Hello friends hope enjoying This Story
Click Here For Part 1
Chapter 2 :
Though he sat in the front seat of the jeep , his thought was still consumed by the beauty which he held for seconds, he could still feel the softness of her skin in his hands . He just wanted to hold on to her forever but that was not going to be possible, not now anyway . He understood she couldn’t stand him, but at the same time she was not immune to him , he had felt her heartbeat hammer ,eyes sparkle with awareness and her blush that crept her cheek when he held her it was dead giveaway . But he knew she would never acknowledge it and definitely not to him, she always hide it from him she always did now.
When he first met her at Delhi she was different somehow today there was wall around her and that seems impossible to break . 10 years ago they met for the first time at Delhi at Hotel Ashoka just as Ram and Priya just as two strangers who met at fairly ordinary circumstance there was nothing special about the meeting . There was no spark that flew at that time, nor there was this sizzling chemistry.. they were just two ordinary people sitting alone at back ground of discotheque watching people having fun on a Saturday night …. Yes that was so long ago, but Ram remembered every detail of that ordinary meeting
Priya sitting behind with the luggage was also thinking about their first meeting … at Delhi .. there was nothing special that night , she was 28 then she had come down for a school sponsored training programme for NCERT teachers that day. She represented her school. Immediately after completing her B Ed ,she had started teaching when was just 21 one of the youngest. She always wanted to be teacher at this school, her parents death in the accident just pre poned the event she actually wanted to do her Doctorate, but that dream got shelved midway , because of their death . The Financial situation was not dire because papa had saved but not enough when you have two younger siblings studying , a steady monthly income was needed to run the day to day show. The savings were just enough to support her meager income . They lived comfortably in their middle class income.
7 years she supported her sister and her brother to make mark for themselves in the world. Karthik passed out his MBA and had joined a MNC in Bangalore . And Ayesha had finished BA fashion designing joined fashion house in Paris has intern . It had made her feel happy that the her brother and sister were happy in their life ,but she felt lonely all of a sudden . She knew that they would have to leave one day but she never knew it would happen so soon. Then when this training came up she volunteered to go for it during the Winter vacation as the rest of the coworkers didn’t want to spend their vacation away from their family.
but Priya wanted to escape the lonely house in which she lived , especially during holidays alone was her biggest nightmare. Shruthi her best friend and also her coworker from the school also joined as her husband was travelling aboard so decided it would be fun to have some girl time.
So here she was at this hotel discotheque because Shruthi wanted herto come along … Shruthi knew how lonely she was ,and wanted to priya for once in a life time enjoy life . She always took care for her sibilings given them her 100% , but suddenly she was alone in the world with nothing to do no life. Shruthi took it upon herself to correct the situation . But priya was not so sure about that life would change that she would meet a guy . Somewhere her early responsibility made her too matured too cynical of life.She was no longer sure that she would meet anybody Who would be interested in her the person. Sometimes she felt she was actually older than 28 years of age
Shruthi had tired to pull her to the dance floor , but Priya was not interested she stayed back .
After 1 hr , a group of people joined in it looked like they were friends just come in to have a good time. Except for one everybody was casually dressed . The man was wearing suit , looked odd in the informal settings
Everybody from the group hit the dance floor except for the man in the suit
Shruthi came back to where priya was sitting … Come on Priya I bought you here to have some fun, how are you going get your dream man if you insist on sitting on your ass here. Just come and enjoy na.
Shruthi chod na yaar , you know I dont dance .. last thing in mind is right now is meeting a man leave out any dream man. I just not sure I am the right kind of material for a relationship. I am to independent to be dependent on some one , I don’t think I would like someone interfering in my life also .. you go enjoy I am fine here..
