*Aslesha*

The words echo in the silence of the room. Loud and clear.

Sorry?

Sorry?

Now he's saying sorry? But the damage has already been done. Sorry se kya hota hai?

"Ab konsi chiz ke liye use karna hai mujhe?" I ask with a fake smile and he lowers his head.

"Jo maine kiya vo galat tha. I shouldn't have behaved..."

"Viraj just go. Leave me alone. I'm going to sleep now" I say. I don't wanna listen to anything from this fake ass person now.

"At least listen to me once" he pleads.

"Tumhe jo kehna tha vo tumne uss din keh diya. Mujhe aur kuch nahi sunna" I say getting up from the bed.

I walk towards him and try to push him out of the room. He doesn't move an inch. I push harder and still he doesn't bulge.

"Fine! Stand here. I'm sleeping" I say getting irritated and walk towards my bed. I switch off the lights and lie down on the bed.

I close my eyes and turn away from him. Ab chala jaayega hopefully. I hear the click of the door and breath a sigh of relief. Chala gaya.

That thought soon vanishes when I feel the bed sink beside me. I sit up in a jerk and see Viraj sitting on the bed.

"Are you crazy? Just go, please mujhe sone do" I say rubbing my forehead.

"No" he states.

"No?"

"No. Tumhe meri baat sunni hi hogi" he says firmly.

"Mujhe kuch nahi sunna. Mai kisi aur room me ja ke soti hu" I say  getting up.

The next thing happens so fast I hardly get to process it. Viraj yanks me back on the bed so hard that I fall back on the bed. And then he's above me.

This is so inappropriate! Fuck!

"What the fuck! Get away from me" I say pressing my hands on his chest and pushing him. He takes both of my hands and pins them on either side of me.

My mind would have gone in a complete frenzy if I would not have been mad at him. But I'm mad now! Completely and really mad!

And our proximity, or the way his body weight is deliciously pressing down on me has no effect on me at all. Not at all.

Liar liar.

"You better listen to me or I'll make you listen, in any way I deem fit" he whispers threateningly.

"Y.. you wouldn't" I say my voice sounding breathless. What's wrong with me? Get a grip Aslesha!

"Is this a challenge" he asks, his face perfectly serious and intense.

Do I even have any other option now? 'Bachaao bachaao' chilla ke bhi faayda nahi. Yaha kon sunega? And I just want him to get away from me as soon as possible. This position we're in, is wrong on so many levels.

And then too it feels right.

No, stop stop! Just listen to him and he'll get up.

"Fine! I'm listening. Just move now" I say pushing him again and this time he pulls himself away and lies down beside me.

I again try to get up but Viraj holds my hand and pulls me back. "Stop getting away from me Aslesha. I'm not gonna hurt you" he says a little angrily.

So now he got offended that I'm trying to keep a safe distance between us. Can he seriously blame me for doing that?

"Bolo jaldi jo bhi bolna hai" I say facing the ceiling and he does the same. I hear him sigh and he clears his throat.

"I'm gonna tell you a story now. Don't interrupt me okay. Jo bhi kehna hai end me kehna. Kuch nahi kehna toh vo bhi chalega. And I seriously didn't want to tell you about this. I don't like talking about this stuff. But I guess you need to know why I behaved the way I did that day. After I'm done, you can judge me all you want. Okay?" He asks.

Oh my god, what is this all about? The way he's saying all this, I know that it's damn serious. And the things he's gonna tell me are gonna be serious as well.

"Okay" I say. He takes a deep breath and starts.

"This is about a guy. Ek ladka tha jiski bachpan se hi life perfect thi. Perfect parents, perfect school, perfect friends. Iss sab ke saath vo sports me bhi achha tha. I mean how perfect can a person's life be right? Usne kabhi life me real problems face hi nahi kiye. Paiso ki kami nahi, koi stress nahi, kuch nahi. He was the captain of his school's cricket team too. Nobody ever challenged him in anything. Koi usse panga nahi leta tha, koi uske against nahi jaata tha. It was like he ruled his school".

