I'm sick of just liking people. I wish to God I could meet someone I could respect.
-J.D. Salinger, Franny and Zooey.
-Aryan-
I want to ask her. Three days have gone by and didn't ask her. I am wasting time, I should have asked her early on. But how and when? Everyone's here. I'll take her to the terrace, oh! come on!! I don't want to propose to her or something. I just want to ask her to be my friend. Ya Allah!! please lend me some appropriate time to break the ice.
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"Aditi, what are you doing? You have to express your love towards Mahiwal, express the pain and sadness of separation." I said, getting a little annoyed.
"Yes. I am reciting the dialogues. Otherwise, how do I express?" Aditi said, defending herself.
"Eyes. Express the intensity of the emotion. Got it? Do this scene one more time, give it another try." I said, explaining to her.
She failed miserably at it.
"Look, you have to understand the character well. See it through her perspective. The pain and angst of separation, you have to convey those emotions as if you are her." I said, now in a calm tone.
"Okay. I'm trying. That's the problem I am not her." she said.
But isn't that what actors do.
After some 3-4 minutes, I broke the uncomfortable silence.
"Okay, Manasvi," I started speaking, all eyes on me, "do this scene. Stand in front of Ahaan and recite these dialogues."
"Whi-ch dia-lo-gues? she said coming forward, her voice breaking, she was scared. Because I called her instantly after a thing of getting angry. "Come. come forward."
"But sir," she said, hesitating.
"No question, please. Do as said." I said, she nodded.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Then she started,
"Mahiwal, yeh dil sirf tumhare liye dhadkega. Hum humesha ke liye ek ho gaye hain. Hume ab ek dusre se koi alag nahi kar sakta, na mere baba, na yeh samaj, na koi aur. Ab hume koi alag nahi kar sakta, khud maut bhi nahi. Ab yeh naam ek saath humesh ke liye jud gaaye hain, Sohni-Mahiwal. Ab se duniya hume ek dusre ke naam sang yaad karegi. Jab-jab Mahiwal ka zikr hoga tab-tab Sohni ka bhi zikr hoga. Kismat ne hume ek saath jod diya hain, humesh-humesha ke liye."
"Mahiwal, my heart will beat only for you. We are united forever. No one can separate us from each other, now, neither my father nor this society, no one else. Nothing can separate us, not even death. Now, and hence after our names are united forever, Sohni-Mahiwal. Now onwards, this world will remember our names together. When Mahiwal is mentioned, then Sohni will also be mentioned. Fate has joined us together forever."
She completed the dialogues. And damn everyone was awe-struck, including me. I just can't describe that moment, I am short of words. The emotions, the intensity, the pain, the love, she could express everything so naturally. She was really gifted.
Everyone just got up clapping. Me too. "Aditi, take notes, I know you said you are not the character, you are not her, but your fellow peer did a great job convincing she was her." I said looking at Manasvi. Aditi went away.
"Session dismiss." I said, "You all can go home. We'll continue tomorrow." Everyone started gathering their things. And started moving. Manasvi too started walking towards the door and I called out her name.
"Manasvi," which made her look back.
"Yes sir?" she said. "Come.. come join me at the cafe." I said.
We both went to the cafe and sat at the only vacant table in the corner somewhere. A thin, dusky waiter came and kept the menu card in front of us, also poured some water into the glasses.
"So, what would you like to have?" I asked her.
"Nothing." she replied. "I had my lunch about 2 hours ago. I ain't hungry." she continued.
"But it's 4:30, don't you have an afternoon coffee or something like that?" I asked.
"Yeah, I have an afternoon tea." she replied.
"Okay. Then let's have tea. What kind of tea will you have? Black tea? Green tea? White tea? Herbal tea? Oolong tea?"
"Sorry, but I haven't heard of any of this kind of tea, except black tea and green tea. The ones I am familiar with are Cutting chai and the one made by my mom." saying this, she laughed awkwardly. I could sense the awkwardness, embarrassment, and tension she felt.
"But, we can eat something. I'll have a sandwich." she said, smiling.
It was cute. There was nothing to be embarrassed by and I found it cute. I couldn't stop but smile at her.
"Okay. Two club sandwiches?"
"Sure." We ordered two club sandwiches and a coffee for myself.
"Ohh, God!! I am hungry as hell." I said, with a funny expression. She laughed. Till the time the order came, we exchanged a good talk.
"Who all are in your family?" I asked her.
"Everyone. Mumma, Papa, Tai (elder sister), dadi, dada (grandparents)." she answered.
"Great. What do you study? Acting? Filmmaking?" I questioned.
"Science. PCME. Physics, chemistry, maths, economics."
"Oh! cool. I asked cause I thought you are going to be an actor or something."
"No. I aspire to attempt the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) examination."
"Good good."
"Any new project you are working on?" she asked. I bet she asked this because she had no other question.
"Yeah. I have finished writing a script." I answered. And the sandwiches came. We didn't say a word while eating. It was a comfortable silence.
We finished eating and she insisted to pay the bill. To which I refused, how can I let a 17-year-old pay the bill?
"Can I have your phone number, sir?", she asked, "I mean, we work together, if there is an emergency or something, how would I know, that's why, nothing else."
"Sure. I wanted to ask the same. But, I couldn't figure out how to ask it without sounding like a creep." I said. She laughed and took out her phone, the one with buttons and all, the old type.
"Number?" she asked.
"Yeah, take it 9.........." And then she was saving it as 'Aryan sir', I told her to cut that 'sir thing'.
"Don't use sir while speaking to me, please." I said.
"But,"
"No questions, please. I don't want any formalities."
"Okay, after all, it's your wish."
We got out of the cafe. "See, I took you to the cafe as a friend. It is a friendly gesture. Nothing else. Don't get me wrong." I said, being conscious.
"I won't." she said, smiling at me.
"Can I drop you at the station?"
"Okay."
I dropped her at the station. I saw her image getting blurred and then steadily fading away from my vision and then she got merged into the crowd as she walked away, but this time without her umbrella.
Hey pals!! Sorry for being a bit late. Will update the next chapter soon.
Hope you all enjoy this chapter. Please do comment and vote. Love you all.