Hey guys!
So here I am as promised, updating as soon as you guys completed the target. It's a pretty long one (7000+ words). I hope you guys enjoy reading. Do drop loads of inline comments.
*Unedited* (Spare me some mistakes please)
Happy reading!
"No, wait, how did I not think of it before" suddenly the entire gloomy environment shifted as Meera yelled, taking steps back inside her room and dropping her backpack on the bed and jumping up and down. An astounded Noor wiped her tears and looked at her as if she had seen a flying penguin laying eggs in the air.
'Have I lost my friend to a mental trauma?' Noor wondered. Meera looked at her shocked bestie and quickly engulfed her in a hug and jumped in circles holding her. Slowly releasing noor from her hug, she jumped on the bed and sang, "Meera is born brilliant"
She looked at her lost friend and asked, "Find me the traveller who named the seven wonders of the World."
"He might have been dead by now," Noor mused out loud. She nearly forgot that they had an even more important issue to deal with.
"No worries. Find me his grave then" Meera shrugged. "Ahh," she mumbled, falling on the bed as her foot touched the bedpost.
"Why?" Noor questioned.
"I wanna tell him to announce me as the eighth wonder of the world due to my acumen," she said dreamily.
"Oh really! My aunt's son, Michell, is smarter than you. At Least he knows that the catch at the bottom needs to be opened before trying to open the window and not break the handle apart," she said and Meera huffed.
"After listening to the brilliant idea I got, you are so going to regret comparing me to that annoying perfectionist," she flipped her hair.
"Are you up to something again?" Noor narrowed her eyes at Meera. Nobody could say that these ladies were bawling their eyes two minutes back seeing them banter.
"Hear me out before I forget and don't interrupt," she ordered, and Noor nodded, sitting on the bed.
"Look, I cannot tell Bhai that Kabir loves Lara, but Aditi Di can. How did we even forget the magic of our house? Lara and Aditi Di can talk to Adrith Bhai and everything will get sorted. They will talk to Bhai and convince him. Then Bhai will convince Mom and dad. Then Mom and Dad will convince Kabir's Mom and dad. Then everyone will make Lara and Kabir marry. Done! Dusted! Sorted! Query named hazardous Shaadi resolved!!!" she screamed and Noor's brain slowly processed this information. As soon as she understood her master plan, she stood up and pulled Meera to dance with her. Lara wasn't adopted alone, she had another sister Aditi who was married now. She's a genius, Noor concluded.
They both were dancing around when the door flew open and a huffing Kabir entered inside. Shocked, they both kept looking at each other. They quickly parted, and he said, "I want to talk to Meera, alone."
Noor shrugged and walked out, leaving a perplexed Meera behind. Is he here to praise me for my idea? But I just got it right now? She mused to herself.
"Do you have any kind of romantic feelings for me?" Kabir asked. His deep baritone alerted her enthusiastic brain, waiting for her sister's arrival, whom she had called minutes ago. She didn't know what to answer, but then her mouth had a brain of its own.
"Love is the word" As soon as the words left her throat she hiccupped. Kabir looked at her intensely, but her continuous hiccups didn't give her a minute to think. This was the most insane confession ever, as the girl started hiccupping without a break as the words left her throat. His mind was stuck on her words, but his reflexes were quick as he spotted a jug on the side table and quickly filled it with water. He handed the glass to her and looked at her with utmost concern. Nothing mattered more than her to him.
As she calmed down he made her sit on the bed holding her shoulders and then resumed the conversation.
"You love me?" he asked.
"Have you heard me use those three words for anyone in our years of friendship?" she asked softly.
"No," he answered.
"Because those three words are meant to be said to the ones, you would never hesitate to say the same again and again. You know I cannot compare my feelings for you to water because I will be able to survive for days without it. I cannot compare it with air because I would be alive for a few minutes without it. I would rather choose to not define it because it is like the effort to breathe, which comes automatically and you don't need to and you can't do anything about it. It's natural" Meera elaborated. A spellbound Kabir felt his heart beating so fast that it would break open out of its protective shell and drown in her tenderness.
Alas! Only if his brain hadn't overpowered his thinking ability, he would have reacted differently than he did. He stood up from his previous position from beside her and said, "Really? You love me. I cannot believe this. You know I am incapable of loving you back so why would you do that?"
