A Bond Of Intellect

Chapter - 31

Evan stood frozen, Riti's word echoing like broken glass in his ears, "Don't think I am a little child, you.. was gonna touch me ...... You must be happy now that I am going to leave."

He took a slow step back, eyes locked on hers, the disbelief on his face was more painful that any stabbing.

"So that's what u think of me?" His voice quiet but showing that he is hurt with her words.

Riti's realized her words which she never meant that way, the heat of her own words that came out in frustration, suddenly now feels regretful.
"I__ I didn't mean ........" She said while looking down, clutching  her hands with bedsheet  her voice faltering, shaking but didn't able to complete her sentence.

Evan's eyes flashed with disappointment, " The man u just described..... You live with him. You sleep beside him. That's me, Riti."
He thought to himself like if he make her uncomfortable or feel all this misunderstanding then why she didn't protest.

Riti opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Just her heartbeat, thudding in her ears.

Then He said " You are aware, aren't you ? Like why did I  did that, u must be aware, how u behave that day. And at that function day, I have stopped myself but also apologies for it next day, and u didn't said anything like that at that day, then were u hiding it?"

Riti blinked back that guilt rising in her throat. She knew that. When that day he scare her by saying, "U have to choose, study or perform ur duties as wife "
He did all that to make her study as she didn't listen to him, and he also didn't do anything inappropriate at that night, also next day applied ointment and apologies for it .

It wasn't fear that held her back but confusion about her feelings, she was full of emotions that she at last did what makes him stop. She have never think of him at that way, about his gaze which had never been cruel but always full of affection towards her.

"I was j-just angry, because u-u .... Not u but me who always can't say my mind" , she said in low voice now. " I didn't mean any of it. I was just ..... Scared to leave. Scared to admit that i don't want to go away from you." After completing it she starts sobbing.

Evan slowly exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing just a little. "Then say that. Not the words that hurt. Just the truth."

She looked up at him__ eyes red but clear. And for once words weren't needed. The silence between them felt like forgiveness and something new blooming.

The room was dim now, the last threads of Twilight slipping behind curtains. Riti sitting at the  edge of bed , her fingers absently playing with the hem of her dupatta. Evan slowly moves towards her, still waiting to be certain if the storm between had truly passed.

" I am sorry I hurt you " Riti said suddenly. "I said things i didn't mean," she continued, eyes fixed on her lap. "And I never thought you were... that kind of person. I just got scared. Of leaving. Of being alone again. Of not having you there........I -I also want to know if ... If u really don't think about me as a child , of whom u have to take care".

Evan crouching down so he was level with her. " I have always think of u as my wife, a partner, if not then I have not even touch you, or kiss you."

Riti look up, her eyes glossy but not crying anymore. "Then don't let me go so easily".

He let out a small breath, one that like relief and regret at once. "I wasn't trying to push u away. I was trying to be what your father trusted me to be. What u needed."

"I-I need you" , she whispered " please .....", There was a beat of silence. And then Evan takes a long sigh and said  very calmly and softly, "I have always regret after getting angry on you even if it's for ur own wellbeing, but anger is something really poisonous. I don't want to make u understand with anger, I want u to make  understand with love "

Her throat tightened, she don't want to make him what he don't want  and then said while clutching his t-shirt from corner, "Can w-we sit together for a while". She means to say that she wants to remain with him  for a while and Evan understood and nodded. And stands up and sit beside her letting his arms behind her and making her lie towards him and said, " We have got all the time, All the time you need".

Then after counseling rounds, they found the college which was allotted to riti according to her rank and marks,
And to their surprise Riti didn't get college that far, "six hours?" Riti blinked when she read it, Evan leaned over the desk, reading beside her. His face stayed neural.

By the time they stepped outside to tell everyone, Riti was chewing the edge of her nail, "It's not that far, right? I mean... I could travel.."

"You won't," Evan said, while looking at his phone, and they announce it to everyone, and everyone was waiting for their next planning, "I have decided to take a new apartment near her college." Everyone seems surprised hearing it, "But bro, you have to travel at least six hours for ur own college" Vivan said in which everyone agreed.

Then Evan said "I was looking for a apartment, and I have found one which is gonna take 4 hours of travelling from college to that apartment." Hearing it no one raised a brow, Evan's quiet authority was language of its own. Even his older brother Vivan, just nodded, a smile tugging in his lips and he looks at his wife Ruhi and make a movement of his brows towards Evan, Ruhi noticed and chuckles a little.
Evan understood their little teasing smile but didn't said anything.

In the room, "There's no way, you gonna exhaust yourself before reaching ur college", Riti said worriedly,  then Evan said "You Don't have to be worried for me, it doesn't suit you, it's my work " , he said teasingly,  but Riti was serious, and said while looking down ," y-you don't have to, I am not that selfish, if it's gonna be like that, t-then i am okay with  living alone...."

He looked down at her, grab her jaw make her look up at him , " you think I was at ease while u were crying , I was also worried sending you alone, I was quiet because I was waiting for counseling sheets, and to coincidence, it is just how I have imagined."