Chapter 15: chapter 15

" Sanyogita,..Sanyogita?"called Raima one of the colleagues of SanyogitaSanyogita came out of reality"''; Were you saying something? "she asked in confusion.''' I have been calling for you for so long. Where is your attention?" complained Raima"; Woh..woh.. Nothing elsewhere''"; she replied with a mumbling"Please help me in it, Sanyo, looked at this" requested by RaimaIt was a meeting room, everyone came and took their respective seats. Prithvi was waiting for Sanyogita who had entered. At last, she was looking for another seat far away from him but there was one seat left near Prithvi. She had to take her seat there.During the meeting, Prithvi asked everybody's opinion regarding their upcoming project. He was waiting for Sanyogita's answer as if she had been ready for that, after several times finally she replied that she was fully comfortable with this.Prithvi called for Sanyogita to meet him in his cabin and when she went there he asked her"'" from the past few days I have seen you that you have been going through some kind of difficulties, did everything is alright, or didn't?" he was sounding very worriedShe at first did not express anything but after the continuous insistence of him she had to reveal""" sir, Ariyan condition wasn't going well, Doctor said that we should admit him to a big hospital, he had to need well treatment and should be kept under isolation and 24 hours of observation which will be difficult for them among all patients there."''tears roll down her cheeks.Prithvi got up from his seat and moved close to her """How can you do this Sanyogita? If your condition of Ariyan is deteriorating so much, you should at least tell me, right?Although she felt rage in his tone all the way above she could also feel the concerns behind his anger toward Ariyan.Prithvi said, ""Mujhe laga ki hum dost ban gaye hai, padh tumne mujhe abhi bhi apna dost hi nahi mana,("I thought that we have become friends, but, you still do not consider me as your friend)"""[looking at the wall , keeping his both hand inside his pocket]..We should admit Ariyan immediately to another hospital, if; in case you need money I will help you"""Sanyogita refused him"'"No, Sir , I can't take money from you " "But why? What's the problem with taking money from me?"Sir, you helped me a lot of times, I can't afford that , I won't be able to reciprocate all your help"""Prithvi tried his best to interrupt her but she did not listen to him ''' Sir please try to understand " she solicited himOne day Prithvi again called back Sanyogita and informed her that they have to visit Malaysia for 20 days for some business-related projects. He had chosen her along with another employee for this project. He had also told her that if the company chairman agreed with them then it would be very beneficial for her as well as for their company.Sanyogita asked, "; sir, why are you doing this for me?""I have done nothing for you, Miss. Sharma," He leaned against his chair and I have been doing all these only for Ariyan.She glances at him """toh, you have been doing all these only for Ariyan?; questioned Sanyogita"; Yes, Of course. I know you don't think of me as your friend but at least Ariyan addressed me as his friend" He said. Sanyogita found one sort of coldness in his voice and Lightness in his expression"Okay, Sir""She further said nothing and left the room. She was thinking in her mind ""  if sir wanted to do everything for Ariyan she should happily accept this, another time she thought. She is happy but why is she feeling an ache inside a corner of her heart..Time had passed like a river,Prithvi, Arjun, and Sanyogita along with an employee from their office had reached Malaysia. All of them had taken their room in a big hotel of Prithvi's father. The hotel was very vast and expensive and luxurious.The company with whom they had visited there for the business meeting had thrown a birthday party for the chairman's daughter, Risha, a gorgeous, young lady at 26. She lived the life of a princess from her school days as his father was a rich businessman in Malaysia. She had fair and flawless skin and sparkling eyes. Any boy's heartbeat can increase just by a killer smile on her face. She had a tattoo behind her neck which gave more charm.The party had started, Mr. Chairman; Rakesh Sisodia introduced Prithvi to her beloved daughter, Risha who was wearing a violet color tunic off-shoulder long dress.She was looking very gorgeous'"'; muttered ArjunAfter the cutting of the cake, her friends advised her to dance.Risha asked Prithvi to dance. He took her hand beautifully. When they were dancing they were talking to each other by gazing into their eyes, both of them were smiling, laughing go-heartedly. Mr.Chairman had observed them putting a pleasant smile on them. He made up his mind that he would talk to Mr.Malhorta Prithvi's father about the marriage of Risha with Prithvi .  