"Mr. Kabir Raichand, I have a heart inside my chest, not a machine that I should have turned off the love button whenever I want. Anyway, you are not bound to me in any manner until I make an official confession," she said.
"Who needs one when you have already done the honors? Your eyes did the job, my dear" he muttered shaking his head. As he remembered the purpose behind coming there he spoke "Now whatever I ask answer in yes or no. Understood?"
She nodded sensing the seriousness in his voice.
"You love me?"
She nodded.
"You wanna marry me?"
She shook her head violently in a 'no'
"Are you mad?" he asked. Which girl in her right mind denies marrying the man she loves? He wondered.
She nodded in response. Idiot.
"From when do you even love me?" he whispered under his breath. She made a thinking face and said "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes"
"What the hell are you saying?" he asked.
"I was trying to tell you from how long I love you without using any other word than yes and no" she cheeked. He rubbed his forehead, getting irritated by her casual behavior.
"I have an idea to escape this situati—" she was saying when he harshly said, "I got the information needed. Now shut up and do as I say. You have already done more than enough by saying yes to this alliance."
"But hear me–" he paid no heed to her and picked her up in his arms, cutting off her rambling. He made her stand in front of the washroom and ushered her inside. She looked at him, confusedly. He picked up the packet he brought along and stuffed it into her hands. He closed the door shut, locking her inside, ignoring her yelling. She kept on banging the door but he did not open it. She pleaded with him to let her talk once, judging that wherever it was going was wrong.
"You have five minutes more. If you don't get ready by then, I am going to make you wear the dress myself. Do you want me to barge inside?" he asked. She huffed and changed into the red salwar suit he brought along. What is he up to? She yelled in her mind.
Exactly after five minutes he knocked on the door and she came out.
"You are not my husband yet mister, to check on the time I take to get ready," she said, setting her dupatta (stall) in place. He was lost in admiring her as she looked heavenly in the dress. The color enhanced her grace and his eyes shamelessly raked over her complete form. She shook him brutally, bringing him out of his session of drinking her magnificence through his eyes.
(Her look 🔼)
"Wear the traditional bangles mom gave you," the rude command left his throat. She stubbornly shook her head. He heaved a sigh and opened her wardrobe, scattering all her clothes around and finally finding the box of ornaments he wanted. He uncovered the carefully covered bangles. His hands stopped for a second seeing how preciously she had stored them, but then he resumed with a greater velocity. He pulled her to himself and held her arm. She tried to free herself, but it was beyond her control. Her mind was too busy cherishing the feeling of his hands over her petite frame, searching his eyes for any sort of warmth she could find. She found none. Not because it wasn't there but because he was too good at concealing his emotions and she was occupied with the dreadful feeling ringing bells in her head. He softly made her wear them, making sure not to hurt her. Electric shocks ran through her spine as a result of his tender touch.
Finally, when he was done he picked her up bridal style again while she struggled to get out of his hold. He glared at her and said, "If you once more try to wiggle out of my arms, I swear I am gonna carry you on my shoulder"
He didn't know why she wanted to get out of his arms and he hated this feeling. Her efforts stopped and she thought to play it the other way then. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kept her head on his shoulder. I must be annoyed but why am I not? He thought angrily. He released a shaky breath and continued to head downstairs. Reaching the hall, he called out for members of the family after carefully dropping her down. Adrith came out running and was stunned to see Kabir in their house this late at night. They had met a few hours before at the engagement and now here he was standing in a tradition kurta in his hall.
(Kabir's look 🔼)
"Hey Kabir! What are you doing here bro?" Adrith asked.
"Where are uncle & aunty?" Kabir asked instead. Adrith found his impatience weird but he replied, "Gone for an ice-cream as Lara insisted on going. What's wrong?" he asked.
"I am here, guys. Oh wow! Kabir, you are here too," exclaimed Aditi cheerfully. Her husband, Ishwar, followed closely behind with their four months old baby boy, Amar, sleeping on his shoulder.
"I want to marry Meera right now," Kabir said firmly. As his words reached the ears of the listeners everyone yelled "What?"
