Chapter-11

The waves were hard hitting along with the blistering around the sky with occasional bolts in the weather. With the weird weather of the sultriness and the occasional bolts from the skies, there were two more sounds which were reiterating. Snivelling and quivering vibrations of her and the irregular heartbeats of his made the entire atmosphere dry and airless. With minutes passing by, Ishani could only feel the dark blood into her hands which were sodden along with the scarf which Ranveer had given to her while playing blindfold.

Patting over his cheeks and asking him to keep his eyes open, Ishani cried as he managed to stay in the same position, his heart rates thumping at an irregular way when Ishani made him rest on her lap. Inhaling in the air deeply with the oxygen levels of his going down with each millisecond; Ishani continued to pat his cheek muscles hardly and shouted at him to keep his eyes open. All he could do was to sneer slyly, the dark blood gently sloping over his face and bodily muscles, all thanks to the automobile traffic. With Ishani's hands and her garb now completely sopped with his blood, all he was able to do was to fall cataleptic when Ishani slapped him hard so that he can come back to reality when his eyes fired up and calmed down, the next second. Calling for his name, she held him with his shirt tightly when she saw him before herself unresponsive and emotionless. Realising what had just happened, she hard-pressed his chest region, hoping that she would find him alive, the next minute.

Futile.

"Ranveer!" she screamed when she realised that she was still sleeping on the bed though her features were looking horrified. "Shucks! It was just...just a nightmare." Her heartbeats rested at the highest of its momentum when she wiped the soaked sweat precipitations of hers.

She slipped herself into a longer gown from her shorter one to check on him. Locking her room, she slowly walked past the clock which said 11.40 when she slowly sneaked inside the room to find a peacefully sleeping Ranveer which left a satiated grin on her lips. Sighing, she moved forward towards her room, getting back to her sleep.

On the other hand, Ranveer got up from his sleep just then when he swiftly changed himself into a rich black tuxedo as he saw the time to be 11.50. Making swift arrangements with his hair and putting his cologne on, he checked on him for one last time and peeped into her room when he saw her sleeping, as he supposed.

Leaving a note behind and setting the alarm clock for twelve, he quickly moved out from his room, waiting for her to come and meet him in the place. Checking on his look and the gift which he had bought for her for one last time, he kick started his car, driving down five kilometres from his place.

*T-ring T-ring*

"Fish!" she sprung up from her bed as she saw the surroundings dull and hazy. Rubbing her eyes and closing her ears irritated, she shouted "Ah! I hate mornings!" as she looked at the clock which said 12.

"What the? Is it only 12? Who set the alarm?" she set her already messed up hair when she noticed the note which Ranveer had left. Opening up, she read the note which said-

Hey Ishani!

Well, sorry to wake you up at this point if time. I know, it's weird and crazy, like me. Now, coming back to the main agenda for the night: I'd like you to wear that frock which you had promised me to wear the other day. Will be waiting for you in the address attached below.

Ranveer

Ps. The place is Fallen Shadow Boulevard.' Come as soon as possible.

"Oh! What's wrong with this guy? Why is he doing this now? I can never understand this guy in this life, I swear!" she yawned heavily and got down from her bed woozily, trying to keep her eyes open.

Forty minutes later, she saw herself in the black knee-length frock which he asked her to wear. Making her hair loose and looking onto her dress which made its own sounds with the beads coming in contact of each other, she took her purse, locking her room.

Driving towards the place, she saw the entry of the rough air and the occasional bolts in the weather which reminded her of the same nightmare which disturbed her sleep today. Gasping, she drove the car as quick as possible, her mind only thinking of his well-being. With recurring turns around the road, she reached the place which read Fallen Shadow Boulevard.' She looked out for Ranveer but all she could see was the entire place covered with satin curtains of wide-ranging colours. Looking out for him desperately she felt someone blindfolding her eyes with a scarf.

"Hey! Who's that?" Ishani screamed; her fear evident in her voice when Ranveer whispered "It's me, Ishani."

"Ranv-Ranveer?" her voice was shaky as she now had flashes of her nightmare, which had the same instance. Nervous, she asked him, "What are you upto, Ranveer? Where are you?"

"What's wrong with you, Ishani?" she felt his voice fading away from him, "I thought you'd be surprised with this. What's wrong with you?" she heard him say as her heartbeats started to flinch back to its highest.

"Ranveer!" she shouted when he saw her bemused and thought "What's wrong with this girl now?" and twiddled his cufflink when he answered back "Ishani! What's wrong with you? Why do sound petrified?"

"Ranveer, wherever you are, come here and stand opposite to me, right now!" Ranveer looked on but stood before her the next instant, "I am. Tell me, what's wrong with you?" He asked when Ishani removed the scarf from her eyes and looked at him with her already reddened eyes.

"Ishani? Were you crying all while?" Ranveer's expression changed from confused to shock to concerned now as he felt her body clasping into his, for a tight embrace. He caressed her hair which had the strong vanilla effect on it and looked petrified with her behaviour as he was now hearing the sniffs of hers.

"Birthday babies don't cry." Ranveer whispered into her ears which were red when he heard her sniffs stop at the very moment. Breaking from the hug, she looked at him puzzled when she asked him "What?"

Ranveer came forward, his voice directing him towards her ears when he whispered in the slimmest of his voice, "Happy birthday, Ishani."

