Sorry for being late in updating. Tution and stuffs you see.
Riha sat before the mirror and smiled. She knew she was beyond beautiful today. She had to be.
It was maa baba's 28th anniversary, and she had arranged for a homely party with very few invitees. She had deliberately shunned everyone from her workplace, except for Raajiv, that too for a completely different reason. But he too, wouldn't turn up, she knew.
Shruti and her family were invited, along with Viraat who was a family now too, after their engagement. But then, Shruti had herself requested her not to insist if she didn't feel like. Human emotions, no onecould help.
Apart from that it was all her parents' acquaintances and their extended family.
And, one more individual. Riha's face lit up with a smile as she applied the last stroke of her kajal. Perfect!
Maa had asked time and again, " Riha, baby why are you taking up so much effort? You have just recovered. We can do this some other time. " , and when Riha had smiled back, maa had smiled too, getting the reason without being said.
Riha hadn't met Vivaan for the last fifteen days. And that didn't hurt either. Because she knew of a more beautiful thing now. A thing that almost every moment made her smile.
That day after she had fainted, she didn't know much of a thing that had happened to her, until she had woken up later almost from a trance on her own bed at home.
Maa later said that she was deliriously murmuring for a long time since she was brought home and arranged for a fluid channel there itself. She had a fever of 103 F.
She came to know that she was brought back by Raajiv...and another person. In maa's words, the person had stood at one corner throughout the proceedings, and whenever maa had glanced at him, through immense distress too she hadn't failed to noticed the immense fear that surrounded him, and showed through the eyes as they watered at times.
Raajiv had supervised the medical proceedings with nurses from their hospital itself. And after things were under control according to him, and Riha was made to sleep, maa had slowly walked towards the person at the corner, who constantly stared at Riha and muttered something.
" Vivaan! She's fine darling! Look at me, I'm strong! And she's my daughter. You're her friend, you should be strong too!"
Vivaan had looked at maa utter strangely, and then left the place.
Riha had later come to know from Raajiv, that day at Infinity Mall, with Riha's breakdown, it was an equal breakdown of Vivaan. The whole of the food court had gathered before them, and they had said that Vivaan was shaking vigorously while a doctor there checked Riha. She was immediately transferred to the medical facility, but Vivaan couldn't speak, despite being asked a million times. A long time later he could just take out his phone and call Raajiv, and had only said..." Raajiv...Riha..." , and nothing else.
It was others in the mall who had snatched the phone from him almost and given Raajiv the details of reaching there.
Riha slowly walked up to the window. She couldn't help smile.
Maa had said. " I have seen it in his eyes Riha... I guess it's time for you to take the final step, so that he gets the gut to take his first. "
Riha hadn't wanted misinderstandings. She had separately opened up to Raajiv and Shruti.
Raajiv had only smiled and said, " all the best. "
And Shruti had said a lot. " It would be wrong if I say I'm extremely happy Riha. But it would be wrong too if I say I'm not. He needs you Riha. Get him out of the dark. Show him light. Make him understand, just when we share pain, our pain ceases. " Riha had hugged Shruti.
And hence the party tonight.
Riha hadn't tried to meet him for the last fifteen days. Nor called him. He didn't. But he had to take a step forward. And he will.
Last night Riha had just dropped a message, " tomorrow is the 28th anniversary of the reason I exist, my parent's marriage. I will wait for you, from the bottom of my heart. Your stranger will eagerly wait for her stranger..."
Riha took a deep breath. He'll come.
*****
Riha time and again stared at the entrance of the banquet hall, when she saw him. She just didn't know if she should weep or laugh.
" Thank you Vivaan, " she muttered. She saw him stand very uncomfortably at the entrance with a bouquet and a gift pack. She slowly walked over to him. " Good evening sir! "
Vivaan looked at her. A smile lit up his face, but disappeared the very next moment. Riha kept smiling, and then held his hand. " Come. "
Vivaan walked along and very shyly looked here and there. Riha looked at him and smirked, " a lot of strangers, just as you like. "
Vivaan almost whispered. " How...are you Riha? "
" Seriously? That matters? And yet no call in fifteen days, a visit was a distant dream. "
Vivaan fell silent.
" Maa, " , maa looked back and smiled wide at Riha who looked at Vivaan. " Vivaan, maa... I know you know her but my duty was to introduce you. "
Vivaan smiled . " Happy anniversary aun... I mean, Mrs Menon!" , he hesitatingly said as he handed over the gift. Riha's smile faded for a minute. Not even Aunty? So distant, Vivaan? But she just said , " You talk. " , and walked away.
Riha's mother took the gift. " 'aunty' is fine. You can call me that. "
Vivaan smiled very formally.
Just then the lights in the hall dimmed, and a man stood with a microphone. " It's time to dance! "
Vivaan's eyes widened for a moment as he tried to judge the situation. He saw Riha's mother smile at him and walk off, the lights got dimmer, the whole of the hall suddenly started changing form, strangers surrounded him, the dim lights turned blue, Riha was nowhere to be seen.
