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Unspoken Emotions
"Ermm, yes yes, I like feelay murgi very much," Maanyata said hestitantly as the server from behind the buffet table looked at her with questioning eyes. Uday nearly choked on his glass of whisky to keep from laughing. Feelay murgi, he thought, feeling strangely proud instead of furious. Only I can have a fiancee who calls filet mignon feelay murgi.
"Maanyata," Uday said, immediately coming to his fiancee's rescue. "Don't have that. It's beef."
"What?" exclaimed Maanyata in outrage. "They serve cow's meat over here?"
Realizing that the server was giving him pitying looks, Uday steered Maanyata away from the table. "But I can't eat cow's meat!" Maanyata wailed. "My Baba always told me that cows are sacred!"
Uday thanked his stars for having given him his presence of mind. "Maanyata, it's okay," he said soothingly. "It's for the foreigners, not you. I'll call for some salad, okay?"
"No!" she said immediately. "I don't want to have your salad either. I want that ice cream we had that day at the ground floor restaurant."
Uday smiled. No matter how infuriating she could be at times, she was also just so endearingly cute. "Of course, my princess," he said, giving her a smile that he had not smiled in many years. It wasn't a political grin or a naughty smirk. It was a genuine, warm smile, like the one his mother had always had on her face when she spoke to him.
Maanyata bit her lip to keep from cringing as he called her "his princess". She self-consciously adjusted the strap of her salwar kameez. It wasn't royal by any standards, but it was still a change from her ordinary clothes. Uday had wanted her to wear something even more glamorous, but she had declined. The dress was just okay-okay enough for his party, and more importantly, okay enough for Aakash's party.
A waiter immediately brought over a tray of different cups of ice creams. Maanyata's eyes widened. "So many?" she said, looking at him.
He smiled again, wondering why his cheek muscles were so active that day. "Beggars cannot be choosers, but a princess can. Try out different flavors, and I'll ask them to bring a big cup of the one you like best, okay?"
Maanyata couldn't help but keep a small burst of excitement from showing on her face. Okay, so she hated him, so what? Her Baba had taught her to genuinely appreciate it when people did nice things for her. So far, she had been avoiding that rule with the royals, but after Dadisa's 16 gifts and this ice-cream surprise, she couldn't help but wonder whether they had hearts after all.
Uday walked away, momentarily distracted by the arrival of an important business associate. Maanyata seized the opportunity, the ice-cream forgotten. Sorry, she thought, looking at the tantalizing assortment of flavors, but it's now or never. She had been looking for this chance the whole evening, and she had finally found it.
Unnati seemed to agree too, for she found herself being speedily steered away from the banquet hall where the celebration dinner was being held and out of the entrance of the hotel, towards the parking lots.
"Monia, I'm sorry but I can't come, or else Dada will feel suspicious," Unnati said apologetically. "My driver will take you to Aakash."
"That's okay," Maanyata said, squeezing her friend's hand with gratitude. "One day, we'll all have a sar-par-eyes party together, when that stupid Udayveer is not there."
Unnati smiled before hurrying back to her brother's side. Maanyata suddenly realized that she had forgotten to ask Unnati what excuse she would give Udayveer for her absence. Then she realized that time was short, and she needed to go.
I'm sure Unnati will think of something, she thought.
I hope Unnati will think of something.
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Monia hurried up the stairs to Akash's flat, too impatient to wait for the lift. To her relief, the door was open, and as she sprinted inside, everyone was busy smiling and patiently waiting for her. Akash gave her a grin, a knife poised above the cake, and with slow precision he began to lower it down.
"No!" she shouted indignantly, and grabbed hold of his hand to keep him from cutting. Everyone automatically burst into hoots and whistles, and she shyly retracted her hand.
"Monia, you also na," said Soni, glaring. "Akash thought you had planned everything only to run away in the end."
Monia glared at Akash, her hands placed on her hips. He gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry Monia. But we've been waiting half an hour for you. We had to light the candles three times you know."
