we arrived at Vaani's college, Anant sprang out of the car, his eyes fixed intently on the college gate, reminiscent of a doting father waiting for his little daughter. I, on the other hand, was consumed by my own thoughts, my gaze scanning the crowd of students pouring out of the college.
And then, I saw her. Vaani. My breath caught in my throat as my eyes locked onto her face. She was dressed in simple clothes, yet she radiated a beauty that was nothing short of mesmerizing. No makeup, no jewelry, just her natural, unadulterated charm. I was transfixed, my eyes drinking in the sight of her.
But my admiration was short-lived. Suddenly, a boy's hand came to rest on her shoulder, and my vision turned red with anger. Who was this audacious stranger, daring to touch her? My hand clenched into a fist, and I felt my teeth grinding in rage. I was about to lunge at the boy, to teach him a lesson, when a loud, authoritative voice stopped me in my tracks.
"Remove your hand from her shoulder!" Anant thundered, his face dark with anger as he strode towards them.
I took a deep breath, composing myself, and shut my eyes, willing my anger to subside. I fell back, moving behind Anant, letting him take the lead. For now, I would bide my time, but my eyes never left Vaani's face, my protective instincts still on high alert.
how dear he?
Author pov-
The air was electric with tension as Anant's anger simmered just below the surface. Vaani, sensing his fury, had pushed Rudra's hand away and stood up, her head bowed in submission. Anant's eyes blazed with anger as he grasped Rudra's collar, his voice thundering, "How dare you touch her?"
Rudra, however, remained unfazed, his expression emotionless. "First, move your hand, otherwise, I will break it," he replied, his tone devoid of emotion.
Vaani's angelic voice intervened, "Gulab Jamun left him, he saved me from others." Anant's anger dissipated instantly, replaced by a deep-seated protectiveness. He released Rudra and gently grasped Vaani's wrist, preparing to lead her away.
However, Vaani didn't budge, and Anant's gaze fell upon Rudra, who had caught Vaani's other hand. Anant's anger flared anew, and he gritted his teeth, warning Rudra, "Leave her."
Rudra's response was calm and collected. "Why should I let the angel go with you, and why should I trust you?" He pulled Vaani toward him, and Anant's eyes widened in incredulity.
Just then, Dhruv intervened, his voice rough and commanding. "We have to go home, so end this drama and let's go." He strode toward the car, casting a glare at Rudra.
Vaani, however, was not ready to leave. She looked at Anant and then Rudra, explaining, "Gulab Jamun, he's my friend, and Imali, he's like my big brother."
Rudra released Vaani's hand, saying, "Okay, I'm letting you go, but if there's any problem, call me. We'll meet tomorrow."
Anant, still possessive and protective, interjected, "She's with her brother. If she has any problems, then she'll tell me, not you."
Rudra's response was laced with sarcasm. "So, where was her brother when her seniors were bullying her?" Anant's expression turned confused, and he looked at Vaani, who nodded in confirmation.
Vaani explained, "Yes, Gulab Jamun, some of my seniors were bullying me, but Imali saved me from them. And he's not just anyone; he's the Prince of Rajasthan."
Anant's gaze shifted to Rudra, who stood with an impassive expression, his eyebrows raised in amusement. Anant's voice was laced with gratitude and possessiveness. "Thank you for saving her, but no sorry for misbehaving because I'm her brother, and I'm also possessive towards her safety. I'll talk to the principal tomorrow myself."
Rudra chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Are you serious? Do you think the principal will be able to do something?"
Anant's expression turned determined. "Don't worry, I'm with her. Then nobody will be able to do anything with her."
Rudra's response was low and husky. "I'm not worried. I'll be watching from afar."
They drove away, Rudra's parting shot lingered in the air. "And you're not talking like a possessive brother, you're talking like a possessive father." Anant's silence was deafening, but he chose to ignore the jibe.
Once they were all settled in the car, Anant's expression turned stern as he asked Vaani, "What happened in college? Who were the ones bullying you?" His grip on the steering wheel tightened, betraying his anger.
Vaani's response was hesitant, and Dhruv's eyebrows narrowed in confusion. But he quickly masked his emotions, reverting to his usual stoic self. Vaani stuttered, "Wo...i...he..."
Anant's patience snapped, and he shouted at her, "Can't you say it directly?" Vaani's eyes welled up with tears, and she cowered in fear. Dhruv was taken aback by Anant's outburst, wondering why he was so angry.
