Jhanak FF - Jhanak: The Story of Us - Page 2

Chapter 5 - Change

"I'm going crazy, Bipasha bhabhi!" Arshi cried hard on the couch, "Why is Ani acting like this all for Jhanak? Why?!"

She refused to be consoled either by Bipasha or Tanuja. Laal had given up on trying earlier and reluctantly agreed to drive his mom and Appu to the market, so that only three of them were in the living room. Jeetu and Choton had taken Dadubhai and Dadi to the hospital.

Whether it was that there was no one else to insult or she was just being her usual self, Tanuja felt especially spiteful today. Ani was making such a mess. Why would he make Arshi cry because of a maid?!

"I can't believe it, Arshi, neither can I understand it! That girl has completely brainwashed my son - and I have had enough! Shyam da!"

The mansion steward came running quickly out the kitchen.

"Yes, madam?"

"Go upstairs and call that useless girl for me! I don't care if you have to drag her by her hair, just get her here!"

"Yes, madam!"

Shyam hurried up the stairs, returning a few minutes later, with a very nervous Jhanak. Jhanak didn't follow him to the sitting area. She stood at the bottom of the stairs, fidgeting with the shawl tied across her dress.

"Tanuja aunty, shyam da said that you..."

"Come right in front of me!"

"Tanuja aunty, please...."

"I said to come here now!"

Jhanak took shaky steps to the sitting area, which somehow egged Bipasha, who had been comforting Arshi prior.

"Tch." the other woman sneered, "Don't act pitiful here. None of us are Ani, you shameless girl."

"Bipasha didi, please!" Jhanak froze in her tracks, scandalized by what she was insinuating, "There is nothing between me and Sir ji! He just..."

"How dare a maid have such lofty thoughts!" Arshi shot to her feet and strode to where Jhanak stood, "Mom was right about you all along! You had been aiming for my Ani ever since Kashmir!"

"Arshi didi..."

"Why do you want to spoil my life, Jhanak?! Why?!" she turned to Tanuja and Bipasha, "You know Ani has always helped others, but not without my consent. But for this girl, he is ready to even hurt me for her!" she whipped around to face Jhanak, angry tears streaming down her face, "Now, not only did he give you a modeling contract, he even helped secure your schooling. You are a prostitute just like your mother!"

"Arshi didi, please!" Jhanak couldn't take it anymore. She screamed at Arshi, unable to hear her say such words about her mother. "The person you are talking about is no more. Please can you have some respect, please?"

"Respect?! Who are you to talk to me about respect, Jhanak?! Who are you?!"

Arshi had completely lost it now. She hated Jhanak with every fiber of her being. She hated that innocence, she hated that face, she hated her talent, she hated the way she answered back to her, there was everything to hate! This girl didn't know her place and she was going to put her in it!

"When I am done with you, you will never have the guts to talk back at me, Jhanak! Never!" And she made for a slap with all the strength in her hands, the sound of her palm hitting flesh echoing across the space. Jhanak held her cheek, sobbing silently, as Arshi finally smirked, satisfaction at her action filling her heart.

Jhanak's sobs were the only sound heard. Her head was buzzing and her heart was racing at all the mistreatment. What had she done that was wrong? Why was her life so sad? What if she just ended it all right now?

She was in no mood to notice that the other three had now shifted from satisfied looks to horrified. Arshi was stammering now.

"A-Ani..."

"Arshi! What the hell?"

Ani had come back from the office, having forgotten a document in his room, only to meet a sight that would haunt him forever. Jhanak was crying and cradling her face, while Arshi and his family laughed at her. A shocking wave of disgust arose in his heart as he ran to steady Jhanak, she falling into his arms.

"Jhanak!" he brushed a thumb against the red print on her face before turning to his fiancee, anger in his eyes, "Arshi, what have you done? Why would you slap Jhanak?!"

"S-She was being rude to me, Ani..."

"Enough!" he pointed at her, "Enough of it now, Arshi. Be clear with me, you were bullying Jhanak and why?! Because I helped her? Because she has a chance to make her life better?!"

"I wasn't bullying her, I was putting her in her place!"

"Then put me too in my place!"

"Ani!"

