chapter 5

A man came out of Palak's room while buckling his belt." What is this? I paid you," he voiced out of his frustration.Mohini smiled awkwardly, " there's another girl for you. That's the room."He scoffed and instead of going to the girl's room, he left the brothel. Mohini clenched her jaw," Aye!"Pari looked at her." Will you shut down the business? If I start sending my customers off like this, the business will shut down."" It would be better," Pari mumbled.Mohini looked up and down at her, " I seriously want to know why Vikrant Agnihotri spend this much on you? Earlier it was only you, now he has bought this girl also just because you wanted."Pari rolled her eyes." You are getting money right? Be happy."Mohini scoffed irritatedly, " I don't want such charity money. Your sahab alone cannot buy girls."Pari frowned and stepped a little closer to her, " he can. If needed, he can shut down this brothel as well."Mohini chuckled sarcastically, " are you threatening me?"Pari shook her head, " I am warning you."" Ok, now leave. Your master has listened to you today. Make him very happy tonight," Mohini said and walked away while hugging the cheque close to her chest.Pari shook her head. The craze this woman has for money is incredible. Pari went into the room." Palak?"She turned ON the lights and found her curled in the corner of the room. She looked scared. She probably got a bit late. Pari went to her and sat before her." I am sorry. I got late. It was difficult convincing her."Palak shook her head and hugged her, " I am glad you came. He.. almost tore my clothes."She could sense pain and fear in her voice. She patted her head and broke the hug." You can sleep comfortably. Nobody's going to come tonight."" How..did you convince her?"Palak asked, standing up with her." Money. She's greedy for money."She made Palak sit on the bed." How much?"" 50 Lacs," she replied.Palak gasped, " how did you get this much money?"Pari put her legs on the bed and gently pushed her down to make her lie down." My Sahab helped me."Palak's eyes shone with sympathy as she asked in a low voice, " will he force you now?"Pari smiled slightly and covered her with a duvet, " I don't know."Palak grabbed her hand and Pari looked at her face." You shouldn't have done this. What if he does worse to you now? What if he..makes you do dirty things?"It was foolish to think that dirty things don't happen here. Pari just smiled reassuringly, " sleep now. We'll meet tomorrow."" I am sorry," Palak said with guilt." Don't be," Pari said and left the room after turning off the lights.Who knows what he will ask for in return. He has not given a small amount.Without hesitation he handed the cheque into her hands. But..why? Till date, she has not been able to find out what Vikrant Agnihotri does and why he does it. But why only for her? There are many girls here he can easily get.For one year he just spends the nights without doing anything.Her speed increased when many questions clouded her brain. She hurriedly climbed the stairs and made her way to her room.She needs answers.Vikrant was standing before the mirror with hands tucked in his pants pocket when he heard sounds of the door opening. His attention diverted to the sounds of anklets. He turned around and found her locking the door.She faced him." I want to ask something."His corner of lips curved into a small and amusing smirk. She seems strangely confident and brave tonight.She walked closer to him, " why did you give me the money without any hesitation?"He raised his eyebrows slightly, " Are you ordering me to answer?"Her expression softened and she dropped her eyelashes, " I am sorry if I sounded like that."His gaze sparkled and he ended the little distance between them. Pari fisted her hand when she felt him palming her one side of her cheek and making her look up at his face." Is your work done?"She nodded lightly." Then what's the problem?"" Just.. why do you spend so much on me?"He moved his hand down from her cheek, " Just like I spend on the property I purchase."She shook her head, " But you must be using that property? But you never used me- I mean, you.. never did that to me what every man out there does to girls."" So you want me to use you?"He walked toward the bed. She turned to his direction, " I just want to know why are you doing this much for me? Mausi does not say anything to me only because of you. No man even looks at me, let alone touch me. They just keep desiring for me only because of you. And now you gave me a blank cheque because I asked for it. Why?"" How old is the girl you saved?"Instead of answering, he asked another question to her which depicted that he did not want to talk about that.Pari sighed, " 18."He nodded and lay down on the bed, folding his arm under his head." Did she thank you?"She gulped down her frustration because he is asking ridiculous answers. Of course, she will thank him." She did," she chose not to show him anger because who is she to him? Just a prostitute. How can she throw tantrums at him?" How did she come here?"Vikrant asked. He is speaking a lot tonight as compared to past nights. She came and sat down beside him on the bed." Trafficker promised her a well-paying job and later sold her."He frowned slightly and she looked at his face. Witnessing his silence she chose to ask more questions." Why-"" How did you come here?"She sealed her mouth