Those few things which are built to last forever..... :) A LONG READ, BUT ALWAYS WORTH IT...
Love Everlasting
She was alone in the
room. And weeping. The drain drummed onto the glass, the drops
making intricate valleys on the surface as another rain continued inside: a
fresh cascade of tears escaped her eyes as she sobbed uncontrollably onto her
handkerchief. The sight of the calendar reminded her that it had been the date and
however hard she had tried to control herself, she later slumped onto the chair
and began to cry and cry. The rain had begun to drum even fast and make a
noise. She looked up. The rain had made her flashback to three years
ago.
That was when she had
met him. He was taller than her, muscular and famous. His pencil sharp beard
and round face had made the college girls swoon for him. She loved his scarves
and how stylishly he wore them over his shirt, on which he left two buttons
open, for everyone to stare at his machismo. His father was the local MLA,
so Mr. Perfect was Mr. Famous from day one.
She had seen him already and also frequently stalked him but used to never talk
a word with him. She wanted him to come to her…..
She got up, wiping
her eyes and looking straight out of the window. She did not know why she had
this sudden inspiration from who-knows-where but she just
stepped out into the downpour. She outstretched her arms and little drops of
rain fell on them. The drops of rain also mingled with her sad tears till it
was difficult to differentiate between the two. Drops of rain gently cascaded
down her arms and legs. Soon she was soaking wet and her thin white dress cling
to her. She felt very cold standing out in the pouring rain but did not stir.
The pain her heart was feeling was nothing compared to it. It was as if a knife
had been jabbed onto her. Random visions of that day crossed her mind.
‘Anshuman,
this is horrible. How could you think like that what is all this? So this is
how you think of me? Never in my wildest dreams had I thought like this. Go
away. Just go away. Everything’s over. Don’t dare to contact me again.’ She
heard her voice, spoken as if from one end of a very long tunnel. It had been
really painful. She could not imagine how she had ended it all of a sudden.
Anshuman too had been docile enough. He cut all kinds of contact from her. It
being end of college, he had moved out soon after that. She never heard from
him again.
She had asked many of
her friends to try and contact him, but all were in vain. After breaking up
with him, it had been good when he was around. But now, every single item
reminded her of him.
The kettle reminded
her how he had once made coffee for them. The good times they spent in the
college lawns. She even had A.A. tattooed on her back, which
she had never really removed. And now, the rain brought back memories
of three years back, imprinted on the inside of her mind, which refused to go,
and remained crystal clear despite their age.
#JUNE 2012, DELHI
She was returning
from college when suddenly the rain started. She had to walk the short distance
to the bus stop. However, in a few minutes she was wet from head to toe. She
had tucked her books away in a polythene bag in her rucksack shielding them
from the pouring rain.
However, she did not
see the Mercedes as it zoomed past her and a deluge of water rained at her from
a nearby puddle, making specks of dirt appear on her dress.
The car halted some distance away. She rushed to it, ‘Are you mad? Can’t
you see me by the road? That is what all the rich kids are: Filthy
Ignorant Spoilt Brats. Oops, sorry’. She bit her lip. He
had lowered the windows and her eyes had fallen on him.
She
recognized him. ‘What the ruddy hell are you doing in this rain? Kind of
enjoying it or what? Sit inside and I will drop you. And yeah, sorry.
’ ‘No. No need of Sorry. It would be a pleasure, but I would rush. ’ She
said, her voice quivering, unstable. ‘Sit inside’ he said firmly.
She sat inside the
car, but was a bit uncomfortable as in doing so she soiled the seat. She took
out her towel and began to pat dry. However, due to the AC her
teeth began to shatter. Anshuman noticed it and switched it off. He
himself being too shy to ask, he asked the driver to ask her her address. No.66A Karol Bagh, she replied, more to him than to
the driver.
The car zigzagged through the dusty bylanes and soon Aditi reached
her house. She stepped out of the car and raised her hands for a
fervent ‘Goodbye’ when he spluttered, ‘Coffee? Would you come? Tomorrow? ’
‘I’ll see’ she said as Anshuman’s cheeks turned red. ‘Ok then bye, Ad…’ the
look on her face as she turned and froze made him stop mid sentence ‘No probs,
I know your name too, Anshuman. Bye. I’ll see about coffee. ’ She completed as
she patted a completely red Anshuman.
