||IshRa SS - The Untold Story|| Full Story posted

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Edited by neet06 - 7 years ago

Chapter 2

"How have you been? Its been such a long time!" Raman decided to keep their conversation casual as they settled in at the Caf Coffee Day nearby and ordered their coffees. "I'm good. Yes.. Its been a very long time," she replied just as casually. "How is Subbu?" Raman enquired. "He is good. Back in Chennai." Ishita said. "How is Shagun?" she asked in turn. "She is good too," Ramam replied. Their coffees arrived and Ishita and Raman went silent again.

Who would have thought that this how they would end up? Raman thought. He still remembered, pretty vividly, that first time the Iyers had moved into the apartment next door. The truck with their stuff had arrived at the apartment complex early in the morning. Soon after, the family had arrived in a taxi. His mother had announced that it looked like someone was finally coming to live in the apartment next door and had hoped and prayed it would be a nice Punjabi family. Out of curiosity or boredom, Raman had peaked out of the window. That's when she stepped out of the taxi wearing a bright yellow churidar, looking like she had stepped out from the advertisement for Sunlight washing powder. "Arey! These people look like Madrasis," his mother had commented out loud. He had gone back to his room only to have his mother call out to him in less than 15 minutes, "Raman puttar! Come and meet our new neighbors!"

"Madhaviji, this is my eldest son, Raman. He is studying in XIth standard in Xavier's," his mom had introduced him. "Xavier's? That's amazing. Our Ishu has got admission in Xavier's too!" her mother had announced happily. "This is our daughter, Ishita," Madhavi Aunty had said, nudging Ishita forward. She was so thin, the churidar she wore had looked more like an umbrella on her, Raman remembered smiling. "Hello, nice to meet you," she had said extending her hand. "Nice to meet you too," Raman had said shaking her hand and that had been their very first interaction. Without asking him, his mother had then proceeded to volunteer his help in moving their stuff in. All Raman's protests were drowned out in Toshiji's description of how Raman frequented the gym and had "nice dole-shole" so he would have no trouble helping them at all.

"How is Aunty?" Ishita's question brought Raman out of his reverie. "She is okay. The usual checklist of health issues - blood pressure, cholesterol, sugar," Raman replied, "But that doesn't stop her from enjoying her butter chicken or her kaju katlis (cashew burfis)" Raman said smiling. "How is Uncle?" Ishita asked. "He is good. Fit and fine as ever. He credits it to this laughter club he has joined recently. All these uncles and aunties in the apartment complex gather together in the front lawn and laugh for thirty minutes for no reason every morning. Its hilarious actually," he replied. Ishita smiled at that. How he loved the way her eyes crinkled when she smiled. Raman quickly banished that thought from his head and sipped his coffee. "How about Iyer Uncle and Aunty?" Raman asked. "They are good too. Appa is enjoying his retired life by getting more involved in the community activities. Amma has taken up teaching Carnatic music to young kids," Ishita replied. "Are they in Chennai?" Raman asked. "Yes," Ishita replied. "Oh nice. Do you visit them often?" Raman asked. "Hmmm.. Once in a while.." Ishita said.

"Do you.. I mean do Shagun and you stay with Bhalla Uncle and Aunty?" Ishita asked. Raman looked away for a second before he responded, "Yeah. Same old place." He paused for a second before he added, "You never visited after you left." Ishita did not know if it was a statement or a question. You never even called, she thought to herself. "Its been busy," she replied. Busy?.. For ten whole years? He thought to himself. Once again, silence descended between them.

 

Chapter 3

He hadn't changed much, Ishita thought. Except for maybe those few gray hairs near his temple, or the glasses he now wore. Not a lot had changed about him over the years, or even from when they first met.. When he was a lanky 16 year old and she was an almost anorexic looking 14 year old. She had definitely changed a lot. Looking back at pictures of her teenage years was embarrassing now. She literally looked like a stick figure back then. But she had "filled out" nicely, the way her mother would say. She might even be on the chubbier side now. She remembered the first time she had met him. His mom had forced him into helping them move into their new place. She had stayed in her room, reading a book, out of everyone's way while all the moving and unpacking happened when he had come in carrying two of her suitcases. "Aunty told me these go in here. Where do you want me to put them?" he had asked her. "Oh.. Those are mine. I can take them. Thank you so much. You really didn't have to," she had said, setting her book aside. She reached for the suitcase and that was the very first time, their fingers brushed. Instinctively, she withdrew her hand. "Its okay. Its heavy. Just tell me where you want it and I will set it there," he had said. But she had insisted. Finally, he set the suitcases down and folded his arms across his chest.

