Iniquity: a tale of guilt and love || Completed

22. Prince and the she-beast.

~ Every time my gaze falters on you, all I can think is what if I had met you differently?~

Shravan was still dazed with everything that happened less than an hour ago. His eyes pained and his head felt like it would burst out any moment now but he was clueless about what to do for the same. He repeatedly rubbed his temples, restlessly when he heard the door creak open and the girl entered, the one he recognized as Sumo. Shravan's eyes twinkled, for she was the only one he could recognize, the only person he felt comfortable with at the moment.

"Shravan?", Sumo called him and he looked at her. Suman sighed and sat beside him on the bed.

Shravan opened his mouth and then closed it, unable to understand what to speak. His left hand caressed his own temple when he felt two soft hands caressing them for him. She sat cross legged and gestured him to lie down. For once, he didn't protest and complied to her, lying down quietly. His head was a mess, but what else could you expect from someone who couldn't recall a single thing about his twenty seven years of life, except some sins he committed?

Suman ran her fingers through his hairs occasionally as she continued pressing his temples. It relieved him, a satisfying moan escaped his lips and Suman felt satisfied too.

" Shravan?", She called and he opened his eyes to look at her.

"If I narrate you a tale will you listen?", She asked and he nodded. Atleast something else would divert his mind, or so he thought.

"Once upon a time, some rough twenty seven years ago, a boy was born. He was cute and grew to be cuter in the next few years. When he was seven years old, he was an epitome of adorableness, with his hairs falling on his face as he ran around the house asking his mother to cook his favourite daal!", Suman started but she could feel the grip on her hand tightening. Shravan could see randomly a few scenes playing before his eyes, a small boy running around a lady and when he concentrated a little more, he realized the lady was none other than the one he had been introduced as his mother.

" Time passed by. Since both his parents were working, he had to pass a lot of time by himself during the day. He read books and watched TV and again read books, and by the time he was seventeen, he had become this shy, silent and chasmish lad. One thing was still constant though- his innocence", suman continued and this time Shravan could picture the seventeen year version she was talking about. He could see the chasmish trying to balance his spectacles and walking ahead, his gaze down!

" But then you know as always in stories, beauty meets the beast. Ironically here the boy met the she-devil. She entered his life with her own charm, which she was certainly aware of. If I sugercoat it, I would say she took him for granted. But to be true, she made him do all her chores, ruthlessly, not considering his feelings or his likes or dislikes. All that mattered to her was her work being done, and her image maintained. She used his friendship for all kinds of selfish purposes, and the boy obliged to all, because he considered her, his best friend from his heart. She on the other hand had a trail of friends behind her, so she didn't. And then one day, he got to know that, he understood that he was tossed in the air by her. Every time she needed any damn thing, he stood by her but that one time, when he needed her to hold him, she denied even knowing him as a friend in front of the entire school....", Suman took a deep breath when she felt him restlessly moving in her lap. Sharavan on the other hand could easily picture himself crying standing on the school ground as a girl made fun of him. He could see infinite emotions in the boy's eye that shined even under the veil of tears. He could see the disappointed surging through the teary eyed heart, and slowly hatred creeping through for that girl, she-devil. But today, he could also see under the pretense of this rowdy, extrovert she-devil, the girl who was confused with her priorities in life, the girl who at that moment only wanted people to be friends with her, the girl who just didn't want to be lonely.

" The boy was hurt, shattered, his heart tore apart. Eventually all the love and friendship he had for the she-devil seeped out and the boy left her and the city, for ten long years. He went on to become a renowned lawyer, made his father proud of him, ans returned to have his peace. The only irony was he thought hurting the devil might bring him peace which was not true. He was too innocent at heart for these revenge games, hurting her hurt him only!", Suman wiped the trail of tears that were rolling down his cheeks.

Shravan sat up and looked in her eyes, trying to read her heart. His eyes had questions, and she knew she had to answer him today.

" Yes, you humiliated me in front of the entire batch mates, but that was because I did the same first, and you were hurting. Yes, you disrespected our friendship and even doubted it, but that was solely because I brought your mother in front of you, without you knowing her truth. Yes, your signatures brought PCT to ground, but you didn't know that beforehand. You were protecting your father. Yes, you abused me in front of my PCT staff and later in front of the media, but that was solely because you thought I chose Aditya over you, and no matter how much I deny my actions had proved otherwise to you. I did agree to marry him!", Suman was hyperventilating by the time she ended. Her voice had rose higher and higher and she almost choked by the time she finished his monologue.

Everything rushed back to him all of a sudden and suddenly he felt like there was not enough air around him. All the memories that were anyhow a part of him, a part he had pushed back to the corner of his mind and heart came in again, drowning him with them. Unable to take it any longer, Shravan snatched his hand from her grip and ran towards the washroom banging the door close. He desperately needed some time alone.

Suman sat on the bed, still like a statue. Her eyes kept watering though, recalling every bit of the past she had struggled to forget wasn't easy. She was yet to forgive him, she knew that. But she could also not see him suffer and wallow in self pity like that. He mattered to her, and would always, no matter what.

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Hey. I know it is late and the chapter is short too. 🙈
But I have my third year finals from 17th March and I was stuck in my books.
Will be back soon, after my exams end on 28th, or maybe in between.
🙈🙈