so here goes:
1. Fuchsia
When he looks at her working diligently over something in the kitchen that he can't be bothered to remember, he shakes his head and starts to go away. But then she turns and spots him and turns a brilliant shade of fuchsia and he suddenly starts looking forward to eating whatever it is she's preparing.
2. Bangles
He spots these red bangles on the roadside shop when he goes out to buy an engagement ring for Ayesha, and for a second he stops because they are so, so very attractive. He goes and caresses them, and even shakes his head because for the life of him he doesn't understand why he likes those bangles in the first class. He almost gets thrown out of the jewelry store because he's trying very, very hard to not picture how the ring would look on Prachi.
3. Happy
The living room is in a far too vulnerable spot, he thinks, as he overhears his father talking wishing and praying and hoping for his son's long life. He starts to go when his father turns around, and he is suddenly rooted on the spot because he's not that impolite to storm off.
"Are you happy?", his father asks, and he stares dumbfounded right back at him because he doesn't know. He wants to lie but the words catch in his throat, and then he suddenly catches a glimpse of Prachi working (again) in the kitchen, and for a rare wondrous moment he is unbelievably happy.
4. Friendship
Neev is a nice man, he thinks, because he has the "My world has betrayed me" aura around him. His eyes are sad, and his smiles are wan, but in an ideal world they could've been friends. But his is not an ideal world and so he doesn't speak when Neev comes down to sit beside him.
"You shouldn't feel guilty," Neev suddenly states, and he turns around (for, seriously, is the man psychic) and Neev has a sad smile on his face and an understanding look in his eyes and he suddenly realizes that Neev is so very much in love with Prachi.
It terrifies the hell out of him that he, too, is as much in love with Prachi (even though he doesn't know how) and suddenly he's extremely glad that he and Neev are not friends.
5. Exist
The next time he meets Prachi is when she comes in to change the drapes in his room or something. He looks at her from his bed, and she almost doesn't notice him, but then he leans forward and says something unexpected.
"I don't know what I'm doing anymore", he states and if she's surprised at the acknowledgement she doesn't show it.
"You're existing," she counters, "and that's all we can hope for."
And he doesn't know if he wants to kiss her or slap her because she's right and just like that, it's the beginning of something.
6. Hug
He likes to call her his psychiatrist because he talks and she listens, and she doesn't comment and he doesn't care (except he does).
"I love you," he blurts out suddenly, and she doesn't react for a long time. She doesn't leap up and do anything filmy, but her eyes sparkle and her lips twitch, and it's not long before he has his arms awkwardly around her shoulder.
It's not a hug but it's not a not-hug but neither of them lets go, and he thinks that finally something is right, after all.
7. Dream
The cold sweat trickling through his forehead wakes him up, and he realizes that he knows. He sees her flashes of their wedding (is that what it was) and their fights and he suddenly realizes why those bangles were so attractive.
He gets up and wipes his forehead and goes to knock on her bedroom. When he opens, something tells him that she already knows, but she doesn't invite him in. Instead she flashes a brilliant smile (which looks a little mischievous) and he goes back to his room with a light spring to his step.
So maybe they aren't the couple of the century, he thinks next morning, but they also aren't Romeo and Juliet and he thinks that this time, maybe, maybe, everything will work out.
Please read. Please reply.And for the record, how on earth does it snow in Panchmeshwar?
:D, *waits for replies*
Cricket
