Chapter 7

Rane Mansion, Mumbai

Suhani was going through some cases that Rajveer had given her. Sooner or later she had to immerse herself completely in this field. As she had already received the Certificate of Practice, it became easy to practice in her country. While she was going through the documents a knock on her door took her attention. She knew it would be none but her sister. 

Knocking on the door means her sister would ask for some undue advantage at this hour. 

"Come in drama queen." Suhani cleared her throat and Rohini immediately jumped into her study room.

"Di, listen I need your......" Before Rohini could complete her words Suhani perfectly raised her brows to stop her in between.

"No." A firm reply came from her mouth.

"Di, Listen to me first." Rohini started thrashing her hands in the air.

"I have nothing to listen to. I know exactly why you have come here."

"How do you know that?"

"Your laptop screen was open last night and your beloved friend blurted out something over the call when I picked that up. She didn't even recognize my voice." Suhani spoke like a lawyer in front of her little sister.

"Holy fuck. That shit couldn't even recognize you?" Rohini seemed more frustrated with her friend's mistake rather than her being exposed. She started pacing inside the room and Suhani dropped her head on those documents again.

"Mini, stop moving to and fro like a maniac. My decision won't change. And I believe you won't go crying to dad or mom. Cause they...."

"Would never listen." Rohini completed what her sister intended to say. She pulled a chair and placed it in front of her sister. Pulling Suhani's hands in her she gave her those puppy eyes. 

"Di, please. For once at least. It's been a long time since I haven't gone there."

"Do you think I am dumb? Sending you there means you would create some fuss."

"I promise I won't. I won't even step inside the track."

"This is the third time you are promising something that you can't keep." Suhani pulled her hands from her sister's grip.

"Di, please. I will be leaving in a week. Just let me go at least for once." Rohini gave such a pleading look that Suhani couldn't control herself anymore.

"Damn it Mini. Fine. But you won't pull any stance. And you are not going to take your bike."

"That's so unfair Di. There is no point in going there without a bike. It's like going inside the coat without your black court. How would people recognize you as a lawyer then?"

Suhani knew anyhow her sister would mold her as per her wish. But she couldn't deny the fact of loving her also. She had recovered a lot in terms of losing patience after a certain incident. But accepting Rohini's demands seemed impossible to her at that instance.

"Rohini, take the car. Why do you always make it hard for me? Dad doesn’t know you are going. I am covering up for you."

"Can you tell me one thing, for which I need to sacrifice everything every time? Just because Ha......"

"Stop it. You don't need to go back to your past. For god's sake forget that." Suhani immediately hugged her sister tightly in her embrace. She was about to explode and keeping her in that position would only increase her pain. She patted her head while rubbing her back.

"You can go but you won't pull any stance there. By the way, who else is coming there?"

"Those same old shits from my old school." Rohini put on her biggest smile. Only Suhani knew how badly her sister missed her childhood friends. They were supposed to be in the same college or at least in nice contact with each other. But not every time our life goes the way we plan. She had to leave for the US. But she never failed to meet her old buddies whenever she had returned.

"Stop calling them shits and don't create a mess. Come back soon. I would manage mom and dad." Suhani gave her a little warning. 

"Love you." Saying so Rohini bolted out of the room after placing two more kisses on Suhani's cheek.

Once Rohini left Suhani pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number.

"Hello Ashish, how are you?" She asked the person opposite who seemed to be driving somewhere.

"Yes. Tell me. I am fine."

"Are you guys going to the bike racing event?"

"I might not take part but would love to watch. I am planning for Saturday night racing. This time I am not confident enough to step on the racing track."

"Rohini has left," Suhani spoke one statement only when the person on the opposite side replied immediately.

"I understand. I will keep her under watch. Don't worry."

"Thank you, Ashish." So Suhani dropped the call.

Ashish Chanchal was Rohini's classmate since childhood. He was a bright student and also a nice biker. Rohini was never like Suhani. Since childhood, she used to be an athlete. She started with cycle racing and ended up in bike racing that too at the age of 16 only. She got her first breakthrough at 15 when she set the track on fire with her bike. But after high school due to one such unfortunate incident, she was forced to leave racing. Since then she preferred to join Motorsports events in the US but not in India. 

