Chapter 2| Kiss of forced love

Blackmail is more effective than bribery.

-John le Carre

With teary eyes, Preeta walked quietly in the street and looked for him. She had reached on time and as important it was for the lover boy, Karan too was standing there leaning on his car. She came near him and stood in front while lowering her eyes. She slowly looked up at his face and swallowed.

Karan's smile was wide at her presence but it faded immediately when he saw her swollen and bloodshot eyes.

Sudden guilt crawled on his heart and he felt like the most stupid person. He had planned to impress her. He had planned to have this first talk as smooth and welcoming.

But he really showed her, how he had earned that bad reputation.

He planned to apologize for his reckless behavior, later. But for then, he just wanted to spend time to take things ahead.

"I knew you would come," he awkwardly said and immediately regretted saying that. He cursed himself. Of course, she had to come if he would blackmail her.

When he observed that she wasn't​ really comfortable in even looking at him, he awkwardly opened the car door.

Feeling her heart sinking, Preeta got in the car and started staring at her lap quietly.

Karan too got in the car and found her fidgeting with her fingers. He saw her gulping repeatedly and observed her face again.

He felt as if he could spend endless hours in staring at her beautiful face.

"I am taking you to a place. We will talk and then, I will simply drop you at your home," he promised politely and drove out of the street.

They reached a not-so-famous café but Preeta acknowledged it as an expensive one since its interiors were posh and other couples too looked high-class. She felt conscious and desperate to leave the place.

Moreover, bunking classes for first time and that even to spend time with someone like him, was killing her from inside.

The café wasn't far from her home. She kept on thinking of different ways of deleting that photo while Karan kept stealing glances at her.

He tried to start the conversation but her disinterest would melt all his confidence. He sighed when the waiter approached them and ordered the coffees for both of them.

He turned back to look at her and let out a breath. "Look, I am sorry for everything. I know I have behaved like an idiot all this time and worse that day. I apologize. I just want to be your friend," he honestly explained.

Preeta didn't reply and kept on staring at her lap as if it was the most fascinating place. But he knew that she was listening to his words. So, he leaned slightly on the table.

"Maybe, more than friends."

This caught Preeta's attention and she immediately looked up at him.

Karan smiled slyly. "Since that day, I can't stop thinking​ about you. I know, I turned out to be the arrogant, spoilt-brat​. But I am not that mean. I think I like you, Preeta."

A shiver passed through her spine as Preeta heard his each word carefully. He continued, "I don't know what is happening with me. I have been lost these two weeks. Everywhere, every time, I have started seeing you. In my dreams, in my visions. I think I am falling for you."

Preeta felt her head getting heavy. How could she be so unlucky? Of all girls in this town, he fell for her.

"I feel ashamed of what I did that day. I want to make it up for you. I want to change all that impression. I want to be good for you and I will be. You don't have to be scared. I feel that we could be great together."

Preeta let out a breath and looked at him with teary eyes. "Please, leave me alone. I am a middle-class girl. You can get any girl you want. . ."

". . . and that girl is you. I promise, I will make you the happiest girl. I want to take care of you. Give me a chance, Preeta."

Preeta squeezed her eyes shut. She opened them and looked at him while controlling not to cry. "I can't. My parents have many expectations from me. I live in a society full of Orthodox families. Getting into a relationship is way too far. I can't be your friend even. I am sorry."

Preeta didn't realize that she actually end up crying until she felt Karan's eyes lowering at her cheeks. She quickly looked away and wiped the tears

His jaws clenched. "I won't let them know about this, Preeta. I understand. But at least give me a chance. I have these strong feeling for you," he pleaded desperately.

Preeta sniffled and shook her head. "I am sorry. I can't. I have never been comfortable with boys. I can't be with you."

For a moment, she didn't hear anything as she kept on staring at her hands. But then she heard.

"Fine. I will simply post that photo on social websites."

Her eyes widened and she immediately looked up at him. Tears hung at her thick lashes while she blinked to let them fall as more started streaming down.

"Why are you doing this? I didn't do anything. I didn't cross your ways. Why?" she whispered while staring at him.

Karan stared back at her blankly and held her hand on the table. "Because I have fallen for you. I know, this can turn out amazingly. All I need is your consent or I would lose my mind, Preeta. And that won't be good."

She bit her lip to stop it from trembling when he further spoke,"If you think that my threats are empty, just know that the photo is in my phone, my phone is with me. I will post it in front of your eyes."

The hair on her neck raised as she stared at him, stunned. She looked at the hand that was covering hers. Shutting her eyes, she let the tears fall and looked back at him.

"Okay," she whispered.

Karan's heart thumped loudly as he saw her giving in. He smiled and squeezed her hand.

"Say it, Preeta. Will you be my girlfriend?" he asked while leaning more on the table.

"Yes. I will be your girlfriend."

________

"Preeta, you wait here. I am coming in two minutes," said Karan while closing the car door.

He had stopped the car after getting out of the parking area of the café. His best friend had called him to ask about how things were going.

Later, he got to know that he too was around the same café. Taking it as a chance to tell Kabir about how happy he was, he ran to the other another restaurant where Kabir had came with his date.

He told him everything enthusiastically.

Kabir suggested him to be polite with her and wait for her to open up. If she had agreed, then she would soon too start having feelings for him.

After talking hurriedly, they shook hands and Karan returned to his car. Getting inside actively, he looked at Preeta and found her quietly looking in her lap.

She was blinking hurriedly and sweat was covering her forehead, even when the AC was on. His eyebrows narrowed but he straightened on the seat and twisted the key.

But suddenly, his eyes fell on the phone put aside. A feeling of doubt crawled in his chest as he immediately picked it up.

Preeta gulped and it didn't go unnoticed by him.

