Author’s note: Since this shot is long, I have divided it into two parts. Hope you enjoy both the parts. I’ll release the second part very soon.
Next day Afternoon
Deep’s car approached towards the house and stopped. From the car, Hansa and Deep get down. With the help of the white cane, Aarohi also get out of the car. Hansa look at the house.
Hansa – “Your house is very beautiful, Deep. You are maintaining it so well.”
Aarohi – “Deep, I could sense that you tend to grow a lot of herbal plants and crotons in your house. I could smell the fragrance.”
Deep smiles, “Aarohi, your senses are amazing. Why can’t you become a detective?”
Aarohi – “I am trying it, Deep. I have solved three murder cases in a Quiz competition. Do you want any notes?”
Deep – “No, madam. Come inside.”
The three entered the house with their luggage.
Deep – “Aarohi, So you must get used to this house also. And Dadi, I have some more Dadis as neighbors and I have told about you. They would go for a walk everyday evening and do some exercises. You can also accompany them and they are so friendly.”
Aarohi – “Deep is right. From today, you must take your medicines and do exercises. No if’s and but’s.”
Hansa smiled and nodded positively.
Deep – “Let me bring tea for us. Wait!”
Aarohi – “Vicky, please don’t add sugar in Dadi’s tea. In all these days, she has been fooling me by adding sugar in her tea.”
Hansa – “Sshhh!”
Aarohi- “Hoyee! Are you threatening me?”
Hansa – “This girl!”
Deep laughs and made tea as per their taste and served them.
A Few hours passed,
Deep took Aarohi to his room.
Deep – “It is where we are going to sleep in the night.”
Aarohi – “It means?”
Deep – “Two people can sleep in this bed. Dadi and you can use this bed at night. While I have another one bed which I added adjacent to main bed.”
Aarohi- “I am extremely grateful to you Deep. Thank you so much for thinking a lot about us. People think we are burdened for them, but you have a big heart.”
Deep – “Aarohi, you saved me from an accident and took the effect on you. I am the most grateful to you and your grandmother for raising an amazing girl like you.”
Aarohi smiles, “Don’t worry Deep. I’ll definitely pay the proper amount soon.”
Deep – “Aarohi…”
Aarohi – “No, Deep. Don’t say no need. I couldn’t have peace in my mind if I didn’t pay the gratitude. I couldn’t sleep properly if I didn’t do that. But, what can I do?”
Deep – “Okay, as you wish. You did a lot of part-time jobs, right. You can continue it. Then, you are also joining the college.”
Aarohi – “Are you out of mind, Deep? How is it possible? I used to sell ice-creams, but I don’t know where is my Cream bell cart after my accident. Other than that, I used to write stories in various magazines, but at this point, I could also not write. And College? (laughs)”
Deep – “Why not, Aarohi? Your Cream Bell Cart is in Police Station, which they took at the time of the accident. We can get it easily. I can accompany you at night. About stories, you can send it on online… I mean by computer keyboard. Even if you speak, words are typed in the display. It is all about mindset and confidence. If you are fine with it, everything is possible.”
Aarohi didn’t speak anything.
Deep – “About College, I’ll drop you at your class and can pick up at evening. You have a lot of friends who helped you in tough times and you too made. Won’t they help you now?”
Aarohi – “They would.”
Deep – “Then, what? Life is not always unfair, Aarohi. There are good things which we sometimes fail to recognize… Like you have an amazing Dadi, you have very good friends in your college circle… You’re always friendly with your professors… There are a lot of sweet people in life.”
Aarohi hold Deep’s hands and says, “And you forgot to include one more person. You.”
Deep – “Yeah.”
Deep smiled happily when she mentioned his name. He intentionally skips his name and checks whether Aarohi react regarding him. He wondered himself why is he behaving like a child. He wondered if it is just an infatuation or love…
Aarohi – “Okay, Deep. I am going to college and even do write stories. I would also save some money and also pay you. But there is no use now being an ice-cream vendor. No one would buy ice-creams at this point.”
Deep – “Aarohi, there is a condition from my side. Only for house rent, you opted to pay money. The money must be less than Rs. 500/-, okay?”
Aarohi – “No Deep. Nowadays, who give value to Rs. 500?”
Deep – “I am giving value for hard work. Whether the note has value or not is people’s perspective. But 500 Rupees won’t come from a tree and people do an amount of hard work to gain that also, Aarohi. I agreed to your condition and you also should.”
