Rahul-Muskaan & Atul-Anjali Collections updt pg 51 - Page 35

Anjali… the girl who lived only in his thoughts, his dreams. His friends thought he was insane. All day he'd sit in his studio amongst his paintings, amongst his poetry, his thoughts. How could they ever understand that this was his world? This was where he wanted to be… this was where his Anjali lived…

Yuvi- (walks into the studio) Atul?

Atul- (painting)

Yuvi- Atul… (pats him on the shoulder) Oye!

Atul- (without turning) Shhh… don't ruin the ambiance yaar.

Yuvi- Arre what ambiance? Tu mujhe aaj subha coffee shop mein milne waala tha naa?

Atul- (stops painting and turns) Guilty. Sorry. (weak smile)

Yuvi- (smiles and playfully punches him on the shoulder) Chod yaar. Mujhe aadat hogayee hai. Tujhe apni "Anjali" se fursat mile tab hi toh tu kuch aur karega. (sighs and sits down on the stool nearest him) So, aaj kya paint kar raha hai? Anjali ki naak, usske haath, usske honth, usske daant? What?

Atul- (laughs lightly) Mm-hmm. Anjali ki aankhein… (moves aside to allow Yuvi a look at the completed painting)

Yuvi- (stands up, astonished) Wow…

Atul- (smiles deeply as he looks into the eyes on the canvas) Kitni gehrayee hai inn aankhon mein. Itni masoomiyat, itni sharam. Bina bole hi kitna kuch bol jaati hain. Usske dil ka aaina hai yeh aankhein.

Yuvi- Bas! Aur bolega toh mujhe hi teri Anjali se pyaar hojaayega. (laughs)

Atul- (smiles) Woh hai hi aisi.

Yuvi- (smiles at his best friend) You know, mujhe aaj tak samajh nahi aaya ki tu itna sab kuch kaise samajh sakta hai eik aisi ladki ke baare mein jo iss duniya mein hai hi nahi.

Atul- Teri duniya mein nahi hai.

Yuvi- (challengingly) Aur teri duniya mein hai?

Atul- Haan… meri duniya mein sirf Anjali hai…

Yuvi- (sighs) Fine. I forfeit. You win.

Atul- (smiles approvingly) Thank you.

Yuvi- Ab please, tu kuch time ke liye yahaan se niklega? Bohot bhook lagi hai yaar!

Atul- (looks at his watch and sets his paintbrush down) Sorry. I didn't realize ki itna time hogaya. Chal. Maria ne lunch banaa diya hoga.

Yuvi-Thank God! (drags Atul out and into the kitchen)

Night had settled in soon enough, but it was no ordinary night. It was a special night. Midnight struck… and it was his Anjali's birthday. She loved candles. She loved the way the candles glowed in the light of the moon and he loved the way her face would glow at the sight of it all. Anjali… What could he say about her? She came to him every day. Whenever he'd lose himself in his thoughts, whenever he tried to find an inspiration but lost all hope, whenever he was at a loss of words… she'd come to him. Tonight, there was no loss of words or thoughts. This night was for them. The moon shone only for them on this special night…

Illuminated by the light of the gibbous moon and a room full of glittering of candles, the studio shone like the North Star in the dark of the beautiful summer night. The old white curtains had been replaced with transparent, red ones with a touch of silver. Rose petals of red, pink, orange, and yellow lay scattered across the area of the ground, not even allowing a single inch of the gray floor to peek through. A beautiful cake sat atop the grand piano, surrounded by candles. His paintings adorned every corner of the room so he could be surrounded by her presence. His poetry lay next to the cake with a crystal paperweight on top of the fluttering pages. Now, all that was left was the guest of honor… his Anjali.

He stood waiting, wearing a white suit, knowing well that she'd be pleased with him. She always said he looked best in white… A small, faint gasp from behind him snapped him out of his thoughts, and he turned to find the object of his affections slowly taking the room in. He watched her walk slowly, gracefully as she took in every inch of the studio, as if she were seeing it for the very first time.

