New FF- Unexpected Love-Part 25 Pg 86- 11/12/2015 - Page 35

Kalpi ran into her room and closed the door and walked towards the mirror. She could not recognize the girl in the mirror, she did not even look like a girl. She looked like a woman who had been ravished and had loved every bit of it. Her eyes looked so drunk on passion and her lips looked as if they were swollen. She was totally in a zone of confusion. She knew in her mind if he had tried to overcome her resistance, she would have given in. The innocent, old-fashioned Kalpi had completely changed in that instant and would definitely have given in to his love-making completely. She thanked her lucky stars that Vihaan understood her reluctance and did not try to persuade her further.

She went to wash her face, but suddenly felt reluctant to wash off the feel of his lips from her lips. She softly touched her lips and suddenly could feel the imprint of his tender kisses on it and she blushed. She suddenly felt she needed to get away from it all and she rushed out into her car. She drove around aimlessly for a long time, just thinking about everything. She felt a need to confess to Vihaan about her feelings, but did not have the courage to do it. She worried that Vihaan would enter into a short fling with her or he would run away a mile, both of which would leave her heart-broken. She also realized that what she felt for Vihaan was not a crush, which she would just outgrow. She knew she was a goner and maybe God was giving her a way out by means of her education in USA. She went to a temple and prayed hard for peace of mind, not really daring to ask for Vihaan.

Vihaan just sat down on the terrace, as he was in no state to move. He had totally got carried away for an instant and had to use all his self control to not pull her back into his arms and kiss her senseless so that she became as out of control as he was. He had no idea, how to deal with his feelings for Kalpi nor did he have any idea what his feelings were. She made him do things which were out of character and his attraction to her was totally out of control. He cared for her, was attracted to her, valued her friendship, but did not allow his thoughts to go further.

Vihaan was travelling for an outdoor to USA the next day. It was only for a week but he felt it was a good thing as some distance from Kalpi was important for both of them.

Kalpi suddenly remembered that Vihaan was going for an outdoor shot the next day and suddenly she felt relieved. She decided to go to Delhi for a few days to get things in order for her USA move. She would just ask the HR division of Malhotra industries to find a person to replace her. She did not feel brave enough to do the same. It hurt her a lot to even think of someone taking her place in Vihaan's life.

She went back to Vihaan's house, but he was not there and she felt a sense of anti-climax. When Vihaan joined her during the dinner, she talked nineteen to a dozen skimming on various topics except the topic which needed to be discussed and which scared both of them. Finally she informed Vihaan that she would be going to Delhi for a the time he would be USA. Then she handed him her resignation letter without saying anything.

Vihaan opened the letter and started reading it, feeling his heart sink with every word he read. There was nothing unexpected in the letter, but seeing the words in black and white was really wringing his heart.

Kalpana felt her heart breaking and all she wanted Vihaan to do was tear the letter, engulf her in his arms and ask her to stay back.

But Vihaan who was in a emotional, indecisive state was not able to react and Kalpi just wished Vihaan good night and went away from there.

Vihaan thought to himself, "I cannot let her walk away from me. I just cannot. But what should I do."

He really did not want to go away without resolving this issue, but he knew he had to leave for the shoot. He was in a state of total despair and confusion and he left for USA in the same agitated state.

Kalpi reached Delhi and suddenly felt her heart lift seeing her parents and brother. Pakya was also leaving for USA after one day and she was glad to be in the loving womb of her parents. It brought her a comfort, but not peace because her heart was still filled with love of Vihaan.

She spent a lot of time talking to her parents and brother, but every time the topic of Vihaan came up her heart smote with pain.

Kalpi tried her best to act happy and joyful, but Kamla who knew her daughter the best felt that something was wrong.

"What is wrong, Kalpi. You seem so preoccupied and unhappy", Kamla asked.

"No Mom, I am really happy to be back with all of you. Seeing Dad healthy and happy makes me ecstatic. I am just tired. Work has been so hectic the past few weeks, after coming back from Jaipur, that I need your pampering to recover." she said with a smile.

Kamla just hugged her and said, "I missed you so much, Kalpi and now are going away even farther".

