RAJVEER
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'Rajveer...dude!!! Have some Jodhpuri Mirchi Vada...Dadasa has specially organized this one for the evening!!!' Aditya kept convincing me but what I had seen a few minutes ago was still fresh in front of my eyes.
Was it really her? After so many years...I meet her here? At my friend's wedding? And Lavanya Ji sounded very comfortable with her. But am I really sure that it was her?
I mean what happened to that shoulder length golden pink streaks hairstyle of hers??? And saree??? I still can't forget the way she fell in the college ground wearing that peach colored saree and being a laughing stock in front of the entire college during the college fest. Such a disaster that was...I can't believe it's her. What if I misunderstood someone else to be her? Damn it!!! How I wish I could get to see her for a few minutes. But the way her eyes widened. It cannot be someone else. It is her!!! No wonder I never saw her post that.
'Rajveeeeer!!!' Aditya kept a hand on my shoulder and I snapped out of my thoughts. I was at the men's gathering as Aditya couldn't attend his wife's Mehndi and so there was a separate party in Aditya's honour. The party had most businessmen, celebrities in and around. I really didn't want to leave the Mehndi ceremony. I could have gotten a chance to see her again but Aditya kept on calling me and eventually I had to leave and now here I am churning my brains, still trying to analyse if it was her.
'Dude you are not eating anything!!! Come on!!!' he forcefully fed me a Samosa and I couldn't deny it.
'Puttarji...now your bestie is also getting married...when are you planning to take the wedding vows!!!' Dev Daadu suggested and I smiled hesitantly when Dad took it as his golden chance and jumped the bandwagon.
'Ohhhh Dev!!! You have no idea!!! This man doesn't understand I'm getting old. A year more for me to hit my 70!!! If not for me to threaten the stupid board of directors that I'll drag them to court for making a poor old man work even after his legal age of retirement!!! That's a crime!!! Huhhh!!!' Dad said melodramatically and I squint my eyes and said
'Oh Wow!!! How poor...It's just that he is the founder of that organisation and owns a few hundred million dollar worth shares in there and was the one who himself wanted to work until he was 69 years old which was hardly a few months ago!!! Dad you're such a drama king!!!' I said making everyone laugh and dad pout.
'Well!!! I'm getting married so I have switched teams Rajveer!!! I would also support uncle to make sure you take the vows too...imagine we can have so much fun double dating!!!' he said and I rolled my eyes saying
'No ways!!! I'm never falling into the trap!!! There is no girl who can make me fall in that tra-' and my voice died as my eyes fell outside the glass windows in the opposite direction directly onto the other side of the palace, on the terrace and again I see her.
This time in full moonlight. She was on a phone call and she was looking tensed. But my eyes just couldn't, simply couldn't look elsewhere.
It was her. Yes it was her. And she had grown into a beautiful woman. I couldn't see her very clearly as she was at a distance but it was enough for me to know it was her.
'Ahhhhhhhemmmm!!!' Aditya's voice broke my reverie of thoughts as he whispered in my ears
'Looks like someone's smitten looking at someone under the moonlight!!!' he teased and my jaw hung open. I looked elsewhere saying 'What rubbish!!!' and Aditya chuckled saying 'Rubbish??? I hope you are aware that I'm going to be the crowned king in next 56 hours of this city Mister Khandelwal!!! How dare you be disrespectful of your king!!!' he said and I circled my arm around his neck saying 'This is how I dare to!!!' and I tightened my hold around his neck when he pretended getting choked and said
'Traitor... murderer!!! How dare you attempt a murder against the king!!!'
'Mister King!!! You must stop spending time with my dad!!! You smell of DharamVeer'ness!!!'
And he laughed out loud saying 'By the way...I know that woman very well. If you wish...I could probably introduc-'
'Adi please!!! There's nothing like that!!! I...Infact ...I was...I didn't mean to...I..'
'Oh my God!!! Is the one and only Rajveer Khandelwal looking nervous!!! OMG!!!'
I rolled my eyes saying 'Adi!!! I'm not interested and I'm telling you if you tease me like this I'm not going to help you meet Lavanya ji in private!!!' I used my trump card to shut him up as our groom was desperate to meet his bride in private. He had already sneaked into her room with help of her sister and cousins as per what he said previously but the desperate man wasn't satisfied and had convinced me to help him. And being a friend I couldn't deny.
'Hey Heyyyy it's a party tonight and both mine and her parents agreed for us to party together only on one condition that she will always be guided by her cousins. And you know Kashish is useless. That Aaryan boy always tricks her and they end up fighting for hours and she doesn't help a bit. You are my only hope Bro!!! Please Please Pretty Please!!! Fine I'll not tease you with Vanshika!!! Happy?' he said and my heart shuddered at the mention of that name.
So...It's confirmed. It was her. Wow!!! It's her. Maybe she's a friend. A family friend or maybe an employee? Whatever the reason be...she was here.
Should I talk to her? I have avoided her enough all these years. But will she forgive me? It's been twelve years. Maybe she's happily married today. No!!!