"I said, put me in my place! I was the one that helped her, so I deserve a dozen slaps for that!" he looked to Tanuja, "Ma, I don't believe this. No matter what, you are the adult here. How can you let this happen?"

"Ani, you will not lecture me because of that girl!"

He sighed, disappointed.

"It's clear we cannot understand each other. Jhanak," he focused on the girl still in his arms, "Jhanak, I....Jhanak?!" Ani gently shook her but she wasn't responding. It appeared that she had fainted awhile.

Not again. Oh God, no. Please, no.

He hurriedly lifted her in his arms and made for the staircase underneath the bewildered gaze of the three women in the living room.

"Jhanak, open your eyes?! Shyam da, call Dr. Dutta now!"

***************************************************
Three hours later.

"Ani, what did you just say to me?!"

"I said I hope your shoot goes well. Please leave my car."

"Ani, you are sending me away. I had no idea that she was going to faint!"

"That's not the point here and you know it, Arshi."

Ani did his hardest to focus on the steering even as the woman beside him cried softly. It hurt him, you know, the disappointment that consumed him anytime he saw her act out. It scared him how, he had begun to look at this person that he loved, that he wanted to spend his life with with new eyes.

Was this the same person that he had pledged to love? Arshi was showing so much venom that he had never thought her capable.

Still, it was Arshi. And the sound of her crying made him uncomfortable.

"Arshi," he pleaded, turning to face her, "can you just be civil to Jhanak? Let her go to school, dance, do what she wants..."

"Never." she shut him down immediately, "Ani, I will never support that girl. I want her to rot in hell."

He looked at the firm look in her eyes on a face that glistened with tears - and the strange, sudden wave of irritation that he had tried so hard to clamp arose again. There was no use communicating with those who didn't want it. Arshi had decided to go wrong, and it was his duty to put her in line.

"Your decision." he didn't mince words either, "Now please leave my car. I need to leave."

"Ani!"

He turned to face forward now.

"Arshi, please...leave."

"Ani, I hate you!" She ran out of the car, crying, leaving him to slowly look in the direction she had gone, tears in his eyes.

It was hard for him too. Aniruddh didn't know if he had faced anything harder, whether it was coming to an understanding that Arshi had changed from the one he had come to love in the past, or that something too, something that he didn't dare to acknowledge was slowly changing inside of him.

At that moment, his phone buzzed in the cockpit and he picked it up to stare at the screen before placing it down. Choton just texted that Jhanak had taken her dinner but was refusing to take her medicines. Ani smiled a bit and wiped his tears. That was good.

"Keep trying to convince her, Choton. I'm on my way." he texted back before returning the phone and turning on the car. Nursing Jhanak back to proper health waited for no one.

That that was his priority now wasn't lost on him. Something had definitely changed inside of him. Whether he was willing to confront it was a matter for another day.

I don't think I commented on chapter 4 - I loved it, love how Ani is being forthright about helping her and is helping her completed her education.

Chapter 5 - you write so well- LOVED how Ani was privy to how Arshi treats Jhanak and is questioning things.

I am absolutely loving how this story is moving forward, and you write so well! :) Keep up the good work, and waiting for future parts

I am mesmerized by the story you are weaving... Please continue!

I absolutely love how Ani is taking accountability which we are sorely lacking in the show Paula ji!

Chapter 6 - Shameless

Two days later.

"Jhanak, hurry! We are almost late!"

"Yes, I'm coming sir ji!"

Jhanak closed the door and rushed to the car before hurriedly getting in. It was almost as if she was grateful to be leaving the same breathing She closed the door with such strength that it surprised Aniruddh, who was strapping his seatbelt.

"You seem to be in good shape?" he looked her up and down, "How do you feel now?"

"Better, sir ji. Thanks for asking." She nodded and Aniruddh found that the word 'cute' had crept into his mind. It was almost great that Jhanak had become somewhat more forthcoming after that night. She wasn't more trying to avoid him or her opportunities.

Had she finally forgiven him?

"Have...you forgiven me?" Aniruddh didn't know what answer he was expecting. Jhanak looked at him, confused.

"Huh? For what?"

"Didn't you hate me? Or...you don't?"

The response came a bit too quickly.

