Chapter 12
"Thanks Neha…" He said wholeheartedly. It wasn't something usual for him to be trusted with a responsibility, and the thought that he wasn't doing well was almost killing him.
Vicky, quite frankly, hated it all.
Swayam's blood was on his tee. Sharon's tears had left him shaking.
Was it necessary for him to see this? What made Rey think he wouldn't shit his pants at this sight?
If Neha wasn't there holding his hand the whole time, and then hugging and comforting Sharon when she refused any male in the vicinity to even touch her, Vicky was sure he would have passed out point blank.
God, he wanted to puke. His head was woozy. Maybe he should have gone easy on the hotdogs for breakfast.
Sharon was sleeping now. Neha had patted her head till she gave in to the sleeping medication.
After they got to the hospital somehow, and they put Swayam in the OR, Sharon had almost gone crazy when the male doctors approached her.
And those bloody creatures with what Vicky could only understand as God-Complex, went all analytical on Sharon, saying calmly that this was a normal reaction to patients like her.
Huhh… Patients.
Please. It was Sharon. Screeching at the top of her voice. Into a panic attack.
And that. That was by no bounds normal.
Vicky found Neha slouching a little next to him. Well, of course she was sleepy. She had been here the whole time, performing duties she wasn't even supposed to.
Which made him shift his head back into his palms. Something he did when he was thinking.
Why wasn't Kria here?
Why wasn't Rey here?
Kria woke up with swollen red eyes. And a headache to greet.
So, she had chickened out last night. On something that was her responsibility in every sense of the word.
She hadn't gone to the hospital. Her legs had given out.
It wasn't that she didn't want to go. Quite the opposite, she was supposed to be there.
Hell, she didn't even know how he was doing right now.
But no, she didn't have the energy left to face anyone right now. Coz, at the moment, all she felt was dumb.
The dumbest being on earth.
And what was worse than that, her body refused to accept that fact. That mere, simple fact, that the bloody wretched creep, had been playing around with her the whole time.
Wasn't that why, even after they kissed, he refused to talk about it?
Wasn't that why, even after she herself mentioned about it, with much much hesitation, he just plain stalled answering her?
He never planned on answering her in the first place, did he?
God, if she could just bury her face in the ground before the whole college came to know about this.
Her body still blindly reacted to his thoughts. She still warmed up remembering the kisses. She still felt tingly at the end of her fingers. She still felt her heart race.
And all that just made her want to die even more.
Rey woke up amidst the thorns. Yup, nothing described the deserted place better.
Had he really slept waiting on a girl?
Reyaansh Singhania, this was a new low.
Something he would remember forever.
It was nice that nobody was here right now, coz well; his anger was making his way out slowly.
What had been the issue this time?
What had he done?
It was just that he had missed their duet right?
Had she come to the shed, he would have explained everything.
Every single thing.
He still didn't know whether she knew about Swayam or not.
Who would have told her? Nobody!
Had she come, he would have taken her.
But no! She had to punish him for every tiniest mistake he committed.
Before he could even rationally realize what he was doing, his legs were stamping the thorny stems and tendrils. His hands rose on their own, tearing away the work he had done the previous morning.
After what felt like a whole hour of stampede and rampage throughout the shed, he made his way out, towards the main building, realizing he needed to wash away the blood now gushing out of the fresh cuts in his hands.
That is when he realized the song.
That song.
She sits in her corner
Singing herself to sleep
He saw her curled up in the rehearsal hall. She had her head between the legs. And he like a fool had run to catch a glimpse of her dancing. Seriously, he should get a psychiatric checkup as soon as possible. This girl was making him behave completely out of his nature.
Wrapped in all of the promises
That no one seems to keep
She no longer cries to herself
No tears left to wash away
He saw her crawl her hands out. Make it into a pleading position.
She slowly got to her knees, and bending her forward stretched hand upwards, she made the lyrics emanate out of her body.
And all Rey could do now was wish to see her face. Why? Why was she dancing like this?
Just diaries of empty pages
Feelings gone astray
But she will sing
She made herself get up, and swirled to the rhythm. Rey still couldn't see the emotion on her face, all thanks to those ebony curls.
Til everything burns
While everyone screams
Burning their lies
And then she stopped.
Why had there even been a doubt. Her face showed strength. Her face showed anger. Her face showed determination.
And before he knew, he stepped into the room.
Burning my dreams
All of this hate
And all of this pain
I'll burn it all down
He saw her turn around in shock. And for a microsecond, her expression faltered to one in angst.
