Its out of town. She's been nominated and has to go.
Ila asks Prithvi to go with Damini, as she'd prefer Dami not traveling alone. She'll say she's still worried for Dami's safety, but in truth she's trying to get the two out of the house so they can get to know one another better. She tells Prithvi "Tum hamesha uske saath rehna."
Prithvi looks at Damini, then looks back at Ila and says "Ji...of course. Yehi mera kaam hai"
So, Prithvi accompanies her. The awards ceremony has dinner tables set all around, and the podium up front. Prithvi and Damini get ushered in and get shown the table they'd be sitting on. It's a bit of an awkward moment because of course the usher assumes he's her + 1. But Damini doesn't correct him. So, Prithvi takes his place at the dinner table next to her.
As the awards begin, she's nervous but tries not to show it. He notices and tells her she has no need for nervousness. That he knows there's only one person in the room who deserves this award. She looks at him, touched at what he just said, but he looks away.
Its not like him to tell her she will get the award or to openly compliment her. But now he had done just that in his own way...indirectly.
As the nominations for her award get announced, she grasps his hand on the table, without thinking. But then realizing what she did, looks down at their hands entwined and then up at him to see him looking at her. As her name gets called, both are lost for a moment in each other. Until the person on her other side congratulates her. Both get back to the room from their reverie, and Dami quickly withdraws her hand.
She walks up to the podium with a faraway look on her face. Her mind is in turmoil. She puts a smile on her face as she steps up to the podium. But when up there, she searches for the one face she wants to see. She finds him looking at her. She looks at him a moment, strangely content for his presence in the crowd. Prithvi watches her receive the award with a mixture of admiration and pride. Up on the podium, Damini says how her life has taken many turns recently. But she's been able to stay strong and continue to work. Then she looks again at Prithvi and thinks of the many times he stood by her. She says she could be strong and successful during her recent hardships because of the people closest to her, who supported her. Without them this may not have been possible.
After the awards are handed out, everyone mingles. Inder shows up. He's also a guest at the event and sees Prithvi with her. He says loud enough for everyone to hear "You didn't waste any time hooking up with your bodyguard Damini!" and cuttingly asks "Tell me how does it feel be out at an event like this with a nobody! Ek mamooli bodyguard ke saath, Damini? Tumhara standard itna gir gaya hai??"
Damini walks up to Inder and slaps him hard across the face. She tells him that Prithvi is 10 times the man than he could ever be! Prithvi is surprised, and touched, and more so when she steps up to him, holds his arm, looks at him in the eye and asks him take her away from there. Both walk out together in front of everyone. But once alone she lets go of his arm instantly...too quickly. He' notices this. Her withdrawal already hurting. Already he misses her touch on him, her closeness.
Damini apologizes for Inder's behavior.
Prithvi is hurt, confused and angry with himself for letting himself feel again. He says, its OK, what Inder said was right. He looks up, locks eyes, and with an intense meaningful look, says "Mein sirf ek bodyguard hoon" each word measured, and turns around to leave.
Damini is confused, hurt and disappointed. His words ringing in her ears..
She cannot let him leave like this. She just can't. She blurts out "Tum sirf ek bodyguard nahin ho!!
Prithvi stops, nods and says "Accha? Toh kya hoon mein apka?" Dami says.."Tum mere...dost ban gaye ho..."
He turns around. His expression conveying a 100 different emotions, all mixed. "Ek dost?! Ek dost jise aap baar baar yaad dilati hain ki woh sirf aapka employee hai, aur kuch nahin!
"Prithvi.." she says, distraught, unable to say much more.
"Kya...aur kya kehna chahti hain aap!!" he almost yells out.
"Jaanta hoon mein ke mein kaun hoon or aap kaun!" he says closing the distance between them.
"Prithvi..." She says again, her voice breaking.
But he's livid, not listening, and grabs a hold of her in anger.
A tear pricks her eye.
How does she tell him
what he does to her
what he means to her
His face so close to hers
He's hurt and so angry. He says again, "Jaanta hoon ke..." and his voice trails off...
He closes his eyes in pain and just brings his head forward to let it rest on her forehead.
She does the same, her sobs escaping now.
They just stand there
in each others' arms
No need for words.
This night, this moment they don't need to say anything more. They just know. They know that they are both stubborn, headstrong, and will hurt each other...but at this very moment they also know that they can't live without the other.
They are afraid to say anything. Because in the past what they have said has always been the wrong thing. And this time they'd rather trust their silences than their words.
********
Edited by Erutan99 - 14 years agoPrithvi leaves Ila Gujral's room and walks out...He comes down the stairs - he had lost it completely...He did not expect Ila Gujral to ask him - what he thought about marriage..and that too with Damini.....He had never thought about his own marriage...After he lost his father he would think about Sameer and Varun's but never his own....He walks down the stairs lost in thought...Damini was coming up the stairs after meeting the so called new BG - candidate. The person was half as good as she expected him to be - but then she was comparing him to her current BG - and the bar was already set very high ...how can she ever find one as....as... good... as Prithvi she thought ....She was coming up the stairs irritated....she saw Prithvi coming down - as she climbed up the stairs she kept looking at him - But he was lost ... he did not even see her ....he crossed her without looking at her...
