--You & Me Meant to Be-- Pt 7- 05/06 pg 7 - Page 4

Being Sunday Suhaani had been at the school building to complete one of her paintings which she needs to finish to complete interiors of a house as a part of her interior designing course internship...she is already delayed in completing the interiors...she just have few hours before she & Shruti will go on to see few building for the school ...

She was so engrossed in finishing her painting that she didn't realized someone observing her, the person standing at some distance behind was watching her draw and paint...The observer watched her leaning casually against the open door of the building with his arms crossed over his chest...

Being art lover himself Dev cudn't help but admire her perfect brush strokes as her dexterous hands skillfully captured the sea, the sky, the rocks on her canvas... Was it Fate or Attraction or his feet had mind of their own... he simply doesn't know, he was about to knock at the door but he stopped to watch her and got lost in the beauty of her seascape or was it the beauty of her outline...She looked as fresh as a morning flower... hair tied in a ponytail...with her hands busy giving strokes to her painting...

As Dev slowly walked towards her, skin of her neck prickled with awareness! ...she abruptly turned around with such a force surprising herself & Dev...making both of them fall on floor...with her on top...& smudging her painted hands on Dev's white shirt...

Suhaani (flustered)"Aap ??

It took a moment for Suhaani to compose herself & realize who her surprise visitor is... He looked younger and less formidable this morning... in casual white shirt & jeans, his wind-tousled hair making him look boyish and carefree...not a suited booted businessman she is seen uptil now...

Dev on other hand... checked her out from close quarters the flush on her cheeks looked adorable...silky dark hair which got untied & fell in pretty waves on her lovely neck and shoulders...framing a pretty face with perfect features... cant help but just stare at the b'ful face, the eyes... they were the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen...these eyes have haunted him in his dreams since the party night... Seeing him just staring at her & not responding...she looked up in his eyes... as their eyes met, she had felt something...their eyes had exchanged some secret converse which she herself didn't understand but could only feel it in the goosebumps on her flesh and her quickened heartbeat... she felt the same strange emotions like the party night... She was confused, flustered and totally at a loss!...

She made a move to get up only to be pulled back with a stronger pull as her hair got entangled in his shirt button...she tried her best to entangle with her shivering hands it was then Dev initiated to help her...as it got untangled flustered she got up...

Dev standing up stared at her smile, bemused by the complete change in her personality every time he meets her...sometimes she is shy, timid, nervous around him...sometimes she is confident, feisty, angry...

Suhaani was about to tuck her hair, Dev stopped her by catching her hand...as she gave confused look he pointed at her paint covered hands...she wud have coloured her hair...instead he tucked her hair behind her ear...

Suhaani (moved back a little...composing herself)--Aap yahan kaise?? (confused seeing him just smiling...repeated her question) Hello!! (waving her hand ) excuse me aap yaha kar rahe hai ??

Dev (coming out of thots)--- I was so wrong tumhe gatecrashing ki nahi...bhoolne ki bimari hai...incase you have forgotten...yeh building meri hai...& main jab chahe yaha aa sakta hoon...& You cant stop me...

Suhaani (sternly)"ofcourse I can, kyunki abhi tak maine jagah khali nahi ki, its still my school...aap aise bina bataye...

Dev (ignoring her words moved towards the painting)"By the way...nice painting...must say you are good with painting...ur brush storkes...&

Suhaani (interrupting)"mujhe maska laga rahe hai...aapko lagta hai, aap aise tariff karenge aur main building chod dungi...

Dev(smiled)"main tariff karu na karu building toh aapko chodni hi hai... but I genuinely feel you are good with the art... Once art gallery opens wont mind hiring you as a artist...

Suhaani (sarcastically)"Dats so sweet!! Waise meri painting itni achi lagi...toh school ko yahi tehne dijiye...

Dev (sighed)"wish I cud do so...(smiled) iske alawa aap jo chahe maang sakti hai...infact I have a offer for you...