Everyone was whispering that they were looking beautiful together, a perfect match.Sanyogita heard all these. Moreover, she did not like this though she was still unaware of the answer. Meanwhile, a handsome man approached her and asked for a dance, she was still looking at them, nevertheless, she did not reply to the man who again proposed to her for the dance. Now she gave a glance at the man, she did not say anything without looking back for a single time she went away from there.Prithvi squinted in the direction where Sanyogita stood; , but Now he did not find her, by making an excuse from Risha, he had started to search for her.He ventures outside in search of Sanyogita in every nook and corner yet couldn't find any trace of her.He came out of the party zone and again tried to find her. Unfortunately, the street was lonely, nobody was there though it was only 10 at night and he had hardly found anyone on the road. He dialed the receptionist's telephone number of the hotel but he also did not know anything about her. He was feeling restless passing each second. After a few hours of searching, he saw a girl who was standing alone, keeping her both hands on the railing near an artificial waterfall.Prithvi came out of his car after keeping it in the parking lot. Sanyogita turned back at the sound of the car.Prithvi walked towards her "; Why are you coming here alone? You know this is an unknown country and you should not come alone like this. Sanyogita it is not okay to do your arbitrariness every time, after all, how many times will I have to make you understand??"He shouted at her, he had reached the highest level of his rege""Sir, Wherever I go, What is it for you? ?   every time Sanyogita doesn't do this, don't do that, don't go there, sir I am your assistant only,, nothing more than that. Why have you always acted like you are very much concerned about me?; she said in anger""Mujhe bas tumhari chinta ho rahi thi, isliye mein tumhe dhondne nikla tha( I was just worried about you, that's why I went out to find you ) He said softly[lowering gaze]"" Am I telling you to come in search of mine? And anyway, my family is always there for me whenever I need them. Now you are just my boss;  nothing more than that""""""She was very angry at him, her heart was racing.Prithvi was feeling disheartened by her words, his heart was squeezing in his chest""";Tum ne sahi kaha,mein hota kon hoon tumhe rokne wala (You are right, who am I to stop you?) You are just an assistant, just a simple assistant of mine, Why should I have shown concern for you? By the way, it is a long night, it is better to return to the hotel now."""Sir, I can go myself, You don't need to act all the time like these ; She said irritatingly"Thik hai jaisi tumhari marzi(ok as you wish) !!''"; He turned back without any delay. He was moving forward towards his car by shaking his hands in the air.At night there was heavy rain outside, Prithvi was standing on the road leaning against his car. He was drinking her words making an echo in his sense, and he was crying heavily in the rain. Today his heart is immersed in anguish. He had a feeling to take out his heart and throw it somewhere. If you had the chance, would you go back to the past and erase the memories that chase you over and over again, but you can't? You will remember each and every single drop of tears you have cried for your beloved one but you could not do anything, your heart will be sobbing all the time, aching, you may wish to scream but no one will hear you, you are alone in this game and no one can help you. Prithvi returned to the hotel and entered his room, He was still drinking by sitting on the sofa.Sanyogita was in her room, and a stream of tears came out of her eyes. The cold war was going on between her brain and her heart.Her brain had told her all she had done today was good. It was her life and she would do anything, nobody could restrain her.On the other hand, her heart was saying that She should not behave with him like that harshly , however, he had saved her life a lot of times, and moreover, all he was doing was only for her sake, in concern for her. What was his mistake, because he was dancing with that girl, if he had danced with that girl, at least she had no right to behave harshly. It was his life where he could choose anyone, who the hell was she to be frantic at him?At last, she had chosen her heart, She wept her eyes and looked forward to his room. It was a 12;"O" clock at night though the lights were switched on in the big corridor outside the rooms. She was about to knock on the door which was suspiciously opened. She entered the room, the lights were off, and she moved to his dark bedroom. She switched on the lights, startled to see that, she rushed to him. She had found Prithvi lying on the floor unconsciously.She touched his body ""Hey Bhagwaan, Sir has a very high fever.""She saw the empty bottle on the floor and smelled the odor of alcohol in the air of the room. She still did not move away. She tried her best to lie to him on his bed. The way a diary had fallen there by her leg some pages came out of it.Sanyogita glanced at them but at that moment she thought Prithvi was more important to her. She called the manager of the hotel, to bring a doctor, and also afford some lemon, some ginger, and other vegetables.In the late-night Doctor had visited there, he assured her he had a normal fever. The whole night, Sanyogita stayed there, caressing his head and wetting clothes on his forehead frequently. Sanyogita was going to close the door on the balcony but the suddenly torn page came on her feet from the diary. After