"Dil toh bata de kya hai iraada tera..."

My body feels numb, my eyes burning due to my continuous crying. My heart has been beating in my chest at a faster pace since the past hour.

The walls of the cell seem like they're slowly moving towards where I sat, as if they are intentioned to engulf me inside them.

The female constables sitting outside my cell are giggling and chit-chatting about something, as if they are some VIPs amongst the many prisoners here.

I could hear the other prisoners, some shouting at each other from their cells, or some crying while begging the officers beating them to let them go.

Life is hell here amongst these people who treat you like you were born without a reason in this world.

It's been seven days and I've lost every hope left inside me that Nirwan ji would come here and take me back, apologise for putting false claims on me that I supported Aryan bhaiya behind his back.

But nothing of what I thought happened. Even worse, I was sent here to the central jail because the media was surfing in the police station everyday.

And now I'm between one of the worst criminals locked up here, being the only prisoner who has done nothing wrong.

I don't even like looking down at myself. I haven't showered or brushed my teeth for the last seven days, my hair is oily and stinky and I hate them now.

I haven't looked at my own reflection but I know I have big dark circles under my eyes due to the lack of sleep I've been having, and the way I've starved myself by eating only once in a day.

I'm wearing the white blue striped saree of the female prisoners, which doesn't look like it's been washed since ages.

The gate of the cell opened and a female constable walked inside with a steel plate, and kept it down on the floor near me.

"Eat this, there is another woman joining you here today, finish your food before that bitch comes here," she harshly spat at me, and I paid no attention to look at her or say anything to her.

I wasted two days begging them to let me go or call Nirwan ji here, but what they only did was beat me to make me shut my mouth.

And I'm no longer concerned about it.

I looked down at the plate.

A proper, complete meal.

Everything in this place was traumatising me, but what I ate was probably different from what was given to other prisoners here.

I continued staring down at the plate. I was hungry as fuck, but I didn't feel like eating. I just wanted to throw up on these female constables' faces. 

The gate of the cell opened again, and the constable pushed another lady inside before locking the gate once again.

The lady was silent. She didn't utter a single word and sat down beside me slowly with a sigh.

Though I didn't look at her, I knew she was staring at the plate of food in front of me.

"Can I have it, if you're not eating, please?" She slowly asked, and I looked up at her clearly for the first time.

Her belly.

A grown belly.

I didn't ask or say anything further and passed my plate to her. She smiled softly and started eating.

"I never thought I would get to eat this plate full of food in jail, thank you, ma'am," she continued.

"Why are you calling me 'ma'am'?" I opened my mouth for the first time in five days.

"Because you are a big personality," she replied casually, while I sighed.

"How many months?" I asked.

"Four."

"Why did they arrest you?" My next question went, and she looked down at her baby bump.

"This baby is not of my husband. It was my ex who met me once and he...forced me into it. And now, my husband and his family put false claims on me that I'm a fraud and I've murdered my mother in law," she replied, tears brimming in the corner of her eyes.

I let out another deep sigh.

I really want to help this woman and save her from all these odds happening with her.

But I'm stuck. A girl who was dreaming of being a successful lawyer is sitting here in jail herself.

I can't even fight for myself.

"What's your name?" I asked further, while she gulped down the food before replying, "Nisha."

I nodded slowly, while she cleared her throat, "Can I ask you something, if you don't mind?"

I nodded to let her continue. "Why don't you try to tell them that you are not involved in the murder?"

My eyes widened a little, when she mentioned the word 'murder.'

"What murder?" I asked, while she passed me a 'Are you serious?' look.

"Murder of Aakriti Sharma," she replied, making my eyes widen even more.

"Wait, I'm accused in the murder of Aakriti Sharma? But they told me I was involved with my brother in probably invading the privacy of the Malhotras!" I exclaimed, while she shook her head.

"This means you're really innocent, ma'am. I feel sorry for you," she replied, making me raise my eyebrows in question.

She leaned in, whispering so that nobody else could listen to us, "You're accused of being involved in Aakriti Sharma's murder. Multiple people have been arrested in the past three days who were involved in this masterplan or who knew about it. Aryan Arora had confirmed that he murdered her to the police four days ago."

My jaw dropped, tears welling up in my eyes.

How can Nirwan ji even think I would do that?

Since I was a kid, I was always away from this shit of politics, in fact, I never got the brotherly love from Aryan bhaiya at all.

And despite the fact that Nirwan ji knew about our truth before me, he still thought I was supporting Aryan bhaiya.

"But you should never lose hope. Trust God and his plans, it's not always necessary that what he planned goes according to you," Nisha's voice cut off my thoughts.

I nodded slowly at her words. She was right, no matter what, I should never lose hope in my Mahadev. He always saved me no matter how long I was stuck in a problem.

And even though I have lost all my hopes with everything and everyone, I still believe Mahadev has my back at some point.

His plans are always the best for me.

I took a deep breath and wiped my tears, focusing back on Nisha, "When do you think you'll be free?"

"I don't know. I'll be presented in the court just three days from now, I guess. And I don't have any lawyer for me," she replied, the tears brimming in the corner of her eyes now almost threatening to fall off.

My heart ached listening to her words. I didn't have a lawyer either, and I'll probably be presented in the court next week.

