Part 15 ~ Secret Little Letter's and Gift's
"Sometimes the unravelling of a surprise is less exciting than the everlasting wait for it to unravel."
~*~
The sky was left cloudless as the sun rose to fill the city of Mumbai with its rays of light. There was no sign of rain left from last night due to the high temperatures outside. But just like every day, this day too, a melodious voice echoed in the walls of the Kundra mansion, by which even the walls' ears were perked up in order to listen. (For those who forgot, Taani's last name is Kundra.)
"Raas rachiyan Vrindavan ke gokul ke basi
Radha tumhri daasi
Darshan ko hai pyaasi"
Taani sang as she placed her dupatta on her head and sat on the floor; her eyes closed and hands folded in prayer.
Even time seemed to freeze for a second, as if it too was captured by the emotions carried in her voice.
"Shaam shalone nand lala krishna banwari
Tumri chab hai nyari
Mein to hoon tan man hari
Mein to hoon tan man hari"
Taani opened her eyes; her globes being filled with water crystals that shined like diamonds as they flowed down her face, onto the red carpet below.
She opened her palms, to form a cup, begging for her lord/Krishna ji.
"Mann mohanaaa mann mohanaaa
Mann mohanaaa mann mohanaaa
Kanha sunona aaa
Tum bin paun kaise chain
Tarsu tumhiko din rain"
Wiping her tears with her palms, Taani walked up to the Radha Krishna deities and touched their feet, taking their blessing, she picked up the Pooja thal which contained a: Dia, Agarbati, Flower Garland and Tika. (Sorry don't know their English names)
"Jeevan ek nadiya hai lehron lehron behti jaye
Ismein mann ki naiyaa doobe kabhi tar jaye"
Taani walked out of the Deity Room with the Thal (plate) in her hands. She slowly moved through the whole house, spreading the essence of the agarbati and dia around. But she came to a halt as she reached the top of the staircase; her gaze travelling to a particular room.
"Tum na Khewaiya ho to koi tat kaise paaye
Majdhaare rehlaye
Toh tumri saran aaye
Haan tumri saran aaye"
Her legs unconsciously made their way towards that room, her payal's (anklets) chiming at her every step.
Reaching in front of the room, Taani held the Pooja thal in one hand and softly roamed the other on the wooden door. Her fingers slowly reached the handle and pushed open the heavy and creaky door.
"Mein hoon tumhari hai tumhara yeh mera jeevan
Tumko hi dekhon mein
Dekhun koi darpan
Bansi ban jaungi in hooton ki ho jangui
In sapno se jalthal
Hai mera maan angan
Hain mera hmmm hmm..."
Walking into the room, Taani's eyes searched her surroundings... Dust and webs covered every inch of the room... As she walked in deeper, her footsteps became imprinted into the floors dust. While tears filled her reddening eyes she walked up to the webbed bed in the centre of the room. "Maa..." Taani whispered as she touched the dust covered bed softly. "Kaha chali gayii ap maa." She sobbed; her voice breaking into an echoing cry.
Her blurry eyes made their way to the photo frame hanging midway on the far wall. As she walked towards it, the thick dust disturbed her vision of the picture. Placing the thal down on the cupboard beneath, she raised her hand to the picture frame; the side of her palm softly removing the dust.
A lone tear fell from her eyes seeing the smiling face after a year. As the shimmering crystals slid down her face and dropped, a crunching noise caught Taani's attention. Wiping her tears, she looked down at the cupboard, only to find dozens' of flower petals scattered on the surfaces below. The petals were burnt, dulled, torn and god knows what else. Seeing them like that her mind immediately understood that, like last year this year too, the previous flower garland had worn out.
Taking off the once flower filled string from around her mother's photo frame, Taani apologised, "Sorry Maa... Woh, ap toh janti hona... Rooz rooz yaha aane ki himmat nahi hoti." Taani said, while grabbing the flower garland from the thal and lovingly placing it around her mother's photo. Her fingers traced the flower garland and its soft petals, "I miss you." She whispered as her lips trembled in heartache.
~*~
"Guys i think we were a bit too rude with Rey... Like, we and especially Swayam have misunderstood him so many times." Simmi said to a deep in thought gang. "It's about time we apologised, cause after all it was our fault..." She concluded; the gang looking at each other for assurance.
"Your right Simmi. Par apologise kaise kare?? Cuz Rey toh aisa nahi hai ki ek sorry seh hi hume maaf karde." Nil said, only to be wronged by Swayam.
