IshVeer FF : La Douleur Exquise| Important Announcement (Page 51) - Page 2

Chapter 7: Whispers from the Past

The mild music flew in the evening air softly, the fragrance of the fresh flowers adorning the mansion profoundly, glittering lights embellishing the marbled exterior like a bride garnished royally for her wedding day, and the light murmurs of the guests reaching in the quiet room steadily. The quiet room.

"They say," a voice spoke softly, reverberating with repine sadness, "a human's life begins with the first breath he takes in this world... but mine began when my breath had ceased in that moment. I still remember the moment... when my eyes fell upon her for the first time all those years ago. I'd stopped breathing from that instant and from there, my life began. But it changed me forever... I remember that precise moment when I had stopped breathing, but my life truly had begun. I felt dirty... unworthy of someone for the first time in life. Found myself inferior for the first time in front of someone who defined another meaning of beauty as if she was everything and I... nothing. From that moment, I forgot of the existence of my previous life, and if I remember anything from that moment is, it's her only. Ishani."

He smiled fondly as the years long gone by flashed in front of his eyes like the blinking fireflies beginning to dance in the seclusion of the grey night: all still fresh as the snowflakes in the winter morning and none blurred in the slightest.

15 years had passed, he thought, when he had set his foot for the first time into this mansion and had discovered the matters of life so great and mystifying that anything beyond them did not truly hold his attention. The world was a curious place: everything here gave you something to learn, to cherish and to hold closer to your heart although at the most terrible prices that made you ridiculously ache for having them. One might not take the worldly things when they depart to another realm, but everything they learnt here was what determined their survival. That's what he had found here in this mansion. It was a world in itself and had given him a life of another world altogether: lessons to learn from the little mistakes earning him undeserving punishments, taunts of the family members, friendships of the family's kids, but most of all the guidance and love of his Mota Babuji, his father figure and guide. His father considered him God, and he had no reason to contradict the well established belief. If God truly existed, He would exactly be like his Mota Babuji.

But above all, he had found his biggest treasure hidden in the chambers of this large mansion. The treasure that had changed him upside-down, inside-out the moment he had witnessed her. He remembered himself going unmoved by the grandeur of the palace like place his father had brought him into when he was 9; all he remembered was that he had found a princess in here. The most beautiful princess among all the stories he had ever known. Couldn't she be an angel descended from heaven itself?

His smile widened at the thought of her as he sighed pensively, his eyes staring at the horizon that still carried the splendid red glow of the sunset after the sun had already retired a long while ago. She was a beautiful princess and he was just a fool that often dared to think what he knew was impossible even in his wildest of the dreams. Hoping for the utmost impossible that his heart burned so deeply for was but a fool's hope. He would not run his thoughts there again, for never a servant had been allowed to what his heart desired the most.

"What are you reading?" he asked, noticing her arched eyebrows- an indication of her sadness- as he sat beside her.

"The More Loving One. Auden."She turned and looked at him, and smiled looking at his confused expressions. "Well, Auden is one of the greatest poets of 20^th century and this is his poem."He nodded his head.

"What was it that made you sad?" he asked. She was afraid, he could tell, but why he had no idea.

"Oh, it didn't make me sad, no. I was just wondering about something... I was..."

"Wondering about what?" he asked, hoping she would provide him a proper answer instead of playing in silly riddles.

"The poem talks about unrequited love... and the pain a lover goes through when their feelings are not returned. I wonder if my love isn't returned as well?"

His smile suddenly disappeared and he looked at her with unease, but after a while composing himself, he spoke glibly. "Why are you worried, then? I'm sure you haven't found anyone for now." He chuckled softly, mischief in his eyes making Ishani glare at him immediately.

"Shut up, Ranveer!"she cried, irritated with his carelessness towards her feelings. "You don't take anything seriously, do you? But the day you do fall in love, and your feelings aren't returned, please let me know. I'm sure you'll understand my fears then perfectly," she finished, and giving him a look of disapproval, left briskly.

"I'm sure you'll understand my fears then perfectly," he repeated her words softly to himself. Her fears! He understood she wasn't mad at him but Baa's words of her never finding true love had affected her deeply, and it was his fault of not taking her seriously that day.

"Ranveer!" a voice from the distance drawled his name. "The rituals have begun and you are needed there."

His chest clenched, and he closed his eyes as if to chase away the pain that suddenly erupted in his heart. He couldn't face her. "Coming!" he answered, without looking back. Finally the time had come and he was needed there.

His eyes once again measured through the tall buildings that represented something his heart burned more for: an ambition that remained bubbling within him for years without the knowledge of anyone in the world, including his parents, but he knew he had to defeat these demons and fight for a life that his parents deserved, and he too. But wasn't its cost too high for that? He couldn't leave her at any cost either, for the day he did, he knew he would have no life anymore to live.

