Hey guys, just putting it out there that this is my favorite chapter so far and fingers crossed, am hoping you would enjoy it as much as I did. Let me know your thoughts, good or bad :)
Also this is a little long so beware haha
****
2 hours later, in the car
Driving seat - Salaar
Passenger seat - Haseena
Back row - Einstien, Amira, Albert
"This is so awkward," Amira whispered to Albert and Einstein, "They haven't spoken to each other for 3 hours....do something..."
Einstein handed Amira a packet of little hearts.
"Thanks," said Amira and started to eat it when Albert snapped her hand and signalled towards Salaar.
"Oh..." said Amira understanding the plan.
"Jijaaji," she called sweetly, "Would you like to have little hearts?"
Salaar was about to turn back when the signal turned green.
"Oh no, the signal turned green," said Amira innocently. "Appi do you want to help Jijaaji?" she asked turning her attention to Haseena with the hopes that she would feed Salaar the biscuits. Haseena angrily glared at her.
"Right," said Amira leaning back, "Not a good idea to eat while driving."
"What now?" Amira asked her guards again.
"Stop the car for food," Albert wrote on his hand and showed Amira.
"Jijaaji," Amira called out again, "Can we stop somewhere to eat?"
"Thought you had biscuits?" said Salaar. Albert and Einstein immediately took the remaining biscuits and stuffed them in their pockets.
"Not anymore," said Amira.
Salaar knew this was a plan. Yet he couldn't say no because what if Amira is really hungry. He stopped at the next roadside dhaba.
*** Roadside dhaba, seating arrangement by Einstein ***
Salaar and Haseena on one table opposite each other. Albert, Amira, and Einstein on the other table.
"Bhai what's your order?" the waiter asked Salaar.
"Chai and..." Salaar looked at Haseena. No response. "What do you want?" he asked. No response. Salaar rolled his eyes.
"Amira what does your sister like?" he asked Amira.
"You," said Amira and Salaar stared into her soul. "...ropean cusine," Amira cleverly completed.
"Local," Salaar asked again.
"Vada," answered Amira.
"and one plate Vada," Salaar told the waiter.
"What happened after I left?" Salaar asked Haseena.
"What happened before you left?" Haseena asked Salaar.
Salaar signed. "Rajkesh already found out Amira's identity," he said, "So I pretended to join hands with him. The plan was to get all his men at one place and kill them so that everyone who knows Amira's identity dies."
"Did it work?" asked Haseena.
"Rajkesh escaped," said Salaar, "He didn't show up."
"And instead sent one of his men inside Fullerton," completed Haseena.
"What!?" said Salaaar surprised, "Rajkesh's man was inside?" Did he get to Amira? What...."
"He is no more. I dealt with him," said Haseena.
"Really?" said Salaar genuinely surprised and impressed.
"That's all you have to say?" asked Haseena angrily.
"Haseena you have no idea how terrified I was..."
"I do," interrupted Haseena, "I saw it in your eyes. I still see it. Your shuffling eyeballs constantly looking for danger, your left hand on your gun and your legs prompted forward ready to fight." "But guess what," she added, "None of them would've been of any use if Amira got caught today."
Salaar didn't have a comeback and Haseena left the table and joined Amira's table.
"...Appi....jijaaji might feel bad," said Amira.
"Let him," said Haseena but Amira couldn't and joined Salaar.
"I don't mind being alone, Amira," said Salaar, "Be with your sister."
"It's okay jijaaji," said Amira and sat down.
"So....the issue has..still not been resolved?" she asked after a few minutes of silence.
Salaar shook his head. "I don't know what would convince her," he said.
"Sorry," answered Amira. Salaar looked up. "Sorry is what would convince her," said Amira. Salaar remained silent as he couldn't help but remember a memory from his childhood.
*****
"SORRY CHINNA! How many times should I keep repeating?" Rocky said as he walked behind Reena who was angrily strolling across the palace.
Farmaan who was then 12, couldn't believe his years and stood there petrified. "Rocky bhai....you are saying sorry!?" he asked.
"What re? What would happened if your Rocky bhai says sorry?" asked Reena angrily, "Will his crown fall off?"
"Yes," answered Rocky, "My crown will fall off." "Farmaan beta..." he said placing his hand on Farmaan's shoulder, "Never ever apologize for anything. The world is already looking for people to blame and if you say sorry for one thing, they will point out a hundred more things that you should apologize for."
Reena rolled her eyes and was about to storm out but Rocky held her with his other hand. "But if there is someone for whom you could let go off your entire world," he continued, "it's okay to drop your crown at their feet."
*****
*** Later that night ***
"Appi do you know that jijaaji's real name is Farmaan Quereshi," Amira asked while they were in bed. Haseena took a while before answering.
"Yes. How do you know?" she asked.
"I saw it in the hall of fame," said Amira, "He is India's representative for Math Champs international in 2007 and he won."
"Really?" Haseena asked surprised.
"Yes, that explains why he is so good at Mathematics," said Amira and intentionally ended the conversation and went to sleep. However Haseena couldn't. A million questions crossed her mind. What did he study? When did he give up? Why did he give up etc etc and as Amira would expect she decided to clarify it herself and went in search of Salaar.
She went to his room. He was not there. She started searching the house ane eventually found him in the hall, sitting on a chair facing Rocky's potrait spinning a gun on one hand thinking deeply. Haseena came and sat beside him. Salaar noticed her but didn't respond.
"You only make mistakes and you only get angry?" she asked.
"My anger is also with myself," replied Salaar.
Haseena didn't know what to say. So they both remained silent for a few more minutes.
"Amira saw your picture in the hall of fame," she said after a while.
"I see," said Salaar.
"Why didn't you become a Mathematician?" Haseena asked unable to control herself.
"Because a Mathematician will not be able to protect Amira," answered Salaar and that one sentence completely changed Amira's perception.
She always viewed Salaar as a bully who suddenly stepped into her life and demanded custody of Amira. Who knows nothing about their lives and is bossy in the name of protection but now...but now she realized it's different. Salaar sacrificed his career for Amira. He worked his entire life to become Amira's savior.
He is not a devil, no. He is a fallen angel. An angel who fell, not for his mistakes, but for a promise he made to god. His god. And now he is heart broken for breaking his promise.
"Don't think too much about it," she said.
Salaar shook his head. "I had one job," he said, "and I failed."
"But you didn't loose," said Haseena, "Stop blaming yourself and just be more careful next time." "To say it in your language," she continued, "If you solved a question wrong and start thinking about it instead of moving on to the next question, you will fail the whole test."
Salaar smiled for that was a very convincing argument.
"Takes time but thank you for helping out today," he said.
"Protecting Amira is my duty too," said Haseena. "It's getting late, you should go sleep," she suggested.
Salaar nodded and stood up. They were both about to part ways when Salaar called Haseena. Haseena turned back. Salaar remained silent for a moment before finally speaking. "Sorry about what happened today, Haseena," he said.
Haseena smiled.
"Like I said, forget about it," she said and left.
Fun fact: The only other person Salaar ever apologized to was Amira.