Ishita had felt his gaze fixed on her every move as she tried to pick up the suitcase. She felt nervous butterflies in her stomach and it was partly for that reason that the suitcase slipped from her hand as she hauled it and all the contents spilled out onto the floor taking her down too. To say she was mortified would have been an understatement. She thought he would laugh at her, but even though it looked like he really wanted to, he just smiled. "Give me your hand," he said, extending his own hand towards her to help her up. Embarrassed, Ishita let him help her up back onto her feet. "Now, Ms. Ishita Iyer, may I help you clean this mess up?" he asked, "Which wouldn't have happened if you would have let me help you to begin with." Ishita had nodded and together, they had gone about putting her stuff away. Just from helping her put away things from her suitcase, Raman got to know a lot about her. When he handed her the ghungroo that had fallen from her suitcase, she told him she had been training in Bharatnatyam for 7 years. When he helped put away her books, they discussed their likes and dislikes in school subjects and in fictional authors. From her choices in clothes, he got to know that yellow was her absolute favorite color. In the time it took to set up her room, they had gone from absolute strangers to friends of sorts.

"Are you practicing in Delhi now?" Raman asked. Ishita took a second to snap out of her reverie. She almost said No, before correcting herself and saying, "Yes. In Delhi." "Do you still dance?" Raman asked. Ishita looked up wide eyed at that question. She hadn't expected him to ask that. She nodded her head, "Once in a while.. Just so I don't forget. And it's a great de-stressor," she said smiling. Even as she replied, a myriad images flashed before Raman's eyes. Ishita had been a star in school. She was a trained dancer, trained singer, top ranking student, teachers' pet, almost good at everything; except sports.. The one thing he was good at. He remembered watching in awe as she performed at the various school functions, events and competitions. He had never been too fond of classical dance. The only dance form he knew was the madhouse Punjabi wedding dance. But every time Ishita performed, he would fall just a little more in love with the dance form, with the nuances, the energy, the grace and.. And with her. As they grew older, he had been assigned the role of her bodyguard of sorts. Whenever there were school events where she was performing and Iyer Uncle or Aunty could not go with her, it was by default assumed that Raman would go with her and ensure she got home safely. Even after she had gotten into Dental school and he had joined a BBA program, the routine had continued. And somewhere between being friends, admiring her for her talents, being her bodyguard, he had fallen hopelessly in love with her.

Chapter 4

If someone asked her when she had fallen in love, she would not be able to point out to a moment in her memories and say that was when. It had been a gradual process. For the longest while, it had been nothing but friendship. The kind of friendship that your friends teased you about in school and college. Where they would recite dialogues from Maine Pyar Kiya and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and say, "Ek ladka aur ladki kabhi dost nahi ho sakte" or "Pyaar dosti hai" if you tried to explain that you were just friends. It had never really bothered either of them - being teased by their friends that they had to be more than just friends. They knew the truth and that's all that mattered to them. Their parents too had had immense trust in them to never place restrictions or limitations on their interactions or their friendship. But then, Ishita had never realized when things changed from assuming Raman would accompany her to an event to hoping he would. When it changed from it doesn't matter if I haven't seen you all day to I wish I could spend all day with you. When the jokes and conversations and laughter they shared went from being just moments to cherished memories to be replayed when alone. From not caring how she looked to hoping she looked good and he would notice. From being great friends to wanting to be much more.

