Insecurities- part of Love.?
"Pink or Red..??"
Piya stood in front of the mirror while she had two dresses in both of her hands. She was not able to decide the perfect color for her and finally after a while she threw both of her dresses on the side couch where a mountain of clothes was already built.
From past one hour, Piya is doing this exercise- standing in front of the mirror, travelling between the mirror and the wardrobe, deciding what to wear and ultimately not getting any answers. The each time she denied the dress, the each time she said the same sentence-
"I don't have anything to wear.!"
Isn't it a patented sentence of every girl.? Anyway, finally after a "mehnat" of whole one hour, Piya finally decided with the very first dress she has rejected, the blue one. It was just the dress which she has decided, now she has to select many things, right from her accessories to the fragrance of her perfume. And after that she has to clean the whole messed up room. Anyway cleaning and arranging the stuffs is not a part of Piya's habit, she loves things to be scattered everywhere, whether it is her room or her life, doesn't matter.
Piya was having her date with her boyfriend, Meet. As always she was about to get late today also, and she knows what she is going to hear from Meet-
"How can you always be late.?"
Piya doesn't answer him anything besides saying a sorry. And today also she is just going to utter a short apology so that he doesn't ask anything further. If she will tell him that she got late because she was selecting a dress to wear then he is definitely going to laugh at her.
"Tum to hamesha aise concious hoti ho jaise we are meeting for the very first time, first date hai kya hamari.?"
This is what Meet always says and Piya too always revert him back with a pouted reply-
"So what.? It's always exciting for a girl."
After which she again hears the same reply from Meet-
"Grow up Piya.!"
Piya always feels bad somewhere when Meet taunts this statement to her. Last month Piya had celebrated her 25th birthday, and if growing up is getting boring like Meet, then Piya doesn't want to "grow up" at any cost.
Well, Meet is not that boring, he just stays silent and quiet for the maximum time. He is totally opposite of Piya, he doesn't wish to have late night phone calls, neither he is interested to have Scooty rides around the city, neither he is interested to enjoy roadside "golgappas", still he loves Piya. He never gets irritated with any of her childish acts. While he is sleeping if Piya shouts near his ears, he doesn't shout back on her for her kid-ish behavior. He has accepted whatever Piya has chosen for him, let it be his tshirts or else his coffee mug on which both of theirs picture is printed.
"How bachkana it is Piya."
Meet had said this when Piya has gifted him that coffee mug. Still he accepted that with a disbelief nod, just to make Piya happy.
"It's not bachkana. Cute kehte hai ise."
Piya had differed his sentence for which she heard a laugh from Meet.
"You girls are same. Annu ko bhi yeh sab cute lagta tha. If you search in the wardrobe, you will find a similar mug with our photo on it."
Annu- Anushka, Meet's ex girlfriend. At that time something has felt in Piya's heart. She wanted to tell Meet to not say anything like that again, but kept quiet without saying anything.
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LOVE, this four alphabet word was not that meaningful for Piya until she met Meet. When he entered in her life, that was the time Piya understood the soul meaning of this beautiful yet powerful word. After completing her MBA, Piya got placed into a multinational company, and Meet is her senior there. At first Piya used to hate him, he seems to be literally a "khadoos boss" to her. But within time, she has started understanding more about him. Whenever Piya used to stuck in between any work, Meet used to be ready to help her out in every way. He always used to hide her mistakes from their manager. When Piya had once mistakenly spilled the coffee over his worksheet, the ever always angry Meet didn't shouted or scolded her. When once Piya got really late for her presentation, at that time too Meet saved her from the visitors. When once in cafeteria she was backbiting Meet with her colleagues, he had heard every "burai" against her, still he didn't said anything to Piya. With time, both of them became friends and soon they got into a love relationship.
Piya and Meet are with each other since one and a half year now, still Anushka, oh Annu that is, Annu's topic has not given a full stop to. Meet had already told about Anushka to Piya at the time when they were only friends. Meet and Anushka were in four long years of relationship, after which they got mutually separated.
"What was the exact reason.?"
Piya always questions him about what made Meet to part ways from Anushka.
"Bass yun hi laga ki abb saath nahi reh sakte, that's it."
He used to answer her the same after which Meet used to hide his eyes from Piya. Whenever she used to question him anything about Anushka, Piya used to minutely check with Meet's expressions and reactions. May be she used to search any repentance for getting separated from his Annu.?
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It was almost 10 in the night, that night Piya had decided to stay at Meet's flat. After the dinner, both of them got into the living room couch and were having their eyes towards the direction of the TV. It was Piya's favourite movie getting played on SET MAX, "Dilwale Dulhaniyaan Le Jayenge". It was for the nth time Piya and Meet were watching that movie together, still at the time of the climax, Piya had started crying getting emotional.
