Chapter 29
Piya's plans of spending her Sunday curled up in bed with possibly a nice book were curtailed rather abruptly. She had just woken up from bed, yawning and stretching, when a mini-hurricane hurtled through the room and jumped onto her bed.
'Happy Birthday to Piya, Happy Birthday to Piya, Happy Birthday to Piya-aa...'
It took Piya a moment to remember that it was her birthday. Misha was still singing at the top of her voice.
'Mish!' she said, swatting at her, laughing. 'Stop deafening me!'
Misha stopped singing, plonked down on the bed making it creak and hugged Piya tightly. 'Happy Birthday, sis,' she said, her eyes overbright. 'I'm not good at these senti things you know, so I thought I'd go over the top...'
'There's nothing to be senti about.' Piya frowned. 'It's just another day, yaar...don't lets blow this out of proportion...'
Misha sighed, all her bravado gone. 'This is about Panchi, isn't it?'
'No!' said Piya automatically, before she saw the sadness in Misha's eyes. 'Yes,' she said finally, acknowledging the truth. 'It seems weird, Mish...she's gone. How could you even want to celebrate, knowing that-' she broke off.
Moments later, they were hugging each other and crying. 'I m-m-miss her,' said Misha, tears flowing freely. 'And I used to-to-tease her so much-'
'I'm sorry I wasn't here, Misha... I'm so sorry, I'm still not with you...' Piya hiccupped.
For a long time, they held each other, and it was as though something had crashed into place : as if they were each other's truest confidantes once again...
But they could never be that for each other, not again. Piya recognized how she had changed, and it wasn't as though she could go back to herself...but after ages, she felt as though Misha wasn't just her best friend, but also a sister.
Misha was the first one to pull away. 'Can't believe it- I made you cry on your birthday!'
Piya laughed shakily, brushing the tears away. 'I didn't mind, anyway... I needed that.'
She recognized both she and Misha had needed closure.
'Well, enough of the blathering,' said Misha. 'I brought you something, look-'
'Hey! You got me an IPad!'
'I know, cool, isn't it?' said Misha, her eyes sparkling. 'And what's better is, that's almost all my own money!'
Piya's eyes widened as she looked at the price tag. 'Your-?'
Misha smiled with a touch of pride. 'I've been tutoring a few students,' she admitted.
'No way!' Piya was shocked. In the month and a half that she had spent since coming there, how much had Misha hidden from her?
Misha grinned. 'Devilish little blighters, those teens are,' she said, sounding her old self,'but I'm even better, you see?'
Piya laughed, but something inside her swelled . It took her a moment to realise she was proud of Misha.
'You've been earning nicely, then,' she said. Misha grinned, in a very Misha-ish way. 'Ha. I've been using my expert knowledge-' here, Piya cracked up, rolling on her bed in laughter- 'of Birdie's old books and her handwriting to give them the lessons of their lives. One of the cheeky ones even came and asked me out.' She seemed quite proud of it.
Piya smiled. Yes, Misha had indeed grown up- but some things would never change, she supposed.
'Hey, Piya! Earth to Piya, where are you?' Misha waved her hand in her face.
'Oh...nothing, I've just got to brush and everything...' mumbled Piya, getting off the bed.
'I'm taking you home for the day,' announced Misha. 'Mom's making you a cake, and it's been a long time since I saw Papa smile this much. You'll come, right?'
Piya looked at Misha, seeing the genuine hope in her face. 'Yes, you monkey,' she said. 'Let me go and get dressed now, will you?'
'I'm waiting!' sang out Misha as Piya closed the bathroom door.
Once alone, memories of Panchi surfaced again, but this time, she pushed them away with more force again. Panchi would not want her to be sad and moaning over her death. And she would be happy, for her sister and her parents.
So she would be happy on her birthday, and to hell with all the bad things in her life. She needed to focus on the good ones. Besides, Abhay was fine, it was her birthday, Misha had given her a great present.
