isne mere saath zabardasti karne ki koshish ki. Aur jab maine ise warn kiya to isne kaha ki ye mere pictures release kar dega. Hum relationship mein the. Iske paas mere personal pictures hain." Sapna said softly. Rahul glared at her as he clenched his teeth.
"Ye tum kya bol rahi ho Sapna! Maine Soniya se baat ki usi ka badla hai na ye!" Rahul trued to spon the tale.
"Woh jhoot nahi bol rahi! Maine dekha hai!" Raavi said as she glared at Rahul, who focused on her. He watched her angrily.
"Ye matter ab aise sort nahin hoga!" The Principal declared. Students were now standing outside the classroom trying to peek inside and make sense of what was happening. "Allegations have been made. Isliye. Humare College ke rules ke mutabiq, accused will have to be suspended from the college till the board can make a decision on this. Board hearing ke baad hi decide kiya jayega ki kya karna hai. Blackmail and molestation are serious offenses. Sach saabit hua then you will have a police case made against you unless she takes back the complaint." Principal Desai told him. "Tab tak you need to be off the campus." He then turned towards Raavi and Sapna. "Aapko darne ki zaroorat nahin hai. Agar ye sach hai to he will be punished accordingly. Aur haan..." He looked at Raavi, "Aapko board ke aage apni gawahi deni hogi. Main aapko inform karunga ki kab ye meeting baithayi jayegi."
Rahul protested but had to leave the campus along with his friends and Raavi went about her day, happy to help someone in need, unaware of the problems she had created for herself.
•••••
11 days prior.
She came out of the college after bidding her friends a goodbye and was just about to call an auto so she could leave when, someone dragged her in the nearest alleyway. Before she could scream for help, a hand was placed on her mouth and she came face to face with Rahul.
He was cross as Sapna had stayed out of his clutches and wasn't listening to his warnings. Rahul decided he would instead scare Raavi.
"Bahut zyada ud rahi hai huh?" Rahul asked her as she tried to free herself. She felt the first strand of fear grip her heart. Before she could free herself, he pressed in further. He smelt like cologne. "Soch samajh kar gawahi dena... Aisa waisa ladka nahin hoon. Kahin aisa na ho ki tum saari zindagi pachtao. Izzat kamane mein zindagi lag jati hai par gawane mein ek pal bhi nahin lagta." Raavi pushed him away.
"Meri nazar tum par rahegi." He warned her and walked away leaving Raavi in a mess. Raavi held herself together and rushed away towards her home.
But the terror didn't stop there. Raavi received warnings in different ways. She was handed a letter by a small kid the next day and the contents made her toes curl in fear. A stone was thrown wrapped in a note the next night. Her water bottle was filled with red colored water. She received her day to day life pics in an envelope with a message that they were keeping an eye on her. She finally decided that she needed to speak to someone about it.
She vetoed her Mausapa because he would be too scared and she didn't want him involved. She vetoed maasima because she would just as Raavi to sit at home and begin searching for grooms. She decided that Dev would be the best option. Early in the morning after six days of Rahul warning her outside the college, she rushed to the Pandya Niwaas and caught Dev before he left for his university and explained to him about the whole thing.
"Ye tumhen karna hi nahin chahiye tha Raavi!" Dev declared as Raavi watched him in slight shock. Disappointment travelled through her veins and engulfed her heart. "Kisi aur ke matter mein taang adana kahan ki hoshiyaari hai. Tumhen wahan se chale jana chahiye tha. Tum keh rahi ho ki faculty bhi mili hui hai usse. Agar kuch ho gaya to? Aur ab woh tumhare peeche pada hai. Aur agar ye sab us ladki par bhi ulta pada to?? Raavi kabhi kabhi kuch dekh kar, aage badh jana humare liye behtar hota hai! Use rokna humare liye musibaten khadi karta hai!" Dev explained. Raavi felt really disappointed with his views. How can he be the Dev that she had declared as her Prince Charming? He was so passive. Raavi felt her heart break due to her dreams breaking apart. "Ab khadi kyun ho baitho!" Dev said and she sat without a complain. A slight hope ignited in her chest that he would definitely help her. She smiled.