"Sorry," she said, holding her ears. "Let's cut the cake now."
She clasped his hand again, and turned around so that they both were facing the cake. In that split second, due to some impossible calculation of geometry, she noticed the unmistakable silhouette of Udayveer, looking at all of them from the door.
Monia gulped, all the moisture in her throat having evaporated to some unknown place. It was only a matter of few seconds as she looked into Udayveer's eyes, but to her it seemed like centuries. Monia had always thought that such moments were romantic in films, but she had no idea that they were so extremely painful in real life. It was as if her mind wanted to drag the moment for an eternity, and even in the distant twilight of her life, when she was old and had forgotten everything, these ten seconds would replay themselves in her mind again.
Uday's eyes were neither furious, nor betrayed. They were neither hurt nor full of rage. There were times when they seemed to possess a completely emotionless look, but there was an emotion in Udayveer's eyes, even if it was a peculiar one. It was as if he was, strangely enough, mocking her. As if telling her: What are you waiting for Maanyata? I thought you loved doing the impossible. Well then, do it. I challenge you. Won't you accept my dare? Don't you have the guts to do it? C'mon Maanyata, don't stare at me, just go ahead and-
"Cut the cake Monia. What are you waiting for?" Akash said puzzled. Monia's mind wanted her to scream: Akash, don't look at me! Look at the doorway! Look at who's standing there!But oddly enough, everyone's center of attention seemed to entirely be on Monia and the cake-and Monia's center of attraction seemed to be on Uday.
In the distant future, when Maanyata's mind would rewind the moment, it would also remember the only positive thing about the whole episode-that even though her heart was filled with fear and hate Yuvraaj Udayveer, it was also oddly enough capable of seeing through his eyes into the 'Uday' within. See Maanyata? Even your Majnu wants you to do this. Cut the cake, Maanyata. Cut the cake, and cut all hopes of me ever loving you out of your life.
Monia's heart was seized with panic. She swallowed the lump in her throat, and even though her heart was sending a thousand signals to her not to, she gave him a look of utter defiance, and brought the knife crashing down on the cake. That was it. The battle was over. Monia's mind had won-and some unknown fragile part of Uday's system had just shattered. His heart, his ego and his soul all vanishing, his brilliant criminal intelligence took over and started planning the terrible revenge he would take. It was as his scheming mind wanted to save him from the hurt animal clawing inside him.
Everyone started clapping and singing "Happy Birthday Aakash" in unison. Aakash cheerfully broke a piece of the cake and extended it towards Maanyata's mouth, but her eyes were transfixed on the door. Uday had left, but she could still see him there, exhorting her to accept his unspoken challenge.
Maanyata gave a sudden cry and rushed out of the room and down the stairs. Aakash followed her, evidently puzzled. She raced out of the building and into the streets. It was a cold January in Mumbai, and she involuntarily shivered as she scanned the surroundings for Udayveer. There was no sign of him.
You lost Maanyata, a small voice inside her said miserably. He'll never forgive you.
"Monia, what happened?" asked Aakash worriedly. "Are you okay? Did you see someone?"
For the first time in her life, she consciously ignored him, and concentrated on Udayveer instead. She looked around here and there, till she spotted him, leaning against a tree. He seemed to be shooting her a wicked grin, looking like the dark wizard in a fairy tale.
It's okay Maanyata, his eyes said again. I'll see you in the palace. Enjoy with your Majnu now-I'll have my enjoyment with you later. And no Maanyata, I cannot forgive you. I cannot forgive you, because you have not won. And you cannot be blamed for losing against me."
"Nothing, Akash," she said, exhaling, as if some deep burden had been airlifted from her chest. "I thought I saw something...but I was just imagining."
That's why you can't love him Maanyata, she thought wearily, while thinking of the disaster that awaited her in the palace. He's too good to be real.
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p.s. switching b/w Monia/Maanyata is just for typing convenience😆
