Ya know, now I myself am kind of not sure where this will be heading. I'm getting tangled I'm my own plot and wondering how to proceed. 😅

Moving on...💃💃💃

"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts

Chapter 3 - This Uncanny Friendship

The thing about man is that they are social beings. No matter how much seclusion they claim to enjoy, it can't be denied that they want someone to communicate to. That's why even Sherlock possessed a dead skull so as to talk to it and discuss ideas. Otherwise, he may have feared he might go mad.

Relations, too, are a funny thing. You can find empathy in a person whom you came across while sitting on a bus station, but be closes off towards a sibling you grew up with. The different "ships" were strange and unpredictable.

'Like that uncanny friendship we both have. Friendship...if we can even call it that, that is.' he thought as he looked to the side at her.

After that faithful day, he chatted with her, there was kind of an unsaid agreement between them. They didn't talk of the pact or discuss it out loud. It just...happened.

Everyday she would come at dusk, like sshealways does, and sit on the bench. He would come a few minutes later and sit ten steps away from her on the grass, watching the sky change from red, yellow to dark blue.

As she sketched, the sound of ink hitting the page with a rhythm provided an unique melody to him. It was his song of solitude, a rhapsody to his silence.

The times she was late, he would keep the seat. In times when he didn't arrive, she would sit there doing nothing. But as he silently came to sit there, she would take out her brush and paint. He was her silent presence. Her constant.

Sometimes they chatted. Sometimes they didn't. Sometimes they argued or debated, sometimes they joked over the day's events. It occurred to them once or twice that they neither had shared their names with each other. And also, they haven't ever seen each other.

However, it didn't bother them. They were strangers with a strange bond, sharing the beauty of the darkness.

Besides, he knew names are what started bonds. Knowing each other's names would mean acknowledging the bond between them. 'Bonds. The very thing that I hate! Bonds are what make you weak. And weak is something I swore to never be again!'

He heard an loud huff from nearby, making him look towards the side at her. "Something wrong?"

"I can't think of something to draw!"

"I'm here. You can draw me. Am I any less of a model?" he joked.

"Draw what? A shadow? That's how I'm seeing you as!"

Sanskar chuckled. "I guess you're right." he gestured around with his hand. "What about all these trees and the night sky? It's a beautiful scenery."

"I...I..." he heard another sigh, and watched as she packed her things in the bag. "It's not exactly that. Sorry if I'm being a bother." he saw her pull up her knees on the bench and wrap her hands around them.

Sanskar wondered if something had happened. But he didn't want to pry into her life if she didn't want to discuss it.

Not knowing what to do, he frowned and looked down. Picking on the grass, he sneaked glances at her, hoping she opens up.

"Take a picture. It would last longer Mister." she muttered loud enough for him to hear.

Caught red handed, he looked ahead. "I was just checking if you're crying. I don't want to be blamed by the security for making a girl cry. I didn't even do anything."

"You're really mean, you know that?"

Sanskar let out a dark chuckle. "And you thought what? I'll try to sugarcoat this things for you? Sorry, but the world ain't all honky-dory and fairytales. I can't be a flatterer."

"No, don't be." she put her feet down. "I'm actually thankful, you know. I could use some truth after all the fake promises."

Sanskar didn't reply, but nodded. He watched as she got up from the bench. To his great surprise, she didn't leave. Rather, she was walking his way.

Sanskar thought she would just pass by him. But shockingly, she came and sat beside him.

She didn't offer any explanation.

He didn't ask for one, but waited.

Whenever they were silent for long, it was always her who found something to chat about. She couldn't bear silence for too long. That much he knew about her.

But there weren't any words from her. She was silent. He held his breath hoping she speaks.

Her habit of breaking the ominous silence seemed to have grown onto him.

"My Dadi."

Sanskar let out the breath he was holding, finally hearing her speak. "Eh?"

She sighed. "My Dadi. Today I was playing my sitar. I played one of my favorite tunes for her and asked her how it was."

"She didn't like it?"

"She liked it."

"Then? What seems to be the problem?"

"She said she liked it. But...but then she spoke about how it may not be something I would be allowed to play once I'm married. She said every in-laws may not allow it."

"She isn't wrong though." Sanskar pointed out bluntly.

"I know. But then instead of being true about it, she tried to give me fake assurances that they will find me such a groom who will allow. However, I know they don't even think it as something important."

"What about you? Do you like playing sitar?"

She shrugged. "My parents send me to learn when I was a kid. It's something I had trained for since I was a kid."

"I didn't ask you who sent you to learn or why you learn. I'm asking if you like it."

He watched as she looked down without a word.

She hesitated. "I...I guess so. I mean I always feel happy when I play it."

Sanskar let out a humorless laugh. "Are you serious? You can't even say if you like it or not? Do you even have any individuality?" he mocked.

"A pitiful creature I am, aren't I?"

Sanskar grit his teeth and looked down feeling guilty at her sorrowful tone. However apologies weren't his thing. "Self-pity doesn't make it any better, you know."

"I know. I know and understand every bit of it. I don't blame you for your taunt. After all, you aren't wrong." he watched as she looked at her hands. "The dreams that I wish to grasp, thw things that I wish to have, the wishes that I want to fulfill...all have disappeared. Since a child, I have always been said that I should listen to my elders and always think about others before me." she balled her hands into fists. "I've lived for others, sacrificed for others, worked so much to keep others happy that...that now, I can't even identify what I want or what I don't."

He felt his heart soften at the jingling laughter he heard from her.

A laughter that was half a sob, half a cruel acceptance.

