Hey, guys! Didn't think I'd update the next chapter so soon, but still got it done. It might sound hilariously insane but blame the spoilers please. They're the cause I had to write the next chapter in such a hurry and yeah... So, everything is welcome for this chapter. Criticism, tomato, potato or anything.
P.S. Will reply to all the replies on Saturday. :)
Chapter 24
Ranveer
brought Ishani out of the party hall. It was bitterly cold but Ishani did not
seem to be having any effect of it at all on her. The snow still lay there in
white form making the shapes of anything it had fallen upon, shimmering in the
glow of streetlights. Ranveer realized it was fresh snow and it might again
happen so he grabbed Ishani by her wrist and dragged her away to a safer place.
"What
is wrong with you, Ishani?" Ranveer asked furiously. "Did I not ask you to stay
away from drinking anything like that? If you were feeling cold, you could have
asked for a cup of coffee or tea or anything like that, why this?"
Ishani
did not look at him but seemed to be enjoying the view that had appeared in
front of her eyes.
"It's
snow!" she exclaimed looking at Ranveer, her eyes gleaming with happiness and
excitement.
"You
are not supposed to be staying here anymore. You catch cold, Ishani, and that
too very quickly. Don't you remember that?" Ranveer said worriedly.
"I
don't care. I just want to play here," Ishani said and ran towards the heap of
snow which lay clustered there in the lawn.
"Don't
be stupid! Don't you see it's all dirty? There are cars parked over here, and
you want to play in this?" Ranveer said rushing towards her.
Ishani's
face fell and her upper lips twitched downwards as if she would start crying
loudly and Ranveer could see it coming. However, Ishani held on for a while,
looking at him in anticipation and hoping he would find a solution for her
problem. "I want to...don't you remember you too wanted to play with me in snow
but you never got to because it never snowed in Mumbai?"
Ranveer
looked away and whispered, "That time is gone and I don't want that anymore."
"You
do. I see it in your eyes." Ishani giggled, her mood changing unexpectedly.
"Don't
you get it, Ishani? You must not be here," Ranveer shouted.
"But
why? Ranveer, please?" Ishani said imploringly. "Please! For once only?"
"Okay."
Ranveer sighed. "But you won't play till your health fails you and that means
not for a very long time you would stay there and you would have to come back
whenever I ask you to. Agree?"
"Agree."
And Ishani looped her hand around Ranveer's arms and they headed towards his
car. Ranveer drove across small streets and came out to Victoria Park
where many lights were alight though it did not have many people there. The
ones present there seemed to be enjoying the evening to themselves, waiting for
the right time to celebrate.
"It
is snow there. It is cleaner," Ishani exclaimed and Ranveer looked towards the
place she was indicating. There was a large garden with huge stones, drought
grass and a lofty stack of snow splayed far away. There were a few snowmen
placed too which must have been made by young children before their mothers
called them home in the evening and most likely due to rigorous cold they did
not melt.
"All
right." Ranveer helped Ishani come out of the car and she stretched out her
arms and felt the icy air hitting her harshly but it did not affect her enthusiasm
as she hurried towards a tall heap of snow that gleamed in dim light of a
lamppost coming from a corner. Ranveer stood by his car, his back leaning
against it, looking at the things around him and feeling cold. The weather had
changed greatly since few hours back. The stars had appeared in the sky and
seemed to be radiating enough light to make a path through the dark in the
place he and Ishani stood. Ishani busied herself in making snow angels and time
to time she would stare back at Ranveer in anticipation but when he would not
move she would continue making them herself.
"How
is it looking?" she asked after nearly 15 minutes and Ranveer looked in her
direction. She had made almost 10 tiny, adorable snowmen staring at Ranveer and
looking as if they were smiling.
"You
made them?" he asked in surprise.
"Of
course," she responded proudly. "See, that's my favorite." Ishani pointed
towards the largest of them.
"They're
beautiful." Ranveer smiled and Ishani giggled.
"I
know," she said, still laughing madly.
"Why
are you laughing?" Ranveer asked, confused; "and what are you hiding in your
hands?"
Before
Ranveer could guess what she was hiding, an agonizing splash of cold water"or
solid" hit his face.
"Ow! What
is this?" he bawled, and again another one hit him and this time a bigger ball
of ice. He heard Ishani laugh loudly.
"Ishani!"
Ranveer darted after Ishani while she ran away, giggling and waving her hands towards
him. "Don't you do that again, I'm telling you." But, splash! Another ball hit
him and this time Ranveer too picked up the clustered snow near a stone and
threw it towards Ishani. Ishani stirred and rolled her eyes as the cold solid
hit her by her shoulder.
"How
was the taste of your own medicine, huh?" Ranveer asked looking at Ishani's
shocked face. He laughed.
Ishani
rushed to him and hit him again. "Take it," she said, bit frustrated.
