By Trapped With Me- By Suyasha Sharma
A man can never be quite sure about his thoughts. You’d think that finally, you’ve cast some light to your thoughts only to find yourself floating in the same dark abyss of nothingness. I often think about the day I asked Riya to marry me; both unsure of what we were doing. She’d just told me she was going to abort the baby; our baby. Damn, I was so angry. I wanted to slap her right then and there. But I tried to reason with her and she finally understood. I dropped out of college to start a family with her; to save my child. If only I had left her and walked off I wouldn’t have to live this pathetic life now. I could have pursued my dream to become a lawyer maybe. But now I’m stuck in this absurd job of a receptionist. It’s a wonder those people even hired me. It’s a woman’s job that is!
Roy!” A voice suddenly brought me out of my reverie. I looked around to find our neighbor waving at me from the other side of the street. What does he want now? Ugh! He finally reached up to me and said, ” Roy, I just came to ask you-” “Need help with another furniture of yours?”; I asked with a slight smile. “No, no! Everything’s done. I just came to ask if you and Riya would like to come over for dinner” he grinned at me as he put his arm around my shoulder. I already hate this guy. I don’t know how he finds excuses to get into our personal space. “We would love to but I just feel under the weather today. Some other time maybe.” With this, I entered the house and landed on the couch to watch some TV. I am dog-tired!
“Shrawn, do your homework now!” my wife called our 10-year-old from the room.
I averted my eyes from the TV to look at him playing in the corner not heeding the call.
“Go, now!” I said in a voice much angrier than I had intended. I got up and walked towards him. He quickly dropped his toys and put his hands over his head. I knelt down and took his hands in mine only to find him looking at me timidly, shaking a bit.
I took him to Riya who was sitting on the bed hurriedly putting a brown notebook inside her bag. I put my arm around her but she quickly pulled away from me.
Maybe it was the way she flinched or the way she shoved the notebook inside her bag but I found her actions very suspicious. I had to know what was in that notebook.
“How many assignments do you have today, love?”She asked Shrawn as he put his schoolbag on the bed.
I grabbed her bag and took out the notebook. She looked terrified as she tried to take it out from my hand. I pushed her away and took it to the living room. So, today was the first entry.
DAY-1
I feel empty as always. Trapped. I wish I could get out of this house more often, get a job maybe. But obviously, he wouldn’t want that and I’d be again left with bruises. I am too afr-
“Riya, what do you mean you feel trapped with me?”
“No! I was… a bit sad… what you did…yester—“
And then all I could see was red. I caught her wrist and slammed her to the wall.
“After everything I’ve done for you and this family you still have the nerve to tell me that I wronged you? I gave up everything to support you when you told me you were pregnant. I could have been a lawyer if it hadn’t been for you!”
I was so mad at her that I closed my hand around her throat and squeezed.
“You’re worthless! You can’t do anything without me. Our child would have died if it hadn’t been for me. I did everything for you but now you can’t stand my presence, can you?”
Then it dawned on me. She is doing this because of the new neighbor. How could I have been so blind?
“You’re doing this because of that new rat across the street!”
“Is he your new boyfriend?” I asked in a hiss.
I was disgusted by her; I didn’t even want to touch her. So I just let go of her.
“I’ve seen you two. I know you’ve been going on secret rendezvous with that guy.”
“No, I swear that’s not true!” she said in between gasps.
Suddenly I heard sirens wailing outside. I looked out of the window and saw a police car outside the door.
Shrawn! Where is that little weasel?
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