A Bad Boy Fell for Her

Recap: In the previous chapter, we learned how, after being with Zareena, the boys at the street corner stop teasing Riddhima. But her uncle doesn't like Riddhima mixing up with Zareena and her fiancé. Now next -

Sonu's words proved to be innocent as well as sweet. He had started loving Riddhima not as his cousin but as his sister.

One day when he returned from school, he had an extremely dim expression. But somehow, he gathered his books and sat at his table to study. Riddhima was thankfully at home that day. Auntie said while doing the chores, "Child, can you go and see why Sonu is upset? Ask him if he got into a fight. These days society is not at all good! Can you please convince him not to mess with anyone?"

Riddhima assured her, "Don't worry Auntie! I will talk to him."

Riddhima went to the kitchen, took a food tray for Sonu and returned to their room. She entered and appreciated him to lift his mood, "When did my idiot brother even start studying? Did the sun rise in the west today? But eating good and homemade food is also important to turn into a big boy! Look what I brought."

But Sonu snarled, "Didi, I want to become a big boy very soon! I want to take revenge from everyone whom I hate."

Riddhima sat facing him, "Now who dared to mess with my big brother?"Sonu huffed, "You know Didi, the boys standing at the corner of the street, they are very strange! And bad too."Riddhima said, "Did someone say something to you?"

Sonu nodded a yes, "Yes Didi. Today when I was crossing from there, they called me and said - 'Hey Sonu, we want to be friends with your chocolatey sister!' So, I replied - 'My sister's name is Riddhima and not chocolatey!' A guy said - 'How would we know? She looks just like a chocolate bar, so delicious and sweet!' Another one said - 'Ever tasted her?' The third one said - 'Why to taste? Isn't she so sexy?' Didi, I am just a kid, but I somehow knew that they were talking bad about you. So, I ran away from there!"Riddhima was dumbstruck, she thought, "These boys talk shit about me all the time, I wonder what they think in their filthy minds. From how they look at me, seems like they would swallow me anytime!'She said, "You did right, Sonu. Stay away from those rags. Don't listen to their shit!"

Sonu says, "I don't even want to go them, Didi. Whenever I come home from school, or mother sends me to the grocery shop, or I go out to play, these people catch me! If I don't go, will they kill me? I only pray to God to turn me into a big man, then we all will go away from this place! Right, Didi?"

Riddhima nodded in a yes. But her heart became restless. She thought, 'Is there no one who can save girls from such people?'

The next day, she remained eerily silent. On Zareena Didi's thousandth request, she narrated the whole incident that happened with Sonu the other day. Zareena listened to everything carefully. Then she held Riddhima's hand reassuring her, "Don't worry baby girl. Now nothing like this will happen anymore."

And to be honest, that incident did not happen anymore. When Riddhima was on her way to college, the boys could not be seen at the street corner! And no one even said a word to Sonu! They would even disappear on seeing Riddhima, whenever she went out of the house for anything.

Riddhima thought that maybe Zakar BIL had put their mind to rest because of Zareena Didi's request. Zakar BIL's father's name is very well known. Maybe they are scared of him.When she is on her way to college, her eyes unknowingly meet someone's, and she immediately lowers her gaze.There was the young man again, with a cup of chai in his hand, who kept looking towards the road. And there were his deep blue eyes and his grief-stricken face. She didn't know what was there on his face which made her gaze look up to him even if she did not want to. And the day that place was left unattended, she could not understand why she became sad.

Why?

That day it seemed as if the sky had fallen on her head when her friends came to her house and between talks, they asked, "Riddhima, why are you accompanying Zareena now?"

Riddhima says, "Where are you staying? I just go to college with her. That's it."

Rani spoke up first, "She will only take you, not us."

Riddhima said, "It is not like that. She is very sweet. She loves to meet everyone. And do you all know what is the most special thing? I told her about the stray boys, and then Zakar BIL screwed them straight. Now they will never come in front of me!"

Pinki asks, "So you think Zareena moulds with everyone like this? Or maybe on Zakar's screwing the boys are scared of him?" She scoffed and continued, "Huh. You are so innocent, Riddhima! Let me tell you. All this has been done by someone else other than those two."

Riddhima is surprised, "Why by someone else? What does that person have with me?"

Promila giggled, "My dear baby girl Riddhima! He has so much to have with you. The prince has no doubt fallen for you!"

Riddhima's soul trembled within. She asked in a soft voice, "Who is he? And how is he related to Zareena Didi?"Pinki said, "A very big connection my dear! He is your own Zareena Didi's brother."

