Ranjish | 𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒓𝒂𝒋

VII. "I hate you"

Nafrat hai tumse
Yeh tumhe dekhkar bhul jaate hai
Chahe jitna bhi khudko samjha le
Teri baaton mein ulajh jaate hai
— (written by author ji herself)

•

isha :

I drove the car in silence.
Having been into psychology for years, Vanraj Shah was already my case study.
I watched him gently carass his daughter on the backseat.
He was stressed, still panicked, afraid.

The fear in his eyes was unsettling, yet he looked out of the car window as if he was completely normal.
A strange man, with an erratic personality.

I drove into the parking lot of our housing complex.
His uninjured hand was around Mahi, and the other was incapable at opening the door - yet he tried to open the door, ending up hissing in pain.

I immediately got out of the car and opened the door for him.
He carefully climbed out.

"Thank you so much, Isha.", He said softly.
I nodded, with a smile.
He returned the courtesy and walked into the building.
I followed him in.

I walked down to the door of my house and unlocked the door.
I had dropped Savi a message before coming behind Vanraj, so she was probably back and asleep due to fatigue.

He rang the bell at Thakkars, but the door remained shut.
Probably everyone was exhausted and asleep.

I looked at him, as he pushed the bell again.
He was straining holding the child by the injured hand.

"Vanraj..", I said softly.
He turned.
"Stay in my apartment for the night. You can go back to the Thakkars tomorrow. They are probably asleep.", I said.
"Isha.. you've already done enough.", He said.

I sighed.
"Ehsaan nehi hai. Humanity hai. Come in.", I said.
He looked at the shut door of the Thakkars and nodded, sighing.

I took him into the house, locked the door, and showed him to the guest room.
He made Mahi lie down on the bed.

I went into my room, just beside the guest room, to change.

After changing into my night suit, freshening up, I lay down on the bed.
It had been a strange evening.
I screamed at him, he injured himself because of the things I said, I tied his bleeding hand, and then we headed together to find his daughter.

From hate, to concern, to partners on a mission - all together, in just one evening.

Savi was right.
He truly did affect me.
He shouldn't have. No one did, in all the years I have been alone.
I turned to a side to find the framed photograph of Shantanu and myself.

I should really stop thinking about Vanraj Shah.
He was just another man I had met.

I forced my eyes shut.
Just then I heard a voice.

O Saathi re..
Tere bina bhi kya jeena..
O Saathi re..
Tere bina bhi kya jeena..

Pholon mein, kaliyon mein
Sapno ki galiyon mein
Tere bina.. kuch kahi na..