The Inconstant

The night seemed to stretch on and on for Mridul. As yet another
colleague stepped into the lounge with his wife, Mridul lost his
temper and marched out. It was an end- of- the- year success party for
the media house he worked in. And it was one of those numerous
occasions when his wife Chaya refused to accompany him, as the
consequence of a feud.

Mridul headed to the bar, his hands tucked deep into the pockets of
his tuxedo, inadvertently thinking about their last heated argument.
Chaya had told him point blank that she would not be joining him for
dinner, and had stormed out of the house, apparently to stay the night
at her best friend’s place.
As he sat at the bar and ordered a classic whiskey, his eyes wondered,
searching for company. This place was also crowded with couples or
people huddled together in small groups. Just as he was about to
wallow in self pity, Mridul saw her- a beautiful woman in her forties,
swathed in silver lame and turquoise chiffon and dripping diamonds.

She sat alone, sipping on her second glass of vodka, looking
practically regal. It seemed like she felt his gaze on her because, a
moment later she turned to look at him. He smiled in response, his
handsome face lighting up with the twinkle in his eyes. Mridul
collected his drink and walked up to her.

“May I buy a drink for the beautiful lady?”

She smiled at him, her clever eyes shining, “The name is Setika. And
thanks, I’d like a martini.”

“Pleased to meet you, Setika.” He replied. “I’m Mridul, advertising
head of the ________.”

“I see…So you work under Naresh?”

That wiped the smile off his face. “You know my boss?”

Setika laughed, “Well, yes. I do. He’s my date.”

Mridul raised his eyebrows. What on earth was his stupid boss doing,
leaving this gorgeous woman behind to party with a bunch of
sycophants? Well, that is probably it- he must be enjoying all the
flattery before getting down to business, thought Mridul
condescendingly. “If I were him, I wouldn’t miss out on an evening
with you for anything.”

“Oh, it’s alright. I’m a little blue this evening and Naresh is not
exactly the sort of person who would lend you a shoulder to cry on.
He’s more of a man of action than of words, if you know what I mean.”

Mridul snorted into his drink. No wonder the moron had gotten
divorced. When he recovered, he said, “May I ask why you’re upset?”

Setika stared into the distance, and took her time. Mridul waited
patiently, having realized that she was choosing her words. When she
looked at him again he gave her a warm, benign smile. And Setika told
him.

“My husband called from London today. I told him I want a divorce.”
He should’ve guessed she was married. “I’m sorry.” He said softly.
“Was it very hard?”

Setika sighed. “He didn’t take it very well. He’s flying back to Delhi
tomorrow.” She locked her tearful eyes on his, trying to make him
understand. “He loves me. He really does. We have the perfect home,
two brilliant kids. But sometimes it’s just not enough.”

“What went wrong, Setika?” Mridul asked, his mind turning to his own
marriage, which was far from perfect. Would Chaya to that to him?

“I stopped loving him, Mridul.” A tear streaked down her fair cheek.
“And after my kids moved out of the house, my life just turned so
dull. Amar is frequently abroad and there’s only so much time I can
spend with my friends.”

“I understand, Setika. Please don’t cry.”

He was hardly the kind of guy who’d be seen carrying a handkerchief
around, so he gave her a tissue. Setika dabbed at her pretty eyes and
Mridul felt a strong urge to put his arms around her. She looked so
much younger than her years.

“And no matter what he’s like, Naresh does make me feel special…and
desired. I think I’m in love again.”

With the wrong man, Mridul wanted to say, but decided against it.
“Well, maybe it’s time for your life to change- for the better.”

“But I hurt Amar so bad.” She said, while she sobbed uncontrollably.
People were starting to stare at the two of them.

“The happiness of every single person in your life is not in your
hands. But the one person you can make sure remains happy is you.”

“Thanks, Mridul.” Setika said, as she wiped away her tears.

“Why don’t we take a walk?”

“Sure.”

Together, they walked into the posh gardens. He thought of leading her
to the bench by the fountain but stopped short when he noticed a
couple in the shadows nearby.

“Oops. Wrong timing,” Mridul winked at her and made to leave for the
other end of the garden. But she seemed rooted to the spot. Mridul
raised his eyebrows at her questioningly. Then he followed her gaze,
and swore under his breath.

“That’s Naresh with---”

“----Mehta’s wife!” Mridul grimaced. “That’s sick!”

The recently dried tears came flooding down Setika’s cheeks once
again. She started shivering violently. Alarmed, Mridul pulled her
away before his boss could see them.

“Setika, listen---”

“I want to go home, Mridul.” She gasped. “Please take me home before I
lose my mind.”

