23 -
I drove past the circle and stopped slightly in front of the Imperial Tower II, and rolled down the window. Darshan looked outside.
"Someday I'll like to buy a house here", I bent down, closer to Darshan as I gazed at the magnificent skyscraper.
"Why here?", Darshan asked, as we both looked at it.
"This is the tallest constructed building to exist in here. It's 60 floors tall, one of the highest to exist in India. For the rooftop, the view", I sighed, as I got back and Darshan looked at the building while I rolled up the windows, starting the ignition. "Imperial Tower II", I stated with a heavy sigh.
"This must be super expensive, even for me", Darshan admitted and I smiled.
"Of course, the CEO of Axis and HDFC bank live here. Some US bond dignity I don't know. One flat costs about 25 crores", I told him.
"You've done your research", Darshan smiled.
"I may not be beautiful but I at least know a lot of useless information", I joked and he chuckled.
"You like to hear it, don't you?", Darshan smirkedamd I shrugged.
"Every women likes to hear it, love", I flicked and he chortled.
"You're beautiful", he looked at me and I bowed down a little, accepting his compliment.
"Thank you monsieur", I said, softly.
"You're welcome mademoiselle", Darshan brushed gently and my head snapped to look at him. I frowned in surprise. "Only you're allowed to learn languages?", he half smiled and I pressed my lips.
"Of course not but it came as a surprise", I concluded. "It sounded sexy", I added and he laughed lightly. "What did you think when you bought a house anyways?", I asked him.
"When I bought a house? Um, nothing much. I was actually happy to find one", he told me. "And then we got it renovated though I took a loan for it", he explained. "But one thing that I specifically wanted was my studio and I did get it renovated two times but anyways", Darshan opened a chewing gum, putting in his mouth which was lying on the dashboard.
"Why did you get it renovated two times?", I asked him.
"Because it was getting boring and I needed it clear", he quickly replied. "What's the one thing you'd want in your house specifically?", he shot.
There's a lot of things that I'd like really.
Pool. Jacuzzi. Library.
I don't know.
"I'd want a beautiful kitchen", I said, as I thought. "Like, mordernly equipped and just gorgeous sort of a kitchen", I smiled to myself. "Dare you laugh at it okay?", I looked at him.
"Why would I? What's a house without a kitchen?", Darshan said. "Did you say no to Navneet, then?", he asked
"Yes I did in a clichéd fucked up way", I sighed, thinking about it. "He deserved better", I added as we crossed the signal. "And not like I'm some dark person who breaks everything she touches and all that. I do hate myself occasionally but mostly I'm good with how I'm but he deserved someone like...Dhriti you know what I mean?", I went on. "Though I think I'll always love him", I pouted, weirdly.
Confessing your feelings is weird.
Stupid.
Weird.
"So, if you love him then why don't you want to be with him?", Darshan turned to me. "Don't say because you don't date", he pressed the last word.
"No, I avoid dating. I would've tried it with him but you know sometimes you love the idea of certain things. You love them sure but you're not in love with them", I said, softly.
"Love is shitty and weird. Everything is about love", Darshan disclaimed.
"Sometimes it almost feels like every other emotion comes out of love for example hatred, jealousy, anger, empathy, sympathy, mercy, cruleness", I objected. "But fair enough, you make a living out of writing love songs. Winwin", I chuckled along with him.
*
We stood here facing the worli sea face, just less crowded and more distant.
"How'd you find such a corner?", Darshan asked, sitting at the pavement, next to me and I looked at the horizon.
"So, this one time Karan was kissing Aishwarya there", I pointed at what barely qualified as the crowded side because we were too far away too spot. "And this inspector came in bashing a few people as in the 'cultural spoiling bastards' and Karan ran holding Aishwarya's hand. I sat there laughing at the whole thing. A few minutes later when the inspector went away I called Karan to tell him he can come over now. He came alone and took me here. He'd found this spot", I told him.
"I really wonder what that 60 floor view would be like now", Darshan said and I smiled
"Magnificent is the word, love. Magnificent", I imagined.
I fetched the bag Kumar Bhaiya gave me, taking out the tupperware boxes, "happy birthday", I extended the box to Darshan and he looked at it for a moment before taking it.
