The day had been exhausting and emotionally draining. They had met all d grieved families, all of dem reeling under d sudden tragedy and left with no income source. vihaan was deeply affected by all d tearful eyes. He had so strongly believed dat his heart break had been d worst dat cud happen, but had come to realize dat he was a lucky man to have all loved ones alive and brimming. He paced around his hotel room with a repressed anger...on whom he did not know. On d other side of d wall, bulbul cud hear his continuous pacing. Tragedy and misery seemed to affect him more deeply. Or maybe she had just learnt bear d burn soundlessly. d sudden banging of d door and bulbul hurried out in time to see him taking d elevator down. He hated drinking. But didn't know any oder means to release his pent up emotions. A warm hand on his shoulder awoke him from some dark sorrows of life. Bulbul's face swam into view and vihaan simply held her and cried his heart out. It may not be man enough to do so but with bulbul...she unrestrained him in ways even unknown to hm. bulbul kneeled down as vihaan stalled d steady flow of tears and gripping her hands moved out in d open.
d night deepened and d white orb shone in greater splendour. In d deepest trenches of life do u find d brightest hope. vihaan and bulbul sat in silence...hands still holding onto each oder. Quietitude had never been so comforting. "Thanks"..."Cool...I didn't know u were such a softie" Bulbul replied happily. "Thanks" and as bulbul looked at him in surprise, vihaan mocked his tears and started tugging at her dupatta in a fake action of blowing his nose. "No"...bulbul laughed throwing her head back in amusement. But vihaan was not to be led off so easily and bulbul pulled hard at her dupatta. d stars shone back in joy at d two souls frolicking around in d expanse below. Their laughter set off bells and chimes. Finally exhausted bulbul gave in to d struggle. Elated vihaan closed in on her in slow deliberate steps. d child in him delighted at dis miniscule victory. Her smile slowly faltered as bulbuls ears grew all hot and so did d mischief in his eyes. dey stood eye to eye, untouched physically yet deeply moved. And in dat few star studded moments in which both struggled with some unforgivable desperate desires a realization dawned dat dey both were fighting a losing battle.
Morning flew by and afternoon zoomed in as vihaan Bulbul scanned documents and computer files on several cups of coffee. Finally vihaan prized her off her seat and dragged her to lunch. Squeaky silly giggle tormented bulbul. And so did d useless clatter on girls dressing. Before she cud cello tape d lips of a group of classily clad females seated within a earshot distance, a voice blew her off. "Hi to be ex husband!" Vihaan could recognize dat voice at any damn place or time. Steadying himself with a steely resolve to suppress his still undead love, Vihaan turned and slid one of his hands in his pocket and faced his greatest weakness...his love. His eyes met bulbuls' shocked eyes but she was quick to adjust it into an expression of mild surprise. "Hi ex girlfriend! You changed preferences?" he added running an eye on d female fan around Anika. Anika was quick in scanning Bulbul head to toe. "Aunty types are safest for you!" Caught in d tiff, Bulbul struggled with that remark, unable to bury dat another surfacing unidentified emotion. A cold fury built up in vihaan...caused less by d presence of Anika, but more by d remark on Bulbul.
A knock on his door arose vihaan from his train of memories. He simply didn't want to face anyone anymore tonight. Bulbul standing on d oder side of his shut door, felt similarly. She didn't know why or what benefit she was doing it...was d remark levelled against her d reason...but she had come a long way from being affected by silly remarks of spoilt rich brats. Yet she had seen that it had affected vihaan... or was it just old memories stirring up his heart. D door opened and vihaan's expressio changed from irritated to shock. Dressed in a knee length green dress...a very visibly unnerved bulbul stood. Unconsciously Vihaan raked up his memory when he had ever seen her nervous. But very consciously he registered dat she looked hot. Sorry...he had meant to tell it to d hot image of bulbul in his mind...but d real one in front seemed surprised. "Umm...errr...we have been working all dese days ...party downstairs...can go?" As bulbul stumbled with words she kept on fidgeting with her dress. It was her uneasy beauty dat attracted Vihaan d most. One step and he was behind her...slightly sliding his fingers into her sweaty ones...he turned her to face d mirror on d side. Vihaan rested his chin near her ears and huskily said, "Your beauty needs no fancy apparels or flashy jewels...it's deep in you...in every moment of your presence...pure and unselfish. As bulbul heard his words making a deep trench in her heart...vihaan sensed his raging breath as his arms lay beside her. When had someone made her feel beautiful by just words?
Bulbul sighed a breath of relief as she changed into her familiar skirt and kurta. A faint whistle did away d need of make up as her face lit up with d anticipation of vihaan wafting just outside her door and for once she knew for sure dat d song on his lips was jut becoz of her. As dey shuffled downstairs bulbul stole looks towards her partner who was back to his whiling ways. d party was in d ground floor and hard rock shook d walls. Immediately bulbul wondered how se wud survive all dat noise. But soon she was distracted by vihaan who was sitting on d empty reception desk and peering into d drawer. She was scandalized. "VIHAAN??" With a leap vihaan was back on his foot and dragged her towards d emergency back door. "What..." she gasped as he ran two flights of stairs... "is with you and stairs?"...she mumbled trying not to look at d narrow side sill dey were now balancing on. Finally as vihaan opened some door whose key he had stolen...bulbul toppled into it and bend down trying to catch her breath.
d slight rustle of d terrace garden rode d cool breeze and whispered sweet nothings in bulbul's ears. "Welcome to our private party." Vihaan beamed at her. He loved her look of ardent surprise...& when her dark eyes roamed on d surroundings...he loved the way they brimmed with soo many emotions...as she breathed in d fragrance of d night flowers...he loved d way her lips slightly quivered as if she let those aromas draw them open. Vihaan mentally checked his thoughts...but couldn't stop his steps as bulbul spread her hands wide. Her hair whipped around her face like waves...yet her face shone with a calm dat vihaan had never seen before. Her permanent forehead frowns had disappeared and her eyes had finally learnt to close without a care in d world...without fearing what awaits her when she opens dem. her reverie didn't break even when she heard vihaan breathing down her neck as he said, "Dance with me". It wasn't a request...vihaan found himself incapable to ask for her closeness...he just needed it...survived on it. As bulbul opened her eyes her arms had entwined around his shoulders and she felt his arms folded across her waist. Yet no tingling sensations number her...no sense of wrong entered his mind...nothing could make dat moment wrong. Their feet moved in sync in circles...hearts beating to d music dat knows no sound...d song dat knows no rhyme... & d emotions dat know no reason. Unconscious feelings clouded his mind...conscious realizations numbed her brain...and vihaan leaned into her to claim his object of fascination for all dese days. As she felt d press of his warm lips on hers...her whole body burst into flames and she melted right there on his magic touch. His hands found her long tresses and messed them up to his heart's content...and she smiled despite his lips dancing on hers. The night deepened...but d flame burnt on.