The Inmate
Chapter 3
Taddaaaaaaa………I am back with a bang!!!!
Exams over. Finally. Yay!.
Missed me??? ?
Oops, how would you when I am forever present here??
Please ignore my typos and grammatical errors. No proof reading as I never proof read anything. Sorry!
Silent readers please give your reviews.
Happy reading
……………
Radhika smiled and giggled, she even widened her eyes when neil ordered both his and her food without asking her, playfully punching him. But it was all a show. Just for neil. Physically, she was with neil. But mentally, her thoughts lay with Arjun. Thinking about him and about them.
………………………………..
It was a college trip to Goa. Well, yeah officially, a college trip. People were out there just to have fun. smoking, drinking, drugs…nothing was off limits.
Arjun too was out with the rest. He didn’t drink, not because he was scared or afraid, it wasn’t as if he was a alcohol virgin. But just because, he knew alcohol could make him do things, he normally wouldn’t. He hated things going beyond his control.
It was incredibly surprising, he woke up with a bright smile, each morning since the day he met Radhika. It was different. He wasn’t a morning person. Absolutely wasn’t. It was as if the phrase jittery mornings was especially made for him.
And there he was, awake past midnight. Wandering between drunk people, with girls throwing themselves at him. Yet his eyes looking only for his beloved. His mine. His lady, Radhika. He was growing more restless with each passing second. His mind was clouding with all types of thoughts. He was her mentor, but they hadn’t been able to establish a strong bond of friendship yet. He knew she had a golden heart and was caring, but he didn’t know whether she drank or not. They shared a polite cordial relationship, with mostly Arjun staring at her while she stared at her books. The entire college could see love in the Arjun’s eyes. Expect her, apparently. Stupid girl.
Arjun was getting worried and worried. What if she sitting in some corner all wasted? What if some guy tries to force himself on her?
Finally, his eyes rested on radhika’s room mate. He moved forward, inching his way through the super drunk wildly dancing crowds.
He shook her. She turned around looking at him.
“where is Radhika?” he literally had to speak thrice, his voice was drowning in the loud music.
Shaina, her roommate smiled, “in her room.”
Arjun thanked her and walked towards her room. What the hell was she doing in her room when he entire college was out partying?. His heart shuddered at the next thought that coming to mind, what if she is with some guy?
Arjun clenched his fists tight. Shuttering his brain. Well, enough if she is. He has to face it someday. And that day was as good as any, so why not.
He moved towards her room and knocked loud and crisply. A second later, Radhika, clad in black pyjama shorts and comfortable white top opened the door.
She was surprised, looking at her dashing mentor, in a black tshirt and jeans. The tshirt was fitting his muscles, his abs so perfectly. She couldn’t help but stare. She stopped herself, the instant she realised that she was gaping, at her own mentor!
She shifted her gaze from his chest to up his eyes. She locked her warm big brown orbs with his twinkling black ones. She was totally flushed. She tried her level best to hide her embarrassment , when she found his lips curled up in a smirk. Jerk.
Arjun was smiling. He was comfortable. He would get terribly pissed off and angry, when the other girls checked him out or stood staring at him with their jaws hanging on the ground. But with his lady love, it was different. She was allowed to stare at him as long as she wanted.
After knowing that she didn’t drink neither liked to go partying. He loved Radhika even more, if that was at all possible. She was sensible, she was truly worthy of being his girl…….she wasn’t like other brainless bimbos, who were almost always drunk and only had one topic talk about, boys. Her idea of fun was different, more sober and elegant, most importantly,more Arjun-like.
Radhika cleared her throat, “umm, ohh Arjun! What brings you here? Why aren’t you out partying?”
Arjun smiled, “the same could be asked for you. But I already know the answer.”
Radhika smiled seeing his over confidence, “maybe you don’t.”
Arjun played her game with equal confidence, he winked at her, “ohh…don’t be so sure. Ummm, let me guess, you are in your room in your pyjamas, curled up on your bed, entire covered with the warm bedspread with a good book in hand. And yeah, hot chocolate in the other.”
Seeing at radhika’s expression, he knew he was perfectly correct. Bull’s eye.
He gently pushed her mouth jaw with his palm, “see? I even got the name of the drink correct.”
He took a step forward towards her. Radhika fluttered at his proximity, and was about to take a set back when she felt his arm gripping her waist. He pulled her even closer. Her front was firmly attached to his. She looked up at his eyes, with fear written all over hers. Arjun spoke gently, “don’t be afraid, I wont ever hurt you, Radhika.” Saying so he pushed his palm over her eyes, shutting them close. Her body trembled in his arms, not knowing what to expect. Arjun smiled at her nervousness.
A second later, Radhika felt a warm finger running above her lips. Foam! Hot chocolate foam. God, how could i be so careless. It was the foam by which he had guessed he was drinking hot choc. How clumsy could I be?
She opened her eyes and saw Arjun smiling. Smiling hard like one of those times when you create a memory, only never to get over it.
He left her waist and moved back, “you are cute.” Was all he said.