He and I talked about a lot of things, he did the talking and I listened while he shared his point of views about certain romantic movies. Some offended me badly but I heard it anyways.
"Do you how to swim?", Darshan asked, dumping his mouth with chips.
"No", I told him. "I tried to learn it once but I couldn't. I just couldn't. Horrible horrible experience", I told him, recalling those misfortunate events of my life.
"Sad for you", he crossed his legs and turned to me while I ate Maggie.
What can I say I ate slow?
"I love Goa because you can always swim there, you know. The beaches are better than they're up here. So, when you swim there's this feeling as you go underwater. A peacefulness you might call it, void, if forever has a feeling it will definitely be the feeling you get under the ocean", he explained and I listened carefully. "There's blueness to everything Tara. The voices softer, the lights tinged, haze almost, and the world down there feels like surreal. If I could, I'd live there", Darshan finished and I just continued looking at him but I was absorbing all of it.
I wanted to learn swimming and feel this because what he told sounded pretty beautiful to exist.
"I'll miss this", I said out of nowhere as he peeled the wrapper off the chocolate.
We were like two people thriving on junk food and caring shitless about tomorrow, talking things that have nothing to do with real life, ignoring the recession and economy but our talk lifted the soul up.
That's a must, isn't it?
"Miss what? Me?", Darshan joked, giving a piece of the chocolate to me and I took it.
"Right now, between you and me...you're the busy one. You have work, concerts, recordings, shoots and I'm in college. I'm relieved, things are easy for me and I'm pretty much free all the time but after I graduate you'll work like you're doing but I'll work too and we won't get time. I won't get time which sucks but we gotta earn to feed. This is a important moment which we'll be missing as it's happening", I looked at him, from the horizon.
He was looking at the sea, the moonlight brushing the water.
"How do you afford a place here?", Darshan asked as I closed the box putting it back in the bag.
"Good question! When I came for admissions with papa, I saw this banner of scholarship 'dada saheb something scholarship' and I gave the test. I'd no idea I'd pass like the test went good but not good enough to pass, I thought", I told him opening the water cap. "I got in but my father eyed me and searched a good hostel with all the strict rules that a hostel can posses", I widened my eyes and he laughed softly. "I went back home in 2nd year last semester and I told my dad it fucking sucks plus he didn't spend much. All the education fund were still there and he said it'll be useful when I marry but I made a face and he came here with me, called an uncle who lived here. Found me the palce, I was spared the security as inter relations and then he told me dos and don'ts as I'm free and I live alone", I explained him the story.
"I can imagine it seriously", he chuckled.
"My dad is strict to certain things, I can't do anything", I shrugged. "Hey, sing to me. You didn't get your guitar for nada", I threw the empty wrapper at him.
"You'll have to pay, everything comes at a price dear", Darshan scoffed.
"Dhriti and I are friends you know and I'll just call her", I told him.
"Friends?", he looked surprised.
"Yes, we share memes all the time. Your strategy worked", I winked at him. "Though I did feel guilty but you know who I'm", I added.
"Dhriti? Memes? To You?", Darshan began dramatically.
"What's so unbelievable in it? She's a normal person. Normal people share memes. It's normal", I snickered.
"It's shocking Vaid", he grunted.
"SING, GO, NOW", I croaked and he stood up to get his guitar from his car. "I've not seen you sing live, just on YouTube", I pressed my lips, lying down as I looked at the sky with minimal stars.
Thanks to the city.
"I might disappoint you, I use auto tune", he mocked and I smiled.
"I'm used to disappointments, go on", I carried on and I could feel his smile.
"Which song?", Darshan asked, rather seriously now.
"Whichever you feel like", I said, in a split second.
"Door Hoke Bhi Paas Mere Ho, Sapno Se Aage Tum Haqeekat Ban Chuke Ho", he softly sung and the sound of the guitar synced with his voice. "Ye Dard Hai Jo Tere, Tu Karde Unko Mere. Meri Har Dua Tu Par Haqeekat Mei Kaha. Saari Ki Saari Meri Hai Tu, Tujhko Kabhi Na Mai Baatun", he sang.
I could spend a lot of time just hearing him sing. It was really really good.
"A selfish song, you want all her for yourself", I joked.
