Mésalliance (Completed)

Chapter 35

In the peaceful garden laced with shrubs and bushes, under the soft glow of moonlight, Madhu nervously clutched her phone. She could hear the heart pounding like a relentless drum. She had to tell the truth to Ankitha even though she feared losing her dearest friend.
As the wind rustled the leaves of the trees, she made up her mind to throw light on Ankitha's situation.
"Hello," her voice trembled as she spoke into the phone.
"Hey, Madhu," Ankitha had the same low spirits as they talked about the previous time and it pricked Madhu. "How is life?"
Madhu drew in air through her nostrils, "Did you get checked?"
Not the right time!
Ankitha replied to her after a pause of ten seconds, "I had my periods, so there is no worry. But, I feel so stupid to have let a guy..."
"It's okay," Madhu interrupted, "at least you are safe now."
"Yeah. But..." Ankitha stalled her words.
"No buts. I am happy that you have one less problem," Madhu said. She tried to control the flood of urge to share with Ankitha, "Don't feel guilty about sleeping with a random guy.
"Some guy dared to take advantage of me. I let him that slack!"  Ankitha exclaimed.
"No!" Madhu shouted at the phone, "It's not some random guy..."
Madhu couldn't keep shut further.
"What?" Ankitha questioned her with utmost curiosity.
"Here's something I need to tell you. It's something that's been eating me up inside for a while now," Madhu crackled. "It was Madhav. He confessed about it to me."
Ankitha's breath caught in her chest, "Madhav?"
Madhu blew out air from her mouth, "I didn't know it until yesterday. I was scared to tell you this."
Ankitha's anger was palpable, "Why didn't you wait for twenty-four hours from yesterday? You knew how much terrified I was !"
Madhu could hear the tears in Ankitha's voice and she felt a dagger pierce her heart. "I know, Ankitha. I had a panic attack when I got to learn that. I managed to sit up today."
Ankitha took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Girl... You aren't telling me anything. It's like we have grown apart in a lot of ways! Did you have your tablets?"
"Yeah," Madhu hesitated.
"And about Madhav, I would like to talk with him in person. You don't pressure yourself," Ankitha said with maturity. Madhu needed time to process her words, "So??"
"Our friendship will survive this but I'll let you know about the bones I am gonna break," Ankitha informed in a cool manner.
Madhu pressed her forehead, "You're being cool to such a shame created by my brother? I am getting a headache."
"You didn't do anything. Madhav, being a proper adult had mistreated me. I will face him personally," Ankitha assured. Madhu knew it was not easy for both her brother and friend.
Their conversation seemed awkward to Madhu as Ankitha didn't give a hostile reaction as she perceived.
"Do you want me to pick up a fight with you for a mistake that you weren't a part of?" Ankitha questioned her as if she knew the inner thoughts of Madhu.
"No. Your kindness overwhelms me," Madhu confessed honestly.
Ankitha chuckled, "If you were there at the party and let him sleep with me, I would have killed you, gurl. You were honest to tell me the truth whether it's late or not."
Relief and gratitude washed over Madhu, "And please don't hurt him. He has had a little crush on you, forever. You were committed, so he couldn't make the move."
Ankitha sighed, "You shouldn't have hid that."
"Ankitha, I told him not to pursue you as you had a boyfriend. I never knew he would wait for a chance to pounce on you!" Madhu blabbered in shock and anger. "I never knew!"
"Fine. So... Since when this crush thing is going on?" Ankitha questioned curiously.
"Oh. Since we were in the twelfth grade. You helped him to start his bike once... That's what he described as the first spark," Madhu elaborated to her friend, reminiscing about her brother. "He blushed like a beetroot that day!"
Ankitha could remotely remember as she didn't have any kind of special feeling about Madhav, "Okay. I will take care from here. You don't press yourself."
"Okay, hun. Can I speak about my life now?" Madhu questioned in hesitation.
"Why not? Did you lose your marriage virginity?" Ankitha asked and giggled. Madhu rolled her eyes, "Not yet. I am not ready for that."
"Why? Your sexual records are perfectly fine till your ex," Ankitha raised a question. Madhu sighed, "I haven't had any sort of relationship with Vikram other than a contract wedding. I need to start my relationship with him. I am waiting..."
Ankitha might've scowled at the cliche as far as Madhu knew her, "Ankitha? Don't you have a say?"
"Nothing," Ankitha denied. " My eyebrows had a sprain at the frown."
Madhu laughed, "Gurl!!"
"Then what? You like him and he too likes you. Do the deed like sexually active adults rather than this abstinence shit!" Ankitha yelled but in frustration.
"Okay!" Madhu said and closed the call. She wanted to wait for some days till her birthday. She smiled at the dark screen of the mobile and shook as the cool breeze hit her skin.
*

