I am back, everyone! I am really sorry for the late update, again. My exams are getting extended until this Saturday. So the updates will stretch for a longer time. It may take even longer too, from now on. So apologies in advance.
Happy Reading! :D :D
Chapter-18
Ishani fetched Ranveer back home now from the hospital, his situation getting stanch with every day fleeting by. He was now able to gait without any problem after his swells in the leg got subsided, though his behaviour was still being the only problem. His hand was now almost healed, the minor fracture getting settled down quicker than the normal time. Even though his conditions have turned out to be positive for his physique, things are only being negative because of his strange behaviour which Ishani had noticed some time back in the week. In these few days, her job as early as the dawn was to wake him up and exercise along with him; and she was late, again. She now quickly brushed her teeth and tied her hair to a messy ponytail, running through the stairs two steps once as she quickly now made her way to his room.
He was still sleeping and this wasn't new for her. The same thing has been happening since the past few days. Quarrels for teeny issues, arguing for silly topics and laughing for the serious ones; this has been his only work which disturbed her. But she never minded; after all, she liked him and she did not wish to argue further with him. His fast recovery was her sole aim now and she was ready to do anything for that.
"Ranveer, it's past seven already. Wake up!" she tried to be as sweet as possible when his eyes slowly moved, though he hadn't opened them yet.
"Hmm," he yawned, ruffling his hair when his puny voice came out, "I am not coming for any physiotherapy today."
"Ranveer, don't say that!" she slowly helped him get up, his splint still covering his right hand when he replied, "Okay, I'll go by eleven."
"Aha! No, I am not for it. You say this and you don't come. And if asked, you lie to me," she settled his hair properly as soon as he retorted, "Ishani, I'll take help from Abel. He'll help me."
"No, you said the same thing a few days back. Don't try to fool me if I am not at house," she replied nonchalantly as her voice rose, "Are you coming or not?"
"No," his answer was bland, just like his everyday diet. Sometimes Ishani just worries if his diet had influenced his behaviour and she knew that she was stupid.
"Ranveer, when did you start to become so arrogant and demanding?"
"Where was I?"
"Ranveer, stop talking gibberish now, get up!" her voice was fierce now and she knew what was approaching her.
"I said a plain no. Why are you always behind me, Ishani? Why can't you just…just get out from here? It's irritating when you wake me up from sleep!" He shouted like a freak as her expression turned fuming. It was just like any other day, daily quarrels.
"Irritating? You were the one who fixed up this time for the physiotherapy and not me. You were the one who explained your physiotherapist of how less you needed sleep. You were the one who asked me to wake you up sharp at six everyday…And now it's past seven…"
"Oh, just stop it, Ishani. What do you mean by you, you, and you? Give me a break, seriously!"
"Ranveer, stop this hassling behaviour and get up."
"No, I said I am not coming, do you get it?"
"Go to hell, Ranveer! Don't ask me to come along with you again. I am fed up with you. Why do you do this every time? Why can't you just…just listen and get up?"
"Oh just shut up, Ishani. I am fed up with you, too." Ranveer's voice was stern now, his face making the same when Abel turned up inside the room, asking for an excuse.
"I-I am sorry to have disturbed you both. But there's someone down waiting for you," he said, his face bowed down in fear. Fear if he would scold him now.
"Now, did you just come here to-" Ranveer started off impatiently when Ishani cut his discourse and queried, "Who, Abel?"
"Nora and her betrothed, Madame," he said deeply when Ishani looked at Ranveer with a mirthless smile as he looked on with a question.
"Would you mind coming down now? Your best friend has come down," she said with a puckered brow when he retorted viciously, "No, I am not. I said I won't and that's final."
"Oh, Ranveer! I can better babysit a child rather than taking care of you," she said mockingly when he looked at her with a disgust, getting back to the bed, feigning to sleep.
"God, this guy! Please give him some brains!" she exasperated and trudged out of the room, her feet unswerving to the stairs, her anger level calming down with each tread.
"Hey Ishani!" she heard two voices calling out for her name when she turned towards the living room to see two bright faces, glowing with some happiness she wished to see in his face.
"Hello, Nora, Ben!" she exclaimed, pretending to be happy when she hugged Nora, congratulating her for the wedding.
"Sorry, I wasn't in a position to come for the bachelorette's party. And Ben, Ranveer apologized for the same," she explained
"Hey, where's he? I can't see him anywhere! Is he off to work?" Nora remarked, her voice euphoric as Ishani's features grew tense.
