Concealed beauty - FF - Ch.4, p.8 - Page 3

Originally posted by: rbb1

Really nice start cannot wait to read what happens next

Originally posted by: Bul3

hey😊beautiful start..sounds like a lovely story⭐️continue soon!

Originally posted by: Elita

What a fantastic start...you've described brilliantly, it was so easy to visualize their pain. This is how I want Yuvani to feel and think when they are separated...long for each other. Just wish CV's could borrow this for their story in future.

You are a very talented writer...keep writing, I loved it.👍🏼 Looking forward to the next chapter.

Originally posted by: rumu

its absolutely beautiful...continue 😊

Originally posted by: Laila132

Brilliant first chapter. U must continue this! Love your Rabindranath caption btw 😉 wonder what has happened to soumya. Hope u show a scene where yuvraj shouts at her, and him finding out about dadi

Originally posted by: dunceHat

gud one there!
👍🏼 Nice read

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02

Beauty and ugliness, what a stark contrast.

Tentatively, Suhani reached out with her left hand, the tips of her fingers touching the outstretched white wing of the swan on the canvas. She traced it thoughtfully as her eyes skimmed over the rest of the painting. This swan was illuminated by a bluish light, giving at a more majestic hue, and three smaller ones were surrounding it, their heads bowed slightly. Though apart from that, this part of the portrait was held rather dark, the water was almost black.

But the background... the narrower the river became, the lighter it turned. Same with the trees left and right- their orange-yellow leafs turned brighter, more vibrant. It was beautiful. Yet...

There, at the far end, was- not a swan, rather a duck, its yellow feathers more like a muddy brown. It was turned away from the group of swans, though it looked like the others were already complete in their circle, anyway. No room for an extra. Its head was lowered. In sadness? Disappointment?

Whatever it was, Suhani couldn't shake off the feeling that the duck just didn't belong in this picture. It was a contrast to the beauty depicted. Unwanted. Outcast.

"You like that one?"

Startled, Suhani pulled her arm back and grabbed the towel wrapped around her shoulders, averting her gaze from the portrait. The smell of paint and wood seemed to have become stronger and the noises of the heavy rain hitting the window right next to her louder. At the edge of her vision she saw Aman coming to a stop on her right side, his head tilted slightly.

She hadn't recognized the man at first, though when she had she had been pretty surprised. Especially when he had refused to leave her alone in the rain, even sat down next to her stubbornly and insisted she come with him as he had refused to tell him where she lived. She had asked him why he was so concerned for her, they hardly knew each other.

"Because you look sad."

Such a simple answer, though it had hit something deep inside her. A nerve, maybe. Something painful. And she had conceded without any real thought. In hindsight, it was really stupid to follow a strange man to his home...

"I call it Beauty Hidden."

"Hidden?" Confused, Suhani furrowed her brows and turned back toward the painting. "Why? It is beautiful, everyone can see it!"

Aman chuckled as he held out a cup for her. Hesitantly, she took it and bit down on her lower lip in order not to sigh at the warmth seeping through her cold hands. Aman folded his arms at his back and nodded slowly. "True, there's beauty we can see easily enough. But what is superficial beauty, really? If someone is mesmerized by the outer beauty of something only, isn't that a testament to their shallowness?"

What? "Did you just call me shallow?" Suhani asked indignantly.

Apparently surprised, Aman took a step back, one of his brows raised. Though, the small smile on his lips indicated that he was rather amused than alarmed. "Of course not. I have seen firsthand that you have a deep understanding of art. But... today, you seem out of it, so that's probably why you didn't see."

Suhani blinked. "Didn't see what?"

"This." Aman pointed toward the duck, well, a little to its left, and upon looking more closely, Suhani noticed the outlines of something. Wings? And was that a head? It was hard to see since the color was almost the same as of the river, but it was there. "Another swan, maybe it's ill or old and tired to stay upright and move. While the other swans are busy with themselves and the beauty with them, the duck is trying to help this one." Yes, it really looked like the duck was reaching toward it. "And they are both in the light whereas the other swans are in darkness."

"Inner beauty," she realized, astonished. Why hadn't she seen it before? God, it was so obvious! Why am I reflecting my own life to this amazing piece of art?

"Talking about paintings." Aman turned around and sat down on the only chair in the room, just a few feet behind her. There wasn't much in here, anyway, only a couch in a far corner and many boxes skittered around; she hadn't seen the other rooms but if they looked anything like this... Either, the man just moved in or loved chaos. "I hope you're enjoying the one your husband bought for you."

Suhani's throat tightened. Painting... the one Yuvraj had bought for Soumya, not her. It felt so long ago- though, the ache in her chest was as painful as ever. Fresh.

"Are you alright?"

Shaking her head lightly in hopes to shake off the tightness in her chest, she shrugged and looked away from that concerned gaze. "It was never meant for me." Neither was my husband, apparently.

"Oh." Nothing more. Back home, her parents would have asked many questions after such a statement. Even at her in-laws, Sharad and Pratima maa used to question her when she looked a little upset- but Aman seemed to accept that answer, to understand it was a sore topic and didn't inquire any further. It was a nice change.

"You know," she said, her voice lighter than it had been the whole time since she had been with Aman. She felt lighter. "You could be a serial killer, for all I know!"

For a split second, Aman looked honestly confused. Though, as understanding dawned upon him, the lines on his forehead smoothed, replaced by small laugh-lines around his eyes. "Well, you should have thought about that before taking me up on my offer."

"Hm." Suhani looked around the room, again, before focusing back on her host. "You look harmless enough. Nothing I can't deal with!"

