Pride and Prejudice

Riya was dancing to the beat of drums unaware and unconcerned about the fact that just few steps away a man named Rajdeep Sharma stared at her. All he could think was “Oh sh*t!! I am in love”.

Raj deep Sharma was an engineer settled in US working in the Silicon Valley, self proclaimed and proud-to-be geek, was in love with his gadgets, neither had the time nor any inclination for women or romance. He had come to India to attend his twin sister Priyanka’s wedding. Riya on the other hand, worked in mumbai with a PR firm. She was a street smart, fun, beautiful girl. She was Raj Deep’s and his sister’s classmate in school, but they hardly spoke. She was more of a friend to his sister. She was an out and out romantic. She had read nearly 300-400 Mills and Boon books. She had a series of forgettable relationships but still the quest for love was still going strong.

Riya was there at his place when Raj Deep returned from America. “It's so hot and humid dad and the roads are still a mess” he entered the house saying that. He stopped on the way and saw there were lots of people around. He then walked to his sister and hugged her. And then he turned to see Riya standing, he immediately recognized her, same girl with wild curly hair and with equally wild temper. Riya continued making her rangoli, today was the sangeet and she had her hands full with work. Raj Deep hugged his mom who was sitting next to Riya, helping her with the rangoli. He said “Mom did you get the Wi-Fi enabled in the house?” With that Riya made a disgruntled sarcastic laughter, Raj Deep’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Riya and asked “Now what’s troubling you, jungle hair" (that’s how he always addressed her) “ “Nothing really Mr. brain drain, I see you’ve become an American finally, with your fake accent, your never-ending cribbing, selfish attitude” she then started mimicking “oh dad the roads are such a mess, my Wi-Fi…aarrrgghh” Raj Deep wanted to retaliate but was stopped by  Priyanka “ C’mon guys, I am getting married, can’t you be just cordial for the next 3 days, after everything’s over ,you can beat the shit out of each other. Please till then just shut-up”

Riya had to drive Priyanka to a parlor to get ready for her pre-bridal. Raj Deep was standing in front of the door, looking utterly bored and tired. Riya peeked out of her car’s window and asked “How come u standing out in the ‘humid’?” “I am waiting for the flowers to arrive.” He sounded pretty irritated. Priyanka too  looked out of the car's window and she said, “why don’t you come over too, there are lot of people at home who could attend to the decorators.” Raj Deep, thought the idea was nice, he could relax in the AC car and AC parlor. He sat on the back seat and simply loved it. AC car seemed to be an oasis in Delhi’s May’s summer. He missed America, he missed its climate, India was a sad place, he thought. His thoughts were soon interrupted by Riya, she said “so Mr. brain drain….”immediately Raj Deep’s eyes turned at her and he said “Please I m in no mood to fight, so back-off”. This time it was Riya's turn to snap and she immediately looked at Priyanka and started yelling “I m just trying to have a civilized conversation and this man is biting my head off” Priyanka gave both a menacing look, enough to shut them up for a while. They travelled in silence. As soon as they reached, Priyanka rushed to the parlor followed by Riya and Raj Deep. Priyanka went inside for a pre-bridal and d manager told them that they needn’t wait; it’s going to take more than an hour to get her all ready. Riya called up priyanka to tell her that she’d come in an hour’s time…but priyanka refused citing that they had to stay behind, what if she needed anything. Riya looked at Raj Deep; Raj Deep said “anywhere where I could find AC”.

Riya suggested they go to a coffee shop nearby, it is air conditioned and she could use some coffee. They ordered for brownies and coffee, both looked everywhere but at each other. Finally Raj Deep spoke “So Riya…” “You know my name…that’s such a pleasure to know” Riya said with a good laugh. Raj Deep laughed too. Raj deep continued “So Riya, are you still with the same guy you were with two yrs ago, when we met last?”
“Umm no... didn’t work out with him, he had the same American dream, as most of the guys have and I am not ready to leave India. I want to go abroad but as a tourist not as a resident.” Riya sighed. It was Riya’s turn to ask about his love life, to that Raj Deep replied “if love means sleeping thinking and waking with that one thing than yes I m in love…in love with my phone, laptop, iPod”. Both laughed together “So how come you didn’t get a girl for yourself, you love everything about America, why not American girls?”Riya asked. Raj deep made a sad face and replied “They are way too modern for me, and Indian women are way too conservative for me” Then there was a long pause. So Riya asked”So you’ve never been in love?” prompt came a reply “NO”. Raj Deep asked that what according to her was Love, Riya got all philosophical with that “To me, love is going to bed at night knowing that there is one person out there who is thinking of you at that same moment. Love is having a last call of the day by the one last person that you want to talk to while lying in your bed just before the day is over. Love is a smile …. And not only is it a smile on your face, but it’s a smile on your heart. Love is forgiving. Most of all, in my opinion, love is an incredible feeling that everyone deserves to have in their life. No one can tell you if you’re in love or not because only you know” Riya noticed Rajdeep staring at her, she thought he was about to crack a joke on her, but instead he just said “hm”

Soon Priyanka called saying she was done and ready to go, both looked at their watch and they realized they had been sitting in the coffee shop for more than two hours, they were shocked because it seemed just minutes, and time sure flew. They reached home, both rushed to get ready. Raj Deep wore a kurta pyjama and he came out of the room, and he saw Riya talking to his mother she wore a very beautiful anarkali, and her wild curly hair tied at the back…she looked beautiful. Raj Deep in the last three hours saw his thoughts drifting to Riya and what she said about love. Is it really possible to feel the things that she said people in love felt?? He wanted the feeling too, he wanted to love and be loved. All of a sudden the laptops, mobile phones, iPod seemed superficial. He was suddenly very conscious of Riya being around, every now and then his eyes would drift to her, on how she looked, the animated excitement in her. Then he saw Riya dancing with bunch of guys and jealousy sparked. He just wanted to pull her aside, and hide her from the world’s glares. Suddenly his eyes became wide and heart pumped so loud and fast, and the realization started dawning “oh sh*t, I m in love…with that girl who dumped her last boyfriend because he wanted to settle in America”

