Chapter-12
Ishani looked at him stunned, for her the revelation of his love being shocking. Her mind now had a series of thoughts in succession, each one making her hard to believe them. On one hand her mind was euphoric that his lady was none other than she herself and on the other hand, she was dazed of how can she love a guy without any bar. Her state of mind, on the whole was confused and startled at the same time, with the revelation and she was afraid to take it any further. Thinking of the reply which she can possibly give, she heard Ranveer once again confess.
"I love you, Ishani." All she could do was to smile hesitatingly and turn away from his lock when Ranveer looked at her confused, before he spoke.
"Ishani, I can understand your state of mind right now. But listen, I am not compelling you to love me. My love for you was never to attain you. Think twice, thrice and then decide." Ishani wanted to confess back but she did not want to. Looking at him for a moment, she exhaled heavily, deciding on her answer.
"Well, Ranveer...I share a special equation with you and you know that pretty well. But, to get into a relationship..." she shook her head and turned away from him, trying hard not to break his heart by saying harsh words. Understanding the situation, Ranveer turned towards her, their eyes now locked with each other's when he spoke "Ishani, don't fret. I will stand by your decision. Don't force yourself into anything."
"Are-are you sure?"
"Yes, I am." Ranveer assured her as Ishani said "Well, I need some more time for it to decide, Ranveer."
"Time?" he looked at her jumbled when she clarified "I-I mean, it's too premature for me to decide upon the conclusion."
"Okay. Take your own time, Ishani. I will never force you into anything, I promise. But on one condition." Ranveer looked at her seriously when Ishani stood with her eyes, wide open, indicating to him that she was listening only to him.
"You have to accept this gift of mine, Ishani." Ranveer handed the tiny box to her as she looked at him, confused.
"What's this now?" Ishani's gaze was locked at the box when he whispered "Open it and see it for yourself." She now looked at him in a euphoric excitement when she slowly unwrap the box which was packed with a glittery wrapping. Minutes later, she saw a box and had already guessed her gift. Quickly looking at him with her glistening eyes, she asked "Is this a-" when he interrupted, "Uh, don't say anything, Ishani. The gift is yours that is it. If it cannot be yours, it can never be anyone else's.
Looking at him lovingly, she opened the box very slowly to see a platinum ring, its sparkle reflecting in her happy face which had the same twinkle. She took it into her hand to see two hearts intertwined delineated with tiny diamonds with a bigger one in the middle of the band with the letters 'IR' emblazoned in it. Smiling at the beauty of the ring, she looked teary eyed when her gaze met his, her heart asking her to accept her love for him while her mind asking her stop and think over.
"Ranveer...it's- it's beautiful! I-I mean, this looks too good!" Ishani managed to say before her eyes got wet when Ranveer said "Ishani, I know that you're not okay with taking this relationship, but you have to accept this band. I am not asking you to wear it, though. But then, the day when you realize its importance and my love, you have to wear this. You don't have to confess anything to me. Just wear this and I'll understand." He wiped the tears and smiled at her, controlling his tears. He was definitely heartbroken that she did not accept his proposal but he was sure that someday, she'll understand his love for her.
"B-But Ranveer, this is..." Ishani found hard to find for words when he placed his index fingers on her lips and said "Shh. Now goes for another surprise."
"Another one?" Ishani was distracted with the word surprise and it was evident in her voice.
"Em, well, not a surprise, actually. Birthdays are meant for wishes and now, since you're celebrating your birthday, tell me one wish which you want to get it done, right now."
"Huh? Wish?" she asked, bewildered with such a question when he clarified, "Anything, Ishani. Do you have any wish which you want it to get fulfilled now?"
She looked at him silently when he snapped his fingers at her and asked her regarding it once again before she replied "There is one, but I don't think it is possible now. Anyway, what next now?"
"What's it? I promise to fulfil that wish of yours, however weird it maybe." Ranveer chuckled when Ishani rolled her eyes and said "Nah. It isn't weird, Ranveer."
"Not weird?" he raised his eyebrows and bit his lips, "What's it, then?"
