Over To You...(Chapter 18)

Chapter 18

“What are you doing here?” a calm but curious voice asked from behind. Rishi came after looking at me at midnight.

“Nothing, I wasn’t able to sleep so thought of reading some books, so I came here.”

“Ohh” The dissatisfaction on his face made me realise that I wasn’t able to convince him.

After taking a few steps towards the room Rishi asked “I felt like you were talking to someone at the library?”

“No, maybe I was just speaking to myself.”

“Oh, I thought you saw her.”

“Whom?”

“No one.”

His words were suspicious but I ignored them. I was unable to sleep that night. My restless mind was not letting me sleep. As the morning arrived I woke up and started helping the family with the arrangements. At noon most of the guests appeared. The Pooja was completed by then. The people started having lunch. By all the time I saw Rishi and Antara from time to time. All I could find was the sadness on both of their faces. Through this time I was holding back my tears but at a point, I just left the house. I don’t know where I was walking, but just took steps forward. When I came to sense, I reached the hill, the similar one from my memories. I went ahead and sat under a tree, looking at the mighty view. My eyes started shedding tears. I was crying with all my heart and not after so long she came.

“It feels nice to be with you here again...”

I turned around while she was caressing my back. She had a bright smile on her face. And with her flawless charm, she sat beside me. "Why were you crying?"

"I don't want to answer."

"I can understand should I start the story then."

"Ahh..."

"He came to the room on that day too and cried hard. After that, he wiped his tears and sat down. And started telling the story of ours. And slowly I started recalling everything. When he saw me at the orphanage he fell in love with me. He brought me to his house. We were engaged the next week. I wasn't even 18 at that time. The family allowed me to complete my 12th. Once I turned 18 they fixed our marriage. The date was fixed. But I didn't have any reason to marry him. I didn't love him but who cared asking me? Still I, in the hope of a good life accept fate. When they fixed my marriage at an early age I asked Rishi if I wanted to study further. That was my mother's wish and also I wanted to become a writer but he denied it. Still after requesting a lot he accepted to let me complete the education after the marriage. He got a good job in the city and he went to live there. I was alone here. His family never loved me once. They just tortured me and I wanted to run away. But waited patiently until I got married. I only had a false hope that everything would be fine after marrying him. I will be able to move in with him and then I will start my life. Do you know why this room means a lot to me? I used to spend my time here. Since I came here, I loved her in the dark store room. A skinny, fragile girl I became where I felt death would resolve my worries. I heard his family talking about marriage. They discussed that after marriage he wouldn't take me with him; instead, he would visit the village regularly. I understood that time and my whole life flashed in front of my eyes. I thought of running away. As planned I succeeded. I went to your college and posted a letter for you."

"I came to the restaurant to meet but you weren't there. What happened?"

"Rishi caught me on the way and he dumped me in this room. No one offered me food or anything. I attempted every way to escape from this room. In one of the attempts, probably the last one I fell off from the height and my brain got injured and at the same moment my soul left the body. I guess it was already tired of trying. I remember writing a book that I wanted to give you but it was taken by Rishi and I don't know what happened to it."

Hearing her words I was enraged. I felt no sympathy towards Rishi. I just wanted to hit him hard. In anger, I headed to his home but Antara held my hand. "I have a lot to say. I need to finish it today. I don't want to be here anymore. I will leave soon... Can't you stay with me? I want to be with you right now..."

Her words held me back. I controlled my emotions and sat down to listen to her silently