🎶 Aahatein - Samyak Prasana
Published on 28.12.2022
❝ kabhi mere khwab sa,
kabhi ulje jawab sa,
ke chanda mein bhi daag sa,
mere jaisa tu. ❞
🥀
Ayansh was spread out on his bed with his face planted on the pillow, exhausted and exasperated. He was starting to have a headache because he couldn't shut down his thoughts. The diary which once comforted him was starting to haunt him. The unknown stranger which once felt like a friend walking with him, their words a warm blanket has now begun to morph into something it was never supposed to, like a tide rising, like a storm brewing.
Ayansh sat up straight against the headboard. Grabbing his phone from the stand, he dialled Mr. Stevens number. He needed someone who could listen to him patiently, guide him and most importantly, understand him when he himself wasn't able to. Not to forget he was the only one apart from him who knew about the diary's existence.
"Ayansh?" Mr. Stevens spoke on the other side.
"Hey!" He says frantically. "Yeah, it's me."
"I swear I didn't say anything to her this time."
Ayansh blinks.
"You told me to kept that a secret and I've managed to keep it. Atleast till now. So, if she has come to know about it, it's not because of me. I'm not at fault mate- "
"Hold on," Ayansh intervenes his incessant blabbering. "What are you talking about? I called you because I need your help."
A beat passes in silence before a response comes. "Oh," the elderly man sighs. "I thought you're again approaching me to crib," he chuckles and Ayansh frowns in displeasure.
"I- ," he exhales. "Forget it. I need your help. Can you please.... "
"What's wrong?"
Ayansh prepares himself to speak. "Remember the diary? Yes, the diary," he emphasizes.
"The diary in which you write although it belongs to somebody else?" Mr. Stevens inquires.
His shoulders droop helplessly. "Way to make me feel guilty," he grits out.
"I'm sorry," he tries to contain his laugh but Ayansh hears it nonetheless. "Anyways, continue."
"I think about it a lot. The diary and- and the person to whom it belongs. I know it sounds weird because I don't even know the girl but... but it's complicated. I- I don't know what to do. It's not like I never used to think about it or her but I always felt it was my natural curiosity but now, I don't know anymore. I don't want to think. Help me please."
Mr. Stevens then asks in a solemn voice, "Do you know that girl?"
"No."
"Have you met her?"
"Obviously no."
"Do you think you'll meet her?"
"The chances are very low and even though, I did want to meet her earlier, now, I don't. I don't want to do anything associated with her."
"I've a perfect solution for you."
Ayansh's expression changes as the response seeps within him and his face brightens up. "You do?"
He nods. "Yes. Cut the call and go to sleep."
His face falls, the helpless feeling once again pricking at his insides, making him want to scream or silence everything. He slowly murmurs, "I was serious." He swallows. "And I thought you're the only person who could be of some help to me."
Myles Stevens breathes out exasperatedly. He hated the weight of expectations but he can't blame Ayansh when he had himself given him the assurance that he could count on him. "Honestly, pardon me but I'm unable to understand why is this an issue," he says softly, in genuine confusion. "What do you mean when you say it's not natural curiosity anymore?"
Ayansh feels his heart getting heavy, the complicated, messed up emotions getting better of him. "I wish I knew," he mouths in a vulnerable voice. "It's wrong, it feels wrong. Earlier, I used to think of her but now, I end up thinking about her even when I'm with Inaaya. What's worse is, I end up drawing parallels between them as if I'm trying to find a reflection of Inaaya in those words penned down or a glimpse of the girl I met that day near the cliff in Inaaya's mannerisms. It's scary and wrong," he confesses in a guilt-laden voice, his throat constricting. "I want it to stop. I don't want to think of that stranger. I love Inaaya and- "
"Does it feel as if you're cheating on her, Inaaya?" He cuts him off.
Ayansh clenches his teeth before answering quietly, "maybe."
Mr. Stevens smiles sadly, feeling confounded himself. "I don't know what should I say to you. Should I say stop thinking? I'm sure you would've tried that. And if it can't get out of your thoughts, it won't get out of your system. I'm sorry but.... ," he trails off.
"So you can't help me?" His tone comes out sharp and he immediately regrets. "I'm- I'm sorry."