Aarohi – “Okay. I agree.”
Aarohi gets emotional and cries. Deep feels bad seeing her cry.
Deep – “Aarohi, please don’t cry.”
Aarohi – “What if I don’t.”
Deep – “The floor becomes wet due to your tears and we may slip on the tiles.”
She makes angry pouts. Deep wipes her tears with his hands.
Deep – “Good girl.”
Deep laughs and pulled her cheeks. Aarohi tries to resist. Deep laughs.
Aarohi thinks – “I am falling in love with him… God! His charm is irresistible! ”
Deep – “Come on, I’ll take you to a special place.”
Saying this, Deep takes Aarohi to another room. It looks dark. Deep switched on the lights.
Deep – Tadaa…You are here…”
There is a bookshelf in a modern layout and style with a good amount of books. There are two croton plants standing like a soldier on both sides of the bookshelf. Three Guitars and a Violin are hanged on the wall. There is a table with a diary and a pen. Beneath that, there is a dustbin filled with papers. On the side of wall, few individual photos of him are hanged. The photos shows that he is self-conscious. There are two chairs and a small sofa to sit. In the middle, there is a mic stand with headset, Bluetooth and speakers. On a corner, there is an electrical piano.
Deep – “Could you guess this place?”
Aarohi – “It might be your personal room. Since you’re a singer, you can work on that here. Maybe you have musical instruments too.”
Deep – “Good! Guess few instruments here.”
Aarohi – “I know very few instruments’ name. Maybe a Guitar, Violin, Flute or even a piano.”
Deep – “Your guess is right. Did you want me to sing any song?”
Aarohi – “Why not? Can you please play piano?”
Deep – “Of course. Do suggest the song…. Wait, let me make you sit.”
Deep made Aarohi sit on the sofa and Aarohi took the electric piano and sat on a chair.
Aarohi – “Your wish, Deep.”
Deep smiles. Deep plays piano for the song Dil Ibadaat from the movie Tum Mile.
Aarohi got mesmerized by the way he played the piano and listened to it silently. She moves her head momentarily, enjoying his music.
Deep gets lost in her beauty when she moves her head like a baby doll… The way her free hair moves to her face and then moved from there attracts him towards her…. He is looking at her gestures, till the end of the music. He wished it could have continued for long. Whatever Deep feels for Aarohi is something more than friendship…
Then Deep sings the song in his voice. Aarohi instantly fell in love with his voice.
Aarohi – “I have heard your voice in Radios and everything looks amazing there. But in reality, it is more amazing, Deep. You have an amazing voice and the songs are touching the heart instantly.”
Deep – “Thanks for the compliment, Aaru…”
Aarohi – “Aaru…”
Deep – “Yeah, Aaru. Aarohi’s short form Aaru..”
Aarohi thinks, “The way he called me Aaru… This guy is driving me crazy and happy. Aaru Aaru Aaru… (She remembers multiple times how he called her and smiles with a blush.)”
Deep – “Are you here?”
Aarohi – “Yeah, Deep. By the way, you’re really an amazing singer. But, why can’t you try for big projects?”
Deep – “Yeah, Aarohi. I have got a project now i.e. a music video. Popular actors are committed to it. I am working on the lyrics and singing. It would release on YouTube soon. If that goes well, I’ll achieve my dream singing in movies or series.”
Aarohi – “All the best, Deep. I’ll pray from the bottom of my heart that you achieve milestone in the film industry and many people fangirl or fanboy over you.”
Deep smiled.
*****
Aarohi starts going to the college with the help of Deep and her friends helped her at the college. Deep has changed his night shift job to day shift one in order to look after Aarohi at nights. Deep and Aarohi’s friendship grew deeper. Aarohi sells her Cream-Bell cart and gained some money. Aarohi continues writing for magazines. Aarohi finds herself more attracted towards Deep and the case is quite similar with Deep’s.
*****
15 days passed,
A lazy Sunday morning for others… But not for Devrath Raheja… He is present in his study room. He has been going through certain files to prepare the upcoming case he is going to handle on Tuesday. Behind his table, there is a timetable chart stuck over the wall. Sid’s focus is on the case files until the call interrupts him.
