"I told you, I saw him." Shuvro grinned showing all of his jaw at his wife and sister in law proudly. But instantly the confused expression on Tuli's face made him stop smiling. Tuli looked with a frown at him and then at Ratul. She opened her mouth to question about the doubt she had in mind. But suddenly Renuka's voice interjected.
"Oh... Ra-Ratul right. I saw you at Tulidi's place. Right!" She started stammering trying to compose an alibi. Three pairs of eyes snapped on her with surprise. The RoyChoudhurys looked at her with wide open mouth confused minds. There was storm in their brains trying to understand what on earth was going on infront of them. A very tragic, alarming and horrifying doubt was creating angst in Shuvro's mind as he kept examining Ratul and Renuka's face.
Ratul realising what his girlfriend was trying to achive, approached at her with serious face and with a grave face he uttered looking at her those big eyes, "Renu," and shook his head in negation telling her it was time for them to come out.
"But-" she had fears in her eyes.
"What's exactly going on here?" Tuli asked and the couple looked at her, one with dare in his eyes and one fear in her.
"Tuli, there is something we-" Ratul started. But his sentence couldn't meet the ending as like a panther Shuvro attempted to leap on him.
But Tuli's hand raising in between his and Ratul's stopped her husband and Renuka stood straight guarding Ratul, pushing him behind her. Shuvro hissed like being in the cage of a zoo. "No!!! No!!! You didn't!!!" He screamed.
"Shuvro listen to me..."
"Shuvroda we can explain..."
"What the fuck is going on!!!"
The three shrieked trying to dodge the wrath of Shuvro.
"Are you two dating or something?" Tuli asked making a disgusted face. The two people at blame opened their mouth but before they could utter anything the like mad bull Shuvro growled again.
"Of course they are!" And he looked back at Ratul, "you!" He hissed.
"Yes Shuvro!" The more Shuvro howled the more calm stayed Ratul's tone.
"You bloody asshole! You had to ruin things! You knew! You knew!" He howled.
"Have you ever thought that may be, in the world everything is not like - I don't know - about you?" Shoving calmly his hand in the pockets of his jeans Ratul smiled.
"I will fucking kill you. I swear."
"Aim high you moron!"
"I swear Ratul-"
"You aare practically just Tinkerbelle infront of me!" Ratul shrugged. And that was it.
Leaping onto him Shuvro grabbed his collar dragging him till hiss face. The breaths of both falling on each other's face as they hissed at each other making the ladies yelp. The stunt had gained quite a few audiences meanwhile. They stood surrounding the four, trying to gauge out what was going on.
"Shuvro leave my collar!" Ratul warned.
"If this ruin my marriage, I swear I will kill you Ratul!" Shruvro hissed back.
Someone from the audience tried to raise the voice asking what was the matter but failing to understand whom to ask and not getting a suitable answer they just kept watching. But there was a thing about the thirst of the curiosity. Hence one of them, brave enough inched closer to the four and asked Tuli "what is the matter? Should some one call police?"
Hearing the reference of the law enforcement fear struck in the ladies. And throwing a irritated frown and a gaze of warning of intrusion at the person, Tuli approach the two men busy in each other.
"Shuvro leave him! Shuvro its a public place!" She tried. But the deed was done by then.
The warning from Shuvro put up a fire in Ratul's head. How dared he questioning his friendship? And how dared he dragging his love for Renuka to so low to be a mere intention of breaking Shuvro and Tuli!!!
A smirk looped over Ratul's lips cockily as anger flared in his eyes. "First try and believe that you are infact in a marriage. If she is truly your wife, I or anyone, any reason in the world shouldn't be big enough to break your marriage Shuvro!" He hissed looking straight at his best friend's eyes.
He had no intention of hurting him, but a cornered, angry, poked, questioned and territorial Ratul didn't know any better. It was since his birth.
Hence the damage was done, like mad bull Shuvro growled again "I will kill you!!!"
"Leave my collar Shuvro!"
"I swear I will punch the daylight outta' you!"
"Are you serious?"
"Shuvro leave him!"
"I will kill him-"
The howling of Shuvro got interfered at last, when surprisingly enough to him Ratul's long palm, making a tight fist met his right eyes with all its might.
***
Pressing the ice bag on his right, Shuvro sat straight at the chair out side the small restaurant out of the huge mall. The securities of City Centre had thrown the four of them out for making trouble and inconvenience. The reference of Police was avoided by Tuli's interference and her promises of this being a family matter. She had to take the guarantee of the two of the men and that it would never happen again. The men then promised so too.