Finding her unable to speak coherently, he threw caution to the winds
and decided to drive her to his own house. When they pulled into the
driveway, he helped her out of the car and into the living room. As
soon as he locked the door, Setika collapsed into his arms, crying
incessantly.

“It’ll be okay.” He pulled her closer as he kissed her hair. She
smelled amazing. “The guy’s a total nymphomaniac, Setika. You deserve
someone so much better.”
She lifted her head to look at him. Setika had never even expected him
to be so understanding of her extra marital affair, and here he was
comforting her when she had found out that her lover had cheated on
her!

“I’m so sorry I ruined your evening, Mridul.” Said Setika miserably,
shaking her head.

“You are the best thing that happened to me this evening, Setika.
Believe me.” Said Mridul. And he kissed her softly on the lips.

***********

It was 1:00 A.M. when Mridul woke up, his arms around Setika as she
slept, her angelic face looking at peace. He kissed her nose
playfully, wondering if she’s wake up and, once again, make him feel
like he’d died and gone to heaven. When she didn’t wake up, he gently
laid her head down on the pillow and tiptoed downstairs for a glass of
water.

As he climbed down the flight of steps, he heard the landline phone
ring. Who the hell is calling right now? He wondered irritably. He’d
deliberately switched off his cell phone so that he couldn’t be
disturbed. Before he could answer the call, it went to the answering
machine. He chose to ignore it, but on his way back from the kitchen,
he changed his mind. Mridul played the message. It was Chaya’s best
friend.

“Mridul, it’s Sapna. Please call me back as soon as you can. I’m
calling from the hospital. Chaya was on her way to your party. Her car
collided with a truck.”


***********

(IMAGE SOURCE)

LOVE at First Sight

The confession an adorable teenage girl of how and when she first encountered the feel of love in the strangest event that can possibly occur... A cute tale that comes out from the pen of an amazingly cute young teenage writer.

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

I woke up with a start when I heard someone thumping on the door. I rubbed my eyes and tried to recollect what I was doing, sleeping at 6 o’ clock in the evening. I saw my copy of Pigs Have Wings by P.G.Wodehouse next to my pillow, and realized I’d fallen asleep while reading.

I dragged myself out of bed, stifling a yawn, and opened the door. A middle aged woman in a sari stood outside it- the housekeeper.
“You’re being called downstairs for tea,” she said.
“I’ll be right there,” I replied, smiling politely. I closed the door again and walked into the bathroom to freshen up.

It was the month of May. We had gone to Orissa on a family trip and were presently staying over at our relatives’ place in Bhubaneswar. We’d been there for a week and were enjoying ourselves, even though we hadn’t gotten around to much of sight seeing because of the incessant rain.

It was still raining cats and dogs when I went downstairs. I saw everyone gathered around the centre table in the living room: my parents and younger sister, my maternal grandmother, and my maasi along with her young daughter. I took a cup of what I was sure was cardamom tea and sank into an armchair- and yawned widely. I couldn’t help it. I suppose that’s what happens when you get such a long holiday from college or school- you become a little too lazy.

“Wake up, sleepy head. We’re joining friends for dinner tonight,” said Dad, grinning at the way I was curled up in the armchair.
“Hmmm…?” I blinked. “Right. Absolutely.”
I was nodding my head without realizing what was going on around me.

By the time I’d finished with my cup of tea, I was quite awake. But I guess my cousin didn’t think so, because just as I put my cup on the side table, a heavy cushion came flying across the room and hit me on the face.
Brushing my hair out of my eyes, and restraining myself from exploding, I turned to Mum, “Who are we visiting?”

“The Nandas,” she said. “We’ve to reach by eight…you’d better get ready.”

An hour later, my immediate family and I were driving down to the Nandas’ place, which was about twenty minutes way from my maasi’s house. The Nandas had a grand, old mansion. It was beautifully decorated, and the smell of the wooden furniture was making me mouth water.

Mr. and Mrs. Nanda introduced us to their younger son, Ayush. He looked about five years old and was he ADORABLE! I pulled his cheeks and he, thankfully, didn’t seem to mind.
We all began chatting while we started with the appetizers.

“….oh, yes. It IS a wonderful house,” Mrs. Nanda was saying. “And Ayush is particularly fond of the attic…he spends hours playing up there.”

“You have an attic?! Can I check it out? I just love attics!!” I said, immediately excited.

“Why, of course, dear.” She smiled. “Ayush will take you upstairs. We’ll call for you when it’s time for dinner.”

Since my sister was still having her soup, I asked her to join me later and I followed Ayush up to the attic. He unlocked the door with ease, turned on a light bulb and we walked in.