Piya smiled at herself in the mirror. She may not have woken up feeling it was her birthday, but now it definitely felt like a birthday.
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Alina glared down at the bowl before her. 'I hate porridge.'
Dishu looked up, amused. 'I know, dear. But you'll have to have that.'
Alina groaned. 'But Dishu, I'm perfectly fine,' she said, stressing the last word. 'Why are you keeping me in bed and treating me like an invalid?'
Dishu rolled her eyes as she sipped her coffee. 'Because, Alina,' she said in a very patient voice, 'you're going to lie in bed for one day, and you are not going to overstress yourself. And since I'm your adopted family anyway, I might as well give you a nice pampering.'
'But Dishu-' began Alina. 'Can't I not have something nice?'
Dishu looked at Alina, then at the bowl of porridge, appearing to reconsider. Then, perfectly straight faced, she shook her head. 'No.'
'And do stop throwing tantrums over breakfast,' she added. 'Being ill for a day will you good. Besides, you weren't the one who had to watch you all still and quiet yesterday. Do you know how horrible it was?'
'You deserve a punishment for nearly giving me a heart attack. I couldn't even say anything properly when he was there.'
Alina stared at Dishu, who was looking angrier than most times. 'Sorry,' she said meekly. 'I'll- I'll finish it.'
She began shovelling spoonfuls of the porridge in her mouth.
When she finished, Dishu came over, taking the tray from her, thus taking away another of Alina's plans to get out of bed.
She came back a little while later, and sat down on the bed next to Alina. Immediately Alina put her head on her lap.
Dishu smiled slightly, and said, 'Do you want to watch something?'
Alina nodded, and Dishu switched on the tv for her.
Soon enough, they were watching a music channel, while Dishu patted Alina's head.
'Alina?' said Dishu quietly. 'I know it sounds selfish...but I'm glad you're here now. It makes everything so much easier.'
'I don't know, Dishu,' mumbled Alina. 'I did something really rash yesterday, and I don't know...what if I did the wrong thing?'
Dishu frowned. 'Well, firstly, I wouldn't really care if it was wrong. Secondly, if you did what your heart said... I don't think you can go wrong there. Maybe it was wrong for someone else. But it was right for you...yes?'
Alina got up from her lap, smoothing down her hair. 'So you don't really mind?'
Dishu shook her head. 'I wish you could have told me to come get you. It was very worrying, not having you answer me-'
Noticing Alina looked uncomfortable, she smoothly changed the topic. 'So how was it that your slave-driving boss got to bring you here?'
Alina went pink. 'I don't know,' she muttered. 'He must have just been driving and decided to do a good deed...'
'Hm,' said Dishu sceptically. 'Seemed rather concerned about you, if I do say so myself.'
'It's the work he cares about,' said Alina coldly. 'He's the most annoying person ever. He takes everything so bloody lightly and then if I make one mistake he ticks me off in front of ten other people. He needs an excuse to humiliate me. And then I lose it, and I say something bad.'
Dishu suppressed her smile with difficulty.
The doorbell rang.
Dishu smiled. 'What do you want to bet it's your so-considerate and so-annoying boss?'
The bell rang again, and she swiftly went to answer the door. Alina began to hunt for a comb, before realizing what she was doing and immediately desisted, instead lying down with the covers over her head.
She heard voices and footsteps in the bedroom. Horror of horrors, it was Sid who had come. What did he want?
'Oh!' said Dishu. 'She's sleeping. I'm sorry, I was quite sure she was awake a while ago.'
'That's okay, I don't need to talk to her,' said Sid. 'I just wanted to ask her to take any amount of days off, if she is feeling ill and tired...and I wanted to give her this.'
Alina's eyes were closed and she was as still as a mouse.
'Well,anyway, then.'
There was a shuffling of footsteps, and the door closed. Alina opened her eyes. Then the covers were yanked away from her by Dishu, who looked like she was trying and failing to suppress her laughter.
'So much for 'work',' she mimicked Alina's tone. 'He's even got you a gift.'