Could there have been a more beautiful girl? She was perfection for him. As she looked around the studio, he took in her appearance, slowly. She looked beautiful to him no matter what she wore, but tonight was different. Tonight, she wasn't in her usual jeans or sundresses. Tonight she looked like a fairy of the night, dressed in a glittering, midnight blue gown. Her hair was pulled up halfway while the rest fell down to her waist. She had finally finished absorbing the aura of the room and made her way towards Atul, shooting him one of her heart stopping smiles with twinkling eyes. At that moment, the only thing that he could think of was how easily her presence outdid the moon and stars.

Atul- (hands her the rose he was holding) Happy Birthday Anjali…

Anjali- (hugs him tight) Thank you. (kisses him on the cheek and pulls back) Tumne itna kuch…

Atul- Sirf tumhaare liye. Aaj meri life ka sabse khoobsurat din hai. (gently strokes her cheek with his thumb)

Anjali- (smiles and entwines her fingers with his) Mera bhi…

Together they walked hand in hand towards the grand piano, her head resting on his shoulder. He played "happy birthday to you" while she blew out the candles surrounding her cake. As he finished the song, he stood behind her grasping her hand while they both cut the cake.

Atul- (feeds her a piece) Happy Birthday.

Anjali- (feeds him a piece) Thank you… mera birthday itna special banaane ke liye. It's beautiful. (smiles deeply)

Atul- (kisses her forehead) You're beautiful. (bows slightly and extends his hand) May I?

Anjali- (smiles and accepts) Of course.

They danced slowly to absolutely no music. Strange as it may seem to many, it just made that much more sense with them. What could make more sense to an artist of his caliber? Here he was with a girl that the world could not see, hear, or have in its presence because she was his. She was created from his thoughts and remained there, safe from the eyes of the skeptical world. Her innocence and beauty were for his eyes alone. If he could dream up such perfection, why did he need music from reality to disturb him? His realm of dreams, his haven, was all he and Anjali needed to lose themselves to. When they danced, there was no silence.

The night was young, and in her presence, it seemed to be at a standstill. There would be no disturbances tonight. All other times when she had been with him, she'd be gone just as soon as she'd come, only staying long enough for him to get a good look at her smiling face and maybe a few words to help him focus. Strangely, that didn't matter to him. Just being able to see a glimpse of her gave him enough creative energy. She was, in a sense, his energy source, and tonight, she was giving him the chance to be with her like every year on her birthday. This was the one day they had to be with each other for as long as they wished.

He showed her his latest painting of her. The one he had just recently finished before leaving for lunch with Yuvi. In a sense, it was his gift to her. There was nothing more he could give her. She was a thought, and he gave her the best gift he could give everyday just by continuing to dream and think of her. By allowing her to stay alive in his subconscious realm.

Anjali- (smiles deeply) Meri aankhein…

Atul- Din bhar tumhaari aankhon mein nahi dekh sakta. Aise yeh hamesha mere saamne rahengi.

This night would be full of everything they had missed out on since her last birthday. She lay atop the piano, propped up on one elbow as she watched him with so much intensity playing the most beautiful score she had ever heard. So haunting yet so soothing. Both gazes locked onto each other, not once blinking for fear of missing even a single action of the other.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIB5V_FXWTs[/YOUTUBE]

Their hearts beat in harmony as they lay on the rose petal covered ground, the light of the moon casting an ethereal glow on them both. Resting her head on his arm as he pulled her close, she fit so perfectly in his embrace, breathing in the scent of the flowers. Staring at the ceiling, he recited his poetry to her and looked towards her often to watch as her smile reached all the way to her eyes. A smile that he was responsible for.

In your light I learn how to love

In your beauty, how to write poetry.

You dance inside my heart

Where no one sees you

But sometimes I do

And that sight becomes this art.

She snuggled closer to him as he played with a strand of her hair, whispering his sweet words to her. Closing her eyes for a few seconds to cherish the moment, she felt his gaze on her, his face closer to hers.

Atul- (whispers) Anjali…

Anjali- (without opening her eyes) Hmmm?

Atul- (hesitates then smiles and whispers) Can I keep you?