It was beautiful. There were unpacked boxes on a corner; I could see old photo albums on the dusty old rug, there was a comfortable looking couch against one of the walls, and there were toys, crayons and sheets of paper strewn all across the floor- in short, it looked exactly the way an attic should. But I especially loved this one because it had a writing desk with a sturdy chair, facing the window. One could see the grass, in the front lawn, glittering in the moonlight as it rained down hard. I sighed with longing. I wished I had such a heavenly corner to write in.

“This is where I play with my elder brother,” said Ayush.
“Oh, really? That’s nice. But where is he?” I said, tearing my eyes away from the scene outside.
“Right here,” said a husky voice from behind me.

I held my breath and turned around. There stood a tall, dark boy, casually dressed in an untucked white shirt and faded blue jeans. He looked down at me, his gorgeous eyes twinkling, and smiled slyly as though he knew how conscious I was suddenly feeling.

You should pay more attention to your dressing sense, said a voice in my head which sounded a lot like my friend Riana’s. She keeps reprimanding me for not caring much about what I wear. I promised myself that I’ll pay more attention to her fashion advice from then on, instead of tuning her out like I frequently do.

“I’m Anshuman,” said the boy, extending his hand.
“Sneha,” I said.
We shook hands. Or rather, HE shook MY hand. There seemed to be something wrong with my limbs.

We sat down on a clean corner of the rug while Ayush pulled a board game out of the nearest carton and started arranging it. I tried to make small talk but my brain had apparently stopped functioning. What the heck was WRONG with me?!
“So…d’you like the attic?” he finally said.
“Oh, yes. It’s really cool and comfortable up here.”
I reluctantly raised my eyes to meet his. He seemed to hold my gaze for an eternity.
“I really like it up here,” he spoke softly. “Everything stored in this attic has some connection with each member of our family. It helps me connect with what I’ve loved and lost.”

I smiled, unable to look away. “You love your family a lot, don’t you?”
“Yes. There’s so much I want to do for them,” he sighed. “I want them to know how much they’ve meant to me.”
“I’m sure they already know,” I replied.

As though to prove my point, at that very moment, Ayush jumped up and hugged Anshuman, as if being separated from him would be unbearable. With a jolt, I realized that I’d find it hard not to see him too. I saw Anshuman hug his little brother and get him to start the game. We played for about half an hour. I doubt whether I’ve ever enjoyed playing Monopoly this much. It was nearly nine, when I heard my sister calling my name from somewhere downstairs.

“You’d better go down,” said Anshuman. “I’ll help Ayush put the game away.”
“Okay,” I smiled.

I got up, and just as I was about to leave through the door, Anshuman caught hold of my wrist. My heart was racing.
“I want to give you something to remember me by,” he whispered in my ear.
He gently put a pretty bracelet around my wrist.
“Don’t forget me,” he murmured.
I closed my eyes. I mustered up the courage to look into his. They looked sad. But he smiled slightly. I smiled back, and then hurried downstairs.

“I’m coming!” I shouted at my sister, wherever she was.
I saw her waiting in the corridor, one floor down.
“Sorry about the yelling,” said Akriti, “I wasn’t sure which way the attic is.”
“That’s alright,” I grinned, “Sorry we’re late.”
I desperately hoped she wouldn’t notice that I was slightly trembling. We walked downstairs.

“No problem.” She said. “Hey did you hear about Ayush’s elder brother?”
“What about him?” I frowned, as I pushed open the door that led to the dining hall. Everyone was at the far end of the hall, busy collecting their plates and serving themselves.

“The last time the Nandas went down to the beach…he drowned,” she sighed, “It’s been three months since he died…he was only fifteen.”

I felt like someone had punched me in the gut. No, I thought. How can it be?
“Hey, what’s wrong?!” said Akriti, alarmed.
I’d fallen down on my knees. No one else seemed to have noticed “Anshuman…died?”
“Yes…that’s him,” she replied, looking confused. She was pointing at a picture on the wall. It was him.

I could hardly breathe. This is crazy, I thought. Was my mind playing tricks on me? I held my head in my hands, and gasped out loud.
I was still wearing the bracelet.

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

( by - ARPITA )

PS- thanks pulkit bhaiya, for all the encouragement. i know i'm not perfect, but you have a way of making me feel really special and loved...it means so much to me to know that you understand and care about me just the way i am. your faith and belief in me give me strength and confidence, and i know that with you by my side, i can seek anything...thanks for everything. :) love to you.