'What did he get me?' said Alina, with more than a little curiosity.
Dishu put the box on the bed. She gasped in shock.
It was a brand new cell phone. A very expensive one.
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As it turned out, Kabir, Tracker and Angad were all at the Dobriyal house, waiting to surprise Piya with a loud (although tuneless) version of 'Happy Birthday to you.'
Piya glanced at Misha, who was clearly behind all this. And then she was hugged and kissed and generally made a fuss of by everyone including and especially, Arnab and Madhu.
It felt nice to be made a fuss of, thought Piya as her face was first stuffed with cake and just when she thought it was all over, Kabir grabbed her from behind and Misha plastered her face all over with cake.
She glared, but then she caught a glimpse of herself of the glass table, and she looked so funny that she laughed too.
Not to be outdone, she poured ice cubes down Misha's shirt.
Piya did protest faintly, but she was simply outnumbered by the rest of them.
Around six, Piya finally said she ought to leave, since it was getting dark.
Her father offered to give her a lift in the car, but Piya declined, saying she would much prefer to walk. Perhaps Kabir could accompany her?
She noted the change of emotions in Misha's face as she spoke about Kabir accompanying her. Then resignation seemed to settle in.
'Yeah, okay, guys, see you, I've got to do some work too...'
Misha waited till everyone left before going up to her room and scowling to her fiercest content. What was wrong with her? Kabir was Piya's friend too. If he accompanied her, why was it annoying her so badly?
But Kabir had had a huge crush on Piya in the recent past. She closed her eyes, feeling a lead weight drop into her stomach.
A sudden thought came to her. Could she be-?
No. Misha was not a movie heroine who fell for the best friend. No way. She was just feeling bad because Piya had asked Kabir and not her. That was it...right?
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'So,' said Kabir at last, breaking the silence that had so far persisted between them as they walked, 'Thanks for letting us celebrate.'
She smiled. 'Anything for Misha.'
'Speaking of which-' she seized on the opening he had unintentionally given her, 'I heard you dumped T. Good decision, by the way.'
'Er-yeah,' said Kabir. 'I dunno, she- we just aren't made for each other, I guess.'
Piya nodded. 'Yeah, your type would definitely not be the fashionista type. It would be more like the sporty type, yeah?'
Kabir stared at her. She looked straight ahead as she walked, but a smile played on her lips.
'There's nothing like that between me and Misha,' blurted out Kabir.
Piya's smile became a full out smirk as she glanced at him. 'But I never mentioned Misha,' she said slyly. 'Strange, isn't it?'
Kabir felt himself flush as they continued walking, looking down at his shoes.
'Piya-'
But she held up a hand. 'Don't waste your time with me, Kabir. Just treat her well, won't you?'
He remained at a loss of words.
'And we've reached,' said Piya. 'See you, Kabir... Good night.'
'Yeah...okay, good night,' said Kabir awkwardly. They looked at each other for a moment, then Piya waved and turned back to go to her room.
Piya trudged to her room tiredly. Misha's idea of fun and games had completely exhausted her.
But it had been a really happy day. Excepting of course the times when she had missed-
No. She would not go there. It was stupid and unreasonable to expect Abhay to know her birthday, much less call and wish her. He probably thought she was mad anyway, coming to his house at the dead of night, without offering a single explanation for her actions.
Even so, a traitorous part of her had hoped that he would wish her once...
Hopes and dreams were singularly horrible things to have, reflected Piya. Better by far to be happy in what you got, than wishing for the impossible.
She entered her darkened room and straightaway went to the bathroom, washing her face, rubbing her eyes. Right now, all she wanted to do was rest...
The moonlight filtered into the room, giving Piya the needed visibility as she pulled out a nightdress to change.
'Much as I would appreciate the view,' said an amused voice near her, 'I really don't think you should change just here.'
She gasped at the familiarity, her hand immediately flying towards the switchboard, flooding the room with light.
'What-how-what are you doing here!' she half-shrieked, half-stammered.