Dev took her straight to the college and stopped the scooty before the three boys waiting outside the college. Raavi had told Dev that Rahul and his sidekicks usually waited outside the college gates in the morning to scare her.
Dev got down the scooty and walked up to Rahul. He smiled at the boys.
"Dekho Rahul... Raavi bahut hi innocent hai. Usse ghalat dekha nahin jata isliye woh tere personal matter mein bol gayi. Woh board ke saamne kuch nahin bolegi. Lekin tu use satana chod dega... Samjha?" Dev said softly. He was the same sensible and calm Dev she had adored and yet for the first time she was noticing how passive he was being. Where was the protectiveness that she associated with him? Why wasn't he warning Rahul to stay in his limits? "Raavi isse maafi mango aur matter rafa dafa karo." Dev called out. Raavi came out of her stupor and watched Dev like he had grown an extra head as she turned and ran away leaving him behind.
•••••
3 days Prior.
Raavi was still thinking about Dev and how passive he had been about Sapna's pain and trouble. She had always watched him protect her from Shiva but only that day had she realised that, it was the only time she had seen him be protective. Otherwise he was usually a pacifist. Always tried to let the situation settle down and hoped for the best instead of facing it. All her dreams shattered into pieces and she had no respect left for the man she had loved.
She had been avoiding Pandya Niwas religiously. She didn't want to come face to face with Dev. He had called her twice and Dhara di was calling her everyday, asking about her absence. Before where she used to find a thousand reasons to go to Pandya Niwaas, now she searched for excuses to avoid it.
Raavi sighed as she exited the college. She was too tired and had already planned to go and sleep the moment she reached home. But someone pulled her in the alley again and shut her mouth. Raavi tried to free herself but the other person was stronger. She looked up to see Rahul and her eyes widened in horror.
"Kya hua? Chonk gayi? Maine kaha tha na meri nazar hamesha tum par hogi? Maine Sapna se bhi baat kar li hai! Agar woh apni complain wapas nahin legi na to main uske pictures viral kar dunga." Rahul warned. "Aur tum! Kiske bharose itna ud rahi ho? Koi tumhare saath nahin khada hai aur na hi khadega! Tum akeli pad jaogi. Ye mardon ki dunya hai! Tum par zara sa kheechad uchalunga na to ye saari dunya tumhen kosne lagegi! Mera naam to fir bhi dhul jayega par tumhara daagh zindagi bhar tumhen chain se saans tak lene nahin dega. Tumhara mun khud tumhare apne band karayenge. Izzat ke uchalne ke darr se woh khud majboor kar denge tumhen ki peeche hat jao. Aur agar tum nahin hati na! To main tumhen aisa sabak seekhaunga ki tum saat janam tak use bhula nahin paogi! Samjhi? Akeli ladki ho zara sambhal kar raha karo!"
And each word he spoke rained on her confidence and courage, tattering her already scared heart and surrounding her with fear and unease as she watched him walk away. That day she felt like she was the most lonely woman on this earth. Even her Mausapa's presence couldn't provide her with the security she was searching for.
She returned home and ignored Prafulla when she asked Raavi to have food and locked herself up in her room, watching her hands tremble as she reminisced about the day. Slowly she pulled her diary near and began to write about her thoughts with shaking hands. Her eyes began to water and sobs finally broke free. Her will was about to collapse and with one push she was going to topple over.
•••••
Earlier that day.
Raavi was late. She had to stay back with one of her classmate to finalize the finishing touches of their project and when they were finally done, her friend had left because otherwise she would miss her scheduled bus. Raavi had collected everything and submitted their project before she started hastily walking towards the exit.
