Utkarsh continued to shout, but Hiya, today, was not someone who would listen. In reality, she wanted to distance herself from Utkarsh and start a new life. For her, it was a golden opportunity to escape this hell.
Utkarsh had just returned from the office, so the gate was still open. The house represented a living hell, and the outside world beckoned her with the promise of a new life. She wiped away her tears, covered herself hastily with the torn saree, and sprinted towards the freedom beyond.
Though she could barely walk, today she needed the courage to break free, for if not now, then perhaps never.
In her departure, she locked the house from the outside, ensuring that Utkarsh couldn't pursue her.
____
Despite the pain in her aching feet, Hiya descended the stairs and began running barefoot on the road. Clad in the same black saree from the previous night, which Utkarsh had torn in various places, she had covered her revealing body with the hem of the saree. Her blouse, too, was significantly torn, but she managed to conceal it to avoid exposing her vulnerable state to anyone who might glance her way.
Her appearance was so disheveled that people on the street stared at her in bewilderment. Some interpreted her dirty clothes and half-cut hair as signs of her being a mad person, speculating that she might have escaped from a mental institution. Others thought she was a beggar, wandering the streets for alms.
Once known and acknowledged person, Hiya– a fitness model with a considerable following flaunting hearts and inspiring eyes gazing upon her. Now her current plight was so dire that people perceived her as either insane or destitute, passing weird stares instead of appreciation gaze.
In a twist of fate, her innocence led to a hasty judgment, and society relegated her to a place where she didn't belong. The naive decision she made in her distressful state marked her, forever altering her destiny. It's often said that, despite achieving great heights, having high academic degrees, one can never surpass the wisdom and experience of one's parents.
Undeterred by the judgments, she continued running barefoot on the streets. As the fear of being pursued by a possible predator, or worse, being captured again, consumed her. She sought solace in the act of escaping, as if running could help her outrun the pain and humiliation.
In her desperation, she attempted to seek help from passersby, but she encountered neither sympathy nor assistance. People either dismissed her as a lunatic beggar or remained indifferent to her plight, leaving her to navigate the harsh reality of the world she now found herself in.
The excruciating pain in Hiya's eyes manifested as tears, and she found herself sprawled on the street, releasing anguished cries into the night. Her desperate pleas echoed, questioning the severity of her perceived wrongdoing and the seemingly unending torment she was enduring.
“Will no one come to help me? Is my sin so grave that I deserve this punishment? When will it end? Where will it end?"
____
Engrossed in his work, Ahil lost track of time, unaware that night had descended. Continuing his tasks late into the night, he remained oblivious to the numerous calls from his concerned mother, who desperately tried to reach him. Unbeknownst to her, Ahil had intentionally turned off his phone.
It was around 11 PM when he finally decided to leave the office. With his driver absent, he took the wheel himself, despite the recent accident. As he drove, Ahil reached for a cigarette, finding a semblance of solace in the smoke. Since Aakriti's betrayal, the cigarette had become a crutch for him, a coping mechanism for the emotional turmoil.
His attire exuded a blend of sophistication and casual charm. Clad in a white and black suit, a slightly grown beard framing his face, and brown hair artistically scattered across his forehead, Ahil presented a handsome and commanding figure. Bandages adorned his forehead, a visible reminder of the recent injury. Two buttons on his shirt, consistently left open, added a touch of nonchalant charisma to his overall appearance.
Lost in his own world, Ahil was driving when suddenly a girl appeared in front of his car. Swiftly flicking his cigarette, he forcefully turned the steering wheel in the opposite direction, causing the car to spin in circles around the girl.
On the other side, Hiya, with her heart pounding, witnessed a black Mercedes approaching rapidly. Overwhelmed with fear, she clasped her hands over her ears and shut her eyes tightly, anticipating an imminent tragedy. In that moment, she believed it was her last day in this world, facing an inevitable and untimely demise.
Ahil, exerting all his strength, struggled to regain control of his car. Had he failed, the girl would have been crushed beneath it. Finally managing to stop, he erupted from the vehicle in a fit of rage, reaching for the girl's arm and pulling her towards him, shouting, "You... damn...!!! How dare you approach my car?"
Still fuming, he was about to unleash more anger when Hiya, folding her hands in a plea, sincerely apologized, "I... I am sorry... I intentionally did not come in front of your car...p...please forgive me."
As Hiya tearfully pleaded for forgiveness, the skies echoed with thunder, and heavy rain began to pour down. In an unexpected turn of events, they found themselves drenched together in the rain, surrounded by the deluge of Delhi.
Was this just rain, or had it brought a message of true love?
YOU ARE READING
TERE AA JANE SE
Romance"I don't merely experience anger, Hiya. My feelings towards you go beyond that - it's a perpetual hatred. While anger may subside in a moment, this kind of hatred lingers for a lifetime. No matter how much one desires, such hatred cannot be eradicat...
