"Miss Amyra," I tapped her head gently as she still slept on my chest.
"Mmm" she sniffed and hugged me tighter. I had a smile on my face looking at her sleep peacefully.
"Before Mrs Monal catches us naked, let's get going," I spoke looking at the ceiling.
"She won't be coming here. This is her house but I stay here, " she spoke keeping her eyes closed. I formed an 'o' listening her tell. I looked around the house as she opened her eyes.
"It has been more than a year and a half, I stayed away from you. I cannot imagine how I stayed that way," she said moving her hand over over my chest.
"I always had a thought, the day we would meet, we would have loads to talk and cry and yell about, but what happened was.," she paused with a gentle blush.
"I am up for this kind of talking everyday," I said with a tease. She raised her head, stared at me and hit flat on my chest.
"That hurts," I said.
"You deserve it," she said and got up. She picked her dress and moved up the stairs to her room, I got up and got dressed and followed behind her. She had got into the bathroom and I fell on the bed. The wall opposite to me had a huge rack of novels, all her favorite authors. I raised my brow looking at the collection. The wall onto my left had a huge window with a platform kind of thing on which was a small bed was put. I walked up to the window and pulled the light green curtains apart. I could see it open to a colony of tall buildings. An awesome ventilation and source to distract yourself, I loved the window the most in the room. I settled there gazing out side while the door knob clicked and she stepped out with her hair tied into a bun. She walked straight to the dressing table ignoring my mere presence.
I walked up to her and sat on a small stool kind of thing facing her. I fixed my eyes onto hers as she looked at me with a sly smile on. I sat there in front of her with a dumb smile glued onto my face. She picked a comb from the table and hit on my forehead with a giggle.
She raised her eyebrows in question. I closed my eyes and formed a pout wanting to kiss her. She nodded her head in return and stood folding her hands. The lines on my face distorted to form a frown and I sat there making a puppy face. She giggled looking at my face with out any sound.
After a long time, the filmy side of mine got triggered. I kneeled down throwing my hands in air and requested her for a dance. She stood in awe folding one hand and resting her chin on the other. I stroke a pose of a ball room dance and cocked my head waiting for her to reply. She kept giggling the entire time. The Kuch kuch hota hai scene worked just fine. I took her hand and twirled her in. There was a music that run in out head; the music of love. I held her waist while she put her hands over my shoulder. We moved gently in the little space that was there in room. As she twirled in with a round and a half, strands of her wet hair hit my cheek. She raised her hand and held one cheek while she gave a peck on the other. I was living my life in that moment. I lifted her and put her on the bed and I crashed in. As I went above her, I could see her eyes fill up. I kissed her on her eyes and she held me tight. I retreated back and leaned on the wall. She moved up to rest on my shoulder.
"So tell me about the birth of Amyra" I asked.
"Name given to me by Monal,"she said plain. Her voice clearly indicated what she wanted to hide. I bored my eyes onto her. She lifted her face noticing the awkward silence.
"Okay," she continued.
"Aman wanted me to do nothing. All he wanted was to get me married to Tanmay and there was no way I could escape," I gradually reached my boiling point as she continued.
"Delhi was supposed to be an escape plan but that did not work much like that. Aman followed us here and made sure my days went miserable here. He feared I would try to contact you in anyway and being away from home would only make it easy for me to do so. He suffocated me here," she had a disgust in her voice as she spoke.
"I really wonder as to why he hates me so much, anyway you continue," if I were given a chance I would seriously want to know. I sat holding her as she spoke again.
"Tanmay somehow made sure Aman left Delhi just so that I could live in peace. I couldn't stay idle here. I wanted to do something, something that I loved. I wanted to make sure I don't let myself get crumpled with anything. I met Monal, she heard me out and gave me the strength I needed," she paused playing with a button of my shirt.
"How is Tanmay now?" She asked. I had zoned out thinking about her brother. Snapping back to senses I confirmed her about Tanmay doing fine with his new found job. She sighed in relief and sat back beside me. Both of us sat staring at the wall in front of us.
"What happened to your job at Mumbai?" She turned towards me.
"Long story!" I pursed my lips.
"Don't tell me, Mr Agarwal propositioned you," she giggled.
"What?" I looked at her in a shock.
"No no, he was not gay thankfully," I raised my brows and she continued to laugh.
I looked at her laugh and my eyes filled with tears. I hugged her and she stopped laughing to hug me back tight.
"Don't disown me anymore, I have no strength to resurrect myself. I have no one other than you on whose shoulder I can lay upon bidding a farewell to all my worries. I am done with crumbling down in the dark all alone, I want you to enter like the beam of light and kill all the demons that reside with me in the darkness," I weeped scoffing for breath. She patted on my back to help me regain my breath.
"I am sorry," she said pulling herself back. She had tears in her eyes.
"There has been a lot you have gone through and somewhere situations gifted both of us with what we went through. I love you Mayank," she held my hand and I looked into her eyes.
It was almost midday when we went down on listening to the door bell ring. I sat on the sofa picking a magazine in my hand while the doorbell rang. Aarti came running from the kitchen tucking her lose ends of hair behind her ears.