He was soon snapped out of his thought with Riya calling him to join her on the dance floor, he went to her and started dancing with her, but all he saw was her kholed eyes and very beautiful lips, all he thought was how he could not see this beautiful girl before. All he wanted to do was kiss her, taste her just once .The music stopped and Riya went to the drink section, she was tired, Raj Deep followed her. “What happened, Is something troubling you, you look as if you’ve seen a ghost?”He wanted to pull her leg by saying yes he just saw her but everything seemed to be stuck in his throat. Riya thought he was troubled by his sister’s wedding. So she said “C’mon everybody gets married and the best part Priyanka is gonna be in Delhi only, you could meet her anytime you want. Relax dude.” For the first time Raj Deep was happy it was his sister’s wedding, if Riya ever came to know he has fallen for her, she would die laughing and he would be a butt of joke all through his life. Moreover nothing can happen on the love front, she hates NRI’s.”Is everything o.k.” Riya shook him and said “you can tell me”. Raj Deep smiled and said“Nothing, was just wondering about Priyanka, that’s it” and he left.

Next day, everybody was pleasantly surprised to see both of them didn’t have a single argument; they even addressed each other with their first names. Priyanka knew both the people in and out. She noticed Raj Deep staring at Riya every now and then. She knew what had happened to her brother. That night when everybody had slept, Priyanka went into Raj Deep’s room, he was listening to songs. Priyanka smiled to that. Raj Deep said “So watsup sister?” Priyanka sat beside Raj Deep and asked “You have to tell me, whatsup? What exactly is going between you two “ Raj Deep gulped and said “You mean Riya and me?”. Priyanka just nodded her head. Raj Deep couldn’t lie to his sister and he had to share his stupidity with someone, what better than his own sister. So he told her “I love Riya. I finally found someone who took me by surprise and knocked me off my feet. It just started over coffee, we decided we are gonna be friends, its kind of funny how from simple things, it becomes this complicated. I know she’ll never agree to go for me, she hates NRI’s, but I can’t seem to take my mind off her. You have to promise me you would never tell this to Riya. Promise me...rt now” with that Raj Deep extended his palm and Priyanka promised him that she wldn’t tell anybody not even to Riya. While leaving Priyanka said “I really think you should tell Riya how you feel.” Raj Deep just nodded his head.

Finally the wedding night came, after the guests were received and wedding had started, Riya felt Raj Deep was acting pretty weird. She was genuinely concerned about him. He was sitting in one corner watching the guests go up on stage to congratulate the new couple. He was not talking to people much. She went to him with a plate of Pasta…she knew he loved it.” Can I sit beside u?” Riya asked Raj Deep with a smile. Raj Deep looked up and smiled back. “So Mr. Devdas, why a long face, aren’t u happy your sister has finally found the right man? Trust me that’s an accomplishment to find the right guy, I have failed all the time”. She made a sad face “In my case even the right guys turned into Mr. Wrong.” Hearing that Raj Deep turned to her and he said with a smile “Then they can’t be Mr. Right…right?”. Rica was happy to see Raj Deep back to his irritatingly witty self. Both were inseparable throughout the night. They laughed and talked all night. Finally the Vidaai came; Raj Deep stood near the gate and saw his sister leave with her husband.

When everybody was gone, he sat in the garden and started sobbing he missed Priyanka. Riya saw Raj Deep sitting alone in the garden, she thought of giving him a company, she was shocked to find out that he’s crying. Riya sat beside him and tried to console him, but he was way beyond consoling. He looked up and Riya saw that behind his glasses he had beautiful green colored eyes with so much of crying it looked as deep as sea. That very moment she realized she was in love with this guy. Both of them couldn’t say who made the first move but both were kissing, slow and nice. The world, to both of them had stopped, so did time. By the time it got over and the realization set in to what they had done, they couldn’t even gather enough courage to face each other. Raj deep said “sorry” and he left. Riya watched him leave, disappointed. She knew guys like Raj Deep didn’t go for girls like Riya. They liked women who were engineers too and equally driven.

 Next day Riya packed her bags to leave. She wished everybody farewell, she saw Raj Deep sitting on the sofa, surfing T v Channels. Raj Deep saw Riya all packed and ready to leave. She couldn’t leave this soon. He was too shocked last night to say anything to her so he just left. But he had to tell her that it was very special. Before he could say anything, Riya said “wouldn’t you drop me to the airport or should I go all alone?

 As soon as they sat in the car Riya started talking”Boss, its ok, u needn’t get all uncomfortable, such things happen, okkk. Moreover don’t worry it wasn’t my first kiss and nor I have fallen for you. So no love lost o.k.? Raj Deep wanted to tell her how he felt but he knew what would be her answer, so he decided not to say. Instead he just nodded. Riya smiled and then she asked "will I see you around????" Raj Deep nodded again. Riya knew that ill-fated kiss had had costed her friend, for Raj Deep the kiss was always going to be special .They were uncomfortably quiet for the rest of the journey. Finally they reached airport and Riya waved him Good bye and disappeared in the crowd. Raj Deep cried returning home and Riya cried in the airport’s loo. They loved each other but were too proud to let the other know.

Funny how we feel so much but cannot say a word; we are screaming inside but we can't be heard….

Disclaimer :-

All the stories are a rough draft. All stories are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist, except in the mind of the (blogger)author. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. no part of this blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechnical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the blogger (author).