Part 2
Dadaji and Viraj were having a heated argument in the library where they had been closeted for nearly an hour. They all ought to have been at Gangwal House for the engagement by this time. Kabir and Priyanka were anxiously discussing about it, "Dadaji isn't thinking about disinheriting bhai, is he?" said Kabir. Priyanka replied, "No, Kabir bhai. But it looks pretty serious."
In the library, Dadaji was shouting, "Do you even know what you have done and what you are asking?"
Viraj defiantly yet respectfully replied, "Yes, I know it and ultimately it will be the best for all."
Dadaji was unrelenting, "I cannot allow you. You have to go to London."
Viraj refused, "I can't Dadaji. I am really sorry for disappointing you. But you will realize later that what I did was right."
Dadaji was highly infuriated and was about to slap Viraj when Kabir who had been watching all this from far hastily entered the room and held back his hand. Dadaji angrily said, "Kabir you don't know anything about this. Leave me to deal matters in my way."
Kabir spoke, "Please Dadaji, forgive bhai. I don't know what his mistake is but please forgive him and give him a chance."
Dadaji said, "He has broken up with Kaira. He thinks of marriage and relationships as a joke. And that's not all. He asked for something else which is impossible."
Kabir sighed in relief, "Whew! Good riddance. I never liked her personally and I always used to think that she is not correct for bhai. I know Bhai will never intentionally do anything wrong. I have full faith on my bhai. Please give him a chance, Dadaji."
Dadaji spoke to Viraj, "I'm forgiving you for Kabir's sake. But don't think that I have agreed to whatever you have asked. Remember that whatever you do, the happiness and honor of two families is at stake. Behave responsibly."
Kabir put his arms round his brother's shoulders and comforted him, "Don't worry bhai. After the engagement, I'll speak to Dadaji and he will come round. But the Kaira break up was pretty fast. I didn't know that was the reason why she was not here today. You deserve someone much much better."
One hour later, everyone at the Gangwal House was smiling happily. The cousins were joking about Kabir and Nisha. The engagement was over. It was a small and sweet ceremony with just the two families. Kabir's mother had not come to the engagement as she had promised Dadaji that she would never come to India until he forgave her wholeheartedly. But she had a Skype conversation with Nisha, her prospective daughter-in-law. She expressed her happiness and joy and gave Kabir and Nisha her blessings.
Later on, Kabir and Nisha were alone in one corner of the hall when Nisha asked Kabir, "Why is Viraj so sad and lost? Is everything all right?"
Kabir jokingly asked her, "You are still not in love with bhai, are you? You can break this engagement and marry bhai this instant if you want. I will never stand in the path of yours and bhai's happiness"
Nisha flushed for an instant before gathering herself up, "You joke about anything and everything, don't you? Viraj was my past. I have no interest in him. Do you get that? I just asked casually. Let's break this engagement now itself if you don't believe me because trust is the most important thing in a relationship. Viraj and I broke up because there was no trust in our relationship."
Kabir soothingly said, "I know. I trust you and bhai completely. I was just joking. Bhai and Kaira broke up a short while ago. That's why we all were late for the engagement. Dadaji was very angry with Viraj bhai. He was blaming him for not taking marriages and relationships seriously. You know what I really feel sorry for Bhai. He really needs somebody who is loving and affectionate in his life. But Nisha, jokes apart, you are free to lead your life the way you want. This engagement will not change anything between us. Your happiness matters the most to me. If your happiness lies with me, I'm always there for you. If your happiness is in being away from me, I will never blame you. You are free. We are friends first and all the rest later."
Nisha was highly grateful to Kabir, "I know Kabir. You are the best friend and companion any girl can have. How can I ever repay you for everything you have done for me and still doing for me?"
Kabir said, "Gratitude and relationships are two different things. Never confuse them. I do things for you not for you but for myself. It gives me happiness. I don't expect anything in return. If you want to do something for me do it because you want to and not because I may be expecting it."
Nisha tried to keep herself away from Viraj's thoughts but they kept coming back to her again and again. "Why did he break up with Kaira? Was it for me?" her heart kept asking her again and again. But her mind silenced her heart telling, "Stop, there you foolish girl. You are engaged and what does it matter to you whether Viraj is engaged or not. He is nobody in your life."
But her heart kept telling, "Yes, it matters whether he is engaged or not. I care. I care. I cannot see him with anybody. He is still everything in my life. I smile with him, I laugh with him, I cry with him, I'm sorry for him, I'm still in love..."
Her mind said, "Stop! You are not in love with him. Not after everything that has happened. Kabir is your everything. You have to do your duty. Viraj left Kaira for his own reasons. It has nothing to do with me."
Her heart refused to listen, "Viraj did it for you. He did it for you. He cares for you. He cares for you. He loves you..."
Viraj was silently watching all the fun and frolic around him. He knew that she had come to know that Kaira had left. Then why was she acting as though it did not matter to her at all? He saw her going upstairs and followed her. He stopped her when nobody was around and pulled her to a corner behind a curtain, "What are you doing Nisha? Can't you understand I did it all for you? You are my reason to live and my reason to die. I'm madly in love with you. I can do anything for you. I will not let you go away from me. Do you get it?" He grasped her hands and shook her wildly. Nisha winced in pain. His grasp was like iron. He meant every word he spoke. She had never seen this side of him.
Nisha tried to free herself, "Leave me, Viraj. Leave me. You are hurting me." A tear dropped from her cheeks and fell on his hand. Viraj came back to reality. How could he hurt anyone leave alone Nisha whom he loved? He knew about her difficult past and yet he did this to her? How had he forgotten to respect her privacy? He wanted Nisha badly but this was no way to behave to her. He wanted her love not her fear. He wanted her respect and not her contempt. He wanted her affection and care and not her hatred. But here he was doing just the opposite. He was becoming highly impatient.
Viraj moved back and apologized, "I'm sorry, Nisha. Please forgive me for this and for everything I did to you. But I love you. That's my only excuse for my abominable behavior." He left the place greatly disturbed. Nisha collapsed on her bed crying incessantly. Now all her defenses had collapsed. She knew that he loved her and only her. She also knew that she no longer hated him as she used to do. She said, "Viraj why are you making things difficult both for you and for me? What we are feeling is wrong. It is very wrong. We ought not to feel so. What about Kabir? I can't cheat him. I can't disappoint him."
Viraj was in his room playing the drums furiously, "What we feel for each other is right. It is absolutely right. We are not cheating anybody. If we refuse to accept our feelings we are cheating ourselves. I did that mistake when I refused your love at the Velvet Lounge. But you too are doing the same mistake now."
