Love Hurts
She was sitting on the bench outside the Oberoi Mansion in the Garden in the start of the night. Anyone hardly visited the Garden which was beautifully adorned with a variety of flowers. It was on demand and wish of Priyanka who was fond of Gardening and flowers. She adored them but lately even she was so busy with her own life that she never made it to the Garden. Instead a Gardener was kept to take care of the place, Ahaan Verma, an aged man in his late 60's.
"Anika Beta, aaj aap yaha kaise?"
Her head lifted at front hearing her name. Despite of being vulnerably upset, she managed to smile a bit at the man. "Haan Kaka, bas yun hi. Waise aap abhi tak ghar nahi gaye?"
"Bas jaa hi raha tha jab aap ko dekha. Aapko kuch chahiye beta? "
"Har wo cheez jo ham chaahe wo hame kaha milti hai Kaka! That was more a remark wrapped in a painful realization of reality which she had not only seen but lived with it right since her childhood.
"Ah beta, wo to khair sahi hai lekin bas is vajah se ke hame kuch cheeze jo hamne pure dil se chahi wo nahi mill, ham chahana to nahi chood dete na. Insaan hai, khwaishe to hogi hi... aur jaha khwaishe hogi, waha nirasha bhi hogi."
Those words were so true, she thought. After all, they were coming from someone who has had seen quite a lot more life than her. She just smiled at him, giving a nod.
"Ye phool bhi kitne badkismat hote hai na Kaka. Har waqt, apni khushboo baantate rehte hai, logo ka din banate hai apni khubsurti se, lekin akhir me, din khatam ho jaane ke baad... to murjha hi jaate hai, koi inhe tod dete hai, gussa aaye to phek bhi dete hai lekin ye... ye phir bhi unhe khush karna nahi chodte. Waise bhi, inke paas aur koi rasta bhi to nhi hai."
Ahaan was a little taken aback with the young lady's deep thoughtful words. It took him some moments to let what she said sink in his system. "Hmm... Kuch cheese bani hi aisi hoti hai, jinhe hamesha khud se pehele dusro ke baare me sochne me khushi milti hai jaise ke ham insaan. Aise log hote hai jo kuch bhi ho jaaye, koi unhe kitna bhi dukh pohchade, apni acchayi nahi chhodte kyunki wo chhod nahi pate. Aur rahi baat inn phoolo ki, to beta aapne sahi kaha, inke paas aur koi rasta nahi hai lekin insaano ke paas to hota hai. Mai ye nahi keh raha ke hame khudgarz banna chahiye... nahi... lekin kabhi kabhi khud ke liye khada hona bhi zaroori ho jata hai. Hamare paas ek achi cheez hai, ke ham bol sakte hai unlike these flowers. To agar hame koi cheez sahi na lage, to hame zaroor bolna chahiye. Akhir usi ke liye to bhagwan ne hame esa banaya hai."
Anika had lost whatever thoughts her mind was occupied with. She was only listening to what, Ahaan was saying. His words hit her hard. It was not like he knew everything about her but some things, he might did. For having worked in the Oberoi Mansion, it wasnt hidden from him in what circumstances, Anika got married to Shivaay and even if he did not know many details, he had seen enough life to figure out the girl in front of him wasn't actually referring to flowers when she did.
"Acha beta, mai chalta hu. Meri patni meri raah dekh rahi hogi. Use aadat nahi hai na mere bina sone ki." It would only be a partial truth to say he was leaving entirely for the reason he gave her. Somehow, he was giving her much needed time and space to figure out over whatever things she was analyzing. She just acknowledged his informing her and he left, very quickly, leaving her in another set of thoughts.
Meri patni meri raah dekh rahi hogi.
Use aadat nahi hai na, mere bina sone ki.
What was she thinking? Why was she recalling those words? There was no way she was expecting her relation with her husband to be that way? Hah, was really? Just the next moment, everything Shivaay had said to her, replayed in her mind and she felt like being slapped hard by the reality. Of course, she had expected exactly that kind of relationship with her partner how, Ahaan had with his wife. Who would not want that? But her dreams were crashed under the feet of Mr. Shivaay Singh Oberoi's need to protect the reputation of his family. Should she blame him for everything? Wasn't it she, who had fallen for him?
There wasn't a doubt about how much she liked him but then, she hadn't liked the man who had forced her to marry him, who had accused her of being characterless, of being slept around for money.
She had liked the man whom she adored for the immense care he did, for his loved ones. She had liked the man whom she appreciated for the way and to the extent he loved his family. She had liked the man who was there to check upon her despite of not knowing anything, just to assure that she was fine. She had liked the man in whose eyes she could see the same emotions for her which she felt for him. She had liked the man who had started respecting her forgetting his beliefs for NKK which he believed in the most. But that man seemed nowhere now.
Stop it Anika. This is not what you are supposed to think over now.
She wasn't sure what it was which made her stay in the garden for the entire night but something surely did. She hadn't slept at all. She walked inside, and went to her room to freshnup.
*
"Shivaay."
He was getting ready for office when he heard her. Anger wasn't reduced a percent yet. He did not respond.
"Shivaay, I am talking to you. Come with me. I have to show you something." Certain calm was in her voice. She sounded neither angry nor frustrated. May be was trying to hide her inner storm?
"Don't bother me. I have no interest in anything related to you." Annoyance still dripped from his tone.
"If you did not have any interest in me, then aapko itna farak nahi pad raha hota Shivaay, mai kuch bhi karu." She was still not mocking but that was universal truth. Why would he react if he doesn't care? He reacted because he did. That is an altogether different thing that what he did wasn't acceptable and it never would be but that doesn't change the fact that it affected him, to a great extent.
"I have no interest in you Dammit." They did not lie when they said truth hurts like it did to him. He wasn't ready to accept that she mattered to him and so, whatever she did.
"I don't want to argue with you. Aapko jo kehna tha aap keh chuke. Ab meri baari. Agar ek pal ke liye bhi kabhi mujhe apna mana tha to chaliye."
He was adjusting his tie when he felt his hands went still at her words. His heart raced against his chest. He finally lifted his gaze to look at her who stood almost emotionless. Her face which used to be more than enough expressive was blank, today and he did not know the reason but he did not like it.
*
"Hospital? Why are we here?" He asked when they entered hospital. He wasn't getting a thing. Why would she bring him to a hospital? Wasn't she well or what? Without answering him, she kept walking in, and he followed her for once, without fighting over.
"Doctor, I want to do a virginity test."
***
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Edited by LoveToWrite - 8 years ago