But now,as he stood there, trying to calm himself and control his anger, he realised that he was losing his well practised cool like he never did. Because of her.
He stood in his cream coloured sherwani that she had chosen for his haldi and felt the anger rolling off him in silent waves as he looked with blood shot eyes at yet another phone that had met a sad demise as he remembered and heard her voice again.
'Mr.Shivaay Singh Oberoi."
He felt like he had been slapped in the face!! He was shocked, confused and hurt. And more than that he was angry and he felt like he was losing his mind. How dare she!! How dare she hurt him like this!!
He closed his eyes just for a second to shut it all out but certain khol rimmed eyes invaded it once again making him utterly helpless as the memories flooded him once again.
"What is so hard to understand Daksh. A 'No' means NO'!". He had all but screamed at his best friend, trying to keep his nervousness at bay, trying to curb a wild panic that had settled around his heart when his friend had proposed to her two days ago, as his sangeet ceremony had almost drawn to a close.
'Yes' she had said, just then. He almost thought he had imagined her voice when she repeated what she had whispered earlier. 'Yes, Daksh I will marry you.' He was about to protest more when she suddenly turned and caught his eyes for the fraction of a second and he was almost blinded by the pain , hurt and anger that he saw but there was a new emotion there, one he couldn't place just then which made him stop.
He had stood there in shock and even as she lifted her left hand for Daksh, remembered the way that she had looked that night, breathtakingly beautiful, yet disturbed and he had wanted to tear away Daksh's hands off from hers as they danced and hold her instead. She had felt just perfect in his arms and he had forgotten who he was going to get married to, for just a moment. And he had felt things that he had never dared or allowed himself to feel for her before but even then, when she had danced with him, he could see a storm beneath her eyes .
Daksh had smiled a wide smile and amid some cheers from the watching guests and some of his family members, he had slipped a small diamond onto her finger as she sighed deeply as though it was too much for her to hold in. And the family had surrounded them and somewhere he could hear the far off sound of Tia's congrats to the new couple amid others. And even before he could dim the silent screams in his head or pick up the pieces of his shattered heart, she had disappeared. And he had watched her turn back and leave, helpless and stunned, taking with her whatever happiness he had felt at his sangeet leaving a hollow ache.
And now for the past two days, he couldn't understand her at all!! She had almost avoided him. Not said a word. He was frustrated enough to pull all of his hair out. Even if she addressed him,she never looked at him and she never took his name at all. There was no mischievous Billuji. No trusting Shivaay that sounded like a caress. Nothing. Her conversations with him directly started with whatever marriage query that she had. Like a professional would address him but without the 'Mr. Oberoi' in the beginning. He hated it!! And his attempts to get her to talk was always thwarted by her new fiance who he had come to hate with a vengeance, childhood friend or not.
And it wasn't just that she ignored him. It was the way she had suddenly become so detached from the whole family. Those extra sunny smiles or laughter that she usually showered on everyone were missing for the past two days. No underlying affection behind her conversations with his mother or Badi ma. There was no careless banter with Om or Ru. Even her talks with Daadi lacked the usual warmth! But no one seemed to notice it except him!!
He had even wondered if he was imagining it all, his insanely jealous mind playing tricks. Or if it was her just an initial awkwardness from her side in the aftermath of Daksh's sudden proposal. She worked like a machine tirelessly getting everything right and was almost cold, even the warm yellows of her clothes or the glittering decorations or the festivities around didn't seem to penetrate her cold mask. She had become an even bigger enigma than before overnight and Shivaay for the life of him couldn't understand why!!
He just wanted to shake her and scream at her to atleast just look at him!! At least once. It was childish and silly but he couldn't help it! And then, today, he finally found time when Daksh had left the mansion for some errand and had cornered her and had asked her if she was all right.
And then she had really looked at him, and he at once wished that she hadn't . Because what he saw was something he couldn't tolerate. It wasn't just anger or hurt. Anger he could bear and even understand, and hurt he had known he would find, but this was neither. It was disgust. And it had left him reeling with shock and confusion!
"Mein theek hoon, Mr.Shivaay Singh Oberoi!' she had bit out, the name sounding almost like an insult.
"I can take care of myself!!", she had said again. And he had been shocked into silence after her verbal blow. And this time he realized that something was very very wrong.
And even as he controlled his irregular breaths and came out of his anger induced haze, he realized that it was time he found out.
Thats all I could come up with for now ! Do comment and let me know guys .Or better yet, write something to give me some closure!
Lots of love,
Anu.
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