MEET- Oh God Piya, not again.!
Meet had said without looking at her. And Piya immediately wipes her tears off and answered him back.
PIYA- I'm not crying.
MEET- acha.? Show me..
Meet pulls her out from his embrace, she was resting her head on his shoulder. He turns to face her and took her face in his hold.
MEET- wow Piya, tumhari aankho ke saath saath, naak se bhi aansu tapakte hai kya.?
Meet has started laughing while Piya got a shock with his words. She immediately wipes her nose too and gave a pat on his shoulder, smiling at his words.
MEET- chalo now you can cry openly.
As soon as Piya got the permission from Meet, she burst into her tears again, this time with a smile on her face.
MEET- arey pagal ho kya tum.? Enough Piya..
Meet pulls her into his embrace and started caressing her back of the head, still laughing and giggling at her childishness.
MEET- you know what, I used to cry while watching movies like this only. Annu used to tease me a lot.
The smile which was crept on Piya's face got disappeared suddenly. Again Anushka, oops, Annu.!
MEET- now we will stop DDLJ ha. De di permission bauji ne, ja chuki Simran Raj ke pas. Ab bas...
Meet was continuously going on with his words, but Piya didn't paid much attention to anything. The name "Annu" has already gathered in her mind and had blocked rest of the words from entering into her ears.
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"First love is the purest one or what.?"
This question has started making rounds in Piya's mind the each time Anushka used to jump in between her and Meet unknowingly. The feeling of first love is always out of the world, that feeling Piya have for Meet. But he doesn't have that same feeling for her. Because she is his second love, not the "purest" one.? They must have a special bonding with each other, that's why after almost two years of getting separated, Meet still takes Anushka's name in front of Piya.
It was Sunday morning, Piya had just woken up from her sleep and Meet was back from his jogging. She was resting carelessly on the couch when she heard Meet's call for her.
MEET- coffee lo madam.
Meet kept the tray of two mugs on the table and got settled down beside Piya. He took the fresh newspaper in his hold and started reading with the current latest news. Piya straighten herself properly and started staring him. No thoughts, nothing made rounds in her mind, still the blank stare made her to sigh in disbelief.
MEET- mall chale.? You wanted to go for shopping hai na.?
His question made Piya to face him suddenly. She had said that she want to visit for shopping on last Tuesday, and Meet remembered that. Again a smile crept on Piya's face amd she shook her head happily.
.
It was Thursday evening, Meet had taken Piya at his flat again. Piya was not feeling well since morning and hence Meet requested her to not stay alone. Piya had temperature, she had already taken the bitter medicine with Meet's sweet scoldings, still nothing changed her fever. Meet got busy in his work while working on his laptop while Piya took his cellphone in her hold, swiping the old pictures of his gallery. Few were of Piya's birthday, few were of their Goal trip, few random clicks and so on.
PIYA- yeh dekho Meet..
Piya turns the cellphone's screen towards Meet and he smile looking at the picture. It was their click when they were having camel safari at the time they had visited Jaipur.
MEET- we had enjoyed that trip a lot.!
Meet said while turning his face into the laptop again. That was their office trip but on the free day they had visited various places in Jaipur.
PIYA- yes. Iss baar holidays me kahi chale.?
Asked Piya and got an immediate agreement nod from Meet.
MEET- kaha chale.?
PIYA- mmm.. south me chale kahi.? Kerela.?
Piya's eyes twinkle while she questioned him excitedly.
MEET- Kerela nahi yaar, I had already visited there with Annu. Ooty chale, we had planned but never got a chance to visit there.
The excitement which had taken birth inside the unwell Piya has again dropped suddenly after hearing Meet's words. She bows her head down for a moment while Meet continued typing something into his laptop.
PIYA- do you miss her.?
Piya's sudden question didn't fit perfectly in Meet's mind and he didn't exactly replied her what she wants to hear.
MEET- who.?
Meet looks at her for a moment and again got his eyes back in to the screen.
PIYA- tumhari Annu..
That words itself made Meet to stop whatever he was doing. He abruptly turns to face her and Piya asked him again looking straight into his eyes.
PIYA- abhi bhi yaad aati hai tumhe uski.?
Both of them stare each other for a moment after which Meet again got back into his laptop.
MEET- kuch bhi.. acha listen, me kya soch raha tha, tickets abhi se karwa lete hai, badme mile na mile.