Ranveer
gathered all that he could in his both hands, complied it protectively and
threw it again at her while Ishani escaped. Ishani squinted her eyes at him
mischievously and laughed hard. For the next few minutes there were sharp
showers of snow balls from both the sides as Ishani and Ranveer kept throwing
them and laughing hard at each other. Ishani tried to run when Ranveer hit her
from the largest ice-ball he had made and Ishani's face was filled with anger,
but it amused Ranveer as he went on to get another one.
"Ha
ha!" Ishani laughed from behind, as if faking the laughter. "Let's see if you
can catch me." Ishani ran away to hide behind a gigantic stone.
"I
won't spare you." Ranveer dashed after her but did not find her and nor her
giggles could be heard anymore. "Ishani!" Ranveer said. "I know you're here.
Don't hide now. I'm worried; come out please."
"That's
the challenge," came her voice faintly from a distance and it was enough for
Ranveer to guess where she was. Ranveer tiptoed towards the direction the voice
of Ishani's came from but found no one; instead a large icy ball hit the back
of his head again and Ishani laughed loudly. Ranveer turned back, and saw
Ishani's expressions had changed those into surprise and fear as she ran away
from him.
"You
can't win." Ishani ran round and round and round until Ranveer grabbed her by
her elbow, pulled her towards him and rubbed all the snow that he had picked
again on her face.
"No.
You take it, now," he whispered in her ear.
Ishani closed her eyes as Ranveer's hands
touched her cheeks softly as a gentle caress and she found herself melting like
snow over the mountains once touched by the first shaft of the golden sunlight.
Her breathing grew slow and she could feel Ranveer slowly drawing his hands
towards her forehead, to tuck the strands of her hair behind that had come over
her face while running. A shiver ran down her spine and a part of her wished
this moment to last forever; but gradually she felt his touch drifting away
from her as she caught hold of his hand, still shivering, as if wanting to end
the cold she had suddenly started feeling against his touch, and whispered
something that could not be heard.
"I'm
sorry?" Ranveer said.
Ishani
opened her closed eyes and remembered what moment it was and looked at Ranveer
embarrassingly, and without saying anything else Ishani again threw the piece
of ice ball at him that almost had melted in her hands until now.
Ranveer
looked at her as if something had changed for a moment between them and he no
more reacted to her ice-sports. "Can we go now?" he asked, trying not to be
rude and nor did he pretend to.
Ishani
looked back at him and nodded slightly, noticing the change in the atmosphere,
changed considerably as it was. Her breathing still could give her away and she
tried to appear normal and keep everything ordinary between them. Ishani
silently sat in the car and Ranveer drove further.
"Do
you want to go home?" he asked. Ishani shook her head. "Where?"
"I
don't know."
"It'll
be 12 in
20 minutes. Any special place you wish to be in?"
Ishani
shook her head again, trying to get over the moment that had just taken place
between them but could feel its effects still remaining on her.
"Stop!"
she said suddenly and Ranveer stopped the car.
"What
happened?" he asked worriedly. "Are you alright?"
"I
am. Just look there." She indicated towards a tall building towering on them.
"It's the church. Can we go there, please?"
"Sure.
Why not! But are you sure you can handle yourself after all this drinking and
all?"
Ishani
nodded.
Ranveer
parked the car in a corner on the left side of the road, and they moved towards
the church. A brown, woody building welcomed them with special warmth in it.
Ranveer and Ishani entered it and saw the church was empty, contrary to their
expectations, and only a handful of candles were set alight in front of Christ. Ishani unexpectedly clasped her hand in Ranveer's
and Ranveer tightened his grip on hers back as they moved further as the feeling
of the place took over their senses pleasantly.
"I
have never been in here before," Ranveer murmured.
They
both knelt down in front of the idol of Christ and
folded their hands in prayer as they reached inside the hall. Ranveer looked at
Ishani who had her eyes closed by now and had a very quiet yet comforting smile
on her face. He smiled back seeing her and closed his as well.
"Christ,"
he said in an almost inaudible whisper, "you know I have never come here before
but today she brought me. You know, she is unhappy. I see it in her eyes. Why
do you guys always play with people like her? There are people like Chirag, if
he is still as bad, I think he needs to be given the punishment. Why don't you
ever punish people like him and why only people like Ishani have to suffer? You
understand me? And in future if you ever plan to hurt her please drop the idea.
Don't hurt her, hurt me instead. She's seen enough and she deserves happiness.
Please grant her that."
"Looks
like you're talking to him something very important, are you?" Ranveer heard
Ishani's voice as he stood up and saw her lighting a candle.
"Something
like that."
"What
did you ask from Him?"
"I
don't think telling you is necessary when you are so badly drunk," Ranveer
returned. "You won't even remember anything in a few minutes."
Ishani
smiled. Ranveer and Ishani stood there, looking into each others' eyes when the
sound of someone speaking broke off their eye-contact and they looked towards
the place the voice came from.