Obviously he's talking about himself. There can be nobody else with this same description.

"And then there was this one girl in the entire school who just was so bloody different from the others. Baaki sab toh galti karne pe bhi sorry bol ke jaate the aur ye ladki khud ki galti hone pe bhi aur pareshaan karti thi. If he hit her once she would hit back harder. If he pulled a prank on her she'd do the same but in a better way. Uske perfect life ki ye ek chiz thi jo usse edge pe laati thi. They both hated each other's guts" he pauses and looks at me intensely.

That girl is me. Of course. I look away from his scrutinizing gaze and start fidgeting with my t-shirt. Where is this story going?

"And this went on for years and years. Their hatred. They couldn't even stand each other. But uss ladke ko isse itna farak nahi padaa because secretly he enjoyed it ke there is someone who can match his level. Someone who showed him that he is not liked by each and everyone. Someone that hated him. But that didn't mean he liked her vagera ha. She made his life a living hell with her pranks.. that cruel ass witch.."

"Hey that guy was a top class asshole too" I snap at him angrily. Khud toh jaise mujhe kabhi sataya hi nahi.

"What did I tell you about not interrupting? Anyway ye main baat nahi hai. Vo ladke ke parents were the best part of his life. They were the perfect mom dad. Perfect husband and wife. He grew up listening to their love story. About how they fell in love in college and about all their big and small moments of love. He wished for a love story like them. To find love like them.

When he was around 12 years old things started to change. Uske dad college ke band me the. He was the lead vocalist and always dreamt of being a singer. But uske mom ke dad, yaani uss ladke ke nanaji thought ke unka career kahi nahi ja raha hai and vo unke beti ki shaadi kisi aur se karaana chahte the, if he didn't build up his career. And that too soon. So his dad gave up singing and decided to do a normal job. They both got married, had a son and it was a happily ever after kinda story. Flashback se wapas aate hai ab.

Bahot saalo baad dad ko unke puraane band members milte hai jo bahot successful hai. Mumbai me settled hai and music industry me kaam kar rahe. He feels bad and he comes home and has a fight with his wife. Saying that vo bhi apna passion continue kar sakte the agar vo nanaji ko manaa leti. Ke unke wajah se aaj vo ek stupid job me atke hue hai. The boy listens to all of it silently. So does the mom.

She starts feeling bad, ke sahi me unke wajah se he gave up his love for singing, gave up his passion. Jhagde badhte jaate hai. Ek din vo ladka party me jaane wala rehta hai jab vo secretly apne mom dad ki baate sunn leta hai.

'Mujhe ab aur ye ghatiya job nahi karni. We should go to Mumbai. I'll start my career there' the dad says.

'Ab itne saalo baad kaise? Waha bahot pehchaan bhi lagti hai na. We have our little boy who's doing so well in school and everything. How can we suddenly leave and go to Mumbai? Our life is here' the mom explains.

'I don't know. I am now getting suffocated with this life' the dad argues.

'Mumbai ke Bollywood industry me apni pehchaan banane ke liye already bahot pehchaan lagti hai. How will you manage. I know you are the best singer. Aapke paas bahot talent hai. But it's too late now honey'.

The boy is in a daze about their conversation. Uski perfect life uske aankho ke saamne dheere dheere bilkul worse ho rahi thi. To avoid all this drama, vo uss party me chala jaata hai. Party me usko uski number one dushman dikhti hai aur unn dono me wapas bahot jhagda hota hai. Unke life ka sabse bada jhagda.

He says some harsh things and she does the same. But then the words that escape the girl's mouth trip him over the edge. 'Iske alawa tumhare maa baap ne tumhe kuch sikhaya bhi nahi hoga'. Vo sunn ke the boy just gets fucking mad and feels like ripping her head off. He physically hurts her by grabbing her arm and she slaps him in front of the entire party.