"Aren't you coming, Ranveer?" the voice again called him and he was rudely sprung out of his thoughts. "Always lost in daydreaming." The last sentence was a taunt his father often bestowed him with.

"Coming, Baba!" He paced towards the exit door and past the passage connecting the mansion to the servant quarters, and within moments came out towards the large entrance of the house filled with the guests and the members of the house welcoming them.

"Ranveer!" His father's voice made him halt in his place and he turned back, smiling. "Don't forget what I have told you. Do not cross your limits today, alright? We are not allowed to do that! Baa already... you know what I mean, right?"

He nodded his head and left. "We are not allowed to cross our limits! Now what's that supposed to mean?" he wondered to himself and at no response shook the thought off and left.

He came into the hall. The wedding hall was decorated with the most garnishing of the flowers, little lights decorating the hall magnificently and the Mandap waiting for the bride to be brought down, the handsome groom and Panditji already occupying their places. His eyes flitted from one place to another in anticipation of discovering someone he knew, but finding no familiar face at once. Familiar. Yes, he knew all, still he didn't.

"Ranveer, thank God you have come! We've been looking for you for so long!" The kids from the house harshly dragged him in a corner as he eyed them all suspiciously, while all their eyes stared at him in hope and anticipation that somewhere frightened him for the very good reasons. These kids wanting him in their team could not surely be a good sign.

He raised his one eyebrow. "What is it?"

One of the boys opened his mouth to say something but was immediately hushed by another. "Motu, shut up! We are not discussing food over here. It's more important than that and not your business to start with!"

The boy whined and looked annoyed but gave in as his brother now looked at Ranveer seriously.

"Well, brother," he said, placing his hand on Ranveer's shoulder. "You remember we had had a deal?"

"Deal?"

"Don't tell me you have forgotten what we planned 5 days ago."

Ranveer shrugged his shoulders. "I don't-"

"Of course, you do remember," he said, looking at Ranveer balefully. "You were our last hope; you know that, don't you?"

Ranveer shrugged off the hand from his shoulder. "Have you gone mad, Devarsh? These kids... you want them to have the damn alcohol along with you? This Disha, Pratiek and you yourself! Look at your faces, children. I'm not going to help you! Baa will cut my throat if she finds out."

"Exactly, you are supposed to secretly supply that to us," Devarsh said slowly as if tiniest of the increase in voice would land him up in jail. "And we're all above 18, plus, you are not child yourself either."

"I know," Ranveer answered thoughtfully. "But for Baa and Mota Babuji you all are still their kids. I want to take no risks when it comes to... And I didn't agree to anything. It was you who assumed I did! I never made a promise."

"You were appointed to take care of us, Ranveer!" Devarsh spoke again. "What use of a friend is when he can't help you in your hour of need?"

"I am not going to do it, get that?"

Devarsh opened his mouth to say something, but...

"What's happenings, kids?" Suddenly a burst of loud noise from behind their back stopped their ever heating wiles and they all froze, more in surprise than in fear. Looking back, a surprising sight met their eyes, their nervous smiles flying in the air.

"Mom!" the two boys broke out.

A woman clad in lavender coloured net saree, her cheeks flat with each form of cosmetics possible, hair pulled up in a secured bun and her eyes glaring with heavy mascara, came into view while her face contorted in anger gave a comical look to her otherwise speaking features. All standing there supposedly having hard time in controlling their laughter hid their faces as she advanced towards them, her designer saree uselessly casing over the marbled floor.

"Devarsh! Pratiek! What are you twos doing here?" she cried out at the boys. "I asked you boths to bring me an apples juice."

"Mom," Devarsh said. "But you were on dieting, remember? And you already have had enough for a day today."

She looked embarrassed and immediately shrugged it off. "Yes, but don't you sees, boys, I have lost 4 KGs in just 15 days? It was my plans already till the marriage! I'm already so thin." She made a weird pose as she said that and others looked away, snickering to themselves in embarrassment. "And so, I was feeling quite weaks. I needed something to cheer me up!"

Devarsh and Pratiek looked at each other awkwardly and sighed. Their mother certainly had the knack to embarrass them like that as she did this regularly most often. Soon their eyes drifted to Ranveer who looked sympathetically at them.

"Ah, Chaitali Kaki, you do look so thin and young but have you seen Kaka?" he said and Chaitali's expressions dramatically turned solemn as if saddened by the mention of her husband's name.

"I knows, Ranveer!" she said sadly, playing with the corner of her saree's pallu. "he doesn't look after him at all! Never. All the time I have to remind him of that."

"Exactly! And he doesn't even look like he's your husband. And look, he really has no shame." He pointed towards her husband who seemed to be hiding in a corner from someone with a large bowl of sweets in his hands, while others, following Ranveer's gaze, nodded in agreement.

"Mitesh! " Chaitali growled, frustrated. "He wills never change! I told him not to eats anything extras! He has gained 6 KGs since last one months. Ughhh!"