Kabir did not flinch. He was prepared for anything that came his way. He was determined to get married to Meera right away, either by hook or crook. His mind suddenly displayed him images of a crucified Meera by the words of her brother.
He held Meera's hand and dragged her to stand by his side. Meera did nothing except looking at him.
"This girl, whom you called selfish Adrith, wasn't ready to marry me because she thought it was too soon for her parents to arrange all this. She was concerned about you and you blamed it all on her. More than the tension about your reputation, she was worried about her parents spoiling their health just to plan this lavish wedding. I don't want anything that she isn't happy with. She was thinking about status and bullshit. She didn't like her parents spending their fortune on her. This was what she was telling you when you brutally shunned her off, giving her nothing but pain. I want her to be happy and that is the real meaning of marriage and love for me. I want to marry her right now, right away. With your blessings or without your blessings. Remember, if this marriage doesn't happen now it won't happen ever" he warned. Whoa! What a fantastic lie! I don't want this marriage.
"But Kabir–" I tried to say when he showed me his hand which demanded silence. This getsure was by The great Kabir Raichand and not my Olaf. The one that headlines talked about. The one that was known for his cold, arrogant and perfectionist self. The one who made people think if reaching his position at such a young age was even possible. The one who had his way always. The one who was undefeatable, unapproachable and unchallengeable.
"Why should you be termed selfish alone? Let's both share this tag" he said looking straight into my eyes.
"I have an objection," Aditi said. All eyes shifted towards her.
"I would support this wedding from the bottom of my heart if–" she continued, creating suspense.
"Kabir officially proposes to Meera" she completed making everyone's jaw drop while Meera closed her eyes at her sister's foolishness. Kabir loves Lara, and he is marrying me and to add to this mess, Aditi Di wants a fairytale proposal, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH EVERYONE? She wanted to burst.
"Di–" she started when Aditi said "I am not hearing a thing Meeru"
Why does nobody listen to me? Meera wanted to throw all of them into the sea for their inconsiderate behavior. Kabir surprised everyone as he pulled out a maroon box from his pocket and sat on one knee in front of Meera.
The Kabir Raichand hadn't learnt to bend but at this moment it seemed so right to him. It was like he didn't even consider it a big deal.
He opened the little case, revealing a stunning rose shaped engagement ring which was an alloy, rose gold with a little diamond studded in the centre. Meera stood there, unable to react. Her eyes admired the beauty of the simply enchanting band, but her mind asked, Was it for Lara?
(The ring 🔼)
"I bought this fifteen minutes back for my bride as I was prepared for a church wedding if it takes to make her mine the soonest way possible," he said, making a small smile appear on her face. Yes, she didn't want this marriage. Yes, she wanted to break this alliance at any cost, but at the end of the day, she loved him. His every gesture mattered.
"Meera, I know I have your heart. I just wish to know if I can have the right to call you mine as well?" he asked.
"Say yes," chanted an excited aditi. I guess post pregnancy mood swings it is, concluded Ishwar in his head.
"Tell him your reply Meera" Adrith blinked at her. She could do nothing but nod. Did she even have a choice? He had spun a wonderful story, her family was already his fan and their marriage would take place anyway. She had no way out.
"Yes, you may," she said a little too quietly. A few tears left her eyes as he made her wear the ring and stood up. She didn't want to make him hers this way but fate has its own plans.
"Now get us married right now" Kabir demanded coldly. Meera knew this proposal was just for the world. This marriage was just for the sake of others. She knew him enough to sense this.
"Kabir, let's wait for our parents" Meera tried her last resort.
"No! I want this marriage to happen right at this moment" he dismissed her attempt. Shockingly, Adrith also agreed. After that everything happened in jet speed and there she was standing in his penthouse, his all-time residence, in the middle of the hall with the vermillion of his name on her partition and the proof of being his, the mangalsutra (sacred thread) in her neck. The person responsible for her misery stood there right in front of her.
"You are not my wife. Don't expect me to play husband with you. Just stay out of my way and I will stay out of yours," he said, raising his index finger.
She was completely shaken up from the experiences of the day but slowly her determination backed her up and she was hell bent on making him fall for her because her positive side of the brain yelled, this was a chance given by destiny to her. She didn't want Lara's place, she wanted one of her own. The space his heart had reserved for a magical kind of love which wasn't anywhere between him and her sister. She believed in fairytales and knew that in real life fairytales demanded effort. Imagining a legendary fable with your own husband was legitimate. She was ready to take a shot and leave the rest to the almighty.
