Hi, all. I'm back (not a proud thing to say when I'm so late, I know :D) with the next chapter. Anyway, here's the next update and hopefully not a disappointing one. :)
Chapter 41
Ishani could not have been happier with her life which felt complete after years of abandonment and misery followed by the tormenting heartbreaks being caused by few tragic revelations and events. World without any realization looked better and happier now. The cold frost frozen upon the surface of her heart had burst open causing the fragrance and the warmth of the spring season to creep in her heart and light her world brilliantly. Her meeting with Mr. Zaveri was no better than she had expected but her friend, Ranveer, being by her side meant the world to her. Even after two weeks of the event she could not stop smiling at his innocent gestures to make her feel better as if he had read on her face what she needed right then. He had forgotten to smile in these years and those stupid jokes that in ordinary circumstances might have made her mad brought smiles on her face today, for Ranveer's words now somewhat lacked the spark that made him who he was years ago. But she was happy nonetheless.
Her heart ached with the sudden joys and happiness she once felt were impossible to attain, but now no more of the old torment haunted her heart. Time spent with her friend again felt the best moments of the day, and one that she could cherish forever. Yet despite the time she spent with Ranveer, Ishani could not understand the cause of his uneasiness. Perhaps she did, deep down, but it felt too painful of a thought to consider in that moment that she dared not delve deeper and ruin the happiness that came back into her life after years.
It was late at night when she found herself unable to sleep because of the new deals and clients joining in suddenly like they had never done before. After Mr. Zaveri's departure from her life Ishani had managed to maintain a position for herself which was credited on her name only, however she had different thoughts on the matter. Her mother had called her several times telling her how happy she really was that everything was fine now and Ishani was doing better in her business; even the family business was better in India too. Ishani had expanded her works from building constructions to various others which consisted of manufacturing of the machineries for the vehicles. She was accompanied by Mr. Smith Williamson in her new venture. Mr. Williamson, the same man Ishani wanted to save Ranveer from, had proposed a deal with her which she had accepted wholeheartedly despite her slight reluctance. Mr. Williamson held gatherings for his closest of the clients and business partners. Ishani's nervousness increased when she was told she was to be a part of it as well as to finalize few deals with the Williamson Group. However, spending months along with the professionals she was now more than used to facing the challenges though at times they took her by surprise. Amidst her contemplations her phone rang loudly making her spring out of her thoughts.
Ishani needed not the introduction of the caller as a haughty, careless voice from the other side spoke.
"Hey, babes," Chirag said.
"It's you," Ishani said, trying to be indifferent.
"Of course, baby," Chirag said, as if ignoring her indifference, "I missed you so much."
"I'm surprised," Ishani said, not altering her tone.
"First of all, I'm really sorry," Chirag said sweetly, "I couldn't be there for you when you needed me the most. And second, I promise never to leave you alone again. I was so busy that I couldn't look upto you."
"You don't have to apologize, Chirag," Ishani said, now her voice softening; "I never expect anything from you. And it's better to keep it this way. Any special reason to call me at this hour?"
"I was just worried about you," Chirag answered.
"Oh," Ishani said, and fell silent.
"I'm really sorry, and can you please forgive me? Ishani, can't we even talk for a while...about us and our future?" Chirag added, sensing her uneasiness.
In general circumstances she could have smiled, blushed like any other girl would do at the mention future' with her lover but Ishani did not feel that way. No blush crept over her face, no smile crossed her lips. No pitter-patter was felt in her stomach. She kept quiet while Chirag waited and with no answer returning he started again. "Ishani, you there? I was..." but Ishani interrupted him.
"I'm busy right now. Can we talk later?" Ishani said, disconnecting the call but felt Chirag wanted to say something she did not hear. She did not feel curious enough to know either and was glad the conversation ended on a better note than going on the dirty one that she always feared.
*
The next two days felt heavy due to extra workload and meetings but the third one brought its weird surprises with it. Mr. Williamson invited Ishani himself and insisted her to turn up at any cost the next evening. The invitation was accepted cordially and Ishani agreed to visit him as time permitted her. In between, she could not get herself to be in contact with Ranveer regularly for quite some time and today was one of the same days. However, the meeting with Mr. Williamson was to be held at 9 PM and Ishani had to be there at the right time.
It was around 9 when Ishani set her foot into a large hall surrounded by royal looking green walls with the breeze entering through the windows dearly and the ceiling leading upto higher and higher beyond the ordinary ones she had regularly seen. The marble floor glistened in the evening lights and a soft music flew in the background not disturbing the silent chattering of the guests. Ishani, along with Mr. Khanna, made her way towards a large table where Mr. Williamson already sat with few of his guests. He was a man in his mid 50s yet had maintained a look younger than his real self. His eyes were deep and his face slightly wrinkled along with dark grey hair, but not giving away too much of his real self. One could not easily guess him to be a man of such age. Along with it he seemed to possess an agility not easily found but his old age had gained him the experience and wisdom required to stay in the market for so long. As Ishani moved forward her eyes fell on someone extremely unexpected: Ranveer. She gasped lightly as she saw him and beside him sat a young woman, someone of her own age, but she had never heard of or seen her before. Ishani looked at them as a pang of anger and pain suddenly struck her heart which for a moment felt cruel and unbearable. However, she withdrew her gaze away and followed where now Mr. Williamson had been waiting.