"I still hate you! I-I am just talking to you...because you helped me with the modeling contract and my schooling." Jhanak nervously looked away, fidgeting with her hands, "Don't think that this makes us friends yet."

Aniruddh looked at her, shocked at her behavior. And then he chuckled.

"But at least, we are acquaintances now."

Jhanak huffed under her breath.

"Who wants to be your acquaintance?"

This time, Aniruddh couldn't help it and he laughed out loud and hard. Jhanak's words were truly contradicting her actions. Refreshed, he turned away from an embarrassed Jhanak before instructing her to buckle her seatbelt. But as it turned out, she couldn't do it. It was stuck, so Ani reached out to help her.

He drew it to his side and buckled it, after which he looked up, curious at why Jhanak was uncharacteristically quiet and he saw a sight that made him swallow. It was like Kashmir all over again.

Gulp. He breathed hard.

Their faces were close to each other in such a manner that if anyone came out of the house and saw them, it could only result in bad news. Jhanak was looking at him with those doe eyes of hers and he felt strangely parched and licked his lower lip. Ani held that seatbelt like it was manifest destiny while his mouth struggled to form words. What was she thinking?

"What are...."

"Sorry."

"Huh?" The apology was surprising. "For what?"

"Because of me, you and Arshi didi fought."

Ani stared at her hard.

"Is that all?" He was looking for any sign of the constipation, the frustration that flooded his heart at her words. Nine of her ten words to him centered on Arshi.

Of course, Ani didn't reflect that was actually how things were meant to be. She was Arshi's cousin and only that way, were they related. Jhanak must have thought along similar lines because his question had her scrunching her nose.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean what do I mean?"

The frustration that came to the forefront of his question caused Jhanak to look at him intently. She pursed her lips, brows knitted together, the result causing Ani's frustration to rise so that he groaned and used a hand to smooth the shirt area over his chest, as if it would quell the weird tightness in there.

Jhanak saw this and quietly reached for the release lever at the side of the chair, fumbling until it worked. Ani was too distracted by her face to notice her do it and by the time he had, Jhanak's chair was slowly moving backwards. There was a slow noise that filled the car as she did and all Ani could do was look in puzzlement and Jhanak who was for all purposes, lying in a chair as far away from his as possible, her face the picture of looking confused as hell.

His puzzlement would go away when she asked a question in that cute voice of hers.

"Are you sick? What's wrong with your chest?"

Ani couldn't help but chuckle at her adorable appearance, amused with a striking awareness that this was probably not an appropriate reaction either.

"No, Jhanak. I am not sick."

"Maybe you are sick in the brain?"

Aniruddh's mouth would fall open at the words coming from Jhanak's mouth. It wasn't cursing but any sort of jab or insult coming out from Jhanak's mouth was wrong. But why did he feel so light and happy inside at being insulted? Was he sick?

"My brain's working fine, ahem. Let's move on."

Jhanak wouldn't let it go.

"No, you must be sick. Why would someone frown and then laugh so quickly?"

Aniruddh thought it was a sweet burden that he could see her mutter, her soft pink lips utter words on that confused face that felt sinful. He held onto the latched belt left free and thought how close he was that if he bent down, he could kiss her. But it wasn't like he wanted to. No, no that wasn't this sort of relationship. What they had was purely platonic.

Still...

He said the first thing that came to his mind.

"Maybe I am sick because of you, Jhanak."

And he regretted it as soon as he did. The atmosphere in the car quickly changed, and Ani found himself turning nervous as soon as he saw Jhanak's face. Her features were hardened, her mouth pressed into a thin line. Her doe eyes which Ani had always thought expressive and beautiful even without meaning too, felt like daggers that could cut him to shreds right now.

"Uh..I-I am sorry."

Ani withdrew from his almost kneeling position and sat back in his seat, so that there was no one hovering over Jhanak anymore, and she could raise her seat conveniently - which she did. Ani buckled his seatbelt, anxious thoughts swirling through his mind. Jhanak still had that stoic look from earlier and was unnaturally silent.

He wondered if she was mad at him for flirting. But that wasn't flirting, was it? He was just joking around with her. There was no way he meant what he said...right? At this point, Ani's danger cells were warning him to abandon this train of thought or he'd end up in a place he wouldn't be able to get out of. And he promptly abandoned it.

