Rejuvenating Love

6) Any remnants of love?

But the way he said 'leave' to Rakesh was fearsome. Showing off his red eyes, pointing the index finger to Rakesh he warmed the air around. His red eyes were already dreadful from the place I saw him i.e from beside, I could imagine how they would pierce you at the front view. Why should I imagine? I have seen that part of him two years back that too from the front. I have already faced him that way. Even tigers have mercy on their prey. But he pierces deep through his eyes and pounces on his hunt. But only I have witnessed the other side of it. It's the beautiful curves of his eyes. The shape is so curvy that it can kill many willing hearts all at a time. Why does he have to show the fearsome side of him? His shape of eyes too kill to a satisfying death.

Wait! Did I think of him to that extent? s**t! s**t!! s**t!!!. His expressions denoted that he already noticed me.

'Done checking me out? Like what you see?' Raghav gave his signature smirk.

It was a hell frustrating day, first Rakesh and then Raghav.

"When did you buy the shares? Why do you have to involve with me professionally too? First you approached my family personally. Now professionally. Can't you leave me alone? Why are you here now?" I blurted out the questions barging into my room towards my table only to divert his mind away from the fact that I was checking him out. Infact I succeeded in doing so.

'To strengthen our family relations I looked forward towards the business ones. So that you and your family doesn't back down at the peak of time.'

"Mind your tongue Rajput , Rathores never back down with their promises." I warned him to think before speaking anything that would tell upon my surname in any way.

'Okay!' He gave a hands up gesture to surrender in the fight realising the meaning of the words that slipped out of his tongue. 'Okay my little tigress!' To change the topic he began again with a new one- 'I have been here for some engagement shoppings you know.'

"Engagement? What! When is that?" I gasped. As if exposing me to shocks weren't enough for him till then. Seriously he was getting on my nerves.

'Oh! I just forgot to mention. Engagement is taking place this sunday and marriage this month. May be on 28th.', said Raghav being so casual with his words and expressions while taking the seat infront. His whimsical ways of declaring the decisions of my life were too shocking for me to settle down.

"Impossible! This just can't happen. So early? I don't have any time left. Shopping, invitations, parlour. When would I start and finish all these off? Atleast three months, three months in minimum are needed for the marriage plannings. All my friends infact Tanya also planned her destination wedding so ravishingly taking time for somewhat about six months. This is not done." My restlessness was worth watching out. I sounded a typical Indian girl.

'But I am desperate to have you all by today, at my home, as my bride, in my room, on my bed...' He blurted out singing the joyous song.

"Stop your evil thoughts then and there Raghav." I warned him.

He chuckled. But I just gaped at him. Did he really say that? The marriage is still a deal for him right? He had already mentioned that it's just his commitment to his parent and nothing else.

"Raghav did you plan it all out knowingly? Are the dates even finalised by any astrologer or Panditji? I don't want any planetary problems later in my marriage. Although you yourself being a saturn have already retrograded in my moonshine." Notwithstanding the fact that I was worried I chuckled out after a long time. No wonder how tough, bitter or sweet the situation be I feel free around him.

'I thought of bribing the Panditji today but he already mentioned a good and an early date so I didn't have to manipulate the dates sweetheart.' He winked at me cutely.

"Stop calling me tigress or sweetheart Mr. Rajput. You already know however sweet the sugar be that you add to this relation, it will never fade its bitterness. I have a lot of work at office today. I can't come for the shopping. Better you leave."

His face was worth watching. Anger flushed through his face but he remained silent. Silence is the prior step to a storm. I observed his movements only through my senses because I kept my eyes still and intact at the file I held, giving him a strong message that I was busy. He called someone and put his mobile on speaker. And to my surprise Mumma said a hello from the other side.

'Hello aunty, I think Kuhu is busy with her office works. We can go for the shopping some other day.'