"Welcome, Miss Parekh," he said, as he saw her approaching. "We're glad to have you."
"Thank you, Mr. Williamson," she said, her eyes still following Ranveer who had not noticed her so far. "I am honored to be here." Ishani smiled.
"Please take a seat," he said, gesturing Ishani to sit on the last empty chair. Ishani's eyes remained fixed on Ranveer and the woman who he talked to which made Ishani slightly furious and kept making her withdraw her attention from Mr. Williamson and the discussion.
"Thank you," she said, talking a look at everyone present and said a "good evening" to everyone to which everyone nodded and greeted her back.
"Here we have," he said, as Ishani struggled to keep her eyes on him and smiled embarrassingly, while few other members sitting on the table turned to have a look at them and few others left, "the plan for our next project, Ms. Parekh. It is more or less for the Bugati's next model that the company is supposed to prepare for, and as we already discussed it's being planned for the common people of the country. You see, it's getting in the fashion once again and quickly so, so it becomes quite an expensive thought given we have to keep its individuality alive and yet make a new start as well. Also for some time now the company has been the lowest since the day it started. They're both at loss and gain, though it seems quite strange this time. What do you have to say?"
Ishani cleared her thought. "It needs revolution and an easy going air about it. We need to keep it into the reach of the common people of the region, initially, which seems quite unlikely for the moment, sir, (given they're struggling a lot these days) but if the company provides more space to the product it has to have better outcomes for it. And they do not have to go ahead instantly, but gradually we can make it possible. You see, there is a lot of competition in the market which others are utilizing and we need to do the same, though smartly enough. Innovation, in my mind, is the only answer."
"Certainly," Mr. Williamson said with a smile, "but the company has a high profile reputation and don't you think it being too simple will cost it its uniqueness? Something it is always known for. There is no problem in it getting simple but I doubt if the owners of the company will ever allow that."
"It's not simple to be simple. You have to convince them, sir," Ishani answered; "it is the only way, isn't it? If you don't mind, Mr. Williamson, may I have a look around?"
"Sure," he said. "Leave that to me. I will look for some flexibility from their side and hopefully they will give. And sure, do visit anywhere you want to." He added at last.
"Thank you," Ishani smiled and stood up. She looked around, the people by now were more in numbers and few she had seen this evening had already left but that did not bother her. Her feet propelled towards the place Ranveer still sat and so did the same woman, still their conversations going on.
"Have been talking something important, Mr. RV?" Ishani said, looking at Ranveer, and ignoring the woman completely. Ishani did not care to look rude to anyone.
"Ishani, what are you doing here?" Ranveer looked surprised.
"Might I ask you the same?"
"Oh, well," he said, "I had come here for something not so important but you would be here wasn't expected."
Ishani crossed her arms and feigned a smile. "It's always good, isn't it? Doing the unexpected."
Ranveer did not say anything and Ishani chose to look at him while the woman sat, staring at them awkwardly.
"Uh, can I leave now?" she said, looking at both of them nervously.
"Oh, no, just stay here, please," Ranveer said. "And I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce you two. Shreya, this Ishani, my friend and business partner and, Ishani, this is Shreya..."
"Your friend," Ishani interrupted, crossly.
"We have met only twice, so calling friend seems bit too much to me," Shreya said, smiling, as if she was confused.
"Twice?"
"Ishani," Ranveer spoke again, "she is the one Maa wanted me to see for the marriage. You remember me seeing someone few weeks back, I told you about? That was our first meeting and second one is today. She came here on behalf of her father and that's how we met again."
"Looks like I disturbed you two, then. Carry on, guys. I should leave," Ishani said and turned around when Ranveer grabbed her by wrist.
"Where are you going, Ishani?" he said.
"My problem."
"No, it's not. Tell me what is it."
"It's nothing. I need to go. You should go back to your friend; look, she's waiting," Ishani said, yanking her hand away from his.
"What has happened to you, Ishani? Is there anything wrong? Did anyone say something?"
"No one did; I'm perfectly alright. And let me go."
Before Ranveer could say anything further Ishani was called by one of the guests. She looked at Ranveer, which he assumed felt accusingly, and trotted away. He had no reason to follow her but waited for her to free from the new business and then talk to her.
