Chapter- 17

Ekansh entered the balcony with two cups of steaming coffee. It had been more than an hour since he brought Ekta back home, but she was not up yet. According to the doctor, the sedative would wear off within an hour, so she would regain consciousness soon, however he couldn’t be at peace till she woke up and he saw with his own eyes that she was truly alright.

He sat beside Eshita, who sat lost in her own daze. After whatever happened in the hospital. He let her be, giving her time to get a grip on her emotions before he talked to her about Ritivk.

He had his own fair share of concerns with the boy, especially after noticing the emotions swriling in his eyes that went beyond friendship. However, for Eshita it was just friendship, and that gave him enough restraint to calm himself down rather than pouncing on the boy. He trusted his sister to let him know if she felt anything deeper about Ritivk. Her talks were always of them being friends, nothing more, nothing less, and he crossed a firm line there.

Eshita was just eighteen. He wanted her to grow up a little, live her life, and then think about the feelings that came with attachments, expectations, and the weight they carried in the long run.

At the same time, one thing he wanted her to do was talk it out with Ritivk, not for the boy’s sake, but for her own self. Since the moment she had snapped at her friend, she had quieted down. It had affected her far more than she was letting on. Again, he pushed aside his protective instincts. He could warn Ritivk to stay within the lines and not to cross the boundaries that defined his place in Eshita’s life, and he will do just that when the time demands it.

“I think you should talk it out with the boy,” He said calmly, yet with quiet insistence.

Eshita sipped the coffee, leaning on his side, resting her head on his shoulder. “I don’t want to.”

Ekansh sighed, “I know you got those stubborn genes from dad only. But can you for once think straight? Whatever he said was right...”

“He doesn’t have that right to say anything he wants,” Eshita interjected, “He is my friend… Whatever I shared with him was for him to understand and stand by me, not to interfere. I didn’t ask him to dissect my words and twist them into something they were not. All he was supposed to do was listen and support me. But he insulted you. Questioned your love for me? How dare....”

“Esha…” Ekansh cut her off firmly, “He is your friend who was supposed to be there for you without crossing boundaries, but did you forget that friendship means honesty too? Agar usne kuch kaha bhi, toh uski wajah hai na, bacche. He cares for you. And we met for the first time. Maybe in his care he crossed a line, but can’t you forgive that one mistake?”

Eshita shook her head in disbelief, “I can’t believe you are asking me to give him a chance, forgive him. Aap kitna badal gaye ho bhaiya. I was thinking you would at least be a little protective of the fact that I am friends with a GUY… School mein toh mere classmates ko bhi dara ke rakha tha. Ab achanak se kya ho gaya? Mujhe freedom de rahe ho ya mujhse chutkara paa rahe ho?”

Ekansh glared at her, “Really? You want to think like that?”

Eshita shrugged casually, keeping aside the mug. She lay down, resting her head on his lap, “Aur nahi toh kya? You are restraining yourself again? Am I right or am I right?”

Ekansh gave up. In a swift move, he reached for her hand and smacked her wrist sharply.

“Ouch!” Eshita winced. She tried to pull her hand back, but Ekansh’s grip tightened. She looked at him, scared, after five years, that familiar sting actually grounded her, opening the closed gates of her freezed brain, pulling her out of her dumb thoughts instantly.

Ekansh raised an eyebrow, “Kya hua, darr lag raha hai? Bakwaas karne time toh itna darr nahi laga tha.” His tone dropped with sarcasm, “So kya khe rahi thi aap? Your highness… chutkara? Freedom? And yes, restraining myself. So am I now?”

Eshita shook her head immediately. Her eyes clenched shut as Ekansh raised his hand.... not feeling the sting, she slowly opened one eye only to find his hand hovering mid-air, his gaze fixed on her filled woth anger.

“Sorry!” She blurted out instantly, “I-I didn’t mean it that way. Aap apne dimaag ka fuse kyun uda rahe ho yaar. Main toh bas aise hi…” She muttered weakly, avoiding his gaze.

Ekansh exhaled sharply. His sister loved getting on his nerves. Gently, he rubbed her wrist and glanced at her. “I am not restraining myself, Eshita. Maine tujhe yeh baat pehle bhi samjhayi thi, aur aaj bhi wahi kahunga. Back then, you were a kid and all I wanted was to protect you from everything… from the smallest insects on this planet to the boys in your class, even the whole school as I felt they might hurt my baby sister.”

“But now things are different.” His tone gentle yet firm, “You are eighteen. I can tell you the difference between right and wrong, but I can’t dictate whom you should talk to or stay away from. It’s your choice. It’s your decision. And will trust that. But if anyone crosses a line or hurts you, I will be the one to beat the hell out of them.”