closing the door she took the diary and opened itOn the first page of the diary had written """TO MY FIRST LOVE WHO I COULD NOT CONFESS"''...........Sanyogita turned to another page ,2014, Mumbai,Then, I was only 21, in my final year of college .It was Saturday; I was stuck in the heavy traffic of Mumbai "Oh damn it!;I exclaimed in irritation after checking my wrist watch which showed it was 5 pm in the early evening.I took my head out of the window and glanced outward; there were rapid noises of horns of the vehicles given by the driver sitting in the car behind my black BMW .I gave a disgusting look at him and threatened him with some bad harsh language which shut up his bloody mouth''Each and every passing second seemed like a test of my endurance. I was literally getting bored so turned on the music player in the car adjacent to the steering.Suddenly, on the road, I saw a glimpse of a girl who was helping a helpless old woman cross the road.I had never seen there before her; my gaze followed her the way she had gone .She turned her face towards the old woman who kissed her forehead .She looked at her with an innocent smile on her face; my heart skipped a beat. At that instant the rain had started, I did not know why I was still looking at her, that was happening for the first time with me.Horns of the cars helped to give back my sense. All the cars had already gone away except me along with the remaining were waiting behind me. I glanced at the looking glass of my car where I could see the clenched teeth of the driver .Without any delay I started the engine and drove the car.We had arranged a surprise party for my friend at a hip nightclub on his birthday. The decoration was arranged by 11:30 at night, including the music, drinks, cake, and balloons. We were with keen interest just waiting for the birthday boy to show up.We yelled in unison "Surprise!!!!"  as soon as he got out of his car. I could not help but awe by seeing Dharam's stylish appearance in his black t-shirt, brown blazer, and blue jeans. Although I was dressed in a white T-shirt, black jeans, and a maroon blazer, Dharam's ensemble seemed to exude a self-assured swagger that I was unable to match.Following the cutting of the cake, we gave each other a bear hug and went inside the club. The dance floor was occupied with a bunch of people, and the music was throbbing. Siya, Dharam's girlfriend, was a lovely, gregarious girl with long, curly hair and a radiant smile. In addition, Raghav was with his girlfriend Mahek, a small and reserved girl. In contrast, Risav was obsessed with a girl across the room who had gorgeous brown hair, piercing black eyes, and a red dress that perfectly accentuated her curves."She's looking hot!" Risav exclaimed, his eyes glued to the girl. I teased him, "Bro, how many times will you have to insult yourself? She's already ditched you!" Risav made a sad face and asked for my help in impressing her. "bro, what to do to get her? "he makes a sad face"Relax, bhool ja use( forget her)!""No,I can't, Please bro help me""""No, why me? It's your matter, why should I help you?""You are saying it all because you yourself can't even impress any of them?"Risav said Sarcastically"Dude you all know Who I am ?There are no girls who can resist the charms and looks of Prithvi Malhotra"I said in pride"Okay, then today's night impressed the hottest girl in this party''Challenged through by Risav"Okay, Bro just wait and watch , but I have a condition?" I demanded"If I have to throw a whisky party; to us !""Okay, Prithvi, now at first complete the dare."I made my way through the crowd, my confidence soaring with every step. I spotted the girl again, this time dancing with her friends. She had long, dark brown hair with subtle highlights of chestnut .  Her eyes sparkled like onyx black , and her smile could light up a room. I was determined to impress her.I approached her group, and with a charming smile, I asked her to dance. She agreed , and we got lost in the music. I twirled her around, my arms around her waist, and she laughed, her face aglow with excitement. We danced for hours, our bodies swaying in perfect rhythm. As the hours passed, I knew I had to make my move. I moved in close, my mouth inches from hers. She didn't recoil, and I took that as a sign.I stole a quick lip kiss, my heart racing with a thrill .The kiss was brief, but an electric spark of lingerie in my body for a little longer . We chatted a bit longer, sharing numbers and giggles. As the night came to an end, I escorted her out of the club, my arm slung around her shoulders. Risav and the others wolf-whistled, and Dharam raised an eyebrow, the beginnings of a smile on his face."You won the challenge, bro," Risav exclaimed, patting me on the back. "But don't think you're going to get away that easily. We're having a whisky party to celebrate!"I grinned, feeling like the king of the world. I had impressed the girl, stolen a kiss, and won the challenge. What more could I ask for?On The way after the end of the party Dharam told me"";Bro, you are not only my bestest buddy also a brother of mine, I give you one advice, you run after different girls in the party every day, they agree too!""""I know D, Prithvi is Prithvi's hottest guy in college, till today there