NEXT DAY, THE CAFÉ
‘How much shy he is.
I asked him to come by 12, now it’s 1. Atleast
he came to me. ’ Just then, a group of boys entered the café, a
large portion of them the spoilt rich class. Anshuman was in the
middle. ‘Go, she is waiting for you. ’ A boy pushed him, and he settled
in front of Aditi, who dropped her eyes. The waiter came to them.
‘Two espressos’
Anshuman said, glad to have something to do. ‘And…take lots of time to prepare
it.’ Aditi quipped and the waiter returned and looked questioningly, ‘Yes? ’
‘Nothing’ Anshuman said. Dead silence after that. Centuries must have passed as
they sat at that table at the café.
“Hi! I thought we
came together” Aditi was the first to start. “Begin then,
say something” Aditi liked to see the colour rise on his face. He looked
at the ground. “Well, Aditi Singh, Art’s student and not a topper like
you, but I manage to scrape good grades.” She extended her hand for a
handshake. He hesitated for a moment, looked around and then shook
”Anshuman Khurana. Well, I’m in Journalism” So, that was how they first
met.
Anshuman was very shy
form point zero, which Aditi did not like. She kept on nudging him for
that. Slowly, their eventual companionship evolved into a great
friendship. Aditi knew Anshuman loved her and was only keeping his
feelings locked away. So she went to his friends after class and asked them to
force him to ask her for a movie together.
ADLABS, A WEEK LATER
Finally, they had
gone for a movie together. Anshuman’s friends consented to be of company but took seats several rows ahead of them. Aditi too
bought only one tub of popcorn and said she could not spare more money. Anshuman
obliged by appearing to see the film and threw side glances at Aditi. He
hesitatingly shared the popcorn, even as his heart did somersaults
whenever their fingers touched, even lightly. Although Anshuman pretended
to look at Khiladi ‘Akshay Kumar’, he was more interested on his Balma ‘Aditi
Singh’: owner of his heart.
However, they both never talked about it and were wearing the ‘Just friends’ tag
in public. Aditi began to throw nervous glances at him. She knew he loved her, only
wanted a confirmation. So when the film had ended and they were heading
for the parking lot, she entertwined her fingers into his. Anshuman’s
heart leapt at the impulse, he chose not to protest and gripped her hand.
Aditi curved her lips into a smile, one she had not in years. A collective
hoot from their back told them their first attempt at PDA had
not gone unnoticed.
<#>
Time went by in a whirr and they discovered more of each other with every
passing day.
The Khuranas were the lords of a large amount
of money courtesy a hotel and realty business. Anshuman, thus
was destined a kings life. However, he had little interest in
his forefather’s fortune. He wanted to become a press journalist.
The Singhs had little to do with money. They owned nothing more than the two
acre plot that was 66A Karol Bagh. However, Aditi was
happy wherever she was. She loved living like a jay bird. She
thought of becoming a painter.
Aditi and Anshuman loved walking in the picturesque lawns of the college.
They used to talk for hours on end. They lost all track of time as hours
melted into hours. A small wooden bench was all they needed to loosen up.
Anshuman would take her out to various restaurants in Delhi. Sometimes
they went for movies and shopping. Aditi’s friends made sure Mr.Rich
walked hime with an empty wallet.
VALENTINE’S DAY
Anshuman had decided
to give it a shot. He had it coming to him and was coaxed into it by his
friends. He had invited Aditi to an empty classroom. She had been fidgety
at first, but came wearing her best red gown. She hesitated, and then
turned the doorknob. She gasped.
Anshuman had arranged
all the benches against the wall and on every surface; she saw bunches and
bunches of red roses. The floor was covered in white rose petals and A.A. was
written with yellow rose petals. The whiteboard was covered with a cloth on which Anshuman and
spray painted their names: ‘Anshuman Khurana’ and ‘Aditi
Singh’ She liked it very much. However, she wondered where he was
now.
