A Unique Gift

SIX

Your Remembrance

“Komal! Baby, Where are you? Come out, please! Please baby! See your panda bear is exhausted of running for so long. Won’t you show a bit mercy on your panda bear baby? Come out, princess! You win I lost. I accept my defeat. Please baby. The game is over. Does it make you happy stressing your prince out? See my ankles are red and are aching badly. Baby comes out please!” Vihaan begged, Running over loose rubble tumbling down the steep rocky scree slope. He panted hard while grasping the sturdy pillar of the huge castle he had visited with his girlfriend.

Feet slipping in mud due to excess rainfall on the previous day, Grasping at shrubs with hands to avoid slipping away, hear clumsy footfalls crunching over the stones further down, furious breathing after running for so long. Overall it was a bad idea to had a rendezvous in a castle. He concluded. Letting out a few colorful words under his breath for choosing the spot in the first place, he straightened up himself and dusted his black denim while looking everywhere for any trance of Komal, but heaved a defeated sign when found none.

“Just wait till I get my hands on you Komal. You will regret the moment you started this hide and seek between us. I’d brought you here to enjoy a few moments of isolation with you which we, otherwise can’t enjoy because of that ticking time bomb for a best friend of yours But no! You cannot see me in peace for once. You had to begin with your childish games here also. You know what I’m just tired! I’m going.” Vihaan threatened exasperatingly. The day had given him a superfluous headache with all the chaos Viraj had created back at home after a cat fight he had had with Kratika at school.

Vihaan wasn’t lying about being extremely exhausted. He was out of energy after climbing rocks with stabbing pains inside, feeling sick for cold and adrenaline pumping.

Twilight was falling with the mean crescent moon casting almost no light at all except for the artificial lights the government had fixed for tourists and local visitors, half obscured by a shroud of thin cloud and a heavy heart.

Exasperated! He walked down the pavement to a narrow pathway taking a careful step each time over the slippery surface to avoid any broken bone. Then the arrow pathway further led to an open balcony that was connected with the sitting area under a dome as the roof. His denim wasn’t as black as it was before and his aqua shirt had crumpled badly. His shoes were in the worst condition possible. The mud had replaced the original color with a deep shade of brown and wetness of floor had them drenched.

Slumping down in a vacant seat, Vihaan waited for Komal to come out of her hiding spot as he enjoyed the greenery of the hills and heard the melodious sound of flowing water coming from the waterfall nearby the castle. The sight was soothing him and his soul felt delightful witnessing the heavenly beauty of nature. For then, he just wanted to have his beauty beside him so he could spend a few peaceful hours with her. He just wished for his girlfriend to become more discerning.

Vihaan shifted his gaze to a couple sitting in the seat adjacent to him and immediately aping of jealousy hit his heart. He wanted to hold his girl in his arms the way that man was holding. He wanted to kiss her luscious lips. He wanted to play with hairs and hum a romantic sonnet with occasional teasing, but his girl had to behave all childish and start that stupid hide and seek game. Heaving an angry sign, Vihaan waited for Komal to show up, but it never happened. He waited further and further when even after thirty minutes she didn’t show up. It started to worry about him.

Dusk was falling over the sky and the sun had started to sink down the horizon. The castle was situated high up the mountain and was dimly illuminated even with artificial lights. The weather was in poor condition as well. His head began to revolve around the incidents and tragedies he had heard about. Night time and a cloistered castle weren’t something that would give you a positive connotation.

Avoiding the throbbing pain in his ankles, Vihaan stood up and started searching for his girlfriend who was, though an eighteen years old teenager, but never knew how to behave like one. And who was at fault for spoiling her? Of course him!

Traffic in that castle stood still as Sun sunk down below the ocean. The fewer site visitors had begun to collect their belongings and soon it was only an hour and quarter left before the main gates we rescheduled to be closed. Due to excessive rainfall on the previous day, the visitors were not plethora and only a few couples were left.

With every passing second panic was crawling inside his heart and squeezed it further with horrible thoughts banging his head.