"No, no! He's, he's actually…sleeping. Yeah, sleeping," she lied when she noticed Nora inclining her eyebrows to the left in question after the latter asked, "Sleeping? Uh, are you sure? He's a morning guy, as far as I have known him."
"No, actually he had met up with a brawl sometime back and has got his right hand fractured. So, the doc has asked him to rest. And that's why we were not able to make it to the party," Ishani said with a dejected face, her face almost insipid.
Nora cried, "Fractured? What? Is anything serious, Ishani?"
"Uh, no. It's almost healed now. Just a day or two and his splint will be off," she smiled now, assuring her about his health when Abel turned up with three cups of coffee and some sandwiches for breakfast as they now sat down, calmly.
Having a few sips from the coffee, Ben spoke, "So, shall we have a look at him? Poor guy, it must be paining for him," he bit his lip in melancholy.
"No! I-I mean, not now. He's ac-actually sleeping now. So, maybe sometime later. Please, don't take it otherwise," she smiled awkwardly as Nora got up, her hand now having a card, "Uh, it's okay, Ishani. But before we forget, let me give you this," she handed over the card as Ishani opened them which read Wedding ceremony. Her lips now leaving a beaming smile, Ishani hugged Nora saying, "Congratulations both of you! I am really, really happy for you guys!"
Breaking from the hug, Nora quickly whispered, "Do not miss this, Ishani. I won't spare you if you do that," and winked as Ishani beamed, "No. Both of us would be present for the whole ceremony. It's something, really big and how do you expect us to miss!"
"I know but still...I am afraid," Nora said honestly when Ishani looked with a confusion now. Why was she afraid now?
"Afraid? Why?"
"Like, he's just recovering from his injury and the wedding is on the 27th of this month. I don't know if he could make it to the ceremony," she said dejected, her heart aching after hearing about her friend's accident.
"Oh Nora! We still have ten days for it and trust me; he'd be present for the whole ceremony, okay?" Ishani reassured her, clasping her upper arms exultantly before leaving a satiated smile.
"Thank you, Ishani. He's so lucky to have you. In fact, the luckiest of all," she remarked honestly as Ishani sighed timidly.
She quickly changed the subject saying, "Have a happy married life, both of you. We'll surely be present during the ceremony," she guaranteed them again, but her mind now afraid to tackle his actions.
It was almost six in the evening, the sun closing its rays and resting towards the other side of the horizon. Birds' chirp reduced and the flowers' bloom withered, clearly indicating it a dusk when Ishani came out from the kitchenette with some tit-bits, moving directly to the lawn where she saw Ranveer looking at a sleeping Skittles, his left hand holding his chin. Assuming that he was in a calm temper now, she quickly strolled over and sat beside him, in silence. She saw him keenly: his eyes and brows were now calm and serene, his lips satiated. Yes, he was definitely in a good mood now, she thought and slowly leaped her hands to his cheeks, softly caressing them when he came out from his reverie, gazing at her eyes with a strange passion.
"Hey, Ranveer," she said, her voice mellow when he looked on, his lips now zipped when she shook him hard, making him come back to reality. Smiling awkwardly, he now laid down on the grass, his features pleasant.
"I want to tell you something," she started hoping that nothing wrong would befall their conversation now.
"Hmm," he said slowly, gazing at her with the same eyes, the same glee as Ishani continued, "Nora and Ben came here today," she hauled when he interrupted, "Yeah, I know."
"They have invited us for their wedding and it's on the 27th. I told them that we would make it to their ceremony," she closed her eyes now in tension when she felt his hand roam around her upper arms as she opened them, her eyes finding it hard to believe his actions. What was he doing now?
"Oh, that's great news, Ishani," he said softly, "Why didn't you call me?"
"Why didn't you call me? So did he forget everything?" she thought for a while before he snapped his fingers at her saying, "I have to share something with you."
She nodded when he continued, "I am planning to join the resort again from tomorrow," he smiled, hoping that she would find it exciting.
"No, Ranveer. The doctor has asked you to wait until this month end and you are not going anywhere till then." Her opinion sounded rude for him as he looked at her with a child-like innocence emanating from his eyes.
"Sigh, but why, Ishani?" he was soft with his words now and that was shocking, at least for Ishani. What's happening with him?
"No, because it's me who's stopping you from going to your workplace," she said calmly, though her mind wasn't when Ranveer caressed the grass now, his eyes signalling her to lay down when she got up hastily and said, "No, I-I have got something to do inside the house. So I'll come back sometime later. Have these snacks until then."
