#2 One Shot-
**Ishq Hai Sehra, Ishq Hai Dariya***
He looked at the mirror, dressed for the sangeet, an evergreen smile playing on his face. He was actually enjoying these ceremonies, because it was with HER. The previous time he had performed the ceremonies as a mere compulsion, with zero interest or happiness. But this time it was different. It was His Wife's and His pre-wedding rituals. It would be bewildering for anyone who heard it, but to him it was happiness. He was happy because she was happy. He was happy in their togetherness. His smile turned into a grin and then a small laugh as he remembered his Wife's last night's antics. She was the Nth wonder of the world, one that could certainly not be replaced. He grinned, and sighed "Anika". He realised he had been standing in front of the mirror and grinning, not even looking at himself. Smacking his head he left the room, to join the others.
As he descended down the stairs , his eyes searched for that one precious possession, HER. As if on cue his sparkling blue eyes rested on her. She looked beautiful. He felt his breathing stop. Her sight, her presence had the potential to stop his breathing, she indeed ruled his heart. But as he studied her face he realised she wasn't herself.! Her smile faded , it was fake, she was hiding pain beneath it. He wondered what was bothering her. He knew she was looking forward to the various rituals. Sad enough, he was the reason she couldn't live those happy moments that almost every girl craved to, the perfect marriage. Every girl, almost all, have certain dreams, certain wishes, certain expectations from marriage, but she din't even have the right to choose whether she even wanted this marriage, whether she wanted to marry, whether she wanted him as a husband. He tried not to think about it, but it was hard, how heart breaking it would be for her, he shuddered at the mere thought!
He knew, they had come a long way, from then. He was at fault, and he would always regret, and Never forgive himself for it. But, he would make sure that she saw no more pain, he would make sure he would take away all her pain, hurt and adversities and happily give away all the happiness to her.
He looked up at her again, his eyes glistening with a little moisture. What is bothering her? He went close asked her if all was okay, but all she did was smile.
The smile didn't say "I am Fine", it said "Don't Worry I will be fine". He understood. He wanted to talk to her right then but was interrupted by something or other until the rituals completed. She wasn't happy from heart during the rituals, he had noticed it, she pasted a smile and so did he. They wanted Omkara and Gauri's happiness.
He knew she was upset. That made him upset. Both were upset, but wore a happy face for the sake of other couple's happiness. While the other couple did exactly the same. Strange Tactics Of The Loving Human Hearts!!!
The silence took over the jovial sounds as the night grew darker. All had retired, to rest their tired souls after an eventful day.
He was walking down the corridor towards his room, he hadn't been able to talk to her properly ever since the event. She was busy with the extra work over her shoulder.
He passed the external door to the pool garden of their room. He stopped in track. He sensed her. The breeze coming in from there told him about her presence. He retraced a few steps backward and walked in, towards her , who sat by the pool, staring at its waters.
He sat beside her, looking in the direction of her gaze. She felt him, but was too lost in her thoughts to acknowledge his presence. Her eye's dint want to get off the ripples on the surface of water created by the breeze. He looked at her face, a sight that pulled painfully the string of his heart. He slowly moved his hand towards hers, which rested on her lap. He squeezed her hand slightly, drawing her attention towards him. She looked up at him startled and smiled. The smile that always managed to creep up when she saw him.
Their gazes locked.
She shouldn't have fallen for him. If only it was under her control. How could someone not fall for him.!! Love was one of the last things on her list, maybe not even on it. But, she had fallen. This love was burning her. She was tired of fighting, fighting for him, fighting for them, fighting for her Love.! One after the other, adversities poured in like the hot scorching winds of the desert and she a lone traveller, on the wide spread stretch of endless sand. Love was indeed like a desert. Ishq Hai Sehra. The hot winds of this desert dry you. The blazing sun burns you. It looks beautiful in the frame but in real, it wasn't all that beautiful. She was like that traveller, lost in a desert, looking for the oasis.
"Anika!?" His voice brought her out of her thoughts.
She smiled."Hmm! Raat bahut ho gayi hai, thand bhi hai we should sleep!" She got up to move freeing her hand from his hold. He gave a knowing smile. Running Away was her favorite sport, now. He knew well. He remained seated, still. She turned back furrowing her eyebrows, he din't move. "Shivaay!"
He looked up."What's wrong Anika!?"
She walked up back to him, "Kuch Nahi Hai, Chaliye!" She held his hand and almost dragged him inside. Leaving his hand she quickly started setting the bedsheet and pillows right. He looked at her. She wasn't okay.!
He held her hand, made her sit on the bed and sat beside her, his onel leg dangling of the bed. She looked straight while he faced her. She turned to him confused.