Ani thought being too self-aware could be dangerous. Jhanak's silence could also be dangerous - look how nervous he was.

"Jhanak?" he managed to ask.

"Yes?" She sounded neutral as shit. It drove him crazy that he couldn't ask her outright or look in her face because if he did, he'd see those eyes that turned cold at his teasing and have to pretend all over again that it didn't hurt him one bit.

To be fair, hurt was a very strong word. Perhaps, irritate was the thing for it. Why would he be hurt that Jhanak hated the idea of him that way? C'mon, he had Arshi.

He had Arshi.

Ani asked Jhanak if she was ready to go.

"Are you ready to go sign the contract?"

"Yes, sirji. But let's wait for Choton to come from work, he wants to come along."

Ani had never whipped his face faster to look at Jhanak. What was this wave of violence that washed over him so suddenly?

"Why Choton?" He still tried to handle the emotional fluctuations he couldn't understand.

Jhanak eyed his hands that gripped the steering well before carefully replying.

"Just in case you are not available to..."

"And why won't I be available to pick you up? I will always be available to pick you up, Jhanak!"

"Why are you yelling at me, sirji?!"

"Why won't I yell, Jhanak?!" he started reversing the car out of the compound as he talked, "I brought you here, so I am responsible for you. Not Choton and definitely not Rahul!"

Her eyes turned wide at his words. Ani was fighting against fate not to quit his tirade and lean into her....

"I would talk about Choton, Rahul, and any other man if I want to!"

"Jhanak, keep quiet for me!"

"What right do you have to tell me what to do?! You are a nobody to me!"

It was then. It was then that shit hit the fan. Hearing her words sent Ani into a spiral so that he forcefully brought the car to a halt in the middle of the street. He didn't want to ever hear Jhanak ask him what right he had over her, call him a nobody. He didn't want to hear it!

Ani's sinking expression and his action of stopping the car scared Jhanak, so she subconsciously lowered her voice.

"Sirji..."

She wasn't expecting that Ani would unbuckle his seatbelt and head straight for her before wordlessly kissing her on the lips. Jhanak tried to fend him off but he pressed her to the car door, her hands clamped over her head, tiny against his larger ones. He ferociously bullied her lips, tongue prying them apart to enter and conquer. Ani thought that he heard Jhanak moan and drive him crazy, but the next second, a sharp pain filled his headspace and there was the taste of liquid metal in his mouth. Wet, salty tears that weren't his cruised against his skin and it was as if someone had poured cold water on his head.

Ani quickly separated from Jhanak with a gash on his lip from where Jhanak bit it. The pain didn't matter in the least now, when he saw the tears that ran down her face, a paragon of distress with lips that looked red and swollen from all his bullying.

But he was in no mood to admire the product of his obsession. Aniruddh was only horrified at what he had done when he allowed his intrusive thoughts to take over. The sight of Jhanak crying stabbed him over and over. It hurt him that he made such a precious girl cry.

"Jhanak, f-forgive me."

"What did you do to me, sirji?" she whispered and cried harder.

"Jhanak, please don't cry. I beg of you, please don't....don't cry. I'm sorry."

But she cried harder even as she struggled to form words.

"Drive, sir ji. Drive and don't stop until we get there. I might slap you if you do, sir ji."

What a story which we would never get on screen , we are going to get her watch in white saree now 🤣

Please continue the story for our Sanity!

Btw, love your writing style... makes the story so light and refreshing. Waiting to see how Ani to act after this.

Chapter 8 - Battleground

Mukherjee House

Crash!

"Arshi, please stop this! Your father won't like to see this!"

"No, Mom!" Arshi threw another tumbler on the floor, "I won't stop and I don't care what dad thinks! All I care about is about Aniruddh!"

Shristi stepped over broken glass and held her daughter's hand.

"Then why are you here breaking tumblers?"

Arshi angrily pulled her hand away, upset at her mom's tone.

"What do you mean Mom?! That I am just a drama queen, just acting up? Ani literally fought with me because of that Jhanak! I hate her!"

She tried to pull out another tumbler from the rack but Shristi held her hand.

"Again, why are you here breaking tumblers when Aniruddh is out there driving Jhanak to shoots around town?"