"That's it, Chaitali Kaki!" Ranveer said, and Devarsh joined him as well. "Go and look after your husband. Otherwise, you know-"

"Yes, Mom. Please go and surprise dad!" Devarsh said.

"I knows! I knows," she said suddenly, her expressions dramatically horrified. And saying that, she left; the bells in her saree now ringing behind.

"Thank God!" Pratiek now spoke.

"Shut up!" Devarsh cut him short, and looked at Ranveer, his eyes imploring. "Ranveer, please do something, yaar!"

Ranveer looked irritated and sighed. "I'm not the one willing to be murdered by Baa and be bad in front of my Mota Babuji, alright? I'm not doing it for you!" he said, emphasizing too much on not', and began to leave.

"Not even if I help you and Ishani patch up?" Devarsh said and Ranveer immediately halted and turned back.

"What?" he asked, trying to sound casual, but sure that sudden flutter of his heart had given away the matter between him and Ishani.

"Let's not pretend that we don't see it," Devarsh said while others nodded in agreement. "Ever since that incident 3 days ago, she's not talking to you, is she?"

The air grew tense and Ranveer looked at him pensively, and after contemplating over the matter for 10 seconds, he shook his head and smiled. "You don't have to worry about that," he said, now pretending to be more confident than he truly felt. "I already have a plan." A mischievous smile formed on his lips that did not delight the trio before him in the least. "I'll handle her on my own."

"Ranveer, how could you!" Pratiek complained. "You were our friend first!"

"Wrong," another voice broke, and this time Disha opined. "More than anything, he is the servant of this house, and that's what he's doing! Working for Baa and following her orders!" Disha began eating the apple that remained in her hands and looked sideways as if not worried of the storm that might approach them anytime soon.

A grim silence followed her statement as Devarsh and Pratiek stared at Disha in disbelief, their gazes momentarily passing to Ranveer who stood silent, and slightly embarrassed. But was he? They did not know.

"Did I say anything wrong?" she spoke again and this time loudly as if still unaware of the tension that her words had created.

Devarsh hushed her immediately. Calling Ranveer by that name was not allowed at all in the Parekh Mansion. And only God knew the punishment the speaker was to undergo if someone was caught him calling by the name that was considered to be a taboo. Taboo for what reason, they did not know, but they never used this word for him. Everyone hated it for some reason... and especially Ishani. Devarsh prayed in his head Ishani hadn't heard anything said here right now. But sometimes, prayers weren't answered that way.

"Oh, she's here!" Devarsh whispered and everyone looked up, all aspects of Ranveer's thoughts being consumed by the sight as he finally looked at her for the first time in the evening. He felt his heart suddenly beat wildly, while his breath ceased in his chest, his mouth open in awe and his eyes staring at the direction she descended down from. Her hair streamed across her right shoulder elegantly, while her pink coloured Lehanga followed gracefully across her feet as she took her steps down to the main Hall. She looked exactly like a fairy.

"She looks so beautiful!" he perhaps heard Pratiek say as the three others left while Ranveer himself remained frozen, his eyes staring at her in pure reverence unblinkingly. How could one be as beautiful as she was? So perfect. So kind. Her whole being radiated her goodness, kindness and a life that she had learnt to live with for so many years despite all trying to crush her down. She was an inspiration to all those who knew her, but people rarely bothered with her. Yet she was content in what she had.

His heart clenched once again as he stared at her from behind a pillar, and she descended down. A memory of the past flicked back into his mind- the most pleasant one of the day he has seen her first. Just like this she had looked at him, and he had lost himself, his existence and perhaps even the memory of his life before that. She had looked just the same. So innocent, so serene and so kind. How could he not love her when love was all that she was made for?

And as she descended the stairs, he hid himself behind the curtains that failed to do their job wretchedly and she rushed to him, and grabbing his hand dragged him out of the corner like she always would whenever she was alone. The world must have lightened up with the way she laughed. But it wasn't her usual happy laughter that soothed him, it was defeated and broken.

"Where have you been all this while, Ranveer? I needed you!"

He looked sideways, not wanting to look at her. "I-- I was busy with the things at home," he answered slowly.

She shook her head and made him turn towards her. "It's so unbelievable, no? It's the wedding day finally!"

She didn't look too happy, but as he smiled, her own lips curved into one.

"Come on! They are waiting for us!"

"They're waiting for you," he corrected. "I'll be taking a look around the place lest someone needs something."

She left and Ranveer looked at his attire, a decent looking blue Sherwani doing its job fairly as Baa had warned him not to look too bad in front of the guests. He did look decent enough not to insult her or her class in front of the guests.

