I am back! Couldn't resist writing a short story after seeing the pictures of the couple's competition! Hope ya'll enjoy this!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shiva knew in his heart that Raavi loved him after witnessing her outburst to Dhara and her possessiveness for him. But to be absolutely sure that Raavi wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, he decided, against his better judgement, to obey his mother and participate in the couple's competition to gauge Raavi's reaction one last time! All he wanted to see was how Raavi reacted seeing him partner with Disha but then all hell broke loose and he and Disha won the Best Couple of Somnath award. Dread spread through his heart when he saw Raavi go still! He was away from her but he could hear her heartbeat loud and clear. All the color had drained from her face and she stood numb. He wanted to run to her but suddenly the judges came to the stage and gave him and Disha their award. Shiva was disgusted as he snatched his hand back & turned towards Raavi but she was gone. He got off the stage and went to Dhara and inquired about Raavi.
"Kyun? Kya karega jaan ke? Teri "best" partner to stage pe hain na? Toh ussi ke paas ja. Raavi ki chinta karne ki tujhe koi zaroorat nahi hai!" Dhara said and angrily walked off followed by Rishita.
Shiva looked at Gautam, Dev, and Krish but they, too, left disappointed. His family was mad at him and he understood why. He was mad at himself, too! All he wanted to do was to make sure that Raavi loved him but he realized that he took it too far. He ran out looking for Raavi desperately!
Raavi was numb! She didn't know what to think! Shiva choosing Disha as his partner was terrible enough but to see them win the best couple award was the last straw! Playing all their moments in her mind, she had walked out of the venue. She didn't know where she was going; she didn't care where she was going. Her mind was too busy trying to make sure her heart didn't stop! All Raavi wanted in her life was to have a husband who loved her, family that cared for her, and a fairytale happy-ever-after. At first she thought her life would be with kind-hearted and soft-spoken Dev but when destiny brought her and Shiva together, she quickly realized that Shiva was the one for her. Shiva was wild & unpredictable with a heart of gold and she didn't know how but her heart belonged to him in no time. And now he broke that heart! Suddenly, she noticed soft sand under her feet and ocean waves rustling quietly. Drawn to the quiet, she went to the beach and stood with her feet in the water.
Every second spent looking for Raavi felt like an eternity to Shiva. He was worried sick for her. He couldn't shake the image of her numb and pain filled face. She was his light and he couldn't lose her. He came by the Somnath temple and saw a shadow walking towards the beach. He didn't need to see the face to recognize Raavi and ran to her. When he caught up with her, she was standing with her feet in the water. In the soft light of the full moon, Shiva saw how broken & hurt Raavi was and it broke his heart! The wind was blowing gently making her hair caress her beautiful face. In the beautiful glow of the moon light, with waves under her feet, Raavi looked mesmerizing! She was his once, he thought; they could've had a wonderful life full of love had he not pushed her away. And now, seeing her from a distance, he realized that he lost! It didn't matter if she wasn't his because he was hers forever. He loved her to the core!
Raavi felt Shiva's presence but didn't turn around. She couldn't face him! If she looked at him, her restraint would break and she would fall apart. Shiva came close and stood behind her. She could feel his heartbeat and his warmth that she so desperately wanted to drown in! She closed her eyes and tried to stop her heart from longing for him. But she knew she had lost a long time ago. She couldn't stop herself from loving him and being pulled towards him. Her heart was his no matter how much he broke it. Since she couldn't stay away from him, she decided to push him away!
"Raavi ... " ... "Chala ja yaha se!" Shiva and Raavi said at the same time.
"Raavi mein ... " Shiva tried again!
"Mujhe tujhse koi baat nahi karni! Tu ja yaha se!" Raavi cut him off. "Teri best partner tera wait kar rahi hogi! Mein toh teri koi nahi lagti na?!" she added painfully!
Hearing her voice full of pain and hurt, Shiva couldn't help himself as he hugged her from behind. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, he hid his face in the crook of her neck and cried. Raavi felt his tears and lost control of her own emotions. She tried pushing him away but he tightened his arms around her. Feeling him crying made her cry, too. For a moment she held his arms around her but she couldn't get the image of him and Disha together out of her head. She gathered all her strength and pushed him away. She turned to face him and saw his eyes full of pain and it enraged her even more.
"Tujhe kyun itani takleef ho rahi hai? Tujhe toh maze lene chahiye mujhe aise dekh ke! Ja na uss Dishu ke paas aur aesh kar!" She said with so much anger she felt like it was burning her alive!
"I am sorry Raavi! Mein toh bas ... " Shiva said trying to hug her again but she pushed him!
"Bas kya? Yeh dekhna chahta tha ke Raavi ko kis hadd tak Todd sakta hai tu? Ya fir mujhe rote hue dekh ke tere mann ko kitana sukoon milta hai yeh dekh raha tha?" Raavi's anger was out of control now.
