Hi guys!! Its been a long time again. We actually had a part ready for 2 weeks which I was going to work on but I can never seem to find the time so I am just going to post it as is and work harder on the next part. Its a very simple, overly pensive part actually!! I hope you guys don't find it too dull. But if you do, we promise that the next part will be more exciting for sure as the wedding festivities and fun will be starting. But do comment and let us know what you think...
Its been over a month without RM together on the show but we are trying to keep them alive through our stories until they are together again.. hopefully sometime soon... Part 3She came out of her thoughts just as Sukirti snapped her fingers in front of her face.
Everyone at the table was now looking at her with concern.
Muskaan - Arre kuch nahin yaar.. Just tired!
Muskaans thoughts - Ok. Ab sab ko patha chal jayega. Nahin!! I can't let that happen. I just need to distract myself. But no.. I have to talk to him eventually. I should think of ways to seem like everything is cool. Otherwise, I will be all flustered when I do bump into him. Ok.. soch Muskaan.. soch..
Sukirti not completely convinced - Ok.. if thats it then.. thats fine I guess.
Riddhima - Nikki aur Abhi kahan hain? Maine to sunah tha ke voh dinner thak aa jayenge.
Sukirti - I know. I want to see the lovely beeming couple. Its been so long and how are all of us here without them when they live in this country.
Armaan interjects looking directly at Riddhima the whole time as he gets up to leave to look for Rahul as he hadn't been seen by anyone since his story telling period.
Armaan - Oh.. tumhe patha nahin hai.. woh tho delayed ho gaye the. Kal aa rahein hain.
Anjali - Ok. You guys sit and wait for them till tomorrow. I am done with dinner. I am going to bed..
Atul was listening to their conversation intently.
Atul - Main bhi chaltha hoon tumare saath!!
Anjali - WHAT?!
Atul - Umm.. mera matlab tha ke.. tum akeli.. aur is ..
Anjali - Whatever!!
Anjali rolls her eyes and turns to walk away when Atul jumps up abruptly causing a lot of noise as the chair scraped on the floor and the table rattled with the half empty dishes. Everyone snickered watching this spectacle.
Muskaan wanted to flee from here also.. but did not want to disturb whatever interactions were to happen with Anjali and Atul. She could tell as so could everyone else how Atul was smitten with Anjali.
Sukirti - I am so tired from the flight and jet lag and all but sonay ka man hi nahin kar raha.
Riddhima - Mujhe bhi nahin... magar kal humein bohot kaam karna hai.. aur hume ghar ko bhi sajana hai, sangeet toh dho din main hai, na?
Muskaan - You are right. Chalthe hain.. jaldi se...
Muskaan picking up all the dishes in a hurry dropping food on herself and the table.
Sukirti - Whats the jaldi for? The beds will be there when we go up.. Muskaan tujhe ho kya gaya hai? Tu toh hum sab main se kitni excited thi aur ab tujhe jaldi se sonay ki lagi hai?
Muskaan could not help but shrug. How could she explain this to her cousins when she never mentioned him before? They would never understand.
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After all that rush and finally feeling safe inside their room, Muskaan could not sleep as she realized there was no real safety anywhere as long her mind worked. She gets up and out of bed which she shared with Sukirti trying her best to be quiet. She walks over to the window and looks out to the expansive backyard which is semi done up. In the center of the yard is a gorgeous lit up gazebo with movement noted.
He turned around and looks up at the sky. She knows that profile anywhere.. it was etched in her mind. She knew she should move away before she is spotted staring but she can't resist watching him. It had been so long since she really had a look besides the handful of pictures she kept in the bottom of her drawer.
His gaze drifts down to the house and right past the window where she is. But then double takes back.
Her heart beat racing like nothing.
Muskaans thoughts - OMG. Why didnt i move? What must he be thinking?
There was no wave, no smile, no acknowledgement.. but just that powerful gaze again.
He finally blinks and looks down after several minutes because of a noise he heard in the darkness and then gets pounced by Atul..
Finally a moment to exit. Muskaan moves away from the window..
Atul- Kya dekh raha tha?
Rahul - Umm.. woh me..
He looks back up and no one is there.
Rahul - Umm.. kuch nahin.. ab chal..
Atul just raises and furrows his eyebrows in true concern as he has never seen him so serious.
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Sleep came easier than expected for him as he was exhausted from the day of fixing up the house. Even though he had been trying hard not to think of her since she arrived, he closed his eyes and the first thing he saw was her face.. And he drifted right into a deep dream filled slumber where all their interactions from the past surfaced without any hesitation after years and years or suppressing them.
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Muskaan on the other hand barely slept. In the morning, she felt sick and felt she looked even worse than she felt as she sat at the mirror carefully covering up dark circles with makeup. Usually she would not be so intent on beautifying herself for breakfast but things were different now. This was no longer a fun and carefree break from medical school for all the girls. Well maybe for everyone else but she was getting less sleep here than she did while studying for and taking her finals. This was going to take work and careful thinking and processing to go smoothly without any problems. She got up from the table and walked downstairs to join everyone for breakfast as she was the last to get ready. She needed time to herself anyway to prepare herself for the inevitable.
She closed her eyes and signed bracing herself for his presence when she entered the dining room again and after taking a look around she noted he was missing again but everyone else was there. She exhaled with relief but could not help but wonder if this was intentional absence on his part.