"Oh, don't remind me, Mom! Don't even remind me!" Arshi walked away using the other kitchen aisle and into the living room where she sat down on the sofa, "Don't remind me that my Aniruddh has suddenly become Jhanak's prince charming!"

She cried harder and Shristi signaled one of the waiting staff to clean up the broken glass before joining her in the living room. She sat down beside Arshi, a hand on her shoulder.

"Would you stop this, Arshi? Crying over a mere maid?"

"Jhanak is not a mere maid, mom!" she grabbed her mother's hand, "I can see it, mom. I can feel Aniruddh drifting away from me because of her. The other day, he was so upset because of her. Mom, I feel like I have lost...."

"Enough, Arshi! Now listen to me good. My child will never loose to the daughter of a maid. Never." she cupped her face, "Do you understand, Arshi?"

Arshi nodded with all her strength.

"Yes, mom. I'd rather die than lose Ani to Jhanak."

"Good. That's the spirit, my girl."

"B-But Ani..."

"Aniruddh is a man, Arshi. He is young, hot-blooded, and thinks he can be a hero. He just pities Jhanak because of that face of hers."

"Well, I hate that face!" Arshi felt so violent thinking of the girl, "All Jhanak knows is to use her looks to seduce other people's men! She's trapping my Ani with her face and body. What a fox."

Shristi chuckled and patted Arshi's cheek.

"My dear, it's all poor girls like her have. Just like her mom, seducing men is their forte." her face turned hideous, "They don't want to stay in the hole they belong to and claim that their passion is dancing. Passion and talent my foot."

Arshi wiped her tears and nodded to her mother's words. It was the only way she could stay sane.

"You are right, mom. I got scared for a while, but now, no more. Ani is mine and if I have to drag his unconscious or half-dead body to the temple to get married, I will, rather than give him to Jhanak! I will never allow Jhanak peace if she dares to take my Ani from me!"

"Wonderful, Arshi." Shristi nodded, full of approval, "Now, go and shower and look nice. Call Aniruddh and take him out, seduce your man and make him forgive you. Even if you have to act sweet with the wretched girl, do it. Your mother has so much to teach you."

"Yes, mom. But...what about Jhanak? I feel hopeless when Ani is around her. I hate her so much." Daughter and mother exchanged glances with deeper meaning, as if one could tell exactly what the other was thinking.

Jhanak couldn't be allowed near Aniruddh but neither can she be left alone in peace. The thought of her having success of any sort made them fear and hate.

Shristi patted her daughter's hand again.

"Don't worry. You focus on squashing whatever sliver of feelings Aniruddh might be conjuring in his head for Jhanak. Let your mother focus on squashing Jhanak. She has many, many years of experience. Jhanak will never live a life of dignity, I swear it to you."

******************************************************

Kolkata Photoshoot Grounds.

Jhanak looked at the set teeming with people, each busy with purpose. The shoot had been tough but fulfilling. She thought that for the first time today, Choton might have been right about something. Perhaps, she wouldn't die an obscure maid in Bose house.

But what the heir was thinking, she did not know.

Her gaze fell on the bottle of orange juice in her hand which Sir ji had bought for her mid-way into the shoot. He hadn't given her directly, not after the incident in the car, but had sent it through one of the crew members. Jhanak knew that she could have thrown it away, so why did she take it instead? Why did she not send it right back? Why did Sir ji do that to her in the car? Why did he kiss her?

Jhanak closed her eyes and allowed tears to roll down her cheeks, confident because she was in a corner of the grounds that was isolated. Sir ji was having a meeting inside with the contractors, so his presence was struck out for now. Away from the busyness of having to do well for the shoot, Jhanak had no distractions and all she could think about was Aniruddh's mouth over hers, his tongue honestly prying the entrance to hers.

If she hadn't bitten him in time, Jhanak thought she would have been completely lost and fallen here today.

In all her 21 years of life, Jhanak had never felt this afraid. Sir Ji scared her because of the things he did and the things he didn't. He was engaged to Arshi didi, so why would he kiss her? Why would he treat her specially? Or...was he like this with other girls too? Was Sir Ji one of those men who kissed and did other such things with other women apart from Arshi didi? Was that why he did this to her, she being an easy prey, weak and helpless?