The dam of her controlled pain broke in her mother's arms and she said, "I missed you so much, Mom. Just hold me"

Her mom thought that she was unhappy because she would be going to USA, away from her family and she said, "It is going to be alright. It is just for a few years and your Dada is going to be there close by."

Kalpi who was thinking about Vihaan thought to herself, "It is never going to be alright and it going to be lifetime of seperation."

Kalpi went out with her friends, but she really could not build up enthusiasm for all the things that she had enjoyed previously. She felt that she had grown up in the past few months. She had always led a charmed life, in the loving arms of her family and friends, not having suffered any major trauma and heart break, but love had put her on a roller coaster of strange emotions which had caused her to suddenly grow up.

Her friends had all wanted to know about Vihaan and she tried to talk about him as dispassionately as she could. She tried to cover up all her feelings and just talked about Vihaan as an employer, everything else as a job she had to do. She did not want to lie, but she lied by omission.

Kalpi's friends had planned a movie outing, where they were to watch Vihaan's latest movie. Kalpi absolutely was in no mood to watch Vihaan onscreen, but she could not give logical reason to avoid it and she was dragged into watching it unwillingly.

Watching Vihaan on screen was like putting her heart under a bull-dozer and watch it being crushed. Every moment he was onscreen, her heart relived all the intimate moments shared by them and she felt all the love bubble up to the surface. She sat there in the dark movie theater with tears running down her face, crying over her unrequited love. By the time the interval came, she could not take it anymore and she walked out of the theater feigning that she felt an onset of migraine attack. She told her friends she would take a taxi back home and asked them to enjoy the movie.

She was glad that there was no one at home when she reached there and she walked into her bedroom and sobbed holding her pillow. She hated herself for becoming a weak person, but love did make people do strange things and she was no exception.

Vihaan had not been in touch with her for the past week and it was this distance that was making her more sad. She did not know Vihaan was sailing in the same boat.

Vihaan had thought a lot about how to keep Kalpi from going away, but he had finally come to a conclusion that it was better that she went away, because he was not really ready for the feelings that she had engendered in his heart.

He spent all his non-shooting time, reconnecting with his old friends. But nothing seemed to drive her thoughts away from her. He also tried working on his business, pushing Rahul and his other employees to the limit with his unlimited mails and proposals. But still every night he went to sleep haunted by the dreams of Kalpana.

Finally he gave up the fight and called her. Kalpi who was miserable, was finding it more and more difficult to hide it from her mom and wanted to escape from it all.

Receiving Vihaan's call brought all the supressed emotions to the surface and she shouted, "Why are you calling me now? I thought you must have forgotten me, seeing that you did not even send me a text or a mail in the past 10 days."

Vihaan who was taken aback suddenly got angry himself and said, "You also never bothered to get in touch with me. I thought you were the one trying to get away from me, by going to USA. Now why are you acting like it is all my fault."

Kalpi suddenly realized, how inappropriate her behaviour was and worried that Vihaan would read about her love in her words, apologized and said, "I am sorry, Vihaan. I was upset about something and I took it out on you. I hope you are fine and enjoying yourself."

"What were you upset about, Kalpana?" Vihaan asked.

"It is nothing, Vihaan" Kalpi said, as she could not tell him the truth that she was upset about leaving him.

"Kalpana, I just called to ask you for a favour. You know I am going for an outdoor in Switzerland at the end of this month. I want you to come with me. It will be your last trip before you leave, please don't refuse." Vihaan said.

Kalpi suddenly felt her heart break into merry jig and she said unthinkingly, "I would love to come with you. You really want me to come."

Hearing the happiness and excitement in her voice, made Vihaan's heart also skip a beat and he said, "Why would I invite you, if I did not want you to come? Apply for your Schengen visa"

"I already have a Schengen visa, I travelled to Europe last year with my family. Thanks so much for inviting me", she said.

Once the call ended Kalpi was brought down to earth with a thud, as she realized that she had not even requested her parent's permission before agreeing. But she decided finally that she would not give up on this opportunity of stealing some precious moments with Vihaan which had to last her a lifetime and she would somehow convince her parents.

At the same time, Vihaan decided that he would take this trip to clear his own feelings about this beautiful girl.