Chapter 3
Sound of the Heart
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but this is so sudden.” Piya was put into full on panic mode. This is exactly what she didn’t need on her first day. Panic.
The Arts department head, Mrs. Sandhya Ahuja, had introduced herself to Piya as soon as she and Misha entered the concert hall, recognizing her from the photo on her scholarship documents. According to her, Piya was supposed to perform a small piece at the end of orientation, for the music faculty, as demonstration of her skills. No wonder the orientation is happening here instead of the main building, she thought.
“But Ms. Jaiswal, I had sent you a letter regarding this performance about a week ago. Did you not receive it?”
She shook her head. She had received no such letter. Perhaps it had gotten lost in the mail. Her uncle would’ve called her if it arrived after she had left Indore. Oh god... She rubbed her forehead in tension and started to pace back and forth. “Ma’am, I can still play. But the song I have in mind needs an accompanist.”
“We can arrange one. We have lots of very skilled pianists in our student body. You don’t worry. Which song did you have in mind?”
She had been practicing one of Beethoven’s pieces for a few weeks on the fly, using a online recording for the piano parts. That practice would come handy. “Kreutzer Sonata, First Movement.”
“Daring choice. I will ask around. Don’t worry, dear. Worst case, we can postpone it for another day.” Piya breathed a sigh of relief and sat down in one of the chairs. With that crisis over, she could finally enjoy looking at the actual hall. It was a very beautiful concert hall, reminding her of the famous European ones she’d seen in travel magazines. Misha playfully punched her shoulder.
“Man, first day and already performing for all the music professors. That’s amazing, dude.”
“Stupid letter.” She muttered to herself. “Stupid scholarship.”
“Hey, don’t worry, you’ll do great! Besides, I want to hear you play too. A National Merit Scholarship recipient, that’s so cool!” Piya gave a half-hearted smile for Misha, happy that she wasn’t alone in this mess. Her heart was pounding like a loud drum.
Mrs. Ahuja came back with a boy who looked of their age. He had a cute, goofy smile, and a light-hearted presence. Misha smiled wide and pat Piya’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Piya. Kabir’s here. It’ll be amazing.” Kabir smiled and scratched the back of his head, cheeks flushed from embarrassment. He was love-struck as soon as his eyes landed on Piya.
“Piya, this is Kabir Singh Rathore. One of Doon University’s finest pianists.” Mrs. Ahuja introduced the two. Piya smiled wide and shook his hand.
“And my bestest friend.” Misha added.
“You have no idea how grateful I am, Kabir. Nice to meet you, and thank you so much.”
“If he lets you down, I’ll get revenge on your behalf.” Piya giggled.
“Oh come on Mish, I don’t suck that bad.”
“I’m just teasing. Relax.”
Kabir couldn’t stop staring at Piya. This went on for several minutes. Misha had enough of his puppy dog eyes and smacked his cheek. “Earth to Kabir. What world are you lost in?”
“Oh it’s nothing. Anyways, Piya, Kreutzer Sonata, huh? Good choice. I’ve tried playing it a few times before, so I’ll make sure I do my best.”
“Thank you.” She touched his arm, sending Kabir back into a trance. Misha snapped her fingers in front of his face.
“Hey Rathore, control yourself.” He straightened up and nodded, clearing his throat.
“Yes ma’am.”
Orientation began and went along smoothly, but Piya’s nerves kept growing. Abhay and Siddharth arrived in the middle of the presentations, taking their seats towards the front of the hall. Piya watched them walk by, her eyes fixed on Abhay. He gave off such a cold, uninviting aura, but seeing him calmed her down. She still couldn’t understand why. Was it actually just a silly crush?
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Abhay could feel her gaze affixed on him. Her sweet scent drifted past him, that blend of lavender and strawberries. He closed his eyes and inhaled. His inner beast was begging to be let out, to get a taste of her. He managed to control himself with great difficulty. Siddharth sensed Abhay’s sudden agitation and gripped his hand tightly. “Not here, Abhay.”
“I know.” He mentally scolded himself. He has mastered control of his inner beast centuries ago. He was letting this girl break that control so easily. Why?
He forgot all of that once she stepped onto stage.
Piya’s stage presence was powerful enough to silence even the most indistinct chatter in the entire hall. Everyone present waited with baited breath to see what she could do. Kabir joined her on stage, the piano now set up in the back, and they both took a bow.
