Hey everyone. I've written a prequel to my earlier story. This I started out as a sentimental story and wanted it to be intense and full of emotion..but somewhere down the line it took a different turn and became more like a teenage movie. It sounded good in my head…but when you read it….!!!!!!!!!
This truly proves that I cant write too well and should stick to one shots. If it sucks too much…please don't be harsh. Thank you
A solitary tear escaped her big eyes. No one apart from shiv saw it…well he was the reason for that one tear and all the pain that reflected in her face masked from everyone except him. He wanted her beside him in front of the sacred fire, but it wasn't to be. He was being forced to marry gauri…a woman he detested for innumerable reasons. He wanted nothing better than to run to ipshita and console her and tell her all would be fine. But he couldn't. he was getting married…..to gauri…..fate was just too cruel. He should have told his parents that he loved ipshita when they were forcing him to marry gauri. It wasn't his fault that gauri's fiance ran away….why was he being penalized for it ? of all the people in the world they had to pick their own son to marry her. This inspite of knowing that he couldn't stand the sight of gauri. She was too self righteous for his liking and seriously needed a life. Now the love of his life was standing across him smiling for the world but in reality wallowing in grief on the insight. Fate truly was too cruel.
Shiv refused to acknowledge gauri in any manner. He ignored her outright and never said a word to her. This was his form of punishment for her. In the intial months she had tried to apologize and ease a few of the strained chords but he wouldn't yield. She gave up and now all that existed between them was silence. The only thing he had ever said to her was that he loved someone else and would never in this lifetime consider her a part of his life. She didn't react which took him a little by surprise but he didn't dwell on it too much, satisfied that he had made his standing clear. He and ipshita continued to see each other after his marriage. He was convinced that after some time when he would ask gauri for a divorce she would happily agree because their marital life was the pits.
It was shiv's birthday and not one person in his family had remembered it. What hurt him the most was ipshita had forgotten it. He had to remind her…she was in London and claimed that she had forgotten coz of work pressure. Some birthday he thought…no one to wish you…no one to rejoice the day he was born. In a sullen and gruff mood he left work for home. It was pretty late when he finally reached home. Everyone seemed to have retired for the night. The last hope shiv had of being thrown a surprise party also vanished. This annoyed him even more. He trudged to his room thinking that he'd have to spend this lovely night with gauri !! as he entered his room it was all dark….fumbling for the light switch he noticed gauri at the far end of the room sitting in front of a birthday cake with a single candle on it. Though he didn't want to admit it..a rush of joy spread through him and his face broke out into a smile. Well someone remembered his birthday…even if it was gauri. He wondered how she knew….he was sure no one had told her cos that would involve remembering it themselves.. he was amazed that a person whose presence he refused to acknowledge was doing this for him. Women were certainly weird….whatever it was he was happy….jolting him out of his reviere was gauri singing the birthday song…..he cut her in between and said….why thank you gauri…you're the only one who remembered my birthday. How did you know it was today. She flicked on the lights and looked genuinely remorseful.. her look perplexed him. "I'm sorry shiv….but I wasn't singing for you…." "eh ??? who else….". "well you see today happens to be my birthday too and like in your case no one remembered it. So I thought instead of sitting in a corner and sulking why not celebrate it my self. Which is precisely what I was doing." Shiv looked at her for a moment and then said with a sheepish grin…."some day people born today are having ha ?? well since you already have a cake ready lets celebrate it together." It took gauri a minute to recover herself. This was the longest shiv had spoken to her…heck it was the longest shiv had looked at her… she didn't know what to say…she heard herself saying….ya sure why not ? He took the knife laying on the table and asked "shall we ?" "waaaiiiit she squealed….you've gotta make a wish before blowing out the candle and cutting the cake. Haven't you done this before. ?? he chuckled and said…of course…how could I forget. Lets… she shut her eyes to make her wish. He just looked her and was amazed that she was so childlike and innocent. She seemed to be filled with this exuberance which he had never noticed before. He justified that he hadn't wanted to know….she opened her eyes and asked….done ? " yes….now shall we cut the cake or are there more formal procedures to be followed ??"…no all done…lets blow….pooof….they cut the cake together. Shiv took a piece out and was about to feed her the piece just to find out that she was already eating the cake herself. " haven't you heard of waiting till you offer the cake to the person next to you ??" and she claims I know nothing about birthday….."ooooops…sorry…its just that ive been dying to eat the cake all day….its my fav….here try it….she promptly put the cake into his mouth. It melted on his tongue and tasted heavenly. He was surprised she freed herself of all inhibitions and was behaving so casually with him. Well shes really excited about her birthday…that must be it. Later that night when shiv was preparing himself for bed something struck him and he turned around to ask her…"what did you wish for ?"…she was already in her bed on the floor as she replied…I wished that you'd treat me like a human and acknowledge that I exist. Goodnight shiv." The words had a weird effect on shiv….he felt guilty for his attitude towards her. Something which hadn't happened till date. He didn't care about gauri…he infact behaved in this way to punish her. Punish her what he thought….if he had bow down to family pressure so did she….she was ditched at the altar and forced to marry some other person. Her situation was as bad his…he atleast had ipshita beside him…she had no one…in addition to this she bore his icy silence….it's a wonder she hasn't turned insane he mused. Whoa…..why was he thinking so much….he forced himself to sleep yet made a silent note to be better behaved with her.
