MaAn OS : Eye-con-i(ng)c
Anupama's heart leapt out of its cage as Anuj shut the door of his car occupying the driver's seat. At this moment, all she wanted was to steer clear of his eyes yet be the object of their fascination, both at the same time.
Was she this complicated all along or does Christmas have a hand or two to play in it?
Is it the air of love in the atmosphere or the colour of red in the surrounding?
She had no answer. She wasn't seeking one either.
Anu was aware, very aware, of Anuj's languid demeanour in the process of settling himself in the car, starting the engine and, trying to read her. Anuj was at his best to prolong the moment and Anu was best at avoiding him.
The car had hit the road long ago but there wasn't a brief moment when Anu could muster up the courage to meet his eyes. Anuj could well think that Anu has developed a new fetish of staring at the passing reel of darkness through the glassed window. Quite obviously, she can't expect a show in the road at freaking 3 am that too at Christmas eve, or now night.
Anuj was the epitome of restlessness. He had made a few lame attempts to initiate a conversation but to no avail. His hands kept on fidgeting around the gear knob, moving inches towards Anu then receding more inches backward.
Anu wasn't oblivious to any of it though she refused to acknowledge it. She knew the moment to face him is close, getting closer with each passing heartbeat.
Just when Anuj cleared his throat determinedly, Anu reached for the stereo and fumbled with the buttons, calculatedly sabotaging another of his effort.
'Kaise bataaun tujhe ki dil mera kya keh raha
Rahe naa faasle ye jo hai apne darmiyaan'
Damn! The song and its lyrics.
Anu's widened eyes flew back to Anuj's that were already settled on her. They indulged in a tangled moment of hiatus before Anu shut her eyes close and faced away.
It proved to be the worst idea as the moment she was trying to run from caught up with her in the form of flash images, vivid and bright.
While leaving from Mukku's Christmas Party, a little strand from the red velvet material of her drape swayed to Anuj's blazer's button with the mind of its own, right at the threshold of Shah House. Anuj could read the fear in her eyes of the result of ripping the strand harshly, it could unwind the sewed material to threads. So he was being gentle in trying to untangle the little brat and was focused around his button.
It took a few moments for Anu to realise they were standing under those special tiny plants of Christmas that Mukku and her kids were talking about. Neither she could understand the name of it back then nor she could remember. All she could remember was the importance of it as highlighted by Mukku a few hours ago.
'The man and woman who inadvertently comes under the plant had to kiss each other.'
Her heart picked up a mad pace and her cheeks adorned many shades somehow matching with her saree at the prospect of kissing Anuj. She had almost ditched the idea and let the custom go before she recounted hearing about the bad omen it would bring from Mukku's talks. Anu can't afford to bring any bad luck to the person who had only prospered her life at every step, now could she?
Resultantly, Anuj felt her arms threading around his neck tentatively. Before he could register anything, Anu raised herself on her toes, coming dangerously closer. Tilting her head slightly, she imprinted his stubbled cheek with a soft kiss and his heart with deep love.
Not sparing him a chance to reel in the acute moment of his life, or even a glance to him, she pointed her finger towards the mistletoe and ran to his car. Since then he's yearning for her look, just one.
Floundering with the flood of emotions and the lyrics of the song, Anu changed the radio channel.
'Kab tak chup baithe ab to kuchh hai bolna
Kuchh tum bolo kuchh hum bolen o dholna
Mar jana tha yeh bhed nahin tha kholna
O dholna, o dholna'
Anuj would be lying if he said he wasn't stunned. He was taken aback and couldn't think anything for more minutes than he could count. This moment is going to be the most cherishing gift of his life, something that he couldn't even think of dreaming. But his lady is getting good with the surprises, off lately.
He had a boyish smile plastered over his lips all the while. He had lost count of the times his fingers had caressed the spot over his cheek where her lips touched him. He could still feel a lingering softness. His heart is exploding with giddiness.
But there was a looming fear. The fear of awkwardness seeping between them. The fear of losing the smooth camaraderie he had developed with Anu with excruciating efforts. The fear of being pushed four steps backward in trying to take one ahead. Practically, he wasn't even the one to take that step.
He was desperate to have even a word of normalcy from Anu, to soothe his heart. Anu hadn't even looked at him once since then. She had veiled her eyes behind the security of her long lashes, downcasting her gaze.
He followed the movement of her shaky fingers as she pressed the key to yet another radio channel.