She smiled at him and said "You know once, Advay asked me, How would I annoy my husband?"
"Remember my answer? Let me brush up your memory. The best way to annoy him is to make him realize every minute that he is married to me and I am going to do just that. Do whatever you want to stop me but love knows no boundaries, Kabir. You cannot stop me from loving you," she said.
"You know there was only one barrier stopping me from saying those three words to you. It was your love for lara. But now, from this moment you are mine. My husband. You rightfully gave me the leverage to call you mine. Now I can announce to the world that I love you. Want me to show you a glimpse?" she asked playfully.
'Ooh la la! She sounds so hot when possessive' his mind whistled. He could have called her selfish for jumping into the first opportunity she got to show her love but he didn't believe this a bit because she was clearly not happy with the arrangement either.
'Shut up! You are supposed to stay away and punish her for saying yes to this alliance' the other voice chided.
'Oh really?'
Leaving his thoughts he glared at her.
"Suno....Suno...Duniya walon (listen up....listen up people)" she yelled. All the servants came rushing leaving their works. She stood on a chair adjusting her suit and announced "I LOVE KABIR. I LOVE MY HUSBAND. I love him like a vampire loves blood. A plumber loves pipes. A girl loves pimple-free skin. And finally like the beauty loves the beast," she said and people looked at her wide-eyed while a few ladies softly smiled at her with tinted cheeks. Kabir blinked several times as if unable to believe if she was real. Oh god! What did I get myself into? He questioned himself and stormed to his room with a promise to make her say that she doesn't love him anymore while his heart screamed to itself, 'why is he so useless? It would have been better if I would have resided in the body of a pretty girl instead of this fool'
The almighty looked at the poor complainer with pity.
~~~~~~~~~
5 months later
A yawn escaped Kabir's mouth as he stretched, getting up from his soundless slumber. His lips curved up, cherishing the feeling of the last night's escapades. It was nothing much except him smiling like a fool, reminiscing the feeling of her lips on his forehead and her head on his chest exactly where his heart was located. He remembered coming home late at night and seeing her struggling to keep her eyes open, waiting for him. His girl was solitary, very different from the world. He refused to share a room with her, and she asked for his complete heart in exchange. Yes, her marshmallow had melted by the warmth of her raw and pure love. His icy Olaf was able to provide him with a homely solace none could offer.
She quickly sprang up from the antique wooden chair and marched towards him. As expected, she did what she was doing for the past 5 months. She wrapped her soft arms around him and welcomed him into her soothing embrace, taking away all the fatigue the work had offered him. He glared at her for staying up so late at night, enjoyed the feeling secretly, but did not put his itching arms to work by reciprocating the ardor. She knew he cared, and she wanted nothing more. Sighing, she tilted her head back as her eyes roamed over his tired form and gazed at him longingly. She was used to his indifference. She knew he was trying too hard to save his heart from feeling something for her. She caressed his cheeks and slowly dropped a kiss on either side of his face. His eyes held her gaze and her touch felt like a joy that had a tranquilizing effect on him. His insides shivered with desire. The desire to hold her close and erase that longing for a lifetime.
She stepped away and nodded at him welcoming him inside. He nodded back and walked towards the dining table knowing her antics of warming food for him everyday. After her rants and tantrums, he allowed her to use the oven to reheat food or seeing her getting burns and bruises everyday in an attempt to cook for him erupted maddening rage inside him. The insane feeling to eliminate the kitchen from the house for hurting her. She was about to leave after serving food for him when he held her wrist. She looked at him confused and he motioned towards the chair next to him. He knew she would never touch her meal before him and she was too sleepy to put effort into feeding herself. She huffed and sat by his side knowing he wouldn't budge. They both behaved like typical husband and wife but none of them realized it. He did not serve a plate for her knowing she was grumpy. He poured extra of everything in his own plate instead and fed her bites while eating his own food. After they both were done he went to his room, changed into comfy clothes and lied down on his bed closing his eyes, pretending to sleep. After exactly fifteen minutes he heard the noise of the door knob click. Her fragrance was enough for him to know she was there. She quietly stepped towards him, adjusted his comforter properly, kissed his forehead and went away.