"Come in," she opened the door and Monal stepped in. I got up to see her walk near the sofa.
"The official introduction, this is Mayank," she giggled. Monal smiled with a curt nod. She seemed to know a lot about me. That somewhere was awkward, given a chance I would have ran away from house. The silence between was totally awkward. She finally understood that and went into the kitchen to help Aarti.
Ever since Aarti spoke of Aman, all I wanted to know was the reason behind which he hated me so much. I had hardly met him and yet he had an impression formed about me. I had to sketch a plan to tackle her brother. Knowing that his dad nods his head to everything what Aman said, winning over him would be like the battle won more than half.
Aarti and Monal came laughing holding a tray each with some relsihing food in hand. I smiled at Aarti as she winked at me. That glow on her face was all that I would die for. We three ate while Monal spoke about Delhi and Aarti's stay here. Monal was a lively person. The lines on her face spoke alot about how much she had gone through. I could see where Aarti drew her confidence from. I was glad meeting her.
"So where are you staying now in Delhi? Why don't you move in?" She asked.
"No Monal, I stay at my friend's place," Aarti popped in between
"Dhruv?" She asked and I nodded and continued.
"He and I were working together back in Mumbai. I actually need to head back. He has been calling me since yesterday evening and I have just not been able to answer his call," I said it looking at Aarti who turned her face away which had turned slightly pink.
"Ahem! No details please," Monal said.
"Oh that's not what I meant," knowing nothing what to say, I got up from the table feeling embarrassed. As I walked into the kitchen with the plate, I could hear the girls giggle behind my back. I wshed my hands and came back to the table.
"It was nice meeting you Monal and Thank you!" I said it with a pause. She got up holding my hand.
"You both are meant to be together," she brushed my hair and I turned towards my princess.
"I shall see you in the evening," she nodded and hugged me in a jiff. I hugged her back never wanting to let her go. She sighed and I kissed her on her temple.
"Take care" I moved to the sofa to pick my bag as I heard Monal comment "how cute!"
I rolled my eyes and laughed this time and stepped out.
"Where the hell have you been?" Came an alarming voice from the other side of the phone.
"Dhruv I can explain. I want to meet you first," I said and gave him my location. He came to pick me up in a while and we went back home.
"Are you serious?" He asked. I was shocked to listen that. I had not told him anything yet.
"You need not give that expression, you seem too calm and composed. The total opposite to what you were when you arrived here. What changed over a night brother?" He asked.
"Yes, one night and everything changed" I smiled.
"Before I come up with dirty thoughts, bol do na Bhai," he said.
"I found Aarti and I was with her the entire night," as I said I had punch landed on my tummy.
"That explains it," he said as he hugged me in joy, "What have you decided? How will you convince your mother now? She might have obligations right?" I had not really thought about it in the joy of meeting Aarti. I had to answer her about this and Mathur uncle's daughter. She never had a problem with Aarti, but post the trauma we went through, she had become a little concerned. I knew she would understand but the Mathur uncle angle was what I was bothered.
"Relax, I know things will fall into place. Chalo, I need to get going," he left me thinking in my room. For a while I wanted to forget all the other worries and only rejoice every moment when she was in my arms. I flung onto the bed with a thud sound, comforted myself with the pillow behind and fixed my eyes on the ceiling. Aarti could not have left me, the instinct had forever was never wrong. Those eyes still longed to see me, those arms wanted to snake around my shoulders. Those fingers still wanted to play around with my hair, I was glad that the kid in her never got killed. The independent yet so vulnerable girl knew to hit the right nerve, with love, the respect towards her had grown beyond the sky.
I took my phone and dialed Nishant, I knew he would be happy. I tried twice and he did not answer it both the times. I was about tk throw the phone while it buzzed. It was my mother this time.
"Hello," I said.
"Seems like you are too happy over there," her words choked my.
"Huh?" I asked.
"You have not called me ever since you reached there, something much more beautiful should have come your way and that is why you have forgotten me right?" She asked with a sarcastic tone.
"Maa, aap bi na .. Nothing like that, just got held with the event and.."
"And? Bolo.." She cut me between.
"And nothing " I told and fell silent.
"Okay fine, sorry" she giggled.
"How are everyone at home? Did Nishant drop by anytime?" I asked.
"Everyone are just the same you left them here. It has been only two days, what changes can you expect. In the last thirty years I have not seen any changes in your dad, in two days what can you expect?" She went all melodramatic.
"I guess the inclination for drama and dance that I have is all because of this talent of yours mama," I laughed.
"Very funny, if I had a chance back then, today I would probably at some award ceremony receiving a lifetime achievement award. Sigh, look at me now," I continued to laugh.
"You seem a lot more calm and composed bête , I wonder" she paused.
"I actually have to talk to you, may be tonight I will call you and let you know about a few things," she hummed in response.
"I will talk to you later mama, take care. I love you!" I hung the call. I had told Aarti I would meet her in the evening, I had to get ready, I was planning to take her out on a proper date and propose her for the wedding. I had done a lot of chasing in life, settlement was what both of us needed now.
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