OS: Winner take all (3), pg 19 - Page 12

Excellent one, looking forward to the next one !

Arnav opened the case he carried with him after sitting down. He took out a violin and bow. He placed the under his left jaw, resting on his left shoulder. He drew the bow across it lovingly, tuning it a little before he began. After he was completely satisfied with the instrument, he looked up at his audience. "I will play Bach's Partita No.2 in D minor," he said quietly. Khushi looked at him curiously. She hadn't known he could play the violin. Apparently there was lot she didn't know about him, she thought. He began to play. Eyes closed, head bowed, he focused only on the music. It was a haunting, complicated composition. His hands flew over the violin with ease. His head moved in time with the music. Khushi stared at him, spellbound. She didn't understand the music. She had never listened to western classical music in her life. But she knew beauty when she heard it. And this was perfection. Alternately the music flowed, slow and serious, majestic in its gravity. Then, in the 4^th movement, the Gigue, fast and furious. Almost Khushi wanted to dance. But she was captivated by his playing. She couldn't take her eyes off him. His hands moved so quickly, so fluidly. The music that emerged, so crisp, so joyful, it made her heart soar. At the end of the 4^th movement he opened his eyes and looked at him. She smiled slightly, he nodded at her solemnly. Then he closed his eyes again and began the 5^th movement, the Chaccone. Widely considered the most difficult piece of violin music ever composed, he played it brilliantly. 14 minutes of repeating relentlessly the same notes in variation after variation as intended by Bach, he opened his eyes to a stunned audience. Anjali was smiling through her tears. Naniji looked amazed. Akash and Mamji looked a little shell-shocked at what they'd just witnessed. Even Mamiji had her mouth open, and for a change, nothing was coming out of it. He looked for the one person he cared the most about. But she was nowhere to be seen.

He wiped the sweat off his brow and acknowledged the furious clapping silently. Anjali walked up to him and fell into his arms. He hugged her back tightly. To his surprise, as he pulled away, he felt tears running down his cheeks as well.

"Chotey! After so many years. I never thought I'd hear you play again. I'm so glad you decided to do this. It was beautiful. And of course, it had to be Bach!" she said softly, ruffling his hair. He had learned to play as a youngster and had been very talented. Bach had been his favorite composer. He'd stopped playing after their parents death. Another piece of his youth and happiness lost. And he'd thought he'd lost it forever. Until Khushi Kumari Gupta challenged him. For some reason, beating her at the sangeet became very important. And so he'd found his old violin, had it cleaned and tuned and had practiced secretly for weeks.

Away from the prying eyes and ears of his family. He would drive far away to his favorite spot by the mountains and play all by himself. He rediscovered his rusty skills. It was like riding a bike. You never really forgot. But you did need to get back on it when you fell off. He got back on. He practiced for hours every day. It became an obsession with him. To play well at the sangeet. He enjoyed every minute of his playing. His heart became lighter. His eye grew more animated. He grew more calm. And somewhere, in the midst of all that, he no longer cared about beating her. He only cared about playing. And today, when he'd played in front of his family and friends, at his brothers' wedding, he'd found some part of himself that he'd lost. There was no greater joy than making other people happy. And he'd certainly done that today. He saw it in his Di's tears, in Naniji's pride, in Akash and Mamaji's affectionate gaze. He'd made his family happy. And that made him feel like he was on top of the world. Arnav Singh Raizada had rediscovered the road to happiness. And he had only one woman to thank for it. Only, when he wanted to see her the most, she'd done the usual. She'd scarpered.

Khushi fidgeted in the small green room. She had changed into her costume for her dance performance. She was applying the final touches to her make-up. She still couldn't get over what she'd seen and heard. Arnav's playing had excited her senses, thrilled her soul, made her heart feel so full she thought she'd explode, and filled her mind with a quiet certainty that hadn't been there before. She knew what she had to do. She walked out to the dance floor, to give what she hoped, would be the performance of a lifetime.

She was wearing a red anarkali with a cream churidar. A red dupatta was pinned to her hair, that hung in its usual braid down her back. She wore 2 pieces of jewelry. A gold maangtika and heavy jhumkis. Her lips were red and her eyes a smoky grey. Her ghungroos echoed melodically as she moved. She stood in the centre and assumed her pose, waiting for the music to start. He couldn't take his eyes off her. She was absolutely stunning tonight, he thought.

As the first beats began, she brought her palm up in a Saalam. As she acknowledged everyone in turn, she came to him too. She nodded ever so slightly at him, he smiled in response. She then lost herself in the fast beats that ensued. As she completed spinning around the room swiftly, her skirt flying around her in a wide umbrella, she came to a stop right in front of him. The song began.

Insaan kisee se duniyaan me
Ek baar mohabbat kartaa hai
Is dard ko lekar jiitaa hai
Is dard ko lekar martaa hai

She danced slowly, keeping time perfectly, then pointed straight at Arnav as she sang the next lines.

Pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa
Jab pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa
Pyaar kiyaa koi chori nahin ki
Pyaar kiyaa
Pyaar kiyaa koi chori nahin ki
Chhuup chhuup aahe bharnaa kyaa
Jab pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa
Pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa
Jab pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa

He was stunned. She was practically admitting her love for him. In public. She met his gaze squarely. She seemed pleased with what she saw, because she smiled at him before dancing away. As she danced her way through the song, he could only remember what she'd just done. He hoped she wasn't joking. That it wasn't part of a larger plan to win the damn sangeet competition. Honestly, she could have that idol with his blessing. He was an atheist anyway, and he wanted something much more precious to him than a mere statue. He hoped with every cell in his body that she'd meant it.

