An event when everyone gathered together in a bar for birthday celebration.
Celebration was the last thing in my mind. We all came to see girls with some
hope. All were busy in flirting and hitting girls. I was standing on the corner
thinking hard. "what if we were together?” I walked around with a glass of
Johny Walker, sipping way too often than necessary. Since we broke up, we didn’t
meet each other. Till then I was trying to forget her but somehow I can’t, even
tried hard to make new girlfriend... So I can give a new start. While think all
these things, I gulped and fetched another large shot.
As I was getting high, thinking about her and my eyes were searching her
with hope that somehow, our fate will allow us to meet. These all things were
coming up in my mind coz “Johny Walker” reactivated my controlled feelings. We
had not ended things in a peaceful way. She had left for something wrong I did.
I knew that she had not forgiven me yet, but I wanted a chance to explain. I have
been in love with her, and I wanted a chance to ask for another chance.
She had carefully maintained her distance from me. Not answering my calls,
not replying to my mails, chats, messages. I knew she was with someone else as
her friend told me before, but I knew that it was not right. But, I had always
felt a strong connection with her from the first time I saw her. I took months
to get her to go out with me, but when she did, I knew that she was all mine.
It was not easy to forget such chemistry and move on to someone else. I knew
that she still thought about me.
I was on my fourth drink when I heard her laugh. I turned back to look.
Wtf..... I saw
There was she... standing, looking splendid in a fitted black dress. The
dress was cut low, showing her perfectly arched back. And as usual she had
stuck to minimal jewellery with just a chunky watch and a thin band. I smiled.
It was my gift to her on her previous birthday. She was wearing it today, meant
that I still mattered to her.
Gulping down my drink, I walked towards her. She always made me weak in the
knees. Time passed but this had not changed. For a minute I thought about that
night we had spent together. Her soft touch, my strong arms pulling her close,
the way our bodies entwined, her long hair trailing down my face, the honey
color of her skin…. I felt a chill down my spine as I was jolted back to
reality and to the fact that she was standing two feet away from him.
I approached her.
“Riya?”
She turned towards me and looked straight into my eyes with her deep Kajal
lined eyes. I felt the world stop moving.
“Oh hello, Kkash”
No surprise, no anger. As she expected this time to come. I took a deep
breath and extended my hand out.
“How have you been, Riya?”
She firmly shook my hand. Her touch did wonders to me that could not be
described in words.
“I’ve been good. Thanks.”
“Won’t you ask how I am?” I asked.
She smiled. “You look good. I guess you are doing fine.”
I felt nice. I knew of her fondness for the color black, and I had dressed
up in a black suit. “So, she approves.” I thought of myself.
We kept looking at each other for a while and then someone interrupted her.
Yash the guy who had a crush on her for the longest time. He almost jumped on
her and held her hand never wanting to let go. The polite woman that she was,
she made small talk with a smile.
I was feeling confident. Riya did not show any signs of anger or hurt. She
seemed her normal self. I just stood staring at her wishing that the hand she
was holding was Yash’s, not mine. That moron Yash was just not letting her go.
She looked at me helplessly. I knew her “Please help me” look and walked
towards her and Yash’s.
“Can I get you a drink Riya?” I casually asked.
“Yes, please” she said and held my hand and walked with me after excusing
Yash.
“Thanks Kkash.”
“It’s not his fault. You always have that effect on men, you know that.”
“I don’t know about others. But I sure did on you.” She teased.
“You still do. Why do you think I’m here?” I moved closer to her.
“What about the drink?” she pushed me away.
I smiled and walked towards the bar.
Riya kept looking at me as I was walking towards the counter. I was just
as good looking as she remembered me. It had been quite a while, but I looked
just the same. Charming, powerful, sexy. She saw a few female checking me out.
As usual I did not care.. She laughed to herself saying “He’s still the same.”
Soon I came back and gave her a glass of her favorite red wine.
She took a sip, “Ummm… Nine hills. You remember.”
“You don’t need to remember things that you don’t forget.” I quipped.
“Why is your hand empty? Have you exhausted the Johny walker yet?” she
laughed.
“I’m not the only one who remember.” I said and left to
get a drink.
When I came back, she wasn’t around. I looked at all the surrounding
tables, but she was no where to be seen.
I
looked around the dimly lit hall. Almost all the women out there were dressed
in black and yet I knew that Riya was not around. I felt a sinking feeling
inside. Then for a second I thought that she might be in the washroom. I
rushed towards the rest room area and waited for full fifteen minutes. She did
not come out. I then went back to the party hall and did another quick
scan. Still no sight of her. Finally after thinking for a while I dialed
her number. Busy tone. "hmmm!" I heaved a sigh of relief. At least
she was okay. And then hit the pang of jealousy. "Whom could she
be talking to?". I brushed away all these thoughts from my head and
approached Yash who now had arrived at the bar.