I love you - those three words have my life in them - 3

Pranav and Naina are madly in Love. They had always been... True, Pure, Loyal and Made for each other. They want to get married one day, But Nobody else, Time and Tide work against them and family as well as fate separate These lovers. Will Their Love survive? Will They meet again someday? Will they miss each other? Will they move on.. Or shall they stay in Love forever? Love, Family, circumstances, and career... How all these are related to the same thread called Life, Its amazing na!

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

(CONTINUED FROM)

2 years later.

“Pranav bhaiya, I am not really sure… why you are opting for this job, passing out from IIM, you are in a commanding position to rule your life the way you want…and all of a sudden, Like an Idiot you are trying to take this stupid gulf company managerial post…The package is also not that much and…”, yelled Ragini, One of his good friends at B – school. Someone who was younger to him, more of a little sister, 1 year junior and very close to pranav.

“I never rule my life…the way I want Rags, Its some other force that always does…” He said and smiled, a smile with more cracks and voids then charm it once had. His face and health had been dull, he looked elder to his age, usually carrying a shabby 3-day beard, less speaking, to the point and very mature, Unlike what he was in life before. Very few people knew here at PG as to why he was the way he was. Rags was one of them.

“Ok! Now I can clearly see it in your eyes…its her! She is the god damn reason, haven’t you punished yourself already in these 2 years that you still wanna chase that girl who never thought of you…” She said in a very sarcastic tone.

“I have no answers to your questions Rags, I know you do care for me a lot… I will miss u…”

“Bhaiya please… Khyal rakhna aap wahan apna… Huh…I thought you had moved on”

“I thought so too…” he half smiled.

He left home soil and landed to an unknown place for an unknown quest,

that was driven by an unknown force. Deep within me he knew that somewhere close to him, is a face which has answers to the big “why” behind this entire last 3 years suffering…

“Sometimes answers are more painful then silence”, he wrote on his palm while sitting on a taxi that drove him from airport to hotel.

“Do you need anything?” asked the bell boy.

“Yes…” Pranav replied.

“What is it sir”

“I don’t know”.

Bell boy left, and Pranav stared the city from hotel room window.

“Where are you Naina…” He whispered.

“Right here with you…” she smiled, from the face of moon.

3 Months later!

Work was dull and hectic, he had lesser time to wander around in search of her then that he had anticipated. Still he spent weekends, searching her, he used to check phone records, airport lists of arrivals and departures etc but he found no success in tracing her.

He was returning back from work to his one room rent flat, on his way he saw someone that he immediately recognized. She was wearing a pink dress, Long curly hairs, talking on phone sitting on the back seat of long sedan. He narrated the taxi driver immediately and told him to follow that car. Driver looked up from rear view mirror in suspicion but followed the order of customer. It took almost 20 minutes, and the chase ended. The sedan turned to a crowded street and the taxi driver signalled Pranav that he wants a tank refuelling and they have to stop at the adjacent gas station. He left the taxi telling him to keep the change. He ran, ran as fast as he could. Breath getting shorter, but due to extremely crowded place he could feel the sedan moving real slow and him getting real closer to it. And then “Bang” he was hit by a car, coming from the other end. He was high in the air, fell. His head started bleeding almost immediately, everyone in the street cornered him. The sedan door opened and from his blur vision he could figure out the lady in pink walking closer to inspect who had an accident. She came closer and asked “come, sit in my car, I am a doctor… I shall take you to hospital, I am on my way…”. He opened his eyes, She was not Her! He closed them again.

It took him almost 8 months to recover fully from the pain, that accident has given him but it was none as compared to the pain he was undergoing everyday, in terms of the helplessness he felt in reaching this far and not able to find her, he used to cry at night in silent whiskers wondering if she ever thought of him anymore and remembered him even for that matter.

He had made up his mind that he was going back to India mid way in his search, resigning from this job. It had been almost 4 years now. I had given my all, he sighed.

He wrote a mail to Rags.

Dear sis,

I am coming back; I shall try to leave my soul behind so that I may live on… Somehow… L

Anyways… I haven’t forgotten my promise of giving you the black dress of the same kind you always wanted to, this birthday, I saw one like that yesterday in market, I shall be buying it before coming back J

Ur bro

Pranav!

He went back to his guitar and played her favorite song.

He was strolling in the market the next day, trying to remember which shop exactly he saw that dress. It was cloudy and rain gods were about to shed tears, for the voyage of love that was about to end. He felt loneliness in crowd, His eyes still searching. Hopelessly crazy boy as one may say. He finally found the store he was looking for that had that dress, He purchased it and came out. It started raining. He walked in rain. Water sulking him and drenching him totally. He could feel a strange sense of adventure, an excitement, A feeling of liberation, A feeling of union and A flame within. He wondered why.