Piya removed her violin from its case and set up the sheet music. She didn’t need it, but it was nice to have just in case.
Kreutzer Sonata.... Abhay thought. That piece was known for its technical difficulty. It was very ambitious of her to pick this song as her first impression to the music faculty. Abhay laughed to himself and fiddled with his pen in one hand, twirling it around effortlessly in his fingers.
Piya turned back to Kabir, who nodded back and gave her a quick thumbs up. He cracked his knuckles and sat ready. Piya smiled and nodded, lifting her bow and resting the violin on her shoulder.
She played the first note.
As the notes flowed out of the instrument, Abhay lost more and more of his focus. The pen eventually stopped twirling in his fingers. Although the song started out as any violinist would start it, her tempo gradually began to diverge. It was a subtle enough difference from the original composition that it drew in the attention of everyone in the audience.
Kabir was surprised with the change in tempo, and he was barely keeping up with her. It was as if Piya had composed the song herself. Kabir broke out in a sweat, trying to concentrate on hitting the right keys and focus on turning the pages of the sheet music, both at the same time.
Piya always lost herself whenever she played. It was as if the sounds, the sweet notes her violin created, were coming straight from her heart. She wanted people to enjoy her music. She wanted it to reach their hearts and touch their souls. She played with such devotion that even Abhay was trapped in the barrage of her sound. He’d never seen nor heard anything like her. From night one, she had captured his attention in new ways. He watched her sway and move with the intensity and calm of the notes, her body immersing itself in her craft. He wanted to listen to and watch her play, all day and night.
The notes stopped, her bow raised up high in the air. She finally caught her breath, the bright sparkle in her eyes hard to miss. The audience exploded with applause, a standing ovation. Kabir smiled and finally stood up, wiping the beads of sweat on his forehead. He stood next to Piya, on her insistence, and they bowed together. Misha got up and cheered for both, perhaps the loudest in the room.
Siddharth turned towards Abhay and saw something in his eyes for the first time in years. There was a light in them, in the form of that girl. He even smiled a little. It wasn’t any of his attitude-ridden smiles either, it was a genuine, joyful smile.
“That girl has done in mere minutes what I’ve been trying to do in centuries.” Siddharth whispered, directing the comment towards Abhay. “She’s certainly special.” Abhay realized what had happened and hid his smile, returning to his cold, emotionless exterior.
But it was too late. Piya had already glanced over in Abhay’s direction and saw the joy, even if small, in his eyes. She was glad she could erase the pain they had, for even just a moment. He had a cute, dimpled smile. Her blush grew stronger as she thought about him. They hadn’t even exchanged a word with each other, yet she could feel a strange bond between them.
“Wow, Piya. That was quite the challenge you put me in,” Kabir whispered. Piya looked at him and giggled.
“Sorry, I should’ve given you a warning.” Kabir smiled on seeing her smile and nudged her shoulder.
“Regardless, that was amazing,” he said. They looked at each other, leaving Piya’s cheeks red. Abhay was slightly annoyed, seeing the two getting close.
Mrs. Ahuja took the mic and complimented the duo’s performance, adding that Doon University was lucky to have them. There were some closing remarks for the remainder of orientation, allowing Piya to gather and pack up her things.
Gradually, the crowd began to exit the room. She went to grab the sheet music off of the stand, but a sudden gust of air from the air conditioner above the stage blew some of the pages away. She tried to catch them, but tripped over some poorly taped cables on the stage floor, the stand falling with a metallic clang. Those who were still exiting the hall turned back to see what had caused the commotion. There were hushed gasps and whispers.
Misha rushed over as fast as she could. “Piya, are you okay?!” Kabir just stood there frozen, with his arm extended, after he had tried to grab her before she fell.
She opened her eyes to find herself not on the ground, but in a strong pair of arms. She glanced up at her savior, his hands gripping her sides. Abhay? She was so close to him that his scent drifted towards her. He smelled like sandalwood and roses. How did he get to me so fast? His seat was just far enough to where it would be virtually impossible to reach her on time. She wanted to say thank you, but the words just wouldn’t come out of her mouth. His eyes were just too beautiful. There was a hint of concern in them for her.
Abhay had no idea why he had done this, but his body moved on his own. He closed his eyes and inhaled, her scent, her blood, all calling to him. Her voice brought him back to reality.
“Thank you,” she finally said, shyly. Abhay looked away from her gaze and set her down on her feet. Her baby brown eyes were making him weak. They were full of innocence.
