"The Elevator to Realms" Act 4 The Enchanted Night
Pooja
"GUYS! I'm home! Mom? Aarti?", I announced as I threw my bag onto the Sofa. I found my two loveable fellows sitting in the living room watching some daily soap. "I have some news!" My mom and Aarti started listening to me. "I invited Vaibhav and his Mom for dinner tonight, and I will be the chef", I said, my mom, smiled and said that's okay. Aarti is my younger sister and somewhere, she seemed confused and a bit worried about something. Being a good observer, I noticed her prompt expression. Anyways, I went to the kitchen to see what I have for tonight.
As I was looking for items, Aarti approached me and asked directly, "Hey, what happened today?" to which I replied, "We both went to collect our certificates. And, I wanted to invite him for dinner tonight." Aarti didn't seem to be satisfied with my answer and asked again in a somewhat serious tone, "What's really going on? I want to know. Now." I took a breath and sat down on a chair. "It is complicated Aarti. I just don't know what should I think. Or how should I feel? He is really my best friend and I just don't want to lose him. But, I think I might have some feelings for him. He is caring, he shows so much concern, he puts me before himself and does things that I totally love. I think I love him, but I am way too much afraid to accept it and confess. And, there's something about an elevator and a random chore which may seem totally nonsensical to you, but it's true." I said. Aarti seemed interested and asked me to explain everything to her. As I explained everything about the elevator and the device and the events I and Vaibhav had together, she was shocked and confused at the same time.
"Have you .. tried telling this to mom?", she asked.
"Nooo! Hence the dinner party, Aarti. Try to understand.", I clarified. Aarti was in shock but she still seemed concerned about me and said, "Look. You have already gone through a lot of ups and downs. And, being a younger sister, all I can look for is your worth and profit. I would just say, be careful. And please, don't let your heartbreak." She gave me a calming smile and left. I started to get the table ready and began preparing the meal.
Vaibhav
It was already 7'o clock and I got up to my alarm. Still drowsy and groggy, I went down to see my Mom and Dad. They were already up and ready for the dinner party tonight. "Look, who's here! Good Morning beta..", said Dad, sarcastically to which I gave a weird smile to him. Then mom added, "You have got to look your best tonight. Go freshen up, and I will get your suit ready." To which I replied with an Okay. I was in my bathroom looking directly at the bathroom mirror and wondering about millions of things. Things like what's gonna happen today. Should I really open up my heart to Pooja? What if I screw this up? Will she still be my best friend after I pour my heart out? "Time will tell Vaibhav, Time will tell," I said to myself and started splashing water all over my face.
If you ask me to be brutally honest this time, I was really nervous. Yeah. If you ask me do I like Pooja? Yes, of course! Do I love her? Uh..... That's really really complicated. Well, not least, Pooja is definitely like the person I would love to spend time with her but it would be more like a HUGE step to take, wouldn't that be? Also, another solution would be to keep concealing my feelings for her. Or... Will it hurt me even more? It would, right? Oh my God! I shivered.
Wait a minute. I have.. feelings for her? I do, right? What do you think?
After running a plethora of thoughts inside my head, I came to the conclusion that maybe I should tell mom about all this. I always have. Back in the days when I was just a small kid, I shared everything with my mom. It always has been a beautiful kind of Son and Mom connection between us. She never judged me right from the start. I collected myself and then got ready for the dinner party and checked my phone. A text from Pooja.
"Coming, Mister? ;)"
A palpable smile began creasing through my lips as I read that text from her. I replied positively and locked my room and went down to where my parents were waiting for me. My dad flipped me the car keys and then we all went out while I reversed my car from the garage. Soon, we were on the way to Pooja's place. And as usual, Mom was sitting right next to me in the passenger's seat. And as I was driving, and my dad was busy on his phone replying to emails from his work, I decided to finally ask my mom.
"Mom I have... I wanted to ask you something.", I said.
