Samjhota [The Compromise]

3: Crossing Limits

The soft glimmer of moonlight fell upon her trembling hands in whose grip the phone resided which she just rescued from underneath the bed. Indeed when Vaani fell to her feet, the phone might have slid in the embrace of darkness, underneath the bed. The darkness that engulfed the room led Raghav to miss its presence. Vaani Sniffles, a consequence of the ocean of tears that moistened her face, echoes in the room as she gets to her feet. her eyes darted around for an escape only to pause by the window. She rushed to it and her hands struck the coldness of the metallic handle only to thrash disappointment at the lock being on it with the keys away from reach.

"This is locked. No... no, I won't do this wedding..." She turns around and rushes to her drawer searching for a hairpin which lands in her grip. In a moment it is shoved into the keyhole and her lips quiver praying it to open. A click echoes hinting at success and bringing a wide smile of peace on her innocent face.

The glass frame slides up and Vaani's feet land hard upon the damp grass. Pain stings travelling through nerves but she bore it and runs towards the front of the house only to encounter Raghav. On the mere sight, Vaani slips behind a pillar with a peek at her brother who left on his bike.

The cool breeze flew her hair into the air, every second the heart raced as the distance between her and the lake closed. certain of the fact that Arya still would have been sitting there. Halting at the intersection of the path and the opening to the lake, her feet freeze at the sight and a drop of tear rolls down her face.

"Arya" she calls. The mere soothing voice the moment hits him, he gets to his feet and turns towards Vaani. His steps lingered close to the lake's bank. "Vaani you..." his voice breaks and she sprints to him, hugging him tightly. The solace she found in his arms was indescribable, taking away the misery of the wounds, of the suffering inflicted on her and replacing it with the ethereal glow of love.

"Arya, they are forcing me into this marriage. I don't want to get married. I can't even think of marrying anyone else but you. Except you, no one has the right to touch me; nobody has that right." Vaani cries notifying of the events that transpired back at home, only to have Arya's thoughts drift to the conclusion that formed reluctance.

"Vaani, you won't get married. He himself will refuse to marry you, but for that, I need your consent." Vaani steps back instantly, forming eye contact. His eyes were uncertain of her response, but she held his hand. "For what reason do you need my consent?" her brows furrow. A hesitation forms in his throat before the words can echo into the air."If we spend the night together, then he, himself, will refuse to marry you."

not being able to comprehend the exact meaning of his words, Vaani still looked at him feeling baffled but profound inside Arya predicted Vaani's refusal to it.

"What do you want to say?"

"Do you trust me?"He asks, carrying tears shining in his eyes, with his hand extended towards her.

"More than myself."

"Will you come with me?" Vaani ponders for a moment, but the following second her hand slips into his hand consequently a smile appears on Arya's face.

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With each ring the anxiety rose in Ahana whose grip tightened on the steering wheel with the eyes interlaced in worry. "Please pick up my phone." she thinks glancing at her screen but when once more ignorance struck her irritation hits her. She bangs her fist against the steering wheel. The car raced down the main road only to halt in the middle of it, amid the veil of emptiness. "What happened to it???" She cursed the car and jerked the door open only to find the tyre punctured but the moment she turned a group of goons stood in front of her car, prepared to scavenge her. Ahana swallows hard, sensing the lurking sword of danger above her. Her high heels struck against the concrete, stepping away. A sharp turn and she runs down the road instantly. The footsteps following her scared her to death. Though breath felt short,yet she didn't dare pause for a single moment. The sweat trickles down her face and she veers to the left road but everything feels dizzy the instant something blows against her head creating the vision to blur into a whirlpool.those street lights glaring right at her, the legs lose their strength eventually tossing the body to the concrete.