She opened her eyes slowly, smiling. Reaching up, she stroked his cheek. He leaned in a bit to gently place a lingering kiss on her forehead as he wrapped her in his embrace completely, never wanting to let go…

As all good things do, the night came to an end as the rays of the welcoming sun shone brightly through the transparent curtains. Last night had been a dream… his reality that was even better than a dream, but he knew well that she couldn't stay. He woke alone… she was gone and all that remained of her presence was the single rose he'd given her when she'd entered.

Slowly, he sat up sighing deeply. If only he could keep her. She was his, but at the same time, she wasn't. She belonged in the realm of his dreams. He picked up the rose and admired the delicacy of the petals. How much they resembled her… what a metaphor she was. As delicate as a rose, but better out of reach, for the thorns would surely prick a heart.

He stood and made his way towards his rather large journal so he could jot down his thoughts about the night. Carefully, he pressed the rose in the page and closed the journal. He had one for every year, but this year had been the best by far. She had stayed with him longer this year, allowing him to capture her essence in the lonely studio for the remainder of the year.

Atul- (sighs and smiles at the closed journal) Until next year…

Yuvi- Atul?

Atul- (turns around) Hey Yuvi.

Yuvi- Yeh sab kya hai? (stares incredulously at the appearance of the room) Aur tune yeh… suit kyun pehena hai?

Atul- (smiles) Aaj Anjali ka birthday hai.

That was enough for him to understand exactly what had occurred. It was the same thing every year. He'd set aside this day and lock himself in the studio for a couple hours, then come out looking satisfied and disheartened at the same time. His contradictory emotions worried him. It was extremely difficult to watch his best friend go through life depending on only his thoughts. Atul had distanced himself from the world over the years and had become quite the oblivious man. Granted, he'd always been a bit oblivious, but it had gotten worse since college.

He paid no attention to his surroundings, and seldom left his studio unless he really needed something from the "outside world." Yuvi had tried many times to get him to date. It's not like he was unattractive. Quite the contrary, he was a very handsome guy. He just failed to notice the strong effect his presence had on women because he was always lost in his Anjali, but this couldn't go on any longer. He couldn't sit around and watch Atul waste his life away like this. He needed to see the world outside of his dreams.

Yuvi- (sighs) Atul… tu kab tak aise…

Atul- Yuvi, tu toh jaanta hai ki main har saal yeh din Anjali ke se saath bitaata hoon.

Yuvi- (puts a firm hand on Atul's shoulder) Lekin kabhi toh iss sapnon ki duniya se bahar nikalna padega tujhe. Asli duniya mein, aisi koi ladki nahi hai yaar. Tu kab tak eik aisi ladki se pyaar karta rahega jo sirf khayaalon ki duniya mein rehti hai. She's not real!

Atul- (desperately) She is real, Yuvi.

Yuvi- Maybe for you, but not for the world. Main tujhe school ke dinon se jaanta hoon yaar. Aur tabse leke ab tak, tune sirf eik hi ladki se pyaar kiya hai. Anjali. Kaun Anjali? Pata nahi. Kyun? Kyunki woh eik aisi ladki hai jo teri poetry, paintings, are sapnon ki ilawa aur kahin nahi hai. Tu apne studio se bahar bhi nikalta hai toh sirf apni zaroorat ka samaan ya phir books lene ke liye. Kamre se studio, studio se kamra. Bas. Baahar nikal. Duniya dekh. The world has so much to offer you.

Atul- Yuvi, tu mujhe itne saalon se jaanta hai. Pehle toh kabhi… phir aaj yeh sab… woh bhi tab jab Anjali…

Yuvi- (frustrated) Anjali, Anjali, Anjali! Jab dekho Anjali! Atul, main toh tujhe hamesha se samjhaane ki koshish karta raha, lekin tune kabhi dhyaan nahi diya. Kyunki tujhe sirf Anjali dikhti thi. Aur kuch nahi. (hurt expression) Tujhe yeh dost bhi nahi dikhaayi diya? Atul main… darrta hoon yaar. Darr lagta hai sochke ki jab teri aankhein khulengi toh kya hoga? Koi insaan eik samay tak sapnon mein reh sakta hai, lekin kabhi toh usse jaagna padta hai. Aur jab sapne toot the hain naa, toh bohot dard hota hai. Main tujhe takleef mein nahi dekh sakta yaar. Tu… tu bhai hai mera. Mera best friend. Tere siva mera aur hai kaun?

