Chapter 1 - the separation
Kahin
to Kahin to
Hogi
vo…
Duniya
jahaan tu mere saath hain
Jahaaan
mein
Jahaan
tu
Aur
jahaan
Bas
tere mere jas baath hain
Hothi
jahaan subha teri
Palkon
ki kirano mein
Dori
jahaan chand ki
Sune
teri baahon mein…
Jaane
na kahan vo duniya hain
Jaane
na vo hain ya nahin
Jahaan
meri zindagi mujhse
Itni
hafaa nahin…………
A
28 year old and despondent Anurag felt himself being hypnotized by the soft
beat of the song, which was flowing like the shallow waves of Hoogli River. His
heart skipped a beat as memories started piling up in his mind, just like the
clouds which were surrounding the flight, inside which he was sitting right
now. He was in the New York – Delhi flight and it seemed like he had been
inside it for hours. He looked around and saw his brother, Robindo, looking
sympathetically at him.
"Dude…don't
give that look! It really bugs me, you know…" Anurag sulked.
"Dada…you
have to…" Robi(he liked to be called so) began.
"Please
Robi…I'm trying to get those bad memories out…" Anurag said.
Ignore him Anurag, his mind spoke while his eyes caught a couple, so engrossed in
their world that they felt like no one existed around them at all. Where are you, Taani? His heart
seemed to ask. The cool atmosphere inside the flight, which was silent like a
funeral, carried him slowly towards a world of memories, his life, now that
when he looked, appeared like a stage play, where at the end, just he would be
left at the stage with no one to hold his hands.
(10
years before…at the farewell party of the twelfth grade)
"Dada…go…boost
up your courage and just speak your heart out!" Robi said, as he tried to push
Anurag towards the other side of the hall.
"No
Robi! I am not going and that's it! C'mon yaar…she doesn't even look at me and
how can I propose her? That's too embarrassing!" Anurag said, shaking his head.
"Dada…aap
ithna toh jaanthe ho na ki usko aap acche lagte hai?"
"Listen
Robi! You just don't understand. Yeah – Taani and I are really good friends and
she feels comfortable with me too. But that doesn't mean she likes me."
"Dada!
Do you like her?"
"That's
a very stupid question, bro…"
"Then
what are you waiting for? Just go!" Robi pushed him with such force that he
landed before his dream girl, who stood with her back towards him.
Anurag
looked at Robi and vigorously shook his head and was about to walk back when
Taani caught him. "Hey Anurag!" she said as she turned and he stared at her,
swallowing in her beauty– the big black sparkling eyes, the long hair that fell
stylishly elegantly over her shoulders. And this time, he found her more
beautiful in the purple gown.
"Earth
calling Anurag!" Taani exclaimed, bringing him back from his dream world.
"Erm…nothing…so…uh...how
is the party?" Anurag stuttered.
"It's
so damn awesome! And I am so happy that all the people are appreciating the
dcor." Taani said, with a proud smile plastered on her face.
"When
you have done it, I don't think it
would become bad…" Anurag said.
"Anurag,
you are embarrassing me…" Taani said, suddenly becoming shy.
Anurag
sneaked a peek at his brother who was showing various indecipherable symbols.
Anurag shook his head, puzzled.
"Anurag,
to whom are you talking?" Taani asked.
"No
one…bas aise…" Anurag tried to cover up.
"Anurag…"
Taani twisted her eyebrows with suspicion. "Jab se aaye ho, you are acting
weird. Tell me what is going on…aur mein dekh rahi hoon…Robi is also hiding
something…tell me…" Taani insisted.
"Taani…the
thing is that…um…I…before going…err…I…" Anurag stammered.
"Taani!"
A voice called from behind. Taani turned and saw that Robi was approaching her.
"I
will tell what's going on…" Robi said.
"I
don't think there's any need for that." Anurag said, suddenly interfering.
"Robi, tumhara..err…gf tumhara intezaar kar rahe honge…and you have got lots to
do too…aaj uske saath break up karne honge and you have to find a new one too,
right? Issiliye tu jaa…don't waste your time…" Anurag said, covering up.
'Taani,
I guess it's pretty clear he's trying to cover the fact that he loves you!"
Robi said, paying no attention to his brother. For a moment, Taani seemed to be
shocked. But recovering suddenly, she said, "Robi, I need to speak to
Anurag…alone…"
Robi
left them alone and joined his gf, who was standing, unaware that she was going
to get a big heart attack right then.
Meanwhile,
Taani started questioning Anurag. "Yeh sab kya hai?"
"Woh
Taani…" Anurag searched for the appropriate words, while Taani said softly,
careful that she is not hurting him, "See Anurag, I am not really interested in
being in a relationship at the moment. If there's something I am aiming at
right now, then it's just on my interior decoration course. And…and I don't
really think we are mature enough to be in a relationship."
"Taani….I…I..don't
know…I thought you liked being with me…" Anurag mumbled.
"I
know, Anurag…your love might be true, but listen, do you actually know about
me? What I want? What life means to me?
Right
then, Anurag seemed tongue-tied. "No right? If you don't know anything about
me, then there's no point in being in a relationship..." Taani sighed. "I am
sorry to hurt you…but I…this is not what I want right now…you understand,
right?"
Anurag
slightly nodded. But he found it very hard to keep a straight face.
"Bye
Anurag….if your love stays when we are settled, then maybe we'll think about
it…" Taani said and walked away.
Anurag
felt like the whole earth's weight was upon him. He could see Robi looking at
him at times, but he just walked away. I neither know what you want in life nor
what life means to you…But I do know that I love you…a lot! And I am sure my
love will stay forever…and I have each and every hope that one day you will
love me back too, Taani…In love, these things do not have any worth. I don't
care if anyone finds this cheesy or anything, but my definition of love will
not change…
And
they never saw each other for another five years. Like any soul in love, Anurag
believed that Taani would return andengrossed himself in various works. And
Taani, being a career-oriented girl, focused in her course, but never
forgetting the last moment she spent with her friend.
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