He held her gaze, “Aur tujhe achhe se pata hai… woh ladka, kya naam hai uska? That... Ritivk. Agar mujhe uss ladke se problem hoti, toh main khud usse wahan se nikal deta. Aur jis lehze mein usne baat ki, usse tab hi chup kara deta. You know me better. I don’t take shit from anyone.”

Eshita flinched slightly. She heard the anger in his tone loud and clear. She knew her bhaiya would never allow someone to talk to him so rudely, it was him who gave that right to Ritivk in that moment, not the other way around. She should be glad that Ritivk was in one piece.

“Whatever happened in the hospital…” Ekansh added, locking his eyes with hers, “I didn’t see disrespect, but a genuine concern a friend has for his other friend. A concern that lost its way in anger and crossed a line it shouldn’t have. Yet that’s acceptable to me. Me and Ritivk… we don’t know each other. He might have made up his own image after seeing you upset and thought I was the villain. I don’t blame him.”

He cupped her face softly, “Neither do I want my child to blame him. A friend like that is rare to find, Eshu. You should not let such people walk out of your life because of one mistake.”

Eshita reached out, resting her hand on his. She heard the pain behind his wisdom hidden beneath the words he spoke so easily, “Aapne ab tak Rajeev bhai se baat nahi ki na?”

Ekansh smiled sadly, “I just told you. Friends… they shouldn’t let each other walk out of their lives over one mistake. But efforts should be made from both sides, baccha. If Ritivk gives his hundred percent apologising and explaining his side of the story, then it makes sense to listen and understand, not just hold on to ego and walk away without giving the bond a chance.”

Eshita tried to say something to soothe his ache but didn’t know what were the right words. Sometimes silence is better than meaningless words. Friendship was a beautiful bond, one built on trust, understanding, and choice... one bond that we choose for ourselves. She hoped one day Rajeev would realize what he was doing and make it up to her brother. Till then, she would stand by both silently, never taking sides, knowing it would hurt her bhaiya the most.

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Ekta’s eyes snapped open with a gasp breath escaping her lips, her vision blurred for a moment before she blinked rapidly, trying to focus on the unfamiliar yet strangely safe surroundings around her. She was in Ekansh’s room!

Slowly, she pushed herself up, the dim lights in the room casting a soft, almost comforting glow, yet doing nothing to settle the storm inside her. Her gaze drifted around, searching instinctively for Ekansh, until it landed on his figure sitting in the balcony, talking to Eshita.

Quietly, she rose to her feet, holding onto the bed for support as the world tilted dangerously beneath her, her grip tightening as she steadied herself with slow, controlled breaths before walking into the washroom.

The last thing she remembered was not being able to breathe… and Eshita calling out her name in panic. The reason... Suraj. All because of her brother, who triggered what she has been trying to forget and bury.

Stripping off her clothes, her trembling fingers turned the shower knob, cold water spraying down her burning skin like a harsh reality she couldn’t escape from. Ekta lifted her head, staring at the burises, marks marring her body. Seven years, and most of them had faded away into faint, ghost-like scars, but a few remained darker, stubborn, unforgiving, each whispering a story of its own.

There was a reason why she wore full-sleeved clothes. There was a reason why she believed in hiding herself, hating strangers, being isolated, because every gaze felt like it could strip her bare, not just of clothes, but of everything she had tried so hard to hide.

Ekta turned around, adjusting the water temperature. One thing that was different in the Sehgal mansion was that the water could be set to any temperature, a luxury she had never cared for, never needed… until moments like this. She turned it to the cold.

The water turned icy, biting against her skin, stealing the warmth from her body inch by inch, grounding her spiraling thoughts back into something real, something physical.

She wanted to feel numb. And the water that poured over her did exactly that, washing away the heat of her panic, dulling the chaos inside her, until all that remained was a hollow.... that dragged her under, into memories she had tried to erase from her life, from her system, for forever.

Five-year-old her opened her eyes, looking around frantically. It was a dark room with one wooden door, broken, yet shut tight. A faint light flickered through the cracks, casting broken shadows across the damp floor.

Her eyes filled with tears as she looked down at herself, tied to a chair, her hands bound behind her back, her feet secured tightly to the chair legs. Her clothes… they weren’t hers. She didn’t know where she was, or why she was here. All her little heart wanted was her mother.

“Maaa…!” She screamed at the top of her lungs, tears trickling down her cheeks uncontrollably.

“Baba…” She chocked on her sobs.

The memory of her father turning away from her flashed before her eyes like a cruel reminder… He won’t come for her… he never would.

“Maa!” She yelled again desperate, her voice breaking with every cry, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. The darkness didn’t terrify her as much as the deafening silence. The five year old her wanted to run to her mother and hide in her warmth like she always did when she got scared.