"Ishani!" he called her name out; louder than usual but she was nowhere to be seen.
"Oh crap! It's eight-thirty already!" she switched off the television and advanced towards her bed when her mind reminded her of someone. Ranveer. Where is he now? She quickly searched for him in his room where she found none but a strange silence. Descending down, she reached the lawn in no time when she saw him at a distance. Vexed, she quietly went towards him and sat down beside him when she looked at his face, aghast. It was pastel, taciturn as she shook him hard; calling out his name deafeningly but heard no response from his side, save for his moans and groans. She saw nothing but the strange, faintly mumbles of his when she slowly wiped the half-dried tears of his, making him sit properly.
"Ran-Ranveer, what's wrong?" she held him tightly by his shoulders, while he mumbled incomprehensive words as she held his face with her hands tightly and asked, "Hey, don't-don't be afraid. Just tell me what happened."
"Ish…" he sniffed, "How di-did you co-come here? Don't! Ju-just go away!" he tried to push her, but failed miserably when her grasp on him grew aggressive whilst her voice grew cavernous as soon as she asked, "Look at me, Ranveer."
He looked on with his deep red eyes when she continued, "Tell me, what's wrong? Why should I leave? Trust me; I won't share this to anyone."
"No, no. I won't. Go away!"
"Ranveer, just listen and answer. Please…" she pleaded when he answered, as though famishing for care and love, "I am afraid."
"Afraid? Why? What's making you feel so?"
He slowly looked at the end of the lawn and continued, "Look there," pointing his fingers towards the kennel, he continued, "Do you see a jelly-like figure standing out with a dagger?" Ishani now skimmed though the entire lawn after she remarked, "There's no one here, Ranveer. No one!"
"It's-it's laughing like a maniac right now! Have a look, Ishani. It's bloodcurdling!" he cried hard as Ishani wiped his tears and sweat droplets simultaneously, when Ranveer bounced into her chest, his hands clasping her slackly hair securely, crying hard as Ishani slowly embraced him back, promising that she would protect him, always.
Breaking from the hug after a myriad number of minutes, she slowly whispered, "Do you see it now? I don't." He now slowly looked over the entire place and smiled faintly before looking into her soulful eyes. Grasping her hands tightly into his own, he whimpered, "Will it come back again?"
"I swear, it won't. Only on a condition," she paused when he looked her with a confusion as she continued, Will you promise me that you would follow that?" she asked now, her back resting on the grass when he nodded silently, sniffing whilst his eyes sauntered through the entire place before she spoke.
"Lay down beside me, Ranveer. It's not going to come anymore." Obeying her instructions now, he slowly laid down, his hands directly holding hers, the grip now tightened.
"Promise me," she started when he instantly countered, "I promise, Ishani." Smiling, she quickly turned towards him and said, "Promise me that you would be brave and fight these demons, will you?"
"With my full will, Ishani," he assured her when she turned once again, her eyes locking with the skies as she sighed, "Look at these stars, Ranveer. They look peaceful and quiet, don't they?" She tried to cheer him up and star gazing was the only way, she thought when Ranveer mimed, "Hmm…Why do you say this now?"
"They don't fear even if they are in the dark, all night, alone. Do they?"
"No, Ishani, they don't," he expressed slowly as Ishani asked, "Then why are you scared?"
"The creepy head was trying to kill me and you ask me not to get scared? It swore to kill me the other day in the hospital!" his tears slowly sprouted out from his eyes when she placed her fingers on his lips, asking him to keep silence as she replied, "It's just your own imagination, Ranveer. There's no one like that, do you know? Now look at these stars and get a good sleep for yourself. You need it now."
"You have to promise me something now," Ranveer now said as she looked mystified as he continued, "Will you?"
"Tell me, Ranveer," she assured him, smilingly as he asked, his usual diplomatic voice changed to a child-like one, "Will you stay with me forever?"
"Forever?"
"Why, Ishani? Won't you?"
Her eyes slowly turned towards Ranveer, her body inching towards him when she clutched his chest with her jagged nails when she confessed, "When did I say that?"
Shocked with her advancement, Ranveer whispered, his voice almost mute, "Are you sure?"
"I am, whichever condition you may be in, remember that this soul is for you, made for you."
His eyes looked glistened when her clasp slowly emaciated, her hands directly going towards his eyes, wiping his tears as he confessed, "I love you, Ishani," to which Ishani just smiled, ruffled his hair and drifted for sleep, both of them sleeping under each other's embrace for the first time.
Done! Constructive Criticism will be more than welcome and sorry for typos :D :D