he crowd cheered and loud applauds surrounded the auditorium. Hooting and whistles could be heard from most of the corners. Shivay had won the first place in the inter collegiate dance competition. He took the trophy, gave a bow and waved to the crowd. He was used to all this appreciation, whenever he danced, and today his whole college was cheering for him. He came down the stage, all were shaking hands with him and wishing him, but his eyes were searching only for that person who was his best friend, his life, his Anika.
Finally, he saw her, and they were eagerly walking towards each other, when suddenly a girl came and hugged Shivay.
He was shocked and so was anika, she just kept staring at them both. He saw something flicker in her eyes, but before he could decipher it, it was gone.
Shivay slowly moved the girl away.
“Your dance was just awesome Shivay, congratulations on the win” the girl said blushing.
“Thanks” said Shivay, he was trying to walk to anika who was standing at some distance from them.
But the girl held his hand, and wrote her phone number on his hand “Call me” she winked, and walked from there.
Anika clenched her fingers in tight fists, how dare she touch her Shivay. Wait, when did he become her Shivay, Anika scolded herself. He was her best friend and nothing more than that.
He came and hugged her tightly, and happily showed her the trophy. She did not return the hug, and he looked at her. She immediately covered her expressions and gave a smile.
“Congratulations Shivay” she wished him, but something was troubling her. What was this feeling which felt like killing that girl, every time any girl came even near to him she felt a stab in her heart?
He smiled and held her hand and they walked to the college for dinner. She looked at him, and remembered the day she had met him. It had been a year when she had come new to this college. She had come from a different city, and joined the college midterm, so it was difficult to make friends. But their professor had asked Shivay to help Anika, and from then on, they spent all their time with each other. As they both stayed in hostel, they got much more time together. Their bond had grown stronger with time. But she always saw him only as a friend. These new feeling were confusing her.
They sat for dinner and Shivay was chatting happily telling her all about his dance, and as usual she just got lost in him. It was late by the time they finished dinner and Shivay left her at her hostel.
Anika started walking but felt a pull at her wrist, she turned behind to see Shivay holding her wrist, she looked up at him, and he smiled
“I wanted to tell you something” he blushed.
Anika heart started beating loudly, she gulped down and her eyes questioned him.
He left her hand and came closer to her, they were now facing each other and there was very little distance between them.
“I .. I .. I “he stammered
She waited, “I am in love with a girl”
This time Anika stammered “Who… Who is she?”
“Come inside Anika, its already late” scolded the matron
They both were startled by the voice, they were so weaved in themselves that they forgot they were standing in front of the girl’s hostel gate.
“I will make you meet her tomorrow” smiled Shivay
Anika was stunned for a minute, make her meet tomorrow, who was this girl whom Shivay was in love with, her heart twisted painfully, tears were forming in her eyes, but before they could spill.
“I should go” Anika said and ran from there.
Shivay saw her going and smiled, she must have felt shy and ran away he thought and left for his hostel.
Anika was lying on her bed and staring at the ceiling, Shivay loved some girl so he will be going away from her, a tear rolled down her eye and she let it fall. Was she in love with Shivay? She sat upright and started crying badly now, allowing all the tears to soak her face and her dress completely. She had no right to love him, she had joined this college and made friendship with Shivay for one and only one purpose. But in this one year, she came so much closer to Shivay that she was almost forgetting what and why she came here for. He was so soft, so innocent, he respected her so much… then how could he have done that. There was a fierce battle going on in between her mind and heart, and finally her mind, her purpose won, and her heart took a side place. She had to complete her mission tomorrow, before Shivay went away from her.
She checked the clock it was 2 AM in the morning, she immediately messaged Shivay to meet him at the college gate in the morning at 9.
Shivay who was also lying on his bed in his room, checked the message, and kissed his mobile, finally he was going to propose her tomorrow, and never ever allow her to go away from him.
They both met the next morning at the gate, and Shivay got lost in her beauty, she was dressed in complete white just like an angel. Anika just took Shivay hand and they walked from there. Shivay did not even feel the need to question as to where they were going, he was just happy that she was holding his hand, he would go anywhere with her.
They took a cab, and after an hour of journey they reached somewhere on the outskirts of the city. The whole journey none of them talked, lost in their own thoughts. Anika was thinking, he trusts me so much that he did not even once ask where we are heading too. An Shivay was thinking that today I am going to make her mine.