"Father!"
Ishani went upto the man and hugged him. "I'm so glad to see you here. Ranveer,
this is Father Peter
and has been here for last 50 years."
"Good
to see you, sir," Ranveer said.
"Good
to see you, too, my children," Father replied, amused and happy.
"We
thought there would be people in here, but there is no one. Any particular
reason?" Ranveer asked.
"Yes,
yes. The church needed amends"it's very old"so it was closed for last two
months and was going to get opened again tomorrow. And I just came here to
check if everything is alright and if I should be bringing something over here,
but found you two. I'm glad for that." Father smiled. "Oh, and if you two don't
mind you can join me in for a while. I live next to the church itself, up
there. There are wonderful fireworks at night on every New Year eve. It might
start anytime."
"In 5
minutes." Ranveer said and both Ishani and Ranveer followed Father Peter in his house's
balcony. The view looked spectacular already as it was on a high and a great
deal of the area could be seen from there: a large part of London was visible
alight with hundreds of colorful lights glittering as if stars had descended
from heaven on earth, and there was music and cheering all around that could be
heard distinctly. Everyone was ready to let go of past year and welcome the New
Year. Along with the scintillating view came the rush of a biting cold wind.
Ishani shivered and tried to hide herself in corner so that it did not feel too
cold.
"Take
it," Ranveer said, handing her over his jacket. Ishani took it and wrapped it
around her protectively.
"Thank
you." She smiled at Ranveer.
They looked
at each other, but in a few moments a loud shooting sound filled the surroundings
with a fountain of green, yellow, and red sparkles strewn in the area their
eyes could see. Ishani and Ranveer looked upwards and were filled with wonder
and delight. The sky was set ablaze with the countless distinct balls whizzing
around the sky and making louder sounds, then scattering the glittering thin
petals into the view and soon fading into the blackness until another set of
the same, red, green and yellow flames burst and spread the same dazzling
sparkles all across the sky. Ranveer looked at Ishani whose face was glowing with
the colors of the lights spread over the skies; her eyes twinkling with excitement
and happiness.
"Happy
new year!" Ishani shouted, jumping onto her feet and hugged Ranveer tightly,
while he bit reluctantly circled his arms around her.
"Happy
new year, Ishani," he said, smiling. The Father turned to look at them both and
Ishani and Ranveer wished him a happy New Year as well.
"Happy
New Year to you," he said with a kind smile on his face. "It has been amazing
to have you here."
"Happy
New Year to you too, Father," Ranveer and Ishani said in unison and smiled.
"Ranveer,
I should like to see the two of you for a little more while. Perhaps we can
have a bit of wine? I've got the best of it. My friends were supposed to be
here tonight but they said they would get slightly late, I would be glad if you
join too."
"I'm
sorry, Father," Ranveer said apologetically. "I cannot have it for tonight, and
Ishani cannot take care of it herself, as you have seen it yourself. I think we
should be leaving now. I'm really sorry for this."
"Ah,
no worries. I understand you. Don't forget to check in sometime soon."
Ranveer
nodded and Father dropped them to his house's doorstep and bid them farewell
wishing them a happy year ahead.
Ranveer
and Ishani came out and headed towards his car while Ishani sang loudly, "Happy
New Year," waving her hands up and down.
"That's
not for Happy new Year' but Happy birthday'," Ranveer corrected her seeing
she had confused the tunes of the two.
"Who
cares," Ishani replied. "I'm celebrating. Why don't you try it too? It's fun."
Ishani giggled and started singing again.
Ranveer
shook his head and smiled to himself.
"Ishani,
stay up for a while we'll soon be there," Ranveer said when Ishani's strength
started betraying her and she tumbled slightly. He held her but Ishani seemed
lost.
"Ranveer,"
she said after she seemingly gained her senses back.
"Yes?"
"Thank
you."
"What
for?" Ranveer asked, confused.
"For
bearing with me tonight. This was my best New Year celebration in so many
years!" Ishani said turning serious, her giggles and laughter fading away.
"But
we didn't do anything. We didn't celebrate like you would have wanted to."
"Of
course we did!" she said immediately. "I had my best friend with me tonight,
what else was needed? To add to this, we played in the snow, saw the fireworks
from the best place possible and most importantly because of you I got the
business partnership with Mr.
Gupta." Ishani smiled gratefully.
Ranveer
looked at her, surprised of her sudden change in behavior, feeling stupefied,
as she continued to chant her normal banter while Ranveer still remained
confused. "I didn't get you," he said.
"You
don't understand anything," Ishani said, shaking her head childishly.
"I
thought you were feeling sleepy," he said.
"I
am." Ishani yawned and put her head on his shoulder.
"Ishani?"
Ranveer said but Ishani did not reply. He gently picked up her in his arms and
brought her to the car and made her sit there, tucking her carefully on the
seat, his jacket still wrapped around her.
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