Breakfast went by without a hitch while everyone discussed the events of the week with excitement. Today was still a day for cleaning and decorating while they awaited the couple to be happily married from their own jobs. Since they would be leaving for their honeymoon for 2 weeks right after the wedding night they could not afford to take any extra days off work.
Everyone spread out throughout the house. Music and laughter was filling the house as the hours went by and Muskaan was happy for this as it distracted her from the annoyance that had been picking at her since she had arrived here. She knew the worst of it would be the initial interaction/conversation and she almost wished they had talked when they first saw each other but both of them were in too much of a shock then. She missed him during the meals and she did not want to go seek him out as how would that look to him. But she was so tempted as she already had practiced what she was going to say in her mind many times. She felt secure and content with this preparation and was thus able to enjoy the day.
She was paired up with Atul this morning and that was a plus as he was keeping her entertained with his talks of Anjali. Muskaan wondered how someone could fall for someone so quickly. Atul wanted advice and she tried her best to tell him to be patient but that did not seem enough for him. He was helpful with the decorating as she kept losing her balance as she was climbing all over chairs and ladders and he was there to hold onto.
Atul happens to see Anjali walk by and starts after her right as Muskaan climbs to the top the ladder. She starts decorating the windows and looks around to see no one there. For a second she freaks out but then thinks she is almost done. Unfortunately, this last string of flowers and drapes she had to put up was tricky and this time she did again almost fall but then put her arm out which was caught by something.
She thanked God that she did not fall but immediately felt a shock and realized it was flesh and bone she was holding onto but then realized it must be Atul.
Muskaan - Good timing, Atul. Thanks!
She tried to let go and stand but he does not let go. So she finally turns around and it felt like she had slipped into an alternate reality. She felt goosebumps slowly make their way up her arm and then down her spine. She felt each new bump as it was created in this moment of surreal existence. As she kept her gaze upon his eyes, she wasn't aware of how much time had passed before she noticed that she was still leaning awkwardly with her arm still being held by him. She came out of the trance.
Muskaan whispers - Rahul?
Rahul - Hmm.
They shook their heads slightly while looking everywhere but at each other and she leaned back trying to fix herself up. He was trying to play it cool like she was just another person.
Rahul - Fancy meeting you here.
Muskaan - Ya..
Rahul - So.. how are you?
Muskaan - Good.
Rahul - Thats good.
Muskaan - You?
Rahul - Good. So how are your parents?
Muskaan - Good. Yours?
Rahul - Ya, also Good. Hmm.. ok then i will let you get back to your.. whatever.
Muskaan - Ok. See you.
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As Rahul walked away he mouthed 'what the heck?'
Rahul was disgusted in what happened. He was just walking by and knew she was there but thought he would just stroll past her. He had been trying all morning to avoid her as it was bad enough that she was there in his dreams all night. He could not escape and the encounter was very disappointing. No thanks or welcomes. No acknowledgment of a past. That was it. His first thought was to say something full of acid. Something that would cut clear to the core…but there was really nothing that he could say that would not make him appear bitter. And, it would be immature at this point. And what did he really expect from her though?
He wanted to scream 'Why did you leave me like the way you did?' and wanted an apology 'I am sorry i never called you.'
His thoughts even surprised him. He hadn't thought of any of this for so many years. And definitely did not want to dwell on it now. She was just another girl now. Thats it. Thats all she will ever be. There is no way he is letting this get to him. He was too busy having to study for his own exams in law school right now and this wedding of one of his best friends had to come right before them so trying to balance both was straining enough.
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Muskaan cringed at the encounter as soon as he walked away. She had planned a much more fluent conversation in her head many times since yesterday and this is what came out. After some time she finally calmed down and felt more relaxed as it was over. She saw him. They said 'Hi' and 'Hello'. The worst was over and now she could go back to her regular life and try her best not to talk to him too much during her stay here although she was very intrigued as to what he was up to in all this time. They had literally no contact for years and that was mostly her fault. She just closed her eyes for a second and their last encounter appeared in front of her. But then the melody of her phone rang and disturbed her thoughts..
She looked at her phone and sighed. Akshay again.
She never called him back and on top of that he had called 3 times this morning but she was too preoccupied. Now she was going to go back to reality and out of this dream world.
She picked up and before she could even finish a 'Hello' she was interrupted.
Akshay - What is this?
Muskaan - Sorry!
Akshay - Kya sorry? I thought you would call me back.
Muskaan - Yes I know but ..
Akshay - But what? Is this how you treat someone you love?
Muskaan thinking - Someone I love?
Muskaan - I said sorry . If you would just let me explain.
Akshay - There is no explanataion needed. Its obvious. You are having fun with the girls or did you meet another guy already. This is why I wanted to come.
Muskaan - Kya? Do you have no trust in me? You think thats the kind of girl I am? This is so insulting..
He was aways insecure but she could not take the insults anymore and finally said something back. Unfortunately it was over the phone.
There was some awkward silence for a bit.
Akshay - Maine aisa kahan ... ok sorry jaan..
Muskaan - Sorry se sab kuch theek nahin ho jaye ga.. Mujhe jaana hai .. Bye!
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She was about to sit and figure out what just happened on the phone and before the phone call but she heard noises of excitement. Abhi and Nikki were here.
Finally.. it was about time something good happened...
Current Affairs
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