Dhwani

24 years old

6 months later

"Tum phir aagaye" I say sitting infront of him. He rolls his eyes with a smirk on his face. The music has died down and my feet is currently killing me.

(You come again)

"Ab insaan aram se bar mei bhi nahi baith sakta" Shamsher states toying with his glass of alcohol from which he hasn't even taken a single sip. I noticed it while dancing. I am a background dancer in this bar in the night and a call center worker in the morning.

(Now a person cannot even sit comfortably in a bar.)

Gotta do everything to survive in this capitalistic world and my parents left a lot of debt behind for me to pay off.

I wish to win a lottery someday. Haven't happened yet but my hopes still haven't died. Atleast not completely.

It's 12:30am and my shift just ended.

"Pichle 6 mahino se dekh rahi hoon tumhe. Roz aate ho, mujhe ghar chordte ho aur gayab" I know he comes to check if I am safe. He has been doing this since he and his other friend rescued me from Dhanush's havelli.

(I've been watching you for the past six months. You come every day, drop me to my house, and then disappear.)

I knew it was dangerous, many girls in the bar warned me but I needed money as my little sister's fees was due and they were in paying advance. So I went.

And look where it got me.

Just infront of him. Shamsher.

We don't have any kind of relation. Still he checks upon me. I have no idea what goes on in his mind. He is like a puzzle, a crazy dude and maybe that's why I like him. He doesn't expect anything from me. Doesn't approach me with the intentions like every man in this bar does.

And that makes him perfect to me.

"Genie hoon mein" He just shrugs.

(I'm genie)

"Toh wish poori karoge meri?"

(So you'll complete my wish?)

"Mood nahi hai aaj"

(Not in a mood today)

"Tumhara kabhi mood nahi hota. I mean thoda sa toh interest dikhao. Yaha aake bas mere unpaid bodyguard ki tarah baith jate ho"

(You're never in the mood. Show a little interest in me. You come here and just sit like my unpaid bodyguard.)

"Interest mujhe kisi cheez mei aata nahi hai aur acche dil ke aadmi tumne dekhe nahi hai" he replies leaning back.

(I am not interested in anything and you have never seen a man with a good heart.)

There it is again. He is always pulling away. No man has ever done that. They just find excuses to touch me, be near me and here he is. Just acting like a decent human.

First decent man I have met in this night life.

"Bilkul sahi jawab. Infact itne kam ki jabse tumse mulaqat hui thoda bohot dil aagaya hai tum par." I wink at him.

(Correct answer. In fact, so low that ever since I met you, I've started to fall for you.)

"Jaldi chalo!" He stands up quickly.

(Let's go quickly!)

"Kaha?"

(Where?)

"Doctor ke paas. Tumhari satak gayi hai" He acts so enthusiastically but all I notice is his tired eyes and grown stubble.

(To the doctor. You have gone crazy)

Who broke his heart? He never tells me her name. I want to know about her.

Honestly I envy her.

"Jaldi chalo. Pehle tumhara ilaaj karaege" I too stand up.

(Okay let's go. But first you need to be checked)

Two can play the game.

"Dimaag thik hai tumhara?" He asks, rotating his forefinger near his temple.

(Is your brain okay?)

"Bilkul. Waise tumhe pata hai ladkio ko sabse zyada kya pasand hai?" I say leaning towards him. The bright colourful lights of bar falls on his face.

(Absolutely. By the way, do you know what girls like most?)

Red. Green. Blue.

"Kya?"

(What?)

"Ashiq. Jiski ankho mei udasi aur hoto par muskan ho. Aur tumhare pass toh dono hai. Full combo ho yaar tum"

(A lover with sadness in his eyes and a smile on his lips. And you have both. You're the perfect combo, my friend.)

"Dialogue kaafi acche maar leti ho tum" he replies grinning, putting his hands in his pocket.

(You deliver dialogues very well.)

"Thank you. Films ka shauk hai mujhe"

(Thank you. I like watching movies.)

"12:30 ho rahe hai warna tumhe movie dikha aata" he says looking at his watch and turning around he starts walking outside.

(It's 12:30 otherwise I would have taken you to movies)

"Movie dekhne ka time nahi hai mere paas aur na hi paise" I say following behind him. I run after him as he walks so fast.

(I neither have time nor money to watch the movie)

My mother died when I was 11. We used to be well off before that. But after my mother's death, Everything went downhill. Papa's business went in loss. He became alcoholic. He was in so much debt. When I was in 10th class, he killed himself leaving me and my little sister alone.

After that I realized what kind of world I am living in. Peope will take advantage of you at every chance they can get. No one helped me. Infact my relatives took all the remaining jewellery of my mother. Fucking leeches.

I started working at call center which payed my sister's fee and my rent. The bar I dance in is of the person to whom my father is indebted to. I have paid him half by dancing here for free for 6 years. Tips I get from here help me with basic necessities. 6 more years and I'll be free from all his debt.

