The weather was slightly gloomy.The clouds had been towering the skies for quite some time now.It was going to rain.The first rain this monsoon.The coastal city looked its best during this season.
It was 1.oo pm IST.Radhika looked up in the sky one more time.It was definitely going to rain.A loud thunder bolt struck.But there was something even more worrisome which brought some wrinkles to Radhika's aged forehead.She moved towards the huge staircase of her mansion hesitantly.The mansion-strikingly white in appearance,stood proudly amidst a dense flora outgrowth.The house looked like it gave shelter to a well-off family...Definitely higher middle class,if not upper class.
Radhika walked towards the edge of the right corner of the first storey in the mansion.She went close to the only door in that part of the house,thought of knocking,but then nodded her head left right and centre,keeping a hand on her head.
It was the Rai's mansion.Mr.Shivprasad Rai was a builder by profession.His wife was Mrs.Radhika Rai.Both were well educated and were braad-minded people.They were a respected family in the society.
.Prithvi was their eldest son and he had a sibling,Bhoomi.
Prithvi...24 years old.A doctor.He Had extremely striking good looks ; he was 6 foot 1 inch tall; had a very well toned sculptured body.
He had silky hair and hence he usually liked keeping them a little longer than usual.
His masculine body,his height,his handsome fair face, even the way he walked and behaved generally,made him look like a Greek God.
He had a great sense of style.He loved his branded stuff-The Tag Heuer,The Louis Vuitton,Armani,Prada...all of them.
He was a trained carnatic singer,trained for over a decade and was certainly the best.He was very well mannered.Spoke aristocratically.
He was freshly out of a medical college.So,he surely made it into the most eligible bachelor in town's list.
He had been the head sports captain in his school's boys team.He was a libran (zodiac sign)-Always prefered being the leader of whichever group he was part of.
He was also a party animal.Loved partying.He was witty and was known for his cutting punch lines amongst his friends.
He had this certain charm which could cast a spell on anybody approaching him and would instantly make them like him.He was a chick-magnet.But hadn't dated even one girl till date.Well,that may have been because he had been too busy admiring this one particular beauty, he had known almost all his life and was very dear to him..
This leads to the female protagonist in the story,Dhruvi...
Mr.Neelanjan Hegde and Mrs.Vydehi Hegde were Dhruvi's parents...The couple were well educated just like the Rai's and shared a mentality similar to that of the Rai's.Mr.Hegde was a civil engineer by profession
Dhruvi was their eldest daughter and Sanskriti was their youngest.
They lived in a cream coloured mansion,quite similar to the Rai mansion.
Dhruvi...21 years old.She was a classic example for "beauty with brains."She was still studying,a medical student.She was quite tall for a woman.
She was 5 foot 8 inches tall.Certainly could make it into the Miss India pageant.It was not just her height,she had the looks too.She had large brown eyes and had been getting compliments for her eyes ever since she was an infant..She had curly long hair,but were always perfectly set.Never frizzy or rebellious.Just perfect.She
always made her hair stylist give it two or three layers,this complimented her face well.
She had been a merit student all her life.A Well behaved girl.A loving daughter to her parents.She had been trained in bharatanatyam for over 12 years n was certainly one of best in the genre.She was quite modern in her dressing style;not being a typical in this case.She was the head captain of the girls
sports team in her school days.Oh yes,a classical dancer and a sports champion.Contrasting traits huh?But,that was her.An all-rounder of sorts.She was talkative ;but knew where n when to talk.She wouldn't utter a word around elderly people.But her friends knew how talkative she was.She was a gemini(zodiac sign).She had a wicked sense of humour n oh yes ,was witty.She hated partying though.This was odd for someone with such great communication skills,right?Contrasting again.But geminis are known to bear contrasting
characteristics.
She was a beauty.But for some reason,she wasn't fully aware it.She was not the kind of girl who would spend hours in front of the mirror to get ready and apply five kilos of make up.Infact,she hardly applied any sort of make up at all.But still,she would look way more stunning than any girl who believed in 'five kilos make up' thingy.
She preferred wearing the simplest of clothes,never too much or too less of anything.Just right.A pair of well fitted blue jeans coupled with a plain white t-shirt and she was done.She was a tom-boy in some aspects.But the perfectness of her feminine figure and her pretty face came in her way of becoming the ultimate tom-boy.