at his question. He read her expression. The color drained from her face and vulnerability was visible in her eyes. He was right. There are many untold stories hidden in her life which she was not even able to mention.She fluttered her eyelashes down, " just.. same story."" Job?"She took a deep breath and shook her head. It was clear that he had reopened many deep-rooted wounds. The mere mention of which could break her.He sat up and knitted his eyebrows looking at her gloomy expression." Tell me what you want eagerly?"She was confused by his sudden and weird question. She looked at his face, " I did not.. understand."" You did. Tell me," he said.She blinked her eyelashes. She desperately wanted only one thing. Freedom. Then after her freedom, she wants to save other girls like her and Palak." Why?"Irritation flickered in his gaze hearing the stupid question which was not stupid at all. She sighed, understanding him.She turned her gaze at the window." I want freedom. Freedom from this cage in which everyone has imprisoned me by calling me the golden bird."She smiled and looked at his face. His heart skipped a beat seeing her wide smile." Then I will buy back my parents' land. I will return your money. I will do a job and settle in a good place."How innocent she looked while telling about her big dreams which she was determined to fulfill. Without his knowledge, a smile formed on his lips listening to her future plans which are as beautiful as a blooming flower. The only fear was that someone might break flower buds.Suddenly she became silent as if she recognised the realm of dreams and reality." But I need to leave this place before that," she muttered under her breath.He again lay down on the bed." Will you meet me once you leave this place?"She smiled, " kyu nahi, Sahab- hamara matlab, haa kyu nahi. Aap to bahut ache hain."( Why not, master- I mean, yes why not? You are a very good person.)He chuckled amusingly, " kharida hai humne tumhe. Acha kaise acha ho sakta hun?"( I have bought you. How can I be a good person?)She tilted her head slightly, " baaki mardo se to ache hain aap."( You are way better than other men.)He shook his head lightly and turned his back to her. Pari took a deep breath and lay down as well to sleep but as soon as she fell asleep, she woke up hearing the sound of the phone ringing.She groaned lightly and sat up. It was his phone. She glanced at him. He is sleeping soundlessly so she did not feel like waking him up. The phone was right beside his head.She grabbed it and the light of the screen made her squeeze her eyes. She frowned reading the name.Dhwani..The call disconnected. She doesn't really know how to use it because back at her home, she did not have a device. Her elders never allowed her to have one. She has only used her friend's mobile and sometimes her Kaki's secretly.She sighed and put the phone on the nightstand which was beside him. She was about to lay down but gasped lightly when he turned to her and threw his arm on her waist.Her heart beat increased and she looked at his face with slightly widened eyes. His arm felt heavy on her bare belly. She calmed down instantly, looking at his face. He looked handsome and peaceful while sleeping. Otherwise, he seems confused, angry, and serious.She smiled and forwarded her hand to slide strands of his hair behind but stopped an inch away, realising the boundaries between them. These limitations are of course not visible, but they cannot be ignored either. If she had met him somewhere else instead of the brothel then perhaps their relationship would have been different, but would she have been able to meet him?His life is something else. One day he will get married and he will stop coming. He will have his own wife, children and he will move forward in his life. And she will be remembered only as his prostitute with whom he used to spend his time.There is no place for feelings in their relationship. Yes, he is a very good man but... because of this she cannot change her direction and she cannot forcefully demand her rights in his life.He is a very respectable man and she? A girl from a notorious brothel.She lay down and turned her back at him. She soon drifted into her dreamland and next morning brought the same schedule. Days passed and she remained busy with her work. Soon 15 days had passed and Vikrant was nowhere to be seen near the brothel." Didi?"Palak called her." Hmm," she hummed while writing something in her diary." What is the name of your master?"" Vikrant Agnihotri," Pari replied.Both of their eyes shifted to the 3 girls standing on the balcony of her room and teasing the young boys walking on the streets.Pari shook her head with disbelief." Didi, do you think something is wrong with him?"Pari closed the dairy as she was done, " what?"" You have told me about him. Do you think any man would do so much for a prostitute."Pari stood up from the bed and went to put her diary somewhere safe. Those 3 girls came from the balcony and took seats on the bed." That's what I wanted to say. I think Sahab has fallen in love with her," Pallavi said and laughed with the rest of the two girls.Palak smiled." Do not listen to them, Palak. They are just stupid."" Acha? But I believe you too have fallen in love with him?"" Are you mad?"Pari infuriated and scoffed at them." Why don't you guys ever shift from my topic? Don't you have work