Hey guys, I've been thinking of writing this for a little while now, but due to time constraint, have been able to. I'm a strict MADI fan as many of you and sincerely believe that is the way it should be. So here's my mini dedication to the dusky yet endearing jodi of Adi and Maithali. Please let me know what you all think. Hope I don't bore you.
"Haqeeqat" (Reality)
The winds teasingly meandered through the silky open tresses as the owner sat unmoved... The perfectly khol-layered eyes searched the night's skies as if looking for an answer... But all they could gather was the glazed whole moon, which appeared to smile back sympathetically. There was not a single star; the air was crisp and clean. Somewhere in the near distance, bodies moved in sync to a rhythmic beat... Ab mujhe raat tumhara hi khayaal hai.. kya karoon pyar mein... deewano jaisa haal hai... She had heard that strangers met on such moonlit nights... never to be strangers again. What a fate she had attained, setting aside meeting the stranger... she had lost everything... the one whom she had claimed her own. Obliviously, a lost tear escaped her eye...
"Ajeeb baat hai na… kuch log daulat ke liye khud bechne ke liye tayar khare hain... aur kuch log anmol heeron ko yoon hi bhikherene mein maahir hain..." (Strange isn't it? Some people readily sell themselves for sake of wealth… and then there are some who disperse precious gems in such a professional manner…) Her gaze curiously shifted towards the owner of the familiarly masculine, husky voice. Her eyes were graced with a mischievous smile, as they looked from the handsome face towards his outstretched palm... upon which lay a clear drop, as pure as her heart. She felt the lump form in her throat and quickly looked away, wiping the estranged tears from her face... Turning back, she forced a smile. "Ahhdddi... Tum yahan?" she whispered in a choked voice. His gaze pierced her, as if unearthing the layers behind the eyes…
He just stared at her for an excruciating moment, and then as if by the flick of a switch, a laugh escaped his parted lips. Perhaps it wasn't even the laugh itself, but the tone of it… that chilled her to the bone. "Tumne kya samjha, wohe sade hue kele ka chihlka aya hai tumhe apni bahon mein lene?" (What did you think, that skin of a stale banana has come to sweep you into his arms?) A momentary anger raced in her veins but then a realization brought her fateful reality smack into her sorry face. He was right. Had she really expected Pranay? Letting out a defeated sigh, she once again allowed her eyes to graze the broad skies, while gently rubbing the length of her arms. She felt her companion pensively move forward from his relaxed posture, and put a clasped fist underneath his chin, whilst following her gaze.
Time lagged on for minutes uncounted and she suddenly felt an urge to hide herself… Run away from everything, everyone… and especially the man next to her. Strange it was, the odd sort of relationship they had come to share. She wasn't even sure if she could call it a "relationship" of any sorts. As far as she knew, friendship hadn't even fully bloomed between them. But in this moment, she suddenly felt really… vulnerable under his presence. He wasn't looking at her, but the mere knowledge of him being here… next to her… Goosebumps slid across her body. In a wave of uncertainty, her thoughts travelled back to her wretched fate and her vision blurred once more as she recalled Shruti joyously announcing Pranay and Mallishka's engagement.
Determined not to allow herself to weaken in his mocking company again, she got up in an urgent stride and turned to walk away… only to be stopped mid step. Her eyelids closed in a mixture of agony and anxiety as she felt his muscular hand take hold of her petite wrist. She dared not open her eyes as the sound of his footsteps traced to the area before her. "Ek baat boloon Maitali? Joh in aansoonon ke bhikharne ki wajah ho sakta hai… wohe kabhi inke layak nahin ho sakta…" (You know what Maithali? He who is the cause of these tears… will never be worth them…). Her heart suddenly seemed to calm as the warm skin of his palm wiped away the result of her misery flowing freely from her eyes. As she opened them apprehensively, she found her eyes challenged by the soothing chaos of another pair… It was as though time had elapsed in its entirety. Breaking away from her gaze, he abruptly let go of her hand and walked briskly towards the music… as though suddenly aware of the awkward situation he had unknowingly placed himself into… Ek ajnabee sa ehsaas dil ko sataye… shayad yahi toh pyar hai…
All of a sudden, her knees felt as though rubber… eventually giving way… as she fell as a heap onto the grass… Bringing her hands forth, she felt herself deeply inspect the intensely etched lines running across her palms.
***
"Uh… Pragati?…", his hand instinctively went to the back of his head as he approached her best friend. As she turned her attention towards him, he brought his arm back down… "Adi?" she asked surprised that he would have been interested in talking to her. He looked at her, the expression on her face questioning him. "Wohe… Mait… Maithali… Maithali kahan hai?" Her eyes squinted in curiosity. After a moment of inspection, she replied earnestly, "Uski tabeeyat kuch teekh nahin teeh… issi liye wohe ghar chali gayi…" (Her health wasn't all that great… Hence, she went home). His eyes widened slightly at the information. "Chali gayi?" (She's gone?). A smile formed on Pragati's lips as she threw the inevitable at him, "Haan… kyun kuch kaam tah kya?" (Yes… why did you have work with her?) He felt his head shake in the negative almost immediately, and he mumbled an uncertain response. "Nahin wohe… actually Janki ma'am ne mujhe kaha ke mujhe Maithali se milna hai… Koi college ke function ke baare mein…" (No… actually Janki ma'am asked me to meet Miathali in regards to some college function…) She arrested him in a quizzical inspection for a minute, before releasing him with a look of satisfaction… "I'll see you later then", he quickly blurted and turned to walk away…
***
Curses… Frusterated, he threw a fist against the steering and brought the same hand to his head… raking his fingers through the silky layers. Sighing deeply, he closed his eyes rolling his head back onto the headrest… searching for solace from the haunting image… Curses… It had been but three hours since he had seen her last and it suddenly felt like forever. Even underneath the supposed safety of closed eyes, the vivid illustration of those silken layers… the perfectly kohled eyes… the tempting lips curving mysteriously… It preoccupied him entirely… He'd be a damned lier to say that he had never thought of her before… In fact, ever since that day she had come over to apologize… He had felt guilty for barking at her. It roughed him thinking for a reason so… but none came. As days passed, he'd tried to avoid her as much as possible, but it seemed fate was not going to hear of it. In some form or another, she had shadowed him… And lately, it seemed as though the foreign feeling had intensified. As their most recent encounter in the Agarwal gardens flashed before him, a prevailing rage gripped him… Unknown to him, his knuckles turned white as his hold on the steering firmed. Admittedly, he had some strange and unwanted feelings for her… but he had never felt so angered… helpless… at the moment he had seen her tonight. And that too, for that loser Pranay? It seemed such a hopeless case, yet his mind seemed devoted… Curses… He wanted to escape her… her thoughts… Opening his eyes, he looked towards the little gadget sitting still on the passenger seat next to him. A moment passed… and suddenly he picked it up, punching in the numbers as though known forever… by heart… As he finished, the "M A I T H A I L L I" flashed boldly across the little screen…
Cheers,
dc
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