"How did I get this lucky?" he muttered aloud looking at the bright sun shining on his window.
She didn't know she was able to make her space inside the heart of the devil dancing to the unknown tunes of love. He broke things off with Lara the day he got married to her and as expected she threw a fit. She told him that it was Meera who came in between not her so why should she bear the brunt but he told her off. She did not pay heed to his words and pursued him everyday. The last he met her was on the gruesome day when he had hurt her brutally. He was so close to getting a restraining order against that vile woman now because she didn't seem to understand the meaning of break-up. She tried tricks to get closer to him and it was anything but genuine. He had seen that she never cared truly about him but she wanted to hold onto him anyhow. In these times he realized what he had with Lara was limited to attraction because he didn't crave to see her in those five years, he didn't yearn for her presence. He felt that lunatic sentiment for his Meera. Did he ever love Lara? The question kept revolving in his head. Sometimes your mind is not ready to accept that the assumption you were living in for years can be wrong. He definitely had an answer in the form of realizations seeping inside him.
In these months he did everything to make Meera hate him, went to the extent of playing along with Lara at a party but when he asked her for reasons behind not confronting him she smiled brightly and said, "Your eyes are damn expressive, Chaand. They never met Lara's when you said my wife. They were stuck on me. Tell me, who were you addressing her or me?"
Now he knew why he felt bad about Meera not saying no to the alliance. It was because he was always emotionally dependent on her. He had high expectations from her that she would stand up for him like always. He subconsciously left everything to her. Even the battles that were his to fight. He thought she would support him even if the world didn't, just like always. This was the reason behind his anger. If he protected her like no other than she was his shield too. Amidst his expectations, he forgot to notice her turmoil, and now he knew he wasn't thinking straight at that time. She wasn't wrong. Now he wanted a chance to make everything right.
He remembered flashbacks from the day he married her to today when he was finally going to say that he wanted to give this relationship a chance. He wanted to tell her that he wanted to invest as much as she was keeping at stake for his sake. He wanted to openly show his concern and come out of this wall of indifference that she has been bearing for months. He wanted to respond to her chatter, keeping behind his ego and anger. He wanted to admit his wrongs, but he didn't know how. His mind wandered to the day his family met them as a newly wedded couple.
*********
"What the hell is wrong with you, Kabir? How could you behave recklessly?" the voice of an angry father, Abhimanyu Raichand, boomed in the hall. Kabir matched his unwavering gaze with a confident stance of his own. He didn't regret his deed, not even a cent.
"We were anyway going to get married, two days after or two days before, big deal," he shrugged.
"The absence of your parents doesn't make a difference, right? What was the hurry?" Khyati Raichand asked sternly.
"Aunty, we are sorry for what we have done. We were too drowned in our own emotions to understand anything at that time. He wanted to fulfill my wish of a simple wedding as I was getting tensed over the posh arrangements. You know how we are, impulsive and emotional. He couldn't see me sad and I couldn't deny him, so here we are. We are ready to get married again as per your wish" Meera handled the situation while Kabir did not interrupt. He knew she was better at this. He unknowingly held her hand in his declaring their collective stance.
"Who is aunty over here? Mrs. Meera Kabir Raichand. I am your mother from this instant and I wish to be addressed as such. Marriage was your choice, but everything from here will be ours. We are going to have a grand reception," she declared. Meera nodded timidly and Khyati opened her arms wide for her. She rushed and hugged her, basking in her motherly tenderness. One glance from Khyati was all it took for Abhimanyu to soften, and they were accepted.
"No reception will take place. A simple family party would suffice for now. I want to keep it grand when they celebrate their one year of togetherness," Veronica Raichand argued and Khyati nodded at her. Veronica held a respectable place in the family and her words were given much more importance than any other person. A family cares for each other and after the unbearable loss of Manas, she was given extra attention. Veronica accepted their relationship with all her heart and was determined to give Meera all the love she mustered because she knew Kabir would take time to open up to her. She welcomed Meera with an open heart. There was no mistake from her side and she will never bear the brunt, Veronica was determined.