She was puzzled - she stopped turned around only to see his back ...he walked out of the house in a daze...
She stood there for a long time.. What had Mom told Prithvi...How could she ask her mom...
She went back to her room.....She paced up and down thinking about all the moments with Prithvi the dupatta scene, cupboard falling...the hug..how he takes the bullet....the hospital...
He is out on the street walking back home ....it starts raining ..he does not realise ....keeps walking
And ..all along ..on the background ...plays the song....
Na hai yeh paana ...na khona hi hai...tera na hona jaaane ...kyon hona hi hai....
Tum se hi din hota hai...surmayi sham aati hai ...tum se hi......
******
Edited by Erutan99 - 14 years agoThe journey back to Gujral Mansion was completed in utter frosty silence.
It had the advantage of being short. Damini was still furious, but numbness was seeping in. She hoped the roads were empty - or God help whoever came in her way tonight. The car swung sharply around the corners. Prithvi, sitting next to her in grim silence, braced himself mildly against the dashboard and cast a narrow look at her set countenance. They arrived at the gates - the guard moved quickly to open it but not quick enough for his mistress. Damini pressed her palm against the horn and kept it there till the man moved the gate and himself aside obsequiously. In the portico, she got out in one swift movement, banged the door shut and swept into the house and away. Prithvi stared after her and brought his fist down on his thigh.
Damini met no one on her way to her room, for which she gave thanks. She could not tell them what had occurred and she could not pretend that nothing had happened - she needed time to think, to be alone. She shut the door on the world and leaned against it. What had happened tonight? How had it gone so wrong?
***
Prithvi stood under the shower, flattening his palms against the wall, letting the water sluice down his face and torso. He didn't want to think about this evening, didn't want to deal with the swirling emotions had held sway over him.
"Tumne mujhpar ek ehsaan kya kar diya tum meri hamdardi ko majboori samjh rahe ho?"
Ehsaan - was that what it was? Ehsaan, a mere favour? He had done what he had done without a single thought - it had been all instinct. But she, SHE, of course would phrase it like that.
"Don't forget mai ab bhi wahi Damini Gujral hun!"
Of course! He had forgotten. She was not Damini - she was Damini Gujral. Arrogant, headstrong, impossible to reason with. Forgotten she came from the favoured, rich classes where they lied, cheated, arm-twisted, bribed, influenced and even murdered to suit their purposes.
But what had gone wrong with him? It was working precisely the way he wanted but because he hadn't been able to control his own impulses, he had spoilt it all. Damn.
***
Damini paced the floor of her bedroom. She went over every word, every gesture... what had happened tonight to make Prithvi so furious? What had he suddenly turned so cold? Had she said something? Teased him when she shouldn't have? Did he mind so much that Uncle and Aunty had assumed they were a couple? No, he'd seemed ok then, embarrassed but slightly amused. What was that he had said? Mai aapka bodyguard hun iska matlab ye nahi ke aap har waqt kisi bhi samay mere saath...
What did he mean? Had she made it too obvious that she was attracted to him? Did Prithvi think she was throwing herself at him!? Good God. Damini held her palms against her hot cheeks in horror. Was that what he thought? Was he that embarrassed, angry and repulsed because she had reached out to him?! She wrung her hands in despair - anger, mortification and unhappiness crowded her and hot tears tumbled out...
No, she would have to retrieve her position, save her pride. Tomorrow Prithvi would come and she would be Damini Gujral again - cool, composed, impervious. She would not wear her heart on her sleeve, allow him to know how much he had hurt her, how much power he had over her... she must fight it. Appearances first, become strong later. She would do it.
***
Prithvi stood at his window, his arm flung against the casing, staring out at the moonless night with a frown in his eyes. He had damaged his position. No matter - he would retrieve it. Ila Gujral was not about to let her Chief Security Officer go because he had had a spat with her daughter. That was no problem. He had also succeeded with putting distance between Damini and himself. Thank God for that. He would no longer have to bear having her so close to him, having that faint scent of herbed flowers every time she stood close. He would not be called upon to ride with her or dance with her. There would be no need to hold her in him arms, feeling her heart race under his... there would be none of that. It was getting too complicated.
He had also hurt Damini. His fingers turned white on the wood he held. She had been angry of course. He understood that - he had a temper himself. But she had been hurt, mystified... she would retreat again behind that tough-as-nails exterior she showed the world. Because of him, Damini who never trusted anyone easily, would add another thick layer to her distrust of the world. Because of him, her loving heart would hesitate over offering love. Because of him, Damini would shed tears tonight.
********