'Tu shayar hai main teri shayari
Tu aashiq hai main teri aashiqi
Tujhe milne ko dil karta hai
Tujhe milne ko dil karta hai o mere saajna'
Anuj uncomfortably tugged at his collar as he heard the song. This time Anu turned slightly towards him and smiled playfully. As soon as, he wanted to hold her gaze, she averted.
Time and again Anu would roll her eyes here and there, briefly halting at his side then taking a deep breath she would instantly face away. His eyes and thoughts would never leave her, he's not ashamed to let her know.
Flustered with the song and her sneaky reactions, Anuj struggled to change the song while still focussing on the road.
'uski najar
palko ki chilman se mujhe dekhti
uski najar
uski haya
apni hi chahat ka raj kholti
uski haya
chhup ke kare jo wafa
aisa mera yar hai
pehla pehla pyar hai
pehli pehli bar hai'
As if the embarrassment wasn't enough that this song was here to add fuel to the fire. Anu couldn't think straight, forget thinking about Anuj's reaction about the lead she took out of the blue. She planned to blame it all on Christmas and its stupid plant if queried.
She was fighting a bizarre sensation arising in the pit of her stomach, causing her to blush more. She scratched her forehead with her finger using her hand as a shield from his prying eyes. Her downcasted gaze refused to meet the pool of emotions in his eyes.
When it went beyond her ability to handle, she perched in her seat and promptly tapped the key to change the song.
'Kya kahoon kya pata baat kya ho gayi
Dillagi yeh mere sath kya ho gayi
Ik ishara hai yeh, dil pukara hai yeh
Ik ishara hai yeh, dil pukara hai yeh
Is-se chura na nazar pyar kar o ho ho pyar kar
Chand ne kuch kaha, raat ne kuch suna
Tu bhi sun bekhabar pyar kar o ho ho pyar kar'
What was so wrong with the radio tonight! And who plays 90's iconic love songs at 3 in the morning! And why it was taking so long to reach Kapadia House?
Both of them could die in embarrassment. The closed space inside the car only added to the fire and desires. It was impossible to run away from each other.
The stolen glances and the intense stares were the only things shared between them, apart from the music blazing their hearts.
It was Anuj's turn to jump at the stereo and change the song.
'Ye jo lamhe hain lamhon ki behti nadi mein
Haan bheeg loon, haan bheeg loon
Ye jo aankhen hain aankhon ki gumsum zubaan ko
Main seekh loon, haan seekh loon
Ankahee si guftagu, ansuni si justajoo
Bin kahe, bin sune, apni baat ho gayi
Saawali si raat ho khamoshi ka saath ho
Bin kahe bin sune, baat ho teri meri'
Giving in to his desires, sighing deeply, Anuj took a good look at Anu. His heart skipped a few beats as he caught her looking back, rather stealthily.
Giving up fighting with her urges, finally mustering up the courage Anu's gaze rested on his face, longingly. On finding his gaze fixated for more time than she can handle, she chided him with her eyes to focus ahead on the road only to receive a pleading look.
As he looked straight, she involuntarily studied his cheek for any trace of her doings. On finding none, she heaved a sigh but couldn't abate the coloring of her cheeks.
Before they could realise, the next song started.
'Aise Bhole Ban Kar Hain Baithe
Jaise Koi Baat Nahin
Sabh Kuch Nazar Aa Raha Hai
Din Hai Yeh Raat Nahin
Kya Hai Kuch Bhi Nahin Hai Agar
Hoton Pe Hai Khamoshi Magar
Baateen Kar Rahin Hain
Baateen Kar Rahin Hain
Nazar
Chupke Chupke
Do Dil Mil Rahe Hain
Magar
Chupke Chupke'
He had no idea how the radio could read his heart and mind like a pro and would be ready with the subtitles of his emotions with a sweet melody. Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Anuj pressed the stereo button.
'Bahut pyaar karte hain tumko sanam
Bahut pyaar karte hain tumko sanam
Kasam chaahe le lo
Kasam chaahe le lo khuda ki kasam'
Both of their eyes snapped back to each other, searchingly. Their eyes locked for a moment longer than eternity. It was Anu who shied away earlier and couldn't look into the intensity in his orbs for longer.
As she stretched her hand to change the song that had damn well stirred something deep within her, Anuj held her forearm and stopped her from changing the melody.
Not meeting her eyes, he slid down his hand gently to reach her hand. Clasping her hand authoritatively, he let his fingers fill the empty spaces between her fingers and his love fill the empty crevices of her parched heart.
It was only a matter of a few seconds that Anu tightened her grip around his fingers.
Keeping their entwined hands over the console, they headed towards a new day, enjoying the lovely song.
****
P.S. No conversation, only songs!
Do let me know how you like this one!
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