“Komal! Komal! It ain’t funny anymore. It’s closing time. They are going to shut the doors. Where are you?” Vihaan screamed at top of his voice as he dialed her digits and put the phone on his ears. A melodious song played as her caller tune and the call went to voicemail when she didn’t pick up.

Vihaan tried it again, but again the same computerized voice instructed him to leave a voicemail.

“Komal! Where are you?” Vihaan screamed, catching the attention of a few visitors who were passing by the pavement Vihaan had walked through.

His body had started to shake with panic and sweat beads formed all over his forehead. His brain had stopped functioning with horrible thoughts clouding his mind. He didn’t know what to do? What if something bad had happened? She could be abducted, Injured, Harmed or harassed. He had read the articles published in the local newspaper about robbery and r**e cases at the palace.

Hurriedly walking down the stairs; he had unlocked his cell phone and with shaky hands was about to punch his twin bothers digits when he heard the familiar giggling sound beside him that had his steps halted in middle as the girl jumped in his arms, making the cell phone slip off his hands and fall on the floor.

“I love you so much Vihaan. It’s an ease to my heart to see the concern, care, worry and love in your eyes. Thank you for loving me so much.” Komal whispered shyly as tears of affection and happiness leaked down her dark orbs.

She had been standing behind the tall and sturdy pillar and was scrutinizing his every move for the past twenty minutes. To watch him slip in misery at her absence had given her a bitter delicious delight and positive connotations. She then knew the man she had chosen for her was worth falling for. She was secretly enjoying his apprehension for her. To watch her man going insane in love for her, was a pleasure for the girl.

“Where the hell had you disappeared to? Where were you? I searched every corner of the castle, but you were nowhere to be found. I—I thought I’ve lost you.” Vihaan screamed as he detached himself from her arms and shook her shoulder. His voice cracked at the end and worry was visible in his eyes with a pinch of relief when he saw his girl standing in front of him all fit and fine.

“I was right beside you all the time, but you didn’t see me. Actually, you couldn’t. I disappeared for deployment.” Komal smirked as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Deployment? Was it fun for you to watch me suffer the misery? Do you even realize how worried I had become? You scared me to death! I thought something bad might have happened to you. I almost had a panic attack, I was going to call Viraj and police and you were watching me suffer! Enjoying my Gahanna! I just don’t know when you will grow up Komal. I’m fed up with your childlike behavior. It’s isn’t adorable anymore.” Vihaan proclaimed with a stern look. He hated moments like those when he had to scold the girl he admired to pamper, but he had to make her realize the consequences of her deliberate actions.

Taking a step back, he removed her arms and walked passed her. All he wished to do was spend a few hours of romance and love with his girlfriend, but seemingly it was too much to expect.

Komal heaved a long sigh as she watched her boyfriend’s retreating back. Shaking her head at Vihaan’s anger and stubbornness, she ran after him and jumping on his back, making him stumble with surprise.

“I’m sorry My Panda. I didn’t mean to worry you. I was just playing. Upsetting you would be the last thing I’d ever wish to do in my life. I love you. Please forgive me.” Komal apologized while peaking Vihaan’s cheek.

The action was enough to let his lips stretch in a smile, but he intentionally pushed it back and dropped his girlfriend on her legs, a gesture showing he was still upset.

“Please, panda I’m sorry. I promise I will never do it again.” Komal ran after her boyfriend who was walking towards the main with his hands stuffed down his pocket. He had already forgiven her, but it wasn’t something she should be familiar with at that moment.

“Vihaan please I’m sorry, just listen to me once.” Komal stood at front Vihaan with her arms wide opened, blocking his movements any further.

“Move! It’s time to leave.”

“Not until you forgive me.”

“You aren’t getting any forgiveness this time without any punishments.”

“Then we aren’t moving out of here till you forgive me.”

“It’s no fun Komal! You know I am insanely in love with you. You scared me. I was so damn worried. I thought you left me. You-you disappeared.” Vihaan lowered his head and Komal knew she had to say something mature and by heart. She had upset him.

