Arohan - The Ascent

The Ploy - Chapter 4

Urvashi sat in the small living room reading a book. She had just come back home after having dinner at Pandit Ji's house. Few neighbors had come to Pandit Ji's house to enquire how the meeting with Narottam had gone. They all advised Pandit Ji to be careful as Narottam was not someone who would keep quiet and accept his defeat. He was sure to play his cards sooner or later. They were also very worried about Urvashi's security, especially since Vicky and his friends, had already tried to create trouble for her.

"Stay away from those boys Teacher ji," one concerned neighbor advised Urvashi. She told all of them not to worry about her. Pandit Ji too was not worried about her. Narottam would not dare touch her. However, they did not factor in to what sly levels Narottam would stoop to.

Urvashi was reading "Breaking India" – a book on how various forces were trying to keep India from reaching its full potential, and after a point slowly began to doze off. She woke up abruptly, having realized that she was sleeping on her couch. Her throat felt dry and parched. She went into the kitchen and drank half a bottle of water. She checked the time. 1:45 am. Urvashi walked into her bedroom, and just as she was about to get under the bedsheet, she heard a knock on her door. Urvashi's brows knotted in tension. She sat still, waiting to see if she heard the knocks again. After a couple of minutes, she heard the knock, louder than the previous time.

Urvashi got out of her bed slowly and picked out a thick shawl from her wardrobe. Wrapping the shawl around her chest, she walked slowly towards the door. She opened the latch as quietly as possible and peered out after opening the door just a little. She saw Vicky standing at the door. Urvashi immediately shut the door. "Vikram what are you doing here at this time?" she asked.

"I need help. There is no doctor at this time. I hurt my head," he replied, his voice sounding muffled. Urvashi stood at the door, thinking for a couple of seconds. Vicky waited outside, holding his forehead on the left side with his left hand. One could small stream of blood running down from his forehead. "Please can you help me?" he shouted again, this time, he seemed more in pain. Urvashi drew in a deep breath and slowly opened the door.

She saw him leaning against the door frame and then saw the blood coming from his forehead. "Oh God, what happened?" she asked, her hand coming to hold his upper arm, to steady him. "Come in first," she told him, as he waddled in unsteadily into her house. She held his arm to help him to get to a chair. Vicky sat in the chair, his hand pressed hard into his wound, his face however, showing no signs of distress, except his eyes closed.

Urvashi went back into the kitchen and returned with a glass of water. "Here, drink this," she offered the glass to him. Vicky put his hand forward, away from the glass, his eyes still closed. Urvashi brought the glass close to his hand, her hand bracketing his hand, till he held the glass firm in his grip. Slowly her hand receded. Vicky, though, felt her fingers circle his fingers. With his eyes closed, it felt as if her fingers were slowly wrapping themselves around his heart, the warmth in her soft palm, surrounding his cold heart, until the ice slowly melted. He had never felt anything like that before, in his life. He had felt the adrenaline rush, as he plastered his fist on a hapless victim's face, felt the rush of power as he kicked a man hard in his gut, felt a sense of superiority, when people moved out of his way, in fear. But never...never... this warm......warm......what was the word for it? It was just a very nice feeling, a feeling which he didn't want to be parted from, almost like his insides were being caressed by the softest rays of the sun...like all good things, happening to you all at the same time. With his limited vocabulary, he did not know how else to express that feeling.

Urvashi stood beside him, observing Vicky as he turned the glass of water around slowly in his right hand, his eyes shut tight, as if he was in a dream. "Vikram!" she called softly. "Huh?" Vicky startled. "Drink your water," said Urvashi, softly, starting to go back inside the house. "Where are you going," he asked, his eyes still closed. Urvashi turned softy, "to get first air," she said and went away. "Don't go," he wanted to say. But good sense prevailed. He could not forget the purpose of his visit. But before things got ugly, maybe he could talk her out of it. He would try.

Urvashi came out in a few seconds. "How did this happen?" she asked, opening the first aid box. "This is nothing. I have got hurt worse," said Vicky, bragging about himself. "We boys like to test each other occasionally. Jai and I were having a practice run... and the next thing I know," he stopped abruptly, as her hand came over his left hand now, slowly taking it away from over the wound.