They got down and got lost in the view for some time, cool breeze was fanning their faces as they stood facing the cliff. After a long moment Anika spoke
“Who is that girl Shivay” she was questioning him but looking at a distance.
Shivay looked at her, and saw the far away look on her face.
“Which girl “he asked playfully, even though he had very well understood what she was asking about
Anika now faced him and he could see the pained expression on her face, did she not know it was her.
Shivay held her hand, bought it close to his lips.
“It’s you Anika, I love you” looking straight in her eyes he kissed it softly.
A shiver ran down her spine from the kiss and then his words registered, he loved her, her heart started rejoicing, her smile was getting broader, when the thought, which was lost somewhere behind in her brain came to the forefront.
She immediately moved back and turned away from him, as if she had been slapped by Shivay. He stood there perplexed, just sometime back her eyes conveyed the same feelings for him, what changed suddenly.
Anika wiped her tears, and reached into her handbag, and turned aiming a gun at Shivay.
Shivay was shocked at this turn of events, he would happily die in her hands, but what was the reason.
“Surprised Mr. Shivay Singh Oberoi” she asked, with a voice which sounded totally alien
“What is all this Anika” he questioned.
“You almost killed my sister” her voice was so pained, it broke his heart. Tears rolled freely from her eyes, as she was finally going to take her revenge.
“Who is your sister, I have not done any wrong to any girl till now” he said searching his brain for any clue of any girl he had hurt in any way.
“Oh, is it Mr.Oberoi, don’t you know a girl named Gauri” she asked gripping the gun even more tighter.
“Gauri, Gauri… “Shivay brain was scanning itself. His eyes widened registering he knew a girl by that name.
“So, you do know her Shivay” Anika said reading his eyes, as she always did.
“Yes, I did know her, but I did not do anything wrong to her, in fact I tried searching her” he clarified
“Lies, all Lies, you called Gauri to this very cliff and killed her” she cried.
Shivay’s heart broke into a million pieces, the girl he loved was accusing him of murdering her sister. She knew him from a year know, did she think so low of him, it was better to die then see your love accusing you.
“If you think so low of me, there is no point in me living” he came closer to her and held the gun along with her fingers pointing it to his forehead.
“Shoot Anika” he screamed.
Anika hands were trembling, she will never be able to shoot Shivay.
She started pulling the trigger, when someone came and pulled the gun out from both their hands.
“Om, you here” Shivay asked
Om just stared at both, and tried to calm his breathing. He had come at a great speed here in his car, and had ran to this spot.
“I killed your sister Anika” Om confessed and went on his knees and started crying “I killed Gauri, my love, my everything” he screamed and his voice echoed.
“No Om, that was just an accident” Shivay too got to the ground and consoled him
Anika was looking from one to another totally shocked, there was something she did not know. She too came to the ground, and put her hand on Om shoulder.
“What had happened” she asked calmly even though a thousand questions were going through her mind.
Om calmed down a little, and told her that he loved Gauri, and saw the questioning look in her eyes.
“I was going to confess my love to her that day, I had decorated this place with lots of balloons, and rose petals were everywhere” Om said looking around, “she looked like a fairy” he went deep into his memories “She wore a pink dress, and her jhumkas reached her shoulders, soft curls played on her cheeks and she kept putting them behind her ear, and blushed seeing me as she always did. And when I proposed her, she accepted it, our hearts swelled with happiness. She hugged me and I felt I got the world. We started dancing and swayed to the soft music. Just then I got Shivay call and I excused myself and went some distance to take it”
“Gauri was still happily dancing to the tune, and even though I was talking to Shivay I was looking at her and smiling, she was moving towards the edge, I tried to signal her but she went more towards it. I screamed Gauri and started running towards her, her feet fell on a stone and she lost her balance, and by the time I reached her she had fallen down the cliff”
He paused, feeling the pain all over again, of losing his love, his life staring at the edge of the cliff, as if his Gauri would come and hug him back… after a while he continued” I searched her everywhere. But she was nowhere to be found, I lost her forever even before I got her completely” He started crying more badly.
“But we just did not lose Gauri here, it’s like Om left a piece of him here too. He started taking drugs and moved away from everyone. It felt like even he was dead along with Gauri. It took me so much of time to bring back my Om, he did leave drugs, but I never got my Om back, he left along with Gauri” tears were now flowing out of Shivay eyes too.
