Authors Note : This is the answer to that basher. I know you want me to quit but you know what, I read that message ten times. It was hurtful, I cried too thinking what might have gone wrong. But I realised its not me, but its you. And it also gave me the idea to this OS. Thank you so much dear! I love you though I know you hate me to the core. Can’t help it ???
~GIRL ALMIGHTY ~
Blood trickled down her face as she sat at the edge of the bed. Scared and hyperventilating, she touched her forehead, feeling the hot liquid with her fingers.
The pain had become much lesser now. With every blow the intensity of the pain decreased. In a way her body had gotten used to the pain.
The next blow landed on her cheek, making her fall down from the bed. The back of her head hitting the marble floor. A sharp pain ran across her body. It was as if all the pain from her head went to her entire body.
But she was still conscious. She could still feel everything happening around her. She could feel the rumbling in her lower abdomen. She could feel something move inside her and it gave her an immense relief.
She tried to get up, but something held her back to the ground. But she struggled and struggled. Unfortunately she wasn’t strong enough, she fell down again.
I am strong. . . She thought and tried to stand up again. This time ready to use all the might in her.
As she got up and he held her again, ready to push her to the ground. If she didn’t get up this time, she knew what would happen. She would be tied up and kept in the room for another week. Everytime she tried to run away, this is what happened. He tied her up and kept her in the bedroom. Food and water came only once a day. And she couldn’t afford it now, not in this state.
As she thought about all this, she felt nauseous and then suddenly an adrenaline rush as she saw the face of her culprit.
With all her might she kicked him in his balls, he fell down on the floor, squirming in pain. She quickly picked up the bottle of talcum powder lying on the table, and poured it on his face. His eyes burned and he shut them. As he sneezed and coughed, somehow he still managed to shout, hurl swear words at her.
She quickly ran towards the living room, took her phone from the table, a shawl lying on the sofa and made her way out of the house.
She was free.
She ran and ran. Out from the building premises. Away from the street where his house was. She kept running. She had to run faster, before he could find her. But she couldn’t afford to run any faster, not in this state.
She slowed down as she reached the market area. There was a crowd here. He couldn’t possibly harm her in a public place now, even if he did manage to find her.
She looked around. It had been weeks since she had left the house. It had been a while since she had seen people. The only face she saw everyday was his face. His bl**dy face with that greedy smile on it. She shivered at the mere thought of it.
She looked around. Finally she saw a park full of people. There were a few empty benches there.
She walked towards the park. Her legs wobbled, her stomach growled, the bruises on her body burned.
She pulled the shawl over head further down. She didn’t want people to get terrified looking at her face. Or to recognise her.
She sat on the bench. Breathing some fresh air felt good. But the same air caused her to close her eyes with pain as the open wounds on her face burned more. Her head ached.
She sat there in silence for sometime. The fear of being found by him was constantly in her mind. What if he came here? What if he took her away? What if he tortured her more?
No. She told herself. She was going to fight him now. Enough was enough.
But what would she do now? She didn’t have money to go anywhere. And whom could she call now? She had herself broken all the ties with her friends and family to be with him.
She looked at her phone. It had been almost a month since she had taken her phone in her hand.
She tried to unlock it. Fortunately the filthy rat had not changed the password. The home screen opened revealing her smiling face, that she had kept as the wallpaper. She remembered those times. The happy times. Times when they had been in love. When everything was good between her and him.
She quickly pushed away those thoughts. She saw that there were almost 30 missed calls, over 3000 messages on WhatsApp and over 100 text messages.
But she didn’t have time for anything now. She had to find one trustworthy person at the moment. Someone she was sure would help her.
A name crossed her mind. But she dismissed it. Why would he help her now? She had never listened to him. He had always been right about her boyfriend. But she chose the rascal inspite the warnings her best-friend had given her.
But she had to reach the police station. She had to fight. Although she had her own house, the keys were in her boyfriend’s house. Even her car keys were there. Where would she go now? Also, how would she reach the police station without any money?