******

Vikram walked to and fro inside the room and Madhu hadn't retired inside the room yet. Though he wanted to wait for her to come inside the room to call Krish, he wanted to tell about Niyati so eagerly. He took his mobile from the side table and decided the gravity of the truth that he was about to tell Krish.
Either Krish would accept the love and give Niyati the happiness she craves or he might shut off Vikram too. He took a deep breath as his fingers trembled upon the contact number of Krish. Each ring to the phone was a step closer to a disclosure that could change everything between him and his friend, as well as his sister. Vikram's heart pounded louder in his chest.
"Hello?" Krish's sleepy voice came through the phone. He slightly slapped his forehead to have disturbed the sleep as he might not have been serious about the issue or even triggered by anger.
"Hey, Krish," Vikram began in a small voice, "I am sorry to have disturbed you. It's just ten p.m."
"Mate... I have an early morning duty tomorrow," Krish informed. "And don't apologise formally."
Vikram licked his dry lips, "Yeah. I have to tell you something."
There was a pause on the other end and Vikram could almost hear a yawn from Krish. "Sure, Vik. What's on your mind?"
Vikram swallowed hard, even his throat dried up. He glanced around his room to have one glance at Madhu for mental support but he was alone. Memories with Krish flooded his mind, making the revelation even more tough.
"You know," he finally managed to speak, "we've been friends for a long time and you're like a brother to me."
"Hmm... Are you drunk? Or writing a story about us?" Krish questioned cluelessly. "What's this about?"
Vikram couldn't leave the words out of his throat. He had rehearsed this conversation in his mind countless times but when the moment had arrived, he felt a suffocating weight on his chest.
"It's about Niyati," Vikram finally blurted out. "She... she likes you, Krish."
There was a long silence from Krish. Vikram could hear Krish breathing but no other words. He started to think how foolish it was to tell the truth. Krish would be cutting ties with his family. Vikram wanted to cry.
"K.. Krish?" Vikram stuttered. "I hadn't known it till last week. It was a shock to me..."
Still, there was silence.
"Are you there?" Vikram called for Krish again and again. He didn't know what made him desperate. Was that his duty towards Niyati? Or to hold back Krish?
"I've had a slight doubt about it for a while," Krish admitted from his observations. "Since I started to tell about the new girl, Niyati behaved rudely to me. She unfollowed me on social media as I posted love quotes etcetera. I couldn't point it out until now."
Vikram agreed, "She was sneaky with her feelings as she didn't have a woman... like my mom..."
"Don't go there.." Krish warned as he knew Vikram would be guilty again. "She has Madhu now to share her thoughts. You need to safeguard your wife."
Vikram's shoulders slumped with relief, his anxiety slowly dissipating, "I'm sorry for not telling you earlier, Krish. I was just worried about how you'd react."
Krish chuckled softly, "You can't dictate feelings to Niyati. It's just... I don't know why she likes me. I haven't done anything special to her."
Even Vikram didn't know. But he understood that love came like a disaster. It hit on your face and by that time you have been engulfed and tossed into it and gone inside it forever.
"I need some time," Krish admitted. "Please ask her to be patient instead of showing attitude to me."
Vikram laughed, "I can't instruct the women of this house. Both of them are tigress."
"Women of the house!" Krish widened his eyes, "You and Madhu???"
"Yeah, she is my one. I am glad to have found her by chance," Vikram disclosed wholeheartedly. "She is having some hesitation."
"Maybe because of the contract?" Krish gave a tip to his friend. On the dimmed night, Vikram found the light of the situation.
"Bro! How did I forget that?" Vikram sat straight on the bed and furrowed his brows.
Krish shrugged, "You need to put a ring on her to earn her. As far as you're in that contract marriage without cancelling, she will stay worried that you'll divorce her after a year."
Vikram stood up and walked, "You're right, Krish. This whole contract thing is causing so much confusion between us. I will meet our lawyer and change our marital status."
Krish straightened up and reassured his friend, "Yes, cancel the contract and remarry her again. She will be happy."
Vikram agreed, "She gave me a lot more than happiness. I need to make him happy and feel safe with me."
Krish supported, "Once you've taken these steps, she'll know you're serious about your relationship. She will be happy."
Vikram started to imagine the things he needed to do to her once she became his wife again.
"Vikki?" Krish called for his friend but he figured out that Vikram was flooded by the sea of fantasy and detached the ring.