Love Happens With A Twist

28

Delhi

The constable halted while the man continued to walk towards her cell. The place had no electricity, so he had to use his phone's flashlight to see what was in front of him. After the light cascaded on her figure, he softly called out to her,

"Poonam,"

Her face had been buried in between her knees, with her hair scattered all over her head. She didn't hear him or know someone had come to see her because she gave up hope that anyone even cared about her well-being.

"Poonam!"

She spruced up, her eyes falling directly toward him. "Rudra?" She never expected he would come to her. He was the last on her list she was expecting a visit from, so her surprise was apparent in her face.

"Come here," he said, putting his hand through the door while she got up and went over to him.

"You know everything now."

"There is a saying my lawyer once told me. It goes as, just because you did it doesn't prove you're guilty. I know you had your reasons, but whatever it is, the good part is you're remorseful now, right?"

She nodded in slow motion, though she was not certain she regretted anything.

"You will be freed. I will clear your name from this accusation; it is my promise."

"Do you love me this much?" She asked, as even her loved ones weren't as determined as he was. And she would also never do what he was doing to anyone, because she wouldn't ever risk her name and associate it with someone who is charged with murder and drugs.

He conveyed a small smile in response and answered, "I will bail you out tomorrow morning. Though you will still be in house arrest before your appearance in court, but I believe you'd like that better."

"Thank..."

"Don't thank me yet. I will have to go now, and we won't be meeting again until you're cleared of all charges. In the meantime, what I want you to do is take care of yourself on my behalf. Take care." His hand gently drew forward and rested on her cheek while she smiled in delight since he had become her savior.

••••

"Take me home because I won't be having any bite from this," she said, moving her eyes from the plate that was put forward in front of her that had a salivating biryani. It took her great effort to convince herself and divert her mind from it, even though she was hungry, and she got more famished after the satisfying aroma roused to her nose.

"You're right. Why should I be worried whether you've eaten or not? You're free to leave if you want. Stay at the station or return home. I don't care." He got up and entered his car, driving away. He was overcome by a sudden remembrance that her sister killed his sister, just because she didn't want to let her have alcohol.

"I didn't beg you. You forced me to go with you," she released her frustration through her yell, which was followed by a long hiss of irritation as she got up and settled the payment at the counter, then left.

As she was walking down the busy street, cars were sliding through the road in a chaotic hurry, which she saw as strange because no one overspeeded when they were coming.