“Maybe you should use your eyes to watch where you’re going, instead of staring at me. I’m not going to save you next time.” He hissed. Piya’s fascination with him immediately turned into anger.
I’m the one thanking him, and all he can do is insult me. What a first class jerk, she thought. He read her thoughts clearly and smirked.
“Thanks for the compliment.” Piya’s jaw dropped. Did she say that out loud? Her entire face flushed red and she turned away to pick up the loose sheets. Abhay walked out of the hall, leaving Siddharth behind to clean up his mess. Piya was grumbling to herself. One moment he’s smiling and one moment he’s not. What‘s with him?She looked at him one last time before he walked out of view.
Siddharth approached her. “Are you okay, Piya?” Piya got up and nodded. “Good.” There was a brief moment of silence. “Well, that was an amazing performance, both of you. I’m very impressed.” She smiled wide. She definitely preferred this Raichand.
“Thank you, Siddharth. I’m glad you enjoyed it.” Misha sighed in relief on seeing Piya unhurt and gave her a big hug, followed by Kabir.
“That was amazing, guys!”
“Thank you Misha.” She hugged her back.
Siddharth didn’t want to intrude on them any longer. “Well, I should get going. That’s certainly not how I wanted you to meet my brother. I apologize for Abhay’s behavior.” Piya shook her head.
“It’s okay, Siddharth. Why are you apologizing?” She put a reassuring hand on his arm. “He should be the one apologizing,” she muttered under her breath. Siddharth sighed and nodded, leaving after Abhay.
Piya turned back to Misha and Kabir, grabbing her violin case. They had decided to hang out in the canteen until classes started. Misha and Piya didn’t have any overlapping classes, and Kabir and Piya only had one on music theory.
They quickly claimed a table and ordered some snacks to pass the time with. But Piya wasn’t hungry.
She was lost in thought, thinking of Abhay saving her. Maybe he thought you were pursuing him too and got annoyed. You were staring at him like that. Maybe that’s why he got upset. Piya mentally smacked herself. Why was she thinking of excuses for his shitty behavior?
Misha waved her hands in front of Piya’s face, trying to bring her back to Earth. “Hello? Piya, you okay?” She took a bite into her sandwich.
“Oh...yeah...I’m fine.” All she could see were his eyes. At this rate, she would go mad.
“Don’t tell me you’re still thinking about that loser Abhay.” Piya looked at her in disbelief, but couldn’t exactly deny her either. She went back to drawing circles on a paper napkin at the table, her pen tearing into the fragile material. “Don’t give him too much importance. Most of the MBA students I’ve run into here are total snobs. He’s probably the worst of them.”
“I just don’t understand him, Misha.”
“Then don’t. Tell you what, after classes today, Kabir and I will take you around Dehradun. That’ll help you stop thinking about him. What say?”
Piya’s face lit up. She did want to see the city. “Okay.” It would be a nice distraction.
“Nice!” She high-fived both Piya and Kabir. “See you both later then! Gotta rush to class.” She quickly grabbed her bag and half-eaten sandwich and rushed out.
Kabir hadn’t spoken a word since they got here; he was too lost in Piya. Piya burst his bubble with a question. “So Kabir, how long have you been playing piano?”
“Huh? Oh, I think it’s been about 12 years now. You know, even I wanted to play the violin when I was younger.” That was a lie. Kabir’s current headspace had the sole purpose to impress Piya, so he lost control over what he was saying. Piya caught his bluff and faked an intensely curious expression.
“Really now? Then how did you pick piano?”
“That’s all we had at home.” Piya burst into a fit of laughter and clutched her stomach from laughing too hard. This made Kabir smile even more.
Keep it up, Kabir.....you’re doing great! He mentally pat himself on the back, flashing his goofy grin. Piya calmed down and wiped a tear from her eye.
“Shall we go to class?” She gestured towards the clock, giving a smug smile. Kabir just nodded slowly, still stuck in dreamland.
“Gladly...” Piya got up and grabbed him by the wrist. She was all he paid attention to in class.
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Abhay sat in the living room, taking large sips from a goblet full of blood. Her scent lingered on him after breaking her fall, and it only made him thirstier. He pinched the goblet stem between his fingers and watched the dark red liquid swirl as he tilted the vessel.
Vampires. That’s what his family were. Creatures of darkness, bloodthirsty monsters. They were a part of a world humans only imagined of. And that’s how it should remain. There was a clear boundary between the supernatural world and the human world. A boundary dictated by nature.