She felt helpless. And Swara Gadodia had never been helpless. In fact she had always been the fierce independent woman. People envied her for her bold and carefree nature. At 23 she had her own start-up. She was the CEO of a fashion firm. And then she had shocked people again. In a society where pre-marital s*x was a taboo she had been in a live-in relationship with her high-profile fashion designer boyfriend, Ishaan Singhania.
But little did people know, what went on in her personal life. Nobody knew the things she faced to be with Ishaan. And also the things she was facing after being with him.
Swara sighed as she sat there, not knowing what to do. She just wanted to go home and hug her Mom, cry in her Dad’s arms and fall asleep in her Grandma’s lap. But she knew she couldn’t do it.
Finally, she decided to call the one person. The person whose name had crossed her mind at first. Her best friend. She knew somewhere in her heart, that he cared.
She opened her contacts and found the name. Sanskar. Her fingers hesitated at first but she dialled his number.
He picked up her call in a single ring.
“Shona?” He said calling her by the special pet name he had given her.
“Sanskar… Sanskar…”
“Shona, are you alright?”
“Can you pick me up from the Miller Park?”
“Shona? Did Ishaan do something to you?”
“Yes, Sanskar.”
“I am coming Shona. I’ll reach in fifteen minutes.”
“Okay…and Sanskar…thank you.”
“Swara, I am coming. Don’t worry, okay”
She sat there in silence as he disconnected the call.
She knew she could trust him. She knew Sanskar would come. He always came. Even when she called him in the middle of the night he used to come.
In about ten minutes he was there.
Swara had tears in her eyes as she saw him. She hugged him as tightly as she could. He hugged her back. His hands moving over her shawl covered head.
She finally left him. Sanskar looked at her as her black shawl fell, exposing her face. Her face looked paler. She had multiple cuts and bruises on her face. A thick streak of dried blood extended from her forehead to her chin, her lower lip was swollen, blood was accumulated at the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were swollen and a huge black bruise covered her left cheek. She looked liked she had been sleep-deprived due to her hollow eyes. Her thin frame showed that she had been starved. There were multiple marks on her wrists probably due to ropes or a tight grip. She looked frail in the loose cotton kurta and the stained white salwar. Sanskar couldn’t bear to look at her. Was she the same girl who jumped on sofa happily while playing play-station with him?
“Shona? That Ishaan, did he do this to you?” He said as anger rose inside him.
She just nodded as tears streamed down her cheeks hurting all the wounds. She winced.
“That f**king moron!”
“Sanskar…Sanskar…calm down…” She said rubbing his biceps in order to calm him.
“Calm down? How can I? Look at you, Shona! What has become of you! What has he done! I will kill him with my hands! Let’s go to him, now!”
“No Sanskar. No. I don’t want you to get into anything. You know how Ishaan is. I don’t want you to spoil your image or name because me. Just…just take me to the police station, will you?”
“Spoil my image? Not get into anything for you? Are you kidding me?” he said looking at her.
“I can handle it, okay? Just take me to the police station, Sanskar.”
She had always been this stubborn. And who else other than Sanskar knew. He also knew that there was no point in arguing with her at this point. She wouldn’t let him do anything. The most important thing now was to take her to the hospital and file a police complaint against that bastard.
“I know, how much you have handled here, Shona.” He said sarcastically as she looked ashamed.
“But just because I know how stubborn you can get, and how fiercely you guard your independence, I will take you to the police station instead of killing that bastard.” He added.
“Thank you.” She murmured.
“But first I will take you to the hospital.”
“Okay.”
She knew he was right. She needed to go to the hospital. If not for herself, for someone else at least.
As they started walking, she tumbled. Sanskar quickly held her. Her strength had somehow vanished. She wondered how did she even run and reach the park. But then she thought, maybe even her body understood that Sanskar was here and it was okay to give up now. He was here to take care.