"Fine," all agreed, while the youngsters, including Trishna and Nikita, started their job of teasing them to the end.
**********
"I want a divorce," he asked on the second day of their marriage.
"You don't get everything you want" she shrugged it off. There was no way in hell she was giving up this soon. Giving up was out of her dictionary. She picked a task and completed it. It was her motto and here was the question of her only love.
"I do. Kabir gets what he wants," he said cockily.
"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I won't sign these papers ever," she said, smiling at him.
"Do it meera," he ordered.
"Anything but this Chaand" she said.
"Sign it, I said," he raised his voice.
"Plan my murder if it takes, but no, I won't sign these papers," she said and walked away, leaving a frustrated Kabir behind. Her murder? Over my dead body. He fumed.
*********
"Please Bhabhi, please" Nikita pleaded with Meera.
"Won't you agree for your cutie?" Trishna joined her. It was finally the day for the party to celebrate their marriage, hidden from the prying eyes of the world. Meera was dressed in a dazzling emerald outfit while Kabir stood with the men in a sizzling black suit with an emerald tie.
"Bhabhi might not agree with us but she would definitely agree for Bhai," teased Aditya, coming towards Meera and touching her feet. He had taken this from Rajvansh men who kept on calling her bhabhi maa and kept on giving her much more respect than required. She just saved Abhimaan Rajvansh from a deadly accident and none of the Rajvansh's saw her in the same light ever again.
"Haan Haan unke liye to yeh sach ka chaand bhi tod layengi Chaand jo bulati hain unhe (Ya, Ya she would even bring the real moon for him as she addresses him as chaand)" Yuvaan added to her embarrassment as she flushed red by their teasings. She hit their shoulders lightly, and they all laughed.
"Bhabhi, please sing for Bhai na," Trishna tried again.
"Okay I will, stop making these cute faces," she said, caressing the cheeks of Trishna and Nikita and twisting the ears of Yuvaan and Aditya. She walked towards the little stage set up for the day and all the family members cheered. She looked straight in the eyes of her love, kabir and sang conveying her emotions to him.
Raanjhana, raanjhana, raanjhana
(My lover, my lover, my lover)
Kaise yeh beete din
(How this day passed by)
Rab jaane dil jaane
(Only god and my heart knows)
Tera tarana teri dhun
(Your song and your tune)
Milke gale teri yaadon ke saaye se
(After remembering all of your sweet memories)
Dil ka lagana tha shagun
(Falling in love with you was a bless for me)
Tere sadke meri saari zindagi
(Now my whole life belongs to you)
She said this line indicating to him that her life belonged to him. All awwed over her cuteness. She found this song the best way to confess her true feelings and bare her heart to him. She possessed the voice of a nightingale but she didn't like singing in front of strangers much.
Raanjhana oh raanjhana
My lover, oh my lover
Ve raanjhana mere yaar ve
Oh my lover, you are my friend
Raanjhana oh raanjhana
My lover, oh my lover
Ve raanjhana mere yaar
Oh my lover, you are my friend
Kyun meri aahaton se parda
(Why are you hiding away from my sound of coming)
Kyun meri chahaton se parda
(Why are you hiding away my desires?)
Kisi se pyar karna hai mana
(Is falling in love with someone not allowed?)
She asked this question to him, raising her brows. She wanted to ask him why her love seemed forbidden to him. Why couldn't he give her a chance and he turned his face away. The song felt so right in her situation. Her beloved was hiding away from her affection.
Raanjhana oh raanjhana
(My lover, oh my lover)
Ve raanjhana mere yaar ve
(Oh my lover, you are my friend)
Raanjhana oh raanjhana
(My lover, oh my lover)
Ve raanjhana mere yaar
(Oh my lover, you are my friend)
Simti hawaon mein teri tasveerein
(I've seen your photos in the cold air)
Betabiyon ko badhati hain
(It just increased the desperation in me)
Sooni nigahon ko rang mil jaaye
(Glommy eyes would find color)
Aankhon mein koyi khwab sajaye
(My eyes and brain are just dreaming)
Kya yeh khwaab sajana hai mana
(Is seeing dreams not allowed?)
She asked all of her questions, anxieties and demands aloud through the lyrics while her eyes seeked refuge in his. Her melodious voice and deep tone shot arrows through his heart. Her words pricked him because everything inside him screamed that she didn't deserve the way he was treating her.