( DO ANY OF YOU ACTUALLY BELIVE IN SOMETHING CALLED “TELEPATHY” , I THINK IT DOES EXIST , THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THEN ONCE THAT I HAVE ENCOUNTERED ITS PRESENCE IN MY LIFE, AND IT’S THE BASIS OF WHAT I WRITE AHEAD IN NEXT PARA)

Naina was writing her diary. A girl looking 10 years elder to her age, Her eyes having dark circles and a shame of guilt, Her voice was weak with weakness and everytime she spoke, She regretted the noise that came by. She loved silence, She adored darkness. She punished herself for the pain she had caused someone, Who loved her hamesha. She sat on guitar and sang what she wrote...

In memories you seem so near,

These silent moments I lay

Imagining as if you are right here

All my memories keep you near

In a silent whisper, In a silent tear

She heard the voice of Thunder from the open window of her room, She saw moon and it smiled back. She felt something strange within her.

Then For the first time in ages, Naina feels like going out , it was drizzling outside , yet she insisted her bhabhi to take her out. As her bhabhi loves her a lot.. she somehow managed to take permission from her in laws n they go out for shopping.

They both were in the car and Naina opened the window and she peeped out , she was facing the sky and the rain were landing as kisses from her love. Her bhabi was quite amused to see her so happy.

They went to the mall and , it was very rush. She was silent while her babhi was shopping. It was raining heavily. She was wandering across the stores. She could sense a familiar smell , smell of someone who really very close , the one in whose arms she tasted heaven. She desperately looked around , but then realized that she was just standing outside the perfume store. She was in the lift , lost in her world.. by the time she realized she reached the top floor of the mall. She thought of going down by stairs. So she was searching for the stairs but found a small door, she opened it and could see the stairs to the top of the building. She stepped in to it and reached the top, she was standing under the roof with her hand out in the rain. She was feeling something very different , she cudnt stop her smile , she could feel the same smell , she couldnt take it any more , she turned back to get down but something caught her eyes. There was a man standing in the rain , looking at the sky , fully drenched...

She forgot everything that’s been told to her…ever by anyone in her family. She felt liberated. She felt as if she has found her way… from a distance she saw him. She had no clue if its an illusion or a reality. She tip toed closer to him….whisperin the lyrics…

"Here is my heart and I give it to you
Take me with you across this land
These are my dreams, so simple and few
Dreams we hold in the palm of our hands"

She slowly walks towards him..she was shivering..she says 'Pra..Pranav'. He dusn turn , she goes closer to him and with a stiff voice CALLS HIS NAME again 'Pranav'. He turns round. He sees a girl in a black dress. Her knee length dress clinging closer to her wet body and her hairs sticking to her neck, her eyes dropping every drop of rain that her face touches, mixing it with tears rolling by. He sees her eyes, and it speaks a thousand words. The world around them stops and everything else now makes no sense to them. He stares her state and he speaks nothing, trying to read the unspoken story of the time gone by.. suddenly her energy drained , she had no strength to stand , she started to fall down. He immediately ran towards her and stopped her from collapsing. She was in his arms. He speaks finally and the most unpredicted line that she never expected after all these years…

“It is now my duty to completely drain you"

They smile, Kissing each other in the spur of the moment… their lips started a narration, and their tongues completed the flashback. Pushing each other, they surfaced their way to a lonely corner of a stormy deserted street!

Their eyes were filled with tears of both happiness n pain.

They hugged eachother. It rained as if the sky has been moved by the picture its witnessing. Its love..pure love. Love which joins people , separates them , hurts and the only medicine which can heal the pain.

“Love me or leave me and let me be lonely
You wont believe me but I love you only
Id rather be lonely than happy with somebody else” She said… and they kissed again. Harder. Stronger. Intense.



“As we stand together
I promise forever
'Til the day that I die
You are the love of my life

I spent a lifetime waiting
Always hesitating until you
I was lost so deep inside my shell
'Til you came and saved me from myself
Now all I really know
Is I need you

You are the love of my life
You are the reason I'm alive”



They burnt in the fire that held within them, The kisses made way for physical expression of emotional voyages that they have undergone. Exploring every inch of each others body. Making way through lips and then pushing through sweeter pains, They melted and then laid over each other consumed. Finally Pranav spoke…





“I did everything I could to get you here tonight
Without telling you why
Now girl if you only would, please hold out your hand
Just close your eyes
I've been dying to ask you one burning question
Will you be mine?

