Devakshi OS - The Mask

Once again Sona witnessed love... This somehow made her realise her own failures. Flashbacks of past came in like stormy currents and shook her from within. Uptil now she pretended to be indifferent to her past which wasn't true. She remembered everything...every tiny detail of her infamous love story. Every moment spent with Dev.

Her story had travelled from their first encounter at a parking lot which lead to an argument... to being his mom s nutritionist...to the numerous fights with Mr Obodro...to be realising first that he was indeed her prince charming...to be heartbroken knowing he was getting engaged... to be surprised by his sudden love confession by cancelling his engagement to Natasha...to be in lovers paradise...to be heartbroken once again due to his dejection to her over his mother's over possessiveness...to witness his psycho stalker phase...to witness his mom s realisation and determination to get him married to her...to be Mrs Dixit and loving it...to try to be happy for him,being with him and his family... to be looked upon as a failure not able to conceive...to go on so called conceiving vacation to Simla planned by his mom...to witness her father's humiliation by him and his family...to the prenuptial bomb...to the end...their end.
She could not forget anything.

In last 7 years she wore this mask of a strong individual and ran a successful business with her brother to bring her family up from nothing. She had also become a mom...she carried his child when they parted ways unaware of the baby. Her daughter Soha was everything... she indeed was her reason to live and because of her insistance of her parents staying together ... Now a days Sona found Dev around a lot. Her mind her body couldn't fathom the attraction and simultaneously immense hatred she felt for this man.

Today he stood with her as Soha s father witnessing the wedding. He looked as if he had walked out of their wedding album and looked so handsome. Her heart ached seeing him so close yet so distant. She was unable to breathe with uncertainty of emotions. She stole a quick glance at him ...if silence could talk...her silence asked his...why us...and as if he understood...he looked at her. Thats it...Her mask was up...She retreated from the mandap to seek few lonely moments...She wanted to let go of the invisible weakness that was piling up inside her... once alone she let go...she let go of those 7 years and a fake individual she had become... Whom was she lying to???...she loved him so much...still. ...she wanted him so much...still. Why couldn't they be a happy family?? Her questions were lonely just like herself.

Two strong hands suddenly caught her and she was pulled...scared she was about to scream. ...

It was Dev...he had come behind her...Now that he had seen her like this...she was trying to understand his weakness. She knew he would leave no chance as they had been fighting lately. She had to be ready.

But he pulled her closer and just stared hard into her teary eyes.

"Kya kar rahe ho...chodo. ...chodo muzhe" she tried hard to free herself from the strong hands.

"No" he answered and continued to stare.

"Please Dev...Aaj nahin...just leave me...please..." her defense was down.
Getting no answer she managed to look up.

She recognised the same agony in his eyes as well... separation pain equivalent to hers and a hint of repentance was quiet prominent.

"Dev let me go...leave me alone please...What do u want...I aint ur wife...not anymore. ...tumhara mere upar koi haq nahin hai . ...u can't hold me like this"

This seems to have worked. She felt his hold loosening and she freed herself quickly. She was about to leave...

"Do u love me...still..."

The question threw her off guard. She trembled...she knew the answer very well...and guess he knew it too...she thought.

"No" Came her response. "I hate you and I hate your very existence here. Do you understand? I am bearing you only because of Soha..." She kept her gaze for few more seconds before looking down. She decided to walk away before he could read anything more.

Before she could realise she was in his arms again and this time he was angry.

"Why were u crying then...?"

"Tumse matlab...chodo muzhe...you..."

His eyes had gone cold...rage in which he looked at her also bore something different...wanting for her. He stared at her face...her lips. He wanted no nonsense then...she understood. No confrontations...he wanted her. Just like her needs...his were too visible.

"Do you love me...?" He repeated still not looking away. And this time she just looked on...her eyes conveyed the answer well...

"Me too..." was all he could manage. And he took her lips like he owned them. And before she could regain herself she responded to his kiss...their tongues explored the known worlds once again. With their ignited transitions they tried to pacify and so complete each other. The kiss grew more passionate with time. They finally had to stop to breathe. This is where the sense started to kick in too.

Dev looked at her...with closed eyes grasping for breath and wanting for more Sona looked beautiful. How could he ruin this beautiful thing he wondered...after 7 years first time he felt calm...

Realisation hit Sona too... She however couldnt open her eyes to look at what she left 7 years back...a man who loved her like no one and hurt her like no one... Unable to bear the turmoil she bursted out crying... what seemed like years of being lonely...missed him as a father, a husband...still missing him as her lover...she trembled and gave away...his arms caught her sudden felt weight and they collapsed on the floor.

"Sonakshi ...hey...tum thik ho...Aankhe kholo...please...Sonaa...why are you crying. ...I love you so much...I never stopped...look at me please"

She hugged him tight never to let go and kept crying. He lifted her face and allowed himself a close look at her. Her face had gone pale in last 7 yrs. Her makeup was in a mess right now. Her eye make up had taken a hit due to her crying and her lipstick due to their kissing session. She still looked so beautiful to him. Her beauty always lay in her gestures, deeds and her beautiful mind...always supreme and untouched. Offcourse she was beautiful by features too but her inner beauty was something he adored and had fallen for and still loved.

"We need to talk...this time only for you and me... US" He meant it.

Tears still were slowly flowing...releasing her pain of years. Today at this moment she knew she will be free of the mask revealing her true face to her prince charming and they will be happy together...once again.