You know priya you sometimes talk like your 60 years old do you know what darling ?? you are just 28 years old… so please.. don’t give me that depressing speech Priya. I know how lonely you are . You need someone in your life, someone to take care of you someone to love you . You were always the responsible one even when your parents were alive , you never really enjoyed life. I think it is time now to enjoy , all your responsibilities towards your siblings are over , it is time do something for yourself . Another 2 years Karthik and Ayesha I am sure will marry someone they like and settle down, but what about you . Don’t you think you have to think about your future , I can only SEE a lonely life I don’t want that for you , I know how much you want your own family and children ? I think you should think about . Even Karthik.. and sopped
What karthik ? she asked when she heard brother's name don’t tell me you and my brother talked about my m y love life … come on yaar .. aur kohi mila nahi tujhe
Oh god !!!.. sach me yaar I can’t keep a secret !! . nahi yaar karthik was just concerned about you that day , he felt you were too lonely !!isileyeee yaar
Ane do usko , algi baar jab ayega tho tum duno ko dekloogi mein
Before she could reply ,I heard somebody calling her name , it was one of the girls from the gang which entered in
As soon as Shruthi saw her , she jumped up in joy , hugged her . Shruthi and the girl were now screaming OMG OMG !! in various modulations one after and another. Everybody around stopped to look at them .
It looked like they were old friends meeting after ages. Shruthi then calmed down, introduced the girl to me
she was Neha Singh her college mate and bestest buddy . Neha was quickly corrected that she was now Shergill and now that she was married to Vikram , Another set OMG came out but this time from Shruthi . Shruthi it seems knew Vikram also . She immediately hugged and was in turn hugged by everybody except the man in suit . He just casually raised his hand to say HI. Somehow managed circumvent the impending hug from a very emotional Shruthi . I had to mentally congratulate him for evading the hug .I Know shruthi , she does get very emotional or should I say over emotional at small gestures… and when she gets emotionally she tends to go overboard with her hugs .. This was such circumstance . But when she came to the man , she stopped herself . who this man who made Shruthi restrain herself.. because that was really one of hell of task ..
Her curiosity peeked .. she looked closely at him , He was tall , his hair neatly combed , he had a smirking smile which accentuated the dimple on his chubby cheek, watching the play between the friends. As if he knew too much, there was an arrogance in the way in which he held himself . The suit ,watch and shoes suggested he was wealthy. He was definitely not fit, he had a paunch but his face had something which made a person want to take second look at him. He looked like he came out of meeting into the discotheque . He silently left the great union scene went back to seat he was occupying like her it looked as if he was also silent spectator .
When he reached the seat he ordered his drinks, for a second looked straight at her!! for the first time seeing her , noticing her . He saw that she was looking at him he smiled at her as if to mean that he understood how she felt about the whole drama that was unfolding in the center of the dance floor. I smiled a answering smile . He acknowledged it by a toast with his glass. Suddenly it felt that they knew each other and they were the same . For moment she was stunned that she understood what he felt . There was something undeniable about what passed between them . They just understood each other as if they talked to each other He looked at her with frown in his forehead trying to understand what exactly happened . Then the erie factor left her , she was called by Shruthi for an around of introductions. She politely nodded at the introductions acutely aware that the man in the suit was watching her with a smile . Now that smile irritated her . She wanted to leave to go back to her seat at the corner of the discotheque. But decorum demanded that she finish the introductions, shruthi 's friend Neha made wait more when she said wait let me introduce you to my friend .
Ram Neha shouted at the man in the suit Ram come na , Please meet priya na.
All this was happening on the middle of the dance floor all the other dancers were now silent spectators to show Neha and shruthi were organizing. Some were even complaining about it. Both shruthi and Neha were least bothered about what others felt . When Ram the man in the suit, was not budging , Neha sent her man vikram to get Ram.
