The Missing hope

Chapter Twenty Five. Take It. Take It All.

The next few days, Rikhil tried as hard as he could to make it up to Janasvi. He worked her shifts at Tim Hortons and filed a leave for her at the academy. He video recorded theory classes to help Janasvi keep updated. He'd cook all meals, clean up after meals and stock the fridge with chocolates and ice cream.
He tried to talk to her a couple of times but it always ended up in a fight so he didn't prod her further. He decided to give her time to heal.

On the other hand, Janasvi was shattered from the inside, no matter how strong she pretended to be. She became dependent on her anti depressants again, of course, without Rikhil's knowledge. She wasn't the sort of person who could give the silent treatment to anyone but this time she couldn't help it. She wasn't only mad at him, but she was going insane. She didn't let the word of her accident reach Samarth and Jiya's ears. She made Jisha promise to keep shut. But what she couldn't control was the spread of word in the academy. As icing on the cake, thanks to Tehja, word spread fast, very fast, like fire.

When she'd started feeling a little better and her wounds had begun healing, she decided to see her teacher, to discuss her absence. Despite the fact that Rikhil had applied for the leave, she didn't want to be dependent on his favors. Rikhil insisted to accompany her and she knew better than to argue.

After the short meeting, on their way back she heard Tehja talking to her friends -stooges in fact.

"Hey look, who's going there. Madam Janasvi." The redhead said.

Rikhil and Janasvi froze in their tracks.

"Of course. In fact I feel sorry for Rikhil. Surely he has manly needs and too bad she couldn't live up to it. Obviously, she's not good enough to fulfill his manly needs." Tehja commented.

"In that case I wouldn't even blame Rikhil for forcing himself on her. After all, being her boyfriend, he has rights too." The blondie said.

Rikhil clenched his fist. He was about to turn around to punch Tehja but to his surprise, Janasvi took off. She ran despite her hurting, sprained ankle. She bit her lip to hold back her tears. She didn't care that they'd brought the car, she ran all the way to the apartment. It was just 2 blocks away though. Rikhil raced after her trying to reason with her but she wouldn't listen. Once in the apartment, she walked straight to the fridge taking out a tub of chocolate ice cream. She scooped out some. Every move of hers was made with more than required energy exertion.

"Janasvi, relax, please, you're not supposed to be handling stress. They are wh*res who are jealous of you."

"Whats even there to be jealous about?" Sarcasm filled her voice.

"A lot."

"So what are you trying to say? They're right? Actually they are. It's my fault. You have every right to force yourself on me and even go to the extent of raping me." She almost screamed. "You know what? Here." She pulled the front of her shirt, popping out the buttons of her shirt top to bottom, revealing her upper body. "Do what ever you want for all you care. Isn't this what you want? Take it. It's all yours. What Lain couldn't do years back, why don't you do it today, for him. You men are all the same. I expected better from you!" She screamed. She stared him straight in the eye.

It took Rikhil a moment to register what had happened. The moment it did, he removed his jacket and wrapped it around her and kept his eyes on the floor. "No! Janasvi, you're not obliged to have sex with me."

He held her head between his palms, by her cheeks. "I was stupid to force myself on you. And none of it is your fault. I regret what I did to you from the bottom of my heart."

Janasvi slowly succumbed to the warmth emanating from his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist.

A tear ran down Rikhil's cheek as Janasvi cried her heart out against his chest, in his arms. He held her in silence, comforting her by rubbing her back.

It bit his heart to know that even though she was crying in his arms, she hadn't forgiven him for what he'd done.

"I'm sorry." He whispered into her hair and she nodded.

He held her in silence for a few more moments before taking her to the bed and tucking her in. It was six but he knew she could do with the sleep. He sat beside her caressing her hair till she fell asleep.

He let out a long sigh. It had taken an hour to cease her tears.

He knew what Tehja and her stooges had said, had shattered whatever strength she'd been pretending to have. And the worst part was that he himself had given Tehja the reason to point a finger at her. It broke his heart to know that it was him who was the reason for all this pain being inflicted on her.

She didn't deserve this. She deserved better. He was vaguely aware that he had yet broken a promise he'd made to her when he'd proposed her.

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A/N:
Please vote, comment and share if you like this story. It really helps.
My memory just clicked back to the cheesy elections pick up line, 'every vote counts.' But it's true so make it count. :D