Uss ladke ka dimaag aur kharab hota hai. Ghar pe bhi ye sab. Aur party me thoda enjoy karne gaya toh waha bhi that girl ruins it for him. Uske dimaag me vohi baat ghumti rehti hai. So to take revenge he takes a drastic step. He chops off her beautiful long hair" he says and pauses.

He takes a long breath and I am totally shocked to hear his side of the story. Isliye tabhi isse itna gussa aaya tha. I had touched a wrong nerve that day when I mentioned his parents. Shit.

"When she starts crying in front of him, he realises what a dick move that was and he was totally wrong in hurting her like that. Vo usse dhamki deti hai ke vo complain karegi tab vo aur darr jaata hai. Ke fir toh usse school se expel kar denge aur uske dad ki Mumbai jaane ki wish puri ho jaayegi aaram se. So he begs her not to tell anyone and she agrees. She promises" he says and looks at me with a pained expression. Then he gazes at the ceiling again.

"The boy is very happy that she promised not to tell anyone. He decides to apologize to her for all the wrong that he is done and take a fresh start. He decides that they'll become friends.

But his happiness is short lived. One day his dad comes home and slaps him... and orders him and his mom to pack their bags. He says that they're leaving for Mumbai. You know why? Because that girl complains about him and tells the police what I did. That I assaulted her.. that.."  Viraj says and I sit up from bed.

What is he talking about? I never told anyone.

"Viraj maine kisi.."

"Please don't interrupt Aslesha let me finish" he says and I nod and sit there facing him as he's still lying down in front of me.

"Vo ye sab complaints karti hai and they are forced to move in Mumbai. His hatred towards that girl increases because he thinks ke uske wajah se aaj usse apna school, ghar, sab chhodna pada.

His dad starts becoming distant there when they move out. He gets a small job in the industry and always comes home late, mostly drunk after parties. The boy hates it and is always complaining about him to his mom. His mom on the other hand accepts this side of his dad understandingly. She never complains, never asks him to come home early, or give her the time that she deserves. Because she is so much in love with her husband. She can never think anything bad about him" he says and my heart squeezes in my chest painfully.

Viraj and his mom have gone through so much.

"Then one day when when that guy is coming home from practice, he sees a car similar to that of his dad from afar. Out of curiosity he goes close towards it and indeed it is his dad's car, near a theatre" Viraj's voice gets heavy and his eyes gaze turns distant. Like he is now present in that day. He is remembering that day. But what happened?

"He was inside the car with.. with a woman. They were laughing and smiling. He was caressing that woman's cheek. It was obvious that his dad.. dad was having an af.. affair" he says and his eyes fill with tears.

I have an urge to throw my arms around him and hug him tightly, but I sit there quietly.

"That car leaves and but the guy sits there. Numbly. Not knowing what to do. He just sits there for hours. When he comes into his senses he goes home around 1 at midnight. When he enters the house he sees his mom crying and his dad consoling her, hugging her. That hand which was touching that woman is now touching his mom.

'Dont touch ma' he whispers harshly and both their attention snaps to him. His dad directly comes and hugs him not hearing what he said. 'Where were you my boy? Are you okay?' he asks worriedly put he pushes his dad away. 'Talkies theatre ke yaha tha. Didn't you see me? Because I saw you' the boy says and sees how the expression of his dad suddenly changes. He looks scared and shocked and..." Viraj says as his voice breaks and fades away.

A tear slips from the corner of his eye down towards his ear. I lean closer and wipe that tear with my thumb gently. He doesn't seem to notice because he is in his own world now. Thinking about that incident deeply.

"He tells his mom everything what he saw. Cursing his dad the whole time. But even after that, his mom doesn't shout or yell or curse him like a wife would do. She just walks away into her bedroom. His dad says sorry to his son, just sorry, nothing else. Like whatever that guy said was true and he has no explanation for it. And then he walks away into another bedroom too. He doesn't even have the decency to go to his wife or say sorry or something.

