Link to prologue:
Prologue
Sanskaar – veer
Ragini – diya
Swara – aashi
Laksh – arjun
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Sitting in one of the most renowned restaurants of the city, sipping in his red wine, Veer knew he needed to be happy. Afterall, he had got all that any man could ever dream of – money, fame, success, a hot and happening girlfriend who is sitting right infront of him. But somewhere within, he knew he was not content. He felt incomplete, that may be this was not what he had wanted. He felt something amiss.
Born with a silver spoon to India’s one of the most successful businessman, Suraj Singhania, having all the luxuries, with everything just a knock away – Veer was someone who never knew any hardships. Someone who got everything even before he knew he needed it. But that never made him the ‘ bade baap ka bighda hua aulaath’. He was always the kind, generous and at the same time cool dude of the campus.
But never mistake his life to be as smooth as a fairytale. He too had his own share of grieves. Veer lost his mother at an early stage, maybe even before he could properly register her face in his memories. His father being a single parent tried his best in playing both the parts in Veer’s life. Even amidst everything he was content with his life. He felt as if he had everything in his life, that was until he met her.
Aashi, Aashi Mehra- the name used to bring a curve on his lips – earlier. Both had been in the same class from their college days and had been good friends ever since, along with Arjun, another of their classmates and the three bonded pretty well. They used to hang out with eachothertime and then.
During their course of interactions, Veer had always felt being deeply attracted to Aashi and he had named the feeling love, without any second thoughts.
The duo had been in a relationship from their second year, after she received a grand proposal from him.
He clearly remember the day:
*
Veer was completely nervous about the proposal and was walking the length and breadth of the college Garden. Arjun was watching him amused leaning to a table and munching on the packet of chips he held. Finally Arjun decided to play the good friend and help his friend calm down, who was sweating like a 7 year old who had been caught stealing his favourite cookies from the kitchen cabinet.
Arjun crumpled the now finished chips packet and threw it at a distant dustbin and it landed exactly in it, thanks to his Basketball skills, dusted his hands and went near an extremely nervous Veer.
“Chill bro… Everything’s gonna be alright. Now stop panicking like you are gonna tell her that you love her evil step sister”. Veer glared at his best friend and Arjun immediately raised both his hands in a surrender and took a step back. “Ok… Now stop looking at me like that…. I know that was a bad one”.
“I just hope she says a yes” Veer said with nervousness evident on his face while Arjun rolled his eyes dramatically seeing his friend’s antics.
“Mahn… Stop behaving like a teenage girl”. The statement earned him another set of glares and he gulped in hard. Of course she would say yes. Just look at all these arrangements”. He turned Veer to glance at the arrangements while snaking his arm around Veer’s neck and continued “All these…. Her favourite yellow tulips, the blue balloons, along with the chocolate fudge cake and that beautiful ring…. I’m sure she’ll say yes just by seeing the arrangements itself.
And by the way have you prepared your proposal speech? You better rehearse it fast and don’t make any blunders, everyone would be here any minute”.
“Everyone?” quired Veer confused not getting to whom his friend over here is referring to.
“Everyone means the whole students. I asked all of them to be here to witness the Grand proposal” Arjun said stretching his hands in a rather dramatic way.
“You know what sometimes I wonder If you really are my friend or my enemy” said Veer as his eyes widened in shock and then turned annoyed.
“Chill mahn… And see she’s here” said Arjun when he spotted Ashi approaching them, with a smile. By this time the crowd had also started forming around them. “All the best bro” Arjun patted Veer’s shoulder and moved to stand with the crowd around to witness the whole proposal thing.
Ashi walked up to Veer who’s getting nervous with her each approaching step. “Hey Veer” she waved her hand at him. “Arjun said you wanted to tell me something. What is it? And by the way, why this crowd? she quired confused to see the crowd gathered.
Veer was tensed as to how to begin with and his eyes went through the crowd until it landed on Arjun. Arjun, on the other hand showed a thumps up and guestured to go on.
He breathed in and released the air gently mustering up courage.