"How is your business going?" she asked, forcing herself to focus on the now and not dwell in the past. "Its going good. In fact, I just got back from the US. We are thinking of expanding overseas. I am thinking of moving there," he said. "Permanently?" she asked. "Hmmm.. The market is at its best right now and honestly, its just a lot more easier doing business there. The red tape and corruption here is abominable. If not a permanent move, I am looking at some long term stuff there," he said as he sipped his coffee. "Shagun must be excited," Ishita commented. "I don't know.." he replied. Ishita quirked an eyebrow questioningly at that. "I.. I mean.. I haven't finalized anything so I haven't told her. I'd mentioned it before and she liked the idea," he hastened to add. "Uncle and Aunty are moving with you too?" she asked. "Not right now. Once I go there and get everything settled in, maybe yes. For now, they are going to stay with Romi. Romi is married now by the way," he mentioned. "I saw the invite," Ishita said. "You saw the invite?" Raman asked. "I mean.. Uncle and Aunty had sent the invite to Appa and Amma and when I visited them, I saw the invite," Ishita replied. "Oh okay," Raman said, taking another sip of his coffee.

"So do Subbu and you have your own clinic in Delhi or do you work at a hospital?" Raman asked. "I.. I mean.. We.. We have our own clinic," Ishita replied. It would be much easier to say the truth. Like it would have been all those years ago, but it didn't happen then and it wasn't happening now. Ishita still remembered that day.. She had been carefully cherishing and nurturing her growing feelings for Raman in a corner of her heart when towards the end of her course at the dental school, her senior, Subramaniam Swaminathan, had proposed marriage to her. She knew him through their local Tamil association, her parents and his parents were friends and she had talked to him a few times at college too. It was a weekend afternoon that Subbu's parents had come over to their place. It had all started off rather normally and then, unable to contain her excitement, Subbu's mom had announced that Subbu liked Ishu and they were here to talk about getting the two of them married. Ishita had been shocked by the news. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined something of this sort to happen. She had been hoping that someday, Raman would realize that he had feelings for her, she would express her love for him and they would let their parents know. She had been waiting for that someday.. Not knowing that that someday would never come.

Raman stared outside at the rain that had now turned into a downpour. He knew that in no time, all the streets would be flooded. Getting anywhere would be close to impossible. "If you are done with your coffee, we should head out. The streets will be flooded soon and it'll be impossible to get anywhere," he told Ishita. "Oh yes! And I need to get to the airport," she said. "You are leaving today?" he asked. Ishita nodded her head as she finished off her coffee, "I have an 8 o'clock flight tonight. My conference got over in the morning so I was just planning to roam around the city, do some shopping maybe before I headed out." "Doesn't look like you will be able to get much shopping done," he commented looking outside. "Yeah. I'm just going to get a taxi and get my bags from the hotel and head to the airport. Better to get there early than to get late and miss the flight," Ishita replied. "Don't bother with a taxi. I'll take you to your hotel and to the airport," Raman said. "Oh no! Its all right Raman! I am sure you have other things to do. Please don't bother playing chauffeur to me!" Ishita protested. "No problem at all. I have a lot of experience in that role already," he winked at her and Ishita felt a flutter in her chest as he mentioned their past. Raman paid for their coffee and she quietly followed him to his car.

Edited by neet06 - 7 years ago

Chapter 5

As they sat in the car, Raman's Bluetooth connected to the audio system again and the song he'd previously left unfinished resumed playing.

Kayi khwaab dil tujhko le kar sajaaye
Par khauf yeh bhi kahin par sataaye
Agar yeh bhi tootey toh phir hoga kya re
Mujhe raas aati hain khushiyaan kahan re
Kyon dil ko dukhana bewajah madno re
Kyon dil ko dukhana bewajah
Phir aansu bahana ik dafa
Phir aansu bahana ik dafa
Main hoon shab tu subah
Dono jud ke judaa
Main hoon labh tu dua
Dono jud ke judaa
Madno, mashuko, dilbaro, madno re

He distinctly remembered that rainy afternoon even though so many years had passed since. He had just returned home from a month long rural immersion program as part of the MBA program he had recently joined. Over a cup of hot tea and homemade pakode, he was telling his mother about his trip when his mother had casually informed that Ishita was getting married. His heart had lurched painfully in his chest and he remembered having to steady his hands on the teacup so it wouldn't slip from his hands. One month of being away from her had been unbearable and now she was going away from him forever?

 

"Raman! You missed it!" she said like she had physically walked into his past. Raman turned to look at Ishita confused. "My hotel, Raman. It was on that turn we just passed. You missed it," she explained. "I am sorry. I wasn't paying attention. I will turn around at the next light. Sorry," he said as he flicked the signal on to move into the next lane. "All okay?" she asked, her perfect eyebrows furrowing into a dip. "Yes. I was just thinking about something else," Raman replied as he took a U-turn to go back to where her hotel was.

