SHIKWA (✔)

#4

Three years and seven months ago

Royal Hotel, Kolkata

Ragini enters inside the party area with a large gift in her hands. She was surprised with the decorations and arrangements. It was looking very much expensive for a middle class family. She looks around for her best friend cum love but couldn't find him anywhere. There were girls and boys moving here and there. Some were dancing, some were talking and laughing. Many of them were even drunk. Ragini cringes at that.

"This stupid Arhaan has arranged alcohol too. Let him come in front of me then I'll tell him." she says to herself as she keeps the gift on a couch.

She was about to move ahead but someone stops her by holding her hand from behind. She turns and looks up at the face of the person. He was a classmate of her.

"Hey Ragini! Let's dance." says the boy trying to pull her to himself.

Ragini looks at him keenly and realises that he was drunk. She tries to free her hand from him.

"Ronit, you're drunk. Let me go, I don't want to dance." she says still trying to pull her hand from his grip.

"What's the problem? It's just a dance." he says as he pulls her to himself and holds her waist.

Ragini's eyes widens at that. She starts struggling in his grip but was unable to get free from him. Her eyes starts watering with fear.

"Just let me go. I don't want to dance." she says in between her sobs.

Ronit was about to move closer to her but he was pulled back by his collar. Ragini looks up at the person who pulled him and starts crying more, seeing Arhaan.

"She said she don't want to dance with you that means you should go away. A no means no. Don't you understand a simple thing?" Arhaan shouts at him as he starts beating him.

Ragini tries to pull Arhaan back so that he don't murder the boy but she wasn't strong to his level. Finally, with the help of others Arhaan is pulled away.

Arhaan looks at Ragini's tear filled eyes sadly. He holds her hand and pulls her to a couch in the corner. He makes her sit and he himself sits besides her.

"I'm sorry!" he says hugging her while Ragini keeps sniffing in his chest.

"Why did you bring alcohol?" she asks sniffing.

"I didn't! The boys brought it." he tells her while rubbing her back to calm her but she wasn't stopping.

"Ragini, I'm here and no one will say anything to you. You're safe. Now stop crying. My babu don't look good while crying." he says wiping her tears.

Ragini somehow stops her sniffs and pulls herself back. Arhaan removes her hair from her face.

"What would you like to have?" he asks.

"Anything besides alcohol." she replies lowly.

Arhaan chuckles at that. He calls a waiter.

"Two orange juices." he says to the waiter.

The waiter nods and leaves from there.

"You'll not drink?" asks Ragini surprised.

"If I'll get drunk then who'll take care of you?" he asks smiling.

Ragini smiles feeling good with his words. He cares for her.

The waiter comes back and gives their juices to them. Arhaan passes one glass to Ragini and he himself takes the other.