Atul- Sapna hi sahi lekin hai toh mera. Kisi aur ka dikhaaya hua nahi, mere khud ka dekha hua sapna. (puts a reassuring hand on Yuvi's shoulder and smiles) Aur… koi apni hi cheez kyun thodega?

Yuvi- (even more frustrated) Yaar tu samajhta kyun nahi hai?! Sapna tera ho ya kisi aur ka, woh hamesha sapna hi rahega kyunki ussme koi sachaai nahi hai! Tu duniya ke har kone mein bhi jaake dekhega naa, tab bhi tujhe (points to the full painting of her face) yeh ladki nahi milegi. Yeh sirf tere khayaalon mein reh sakti hai bas. Aisi koi ladki nahi hai duniya mein. Samjha?

Atul- (strangely calm) Theek hai.

Yuvi- Kya khaak theek hai?! Tu meri baat… (stops abruptly) Maan gaya???

Atul- (smiles and leads him to a stool) Behat idhar. (Yuvi sits) Tu mujhse exactly kya chahta hai woh bataa. I promise you, I'll listen.

Yuvi- Atul, main sirf eik din maang raha hoon tujhse. Just one day. Studio se bahar nikal, enjoy kar. Meet people… namely girls, but people nonetheless. Tu young hai, intelligent hai, good looking hai, successful hai. Give yourself a chance, yaar. Please?

Atul- (uncertainly) I don't know, yaar. All this dating and all… tune pehle bhi mujhe set up karne ki koshish ki thi and I still feel really bad for those girls. Bechaari.

Yuvi- Abbey yaar chod unn sabko. I'll tell you what, let's make a deal. Tu mere saath aaj bahar chal. Be a normal guy. We live in an awesome city! Itna kuch hai karne ko yahaan. Main tujhe kisi ke saath set up nahi karoonga. No blind dates. Bas tujhe poora din studio ke bahar rehna hoga, aur agar aaj raat thak tujhe laga ki yeh duniya sach mein tere liye nahi hai, toh I promise main tujhe kabhi iss baare mein irritate nahi karoonga. Aur waise bhi, aaj Anjali ka birthday hai. Tune usske saath celebrate toh kar liye naa? Baaki ka din tu khud celebrate kar. What say?

Atul- (smiles) Deal. Chal.

They set off, in hopes to make Atul forget all about his dream world. Yuvi knew well that it would be a difficult task, but it was for his own good. Better he broke him out of there before someone else did. It would be much more painful that way, and it would hurt him just as much to see Atul in a broken state.

They'd spent a majority of their day just walking around aimlessly and enjoying the city life. They even came across a few of their friends who were completely shocked to see the guy they considered a head case, out and about. Who would have thought they'd see Atul come out of "hiding" and actually attempt at having a normal life? If that's what you'd want to call it… normal. He was trying though, but somewhere, deep inside him, he already felt like this was not his place.

Seeing the happiness on Yuvi's face made him push away all thoughts of the sort. As long as his best friend was happy, he was happy too. Or at least, he was attempting to be. He just needed to give it a chance. It was, after all, Anjali's birthday. He didn't want to upset anyone today… especially not the one person who'd stood by him through everything, even when everyone else started to drift away.

They had lunch at a nice Caf, and for once he wished he could remain oblivious to the gazing eyes of numerous women, staring at him as if he were some kind of after-lunch treat. Usually, he did a pretty good job of ignoring the wishful gazes, but today, he just felt so very exposed… like he was the center of attention or something. He felt like he was suffocating in this world. He needed an escape, desperately.

Yuvi- (snaps in front of his face) Atul?

Atul- Huh?

Yuvi- You okay dude?

Atul- (uncomfortably) Haan. Chalein? Mujhe yahaan kuch… achha nahi lag raha.

Yuvi- (sensing the discomfort) Haan chal.