"I want to meet Nysa and I know it is not possible." Ishani faced the ground, when Ranveer raised her chin so that she could face him. Looking at her, he asked, "Oh. The one in India? May I know the reason behind it?"
"Uh? Reason? Well, there's nothing specific. I usually celebrate my birthday with my orphanage friends and I wanna meet them, badly. But it's okay. I have got myself into a job now and I know that I have to concentrate on it now."
"Okay. Mumbai, right?" he asked, when she replied him with a nod. Nodding back again, he said "You're leaving for Mumbai, tomorrow. I'll have the tickets ready by then. Okay? So pack your luggage and be ready."
"Hey! Wait! There is no need to, Ranveer." Ishani managed to say though her mind was to meet Nysa and get her doubts clarified.
"It's a birthday girl's wish and I know that I will have to fulfil it. C'mon Ishani, don't be so shy in confessing things." He chuckled when Ishani gave him a bare smile, embarrassed.
"So, fixed. Off to Mumbai, tomorrow." Ranveer winked as Ishani asked him "Aren't you coming? Nysa will be happy to meet you."
"No. I have got my meeting with a few investors. So, I will be fine. Don't worry." He smiled and continued, "You'll stay there for two days...Sorry, the resort cannot afford more than that." Shrugging his shoulders, he saw a guilty Ishani and heard her say "I-I am sorry, Ranveer."
"Why are you apologising now?" Ranveer asked her, puzzled when Ishani replied "For disturbing you like this."
"Oh c'mon, Ishani. Grow up." Ranveer chuckled as they shared a formal laugh even though Ranveer was upset that his proposal got rejected.
Ishani was sitting on a chair along with thousands of passengers, most of them being French, along with a few other people from different nationalities. With her shirt, jacket and a long printed skirt, accompanied with her scarf and boarding pass, Ishani looked at the busy terminals and waited for the announcement as her thoughts flick through the last night's encounter with Ranveer, having flashes of the same.
"Why am I not happy today? Why am I not getting the same happiness when I am going to meet Nysa again? Why am I feeling that I am going to miss Ranveer? Sigh." Ishani's thoughts seemed to have no end when Ranveer stood in front to her, with his heavy pants and a sweatshirt, along with two cups of Cafe Americano and two plates of buttery French Pretzels for their supper. She never looked at him or woke up from her thoughts after the brewing aroma of the coffee until Ranveer spoke "Ishani? Are you there?"
She looked at him, distracted when she smiled formally, asking him to take a seat beside her when he sat down, providing her with the supper. Taking it with a smile, they started to have with silence, apart from the hustle bustle in the airport and the announcements before Ranveer decide to ask her.
"Ishani, are-are you okay?" he took a sip of the Americano, the warmth of the coffee entering through his oesophageal like the playing slide when Ishani shook her head at him, her mouth full, as she answered back in the same way, "Nothing."
"Sure?" he asked her once again hoping that she'll stop lying but was in vain as she gave him a bare nod, now drinking a few sips from the Americano. Ten minutes later, both of them heard the announcement for boarding when Ishani's heart sunk, the only thought of missing him for two days haunting her.
"Hey, they just announced." Ranveer got up, exhaling, his coffee now almost over along with half of the Pretzel when Ishani got up, smiling embarrassingly when Ranveer blinked at her and said, "Happy Journey, Ishani..."
She gave him a bare smile when she replied him with a 'Thank you' before she left from the place, her heart not happy leaving the place without him when Ranveer called her again "Ishani!"
She turned back, hoping that he would call her again and she saw him running towards her. With each step of his, her heart beat increased when he stood before her, his breath irregular. Ishani looked at him with a hope that he would call her back when he said, "Happy birthday, once again. Do call me after you reach the place because I will be worrying here. And, one more thing." Ranveer said, taking out another gift from his pocket. It was bigger in size compared to the tiny box, whilst Ishani looked at him shocked before she asked, "Ranveer? What's wrong with you?"
"Well, open this after you reach Mumbai. Do not open it before you reach the place. This didn't cost much as the ring, trust me. But the value of this gift is more than the ring." Ranveer gave her the gift and caressed her hair, saying a final goodbye before he left the place teary eyed though Ishani did not notice it.