Ruk si gayi thi yeh saanson ki kahaani
(This story of breaths was going to stop)
Tum se mila yeh phir chala yeh dil
(When I met you, my heart started beating again)
She reminisced about the years she spent away from him and how difficult it was for her to live without seeing him. Her heart had regained her liveliness when she met him again. She could adjust with everything and anything to absorb herself in his proximity.
Tere kadam se kadam mila ke
(By following your steps)
Sath chale tujhe sathi bana ke
(I made my life and got along with you)
Kya yeh hakk bhi jatana hai mana
(Isn't it allowed to do?)
She so wanted to hold his hand and match her steps with his. She wanted him to accept their alliance by heart and not out of compulsions. She wanted to be his support, strength and courage. She wanted to be there for him whenever he needed it. Her heart screamed the question along with the lines, was showing her rights on him forbidden?
Raanjhana oh raanjhana
(My lover, oh my lover)
Ve raanjhana mere yaar ve
(Oh my lover, you are my friend)
Raanjhana oh raanjhana
(My lover, oh my lover)
Ve raanjhana mere yaar
(Oh my lover, you are my friend)
She ended the song and smiled whole-heartedly while other clapped and cheered for her. Nikita ambushed Kabir to walk forward and show his appreciation. He took her hand in his and kissed it softly. His little gesture meant for the world was treasurable to her. She cherished the feeling.
*********
"Ta-daaa" she exited the kitchen with a plate in her hand.
"What the hell are you up to woman?" Kabir yelled at her.
"Chaand, don't shout" she chided.
"What is this chaand and all? Since the wedding, you have been calling me this. Why?" he asked, irritated. He wanted to reach the office and his meeting started in 20 minutes. She bloody does not understand, he yelled to himself. She wanted him to have breakfast and then go.
"You know without you my life is like the dark, gloomy, despondent and meaningless night without the moon. You bring light to my life. You are my serenity. You are my moon and my life revolves around you so I will call you Chaand and I will see who can stop me," she challenged. He sighed and looked at the burnt paratha she served on the plate. He cared less about the food but he quickly stood up from the table and said, "Show me your hands"
She quickly hid them behind her back. He leaned over and pulled her hands towards himself. His warmth breath fanned on her neck and she breathed heavily affected by the proximity. Her hands were fisted, and he applied force to open them. As expected, her both hands were red and he could clearly see the blisters. Damn it! He cursed.
He found a cut on her finger and shook his head at her stubborn self. She pulled her hands back, refraining him from examining them.
"WHO THE HELL TOLD YOU TO ENTER THE KITCHEN?" he yelled.
"Calm down, have your breakfast. You have a meeting in fifteen," she said, keeping a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't," he said sternly and made her sit in the chair.
"Geeta," he called out for the servant.
"GEETAAA" he shouted. The servant came running, leaving the job in hand.
"Bring me the first aid box and from tomorrow don't come to work if I see Meera inside the kitchen," he ordered harshly. She nodded timidly and ran away, following his command. He carefully aided her and banished her from the kitchen.
"You are not jobless I guess, so you don't need to do geeta's work. Don't enter the kitchen from right this moment and I am damn serious. Got it?" he said rudely.
"Seedha bol do care karte ho, taane mat maaro (Say that you care for me, don't use your sarcastic tone on me)" she pouted. 'Stupid' he muttered and sat on the chair gulping down her burnt Paratha (flat-bread).
He dipped one morsel in the curd and as he put it on his tongue he spoke after finishing it "Why is the curd too sweet?"
"Tum kadwe ho kuch toh meetha hona chahiye na (You are so bitter something must be sweet right?)" she answered and he continued eating.
She dreamily admired him eating food. She sneakily took a bite and started coughing immediately. She drank the water kept nearby and yelled at him "This is not made for human species. Can't you see it's burnt and extra spicy? Why are you eating it?"
He put the last piece in his mouth before she could snatch away the plate. How could he not eat something she made for him for the first time? His heart wanted to say but he berated that poor little thing.
