Here it is. my version of what the infamous "one night stand" on Ishqbaaz should have been. Enjoy, comment, and like, for more!
ONE NIGHT STAND
"Om, he has not had anything to
eat this entire day. I thought we would get to eat together after the Sangeet.
But after what happened downstairs, with Anika Didi and Daksh, what he looked like when he walked away, Om, I don't think its right to
let Bhaiya stay locked in his room. Soumya stopped by his room just now, she got no response from him after five minutes of knocking. At least I
got to see him-- I stopped by with his favorite fruits, two hours ago, he
opened the door, looking absolutely blank, he thanked me and closed it on my
face without taking the plate from me. I don't think he even noticed that mom
sent dinner on the tray at least three hours ago. That's lying outside his
room right now, untouched. The least we can do is get him something to eat!"
Om unhurriedly poured some water onto the dry clay base he was mixing with mica
crystals. Working the mix between his long fingers, he ignored Rudra as his
brother paced, like a large, caged beast, all around his studio.
Leaning against the wall, far enough away to give an illusion of privacy to the
brothers, but close enough to join if she was called, stood
Soumya. Her huge eyes looked anxious, a
small frown on her alabaster skin. Ignoring Rudra who had literally growled at him,
and tried to snatch away the pigment he was carefully mixing, Om smiled at his soul-
sister, beckoning.
She hurried over, and her own words now blended with
Rudra's. "Bhaiya,
we shouldn't be leaving him alone right now." Soumya said, softly, as
she stared beseechingly up at her favorite O-Bro.
"I don't know him like you do, but
in my experience, people who go through shocks often react unpredictably. And
the shock of finding out he is in love with Anika Didi, just when she is
getting engaged to someone else is not a normal thing to go through, Bhaiya. I
thought he would stop it, he would tear Daksh Bhai's hand away, like he looked
like he would do, when they were dancing. I even whispered to Dadi-ji that it
looked like things were finally going to be okay. But then, he let it happen,
Bhaiya! She walked out, he left everyone to come up to his room, and we all just
stood there, watching. I don't know how Aunty-ji handled the guests,
but finally they are all gone. I sent Rudra after Didi, but he couldn't find
her, the guards said they saw her leave the Mansion right after the ring
exchange. And now, Bade Bhaiya hasn't come out, hasn't said anything, or done
anything, either. Its him not doing anything that worries me the most, Bhaiya.
It's not like him. I don't like this."
Om nodded, absently getting mud onto his face as he scratched at his eyebrow.
He turned away from the two youngsters waiting for him to do something, and
waved towards his glasses. Huffing in irritation, Rudra now put the black specs
on Om's nose. Rudra was about to say something more when Om turned fully away
from the two of them, swiveling and turning his back as his hands went back into
the clay he was molding.
*********************************************************
Like Rudra, Soumya had not bothered to change out of the
glittering floral outfits they had all worn with so much excitement, only four
hours ago. The sangeet. The godforsaken sangeet. After the terrible ring ceremony
between Anika and Daksh, after Shivaay leaving the venue looking like someone
had shot him, Omkara had gone immediately after his brother. But clearly, he had not gone early enough to stop Shivaay from barricading himself in his bedroom. But
still, Om had left, first among them, leaving behind the guests still milling
around at that farce of an event.
He had been able to ignore Tia's increasingly
shrill demands that the brothers and Soumya stay back with her. Soumya had grabbed
Rudra's arm, trying to follow Om out when Tia's digging crimson nails had stopped
them both. Tia, angrier than they had ever seen her, now hissed that they had
to help her cover up for Shivaay Baby's extremely RUUDDEE exit. She had a
couple dance she had practiced, and Shivaay Baby was supposed to lip synch to a
Benny Dayal number, he had practically promised it! Om had simply ignored Tia
as he whispered to his mother, that he would see to
Shivaay.
He had left Rudra and Soumya behind to help the Oberoi ladies. Rudra had stared at Tia, unable
to believe that out of all that had happened, the tragedy on stage, Anika's
robotic pain, Shivaay's devastated face, the only thing concerning his fiance
was how it all LOOKED. But both the fiances at this event tonight were acting
flat out weird. Daksh Bhaiya was seen preening among the guests, accepting
congratulations, seemingly unaware that Anika had disappeared within moments of
wearing his ring. Tia had a fake smile plastered
on her face as she went around, acting like she had no clue about what anyone
with eyes had seen to be true, tonight. And Shivaay...he was just..gone.
*************************************************************
Daksh had left the Mansion after dinner, talking wildly about celebrating his good
fortune with friends who had seen his status update, and were waiting for him. Disgusted,
Rudra refused to go along with the newly engaged man, who thought celebrating
his Anika Didi's acceptance at a bar or strip club was somehow going to appeal
to Rudra. Soumya had finally managed to get away from Tia when Badi Maa and Dadi-ji
came up with news.