The moment she reached the stairs, she was pulled in a classroom and her mouth was shut. Her heart sunk. By now she had understood what to expect when this happened. She watched around to see Rahul with another guy. She frowned. He smirked.
"Hmmm to Raavi... tumne meri Baat seriously li nahin hai na? Kaha tha na maine? Complain wapas le lo aur chup reh jao. Par nahin! Tumhen to bahut shoq hai na doosron ke maamlon mein pair adane mein? Kyun? Tumhari life exciting nahin hai is liye? Thrills chahiye na tumhen? To itna kya taanka jhaanki karna? Main karta hoon na tumhari ye wish poori! Tumhen aisa thrill dunga ki kaapogi tum aainda dusron ke maamle mein padne ke khayal se!!" Rahul declared and as she was shaking her head and hitting his chest, he signed his friend. His friend moved forward and just as Rahul removed his hand from her mouth, he taped it. Rahul held her hands in his and trapped them above her head and as she screamed a muffled scream, he smirked at her and pulled her dupatta away. Raavi stilled. Her heart burst in colors of fear and pain and she shuddered at the helplessness that had engulfed her soul. The silence around them and the emptiness of the college was adding on to her hopelessness.
Rahul ran his right hand slowly from her wrist down to the neck and then pinched the side of her neck. She felt the pain and at the same time, she felt shame. Logically she understood that she wasn't at fault and at the feeing of someone encroaching her space and shattering her privacy was suffocating her along with the tape. Rahul cupped her cheeks and watched her tearful wide eyes and bent down to run his lips on her cheeks. Wherever he touched her, Raavi felt a scorching burning lava flow down. It filled her with pain and so much hurt that it sunk her whole existence in a sea of torment. Her soul was cut apart and her mind wanted to shut down at the disgust that ran in her veins. But she couldn't. She had to fight.
Raavi violently shook her head to dislodge his lips and moved her shoulders to free her hands. She wanted to give it her all. She wouldn't fall weak now. Rahul's friend slapped her harshly. Raavi stilled again. The force of his slap had turned her to her side. She was shocked. Until that second no one had ever slapped her before. No one had the guts to hurt her this way! And today... This guy had done it so easily? She watched him in disbelief.
Rahul laughed lowly and left her hands. Raavi pushed him off and scuttled away from them to a corner of the room as she cried softly. She had still not removed the tape from over her mouth.
"Ye trailer tha Raavi raani... Agar tumne fir bhi nahin samjha na, to poori pictire dikhaunga! Tumhen bhi aur Somnath ko bhi... Samjhi?" Rahul asked and they walked away just as suddenly as they had arrived, leaving Raavi to slide down the wall and cry to herself.
She had arrived home late and locked herself inside the bathroom.
•••••
Prafulla was worried as she watched the closed door of the room. Raavi hadn't yet emerged from her room. Since some days she had been behaving very weirdly now and Prafulla couldn't help but worry. She sighed.
Raavi cried more and wore a full sleeved kurti and patiala pants. She wanted no inch of her open to the outside eyes. She felt like there was a black stamp all over the places Rahul had touched. If she exposed them, the world would know what had happened. She sobbed harder.
What could she do now? She had to give up! She couldn't face more of this! She couldn't face Rahul or his friend. She couldn't take chances! She just couldn't. The sheer torture those some minutes had been for her was something she could never forget! She wouldn't forget it! She would breathe it! She would live and relive it, till her dreams became the nightmares of today and then she would melt in the furnace this incident hd created for her and never face the world again
"Pagal hai kya tu?" She heard and looked up to see herself. "Kya ho jayega agar tune hathyaar daal kar un ladkon ki baat maani to? Janti hai? Woh tujhe aur darayenge! Aur dhamkayenge! Aur fir woh tujhe poori tarah se tod denge. Tu ek baar jhuk gayi to samajhna ki woh tujhe fir kabhi jeene nahin denge. Tujhe dara dara kar tujhse kaam karwayenge aur fir unki himmat ko par mil jayenge! Tujhe ladna hoga Raavi! Apne liye aur apne jaisi har ladki ke liye! Tujhe dunya ko batana hoga ki tu lamzor nahin hai! Apne aap mein ek army hai tu! Har us insaan ko batana hai ki tu Raavi hai! Ek aurat! Ek ladki! Jo kabhi nahin daregi! Is mardon ki Dunya mein tujhe mardon ko dikhana hai ki ye dunya aurat ki bhi hai! Aurat ke sammaan ki bhi hai! Tujhe dikhana hoga ki naari shakti kya hoti hai..."