"Every person has an aim, a thing they want to achieve. And yet, I know whatever I want would end up being lost. At the end, my family will decide what I should want, what I should like. And the most pitiful thing is that I let them! I hate it! I hate it so much!" she uttered I a soft, broken voice.

He listened, feeling helpless beside her. Two years after Kavita's death, Sanskar was sure he had turned his heart into a cold, frozen stone. However, as he heard her sniffs that she was trying desperately to hide, he couldn't help but feel sad for her. He wanted to offer some assurances to her, or at least put a hand on her shoulder.

But he refrained.

She was a stranger. She didn't matter. She shouldn't matter.

"I'm...I'm sorry." she mumbled, rubbing at her eyes.

"Why don't you just go and tell them about it? If you can tell these things to me, I don't think you should have any problems telling it to your own family."

"I can't. They wouldn't understand."

"Then make them understand. Make them see that you have wishes too. That you want things for yourself. It's not being selfish. Why don't you?" Sanskar stressed. 'Why am I trying so hard? She doesn't matter. SHE SHOULDN'T MATTER!'

She shrugged. "Maybe because I'm afraid what it might cause. Maybe because I feel bad for them." she plucked a blade of grass from the ground. "They too are like me. They too have given up their own wishes for their family. Father had given up his love for music in exchange for work in the bank. Dadi gave up her pride to accept mum into the family. And mum? I...I can't even imagine how hard it is for her to hear taunts everyday, yet stay with us." she uttered in a pained voice. "So I refrain myself. I would like them to think that they are making me happy with their decisions."

"Decisions, or delusions?" Sanskar sneered. "You know what? Do whatever you like. I don't care! I'm just warning you beforehand so you don't end up like me. Alone and lonely."

"You wouldn't be alone if you went back to your family." she uttered in a soft voice, making his blood boil.

"After everything they have done? No way! You don't know to what extent they went to steal her away from me!" Sanskar grit out, past images flashing back in his eyes.

"Did you ever wonder if there was a reason behind it all? I mean I can't fanthom any parent hurting their children intentionally. Did you ever stop to consider that maybe...maybe in their perspective it was right?" she reasoned. "When you say it's day here, one might say it's night from the other side of the world. But none of you are wrong."

Sanskar felt rage consume him. "I'm not here to listen to your philosophies. Don't try to be my shrink."

She didn't speak anything, but kept silent.

He breathed in and breathed out heavy pants from all the shouting he did. When he had calmed down a bit, he flinched as he knew he over reacted. "Sorry." he was surprised that he apologized genuinely, that too to a stranger.

Instead of any words, he heard her chuckle. "We're so different, aren't we? I'm someone who can't speak up against my family for my will. You're someone who rebel against your family for your will. I keep hoping for a better day. You seem to believe in it's non existence."

"Your point?"

"My point is that although we're totally different, we're able to hold a proper conversation, aren't we?" she extended her hands towards him. "I guess we can call ourselves at least friends. I'm Ra-"

"Stop."

"Eh?"

Sanskar didn't need the light to see her expression of confusion that was evident in her voice. "Don't tell me your name."

"Why...why not? I thought since..." she stopped speaking and looked down.

"Yes, you are right about the fact that we are like friends. But I don't want it to become friendship." Sanskar stated genuinely. "Fault isn't yours. It's me who doesn't want to form bonds of any kind whatsoever. It only makes you weak!"

"That's not true. It's bonds that bind you together. It makes you have people in your life that you are willing to fight for. You have things and people that you could lose! That's why you would want to be stronger."

"Oh, but it's the people you care for that end up hurting you. At the end, you're left in a mess! Stranded and alone. I felt sorrow like no other with their betrayal." Sanskar grit out. "But look at me now! Now that I no longer what happens to them, I feel more free. I'm a man who has nothing to lose! Which means there's nothing that the ones who want to hurt me can take from me. It's more liberating if you ask me."

"But you're lonely. The way you're repeating yourself that you don't care, only shows how much more you still care for your family."

He didn't have a reply to it. Instead of arguing, he looked down.

She shifted beside him, getting up and patting him on the back. "You're wrong. Life, too, is like a fairytale."

"You expect a happy ending for everyone." Sanskar rolled his eyes. "Typical girly sentiments."

"No. That's where you're wrong. Yes I said fairytales. But I didn't say happy endings. Not all fairytales end in happy endings. Some are gory, some sullen, some complicated...and some never without an ending. But what I believe is there is always a knight in shining armor." he saw her head tilt towards his direction. "One person who can change your life and make it worth smiling for. One person who brings you happiness of an unique kind. One who makes you feel safe."

As she spoke the words, she kept looking at him constantly. She didn't move her head an inch as she spoke those words turning to him. He couldn't understand why though.

Before he could question her, she turned around and walked away, humming to herself.

Sanskar looked down at his hands. Her words ringing in his mind loud and clear.

"Did you ever wonder if there was a reason behind it all? I mean I can't fanthom any parent hurting their children intentionally. Did you ever stop to consider that maybe...maybe in their perspective it was right?"

'Could she be right? Did I take my decision to leave home in a haste? Should I...should I try to go talk to them?' he stopped his train of thoughts as the image of Kavita dying flashed in his mind. "No! There crime is too unforgivable! I must take my revenge. I can't let myself fall weak!"

He briefly wondered what would have happened if he let her introduce herself. What could have been her name, he wondered.

More importantly, why was she having so much power over him that she was being able to make him rethink his decision of revenge? One which he had harbored for two long years? 'This uncanny friendship...if we can even call it that, that is.'

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

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~ 🌹 Mona 🌹