*There are one or two sentences in Marathi that I got translated from Google translation, so do correct me if I am wrong with the way I wrote this Marathi sentence okay.
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Anika leaned her head against window of her room and looked outside. Though her eyes were concentrated outside her mind was somewhere else. For a reason she herself didn’t know, Anika was feeling something warm and fuzzy fluttering inside her. The said feeling was so much disturbing yet calming at the same time, the contradicting emotions making her feel out of place.
Agreed she had felt an intuition kind of thing that their life is gonna change for good but this was something different. Very very different! In an attempt to calm her contradicting emotions, Anika closed her eyes trying to find peace within.
“Tai tere paas..Tai?” Somya frowned seeing her sister like that. Her face reflected sereneness. Anika is actually a very expressive girl, Somya has been witness to many of her word expression faces but this was so new and she didn’t like it. To her Anika is this always cheerful, chirpy, quirky and tact loaded girl who had the ability make your life heaven and also had the power to make it worst than hell.
But right now, as Anika stood there like a statue with eyes closed Somya was sure that something must be bothering her but then again, why was she so calm about out?
“Tai?” Somya called out again but Anika still didn’t respond. Either she dozed off standing like that our she was too lost somewhere to notice her. “Tai tu theek hai?” Somya shook Anika lightly by her shoulder.
“Haan? Kya hua?” Anika was startled, she really hadn’t noticed Somya coming.
“Everything is okay lekin tujhe kya hua hai? Koi baat pareshaan kar rahi hai tujhe?” though both the sisters fight like 5 year olds but there are moments like this, tender ones where they actually behave maturely and are quite supportive of each other. A little bit different from usual siblings, Somya and Anika share a unique bond that cannot be told, it can only be experienced.
Anika shrugged her shoulders and went back towards the bed where her bracelet collection was on display. She picked each one of them tenderly, wrapped it a paper and placed it in her suitcase. Somya shook her head at that, Anika and her obsession with bracelets. “Tai yeh sab chod aurr bata mujhe, kya soch rahi thhi tu?”
Anika said nothing, she just picked up the wooden box that was resting on her dressing table and opened it. Inside it was a gold ring bracelet. The piece was designed keeping in mind the alphabet”A” , attached to the strings were triangles, one inside the other and in the middle of it was her name “Anika” and there were small moon charms handing from the steering that waited around the wrist. It was one unique bracelet but it was broken.
“Un yaadon ko bhool ja, mat soch uske baare mein jo sirf dukh deti hai.” Somya took the box from her hand and placed it inside the suitcase. She held Anika’s hand and made her sit on the bed, “Bata na mujhe ki aisi kya baat hui jo tu itni gheri soch mein doobi hui thhi?”
“Somya please yaar pareshaan mat kar mujhe.” Anika removed her hand from Somya’s hold. “Kuch nahi soch rahi thhi main, tu jaa please. Just go.” Anika was irritated, her emotions were taking a toll, she was feeling frustrated and irritated to the core.
“Tai?”
“Abhi mahi Somya, abhi nahi..please.” Anika moved towards the window again, her back facing Somya.
Somya was disappointed but didn’t argue, she left Anika alone. Outside she met her mother who looked equally worried. “Woh theek toh hai na?”
“Haan..shayad. Pata nahi uss ek bracelet mein aisa kya hai jo usse itna pareshaan kar deta hai. Sachhi mein Aai aakhir aisi kya baat hui jo Tai na toh uss bracelet ko na toh theek karvati hai aurr na hi usse apne aap se door karti hai. Bas usse yun hi dekh dekh kar dukhi hoti rehti hai.”, Somya replied. Tulsi place a comforting hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze.
“Kuch yaadein hoti hai jo chahe humme kitna hi dard kyon na dein lekin unhe bhulaya nahi jaa sakta. Kuch aise hi daur se guzar rahi hai woh. Sarvakahi kalajo karu naka thika hoil (don’t worry, everything will be fine).
Somya gave Anika a last chance and went away along her mother. Inside the room Anika placed a hand over her heart and chanted the mantra, “All is well. All is well.”
It had always worked but don’t know why her heart wasn’t accepting the face that all will be well. “Yeh kaisi bechaini hai, aisa kyun lag raha hai ki jaise kuch adhura sa hai?” Anika questioned herself, she was so confused at the moment. There were so many questions but there wasn’t an answer to even one of them. Anika massaged circles over her heart for few minutes and then wanting to distract herself she again busied herself in packing her bracelets.
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Shivaay locked the door to his room and went towards his personal swimming pool. A dazed look on his face, Shivaay walked taking slow steps. Still dressed in his night clothes, black pajama and kurta. Even his damn night clothes reminded him of her.
FLASHBACKS
“White? Seriously Mr. Billu?” she asked.
He rolled his eyes at her and continued beating the eggs, “What’s wrong with white? Tumhe koi problem hai white se?”