Veer forwarded his hand for Ashi to hold. She kept her hand on his with a rather confused yet smiling face. He then gestured her to walk and the both were finally standing near the table that Veer had arranged, with the cake and stuffs on it. He took his hand back and made made Ashi face him. She raised her eyebrows in a questioning manner and he just smiled at her.
A moment later, Veer went on his knees and Ashi’s eyes went wide as saucers, the smile still intact on her face.
“You are a beautiful and caring person. I can look into your eyes and keep doing it for no matter how long. Being in the same room as you makes my heart buzz and beat in excitement. I want to freeze this moment and just live in it”. Veer stopped for a moment and glanced around the place before continuing. “We met right here, so I figured that this is as good as a place as any to ask you this question. I know this is gonna really upset all the single guys and gals out here but then I can’t help it. I am gonna keep it simple. Ashi Mehra – I love you. Will you be mine?” Veer took out the ring from his pocket and forwarded it to her and glanced at Ashi who was having a wide smile on her face “Will you?”
“Yes!!! Yes, I will she said rather excited forwarding her hand and he slid the ring on her ring finger. Veer immediately got back on his knees and both fed the cake to one anothere. The whole crowd broke into loud applause and the duo expressed their gratitude to everyone who came up to congratulate them.
Soon the crowd disappeared and the couple was only left with Arjun.
“Dude, I must tell you, your speech was really cool. Are you sure you prepared the whole thing all by yourself?? Arjun asked or better, teased.
“Naah…. then what is the internet for??” Commented Veer with a lopside grin. ” What!!! And here I thought you prepared such a lovely proposal” Ashi said with her mouth wide open giving a dramatic expression.
“Ok… Sorry” Veer said trying to give his best ever innocent look.
“Leave all that guys…. It’s time to celebrate. Today’s party would be on my behalf. After all, my two best friends have finally hooked up” Arjun butted in enthusiastically, pulling the other two into a group hug. “But before that let me finish this lovely looking cake over here…. It seems so lonely you see..” he added indicating towards the cake with his eyes and rushed to grab it as if there were other competitors for him as well. Meanwhile, the newly formed couple just shook their heads and smiled at their best friend’s antics.
Ever since then, they had been the most popular couple in the college with he, being the cool and handsome hunk and she, the most celebrated hot chick.
*
” Veer…. Where are you lost??” Ashi who noticed him lost asked, holding his hand in her, thus breaking his reverie.
“Huh?… Nothing much”
“Are you sure?
“Ya… Absolutely”. Veer replied with a smile and started having his food. “Fine” said she confused and resumed having hers.
The dinner went smooth and the couple were waiting for their desserts when Ashi’s phone rang playing Taylor Swift’s ‘Love story’, one of your favourite songs. Looking at the screen Ashi flinched in her seat.
“Ashi… What is it? You okay?” Veer asked concerned seeing Ashi flinch. ” Ya… I’m absolutely fine. It’s…. It’s just some random advertising call” Ashi said stuttering while passing a nervous smile, which didn’t go unnoticed by her companion.
“But…” Veer was about to enquire more when she cut him in. ” Veer, just give me a minute. I’ll just use the washroom and come”. She immediately got up on her feet and left to the washroom without waiting for him to respond.
Veer was confused by Ashi’s act. Well, this was not the first time she acted this way. He had been noticing the changes in her behaviour from fairly some time now. But whenever he tried to talk to her on the matter, she some how manages ignore the topic every single time. Veer had even thought of enquiring about it with Arjun, since the two worked in the same firm but then decided against it to give Aashi her own space.
He thought Aashi would talk to him when she was ready to share it on her own rather than forcing her.
Veer was lost in his own thoughts that he was a bit startled when his phone beeped informing the arrival of a new message, checking which he found an official message from his P.A.
He was busy going through it when he heard a very faint and rather feable laughter, which sounded more like a musical melody to him.
He involuntarily looked up and his eyes wandered around in search of the owner of the voice and his eyes finally landed on a table quite opposite to him on the right corner where four ladies in their mid-twenties were dining.
He inspected among them to find out the one whose mere laughter made his heart flutter, who sent butterflies down the pit of his stomach and finally his eyes tested on the one sitting at the left end, facing him.
