OS - Kuch toh hua hai - EDITED Pg 2 - Page 2

Mrids

The Start Of Something New

I slumped in my seat, my hand on my cheek, a pout on my pretty pink lips. There was a party going on before me, but I was cooped up in a corner. Sulking.

My name is Rashi Shah, and I study art in the Prime College or Arts and Sciences in Rajkot. Prime happily sits at the top of the crme-del-a-crme colleges in Rajkot. Academically. Turns out toppers year after year. From last year's batch alone, you could fill two glowing pages of the college prospectus. Still don't get it. Okay? Here we go - Aham Modi, one of the few Indians last year to get into Harvard, is a Prime alumni. More than a dozen of them got into esteemed institutes across the world. Another student, I don't remember her name, holds the record for receiving the highest pay package in campus placement in Gujarat.  And another set of them...

Oh well, you get the drift now.

Given this record, it's a huge deal for Prime to be having a new years eve bash! Honestly, we do have a party every year, but you see it's kind of drab. This year, as president of the cultural committee, I decided to take charge.

After spending days convincing the teachers and the board members, they FINALLY agreed to have a party of this magnitude. It was a big deal. We were to have music bands, international food, the complete works.

Even the study-a-holics were excited about this party, and nothing spelt success more than the brain of the college coming up to me and asking if she could help in some way with the party. Seriously. She averaged 99% in all her tests, in all her years in the college. Go figure.

And then there was Anjan Doshi. He is Prime's magic boy this year. The teachers' favorite. Good marks, good sportsman, awards in whichever competition he represented. Model student.

And model good looks!

Yea, I have been crushing on him for a long time. No, we weren't friends. Just the casual hellos when we crossed paths in hallways. And frankly, I was getting sick of it. Standing in the sidelines.  So I had hoped tonight would be the start of something new for us. Some harmless flirting, a couple of dances, to just set the ball rolling.

You see why this was supposed to be the best night of my life?

Well, it isn't. It's the worst!!!

Can you blame me for sulking?

But by now you would have figured that my luck absolutely shines!!! The friendly shop guy, apparently, had the attention span of a bumblebee. Instead of altering my gown to my size, the idiot had completely ruined it. The skirt of the dress had been shortened to knee length. I was now wearing a sleeveless, knee length royal blue frock - the skirt of the dress had a little flair, and the neck was very wide it almost looked like spaghetti sleeves.

Why "Non-date" date?

I told you I was in charge of this party? Well, that meant I made the rules and I called the shots.  Since I made the rules, I knew them before the entire college did. And I fully intended to use that to my advantage. And I did. I asked Anjan Doshi to be my date tonight.

That was my rule - only girls asks the guys!

Stupid me, Stupid rules!

Anjan had very politely said he would have loved to go with me. I don't think I have to tell you how elated I felt then. I didn't even notice the would have, if I had I would have (no pun intended, I am not in the mood for that anyway!) known that would haves in answer to a question was always, always followed by but...

I would have loved to, but...

My elation lasted exactly two seconds. He then gently added as friends. But he liked Keerti, and he was sure she liked him too, he went on to say. And it would be wrong to take me.

Did he have to be so noble and nice about it?  

Keerti - it took a minute to accept that. I had to ask him to repeat that name with the surname to be sure actually. You see, Keerti is the brain of the college I just told you about.

She is nice girl and all, but she's just not someone I would picture Anjan with. Actually, that girl, was always me.

Damn!

After calling my name repeatedly to shake me out of my shocked stupor, he had apologized. I had mumbled something and just rushed off from that place. I had never been so embarrassed. I also ensured we never crossed paths - till now.

I took a swat at his shoulder. He ducked. An amazing smile lit up his face - and I was sure that I had a similar smile in my face too - huge, wide and broad.

We laughed together, falling into step once more. His arms on my waist, my arms on his shoulders.

I was having a great time!!

And then - 

"Ow" I yelped, as my foot turned and my heel broke, "damn" I gnarled, bending down to attend to my foot.

Jigar laughed, "We can go sit down" he offered.

I looked up at him, "don't. move" I said, with a glint in my eye.

I caught Jigar's amused look before I turned around and walked to the corner of the room.

Bending down I took off my shoes and threw it behind the pillar. Nothing was going to stop me tonight. I was going to have the best evening of my life! I walked back to Jigar with a smile, he took me in his arms once more and we started grooving to the ending notes of the current song.

Neither of us said anything. Then the starting tunes of the next song started.

" Kuch toh hua hai" he murmured softly, looking into my eyes. 

At that moment, something warm spread over my stomach. That was new to me. I stopped moving for a minute. I stopped and looked at him.  He was smiling down at me lightly. A dimple perched in his cheek, and his eyes twinkled. He blinked and his lashes touched his cheek lightly.

And the warmth spread further. From my stomach to my cheeks.

Jigar.

My best friend. Probably the only guy to stomach my craziness. The only guy with whom I could be myself, with whom I could speak my heart, fearlessly. The only person who knew me completely. He knew I was crazy. He knew my dreams. He knew my quirks. He knew my fears, and he knew my iciness. He knew the diva attitude I put up. He also knew that I did that because I did not want to be secluded to a corner in this elite institution. He knew that deep down, at heart, I was a simple girl. 

And he still liked me.

But we're friends. And I knew too many stories where a perfectly good friendship is ruined because of stupid hormones.

No.

I quickly stepped away. Jigar reached forward and caught hold of my arms, " is something wrong" he asked softly. The concern was evident in his voice.

Tears welled up. Damn it.. I hate crying.

" We're friends" I choked out.