"Somethings you don't share, like your net banking password and otps", Darshan said and I laughed. "You ever been in love Vaid?", he asked and I could feel my smile disappearing. "You silence explains it, who was he?", he asked.
"There was no he", I said, my voice sounded much fragile than I expected.
I cleared my throat loudly.
"He cheated? Lied? Hurt you? Broke your heart? Broke your expectations?", Darshan announced every possible outcome and I stretched myself up.
"There was no he", I said, loudly.
"I'll wait for you to tell me", he gave me a soft smile and I looked elsewhere.
I could feel my head running like a video camera, the flashes coming and I wanting to shook out of it. I sighed deeply and I could feel he looking at me.
"Why is things with you so intense?", he asked and I bit my lower lip, trying to control my exposure.
"I DIDN'T ASK FOR IT. I'M JUST A NORMAL GIRL WITH MOMMY ISSUES WHICH INTERESTS YOU FOR SOME REASON THAT I'M NOT AWARE. THAT'S IT. THAT'S THE END OF THE STORY", I barked and he looked on.
"If you expected me to shout at you back because you said some things and we go back to not talking, try all you want. I'm here Vaid", he calmly said, his fingers moving over his guitar. I looked on, my racing heart softly slowing down.
"I hated school. I hated the way we are normally brought up you know like finish your homework, go to the tuition, learn for the test and after you've done all this important work then you can continue with drawing or playing or anything that interested you as a child", he spoke something completely out of the box. "I always thought whenever I have kids I'll not do it to them. This stupid fucking cycle of homework is important. Yes, it's important but at a point. Your entire life doesn't depends upon it", he went on and I heard quietly. "You and I, we're artists. We fought for this in front of our parents but I've friends who work like normal people and there's nothing wrong with it but when they're free after long time, when they've done all the important work they're actually clueless what to do. That's shameful because the system kills all the interests and make employees out of it", I could feel he was supremely annoyed.
"You'll be a good father", I said.
"I don't know", he shrugged, smilingly and I wrapped my arms around him softly.
I could feel his warmth back. I closed my eyes and just smiled. I was contented with it. With him. With whatever he and I shared.
"Thank you", I whispered.
"Fuck off!", he whispered and I chortled.
Darshan sang 'Dil Haare' on my request afterwards.
I irritated him, made him hear the song first and then he sang seeing the lyrics.
"It's a nice song, no matter what", I retorted.
"You've a good music sense, I'll give you that", Darshan agreed and I threw my hands in the air as victory and he grunted which made me laugh.
After, he and I went through our camera rolls and it took so long but it didn't feel like time passed by.
We finished our food, all of it and it was a lot trust me on that. He was driving me back to my palce and both of us were awfully silent. You know me and silence do not go hand in hand.
"I'll ask you a series of questions", I declared, thinking about it.
"What if I don't want to answer", Darshan said.
"Forest green or ocean blue?", I asked him.
"Not answering isn't an option", he pressed his lips and I vigorously nodded. "Ocean blue", he replied.
"Chilly sunrises or warm sunsets?", I asked.
"Warm sunsets", he replied.
"Empty country roads or small town main road?", I asked.
"Empty country roads", he replied.
"Wheat fields or apple trees?", I asked.
"Apple trees", he replied.
"Lemonade or ice tea?", I asked.
"Lemonade", he replied.
"Late night stargazing or early morning walks?", I asked.
"Late night stargazing", he replied.
"Camping with friends or staying in alone?", I asked.
"Camping with friends", he replied.
"Sunny days or rainy afternoons?", I asked.
"Rainy afternoons", he replied. "Your home's here", Darshan pushed the breaks too hard and I jerked.
"Ow!", I rubbed my stomach. "You ass", I gasped.
"You deserve it", Darshan hit me gently.
"Happy 26 Raval", I stepped out, picking my bag up. "Make sure you give the tupperware boxes to Kumar Bhaiya otherwise it'll get fungus and he'd still have to clean it any--", he interrupted, "--I'll give it", he said an di nodded.
"Night Vaid", he said as I walked inside my apartment.
"Night Raval", I yelled, without looking at him.
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If you're a silent reader, please put on some comments below. Motivate me please? :)