Ranveer busied himself in the chores and the rituals of the marriage began. The bride was already brought down, her eyes red but the glow not going amiss by anyone. The Pheres took place as the couple moved around the sacred fire seven times, each presenting a vow to keep the marriage, love and respect in the relationship intact. The groom then gently tied the Manglasutra about his wife's neck and filled her Maang with the red coloured Sindoor, a sign of her being married from this day on. Ishani looked at the couple as her eyes formed a couple of tears at the sight of her sister and anger surged through her, making her clutch her Lehanga rather tightly. Ranveer stood in a corner beside her, occasionally eyeing her guiltily, as if wanting to say something but nothing was heard from him. Long before he could say anything to make her feel better, he saw Panditji declare the couple to be the husband and wife as they stood up to take the blessings of the elders. The next rituals were followed closely, the end coming too soon as the time of the couple to depart drew nearer.

The farewell of the bride, as expected, was tearful and took a while to let her go. As soon as Gauri had left, the house carried a dismal air, all eyes red and swollen but ironically, their hearts much lighter.

Ranveer stood out of his room, staring at the sickle moon that gleamed dimly aloft in the dark sky. A lot had happened and his body ached from the continuous works of days, but he wished for no sleep. 3 days! 3 days had passed and she hadn't talked to him except for bit on the evening today. Slight disappointment in her eyes had hurt so much. He wondered what would happen is something ever wrong... He sighed, his eyes not leaving the moon for a moment. It reminded him of his treasure: one that he could adore his entire life but thinking of ever owning it was but an irrational wish made out of the foolishness. He shook his head, trying to get alcohol not take over his senses as it had its stupid reasons to make things romanticize and he didn't want that right now.

Not a tree whispered tonight, and he wondered if it might even rain in a while. Monsoon was approaching soon, so it wouldn't be a surprise really if it happened. But before anything, he heard familiar sounds of the footsteps and did not need looking back. It was too clear who the newcomer was.

"I want to talk to you." A curt voice broke out. He smiled to himself but did not look back. "I said I want to talk to you!" A hand harshly turned him towards her.

He rubbed his arm and angrily squinted his eyes. "Ishani, don't be such a brute, alright?" he said and Ishani slapped his shoulder once again, her expressions inexplicable.

"Why are you ignoring me?"

"I'm ignoring you?" he asked, his voice low. "Who has it been since last 3 days not talking to me?"

"That- that-you earned that!" Ishani retorted. "You don't have to become and do what you keep doing most of the times!"

"No, Ishani," he said calmly. "You have to understand what we did was right. There was no other way to save Gauri and Pranav from the clutches of the family, and especially Baa."

"But she still had to sacrifice her love. In the end, she didn't get to live her happily ever after either... isn't it every girl's dream to marry the man she loves?"

"It is." He smiled softly. "It's not just that. Baa would have killed them both--there really would not have been any hope for them." Ranveer could hear the clouds rumble slowly in the distance.

"But isn't love about living and dying together? Papa always says that, and so do you."

"It is," Ranveer agreed. "But if you were at her place, what would you have done? Would you go ahead and become the reason of his death or do something that protects him and gives him a reason to live?"

"Is it so easy to move on, Ranveer, as you make it out to be? Wouldn't they have lived happily had they just run off forever... never coming back?"

"Do you think Baa would have let her be happy after her pride was assaulted by the daughter of her own family? And truthfully, it wasn't my own decision to get Gauri back, and nor hers either. Pranav decided the final thing as he realized the danger Gauri would have been in once they eloped. He wanted her to go back and marry whoever the groom her family had finalized for her. He'd already decided to let her go."

"What? But--"

"Yes," Ranveer nodded. "And before we came out of his house, Baa's men caught them and Pranav was dragged here and humiliated. And Gauri, who didn't agree to his requests earlier, had to do it later for his sake. They both made this sacrifice, Ishani, and that's where their love won. It's all about living for other's happiness, choosing their life before ours." There was a long silence as neither of them spoke.

Ishani looked crestfallen for a while before she composed herself, hugging herself gently as the breeze of the night rustled across the leaves. "Why is there so much pain in love, Ranveer?" she asked after sometime, looking at him, her eyes sparkling.

"Love is all about pain," he said slowly, more to himself than her, and smiled while Ishani was taken aback at way he said his words. "Without it there is no love."

"How will they live without each other, Ranveer?"

"Time makes you learn to live with the wounds, Ishani. Sometimes you do move on and start a new life..." Ranveer whispered at last, a quiet smile on his lips. "What do you think of Romil? Do you think he will be a bad husband to her?"

"Oh, I think Romil Jiju is amazing," Ishani said and smiled. "But will Gauri di ever love him back? I don't want their marriage to remain loveless."

"You never know."

Ishani felt Ranveer eyes flicker with something at the mention of Romil but kept quiet. She shook her head and smiled. "You didn't answer my question, though," she said, looking at him. "Is it really easy to move on?"

"Everyone moves on..." he answered uneasily.

"Could you?"

Ranveer gulped. "What?"

"If you were at the place we are talking about, could you move on?"