"I need to...we need to talk!" He corrected himself, taking her palm in his gently caressing it with his other palm.
"Kis baare mein !?" She asked hesitating. Their last night's pool followed by room encounter clearly etched in memory. Was it about that!? But, something bigger seemed to be irking him. She tried deducing from his eyes, while he looked at her intensely his eyes trying to read her soul.
"Kis baare mein!!! Anika, you think I can't see!??? Mujh se toh tum share karti ho naa! Kya hai Jo tumhe itna pareshaan kar raha hai, huh???" He spoke gently pushing away her hair, tucking them behind her ear and cupping her face. He noticed her eyes slightly turning moist.
"Kuch bhi nahi hai Shivaay!" She spoke, her voice heavy with emotions.
His own voice turned heavy at the hurt he felt in her voice-"Haan Dikh raha hai!" He said gently caressing her cheek with her thumb and then moving it upwards below her eyes.
She at once took off her hand from her face holding it in her hand, and turned away wiping the lone tear that fel, from her other hand, trying to smile, she looked back at him.
He shrugged her hand away scooting closer to her and cupped her face in both his hands, "Anika tell me, I can't see you like this!" The dam broke, she started sobbing. Shivaay clenched his jaw muscles, he just couldn't see tears on her eyes, worse when she broke down like that.
"Mujhe Dar Lag Raha Hai Shivaay! Bahut Dar Lag Raha Hai!"
"Anika!" He whispered. Encircling his one arm around her while the other caressed her hair. She placed her head against his chest, crying hard.
"Main hoon naa Anika! Kis baat kaa dar hai tumhe?"
"Shivaay!" She said breaking away," Main aapke bina nahi reh sakti! " she continued crying.
"Shh..! Aisa kuch nahi hoga samjhi tum!"
She spoke amidst her cries " Main aapki nafrat ke saath bhi nahi reh sakti!"
He looked at her extremely scared and confused-"Anika, I can never hate you, never.!"
" Shivaay, I can't take all this, Main Tut rahi hoon, main kab tak lad sakti hoon.? Main aur nahi lad sakti!"
He din't clearly understand what she meant, but knew something down there was burning her. He could feel her pain. Tears made way to his eyes. He knew she was insecure about it all. She had never had someone to care for her, she was fearful, he understood. He only hugged her tightly to let her know, no matter what he was and will always be there for her. She hugged back her arms around his back. She felt safe.
His care, his unspoken, unnamed love, had the capability of drowning her. If Her Love for him burned her, his care and love for her was like the beautiful expanse of water that gave her solace, that gave her the much needed coolness after the scorching heat. She felt all her pain vanish when she was in his arms. She no longer felt like the wanderer lost in the hot dry desert.(Sehra) She felt home. She felt calm like the night waters. She felt beautiful, like the sea.
"I know Anika, its hard for you! Pichle do dino mein itna sab kuch hua! If there was happiness there was sadness also. I screamed at you, what's worse I did it after saying I trusted you, and I rushed into things yesterday also. I m sorry Anika.! It must have been so much for you to keep up with all of it, I am sorry Anika! I do it every time, I..." He said his voice wearying with guilt, not even able to utter an apology properly. His deeds weren't those that could be apologized for. The truth burnt him raw. He wanted to be the reason of her happiness, but always ended up being the reason behind her pain.
"Nahi Shivaay! Aapki galti nahi hai!" She said nodding in a no.
He wiped away her tears," I m sorry Anika, for...EVERYTHING..!"
His words might have seemed simple but she knew how deep were his emotions. She knew what he was implying. She knew how terribly he failed to express himself but he was trying, like he had promised. With every moment he made her fall for him still harder. Why did he have to be so much loving , caring and understanding? Her fight only got harder. She was willing to drown in his love and care.
He gently kissed her forehead, and she slowly closed her eyes.
Ready to drown in the Dariya of Love. But at the same time she feared, what of this water of Love dried and she was left in nothing but sand all around, left all alone in a Sehra.
But, she had been in a Sehra all the while. Her life was like a desert where she was all alone, fighting, falling, picking herself up again and fighting once again. And then he came like a flood in her life. And now her life was a magnificent expanse of water, that served as the happiness in all form. That was all, yet Beautiful.
Ishq hai Sehra,Jalaa Dega,
Ishq hai Dariyaa,Dobaa Dega.!
Magar,
Wo Ishq Hi Kya, Jiss mein Hum Jale Nahi,
Wo Ishq Hi Kya,Jiss Mein Hum Doobe Nahi.
(-Anni)
P.S
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Would Love To read all your views and feedback.
Anupamaa
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