The Rai's and the Hegde's had been very close family friends for a very long time.They celebrated festivals together,went on vacations together..They even lived in the same locality,they were neighbours.
Prithvi and Dhruvi were extremely close.They knew everything about each other.Obviously,they had known each other almost all their lives.They knew each others' likes and dislikes;strengths and weaknesses;crushes and enemies.They were perfect for each other.
Both were good looking,both were smart.Both were in the medical field.Both were witty,n oh,Dhruvi was the only one who could give cutting statements to THE KING OF WIT,Prithvi.They would insult each other in the cheapest way possible but if some outsider did the same to one among the two,the other would break that outsider's bones.Outsider-meaning anyone other than their best friend.Exagerration?Noway.Their common friend,Aditya,had ended up with a fractured arm just weeks ago.
But here's the catch.They were just BEST FRIENDS,nothing more.It was only sensible for them to be a couple as they were perfect for each other.But no.Their theory-Love always screws up relationships.So,they were not in love.Atleast,that's what they kept saying.Did they mean it?
Well,that's the question.
Well,nobody believed them when they said that they didn't love each other in a romantic way.Well...neither did they,themselves.Deep down,both of them knew that they loved each other.
Coming back to Radhika standing outside the door nodding her head left right and centre.The screams were in high voulme,high pitch and high clarity by the two highly intelligent people in the locality.It was Prithvi's room.Dhruvi and Prithvi had been quarelling over something for over an hour now.The door was shut,but they were talking in high pitch,so their " sensible talk"(that is what they called their fights) was audible to Radhika.It was typical of them to fight like this.But eventually they would patch within minutes.Radhika knocked at the door once,but she knew it would all go in vain.
"You always do this Dhruvi.Start something and then leave it halfway" Prithvi said angrily with a voice that could shake mountains.
He addressed me as DHRUVI she thought to herself.It annoyed her that he called her that.Prithvi called her that only when he was extremely angry with her.She was used to him addressing her as DHRA and only HE was allowed to call her that.
Suddenly realising that he had been waiting for her reaction,she came back to reality.
"No i dont!" Dhruvi replied loudly.
"Sure you do,it is one of your character defining traits." Prithvi said coldly.
"Oh,then what would your DEFINING TRAIT be?"CONTROLLING FREAK?!"You never care to even ask what i want or dont want.Your so selfish Prithvi!Its always all about you!There i was,fighting with that woman defending you and you,you just dont care about me!I mean nothing to you!" she said in one breath.She was hardly aware of what exactly she had even uttered in angst.
She was still thinking about how he had called her DHRUVI.DHRUVI.
So as to give a television soap opera feeling to whatever she had said,another thunder bolt struck in th sky.It started to rain cats and dogs.
Prithvi was taken aback.His face suddenly became pale.He stared at her for a while and then in a low volume he said "You know that's not true Dhra.You know that i..." He couldn't finish the sentence.He looked away.
It was in rare occasions that Prithvi couldn't complete his sentences.Dhruvi felt a sudden pull inside of her and started cursing herself mentally for saying what she had just said.She knew Prithvi cared about her.Well,much much more than just "CARE" and he always put her wishes ahead of his.
She sighed and walked towards him.He was standing near the door and she was a few feet away from him."I'm sorry.It just slipped out of my tongue.
I didnt mean it." she said in a voice which let him know that she was,really sorry.His eyes which had been looking elsewhere,looked at her now.He smile slightlyand nodded.
Just then,"And I know..I know that you care about me more than ANYTHING else in this whole wide world" Dhruvi said winking at him and suddenly burst into laughter.
Prithvi was bad at handling this.He hated it when she did this.
"Don't!" he said trying to hide a blush.
"Why?So that i can stop seeing you blush?No way in hell!" she said laughing even more now.
"Dhra dont do that i tol na! " Prithvi said still blushing.
"God!Prithvi.you become like a tomato when you blush you know that?" Dhruvi said still recovering from the laugh.
"Whatever Dhra" Prithvi said trying to fake a mock as he was still blushing.
Dhruvi suddenly remembered how he had called her Dhruvi.