" and nothing will ever change that"

I so wanted to believe him, " No. That's what they say all the time. Jigar, there is nothing that spells disaster to a perfectly good friendship than a possible romance. No" I repeated firmly, shaking my head.

He titled his head to the side, " Who told you that?"

Was that important now?

" Everyone"

" you're not talking to everyone"

I gritted my teeth. I really did not have the -

" Listen to me" I looked down to see that Jigar had stepped forward. He placed both his palms on my shoulders, and was looking at me straight in the eye, " the people involved in this friendship is you and me. And only we decide the fate of our friendship. And I am telling you that we will be friends, no matter what. Okay?"

I wasn't too sure. In fact, I was terrified.

He seemed to understand that, his hands dropped to his sides and he stepped away, "now it's up to you, Rashi. The fate of our friendship."

I glared at him. That was cruel. How does one decide that in a second. Friends or something more.  Sure, I  liked Jigar. And that warmth or whatever it was that spread across me just few minutes ago - I couldn't deny it. But what the hell.

Anger was bubbling up inside me quickly, " do you like me?" I snapped at him.

He smiled - does he have to have that blasted smile on his face all the time?

" Always have"

" How long?"

" 3 years"

That was it!

"And you never told me? never even gave a hint. You just decided to drop it on me like this all of a sudden. What the hell" I snarled.

" Look, you were mooning over Anjan -" he started saying

" Mooning- I wouldn't say mooning" I argued, purposefully straying off topic. 

" That's not the point, what do you want to do about us?"  he snapped.

Oh golly, there you go.

That must have been the first time Jigar Modi actually snapped at me. And it was uncalled for.

He didn't snap at me when I demanded to copy off his notes. He did not snap at me when I got drunk on Bhang at holi last year. He didn't even snap at me when he had to fail an assignment because of me. In my drunker stupor I had poured color all over his project which was to be given in the next day.

He hadn't snapped at any of my idiosyncrasy in the last three years.

But because I was afraid to make that decision between friend or girlfriend, he had snapped at me.

How rude!!

I clenched my teeth and looked up at him, " since you have had so much more time to think about this, why don't you tell me what to do?" I growled.

We glared at each other for some time. And then he signed. Shaking his head, he gave me one of his oh-so-gentle looks, and I found my temper melting away " I'm sorry" he muttered, " I didn't mean to pressurize you. This is always your choice Rashi. Always"

I bit my lip, " That still doesn't solve anything" I mumbled, more gently this time. I took immense pride in our friendship. I was extremely proud that we could be honest with each other no matter what. Well, it was time to summon that honesty.

I took a deep breath and looked up at him, " You are my best friend Jigar. I have always thought of you only as friend. But tonight, tonight something changed.  Just now, when we were dancing-" I trailed off. I didn't think I could finish what I was trying to say. But I also realized how important it was for me to say it, "I don't know what happened or what that was. But I am terrified to find out"

"Why?"

" Because I don't want to lose you"

There. I had said it. Laid it out in the open.

I was terrified of losing him. I woke up talking to him, and went to bed only after a good night to him. I wouldn't sleep without telling him every minute detail of my day. He was easily one of the few most important people in my life, and I just couldn't think of losing him.

" You won't"

I closed my eyes, " I'm terrified Jigar"

Was that even my voice?

I felt his hands on my shoulders, " let's start with where we left off"

My eyes flew open to meet Jigar's eyes. My brow rose in question.

He titled his head to the dance floor,   "Let's dance"

Our eyes met.

He was telling me to take this one step at a time. For now the dance. Something might or might not happen. We might or might not be romantically involved. For now we were just two people grooving to the song. He smiled and took my hand gently.

I looked down at our hands. And I knew.

I knew that no matter what, we'd be fine. I looked up at Jigar with a smile. He smiled back at me, his eyes twinkling. And in his eyes, I had my assurance that whatever happens from now, I would never lose him.

And I didn't. He had been right. I would, and I never did, lose him. He was always there. For me, with me. No matter what. Till this day.

But what happened to me and Jigar?

I told you, we took it one step at a time. We danced, and talked and had the time of our lives.

Did we take our friendship further?

Yes we did.

Did we fall in love?

Obviously.

Marriage?

I am very pleased to tell you that after years of dating, and months of asking, Jigar finally agreed to marry me.

Yes, I asked him - can you believe it? No? Well then I'll have to tell you that story some other time!

I am Rashi Jigar Modi now, and I was very lucky that day to find out that my darling husband had been right.

Sometimes, all it takes, is a little shift of perspective.

*** THE END***

A/N 1 -  Firstly, this was THE LONGEST OS/story part I have ever written. 11 pages in MS word! Whoa!!

A/N 2 - This was written for another couple of another show, but I tweaked and changed it quite a bit to suit RaJi

A/N 3 - I know everyone is irritated with Rashi at the moment, but I started writing this earlier, and I wanted to complete it and post it for you peeps.

A/N 4 - The line 'let's start with where we left off' or the idea behind that line is from the show Lois and Clark - that's my all time favorite show, and you find references/inspirations from that show in all my work!

A/N 5 -The writing style of the line "I am very pleased to tell you-." is from the adorable movie Tangled!! 😊😊

A/N 6 - I know you guys would want to read GoHam next. Can you also tell me a situation you would like for them, with this theme? Will be happy to write it for you.

A/N 7 - Read and Review, please.

Originally posted by: vibz88

Oki waiting!!!! And yes it was worth the wait. Raji. Am obsessed with them. Actually rashi. Who cares. Am glad u wrote about them.and tat too from rashi s perspective?really happy. It left a smile on my face.