He was then extremely doubtful. Picking up his phone, he opened the gallery and go through the latest photos. His lips turned into a thin line when he didn't found the photo. He felt like throwing his phone but he didn't. He quietly turned his head at her.

In the next moment, he held the back of Preeta's neck and pushed her into him, slamming his lips on hers.

Preeta's eyes widen at his sudden reaction. She squeezed her eyes shut and pushed his on his chest with force. But Karan didn't move an inch.

He moved his lips against hers violently while she wriggled and tried to push him hard. When he heard her whimper, he bit her lower lip making her groan in protest.

At last when he felt a tear touching his cheek, he pulled back and glared at her crying face. But just as his eyes fell on swollen lips, he smirked.

"Now you know, what happens when I lose my mind. Look at this," he said while showing her the phone again.

This time Preeta burst out in tears and tried to grab the phone. She was disgusted and equally ashamed. The photo was so clear. She was recognizable and there was nothing worse than this.

Getting panicked that her life can be ruined by this photo, she tried to fight him. She moved her arms to snatch the phone but Karan stopped her with one hand and slid the phone in his pocket.

Holding both of her arms, he shook her. "Preeta, I will behave like a true gentleman, if you behave like a true lady. Quiet and obedient," he said while wiping her tears to which she slapped his hands away.

"Why are you doing this? What have I ever done to you?" She sobbed while looking at him.

"You have stolen my heart, Preeta."

Preeta twisted her wrists in his hands. "This is all ridiculous. You are insane. I can't love you. Don't you understand?"

Karan didn't reply her and left her hands. Breathing hard, he started the car and drove off to her home.

Just as they reached the familiar street, he looked at her and noticed she was still sobbing quietly. Her face was red and lips still swollen.

"Preeta, I will be gentle if you cooperate."

She looked at him through tears blankly. "You have already done too much. This can't happen by any means. I am not into these things. I don't like you."

He stared at her while his jaw twitched in anger. "You will like me when I'll upload that photo."

Her lips parted in shock and she closed her eyes while gulping. Wiping her tears, she stared at him with bloodshot eyes.

"You can forcefully hold me. You can forcefully kiss me. But you will never be able to force me into loving you. Because love can never be forced. It just happens," saying this she got out of the car and started walking towards her home while trying hard to not cry.

_________

After that day, things were not the same for Preeta. She was forced into a torturous relationship.

Karan would always pick her from the street and would drop her at bus stop. He would also take her to dates and talk to her forcefully.

This had been continuing for more than three weeks and she had become a robot. Like a dead-soul she would follow his plans, would let him kiss her hand and would helplessly bunk classes for him.

Shreya also knew about Karan as she would see her getting into his car daily. Preeta had explained her that she was helpless and thus, Shreya too couldn't comment. Also, she was horrified when Karan had beaten a boy some days ago who had approached Preeta and was trying to become her friend.

Preeta was helpless knowing that she was being watched in her college too. His friends would always keep a check on her and would scare the boys away who would try to talk to her. Not that she wanted them to talk but then, she didn't want to be so controlled.

She surely was in a forced relationship but she was thankful to him for one reason.

He had never touched her than some gestures. He would kiss her knuckles and would hold her hands for long but nothing more than that.

In this month, his father had assigned him to train as the Departmental Manager in his company. He would daily come from office at four and spend the next two hours with her.

But it didn't affect Preeta anymore. He would call and message her in every hour. Spending two hours was just the sweet-looking cherry on the poisonous cake.

She felt as if she was locked in a cage. The cage owner was him and that cage was his love. She felt as if she would be stuck in it forever.

He would try to tell her about his routines and works while she would only nod. She had become like this not just for him, even at home she would behave blankly.

It was almost a month and her friends and family were able to notice her odd behavior.

Her father who would always try to cheer her up by taking her to the market or book shops as she loved books, but she wasn't affected anymore.

Her father was slowly doubting about something being wrong but one day the doubt turned into belief.

It happened that day when Preeta was going to the market with her father to buy some stationery. Her father picked the packages and bags of registers, calculators and other petty things. He walked out of the shop to put the bags in the scooter's basket while Preeta was paying for the material.

Suddenly, a loud sound of a clap reached her ears. She guessed that her father had dropped the bags and ran out to help him. But what caught her eyes, had stunned her.

Her father's head was tilted and he was covering his cheek while the person who had slapped was none other than dominant boyfriend.

She saw him yelling at her father for breaking his car's backlight. Her father reasoned that it was a minor accident. The parking area was too cozy and he couldn't get his scooter out on time.

Her heart broke when she heard father being ready to pay for his mistake. She called him in a cracked voice, "Papa."

Both the man looked at the most important girl of their lives.

Preeta quickly ran to her father and removed his hand from his cheek. Her hand automatically reached her mouth as she gasped at seeing the red marks of his fingers.

Tears filled her eyes but her father shook his head. "Don't cry, bachhe. It's nothing. I just hit my scooter at this young man's car." Her father turned his head at Karan and said, "I will pay you, beta. Just don't be so angry. I am sorry."

But Karan's all mind was on her. She kept on staring at her in shock. She glared at him while looking back at her father.

"Stop, Papa. You don't have to apologize. We just need to pay him the money. Because that's what he wants. He can beat people to death, for it," she said in her cracked voice while picking out money from her clutch.

Her father tried to stop her but she had already picked out the reasonable amount and had forcefully put in his hand.

She looked at him blankly.

"Don't ever try to show me your face again. Because of you, my best friend can't breathe. Because of you, my father's cheek is bruised. I will never forgive you for this," she said while pointing her finger at him.

Giving him a last look of disgust, she sat on her father's scooter and left the place while Karan kept on staring far at her retreating figure with heavy heart full of regret.

________

"What do you think about Karan?'