Suhaani (irritated) -what?? Dat I join the art gallery but leave the building... (moved towards to keep the brushes aside)

Dev (laughed)"Not exactly... (in a serious tone) My offer is simple, its just main aapke liye dusri jagah dhund deta hoon...just vacate the building before scheduled 1 month...coz I am afraid main aapko 1 mahine se ek din extra nahi de paunga...

He didn't want to reveal the real reason...after his showdown last night with Nishikant Kapoor, Dev knows he will never allow the school to stay here a day extra, Nishikant had already told him that he will drag the school, the girl, Mrs. Saxsena everyone to court for illegally residing here...& not only he will make them vacate the building but will make them pay triple the rent for extra 6 months they have been here...or simply he will close down the art gallery project, which Dev didn't want to happen...only he knows how he convinced her for this one month...if it had been his way...Nishikant wud have thrown out Suhaani & school the moment lease ended ...

Suhaani (apprehensive)"aur aap meri help kyun karenge...

Dev (Somberly)"coz main nahi chahta aapka yeh school band ho...main nahi chahta jo bache yaha seekhte hai meri wajah se unke sapne toote...jo bache yaha is art ko seekhte hai who surely is art se bahut pyaar karte honge & I don't want meri wajah se who is sabse door hojaye... jo hum karna chahte hai who na kar pana, ussi se door hona bahut mushkil hota hai...(Suhaani just gave a surprised look...how serious, lost & sad he sounded)

Suhaani"aap??

Dev (composing himself)"Anyways, So do you mind If I look out for a new place... (seeing her confused) & don't think this is my offer as a owner ...aur main yeh sab sirf aapko yaha se nikalne ke liye kar raha hoon...

Suhaani (confused)-Toh phir kisliye...

Dev (smiled)"you really wanna know the reason?? (she nodded yes) to come in your good books...

Suhaani (gaped)"what??

Dev (laughed)"yeahh...abhi tak you think of me as a callous & unfeeling person (repeating what she had said at coffee meet)...I just want to change my image...

Suhaani (embarrassed)"I...I didn't meant that...I was ...

Dev (coming closer) -dat means you have a different opinion...

Suhaani not answering looked down how cud she tell she had been impressed of him on the party night itself, how he helped her... no matter how she might have fought with him for asking her to shut down school & leave the building...but he has not been wrong anywhere its his building, he is the owner he has the right... infact he has just been helpful for giving her time, inspite of his father sending them eviction notice he supported her...

Dev (moved closer repeating his question) -So, you think I am not dat bad...& good enough for friendship

Suhaani (surprised)"huh?? (Dev smiled at her favourite "huh") I mean...No...

Dev (confused)"Means I am Bad...

Suhaani (instantly)"Nahi...I mean you are good...par (confused) mujhse hi dosti kyun...

Dev (smiled)"kyun? Kyunki mujhe lagta hai...ache logo ko ache logon se dosti karleni chaiye...& since you already accepted I'm good...aur tum khud toh Good ho hi...(Dev cud notice blush creeping into her cheeks) toh dosti karne mein problem nahi hai ...Right...

Suhaani cud easily read it in his eyes ... its not mere friendship he asking for...she can already make out... & she knows they can't be together he a son of big business tycoon, initially at party she wasn't aware but now she knows how popular & influential he is...& no matter she might be attracted to him...still she cant ignore how different they are from each other...in status, society everything...they are no match anywhere ... what if he is just fooling around...everything is just a plan for him she just shudn't take it seriously ...her thoughts broke when she heard

Dev (moved closer in a serious tone)"Jo tum soch rahi ho who sahi hai... (suhaani gave a surprised look) don't be surprised, tumhari aankhen sab bata deti hai...wanna confess us din party mein bhi inhi aankhon ne apni taraf khicha tha mujhe...jab pehli baar dekha tha since then, I knew we belonged to each other...kyun, kaise mujhe pata tha...I don't know, sirf itna pata hai that since then I wanted us to be together, felt like you were the one Had been searching all along, you were the missing piece in my life, but just because I like you...I don't want to force you to accept me...isliye I asked about being friends... let it take as a day as it comes... Sach janne ke baad bhi is it a NO!! coz you cant deny ...you didn't felt anything...(teased) as I said tumhari aankhen bahut bolti hai...tumse bhi zyada...So, is it a Yes then?? (he was surprised to see her smiling) What??