Sanskar quickly put his arm around her waist, held her hand with the other hand and took her to his car.
On the way to the hospital, she sobbed. Her tears refused to stop. Sanskar held her hand. And that made her cry more. She wished she hadn’t called him. She didn’t want him to get stuck in her mess.
Fortunately Sanskar took her into the hospital through the back gate. It was safer. Nobody would create a fuss about the actor Sanskar Kapoor accompanying a girl to the hospital. Also, she knew the media would recognise her in that state too. And that would create future complications in Sanskar’s life. Also, he was in top of his career. She didn’t want to create another controversy in his life.
She decided she would ask him to stay away from her once they finished the police station work. She would go stay in her house. The police would help her to get her the keys.
The doctors immediately started treating her. Sanskar said he would wait outside the room. She nodded.
After fifteen minutes or so, the doctor came out to speak to Sanskar.
“We have informed the police already. They are on the way. You don’t have to take her to the police station. Also, she’s in such a state that I don’t think you can take her anywhere.”
“But doctor, nothing serious right?” He asked as he glanced at Swara over the doctor’s shoulder.
“Mr. Sanskar, she is severely dehydrated and malnourished. And there are many injuries all over her body. Also, we don’t think there is any bleeding in her head, which is a good thing. But we’ll still do an M.R.I scan. And honestly we are shocked that her baby is still alive. It really is miraculous. Otherwise women usually miscarry. She is a fighter. And you are very lucky, I must say.”
She was pregnant? With Ishaan’s child! And still he had done this to her! Sanskar’s anger knew no boundaries.
“Can I meet her?”
“Yes, sure. But after the scan.”
Sanskar waited as they took Swara for the scan. He was worried for her. For her future. He had known Swara since a long time and he had never expected her life to turn out like this. Yes, she took a wrong decision by going to Ishaan. He had tried his best to make her understand, but his best friend was very sure of her choice. He nodded his head with disappointment as he thought this.
And that Ishaan! What did he think of himself! Sanskar hated him more than anything now. If he could, he would break that man’s head, at the very instant. But presently, his Swara needed him.
Swara was brought back to her room. And the nurse told Sanskar that he could go in.
Sanskar pushed the door and entered inside. The sight in front of him was painful. Swara looked so fragile. The pink hospital gown made her look thinner. Bandages and gauze covered her face. The IV line was connected to her tiny arm. Three bottles hung above her. There were many wires going from her body to the monitor.The beeping monitor made his heart sink. He never thought he would see her in such a state.
She gave him a faint smile as he sat beside her.
“Hey…” He said as he gently moved his hand over her face, in the small area where there was no bandage.
“Hii…” She said leaning towards his touch.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me? Huh?” He said looking into her eyes.
“What would I tell you? How could I even call you after all that?”
Sanskar had tears in his eyes. Last time they had spoken was when Ishaan had insulted him. The day Swara had cut all ties with her family and friends. And that’s why she hadn’t called him. She had gone through everything alone.
“Swara, you know our relationship is not that hollow, right?”
“I know Sanskar. But I didn’t want Ishaan to insult you again. Even last time, he had insulted you and got into a fight. And the media had portrayed it as your fault. It’s not good for your image. The attention should be on your career.”
“Swara…” Sanskar didn’t know what to say. He was speechless. He felt weak. He felt guilty. He felt angry. He could have called her later. He could have tried to sort out things. He could have visited her. They had been best-friends, didn’t they?
“Sanskar, don’t blame yourself. It was all my fault. Had I confronted him the first time he slapped me, this day wouldn’t have come. And honestly, it was my fault. I was so blind in love that I didn’t listen to you, mom-dad or anyone. And it was me who had broken all relations with you’ll, remember?”
“But Swara, you could have called me, once at least…”
“And say what? The guy I chose over all of you is misbehaving with me? I was ashamed, Sanskar. And I stayed with him just to prove that my decision was correct.”
“He’s a bastard!”