That's not possible. If she was married Adi wouldn't tease me with her. He seemed pretty confident about knowing her well. Should I ask Adi? Nope!!! He is a curious cat. He'll ask hundred other questions and anyways I don't have the guts to face her. I don't have it in me.
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'Dude!!! Relax!!! There are so many people at the party!!! Give me some time.. I'll do something!!!' saying my eyes kept scanning through the party crowd. Although I looked everywhere I couldn't find that one face my eyes yearned for...The forbidden fruit...Vanshika.
After almost an hour I knew she wasn't here. I had to actually feel relaxed but I was restless. I wanted to see her again. I wanted to see her up close and my personal. Once...just once.
After another thirty minutes Aditya started acting like a nutcase and I had to go to Lavanya ji and talk to her. But unfortunately she was always surrounded by her cousins who were crystal clear to keep her away from Aditya. Her phone was also not with her. But I tricked them and slipped a chit into her hand that said 'Meet Adi in the backyard tonight at 12 am' and Lavanya ji smiled. She gave me a thumbs up and I smiled and gave the news to our restless groom who was jumping like a frog.
I hope Lavanya ji remains sane with a crazy loverboy like him.
The clock struck 12 am and we had silently made it to the backyard and we could see Lavanya ji in the backyard. Aditya almost squealed when I slapped the back of his head saying
'Shhhhh!!! Calm down Adi!!! You are going to be a king soon. Don't get caught like a robber two nights before that!!! Please!!! And your Dadasa took a promise from me to keep you away from Lavanya ji!!! Don't kill me Mere Bhai (my brother)...I don't want a royal death this early!!!' I said and he patted my back saying
'Ohhh you'll be awarded my dear peasant!!! Now guard this place and make sure no one comes here!!! Specially from there...that long coridoor!!!' he said and ran to meet Lavanya ji.
I didn't know what to do. It was pitch dark in this area although the entire palace was lit with lights and lanterns. He purposely made sure this section of the palace was pitch dark so no one would catch them. And now he had made me his personal bodyguard as well. So I decided to simply take a drag. I pulled out my cigarette and started to look for my lighter. I forgot that I was still wearing my black kurta pajama and started searching for my lighter in my pajama pockets when I heard the sound of anklets.
Initially I thought it was Lavanya ji but then I realised that it was coming from the ends of the long coridoor. I was alerted. I noticed a black figure although I couldn't see the lady's face as it was dark but I clearly found the lady in a white salwar kameez and she had already noticed Lavanya ji and Adi being together. I had to stop her before she creates a scene.
She quickly approached the gardens but before she enters the garden I grabbed onto her waist and pinned her against the huge marble pillar of the palace corridors. She was about to scream, so I simply placed my palm on her mouth shutting her up but she was wiggling and trembling under my touches.
Shit!!! What if she thinks I'm here to harm her. I immediately said
'Look Mam!!! I have no wrong intentions with you. It's just that Aditya my friend wanted to meet Lavanya ji privately for a few minutes, so I am guarding them. Trust me please!!! I'm not here to harm you. I saw you coming and got worried that you might create a scene. Please trust me. I'll remove my palm off your mouth but please don't scream. Please!!!' I pleaded but she had frozen like ice. Maybe I really scared her.
I slowly removed the palm off her mouth. She did not scream thankfully. But she was shivering. I slowly lit up the lighter and slowly brought it closer to my face only so the lady knows I'm a gentleman.
But the moment the bright yellow light shined as the lighter lit up I was the one who started sweating. It was my turn to freeze this time as this time the lady who was on my mind for the last twelve years was standing right infront of my eyes.
Then it was the metal ring on her eyebrow, today there was a small diamond stud in her left nostril shining like a bright moon itself. Her huge metal loops and metallic studs turned into little golden jhumkas that kissed her ears. Her colorful perfectly permed hair was now glowing a natural even shade tied into a butterfly clip and her mini skirts had now turned into salwar kameez. She could give competition to the moon tonight.
But her eyes...the one's that had mischief and naughtiness now looked dead. She looked into my eyes without uttering a word. She kept staring and neither could I take my eyes off her beautiful face. Suddenly I remembered how I broke her heart and I broke our eye contact. I couldn't face her. I destroyed her 12 years ago.
I was a coward. I had left her all alone and fled this country like a looser. I was selfish, shameless and an asshole.
It had been ages. I left this country, I left her but the feeling that I betrayed a true soul never let me be in peace. Not a day in the last twelve days without any kind of intoxication did I get a peaceful sleep. Her face haunted me every night. I craved to see her once. Talk to her once. Apologise to her once but I couldn't gather enough guts.
But today when she was in front of me. Not even an inch away and I am still the same. I have nothing to say.
She was right. I'm a coward!!! Her Veer is still a coward.
Her Veer??? Huhh!!! Or rather call yourself her prisoner!!! Her criminal!!! The scoundrel who broke her trust.... destroyed her faith and crushed her heart under his foot mercilessly.
Yes I was the man who had broken a pure heart.
I was her sinner. The man who took her virginity and left her to fate. Shamelessly!!!