Pinky Aunty was starting to get suspicious. She wanted to talk to her
son. Or failing that, with Anika. Far
too many guests commented on her son's reaction to her wedding planner's
engagement. Far too much raw pain darkened her son's eyes, for even that serenely oblivious mother to ignore, tonight. Finding that neither of her victims were available,
Pinky, with none of her usual dramatics, asked
Dadi-ji the obvious question-- point blank. Her mother in law's non-answer, and the
shining tears in Janvi's eyes had told Pinky far more than any words could
have. She went over to Tia, still happily greeting guests, and whispered
to Tia's mother.
Pinky Oberoi was sorry. Her son was probably an overprotective friend,
and Anika was probably going to be horrified by the gossip, she had just gotten
engaged herself, after all. Pinky was too embarrassed for words. But this was a question
of her son's happiness. Her son's life. Everything was fine, the
wedding was definitely going to happen. She was sure of it. But until she could talk
to Shivaay, and discuss some things she had heard and seen with her son, she wanted to postpone the mehndi tomorrow. Pinky Aunty was now the
one who needed time.
When they escaped the explosive fight a good hour later, with Tia angrily
storming away from the Mansion with her mother and Robin, Soumya
and Rudra had rushed upstairs -- to find
Shivaay locked in his room.
Frantically, Rudra and Soumya hammered at his door. Shivaay was in there,
but his hoarse voice, choked from some unnamed emotion told them to leave
him alone. At first they had still tried to get in to see their hurting,
devastated brother. Begging, pleading, Rudra even threatened to break the door
down if he didn't get entry. Shivaay had just not responded. They didn't know
what they could do. They had no idea what state he would be in, whether it was
even possible to ..well... help. But they knew they couldn't leave him alone.
So
they had come to find Om, to see what he suggested, to find...this.
There, Shivaay was refusing to open the door to either of
them and here Om was, casually dressed and working away in his studio, apparently
starting a new sculpture, tonight of all nights. Om's indifference was
the final straw, on this night of terrible events. Tired, unsure
of what to do, Rudra sank down to the studio floor, blindly reaching one hand out
towards Soumya. Soumya went to up to Rudra immediately, sitting and letting
him slump against her shoulders, as he put an arm around her, and wiped her cheeks
dry. Uncaring of how badly he was crushing her sequin skirts, Rudra put his
head down on Soumya's lap, she automatically started to stroke his hair. Leaning over him, Soumya murmured words of comfort, as Rudra held her hand clasped against his chest.
Watching the reflection of the two youngsters in the
window before him, Om whistled silently to himself. Tonight really was a night
of revelations.
He went back to his statue.
************************************************************
The pre-dawn light filtered in grey-gold waves through
Omkara's open window. The first rays of the sunlight broke through the trees, dappling
gold coins of light all over the artist as he feverishly worked on the last
touches to his statue. With one final twist of his sensitive fingers, one last
stroke down the smooth clay, Omkara stepped back. Sunlight, as
if it had been waiting its turn, now beamed across his work, highlighting his
greatest ever creation -- his most incredible work yet was in Nature's own spotlight. Om smiled, as the rays started turning the
mica crystals he had embedded into the clay into refractive points of rainbow
light, causing the 2 figures he had created to shimmer in otherworldly
brilliance. The gold pigment he had worked though the clay now picked up gilded
sparks as the sculpture, a semi- abstract work of two lovers entwined in embrace, glowed in the dawn's golden rays. His eyes cleared up as he emerged from the fog of creation. How fitting that pure love was what he had been driven to make. Om was aware that he had truly forced his inspiration into his work this time.
This was it. He had created his masterpiece.
Omkara, like an unconscious artist awoken from his creative frenzy, now
started back, and looked at the time. Good God! He had almost missed it!
Turning to race from the studio, he stopped at the sight of Rudra and Soumya,
still wrapped in each other's arms, Soumya's dupatta blanketing them both. The
youngsters were sleeping, sitting against each other on the floor, as
comfortably as if both were flat on their own beds. The tear tracks had dried
on Rudra's cheeks. As he stirred in his sleep, Soumya, also fast asleep,
unconsciously stroked Rudra's forehead, making him lean back against her. Her
own sad face looked puffy and white. Making a decision, Om woke them both. He dragged them, sleepily protesting, out with him.
***********************************************************
They were just in time. As they turned the corridor towards Shivaay's room, Shivaay opened his bedroom door and walked across, right in front of them, going towards his
private kitchen. The three of them stood stock-still as they took in Shivaay's
appearance. The buttons completely undone, the garment barely shrugged
on, they could see the defined muscles of his chest stand out, starkly white
against the black kurta he wore. The sleeves of his kurta were rolled up, and they saw him smiling down and touching what looked like fingernail marks on his forearm. Barefoot, the famously elegant Shivaay Singh
Oberoi was completely rumpled, with his hair flowing around his head in unruly
black waves, as he worked quickly at his stove.