is no such girl in the world who can resist the charm of Prithvi.Dharam smirked "Prithvi Maybe today so many girls are dying for you ,maybe it's all for your external appearance and status, perhaps there will be one girl whom you fall in love with but can't get her  "'"I burst out in laughter after hearing his advice """bro, I will never fall in love, """'''; you are saying all this now, but when it happens, you will remember my words"";;After that Dharam had gone away.Next day in the morning I had again scolded by my Dad.According I as a son I was a zero,I was always busy in parties,hang out with friends..blah blah blah.After death of Maa My grandfather and grandmother were the only two who loved me in my home.Every morning my Dad came into my room and gave a shit of lecture at starting of the day and his everything had ended up in business ,his emperor .My mood was really bad despite the fact that My grandmother wanted me to give her company to the Shiva Temple. I was not in such a mood ,but after her insurance finally I had agreed as I didn't like her to look at me that way.As I stepped out of the car, my grandmother gently teased me . "Prithvi, Mandir me anne ke baad nahi lautna chaiye beta, chalo ab bhar aayo bhagwan tumhe khaa nahi jayenge!" (After coming to the temple, you should not return, beta, come on now, God will not eat you!) I couldn't help but chuckle at her playful words.At last I had to get out of the car . She was content with me .When I was going up the stairs, I felt something different for the first time.I had reached the last step of the stairs of the temple. A cool breeze touched my face,it seemed as if something magical would be waiting for me. I did not know why I was feeling more cherished in my spirit. My grandmother was already inside the temple, I had also joined her by clasping both palms of mine.As I opened my eyes and turned around after the prayer, I was awestruck for a brief moment. The vision standing in front of me had left me breathless. The same girl who I had seen yesterday stood before me. She was praying with closed eyes in reverence. The gentle light from the temple illuminated her soft face even more, making her radiate a miraculous glow . Her closed eyes with long eyelashes casting over her cheeks like the delicate petals of a flower . Her waist-length, silky black hair fell down her back like a waterfall of darkness, shrouding her face in enhancing her beauty. The royal blue suit she wore glimmered in the natural light , evoking the reflection of a blue lotus flower wetted with dew in a peaceful pond at sunrise.Her face was a remarkable creation of God , with a straight bridge of the nose and soft, rounded slopes, slightly upturned at the tip, giving her a loving and innocent look. Her lips, a natural pink cupid's bow, curved upwards in a perpetual smile, inviting as the petals of a rose, curved into a gentle smile, as if she sensed my gaze upon her  . The upper lip formed a gentle, rounded peak, while the lower lip was full and plump, And then, she opened her eyes, revealing two scintillated pools of ocean-black depths that seemed to hold secrets and tales beyond my wildest dreams. Our eyes met, and time stood still.The chanting of the panditji, the ringing of the temple bells, and the murmur of the devotees faded into the background, Nothing seemed to reach to my ear as if turning me out into deaf , busy at drinking the mesmerising beauty standing ahead of me.I felt my heart gain its speed so fast as if it would soon come out of my throat , with every passing second as if trying to keep pace with the rhythm of my thoughts.In that instant, I realized I was in trouble, that I was enjoying blissfully unaware. I had never felt this way before, and I didn't know how to cope. All I knew was that I couldn't look away, couldn't break my eyes from hers. She was a vision of beauty, a sacred flower laid at God's feet in the morning light.As the panditji started distributing the prasad, our eyes lost contact. When she turned to go at the temple entrance, she looked back over her shoulder, her eyes catching mine for an instant. The brief glance gave me shivers down my spine, leaving me gasping and confused."Oh, Shivji! What was that?!" I whispered, my voice hardly audible. Her single gaze was enough to awaken the cord strings of my hearts. I was unable to verbalize the sentiments churning within me, it felt my soul had woken from deep sleep.And there I was, stuck, when I saw that girl again – in the same place, with the same soft smile, and the same mesmerizing eyes. It was as if the world had planned to reunite us once again.But, just like a fleeting dream, she vanished into thin air, leaving me with more puzzles .  