 

If only life came with chances for U-turns, he mused. He had been heartbroken, too proud to acknowledge it then, but nevertheless, the devastation he had been feeling was absolute. How could she get married to someone else? Did she not know? He had never said the words, but surely she saw it in the way he looked at her? In the way he found ways to be with her? In the way he never liked to be the one ending their conversations? Then how? How had she agreed to this marriage?

 

He should've told her, Raman now knew as he looked back. He should have been honest with her and told her he loved her but instead, he had let his young Punjabi male ego rule his head. Rama sighed as he pulled up in front of the hotel where she was staying. "I'll help you with your bags," Raman said, getting out of the car. "Its just one bag Raman. I can manage. You could wait in the lobby if you prefer," she said. "I prefer to help you with your luggage. Once again. For old times' sake," he smiled and she could say nothing more.

 

He had always had that charm about him. He would change her tears into smiles with a simple, heartfelt remark. It had also been the reason she could never hold onto her anger towards him for long. Even now. After all these years and living with the heartache he had given her, she still held no resentment against him. Even after he had broken her heart. It was her fault. She had never told him she loved him. Even when seeing him with Shagun broke her heart, even when he asked her why he even mattered to her, she had never had the guts to tell him that she loved him. The truth had never made it to her lips. She had waited to see what his response would be to know that her marriage was fixed. But he seemed to have accepted the news rather coolly. That had been the first crack in her dreams, in her heart. That had instilled a sense of doubt in her. What if whatever she felt was all one sided?

 

And that doubt had grown and festered and created a huge chasm in their relationship. He began hanging out with Shagun more and she was caught up in her own life. It was a weird stroke of fate that her father was retiring that very same year. So her parents decided to move to Chennai and plan for the wedding from there. Everything around her, her world as she knew it, changed so fast that Ishita had no time to come to terms with it.

The elevator dinged announcing the floor on which Ishita's room was and bringing her out of her reverie. She stepped out of the elevator, followed by Raman. She swiped her card and entered the room. "I have a quick couple of things left to pack. Please make yourself comfortable," Ishita said as she led Raman into the room. The first thing Raman noticed was the small Ganesha idol next to her bed. Of course it didn't matter if she was in a hotel room, devotion had always been an integral part of Ishita's life. She had once told him that dancing connected her to the spiritual divine in a way that a non-dancer could never understand. And yes, he had spent a better part of the night that night looking up about classical Bharatnatyam and had been fascinated by what he had discovered. He had a smile in place when he finally walked over to the couch and sat down.

She could almost feel his gaze on her as she quickly gathered and packed her stuff. A strange sense of dj vu enveloped her. From the day she had last seen him, 10 years ago. The only difference was her eyes had been seeking him out then.

Edited by neet06 - 7 years ago

Chapter 6

She couldn't believe he had left. Apparently, he had a cricket camp in Bangalore that began the very same day that she was leaving Delhi to move to Chennai forever. He had stopped by late last night, after she'd gone to bed and said a courteous good bye to her parents. But her stupid, foolish heart had hoped against hope that he would turn up. Even as she had packed the last of her things from her room - her ghungroo, his most favorite books that she had collected and that blue scarf he'd gifted her on her birthday and one of those rare photos they had together where he had been saying something to tease her and she was playfully hitting him on his arm. It was a candid moment that had been caught in the background of one of her friend's pictures and Ishita had slyly taken it from her. She had hoped and prayed that at some point, he would have a jolt of realization and he'd come running back, just in time to stop the taxi that was taking her far away.. Far far away from him. When that didn't happen, she had foolishly waited for him at the train station too. As the train left the station, her eyes had tirelessly searched to see if he would be sprinting down the platform to just catch a glimpse of her. At that point, she didn't even want him to tell her he loved her. She had just wanted to see him one last time. But he hadn't come.

As the tears clogged her vision, Ishita berated herself for still being a fool after so many years and forcefully snapped her suitcase shut, almost as if she were snapping shut the door to her memories. "I'm ready," she turned to Raman and smiled.