REVENGE TIME she thought and gave a devilish smile.
"And oh!how dare u call me Dhurvi u moron?!" she said and started tickling him.
"What the.." Prithvi couldn't even swear properly as she contiuously tickled him.
"Ok ok Im sorry im sorry DHRAAA!" he said still laughing due to her tickling tactics.
"That's better." Dhuvi said setting him free from her ticklish hands.
Prithvi took a sigh of relief and fell down on his bed.
Dhruvi bought him back on his feet and started pulling him towards the door.
Prithvi hesitantly walked along still gasping for breath.
They opened the door to see Radhika standing outside.She had been listening to theri conversation and was smiling when these two came out.
"And you two say that you'll are not a couple" Radhika said laughing.
This made both,Prithvi and Dhruvi blush.
All of them headed downstairs where both the families were all set to hav lunch together.
Radhika was walking slightly ahead of them.
Prithvi looked at Dhruvi from the corner of his eyes as they walked holding hands and thought to himself "Next week,on your birthday,I will tell you that i love you" and he smiled to himself.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Everyone had already seated themselves and lunch was being served by the maid in the Rai mansion.Prithvi and Dhruvi sat next to each other..like always.
"So,what was the silly topic that made you two start world war 3?" Neelanjan jokingly asked as he was having lunch.
Prithvi and Dhruvi were about to say something,when Sanskriti spoke "Dhruvi must have been trying to get hold of his dairy again" Sanskriti said winking at Bhoomi.
Everyone in the room including the maid laughed for what Sanskriti had just said.Except for,ofcourse,Prithvi and Dhruvi who stared at Sanskriti.
"Shut your mouth before i dislocate some of your teeth" Dhruvi said to her sister as she elbowed her.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Dhruvi was searching for some of Prithvi's old textbooks for reference,when she came across this.It was an old diary.Out of curiousity,she opened the book and started reading it.The first page was dated 3-4-1997.
Prithvi had been writing down about each and every incident he had with his very beloved best friend,Dhra,since he was a child.It was his personal diary.And no-one,mind you,no one knew about it.Not even Dhruvi.Dhruvi,who had known everything about him.
Some of the incidents even Dhruvi didn't remember.He had written about how Dhra had fallen down from the stairs when she was young and had hurt her leg badly,about how they had watched Kuch kuch hota hai over and over again.Every incident.Every.
Reading all of this,a tiny tear appeared to Dhruvi's large brown eyes.
She went on reading and had reached 2006's entry.It read 'I do not know what is happening to me.Every time Dhra is around,i can feel my heart thudding.I think Im-'
"What the hell are you reading with so much concentration Dhra?"
Prithvi was just entering the room when he saw her reading into something.Her back was facing him,but he could make out she was reading something.
The voice startled her.She instantly closed the book and hid it below a pillow and turned.
"Nothing" she said grinning at him.
She was giving a weird grin.She smiled like that only when she wanted to hide something he though to himself.He started walking towards her.
"Err..Radhika aunty was searching for you!" she said panicking.She knew he had figured out that something is wrong.She wanted to change his object of interest,which at that moment,was the diary she was reading.
Prithvi dint bother paying any anything to her statement as he knew she was trying to cover up something.
"Are..are you deaf?Go talk to Radhika aunty.She had some urgent work."
He still continued walking.
He then reached an appropriate spot close enough to her and looked staright into her eyes and said, "Dhra,you know that you're terrible at lieing to me right?" he said smiling at her "So, just cut the crap and tell me what's cooking inside your head."
"Umm..Prithvi..that..that umm..you...I.." she muttered avoiding his gaze.
He looked at her with a confused face.
"Dhra..stop" he said.She stopped muttering as soon as he said this.
"Look at me." he said.
She hesitantly looked at him.
"Breathe". he said.
She had been so nervous that she had almost forgotten breathing.
She sighed and then looked at him.
"Good.now,spill the beans." Prithvi said as he relaxed himself.
She slowly pulled the dairy which she had hidden and held it in front of him "You never told me you maintained a diary Prithvi."she said calmly.
Seeing the diary,Prithvi's eyes widened.He suddenly pulled it away from her and asked "How much did you read?" as he tried hard to hide his anxiety.