She made a face and walked towards him with this look on his face that told him that something was wrong with her. Shivaay stopped beating the eggs and covered the distance between them. They have been together for two months and he had come to understand each and every expression that her eyes reflected. Worried, he held both her hands in his and stared into her eyes, “Kya baat hai?”
“I don’t like white, I like you in black only. You look s*xy Bagar billa in black.”
Shivaay could see clearly past her mischievous smile, “Kya baat hai?” he prodded. She smiled warily and wounded her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder, “I don’t want to go.”
Shivaay smiled softly, one of those rare smiles that had been reserved only for his family. She’s gonna be a part of it soon, “You are going for two days only. Kiss baat ki tension hai tumhe?”
“Pata nahi Shiv, lekin mujhe jaane kyun aisa lag raha hai ki aaj agar main tumse door gayi toh hum shayad kabhi mil na payein. Ek ajeeb sa darr hai dil mein ki agar kuch ho gaya toh?” she tilted her head to look at his face.
Shivaay said nothing but pulled her close to his chest and hugged her tight, “2 din mein kya ho jayega? Sab kuch wahin hoga, aise hi jaise abhi hai. And I will make your favourite cake for you. Happy?”
She clung to him as I’d her life depended on it, “Nahi. 2 din mein 48 ghante aurr unmein 2,880 minutes aurr..”
“Aurr har minute mein 60 second, jo hue 1,72,800 seconds” Shivaay completed that for her. She loved mathematics calculations and he hated every bit of it but since he met her, he had started liking it.
“Hum sirf 6 mahine pehle mille, 3 mahine ka pyaar aurr 2 mahine ka yeh saath. Jiss pyaar ko dhoondne mein mujhe saalon lag gaye uss pyaar main khona nahi chahti. Tumhare saath jo yeh rishta juda hai na usse khona nahi chahti main. Bohot ghabrahat ho rahi hai mujhe, aise lag raha hai ki main bas wahin khadi hoon aurr tum mujhse door jaa rahe ho.” she sobbed making his heart clench in pain.
“Bracelet yaar..” Shivaay caressed her hair trying to comfort her. Bracelet was kind of his nickname for her, she had a penchant for bracelets, hence her nickname. For the world he’s Shivaay Singh Oberoi, the rude and shrewd businessman but for his family and now his lady love he’s just their soft hearted, caring and loving Shivaay or you can say Billu. Earlier it was only his Dadi who had the liberty to call him that but now she does too.
He rubbed her back in a soothing way, “Kuch nahi hoga, main keh raha hoon na kuch bhi nahi hoga. Jab tum waapis aaogi na toh tumhe sab kuch waise hi milega jaise abhi hai. Yeh sofa, yeh kitchen aurr yahi main.”
“PJ!” she sniffed and buried her face in crook of his neck, “Aurr agar mujhe kuch hua toh?”
He responded by tightening his arms around her, “Zindagi se uske jeene ki wajah chinn jaye toh woh zindagi kya hai? Main yeh nahi kahunga ki tumhare bin jee nahi paunga, jeena toh padega mujhe mere parivaar k liye, mere bhaiyon k liye, lekin tumhare bina main jeena nahi chahta. Shivaay Singh Oberoi zinda toh hoga lekin uski aatma nahi.”
“Don’t talk like that.” She cried, “Waise toh main tumhara peecha chodne nahi waali, lekin phhir bhi jab tak main laut na aaun, ek kaam karoge mera?”
“Kya?” he leaned back and cupped her face. He was feeling way to much emotional right now, he to didn’t want her to go but she had to, the meeting was very important. The emotional connection that they share couldn’t be defined. It was almost scary, the power she had over him, how tuned they were with each others emotions, so much in sync with each others actions. It takes some people years to develop such kind of connection but theirs was instant. He had felt it click the moment his eyes had met hers.
“Roz mere liye ek bracelet lena aurr jab tak main aa na jaun tab tak you have to compile all the shayaris by Rudra till now and make a PDF file of it.” her demands made him chuckle. Wiping the tears off her face, he kissed the top of her head, “That are two things to do. Aurr Rudra ki shaayri? Seriously? Mine are much better than his.”
She played with the collar of his kurta, “Yours are emotional ones, Rudra’s are cool. He and his shaayaris are so cute.” she smile adorably that Shivaay wanted to pinch her cheeks but he just smiled wide, “Pagal samjha hai kya mujhe? Main aurr Rudra ki shaayari ki history search karun? Gharwaalon ko lage ga ki main pagal ho gaya hoon. Tum khud hi pooch lena usse.”
Shivaay stepped a bit away from her and started chopping onions, he was going to make her favourite omelette, “Waise bhi Singapore se aane k baad I am taking you to Mumbai to meet my family, tabhi tum Rudra se uski “cool” shayari k notes bana lena.”
She grinned and nipped at his ear, “Love you.” she gave him a tight hug before skipping off to the couch leaving a grinning Shivaay behind, “Pagal” he muttered to himself as he rubbed his ear.