Abhay was standing not ten feet away from her.
'Don't worry,' he said. 'I would've closed my eyes.'
She glared at him. 'How did you sneak into my room?'
His mouth lifted slightly at the corners. 'I have my ways.'
Piya tried to compose her thoughts and calm down. Her eyes swept the room, finally landing on her bed. There was a gift-wrapped...something on her bed. A rectangular something.
Her eyes lifted to his. His smile had vanished, and he was watching her intently.
Her mouth dry and her heart beating violently, she clumsily unwrapped it with shaking fingers.
A book fell out.
But it wasn't just a book. It was THE book, the book she had wanted to buy for ages, but which had gone out of stock. She had even asked the manager at the bookshop about it two days ago, but he had said the books would arrive only after two weeks.
'How-what-'
He came closer, now standing at the edge of the bed, but saying nothing.
She opened the book. On the first page, was written, 'Hope you like it.'
She recognized the long, tilted handwriting at once. Eyes suddenly hot, she whipped up to stare at him. 'Abhay...you got this? For me? But why-how? And where did you-'
Abhay smiled suddenly, and this time it was warm and his eyes glinted. 'I've missed this so much,' he murmured softly.
'What?' said Piya, confused.
'Oh-nothing,' he said, his face neutral now. 'Anyway, I didn't get you this. I was just delivering this. It's a gift from the owner of the bookshop.'
He looked so serious that she almost believed him. But she knew his handwriting, knew the way it tilted towards the left, the way he wrote the letter 'y', knew it too well to believe him.
'Well..um...thanks for..um...delivering it,' she said carefully. 'It's very thoughtful of you.'
But she couldn't understand : if he had bought her a present, why hadn't he wished her yet?
And why wasn't he accepting that it was from him?
'Why don't you sit down?' she invited politely.
He nodded, sitting across her, and Piya wanted so badly to reach into his mind and see what he was thinking-
'Here, I think you dropped this,' he said, apparently picking up something from the floor and handing a velvety box to her.
'But I've never seen this before!' Piya protested, but still opened the box. It contained a shimmering platinum bracelet, with a ruby engraved on it in a diamond setting.
'Abhay...' she felt her eyes brim with tears. Here she had thought he didn't care about her, and he had got her two invaluable gifts.
'You didn't like it,' he said, sounding resigned. 'I knew it. I'm sorry, I don't really know what kind of jewellery you like, I just picked something which I thought you'd like, and it was really presumptuous of me- I'm sorry. Please don't cry.'
Piya stared at him in surprise. So he had gone to all the trouble of picking out something so beautiful for her. Wordlessly, she held out her hand.
'I can't find the clasp,' she said, 'would you help me put it on, please?'
His eyebrows rose in surprise. She smiled at him. 'It's the most beautiful thing I've seen. Thank you so much, Abhay. You didn't have to do this-'
'Of course I did.'
He deftly slid the bracelet on her wrist, ignoring the invisible sparks that ignited by just touching her.
She took her hand, watching how the ruby sparkled in the light.
Then suddenly, her smile faded.
'Why?' she said softly. 'Why are you being so nice to me?'
Abhay smiled bitterly this time. 'Because I can't give you what you'd like... I thought I'd give you some reasons to smile, instead of more reasons to cry.'
And just like that, Piya's bubble burst.So he had done another random act of kindness, because he couldn't love her.
But he cared.Cared enough to buy her gifts on her birthday. And nothing else mattered.
He cared.
She tried to formulate a reply. 'Uh...thanks,' she said. 'It's very...kind of you.'
Abhay nodded, but said nothing in reply.
Her hand moved lovingly over the book again. 'I'll just keep it inside, then.'
'Couldn't it wait?'
His tone surprised her. She looked at him.
'I mean,' he said, 'I wanted to ask you something.'
Her eyebrows furrowed. 'What?'
'Is there anything bothering you?' he asked. 'Something you wanted to tell me?'
Piya smiled ruefully. Yes, Abhay, she wanted to say.