Tu hi to har pal bandha hai

Lamhon ki inn zanjeeron mein

Tu hi to har dum raha hai

Khwabon ki har tabeeron mein

Tu hi to har din dikha hai

Dhundli ya ujli tasveeron mein

Teri hi to hai khushboo mujh mein haan madno re

Teri hi to hai khushboo mujh mein haan

Ab tu hi to har su har jagah

Ab tu hi to har su har jagah

The song resumed as they sat in the car and made their way to the airport. He had run away then, Raman admitted to himself. He couldn't have watched her go without making a fool of himself and confessing that he loved her to the point of madness. And she was betrothed to someone else. It had been too late then. It had always been too late between them. Raman pulled up at the curb in front of the airport terminal and got out. He opened the door on her side and waited for her to step out before getting her suitcase out. He had left the engine running so the soft music of the song wafted in the air around them and enveloped them in its cocoon.

Haan tera saaya tho main hoon,

Par sang tere na ruk sakoon.

Haan iss safar mein tho main hoon,

Par sang tere na reh sakoon.

 

Main hoon shab tu subah dono judke juda

Main hoon lab tu dua dono judke juda

Madno maashko dilbaro.. Madno re..

 

A strange ache settled in her heart as Ishita tried to keep her smile in place. The good bye that they hadn't had 10 years ago, was happening today. Maybe this would be the much needed closure to their story? She wondered.

"Well, thank you so much, Raman.. For everything!" she extended her hand.

"Not a problem. You take care," Raman replied shaking hands with her.

"Convey my regards to Shagun and the rest of your family," Ishita said. "Will do. And please say Namaste to uncle and aunty from me," Raman replied, slowly letting go of her hand.

It still hurt, it still hurt so bad, both of them realized. With a final good bye, Ishita turned away from him and started walking into the terminal. What a strange thing that neither of them had asked to stay in touch, Ishita thought as she walked to the counter. She had half a mind to turn and look at him as she proceeded to security check but it would do no good. There could only be good byes between them now and it was best left that way.

He waited there, like he had waited for her phone or letter for years after she'd left but she didn't even turn around. Why would she? He thought. She had a life that she was happy in and that life did not really have any place for him anymore. Not in the 10 years since she had left. Nothing would change now. He got into his car and drove off.

***

"Haan.. Subbu.. Yes.. I am on my way back. The flight is on time," Ishita spoke into the phone. Then a little wistfully she added, "Guess who I bumped into here? Raman.. Raman Kumar Bhalla.. From all those years ago." She felt her voice choke so she paused to swallow past the painful lump in her throat. "No Subbu. I didn't tell him anything. There is no point. He thinks I am married to you. He has moved on. He is happy in his life with Shagun. He doesn't need to know the story of a foolish young girl who fell hopelessly in love with him and is still waiting for him. Some stories Subbu, are best left untold."

 

***

"Shagun.. Yes. I'll fax you the paperwork as soon as I reach office. No.. I am not in office yet. I met someone.." Raman paused while speaking into the phone and was surprised at the response from the other side. "How did you know? Yes.. Ishita.. No.. I didn't tell her anything. She thinks I am married to you. She doesn't know that you are married and settled in the US," Raman smiled sadly. "There is no point Shagun. She has a life now. She does not need to know that I am still standing right there where she had left me 10 years ago. That even though I might have been a chapter in her story, my whole story is written in blank pages, waiting for her. Some stories Shagun, are best left untold."

 

****

END

Edited by neet06 - 7 years ago

Sad story
Both feels same for each other
😭
Both are fools 😆
Please update one more part to unite them

This is brilliant.. The way the story moves.. The past entangled with the present... The pace, the deja vus.. I know this story is sad.. But hey it ends with a hope.. Coz both are not married... But then u r the writer and i believe in fate that unites two people destined for each other.. Somewhere sometime down the lane of time, these two would meet.. U can easily do that u know.. U r the writer... Please add further chapters where someone plays the cupid and gets these two hopeless idiots together forever... Yeh bhi khush hum bhi khush...

Howz ur daughter now.. And how old is she now??

Take care dear...

Lovey story, par sequel to banta hai..

Write one more part uniting them please... It's a request