Trust, deception and betrayal

Sanjay seemed to be in a hurry to get to work. He searched for his mobile phone to check if there were any missed calls and found it had been switched off.  He was having a severe headache, blame it on the hangover. To top it he had failed to wake up early again. He cursed himself for getting back home late from the party last night. He switched on his phone and shoved it into his pant pocket. He shut the door with a bang and rushed down the stairs.

He hired an auto and was on his way to office when the mobile phone rang. It was a call from an unknown number. He received the call nevertheless. The next few minutes he seemed to have gone numb. His voice choked as he asked the driver to take him to Swaraj park.

The auto driver seemed to be annoyed but then agreed to take a u-turn and headed towards Swaraj park. Sanjay got off near a temple and paid off the driver as he got down. On his way to Swaraj park he had managed to inform his manager that he would need the day off due to personal emergency.

His legs were trembling as he climbed up the stairs. His nervousness was quiet apparent as he got to the door and rang the bell. He looked up and it was Swati who opened the door. As he was about to step in Swati slapped him hard on his face. All she managed to say was “why”?

Sanjay didn’t seem to have an answer to Swati’s question. He looked up and asked her, “Where is Devika? How is she now?” Swati said, “She is still alive, but unconscious.” Sanjay walked into the house and headed straight to the bedroom.

Devika was lying on the bed, the bruises on her face and hands was quiet apparent. He sat next to her on the bed and started to cry uncontrollably. All he could manage to mumble was, “Devika, I’m sorry. Hope you can forgive me.”

As he sat there holding her hand it all came back to him. He had received a call from her last night. She sounded distressed and wanted to talk to him. But he could barely hear her as the music in the background was very loud.

Devika was Sanjay’s girlfriend and she was at the party last night. They had a petty fight and she had gone back home. That night her father came back home drunk as usual. Devika was alone at home and she had fallen asleep on the sofa. Her sister Swati was working late and was going to get home sometime past midnight. Their mother had passed away few years back.

Devika sensed someone trying to feel her up. She was startled to find that it was her dad. She tried to get away but he pinned her down to the sofa and tried to kiss her. She pushed him away hard and rushed to her room. She got in and locked herself. Her father rushed behind her and kept banging on her room door.

She tried calling Sanjay in desperation. But she couldn’t talk much and the noise in the background at his end made it harder for him to hear her. By then her father had barged in as the door hadn’t been well-locked. He again tried to pin her down on to the floor and in fit of lust tore her top.

Just then Swati had entered the house. She heard Devika crying for help and rushed to her room. She saw her dad lying on top of Devika trying to force himself on her. She grabbed the vase on the table next to her and smashed it on her father’s head.

Before Swati could grab anything else and attack her dad again, he pushed her aside and ran out of the house. She looked at Devika who had bruises all over her body. Swati tried calling Sanjay but his phone was switched off. She then called the cops who arrived in a couple of hours.

Sanjay sat there in silence next to Devika, he hung his head in shame. He felt guilty that he didn't bother to call back Devika the previous night.  He felt even more ashamed that he was a man too. He stayed next to her for a long time hoping she would wake up. But he feared he didn't have the courage to look into her eyes.

------------ The End ------------

-          VJ says ~ Cheers and Peace