She had not seen him
enter the room. She turned, sending her majestic curls twirling over his
face. He closed his eyes at her touch. There was silence for a few seconds
which looked like ages. Anshuman was the first to speak. “Happy
Valentine’s Day.” Aditi’s face turned redder than the reddest rose in the
room. “Happy Valentine’s Day” she spoke more to the floor than to
Anshuman. “You look beautiful” Anshuman complimented. “Thanks. So do you”
The conversation was
becoming strained. They could not speak beyond a few words. Perhaps it was the
mood in the day. Aditi decided to divert the topic. Even she was feeling a bit
shy. She walked across the room to the bouquets nearby. “Thanks for bringing
these roses. The purple ones are simply awesome…” she stopped mid-sentence.
Anshuman had walked closer to her without her noticing.
She turned red and looked at the ground, pretending to be lost in
the tiled flooring. She was speechless. Anshuman gently lifted her
chin upwards. Their eyes met. Aditi knew what was coming, but did
not resist. Their hearts were heaving.
Anshuman slid her
hand behind her back and she kept an arm on her shoulder. He brought her face
closer to his. He could have counted her pimples. He gently touched her lips.
Then they were kissing, and kissing passionately. He brought her even closer
and she even entertwined her fingers into his. He slid his fingers into her
hair and played with it. He was kissing like never before. Minutes later, they
fell back, exhausted. “How was it?” “What?” “Nothing”
They did not talk about what happened in the room in public even to their
friends.
Aditi was amazed at the change in him. He was to
say: wonderful. They stayed up late at nights chatting with each
other. Aditi would sometimes take out her phone even between classes to
look at his messages.
A year passed by as
such. They were now in last year. They both now understood each other
quite well. It was time to decide between Yes and No. soon they would be
miles apart, if either did not react. However, they both wanted to be sure
before making a move.
Anshuman met her in the corridor, “Would you like to
go to a Bar today?”"Bar?" Anshuman you know I do not drink” “Try just”
she hesitated. This was Aditi. She always waited for Anshuman. “For
my sake? Please…… I also wanted to talk” .She winked and began to walk away.
She half – heard him over the honking of cars on the road – “Winehouse. Tell
your family any story. At 9 then.”
WINEHOUSE, 10 IN THE
NIGHT
Aditi did not know
why she had consented to it. She knew her father would blow her to bits
when he came to know where had she gone to.
Perhaps because she loved him so much. She was snapped out of it
by Anshuman – “Hi. That is a nice dress you are wearing.” “Umm…
Thanks” Aditi said. “Waiter, two red wines please” Anshuman ordered. “I’m
still not sure” “You will be soon”
The bartender gave them two glasses of red wine.”Gulp it. Don’t
think twice.” Aditi closed her eyes and gulped. She splattered everything
on the floor a second later. “Oh! Give it another try.” He gestured
the bartender to open a bottle and dilute her wine. Soon by the time
he had taken a few glasses she finally took her first sip of life.
She clinked her class for a refill.
“Come with me” Anshuman said, leading her out. “Thank you for my first sip”
Aditi said, looking a bit dazed. They reached the car. “Driver, my friend
Akash lives nearby. Give this parcel to him.” Anshuman said gesturing at a
flat nearby. He coerced him to do so, as he wanted him out of the way.
Anshuman sat inside and closed the door. “You were the most wonderful thing to
happen to me” Aditi said sheepishly. ”You were the most charismatic person I
ever met. I am very lucky to have you” Anshuman added as he moved closer.
Their lips met. He was kissing her again. It was nothing like never before, because it was more passionate as they locked their lips together. The wine helped it unfold. He turned the seat down and
they rolled over each other.
It was blissful, and
neither of them had ever experienced anything like it. He slid his hand inside
her dress. She did not resist. He did not stop kissing. He unzipped her kurti
and she stepped out of it. She removed her jeans and asked him to remove his
shirt. He compiled. He landed kisses wherever he could: on her neck, her ears,
her soft, supple arms. They just didn’t want the moment to end.
They went up and down each other. Sweat glistened on their bodies but it didn’t
matter, it was the
happiest moment of their lives. Half an hour later, they stopped, exhausted.
They sat up and wore their clothes. Minutes later, the driver returned. They drove back in silence. Aditi’s house came first and
she bade goodbye.