"Par ye kaise dikhayegi? Akeli kaise ladegi!" Raavi turned to see another version of herself arguing with her first version.
"Akeli na kare! Kisi ka saath hi maangle!"
"Dev ko bataya tha na isne? Kya mila ise? Kuch nahin!"
"Dev nahin to aur sahi! Sirf Dev hi ek dost hai kya iski life mein?"
Raavi watched on and then thought of her various friends but none of them stood out. They would all just roll their eyes if she said she was kissed forcefully. What was a cheek kiss anyways?
But it was a big deal to her. The kiss had been without her consent. It had been an attack on her self respect. It had been esteem lowering and traumatizing and it may mean nothing to others but it felt like her whole world had burst into flames.
As her versions watched her, she just thought about who she could turn to and came up short. Then with a sudden breath it clicked in her mind that she could always go to Gaumbi. She stood up from her bed. And hurriedly wrapped herself up in a dupatta before she opened the door of her room and ran out. Prafulla was calling out to her but she just shouted that she will be back soon. Gaumbi was her last hope. Raavi ran out of the house and then stopped again.
Gaumbi must be in the shop. She anyways wanted to avoid the Pandya house. She wanted to speak to her Dhara di but not Dev. So she had to avoid even Dhara di. She took a deep breath and boarded an auto, directing it to the Pandya store.
•••••
Shiva watched as Gaumbi directed kaka to do something and himself went out of the store. Shiva smiled softly at his brother's back. Gaumbi was one of the most hardworking man he knew. And Gaumbi and Dhara had a once in a week date night arrangement and today was that night. So he had started early. Shiva was happy for them.
Some months ago, Dhara and Gautam's sacrifice had come before them all and it was a very emotional moment for their family. Suman had for the first time broken down for Dhara and promised her that she would try to evolve to a much more accepting person and Dhara had promised to let go off the blame me for everything attitude.
Gautam had taken Dhara to a doctor and they had gotten a check up and meanwhile the younger brothers while wishing well for the couple had kept themselves out of the business. It was personal after all.
The Pandya Niwaas had also been extended upstairs and three extra rooms had already been built with attached bathrooms each for three youngest Pandya brothers. It had been done one by one over some years now and had finally reached its completion. Yet the three of them still slept in the aangan on their cots.
Now Dhara bhabhi had started to talk about Dev's marriage. And Suman and Dhara had also been discussing about the type of girl they would want for Dev. They had even asked Dev's opinion a couple of days ago and Dev had told them, he was interested in someone. He hadn't told them who though. Just that he was not interested in Raavi. Shiva was relieved but Dhara was worried about how Raavi would react. She hadn't been coming to their house as it is. Even though Shiva was happy by her absence he still wondered why she had been avoiding them all because it wasn't like her to do so.
And he was still in the dilemma when he saw Raavi get down from an auto in haste. Think of the devil, he thought and tolled his eyes.
Raavi ran inside the store and looked around urgently. She appeared to be in too much stress.
"Kaka! Gaumbi kahan hain?" Raavi questioned Kaka seriously.
"Woh to gaya beta. Aaj use Dhara ko ghumane le jana hai na." Kaka replied. Raavi sighed. Shiva watched her deflate. She looked like she would burst out crying at any moment.
