Mana ke teri moujudgi se yeh zindagaani meheroom hai

Jeene ki koi duja tareeka na meri dil ko maaloom hai

**

"Mujhe Kamoshi pasand hai.

"Hume bhi.

"Jhooti! Toh phir ro kiyun rahi thi?

"Humein Kamoshi pasand hai, tanhai nahi, she re-praised calmly, determined to explain her point. He stood up abruptly and she held back his wrist. As she did that she was amazed at her own daring, and when he turned around the same amusement was reflected in his dark eyes.

"Rukhiye na, she said softly.

"Kiyun? He raised an eyebrow.

"Bus yun hi, she shrugged, smiling up at him slightly as he settled himself on the bench beside her once more.

The back stage was dark, but Gauri wasn't really afraid of darkness. In fact, her Ma had taught her at an earlier age that the more time you spend in darkness the clearer your view became. So right she was now that Gauri could almost see the light stubble covering her husband's sharp jaw line, or the twinkle in his eyes as his gaze found hers.

"Achcha batao, he said then, slightly turning towards her and casually propping his elbows to support his chin. She had never really seen him do that in the few months they spent together, so the action felt odd, a bit out of place and childish. Anyhow, she focused her attention back on his question. "Yeh Maddy kaun hai?

"Oh Maddy, she chuckled at the mention. "Ek dam paagal chirota hai wo. Kud ko hamari wo kya kahete hai, Besht friend bulata hai. Omkara's eyes narrowed, but he didn't really say anything. "Par haan, agar wo nahi hote na, toh patha nahi iss seher mein hamara kya hota. Aur hum yahaan toh kabhi pohochte hi nahi!

"Tumhe pasand hai wo? he asked in the end. She bobbed her head up and down, grinning a bit. "Tum kush ho, uss ke saath? She stopped in the mid nod.

"Aap aisa kiyun pooch rahe hai? She asked doubtfully.

"Achcha kayal rakh tha hai na tumhara?

She didn't answer that question.

"Tumhe kush toh rakkhenga na?

Gauri bit her lip, staring at him. Omkara returned her gaze, for a moment there was a pause.

"Aap na bohhot bhure ho. She said bitterly after a moment. "Hume rulane me ka maja aatha hai aap ko?

He smiled at her sadly, before kneeling down at her feet, taking her hands in his warm ones and gently squeezing them.

"Mujhe aur aata bhi kya hai Gauri? Tumhe hurt karna hi toh aata hai mujhe!

"Jaaiye aap, mujhe baat nahi karni, she turned her face away, stealthily blinking away her tears. He sighed loudly,  letting go of her hands.

"Jaana toh padenga na, he said disappointedly.

She looked at him quickly, stretched out an arm to hold him back, but he stepped away an inch away from her, still smiling at her in that wistfully sad manner.

"Omkara ji, mat jaaiye, hum majak kar rahe te,her voice shook as she gulped back her tears. He took another step back and she stood up, ready to run after him.

"Jaana muje nahi tumhe hai Gauri, he told her, tilting his head to judge her reaction.

"Huh? she said confused.

"Yeh sapna hai jo tum roz dekh thi ho. Tumhare har din ki kabar deti ho mujhe. Par jitna bhi waqt tum iss sapne mein bitha lo, hum dono ki sach nahi badalne wala. Sach yehi rahenga ke hum saat nahi hai. Main tumhare saath nahi hoon. Mujhe jaane do Gauri, iss sapne ko ab chor do.

"Nahi, nahi, she shook her head, tears running down her face unashamedly. "Aap ka koi haq nahi hai aisa boolne ka. Yeh mera sapna hai, toh main jisse chahoon usse dhekoon, aap ka kya?

"Main tumhari duniya ka hissa nahi hoon,he tried again.

"Duniya hai aap hamari, hissa nahi.

"Pagal, he chuckled and held out his hand. "Mere saath chalongi?

"Kaha? She asked, bewildered at the sudden change of the topic.

"Jaha hum le jaaye? He smiled mysteriously.

Gauri took a moment to absorb the scene in front of her, knowing full well by then that she had dozed off in the recording room and would soon be woken up by a hopping skipping Maddy. It happened everyday, ever since she had walked out on him. So she had by then learned to relax in her dreams and actually enjoy spending time with the man she truly wanted to be with, but knew she would perhaps never see again.

He always looked handsome in her dreams, with open hair and twinkling, warm, dark eyes. The expression in his features was happy, like she had seen only in old  photographs, a faint smile always curling his lips. He always listened to her report of her day and consoled her when she broke down.

She never cried in front of anyone, after that first day in Pune. That day she had taken all her torment out on her shankar ji and wept at the feet of his idol in the temple she had taken shelter for the night; only to bump into Maddy aka Madav Khanna the television icon who was escaping a gang of wayward fans.

Gauri had not known what had hit her, until the man had literally hidden behind her, covering his head with the end of her dupatta. She had certified him crazy right then and there, only to later realize how dangerous this guy's fan following really could be. They had to run for their life and by the end of that adventurous night Maddy had started believing he owed his life to this village belle as he called her.

There were a few things Gauri gave him credit to. One was that he did not ask many questions. It was highly strange considering the speed with which he talked. But underneath all that happy go lucky, attitude Maddy was an understanding guy, who gave her the space she desperately wanted, to sort out her messed up life. Two was that he showed her the path to make her place in the world. That was how this music reality show happened to her. It had not gone on air yet, and she dared the moment it would, because the very next day she would find her in laws at her doorstep. For some reason, as the days went by, Gauri realized the less she cared about that. She was not the same Gauri, the misfit to their world anymore. If they do come to confront her, she would face them, with her feet firmly holding her ground and her head held high. Gauri Kumari Sharma no longer backed away without a fight.

Omkara clicked his fingers in front of her, bringing her back to her blissful dream.

"Itna bhi bharosa nahi karti?

She took his hand at once, shaking her head in negative and let him lead her on, in the darkness that hardly offered them any direction.

They stopped abruptly, in the thick darkness. She could no longer see him. Gauri clutched his hand, afraid to let go and knowing full well that the moment she does, he would vanish and she would wake up.

A silvery spot light popped to life, catching her right in the eye. She covered her face with her hand, until her eyes adjusted to the brightness. In front of them there were hundreds of silhouettes of people, around them a mild hum of voices. As her eyes fell on them, they started cheering and he squeezed her hand, dragging her eyes back to his face.

"Yeh hai tumhari duniya, he said softly with a pointed look at the faceless audience. "Iss mein mera koi jaga nahi.

"Toh humein yeh duniya nahi chahiye, she replied stubbornly.

"Zid mat karo, he said shaking his head at her and stepped back. Only their fingers remained entwined and she looked at him, eyes brimming with tears.

"Humari toh bus ek hi jid hai, aap...

"Shh! He placed a long artistic finger on her lips. "Sunno. There was a faint music in the air, the cue they had been practicing her ears picked up.

He backed away again and she held him back.

"Mat jaaiye.

"Gaao Gauri, his voice already sounded distant. "Mere liye?

The lyrics she had already rehearsed twenty times did not come to her aid as she continued to watch him. His hand slipped from her hold yet she continued to hold her own hand stretched out. The darkness swallowed him and the tears blinded her vision.

"Kya hum itna bhi nahi maang sakte? She muttered to herself. "Kya aap sapno mein bhi hamara nahi ho sakta?

*

Open to your thoughts and your views would be welcomed heartily.

Thanks for reading!

Love,

Sakura