G u z a r i s h .
___________________________________________________________
Previous: Part 17 Pg 100
Next: #4 Guzarish [My version D3]
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Part 18
Another week passed by. Everyone in college was busy preparing for the wedding. The girls decided to come from Nicole's side and boys from RDX's side. Kriya as well got busy in her assignments like always. Her life had turned into a complete machine. Always the same and never a change.
The regular emails between Vishakha and Kriya continued. Smriti was oblivious to all this. She would notice Kriya's gloomy nature all the time. But what Kriya did in her room was unknown to her. There would be minimal conversation between Kriya and Smriti. One night, Smriti finally decided to work on the distances and talk to Kriya.
After dinner, she knocked on Kriya's door and slightly opened it. Kriya looked up and said nothing. This had become her way of saying, 'Come in.' Smriti walked in.
"I think it's time we talk Kriya."
Kriya shut out her plead. "There's nothing to talk about mom. You took me away from my friends and from those whom I loved. You took away the only dream I had in life. There's nothing to it. You want me to study here and move on. I'm doing that. You should be happy."
"I'm not! Kriya, I'm your mother. No mother would wish ill for her own daughter. I want you to be happy. It pains me to see you roaming around like you're dead. I miss the chirpy Kriya. Where is she?"
"She's long gone. Maybe if you go back to Mumbai, you'll find her still alive in her friends' hearts." She murmured back looking in her book, refusing to look at her mother.
"How many times do I have to tell you that I did this for your good sake?" Smriti pleaded again, forwarding her hand to put it on Kriya's shoulder.
Kriya stood up from the chair before she could though. "I think you've made it pretty clear that you did this because you couldn't bear your daughter being happy. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to go to sleep."
Saying so, Kriya pulled the covers over her head. Again, Smriti could do nothing but bear the false accuses made at her. She turned the lights off and walked out lightly closing the door behind her. Underneath the blanket, a tear escaped Kriya's eyes.
_________________________
While preparing for the wedding, Sharon and Swayam came closer than before. Sharon was figuring out her confusions as well. Nicole kindly asked them to do a couple dance on her sangeet. Neither of them could refuse the bride-to-be's request and had to agree. This gave them more time to be together as they rehearsed for it.
Sangeet and mehndi ceremony were on the same day and wedding followed the day after. Before they knew it, the day had come. Everyone cheered as both of them gave the performance followed by a group dance. As mehndi came along, the boys got busy in preparing for the next day as girls sat there applying mehndi.
Swayam, from a distance, saw Sharon struggling to keep her flying hair away from her face. He admired her from a distance and didn't even realize when Rey came and stood by him. He teased, "Won't you go help her?"
Swayam blinked away hearing that, shying at being caught looking. Then again, nothing was hidden from Rey. He laughed and giving him a nudge, he left to take care of the curtains.
Sharon got up to get someone's help when Swayam proceeded towards her. As they met in the middle of the floor, the curtain fell on them as it slipped out of Rey's hand. He at first tried to catch it but seeing that it landed on them, he laid off and watched in pleasure.
Under the curtain, Sharon and Swayam lost themselves in each other's eyes. He raised his hand to tuck the pieces of hair behind her ear. She shivered a bit at his touch; due to which, she shut her eyes. Re-opening them, she wondered why she always got lost in his eyes. Then coming back to the reality, she took a step back and watched him one last time before pulling the curtain away. She ran away leaving Swayam to smile to himself.
Rey came behind him. "Perfect timing no?" Swayam grinned at him, shaking his head with pleasure.
________________________________
The wedding day:
Everyone's attention was only on one thing: the shoes.
[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z387rm7rnbg[/YOUTUBE]
*feel free to re-watch the episode' mostly for the dance scene here. 😆*
Sharon ran into the room grabbing the shoes in her hand while Swayam followed. He cornered her by the wall. The smile was wiped off her face as she realized she was trapped and that too with only Swayam in the room. She tried escaping but he blocked it by keeping his hands on the wall; trapping her in between.
She was already short on breath from the running and the closer he came, her heart continued beating faster and faster. He held her by her hands and pulled her closed to him, pinning her hands behind her so she wouldn't run away.
She whispered, "Swayam, let me go'"
He shook his head; surprising her. He never did anything against her will. "Not today' why' why do you always get lost in my eyes? Why do you freeze with a mere touch of mine? Why can't you stop yourself when I'm around? Why are you so afraid?"
"Swayam' I don't know what you're talking about." She said looking away.
He gave her another pull; almost forcing her to look at him. "Till when are you going to continue denying?"
The closeness between them was disturbing her. She closed her eyes not knowing what to do next. Her mind had gone blank and her heart had taken over. She just wanted to enjoy the moment. Even though they were in a warm room, her feet were going cold. She said nothing and simply stood there with eyes closed, hoping for Swayam to understand that she wasn't ready to confront her own feelings.