"Don't be but I don't know what you should do. One thing that I'm sure of is that your love for Inaaya is true, I've seen it myself and I don't think any power in the world can waver it. Maybe the least you can do is trust your love for her and let it guide you?"
Ayansh doesn't respond, his mind a forest of muddled thoughts and conflicted feelings, touched by the breeze of hope at those words.
"Trust your love for her."
"I... understand you," he finally says, feeling calmer. "I do."
Myles let's a small smile creep up his lips. Ayansh was like his son and he wanted nothing more than his happiness. "By the way, don't you've to sleep? Isn't there an opening of your new branch tomorrow?"
Ayansh chuckles. "Yeah, it's tomorrow. I'll keep you updated. Thanks. For everything," he munbles the last two words with utmost sincerity.
"Always there for you."
-
The opening of the new branch in Bandra happened early in the evening. Inaaya in her white jeans and tucked in magenta coloured shirt alongwith Emma and Rohan joined in too for the ocassion.
"IA and Stevens Enterprises," it displayed in broad.
A sense of stupid pride filled her again to see Ayansh thriving in the professional field. He was accompanied with Sameer and unsurprisingly, Rahul wasn't present or rather not invited. Strangely so, she saw his parents present to witness their son's achievement. And uncannily, she didn't feel any resentment or bitterness towards them. It felt good to see them beside their son, him sharing smiles and little talks with them in between, something she was aware he had craved since childhood and watching him receive it made her heart full with contentment and fulfillment.
What actually bothered Inaaya was why was Sarya present with him but she somehow managed to not dwell on it more. She was starting to get annoyed at herself.
Inaaya tagged alongwith Emma and Rohan all the while and after the opening and everything that followed, they left in the car to go to Ayansh's main office, the first one that he had founded, the place from where it all started. Ayansh and Sameer too escorted them in another car.
"IA Enterprises"
In navy blue colour, it was imprinted on the gate that led the way to the tall building it fenced.
"Let's go." Ayansh told his employees as everyone got out of their cars in the parking lot.
Emma and Rohan looked exhilarated while Inaaya felt an inexplicable emotion tangling its ropes around her, tugging and pricking at her heart and with each step she took, the feeling intensified.
Rohan straightened his shirt and leaned into Inaaya's ear. "Professional," he whispered to the distracted soul, almost making her lose balance.
Inaaya nodded at him haphazardly and forced a smile back at him.
Her brows were furrowed in mild restlessness and her eyes were narrowed slightly in curiosity. She adjusted the strap of her wrist watch and entered the building as the door slided. Her breath hitched and she didn't understand why. Ayansh, being the boss or leader he was, followed them with Sameer instead of going in first.
The exquisite white interiors with patches of black welcomed them. The staff present on the ground floor were on their feet as soon as they saw Ayansh, a smile, genuine and mirthful etched on their face. The woman at the reception and the manager came to escort them.
"You didn't tell you were coming here?" The manager inquires, surprise lacing his tone.
"Do I need permission to come to my own office?" Ayansh squinted his eyes.
"No, ofcourse- ofcourse not." He fumbled and chuckled when Ayansh smiled a little. "This place missed you," he adds in a small voice.
Sameer took in from there. He introduced the three talented and hardworking assets of the company from Cambridge to the people working in the building, gave a brief overview of the staff at IA as Ayansh with his arms crossed observed everything. He was in complete control of his emotions or maybe he had to be in control because internally he was a mess.
To watch Inaaya at IA was something that he never dreamt of, he was too scared to dream of it. IA belonged to her as much as it did to him. If she never gave him the confidence, the perspective, the assurance to follow his dreams, he would've never found the courage to take a step in that direction and maybe today, he would've been still working at his Dad's company, under his brother, still struggling and craving for validation and acceptance and a little love.
It was a eight storey building. Not much tall and certainly not one of the biggest but it was special to him, so so special. Everything begun here, he started this and as lovesick as it sounds and seems, his every thought regarding IA started and ended on her. Even when she wasn't with him, she was still his biggest inspiration and the woman who always pushed him to recognise his capabilities and not undermine himself.
Sameer was confused when Ayansh accompanied him as he gave Inaaya, Emma and Rohan the tour of the building. Ayansh didn't say a word. He simply followed them like a shadow, present yet unflattering.