……………………………
Radhika felt memories rush through her veins. God! Why do memories have to be like chocolates. Why cant you just have one and move on….no you can’t. Once, you started with it. You just can’t finish. It even pointless, trying to. It’s not the person you miss, it’s the memories you created with them.
She felt a thin film of water cover her eyes. She quickly excused herself for going to the ladies room. She sighed, close call. She didn’t want neil to know. He’ll worry himself over nothing. She had planned to supply him a neutral version of the story. She sighed with relief thinking that she had gotten away with her lame excuse of something has fallen in her eye.
Neil was a keen observer. He hadn’t failed to notice, that Radhika wasn’t herself since the time she saw inmate mehra. She was smiling, laughing but it just didn’t reach her eyes. And it was never the case with her. He didn’t fail to notice the puffiness of her eyes, her vision was fixed at something distant. He wanted to know what is was and before it was too late. Radhika was his and only his, he resolved.
Inmate mehra’s face was grim. He gritted his teeth. His was unconsciously scratching radhika’s name on the floor of his cell. He suddenly clutched his hair. His eyes were completely red. Why?! How could she?
He buried his face in his palms, trying to hide his constantly flowing tears away from the eyes of the guards. He was trying his level best to contain them within his eyes and his heart. But it was of no use. Seeing her, had renewed old wounds. Refreshed all old memories. It wasn’t easy to get over her. Arjun had given up trying to. He knew he would never be able to. He just let it be…..hoping all her memories would gather dust in the desert of his heart. But she came…..she came back like a cold breeze and blew all the dust away.
Arjun banged his fist hard on the wall as he remembered the last he saw of his Radhika.
…………………………
It was a beautiful evening and the sun was about to set, giving the sky a tinge of orange, amidst the mass of blue.
Arjun was walking rapidly to the front college garden, with a rose in his hand. He was going to confess his feelings to his love that day. He was excited and nervous at the same time. He never had seriously explored the possibility of what his life would turn into, if she rejected him…
Arjun knew, he would get time to talk to her all alone. Not a lot of people came to the front garden that late after college. But Radhika, she was as always different in each and every issue. She came each evening without, she felt a contentment and peace, being all alone surrounded with flowers.
Arjun came and saw her sitting on the ground. His face lit up automatically, all his nervousness vanished. His heart became happy.
But the instant, it felt as if a stone heavy was dropped his heart. A man came from behind and picked her up, Arjun could tell that his touch was familiar as she didn’t jerk up. Rather, threw her head back in the air, and laughed while he twirled around. Her hands were around his neck.
Arjun pulled his eyes off . He couldn’t watch any longer. It hurt. It hurt bad. He looked down on the rose, he had brought for her. The flower glistened as his lone tear adorned it.
…………………………….
Arjun’s body was lifelessly breathing. He was living dead man.
Arjun stomped his foot hard. Why Radhika? Why?! If you loved somebody else, why did you keep roaming around with me? I was your back up, wasn’t i? And such a fool I was to fall for you.
It never occurred to Arjun, to talk to her once. It could easily have been her brother or some friend. He went away the next and soon landed In jail.
Radhika came back, just as the food was coming. Her face lit up a little seeing all the variety neil had order. This along with the crafty use of liner and kohl, her eyes looked normal.
She hurriedly sat down and looked at neil expectantly.
Neil smiled understanding her gaze, “no, you don’t have to wait for me to get my food.”
Radhika flashed him a bright smile as she dung into her food. Her face fixed in a permanent smile as all the different flavours mixed in her mouth.
Neil looked at her and smiled. Why can’t you stay happy like this always? With me…..
A second later neil got his order and he too concentrated on his food.
As they were waiting for desert.
Neil directly came to the point, “I was promised the story about you and Mehra.”
Radhika fake smiled, “you just can’t let it go…right?”
Neil nodded like a obedient child.
Radhika sighed, “okay….in a crux, he and I went to the same med school. He was couple of years senior to me and was my mentor. I respected him a lot. And I jist got a bit a of shock seeing him as inmate mehra. Back then, he was so calm and composed, I could never have imagined that he was capable of grievously injuring somebody. That’s it.”
Neil spoke in mock anger, “and for this, you made me pay for all this food.”
Radhika passed him a sheepish grin.
She attacked her desert and even started eating from his. He smiled.
Radhika, I know you aren’t telling me the whole story, the whole truth. Why?
Radhika, if you think you can hid it from me….then I am so sorry, sweetie. You’re mistaken. I am going to find out. And will make you mine. Forever and always.
……………..
So, guys how was it????
Please let me know…and I would like a special review on the flashbacks as it is the first time I am doing this. Legally yours coming up soon…..
You know, no matter how much you grow up or how your exam went. The feeling you have while handing over the last exam sheet to the examiner is incredible…don’t you think?
Now, that exams over…I have lots and lots of free time…..really having trouble keeping myself busy….. don’t know what to do…..i’ll probably start with legally yours now.
Hasta la vista people!!!!!