Vivaan suddenly felt afraid, extremely afraid of the darkness, the strong smell of unknown perfumes, of the blue tone, of strangers, he suddenly shut his eyes tight and unknowingly shouted, " Rihaaa!! "
The next moment everything went back to life as Vivaan saw Riha standing before him, with her world winning smile, and an extended hand. " Let's dance. "
Vivaan looked into her eyes and the calm in them washed off his anxiety, bit by bit...
" Music! " , Riha shouted.
She pulled him to the centre of the dance floor, and slowly wound his hands around her waist. The hall echoed,
" Waaqif toh huey tere dil ki baat se
Chhupaya jise tune qaaynaat se
Waaqif toh huey tere uss khayal se
Chhupaya jise tune apne aap se..."
As they moved in each others steps, Vivaan didn't really look into Riha's eyes, he just tried to look elsewhere, and Riha kept looking into him with a smile.
"Kahin na kahin teri aankhein,
teri baatein padh rahe hain hum,
Kahin na kahin tere dil mein,
dhadkano mein dhal rahe hain hum
Tu Har Lamha.. tha mujhse juda..
Chaahe door tha main.. yaa paas rahaa..."
As the words ran down his soul, Vivaan suddenly looked straight at Riha. Riha could see his eyes glitter.
"Uss din tu haan udaas rahe
tujhe jis din hum na dikhe na miley
Uss din tu chup-chaap rahe
tujhe jis din kuch na kahe na suney
Main hoon bann chuka, jeene ki ik wajah
Iss baat ko khud se tu na chupaa..
Tu Har Lamha.. tha mujhse juda..
Chaahe door tha main.. yaa paas rahaa..."
Tears ran down Riha's eyes, as she held onto Vivaan, tighter, and Vivaan no longer met her gaze.
"Lab se bhale tu kuch na kahe
Tere dil mein hum hi toh base yaa rahe
Saansein teri iqraar kare
Tera haath agar chhulein, pakde
Teri khwahishein kar bhi de tu bayaan
Yehi waqt hai inke izhaar ka..
Tu Har Lamha.. tha mujhse juda..
Chaahe door tha main.. yaa paas rahaa..."
Before Riha realised anything, Vivaan pulled himself out of her grip and ran outside the banquet hall.
*****
" Vivaan...Vivaan stop! Vivaan ..." , Riha almost ran behind him but fell short of his long steps.
" Vivaan...Vivaaan...Vivaan I'm not much well Vivaan, do you want me to die running after you? " , Riha screamed.
Vivaan stopped. Turned back. And walked close to her. Riha hadn't seen such a fierce look on his face before!
" say. " , he coldly uttered.
Riha stared silently for sometime. And then slowly uttered, " It's time Vivaan, either of us cannot deny that, either of us should not. "
The look on Vivaan's face grew sterner. But he said nothing.
" Vivaan, it's time to come out of a wrong notion. It's time to come out of misbeliefs, just for the sake of it Vivaan, just for being happy... "
Riha came closer and held his hand. " I know you know too, and I say tonight, it's difficult staying without you Vivaan! I was always happy with my life, but when you stepped in, things changed, I saw a different facet of life Vivaan...love...
I knew I could be happier Vivaan, happiest with you...
I know you too feel so Vivaan... I know...
Vivaan it's time... time to confess, so I do... I love you Vivaan, so much..." , Riha's voice trembled.
Vivaan closed his eyes, tighter than ever.
One second,
Two seconds,
Three seconds...
Then he looked straight into her eyes, and shook her shoulders vigorously,
" Why Riha? Why?? Why did you do this to me Riha? Why the hell did you do this to me Riha??? Why???? Why...?????? "
He kept shaking her vigorously as tears streamed down his eyes.
Riha didn't know what exactly she had done. She breathed heavily. " What Vivaan? What did I do..? Vivaan! "
Vivaan held her head, cupping in his hands. " Don't you get? I cannot love. I cannot love! I CANNOT LOVE DON'T YOU GET THAT? Do you wanna die girl??"
Vivaan himself was shaking and crying.
Riha wanted to just hug him and keep him in her lap but he pushed her as she approached.
" I had told you, let's remain strangers! Why Riha, why...why...why??? " , Riha could see Vivaan was not in himself.
Riha ran towards him and tried to hug him but..." Stay away! " , in a lightening speed Vivaan pushed Riha and she fell on the ground. " Vivaan!" , Riha uttered, shocked, teary.
Vivaan didn't give a hand, , rather sat on his knees before her and uttered in a whisper, " from tonight, Vivaan and Riha, finished, no more known strangers, no more stranger- stranger games, let's be strangers again to the true meaning of it !"
Riha saw Vivaan walk away as she kept sitting on the roads, she choked, couldn't even call him back.
That night, it didn't even rain.
" Tere rukh se apnaa raasta
Modh ke chalaa..
Chandan hoon main apnee khushboo
Chhor ke chalaa...
Mann ki maya rakh ke tere takiye talee...
Bairaagi bairaagi ka suuti chola ...
Odh ke chalaa..."
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