THE LORDS OF JUSTICE

6 : "I Don't Believe In Words"

Darshan tried hard to move his eyes from the tall, well built man infront of him. The golden brown eyes were sparkling with delight on his utterly fair face. His thick eyebrows were arched in mischief, with a smile on his slightly brown pink lips he said
"You are very hard to find, now that you are here, I should catch you."

Darshan finally came out of the charm of first sight and mentally cursed himself for drooling over a man who was an officer, investigating the case in which he was indirectly involved. Though danger seemed the last word in his mind as he kept watching the person infront of him smiling broadly.

As Darshan did not react in a normal way at all, a slight frown made its way to that man's eyebrows and his charming smile vanished, while a worried look took over.

"Hey, are you here?" The man asked, his voice genuinely worried.

Surely enough a pink tint creeped on Darshan's cheeks in embarrassment. Letting a sharp breath in and then exhaling it, with a shaken voice, Darshan said
"Excuse me! You can see me right? So why asking such question?"

The man chuckled softly and Darshan stiffened on his seat, with unblinking eyes, he held his breath as he was afraid that his breathing would be hitched. He realised one thing for sure that the man infront of him, had centuries of practice for taking away breath by that smile.

"Yes, I can see you but it seemed like you weren't seeing me."
The man grievly said.

His expression suddenly turned into a grim one for a slight second which did not go unnoticed by Darshan and before Darshan could realise what kind of depth those words held, he changed into the carefree person from before.

With a casual tone, he offered
"you've ordered your food and I have mine in my hand; let's have a talk while eating."
Then indicating the empty chair he politely asked "can I sit down?"

Darshan still could not fully maintain the rate of his hammering heart, and he was just offered for a dinner together with the person who might be there to enquire him. He did not want to mess with this magnificent looking officer, at least not after knowing that person's probable cruel nature. For that Darshan could keep the matter straightforwardly, yet his gut feeling told him that he just could not use his unsocial rude side with this man.

He apologetically said "my bad , I should have asked before . Please have a seat ."

The officer finally sat infront of him and the waiter brought Darshan's order. Arranging the plates he questioningly looked at Darshan who only shrugged his shoulders. Then the waiter looked at the man and his whole look became all apologetic and left without uttering a word. Darshan decided the waiter came to know the man was an officer just after looking at him. He left the thought and helped himself with the food.

"So what is the talk thing, sir?" Darshan asked with a controlled voice.

"Oh! My name is Yash Raj. You can call me Yash or Raj whatever you like, no need to say sir, officer or comrade" staring at Darshan's plate he said.

Darshan was opening a little bowl of kheer, he noticed Yash's plate was full with light protine foods.
He politely asked "do you want to have some kheer, Yash?"

Yash had picked up a spoon of tofu soup which immediately spilled back on the bowl as his hand shook a little, looking at Darshan he asked "what did you ask me just now?" Thousands of emotions were flowing over his face.

Darshan was in an awkward position, he apologetically said "pardon me. If you don't like it you don't have to eat." He intensely looked at Yash until he was normal again.

"No no no. That's fine with me always. You can offer me anything" Yash said with a very controlled voice.

Both of them were silent for some minutes, just ate their food. Then Yash thought about going on, so he started
"you didn't tell me your name."

Darshan smiled foolishly ,
"I thought you already knew. It's Darshan Dev Sinha."

"So Darshan, are you a student or a professor at the university?"

"Student, postgraduate third semester, today the exams are over though........" Darshan stopped. He couldn't believe he was babbling infront of an officer who supposed to be there to enquire him. He looked at Yash who was carefully listening to him.

"Ah! Then another six months and your study will be completed. Are you doing any job?" Yash asked.

Darshan didn't know where the conversation was going; he answered "yup, I'm doing a part-time teaching job in a coaching which pays me a good amount of money.........." Darshan spilled again and thought to himself "what just happened to my mouth? ! It's totally out of my control !"

"Then you are quite a busy person" Yash remarked then he asked "hey, have you got a girlfriend or boyfriend?"

Darshan had already finished the kheer, he carefully kept down the bowl and said "that's none of your concern, I think."

Yash immediately changed the subject "Oh! Don't get angry, I just asked to know if there is anyone who knows you better."

Darshan thought to himself "why did you say that?! No, just a No, that's the answer!"

Yash felt Darshan's self battle and grinned slightly which Darshan didn't notice.
With a bit sad tone he said
"What a lonely life you are living here! You are a young man, you should think about harmony of life."

Darshan was totally irritated, he had never been advised about relationship from a man who certainly was flirting with him. He countered "my stable life has just started, but what about you? You have got a good job and don't tell me you're not of age."

Yash chuckled again and said
"So you have a temper too! You know no one can say it by just your appearance. Okay if you feel uneasy with this talk then let me ask you something serious."

Darshan thought to himself
"finally it's coming."
He confidently said
"I'll be honest to my limit."

Yash's expression clarified he didn't want to sum up those scenes but since the person infront of him wasn't afraid even a bit, not sure how to start, he said
"This afternoon, when the accident happened, you were there. I saw your expression, it wasn't quite right. You ran away without answering my question! You were afraid of something?! What is that? Why did you run away?"

Darshan thought "huh! So you finally get to the point. Now you'll know I am not a normal person."
He tried hard to get rid of that person as soon as possible, so he decided to tell the truth.
"I saw a ghost leapt from the dead body, the ghost was about to grab me so I ran away but I was finally caught by the throat and it still hurts."
Darshan didn't know why the last three words came out but he intensely looked at Yash whose face was first raged then it changed into pained and quickly to normal again. Darshan too felt bad for his own words which caused the pain in Yash. He talked again
"So what's your opinion now? Do you believe any of my words? Or you also think I'm a complete weirdo?......."

"No. I don't believe in words but as long as the words are said by you, I believe."
Yash's this abrupt answer totally dumbfounded Darshan.

*****************
Hey Readers,
So finally Darshan & Yash are face to face.....
Darshan told the truth. Now will Yash believe him ? Or is there another outcome waiting for them ?.......
Stay tuned........
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Till then stay home stay safe and enjoy reading....
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                       ........Anasuya Raj

18th May, 2020