Inaaya took in every nook and corner of the place, every piece of information that was shared as if wanting to engrave them in her very being. She couldn't shake off the unfamiliar feeling that kept getting stronger with each passing second. The feeling as if she had known and belonged to this place way before she knew about its existence. The feeling as if the place already had a piece of her soul inscribed in it. She didn't understand this eerie connection she felt with the place in the first glimpse itself but she felt it, she felt it to her very bones.
Sameer noticed everything. Call it human curiousity or the unceasing need to complete the puzzle and see the clear picture for himself but he just couldn't settle down before solving the mystery, especially when his quench was being fuelled by reasons and clues. He observed how Ayansh had his gaze fixated on Inaaya, unaware to all. He stared at her with such tender eyes, unblinkingly, solemnly, his gaze gliding softly over the way her hands reached out to brush over the glass that surrounded the miniature of the office building or the way the grazed over the lavender and white coloured walls on the first floor which even held Ayansh's office.
Ayansh stopped in his tracks when Inaaya took an extra moment to peer at the certificates, awards and pictures that hung on the wall. Sameer narrowed his eyes standing at a distance observing the two. Rohan and Emma were busy admiring other things, caring least about the people with them.
Inaaya's fingers trembled slightly when they touched the frame which had his picture alongwith his interview of budding entrepreneur, the one she had managed to come across in a magazine, the one which made her sob in pain that time and the one which made her heart ache now in yearning and unbridled selfless joy she felt for him.
Baffling how the same picture evoked such contrasting emotions within her.
And when, her fingers trailed down and lingered over "IA" of IA enterprises did Ayansh realise that his eyes were glazed and he averted his gaze, flicking his finger over his eyelashes to get rid of the moisture, his breath coming out shaky.
IA. Inaaya and Ayansh.
Everything clicked for Sameer in that miniscule moment that transcended between his boss and one of his employee. He felt he could stagger by the weight of what he just realised. The puzzle had always been complete, just that its pieces were jumbled. What his fickle mind assumed as a short term attraction between two people, separated by power dynamics ran so much deeper than that. What he thought of as some thrill of run and chase game that existed between them was anything but that. They had a history cloaked with anguish, burnt with love, extinguished with guilt and buried with distance.
Sameer stayed quiet the rest of the while which was unusual for all but he was still processing the information he gathered. He had been with Ayansh since so long and yet was so oblivious of this? Was his boss so good at masking away his pain? And what were the odds of him ending up with his ex-lover as his employee? This was mind numbing and heart hurting at the same time.
Inaaya had messaged Ayansh and reminded him of his bike that was in her possession. He asked her to send the address and replied that he would come over after everyone leaves. So Inaaya found herself waiting outside her complex's gate around 8 pm at night.
"You're late," she pointed out when she spots him in his black hoodie and grey joggers.
He shoves his hand in his hoodie pockets. "Sorry. Actually I.... had an emergency. Sarya needed some help so I went to her place before coming here." He reasons out. "Coincidentally she stays just few minutes away so I parked my car there."
Inaaya's mood turns sour as they enter the gate with Ayansh signing at the entrance. "Can I ask you a question?" She says after a lot of contemplation.
"Sure."
"Uhm... are Rahul and Sarya still together?"
"No." The answer is immediate and he stops in his tracks, looking at her as if he was repulsed by the question.
Inaaya frowns at his strong reaction.
"Sarya broke up with him long back." He grumbles. "Why would she be with him?"
"I was just confirming," she shrugs defensively.
"And.... does she have a boyfriend?" She inquires after a moment as they resume walking.
Ayansh turns his head to her, his eyes narrowed. "Why are you suddenly so interested?"
"I'm not." She snaps and winces at her tone. "You don't want to answer then don't," she huffs, looking forward.
Ayansh doesn't move. "She doesn't have a boyfriend," he states. An indecent thought sparks in his mind, making his eyes gleam in mischief. "She's close to me."
Inaaya controls rolling her eyes and grits out, "I see."
Ayansh muffles his smile and jogs beside her. "Are you by any means..... jealous?"
She whips her head and glares at him. "Excuse me?"
He raises his hand in defense. "It was just a question."
