I don't know how to make you understand,
Because I loved like I knew...
*****
3 MONTHS LATER...
"If you hang up my call once again, I will not hesitate to come in front of you, I'm already at your doorstep." Text message from Anand.
"If you don't come down in ten minutes I will definitely come up" the second message popped up.
Ananya knew very well that Anand was serious this time. She was not angry as Anand had tried to convince her a lot in the last 3 months. Somewhat David also helps Anand to convince her. Now the problem is that Ananya has forgiven him for what he did but has not forgotten what he does.
Something made her reluctant to meet him. It could be because of her love for him or it could be anger. Because Ananya knew that no matter how angry she was, when he looked into her eyes, she would surely surrender to him. She didn't want him to weaken her.
Ananya was deep in thought when five minutes had passed out. Ananya knows very well what rumors will be created if Anand comes to her office, So she rushed towards him.
As soon as Ananya reaches her office door, looks around to find where he is. Then she heard the sound of horn from the luxury Skoda car parked there, The next minute she realized that it was him, she quickly got into the car and slammed the door.
There was great silence and silence and silence only...
In her point of view she was not ready to start the conversation but for him he was freezed by seeing her after a long time.
Ananya no longer had the glow that she always had, The glimmer that was always present in her eyes was now gone, Her eyes were covered with dark circles, It was obvious that she was trying to cover up her dark circles with mascara, Last time she was wearing the same dress and it fit her perfectly, now it was a bit loose, that shows she loses her weight recently.
"If you don't tell me now why you wanted to see me, I'll leave" Ananya opens the car door and tried to get out.
"Hey girl... wait... First let me take you somewhere." Anand turned his face towards the road. She slammed the door again and turned her face away from him.
After that there is no conversation between them until they reach their destination.
*****
"Even a murderer gets a chance to explain himself. I admit it was my fault. But..." Anand sat next to Ananya. "Look at me..."
"I can hear you." She tried to avoid direct eye contact with him because if she looked directly into his eyes she would surely fall into his trap. But that is the only way for Anand to convince Ananya.
He held her hands with one hand and her cheek with the other and turned her face towards him. Ananya looked into his eyes and saw a trail of tears, the well of tears shining like diamonds in the sunlight. Suddenly she lowered her head.
"Please Anand... Why are you killing me like this? I'm so mean, I do all the treachery for cheap publicity, in that case, why are you running after me like this? If you really want to punish me, report me. You can complain against me for stealing your songs, insulting you, trusting you and being a cheap friend. Already I'm half dead and don't kill me anymore." She was half crying but the words came out of her mouth with full force.
"Anu... you have done a lot for me, But i never did anything for you. You took good care of me and my family, Even though I didn't do anything. It doesn't matter if you are not ready to accept my apology. At least listen to my explanation. I was already going through a very difficult phase at that time. I know you didn't expect me to behave like that. But..."
"But what? You are right. I don't want to hear you. What do you really want, forgiveness? Okay... I am ready to forgive you. I forgive everything you have done to me. But when there is no trust in the relationship, there is no point in continuing it. Better to end here." She got up, slung her handbag over her shoulder and started walking briskly from there.
"No.... You're wrong... I am not here to apologize. My preference is something else" Anand yelled from behind her and she glared at him questioningly. He continues his utter.
"My father always said, if we can easily forgive our bad behavior, we will repeat it for life. So punish me. Do you think breaking my heart is a good punishment? Break it. Break it a thousand times if you like. It was only ever yours to break anyway." He came closer to her and looked deeply into her eyes.
"I know.... i know, I have broken your trust and your little heart. I may never be able to make you whole, but i will break my heart into a thousand pieces, so that every single part of me can love every single part of you. Anu... Will you be my better half?"
A great silence occupied the place and i think the whole universe could wait for her answer. Anand can listen to his heartbeat on his ears without a stethoscope. His eyes are pleading with her and his ears want to hear a "yes" from her. A small bead of sweat is ready to roll down from the corner of his forehead. Even Cupid from the land of love bites his nails in nervousness.
"That would be a good punishment for me" Mournful smile appeared on Ananya's face.
Cupid : HAHAHAHAHA Thats my girl, Don't accept him so easily, make him run after you. He took a long time to realize his love for you. Make him struggle with some of the pains of love. Because everything born of pain is poetry.
*****
"Shree ma, It's too early" Sharma came out of the kitchen.
"Yeah Papa... I'm so tired... What did you made for supper tonight?" Ananya tried to be somewhat normal.
"Still undecided, any suggestions?"
"Hmm... something spicy..." Poor Ananya believes that eating spicy food can control your sadness.
"Got it... First go and take a nice hot bath to refresh yourself." Sharma patted her forehead gently.
Ananya went straight into the bathroom and shut the door. She didn't even think to turn on the light. She put her back against the door and slid over it to sit on the floor. She bent both her legs and brought them close to her chest, then bowed her head down and assumed the position of the child in her mother's womb.
In that black darkness, only the sound of her crying was faintly heard. She knows this is what will happen if she meets Anand again. She know, She will lose her balance and courage because her love for him superior than all her other feelings. That's why she refused to meet him all these days.
But she never expected him to propose her. If she was the old Ananya, she would have given herself to him for sure. But now the situation is completely different.
Ananya is heartbroken when Anand doubts her friendship and blames her. It was then that she realized that hiding all this from her father was a big mistake.
Sharma is completely disappointed when he finds out all those things, but he always supports her and gives her a shoulder to cry on. Sharma forgives all her mistakes on one condition that she should not fall into the trap of love again. After all, Sharma didn't like Anand from the beginning.
*****
Sharma serves mouth-watering spicy dum aloo with chapatis, Ananya's favorite dishes and waits for Ananya to finish her delicious dinner.
"Do you want to tell me anything?" Sharma asked his daughter directly.
"Hmm... I met him today... and he... he... He proposed to me..." Her mouth started typing uncontrollably. "But you don't need to worry dad, I told him directly that I am not ready to be in a toxic relationship with him."
"Shree ma... Can't you change your mind? Because I think you'd better marry him."
*****
To be continued...