”From here to eternity
I'm asking you to share your life with me
Now and forever I guarantee, I'll always stay by your side
I promise my love to you
I'm willing and able and ready to
Whatever you need
I am here for you, and I'll always be
From here to eternity”



She had tears in her eyes when he finished speaking. Her bare body burrowed its way to her chest and her head lied there, She had made up her mind. She had sadness in her eyes. And she whispered “ can we do it again… or will would you like to marry me first” :D ;) her eyes turned naughty and they rolled again forgetting every challenge that lay ahead, they burnt again. They felt stronger, They knew they will make it, no matter what goes by

**********

( By Pulkit and Satyu)

I love you - those three words have my life in them - 2

Pranav and Naina are madly in Love. They had always been... True, Pure, Loyal and Made for each other. They want to get married one day, But Nobody else, Time and Tide work against them and family as well as fate separate These lovers. Will Their Love survive? Will They meet again someday? Will they miss each other? Will they move on.. Or shall they stay in Love forever? Love, Family, circumstances, and career... How all these are related to the same thread called Life, Its amazing na!

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

(CONTINUED FROM)

He tried many things to get rid of her but his efforts were ineffectual. He was tempted to take drugs to relive from the pain but when ever he tried to use them he found her holding his hand and stopping him. Her Smile. Her smell... more intoxicate engaging then anything he had ever heard of.

Every day he used to go to the park , the one which witnessed the friendship turning in to love. He spent many hours thinking about her. The soft n beautiful grass turned into thorns, the pieces of his broken dreams started pricking him more. He tried to end his life but then realized that it would cause more pain to his love which he can never ever afford. He used to stare at unmoving objects whole day, passage of day was a pain, an endless wait.

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

Time was flying too fast. The seasons were changing but he was the same , the wounds were becoming deeper and deeper. It was august , the month which was very special for both of them, the month in which they were born. It was his b'day, the lesions were again fresh. He sat on his bed and his eyes were stuck at his last year present,a handmade greeting card . He got up and took the card out and he started reading. His hands were shivering.

Dear Pranav,

Wish you many many happy returns of the day jaan. I am short of words...out of expressions, and in a lack of sense...when I try to narrate u...How u actually make me feel. You touch me like no other have ever touched me, a sweet peck on my cheek when I am low, a gentle kiss on my eyes when I am heavy, a wet lick on tongue...when I am honry :P Ha! You know it all...
I feel beautiful, when I am with you... my man! The prince of my dreams...I wish you success, you are a hard worker, an amazing human being... A sweet friend, A responsible partner...and A real hero, that every girl would dream of!
Next time... Kiss me hard! I belong to you... My shy ashique!

Urs
Shoni,
Naina! :)

PS - Take me away :( cant think of living without u jaan, U know this.... Clear the cat. I know u will. Then marry me :) Mumma papa wont be able to say No to you then for sure... waise abhi bhi...they like u pata :) My hero... muaaaaaah

The envelope was wet with his tears, when he kept it down. He cried harder then ever...puffed cigratte...till his eyes crumbled to sleep. Drank wine, Till his head ached extremes, and ended the night on the lowest note ever. Begging for mercy, Unable to wonder why is this pain gripping him so hard. He cried and prayed to god... to make him hear something good, from somewhere atleast.

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

He woke up tired. Flushed her card in the bathroom...and burnt her letters, He stood there expressionless while doing so. He went back to his desk, opened the Lappy. He had a mail from his CL coaching that said... "CAT results Out, Congrats for your scorecard – 98.99 percentile , called for 6 IIM's GD PI and shortlisted for 78 plus other tier A colleges"
He read it. He slept again without smiling for even once. This was something for which he had worked endlessly and as hard as one can but somehow he felt nothing when the moment finally came. It was all an ironical strange sequence of events, He wondered where is almighty taking him. He asked to himself, If there is one?

He was missing her. He ran out, climbed the terrace and looked at the sky and whispered "I wish you here Jaan..I wish " tears trickled down his eyes. He wanted it to rain..rain profusely so that it can drain his pain. He remained on the terrace, din eat anything. His phone was ringing, his friends were calling him to wish him , he din respond to any. He was waiting for one call , a call which will bring back his life, his soul and change him from mortal to immortal. He waited and waited.

“Kaash aaj phir baarish ho,

mere wajood mein basi teri khusbo pe,

shabnam ki phuhaar pade

aur meri aankhon mein chalakte aansuon ko pochney

tu ghata ki tarah kahin se umhad pade...”

and It rained... But...

The call he longed for, never came, In the midst of all this... He realized how her departure from his life has taught him a lesson..

