Destiny Tales

Chapter 9 : Answers

Khushi is hurt. But why? Did they just not decide that they will be friends? Why does it hurt so much then? Khushi analyzes her feelings and comes to the conclusion that the fact that Kabir kissed her, has given birth to such feelings. Yes, that must be it. She concludes.

The first kiss came as a surprise. But both of them were in their senses in the one after that. They were conscious of what was happening after that. Thankfully Kabir stopped. Perhaps, this is why he stopped? She thinks over it again. But, it's not over. She needs answers and Kabir has to give her many. Thoughts of Kabir and Rheesa plague her mind, and she cannot sit still. As she decides what should be her next course of action, she gets a phone call.

It's her manager. "Hi Khushi, are you excited?" says the voice on the other side. Amidst all this, Khushi had forgotten all about her web series. The shoot starts the day after, and she has no clue about the starcast. "It is supposed to be a secret. Nobody knows who the male lead is. But apparently, he is a big star. This is his first web series and he wants to keep it a secret. To generate publicity, apparently! You know how these big shots are!" her manager had told her when he had given her the good news of her being selected for the role.

As they exchange pleasantries, Khushi has made up her mind. She is going to confront Kabir. She has always believed in clearing things and moving on. It is time for her to move on. If only she knew, what is in store for her.

After giving it a lot of thought, she decides to walk up to his apartment and talk to him. She stands outside his door for a good ten minutes before finally ringing the bell. As usual, it's not Kabir who opens the door, but Rheesa. This time, Khushi isn't taken aback. She was expecting it to be her. "Hi, can I talk to Kabir? It's a little important," Khushi says blankly. Rheesa is a little taken aback but she asks her to come inside. Khushi refuses and Rheesa goes inside to call Kabir.

As Khushi waits outside his door, Kabir comes rushing. "What happened, is everything fine Khushi?" Kabir asks as Rheesa peers from behind. Kabir senses that Khushi might have something personal to talk about and excuses himself. "Hey love, I will be back in a minute" he tells Rheesa while closing his door gently.

As Khushi and Kabir stand outside, in between their homes, it is almost poetic. Their condition is similar. They can't move to their reality before they had met each other, neither can they move on. They are stuck in this chasm between their realities. How will one move on without the other doing so?

Khushi finally speaks, "I want to talk to you about that day Kabir. If you are with Rheesa, how could you do that? Kiss me? And.." Kabir almost skips a beat and waits for her to finish what she was saying. After an eternity of silence, Kabir says, "I am sorry."

"Sorry? You are sorry? You should have been sorry for the first night, when you came unannounced at 2 in the night. You should have been sorry for kissing me and forgetting about it. You should have been sorry for pretending like there's nothing between us. You should have been sorry for saying that we should be friends. You should have been sorry for that day when you came to my house and kissed me again. You were in your senses that day Kabir. Are you sorry for that day? For that kiss? For what happened between us? Because, I am not. I am happy. I was happy till you told me that you want to be friends. And, I am so stupid. I didn't even want to believe you. Then I saw Rheesa in your balcony. I saw you with her. I saw that she is happy. Perhaps, you are happy too. So, be it. Leave me Kabir. Coz your thoughts are haunting me day and night. I am going to start my career, and I cannot do this to myself. So Kabir it's a good bye from me." Khushi's incoherent words come to a halt amidst sobs.

Kabir has no words. He cannot tell her that his happiness lies with her, and not Rheesa. He cannot tell her what he is going through. He cannot tell her that he is sorry for everything but that kiss. Neither the first one, nor the second. That he is not sorry for what happened thereafter. Infact, he is sorry that he stopped right then. Because he wanted to go on. To become one with her.

As Khushi looks at him with eyes full of questions, she finds her answers in his silence. She shrugs her shoulders in disappointment and turns back. She almost breaks down while opening the door and starts sobbing like a child as soon as she shuts it. Kabir is still waiting outside. Perhaps he is waiting for a miracle. That all of this will vanish, like a bad dream. That he will wake up and have Khushi to himself.

His thoughts are interrupted by a phone call. It's his agent. "Kabir, I am so happy for you! Finally you are going to step into the world of webseries! I am telling you. You are going to shine and become even more famous. This web series is just tailor made for you. And guess what, they are launching a new face. Imagine the publicity and buzz!"

Kabir has no words to exchange and hangs up the phone without saying anything. Perhaps, work will help him get out of this, he thinks. As Khushi wipes away her tears, she decides that it's just going to be her work now, nothing else. Little do they know, when destiny is at play, you can never know what miracles are in store for you.