Kya yaar Fatty she called him, meet Priya she said Priya looked at him silently enjoying his discomfort now, Abey fatty a na with wave of her hand . The wave proved to be saving grace of the day , Neha spilled the water the waiter was carrying on priya. O “”’ another set of OMG came out from Neha and , started apologizing for her gaff. Priya took this opportunity to slip out with excuse of drying herself. She left the dance floor hurriedly , when she left she looked back at the man in suit , he was also watching her , raised a toast silently congratulating her for successfully escaping the dance floor
Priya was walking on the lawns of the Hotel , trying to enjoy the delhi winter . She must have been out for close to half an hour when she felt somebody’s presence other than her in the garden . She turned back and looked it was man in the suit the Ram. He was quietly enjoying a smoke , it didn’t look like he even knew she was there . He too deep in thought holding a cigarette .
Ram hated parties , specially those parties that involved dancing .. Dancing was a puzzle that he could never solve He found it diff cult to do . When it involved something which involves moving with music and that to moving synchronized to the other persons movement , which he found very complicated . Neha had tried to teach him , but failed miserably , and ended with a fractured feet after that she never forced him to dance . and After that he never attempted it again in fact he preferred to turning wheels of business deals or trading the stock market .. He never was capable of dancing and never will able to understand. It .business was his life money making was his mantra he had to prove to the world that he was better than his father , though he may be son of late Amarnath Kapoor he was nothing like him.
Amarnath Kapoor taught him two vital lessons of his life , what not to do with money and how not live life . He was grateful to his father. He saw father drinking and wasting life , saw him living a life of debauchery , he lost his mother because of his father's debauchery. When Ram turned eighteen his mother left his father, she could no longer live with him , his mother wanted him to come with her , but he knew in his mother new life there was no space for him. She was marrying again to somebody she loved , and new man didn’t want to him . Not that he said anything directly to him, but he just knew . He was happy for his mother. She had tried to live with his father for 20 years for him she had sacrificed so much for him. So he held no grudges against her or the man who she wanted to marry . He was old enough to understand become a man ...he had no choice but live with his father.
His father started drinking more heavily , he kept saying to ram how much he loved him , and how he is going try to turn a new leaf and stop drinking . But he never could , every evening it was the same story , nothing changed until one day his father bought home a lady , he was dead drank . He called out to him and said Ram this is your new mother, Niharika She loves me lot and as always loved me.
What Ram didn’t know till then was Niharika was his father second wife , the fact which he had never actually felt need to tell him till today that he had another family tucked away . Through that wife he had three children, and the youngest was child a girl was just 2 years old. He felt anger at his father for cheating his mother , cheating this women and these children and making them live life of a lie . Niharika must just 10 years older than me , the eldest child Siddharth was almost 10 years that means my father married her when she only 18 years . He felt sad for her and the life his father had given her . He never knew why she married him or and what the compulsion that made her marry him a drunked . Sins of father where right there in front of him, , He knew what he had to do . He needed to take charge . CLEAN up his father mess.
When the youngest child clung to his shirt tail and called him bhai … looking at her innocence , he picked her up in his arms , her cute pigtails and innocent smile took his heart away . He took them in . They became his family. He vowed to himself that he will give them the life they deserve . . Ram Kapoor that day became the man . he took charge of life and changed its course . He knew money was only way make things work, so he worked hard to earn . And earned it in piles. His father passed way one night in his sleep No body mourrned his death . Ram pitied that man
He and his stepmother never had great relationship, he never understood her . She inturn was happy with life she got and she thought atlast she deserved the life she was getting for being married to that drunk sloth. She used the money Ram earned to live a life she always dreamed and wanted. Ram never questioned her buying or spending , he gave whatever she wanted out of sense of guilt . And she lived and thrived on it.They lived hapily co in habbiting as family with no ties other than money
Today he had come here to this party at instance of Neha and Vikram his only friends , the only people who knew Ram kapoor the person. He could never say no to Neha , somehow she made him do things that he normally would never do for any other person. Because he knew she loved him as friend , whatever she did was out of that love and concern . So he indulged her.
