5. h (Extension)

“How…?” I asked”

“In a damn bad way…” his voice suddenly opened up. I couldn’t make out whether it was rum or it was outburst. But it had broken the shackles of the baritone.

“What happened up there??” curiosity was raging within me.

I focus on Piyush’s eyes. He looses himself in thought.

Flashback begins : Piyush’s Point of View

When I returned to the terrace, Harshad was lost in a reverie.

“Harshad…” I said going near him. My words shook him out of it.

“Do you believe him?” He asked me.

“Yes” I replied. I had a reason to.

“Maybe he must’ve….you know…spend some time with her there and on moving out…he must’ve seen Rahul and Gaurav…or may be he saw them from the window of the….hotel room…or maybe…”

“So Rahul and Gaurav were there…”

“Yeah…I mean…they happened to run into them…you know…” He was stumbling with his words.

“Did you send them?” I asked him into his face.

“No…they…they…happened to be there… co-incidentally” He answered again with the same stammer.

“Very rare co-incidence” I taunted.

“Why do you trust him so much?” Harshad snapped at me.

“Because he cares…” I replied.

“Cares my arse….he just wants to fuck Shamita…or maybe…”

“Okay stop…” I said cutting his sentence.

“Why stop?…”

“Don’t say anything about Shamita…she is not that kind of girl…” I said politely.

“Excuse me…why are you being so touchy about her?” He asked me angrily. As if he owned her.

“Why not…she is a good girl…”

“One sec…..stay away from her okay…I’ve already told you….I saw you staring at her that day….keep your mind clear…” He warned me.

“Actually Harshad….” His warning has provoked me more, “….I wanted to talk to you about her…”

“About her??...what about her?” He asked me irritated.

“It is that….”

“What?” Wrinkles appeared on his forehead.

“It is that I have a liking for her…” I said in a low voice.

“Come again…” He said in way that irritated me.

“I have a liking for Shamita…” I said again, louder this time.

He looked at me angrily. I looked at him straight into his eye.

“Its better if you keep it just a liking…” he warned me.

“I am sorry” I said.

“What?” He asked me in a threatening tone.

“I am sorry” I said firmly.

“Madarchod!!!…”He emitted a strong tremor. And before I could know, I felt his palm crashing on my skull. It shook me hard, breaking me away from the world around me for a moment. He held me by my collar and pulling me close to him.

“You bastards…son of bitches….Bhenchod…you call me here for a party….and then throw this shit at me…First is that motherfucker….and next are you…you bastards are bent on screwing up my life…bloody Bhadvas…” he went on uttering such shit.

Finally, I couldn’t take it at all. I pushed him away and threw a punch at his face out of impulse. He fell back. Before he could get up, I placed a kick in his belly. He got up and pounced on me.

“Bhenchod….you outsider….you come to our city….take away our admissions…our jobs…and now you are taking away our girls…Bhosdika…go back to where you come from…Madarchod…go back to your state…study there…why do you have to come here to snatch away our happiness…go bhenchod…go back… ” He was in a weird state of fury.

I pushed him away and slapped him hard on his face. He still kept on blabbering.

Finnally I threw him on the ground and shouted “Shut Up!” loudly on his face.

I haunched besides him holding his collar and said “One more word….just one more word from you…and I will throw you down from here…”.

He pushed me away and walked down hurriedly.

Flashback ends. (So does Piyush’s Point of View)

“What the fuck?!” I mumbled my exclamation.

“Yes…” Piyush replied grievously.

“Shit!” I sipped the rum from my glass.

With a shadow of gloom, Piyush turned to me.

“He will strike back” I said staring at the Expressway.

Piyush looked at me befuddled.

“He will strike back…be prepared…” I said without turning towards him.

(Contd.)