Over the next few days gauri was pleasantly surprised by shiv;s behavoiur…though it wasn't gushing forthwith friendliness he was atleast civil to her. He spoke to….enquired if she had eaten…etc. well atleast telling him her bday wish had some effect. Shiv on the other hand was going through a weird phase. He realized that gauri wasn't as bad as he had thought her to be. She was extremely friendly and vibrant. Little things excited her to no end. He began observing little things about her. She loved the sun on her face…she even sang a silly little song for it every morning. she didn't like the rain too much….she looked at it as if it was her sworn enemy, Blocking out her sun. she loved anything with chocolate in it, and refused to share with anyone. She amused him to no length.
He pointed all this to ipshita, who was equally amused and wanted to meet her. Gauri and ipshita hit it off instantly and became thick of friends. Shiv saw a weird irony in this. His wife and his love…best of friends…and his wife wasn't even aware of this.
It was about 8 months since their wedding….shiv and gauri were good friends by now. Shiv felt it was finally time to ask her for a divorce. One night he sat her and slowly told her that he wanted a divorce. She listened to all that he said and then asked him to go through with for 4 for months…to complete one full year. Shiv asked her the reason. She said then they could tell both families that they had tried to make the relationship for one whole yr. But it just didn't work out….this way both sets of parents couldn't complain too much. Shiv thought for a while and agreed…after all what was four months ?
Shiv rushed to tell ipshita the news who was overjoyed beyond words….finally her patience was paying off…she would be a part of shiv;s life very soon. Finally…. Shiv was overjoyed too…his life would at last be back on track. He felt a tugging in his heart when he thought about what gauri would do. He didn't know why he was thinking about that now…he brushed off these thoughts and joined ipshita in her happiness.
The next week shiv had to go to new york for a couple of months. Well two out of the four months he'd be out of the country. It was working out perfectly.
Gauri sent off shiv with mixed feelings. She had long ago come to love shiv…at a time when he was blatanly ignoring her. She loved him even more now….but she knew he loved someone else….ipshita to be precise. He would never be hers. But still atleast she had the evanescent joy of being married to him, though for a short time. Now even that time was being cut short by his going to new york on that stupid trip. Gauri was impressed by the way ipshita was….she endured so much for shiv…and now finally her dream would come true. She wished she could have some significance in shiv's thought….sigh…life wasn't fair.
Shiv landed at new York airport and as he stepped out to be greeted with the sun on his face, he instinctly found himself humming gauri;s silly sun song…. "Sunny sunny sunny…how are you today honey ?" gosh she was a nutcase. He checked himself from singing it out aloud….gauri would have loved new york. It was a bustling and full of life, just like her. She would have totally felt at home here. Why was he thinking about gauri ? why was she the frequent object of his thoughts these days ? it didn't make too much sense. He was here on business and that should be his priority…not gauri. But somehow his thoughts kept returning to her. He spoke to ipshita after landing and told her to inform gauri. He didn't call her up himself. Weird….why was he feeling uneasy…why was he so restless. Nothing added up….he needed to go for a walk. As shiv walked about the city he knew it was a bad idea. He associated everything with gauri..not ipshita….everything he saw he immediately thought how gauri would like it….he reached times square and was sure gauri would love it. Gauri gauri gauri….that was all that was going through his head. He reasoned that since he had become such good friends with her and the thought of her leaving him after 4 months was the cause. Yes that is it….i;m gonna lose out on a good friend. "keep telling yourself that " said a little voice in his head. He ignored the voice and feeling better that he identified his uneasiness shiv returned to his hotel at peace. Over the next few days shiv totally immersed himself into work and avoided talking to anyone from India. It would just ruin his mental calm. Gauri kept trying to call him, but he refused to speak to her. Gauri was frantic with worry…what was wrong with shiv ? was he alright….? Ipshita had told her he had reached safe, in that case what was up with him now ? why did he cut her off like this….! It infuriated her to no end. Finally one day she went to his workplace and placed a call from there. When she heard his voice relief washed over her…which gave way to anger…"shiv….what in the world is wring with you ? do you know how worried I was ? how much time or money does it take to place a call ? what were you thinking by not calling ? . shiv was totally surprised hearing gauri's voice on the other end…even more so by her tirade…! "Gauri…I was a bit busy…hence couldn't call…im sorry…."