He could make out that she was indeed very beautiful even while she sat at quite some distance away from him. She was wearing a white crop top paired up with high waisted denim shorts. She had long black hair with waves at the ends, which she had left open. He felt her black almond shaped orbs complemented her hair. Her smile was so mesmerizing that for a moment he felt deeply drowned towards her.
Her antics and her expressions while she talked to her friends, one sitting on her right and the other two facing her, had him numb and drained of all his senses.
Everything around him felt so good. All these feelings were totally new.
But was ot right of him to have such feelings and get attracted to some random girl, without even having the slightest idea of who she was. No, not in a million, especially not when he had a girlfriend of his own. He knew the answer but still couldn’t stop himself.
That was when it struck him – Aashi! It had been quite some time now since Aashi left to the washroom and she hadn’t returned yet. He thought of checking her himself.
Veer left in search of Aashi and nearec the washroom door and knocked on it. “Aashi.. Are you in there?” Veer called out when he didn’t receive any response. There was silence for a few seconds and then he heard her voice. “Yes Veer” she replied hastily.
“Oh. I was just worried. It’s been quite some time you were gone, so I just thought to check on you” said he.
“Sorry to make you wait Veer. Don’t worry, I’ll come in a moment” her voice coming from the other side of the door, depicted a hidden layer of tension.
“Fine”
He turned around and all of a sudden he felt something or rather someone fragile hit against his muscular body. Immediately his body played on it’s reflex and held the petite figure through the waist.
For any outsider, it would have seemed like a perfect cliched fairytale pose. Finally when he glanced at the figure secured in his arms, his heart beamed with happiness as she was the one whom he had been admiring a while ago.
She had her eyes shut tightly and her eyebrows shrank down, maybe due to the fright of falling. A small smile played on Veer’s lips seeing those innocent expression. He watched her as she opened her eyes, one at a time, and heaved in relaxation. Their eyes met and Veer realised he was totally wrong. Her eyes weren’t black, instead they were a very unique shade of hazel with golden flecks in the middle.
Veer felt everything around him fade. It was just the both of them. He felt shiver run down his spine when he felt his hand on her bare waist. Maybe even she experienced the same as he felt her flinch.
Veer involuntarily tightened his grip around her, holding her closer. He felt she rightfully belonged there, in his arms.
He experienced something similar to a thousand crackers exploding in every cell of his body. It made his heart flutter, which was already on a race. Everything seemed special, something magical.
He was so lost in the moment that he even failed to acknowledge that her moving lips indicated that she was speaking something. She wriggled in his hold, which bought him back to the earthly world around him.
That was when he realised what she was trying to do and immediately straightened her, loosening his hold around her.
” Sorry… And thank you for saving me from falling” ahe said with a warm smile and started to walk away. He saw her moving and felt an immediate urge to stop her, to aak her something in a desperate need to hear her voice again. He atleast needed to know the name of this Angel face, who had him mesmerized the moment his eyes caught her.
Veer was about to call her when she heard the washroom doors open open and saw Aashi coming out. But still he wasn’t ready to take his eyes of the path that she went. This surprised him.
“Veer, what are you looking at?” quiered Aashi, seeing him lost looking somewhere. She trailed her eyes in the direction he was staring and found nothing but an empty corridor.
“Angel face” he said lost, more to himself. “Huh?” Aashi was confused with his reply. Veer turned to look at Aashi and saw the confusion on her face. That was when it drowned in him.
He was surprised at his own behaviour, the way he was being pulled towards the unknown angelic stranger and above all the way his brain shut down the moment she was around.
And before he thinks more about her and looses his senses, ‘again’, he composed himself and turned to Aashi, who seemed muddled.
“Uh… Nothing. Come let’s go. It’s already very late”.
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Surprise surprise!!!
Merry Christmas and happy New year everyone.
I’m back after a very long time… I know you people might have forgotten about this fs. I’m soooooo sorry for being this late.
So here goes the next chapter. Please don’t expect the next part sooner. I would only be able to post the next part from April onwards as I’m really packed till then..
Do tell me how you people found this chapter, good or bad all comments welcome.
Again, a very happy Christmas and New year…. May this new year bring happiness and prosperity for all…
Till the next time….. Take care and stay blessed.