Trapped...

Champagne was flowing as the guests arrived. She looked beautiful. She was busy attending the guests. He glanced at her. She shivered. He was playing the perfect host to all. ‘He is a perfect devil too’ she thought. It was a happening party but she was afraid of what was in store for her later that night. She feared she would be bruised again.

                Ria was a wannabe model when she met Ishan. He fell for her instantly. They met often. Ishan promised Ria that he would make her a superstar and he did. He was powerful and that helped her career immensely. Ria fell for him. Ishan played the perfect gentleman around her. She was smitten. Love is blind. He proposed to her and they got married.

                Life was beautiful for the first few months but things changed soon. Ishan’s love for Ria turned into obsession. He did not allow her to keep in touch with the world. Her career came to a stand-still. She was in a house-arrest. She could not venture out without his body-guards. He had become too possessive about her. Soon, he became violent. She was abused for no reason. She was caged by her own love. She was now afraid of his presence. Ria wanted to live her life. She wanted to feel free again. She wanted to fly away. Her bruises were hidden by her sari and she wore a fake smile. But even make-up could not hide the scars she had on her mind. Ria wanted to live a safe life now. She loved him but she did not want him anymore.

                                                            

                Every once a while Ishan would resort to violence to prove his manhood and dominance. Ria was helpless. She could not run away. She could not defend herself. She was too afraid to go to the police. She knew that would make headlines. Every time Ria tried to escape Ishan made sure she learnt her lesson. She had to be treated in the hospital a couple of times for those lessons. She had no family. She thought of him as her life. But now she knew her life was in danger. The only way she had was to walk with him.

                Today was their 1^st Wedding Anniversary. Ishan’s father had got his date to the party. In his arms was a woman less than half his age. Ishan’s mother had passed away few years ago in mysterious circumstances. ‘Like father like son’ she thought. Ria did not want to end up like her mother-in-law. She knew she had to be strong. She knew she had to drift away from Ishan. She knew he loved her in his own evil ways. But his ways were too evil.

                It was a little past mid-night and the party was in full swing. Everyone was getting drunk. Ishan was drunk too. Ria was afraid that Ishan would create a scene again. He was infamous for that. She kept an eye on him. And the doorbell rang. It was the police. Someone from the neighborhood had complained about the noise. Ishan decided to take the matter in his own hands and went ahead to talk to the police. Ria feared he would mess things up with his aggressiveness. She followed.

                In a few minutes time the matter went out of hands. Ishan became aggressive. Abusing the police past mid-night, when drunk, cannot be good and well-received. Ishan became violent. He had gotten into a lot of fights recently. She apologized to the police on his behalf and tried to talk to Ishan.  But Ishan slapped Ria and pushed her. She fell on the ground with a thud. All this was in the middle of the road, in the presence of the police and guests peeping through the window. Her bruises were now exposed. Ria feared that her bedroom drama would now become public. She was made fun of by her own husband and the whole world witnessed. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She was rendered helpless again.

                Ishan lost his balance. He tried to get up. It was drizzling. Just a moment later a branch from the nearby tree fell on Ishan. He was trapped. They tried to rescue him but in vain. The injuries were too grave. Everyone was in a rude state of shock. The party came to a standstill. Ria could not help weeping. Ishan was no more.

                Ria wanted to move away from him but not this way. Ria wanted to see life with a new hope but not like this, not without Ishan. She loved him too much. Nevertheless, Ria had a faint smile on her face, a smile of no more bruises, a smile of no fear.

A walk to remember...

She couldn’t help checking the BBM updates. She waited for his message to arrive. They were going to meet up for the first time after the break-up. The long-distance had taken a toll or maybe the 5-year itch had. They had mutually broken up 2 months ago. She had handled herself pretty well. She wanted to see if he had done the same. Somehow she felt they’d get back together that evening. She hoped for that. It was past 6.30 PM and she had to catch a flight the next day. So she decided to make a call. He said he could not call since he was traveling and his cellphone was running low on battery. They decided to meet at their favorite place in 30 minutes time.

                She realized how badly she wanted to see him. 30 minutes is a meager time for a girl to get ready for a guy whom she still loves. They shouldn’t have parted ways she thought. She should’ve held him tight the way he held her – through thick and thin. She reached the place right on time. He was waiting already. The way he always did. She saw a silhouette of his. She knew it was him. One can recognize his/her love even in the death of the darkness she thought. They walked towards each other. No hugs, no hand-shakes… nothing. It was awkward. “You’re still the same” he said. “Likewise” she said.

                She had to shop for a couple of things so they walked towards the store. They went to a store and she gave the shop-keeper a list of things she wanted him to fetch. The store was too crowded. But all she could see was him. All of a sudden she said, “So, when are we getting back together?” Boy! She hadn’t thought she would ask him that so soon. But he tackled it well. He smirked and said, “Let’s see.”

                As they walked their hands brushed. He immediately apologized as if it was a crime. She had not expected this reaction. As they continued walking on the road, with heavy traffic around, she was constantly looking out for him. Somehow, she felt he was not the same guy she fell in love with years ago. He had changed. He did not care about her anymore. She felt more and more awkward as they walked.

                They visited the temple they always used to. This was the same temple where she had prayed with all her dedication and might because she wanted him badly. He was the only thing she had ever asked for in her life. “Let this relationship be the way you want it to be.” she prayed to God this time. They left. Her friend, who was supposed to pick her up, was caught up elsewhere. So she had to wait. That only meant more time to spend with him. She asked him if it was okay. They decided to see his best friend and eat pani-puri to pass away time.

                They walked on the same roads. They walked together. She was not afraid of people looking at them. She wanted to flaunt him the way she used to. He had been her trophy boyfriend all these years. She wanted to feel that belongingness again. She wanted him to feel that they still had a beautiful future ahead. She wanted him to feel that things could happen if he wanted them to happen.

                They went to a pani-puri center nearby. Every date started or ended with pani-puri for them. It was a custom they’d followed all these years. But unlike before, that day they were not afraid of being spotted together. Everything was over. No unconditional love, no relationship…nothing. They were just 2 people standing together trying not to act like strangers. That was the last time they were going to follow their custom. They had their last pani-puri together.

                They reached his best friend’s place. They spoke about our individual lives, work etc. But she did not pay attention. She was not in a mood to talk. She just wanted to hold hands with him. She wanted to shake him and ask what was wrong. She wanted to tell him that if he was playing a game with her it was a bad idea. But he did not feel the same way anymore. He was strong. He had moved on and the past was just another word for him. In a while her friend came to pick her up. She asked him if she could hug him one last time. He gave her a formal hug and she left. She did not have the guts to look behind and say wave him a final good-bye.

                The walk had said it all. She’d revisited their entire relationship in that one walk- from prayers to pani puri. She realized that she had been too adamant to let him go. But now she had to. He was no more into her. They were never going to be together. She’d always treasure him. The last walk had ended so had the relationship and so had her prayers. The final good-bye was done unknowingly.