He observed her then. She looked thinner and a little more paler than the last time he had seen her. Her eyes were surrounded by dark circles and looked swollen and red. She was trembling and her whole body was covered by a large dupatta. He frowned. She wasn't the chipkali he had come to know.
"Aue maami ki behen ki beti! Kyun aayi hai idhar?" He called out. She started and looked at him in shock and then burst out crying as she sunk to her knees. He got startled and moved towards her in hurry. Kaka looked shocked too.
"Shiva tu ise sambhal beta! Main dukaan sambhalta hoon." Kaka instructed. Shiva nodded as he gently pulled Raavi towards the store room and closed it for her privacy. She was crying still and as he finally sat beside her, she turned to him and hugged him. He was dumbfounded.
"Aye kya hua tujhe?" His words were harsh unlike his actions. She refused to answer but tightened her hold and cried more. "Aye maami ki behen ki beti." He called out softly this time. "Kyun ro rahi hai? Gaumbi se kya kaam tha tujhe?" Raavi looked up at him and wondered what to do. She helplessly cried some more.
"Shiva..." She whispered. There was nothing to loose anyways. She reasoned and looked up at him. He was waiting for her answer. "Aaj subah kisi ne mere saath zabardasti karne ki koshish ki." Raavi finally let out and sunk into him again. Shiva had stilled. Her words had ignited within his heart a fire. Rage ran in his veins and the urge to destroy something was swallowing him whole. His arms that had carelessly been at his side wrapped around her securely and he brought her closer, almost on his lap. "Usne chua mujhe meri ijazat ke baghair aur usne kiss kiya hai mere gaal par. Uske dost ne mujhe thappad maara. Mera dupatta kheench kar phenk diya. Mere mun par tape lagaya." Raavi whispered to him, scared that the world was listening. She was ashamed. Shiva's whole being had turned into fire. Who had dared?
"Kaun?" He could just get that word out amidst his fury.
"Rahul..." Raavi replied and then revealed to him about the whole incident and how he had been blackmailing her and how Dev had behaved. And after she had told Shiva about everything, she let herself go in his arms. Shiva held her to himself and anchored her being to his. He let her sob on his shoulders as he sttoke her back gently listening to her. "Mujhe mera wajood ganda lag raha hai Shiva. Aisa lag raha hai jaise uske haath abhi bhi mujhpar hain. Mujhe itni sharmindgi kabhi mehsoos nahin hoon. Itna apmaan. Itna darr. Mujhe laga ki kaash zameen phate aur main us mein sama jaun. Shiva main thak gayi hoon. In pandrah dinon mein maine har roz ek naya darr jhela hai. Main haar rahi hoon. Mujhe dar lag raha hai." She whispered. He heard her patiently. Just making sure she is secure within his arms. And for the first time in the past half a month, Raavi was feeling lighter. She was feeling safe. She was feeling like she wasn't lonely anymore. Shiva was doing what she had wanted Dev to do and then she realised, it was always Shiva whom she had been so comfortable with. She had never behaved this way even with Dev.
"Kal main aaunga tujhe lene shaam mein." And with these words he had declared a war. No one messes with her. That right was solely his. And even he hadn't ever messed with her this way. He would burn those hands that had dared to force themselves upon her. "Tu ab se nahin daregi. Main hoon yahan. Pehle bata deti na to baat yahan tak nahin pahunchti Gadedhi." He told her softly. She hugged him closer and closed her eyes as peace descended in her heart.
"Sorry..."
"Tujhe sorry kehne ki zarurat nahin hai. Sorry to ab woh bolega aur feel bhi karega. Chal tujhe ghar drop karta hoon." He said and patted her gently. She nodded feeling oddly happier and smiled at him tearfully. He blinked his eyes in reassurance. He wiped her tears and lifted her up to make her stand and then watched her like he was making sure she was all right and with each second that passed, Raavi was liking him more. He was a man full of flaws but he will always be her strength she was sure. She sighed.
