Chapter 2

No Escape-

Throughout time, as long as humans have loved, they have believed in soul mates. One person out there, tied to them, the missing piece of their soul. What else could explain that feeling of incompletion, the need to search, to scour the globe until the puzzle piece is found? Everyone from royalty to peasants has searched, has looked into the eyes of another, wondering, is it you? Have I found you?

But fate does not intend an easy path for all. Sometimes, death interferes. Sometimes the world conspires to keep soul mates apart. But sometimes, the bitterest pill to take is the soul mate that has been there all of your life. The soul mate that was right beside you when you wanted to forget them, their indifference, and their oblivion spearing you cruelly each time. The soul mate that is tied to you, and you are shackled to them, even as you struggle to forget them, feel less for them.

Fate dealt a cruel card to Ranveer Vaghela. This was one instance where it may have been better if the souls had never found each other, but, as always, they had been dragged together like black magnets.

On one side of the coin, it was a blessing; because Ranveer had his soul mate by his side since the age of nine. But on the flipside, the blessing was his curse: his soul mate didn't know about his love, he was just a friend, just a servant in her house. It took his most of his youth to realize he was quite inconsequential to her, simply a shoulder when she needed to cry. If only his treacherous heart would understand that! If only his silly heart would stop skipping a beat at the mere sound of her name, if only it would understand that she would only ever bring him heartbreak.

As Ranveer drove towards Mumbai, his eyes trained on the horizon, he forced his mind to stop.Choice, he told himself. The greatest gift in life was choice. He was given a choice, and he'd taken it- - chose to make his own fortune in the past three years and wealthy enough to make his own respectable name in society. He took some deep breaths, trying to calm the hammering in his chest and stared at the purple-smudge clouds hovering over Mumbai like bruises. He'd returned to the city after three years. The city that held bittersweet memories of her.

He deliberately relaxed his grip on the steering wheel, the last shaft of sunlight glinting off his bright engagement ring - a pinch, a punch; as if reminding him that thinking of Ishaani in such a way now would entail betrayal to the woman he was supposed to marry in two months.

He had moved on.

Or that's what he told himself.

He allowed the pleasure of the cool wind from the sea to soothe him, and wound down his window to breathe the sweet air. He tried to stop feeling like he was driving into battle. Even though he was.

Ranveer's car slid down the driveway of the mansion. He imagined his car was a sentient creature, that knew its way, and he smiled at the silly thought. When he was a child, he had always fancied inanimate objects to be alive; to have personalities and opinions, purposes and fates, things that he himself was denied at every turn. He had instead contented himself with naming a tree, a chair, his hand me down bicycle from Sharman, ridiculous childish names, imagining them to be his friends, aides on his quest. When Ishaani had found out, he had been taunted mercilessly, and he had forced himself to abandon these thoughts.

Ishaani, his traitorous mind squeaked with a tinge of hysteria. Stop, he warned his mind, taking a healing deep breath and began a short visualization technique. His father always told him to envisage the best possible outcome instead of jumping to a worse case scenario. Ranveer imagined arriving in Mumbai, the sun breaking through the clouds and the rain stopping. He imagined stepping out of his car, feeling the crunch of gravel in the Parekh's sweeping driveway.

Getting into the vision now, Ranveer relaxed further, picturing being met by the Parekh family in the foyer. Sharman would punch his shoulder, remarking how his lanky frame hadn't changed at all, while Prateek and Disha would ask if he had got them any gifts, now that he was a rich man. Falguni Ma would kiss his forehead and he would smell her comforting perfume, her motherly scent.

Ishaani would be there, too. She would excitedly exclaim that it had been at least ten years since they had seen each other, exaggerating as always - while he would correct her with a smile. She might joke with him about some of their childhood crimes, about how they used to play pranks on Baa and tease him about how he used to ask her to put butterscotch ice cream on his wounds. And as he leaned down to embrace her, he would feel... nothing.

As they pulled away from each other, he would look at her in relief, knowing it was finally over, and she was finally out of his system. They would all congratulate him on his engagement and success, and Devarsh would go to find a bottle of champagne.

And then, Ranveer would climb the stairs to the second floor, to see his Mota Babuji. He would be propped up in bed, looking remarkably well and not at all ravaged by cancer, and a dark suited specialist would exclaim to Falguni Ma that it was a miracle. They would all drink toasts to Harshad Parekh's health, to Ranveer's happiness, and...

A knock on his window brought him out of his far-fetched fantasy. He pressed a button to roll down the glass and let out a hollow laugh as he spoke to the watchman. There was positive visualization, and then there was deluding oneself. His heart heavy, he drove onwards towards grief.

Maybe, it would be okay, Ranveer thought as he smiled tightly at his Mota Babuji as the latter held his hand weakly. The cancer was deep and invasive, gently sucking the life out of the man Ranveer had placed on the highest pedestal and revered so deeply. He ignored the burn behind his eyelids as he realized Harshad Parekh did not have very long to live. Everyone in the house had greeted him warmly, if a little sadly. He wanted to ignored Falguni Ma's words.

Ab tum yaha ho na, ab Ishaani aur hum sab theekh ho jaaenge.

He no longer belonged to Ishaani, his responsibilities and priorities lay elsewhere, Ranveer wanted to tell her. Everyone seemed ecstatic at the ring on his finger, and had asked if they could see the lucky girl's photo. His smiled strained, and chest tight, he gave them his phone, showing the face of Anaya, the woman he was to marry.

"Lo, aa gayi Ishaani!"

His hands fisted and he tensed, his thumb twirling the ring around his left ring finger as it suddenly felt as though it weighed a hundred pounds. He schooled his face, plastering a bright smile as he turned around, only to be blinded by her beauty yet again.

His heart faltered.

His breath stopped.

Woh pal jab meri saansein ruk gayi, aur meri zindagi shuru hui.

She smiled softly at him as he stared, entranced, his heart dying a million deaths once again.

He would never win. There was no escape.

Aaj bhi, uski saansein, uski aashiqui, usse hi.