FLASHBACKS ENDS
Shivaay snapped out of the memories and found himself floating on the water. Sighing he swam out of the pool and picked a towel on his way back to his room. His feet causing a splashing sound as he walked inside the room rubbing the towel over his head. When he threw that towel on his bed, his gaze feel on her photograph which he hadn’t put back in the frame.
She was smiling like always, her eyes twinkling she was looking beautiful. Smiling he slid open the door to his walk in closet and went to the far left corner of it. There was this huge rectangular ottoman, Shivaay unlocked out from below and pushed the cushioned covering off revealing a storage box.
“Main aaj bhi tumse kiya hua woh vaada nibha raha hoon. Pichle 4 saalon se har roz tumhare liye ek bracelet kharid leta hoon. Agar kissine yeh collection dekh li na then they will call me mad, sab tumhaari wajah se! And don’t get me started on Rudra’s shayari! Har roz teen chaar faltu ki shayari toh bol hi deta hai! Pata hai kitna mushkil hai yeh sab record karna! Khud toh chali gayi aurr mujhe musibat pe phasa diya!”
It took him just a second to realize what he had said. “Khud toh chali gayi…” The brilliant smile vanished and was replaced by sad frown. He pursed his lips right trying to contain in the overwhelming feeling of sadness and hollowness that squeezed hours heart tight.
“Main Tia se shaadi kar raha hoon lekin mere dil mein jo jagah hai tumhaari woh main kissiko nahi de sakta. I have always loved you. I have always.”
Shivaay locked the ottoman and picked out his new black colored tailor made black suit, “Hhmmm…tumhe achha lagta thha na jab bhi I wore black? What do you used to say, haan! ‘ You look s*xy Bagar billa in black.’ So I will wear this black suit okay.”
“Ab iske saath kaunsa brooch lagaun?” She placed the suit on his bed and went over to the accessories section of his closet. “This one or this one?” Shivaay asked to himself as he trapped his chin thinking hard about which brooch he should choose.
He kept doing that, talking to himself as he selected accessories to complete his whole attire. He then went to take shower and got dressed quickly, he had an important meeting today with a Japanese company.
********************************
Shivaay arrived at the dinning area with a find smile on his face. Only his brothers and Dadi were there, others must have left already. Shivaay checked the time, he still had 3 hours before the meeting starts.
“Bhaiya aaj kuch special hai kya?” asked Rudra as Shivaay sat on his chair for breakfast. He was looking handsome as always but the fact that he took 3 hours to get ready caused suspicions to rise in everybody’s minds because Shivaay Singh Oberoi never took more than an hour to get ready.
“Nahi toh.” Shivaay replied and picked a toast and started applying butter on it.
“Shivaay tu theek hai na.” asked Omkara.
“Kyun mujhe kya hona hai.” He took a bite of the toast and continued, “Tu abhi bhi ussi baat ko lekar pareshaan hai? Arre koi bura sapna..”
Omkara stared at him wide eyes and gestured him to stop. “Kya hua?” Shivaay spoke with his mouth full.
“Billu. Puttar aaj tune taiyaar hone mein 2 ghante extra liye aurr ab apna low calorie butter chod kar yeh normal butter kha raha hai. Aurr toh aurr khaana khate hue baat bhi kar raha hai. Puttar tu theek to hai na?” Dadi asked. Shivaay looked at his half eaten toast and realization dawned over him.
Shivaay looked at the faces of his brothers and Dadi, the of them had the “haww!” look on their face that made Shivaay conscious.
“Kabhi kabhi yeh chote chote changes theek hote hain. Aap log chinta mat kijiye I am alright. Just relax you guys okay.” Shivaay yelled not to fumble as he told them a lie.
Though his day started off on a bad note, the nightmare was back again and then those memories of the past made his heart ache but there was this nagging feeling that kept telling him not to worry because everything was going to be alright
It was so unreal but it acted as a balm for his aching heart. He felt good today, talking to himself like that really helped. She’s so right about little things like this. With a smile on his face, Shivaay completed his breakfast and then went to office.
********************************
He started at her photographs that were pinned on the huge notice board. It’s been 3 years since she died and left him alone in this world. It was hard to accept first, the only thought that kept plaguing his mind was that why was he alive when she left him. The answer then came in form of Shivaay Singh Oberoi, the man behind his beloved’s death.
Had Shivaay not entered in their lives, they would have been married by now and living their happily every after but Shivaay ruined it all and now it was time for payback.
He was waiting for just the right moment to strike, then he will give Shivaay the same pain that he had gone though. He picked up the knife and threw it at the board. It got struck early where he wanted to. Shivaay was going to pay for what he did, he took away his one chance of being happy now he will destroy Shivaay Singh Oberoi’s life. And for that his dearest fiance Tia Kapoor has to die.
He laughed like a maniac starting at Tia’s photograph, the knife was struck right in the middle of it.