Then I'll try to complete my studies and find better a job. No breaks for me until some miracle happens.

"Isiliye kehta hoon mujhse paise leke apne boss ke muh pe fhek ke maaro. Mujhe baad mei deti rehna ya mat dena. Mujhe koi zaroorat nahi hai" he offers again. He has said this same thing every time the topic of money comes up and I tell him the exact same thing which I have told him.

(That's why I tell you to take the money from me and throw it in your boss's face. Give it to me later or maybe never. I don't need it.)

"Jab tumhe meri zaroorat hogi tab mein wo paise khushi khushi lelugi" I don't want to ruin this thing between us with money. He is the only genuine person I talk to besides my sister, Vaidehi. She is in her hostel now completing her high school. She doesn't know about my night job. I want to keep her far away from it. She was too young when our father died.

(When you also need me then I'll happily take the money)

I can only talk to him about this and everything else normally. Most of the times I am either busy working or keeping men away from me after work. They usually get drunk and cause a scene. That's why I had to learn self defense and carry pepper spray everywhere.

The only time I failed to protect myself was at that party.

Shamsher gets on his bike and throws his jacket at me. It is quite cold and I'm still wearing the top in which I danced which is sleeves and backless and a jeans.

I casually wear it, his scent enveloping me. The smell isn't overpowering, it's grounding like you are in the middle of the forest. Warm, comforting, woody and mostly him.

He starts his bike and the sound is so loud as if announcing his arrival which is pretty apt. He entered my life like that.

A cold breeze blows on my face.

I sit behind him. At this time, the streets are quiet except for the dog's barking. The street lights aren't working well. On. Off. On. Off. The area I live in isn't that developed. Small houses, broken roads.

This is the reality.

I hold his shoulder. He is wearing a black shirt.

Did the girl who he loved sit behind him with her hand wrapped around his waist, resting her face against his back, kissing it slowly. He must have smiled genuinely unlike his sarcastic smile.

I wish I had that.

He stops the bike infront of my house. It's more like a single room and a bathroom. That's all.

I get down and thank him for his service.

"Dinner kar lia tumne?" He asks still wearing the helmet.

(You had something for dinner?)

"Tch" I deny.

"Kya banaogi?"

(What you'll cook?)

"Mood nahi hai. Neend aarahi hai" I reply yawning. I'm so tired. I wave him bye and he rides off. The sound of his bike slowly disappearing.

(Not in a mood. I'm feeling sleepy)

The landlord doesn't have any problem with my late night job. He only wants his rent, just concerned about his money. And the neighbors? Well they gossip about me but I'm barely at home to listen to it.

I hear the constant water falling from the leaking tap. I had put a bucket under it before going out in morning. It's almost full now.

The size of this room is pretty small. It's my bedroom and kitchen combined. Our old house used to be a mansion. Those days are like a dream now.

I remove his jacket and fold it nicely, keeping on the only chair I have. I graze my hand against it's material. He must have touched it too.

I imagine our hands touching.

Shaking my head, I quickly freshen up and change my clothes. A simple t shirt and pajama. I only have a packet of biscuit. Guess this will be my dinner.

I start eating it when there's a knock on door.

"Ab kon harami aagaya" I shout. There have been few times when stupid drunk men followed me. I had to deal with them without gathering the crowd.

(Now who is it)

I quickly grab my bat and look outside from the small window.

It's Shamsher. I didn't hear the sound of his bike.

He has never returned before. Suddenly I feel happy. I adjust my hair and open the door.

"Itni jaldi yaad aagyi meri" I tease him.

(Remembered me so quickly)

He chuckles as if I made a hilarious joke. He never takes me seriously.

"Yeh itni badi badi galat fehmiyan kaha se paal leti ho tum. Khana laya hoon" he shows me the bag.

(Where do you get these big delusions from? I brought you food.)

As if on the mention of food, my stomach grumbles loudly.

"Aur yeh bolrahi thi ki inhe bhookh nahi hai. Lo isse aur khalo" he forwards the bag. I take it from his hand.

(And she was saying, she's not hungry. Here, eat this)

"Tumne kha lia?"

(Did you eat?)

"Kha lunga" he shrugs casually.

(I'll eat)

"Saath mei khaye?"

(Should we eat together?)

"Kisi aur din" he says and turns away. He walks upto his bike and waves me bye, urging me to close the door.

(Some other day)

I shut the door and lean against it, holding the food bag close to my chest. I smile looking at it. This foolish guy is making me fall so hard for him.

"Barbaad karke manoge mujhe Shamu darling" I say to myself.

(You will end up ruining me Shamu darling.)

It can't end well.

Dilkashi toh shuruwat hai

Dil thaam ke baitho mere dost

Abse haar raat mei

Kuch khass si baat hai.