"I'll rather die than do that," he whispered to himself inaudibly, and thankfully Ishani did not hear him. He cleared his throat. "Well, it depends from person to person. That's it." He hoped Ishani would not ask any more questions, for the direction their conversation was heading to, it could not be any good for them both.

Ishani, too, remained silent as they both watched the moon slip behind the gathering clouds that began to rumble loudly now, gradually throwing faint flashes of lightening.

"Do you know why I didn't talk to you for last three days, Ranveer?" Ishani spoke again, her eyes fixed at the sky.

He shifted his gaze back to her but kept quiet. She said nothing as well.

"Because you thought I had broken your trust that day. You never thought I will agree to what Mota Babuji and Baa said and let Gauri come in back again," he said at last, and she shook her head.

"You choosing your loyalty for Papa over everything was what I had expected all the time, but what I didn't expect was you taking my blame upon yourself. You had nothing to do with that. You know what Baa is going to do tomorrow? I was wondering how you could do that... she'll make sure to..." her words faltered and for the first time in the evening that coldness left her eyes. "I don't like it. Tomorrow again Baa will insult you and punish you for something you haven't even done... no matter what Papa says and... I hate you for that!" she suddenly snapped and Ranveer looked taken aback.

"Ishani," he said softly, gulping slowly. "Look, the way it was necessary for Gauri to let go of her love, what I did was just as important as well."

She turned to him and looked into his eyes. "Why?" her question pierced deeper within him, and for a while he had no answer.

"Love," he whispered after sometime, looking back into her eyes with an intensity that frightened Ishani. He could feel her cower under his gaze but that did not matter right now to either of them.

A little gasp left her lips. "Love?"

"Love for Mota Babuji," he smiled.

Ishani's face relaxed in a smile, too, but suddenly her expressions turned graver again.

"But Baa... tomorrow," she said in a lost voice and looked frightfully at him again.

Ranveer shook his head, amused. "Now don't you release the pools of tears from your eyes, alright?"

"But-"

"Ishani Parekh cries. Really? What are people going to say!" he chuckled. "And anyway, it's time you slept already, otherwise if anyone saw you here with me, you might join me as well tomorrow. And who will be applying that awesome ointment, then. Hmm?"

"I'll join you happily--" Ishani said, but was cut short by Ranveer who pushed her out of the place, towards her house.

"Go now!" he ordered and smiled.

"Ranveer, but--"

"I have made everything clear already, alright?"

Ishani, irritated, left from there. "You'll burn in hell I swear, Ranveer!" she cursed. "And then you'll need me only." She sighed, annoyed, and left.

Ranveer smiled to himself and continued to look at her direction until the last remnants of her presence had faded, and then looked back again at the moon that mildly penetrated through the gloomy layers of the clouds.

After whatever had happened in these days, he was sure something had changed and drastically so. Life was never stable, but its rapidity in change at times startled him awfully.

And as he watched the moon play hide and seek, his thoughts glided back to his love and what they had just talked about. Pain was always a part of love and none could escape its blinding reality.

It's necessary for two people to be there in love, but for a love to be two-sided it's not. Even my story is the same... I have been in love with her for 15 years--one-sided love"but she has no idea about it." He sighed as his heart recounted the years that passed by her side. "But that isn't the matter... there's no hope of my love being returned... or reciprocated by any means. I have only loved her... and will keep loving her until my last breath. Baba says a person should stay within their limits, but how do I explain there is no boundary when it comes to the matters of heart and love? I'm a servant in this house, and take care of everyone. But the one who is in my thoughts all the time, it's only Ishani and this is one thought I can never separate from myself. I don't want to. I know she will never be mine. She will never love me. One fine day, she will leave this house forever... and marry someone else... but that doesn't change my love for her; or lessen my feelings towards her. Although one-sided, it's enough to last one lifetime for me, for my love. Is it necessary that when two people fall in love, they have to marry, or have to live together? Or have their names joined together? Love is complete in itself. It establishes itself on its own and doesn't need a name to complete it. Mota Babuji always says, Love is not about owning it, but losing yourself in it.

And that's why, Ishani, Meri aashiqui tum se hi..."

He opened his eyes as the drops of the rain fell upon his cheeks and he looked up, a few drops of tears had also left his eyes. Perhaps just like all the time before, the sky again had sensed sadness of his quietly aching heart and had decided to weep on his behalf?

Hey, guys! Time to breathe life into this thread as well. I'll be active here as well from now on. :)

And Elvish runs away!

Chapter 8: Many Colours of Life

Prickling silence echoed in the corners of the ever lively Parekh Mansion with a menacing stillness, ailing in strange ways. All was silent. Too silent to be real. And then... Crack... thump! A low yelp was followed shortly after but no other sound heard.

"Baa, please!" Ishani's tremulous voice dared to break the sequence of the whips slapping on her friend's skin. "Don't do this, please. It wasn't his fault!"