Urvashi examined the cut. It was rather deep, but not deep enough to need stitching it up. "Continue," she said, pulling out a swab of cotton and dabbing some antiseptic liquid on to it. "well, we were just exercising our muscles," continued Vicky. "un hum," responded Urvashi, her hand coming over his forehead, to push away a bunch of hair, so she could clean the area around the cut. Vicky drew in a rough breath and Urvashi looked down at his face, her eyes narrowed. "Don't stop, continue," she said, slowly dabbing the antiseptics around the wound. "Then, I got carried away. I plastered one on his jaw," said Vicky, gesturing with his hands. "Um hum," said Urvashi, slowly dabbing the cotton on his wound. She looked down at him to see if he felt the pinch of the antiseptic. He didn't seem to react. "And then?" she egged him on.

"Oh, you should have seen his face. His lips were smashed. He got so wild, he picked up a rod next to him and the next thing I knew, I was bleeding profusely. I was so angry with him, I refused his help and came straight to you. I knew you would not refuse to help. You do owe me one," he declared. Urvashi smiled, as she put the bandage over his would. She moved behind him and secured the bandage with a knot. "Open your eyes," she told him, coming to stand in front of him.

Vicky opened his eyes and his head rose to look at her, standing over him, so close, that he could rest his head on her bosom, if he wanted. Urvashi examined his head, to see if the bandage was tied properly and then stepped away from him. Vicky rose slowly, to his full height, his left eye, slightly squint. His eyes took in her beautiful face as her eyes studied his wound. She was there right in front of him, but he felt so inadequate in front of her. How could he even think that she would....? What was he about to do to her and what was she doing to him? Vicky closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath.

When he opened his eyes, the cold, sly look was back in his eyes. "I don't know what to call you?" he asked her, as her brows came closer. "You can call me teacher," she said, with calm eyes. "Teacher?" he questioned, his hands, resting on the sides of his waist, as he looked down at her.

"OK Teacher, today this student will give you an advice. Listen. Because the next time, I may not be in the mood to be nice to you," he said, his eyes turning hard. Urvashi stepped away from Vicky, her looks guarded now. "Leave... go away...It's best for you. If you insist on taking on Narottam, you are only going invite harm," he warned her. "Look Vikram...." As Urvashi was about to ask him to leave, "my name is not Vikram. My name is Vicky. Always remember that. I am talking to like this today, because you helped me. I helped you once, you helped me once. We are even now. Next time, you will meet the real Vicky and you won't like it...," he said, turning away to walk out.

"Vikram!" called out Urvashi. Vicky stopped in his tracks, but did not turn around to look at her. His eyes were cold, posture, reckless. "the more you try to scare me, the more determined I will become to stay. So, it's better that you leave me alone," she replied.

Vicky turned around slowly and looked at her, his eyes reading the challenge in her eyes, his neck craned arrogantly to his right, a nasty smile dancing on his lips. He shrugged casually then, "don't cry later, that you were not warned," he said, turning around with a devilish glimmer in his eyes. He had warned her, but she was adamant. She had to be taught a lesson. And it would begin right now. Vicky walked to the door briskly and stopped just as he stood, one foot outside the threshold and one foot inside. He turned around to look at Urvashi, as she observed him, with her head held high. As Urvashi stood watching, she saw Vicky rock gently at the door and the next second, his legs gave way.

"Vikram!" Urvashi gasped as she ran to catch him from falling. She caught him just in time, holding his around his waist and using her body to support his weight. He had fainted, probably with all the excitement at threatening her and sudden movement. She slowly tugged him inside her hut and brought him to the sofa and lay him down there. She brought a pillow and placed it under his feet, to help blood circulation in the upper region of his body.

Then she went to the door and latched it. But not before the night watchman, going on his rounds, saw Urvashi hugging Vicky close and both going inside the house. He also saw Urvashi close the door a few seconds later. His eyes were wide in disbelief, as if he had seen a ghost. So, this is what went on in the young teacher's house at night. Morning, she acted all principled and at night... she had fun with Narottam's boys.... he thought.