Don't Love Me √

Tera Rastaa Main Chhodun Na...

" Vivaan walked in as a neighbour a year or so ago. I met him at the gym, in lifts and...and... if you have seen him, you will know he's quite attractive a man. Eventually, I discovered that he availed the same bus I did, and so I myself began talking to him. And he did too. Quite well. And then as time passed

... you know what Riha? I cannot detail to you how Vivaan became what Vivaan became to me. Because maybe that's something unexplainable, inexplicable. I have seen him talk to dogs, crows and trees, I have seen him guide the oldest couple down the road, I've seen him run to strangers to help, I've seen him hand a 500 rupee note to a blind beggar, I've seen him give his newly bought pair of shoes to a mentally retarded vagabond just because he could see his feet bleed, I've seen him drench in rain, and play his guitar at the highest chord, I've seen him laugh out loud and hug my mom...but I've never seen him cry, and I have never seen him in a crowd, I've never seen him befriending people. Yes he talked to me, and I had seen his shades and colours, but that's all. Never did he ever speak about his past to me, a past that secluded him from the knowns and made him talk to strangers, and leave them as strangers only. 

Vivaan might have never loved me, never befriended me even to share anything about where he came from, where he belonged to... I only knew from a painting on the wall that he had never seen his mother. 

Nevertheless I fell for him, much, and I didn't think twice before sharing that to him. And that loosened it all. Vivaan drifted apart, so much so that he made it very clear, that he didn't want me in his life. Maybe because he could never give me what I wanted. 

It will be a lie if I say I have moved on, but will be a lie too if I say I haven't. I will never return to 2D. Not only because Viraat is a great person, but also because, I do have something called self respect. And holding onto water, and sand, and Vivaan isn't possible. They feel good on your palm, for a while, but escape too quickly. They are far from what you call, 'forevers.'"

Deep down Riha sighed, " but the ocean is forever. The desert is forever. "

*****

It was 6 in the evening and Riha was standing before 2D. The nameplate read " Vivaan " . Without a surname. Explainable. 

A self made man didn't really need surnames. 

Anyone else would have not taken a step forward to this door, because there wasn't anything much behind this door. 

A man whose classmate himself warned others to not find a path to him, a man who looked like a heartbreaker...but nothing could really stop Dr Riha Menon. Because she hardly cared warnings. She would do anything that felt good. And Vivaan felt good. From day one. 

And hence she pressed the doorbell. 

The door opened after 10 seconds. 

Vivaan stood with his right brow raised and Riha stood confused whether to smile. 

" What!!!! "  , Vivaan exclaimed. 

" What??" , Riha uttered the same word but with a command. 

" You followed me home? Looks like you have a taste for strangers and wrong routes. Welcome please. " , Vivaan gestured her to get in. 

Riha quickly did and felt a bit happy too. " Not at all Mister! I'm staying at Shruti's place upstairs. Just came to know you stay here. " , Riha looked around the well decorated drawing room. 

" Shruti Agarwal? " , Vivaan said as he placed the cushions straight. Riha noticed he was in a gym suit. 

" Exactly. Shruti Agarwal. The girl who had a crush on you. "