And the next days, like always, his dad is not present home and his mom behaves numb. Like she's a living dead body. No anger. No tears. But every night he hears his mom crying. Each and every night she cries silently. Sometimes she covers her mouth so that her son doesn't hear her loud sobs. But he does. Every night he does" Viraj says as another tear escapes his eye.

He clenches his hand on the bedsheets so tightly that his knuckles turn white. I place my hand on his and gently caress it as his hold loosens a bit. I don't feel like letting go of his hand.

"He forces his mom to divorce him and leave him but his mom holds onto the hope that his dad will realise his mistake and come back to her one day. Also his board exams are pending so they decide to stay there till the exams and move back to Goa after that. His dad begs his son to stay, telling him that he loves him a lot but the boy doesn't take any of that shit. He takes his mom away from that filthy bastard and comes back to Goa.

There he sees that girl again and the anger inside him builds up again. The memories all rush back. He starts blaming her that it's because of her his life got ruined. Agar vo kabhi complain nahi karti toh aisa hota hi nahi. Vo aakhir usse promise ki thi" he says and finally his eyes shift towards me and I can see the betrayal and hurt in them.

"When he sees that girl dance, something inside him changes. All his motives to hurt her and hate her vanish. He keeps reminding himself to stay away but they both become really close friends. Then he realises that she's actually a wonderful girl" he says, his beautiful eyes still looking at me.

I pull my knees towards my chest and lean my head on it listening to all this. Registering it all in my mind. It still doesn't explain why he behaved to me like that last week. Baaki sab samjh gayi mai. Each and everything. But agar ab vo keh raha hai ke he thought of me as a wonderful girl fir kya hua?

"Then his dad, that cheating piece of shit, comes one sudden day to Goa, with divorce papers" he says and my eyes widen. Viraj ke mom dad ka divorce hone wala hai?

"All of this hits him like a wrecking ball. He is shattered. Usse pata hi nahi ke aisa sab kyu hua? Kaise uski life itni ghatiya ho gayi. Uski mom ispe bhi koi reaction nahi deti. Like vo unke khushi ke liye, unka pura rishta khatam karne ko ready hai. So that he stays happy with that whore!

Suddenly next day the girl shows up in his house and in all the hurt, betrayal and anger, he targets her. He blames her. Hurts her" he says and this time my eyes fill with tears.

Toh this is what had happened.. now I know why his mom looked so devastated that day.

"And baaki tumhe pata hi hai. I'm really sorry Aslesha. Really very sorry. Mujhe tumhe blame nahi karna chahiye tha. I can only blame one person in all this. Dad. Tumne tab complain kar ke sahi kiya. Yahi deserve karta tha mai" he says and gets up from the bed.

I'm completely shocked to say anything. My head starts spinning with all that he said. I don't know how to react. What to say?

He looks at me for a few moments, waiting for me to do or say something and when he gets no response, starts walking towards the door.

"I didn't complain" I whisper in a really low voice. But he hears it because he stops in his tracks. "Maine kisi ko bataya hi nahi. It was not me who complained about you" I say looking down at my hands as a lump forms in my throat.

All this time, did he think that I ruined his life?

"I know tabhi meri bhi galti thi Viraj. I talked about your mom dad like that. But I swear Viraj maine kisi ko nahi bataya" I say and look at him as tears flow down my cheeks.

He just stands there with his mouth wide open, looking shocked.

~•~•~•~•~•~•

Pheeewww... Bahot intense ho gaya na chapter. But dekho I updated fast. I hope ab aap log upset nahi ho. Please vote and comment if you're liking the story. Also share it with your friends. All those who comment really make me happy and I love you all. Silent readers, I love you guys too but kabhi kabhi vote aur comment kiya karo yaar.. :D chalo aaj ke liye itna hi. Keep reading and keep loving.. ily :)