They'd been having a pretty good time just hanging out and feeling like they were back in college. All those years he'd missed out on because his head was always buried in his writing. They spent a good amount of time at the beach, and he'd recognized a few people from college. They'd stopped and chatted and then they were off. Maybe this day hadn't been as bad as he'd felt. It just seemed to keep going on for too long.

Night finally rolled along and he was completely relieved and ready to get back to his studio. He just needed to get through dinner, and then he was home free. All in all, it wasn't that horrible, but Yuvi had promised him that if he didn't feel satisfied by the end of the night, then he'd never bug him about the way he lived his life ever again. He knew he couldn't take a decision prior to actually experiencing anything, but now, he'd made his decision, and there was nothing that could make him change it. This world was not meant for him and he knew it. He was certain of it by the end of the day.

Dinner had been interesting. On their way back from the beach, they'd met a couple of girls and Yuvi had so graciously invited them to join Atul and himself for dinner. So much for no blind dates. At least Yuvi had a great time. He and one of the girls, Jenifer, hit it off almost instantly. Atul was happy for him. Yuvi definitely needed someone to keep him from worrying about Atul all the time. It was a relief to know that he'd be a lot busier in the coming days… hopefully months.

The other girl was a bit too forward and seemed to take a much too quick liking to Atul, so naturally, he distanced himself. He hadn't said a word to her after a quick handshake and hello at the beach. How could anyone be so attracted to someone without even knowing anything about them? He knew for a fact, that other than his name, she didn't know anything else about him. She kept complimenting him every time Yuvi said something about what a great artist/poet he was, and though he appreciated the praise, he wished she'd just stop. It was starting to get really annoying. He could tell she was just trying to find a way in, and he wasn't about to drop any walls for this stranger. He didn't even quite remember her name. Sakshi was it? Something like that.

Finally dinner ended, and he couldn't have been happier. He just wanted to leave and be in the comfort of his own home. They all said their goodbyes… even though Yuvi took his time with Jen. Atul moved off to the side as the two bid each other good bye… a rather long one. Sakshi made her way to him possibly hoping for one last chance.

Sakshi- Hey.

Atul- (faint smile) Hi.

Sakshi- So… I had a really good time with you. (bright smile)

Atul- I'm glad. I'm sorry tumhe meri wajjah se bore hona padha. I'm not very social if you haven't noticed.

Sakshi- (smiles) Atul, mujhe pata hai ki tum itne distant kyun the. I know that look. Don't worry. I still had a good time.

Atul- (confused) Kya matlab?

Sakshi- Never mind it. I'll see you around, maybe?

Atul- (smiles) Maybe.

Sakshi- (pats him on the arm) She's a lucky girl. (smiles sincerely) Well, I think those two (points to Yuvi-Jen as they separate from a hug) are finally done. Chalti hoon. Take care.

Atul- (smiles deeply for once) I will. And Sakshi…

Sakshi- Haan?

Atul- Thanks for understanding.

Sakshi- (smiles) Bye.

Atul- Bye.

They made their way home as Yuvi animatedly told him of his new girlfriend. It hadn't come as a shock to him to hear that though. He had a feeling they'd be together after, and he was really happy for his best friend. From what he'd heard, Jen seemed like a very nice girl. She'd keep him happy.

Yuvi- So… how was your time with Sakshi? Dinner pe tu bohot quiet tha.

Atul- Achhi ladki hai, but you know better.

Yuvi- (face falls) Matlab tu abhi tak…

Atul- (sighs and smiles) Yuvi, maine tujhe promise kiya tha, and I kept it. I tried really hard, but this is the most you can get out of me. I'm really sorry yaar.

Yuvi- (sighs in defeat) Theek hai. I suppose it's only fair that I keep my end of the promise as well. At least tune try toh kiya.

Atul- (hugs him) Don't worry yaar. Main theek hoon. Pehle bhi tha, aage bhi rahoonga. Ab tu Jen ki fikar kar. I don't think she'll appreciate you giving me so much attention… kuch ghalat na samajhle. (both laugh) Achha, tu ghar jaa. I have to stop by the bookstore really quick before it closes. I've been meaning to get this one book.

Yuvi- Main chaloon tere saath?