She looked at him stunned as she gave him a weary smile and asked "What? Is it July 7th already?" when he nodded, a happy curve over his lips when she wiped away her droplets and asked, "Ran...Ranveer, how did you know about this day?"

"I suppose that I am the owner of the resort and I do have information regarding each and every employee of mine. And you, are a special employee." Ranveer winked as she hit him on his chest as Ranveer gave her a frowned expression, in mock hurt when she hugged him once again, this time tighter than the last one.

"Thank you, Ranveer." Ishani allowed herself be in his embrace before he asked, "Em, what was wrong with you? Why were you crying?"

She looked at him, without breaking her embrace as she answered "A nightmare." Ishani's lips quivered and her eyes glistened along with the stars, with the weather coming back to normal when Ranveer said "Well, I don't want to spoil your mood now. But, a thank you is not needed now." Ranveer bit his lips when Ishani spoke, "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, I would say that if you allow me to move away from the-" Before he could complete his sentence, she broke from the hug, leaving a shy smile.

"Sorry." Ishani managed to say, coming back from her furious blush when Ranveer smiled sheepishly and said "So officially, Happy Birthday, Ishani!" and clapped when she smiled contended, happy that he was fine.

"Thank you." Ishani laughed when he took her hands into his and said, "Wanna see your gifts?"

"Gifts? What are they?" Ishani looked seemingly thrilled as she looked at him, thrilled with the upcoming surprises. He took her to the table and made her sit on one of the chairs when he stood before her, his tension seemingly visible.

"Oh Ranveer! I cannot take any more suspense! Reveal it now!"

"Okay" he laughed, "There are three surprises for you. One being from the professional front and the other two are personal ones. Fine?"

"Now stop throwing me riddles and reveal the damn surprise!"

"Okay, okay." He took an envelope from his coat which read "The Oakley's", the name of his resort.

"What's this now?"

"The surprise, from the professional front." He winked when she looked at the letter keenly and asked "Open it."

"Ah! You'll do that. It's your first pay cheque along with a letter."

"What? Are you serious?" her joy seemed to have no end to it when Ranveer interrupted her "Won't you ask about the letter?"

"Oh, what's that now?"

"It's your appointment letter, confirming your job at the resort." He smiled beamingly when Ishani gave him a satisfactory smile, for her happiness saw no end.

"Thank you, Ranveer. Thanks for everything!" she got emotional when Ranveer said, "Now stop being a child and ask me about your next surprise!"

"Oh yeah! I completely forgot! What's the next surprise?" she wiped her tears as Ranveer said "Let me give you a clue. I had promised you a week back that I'll confirm my decision on that. Guess what?" he winked his eyes at her but she had no clue about them.

"Have any clue or not?" Ranveer asked her once again, snapping his fingers at her when she said honestly, "No. No idea."

"What? Are you sure, Ishani? I can afford some time, if you want to have some." Ranveer looked at her, his chocolate eyes widened up when Ishani asked "Oh Ranveer! I cannot wait for these surprises! Tell me of what is it!"

"Nah. How can I guess it? Throw some and let me help you from them." Ranveer bit his lips, making fun of her when Ishani searched for her gift.

"Are you going to stop drinking?" she asked truthfully when Ranveer banged his head, cursing himself for having such a boring friend.

"What? Are you out of your mind, Ishani? Say something which could possibly be your gift." Ranveer rolled his eyes when Ishani threw her hands up in the air and said "I lose. I don't remember any. I am sorry."

Smiling nonchalantly, Ranveer knelt down, his eyes now directly locked with hers as he replied "Someone asked about Skittles."

Ishani clicked her tongue when she squeaked, "Is she coming back to our house?"

"Nah. She is not coming back. She is going to come here for the first time. Happy? And yeah, as per your wish, she'll stay with us."

"Ranveer? Are you serious? I never knew that you could do so much for my happiness!" her eyes glistened back once again when Ranveer stood up, asking her about when they could bring her home.

"I'll think about it." Ishani said when Ranveer looked at her confused.

"I mean, we are bringing her with us, but now, I want to enjoy my last surprise for the day." She winked at him as his tension grew when he twiddled his cufflink again.

"Ranveer?" Ishani shook him, "I want to know about what is my third surprise!" Ranveer looked at her scared when she asked "Why are you scared now?"

"Nah. Nothing. Do you remember the argument which we had a few days before?" Ranveer asked truthfully when her face fell.

"I don't wanna talk about it now."

"No, Ishani. You had asked me of where I went the other day. I had gone to buy your gift." Ranveer looked at her, his tension mounting up with each second when Ishani asked, "Gift? What's it?"

"Well, it's your birthday gift, Ishani." Ranveer said when Ishani replied within an instant "Of course, I know that by now! What's it?"

Ranveer took a tiny box from his pocket and said "Ishani, I am no romantic guy but I know that none can love a person like I do. I may not give beautiful gifts for my lady but I can take care of her like my very own baby. I swear, I have never loved a person in my life and now, I would like to."

"Who's that girl, Ranveer?" Ishani asked him, scared even though he felt that she did not love him. With the very name of hearing his love's name, she was jealous and she did not know why.

"It's you, Ishani."

"Huh?" she looked at him, stunned.

"I love you, Ishani."

Done! Constructive Criticism will be more than welcome and sorry for typos :D :D