"No Nil, aisa nahi hai... I think Rey maaf kar dega, aakhir sorry kehne ka matlab yeh hua na ki hum uske samne jhuk gaye!" Swayam said, again misunderstanding Rey.
"Guys, There's no point of thinking about this! We should just go and apologise. And it's up to Rey to think whatever he wants." Sharon stated; the gang agreeing to this and leaving the canteen to go find Rey.
They had searched the whole upper floor and now were descending down the stairs, when Vicky spotted Rey. "REY! Dude, wait up." Vicky yelled across the main hall; the whole gang running towards him.
"Shit! Ab meine kya kiya?!" Rey murmured under his breath as he slowly turned around and began to power walk away from the gang, whilst mentally saying seeing them off.
"Rey!" Swayam yelled as he grabbed Rey by his shoulders and pinned him to his spot. "Kaha jaa raha hai hmm??" Swayam smirked, leaving Rey with an upset puppy face.
"Heyy Rey!" The whole gang greeted Rey cheerily, making him think which side the sun had risen from today.
"Hii" He replied, with a confused voice and expression.
"Yaar tu itni jaldi mein kaha jaa raha tha ki humare bulane pe bhi nahi ruka?!" Bharat asked him.
"Nahi woh... I didn't hear u guys." He lied before adding, "Sorry dude" and apologising to Vicky while giving a pat on Vicky's back.
"Ohh, phir toh okay types hai. Koi nahi." Aashi said and gave a short gap before adding, "Acha, hum sabko apko kuch bolna types tha..." Aashi tried to bring forward the actual point.
"Yeah sure. Whats up??" Rey replied before quickly realising something and getting a bit hyper. "Sab theek hai na?? I mean Taani abhi tak nahi aayi! She's alright na?? Kuch hua toh nahi haina? Because she was really hurt and yesterday was-" he questioned in a single breath, without thinking what he was saying.
"Rel! Lelax! (Rey! Relax!)" Amar cut him off.
"We only wanted to apologise to you for all the times we've misunderstood you and for yesterday as well." Sharon said while closely examining Rey's reaction.
"Ahh... Wh-" He tried to say; being a bit taken back.
"And i am extremely sorry yaar... For yesterday especially!" Swayam cuttingly added, making Rey completely taken aback. But gathering his thoughts, he answered the gang.
"It's alright guys. It happens. And i mean Taani means a lot to you guys so no hard feelings from my side." Rey said with a smile. "Waise bhi... Aise barde barde shahero (cities) mein aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hai." He concluded with a chuckle, making the gang laugh too. But along with his and the gangs laugh Rey heard another laugh add in, making him turn around to see who it was.
"Taani??" He said; happy and confused at his sudden change of emotions.
Hearing Taani's name the gang turned around to an unusually happy Taani. "Heyy guys!" She said in an extremely cheery way. "Heyy Rey." She softly whispered to him, receiving a welcoming smile back.
"Morning Taani" the gang said; everyone falling in silence, not knowing what to say next.
"Guys since tum sab aur Rey ke beech mein sab sort out ho gaya hai toh... I was thinking... Kyun na, Rey bhi humara gang join karle?! I mean, i would love it if he did." Taani hesitantly said to a shocked gang. But the statement she had added in the end would never receive a no', and she knew it.
"No Taani, it's alright. I don't want to cause another fight between your gang. And waise bhi, apologise karne ka yeh matlab nahi hai ki yeh sab jhuk gayee, isliye gang join karke i don't want them to feel like that." Rey concluded before turning to walk away, but was held back by a strong grip.
"Uhhh, please humare gang ko join karlo Rey. We all would love it dude, and Taani is right... Ab toh sab misunderstandings khatam ho gayii hai na, then problem kya hai??" Swayam questioned, whilst again cursing himself mentally for misunderstanding Rey.
"Yeah Rey please!" The girls said surrounding him.
"Com'on dude!" The boys pleaded as they too gathered around him.
"Ab toh ap mana bhi kar sakte Rey! U will join our gang na??" Taani pouted, making everyone's heart melt.
"Okay!" Rey smiled whole heartedly to a now in joy jumping gang.
-Hours' Later-
All the classes were over for the day and the whole gang, except Taarey, were walking through the hallway towards the canteen.
"Neha tumne notice kiya?? Taani ne Rey ko 'ap' bolke bulaya?! Woh toh sab ko tum' keh kar bolati hai na?? Phir Rey ko ap kyun?" Vicky said to Neha and the gang.