Atul- Nahi koi baat nahi. Tu ghar jaa. I'm sure Jen is expecting a goodnight call. (smiles)

Yvui- (smiles) Yeah, she is. Okay then, see you tomorrow.

Atul- Bye.

The bookstore was located a mere 5 minutes from his studio. It was the only place other than his own home that he could actually find some solace in. He'd desperately been waiting for the day to come to an end so he could go in there, just to be surrounded by words for a good 10 minutes, and at last he was where he wanted to be. Enjoying the scent of brand new books he walked in and headed towards the Poetry section. He really did need to buy a specific book, but mostly, he'd come because he needed to calm his tensed nerves. The day that should have been the best day ever turned out to be one of the worst… well, except for the long hours he'd spent with Anjali. Those were moments that had instantly etched themselves in his memory.

Anjali… his Anjali. He smiled thinking about her and the moments that had passed. No matter what anyone said, she did exist. For him…

Slowly, he browsed through the sections, Art being the first. After a good 10-15 minutes, he'd finally decided on a book and headed off to the last section… Poetry. This was the section that he could sit in forever. He was surrounded by the words of famous traditional and non-traditional poets from all over the world. He could breathe the essence of poetry here and not have to worry about ever falling short of breath. This was his world. The world where Anjali lived.

Picking up the book he'd originally gone in for, he turned to leave, but went colliding into another. Strangely, that person had a familiar scent. Something he recognized far too quickly. Jasmines. The soft scent of jasmines. She'd bent down to help him pick up his books and as her hand brushed his, he felt that very familiar spark. Her hands as soft as the petals of a rose.

Taking a chance he lifted his gaze to meet the eyes of that familiar person and chuckled inwardly. Yuvi was wrong. She did exist in this world, just as flawless as she was in his world. She had the same large, almond shaped eyes that shone like the stars. Her hair long and dark, falling to her waist. The same soft smile playing on her lips as she handed him his book. She was real… everything about her was real.

Almost as if she felt the same unbreakable connection he felt, her eyes stayed transfixed on his handsome face. It was as if she knew him, but there was no way. It was a chance encounter. She'd never seen or met him prior to this encounter, so why did she feel as if he had a recurring appearance in her life?

Hesitantly they stood, gazes locked on each other. Neither daring to speak for fear of it merely being a dream. He seemed familiar to her somehow, and she was the bane of his existence. They said nothing, but spoke through only silence… until they were forced apart by the sound of the clock. 15 minutes until midnight… her birthday would be over, but she'd gifted him herself in return for everything.

Atul- (smiles and extends his hand) Atul.

Girl- (snaps out of her daze and smiles, accepting) Anjali…

That was all it took. From the moment the name left her lips, the world seems to come at a standstill. His world… that name sealed his fate. The girl who stood in front of his eyes was no dream. It was his Anjali.

Atul- (smiles and takes a chance) Happy Birthday… (raises her hand to his lips and places a gentle kiss)

Anjali- (shocked) Aapko kaise…

Atul- (smiles softly) Lucky guess.

Anjali- (laughs lightly) Lucky, indeed, and just in time. Sirf 10 minutes bache hain.

Atul- (leans in a little) 10 minutes are more than enough to celebrate. Shall we?

She smiled deeply. Somewhere deep inside she knew that this encounter was not by chance. She'd met him before. She knew him. He was familiar in so many ways. She knew she could trust him but couldn't really explain why. Most would find it odd that she had agreed to go with this random guy she had just met and had barely known for longer than 5 minutes, but something inside her just knew that he was no stranger.

They left the bookstore, hand-in-hand. Neither knowing exactly what it was that drew one to the other. He knew she existed in his world and finding her in this world was no coincidence, that too on her birthday. Something told him that a year from now, he'd still be with her, in this world, whispering once again… "Can I keep you?" and this time she wouldn't leave. They both silently thanked the stars for guiding them that night. That fateful night… when dreams became reality.

- Well, this was it. I wanna thank Jen and Sakshi for annoying the crap out of me to write, and so I did. Hope you enjoyed it, and even if you didn't, PLEASE leave your comments, positive or negative. Thanks!