Suhaani suddenly broke into laughter...composing herself but still smiling...

Suhaani (moved back creating a distance b/w them) -aapko main shakal se bewakuf lagti hoon...(Dev gave a confused look) aur agar lagti hoon then you are absolutely wrong!!! (serious voice) Aapko kya laga, aap aise yaha aaenge, mujhse yeh sab kahenge & like all other girls as I'm sure aapne yeh lines bahuto ko kahi hogi, many girls wud fall for you...& like them I will fall for it too...toh aapki galatfehmi hai...Kyunki mujhe na is tarah ke ladke pasand hai...na is tarah ka mazak... (she turned to leave)

Dev (made her turn back grabbed her elbow, his fingers digging into her soft skin)" tumhe yeh sab mazak lag raha hai??

Suhaani (firmly)"Mazak nahi toh aur kiya hai Mr.Dev, just think yourself... kal tak aap mujhse is building ke liye lad rahe the, aaj aap mujhe aakar kehte hai you like me...hume dost banna chaiye...which is not possible, kaha aap kaha main...hum mein sirf ek hi rishta hai, owner & tenant who bhi kuch dino mein khatam hojaega, us din party mein hum galti se mile the aur

Dev --& since then I feel You & me are meant to be together...

Suhaani"together, are you crazy...chaliye ek baar ke liye main maan leti hoon aap serious hai, aap mazaak nahi kar rahe...still think of it, aap mujhe jante hi kitna hai that you can be so sure you like me... we two are no match nowhere, hum dono alag hai...We two belong to different worlds...Aap ek amir ghar se hai...a big personality log aapko jante hai...& Me (turned other way) we don't match to be friends even...(she made a move to walk away) aap ki duniya alag hai aur meri alag... Aap jo chahte hai dats not possible

Dev"Agreed we are different...manta hoon hum dono ki duniya alag hai... its not my fault if I'm rich ...still inspite of that somewhere I feel we shud be together...main yeh bhi manta hoon, ki hum ek dusre ko nahi jante that's why I said lets be frnds & take a day as it comes... & prove me wrong you didn't felt anything for me... & if you want you can deny too, par koi faida nahi as I said, tumhari aankhein tumse zyada bolti hai... (turned to leave) mujhe jo kehna tha maine keh diya...aage tumhari marzi... tum confused hogi...but I am very clear I want to give a chance to both of us...main puri zindagi is afsos mein nahi rehna chahta...ki meri zindagi mein pyaar aaya aur maine use jaane diya... I am sure...I want to know you more...& I don't want to be wrong about you...I want to know the real Suhaani...I enjoy fighting with you...there's an excitement about it... you make me smile when I don't want to... you make me ache and I don't want to do that either...(before leaving he turned back) & yes you were right Many girls do fall for me, there are many who want to be with me... issiliye nahin ke woh mujhse pyaar karti hai...ya maine unko jake yeh sab lines boli...par sirf issiliye kyunki mein Dev Kapoor hoon...sab mera paisa, power aur status dekhte hai... (smiled) I didn't knew yahi cheezein hum dono mein dosti bhi nahi hone dengi...

Dev left a confused Suhaani behind, she knew she cudn't deny to herself that she felt something for Dev she knew it in her heart for sure there was something which attracted them together...one look in his intense & expressive eyes & she cud feel loosing herself ...She cant help but agree with whatever Dev described, somewhere she also had felt the strange emotions on that party night, & everytime she had been close to Dev...its only Dev had been frank enough to confess it to her...But her mind stopped her , made her think practically, logically, warned her to stop herself... She didn't knew if this is love or just attraction... she was too confused...

She really cursed herself for going to that party months back...neither she wud have gone to that party neither this confusion, this attraction, these strange feelings wud have happened ...

*****

Suhaani sighed in relief...finally after so much hardwork she found a new building though it was not exactly what she was looking for...as it was a more of a studio apartment on 10^th floor, but still spacious enough for her classes, & much bigger relief for her was she found it before 1 month, now she can easily vacate Dev's building...