CHAPTER-33
BLACKMAILER
Chapter Highlights...
“Enough of cursing me, Naomi darling. Darling, what’s the use? Just because my darling screws me, I won’t delete the video...”
“Stop your darlings!”
“Done, darling!”
I frowned while Shashank threw out another round of wicked laughter.
“I sympathize with you. I’ll delete all the copies as you requested. But, will you do me a small favor?”
“Vomit it out!”
###########################################
Naomi’s POV
“Oops! Sorry!”, said Shreyas sir, closing his face with both palms. “I didn’t know you were kissing!”
I released Akshat’s hand from mine. I blushed, looking away and pretending to be cool despite a few drops of sweat evident on my forehead. Urgh! Why do you keep kissing me, Kiku?
“Sexy! Chill now. Forget it, sir”, said Akshat. Shreyas pouted as he set his face free. Curse my fate! I was like an 'odd man out' there. Shreyas and Akshat were colleagues whereas I was a student. Above all, I am a girl! I hope I don’t become a gossip matter amongst the faculty. Fingers and toes crossed!
I didn’t know how Akshat managed to remain cool at such a point. He continued to stare at me while Shreyas gazed at the floor and chuckled to himself. I shrank my eyes and shrugged at Kiku.
“Naomi, sorry for being here at the wrong time. I’m really sorry. I didn’t know…”, said Shreyas sir. I faked a smile.
“Sexy! Your entry is proof good enough to substantiate the belief that there is never a right time for lovers. Someone or the other pops up exactly at the very moment when lovers get intimate…”, said Akshat.
“It's OK, sir. Please don’t tell anyone”, I requested, interrupting Kiku.
“No, not at all. I support your love”, said Shreyas, with a wide grin. I faked another smile and nodded along. Akshat thanked him.
“Akshat sir, I came here to call you for the photoshoot. It's happening now. Shall we leave?”
“Yes yes sure, sir.”
Akshat waved at me as if nothing happened a couple of moments ago.
“Bye!”, I roared, walking away.
“Hey, Kiku. Why are you suddenly upset?...”
I heard his faint voice as I hurried away. It seemed as if a French kiss was a simple deal for him. Akshat sir, for your kind information, you kissed me. We were caught French kissing. He found us kissing together.
Do you even know how I feel right now? Fine, you don’t seem to care, Kiku! My mind grew restless. I grumbled to myself as I found a seat on a bench somewhere in the midst of the lawn. I leaned back, looked up, and folded my hands across. I pulled my bag closer and hugged it. I was shy enough to face the hot giant star in the sky that I closed my eyes, still feeling awkward about our French kiss.
“Hi Naomi!”, I heard a familiar male voice. I opened my eyes and stood up at once. “Mass student of Janki University! You rock, my darling”, Shashank commented, clapping along with a wide wicked grin.
Not a minute for me to rest after the scorching protest which consumed my breakfast’s energy. I grabbed my bag.
“See you later. I need to leave for lunch”, said I, hiding a strand or two of my hair behind the ears and looking away. I was least interested to face the creepy fraudster.
I frowned as the scene of Akshat sir slapping me, misunderstanding me with Shashank, flashed in my mind. I won’t talk to Kiku anymore. He doesn’t understand how I feel after all that he gifted me: the slap and this kiss. What does he think of himself? He can pull me closer and hug my tongue whenever he wants. Above all, how did he, just like that, stay patient when Shreyas sir termed us lovers? No, Kiku. I’m not, I can’t and I will never be your lover.
“Hey, wait. Let's have a small chat, queen protestor. Where do you get such guts from, to oppose the Chairman? Wow! I’m impressed.”
“No, I didn’t do this to fucking impress you. Neither did I want to oppose our honorable Chairman. My only aim was to fight for justice. I think I was born with the very purpose.”
Shashank giggled. “Darling, this is what attracts me towards you. How are you so ambitious? I mean…”
“Excuse me, please stop calling me darling. The next time you do this, you will have to face serious consequences. Mark my words.”
Urgh! I wonder how much irritating events plan to occur together. Looks like the second half of the day has much more in store! No sooner had I set a foot forward to leave than he tightened my right hand in his.