to do?"They sighed, " no. We work at night."Pari and Palak shook their heads in disbelief.A few more days passed like this. One month had passed. Work in the brothel continued as usual. Palak, strangely, did not get any customers. That was odd because Pari had only bribed Mohini for one night." Aye, Pari?"Pari stopped on her track and looked at the most dominating girls of the brothel. She chose not to ruin her mood by talking to them but they stopped her." Look at her audacity. Has your Sahab given you too much importance?"She looked at them, " so? Does anyone have any problems?"They chuckled and the most insolent girl among them walked toward her while rolling her strands of hair around her index finger." I do. Lend me your Sahab for a night."Pari chuckled slightly, " he is not any stuff that I can give to anyone just like that."" This much possessiveness. If Mausi gets to know, she won't spare you."Another girl said. Possessive and her? Not at all. She just knows that these people are not good for that man. He is too nice to come to the brothel." Have you got wings? Initially you did not have the courage to speak like this."Pari smiled slightly, " I believe that you were not like this before. People change."" Uhmn? Do you know something?"Pari frowned and the girl continued," The news is coming that Vikrant Agnihotri is engaged."Her eyes enlarged slightly and all of them chuckled humorously at her reaction." Who told you?"Pari asked." He is a famous man. A news item appeared on TV. One of our men told Mohini mausi so I thought I would inform you. What happened? Are you disheartened?"Pari held the urge to roll her eyes and they continued mocking her." So we were right. Did you dream of marrying him? A prostitute was going to settle in her life."They laughed." Now the day is not far when he will get married and stop coming here. Then see your fate. Men will tear you apart like animals."" Aren't you all ashamed?"It wasn't Pari but Palak. Everyone looked at her as she came forward and defended the only person she respects in this brothel." Being a girl, don't you feel ashamed of saying such things about another girl? Has this brothel consumed all your feelings?"They rolled their eyes and one of them commented." Another one has come to impart knowledge. You too will meet a very bad fate. The fate of both of you depends only on Vikrant's marriage."They scoffed mockingly and walked away from there leaving the girls alone." Didi?"Palak put her hand on Pari's shoulders." Don't worry."" Why would I? Uhm, you should sleep now. It's too late."Pari smiled reassuringly at her. Palak nodded and went away to her room. Smile faded from Pari's lips and she stood there helplessly.If they are right, then it means he will stop coming to her. Perhaps, he won't come anymore. He has a fiancee now. He cannot cheat on her by meeting a girl like her.Anyway, everything is going well for him. He has now found the right path in his life. Now he will have a wife who will understand him, love him and take great care of him. Brothel is not a nice place. He should have stopped coming here long ago.But from the time she spent with him she realized that he is very lonely...just like her. Will his wife be able to give him lots of love and care? But why is she worried? What right does she have?She went to her room and closed the door. She grabbed her journal and sat on the ground, leaning her back against the bed. She caressed the plain cover and opened the book.She started writing this 8 months ago. Her sorrow, pain and suffering are all expressed in these pages. She flipped the two pages and stopped at the third page from where she began writing about him. In the beginning she did not write much about him but gradually she filled all the pages writing about him only.I was scared. I thought I might lose my dignity but.. he did not touch me. He just watched me throughout the night and puffed his cigar. I was shocked but relieved.She flipped the page and read more about him.Today Sahab seemed extremely sad. I wanted to ask him but I was unsuccessful. I am afraid that he might start thinking wrongly about me.Smile formed on her lips and she turned the page.He is a good man, I think.. But his actions are a bit strange. I never understood why he does not behave with me the way he should behave with a prostitute. He never lets me even realize that I am a prostitute. I feel good when he is around.I wonder what will happen to me when he stops coming here. All the protection I am getting will be taken away and my dignity will be trampled upon. I don't want Sahab to leave me alone.He looked handsome. I want to know about him. His journey to success. I am curious to know Vikrant Agnihotri- oops, Sahab.She chuckled lightly and closed the book. She did not realise when she turned this journal from her life into his admiration.She stood up and put it back in its place. She removed her dupatta and thought to sleep now. Just as she turned OFF the lights, her door snapped open.Her heart skipped a beat and eyes enlarged.It didn't happen the way she thought. He proved her wrong. He was standing at the door, his red eyes were just staring at her. He seemed drunk and messed up.Her heart fell into stomach and breath stuck when he closed the door and locked it. He faced her and lifted his foot to walk to her but stumbled." Sahab!"She gasped and ran to help him.⋆༺✷༻⋆