Very softly, Meet has shrugged her question off. Piya keep on looking at him while Meet started planning their Ooty trip. Piya downcast her head and felt dumb for her question. She should have understand him, after all both of them were together for four years. And it takes time to forget the person completely, may be sometimes the person doesn't leave the memories.!
.
Meet and Piya had visited shopping, they were about to visit a friend's wedding and therefore got that need to shop some traditional attires for them.
PIYA- Meet, how's it.?
Piya showed him a green color Georgette dress which she had placed in front of her.
MEET- beautiful.
Meet actioned through his hands. Piya made a face and turns towards the shelf again.
PIYA- itni khas bhi nahi hai.
Piya put the dress back and started checking for other ones. Meet moved closer to her and stood beside her.
MEET- why don't you try saree Piya.?
Piya narrowed her eyes and turns to face him.
MEET- you will look pretty in that attire.
Piya's eyes went wide with happiness.
PIYA- sacchi.?
Meet nods in agreement at her and travelled his eyes towards the saree section.
MEET- you have great options there. Kanjivaram, Banarasi, Maheshwari, and many more.
Piya went surprised and she turns to face him completely.
PIYA- tumhe saree ki itni knowledge kaise hai.? PhD kar rakhi hai tumne.?
Piya asked him in a joke while Meet shook his head lightly with a smile.
MEET- it's general knowledge madam.
Piya's smile again got disappeared as she observed that Meet was hiding his eyes from her. As in, he wants to hide Anushka's name from her.
MEET- let's go towards the section now.
Meet took the hold of her hand and started pulling her towards the saree section.
PIYA- Meet..
Piya pulls her hand off from his hold.
PIYA- mujhe nahi kharidni koi saree. Me Ghar ja rahi hu.
Piya said getting angry and turns to leave from there. Meet scrunched his eyebrows and keep on looking at her direction. He tried to call her but Piya didn't replied him anything back. Meet was following her calling her name out when suddenly a boy stood in front of them, blocking their way.
VARUN- hey Meet.!
He was Meet's friend, Varun. Both the boys embrace each other in a brotherly hug after which Varun turns to face Piya.
VARUN- ohh so you are Anushka.
Piya's angry expressions turned shocked when she heard Varun has misunderstood her Anushka.
VARUN- kabse sunte aarahe hai aapke bare me, really nice to meet you.
Piya turns to look at Meet who was standing still saying nothing. He hasn't informed his friends about Piya.? Everyone knew about Anushka, but no one had any idea about their separation and Piya being in his life now.? Piya downcast her head but didn't said anything to Varun. Meanwhile Meet and Varun got busy in their talks.
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Distance in a relationship starts building when something out of the way happens. That "out of the way" thing had already got into Piya and Meet's relationship and the distance had started building in between them. It was two weeks after that incident, and Piya has maintained her distance from Meet. She didn't visit his flat, neither on weekends. When Meet asked her to accompany him to a library, Piya denied him saying that she has some official work. And Meet didn't forced her too, which again made Piya to feel disappointed at.
Piya was resting on her bean bag in her room when a door bell gains her attention. She lazily got up from her place and moves towards the door to find Meet standing in front.
MEET- khudko house arrest kyu kar rakha hai.?
Piya got suddenly surprised with Meet's visit. She automatically made way for him and Meet enters inside.
MEET- why didn't you came to the office yesterday.? You didn't received my call, neither you are replying my messages.?
Meet keep on questioning her as he travelled his eyes around her whole house. He could witness the scattered things everywhere, nothing at its place. Chocolate wrappers on the floor, three to four used coffee mugs on the table, lots of novels scattered over table, office papers and files on the couch, everything is seems to be imperfect. And that's how Piya loves to live.
MEET- Piya, you are impossible.
Meet shook his head in disbelief and at the next moment he started picking up the books on the table.
MEET- kab jayegi tumhari yeh aadat.?
Meet again showed his disappointment at her which made Piya irked.
PIYA- kabhi nahi jayegi. Aadatein jati hai kya kahi.?
Meet gave a light laugh at her words and again got busy while placing the books on the shelf.
MEET- me bhi aisa hi tha bohot pehele. And then look at me now. Badal gaya na.?
Piya wanted to ask him about what has made him changed or who was the reason behind this change. But before she could ask him Meet said something.
MEET- should I prepare tea for us.? After that kahi bahar ghum aate hai.
Meet picks the used mugs of coffee and started moving towards the kitchen. Piya followed him and stood at the entrance. She observed him cleaning the used plates in to the sink.
PIYA- I think hume alag hojana chahiye.
Piya's words made Meet to stop in his work. He quickly turns to face her with his shocking eyes.
