Yayyy... Finally no sling! And to celebrate that, here comes the next chapter. Though wrote it day before yesterday, but couldn't find enough time to post.
This chapter is for Shrujani, and Minho.( Sorry I don't know your real name!)
Chapter 2
Looking at the sun
" Shravan are you ready?" Papa shouted from downstairs, " jaldi Karo, guests aane shuru ho chuke hai!"
Again these big fat parties! So called well wishers, so called friends! But I had attended many parties like this, and had already become pro at keeping fake smile on my face!
I dragged me or should I say my body to downstairs, pasting a plastic smile. My father seemed proud, seeing me, " here comes my son! Shravan!" I smiled broadly, " he never loses!" He continued.
My mother came there with her friends, friends with their daughters, prospective brides! I smiled at them too! I needed to be cordial, after all I had been trained of being a good, obedient son!
" Come beta, this is Shanaya. Mrs Chowla, unki beti, this is Tara, Mrs Khanna ki beti...And so on! I had met dozens of girls, with heavy make up, clingy dresses, and of course mind of a rabbit!
" Hey Shravan." Urvashi Greywal, one of my foremost torments in these parties came straight to me, and snaked her hand with mine. A small smirk playing on her lips, as if she was trying to prove a point!
" Hello Urvashi!" I gritted my teeth, and tried to free my hand from her's. But of course it was Urvashi, she wasn't that girl, who would just catch the signs and leave me! She secured my hand more possessively!
" Come with me no, Shravan!" She had already been drinking! " Shravan.." her lips formed a peculiar form, while pronouncing my name, it made me want to puke. Disgusting! She was always ready to throw her on me!
" Baad mein Urvashi, why don't you wait at the bar counter, I will be there, in a minute!"
She seemed a little surprised, as I indicated the bar counter, she knew I never drank, nor I would!But still she obliged.
The party continued at it's own pace, everything was perfect, many people congratulated who ,my father introduced to me, and I forgot their names instantly! But nothing to worry about though, these people would come around in our next party!
After couple of rounds of shaking hands, I looked at my watch, ohh it was nine, only an hour had passed! Feeling suffocated, with all these people, so decided to be on my own, I took a glass of blueberry Moscow mule cocktail, and went towards the balcony, which was surrounded by curtains. Which most probably, nobody noticed.
I sat there looking at the moon, at it's fallen light, and a face sparkled in front of my eyes, " kabhi kabhi selfish hona achcha hota hai!" Her words muted the cacophony, behind me! I didn't know, when I got out from that place running straight to parking lot.
I wheeled away from there, trying to find some tranquil, roaming around the city for almost an hour! My phone kept ringing every now and then, flashing papa, and Mom. But I didn't respond, " kabhi kabhi selfish hona achcha hota hai!" Why did she tell this to me! For God sake, we had met only twice, that too for a short period! She asked the exact questions, which I wish she hadn't! She was just a twenty three years old girl, who, couldn't even put on her belt correctly! But she saw through me! In my twenty seven years of life, she was the only one, who understood my inner turmoil, just like that! I wish I had her number, at least I could talk to her! I sighed, and stopped the car! It was already ten, now I had to go back to my own personal hell. Surely my sudden disappearing act had incurred the wrath of my father!
Taking a turn from the nearest side-turn which was almost empty by now. I shifted gears. But suddenly, some stray dogs, came in front of the car barking, my car came to a screeching halt, as I pressed the brakes infront of an apartment complex.
" Dogs" . Just when I released my clutch to move, I saw a girl came running out of the apartment complex.
" Chup chup! Aise nahin chillate, line se baitho sab ko milega!" For any means,could it be Suman,my heart swelled up with hope! I looked at her through my side mirror. The girl was wearing shorts and a loose Tee, giving biscuits to the dogs! Her back side was at me, so I couldn't see her face. But hoping a miracle, I got out of my car, and with small step, went near.
" Ms Tiwari?"