"Hmmm…err….aaa…okay then….i'll talk to you later shiv." "what you called only to yell at me ? she didn't know what to say…while she was contemplating a logical emotionally un attached answer…shiv interrupted and said….you'd love new york…you should have been here. "wow…that's a first " she thought. After talking for a few more minutes….gauri hung up. She was vaguely aware of reaching home…all that was runnin through her head was" you should have been here".
"you should have been here" omg that sounded so cheesy….shiv couldn't believe that he said that. But it was what he wanted. He wanted to be in new york….with gauri !
for the next few weeks shiv talked to gauri regularly over the phone and actually looked forward to her calls. She was so cute, she told him the weirdest things and it cracked him up. He missed her terribly and for the first time he realized he cared for her more than he was willing to admit.
His mind was in a ruckus. On one side was ipshita…his childhood love…his life….who trusted him so much, and the other was gauri…a person he had recently met but had become so dear to him. He knew gauri better than he knew ipshita. He knew every frown, every smile, every wrinkle in her face and all that she wanted to express with them. What was this supposed to be ? and what would be its end ? the more he thought about it the more he swayed in gauri's direction . though it struck him late…he realized he felt a greater emotion for gauri than he did for ipshita…was it possible to love two people at the same time. He loved both of them…but for gauri he felt a un explainable emotion too…something which he couldn't define…something he had never felt for ipshita.
When shiv returned he made up his mind to tell both gauri and ipshita his true feelings. Gauri he hoped would accept and reciprocate his feelings and ipshita….he hoped she'd forgive him. As he drove home from the airport he placed the box of chocolates he had bought for gauri beside him and practiced what he had written down on the plane.
Gauri was in their room as usual…getting ready to go to bed. She turned and saw him…shiv…you're back….why didn't you tell me u were getting back. Gauri….i need to tell you something….why don't u freshen up and then we can talk, im dying to know all about new york. All that can wait….would you please sit down here. Confused…she sat on the edge of the bed waiting to hear what shiv had to say.
" gauri for the longest time I detested you.when I think back now I wonder how that was even possible. I have realized that I cant live without you….i love you from the deepest part of my heart and cannot imagine a life without you. Would you please consider my proposal and agree to spend the rest of our lives together ?"
gauri was too stunned to say anything. What ever she had expected shiv would say…this was certainly not it ! she took in a deep breath and said…."what about ipshita?"
it was shiv's turn to be taken aback…how did she know about ipshita ?
gauri continued…shiv ipshita has given you her entire life. She was ready to wait for you. She agreed to let you be married to me so that it wouldn't create a problem in your family. And now you say you love me ? think of what you'll be putting her through….i know what it is to be ditched…trust me it isn't a good feeling. Shes your childhood love. Shes also one of my closest friends' and I could never do this to her no matter how much I love you !!
shiv listened to her speak and was amazed that she cared so much for ipshita…"gauri…over the past two months I have tossed and turned thinking about the same thing….but all I can tell you is I love you more than I have ever loved ipshita. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone. I dunno when I began loving you…or what made me fall in love with you. But this is how it is and I cant change it. Tomo I'm gonna tell ipshita that I can no longer be with her. As for you, ur free to go wherever you please. You owe me nothing. With this he walked to the door, he suddenly stopped and whipped around….wait a minute…did you say you love me ???
thus began their affair….affair it was….they felt an urge to be together always. They met secretly during his work hours, talked at length in the night….stole secret glances at each other. Life was truly bliss.but a dark cloud loomed over their happiness….how were they to tell a person they both cared for that they had betrayed her ? how much longer would they be able to carry this charade. How long would they hide their feelings from her. The hurt they would possibly cause her would be insurmountable. But they were bound by their own hearts, and knew there was no other way out.
ONE YEAR LATER :
Gauri…..thank you for this gift you;ve given me….it's the best thing you've ever done for me. Thank you so much. So what do you want to name her ?
IPSHITA.