But she had that cold one back on. As soon as she saw his hands.
Hands? Why his hands… he thought.
As my anger reigns
Til everything burns
He made his way near her, his eyes asking questions silently.
Yet, why didn't her eyes answer as always?
He felt her moving away. Well, not physically. But her presence felt diminishing.
So he did what he could to keep her close.
He kissed her. Just like those he used to give. The ones that said without saying that she belonged to her.
Walking through life unnoticed
Knowing that no one cares
Too consumed in their masquerade
No one sees her there
And still she sings
She felt his lips graze hers. And for a second, her mind cursed her own body.
Why did he have to still keep up the pretense? Why did he have to kiss her so.. so.. so perfectly?
All she wanted to do was push him away. But it felt as if her body has lost its will to move. She felt like a melting pudgy puddle.
Ohh please. Why did all this have to be a lie?
What had she done to deserve such a cruel lie?
The kiss ended with him gasping for breath, and she had lost the desire to breath.
Til everything burns
While everyone screams
Burning their lies
Burning my dreams
His eyes stared into hers, and for the first time ever, Kria felt nothing. Nothing at all. No questions. No answers. Kria didn't see anything in them, except the scene she had witnessed yesterday.
Well, not anymore. This game ended here. With him never knowing that how badly he had won.
All of this hate
And all of this pain
I'll burn it all down
As my anger reigns
"Kria" he asked, "Why didn't you come yesterday? I was waiting in the shed."
Right. Damn right he was.
"When did I say that I would come Reyaansh?" She asked him back.
"Well.. you didn't.. but.. I thought I had told you, so you would come.." He had winced at just the mention of Reyaansh from her mouth, but well, this wrong he could right. Right?
"Ohh please. Stop bugging me already. Waise bhi mai kabhi who duet karna hi nahi chaahti thi. It was an obligation in the first place! And then, why would I take mindless orders from you?" She poured in as much vitriol as she could in her voice.
"But.. Kria.. Who answers? You know.. Aur those kisses? I thought… I thought you wanted to know? Right? Kria.. I was gonna tell you that I love you. Why are you so mad? Would you atleast listen to why I couldn't make it to the dance?" Reyaansh was getting restless by the moment, a gut wrenching fear clouding him.
"I don't have those kind of feelings for you. Sorry Reyaansh. I don't know what made you think I would. You are bad news from the first day. I was just taking competition down.", She let her cold voice echo. Even to her ears, it felt alien.
Why, oh why couldn't his love be true?
Til everything burns
Watching it all fade away
And she left. Before her tears became visible to him. Before he managed to change her mind by using her body against it.
And he, he couldn't believe he was in tears. Clenching his bloody hands into fists.
Sharon made her way out of her hospital room. It was almost time for her to get discharged. It had been a pathetic night, but the doctors had said there wasn't any physical injury on her.
The goddamn counseling sessions that she would have to attend really didn't matter to her.
She knew what would cure her. She just didn't know his room number.
She roamed around some more, asking the not so helpful nurses, but finally managed to find him.
The sight he was right now, made her cry.
He was shifting uncomfortably in bed, trying to find balance on his injured back and fractured arm.
She controlled herself, and knocked lightly on the door.
"Sharon?" His face lit up immediately, as he tried to get up.
She smiled at him, how could she not?
Why did he still look at her as reverently as he used to? When she herself felt dirtied, sullen?
She moved near him, holding a pillow from the recliner, and adjusting into near his arm.
He sighed comfortably. Closing his eyes, worn out from the heavy meds he was on.
"Sharon…"He lightly whispered, "Sing to me, will you?"
Still his angel, wasn't she?
He closed his eyes, and drowned in the soft voice she had...
Just wait Deep in the heart of darkness sparks There's no surrender Just wait
Though wide he may roam
Always
A hero comes home
He goes where no one has gone
But always
A hero comes home
A dream of light
Surrounded by hopelessness
He finds the will to fight
Always remember
It doesn't end here
We're not alone
Though wide he may roam
Always
A hero comes home
He goes where no one has gone
But always
A hero comes home
She felt his breathing get even, and stopped singing.
She knelt down softly, and her lips touched his. She kissed him as lightly as she could, not try to wake him up, and then stood up to leave.
As soon as she was about to exit, she heard him.
"What was that?" he asked, a little sleepy.
"Purification" She replied, and made her way out.
[A/N: I obviously do not own any of the music used in this chapter! :P]