He stood so engrossed in his past he forget the cigarette in his hand had reached its fag end , it burnt in finger he quickly dropped it stomped on it. Then the he suddenly felt somebody was watching him looked up to see the mouse sorry what was the name he tried to remember neha said something he forgot he was never good with names of ladies anyway . Her eyes told him a story he wanted to know what she was thinking , he was very curious about her. There was something different about her which he could never pin point to ,something which made her standout from the crowd. She was no earth shattering beauty, but there was something about her eyes that piqued him . He walked forward to where she was standing . Seeing him coming towards her , made her stiffen. He took it has challenge
Forgive me, for intruding he said smoothly, and she shivered, because his voice—it wasn‘t
what she‘d thought it would be. It sounded like the smell of wood it felt like the
taste of chocolate. And she wasn‘t so certain why she‘d shivered, because now she felt
rather warm.―I am Ram kapoor he murmured, holding his hand out
. ―You are he asked sorry I didn’t catch your name in that crowd and noise
Priya she said
She had no choice but to hold his arm and shakeit . it was after all it was good manners . But she hesitated she quickly gave it and urgently removed it from the warm big hands .
―he continued I am very pleased to meet you .
She nodded. She probably ought to speak; it would certainly be more polite. But
she felt in danger of losing her poise, and it was wiser to remain silent.
―I do business, he added, looking vaguely amused at her reaction.
―Of course, she replied. She kept her face even. He would not get the best of
her. ―
Oh I teach at a school she replied there was nothing else she could add about herself to a complete stranger , nor did he have anything to say
He didn‘t say anything. Not right away. But his eyes fixed on hers, and it took
every ounce of her fortitude to maintain her expression. Placid, composed, and with
just a hint of curiosity. She thought the last necessary—if she hadn‘t been spying on
him ,she would certainly have found the encounter at dance floor intriguing somewhat curious.
A strange man, acting as if they‘d met.
A strange, handsome man.
A strange, handsome man who looked as if he might…
Why was he looking at her lips?
Why was she licking her lips?
― So here on business she asked trying something
distract herself. Anything to break the silence.
Yes he noded waiting for him to continue ... he didnt and she didnt know what to say .
Silence was not her friend, not with this man, not anymore. ―
You didn’t join them she continued indicating vaguely at discotheque
No he replied . I don’t like dancing . then there was silence again
―I wanted a smoke and wanted enjoy fresh air he said,
You know smoking is injurious to health , and more so for passive smoker. And went on and continued to give him lecture on how bad smoking is for health . By the end of it she realized he was just indulging her , and his smirk showed that her 2 minutes of lectures of facts and fig had no impact on him . He was just going to ignore her and continue smoking . He was actually laughing at her. Anger rose its ugly head .
She stopped and glared .
She felt as if she had something in her throat it was her anger . ―If you‘ll excuse
me… She motioned to the door, because surely he‘d noticed that she had been
moving toward the exit when he‘d intercepted her.
― Oh okay he said making way for to leave the lawn .Until next time,
She searched for a witty rejoinder, or even one sarcastic and sly, but her mind
was a hazy blank. He was gazing upon her with an expression that seemed to say
nothing of him, and yet everything of her. She had to remind herself that he didn‘t
know all of her secrets. He didn‘t know her.
Somewhat rejuvenated by her indignation, she gave him a nod she turned, and
she left. She was leaving when she tripped over her own feet and fell forward on the lawn .. He was soon standing near her trying to help her she was mortified and embarrassed that this man witnessed her fall. She immediately got up , with remaining pride that was left nodded that she was okay left the lawn . She did not look back but knew somehow he would be laughing at her with that silly smile on his face . She didn’t like him no she didn’t .. he was too arrogant ,
Ram looked at her walking stiffly towards the hotel entrance, she was sure funny little mouse she had the audacity to lecture him ..... he didn’t like her no he didn’t like her He didnt like the goody two little shoes
Author
Priya Ram
1 comment:
Nice update.
Post a Comment