"It's okay I will come with you, no need to involve her now" , I yelled 'cos I have already known about the consequential and theoritical explanations of my mother through my 28 years and 9 months of experience of growing up with her.

His smirk played well through his slender lips irritating me enough to throw the white vase before me, on his head but look at the fate, who made him, my would-be-husband.

'Done planning ways to kill me Miss Rathore?' Raising his eyebrows he tittered. O! O! Did my subsequent gazes at him and the vase enlighten him about my plans?

"No, not yet", I curved my lips forcefully to respond him with a genuine smiled.

'Let's go Mrs. Rajput.' He called me so purposely to start a fresh fight. Inspite of having the former unresolved disputes he added a brand new to the list recently.

"I am still Miss. Rathore. We aren't married yet and for your kind information I won't change my surname after marriage. Would you change your surname for me? Obviously not. So don't keep such expectations from me." Raghav seemed vexed at the condition that I kept before him. He breathed heavily releasing a sigh of anger.

'Kuhu, sometimes relations are much more than just a surname. World may know you as Mrs Rajput but will it deprive you of the love you have for your family and vis-a-vis? My family wants you to belong to both the Rathores and Rajputs. Even your family can expect the same from me. Marriage is a bond between two families. We both are equally responsible for the well-being and happiness of both of our families. So the topic is not about what surnames we take-up rather it's about how much we love our families. As far as the legal matter is concerned you may have whichever surname you like."

Even now he said his family expects something of me. Not he? Doesn't he have any demands? Won't he want me to be Mrs. Rajput for him? Why would he? Obviously he is being forced by his parent into this marriage.

"I am sorry. I blurted out of anger. I am still Miss Rathore. You can call me that. And about the legal surname for paperworks I'll think of it. I didn't think all these this way, through your point of view. I..I.. you know...I."

'Its okay! I understand. As if I call you Miss Rathore always. You'll always remain my little 'Kuhu' for me.'

"Little Kuhu?" Bemused with his words I raised my eyebrows as the display of surprise on my face.

'One who drains time is little and immature. Let's go you're wasting my valuable time. Every hour counts Kuhu.' Beating around the bush he mocked at me.

"I didn't invite you for shopping. You appeared out of nowhere to irritate me. Moreover maturity reflects the experiences built by age, and not the additions to our age. And if our fight ends now, we can save our professional time. So let's go?" I ushered him out of the room unbolting the door. He came along planting a signature smirk on his devilish face as if he really won coaxing my mind out of that question of 'li'l Kuhu'.

We moved out of the room. As if the morning stares werenot enough for me; now Raghav held me by my waist and insisted on me to walk along with him out of the office. Kavya had already observed his hold on me and my uneasiness. She just cleared her throat and affirmed - "You both make a good couple together". Raghav thanked her and we walked through the office corridor collecting jealous glances of many a girls. On reaching his black matte Lamborghini he pulled the front door for me and drove us to the city's reknown designer Ranjit Singh.

The music at the radio station on FM played 

1) 'Mere yara tere gham agar payenge hume teri hai kasam hum sawar jayenge'

2) soniyo o soniyo......tu dede mera saath tham le ye hath chahe jo v ho baath, tu baas deede mera saath.

The songs one by one had made us feel them. I could see him. His eyes didn't meet me. I understand when he is hurt. Although there is not a particular expression that predicts he is angry but I know something changes the colour of his face. He turns red alongwith his eyes and he doesn't directly look into my eyes. I switched off the FM to ease the moment.

'Why did you switch it off? Fearing that your feelings might erupt?' Speaking rudely he still didn't look at me. Stealing his eyes away he focussed on the windshield.

"I thought of easing you. It's you who is facing away hiding his eyes from me. You still don't understand my intentions, my feelings." With teary eyes I faced his tear-glossed eyes. We looked into each other for some moment as if letting each other know that its not only you, we too have suffered. We didn't speak. A silence crept over our heart. But the journey continued.....