'No, Abhay,' she said. 'Nothing.'
But he noticed how she avoided his gaze.
'How was your day?' he asked, adroitly changing the subject. If Piya wasn't ready, he wouldn't force her.
Piya smiled. 'It was nice. Misha took me to her home, and Kabir, Tracker and Angad were there too, so we had some fun.'
'It was your home too, you know?' he reminded her gently.
Piya sighed. 'Not now, it isn't. Misha and I- we're best friends, but I don't know... She's grown up and so have I. There are times when I feel I don't even know her and then I feel I do know her...it's confusing.'
She didn't know why she was telling him this, but it was as if his words had unlocked something within her.
'Ever since I found out about Panchi-' she stopped, unable to say the word. 'I just want to steer away from everything that reminds me of her. I can't go back to the house. I couldn't even say a goodbye to her, Abhay...'
And all at once, tears were leaking out.
She stopped speaking, concentrating on stemming the flow of tears.
For once, Abhay ignored the many misgivings in his mind, and simply pulled her into an embrace.
She was crying harder now, sobs that racked her body, but Abhay was still holding her, and Piya felt a curious sense of homecoming..as if she was finally where she belonged..something had shifted in the universe, and the world had righted itself.
After a while, she stopped crying and simply buried her face in his chest, taking in the comforting yet heady smell that was pure Abhay.
She raised her head at last, and his grip on her tightened for a moment before he loosened his hold on her.
'Better?' he said softly.
She did not know what to say, so she nodded.
'Thank-' she began
'Please don't,' he said, grimacing. 'It was the least I could have done.'
His hand went to her head, pulling her to his chest again.
'And listen-' his words were soft, but she had no difficulty hearing them, 'I know I'm not the ideal...the best person who could comfort you, but if you ever need me...you can just call me, all right? You don't have to come to me ; just call me instead. All right?'
She smiled slightly as she disengaged herself from his arms. 'What makes you think I had a problem?'
He looked uncomfortable. 'I don't know, I just assumed...'
'You always assume things about me,' she muttered mutinously.
'What?' Abhay couldn't believe what he had heard. What was Piya talking about?
'Nothing,' she said, dismissively.
'Anyway...thanks. I really feel better now... I don't know what's come over me, crying with Misha then you...'
'That's because bottling up emotions makes you crack sometime or the other,' said Abhay.
She raised an eyebrow. 'How do you know?'
He smiled wryly. 'Trial and error, Piya. Trial and error.'
'So what do you do instead?' said Piya.
'Nothing,' he said, shrugging, 'but then, I don't have anybody to tell.'
The loneliness she heard in his voice made her heart break.
'You do,' she told him. 'You have me. You can tell me. I- I won't let you down.'
'Thanks for the offer,' he said, getting up. 'I should go now.'
She turned away from him, so he could only see the side of her face.
'Good night, Abhay.'
'Happy Birthday, Piya.' He leaned in to kiss her cheek, but she turned her head towards his and his mouth landed on hers.
Shocked, Piya moved backwards as though she had been shot. 'What-'
Abhay groaned internally. 'It was a mistake,' he muttered. 'You turned your head-'
Piya flushed deeply, looking away. 'That- that's okay, I'm sorry. I- good night.'
'Sleep well,' he murmured, leaving the room.
Alona in her room, Piya closed the door and changed as if in a dream. The memory of his arms around her...his lips on hers...
'Happy Birthday it is,' she said to herself, before finally falling asleep.
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Reina snickered to herself as she watched Piya go off the sleep. The dream she had given Piya had been brought on by unfortunate circumstances, because she had not been able to aid Abhay...but Piya had been a marvellous second option...and what lovely effects that had had.
'Happy Birthday, Piya,' she said, smiling widely.
PS. To anyone who was actually waiting for the update, I am honestly sorry..net problems that said, please do like and comment...nalyakon tum logon ko ek kiss bhi de diya😡
Edited by bookworm-ALS-- - 12 years ago
Marathi TV
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