“We can get back your old Om completely, and may be my Gauri too “Anika said with a hope in her eyes.
Both looked at her shocked, trying to decipher what she was saying.
Anika took Om and Shivay and they left for her place.
They entered a big bungalow and came to a room. Om was shocked and happy to see his Gauri, he went to her, took her hand and started crying and calling her out.
“She has been in coma Om. After we all searched her everywhere, I got a call from a hospital after a few days, informing me about Gauri, some good person had taken her to that hospital, may be even before we started searching for her. Now only you can bring her back Om” she came and sat near Om and Gauri.
Om kissed Gauri hand “I will put back life in my life, she has to wake up for me,”
“But why did you think that Shivay had killed Gauri. Shivay had shown me your picture last night, and I recognized you were Gauri sister, as she had shown me your picture too, luckily he messaged me when you guys were heading to the cliff, If I had not come on time, I still can’t think what would have happened” Om shuddered.
“The day you called Gauri to the cliff, I had picked up her mobile, and seen the name Shivay flashing on it” she said guiltily
“And you assumed the worst, I had called from Shivay mobile, as my phone battery was over” said Om
Anika looked up at Shivay and their eyes met, hers guilty and his… For the first time, she was not able to read his eyes.
Shivay just walked out
Anika stood there rooted, her legs not moving even one bit. Om came to her
Om placed his hand on Anika shoulder “Its time you both admitted your feelings for each other, its written all over your face how much you love Shivay, Go and get him. And leave Gauri to me now, I will take care of her”
Anika smiled at Om and ran out, she saw Shivay car leaving her house compound.
Shivay was driving at a high speed, it was raining heavily, as if the sky felt his pain too, tears were rolling down his eyes, Anika had befriended him only for revenge, she had no feeling for him.
Suddenly he saw a white figure in front of his car and suddenly applied brakes, the car screeched loudly and came to a halt.
“What the hell do you think coming in front of my car like that” scolded Shivay
“Don’t worry I would not have died” answered Anika
He came closer to her, and pulled her by her waist towards him
“Don’t you dare talk about dying” He tightened his hold.
They stood like that, soaking in the rain, but could only feel each other and hear only their music, the rain drops falling on them, and the loud thunders did not seem to disturb them at all.
“Do you still love me” she asked doubt clouding her eyes
“There is no reason for me not to” he said
She touched her forehead to his, and whispered “I love you too, Shivay”
Shivay pulled back and stared at her, and he saw her eyes full of love for him. She hugged him and started crying.
“I am sorry Shivay, for all the misunderstandings” she cried more badly
Shivay held her tight, and allowed he tears to flow once and for all. He will never allow her to cry again. He understood the flight between her mind and heart, her mind wanted revenge but her heart needed love, he would have done the same if he was in her place.
He consoled her, and finally when she looked at him, they both smiled.
He cupped her face, looked deep in her eyes, bought his lips closer to hers… an was about to kiss her when she turned from him feeling shy.
He back hugged her, and pulled her closer, ran his fingers through her hair he loved so much, and then moved them aside, getting access to her bare back, he kissed her passionately and she shivered, he smiled at her reaction, she felt his smile turned and hugged him, hiding her blushed face in his arms. He returned her hug, and they silently promised never to leave each other again.
Epilogue
The Oberoi mansion was decorated beautifully, lights were glowing everywhere and flowers adorned the walls. The whole house was filled with laughter and cheers. Om was looking at all the arrangements when he saw a girl about to fall from a stool.
“What’s wrong with you Gauri, I told you to take it slow” scolded Om holding her in his arms as she toppled from the stool
Gauri was so happy to see his concern for her, she had got life, after Om returned in her life, day in and day out he had kept talking to her, and she had sprung back to life just few days back.
“I am taking it slow Om, But the preparations need to be perfect. After all its my sister’s wedding” she smiled and signaled him to put her down.
He tightened his hold, not ready to leave her. They got lost in each other’s eyes.
“We need to get you two also married soon” Dadi said teasing them.
Om got embarrassed and dropped Gauri down., she got up and glared at Om.
Everyone started laughing.
Just then everyone eyes turn to the stairs, the royal couple Shivika walked down hand in hand. They were so lost in each other, and they looked the most gorgeous couple ever. They were going to tie the knot today, to be merged into one for the next seven births.
****
NOTE- I DON’T OWN IT.