"I was getting late," he said and left. Both of them knew it was a lie. "Fir kehta hai 'I hate you' (And then he says 'I hate you')" she imitated him and smiled. Till the time he was there to show his concern one moment and say I hate you, the next it was magical for her. He didn't need to say those three romantic words.
********
"Apply for the position," he ordered, passing the form to her.
"I won't," she argued.
"You will" he fisted his hands.
"I won't"
"Fine, I am calling your mom and telling her you are not listening to me"
"That's cheating! My mom always speaks in your favor only, but you can't use that to get your ridiculous demands fulfilled," she said, pointing a finger at him.
"Watch me," he smirked, taking out his phone.
"Okay stop, I will fill this form but my interview will be taken by the team" she put her foot down.
"Shut up! Your screeching is getting to my head" his sharp voice reached her ears.
"Main ek din chup ho jaungi na toh tumse bardasht nahi hoga (If I will stop speaking for a day you won't be able to bear it)" she huffed and was brutally ignored.
He was forcing her to join the post of his assistant because seemingly his wife was an antique piece. She left her well-settled job because apparently her Casanova boss yelled at a worker for the wet floor, which had no hand in making her slip. He was trying to impress her by asking the worker to apologize and find a new job for his carelessness of not putting a sign board. She argues to save his job, and he asked her to choose her own job or the worker's job. She looked at the desperate eyes of the worker and chose his job because it was his only means to survive. Nobody does that in today's world, but she did that.
Secondly, it was her weird kind of feminism that said that come what may she will fill up the groceries and share the maintenance expenditure of the house. She wouldn't stop doing that doesn't matter if she had a job or not. So he finally decided to take things in his hands and force her out of this web where her previous boss wouldn't let her have a job anywhere. He was so angry when he got to know this from his sources and not her. Like hell he had the guts to spoil the career of his wife, he would freaking destroy that pervert's entire existence. Before that he was going to get his woman back the ladder to her independence. His heart urged him to do this and mind warned to not show any sort of affection. He did both of them.
*********
"Kabir, it's a holiday. Please let's go to the water-park" she pleaded.
"You can go if you want," he said, resuming his work on his laptop. This was all she got, a few words from him or he ignored her most of the times.
"Please," she said cutely. He melted for a second, but then his mind warned him to stop right there.
"Can't you understand the meaning of no woman? Are you deaf? Just go away" he shouted. She smiled and walked away making him wonder how is she able to retain that smile despite of harshest of situations, kya koi takleef usse tang bhi karti hai (Does any problem even have any impact on her?"
******
"I don't know anything. You are not going to the office today. You are not well and you are supposed to rest"
"Meera," his low voice came out. His body pleaded with him to listen to her.
"Chaand! Nothing comes above you to me. I swear I will handle the project, but don't you dare step down from the bed," she warned, caressing his exhausted face. He was suffering from a high fever due to exertion. She kept on taking care of everything, starting from his medicines to keeping cold strips on his forehead to lower the temperature. She worked the whole night without a break. She kept her word as they bagged the deal effortlessly due to her marvelous presentation while she gave a damn about the sleepless night she spent handling things. It wasn't as easy as her smile made it look like.
*******
The day went by as Meera went to her parent's house for the night to meet them as per the servants. Today was the day he wanted to tell her that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. He was impatiently looking at the clock because for him it was moving slow. Why? Because his wife cum PA did not show up with his coffee exactly at 9:00. She hated tardiness and had always been punctual. After waiting for half an hour more he dashed out for her cabin and opened the door with all his might. To his dismay and shock, her cabin was empty. What a pathetic excuse of a husband was he as even after not seeing her since yesterday he paid no heed to look for her, thinking that she might be still at her parents place. She did this several times before, but always called him at night. He thought she might have forgotten to call him last night. He dialed her phone to find it switched off and called the manager. He came panting at his boss's urgent call.
"Where is Meera?" he growled.
So this was it! I said it all through my words. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter. Now it's your part to reply through your words and make my efforts worth it. I hope it wasn't that boring.
So now you know why Meera said that he married him or else she wouldn't have entered his life that way.
Paaglon wala pyar karti hai na vo kabir se *haha* (She loves him like crazy people)
Was it upto the mark?
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For me the most ironical part was a wedding which they both didn't actually want with a proposal. What was for you?
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~With Love
~Ms. Bhatia