Aman raised both his brows, arms crossed in front of his chest. "Really now? Don't I look even a little scary?"

"As scary as a puppy!" Suhani chuckled.

"I take that as a compliment," he huffed and stood up. "Anyway, if you want to go home, now? You look a lot better than earlier. I don't have any clothes for you and I wouldn't want you to get ill."

"Oh, right." She had completely forgotten her wet clothes or how cold it was. Aman's home wasn't even heated properly and yet... She had been so engrossed in the sketches that lay around everywhere, covering the floor and boxes, and that painting of the duck in the middle of the room; the smell of wood and paint strangely soothing and the dim lighting comforting. But Aman was right, of course. She was feeling better than earlier, although she couldn't exactly pinpoint why that was. And it was late- well, actually really early, and her parents were probably considering to call the police, by now. "Sure."

Aman indicated for her to walk ahead and she compiled, setting the cup he had given her down on his chair. The coffee had gone cold, anyway- though, she felt warm inside.

***

"Why didn't you come to breakfast? I made everything to your liking."

God. With a frustrated sigh, Yuvraj shut his laptop, pushed it further onto the table and leaned back on the couch, closing his eyes. But that was not the solution, he realized as soon as someone set down next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Of course, she wouldn't go away just because he wished her to. How foolish of him.

"What's wrong? Aren't you feeling well?"

"You are here so, obviously, I am not," he retorted sharply.

Immediately, the hand left his shoulder. "Seriously, what is wrong with you? Now, that even Suhani has gone, I thought-"

"What?" Agitatedly, Yuvraj jumped to his feet and glared down at Soumya. "That I would accept you, marry you and we'd live happily ever after?"

For a moment, Soumya didn't move, completely astounded by his outburst- which was nothing new, but it always got her to shut up, somehow. Though, when she, too, stood up, irritation had contorted her features. "To tell you the truth: yes!"

Unbelievable. How could he have ever thought that this woman was capable of change? "And all this at the cost of your best friend's happiness? God, how can you be so selfish?"

"She left you, didn't she?" Soumya countered. "What does it matter? She can find someone else and we can have what we always wanted!"

Yuvraj didn't know what exactly it was, but her words had a bolt of anger shoot through his veins so suddenly, that it even surprised him when he grabbed her right arm roughly and pulled her closer. "Do you ever hear yourself talk? Your childhood friend's marriage is almost broken yet, you're thinking about yourself and your happiness? How can you even look at yourself in the mirror, every day?"

"Almost broken?" she whispered, disbelief shining in the brown of her eyes. "Yuvraj, it's already over."

That was all she had absorbed from his ranting? Disgusted, Yuvraj let her go and turned half-around, burying his fingers in his hair. He honestly had no idea how to handle Soumya. No matter how many times he told her to get lost, she simply didn't get it. She thought he was acting this way because he felt sorry for Suhani- the idea that he didn't want to see her because he couldn't stand her didn't even enter her head! Shouldn't ignorance have its limits somewhere?

If not for his grandmother he wouldn't tolerate her for a second. Although, thinking about it... He had always known that his grandmother never liked Suhani, but that she would prefer Soumya so blatantly, going as far as to insist that she stayed at their home even though she was the root of all of Yuvraj's problems? If his grandma knew what Soumya was up to and what all she had done to separate him and Suhani, would she still support her?

Probably yes, since she didn't seem to be much affected by Suhani's absence and never left an opportunity to praise Soumya. Maybe she already knew everything...

"Yuvraj, I'm talking to you!" Soumya walked around him until she was facing him again, her gaze angry and accusing. "I don't get why you're behaving like this. You always talk about Suhani!" She scrutinized him closely, both hands on her hips. "Don't tell me you actually love her."

The way she said this... mockingly. Sarcastically. As if he loving Suhani was the most absurd thing that could happen. It set him off.

"And if I did, what would you do?"

Stunned, Soumya blinked, before shaking her head, laughing quietly. "No, you don't."

Yuvraj rolled his eyes. "All I know is that I won't risk my relationship with Suhani for you. That should be enough, shouldn't it?"

"Really? And what about me?" Soumya hissed angrily. "I risked everything for you! I wanted you and for that, I even lost my friend, willingly! I won't back down now!"

As his anger slowly diminished, a cool feeling of discomfort spread slowly through Yuvraj. Soumya was serious. "You're... damn. Out. Just. Get. out."

Soumya pressed her lips into a thin line and nodded, her expression dark. "Alright. But remember: I have done too much for us only for me to give up, now. I will do anything for us. Make it easy for you and me and stop pitying Suhani, already. Why ruin our lives for her?"

The moment she walked out of his door, he kicked the leg of the table next to him so hard that stinging pain shot through his foot. It was better than the mind-numbing anger that was trying to cloud his thoughts. Though, he didn't know whom he was angrier with- selfish Soumya or himself for his sheer stupidity of ever having loved that woman.

And her words... She really didn't think before she talked, did she? Maybe she didn't care, but he couldn't shake her words off; it was crazy.

She can find someone else...

Don't tell me you actually love her.

It's already over.

Why ruin our lives for her?

She can find someone else-

"Dammit!" Yuvraj grit his teeth until it hurt and thus, suppressed the urge to kick the table again. He had to get out of here- he couldn't breathe freely in this house. Everything was suffocating him; whether it was his mom's and Sharad's disappointment, his brothers accusing glances or his grandmothers and Ragini and Menka's indifference or Soumya ignorance- it was too much.

For a short while, he wanted to leave all his worries behind. Solitude might help him clear his mind and think rationally about what to do.