Unki tamannaa dil mein rahegii
Shammaa ise mahafil mein rahegii
Unki tamannaa dil mein rahegi
Shammaa ise mahafil mein rahegi

She knelt in front of him, hands stretched out towards him as she sang the lines. There could be no more doubt. His heart leapt with joy.

Ishq mein jiinaa ishq mein marnaa
Ishq mein jiinaa ishq mein marnaa
Aaur humei ab karnaa kyaa
Jab pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa
Pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa
Jab pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa

She pointed at him again, as she sang the last 2 lines. He could've picked her up and swung her around right there. But he decided to behave himself. She finished dancing, and bowed to the audience. The clapping was loud. Most guests thought she was flirting with Arnav as part of the sangeet. Her family and his looked a little shocked. They knew there was no way Khushi would ever flirt with ASR. As far as they knew, she was petrified of him, and he was annoyed by her constant chatter and childlike antics. Khushi came and stood by her Jiji, as far away from Arnav as she could be. He kept staring at her, and she simply would not meet his gaze.

Naniji walked to center of the room. She was to be the arbiter of all matters sangeet. And she seemed to have made her decision.

"It was a very good competition with some great overall performances," she began. She praised everyone who had participated individually, then spoke of her grandson. "You cannot know what it means to me to see Chotey play again. I didn't think I'd live to see the day," she said, smiling from one ear to the other. So, thank you Chotey!" she said to thunderous applause. Arnav merely shook his head at what he considered were Naniji's theatrics. "And what can I say about Khushi bitiya?" continued Naniji. She danced beautifully today. With passion and grace. But she did much more than that before she even set foot on the dance floor. She bought a little bit of my old grandson back to me. And for that, I thank her most gratefully," Khushi blushed in response to this glowing paean. "So, I have decided that today's award must be shared," said Naniji. "Arnav and Khushi both did exceedingly well, and I can't, in all fairness pick one. So, this one's for both of you, come" said Naniji, holding out the Natraj idol. Khushi and Arnav walked up to her. Khushi touched Naniji's feet, and Arnav did too, after Naniji threw him a warning glare. She then handed the idol to them both. They posed for a few pictures with her and it, before walking away with it.

"So looks like nobody won our bet," said Khushi.

"On the contrary, I think both of us won it," said Arnav smiling.

"Just like the Natraj idol," she replied thoughtfully. "How is that going to work, by the way?" she asked.

"How do you mean?"

"I mean, who gets to keep it? You, in the Raizada mansion, or me, in my humble home?"

"Marry me and it will be with the both of us forever," he said easily.

She made no answer, but looked away. "What's the matter, cat got your tongue Khushi?" he asked. "Or do you only declare your feelings in song?"

"I don't see you declaring your feelings in any way, shape or form," she snapped.

"What do you think that piece of music I played was you fool?" he asked violently. "I haven't played in over 10 years. Do you know what you've given me by making me play again? I feel happy again Khushi Kumari Gupta. And it's because of you. You've made me know happiness again. Do you need any further declaration?" he asked.

"No," she replied, looking into his eyes.

"So you'll marry me?"

"Yes."

"Can I kiss you?"

"If you have to ask'" her voice trailed away because he muffled the rest of her response effectively. When they came up for air, she spoke again, "So, what about our bet?"

"What about it?" he asked.

"Will we still do one thing the other person wants, or should we just call it quits?" she asked.

"Nah..we can do it," he said.

"OK, then. I want you to promise you'll never say 'What the' again. Either that, or finish the sentence. Don't just leave it hanging it at What the. It annoys me," she said.

"Done. Now, I want you to promise me you'll never walk away in the middle of a conversation again. I can't stand it when you do that," he said.

"You mean when you're yelling at me? That's what you mean when you say conversation, I gather?"

"Errr..yes. That is correct," he had the grace to look embarrassed.

"OK, I won't walk away from you when you're screaming at me. I'll just scream right back!" she said saucily.

"I have no doubt that you will. Now, where were we?" asked Arnav, nuzzling her neck.

"Chotey! Naniji is calling you'Oh'..I'm so sorry!" Anjali stepped back, looking slightly shocked as she took in the sight of her brother and Khushi necking.

"Oh!" Khushi pulled away, her cheeks the same color as her anarkali. Arnav held her by his side, by clamping a hand on her wrist tightly.

"I'll be down in a minute Di," he said easily. "Oh, and you should be the first to congratulate us, Khushi and I are getting married," he declared.

Anjali smiled broadly. "Naniji owes me 10,000Rs." She said. "I knew you had a thing for Khushi."

"You bet on us?" asked Arnav incredulously.

"Didn't you bet on you?" asked Anjali innocently. "At least I ended up on the winning side in my bet."

"So did I!" said Arnav, then he yelped as Khushi pinched his finger, "Ow! Sorry! I mean we both won Di, Khushi and I both won our bet."


OK, so if the first 2 OSs stayed very true to ASR and KKG's original characters, this one is more of wishful thinking on my part. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. Tell me your thoughts.😊

Cheers!
Vidhya

ash.