"Kya aurat bahut weak hoti hai Shiva? Main akeli kuch kar hi nahin paayi..." She whispered. Shiva looked at her and read her searching eyes and smiled.
"Tune akele hi face kiya hai use ye pandra din. Meri zaroorat nahin thi tujhe tab. Ab baat bahut aage badh rahi hai Raavi. Baat ab kamzor ya taqatwar ki nahin, us ladke ke pagalpan ki hai. Agar ye ladayi seedhi hoti to tujhe koi hara nahin sakta kyunki tujh mein har cheez karne ki himmat hai aur sehne ki bhi. Par ye ladayi ulti chal rahi hai is liye ab ye ladayi hum dono ladenge." He told her. "Aur waise bhi kya kisi ki madad lene se teri taqat kam ho jayegi kya?" She shook her head and smiled at him. "Ek aurat jab chahe tab janam dene wali Maa bhi ban sakti aur khatam karne wali aag bhi." He told her and then pulled her towards the door gently.
And much later when he had dropped her home and she had evaded Prafulla's questions and returned to her room, she had found herself calmer than before and more confident in herself. And that night she had wondered and introspected about Shiva and her behavior towards him along with the way they reacted around each other. That was the moment she realised that a person could exit your heart despite ruling it for years due to just one action and a person could enter your heart and make it theirs due to just one action too. And she smiled...
•••••
Rahul waited till Raavi descended the stairs before he pulled her inside. His friends were waiting inside. The day of board hearing was drawing near and he needed to shut Raavi before then. Sapna had oddly been evasive and also strong. So he wanted to eliminate the witness.
"Kyun? Liya wapas complaint?" He asked Raavi who was watching him without any struggle with eyes that seemed to be mocking him fearlessly, unlike yesterday.
"Aye Somnath ke saste Shakaal!" He heard a roar and before he could do anything, his hand was twisted away from her mouth and behind his back. His head was banged against the wall and as the whole room spun before his eyes, he came face to face with a man, whose eyes were pools of lava. "Himmat kaise hui teri, Raavi ko haath lagane ki? Aaj tak ise iske gharealon ne haath nahin lagaya! Aur tune zabardasti ki iske saath?" Rahul was still not sure what happened suddenly.
Shiva had meanwhile started hitting and punching his friends while Raavi stood at the edge of the scene and watched Shiva fight. He was agile and too strong. Each time they tried to get him, he turned them in their spots and attacked.
Some of Shiva's friends whom he had called came inside the room and then held Rahul's friends, while Shiva turned towards Rahul.
"Tujhe kya laga? Akeli hai? Koi nahin aayega agar tune ise hurt kiya to? Hamesha se peecha khada raha hoon iske! Haath lagaya hai na? Saza to milegi tujhe!" Shiva told him and pulled his hand forward and took his lighter out. He flipped it open and held Rahul's index finger over the flame, refusing to remove it even when Rahul started shouting after a while. "Sirf zara si aag hai aur tujhe dard ho raha hai? Aai da nazre upar ki na to sara ka sara haath ukhaad kar jala dunga! Samjha?" Shiva said and shifted the flame to his thumb. Rahul's index finger had burnt skin by then. "Hero samajhta hai khudko? Ghalti karna janta hai par uski saza bhugatna nahin chahta? To for Ghalti karni hi nahin chahiye thi! Raavi ko nahin satana chahiye tha!" Shiva pushed his head to the wall and Rahul felt his head hit the wall and the room spun again. Shiva watched Rahul's burnt fingers and then punched his mouth. "Kis haq se chua hai use? Kisne ijazat di tujhe?" He punched Rahul again. "Zyada hawa mein mat ud! Door reh usse! Samjha?" Shiva pushed him away and turned to the one Who had slapped Raavi. He signed Raavi to come forward. When she was standing before the guy, Shiva looked at her steadily. "Chal maar ise..." He instructed Raavi. Raavi looked at him in shock. "Maar!" He firmly said.