"This is why I don't act friendly with you because no sooner do I give you a little leash, you start acting oversmart." She scoffs annoyedly as they reach the parking slot.
Instead of feeling offended or sorry, he grins adorably. "Well, can't actually argue with that but honestly," he lowers his voice into a more earnest one, "you don't have to be jealous."
Inaaya stops and turns around, almost bumping into him but he takes a step back at the right time. She crosses her arms across her chest. "I'm not jealous," she asserts.
"And you don't have to be," he emphasises. "You don't have to be jealous of any girl. I'm all yours."
She snorts but ends up laughing and he gazes at her completely smitten. "Please, you aren't the most wanted bachelor in this world neither my ultimate life goal is wanting you to be all mine so kindly sit down narcissistic." She smiles sarcastically.
Ayansh chuckles bashfully and shakes his head. "Still- "
"What are you doing with my sister?"
Their heads snap to the source of the voice who stood near Ayansh's bike with his eyes narrowed into slits and boring into Ayansh's face with a scrutinizing gaze.
Inaaya steps towards her brother. "Bhai, he's here to take his bike back."
He doesn't move his eyes. "Then, take your bike and leave." He says without any emotion. "Don't waste your time. Aren't you a busy man?" He arches a mocking brow.
Ayansh blatantly rolls his eyes and Inaaya witnesses the interaction with furrowed brows and confusion painted on her face.
"Your sister is an adult," he says with an air of attitude. "She can decide for herself and with whom she wants to spend her time, with whom she wants to talk and whatsoever. I'm not holding her at gunpoint to talk to me. Neither do you get to question me for being together with her." He walks and shoves Kartik lightly away from his bike.
"Keys." Ayansh looks at Inaaya and she places the bike keys in his outstretched palm.
"Don't throw your attitude at me," Kartik grits, feeling agitated. "I'm not your brother to take this shit from you."
Inaaya blinks, her heartbeat escalating, her eyes staring Kartik in terror.
Ayansh who didn't realise the blunder simply craned his neck to look at Kartik boredly.
"Bhai?" Inaaya's voice, a pained whisper catches both their attention. She could feel her blood running cold as she swallowed the heavy lump formed in her throat. "You- you know about Rahul?"
Colour drains from Kartik's face and smugness vaporizes from Ayansh's. Kartik's eyes shift to look at Ayansh who was stunned, his mind going numb.
"Bhai?" Inaaya almost cries out, holding his left arm, making him look at her. "You knew?" She accuses or maybe complains. "What's going between you two?" She darts her gaze towards Ayansh, looking at him questioningly. "What are you hiding ag- again?" Her voice breaks as a sob escapes her lips.
"Inu."
"Inaaya."
They both say at the same time as Kartik takes her hand in his and Ayansh instinctively reaches out to her and retreats in time.
"I've- I've been observing since long. What's going between you two? What's- "
"It's nothing, Inaaya." Ayansh tries to intervene.
"Just shut up, Ayansh!" Kartik snaps harshly and clenches his teeth. "Don't make me lose my cool. We're at the parking lot. Don't create a scene. Let's just go somewhere and talk."
"No, Bhai." Inaaya pulls her back, looking at him furiously. "How did you know about Rahul? Tell me the truth, I don't care. You both are hiding something. Please, stop this." A tear slips and cascades down her cheeks.
"Don't," Ayansh pleads, his own eyes tearing up.
Kartik shakes his head, wrapping an arm around his sister and rubbing her shoulder. "She needs to know. It's high time. You said she's an adult right," he chuckles bitterly, "then, we should treat her as one. She deserves to know."
Ayansh looks away when Inaaya looks at him with hurt, disbelief written all over her face, agony piercing its claws into her chest that even after saying that he'll give her truth, here he was standing right in front of her hiding another thing.
"Inaaya, your admission in Cambridge," Kartik tightens his hold around her shoulder, his tone murky. "Your admission was done by Ayansh."
***
This admission thing was pretty predictable I think. How many of you had already guessed that Inaaya's admission had obviously something to do with Ayansh? Don't forget to hit the star button in the bottom left corner of the page, it takes efforts to write. Lemme know your views about the chapter in the comments. We're finally taking a step towards the series of revelations that's going to happen 👀
• Thank you for reading •