“Shashank, I have already given you the first and last warning. How dare you? Let me go…”, I screamed, bulging my eyes.
“Aww, my darling looks more beautiful when she is angry.”
He let his fingers through my hair. I pressed his shoulder harder. I looked around to find nobody. Perhaps, every student was tired after the protest. They were busy hogging their lunches at the canteen. Lectures were going on in the other branches. My eyes happened to go over a spade left beside a plant of medium height.
“Get lost!”, I yelled, kicking his ass. How I wish my voice echoed but it didn’t. I rushed to grab the gardening tool. I invested all my energy in whipping him up. The spade served as a weapon to me, for the first time, apparently in history! He ailed a bit, in pain, but continued to address me as his darling.
“Can you stop calling me darling? Can you? Can you?”, I interrogated him, like a cop beating up the local goon for a chain-snatching case. I refrained from stopping until he answered ‘No’.
“No!”, he exclaimed, at last. I offered a wicked smile and began walking. Thud! I dropped the spade on the grass.
“Good. Keep it up”, said I. I was about to leave when he called me. I turned behind and shrugged. “What? Isn’t it enough? Do you want to exercise more with the spade?”
He laughed and shook his head as he stood up. He dusted his palms against each other.
“Whatever, I have a small doubt, Naomi darling. Can you please clear it?”
“Darling again?”, shouted I, bending to grab the spade once again.
“Cool! Cool!”, he consoled me, at which I stood back, frowning at him. “That wasn’t my point, though. I wanted to ask you something else.”
“Ask your classmates for doubts. I am your junior.”
I was about to leave when he stood in front of me, expanding both his hands and blocking my way.
“Shashank, why have you been misbehaving with me? Enough! I won't let you test my patience anymore”, I spoke out.
“Wait, you led a department-level protest for Akshat sir. I mean, you went to such an extent for him. If you said you cared so much for a random person, I wouldn’t agree. Does it justify that you love Akshat very much?”
My heartbeat paused for an entire second. Guru Devo Bhava! No, I can’t love Akshat sir. My eyeballs rolled hither and thither as I remembered the peak of frustration that arose in me, to approach Rishabh for justice. But, I raised my voice against biased behavior. That's all…But, was it more than the level of a mere usual argument?
Why was I very concerned about Akshat’s issue? Everyone asked me to ignore it but I just couldn’t. I just can’t tolerate someone taking advantage of his gentlemanliness. No, I’m overthinking. You can’t love Akshat, Naomi…I recollected how I dared to face any damn consequence including getting suspended from the university, for protesting against the Chairman.
“If at all the biased Chairman threatens to suspend or even dismiss me, I would walk away happily. I’m heedless of the battle I have broken out to fight for your self-respect. You are a faculty here. Above all, you have always been my well-wisher. A new problem due to this decision of mine will mean repaying your kindness.”
My words flashed. I didn’t care about anything else, including my own ambition for him. Would I go to such an extent for a random person? Have I fallen for Akshat sir?
“Hello! Hello! I wanna know. Where are you lost?”, asked Shashank, waving his hands.
“No, what do you mean? Akshat and I…”
“Hah! I know there is something going on between the both of you.”
“What!” I wondered why none of my own batchmates ever asked me about this. Ruhi had screwed Akshat long ago but she just acted egoistic. It was only my gang who knew about Akshat and me. I denied Shashank.
“Nope. I’m not a hen to get into the butcher’s hands. I’m a human having six senses. Come on, you can tell me. I like you so I believe I deserve to know who you love…”
Love is so blind that it just happens unexpectedly.
You may fall for anyone!
Would you let go of your policy if you fell for someone you shouldn't? What would you choose-your policy or your beloved?
“No, there isn’t anything running between us. He is my lecturer and well-wisher. That's all! Nothing more!”
“Oh, is it? How do you expect me to believe this when I saw him warning me in the sick room the other day and you were protesting against the university for him? This is definitely love and this time, it's mutual. You love Akshat sir and so does he….”
“Wait, wait. Anyone would have acted the same way during such situations. And, never repeat that you like me. How you treat me is sexual harassment, not even a crush. If you badly want sex, get married soon…”
I was about to walk away. He called me once again. I stopped.
“Mind your actions more than words. How dare you beat me? I won’t forget this. See what I will do.”