But her voice was too little to be heard amidst the bestial lashes of the brutal whisk gashing his back. The whip refused to recede in numbers as Baa's expert hands continued their job, Ishani's eyes helplessly fixed at Ranveer. She couldn't even close them to avoid being the witness of his torment, for his voice still reached her.

"Don't tell her anything," Ranveer had said before he was dragged to be presented in front of the old woman for the overdue and promised punishment of two days. Ishani's requests were proved as powerless as a child's cry to the two stubborn souls who never wavered from their pledges. One in her cruelty and another in his loyalty.

It felt like the rest of the rest house around them had frozen to a certain degree, not allowing a single soul to stir. Ishani spoke again and moved ahead, but a tight grip around her wrist prevented her from moving, bringing her to an abrupt halt. She looked back. Falguni held her hand and a glare darted forth.

"Maa, let me go, please!" Ishani pleaded, but to no avail. Falguni tightened her grip and grasped on her wrist harder.

"Stay quiet!" she whispered.

Ishani stared on, helplessly, as she saw Baa torment her friend and eviscerate the life out of him until everything felt helpless. She saw her cousins who shook their heads in apology towards her.

It wasn't until a voice echoed out which suddenly placated Baa's hostility, her hand coming to standstill midair. All eyes turned to the voice and there stood Ishani father, Harshad Parekh, his eyes bulging in anger and rage.

"What's all this, Baa? And, Ranveer, what are you doing? Falguni? What on earth is going on here?" He glanced at each face while Ishani rushed to help Ranveer at his feet as Devarsh and Pratiek supported him along. "Baa, I told you not to do any of this anymore!" Harshad Parekh's voice frayed the little courage Baa pretended to express through her eyes and then cleared her throat.

"Harshad," she spoke, her voice laced with disdain, "your love for this servant will destroy you one day! They can never be loyal to anyone. Not me. Not you. No one! Mark my words."

Harshad ignored Baa's statement and gesticulated Devarsh and Pratiek to carry Ranveer in his room before he left for his own. Ishani walked by Ranveer's side, letting no one else take her place as they scuffled together towards the servant quarters. Ishani noticed a trickle of blood oozed out of Ranveer's forehead while a mark burned right above his jaw line. Ishani hissed at the sight but remained silent for the rest of the journey. Little late did she realize Ranveer's father had followed them as well, his head bowed low.

Ishani turned back and looked at the old man. "Kaka, I'll get something for Ranveer," she said, her misty eyes traversing towards Ranveer.

"No, Ishani," Kailash said. "I'll manage it for him. Don't worry."

Without looking up Ishani nodded and left, her heart heavy.

Ranveer eyed his father who showed no sign of emotions. Instead, a streak of worry pronounced his ageing features, making Ranveer recoil in shame in his place.

"Baba, it... was... just..." he stuttered but fell silent at the helpless look on his father's face.

"Ranveer, why don't you get it, Ranveer?" his father said, his voice too low for Ranveer to comfort after the dreadful morning hours. It was the third time this month he had been the victim of Baa's cruelty for having done nothing but trying to protect the kids of the family, this time the object being Ishani.

Ranveer lowered his head and stared out of the decaying window frame, revealing the valiant afternoon sun.

"You remember Raghav?" his father asked and Ranveer could little change in his tone which was far from anger. And when Ranveer did not look back, he continued. "He used to work here since last 12 years, but was humiliated and fired for something as low cost as the sweets costing only 1200 rupees before Gauri's marriage."

Ranveer suddenly glanced back, the tone of his father's voice capturing his attention, but did not say anything. The cue was enough for his father to continue.

"Their donated clothes do not make you a big man, Ranveer. Nor does Mota Bhai valuing you over everyone else among us. Half the kids of this family don't even know the names of our children. And most people here still regard me as the driver of this family." A sad chuckle left Kailash's lips and he sighed. Now when he returned back to the present, he realized Ranveer was already looking at him.

"It's not bad trying to help your friend, but we have seen the world, Ranveer, and it's not pretty. One day they will crush you not because they are strong, but because you will let them. Emotions are petty. Make you do everything you must not."

Ranveer still stared at his father, wordlessly, as though unsure to form any words and then nodded.

Without waiting for any answer from Ranveer, his father stood up and pulled out the bowl of the aloe gel from the drawer and mixed it with a little amount of honey before the ointment was ready.

"It will hurt a little, alright? Just bear with me, Ranveer. Your mother always applied it on the wounds to cure them quickly."

Ranveer nodded. But before his father said anything, a knock at the door interrupted him. Over there, stood Ishani, her eyes teary and pleading.

"Kaka," she said and trudged inside the room, not glancing at Ranveer. "Papa wanted to see you. It's urgent." She looked at Ranveer and continued. "Don't worry. I'll look after him."

"Alright, Ishani." Kailash smiled weakly and left, leaving the two friends in solitude.