Riddhima said in a low unsure voice, "No, this can't be." But Pinki pinched her neck and said happily, "It is what it is darling! Everyone knows, except you."

That night, Riddhima could not sleep.

'So, this is why Zareena Didi came to me. So that she can be friends with me. I had not imagined something like this happening. From now I will not meet Zareena Didi. But then she would ask me the reason to stay away from her. Why such a betrayal? I'll have to think something.'

And while she was lost in her thoughts, her eyes became heavy as she eventually dozed off a good night's sleep.

The next day, Zareena and Riddhima walked side by side on their way to college, but Riddhima did not dare to speak up for herself or ask her anything. She had not done anything which could hurt Riddhima. She had not even spoken about her family and Riddhima had also not asked.

'What if he is her brother and she is trying to ship me with him?'

'What if in the name of friendship, Zareena Didi asks for something unacceptable?'

'What if she misuses our friendship? What will I do then?'

They continued walking while Riddhima was lost in her thoughts. But Zareena could sense that something was wrong. She thought, 'Riddhima is always silent but not to this extent,' so she asked her finally, "Is your dad well, Riddhima?"

Riddhima winced, "Yes, yes, he is fine Didi."

They covered some distance together, and Zareena spoke up again, "What happened Riddhima? Is everything fine at home?"

Riddhima sighed, "Yes of course Didi!"

Zareena showed concern and asked, "Why are you so silent today?"

"I wanted to ask you something, Didi."

"Then ask me, why are you thinking so much?"

As she was about to ask something, a car suddenly appeared in front of her. Two boys, who were intoxicated with wine, stepped down out right in front of them. Zareena continued walking while Riddhima stood still in front of them. And that was when they noticed Riddhima and their eyes fell on her.

One said, "What a siren my friend! It doesn't look like she is from Mumbai."

The other one said drunkenly, "Yes friend! What is your name babe?"

The situation worsened due to Riddhima's fear. Her gaze went towards Zareena who watched silently at the sight in front of her. Riddhima heard the boy say again, "Why don't you come in our car with us babe? Those slim and sexy legs are not meant for the dirt on the road! You should stop walking on foot."

Riddhima saw that Zareena was smiling a little. Might be possible that he is Zareena's brother, or else she wouldn't smile like that.

Riddhima was shrouded in darkness, unable to see.

What will she do?

Where will she go?

Tears started dwelling in her eyes.

One of them saw her tears and said, "Hey, where are you crying, baby? It won't hurt. We will have fun. There will be a little pain the first time, and then we will enjoy!"

Riddhima saw that there was so much anger in Zareena Didi's eyes that she turned red. She shouted from there, "Hey asshole! You will also feel a little pain for the first time! When Armaan's hit will touch you. And then you will also get back to normal!"

And she saw that Armaan's name gave an electric shock to both the boys. Both of them looked towards Zareena Didi, and said in a scared voice, "Are you Zareena Didi?"And they rushed towards her and fell at her feet. Zareena shouted angrily, "You bloody assholes! Armaan went out of the city for a few days and you people gained so much courage!! Now you will get such a punishment that you will remember your whole fucking life!"

Both of them touched her feet with their heads and started begging her while crying, "Didi, please don't tell sir anything!! We drank a little too much and got fucking intoxicated!"

Zareena says, "Mumbai is losing its name and status only because of assholes and motherfuckers like you!"

Both of them looked at each other and said, "From now all the girls of Mumbai are our little sisters! But Didi, please don't tell sir anything..."

Zareena was red out of anger, "Not all of Mumbai, but all of the world."

"Yes, Yes, of the whole world Didi. We will do as you say, please forgive us!"

Zareena gestured towards Riddhima and said, "Go! Go ahead, apologize to her and see to it if anyone ever tries to tease her, tell them that she is Zareena Didi's little sister."Both of them nodded and falling to Riddhima's feet said, "Please forgive us, sister!"

Zareena shouted, "Now fuck off! Don't dramatize on the road!"

Both of them ran as if they had seen a ghost.That day Riddhima was so saddened by the accident that she forgot what she had to ask. At night, while lying on the bed, there was just one person whose name kept coming back to her, whose name had scared the hell out of the fuckers.

Armaan.

'Is this Armaan Zareena Didi's brother, who tells her to keep me safe? Who is he? What does he do? Why does everyone fear him so much?'

Read in the next chapter, Armaan's background, his story and his relationship with Zareena. Stay Tuned!

P.S. Character Sketch coming soon!