The head of the security had smirked behind his thick moustache and said, "we understand madam, but wouldn't it be better if such 'family matters' get resolved inside houses? People come here to have a fun and relaxing times!"
After getting rid of the security the four walked into the small restaurant for ice for Shuvro.
Tuli sitting beside Shuvro blew on the wound which had already turned blue by now. Her gesture could have started invisible orchestra of romantic song at the background for Shuvro. But he just sat with one eye shut and comforting it with the chill ice while, his another eye kept raining glares and throwing daggers at the person sitting opposite to him. Ratul sitting opposite to Shuvro just kept making face at the wound his fist had just created. Amidst of all the person kept quiet all the while, was the one seemed could be just smashed with the ground any moment now due to shame. Renuka sat beside and close to Ratul, had her eyes trained at the ground. If one had lifted up her face, could witness the tears that was gathering around her eyelids. She never wanted or dreamt that her relationship could create such big issue and mess, getting her dearest brother-in-law beat by her boyfriend. She kept sitting there with warm and red face until Ratul spoke up being the first one to break the silence.
"That hurt ha?" Ratul made a face looking at Shuvro. In reply Shuvro didn't do anything but clenched his jaw and his fist more tightly. His eyes increased the amount of glare it was shedding. Only if daggers of glare could kill!
Tuli put a hand on Shuvro's arm with the intention of disarming him. She took a look of Ratul and then turned her gaze on her sister, "Renu, have you any idea what you are getting into?" In a grave tone Tuli asked. In reply Renu's lips trembled a bit. She didn't realise the gaze that were on her, waiting for her to say something for him. But Renu's voice failed to sound. Hence Tuli continued, "you have no idea what kind of man he is! He have done so many things. Have I not said anything to you? Didn't you hear what I said? There is nothing he can't do..."
"That hurts Tuli!" Ratul's voice cut in between Tuli allegations. The familiar smirk was again looping on his lips "And here I thought, after our little tour, we were being friends!" Tuli clenched her jaw but before she could bit out anything the person who stayed mum so far spoke up.
"But the key words are, 'he has done' di!" Renuka looked up at her sister. "I know him better di!"
"Renu, we know him since he was a kid. This man can't change! I have always pity the woman that would be come his wife and you-" Tuli put her head on her palms in despair.
Silence prevailed around the table. Suddenly the cacophony of the traffic and the crowd around them seemed too harsh at Ratul's ear. The ever smug face was now doomed in gloom as a frown raised on his forehead. He could not believe how his past was getting to kill the dream of his future - the one he had built up bit by, with utmost care and protection so far. He knew a man must serve his deeds in his present life, but, must he sacrifice his heart for it?
A heart for a heart - was that, what it was?
Looking down at the ground Ratul suddenly felt someone was strangling him so badly he could hardly breath.
But he didn't realise or understood the eyes that were on his gloom face examining him and witnessing the changes of expression of it. Staring at the him as he looked in pain and suffocation someone inside her suddenly urged her to speak, "Well Tulidi, even after spending a decade with someone you can fail at knowing someone precisely. Maybe I am wrong, and making a huge mistake indeed, but I know what I know, and love him di." She spoke in a breath. "But I also know that you can not be the person judging some one in the base of knowing him since age. Even spending your entire childhood and teens, you didn't know how Shuvroda felt for you!" The three pair of eyes snapped at her as Renuka looking straight at Tuli, spoke in a calm and firm voice.
The jerk went through Tuli was was not invisible. She could not believe what she heard. With wide eyes like a hurt deer she looked at her sister. The hand of Shuvro, that held the ice bag quietly dropped as he frowned furiously at Renuka. Clenching his jaw he took a look of Ratul who had his smirk back on. Shuvro's upper lip curved in disgust looking at him before he turned at Renuka, "Well that's none of your business Renuka." He hissed.
The unexpected reply from him took Renu by surprise, but with a stubborn neck and frown she declare, "well we can say that too-"
Before she could finish reply rolled out of Shuvro's mouth, "Indeed. But your sister is concern about you, that's the reason she said what she said. And ask yourself or this man you love if Tuli's concern is unnecessary at all. I get it that you love Ratul. He is my best friend too. But that got you no right to insult your sister like that when all she did, just expressing her concerns." Saying he raised from the chair and turned to Ratul, "you don't understand me or my marriage Ratul I get that. But I never expected you spreading gossips about it specifically among relatives."
Renuka opened her mouth to say something but before she could, Shuvro put the car keys infront of Tuli and saying "you need to drive," was sprinting towards the parking lot...So here was the part. I hope you like it. Now VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! and comment. Also follow me to get updates about further updates of this story and more...
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