They had crossed it once unintentionally, 300 years ago, costing them their humanity and nearly completely destroying their family. He didn’t want that to happen again.
The trio have been living in Dehradun for almost two years now. Most of the city fell under vampire territory, so it made the perfect place to reside after constantly moving cities every few years. This particular mansion was isolated from the rest of the city. Little sunlight, hidden in the forest, and away from humans. It was the perfect hiding place. Until that Piya moved in.
He emptied the goblet and set it down on the table. He felt much better, his thirst now quenched. Human blood tasted so much better to them, but they knew that keeping a balance between drinking human blood and animal blood would be beneficial to maintaining control over themselves. It was a good balance between strength and control.
Mandu saw Abhay deep in thought and decided to pester him about the sequence of events Siddharth had just told her about. The pair never hid a thing from each other, especially when it concerned Abhay. He smiled at a girl, that too Piya! This is the news of the century, she thought. Abhay was just about to go to his room, when Mandu appeared in front of him, blocking the stairs, wearing a smug smile. She crossed her arms behind her back. “I heard some breaking news material from Siddharth today. That a certain angry young man genuinely smiled, and that too for a girl.” Abhay turned away and shoved his hands in his pockets.
“He’s just being delusional. I did no such thing.”
“I didn’t say it was you.” Mandu giggled and walked around him in circles, as if she were examining a rare artifact at a museum. “Looks like I caught you red-handed.”
“Mandu....I..”
“Hush...no more excuses.” She held a finger up to his lips. “Lucky for you, I was planning on inviting her for coffee sometime next week, after she gets settled in a little.” Abhay’s eyes narrowed.
“Suit yourself. I don’t care.” He looked on, trying to get to the stairs. The more distance between him and Piya, the better.
Mandu giggled and continued to block him from leaving. She could tell he cared a lot. His words and his eyes told different stories.
“Wonderful. I better see you there. It’s a matter of Raichand honor.”
“No promises.” Mandu frowned. He was too stubborn at times.
“Please, Abhay? For me?” She knew that, above all, Abhay couldn’t say no to his bhabhi. “Please? It would make me very happy.”
Abhay looked at her and sighed, running his fingers through his raven locks. He loved Mandu like his own sister.
“Fine, I’ll try,” he mustered. Mandu grinned wide and clapped her hands. He thought this would be enough to make her leave his path, but she remained steadfast.
“Great! Now take your handsome face to her house and invite her.”
“Excuse me?” He was not expecting this. He tried to peer into her mind to find out what her real goals were, but she was actively blocking his attempts. “What are you planning?”
“Trying to read my thoughts, huh?” She pinched his cheeks. “The Abhay I know is a very sweet and caring man. I just want you to apologize for insulting her today. The invitation is just a side task.” He pushed her hands away.
“No.”
“Yes.”
Abhay’s eyes shifted color, clearly annoyed. “No.”
“Look at you, trying to threaten me. So cute.” She let out a small laugh. “Yes, and that’s final.”
Abhay scowled and angrily went up to his room. He didn’t want to see that girl again, yet his own family kept pushing him towards her. What was wrong with them?
He walked out onto the balcony and stared at the villa. It was completely dark; perhaps she wasn’t home.
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Piya was having the time of her life, exploring the city with her new friends. Most of their time was spent indulging in delicious street foods, enough to the point where Piya’s stomach would burst. She had never eaten this much in one sitting.
They sat in the park and chatted for hours, about their lives and their families. Piya didn’t say much in regards to this category, as there were many details she wanted to omit and keep hidden. Those details hurt her, like daggers piercing her skin, but they were unfortunately a part of her. Her life had not been an easy one. All she happily mentioned was her mother and her side of the family. Misha and Kabir were both kind enough not to prod any further, noticing how her mood changed.
Meanwhile, she learned Kabir’s family had descended from royalty, and that their home was no less than an actual palace. He was an only child, spoiled rotten by his parents.
Misha, on the other hand, had a brother of Kabir’s age, Sameer. He was running their dad’s business in Mumbai, so he rarely came home. Misha was the rambunctious and mischievous daughter of the household.
“Sometimes papa thinks his real daughter got exchanged with me in the hospital.” Misha’s lips smacked together as she enjoyed a small lolipop. “If you come to my place, even you’d be surprised.” The trio burst into laughter.