*
Ranveer waited for Ishani to return for the next 15 minutes but could not find her anywhere. The guests over there could not tell of her anything when asked and her phone like usually did not work. No one could tell where she was and Mr. Khanna had left already right after his arrival. It was not yet late but he hoped she couldn't leave so early or without telling him but there was no sign of hers.
"Is everything alright?" Shreya's voice called him.
"I hope so," Ranveer said, still looking around.
"I feel she has left," Shreya said. "She looked upset."
"How can you be sure? She knew I was waiting for her here," Ranveer said impatiently, still trying her number on phone.
"She was upset and would have liked to stay alone. This is what people do. And if I'm not wrong it's her, Ishani Parekh, the girl you love. Isn't it, RV?"
"How do...I mean, how did you...?" Ranveer fumbled, amazed.
"Come on, RV. You gave it away yourself. It's written on your face so clearly that even someone with only a single brain cell can see that you love Ishani Parekh. The way you look at her is enough to tell anyone you love her." Shreya smiled.
"It's funny, isn't it?"
"Quite so," Shreya said. "But sometimes things are not too bad as we think them to be. Anyway, you should see her right now. I feel she needed you, RV."
Ranveer sighed. "I should be going to see her, yes. Thank you, Shreya. God knows what made her so upset."
*
"Ishani, open the door," Ranveer said, as Ishani after 10 continuous blank calls picked up her phone. "I'm at your door."
"Go back. I don't want to see you," she cried.
"Don't be stupid, Ishani. Come on," Ranveer said.
"If that makes me stupid, let it be."
"Don't be stubborn. I don't want to break into your house like a thief," Ranveer insisted again.
"Don't waste your time, Ranveer. Leave."
"You know I'm not going to leave unless you are out. Without seeing you now I'm not going anywhere."
"I want to be alone."
"You have the whole night ahead."
"Ranveer, leave," Ishani groaned, "leave me on my own."
"Are you coming or I should..."
But before Ranveer could finish his last sentence he heard the sound of her footsteps the door and in front of him it opened with a light inaudible creak, behind it stood Ishani, her eyes filled with dry tears and face emanating only sadness. His heart broke as he saw her coming out of the room.
"Are you alright?" he said softly, as Ishani stood before him. "What have you made of yourself? Why didn't you come to me? I waited for you so long, Ishani."
Ishani stayed silent.
"Ishani, say something."
"Come in. It's still cold outside," she whispered slowly.
Ranveer, rather awkwardly, made his way into the room. He had come here once before but the place back then did not look as solemn as it did today. The caf on the other side was not yet closed and low whispers of the customers could be heard. Ishani led him to the sofa and gestured him to sit and sat herself beside him. The room was warmer with light red curtains drawn to the windows which kept the cold wind from coming in..
"What's wrong?" Ranveer said, looking into her eyes, and sinking on the couch. Ishani shook her head.
"I don't know."
"Did Baa say something to bother you?"
Ishani shook her head once again. "No."
"Any professional problem?"
"Company has never been better."
"What is this, then?"
"I don't know. Why is it not same for us anymore? Why do I feel something is wrong even if you're with me? I hated seeing you there with... We hadn't talked in 3 days. And I suddenly see you in the party...I hate this," Ishani said, shaking her head, her words unintelligible.
"I'm sorry, Ishani. I did not know you were coming there too. I should have asked you, I know. But I didn't know you expected me to be with you all the time there," Ranveer said guiltily.
"It's not just there,' in the party, I meant," Ishani interposed, "I want it to be all the time. We are best friends, Ranveer..." her words faltered as he looked at her once again.
"Don't say that, Ishani. We both know what's the truth. Don't make yourself so used to me that when you leave finally you'd not be able to go. You have a life of your own and that's where you belong."
"But why? Weren't we like this before too? Why can't everything be like it always was until two years ago? If we try, I swear, everything will be alright."
"It's not possible," Ranveer said. "So much has changed since then that time does not allow me to be the same and nor can we ever be. Accept the change, Ishani. Accept the change."
"I fear losing you, Ranveer. I dread this. I will die if I ever lose you again. This change is useless and terrible if it means ever losing you." Tears poured out of her eyes.
Ranveer swallowed hard, her words always came as a part of the great mystery to him, like those cryptic clues left for the heroes in the old tales where their lives and existence depended upon their solutions. A part of him felt like jumping with joy but at the same time it wilted back to its original self once again for what his heart believed could never happen.
It couldn't be true.
"What happened, Ranveer?" Ishani said. "Why don't you say something?"
"Nothing," he answered, pulling her into his arms softly. "I'm never leaving you, Ishani. Never. Until my last breath you'd find me by your side in your hour of need." Ishani sighed slowly as she too curled her arms around him, without uttering a word, and for the first time in the evening smiling contentedly.
Edited by Elvish_Hobbit - 8 years agoTopic started by Elvish_Hobbit
Last replied by Elvish_Hobbit