She almost jumped at my voice, and all the dogs turned towards me, might be sensing some attack! I stopped, there, at least I wasn't ready to fight dogs, to meet a girl!
" Mr Malhotra!" She turned with a knowing smile, "Aap yahan?"
" Yes, just ...Waise aap yahan kya kar rahi hai!"
" I live here" she pointed to the complex.
" Here!"
" Yes, actually my uncle lives in US with his family, flat Khali pada tha! Main yahan aa rahi hoon, sunke unhone kaha ki main yehi par rahoon!"
" Okay!"
" Par aap yahan kaise! Aaj to party haina appke wahan!"
" Aapko kaise pata?"
" Woh humari publication ki chief editor bhi invited Hain aapke party mein so...Par aap yahan kaise!"
"Woh main, aise hi!" I so wanted to say, that you told me to be selfish sometimes, I was just obeying you! " Aap itni raat ko bahar kya kar rahi hai Ms Tiwari, yeh Delhi hai, safe nahin hai!"
She smiled her zillion dollars smile, "bhukh lagi thi isiliye.." she stopped, " actually aaj office se der se nikli thi! Itni bhookh lagi thi ki ghar aate hi jaldi se fresh ho liya! Aur fir yaad aya, ki ghar pe khane ko kuch hai hi nahin! To woh samne" she pointed at a shop, " dukan se biscuits kharid k le ayi, aur ye sare aa gaye!"
" Sab to inhi ko de Diya, khud Kya khayengi?" I paused, looking at her, " Maine bhi kuch nahin khaya, mere sathe chalengi?" Hoping her to say yes, I crossed my fingers, in my mind.
" But aap ke wahan party Hai, aapne kuch nahin khaya!" She seemed genuinely surprised! " Thik hai let's go! Mujhe bahut zoro ki bhukh lagi hai!" She said, caressing her tiny tummy.
" Okay, let's go!" I said smiling. How could she look so good just in shorts, and Tee.
" I'll beat you to the car." Giggling she ran.
We stopped infront of a restaurant nearby. " Ms Tiwari, aap table select kijiye, main park karke aata hoon."
" Okay but come fast!" She said.
We had, mixed chowmin and chili chicken, at this time, they only could manage this two dishes.
"Aap diet nahin karti!" I asked, after we finished our food.
"Diet... Matlab woh salads n all!"
" Normally ladkyian karti hai! To stay fit! Aapko dekhke lagta nahin ki aap apna diet control nahin karti! You are quite fit!"
" Thank you for the compliment, but mere Ghar mein diet ka naam lungi na, Maa mujhe Ghar se nikal denge!" She laughed," aur waise bhi, what do we learn from cows, buffalos and elephants, it's impossible to reduce weight, by eating green, and salads and walking! So I don't even try!"
...And I burst into laughter, she joined me too! "You are something Suman, really!"
" I know, I am the best!"" She stopped abruptly, "aap hanste huge achche lagte Hai Mr Malhotra, you should laugh more!"
"Bahut saalon baad hansa hoon main aise Suman, bahut saalon baad!"
"You know Mr Malhotra, aapki aankhein bahut pyaari hai! Par problem bhi hai, sab kuch sach sach bata bhi deti hai!" She pointed at my eyes, then only I realised, that a lone tear had escaped, without my consent.
"Problem woh nehi hai, it just you Suman..." Suman, I didn't know, when I started calling her by her name, "sorry Ms Tiwari.."
"Uhunnn it's okay, you can call me Suman!" So the problem is with me!"
I smiled, at her curiosity, "woh..."
"Sir, we are running out of time..So sorry to disturb you, but.." the server interrupted.
"It's okay, humara bhi ho hi gaya hai!" She stated. She got up,while I paid for the food.
" You know Mr Malhotra, next time the treat is on me! Aaj bhi de sakti thi, par jaldi jaldi mein sirf biscuits k liye hi paise lekar niche ayi thi!"
"It's okay, Suman." So I could expect a next time, I made a little celebration in my mind.