"Now don't tell me that you are unsure about Pooja. Aren't you?", Mom pointed out, exactly and confidently what I had in my mind. I couldn't help but just nod yes. She leaned from her seat and said, "Okay, listen beta. What I would want you to do is to just, think about nothing but the relationship between you and her. The kind of relationship you and she have right now. You both are best friends if I am not wrong. But, somewhere you know that she has feelings for you as well as you have for her. This is clear. Now, when we reach her place, I want you to close your eyes for a moment and give it a thought. Is this, really what you want? Building all those feelings for her and getting hurt in the end? or rather to gather some courage and speak it out? It would rather work or won't. After all, you can't imagine her with someone else right?", mom smirked. And as she completed it, I blurted out, "NO! No... No This can't be. I don't want this to happen." This literally gave me chills and I had goosebumps. My dad got startled and asked, "Why what! What is the matter now? Can't you guys keep calm?" My mom said, "It's nothing. ~Well, you have your answer then.~", she whispered smiling and making herself comfortable in her seat again.
It was just about time when we reached her home. Dad parked the car and we all went in. I rang the doorbell, and Pooja came and opened the door for us. We all greeted each other and believe me. She had prepared a lot for us. We realized this as soon as she led us to the table in the dining room. Numerous delicious dishes, sweets, and whatnot! She really outdid herself.
"We all have been waiting for you.. let's cut the cake, then sit together to have dinner", said Pooja's mom. Aarti cut the cake and we all sang a Happy Birthday to her. She seemed super happy.
We all took our seats around the dining table and started a conversation while Pooja came and sat in front of me after the table. We smiled at each other while making eye contact. I don't know why was I even nervous at this point. She looked pretty with her hair tied up in a bun and she was wearing a blue top. Her simplicity never failed to astonish me in several ways. I couldn't help, but stare and stare right into her big shiny eyes. Everyone was busy talking to themselves but me. Watching her.
She waggled her eyebrows and then signaled me to start having my dinner. I smiled and she smiled back, and it was at this moment I noticed she had cooked Litti - Chokha for me as she already knew, I was a die-hard fan of litti-chokha. She smiled at me while keeping her hands clasped together on one of her cheeks. I couldn't resist and blushed and then smiled back! As soon as I took the first bite, it seemed magical! She really is a good cook. And I just couldn't believe she could cook this way. We too joined everyone in the conversation and I could notice from the corner of my eye, she was giving me little glances every now and then. I wasn't so sure until Aarti sitting at one corner of the table, saw her staring and smiling at me while I was busy eating litti-chokha and started nodding. My heartbeats rose sky-high. I slowly started believing that she liked me too!
After we finished dinner, everyone decided to have a family movie night. Times like these always brought up a genuine smile on each of our faces. Having a little out-time in our schedule never fails to bring happiness and joy. We were watching 'Lagaan'. Amir's work in that movie never failed to surprise me. Everyone was enjoying the movie.
I felt somewhat suffocated hence I felt the need to go to the terrace to get some fresh air for a while. I grabbed my coat and then I went up the stairs and reached the terrace. It was winter time so the sky was crystal clear brimming with radiant stars with a full moon adding to the beauty of the night. I was leaning on the railing near the ledge and started looking up at the beautiful night sky. I was always astounded by the vastness of the universe with such strange things occurring recently in my life. Wanting for an answer.
"Vaibhav?", I heard Pooja's voice and turned around and saw her approaching me.
"What happened? Why are you here? Everyone's watching the movie.", asked Pooja. I explained that I was somewhat feeling suffocated inside there and felt the need to come up.
"So, why alone. You got me, okay? If you have any issues you can always tell me, Vaibhav." She smiled as she said this. She inched closer and hugged me tight. Believe me or not, this really relieved me of all this suffocation-situation going on with me. This felt heavenly! My heart seemed like it stopped for a second. Sending shivers all over me. I could feel her breathing deeply against me. We parted and I noticed she wasn't smiling and neither was I. We both were breathing deeply. I gulped, and let out a half smile, and she smiled back while brushing her hair around her ear. By this time, I instantly knew and I was one hundred percent sure that she had feelings for me too. But, just like me, she was too scared to admit it right in front of me. I didn't know what to do. I held her palm and took her near the railing of the ledge. And we started to gaze upon the infinite vastness of the universe.
