"Fida hoon main toh ek nazar, bas ek nazar tak ke!"
Neela was surprised when she saw Avni standing in front of the mirror as she tried to comb her hair. The girl had always been the tomboy who just wanted to wear baggy jeans everywhere she went, so seeing her in a beautiful mid-length white dress that reached up to her knees felt mildly shocking. And, to top it all, she even spared some time for a hair-do when all she had ever done was a high pony-tail.
A - Mumma! Could you please help me with this braid. My hairs are getting tangled up in the comb & my arms are starting to hurt now! - she whined as she turned to her mother with the comb dangling from her hair.
A chuckle escaped Neela's mouth as she walked up to her daughter & made her sit on the dressing table. She gently untangled her hairs as she parted them from the middle & made neat braids with the hair on the side.
Neela - Have you wrapped the gift up, Avni? - she asked once she was done with her hair.
A - Yes, Mumma! - she told as she smiled brightly while looking at herself in the mirror.
Neela - Okay! Enjoy yourself but come back home on time, alright! - she said as she placed a kiss on the top of her head making her giggle.
A - Okay, Mumma. Bye! - she said as she kissed her cheek & rushed out of the house with Rhea's birthday gift in her hand.
_______________
Neil was tying his shoe-laces when he heard his door open with a bang. Knowing fully well who it would be, he turned his head up to look at the girl from the next door. Neil had not intended to but he couldn't help but notice how surreal she looked.
White was definitely her colour, he concluded!
He also noticed that she had definitely put an extra effort to look good for the party. Her nightsky black eyes were lined with kohl & she had put some gloss on her lips. She wasn't wearing her regular oversized clothes - which she looked adorable in by the way!, but he thought she looked dreamy in that white dress that hugged her body perfectly. Few strands of her hair were falling on her face & Neil literally had to put his hands in his pockets to stop himself from tucking them behind her ears.
N - You almost look like a girl! - he laughed as he tried to disregard his weird thoughts.
A - What? - she asked as her mouth was agape in disbelief. The nerve of this guy! She had put in so much of efforts & that was what he said!
N - Uh, Why are dressed like that, huh? Gotta impress some boi? - he spoke nonchalantly, however, his heart waited for her answer with a baited breathe.
A - Why? Are you jealous? - she said as she rolled her eyes.
N - Main kyun hone laga jealous! - he spoke too fast as if he had already prepared the clarification in his head.
A - Toh faaltu sawaal mat puchho, aur chalo! We're getting late. - she was beyond annoyed now!
She turned around & started walking outside the apartment when he held her hand & stopped her. Avni found Neil nervously biting his lips when she looked back at him & a frown marred her own face.
A - What happened, Neil?
N - I really don't think I should go, Avni! Please, can I just not stay home? - he mumbled.
A - Neil, you're doing this for Rhea. You do know that she is so excited for her birthday, right? - she spoke gently as she stepped towards him.
N - But, there will be too many people. I can't. Rhea will understand. - he spoke.
A - She might understand. But, you tell me, won't she be hurt that her best friend isn't present for her birthday? And, okay! Forget about everything for a moment, just tell me one thing, why do you not want to go anyway? - she asked but he didn't say anything & looked down at the floor making her sigh. Okay, Neil! Look at me! - she placed her hand at the side of his cheek & her thumb rested at the top of his chin to make him look at her. See, I don't know what is it exactly, but I do understand that you're wary around people. But Neil, I want you to understand that you need to stop thinking about what people are thinking about you, okay? Don't let them get to you! You remember you were saying that freedom must feel sweet? Brinjalhead, this is your freedom! - she rubbed her thumb across his jaw. To let go of what people think about you! It doesn't matter. Hm? - she raised her eye brows at him.
Neil just nodded at her with a small smile on his face as he seemed to feel a little less anxious.
A - Smile, Brinjalhead? - she asked as she tilted her head to the side while blinking at him making him chuckle at her.
She herself flashed him a bright smile as she grabbed his hand & stepped out of the apartment.
_______________
Avni got off the bike when Neil stopped it outside the party venue & parked it. She could feel that Neil was anxious as his shoulders were stiff & body language felt rigid. A sigh left her mouth as she watched him fiddling with the keys of the bike.
Taking in a deep breathe, she slipped her hand in his & intwined their fingers making him look up at her.
A - I'll be by your side all the time. Ali & Rhea will be there too, hm? - she smiled as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze.
N - I still think it's a bad idea! - he sighed while looking at the entrance of the roof top cafe that Rhea had booked for the party. But, let's just do it! - he looked at her. Tum bas haath pakde rehna, thik hai? - he said.
Her heart fluttered when she heard him & could only manage a nod while looking at him.
Avni held his hand firmly as they made their way towards Rhea. Both of them wished her birthday as they hugged her & Ali too, joined soon enough.