Raavi looked at guy who was fearfully watching Shiva and then towards Rahul who was holding his hand near his chest and sobbing. She turned towards the guy again and slapped him with full force as she remembered the fear and pain she had felt yesterday. She started crying and then turned towards Shiva and hugged him. He held her securely and then stood before Rahul again.
"Ye to sirf trailer tha. Aaindah agar kisi ladki ko tune cheda ya unhen blackmail kiya, to poori picture dikhaunga tujhe bhi aur poore Somanth ko bhi. Us ladki ki pictures delete kar dena aur agar ek bhi picture kahin se bhi bahar aayi to teri usi tarah ki photos leak hongi. Samjha?" Shiva told him and then punched the guy who slapped Raavi one last time before he held Raavi's hand before walking out. His friends didn't come out.
Raavi settled behind Shiva on his bike and watched him as he drove them towards home. Her heart was light and her face had regained its color and glow. She was watching his face in the mirror and smiling at it. Her hand became firm on his shoulder. For the whole ride, she could feel her heart thump louder than it always had. He stopped the bike outside her house and as she got off the bike, he called out.
"Aye Chipkali!" She turned. "Usne jo kiya uske liye tu kabhi sharminda mat hona. Woh uski ghalti hai. Tera is mein koi dosh nahin hai. Samjhi?" He questioned her. She nodded. "Aaindah woh kabhi tujhe pareshaan nahin karega. Aur agar kisi aur ne kbhi bhi koshish ki to tu hamesha mere paas aa sakti hai." Shiva told her and she smiled softly.
"Thank you Shiva..." She whispered. He blinked before he turned the bike and rode away. She smiled widely as happiness filled her heart and entered house with an excited squeal.
Two days later, the board had sen all the evidences presented and handed Rahul to the police for taking the required action against him and his friends. And Raavi had won the battle.
•••••
Five months later.
"Dhara diii!" They heard a squeal and while Krish and Dev flinched, Shiva remained neutral. Dhara smiled along with Gautam and Suman. But then Dhara lost her smile...
Shiva had changed his attitude towards Raavi after the incident. He was still the same way with Prafulla but with Raavi his behavior had changed. Their fights were still the same but Raavi's chants of Dev had stopped. Shiva was more bearing and Raavi much more sweeter to him. She had even restarted her visits to Pandya Niwas but didn't watch Dev like he was the sun. She ignored him as much she could, focusing all her attention on Shiva instead. The family hadn't observed this change but Dev and Krish had.
Krish was irritated and confused with the change along with Raavi's talks which now centered around Shive and Dev was mostly confused with the change.
"Dhara dii! Main aa gayi aap ke haath ke chole khane!" Raavi declared as she pushed Shiva's legs away and settled on his cot. He remained silent as he laid there. Raavi smiled at him and then turned towards Krish. "Arre Krish? Kya hua? Tu theek hai na? Mun kyun tedha ho gaya hai tera?"
"Dekh Raavi! Ab mujh mein himmat nahin hai! To meherbani karke apna puraan mat khol dena!" He pleaded. She huffed and turned towards Dhara.
"Kya hua Dhara di? Aap aise kyun baithi hai? Kuch hua hai kya?" Raavi asked. Krish smirked. He thought Raavi was doing this because she wanted to make Dev jealous. But today all her games would be washed away with this news. He mentally rubbed his hands.
"Woh... Raavi... Woh hum Dev ki shaadi ki baat kar rahe the..." Dhara said softly, gently like her words could hurt Raavi.
"Woww! Sacchi? Accha hai! Jaldi iski shaadi kara do Dhara di! Jab tak iski shaadi nahin hogi tab tak main kaise karungi shaadi?" Raavi shyly spoke. The family winced worried about how she would react.
"Woh! Dev ne ladki pasand kar li hai! Use Rishita bahut pasand hai... Hum uske ghar kal rishta leke jaane wale hain. I am sorry Raavi..."