Ishani looked at the gift which had a weird shape though it was hard. Wrapped up in a similar fashion of the glitter ones, she looked at the gift carefully, before she left for the boarding area, her heart heavy. But then, she thought, she would have to do it to clarify it from Nysa. Though she was going to meet her orphanage friends too, she wanted to meet Nysa and clarify things face to face so that things do not get worse.
Twenty minutes later, she saw herself seated on her seat, the whole place calm and composed expect for the instructions from the Head Purser of the plane as she slipped back into her own world, thinking about the last one spent she had spent with Ranveer. She felt, though she wanted to Nysa badly, she did not want to miss seeing Ranveer even for a minute. Shutting her eyes in despair, she waited for the July 10th, so that she can meet him back again.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, everyone is requested to fasten their seat belt as the plane is taking off at 135 knots, 180mph, and 280km/h. Wishing a happy and a safe journey to everyone. Happy travelling." Ishani heard the voice say before she dozed off.
Fifteen hours later, Ishani saw herself standing at the Chattarpati Shivaji International Airport, with thousands of people in locomotion, some at the stalls, some rushing to get their boarding passes and some at the security counter. Nothing has changed in the one month, Ishani thought as she entered into the main entrance of the airport and saw huge hoarding of different surnames, some Indian and some international.
"Ishani!" she heard her name being called out when she turned to her right, looking at a beaming Nysa. She was in a printed skirt and a shirt, as same as Ishani's though the colours were different. Though she had a couple of strands silver in colour, she never looked a woman who is in mid-forties when Ishani came running towards her, hugging her in love.
"Nysa!" she squeaked, "How are you?"
"Perfectly good." Nysa replied, spontaneously. Nysa never replied to anyone more than a word or two unless the matter was really serious. But, she wasn't an introvert. Breaking from the embrace, she asked in motherly affection "How was the trip?"
"Uh, good I guess." She said reluctantly when Nysa hit her head, cursing her forgetful nature, "Happy birthday, Ishani!"
"Thank you, Nysa." She pinched her cheeks and walked as Nysa followed with half of the luggage, the other half in Ishani's hands.
"So...how is France?" Nysa asked, opening with a casual conversation as she replied back "It is awesome, Nysa! You have to visit the valley at least once! It's so exotic!"
"Really? That's nice to hear." Nysa sighed, asking another question, "Where do you stay? Who's your boss?"
Ishani stood aback at the same place hearing the name boss'. Her thoughts once again were back to Ranveer before Nysa snapped her fingers at her and asked, "Hey! What's wrong with you?"
"Nah. Nothing. I live in a penthouse and his name is RV."
"Penthouse? How are you paying your rent, sweetheart?"
"No...the penthouse belongs to-to RV." Ishani replied, afraid that Nysa would scold her but to her surprise, she replied, "Oh. That's nice."
"Huh? Wha-What did you just...just say?" Ishani stammered like hell. The last time she stammered was on her day of interview when she saw Ranveer as RV.
"Ishani? Why are you stammering so much? Is everything okay?" Nysa asked her voice concerned though she smelled the reason.
"No...Nothing. I-I am okay." Ishani replied back, her voice seemingly tensed as Nysa changed the topic, "So, what are your favourite hotspots in the place?"
"Well, right now, it's the beach and the pet shed. There's a cute Pomeranian in the barn and its name is Skittles. We are good friends, you see."
"We? We who? Skittles and you or... RV and you?"
"Nysa! I share a special bond with Ranveer." Ishani unknowingly blushed which did not go unnoticed by Nysa who controlled her smirk before Ishani spoke "I-I mean, we are good friends."
"Okay. That's kinda interesting to hear." Nysa said, caressing Ishani's hair in a loving manner as Ishani looked at her, the same way.
"So, shall we get back home? I heard that RV has given you only an off for two days. We have to meet your friends too. Remember?"
"Yeah, I do."
"So, please. Get inside the car so that we reach early. Okay?" Ishani smiled at her as they got inside the car, heading towards their home when Nysa thought "So my girl is in love! This sounds interesting!"
Done! Constructive Criticism will be more than welcome and sorry for typos :D :D