Anant had always been protective of Vaani, but this was different. This was a deep-seated fury that Dhruv had never seen before.
Vaani's memories came flooding back, and she was transported to a time when people would talk to her nicely, only to yell at her later, leaving her crying and alone. She shifted towards the door, hiding her face, and her body began to tremble.
Anant immediately realized his mistake and felt a pang of guilt. He had never meant to scare her. "Dhruv, take her to the back seat. She won't listen to me right now," he said, his voice laced with regret.
Dhruv shot Anant a death glare, but he knew better than to argue. He got out of the car, opened the door, and ordered Vaani, "Go to the back seat."
But Vaani didn't move. Dhruv took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and gently held her arm, guiding her to the back seat. He sat down beside her, his eyes never leaving her face.
Vaani slowly moved away from the door, her eyes still welling up with tears
They arrived at their apartment, Vaani burst out of the car and sprinted into the house, disappearing into her room and locking the door behind her. She was so distraught that she didn't even notice Isha calling out to her from behind. Isha, taken aback by Vaani's frantic behavior, looked on with concern.
The door opened, Anant and Dhruv entered the house, followed by Isha. "What happened to her?" Isha asked, her voice firm and worried. Anant took a deep breath, knowing that Isha's pregnancy hormones would make her more emotional, especially when it came to Vaani.
Dhruv intervened, trying to downplay the situation. "Nothing, she just panicked after seeing the crowd." He knew that if Isha found out that Anant had shouted at Vaani, it would only lead to more trouble.
Isha's concern was palpable as she asked, "Should I go to her?" Dhruv tried to reassure her, "Not now, you get ready to go home. She'll get better after some time."
With that, Dhruv retreated to his room, followed by Anant, who remained silent. Isha, still worried, wondered what had happened earlier. "What's going on? Today, Anant didn't even wish me," she thought to herself, before heading to her room, her mind filled with unanswered questions.
The household fell silent, the tension lingered, a sense of unease settling over the family. Vaani's distress, Anant's uncharacteristic behavior, and Dhruv's attempts to mediate had created a complex web of emotions, leaving everyone wondering what the future held.
.
.
.
.
.
.
"
Isha stood outside Vaani's room, she spoke softly, "Vaani, keep yourself safe. If you want to eat something, tell Susi, and stay in your room." Vaani nodded, her eyes cast downward, and Isha's heart went out to her.
Vaani's gaze flickered towards Anant, he felt a pang of guilt. Her eyes, red-rimmed from crying, seemed to bore into his soul, accusing him of being the cause of her distress. Anant's eyes dropped, unable to meet Vaani's gaze.
Dhruv's voice broke the silence, "Let's go." He came downstairs, and everyone nodded, moving outside. As they left, Dhruv glanced back at Vaani, his heart restless with concern. He ignored the feeling, trying to focus on the task at hand.
Once everyone had left, Vaani retreated to her room, lying down on her bed, and closing her eyes. A soft whisper escaped her lips, "Barfi, I missed you." The name was a gentle sigh, a longing for comfort and solace.
she lay there, Vaani's thoughts drifted to a place of safety and security, a place where she was loved and cherished. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but she didn't let them fall, lost in the memories of a love that had been cruelly snatched away.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
here in Hyderabad.....
anmol's apartment....
Anmol's eyes snapped open, his gaze unfocused as he struggled to shake off the vivid dream that had jolted him awake. "Yes, Laddu..." he whispered, his voice barely audible.
As he sat up, his eyes wandered to the photo hanging on his room wall. The image of Vaani and her parents smiled back at him, and a pang of longing struck his heart. He felt a lump form in his throat as he asked, "What happened, is everything fine, Laddu? Are you fine?"
Anmol's thoughts were consumed by Vaani, his Laddu. He had been separated from her for so long, and the ache in his heart seemed to grow with each passing day. He whispered a promise to himself, "Six months, Laddu, only six months, then I will bring you with me."
A shiver ran down his spine as he thought about the uncertain future that lay ahead. Vaani would have to go to either Rawat's place or that man's place, a thought that filled Anmol with dread. He couldn't bear the idea of Vaani being with anyone else, of her being hurt or mistreated.
The weight of his emotions crushed him, a long tear flowed down Anmol's cheek. He felt helpless, trapped in a situation that seemed impossible to escape. But he held onto the hope that one day, he would be reunited with Vaani, and they would be free to live their lives together, without fear or constraint.
Write a comment ...