Her sobs echoed into the room, bouncing off the cold walls, returning to her louder and lonelier.... when a sharp click of the lock cut through the air. The door opened with a loud creak, her petite figure flinching back into the chair.

“Maa…” She murmured, hope flickering in her eyes, only to freeze as a tall figure walked in.

His grey orbs pierced through her soul, his face cold, devoid of any emotion… except for a faint smirk curling at the corner of his lips.

“Hello, little butterfly,” The man drawled softly, stepping closer to her.

Ekta tried to shrink back into the chair as much as she could. He came and towered over her small frame, who was he? Why was he here? Why was he looking at her like that?

“Maa…” She whispered quietly, looking at him with teary eyes, “Uncle… mujhe meri maa ke paas jaana hai.” Her tone laced with a small spark of trust,

She doesn’t need to be scared, just like people in her village helped each other, maybe the tall man before her would help her too. She could trust him, her innocent heart refused to think anything wrong or dangerous, not even about the father or brother who had turned away from her.

Her mother had always taught her that just like the people in her village, the world was also a kinder place, full of good hearts who never let someone suffer alone. There might be some evil, but God always sent help for the good ones. And she was a good girl. She knew… she believed the man before her would help her. She would meet her mother soon and...

Her thoughts trailed off as a low, chilling laugh echoed through the room. The man clapped his hands mockingly, kneeling before her, his gaze dark with amusement, as if he was looking at something far from human.

“Aap naya khilona leke aaye hai… aapne bataya nahi?” He mumbled, cupping her face with a grip far from gentle.

Ekta looked at him, scared, confused, and utterly lost. She didn’t know what he was doing, whom he was talking to, what he was saying or implying. His big hands running down her small figure made her feel uncomfortable, something strange, something wrong, but what… her five-year-old self was too innocent to understand.

“Peeche haath wahan se.” Another dark voice rang through the room, making her flinch back instantly.

She looked up, her eyes lighting up the moment she noticed Tej, the one who had dragged her away from her parents, the landlord of their village. “Sahab…” she called out desperately, hope flooding back in her voice, “Sahab, maa… AHHH....” Her words cut short as a sharp cry tore through her throat, the man before her gripping her hair tightly.

“Jab main yahan hoon tere saamne, toh tujhe kisi aur se baat karne ki ijazat kisne di?” He hissed, pulling her head back painfully.

Ekta screamed, wriggling in the chair, her scalp burning with the force of his grip. Tears overflowed, she looked at him, he was angry, it was clear in his actions, but why... she couldn’t understand what she had done wrong.

“Tujhe tera paise mil gaya. Nikal yahan se ab,” The other man said coldly.

Ekta froze for a moment, her eyes drifting to Tej. She tried to call him as he turned and walked away, but the pain burning her head didn’t let her utter even a word. Why was she here? Where was her mother? Slowly, steadily, fear started to grip her heart.

“Mene Kha peeche haath wahan se,” The man ordered sharply.

Ekta sobbed uncontrollably, her small figure trembling in the chair. The man stepped back, the smile returning to his face, his eyes dancing with a cold cruelty.

“Aap isse samjhao na. Kha ma kha mujhe gussa dila rahi hai,” He said, tilting her head harshly, quite contrast to his polite tone, “Agli baar jab hum saamne ho, toh hum par dhyaan dena. Kisi aur par nahi. Warna mujhe gussa aaya toh isse bhi bura haal hoga tera. Okay Butterfly?”

Ekta blinked through her tears, her vision shaking, what was he saying… what did he mean?

“SAMJHI YA NAHI?” He yelled suddenly right at her face.

Ekta gasped, shocked, nodding her head vigorously, her tears refused to stop. “Maa…”

“CHUP!” Another voice rang out, finally making his presence known. He walked in, standing before her, glaring down at her like she was a trash.

“Mar gayi teri maa, tera baap aur tera pariwar,” He spat coldly, “Aaj se jo hai, hum hai. Yahann ke kuch kanoon hai jo tujhe baaki sab ki tarah maanne honge, aapane honge.”

Ekta flinched back, a startled gasp escaping her lips as he gripped the bars of the chair and leaned forward. His blue orbs locked onto hers, dead, and cold. “Warna tere saath kya hoga, uski zimmedar tu khud hogi.”

Ekta tried to grasp onto their words, their harsh tone and unforgiving lookss, both of them seemed terrifying, far from the kind people she had been taught about. Her five-year-old heart was yet to understand that not everyone in the world was meant to protect her.

They were supposed to be good people… to help her… to take her back to her mother.
But here they were, saying things that went far beyond her understanding.

A painful scream escaped her lips, her face jerking to the side as the second man slapped her hard.

