Hi friends!! I'm back again...
CHAPTER 14: ONE MOMENT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE
"Ishani, let's discuss about it later. Can't we just walk around together?"
Ranveer asked innocently.
This brought ishani out of her thoughts.
"And why should I do that? Because you don't want to admit that you have lost the challenge? No, you are not getting away from this. First confess that you have lost the challenge and then we can do whatever you want."
Ishani said sharply, as best as she could,trying to hide what was going on in her mind moments ago. Perhaps she could still escape the dilemma of telling or hiding for some more time. Then she would be able to give it proper thinking.
Ranveer came near ishani and sat besides besides her. He tried to take her in his arms but ishani resisted.
"None of your tricks would work now,Ranveer. You have not been able to find out anything."
"Oh, come on Ishani! Who says I have lost the challenge? I'm not going to loose it. It's just that I wanted some more time. I am quite new here. What do you expect from me? If this was Mumbai, I could have guessed it in no time. This is not fair. You must give me time. "
Ranveer protested.
"Ok. I didn't think of this. But I am not going to give you more time because I wants to watch it with you and I am not missing it."
Ishani melted a little.
Ranveer smirked secretly. His plan was working. But he had to be very cautious.
"So what about challenge?"
Ranveer asked.
"Well,let's say that I spared you of challenge."
Now it was Ishani's turn of smirking ,openly.
"Ok then. Let's see what mystery is all about!"
Ranveer stood up as ishani also stood up. She walked near the parapet walls. Ranveer followed her,thinking how should he make her talk.
Ishani looked across the horizon before them. She was busy assuming the approximate time before it happens.they still had some more time. Sun was going down the sky steadily, giving out reddish golden light. She felt the cool breeze brushing past her,refreshing her.she smiled to herself as she felt a hand wrapping around her waist. She looked through the corners of eyes to see Ranveer staring at her lovingly. She went red, blushing. This was the heaven. With him at her side, even place like this which had stored her darkest hours, could turn into heaven. This was the power of love and she was grateful for that. Strange, how love can make as well as break a person under different circumstances.
Ranveer hugged ishani from behind, placing his chin lovingly on her shoulders, leaning his head against hers.he too,looked at the scene before them. He was not sure that ishani would tell him so easily when she had hidden her feelings so long. But then he had never asked her. How could he not notice it before? He had promised her to be there whenever she will need him. He hadn't forgotten that. He remembered how innocently she had asked him for it when they were children and he had promised. He was adamant about it.
"Ishani, what's it?"
"Well,look at the sunset. Isn't it beautiful today?"
Ranveer frowned.
"What do you mean by today? It's always beautiful. Didn't we also watched it yesterday?"
Ishani slapped herself mentally.
"I didn't mean that. I mean it's more beautiful today."
She covered up. Pulling herself away, she fully turned to look into Ranveer's eyes.
"What a person you are, Ranveer! You can't even notice this?"
She said ,mocking and teasing him.
'I have noticed something more important than that, ishani.'
Ranveer said in his mind.
"How can I when you are standing next to me?" Ranveer said mischievously and pulled her closer.
Ishani averted her eyes from his, blushing and smiling. She could feel the heat from his body,so close to her. Her heart beating fast,she felt herself shivering from his touch. His innocent hand wrapped securely around her sent tingling sensation in her body, building tension between them.
"When I have such a beautiful wife in front of me,how could I pay attention to anything else?"
Ranveer continued in a low voice that made her shiver.
He softly caressed her cheeks and let his hand go behind her neck, sending more tingling sensations. She drew deep breaths, feeling her breath getting irregular. As she became aware of Ranveer getting close to her,she felt a surge of shyness overcoming her. She suddenly became conscious of her surroundings and gently pulled away again from his embrace.
"Ishani, what happened?"
Ranveer said, clearly annoyed.
"R...Ranveer, we are on terrace overlooking the whole city. Wh...what if anyone sees us,what they will think?"
Ishani stammered,still blushing. She couldn't think of anything else.
"Ishani! Seriously! What will people think? We are married couple. What's wrong in that? And anyways ,this is not India. People have different perspective about things here."
"S...so what? That doesn't make me feel less nervous."
Ishani said,still not looking into his eyes.
Ranveer started laughing.
"So ,that's it! You are nervous. You know what, I know a way to make you less nervous."
Ranveer said lowering his voice , coming near her again.
But by now, Ishani had gathered herself.
"No Ranveer, not here at least."
"Ok,if you want me to do it at home, then I am ready."
Ranveer winked at her.
"Ranveer!", ishani slapped him playfully on shoulders.