Though Neil had felt at unease in the beginning but he could feel himself getting comfortable as he just focused on his close friends. He was sitting near the soft drinks counter along with Ali & Avni as they talked about something. It was midway between the conversation that Avni felt a little thirsty & stood up from her seat to get some water but Neil pulled her back.
A - Kya hua, Neil? I was just- - true to his habit, she was cut in between by him.
N - Dance with me. Please. - he said as he held her hand.
A - Uh, okay! Let me just drink some water & then- - she was telling him only to be cut in mid again!
N - Gaana khtm ho jayega, Avnii! Chalo! - & she couldn't refuse at the way he insisted.
Neil led her to the dance floor as he placed his hands at her waist while she wrung her hands around his neck.
Tujhe sochta hoon main shaam-o-subah
Isse jyada tujhe aur chahun toh kya?
Avni had no clue how to slow dance. She had always been the girl who one would find dancing on the weirdest of songs. Nonetheless, she let her body sway with the slow beats of the song as Neil did the same. He was standing too close for her heart to beat rationally. Her breathing had gone erratic & she fumbled with her steps when she looked into his eyes. His pupils looked almost green when the reddish - orange hue of the sunset sky hit his eyes.
Tere hi khyaalon mein dooba rha
Isse jyada tujhe aur chahun toh kya?
At that point, Neil had closed his eyes as he lost himself in the song. But, Avni couldn't manage to look away. Her eyes stayed glued to his serene face as she blinked them, as if engraving each feature of his in her mind. She had to croon her neck up a little because of the obvious height difference that both of them had. She observed the way his left eyebrow was a little crooked up & the way there were a little freckles on the side of his nose. She found the colour of his lips similar to that of lush strawberries & his eye-lashes were to die for! But, she did not fail to notice how his forehead had creases of doubt, uncertainty & sorrow. She wanted to kiss them away! She wanted to give him relief from whatever he was struggling through.
Bas saare gum mein jaana,
Sang hoon tere!
Har ek mausam mein jaana,
Sang hoon tere!
Avni felt like the lyrics of the song portrayed what she felt for him perfectly. That's exactly how she felt at the moment. To be with him, in all the sorrows & in all the falls!
"I miss you, Juhi. I miss you so much!" - Neil mumbled & Avni stilled in her steps.
Ab itne imtehaan bhi,
Naa le mere!
Neil had subconsciously put his forehead against Avni's as his mind kept flashing visuals of a certain someone that he had lost to the inevitable doom - death! And then lost himself to his inevitable doom! It had been two years that he had lost one of his best friends & two years since he had lost himself! What was his fault? Why was he still stuck in time years back when the world clearly seemed to have moved on!?
Teri yaadon se kab rha main juda?
Waqt se puchle, Waqt mera gawah!
Avni could feel her eyes tearing up when she heard him calling for his lover? She didn't know why but she definitely felt a pang in her heart knowing that he did not see her the way she saw him. Like someone he could fall in love with! Because, she was sure that she was on the way!
She blinked the tears away & smiled at him with her glassy eyes as he opened her eyes & looked at her.
N - This was Juhi's favourite song! - he told as he gave her a small smile.
But his smile died down the moment he looked into Avni's eyes. They held emotions that he had been dreaded by all this time. His breathe hitched & heart picked up speed when he recognised those emotions that her eyes reflected.
Care, Fondness, Affection, & Love?
No! She couldn't possibly love him. He was definitely seeing too much into it. Yeah, that was the case! - he assured himself. She definitely wouldn't even like him if she knew what he actually was! A bad omen! Someone who was just a menace & brought downfall to every life he stepped in!
N - Avni, I-
A - I'll just go drink some water. I'm really thirsty! - she spoke hurriedly & turned around as she walked away.
An involuntary sigh left Neil's mouth as he watched her walk away. Taking in a long breathe from his mouth, he walked towards the counter where Ali was.
Ali - So...Avni, huh? - he spoke as he looked at Neil.
N - Kya Avni? - he asked as his brows furrowed.
Ali - Maine dekha tu usko kaise dekh rha tha! - Ali spoke as a matter of fact.
N - Kaise dekh rha tha? - he spoke defensively. Dost hai! - he shrugged as he averted eyes.
Ali - Neil, Dost Rhea bhi hai. Toh yeh horseshit mujhe mat de, thik hai? - he stopped himself from rolling his eyes at how dense his best friend could be at times!
N - Tu..pagal hai kya? Kuch bhi bol rha h! Dekh usko yaar! - he turned a little to look at Avni who was smiling at someone as they spoke about something. Aur mujhe dekh! Roshni aur andhere ko kabhi milte huye dekha hai kya!? - he said as his breathe suddenly felt uneasy.
Ali - As a matter of fact, dekha hai! - he said as he looked at him with determination. Sunrises & Sunsets - the most beautiful phenomena of a day, only takes place jab roshni aur andhera milte hain! Toh mere dost! apna yeh faaltu dimaag mat lga aur dil ki sun! - he poked his finger on his chest, right above his heart while Neil just felt his heart racing with thousand of thoughts swirling by.