“I wish I had left him the day he first slapped me…”
“But, you did leave him now.”
“Yeah…”
And she told him about how she had run away from Ishaan. She told him how he had tortured her when she asked him about the affair he had with a model. Sanskar was terrified by just listening to it. How did his Swara bear all the pain?
“Does he know about the baby?” Sanskar asked.
“Yes…” She said sadly.
“Still he–”
“I thought everything will change once I told him about the pregnancy. But obviously as always, I was wrong. The torture increased. He even threatened to kill the baby, Sanskar!”
The monitor started beeping very loudly as she said that. Many lights started flashing and a loud noise came from the monitor.
The doctor came rushing in as Sanskar frantically shouted for help.
Sanskar was pushed backwards as the doctors rushed towards Swara with a crash cart.
Her pink hospital gown was quickly opened and she was given CPR and then shock. As the doctor shouted a loud ‘Clear’, Sanskar’s heart raced. He loved his best friend a lot, he couldn’t afford to lose her.
He winced as he saw her thin body covered with multiple scars rise up and fall down with a thump. A small swell below the abdomen was prominent on her thin body.
Sanskar turned away from the site. He couldn’t see her like that. What had become of his Swara…
Fortunately the doctors saved Swara. Even the baby was saved.
Swara was kept under surveillance. Sanskar was devastated as he sat outside her room. The police had come. They spoke to Sanskar. He told them everything that he could. They waited with him until she gained consciousness again.
Sanskar was impatient to meet her. But the police went in first. He had to wait.
As he waited, he decided one thing. No matter what he would make sure Ishaan suffered. He would never forgive him for what he did with Swara.
As the police came out, he entered.
“You scared the shit out of me, Swara!”
She tried to smile but then tears started steaming down her face as Sanskar kissed her forehead.
Re-living all the moments as she told the police everything had made her weak. She felt drained emotionally.
Sanskar sat down next to her. He moved his hand over her head till she calmed down.
“Did the police record your statement? You told them everything, right?” Sanskar asked her.
“Yes. Everything. They said it was a non-bail able offence. And they are immediately going to arrest him.”
“Yeah. I know. I spoke to my lawyer.”
“Thank you, Sanskar. Thank you. For everything.” She said with eyes full of tears.
“Shona, you don’t have to thank me, you know right.”
“Still. Sanskar.”
“Go to sleep now.”
“Don’t go away. Stay here. Please.”
“I am here. And I am not leaving you alone.”
She held his hand and slept peacefully. Sanskar sat there staring at her as she fell asleep, thinking about his best-friend’s uncertain future.
Swara recovered slowly. She had asked Sanskar to not call her family. She didn’t want them to come because they felt sorry for her. She would go and apologise to them once out of the hospital.
Sanskar wanted to beat the shit out of Ishaan. But he listened to Swara. She said that he was in jail and was getting his punishment. Sanskar need not dirty his hands by touching him.
Finally it was time for discharge.
“Swara, you’ll stay with me!”
“No, Sanskar. I will stay at my house. I don’t want to create any controversies for you. I don’t want the media writing stuff.”
“f**k the media. I don’t care what they write. You are coming with me.”
“Sanskar. I will handle stuff on my own. Also, I’ll start going to office from tomorrow and I’ll be fine.”
“Are you insane? Look at yourself. You are so weak. If not for yourself, for the baby?”
As soon he spoke about the baby, she melted. She could do anything for the baby.
The baby was the sole purpose of her life. The day she had run away, all she thought was the baby. She had to live to keep it alive. She had to fight against Ishaan for the baby.
She agreed to stay with Sanskar till she recovered. Although Swara tried to make Sanskar understand that it was not good for his image to be associated with her, he always told her that his public image was nothing in front of his best friend. And till his professional life was sound, his personal life did not really matter. Well, ultimately what Swara didn’t want was happening. He was indeed getting involved in her mess, slowly.
