"Kabir, what are you doing?" I stared at the polythene in his hand. "And what is that?""You stop cooking." He placed the polythene in the slab, strolled forward to stand next to the stove and turned it off. "We have a chef now." Peering at him with a sheepish smile, I placed the knife out of my sight and paid my attention to his whining face. "Come with me.""But I need to cook. It's a stress reliever. I just completed a hectic project and assignment, and laptop screen is making me sick," I tried to argue but one look from him shushed all my protests. "I will still cook. Get out of the kitchen."He regarded me for a couple of seconds before placing his hand on the knife. "You want to be a housewife?""No. Why?""Cooking." He nodded at the fried potatoes. "I don't mind but—""Shut up. Cooking is a necessity." Scoffing at his confused face, I took the knife from his hands and started cutting the tomatoes. "If I love cooking, it makes me a housewife?" He twisted his lips at the corner,
Not bothered by Dhruv's words, I latched the car door open and sprinted into the house. Five hours since he conveyed to me about the news of the death. Five hours since he didn't pick his phone again whilst I tried to swallow another piece of a tragedy of my life."Papa!" I shouted in the mansion. "Papa!"He came out of his room, frown resided in his face as he faced me. "Alina."Seeing him, I ran and hugged him tightly as if it would keep the nightmares at bay, stop the horrifying dreams knocking at my door, halt the bad news stringing one after another without caring the state of my heart.Why was everything happening at once?"Is it true?" My voice came muffled in his chest."Yes. Do you want to see her body? It's supposed to be burned by five.""She can't go to burial grounds," Mom's voice heckled our talks. "She's not married.""Bullshit," Dad cursed. "You know I don't believe in such stuff. Let's go?" Dad promoted. I nodded in his chest, withdrew back a little and had no tears l
"Alina, are you okay?" My therapist snapped her fingers in front of me. Reviving out of that day, I nodded and clutched my knees to the chest, rocking back and forth. "You dozed off there.""Why she did it?" I asked, staring into the distance. "She said she was like my mother. Which mother does that? Plan their own child rape?"It had been a week since I saw the blocked memories of mine, realized she knew it all the way and had helped him because of some money. It was always about money. Wasn't it? So my innocence was traded for money. My whole life was traded for money.It felt like I had been involved in prostitution.Which human do that to another? How could she see me like this every single day? She was worse than any person I had ever met. She was worse than him. At least, he showed his true colors. She stayed behind and let him do anything."Still traumatic?" She asked, and for the first time, I sensed pity in her voice."More than traumatic." I leaned my head on the back, stari
***"Papa, I'm scared." Fiddling with my fingers, I peered at his neutral smile. "All of them are strangers."He unbuckled his seatbelt and twisted his body to see me. "And like you," he pointed out, grabbed the brown packet of Subway from my hands. "Do you want me to come?""What if I fall apart?" I stared down at my lap. "What if they thought I was lying? What if I'm not strong to face them?""Who says that?" Everyone. "Come on. I will take you. You're so scared." He chuckled."No!" I waved my hands at him to sit on his side of the car whilst I unbuckled my seat belt. "This is not my first day of school.""You hadn't cried on your first day of school." He laughed at my shocked behavior. "Everybody was crying but you were too happy. Your mom was confused. I was confused. You weren't scared of leaving us." He patted my cheek. "You were never scared. You cannot be scared now. I'm here. Your papa is here.""And he supports me?" I repeated.At least Kabir did one good thing. His leaving
I woke up with a startle, panting stared around the room."Alina." Someone settled next to me. Settling my gaze, I saw Dhruv, frown on his face."Water." Nodding, he passed me the glass of water and I gulped it in one go and gave it back to him. "Where am I?""Your room," He answered. "You fainted in the burial ground. Are you okay?" His urgent voice was avoided by me as I recalled what I had seen in my sleep.Was it truth or a lie of my own imagination? Had I started imagining Meena Aunty too as I had imagined Kabir? Why was my mind too fucked up?Wait a second.I prefer you don't give her. Leave us alone, will you? Please, think about what I said.Just something. You're very strong, Alina. Sometimes I'm scared I won't be able to protect you.Do you feel safe in this house?When our college ends, you'll be back here with your mom, sister and—Like you said, there are too many demons here.He knew. Kabir knew. That was why he had been too rude to her. It wasn't a fragment of my imagin
[ K A B I R ' S P O V ]"This ring?" I nodded at the ring jeweler was pointing at. It was the perfect ring for my bookworm, delicate and yet screamed the innocence she held in her face. "It's expensive."I arched my brows to him, curled my lips into a smirk. "Did I ask about the price?" He shook his head and took the princess cut ring out with a solitaire in the middle. Her previous warnings came back on how to not buy an expensive ring. Stupid girl. How could I choose something less for her?I dropped another ring I had stolen from her box in the dressing room in the morning. She would kill me if she heard I entered her room for stealing."Make it to this size.""You're buying it?" The jeweler asked, frowning at me. "Can you even—""I think I can see it myself." Rolling my eyes, I settled back on the seat and checked my phone. Tomorrow was my birthday and I had to lie to her that I was going to Coaching rather than wasting my time in buying a ring for her.What a boyfriend.Tomorr
[ K A B I R ' S P O V ]Something tickled the length of my arm. Confused by the actions, I swirled my head to look at a toe brushing my arm. Quirking my lips with a smile, I said, "Baby, what are you doing?""Nothing," I could feel the smile on her face but her face was hidden by the book.Ignoring her attempts on my arm, I paid attention to the show playing in front of me. But again, a tickle flickered in my arm."Alina, stop it," I said, leaning back into the sofa and shrugged her foot off me. "Read.""I am," She answered. "An amazing plot twist."Stretching my neck, I felt her toe rubbing on the curve of my neck. She was getting back to the restaurant thing I had done a week ago. Twisting my lips, I caught her foot in my hand."Kabir, stop it," She scolded. "Let me read.""And this is reading?" I pinned my gaze at her covered face. "You're seducing me.""Me and seduce?" Her melodious laugh filled our apartment and she pulled her book down to her eyes. With a naughty glint in he
"Why are you here?" I gritted out. "What you want?" Wrap your face in coldness, Kabir. Don't show anything to him."Kabir, long time no see," He leaned in his chair as if we were old acquaintance. "You're in my country. I should ask you the thing.""Do you want me to call securities and kick you out?" I buried my hands in the arms of my chair to not stand up and choke him to death.What a relish it would be to squeeze that life out of his mouth, hear him beg for his life like Alina begged him, see the dwindling breath, and glance at the cold skin.No nightmare.No pain."So eager." He wolfishly smiled. "I need some money.""And I'm not thinking of opening charity anytime soon. Get out." I paid attention to my work, eluding from the fact of his figure sitting in front of me.Kill him, Kabir.He ripped your bookworm apart in pieces you couldn't see. He ripped her away from you. He made her scared of you. He took away your everything from you.Show him the pain of what she was going thro