“When you dare to molest a girl, why can’t I beat you up and save myself? You’ve created enough mess in my life. In fact, it's me who shouldn’t be sparing you. Remember your first and last warning.”
He grabbed his mobile from his pocket. He played a video. I threw my mouth open. Drops of sweat drenched my forehead. I swallowed my fear at the goosebumps on both hands.
“Creepy you!”, I rebuked and slapped him. “How could you do this?”
He let out a wicked round of laughter. “Shall I forward it to all the WhatsApp groups including the official ones?”
“Do you think I’m scared? Proceed. I know how to handle rapists like you.”
“Stop! How could you call me a rapist?..”
“Wow! Should I explain how you have been molesting me, both verbally and physically? Didn’t I tell you back at CakeWaala?...”
“Hah! Forget that. For now, think about the video. Look, I’m not a rapist. Looks like you have graduated with a doctorate in misunderstanding me. Can’t you see that I’m being sweet? I could have circulated the video without informing you upfront. But, did I?”
He shook his head.
“But, remember that I will…Akshat sir was kissing his beloved Naomi. Your faces are clearly captured.”
He kissed his mobile, thanking the camera. “Ouch, how cute!... Come on, where has your lawyer mode gone? Tell me a law point to defend yourself. Is there any? Hahaha!...”
“Shut up!” I closed my fist. I felt ashamed for having been kissed by Akshat on the campus premises. No doubt, it's a violation. We have been escaping till then but we had to face our bad times. Besides, it was a matter of shame, for the girl. I rolled my blank eyeballs hither and thither.
“Delete its copies right away. Why are you stalking me?”
“I shot a video after such a long time just to discard it right away. What do you think?”
“Fine. I know how to defend myself. Deep Fakes are common…”
“Oh ghosh! Wouldn’t you go to any extreme for Akshat’s love? I too have mastered the art of self-defense. Remember that I’m your senior. I will send the video for an official test to prove that it's real and not fake. How is it?”
Screwed up! I didn’t know if I was in love with Akshat. However, things are turning up so that everyone around us calls us intimate lovers. I was more confused than anxious. Shashank was adding fuel to the fire. While I couldn't escape my own dilemma, life is driving me in a different direction. Screwed! Screwed! I swallowed my tears as they accumulated at the corners of my eyes.
“No issues!”, said Shashank, sitting back on a bench. “You may want to kill me right now. Unfortunately, our law is protecting me.”
He laughed, continuing, “Don’t worry, I am a good samaritan. I won’t threaten you like the blackmailer of a thriller series. Neither will I leak it out. I will preserve it safely with a dedicated password for the file as well, for I know that both you and Akshat sir will be suspended otherwise…”
“No, Shashank. Please don’t ruin our lives. I stopped Akshat from reporting you to the disciplinary committee. I could have taken action against you by complaining as well. But, I didn’t. We cared about your future. How could you do something bad to us? You have been targeting me. Why are you involving Akshat sir?..”
“Because Akshat and Naomi are embedded into a unit together. Considering either Akshat or Naomi isn’t feasible.”
“Hey, please…”
“Wow! Please? Look at who is requesting me! Are you really Naomi or her evil twin? I’m taken aback…”
“You suck. A real man won’t do such cheap things. Akshat is a real man. Fuck you and your bad perspectives towards girls falling in love…”
“Enough of cursing me, Naomi darling. Darling, what’s the use? Just because my darling screws me, I won’t delete the video...”
“Stop your darlings!”
“Done, darling!”
I frowned while he threw out another round of wicked laughter.
“I sympathize with you. I’ll delete all the copies as you requested. But, will you do me a small favor?”
“Vomit it out!”
“Simple! Accept my proposal and be my girlfriend. Once I find you sincere, I’ll automatically delete the videos. Deal?”
He extended his hand. Oh God! Where am I stuck in life? Shit! I must have been stopping Akshat sir. But, why couldn’t I? How am I supposed to handle this annoying problem?
Poor Naomi! What will she do now?
Dear readers,
Thank you for following my series and reading the episode. Please rate it, write your review, give it a heart, and share it in your circle whenever you are free. Your voice matters a lot to me. Thanks again!!!