Sanskar told her to speak to her parents. But Swara thought they wouldn’t accept her back. But Sanskar was sure they loved her and they would hate to see their daughter in pain.
She did speak to her parents finally. They were relived and happy that their daughter was safe. They were disappointed that she was pregnant with Ishaan’s child. But their happiness lay in what their daughter wanted.
Although everything was fine between Swara and her parents, she insisted on staying on her own.
Swara shifted back to her own house. She started going to office again.
Sanskar was happy to see the change in her. The happy, energetic and independent Swara Gadodia was back.
Sanskar would see her face fall whenever people taunted her about being pregnant before marriage or about being in an abusive relationship, but she always came up with a smart reply.
She always maintained that it was her mistake. She took the wrong decision. She took full credit for her life. She never blamed anyone, although Ishaan had been the wrong one. She always said that it was his nature to be a bad human, but since she chose him despite knowing this fact, it was her fault and she didn’t believe in blaming God or fate or whatever.
But she was happy. Happy in her own new little world.
And she was strong. She fought against Ishaan. All the numerous visits to the court paid off. He got jail for 30 years.
Sanskar had been on her side. He was her emotional support.
Swara’s business was again on top. She was managing everything very well. The pregnancy, office and home.
One evening, Sanskar was visiting her place. They sat in the balcony. Swara was glowing. She looked pretty in a canary yellow long flowy dress. She had gained weight now and the scars were slowly disappearing. Sanskar had his hand over her baby bump.
“Did the baby kick?” He asked excitedly.
“No, Sanskar. Have patience. You’ll feel it.” She said as she giggled at his impatient excitement.
And then he felt a light thump on his palm.
“Kicked! Kicked!” Sanskar said excitedly.
“See, I told you. You can feel it!”
“It was such a cool thing! I am going to feel it once more.”
“You’ll have to sit with your hand on my tummy for 10 more minutes!”
“I have all the time in the world, ma’am!”
“But your coffee does not. Drink it before it cools down.”
“Okay ma’am.”
Sanskar drank his coffee as he fed Swara some watermelon from her plate. They sat silently, admiring the gleaming rays of the sun as it made it’s way towards the horizon.
That’s when Sanskar spoke. He wanted to ask her something since a while but never mustered the courage to. But today he felt, was the right time.
“Swara, you know, I was thinking…you know, we both should get married…”
“Finally! You said it! I was expecting you to say this since a long time.” She said with a small laugh.
Sanskar was shocked. What! She was expecting this!
“So, you also wanted to get married?” He asked her with caution.
“Obviously not. But I knew this was coming.”
“I cannot understand you, Shona.”
“See, Sanskar. What I mean is that, you don’t have to do this. I knew you would ask me to get married. Because you know, who’ll marry a girl who’s pregnant with a man’s child whom she didn’t marry and also sent him to jail ? No one, right? And to save me from all the bullshit people will say about me and my baby, you want to do this. But honestly, Sanskar. I know you are my best friend and you want to help me. But I don’t really want you to do this.”
Sanskar sighed as she said that. Well, he too was expecting her to say this.
“Swara, I am not doing this as a favor to you or to save you from the so called society’s disgraceful comments. I know you are capable of facing all of that. You don’t need a savior. You are you are your own hero. You are strong enough for yourself and your baby. You an independent single woman who is self-reliant. I know everything. And I highly respect you for it.”
“Then why? Why the proposal? You have your own life Sanskar. Go find hot single girls, go on dates, have fun. Don’t get tangled in my messy life.”
“Because, I like you. See, I am serious. I really want to do this. Marry you. ”
Swara looked at him with wide eyes. She didn’t know if he was saying this to convince her or was it the truth. Also she did not know if she was ready to get into a relationship with her best friend.
“I don’t know…Sanskar. We are best friends, right?
“Yes, we are. And we will always be.”
Had he really thought over it? Or was it just his friendship speaking? Swara thought.