*****
Parallel Scene
Atharva and Vividha are doing Yoga on the terrace. Vividha is staring at him. Atharva sees her and feels proud and he flexes his muscles which are visible through his half-sleeve vest. Vividha sighs.
Atharva – “What happened baby! Did your husband look hotter today?”
Vividha punches his arms, “Duffer! Do you what today is?”
Atharva -“Sunday!”
Vividha – “Mongoose! Even my mobile phone remembers what today is! Our wedding anniversary. I have been bearing all your atrocities for 12 months.”
Atharva – “Ohho! Damn it! Sorry Vivi!”
Vividha – “Let us celebrate it. Call our friends.”
Atharva – “The first one who signed our registration marriage is Dev. So first call is for him.”
Raghu rings Dev and he attend the call.
*****
Dev – “Atharva, how are you doing?”
Atharva – “Everything is going well, Dev. By the way, do you have any plans for the evening?”
Dev looks at his timetable chart.
Atharva – “You’re just impossible. Even if you have anything, cancel everything and come to my house by 8 PM. We are having a night stay party.”
Dev wondered how Atharva found out that he is looking at his chart. Trying to manage the situation, “Why? What’s the matter?”
Atharva – “What? Our anniversary, buddy. Forgot it?”
Dev – “Damn! Yeah… Sorry buddy… I mean Congrats Buddy.”
Atharva – “Haaa… Thanks buddy.”
While Vividha is staring at Atharva. Atharva gives phone to Vividha.
Vividha – “Hello!”
Dev – “Hey Vivi! Happy Wedding Anniversary.”
Vividha – “It’s my fate to remind this guy about our anniversary (Atharva pouts). But you signed the register, buddy. And you forgot it.”
Dev – Vivi, Not like that. I remember the month but it is just I forgot the date. By the way, how are you?”
Vividha – “I am superb. I’ll give the phone to him.”
Saying this, she gives the phone to Atharva and goes down.
Athrava – “You are coming, right?”
Dev – “Yeah. Who are all coming?”
Atharva thinks, “Our friends gang is only coming… Your bro Deep, Sonakshi, you, Tanya and that’s it.”
Dev – Okay, buddy. Let us meet at 8PM.”
Dev cuts the call.
His Monologue: Even Tanya is coming to the party… She was so sad when I rejected the proposal one and half years ago. Will she talk to me or I could able to talk to her just like before proposal period? Why is this awkward situation? Shall I avoid the meeting, but how could I convince Vividha and Atharva?
Flashback – 1.5 years ago
Dev – “No… No, Tanya. I can’t think about it. Love is not in my books.”
Dev replied this after Tanya’s simply sweet love proposal with rose.
Tanya – “But, you can think about it, couldn’t you?”
Dev – “Not like that, Tanya. I am a confused guy. I didn’t have the mentality to give space to someone else in my life. I still haven’t got it. You don’t know that Tanya. These things won’t suit me…. Also I’m 26… I need to prove something in my life… I need to develop my career. Only then, I could think about other things like love and commitment. Above all that, I can’t see you like that.”
Tanya bows her head down and gets sad.
Dev – “We are good… I won’t say, Friends… But we have a great vibe. I don’t want to call it as love.”
Tanya – “So, what is your decision?”
Dev – “We can be like how we are now.”
Tanya – “You’re right, Dev.”
Tanya smiled in pain while Dev smiled in relief as she didn’t create any dramas.
Flashback ends.
Dev has been rethinking about the scenes for many times.
He feels that he made a mistake by rejecting an amazing girl like Tanya. Still, he is not sure whether he loves Tanya or not.
*****
Night 7 PM,
Dev started to get ready for the party. He did his self-styling and is about to come out. His phone beeps and sees Atharva’s name flashing on the screen.
Dev – “Hey Aharva!”
Atharva – “There is a problem now…”
Dev – “What happened?”
Atharva asks nervously, “Can you pick Tanya on your way?”
Dev is shocked, “What are you saying, Atharva? You know..”
Atharva – “Sorry, Dev… I know that. She was supposed to come with her friend. But there is a change in the plan last minute. Vivi asked you to pick her up without knowing your story. I don’t know how to reveal it to her. There is no way, Dev.”
Dev – “Atharva…”
Atharva – “Please Dev… I make sure that you won’t meet each other at party. Please buddy….”
After Atharva’s constant pleading, Dev agreed to pick her up. Dev gets nervous on meeting her after a long period of time.
To be continued…