"Hey yash, have you seen Riya?" I asked.
"I did. But then you took her away from me."
He sounded irritated.
"Not
then you moron. Now. Probably within the last 20 minutes or so."
"Nope. Its funny that after a year you still keep
trying for her." He gave a condescending laugh.
I was
annoyed. "I do not have time for this",
I said and walked away.
As I passed by the balcony I
felt her silhouette against the dim sun light. I looked closer. Yes it was her.
I walked towards her and she
turned back hearing my footsteps and gestured "two minutes". She
constantly spoke on the phone and sipped the wine every now and then. I went
closer. She smiled at me. I was shocked. "This woman is crazy", I
thought to myself. Until a month ago she had dodged my calls, messages, mails
etc. But today she was acting like there was no problem what so ever. But I
could not understand these reactions from her. I had expected her to be cold
and thought that she would avoid me. But no. She seemed just like the way she
was a year ago, until "that" had happened. I was confused. I felt the
need for a drink but was skeptical about walking back to the bar again.
Almost like reading his mind,
she handed me her glass of wine. With a shocked look, I accepted it. I felt her
fragrance with every sip and I felt himself being enveloped with
her presence. I felt her come close to me and kiss me. I felt her arms
around my back. I felt her taste on my lips. Just when I couldn't take it
anymore, I opened my eyes. There she stood, with an obvious distance
between them.
"All
right, see you soon." she hung up and then looked at me.
I was just staring at her.
"Hello."
she said and waved her palm in front of my face. I blinked and looked away.
Obviously embarrassed.
"Sorry,
was thinking of something." I tried to cover up.
"Hmmm....
like always." she smiled.
"So
who was on the call? Akash?" he questioned.
"No,
Teesha. You remember her?"
Teesha was her roommate
and they had been friends. I had met her a couple of
times and had even taken her help in trying to meet Riya. But all in vain.
"Oh
yeah. She still Jhalli?" I snickered.
"Don't
be so rude. She's a mom now. Just had a beautiful daughter last month, I named
her Tia, nice na?" she said proudly.
"Nice.
Teesha and Riya. Now Tia. Talk about creativity!", I teased.
She gave me an angry look and
then we both laughed.
I returned her glass of wine,
she took a sip and casually asked. "How's
Soniya?"
I was stunned and the color
was drained off my face. "How did she
know her" I thought.
His thoughts were heard and Riya
replied. "Of course I don't know her. I
met Teesha last month at the mall and she told me about you both. Not that I
asked. We were just talking and she said that you and someone called Soniya
are together together.....
"Its not true. She's my colleague. We just hang
around and she's dreamt up all these things." I said in disgust.
"I know." Riya replied.
"What?" I questioned.
"That its not true. You would never go for a girl
like that I know. She said.
I burst
out laughing. I walked around the balcony like a mad man laughing constantly. Riya
just stood in the corner and waited for me to stop.
"You
don't talk to me for over a year. In fact you did not even want to listen to
me. But this you are sure off?" I said looking hurt.
"Yeah,
I know you well Kkash. More than anyone else does. One of the disadvantages of
having been in love with you." Her voice went low.
"I'm
sorry Riya. Extremely sorry." I begged.
"Let
it go Kkash. Its all in the past."
I couldn't believe my ears. So she had forgiven
me?
"So
I'm forgiven? Riya don't play around please."
"Why
do you think I'm here today kkash. I've thought about you every single day for
the past year. I cannot go through this anymore. Probably I should have done
this long ago. Yes, I forgive you." She sighed.
I felt deeply happy and rushed
to hug her. She embraced him too and I held her tight for a while, soaking in
the moment and the fresh smell of her hair.
"Thank
you Riya, thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to me."
I genuinely expressed my happiness.
"I
know kkash. You're welcome. I feel light too now." She said with a
smile.
kkash now had only one thought
in his mind. I took the glass of wine from her hand and kept it away. I held
her hand and brought her to the center of the balcony. Riya coped without
any hesitation.
"Riya,
I love you?" I said.
Riya did not look shocked. She
came closer to me, held my hand and said...
"Kkash, I....." Riya
mumbled.
The music in the hall suddenly
stopped and everyone was silent. Riya looked up to see what was happening. I
was irritated. Talk about spoiling the moment. I caught hold of Riya's hand.
"Please
finish" I said.
"Okay. Kkash...."
A screeching sound filled the
air, and then;
I
gestured towards the black couch in front of me.
"Oh
God, no no no..... No way...." I saw
Soniya stepping towards me.
****To be continued****