Or...did Sir ji believe Shristi maasi and Arshi didi's words that her mother was a prostitute who leeched onto men and broke homes? Was that why he thought that she was so easy? And there was another possibility. Jhanak wondered if she was the one at fault. Perhaps it was the other way around and she somehow....seduced Sir Ji? Could she have led him astray from Arshi didi?

"I don't want any special treatment. I don't want it." she whispered and sobbed harder, afraid because of her thoughts that were spiraling out of control and what they meant. Wasn't it dangerous that she was spending so much time thinking about Sir ji? Why was she thinking so much about him? Why?

"Jhanak? Jhanak are you okay?"

There was the sound of feet running to her and a shadow falling atop her figure. Even though she had been silent, Aniruddh had known that Jhanak didn't look quite right from afar, when he came out of the building he had his meeting in. He had hesitated for a minute or two, recalling his actions earlier today, but the disturbing feeling nagged him, so that he took soft steps. Half way through the lawn between them, he noticed that she was crying, and he dropped all inhibitions and ran to her.

He wanted to run to her.

"Jhanak," he went on his knees, "Why are you crying? Is it because of me, Jhanak?"

She nodded, crying, and then said words that broke his heart into pieces over and over.

"I am not a whore, sir ji. I am not a whore." Jhanak didn't know what she meant by that. She didn't know if it was to set her boundaries...or if it was to clarify how she looked in his eyes. She hated that she couldn't be firm with sir ji.

It was then that she felt strong, warm hands cupping her face, so that she was staring right at Aniruddh. He was crying too, tears running down his face. He looked so distraught that Jhanak hated him.

"Jhanak....Jhanak, please you don't have to say such things to me. I know you are not such a person. I-I know that you are a good girl...you are kind, honest, and you deserve the best." he sobbed harder, "I'm sorry that I made you feel such a way."

With every word, every action, Jhanak thought it wasn't the Bose family or Arshi didi or Shristi maasi who hated her most. It was sir ji. He really, really wanted her to die an obscure maid.

Her tone was bitter, given none of her inner turmoil away.

"Then, why did you kiss me? Was...it because you got carried away? Lust?"

Aniruddh flinched at her tone, the way she said it felt so wrong and hurtful. He vigorously shook his head, resistant to the very idea that he kissed her out of lust, such a banal, lowly desire. Aniruddh didn't want her to think that his kiss was borne out of such. It was something so beautiful and lovely and pure like her...Oh.

Oh.

His thoughts stopped all of a sudden, danger cells on high alert mode and his eyes unconsciously drifted to Jhanak's. Her gaze was unreadable but he thought he saw a whiff of emotion behind the question in her eyes.

If it wasn't borne out of lust, then what was it borne out of? What was that something so beautiful and lovely and pure?

Aniruddh's thoughts didn't dare to go any further. No, he didn't allow it too. He refused it to go on. Remembering something, he hurriedly looked at Jhanak once again, only to meet a hostile gaze that killed him inside all over. It was like all his efforts these past weeks had gone to moot and Jhanak had gone back to hating him.

Unlike the last time, even though nothing had been said and no reasons given, Aniruddh felt like this was justified.

Even so, Aniruddh Bose, a man who was too proud to beg, couldn't resist pleading.

"Jhanak, please. Please." he whispered.

But she refused to listen. Jhanak, 21 years old, took a look at Aniruddh Bose and thought she would have to tell her second lie just so that she could live. She couldn't allow herself to fall here and die in a narrow ditch, nameless.

With a mixed trace of hurt and self-deprecation that she didn't want to acknowledge, Jhanak lied to Aniruddh in the most deadpan way possible.

"Sir ji, I hate you. Stay away from me." Here, she couldn't help herself from crying again, shaking her head vehemently, "Stay away from me, Aniruddh Bose. I hate you."

Please stay away from me. I cannot afford to get greedy and lose my life here, sir ji. Sir ji, will you please help me and stay away?

Started reading your ff. Its really well written and I like the story line. Looking forward to see how this story progresses

Paula ji, I love the emotional angst the two are exhibiting here. This is some awesome writing! Waiting for the next chapter.

Amazing! I can't wait for the next chapter. Please update soon.