“See. You like me. And later? What if we don’t love each other? Then? Do you think you can call someone else’s child as your own? And what about when you would want to have your own kids? And if I refuse?”
That got Sanskar thinking. He had thought about all this. But was he ready for all this? He didn’t know. But something about her and the baby made him feel responsible. It made him feel stuff for Swara he hadn’t felt before. He saw her more than a friend. But love? No, he wasn’t sure yet.
“Umm…Swara…I don’t know. The only thing I am sure about is that I like you more than just a best friend. Okay, I don’t think its love. But yeah. This is what I feel. Maybe we could fall in love.”
“Honestly, Sanskar. I don’t know if I am ready for all this. I really am sorry. I know you care. But….”
Swara was confused. She didn’t really know how to react. She knew one thing in life. She did not need a man to make her feel better. She had had enough of a man’s love. But with Sanskar it was different. He was her best friend. And she certainly needed him. But as a lover? She did not know.
As if reading her thoughts Sanskar said, “Swara, listen. No pressure. It’s just a thing I wanted to ask you. Finally, it’s your call.”
Swara looked at him uncomfortably. “Sanskar. I am really not sure yet. Everything is just happening too quickly. Can we just remain friends as of now?”
Sanskar’s face fell, but he quickly covered it up with a smile. He kept his hand on hers and murmured a soft okay.
That’s when Swara quickly said, “Sanskar, give me time. I mean. Maybe let me figure out the mess in my life first. And then I’ll give you the chance to fall in the mess. So, at least you’ll know what you are up for!”
Sanskar smiled at her smart reply as she winked at him. Trust Swara to be funny at such times. But he was happy that she was thinking over his proposal, although he knew her chances of saying yes were very less.
“So, Sanskar Kapoor has a crush on his pregnant and stubborn best friend, doesn’t he?” Swara said breaking the silence and cracking up Sanskar with laughter.
“You can say so.” He said raising his eyebrows as he hugged her.
He sometimes wondered how could she be so happy, full of energy and joke so much in spite of everything she had gone through and she was going through. He broke down emotionally everytime his film didn’t work im the box office. He had seen women go crazy planning about the baby and over their pregnancies. But here she was, cool as a cucumber politely rejecting his proposal and ready to face the world of uncertainties and obstacles all alone.
Swara knew exactly what Sanskar felt. She knew he was attracted to her. And it was natural. He had seen her go through the worst phase of her life. And his love for her was the extension of their friendship of so many years. But she knew one thing. She didn’t want Sanskar to get stuck in her mess.
After all he was her best friend and she wanted him to have a happy and great life ahead without complications. But as she had promised Sanskar, she would definitely think about his proposal.
Also, she knew she was capable of getting a baby into this world and giving him/her a secure future alone. As Sanskar had rightly said. She did not need a savior. She was her own hero.
After all its always. . .
Girl Almighty . . .
***The End***
A/N
Domestic Violence. Many women face it. And they always wait for things to get better. But things can never get better. Once a man hits a woman, it’s a sign. No relationship is worth maintaining if it’s an abusive one. Many women suffer silently, scared of what people will say, scared of going back to their house if they have left everything to be with a man, they bear it for the sake of their children or they are financially dependent on their partners. But once a woman makes up her mind to fight against the injustice, help and support can come from anywhere. If you are right, then you’ll get justice. The only thing important is to stand up against it.
Another thing is Independent Single Girl. Girls can live alone. They can earn, cook, enjoy and live without being dependent on a gut. In today’s world a girl can do everything a man can. A girl does not always need a man, does she? Sometimes it is just okay to be alone. It’s okay if a girl likes to stay unmarried. It’s her life. And the society has no right to judge her for her decisions.
So I hope you liked this one. So far, my longest OS. Tried hard, but I wanna know the results. So comment your views!
**And I will continue Childhood Sweethearts next. Okay, the author’s note is long too. LOL. ?????? So stopping my rants.
Love you all! ???
Cheers!
Anu x x