Realizing the same, Swayam slowly released her hands and took a step back. She ran away outside where she wouldn't be alone anymore. During the last few days, she had made the realizing that she too felt something for Swayam. And now, she was imply debating on whether she deserved his love or not. She had always been gifted everything. But in this matter, she wanted to make herself worthy of Swayam. If only she would have told him and seen what he thought of that, things would have finally kicked ahead!
______________________________
The girls cheered in victory as RDX kept the money in their hands. The boys gave Swayam a disappointed look and he looked back sheepishly. Nicole had her bidaai and the girls gave her a tight hug. The duo walked away towards the car. As Rey watched them, happy in each other's arms, he saw Kriya standing there, leaning on the car and smiling back at him.
She was dressed in a beautiful orange colored lehnga. She walked towards him and as she neared, she lifted her dupatta and walked past him, making it flow on his face. He could smell her fragrance as he closed his eyes. When he opened them after a long inhale, he realized it was all his imagination and Kriya wasn't there in reality. He chuckled to himself for his silliness and actually thinking she'd be there. He blinked back to reality and the car soon disappeared around the corner. The night was over at last. Or so they thought. Everyone retired to their houses but Rey stayed back, saying he'll just clean up a bit so it's less in morning.
The truth was: he simply wanted some time alone. All this time, he always forced the thoughts of Kriya out of his head. But today, he really couldn't stop himself. The traditional atmosphere around him reminded him of the Diwali night and the moments spent with Kriya at that time. And what he imagined few minutes earlier pulled him back to her thoughts all the more.
Even now, he couldn't believe that she was gone. He unlocked his phone and opening the photo's saved, he found one of Kriya that he had taken on Diwali night without her knowing about it. A sweet look spread on her face as she smiled to herself.
The natural beauty in her was just awe-striking. He imagined himself running a hand through her hair. Even though she wasn't there, he yearned for her presence. It felt as if she was right there with him. He simply couldn't get her out of his head. She resided in his heart. Her name still remained in his veins. No matter how hard he forced himself to forget about it, he couldn't.
The words from the letter came back to him. The soft look in his face tightened up as he remembered. All the worm feelings he was remembering were replaced with hatred. It was the harsh reality. He loved her but knowing the lie that he considered the truth, he couldn't keep on defending her. His heart lost the battle with his mind.
There was one person still roaming the place and that was Vishakha. She had very well witnessed Rey's silent feelings with just a look at his face. She simply hated this at times. Both Kriya and Rey still love each other. But this devil fate and destiny! It always does the right thing at the wrong time making everyone suffer. And here, Kriya and Rey were both suffering and there was nothing she could do about it!
___________________________
Swayam honked his car seeing Sharon standing outside. He could infer that her car had broken down. hearing the sound, she turned and he asked, "Need a lift?" she looked back at her broken car. She knew it'd be impossible to get home without it. But her stubbornness wouldn't let her give in so quickly.
"I'm fine. My driver should be here soon."
Swayam shook his head and turned off the ignition to his car after parking it a bit aside and out of the road's way. He didn't bulge after that. He simply stayed put. She understood why. He wouldn't leave her alone and wouldn't force her to get in either. And alas, once again, an awe filled up in her heart. Minutes passed and he seemed to be waiting patiently.
As for Sharon, her patience was running out for sure. In reality, she hadn't called her driver at all. She had simply lied thinking he would leave hearing that. She knew that either stay there the whole night and have her lie caught or she had to sit in the car with Swayam and let him drop her or Finally, she decided to the latter.
She bent in through the open window and grabbed her purse while locking the car and grabbing the keys. Seeing Sharon coming towards her, he smiled a little in victory but did a good job in hiding it quickly. She opened the back door and sat down, hoping she wouldn't have to say anything and he'd take the hint.
But he did not move. He simply sat there without even turning the car on. "Chale?!" she finally asked, stressing on the word as if it wasn't obvious.
He looked through the rear view mirror to look at her. She was looking there as well as she talked. He replied, "I'm not your driver." At first, she sat there confused. Seconds later, she realized that he wasn't going to drive if she sat in the back. She groaned out of misery and got out to sit in the front. As if the heavy dress she was wearing wasn't enough that he was making her sit in and get out and sit back down!
She wondered, had he pledged to make her life miserable for not making a decision?! As she sat down by the passenger side of the car in the front, she slammed the door shut so that he knows she's mad at him for making her walk around. He hid his pleasure and finally turned the car back on.
"Aab seatbelt bhi bolna padega?" he asked with a taunt.
"Jerk!" she mumbled as she angrily pulled on the seat strap.
"I heard that." He replied.
"It was meant for you to hear!"
He thought. Why don't you say what I want to hear? As he pulled back on the road and started driving. While driving, he made up his mind to ease up her thinking so that he gets an answer soon.
___________________________
That's 7 pages in word. The longest on this FF so far. I better get long comments and tons of them! 😃 That's the starting of the twist. Can you guys guess from there? 😛
Continued Note below =)