A lesson contrary to his theory of life so far, A lesson to never love someone in life, A lesson to not be loyal with anyone ever again, A lesson to not be sacrificing, selfless and committed in life for someone special, A lesson that he wished...to make a part of his persona, But he was too good to change, He wanted to be a devil...for the rest of his life, To cheat all, To betray those who love him... He cried, The pain was too much. Utter confusion... Contradictions... sleepless nights, stranger thoughts.

She was everywhere...Laughing on him, spitting on his face, He dreamt of her married to someone the other day...died of a visualization when he saw her making love to her husband in his dream, He was turning into a cynic. He feared ..He was changing. Destroying himself for reasons that never really made sense. He ran harder to lonely corners of streets, only to find her standing there... Laughing at him. He wished to die. He wanted to do something really bad...to someone, he dint knew why. He dialed her number again. It was always Off... But... That day, It rang.

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

On the other end, Somewhere... The most beautiful girl in world was staring out of the window witnessing rain. She thought of Pranav and where he would be, she saw on television that CAT results were out and knew somehow that he must have cleared it with flying colors, she wanted to talk to her. And Thus she switched on her old cell. And Before she would have dialed his number, it ranged

Rang once. she din wait for the second ring n she had cut it. She immediately switched off her phone coz she knew that her love would call her back. She felt guilt. She felt confused. She felt sorry, sorry for him that he loved her...

She was lying in her bed..curled up and she started crying. She was cursing her fate for being so rude to her ,for making her so helpless. She wanted to die but couldn't dare to do that. Her eyes were swollen. She went and sat before the system and opened her mail. Her inbox was filled with mails from Pranav. She started reading all the mails again. She composed a mail to him.. she wrote her heart out and told him how much she was missing him too, all this while and always . When the mail ended. her face was all wet , she has been crying continuously. She moved the cursor to the send button but she clicked ' Save Now'. Immediately her drafts folder opened which read 587 Drafts.

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

She was back in her bed starring at the ceiling. She closed her eyes n with in no time she was lost in the memory lane. The last time she saw Pranav with tears in his eyes , she wished to hug him tight and say 'I'm not leaving honey ,I'm yours forever ' . She curled up.. her stomach was aching , she desperately wanted to be in his arms. She was rolling in the bed,it was suffocating .She wanted some air to breathe..she ran on to the terrace. Took a very deep breathe. She could feel him within her. She looked at the stars , her eyes were full of questions. The moon who was savored by their love is now afraid to face her.

*******************
(TO BE CONTINUED)
*******************
- By Satyu and Pulkit

I love you - those three words have my life in them - 1

Pranav and Naina are madly in Love. They had always been... True, Pure, Loyal and Made for each other. They want to get married one day, But Nobody else, Time and Tide work against them and family as well as fate separate These lovers. Will Their Love survive? Will They meet again someday? Will they miss each other? Will they move on.. Or shall they stay in Love forever? Love, Family, circumstances, and career... How all these are related to the same thread called Life, Its amazing na!

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

It was late at night, almost 1.am.

The slow song on radio played behind from the speaker kept above the curtain wall post.

“Shaam se aankh mein... Nami si hai,

Aaj phir aapki... Kami si hai” was on the vocals.

The room, dimly lit. He was sitting alone on the table. Flashlight of the computer screen, reflecting back from the specticals on his face. Depressed, Disturbed...and Diminished from hope. Teary eyes and A heavy head, strangulating him in pain.

Compose Mail -

Dear Jaan, I had been missing you, ever since I last heard from you... Its been a long long time. From months, I had been mailing in to you, every single night... Haven't you received any of those? Or are you purposefully not replying to me? Have you forgotten the promises we made, The love we had, The life we committed to share for forever.... :'( I still miss you, I still cry at nights...Thinking about time I saw you, I still wonder...what must have went wrong. I find, No clue... Urs Pranav.
Mail Sent.

He logged off. Laid on bed, It was almost dawn by then, He peeped out from the window and tried to close his eyes and puts his head down, as images from the past flash by him... He moves back in time.. back.. back.. back...

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

Indra Gandhi International Airport.
8 months back!

Naina and her parents reached the airport, much before time.

There was very little communication between them. only last week, had it been discovered that the only daughter of the home had been engaged and committed in relationship with her college friend pranav.