"So Mr Malhotra, bye then.." she again smiled her zillion dollars smile! But I was not ready to say bye to her, I really didn't want to go back to that house.
"Kya hua, Mr Malhotra, you alright?" She asked might be looking at the uncertainty on my face.
"Nothing...Bye..." I turned unwillingly, just to be turned towards her again, "Suman..." I fumbled, she waited for me to complete, "Jana zaroori hai kya! I mean..."
"It's already 12, Mr Malhotra, aapke gharwale aapko dhoond rahe hinge!"
"Tumne kaha tha na, kabhi kabhi selfish hona achcha hota hai, so I want to be selfish, I know, bass do hi din ki mulakat mein, aise..." I couldn't see into her eyes, but I could feel her looking at me.
"Chaliye mere sath..." She said.
"Come on in Mr Malhotra..."
I hesitated, it was me who wanted to be with her, but suddenly, at this time, in an empty apartment with her, my morale wasn't agreeing with me.
Again sensing my hesitation, she said, "chaliye..."
"Kahan.." She was holding a chatai and two pillows in her hand, and of course wearing her smile.
"Terrace pe..."
"Terrace, abhi?" It was already 12.30.
"Chalooo..." She grabbed my hand and pulled me with her! Only my heart knew, it was the pull, that my heart needed, it was the touch my heart longed, but my lawyer mind alerted me, I met this girl only, two days ago! How could I want her, this much! Infatuation, I concluded! But at this age!
"Stop arguing Mr Malhotra..."
"What!" Flabbergasted I looked at her, then only I realised, I was at the terrace.
"Stop arguing, on whatever you are, Mr Malhotra." She pointed towards my head.
"Am I that obvious!"
"No it's me, observing power Mr Malhotra, observing power!"
She spread the chatai on the floor of terrace and put the pillows on it. " Come"
I took off my shoes, and sat beside her, looking at her, she was looking like an angel in this moonlit terrace, her ivory skin was sparkling, and her deep brown iris somehow tinted as red in this light! Assuming my stare, she looked at me, and wiggled her brows, "Kya..Upar dekho..."
And what I saw was breath taking! Black sky, lit with moonlight, and hundred thousands of stars. I had never seen so many stars together!
"Mesmerizing isn't it!" She sighed.
"Beautiful! I have never seen, this many stars!"
"Hmmm! Waise aapko kya pasand Hai, stars, moon k sun" She and her weird questions!
"Moon!"
" Hmmm"
"Tumko?"
"Mujhe moon utna pasand nahin, I mean its beautiful par, actually moon k pass apna kuch nahin! Roshni hai woh bhi udhar ki!" She smiled at me,"am I little odd Mr Malhotra?"
" No you are different!" I looked at her in awe! "Par pyaar sab Chand se hi karte Hai, nahin? Saare poems, stories sab Chand pe hi to hote hai, aur tumhi socho, agar Chand na hota to raat ko roshni kaun deta!"
I had met many people in my life, everyone had their own ways of thinking. But her mind was something different, so unpredictable, so fascinating!
"Sawal yeh kabhi nahin hona chahiye, ki Chand ko kaun pasand karta hai, sawal yeh hona chahiye, Chand kya pasand karta hai, nahin? Kya pata, raat ko roshni dete dete woh thak gaya ho!" Then she paused, "logon ko Chand isiliye pasand hai kyunki woh soft hai, Suraj ki tapish nahin hai usmein, aur of course raat ko roshni bhi deta hai! Aakhir patthar hai, dusro ko khush bhi to karna padta hai! Par Suraj, jalne ki taqat rakhta Hai, usse kisi aur ko khush karne ki zaroorat hi nahin hoti!"
The truth hit like the sunrays, making their own way through the cracks and holes of my well preserved walls.
Yeh kuch zyada ho gaya Kya, like pravachan types! A long and boring one!
But still will be waiting to know your views, it's a long update, so really hope you people read it all!
PS couldn't reply to all your comments, will do, with this chapter's.
Edited by Itssanjh - 8 years ago
Fan Fictions
Anupamaa