"Nahi Raavi mein ... " Shiva again tried pacifying her but she cut him off again and said, "Itani nafrat karta hai tu mujhse Shiva? Mujhe bata toh de ke maine kiya kya hai?" Raavi could no longer keep it together and fell apart and cried her heart out.
Raavi's cries ripped Shiva's heart out. He tried hugging her again but she started hitting him. Still crying, she grabbed him by the collar and said, "Tune promise kiya tha! Tune kaha tha ke chaahe kuch bhi ho jaaye tu mujhe akela chod ke nahi jaaega! Fir kyun mujhe chod diya tune?"
"Raavi woh ..." he said wrapping an arm around her waist as she stumbled a little thanks to the waves.
"Bol na? Kyu chuda liya tune haath? Aur agar chodana hi tha toh marne deta mujhe uss khandar mein. Kyun chod diya tune mujhe Shiva?" She hit him again but he forcefully cupped her face and made her look at him!
"Kyun mujhe laga ki tu mujhse pyaar nahi karti!" Shiva said and Raavi quieted down at once. "Mein bas tujhe zabardasti ke iss rishte se azaad karna chahta tha." He added and stepped back releasing her.
Gazing deep into her eyes, he said, "Mere jaise jaahil-jungli insaan ke saath teri zindagi barbaad ho rahi thi. Mein nahi chahta tha ke tu taras khaake mere saath rahe. Toh issiliye ..." his voice trailed off. Even though Raavi knew about his insecurities, she was still numb hearing him say this out loud.
"Par fir tu wapis aa gai aur mera mann fir se teri taraf khicha chala aaya! Tujhe ghar mein dekh ke lagaa jaise meri duniya puri ho gayi. Mein tujhse alag nahi hona chahta Raavi lekin mujhe yeh nahi pata tha ki tu mere saath apni zindagi guzaarna chahti bhi hai ya nahi! Aur fir woh ladki aai aur tujhe farq padne laga!" Shiva admitted to Raavi! She was surprised hearing this and remembered him smiling the day after she poured water on him! He was testing her, she realized, and got mad at him for a whole new reason.
"Toh yeh sab sirf iss liye tha kyun ki tujhe jaan na tha ke mein tujhse pyaar karti hu ya nahi?" Raavi asked perplexed. Shiva nodded guiltily.
"Sar kya hila raha hai? Yeh tareeka hota hai kissi ke mann ki baat jaan ne ka? Zubaan nahi hai muh mein? Seedhe seedhe aake puch nahi sakta tha?" Raavi said outraged at his ridiculousness. He looked at her sheepishly.
Raavi took her shoes off and threw them at him one after the other. Shiva ducked at the first one and caught the second one. This made her even more angry as she walked to him and started hitting him again. "Stupid! Idiot! Gadheda! Jhoot bol raha hai tu! Tu mujhse pyaar nahi karta. Agar tujhe sach mein mujhse pyaar hota toh tu mujhe aise rulaata nahi!"
She said and then stopped as if a bolt of lightening had struck her! A moment later her anger returned with more intensity and she said, "Aur uss chudail ko kiss toh bilkul bhi nahi karta!"
Now Shiva went on defensive and said, "Aehh.. maine usse nahi usne mujhe kiya woh ... " he hesitated from saying the "word"!
"Kiss! Karte hue sharam nahi aayi aur bolne mein badi aa rahi hai! Aur usne tujhe kiss kiya bhi toh tujhe kya lakwa maar gaya tha ke tu usse dur nahi kar paaya?" Raavi rebuked!
Shiva couldn't help but smile seeing her jealous and possessive again. Raavi saw this and started hitting him again. Shiva knew she was hers then and hugged her. She tried pushing him away for some time but when he didn't let go, she stopped. She was sad, angry, happy, and in love all at once and all she could do was cry.
"Tu bohot bura hai! Tu bohot bura hai!" She said in his ears and cried.
"Jaanta hu! Par jaisa bhi hu, sirf tera hu!" He said and added, "I love you so much Raavi!"
Raavi wrapped her arms around him and gave herself to him. "I love you, too!" she said running her fingers through his hair.
The ocean waves danced around them as if celebrating their happiness. The wind blew gently and one small cloud partially covered the moon to dim the light and give some privacy to the lovely couple.
After a long moment, they looked at each other. Shiva caressed Raavi's face and kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes and relished in his touch. He kissed her closed eyes and cheeks and rested his forehead on hers. She opened her eyes and reciprocated his actions making him lose himself in her. He looked at her with eyes full of love. Shy, she looked down!
Shiva tucked a finger under her chin and made her look up and asked, "Ghar chalein?"
Raavi smiled and nodded. Just then, the wind blew making her shiver. Shiva took his jacket off and wrapped it around her shoulders just like a romantic Bollywood hero and her smile widened. She picked up her shoes and started walking. Shiva was walking a step behind Raavi so she stopped, turned around, and tucked her pinkie under his index finger just like he used to, making him smile. They walked home side by side not knowing when their hands entangled just like their hearts!
Music Corner
Current Affairs
Anupamaa
Udne Ki Aasha
Shiv Shakti