Ishani eyed Ranveer, unblinking and gulped. He could see she struggled with her desire to scold him but remained silent, tears speaking the rest for her. Ranveer adjusted himself up and wiped her tears as she sat beside him.

"I'm fine, Ishani. Look? I'm alright." He tried to sound cheerful, but failed. Ishani refused to look up, tears still wedging out of her eyes uncontrollably.

"I'll apply the ointment on your back," she said, as though jolted into reality. She hurried to the table Kailash had placed the bowl before he left, and fetched it back to the bed.

"No, no, Ishani. I will do it myself!" Ranveer almost shrieked and Ishani twitched her eyebrow in question.

"I'm not a monster," she emphasized. "You had no problem until Baa thrashed you for 20 whole minutes, right? It's now all your morals come into picture, isn't it?" Ishani huffed and shook her head before she began applying the ointment, slowly. Ranveer hissed at the sensation but remained silent until Ishani was finished. "Now, don't you dare getting out of this room until you are completely fine, alright?"

Ranveer shrugged his shoulders. "Unless you want me to get fired, I won't. Surely."

"I'll talk to Papa. He'll understand and anyway, you've been working overtime due to marriage preparations, so you deserve a two days break."

"Hello!" Ranveer tried to sit up but groaned as the injured muscles stretched.

"Look! This? You need to take care of yourself!" Ishani shouted, her grim figure towering over him while Ranveer recoiled.

"What am I supposed to do when I'm at home anyway?" he said.

"I want to take you somewhere tomorrow. I hope you won't have a problem."

"Hypocrisy much?"

"No, that place will only do good for you and me." Ishani smiled, and a flicker in her eyes gave Ranveer a hint of lurking mischief that she could not hide.

"Alright. But when?"

"You need to take rest for today. I'll let you know when we leave. It's tomorrow anyway, and I need to think something too."

"Think about what?"

Ishani sighed. "I suppose you should take rest. Papa lectured Baa already. Maybe she'll come to apologize to you in a while."

"No, no. It's all fine..."

"Papa asked her to, Ranveer. Not I."

Ranveer stayed silent.

"It hurts still." Ishani took a final look at his back as her eyes relapsed back to being teary.

"No, I'm fine. Baa's whips aren't new and I'm more than used to them now. Thankfully the bruises aren't deep this time."

"Didn't you feel afraid? Suffering for no fault of yours?"

Ranveer shook his head. "When you can fight for me with Baa. When you can go against Falguni Maa for my sake, why should I be afraid of ever doing anything for you?"

"What I do for you is different, Ranveer. Baa doesn't go on torturing me for standing up for you. Maa doesn't misunderstand our friendship like society does. But what you do gives you these." She ran an imaginary outline over one of the injured texture of his back. "And do you even know what people often talk about you?"

"Ishani," Ranveer said, smiling as he felt his spirit lift up. This was what she always did: make him happy. "The people around us don't matter, do they? We're here for Mota Babuji. Both of us. Your love and my loyalty. It's with him only. Why should we bother what others think of our friendship or our love for him?"

Ishani smiled, briefly surprised by the tears on her face that Ranveer gently wiped away. "As long as it concerns you and Mota Babuji, I will do anything to protect you both. Anything." There was an impetus determination in his tone that made Ishani withdraw a little as she stared at him, shocked.

She shook her head and laughed slowly, making Ranveer snap into reality as well. He blushed as Ishani smiled at him. "You are mad!" she said, uttering her usual mantra before she marched away.

The sun had gone down and Ranveer still struggled with the ache in his back. At times the pain grew unbearable as he moved. Ranveer tried to get to his feet, his eyes wandering from one corner to another in hope to find something suitable to engage himself into but to no avail. His father still had long hours to return, for Harshad Parekh had left for another town and would return late at night. Slowly, Ranveer stood up, stifling an anguished whimper and walked towards the window, thankful the wounds didn't hurt too much anymore. A ruffled pattern of the glittering stars graced the hazy blue sky. There was a silence he loved in these hours of twilight, for they reflected a part of him in weird ways he never bothered to comprehend. The trees hiding away the vista of the sea yielded the view as they gently swayed with the evening breeze, weather little bearable from the last night's rain.

He couldn't help but imagine a life, an impossible dream which visited him awake as he stared out towards the ever flowing water carrying the burden with fierce quietness on its surface. Hadn't the poets and philosophers talked about this quietness in their texts of old?

Philosophy, he realized, as a smile crossed his face. It was very well his very own refugee from the maddening truths of the world and a way to keep himself going on which connected him to Ishani. Ishani. What could the girl be planning? She wouldn't let him know until she was done with it, and he knew better. Not to expect anything from Ishani Parekh, for her plans mostly ended in disasters. Only if she saw him now, laughing in his head at her stupidities, he thought, Ishani would be another terrifying version of Baa.

However, amidst his thoughts the phone on the table echoed simply and Ranveer looked back. Maa, the realization dawned and the brightest smile crossed his face.

