Chapter Three --- The Last Time I Met Vishal

THE LAST TIME I MET VISHAL1

My mind was in a state of disquieted uneasiness as I was waiting for your reply.
But somehow it was difficult to let go off the pangs of fear that Vishal had given me.2

The fright of being victimised in another chilling instance of chauvinistic violence loomed large over me. It had robbed me of my mental harmony and made me a victim of frequent panic attacks. I wasn't the same after that incident.3

Vishal claimed to be madly in love with me but I doubted that fact because I had seen him with a lot of girls at many places on many different occasions.4

There were numerous people in Delhi who believed in a "no strings attached relationship" and he was one such person.5


He belonged to a wealthy and affluent family that dealt with garments and property dealing. He was loaded with an abundance of wealth and the materialistic possessions that his father would have left him after his death. In addition he was a moneyed heir to the"mad money" that his grandfather had left him.6


He was smitten by my honesty and generosity towards him and considered me his support system.7


I had met him through a friend's friend at the Auto expo.
I was certain that this friendship "would bite the dust" someday. 8

We hardly met as I had no time throughout the day and I wasn't interested in wasting my precious time meeting him but all he could do was call me every three hours to listen to my voice.9

Most of the times I never bothered to attend his call.
He was emotionally burdened and he wanted me to help him carry his burden. 10


On many occasions he had promised that he would leave all his girl friends for me but I doubted that statement. I wanted to let go off all the mess I was in as I was very sure that I never loved Vishal and he never loved me. 11


I had hardly met him twice in my life but it seemed that he had given his entirety to me after the rendezvous I had with him.12


He said that I wasn't fake and pretentious like the other girls he had met in his life and I wasn't bothered about the silver lining his life adorned him with.13

It's true as I wasn't really bothered about his affluence and I wasn't really bothered about his existence but maybe he had started developing ineffable feelings of love and tenderness towards me.14

I was getting choked in this so called relationship and I wanted to end it before it might reach another level. I remember it was Thursday,the 13th of July 2006 ,the very last time I saw Vishal.15


I reached well ahead of time at the Mc Donalds in the Outer Circle,Connaught Place. The place was bustling with the sound of honking cars and mad shoppers thronging the markets.This was one place that was never devoid of shoppers even on weekdays. I was waiting to see a white Hyundai Santro car with a Punjab registration number.16


I hated waiting for anyone and particularly for someone I did not want to wait for,but I think this time the wait would be worth the effort.17

The sun was shining in all its splendour and the shimmering sun rays made it impossible for me to stand there.It seemed to me that it will be the last and final time I will be meeting him.18

He came at around 11.30 am and was apologetic for his late arrival. I had taken a leave from college on that day. I wanted to disburden the unnecessary load that I had been carrying in my life from the past two months.19


I got into his car and shut the door. I wanted to converse with him for a few minutes and then I wanted to leave the place and never see his shuddery face ever again. 20

I never wanted the conversation to happen in a public place as I never wanted him to create a drama out of the incident,which was something I was expecting from him.21


"Alright. I wanted to talk to you about something important." I said
"I hope you accept my love now.It's been really long that I have been waiting.Now please end the suspense.Say that you love me." He said 22

His eyes gleamed with joy. He thought I was officially going to declare my love for him. But that "retarded muttonhead" didn't know that I was going to give him the worst shock of his life.23

"I want to end this. We thought we are just friends but you seem to be taking it to a derogatory level. I am not like any other Delhi girl. I am what I am." I replied in a firm tone24

" But baby,you know that I love you." He spoke in hopelessness25

"Oh come on, I know what love means to you. I believe in an honest happily ever after relationship.And you are nowhere close." I said26

"You can't do this to me." He said27

"What have I done to you? I never committed anything.It's you who reached to conclusions." I said28


At this he leaned towards me and it seemed that he wanted to take me in his arms.I tried to move back.29

But to my disbelief he suddenly held on to my neck and banged my head on the dashboard. He slapped me hard on my face and screamed loudly.30

" I love you,Riya.I really love you." He screamed loudly
He was growling like a violent lion and slapped me over and over again.31

" Just leave me alone you bastard.Just get lost." I shouted in helplessness32

I was screaming for help and trying to kick the barbaric monster.33


I started reciting the "Lord's prayer" and "Hail Mary" as I struggled with the horrendous bastard.34

I never imagined Vishal to be a "male chauvinist pig" and never in my dreams I thought that he would hit me so brutally for throwing him out of my life.But I wonder whether he ever came into my life anytime.He was like this burdensome baggage I was carrying,thanks to my generosity. 35

I was terribly hurt and my forehead was bleeding profusely and I could see droplets of blood swelling out of my forehead. I kicked him hard on his stomach with my right leg and forcing open the door of the car I ran out for help. 36

The people around me saw me running towards the auto stand with a badly injured forehead adorned with gleaming droplets of blood. 37

At that instance many people gathered around his car and caught him by the collar of his shirt and started beating him. I never bothered to stay back and watch the royal treatment that was meated out to him.38

I took an autorickshaw and went to the local dispensary near my house.Luckily,I was carrying my CGHS card which entitled me to free treatment. The doctor quizzed me on the nature of the wounds and I created a fake story of an accident.Thankfully she was convinced as the wound wasn't deep and the bleeding stopped after a while. 39

I convinced my parents to believe that I had a minor accident as the bus in which I was travelling had collided with another vehicle. The wounds were the result of the broken window panes which were hurled towards me with force during the mishap.40

I was emotionally stirred. The physical and emotional shock had left me maligned. 41

42

Later I came to know from a friend that Vishal was jailed for a night for his ill deeds.His mother had called me the very next day to let me know about her son's regretful condition. Her jittery voice left me apprehensive and certain sense of guilt twinged my soul though I wasn't to be blamed for all that had happened.43

He was mentally sick and I thanked God a million times for having saved me from the clutches of an evil doer like him.44

I had gone back in time. The time that had vilified my emotions and brought in a ceaseless and vicious cycle of pain.45

Suddenly I heard the "Last Christmas"ringtone voluminously swelling from my phone and my benumbed senses realized that I was hallucinating and the nightmare was indeed a thing of the past.