Unreachable Destiny- The Curse Of Your Love

Chapter-71: My Beautiful Criminal...

Humans love judging anything and everything they see. While sometimes the judgment does help, most of the time, it only leaves behind the ashes of the ugly reality, hurting people who don't deserve it. Rahul Kundra, like every other day, finds himself at a bar with his friends spending away the night at the bottom of his liquor glass. It was a routine he didn't plan on changing. No, drinking doesn't make him happy or help him find relief, it was just a tradition he has, one that feels like the most normal thing in this world. Just like every other day, he got wasted at the bar after which his friends dragged him to his car to let his driver load him into the car like a sack of potatoes and drive him home. Halfway through he gained enough consciousness to aimlessly look outside the window, getting lost in the passing lights, the shadows casting him into a trance. That's when he saw his ex-potentially-to-be-wife dining at a Dhaba with a man who certainly wasn't the same man who declared his love on the day she could've become his fiance.

"Kaka, stop the car." He asked as he looked closer to confirm his assumption. Yes, it is a different person. This is the daughter-in-law they wanted, he thought to himself, laughing at his parent's choice. He smiled to himself as he took out his phone to take a photo of the two and send it to his family group chat. He looked back at her, but his smile faded. The woman was getting interesting every time he saw her. If only the drunkard had never come. Haha, look who's talking. You are a drunkard yourself. He shook his thoughts out of his head to look back at the two of them happily having a meal. He had no prejudice against her. In fact, he admired her, but none of that stopped him from rubbing it in his parents' faces that they made the wrong choice. This photo should mean nothing because what's wrong with two people having a meal together but he knows just how humiliating it would be for his parents to see this. Maya was a stranger he neither cared for nor bothered to protect because it was more important for him to let his prideful parents know that they can't always be right, not right in everything. Rahul had no idea then that he had just given wind to a terrible storm brewing around Maya.

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Somehow, Maya fell asleep in the car after eating at the Dhaba as Ranav sat beside her afraid of breathing loudly in fear of waking her up as he admired her from the driving seat. Ranav leaned against the cold seat with his palms under the side of his face as he looked at an innocent-looking Maya asleep in his car. She looked so peaceful and unbothered It felt unreal. She didn't look at all like the intimidating woman he came to admire and fear. As the moon peaked from behind the clouds, lighting moonshine on the side of her face, washing her with its beauty, he looked at her, his heart melting at the sight, his soul pleased with her presence. It is hard to describe, the bond he seems to feel every time he is with her, but it wasn't just that.

"Why are you so cruel, huh? Making me feel so helpless." He said to a sleeping Maya. "It's a crime to let someone suffer like this, and you are..." He moved closer with a frown. "A criminal. A Beautiful Criminal." A smile broke out on his face. "My Beau-" He stalls as he realises that the woman he was about to call his was in reality someone else's. His blooming smile dissipated at the realization as he pulled back.

"What are you even thinking, Ranav?" He scolds himself. "She- It's not possible. Never." He shook his head as his own words hurt him. With the pain of truth, he leaned back again and looked at her through the night feeling like a sinner for having such feelings. "See? You are turning me into a criminal too." He smiled sadly at her, all the while she slept like a baby, unaware of his burning conscience.

By the time Maya wakes up they are sitting right outside her house. This was the best sleep Maya had in a very long time. She didn't realise she was so tired, or was it because she was so comfortable that she fell asleep? Yet Maya couldn't shake off the weird dream she had yesterday. Meaningless, that's what it should be. She looks at Ranav who is in deep sleep. She taps his shoulder, waking him up gently. He turns towards her, frowning with squinted eyes, as he sits straight.

"Hmmm." He mumbles in a groggy voice. Maya could barely contain the giggle that was threatening to break out. Ranav looks so funny and childlike that Maya closes her eyes, forcing back her laughter. She shakes her head. Maya remembers, how Ranav made her day bearable yesterday, how he pulled her away from making a decision against her will, and how he, time and again, proved how good of a friend he can be.

"Hey, Mister. I am awake, let's go inside." Ranav nods, still half-asleep as he pulls himself out of the car with great afford like a kid reluctant to leave his bed on a school day. They walked in silence, content with their friendship as they could be, with smiles blooming on their faces, which faded quickly as they entered the house. They found the entire family and more people they could not recognise in the hall. As soon as they entered the hall, everyone went silent and still, and then, began the worst sound in the world. The sound of a large group of people murmuring among themselves. The sound of people gossiping.

"So, it is true?" Someone whispered.

"This is what she had been doing?" Another one mumbled. Maya frowns, all the peace she acquired through the night gone in a second. Amish came forward with concern written all over his face. The first thing Maya notices is Adi is not present.

"Where have you been, Maya? We were so worried." He walks to her. "Are you okay?" Maya nods.

Meenakshi confidently takes a step forward. "Beta, we have been so worried for you. Your brothers have been searching for you everywhere and when we heard the news-"

"She's tired, Dadi. Everything else can wait." Amish cuts off Meenakshi and looks at Maya hesitantly. "You can take some rest, Maya." He looks at Ranav rather oddly as if Ranav had offended Amish. How could that be? Maya stands her ground as Amish tries to pull her away.

"I am not tired, Bhayya. I slept really well." More murmuring makes Maya feel an itch to shout at the crowd. "I am actually more interested in knowing why exactly is our house filled with guests. The last time I was here, Ms. Kuhu's health deteriorated. Are we now celebrating someone's ill fate as well?" Maya's words were as sharp as a butcher knife but people seemed not to care as a woman came forward.

"Were you not aware? Kuhu was hospitalised yesterday and we came here to support your family, and then when we were here..." The woman goes silent. She seems to be contemplating something after which she starts to speak again. "We heard about you and that boy." Maya follows the woman's gaze and her eyes fall on Ranav, who seems just as startled by the attention that everyone is suddenly giving him as Maya was by the implication made by the woman.

"What do you mean?" Maya questions, knowing very well where this was leading.

"Your photo was spreading like wildfire last night. It was just forwarded to me this morning and I was surprised."

"What photo?"

"May-" Amish tried to cut in but the woman was quicker.

"This one." She says as she turns around her phone's screen to give Maya a glimpse of the supposedly popular photo. It took Maya a few seconds to understand what was wrong with the photo. In fact, there was nothing wrong with the photo but the problem lies in the people who love to overinterpret something as simple as two friends having dinner as something improper. The photo showed two people. Maya and Ranav. They were sitting at the dhaba yesterday having dinner, chatting through the night, something she had done with a lot of her friends, even though there weren't many. Yet it doesn't surprise Maya that these people would love to investigate this photo for entertainment.

Their opinions don't concern Maya but it was the way Akshay stared at her that moved her. The stare was not one of accusation or disdain but that of insecurity. Maya clenches her fist as she stares back at Akshay. Do you trust me, Akshay?

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Hey Readers,

I know I am late again. Well, here's the news. I shifted to the US for studies and assignments kept piling up so could not take time to write. It has been bad for me too, not being able to write. So, sorry and have some patience with me in the future for I may not be as regular but I will try to take out time and put in my best efforts to write. Vote if you liked the chapter and comment your thoughts. Your comments mean a lot to me as I wait for hours after uploading the chapter hoping to see you talk about my story. Good luck guys, hope everyone's doing well.

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