He grabbed her jaw in his large hand, forcing her to look at him, “Jab main kuch poochu, mujhe jawab chahiye... teri khamoshi nahi. SAMJHI?”

Ekta nodded instantly, unable to speak, fear taking over her senses, her scalp still on fire, the hard slap making her head spin as a sharp ringing echoed in her ears.

Her vision blurred; she tried to look at them, but everything swam before her eyes, their faces dissolving into shadows. Soon, darkness crept in, her senses slipping away…

The last thing she heard before everything faded was... “Samay ke saath seekh jayegi. Aap kyun pareshaan hote hai bhai. Na bhi seekhe toh humare paas dusre tareeke hain hi.”

The sharp knock on the door pulled Ekta out of her nightmare, she blinked rapidly... she was in Ekansh’s presence now, she was at home, she was safe, she was alive, no one will touch her again… no one will drag her back into that hell.

Another knock followed immediately, “Ekta, tum theek ho?” Eshita’s voice came from outside.

Ekta turned off the shower, her body freezing cold, shivering uncontrollably. She stared at herself in the mirror, she was fine… she was fine… she repeated it like a mantra.

“Ekta…” Ekansh’s voice came in, worried, knocking on the door with urgency now.

Ekta opened her mouth to reply, but her throat felt dry. She gripped the counter tightly, forcing herself to breathe, to steady her voice, “Aa rahi hu Bhaiya,” she replied loud enough for him to hear, and relax.

She knew, the moment she stepped out of the washroom, she would again notice the questions in Ekansh’s eyes, the same ones he had voiced countless times… and she had never answered. Back then, she herself didn’t know what she was supposed to answer. She was terrified, on the verge of choosing death over living in a world that was ready to run its hands on her.

When she got her first phone a few years back, after Ekansh had started earning, and slowly came in touch with the real world through the internet, reading about the horrors women and young girls go through in society, only then did she truly realize the meaning of what had actually happened with her.

She was abused physically… she had known that long ago. But when she was thrown, not into cages of lions to be their meal, but into rooms of men to satisfy their lust… all kinds of inhuman, degrading acts they did with her.

She realized she was abused sexually too, for years, without even understanding what it meant… what they were taking away from her piece by piece. And it wasn’t just her, there were many other girls her age, a few older than her, facing the same fate as hers.

She still remembered, when she tried to explain to them what she went through, how much she hated it all. Silence was the only answer she received. But the acknowledgement and pity in their eyes were enough to tell the truth… they knew all along, but no one never had the courage to say it out loud. They knew what they all were being subjected to, but none of them had the power, or the choice, to fight back. Because standing up for themselves meant only one thing, dieing.

However, she was the man’s favourite. No matter how many times she protested, broke their rules, created havoc, crying, pleading, begging, she was always punished, dealt with in their own ways… but never killed.

But now… as the disgust spread like poison in her veins, she wished she had been killed. Better dying than living with memories that didn’t let her live, that followed her like shadows, choking her existence with every breath she took.

Ekta stepped out of the washroom only to find Ekansh and Eshita standing there, worry evident on their faces. Before Ekansh could ask anything, she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him, burying her face in his warmth.

There was a time she wanted to die… but he had helped her survive. He had named their bond; he gave her a place, a family, and stood by her when she had nothing and no one. Without him, she would have been running from monsters that never stopped chasing her, even in her sleep. Ekansh Sehgal would never let those monsters reach her again. He was there for her, her shield, her strength, her only reality in a world that once tried to break her completely.

She wanted to tell him everything but fear held her back  Years back, she had run away mindlessly, burning down someone’s palace, someone’s kingdom, breaking the cages, shaking the very foundation of their control, challenging the authority of a man she knew nothing about… except for his cruel scent that she could recognize anytime, any day a presence that still haunted her senses like a curse she couldn’t escape

The man was dangerous, they were nothing but monsters… No, she couldn’t even call them that; they were worse than monsters. She had witnessed their brutality, and bringing those men into Ekansh’s life, putting her brother in danger... she couldn’t bring herself to do that.

And what was she even supposed to tell him? Explain what, when she herself couldn’t come in terms of what had happened with her. She shouldn’t be blaming herself... she wasn’t. She shouldn’t be hating herself... she wasn’t. She shouldn’t be feeling ashamed... she wasn’t.

Because… all she felt was disgust with her own self. She couldn’t describe what it felt like, to flinch at every tiny voice, every sudden movement, every shadow that lingered too close.

Her soul was mutilated even before her heart or mind could comprehend it. If there was one wish God could grant, she would ask them to rinse her of every memory etched into her being, because each night when she went to sleep, the hands that destroyed her… she felt them all over again, crawling over her skin, suffocating her breath. She wanted to run off those invisible scars that clung to her like a curse. But can she really ever escape it? That was the question.

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