“I can never leave you Vihaan. I can never ever disappear. The moment you will think I’ve disappeared from your life. I’ll come again. I’ll be in front of you when you have the least expected. I’ll meet you again and again; not only in this lifetime, but every life we will have—because we aren’t only connected with hearts, but our soul is one. We are united together and we will stay like that forever.’ The words came straight from her heart. Komal cupped his cheeks and made Vihaan look into her eyes as she promised. ‘I promise you Vihaan. No matter what happens, no matter where I will be, but you will think about forgetting about me I’ll be there to remind you about the love we have. I’ll come again and again begging for your forgiveness.”

~~~~

And honest with her words; Komal was there, lying upon Vihaan with her eyes tightly shut and the revolving chair lying flat on her back.

As promised; she had appeared. She had made her presence when he had decided to move on.

Vihaan was in shock. To see her after so many years, in the circumstances least expected and the place where he had never thought he would bump with her was astonishing. He didn’t know what game his destiny was playing with him, but he never wanted to be a part of it. Just then, he had made his decision of moving on in his life, and yet again she had appeared out of nowhere, straight in his arms.

His back had hit the ground hard with sudden collision, yet he could feel nothing but the furious pounding of his heart. It felt as if it would fly out his chest right then and would explode before he could know it. His eyes were wide open and expression was similar to the person who had seen ‘The Nun’ walking in his closet for real. He stares at her head with an unwavering gaze, mouth opened ajar and eyes wide as soccer. She was lying flat upon him, legs tangled and hands placed flat on his chest. Her head was placed in the crook of his neck and he could feel her hyperventilating on him. Even his own breath was uneven. The position was intimate and the warmth was familiar. He felt as if after a decade he had arrived at his home. A home with safety and love; happiness and joy; amiability and together. He had felt the feeling of compassion after a long time. Everything around him was nebulous except her presence.

His own arms were secured around her waist. Her bare waist. He gulped at feeling her naked skin with his palms. He didn’t know how long had they been lying on the stage in a similar position, but he could say a decent quarter must have been as the girl in his arms had started to wiggle.

Giggles and chuckles in the background didn’t catch his attention, but groan full of agony had brought him out of his trance and he stopped staring. Vihaan felt paralyzed and couldn’t comprehend what had exactly happened.

Aarav, who had overcome his laughing state was the first one to step forward to help. He had moved the chair of Komal and soon. The ex-couple were surrounded by security guards and authorities for help.

“f**k this revolving chair, man! Who in the hell had come up with the idea of making that shit.” Komal grunted, as rolled over the man who had protected her from getting any bones broken. She was feeling a throbbing pain in her elbows, but apart from that, she felt she was fine.

“Ma’am! Sir! Are you Okay? Are you alright Vihaan sir? Any pain? Injuries?” Aarav asked as he coughed down the chuckle erupting in his throat, watching the girl sitting Indian style with all her hairs veiling her face as she continued cursing Majordomo and the architect who had designed the hall.

On hearing Vihaan’s name, Komal stiffened at her place and she immediately removed her hairs off her face only to come face to face with her ex-lover. She opened her eyes in shock, and she was falling again on the ground this time. Her perception of time distorted, everything slowed down until there was nothing, only her and the Vihaan at front of her, the ceiling that seemed to swallow her whole. Her hand reached out, kissing the cheeks, grasping the curves of his earlobe. Everything was a blur, a blur that swirled out of existence. Suspended in the air, she closed her eyes and surrendered herself into the infinite self-pity.

Arnav was the closest one standing to the ex-couple out of all people. He watched as the girl almost lost consciousness in his employer’s arms that had a plethora of emotions floating in his eyes.

“Life took an awesome turn when you left with your f*****g horse like toes. Now you have to show up again with your ugly face looking like a frightened Chihuahua again.” Komal commented before kissing the ground and losing her consciousness. Her comment was so out of character, so far from what he knew of her, he just stared at her open-mouthed. His brain formulated no thoughts other than to register that he was shocked. He closed his mouth, then looked at his toes before glancing back up to caught her eyes closed. “I think I'll go now.” was all he could say. Before he stood and stomped out of the hall with a furiously beating heart in his rib cage.