I don't know if I'll be able to fight for myself, but I can at least fight for her who is not at fault. The claims on me can't be taken back, but I can stand for people who I can help.

☆

I flinched when I felt immensely cold water splashing on my face. I opened my eyes and sat up hesitantly to find two female constables standing inside my cell.

"Get up, sir is here to meet you," one of them shouted, reaching out to pull me up on my feet by my arm.

I stood up as they both held my arms and started dragging me outside my cell. I walked along with them, towards a secluded corner away from the other cells and prisoners.

They pushed me inside a room, closing the door behind me. I looked across the room and found no one, confusion engulfing me.

The door opened again after a solid minute, startling me to turn around.

I froze in my spot, my jaw dropping and tension building in my pores when I saw him towering over my figure.

What is he doing here? How can he dare to face me now?

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I asked him, tears welling up in my eyes as I instinctively took a step back.

"Sit down, I need to talk," he calmly demanded, while I shook my head.

"I'm not going to talk about anything! I need my answer! Why did you put a false claim on me without investigating? How can you just believe anyone who told you I was involved?" I shouted, while the door opened and the constables walked in.

Nirwan ji held out his hand and stopped them in their tracks. They turned around and went outside once again.

He glared at me, "I said sit down, Aakriti."

"I won't! I WILL NEVER LISTEN TO YOU!" I screamed this time, tears rolling down my cheeks like a river.

He took one step closer, "Sit. Down."

I broke into silent sobs and looked away from him. Why can't he just believe me and let me go? I'm ready to forgive him just now if he takes me with him from here.

I know the constables would beat the shit out of me after he leaves because I was shouting. They never leave any prisoner here who shouts at any official.

He grabbed my chin harshly and pierced his gaze in mine, "Tumhein ek baar mein samajh nahi aata kya?" 

[Don't you understand at once?]

"Nahi aata humein kuch samajh! Aur humein samajhna bhi nahi hai!" I shouted back, his gaze darkening by each passing second.

[I don't understand anything! And I don't wanna understand either!]

He harshly grabbed my shoulders, making me flinch slightly. His touch was surprisingly gentle, but the softness of his touch didn't matter.

"You started loving me, didn't you? Then how can you think I broke your trust?" I whispered, my tears blurring my vision.

"There's a big difference between who I loved before and who I love now. There are charges against you that you have been involved in my Aakriti's murder," he replied, looking directly into my eyes.

My lower lip quivered, "I was involved in what? You mean I knew Aryan bhaiya murdered her?"

He stood unresponsive, staring back at me. I chuckled bitterly, "I never even knew your first wife's name, Nirwan ji. I got to know everything about her when I read her journal. I even understood that the person who murdered her was Aryan bhaiya!"

"Don't make stories, Aakriti," he growled, while I tightened my fists and shook my head.

"I'm not making stories! This was what I was about to tell you every time I told you that I want to talk to you! But I never got a chance to admit that I read her journal," I replied honestly, tears staining my face completely.

"And if you still think I supported Aryan bhaiya in this, then I'm not going to protest. Just kill me and take all the revenge you want to," I added, looking away from him.

He stood silently, removing his hands from my shoulder. There was a pin drop silence in the room, and he simply turned around and walked towards the door.

He opened the door and the female constables walked in, holding both my arms from either side.

"Nirwan ji...p-please..." I muttered slowly, my voice unable to make its way out of my mouth properly.

He glanced one last time at me and turned around to leave. The constables dragged me towards my cell again and locked me in.

Nisha glanced at me once I was inside, "What happened, ma'am?"

I shook my head and wiped my tears, "Nirwan ji was here. I tried to make him understand but it seems like he didn't."

"He will. He is a mature and understanding leader, ma'am. Maybe he will understand now if you told him the truth? And don't think you won't have anyone to fight for you if you ever reach the court, because there are many people supporting you out there," Nisha replied, sparkling a slight sense of hope in me.

But I can't believe any of this anymore. I don't know what will take me out of here.

I don't know if I'll leave the jail alive or not. This suffocation is enough to kill me. I don't know how Nisha is managing to survive here being pregnant.

☆

I am pushed inside a weird kind of cell again. There is no one here, no police officer, no constable. My constables left me here and locked me inside.

Currently, every part of my body is aching. The constables beat me a lot after Nirwan ji left, and today, they forced me to shower only to make my wounds hurt more.

It's been three days since he came here to meet me, and I don't think he realised anything from what I said.

And it's also Nisha's hearing in the court today. I hope she is out safely without any wrong allegations against her.

There is another chair placed right in front of me. I don't know who is supposed to sit here.

I guess there might be some officer coming here to investigate me, though I'm not sure it's actually for that.

I just hope it isn't Nirwan ji this time too. Or even if it's him, I want him to take me out of this place.

His unresponsive behaviour has left me in deep trauma. The way he didn't even react to my pleas is as surprising as it is annoying. I thought he might do something to help me out, but he didn't.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard the voice of a man.

"Why the fuck have you brought me here?"

A shiver ran down my spine when I recognised the voice. The voice that will haunt me for ever now. The voice which I never want to hear after that incident.

Aryan bhaiya.

I'm sorry for the traumatising twist (lol)

Please engage more. Do like and drop your lovely comments for the next part 💌

Love y'all,

Ayra.