"You know Pooja? The total amount of stars in our universe is 2 times 10 to the power 23. That means, 2 and then 23 zeroes after that. And we are just one. One in billion, trillion. We are just a drop in a vast ocean, a grain on an endless beach. We are nothing. On the grand scale of The Universe, we are tiny. And there are two things we can do about that. We can feel scared and worried by the fact that we may be alone in this great vast space. Or, we can make the most of the fact that we may be the only life out there. We are precious. We're unique. We are special. And, we need to make the most of that. We really are nothing. Yet, we are something.", I said as we were looking right above toward the endless sky.
"You'll always be a nerd, wouldn't you." She said, smiling. "And that's the thing I like about you the most. Nerd, in the most nonsensical ways that nobody else would understand you except me. You might be boring to a lot of people, oh you are! But for me, you're special. Trust me this is what makes you different. And this fact, that we both are together at this moment, right under the same sky, in the same Universe and galaxy, on the same planet, makes me feel so secure and happy. I feel tremendously lucky to have you in my life, Vaibhav." she added.
"Me too.." I replied, as our eyes gaze got fixed on each other's eyes.
“Well, this place has been my childhood escape. Whenever I needed time to myself, I used to sneak out of home and come here.” She said sighing.
“Oh,” was all I could say. “Come,” she said, holding my hand. We came to the endpoint which had a railing and from there we could see the lights of the city sparkling beautifully. The sight was totally breathtaking and amazing. The wind was blowing softly, but powerful enough to free her hair from behind her ear. I felt like I was flying; I felt like I was in heaven.
We both got hypnotized by the beauty of the moment.
Pooja
“Pooja, you know your eyes shine better than those stars in the sky,” Vaibhav said suddenly, playing with my fingers.
“I wish it was the truth,” I said, chuckling.
“It is. Maybe it’s hard for you to believe, but on a serious note, your eyes have a better shine than those stars,” he said.
“Oh really, Mr. Vaibhav?” I asked, turning towards him.
“Oh yes, Ms. Pooja,” he smirked and said this, turning towards me slowly.
I looked into his eyes and thought to myself, who would even resist not falling in love with this guy right in front of me. He always, every single time, puts me before him. Always makes sure I am okay. But this time he made me feel more special because he got me to a place and said all those things that were a part of his childhood, which was a part of him!
It made me feel like he was ready to show me his raw self, his deepest, darkest self.
“Pooja, what are you thinking?” he said, looking at me.
“Just how handsome you are,” I said, kissing his nose. Well, that was half true!
“Says the most beautiful girl,” he said.
“Lol,” I said, smiling.
“What? You are the most beautiful and the prettiest girl inside out. I swear, I thank god each day that he has blessed me with a girl like you,” he said, looking deep into my eyes.
My heart swelled at that and all I wanted was to take him in my arms and kiss him and pour all my love into him, but I controlled myself. I took his hand in mine instead.
“I love you,” I blurted out, my cheeks turning a deep shade of red.
Vaibhav looked at me before his thin lips broke in a wide grin.
“I love you more than words could ever explain, Pooja. You are my world,” he said. I smiled as we slowly moved closer to each other until our lips met.
Suddenly, all things around me disappeared. Nothing else seemed to matter other than Vaibhav's lips on mine. He was kissing me softly; it was so soft that I could literally melt by the softness of it. He kissed me with all his love and slowly I started to return his kiss, pouring all the love I felt for him into the kiss. I was in another world, a world that knew no separation, no partition. A world that knew nothing but love and love alone. Thousands of butterflies fluttered all around in my stomach, my heart’s pace was increasing as every second passed and I could feel goosebumps on my skin. My hands found their way to his hair as his hands went around my waist. I shuddered in his arms as we continued to lie down and kiss. I could feel him smile against my lips and I couldn’t help but smile too. Slowly, we pulled away and I stared into his eyes to find them sparkling under the night sky. He looked back at me and I knew he was trying to find some reaction on my face.
To relieve his tension, I smiled brightly at him and buried my face in the crook of his neck. I could feel that he had let out a sigh of relief before wrapping his arms around me and I had never felt that safe before. We stayed like that for a few minutes before I pulled away and looked at him. He looked down at me and I slowly moved closer to him and pecked his lips. “I love you,” I whispered. “I love you more, Pooja. You are all I want and all I would ever need,” Vaibhav said while kissing my forehead.
I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him as tightly as I could...
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