MEET- what.?
A whispered word came out of his mouth while Piya crossed her hands near her chest.
PIYA- you still love Anushka. Tumhare life me abhi bhi hai wo. You have not forgotten her Meet.
Piya said in a breath, still showing her disappointment. Meet hurriedly put the dish back into the sink and washed his hands under the running water of the tap. He moves closer to her and stood in front of Piya.
MEET- it's nothing like that Piya. Tum yeh sab kyu...
Meet tried to place his hand on her shoulder while Piya abruptly shrugged off his hand. She turns around to face her back towards him and started moving towards the hall while Meet followed her.
That day Piya poured her anger on him. Whatever complaints she had, whatever disappointment she had each and every thing Piya keep pouring out on Meet and he silently listened at her words.
"Tumhari Annu tumhare dil aur dimag par chayi hui hai. You don't need me Meet."
That was Piya's last words after while Meet had left her flat, saying nothing, giving no response or answers to her allegations.
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Ten days passed, but still Piya and Meet didn't had any conversation. They used to come across each other in the office, still they didn't dare to eye each other. Piya had started feeling that pain now. At first it was all her anger, but then she has started missing Meet. Moreover she was getting angry on Meet, for not even trying to justify himself, for not even trying to give excuses. She had put allegations on him and he had silently listened to her, without saying anything.? Is it meant that he had excepted whatever she had said.?
Piya was resting herself in the cafeteria of their office. She had the menu card in front of her eyes, though nothing was gaining her interest still Piya wanted to keep herself busy.
"Hey.."
Piya heard the known voice which made her to uplift her face towards Meet, who was standing in front of her.
MEET- you were waiting for me since long or what.?
Questioned Meet and he got settled down in front of her. Piya narrowed her eyes and Meet placed a wrapped box in front of her.
MEET- happy two years to us.
Piya witnessed the happy smile on Meet's face. It was their two years anniversary of their relationship, and Meet remembered that.
MEET- dekho na.
Meet actioned her to open the gift wrapped box. Piya placed the menu card on the table and took the box in her hold after which she started unwrapping it. She got surprised as she found a coffee mug of their picture printed on it, the similar one she had gifted him, but this time something drew her attention towards the mug.
"Forever always"
Was written with red paint on the white mug. Piya motioned her eyes towards Meet, the same Meet who used to find these things kid-ish slash childish had million volt smile on his face while gifting the mug to Piya.
MEET- tumhare favourite french fries order kare.?
Meet's question made tears to form in Piya's eyes. His sweet and kind behavior as in nothing had happened between them made Piya to burst into tears. Meet gave a smile at her and placed his hand on Piya's hand. He keep on holding her right hand until Piya stopped her tears and finally got relaxed.
MEET- me kabhi knowingly Annu ki baatein nahi karta Piya.
Piya heard Meet's voice after a long silence.
MEET- we were together for four years. And it's obvious ki relationship wali memories me uska zikr hoga.
Piya's hissing sound between her tears were still heard but Meet didn't pulled his hand back from her hold.
MEET- aur tumhare samne me yeh sabhi baatein bina soche samjhe bol deta hu. It's not because I miss her, it's because I trust you.
Piya motioned her moist eyes towards him and meet her eyes with his genuine ones. He had a light smile on his face and after a moment he spoke further.
MEET- I am sorry if I hurt you.
Piya didn't replied anything back. She wipes her tears completely and again turns to face him.
PIYA- why did you ignored me.?
Meet giggles as he witnessed her pout-ed expressions. The fight which was started by her, Piya is blaming him for ignoring.?
MEET- I was not ignoring you. Bas wait kar raha tha, tumhare shant hone ka.
Piya again witnessed the genuine words, it was witnessed easily that he really meant those words.
MEET- kyuki gusse me to madam, aap kuch bhi nahi sunti.
Meet gave a light finger pat on her nose which made Piya to giggle at him. She keep on looking at him while Meet turns to call the waiter to give him the order.
MEET- two masala fries with two cold coffee. Bhaiya, fries me salt kum rakhna, and cold coffee without ice.
Piya got a warm smile as she heard Meet giving instructions to the waiter, the way Piya loves to eat. Piya tightens the grip on his hand and keep on staring him with smile while Meet has started talking something about office, few things about whatever happened in these days and few things this time about only Piya. She sighed in relief, though the words were falling on her ears but Piya was only having her happy stare at Meet...
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*****
Drop your reaction, and do comment for the short story.. Thank you.! ❣️
Inspired from the column of Deeksha Choudhary.
Edited by Saumya96 - 3 years ago
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