"Wowww! Ladki mil gayi? Accha hai! To time waste nahin hoga!" Raavi said excitedly as she clapped her hands. "Ab lage haathon humari shaadi bhi kara dijiye na Dhara di!" She said.
"Dev aur Rishita ki shaadi ho jayegi. To teri shaadi kis se karayenge?" Krish asked, shocked, at her reaction. Why wasn't she upset or angry?
"Shiva se..." Raavi declared.
"Kya?" The family was shocked as they watched her and then Shiva who was watching her with raised eyebrows.
"Haan... Mujhe Shiva bahut pasand hai..." Raavi declared with a shy smile and lowered eyes.
"Par tune fir ye kyun kaha ki Dev ki shaadi hogi tabhi teri hogi?"
"Dev bada hai na Shiva se! Jab Dev ki shaadi hogi tabhi to Shiva ka number aayega. Aur Shiva se hi karni hai shaadi."
"Aye maami ki behen ki beti! Tujhse kisne keh diya ki main karunga tujhse shaadi?"
"Tujhe pooch kaun raha hai? Main pichle do mahinon se wait kar tahi hoon ki tu kuch to kahega par tu chup hai! Isliye maine socha main hi qadam aage badhati hoon!" Raavi told him. "Ab tu mera hai to mujhse hi hogi teri shaadi!"
"Ye tera hai? Tera to Dev tha na?"
"Nahin nahin! Mujhe Dev waise accha nahin lagta! No offense! Mujhe Shiva pasand hai. Jis tarah se usne meri tab madad ki jab woh mujhe pasand bhi nahin karta tha, maine tab socha ki woh us ladki ke liye kya karega jisse woh pyaar karta hai... Tabhi soch liya tha ki main shaadi sirf isi se karungi! Pyaar karungi aur karwaungi bhi! Aur ab mujhe is ki shakal dekhe baghir chain nahin aata! To Dhara di!!! Aap meri shaadi kara do please!" She pleaded. Dhara laughed happily and turned towards Shiva who was watching Raavi's bent head with wide eyes.
"To Shiva tu bol... Banayega Raavi ko apni Gauri?" She enquired.
"Maami nahin maanegi..." Shiva said.
"Arre tu unki chinta mat kar..." Raavi turned towards him hurriedly. "Unhen main mana lungi... Par tu na mat bolna!" Raavi told him sweetly. He shook his head with a soft almost non existent smile.
"To ab bol Shiva!" Suman plodded. Shiva shook his head.
"Ab kya karun. Haan nahin kiya to chain se rehne thodi degi ye." Shiva told them as he shook his head sadly. They laughed and watched as Raavi watched him angrily.
"Chalo! Theek hai. Mere bacche tayyar hain... Kagdi ko tayyar karne ki zinmedari meri. Ungli tedhi kr ke ghee nikalwa lungi." Suman said as Dhara nodded with a wide smile. "Lekin sirf sagai hogi..." Suman declared. "Dev ki shaadi hone do. Aur fir Raavi ki padhayi phinish hone ke baad aaram se shaadi karenge. Tab tak tum dono sagai ke bhi maze lo..."
"Par Kaaki!" Raavi called out with wide eyes as she stood up. The family started chuckling as Shiva pulled her back.
"Baith ja... Teri padhayi poori hone se pehle main wise bhi shaadi nahin karunga!"
"Main shaadi ke baad padh lungi!" Raavi declared.
"Chal na teri na meri..." Suman said. "Is saal ke imtihan ke baad shaadi karle. Baaqi ki padhayi shaadi ke baad kar le."
"Haan... Ye theek hai. Shopping bhi to karni hai..." Raavi replied thoughtfully as the family laughed again.
Shiva and Raavi looked at each other and then away. They hd smiles on their faces as they thought about their future life.
Raavi was relieved. Finally, she got the man of her dreams, the one who could burn the world for her and fight it for her honor. The one in whose arms she had found safety and companionship. The one who was her Gunda. The one who was going to be her strength forever...