Jhanak: The Story of Us

Marketplace

Today was such a good day. It was so good that he didn't refuse when Arshi came into his office and decided today was the day she wanted to go shopping at the mall and he was her designated driver.

Ani tapped the steering wheel, a content smile on his face. He was just counting the hours until he could get home and share the good news with Jhanak.

He wondered what her reaction would be. He wondered if she would look at him with those large eyes of hers and smile and say 'Sir ji, thank you', so he could say 'Jhanak, please don't mention it'. He wondered if she would finally forgive him because she understood his heart for her. He wondered if...

Aniruddh wondered and felt a throbbing feeling in his chest, his cheeks burning a suspicious shade of pink. He clamped it back down into his stomach, literally shaking his head to send out those disgraceful thoughts. He was not such a beast.

However, it was right at that moment that he caught sight of Jhanak walking down the side of the road, a paper bag in her hand. She was wearing burgundy today, the bright color complimenting her thick, brown hair put in a French braid, her face serene and beautiful like it was the first time.

Ani felt a surge of heat pool in the pit of his stomach and even though every danger cell in his body was screaming that his reaction to Jhanak was not right, he ignored them and slowly alighted the car as if drunk before walking towards her. All he wanted to do was talk for sure. They'd talk and he'd even help her carry her bag to the car, so he could take her home after dropping Arshi off.

Surely, Arshi wouldn't have any issues with it - and neither should Jhanak. He was just being helpful, and there was nothing wrong with that. Ani gave a side eye to his conscience that called him a liar and called out the name of the one he wanted to.

"Jhanak! Jhanak, over here!"

He waved from a little ways behind her, a friendly smile on his face. And Jhanak turned to look at him, confused, only for realization to creep in...and for her to walk forward. And fast.

A sudden anger arose in Aniruddh's throat and damning it all, he chased after her and grabbed her hand, spinning her to face him. She wrenched it out of his grasp.

"Sir ji, don't you have any manners?! Don't grab my hand!"

"Oh please, don't ask me about manners, Jhanak. Did you not see me call you?"

"I saw and I decided to walk away. Please," she clasped both hands together, "leave me alone and go your own way."

A muscle worked in Aniruddh's jaw seeing her act like this and before he knew it, he was screaming at her, not minding that people had begun to stare.

"It's not the turn of a maid to tell me what to do." he snapped his fingers, "Jhanak, I have done so much for..."

She didn't allow him finish.

"Yes, sir ji. You have done so many mighty things for me, so please take everything back."

He frowned, uncomfortable at the sound of that as well as the teary lilt of her voice.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm asking you to please kill me. Just take my miserable life."

"Jhanak! Shut up for me right now!" What the hell was she saying?! Panicked, he wanted to shout at her even more, except that she was now openly shedding tears and that on its own, was doing weird things to him. Aniruddh thought maybe he was too harsh.

"Jhanak, please..."

"No, sir ji. No need for a master to apologize to the maid because everything I do is wrong. Everything I do is thankless." she wiped her tears and laughed bitterly, "Even when I came to the hospital and donated blood for you, no one thanked me - but I didn't mind."

At this point, Aniruddh's mouth was wide open. She didn't know what she had just said, what she had just done. He was looking at her, a mix of turbulent emotions he couldn't even name brewing in his chest. Jhanak...had donated blood for him? He drew a shaky breath and stretched a hand to take hers, wanting to thank her, but she slapped it away.

"Sir ji, how many times did I say to leave me alone?"

"Jhanak..."

"Jhanak nothing! I owe you nothing, nothing!" she cried harder, "Instead you owe me. After all your big promises that my life would change, where has it changed? Where has it changed, except now I am doomed to be a maid forever."

"No, Jhanak! Please don't say that. You deserve to live the best..."

She laughed mockingly. It hurt Aniruddh's ears and pricked his chest, hearing the pain in that laugh.

"Sir ji, you really are a comedian right?" she pointed a finger at him, "This is so rich coming from the man who abandoned me to go party and left me with his family who seized my gifts and trophy."

"What?!"

"What nothing. I was sent packing with what I worked hard for, humiliated. And even when I returned, it was to slaps from Arshi didi. Left and right, as if it was my fault that I was thrown out and her fiance couldn't just keep on partying."

"Jhanak, please. Jhanak, please...forgive me. I-I didn't know..." He was crying now, his hands pressed together, "Jhanak, please..."

"No, sir ji. Don't ask me to forgive you." she shook her head, "Don't ask me to forgive you because I hate you! i hate you and your family because you want to kill me!"

Her words hammered on his heart and Ani squeezed his chest because he could feel it tighten, turning painful at what she was saying. More tears rolled down his cheeks and he didn't even have the energy to chase onlookers. The only one he had, he used it to grab Jhanak's hand to prevent her from leaving.

Ani had never felt this scared. He felt like if he let her go like this, he would never forgive himself. It was as if something precious was going out of him. And what did Aniruddh Bose do in such a situation?

He started to whitewash like hell.

"Jhanak," he muttered her name, breathless, "Jhanak, I-I didn't know what my family had done. If I knew, I would never...never have said all those things to you. I," he thumped his chest, "I don't want to hurt you, no Jhanak." he shook his head, crying hard, "I wanted to save you from Tejas. I-I want you to thrive...you are so good and kind, I don't want to kill you or hurt you ever. Jhanak, please..."

Whether it was his shame or an act, Jhanak didn't know. All she saw was Sir Ji who was the proudest man that she knew, clasping her hands between his and crying so hard in the open. And she wrenched her away. And she ran with the paper bag.

Jhanak ran for her dear life. This situation was all too much for her to handle.

She wasn't able to see people gather around Aniruddh to comfort him or Arshi come out of the store and cradle his face, asking what the matter was, only for him to vigorously remove her hands and get into the car.