They talked for a bit more, before Piya glanced at her watch. It was getting late out, and she had to get home. This park was even farther away from her place than the university was.
“Guys, it’s getting late. I still need to walk back, and I have to get up early tomorrow.”
“Walk back? Dude, it’ll take years to get back to your place from here. Did the fall do something to your head?” Misha wrapped her arm around Piya’s shoulders. “Don’t worry about getting home. We’ll drop you off.” Piya opened her mouth to protest. “Ah ah, not so fast. No more words from you.” Kabir pulled out his car keys. “Let’s go drop this dumbo home.”
“But Misha-” She was not used to taking favors, even as small as this. She felt like a burden. Misha quickly unwrapped and shoved another lolipop from her bag into Piya’s mouth. How many does she have in there?
Piya felt even worse when she realized that her house was in the opposite direction of both of theirs. She slumped back in her seat and frowned, as the car continued down the dark road. “Sorry I’m making you drive so far, Kabir.”
“It’s alright, Piya. I rather you get home safely.” Piya smiled a little and stared out the window. Once the car pulled up to her villa, Misha started to choke on her lolipop.
“This is your place? You’re living in style, Piya.”
“It’s my aunt’s actually. She’s just letting me live here.”
Kabir had spotted the Raichand mansion in the distance. “Wow, you really do live close to the Raichand’s.”
“Yeah....I didn’t even notice it when I moved in last night.” Piya took a longing glance at the place and let out a yawn. All this adventuring had depleted her energy. “Thank you for dropping me off, guys.” Misha smiled and gave her a hug.
“No need for thank you’s. Now get some rest, sleepy head. We’ll see you tomorrow.” They both walked back towards the car, Piya softly waving to them. She yawned again and went inside. A nice, warm shower was written in her fate tonight. She could imagine it already.
She wasted no time in reaching the bathroom. Her aching muscles immediately relaxed as the warm water of the shower hit her skin. So much had happened today. Her first day, the performance, Abhay...
She stopped thinking at his name. Even though he was rude to her, she wanted to see him again. Something about him made her heart skip a beat. The same way that mystery man with the cobalt eyes made her feel. They seemed like one person, even though she was convinced that it wasn’t possible.
She shut off the water and dressed in her nightgown, thinking of heating up some milk before she went to bed. The fluffy, soft mattress was just waiting for her.
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Abhay stood outside her door for what seemed like forever, before he could muster up the resolve to knock. It’s fine, just invite her over. You don’t have to do anything else.
He knocked rather gently, so gently that Piya didn’t hear it until the second time.
At this hour? She cautiously stepped towards the front door and waited. Another knock, this time harder than the last. Are you going to break my door or what? She stepped back and slowly opened the door.
Her brain stopped working as soon as she saw him standing in front of her. Abhay. At her doorstep. This late at night.
“Abhay....” She could tell from his expression that he wasn’t too keen on being here. Her eyes narrowed. “What are you-?”
“Mandu sent me here. To invite you for coffee at our place next Monday, after your classes.”
He had cut her off, looking to end this interaction as soon as possible. He couldn’t stay any longer than this. Her appearance was driving him mad. Her hair was glistening wet, fresh water droplets falling from her thick lashes. Her skin was plump and pinkish from the heat of a recent shower, the nightgown exposing her bare shoulders and collarbone. Her sparkling eyes, and everything else, were threatening to melt him.
Piya smiled a little, thinking of Mandu. She was too kind.
“I’ll be there,” she replied. Abhay nodded and turned to leave. She figured he wouldn’t apologize. She was about to close the door when he spoke up, surprising her yet again.
“I’m sorry for what I said today. I shouldn’t have insulted you like that.” Piya choked on her own words. “Good night.”
Abhay had surprised even himself. He had no intention of apologizing, but the words had come out of his mouth anyway. Somehow, it made him feel better.
Her hand outstretched towards him, but he drove off before she could say anything. It was a short apology, but no one could deny that he actually meant it. He was so confusing to her; his expressions and his language told vastly different stories. Knowing what was going on in his mind was next to impossible.
His harsh exterior seemed like a massive wall, a wall she couldn’t get around. He was hiding his true self from her, and perhaps from the whole world too.
”Someday I’ll solve this riddle of yours, Abhay. Someday.”
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Hope you all enjoyed! Here’s a link to the song Piya played: https://youtu.be/okWr-tzwOEg
Please like and comment to let me know what you thought!
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