Hearing this,Dhruvi now became sure that there was something he was shy of,something he was hiding,something she had known all along,but never let herself believe.She now wished that she had read the one line she had half read.The one line which said 'I think i'm..'
Shit.
She wanted to read that line.But prithvi had already snatched the book away from her.She suddenly realised that he was expecting an answer to his question.
"How can you be so sure i even read it?" she asked confidently.
Prithvi looked at her now and grinned.He knew she had read it and now she was trying to hide the fact that she did.
Dhruvi gave up her bluff and said "Ok fine.I read it.But I haven't finished reading it.Now give it to me" she said.
"Ok so that means you haven't read THAT PART yet.Thank god." he uttered to himself softly.If she was curious to read whatever was left in it,it meant that she had reached very close to THE PART,but not THE PART itself.The part where he had confessed that he...he..he loves her.
Dhruvi heard his soft murmurs..
"That part?Which part are you talking about?" she said with impatience.
Within minutes they were running about all over the house.Dhruvi chasing Prithvi and Prithvi trying to escape.He didn't want her to read it now.He would let her read it someday,but just not today.He wasn't ready yet.
YET,he though to himself.He had been in love with her all his life.It took him years to realise this and now its taking him years to confess it to her.
"Prithvi,just stop dude.Im tired running around.Just give me the damn diary." she said gasping for breath.
"Dhra..just let it go.There is nothing in it." he said.
"Oh really?then why cant i read it?" she asked mockingly.
"Because..because...arrrgghhh..just shut up n let it go." Prithvi said.
Dhruvi stood like a statue for a split second.I'll have to steal it,she thought to herself.There was no way in hell he was gonna give it to her just like that.Yes,she will hae to still it.
"Fine." she said and she started walking outside.
"I'm going home Prithvi.Have your dinner.Bye." she said as she disappeared.
"Saved for now." Prithvi uttered.
But he knew,she was gonna find other ways to get hold of the dairy.He will have to hide it.Hide it somewhere safe.It was just for sometime.He would confess his love to her soon.Yes,soon.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Now the above incident was 5 months ago.Dhruvi was still searching for the diary.Prithvi had still not confessed his love.
Everyone around them knew that Prithvi had hidden his dairy and Dhruvi was still searching for it.
"Nothing uncle,Dhra and I had joined one course for 3 weeks.One week was over,two weeks were left.And your beloved daughter didn't want to continue as she thought the people over there were rude.Im telling you,Dhra is C-R-A-Z-Y" Prithvi replied to the question Mr.Neelanjan had asked minutes ago about
why they had fought.
"Pa,those people are seriously very rude.You know what?One woman over there called Prithvi a flirt!I mean how dare she?She doesnt even know him!I've known him for years!And he doesnt flirt with any girl!Have any of you seen him flirting with any girl?!That bloody woman.She was just annoyed by the fact that Prithvi didn't pay any attention to the micro mini skirt she had been wearing!" Dhruvi said.Suddenly remembering that woman's face feeling outrageous at her.
Bloody b*tch!She said in her mind.
Everyone was staring at her now with a smile including Prithvi.
"See.I told you,Dhra is C-R-A-Z-Y" Prithvi said,chuckling.
Dhruvi suddenly felt embarassed.
Everyone shared a laugh and then went on with whatever it was that they were doing.
"Well,There has been one girl i have always flirted with though.I've known her almost all my life.She's tall and beautiful.A medical student.I've been meaning to propose to her.But something keeps stopping me.Oh and she's C-R-A-Z-Y" Prithvi whispered slowly into Dhruvi's ears.
Everyone else was busy eating and chatting,so nobody noticed Prithvi and Dhruvi.
Dhruvi who had been figetting with her spoon suddenly looked at him after what he had said.
He was staring at her with a gaze that made her nervous.Her heart was definitely beating more than 2000 times per minute she thought to herself(Medical humour;normally,the human heart beats 72-75 times per minute.)
She couldn't control her blush and so she quickly started stuffing her mouth with food.
"And they say i become like a tomato when i blush.Hypocrites i tell you!" Prithvi taunted as he moved his head away from her and started munching onto his food.
Dhruvi smiled to herself.
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