"Haan babu, Neha also same thinking. Aur ap logo ne notice kiya Rey kitna hyper ho gaya tha Taani ko le kar?" Neha stirred the issue more.
"Yeah guys! Kuch toh chal raha hai inn dono ke beech mein!" Simmi further added.
"Pata toh karna pardhega! Aur mere paas perfect idea hai." Nil mischievously concluded, everyone agreeing to the whispered plan.
~*~
Taani walked into the empty girls' locker room to freshen up; walking to the mirror she turned on the tap and cupped the water into her hands before splashing it onto her face. "Kaha le jana chate hain Rey mujhe??" She thought to herself as she looked at her figure; yesterday's scene flashing in her mind. But before she could think further, a sense of movement behind her took over and she turned around to a loud bang of one the lockers closing and a shadow rushing past; confirming someone's presence.
Quickly wiping her face, she walked up to the locker that was meddled with and noticed it was her own. With eyes filled of fear she looked around the room then inside her locker, only to find a wrapped gift box with her name on it.
"Yeh kon de sakta hai?" She thought to herself as she picked it up and sat down on the bench behind to open it. "Wow!" She whispered to herself as she roamed her hands on the design of the gifted dress. "Beautiful..." She said as she took the dress out of the box and placed it against her body to go look at herself in the mirror, but was stopped by a note that fell to the floor before her. Placing the dress on the bench, she picked up the letter and unfolded it to read.
"Heyy Taani,
I know tum soch rahi hogi ki meine tumhe western clothes ki jaghe ek anarkali kyun gift ki. Well, Mein janta hoon ki hum tumhare kathak seh phele bhi mile the, par kal meine pehle baar tumhe asli Taani, matlab ek aise Taani ke roop mein dheka joh shayad bohot saalo seh kahi khoyi hui thi. Aur mein chata hoon ki hum jab bhi mile, mein ussi Taani seh milu jiski aahkein uske kuch bolne seh phele hi mujhe uske dil ka hal bata de. Toh please, aaj sham sharp 7:00 o'clock jab mein tumhe lene aao, tum issi dress ko pehena. Mujhe acha lagega.
~Rey." Taani silently read the letter to herself.
"Bina jaane hi tum kitna kuch jaan gaye Rey." Taani spoke to herself with a lost smile. Then throwing out all the thoughts running in her mind, she closed the gift and rushed out of the college to get home ASAP.
~
Rey had emptied his closet's contents onto his bed and yet still after half an hour's searching of clothes, he just couldn't decide what to wear. "Com'on Rey! Tu itna kyun soch raha hai?! Be yourself! Just wear anything! Yes!" He tried to convince himself. "Par i can't just turn up in pyjamas! Thorda toh effort banata haina..." He reassured himself before scrapping that thought and grabbing his first choice of clothes and leaving to get ready.
What Rey was wearing:

Coming out of the washroom, fully dressed, Rey walked up to the mirror and checked himself out. "Not bad." He said smirkingly as he adjusted his hair. Fixing his clothes a little, he grabbed the keys from the bed and ran out of the house when he saw he was running late.
"Pheli date aur tu late jaa raha hai!" Rey mentally cursed himself as he got into his car, but then froze while locking the seatbelt. "Pheli DATE?!" He exclaimed with a confused expression. "Yeh date nahi hai! This is not a date! No. Nahi. Never!" He confidently said to himself, trying to assure his heart and mind that he was just taking Taani to 'his' place and that it was nothing but a star gazing activity.
Morally supporting himself, he drove off to Taani's house still having 30 mins to reach there. Throughout the whole journey he kept thinking about how amazing Taani would look in the dress he gave her; time seemed to fly and in no time he arrived in front of Taani's house.

As he parked his car outside her house, he noticed for the first time how beautiful her house was; it gave him a hint of richness in her family, but ignoring that thought for now, he got out of the car and looked at his watch which was indicating sharp 7:00 o'clock. His patience was running out and butterflies filled his stomach just at the thought of him spending the last few hours of the day with Taani. "Com'on Taani! Where are you?!" He exclaimed before his eyes caught the sight of pure beauty... Of Taani.
~*~*~*~*~*~
It was a necessary update, so sorry if I bored you.
Do shower your love via Comments and Likes.
Sorry for grammatical mistakes cuz I haven't proof read it.
Edited by ..Shanae.. - 11 years ago
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