What was happening to me? Why did I feel this way?As I strolled along the street, I couldn't believe my eyes - there she was, the very girl I had glimpsed at the temple, resplendent in a red kurti with a scarf gracefully wrapped about her neck. Her plain clothes seemed only to enhance her natural loveliness, so that she shone like a scarlet flower in a field of greens.It was her kindness that hit me most, though. She was giving out food to the poor kids on the street, her hands fluttering with mercy as she gave them food to eat. The little innocent faces broke out into smiles as they took from her what she had to give, and they showered her with love, kissing her cheeks in gratitude. She gave it back to them, her smile lighting up her face as she kissed them in return. The faces of the children, which were once etched with despair and hunger, now shone with happiness, their eyes sparkling with hope. The smile that spread on their faces was priceless.I stood there, fascinated, as she went on with her act of selflessness, oblivious to my presence. And then, I chose to follow her, intrigued by this angelic form who seemed to be the very embodiment of compassion.After a few days ,I was surprised to see her at the same college in which I too have completed my undergraduate degree. Sanyogita was surprised after seeing the name of the college in Prithvi's diary , her eyes went wide .She recalled her first day at college,she entered into the college , the whole campus was very vast.There were so many trees inside it.She was going to ask about the exact location of her class but she had found boys and girls running across the terrace .She was confused by them "is these people insane?";she was thinking in her mindShe was walking through the corridor of the ground floor of the academic building ,suddenly she heard an unclear shouting .She was wondering “what was happening there?She couldn't make out clearly ,might be somebody was in danger,so she had taken her steps towards the direction of the noiseSanyogita reached near to the exact location ,she had discovered that the shouting sounds were coming from the back of the college building .Finally she reached the spot.She saw there were a crowd of students cheering The air was electric with excitement as Sanyogita stood at the edge of the crowd, her eyes scanning the commotion. "Prithviii...Prithviii...Prithviii!" "Vickyy...Vickyy...Vickyyy!" The names of two boys rang out through the air, the choruses louder by the second.Sanyogita blinked once, trying to see what was going on, but the crowd in front of her prevented her from doing so. She looked upwards and saw the goal post rising high above the masses, its towering height imposing.At centre court, two little boys, one as tall and broad as the other, confronted one another. Their designer outfits and confident air shouted privilege and wealth. Vicky, his eyes blazing with resolve, dared Prithvi, "2 mins, two goals!" Prithvi sneered, his eyes flashing with confidence, "Don't worry, dude, I'll wrap up the game before time is up!"The match started, and Prithvi scored the first goal easily, the people cheering. "Prithviii…Prithviiii…Prithviii!"The scoreboard flashed Prithvi: 1, Vicky: 0. Vicky retaliated, his pass clever, and the ball swooshed into the goal post. "Vickyyy...Vickyyy...Vickyyy!" The scoreboard now read Prithvi: 1, Vicky: 1.The tension mounted as the clock ticked down. Prithvi caught the ball, his movements The anticipation grew as the clock ticked away. Prithvi grasped the ball, his action smooth, and hurled it into the goal post with a second to go. The audience erupted, "Prithvi won the game!" His friends hoisted him onto their shoulders, a multitude of smiling faces around him.Sanyogita, who was still at the periphery of the crowd, only got a glimpse of Prithvi's back as he was surrounded by his friends. A hand landed on her shoulder, and she turned to see Radhika, her best friend, smiling at her. Radhika's violet top and black jeans were easily visible among the crowd, her open hair and light makeup a reflection of her carefree style."When did you come ?”Sanyogita asked, surprised. Radhika's eyes sparkled with excitement as Sanyogita revealed her own surprise admission to the college. Together, the two friends made their way through the dispersing crowd, their chatter and laughter intertwining with the fading cheers .Prithvi:-I stepped out of the basketball court, dripping with sweat from my body, I saw her once again - the same girl who had intrigued me unconsciously. I couldn't help but dash towards the corridor, my feet thudding against the floor as I gained speed with each step.Alas! she was nowhere to be seen. It was as if she had disappeared into thin air, leaving me with nothing but the memory of her transient presence.Days went by, and I was captivated by the thought of her. And then, at last, I discovered her name - Sanyogita. The syllables dissolved on my tongue, a honeyed note which rang through my mind. I whispered her name over and over again, until it was a soft prayer, a craving that dared not be stilled.It was another day , whe. I saw her once stop on the corner of a street, and I pulled over my bike, watching her from afar. My bike served as my shadow, as I followed her down the twisting streets.She approached a group of puppies, their tiny bodies wriggling with excitement . Her eyes, brimming with compassion, sparkled as she caressed their fur, offering them biscuits with a gentle smile.I watched, transfixed, time froze in the background when she lavished her love on the innocent creatures. Her expression was a testament to her boundless empathy, a reflection of the kindness that dwelled within her. I was engrid with the thought of how much space her heart held, and how she never tired off showering her love to those little puppies.