He had still not seen them, and Shivaay
whistled softly to himself as he reached for a pot and poured in the
ingredients to...masala chai???? As Shivaay turned away to grab two mugs, Soumya,
who had walked upto the ajar bedroom door, peered inside. She then let
out a gasp which (as Rudra told her later) was loud enough to wake the dead AND, worse, their parents.
Both brothers' heads immediately swiveled to the open bedroom door, and once they took
in what they were seeing, both immediately blushed, and swiveled their
heads away.
Rudra buried his face against Om's shoulder and started to
chuckle, unable to stop the bubbles of laughter, as shock, relief and pure joy
shook him by turns. But as Soumya explained to Rudra later, sometimes shock
makes odd things burn into your vision. What all three of them had seen wasn't
TOO shocking, because Anika was lying face down, after all, and fast asleep. While she was clearly naked, she was completely wrapped by
Shivaay's silk sheets. So, all you could really see was one long bare arm and some
unruly curls nestled against Shivaay's pillow. But, it was true, that some things just
registered instantly. And the sight of the sleeping girl's slender hand, missing a
diamond ring, but wearing the Anika Bracelet, registered on all three of
the grinning vouyers right away.
Soumya's gasp and then Rudra's giggles had
attracted Shivaay's attention. Now, the three of them waited, smirking as
Shivaay stalked over to them, his face absolutely crimson. He firmly closed his
bedroom door, after a good long stare at the occupant on his bed, and
glared at them, one arrogant eyebrow raised. Daring them to say a word.
Rudra, now laughing openly, held on to Om as Om
looked away smiling, not quite knowing what to say to his famously
conservative, proper brother. Who right now looked like he had rolled out of bed,
and was planning to go right back inside,
go on making love to his woman, after getting her that masala chai she adored. The man concerned with the entire world's opinion now didn't
give a damn about anything else but his and Anika's happiness. The man Soumya had
accused of not taking any action -- well, he had taken several VERY decisive
actions, last night, and judging from his face, he was deliriously happy with
the outcome of what he had done.
Soumya now shocked everyone, herself
included, by being the one to throw her arms around Shivaay, hugging him
as her own relief and happiness for Bade Bhaiya and Anika Didi coursed
through her. Grinning, Shivaay ruffled her hair, as Rudra hauled Soumya back
and closer to him, suddenly scowling. Om ignored his volatile kid brother and his
newly discovered obsession, and stared at Shivaay. His artist's eyes took in the glow
in Shivaay's eyes, the smile that suffused his face with a happiness and peace that
had been missing for months. Shivaay's lack of sleep was obvious, but the joy
and the relief he was feeling was more marked than any circles under his light filled eyes. And, all the while, inside his room, Shivaay's
entire world slept on, peacefully sprawled on his massive bed.
*************************************************************
There would be work to do. They would have to somehow sneak an ex-wedding planner from Shivaay's bedroom and out of the Mansion, in broad daylight. There would be two engagements to
break. There would be one stubborn, independent woman to convince, still, to give Shivaay a chance at being her equal, her partner. There would be some mothers to
placate, high society to handle. There would be friendships to end, and love stories
to begin. They all knew this.
But today, Shivaay's face told Om that not interfering last night had been the
right call. Om had watched from the shadows as Shivaay had grabbed Anika as she
was about to head out of the garden exit, hauling the shaking girl against him.
He had chosen not to do anything when he watched Anika struggle, slap Shivaay,
and collapse against him when he did not react. She had cried, and he held her even closer to his aching chest. Om's own
eyes had watered at the devastation on Shivaay's face, the humiliated, unhappy
misery on hers. Om had turned away when Shivaay had finally crushed his lips against
the trembling ones beneath his, moaning as he buried his hands in his woman's wildly curling hair. Then, in one move, Shivaay had wrenched a glittering diamond ring off her hand, and tossed
it away, to be lost in the enveloping blackness of the garden.
Om had stood
by, guarding his brother's privacy when the first broken words of love, of
loss, of adoration and desire had been spoken, in a voice of pure worship. A shaking voice that Om had never heard his brother use before. When the sobbing girl had finally collapsed against her
Ishqbaaz, whimpering, Om had moved, waving away
a security guard coming towards them, with instructions on what to say to anyone looking for Anika, tonight. And Om had said nothing when Shivaay scooped
a sobbing Anika up into his arms, ignoring her fists as they flailed wildly at
him, and carried her up the private back stairs, and to his bedroom.
And Om had
gone to his studio, staying silent when Rudra and Soumya had showed up-- because, really, what
could he say to the kids? Clearly, now of course, his younger brother and his best friend were moving rapidly past the "kid" stage. In any case, they had deserved to see for themselves their bhaiya's happiness this morning. Om had
worked all night on his own obsession, giving form to the love he had witnessed last night. And Om had hoped that this morning, whatever had begun last night would now
last a lifetime. Silently hoped that their first Ishqbaaz had crossed the final barrier, and was
safely home, in his lover's arms.
Abh pyaar hi teri majboori hai
Dil dena tha, aur teri deewani...
Woh dene ka hissa bhi poori hai.
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