A week later and two day before Aditi left college to finally give
her painting dreams its brushes, he proposed. ‘Aditi Rajveer
Singh, the most mesmerizing, charismatic lady I ever met, I, Anshuman
Balbir Khurana, am head over heels in love with you. No one ever roused
such feelings in me. Will you marry me?’ She had jumped and shouted
‘Yes! Yes! Yes!’ then.
It had been the
happiest day of her life.
However, it had all shattered. The next evening, she had called him
to meet her parents. That very morning, her sister gave her
the recording. It was an Audio tape. “Mummy, listen, once she comes,
do whatever you want. Say yes to her for now. I love her. I can’t
live without her. I do not care what you do after she comes, okay?”
She had broken with him after that. She could not tolerate what he
had said. She had asked him to ‘get lost’ and ’get off her’. So that
was what he did. Weeks later, when she later regretted all she had
said, she could not contact him at all. Their family had moved out. Number unreachable.
Facebook deactivated. Whatsapp blocked.
After he had left she had
to be treated for depression. She had lost her head completely. Her
friend Anjali helped her regain her composure. She was
now a painter. Not exactly famous, but she made good paintings. Today she
was going to auction off one of her paintings for charity.
She went inside her house, drenched due to the rain. Tomorrow was the day if
her dreams. She would soon be very famous.
AUCTION SALE
The guests started
pouring in. the organizers were still busy adding last minute
arrangements. The workers scurried over the floor with various banners and
hoardings. This was the day she had dreamed of. She smiled at all the
guests who came “Sit” “Please” “A Pleasure”. Little did she know what
future lay in store for her. She looked at her Timeplus timepiece “One
hour left” she headed for the washroom, her heels making a sound as she
walked.
She was washing her hands as she saw them. Three goondas stood behind her. She
went for the door, but they blocked it with a heavy arm. “Don’t make a sound”
the men covered her mouth muffling her cries for help. Someone tied her hands
and legs.
HE COMES AGAIN
They removed the
glass slabs from the ventilator above them and made good their escape. She
woke to find herself in a closed room. “Where am I? Why have you brought
me here?” she said, her voice shaking. “Teehee hee. Wait till our chief
comes. We even stole your painting. That is another small fortune”
She prayed to her Gods for help. Some time ago, she had been
thinking of becoming famous and now these goondas would snuff the life out
of her.
Their chief came,
waking her up. They loosened her ropes. He walked up to her, his boots
making a heavy noise. “So soft,…Umm” running a finger over her arm. She
twitched and looked at his rough - hewn face. He smelled badly of
alcohol. NO. he would not be successful tonight - a
voice rang inside her.
Only a few hours before she had been weaving dreams of becoming a great painter.... she had been receiving guests at the grand hall who might still be waiting for her to come. No one had got a whiff of the incident. She had been silently kidnapped. And now she was at the mercy of these goondas, who were eager to rip her soul apart. She prayed to her God. Someone must come. Someone will come to rescue her.
The chief took out wads of
notes from his coat pocket to pay his men. “Take these. And these. And now
we begin, okay, sweet girl?”
The goondas caught her hands and legs and dragged her to a bed in other
room. The chief threw himself at her, delibrately landing few centimetres from her face. She began making attempts to prise herself from the vice like grip of the wrongdoers.The chief removed her dupatta “Remove it, please, let’s begin.” She
began shouting and making desperate attempts to escape. She could not let
them be successful. She could not let it happen......
There was a bang. The door had been thrown open. On the mantle stood – Anshuman.
She heaved a sigh of relief. “Leave her!” he commanded, as police constables
came rounded up the gang. The police were too quick to allow them to escape. A few kicks and punches and the entire gang had been rounded up. A lady constable came and helped her out of bed.
Anshuman gave his coat to her. She wanted to know how on earth Anshuman landed
up there.
“The painting is a copy of your painting. This one conceals microchips and
location sensors. You never noticed the missing signature, did you? We
located the gang on GPRS and nabbed it. I am your
neighbour Anshul. I remained undercover because I did not want to hurt you
by contacting you again, even thought you may have married…” his
voice trailed off.
He looked into the
most beautiful eyes on the planet. A tear splashed from them.“I love
you, I love you, I love you, and I will kill you if you ever leave me
again” and she hugged him. Tightly. :)
