from Rey POV...
Part 1-
I make myself comfortable in a corner of the couch, my back resting against the arm rest. You're lying on top of me, an arm dropping loosely to the side, your face very close to mine; so close that I can make out the nuances of all the expressions playing across it... even the quizzical look in your eyes which seems to say, "I don't know why am I saying this, but I love you too much to complain anyway." Your breasts rest gently against my stomach & they make my navel tingle with nervous excitement. Several small beads of sweat glisten on your back in the warmth of the room. Some of them come together and, tracing symmetrical geometrical patterns, run down your spine to your hips. A cheap cigarette dies a slow death in my hand, ash waiting to be flicked to the ground. Every now & then, when you turn your head to find a more comfortable nook, you're lips brush against mine, willing me to kiss them. But I hold myself back. I had sworn it would always have to be you.
I like the fact that my senses receive a new lease of life each time your head heaves gently on my chest, rising & falling slowly, in tandem with my laboured breathing. I inhale the woody fragrance of your freshly washed hair & marvel at its rich & luscious bouquet. You have let them loose & they cascade in dark ripples, covering you're shoulders with their modest silkiness, but exposing the nape of your neck. I absentmindedly run my free hand through them, thinking of all the conversations we had shared & all the promises we had never made to each other. None of us speaks and the silence seems to be emptying out the little space between us.
The curves of your body are all so sensual that I feel a force rising up inside me. And yet, you seem too preoccupied to notice any of this. I choke on my tears & pretend to cough a little in order to hide the obvious from you. Not that you would care, but you do. You look up, our eyes are locked in an embrace for a second & I try to smile. Comforted, you shift ever so slightly & go back to your thoughts, the payal jingling in appreciation. It is the lone piece of jewellery adorning your body & I feel overwhelmed by its presence. I put out the cigarette & hold you just a little bit tighter, surprising myself, & you sigh contentedly in response, as if in a world of your own.
You look so serene that I hate to even touch you for fear of upsetting some delicate equilibrium. The turmoil in my mind is in sharp conflict with the peace you refuse to share with me. I kiss your eyes, rousing you. The light is dim, just the way I want it. It gently caresses your face, highlighting only the features I have come to accept as mine. And before Ghalib runs out of words, I decide to script a few of my own. I contemplate them, mulling over them as they come to my mind, before letting you know. You look at me expectantly, & so I begin my assault on your patience.
Rey: We don't have much time left Kriya.
You rub your eyes & force the remnant of half-dreamt dreams out of them.
Kriya: What do you mean? It's still time 1 in the night. I don't have to leave till morning.
I cant help but smile at your innocence & cup your face in my hands.
Rey: That's not what I meant. It's time we went back to our lives. This cannot continue forever, you know.
Kriya: I knew you had to pick up some subject like this. Why can't you just let us be? And who says it has to anyway, Reyaansh? When we first started out, didn't you promise to work things out? I believed in you then & I believe in you now.
Saying this, you try to put an end to the conversation. But I am relentless, & holding your chin up to my face, kiss you lightly & tenderly on the lips.
Rey: Yes I did. And I would have, at any cost. But you see, I'm dying. And the strength to carry on has left me.
This time you sit up, your legs entangled in mine. However, the discomfort of such a position does not bother you.
Kriya: What do you mean?
Rey: I'm dying. A few more months maybe. It's cancer and, you see, I'm still 38 tonight.
Kriya: Is this a joke? Because if it is, I don't wanna be a part of it. I get enough of them where I come from.
Rey: I wish it was.
I'm smiling now, & the tranquility which I envied switches bodies deftly. Your hair is trussed up & you look wild with passion.
Kriya: THIS IS INSANE! IT CAN'T BE. I CAN'T LET IT BE. I WON'T. AND YOU'RE TELLING ME THIS NOW?
Tears well up in your eyes & I wipe them away before they can mar your beauty with their sadness.
Rey: I had wanted to tell you earlier. But I was too weak, Kriya. I could not bear to let you go. But I can't be selfish anymore. I won't let you suffer through this with me. I owe you that.
Kriya: Ohhh... you're being soo melodramatic. Everything can be cured. I'm sure you haven't tried hard enough., the tragic hero you are. Uff, I'll have to deal with this as well for you.
Rey: Believe me, I have. If not for my sake, then yours. But this is inevitable now. And since it is, it's best we did the right thing. For both of us. And that would be to put an end, not to our love for each other or our romance, but to our story. Begin afresh. Don't feel guilty about anything Kriya, for you didn't do anything wrong. I never did get all your love & I still believe its welled up inside, waiting for someone better.
Kriya: And who would that be Reyaansh? Don't do this to me, please. I deserve better than this... I want to be with you forever.
Rey: Shhh... Don't be so tragic that you become a part of my tragedy. I won't be at peace if you cry. I can't say I will be if you're happy. But at least, that will be something worth fighting for. Remember, learn to deal with memories without having to deal with the past.