She didn't expect her to join such events again this time as it had been two years since she stopped going to the tracks in India. God knows why she suddenly decided to barge in this time. Her friends must have called her a lot to at least cheer for them. But if you put drugs in front of a drug addict then you can't expect him to sit back idle without touching them. The same goes with Rohini too. Expecting her to sit idle in the gallery of a racing track is expecting a fish not to gulp water.

She was loitering inside her room after studying for a few more hours when her phone started ringing. As usual Rajveer's caller ID flashed up and she received the call with her sweet tone.

"Your favorite person has left for the track again." After speaking for some time Suhani finally broke the news to Rajveer. 

"What the f**k. Do your parents know?"

"No. I haven't told them. She told me that she won't participate." Suhani tried to sound confident.

"And do you believe that?" Rajveer spoke with a half-smile.

"You know Veer, how hard it is to say no in such matters. It was her favorite thing and she had to leave that for some unavoidable circumstances. Moreover, I think now the situation is better and under control." She explained her point of view.

"Yeah. Hope so. As long as she believes that Haidar Ali is dead." Rajveer let out a huge sigh.

"Just don't bring out the name ever in front of her. He was the sole reason she had gone through so much and chose to opt-out foreign universities to avoid further complications." Suhani seemed quite irritated with one particular name.

"Don't worry. He is no longer visible in Mumbai. So I believe Rohini would never get a glimpse of him again." Rajveer assured her with his point.

"He is still untracked after that incident. That's the only worry I have." Suhani finished that topic and continued with other ones. After a certain time, she dropped the call and typed a text to her sister's contact number.

"Don't be late. Dad will be searching for you soon." Pressing the send button she came back to her place to go through a few more case details. Only one word left her mouth while taking a deep breath.

"Haidar Ali, I just hope you die." 

 

Rohini came out of the house and reached the garage. No matter how much she had visited India in the past two years, she had never forgotten to look after her bike. Every year she would change some of its parts or bring a new one. She changed her previous KTM bike with a new Ducati Panigale V2. Rubbing her palms over the engine she whispered.

"Come on babe. Let's see how good we are together." 

Starting the engine she rushed through the main entrance knowing that her beloved sister would manage the rest of the matter. She had already called her friends to inform her arrival. Piercing through the roads of Mumbai she matched the perfect rhythm to reach the track within a short time. It's been two years since she hadn't seen her favorite tracks. No doubt in the US she had enjoyed the racing but motherland has its vibe. A smile erupted on her face leaving aside every bad memory from her past to enjoy the present.

On her way towards the track, she stopped at a signal and received a text message from Ashish who told her to wait for her near the coming joint. She swiped her fingers over the screen of the phone and put it back. Another bike stopped just beside her while she was still looking ahead. The roaring sound of her engine made a prominent mark when the signal turned into a green one. Growling like a beast, her bike moved forward to reach the join that Ashish had mentioned. Once she had reached the area she found the rest of her friends waiting there. Removing her helmet she smiled brightly looking at those faces. 

"Hey." A short welcome note came from her mouth as she parked the bike and got down to hug them all.

"You bitch, finally got the time to hit the ground." Her old pal Ahana gave her a nice punch before hugging her tightly. Ashish and other people started irritating her but not much as they had to reach the track on time.

"Are you performing today?" Ahana asked her before putting her helmet on.

"No. Di would be angry. You know her." Rohini made an apologetic face. Ashish came in front while roaring his engine to speak the rest.

"Today you would be my responsibility girl. Suhani had already called beforehand."

"Damn. She has become my mother nowadays."

"You need that kid." Ahana looked at her and threw a funny glance.

"Huh. Not again." Rohini started her bike and all of them headed towards the track. 

Four expensive racing bikes were cutting through the streets to reach the destination. All of them were not bike racers. Their passion for riding made them participate in Motorsports. As they were eagerly waiting to see the match some of Rohini's old friends were also coming to participate. 

Rohini was craving madly to participate but her overprotective sister told her not to pull any stance. Now she was only thinking of how to get away from such situations. 

With all such thoughts, they finally reached the famous track of Mumbai. 

 

"Let the race begin," Rohini whispered looking forward.