The thought of her being married to the boy from other caste was not acceptable to her parents. Thereby, an Immediate decision was made, that she should be sent to her elder brother's place in middle east gulf town of Dubai to pursue Post graduation in Management after completing her engineering. Pranav, one year younger to her, and her junior in college, was a mere spectator at the other end, he still had a year to go, before he passed out. He obviously had no base to explain to her parents that how he was the most suitable boy for her...He just managed to utter, He loves her more than any other guy could ever do, But recipe of life is not complete solely by the ingredient of love. Her parents politely said a clear No to him, and remained firm on their choice of future life for their daughter, which was to move Dubai, to nurture her career further, alongside her brother. Though Pranav was a bright talented and ambitious boy, But job opportunities at their college have been dull lately, and thus he was more or less sure of passing out of B.tech unemployed. He was preparing for the MBA entrance exam of CAT, midway...his steady 3 year relationship with his once childhood friend was facing a sudden storm. Things have been moving real fast in the past 14 days, for both of them. She loved him a lot too, he was the first and the only guy in her life. The person that she trusted blindly and she was sure that this boy will one day, take her away with him forever, but life is not always as we plan it to be. She respected her parents a lot and was short of logics to define her love for him, and their dreams together. She was then to leave everything behind.

The last announcement for the passengers of flight came by, and as she stood up. To proceed the last check door before boarding the plane, She saw him. messed hairs, unshaven shabby look, stupid shirt never matching with trousers and the innocence in eyes..along with love and affection, deep deep love. She turned back to look at her parents, and her father nodded in permission mode, she slowly stepped closer to pranav, for the good bye words...

She was wearing a black suit, Her long curly hairs clutched beautifully, she looked pretty.
"Hi pranav...."
"Going?"
"Had to....I ..I had to.” She was stammering.

The words of her parents were echoing in her head. They threatened her not to keep any kinda contacts with Pranav otherwise they will ruin his career. They were influential and She was scared. Ever since she understood the meaning of love she always loved her and she can never see him being destroyed cause of her.

She said 'Yes!'

Her voice was stiff, she was controlling her emotions. She doesn't wanna break before him. She handed over a bag to Pranav.

Pranav was shocked.

In an aghast he inquired her ' Wha..whats this?'

In a firm voice she said 'These are the things which you have presented me on every single occasion' and she turned around.

He was baffled. He couldn't say anything. He was numb. He shook her body “ No! Its not over.. I love you.. and I know.. you love me back, more then I love you... Our relationship is the best, This is not the end.. Eternity has no end... Love has no end.. for me, U and me.. shall always be 'Us', look into my eyes once...”

“Bye Pranav...” she said, fighting back tears. Gently removed his hands from her elbow, turned and left.

Tears rolled on his cheeks as he saw wheels of the airbus rolling on the run way. She left, and so did the smile on his face for forever.

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

The next week, her orkut, facebook and twitter accounts were shown disabled. He somehow expected this to happen. He tried to contact mutual friends to inquire about her but she was in touch with none. Her best friend Salma, herself was being forced upon to an arranged marriage and had moved to Hyderabad. Her younger cousin sis, the only other person who knew about their relationship dint revealed her location, She just said "Bhaiya...wo safe hai... please aap apna khyal rakhna...She is worried for you...and would like you to please take care of yourself and focus on your career....".
"Would you please...tell her...to talk to me...just one more time...." Pranav replied, only to hear the dead Dial tone of phone from the other end. He tried all other possible ways to reach her, ending in vain. When after 5 months he decided, he needs to move on. He knew, he would be never able to.

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

He tried many things to get rid of her but his efforts were ineffectual. He was tempted to take drugs to relive from the pain but when ever he tried to use them he found her holding his hand and stopping him. Her Smile. Her smell... more intoxicate engaging then anything he had ever heard of.

Every day he used to go to the park , the one which witnessed the friendship turning in to love. He spent many hours thinking about her. The soft n beautiful grass turned into thorns, the pieces of his broken dreams started pricking him more. He tried to end his life but then realized that it would cause more pain to his love which he can never ever afford.

The other night, He played her favorite songs on Piano and sang alone in his study room... The place where they first kissed, He played and sang, and alongside was a glass of Wine. He drank till he slept, fainted in fact. Totally Consumed in darkness of her lose, He was punishing himself for reasons that he never knew....

(TO BE CONTINUED...)

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

( - Written By Satyu and myself)

( PS - We started working on it, by exchanging mails over the script and I am now posting the first part of this thread that we composed, Satyu is an amazing blogger and a very good and honest human being... Do read her blog HERE)

(PPS - Bas yahi sochke raaton ko main nahin sota, Neend aayi to tera khwaab chala aayega, Phir subaah jab khulengi aankhen meri, Tu bhi subaah ko sitaare sa chala jaayega...Aake ab yun tera jaana bura bura sa lage...Juda hokar bhi tu mujhse judaa judaa sa lage)