HIS STAMMERING PEACE | 18+

CHAPTER-4: stay within the line

ANIKA POV

' Nika..... Nika, Jaldi neeche aao.' I jumped out of my bed when I heard my sweetest cousin's voice calling me downstairs. I was rushing and my anklets made a sweet jingling sound with every steps that I took. I held my saree to avoid tripping on my steps.
( Nika... Nika, come down fast)

My eyes widen when I saw my sister as a newly wedded bride and trust me she makes the most beautiful bride I've ever seen.

' aaaarruuuhhhh......' I jumped on her and hugged her like my life depends on that. I could feel someone uninvited joined us as well.....ugh

' bha...Bhai ha..ha.. hato humare...uu..upar se' I said getting annoyed and pushing my Bhai sa with all my might. He is so heavy.
( Bhai...move away from me)

' aww...my little butterfly. Why are you pushing me, don't you want your lovely brother to hug you.' he said with a shit eating smile. Why is he so annoying and he always spoil my time with aaru that too purposely.

' don't mind him Nika. Come let us move to our room, I have so much to share with you.' I held aaru's hand and started leading her to our room.

Time with mamu, mani and my cousins fly like a bird let our of a cage. I was enjoying my time with Aaru whole heartedly, even Aarman Bhai sa used to come home early than his usual office time to spend time with both of us. If it wasn't for them, I would have ended my life long time ago.

I saw Aaru sitting on the swing in our backyard. She must be thinking about jijo sa as her cheeks have turned crimson.

' aaa....aaarun! Wha..what a..are you thin...king?' I asked her while moving closer to her.

' nothing Nika, I was thinking how fast these days passed it feels like I just came home yesterday and today I am returning back to my in-laws house. Why don't you come along with me for few days. I am sure everyone would be very delighted meeting you after such a long time.' Aaru is a woman with a golden heart no doubt but I feel scared thinking about all the mockery and humiliation I've faced in the past. But still somewhere in my heart I was terrified not because of the chances of getting mocked in the train last time but with the idea of feeling safe with the stranger.....

Jiska hum naam tak nhi jante.
( I don't even know his name)

I've been experiencing sleepless nights after that incident and what surprised me was the urge to pick up my pencil and pen down that stranger over and over again. I've already drawn 5 such sketches of him and the urge is growing inside me but I am trying to avoid thinking about him anymore. So, to distract myself I try to spend most of my time in kitchen...baking all kind of delicacies. And what shocked me that Aaru is eating all of them with great pleasure because aaru is not a big fan of sweets.

I was telling her about my train journey and the incident when I saw jijo sa coming towards us.

'ji...ji... jijo sa, aa...aap...aap itni ja..jaldi aa gaye' I said with a smile but I know that it wasn't reaching my eyes
(Brother-in-law, you are here so early)

'ji saali sahiba. Aapki behen ko lene aaye hai, reception ki taiyaari karna hai aur ghar pr ek Pooja hai usse pehle.' he said while looking at Aaru with so much love, the love they have for each other. Touchwood
(Of course sister-in-law. I am here take your sister back home, we have to do some preparation for the reception party and before that we also have ek Pooja to perform at home)

'lekin hum inhe akele saath lejane nhi aaye hai. Aap bhi chal rahin hai humare saath. Hum aapko saath lejane ki permission le lenge.' he said and kept his hand on my head in a brotherly gesture. Without thinking any further I squealed and ran towards mamu and mami sa to tell them about jijo sa's words.
( But not only I'm taking your sister with me but I am here to take.you along with us. Don't worry about permission, I will take care of that)

Jijo sa's family is very sweet and caring. They always take account of my comfort and try to make me feel at home. Due to my past experiences, I always feel self conscious and lack in my self confidence but Dadu as in Dada hukum make me sit with him and force me tell him about my day or some funny moments that I had in college. Now I feel like I am assertive around him.

As soon as I stepped inside the Rathore palace I was met with those same grey eyes....eyes that I am trying hard to forget for so many days.

' AAP!' I was shocked will be an understatement

' yes, me Mahi'

Why is smirking while looking at me or more like checking me out.

' it seems like you both have met before hand, is it Vikram.' dadu said mischievously.

' YES' ' NO'
we said in a union.

Vikram, that's his name. From what I've caught so far. We both looked at eachother in shock and then turned out heads towards Dadu, who by this time was smiling in delight.

' Yes...I me...mean, na...no dadu. We don....don't know eeee....each...other.' I said and I am sure my face must have turned red by now due to embarrassment.

' exactly Dada hukum, how can I know her? She is just too pretty to forget a face like that and I am sure I will remember such a face for a very long time.' he said with a smirk and looked into my eyes. The intensity with which he was holding the eye contact was unbearable but undeniably cavernous. 

He broke the eyes contact after a few minutes and moved out of the palace without even looking at anyone before leaving. What's wrong with him?

Sanu ki- I thought while shrugging my shoulders.
( Why should I bother)

VIKRAM POV

I walked out of the palace in urgency. I have to stay away from her. What is she doing to me? I've never felt like this before. I can't go near her or feel like this about her.....she is just too innocent for my demons. They will engulf her, I know my Mahi wouldn't be able to handle it.

And the f*ck is this MY MAHI.

I kicked the tyre of my Jeep Wrangler and pulled out a cigar. I was in the middle of my therapy when I heard someone walking towards me. I turned my face to look at the person and again stood leaning on my car while closing my eyes yet again.

' what do you want? And why the f*ck did you bring her at home?' I said taking a drag from my half burnt cigar.

' what do you mean? She is like a sister to me Vikram and she has full rights to be here as she is sister of both Aarman and Aarna.' he was sounding frustrated with my questions

' you know that wasn't my intention, it's just....it's just' I couldn't complete my sentence and opened the door to get inside but before that Amogh took his seat at passanger seat.

I can't tell him that it is bothering me that she will be staying with us, it bother's me that I could feel her presence around me, it bother's me that as much as she tranquil my demons the more she calls for them too.

I couldn't sleep, couldn't think straight. I couldn't suppress the feeling of how it felt when she was clinging to me like a baby in the train. She is consuming my thoughts and what's troubling me is the way my body reacted to her, how my heart was beating due to her mere presence.

And I am terrified thinking about the consequences that will occur if any of us couldn't stay with in the line.

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