"Maa!"

The voice on the other side giggled at first before it settled into silence.

"Maa? Why are you so silent?"

His mother sighed. "It's been so long we talked, Ranveer, and yet you recognized it was me? It was another STD booth from which I called you today."

Ranveer chuckled. "I don't have to see a name to know it's you. You are my Maa."

"How are you?"

"I'm fine," he answered, not wanting to elaborate. The silence answered more questions to his mother than he intended to, for the next question startled him.

"Did Baa say anything?"

"Baa"Baa... no, Maa. She didn't. I'm fine." He tried to sound convincing but the attempt was futile.

"You don't have to tell the truth to let me know you aren't fine, Ranveer," his mother said. Her voice was soothing like the sound of a distant river and Ranveer shook his head, amused.

"Maa, you can't protect your Ranveer from the wrath of the world all the time, right? And don't worry, he isn't weak either... I'm fighting, Maa. Every day."

A voice, contrary to her laughter or chuckle was heard which Ranveer was sure was of her sobs. "Just realized you've grown up too quickly."

"Why do you women keep crying, Maa? Ishani had the same reaction just a while ago." He chuckled but stopped suddenly at the sight of Ishani at the door who stood there with a bowl in her hand.

"That maybe you will never understand!"

"I'll talk to you later, Maa. Need to go right now." Ranveer disconnected the phone call, and turned his attention towards Ishani. Ishani walked in, her steps heavy. She raised an eyebrow and Ranveer gaped at her.

"What?"

"What did you just tell Kaki?"

"It's a personal matter between Maa and me. Put yourself out of it."

"As long as it concerns me, I won't." She placed the bowl on the table and scowled. "Why is it so messy here, Ranveer? What have you been doing since afternoon? Last time I left, the room was in better state!"

"I was getting bored!"

"So you threw everything out?"

"No, tried to find something useful to do."

"Anyway," she said, her tone serious, "Ranveer, you shouldn't have lied to Kaki. It's not good."

Ranveer could see a twinge of guilt colour her eyes and he struggled to keep himself steady. "Ishani, it's alright. Maa will overreact if she ever finds out about these incidents. It's better she knows as little of these things as possible."

"You know, you should call her to stay here, Ranveer. It's been too long you met Kaki."

Ranveer nodded. "Maa says she has some issues in the business running at home. Last time when Baba went, he tried to help. But she can't leave home right now. Also, there's the case of the land. Maa has to attend the hearings too."

Surprisingly, Ishani moved towards Ranveer and took him in a gentle embrace, trying not to hurt him as she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. A sigh left her lips while Ranveer remained as stunned as 10 minutes ago at her sudden appearance in his room. In a moment Ishani separated away, her eyes teary. Looking at him she wiped the wet traces from her face and smiled.

"Ice-cream, that I brought for you is melting, Ranveer." She smiled.

Long after Ishani had left Ranveer remained awake, unsettling thoughts scanting away as he remembered the events since morning. The suffocating heat of July began to creep in as the evening descended into the quietness of the night slowly. He couldn't sleep. There was still time for Baba to return home, and he had prepared the dinner enough for the two people. It would only be a few more moments when his father would arrive.

The night wore on, revealing a man whom the world refused to see or possibly he concealed the part meticulously in his everyday attempts to go on. If Ishani saw him now, perhaps she wouldn't joke with him tomorrow. For this was not her best friend that she witnessed every day and sought his shoulder to cry on. This was the man who loved her dearly and as intensely as a woman would desire to be loved. The agitation of a day before had subsided, and had left in its wake a soul that was ready to face another day.

Ranveer eyed the open box which contained the relics of his and Ishani's fifteen years old friendship, and smiled. The realization made him twitch his lips in a wider smile. Fifteen years. Her bag which she carried her school the very first day and had refused to enter the class unless he agreed to come along her to the class stared at him warmly. He still remembered her question. "Why? Why can't you accompany me, Ranveer?"

"I can't," he had answered in the most obvious way, and there were tears in her eyes. She shook her head.

"Please?"

Her stubbornness had led him to her classroom as the teachers were obliged to follow the instructions of Ishani Parekh, the daughter of renowned Mr. Harshad Parekh.

The day had been the most embarrassing one of Ranveer's life. It wasn't until the next one week that the lecture from her father had appeased her misery and Ishani had let him go. Ranveer smiled at the thought of how fast the time seemed to fly away.

The small box stored their hundred of precious memories. How much of them Ishani remembered today, though? he wondered. They were all the souvenirs of their smallest moments that meant the world to him, consoling him in the bleak hours like this. The hours when he would ultimately fall too weak to remain strong anymore.

She wasn't meant to be his. Ever.

However true, the fact never stopped stinging, prickling and tormenting. But wasn't it how his story was meant to be like? The memories would suffice for this lifetime and he would find a way to go on in the future.

Little did he know the future was going to change as well.