Both of them laughed as tension between them lessened.
" Ranveer, look!" Ishani said suddenly,her voice dazed.
As Ranveer followed her eyes,he tried hold back gasp that followed. It was beautiful, beautiful than ever. Even more than it had been few moments before. The sky had a light shade of every color of rainbow. Several unrecognizable shapes made of clouds coloured with different shades of sunlight had been created before them. And as nature made it wonderful, the tall,glass building in front of them made it more dramatic,scattering the light. It was more like watching a 3-D painting.
"It...it's beautiful!" Were the only words Ranveer could manage.
Ishani beamed at this. Still watching the sunset greedily, they remained enchanted by nature for more than few minutes. When the light started fading out, they looked as the sun went down, slowly the random but beautiful shapes of clouds getting blur.
"That was beautiful." Ranveer said, dreamily.
"I knew you would like it." Ishani beamed.
"So,that's why you came to this building?"
Ranveer asked, his eyes admiring her.
Ishani suddenly looked at him,only to gaze away next moment.
"Yes,I guess." She said slowly.
But this change didn't went unnoticed by Ranveer.
"Very thoughtful of you, which is rare."
Ranveer decided to play it her way.
Ishani rolled her eyes at him.
He leaned back to the parapet wall and sat on the edge of it. Ishani's look turned to that of horror.
"Ranveer,don't..." But even before ishani started, Ranveer interrupted her.
"I wouldn't fall,trust me. Don't you remember how I used to sit like this on the terrace of home when we were in college."
Ranveer assured her.Still ishani couldn't shake the fear off her mind. She quietly held his palm in hers. Ranveer didn't said anything as he also knew it would make her feel more better.
"Would you sit beside me?"
Ranveer asked casually.
To his surprise, ishani nodded affirmatively. He helped her sit down. As parapet wall was quite thick, there was not much chance of falling, specially when they had positioned themselves so that their legs were still facing terrace.
Both of them watched over the city as the lights lit up the streets below them. Ranveer was fascinated by the way lights flooded the city, enjoying the view next to him while ishani also admired the view but not like Ranveer. She sat there staring in turns,first at the city below her and next to Ranveer. She was anxiously waiting for him to say that it was enough for a day.
But Ranveer seemed quite oblivious to this. He looked so absorbed into watching. She wondered when he would be willing to leave. She definitely didn't want to sit down there like this,specially with him. His assurance wasn't enough to overcome her fear of what could happen. It reminded her of the memories of him falling down. She shivering as she thought about it, her grip on his palm getting stronger.
"Ishani" ,his calm voice,shaked her out of her thoughts.
"Hmmm"
"What if I fall?" Ranveer asked,his eyes still on the street below.
"I'll fall with you" came back determined reply after few seconds,which startled Ranveer. He looked towards her, realising he shouldn't have said that.
He stared at her, stunned.
"I was just asking it casually. I...I didn't intend to..." Ranveer fumbled with words.
"But I'm serious." Said ishani, now staring into his eyes,which looked so disturbed. As she spoke this,she felt a calm spreading over her,soothing her,giving peace. She felt a burden leaving her. Perhaps this was what she was supposed to do after all. This was what she wanted to do if ever such a thing happened. This was what had kept her torn apart in last few years. And now admitting it in front of him gave her peace. Perhaps she hadn't been able to do it at all because she always felt as if he would return one day and he had. The very thought gave her calmness and the calmness gave her more confident.
She continued to look into his eyes which now made her feel exposed,like he could see every single emotion of her, like he could see every memory I hold within me,like he could see right through her like never before. But instead of feeling uneasy, she felt it quite natural, comforting. She was sure now,of what her decision would be if she ever again faced her dilemma. It seemed right thing to do, clear than ever. She knew that would mean sharing her painful moments with him but she had understood one thing in that one second. If they ever going to heal themselves, they must share their pains,fears,sorrows with each other. She had understood what people meant when they say that one moment can change the life.
Ranveer cursed himself for speaking like this. It was not something, he originally intended to do. Perhaps it would become more tougher than earlier to get ishani speaking. He kept staring into her eyes which were now gleaming with strange glow he had not known.though he could guess it for most intense form of finding a reason behind something,he couldn't place it correctly. he could see ishani was serious about this and if he really falls,she wouldn't hesitate for a moment to fall with him. And that's what frightened him. He didn't want her to destroy her life like this for his sake. Not again.
phew!!finished at last!
Constructive criticism will be more than welcome. Sorry for any typos.
Udne Ki Aasha
Anupamaa
