| | APART YET TOGETHER | |
PART - 1
-: Writer :-
Pritesh B. Thaker
thaker.prit127@gmail.com
© COPYRIGHTS
This book is copyrighted content of the concerned author as well as MatruBharti.
MatruBharti has exclusive digital publishing rights of this book.
Any illegal copies in physical or digital format are strictly prohibited.
MatruBharti can challenge such illegal distribution / copies / usage in court.
DEDICATED
My friends Manthan and Vivek who always encouraged and supported me for writing. They are always there to read every single page I write, they are my first reader and will always be.
And to Nivarozin Rajkumar (Niva aunty) who knows me only through facebook and yet without her it was quiet impossible to get this published….
AUTHOR INFO
-: NAME :-
Pritesh B. Thaker
-: PHONE NO. :-
8866663754
-: EMAIL ID :-
thaker.prit127@gmail.com
-: ADDRESS :-
71 Nilkamal park,
uni. Road,
sadhuvasvani marg,
opp. Suncity,
Rajkot – 360 005
INDEX
Part 1 : ||saw after years||
Part 2: ||first sight||
Part 3: ||poor boy||
Part 4: ||getting drunk||
Part 5: ||at the hospital||
Part 6: ||let's take a bath||
Part 1:
||saw after years||
Finding way to her home by looking in that letter he walked into a huge bungalow as he stepped into the house a security guard came to him and stopped him 'hey! Stop where are you going?' he hesitated a little and then answered 'umm... Neha... Neha madam...' security man looked at him for a while like he was checking him out 'do you have an appointment or are you a relative...' he didn't
have any answer for this, he stared at the letter for a while and answered 'I... I am from unicorn infrastructures I need to meet her and give this letter...' the security man still didn't seem to believe him 'okay, give me the letter i'll make sure it reaches to the ma'm...' he said. He tried his last card 'see, you don't understand it's urgent for me to...' he was saying something but security man's phone rang and picking up the phone he allowed him to go inside. He took a sigh of relief. As he entered the house, maid asked him whether he wants to meet Neha ma'm he nodded in answer. She asked him to sit indicating a sofa right in the center of that large living room. Maid went from there and he took a look around. There were some fashion magazines accompanied by business magazines too and some expensive show pieces on the table. Having a look around the hall, his eyes went to the stairs and there she was in a white dress, still she was the same he saw her years ago. Promptly she climbed down the stairs and looked at him their eyes met and she got a shock. It was HIM. Her whole life passed through her mind in fractions of second. She could just whisper 'you...?' getting out of the shock she started walking towards him taking very small steps. 'Neha please listen to me once I am here just to see you...' he said as he knew her reaction. 'why... Why harsh why?' she asked with a great disappointment. 'Neha just let me explain once...' he tried to convince her 'is there still anything to explain harsh?' she said getting tensed. 'Please neha just give me one chance to say what you don't know' He said holding her from shoulders. And a sound of slap. Yes, she slapped him right on the face 'how dare you touch me? Get out... Get the hell out of here... Get the hell out of my life... Security...' she screamed and three security man rushed into the hall and lifted him holding from his shoulders, the diary and the letter he was holding fell from his hands. He kept yelling her name but all in vain. Soon he was kicked out of the bungalow. She fell on the floor and went on crying madly, screaming and slapping the floor with both of his hands...
TWO DAYS AGO:
He was getting back to his home and his train stopped on a station, he got on the platform and with a great surprise he saw her, he yelled her name but in the noise of the station she couldn't hear, he rushed to her but before he could reach her she was on the train and doors were closed but with his fortune he saw a letter falling from her purse on the platform. He took the letter and jumped a li'l with joy. There was her address in the letter. For him it was like he got food after years of starvation. He decided to go to her home...
Part 2:
||first sight||
As security guards threw him out he fell up on the dusty road. In his untidy clothes he was more looking like a beggar, actually he was. He was beggar of the love of his life, he was beggar of her care though he was alive, he was beggar of a life. He stood up from the road and removed dust from his clothes. He started walking to home, looking lifeless, his eyes didn't blink they were still, only his feet from his whole body were moving, leading him to home. His life started running like a picture in his mind.
On the other hand Neha was still on the floor, though her eyes were dried now she was still crying within her. She got up and made a cup of coffee for her. Resting her head with support of her left hand she took sips of her coffee. With every sip of her coffee a day of her life passed through her mind, getting out of old dusty memories it was like reading a book again after years for her. She could see it all clearly, like it happened yesterday.............
FEW YEARS BACK...
Harsh took his seat near the set of drums holding his guitar. He tested it first and then did some arrangements in it. Getting the perfect sound he went on with his new tune, the drummer, the keyboard-man and the rest of the crew joined him. They were so lost in their tune and it was like they found what they were looking for years. "Hey guys!!! Great, awesome...." saying this Dev stood up from his chair and applauded. "Yey ... we got it” everyone cheered together. It was their music class, though they called it class but there were no teachers, no students. They used to come there at Dev's place and used to play random self-made tunes.
"Now all we need is a female singer ...." Harsh said getting up from the chair.
"Why don't you find one? You know a lot of hot cheeks ...” said one of the guy and everyone laughed.
"No way!!! I need a real girl and not those size zero sophisticated girls ..." Harsh disagreed.
"Well, those are your girlfriends actually, whom you are talking about ..." Dev said walking towards him pointing his finger at him.
"No dude ! I said a real girl ..." Harsh said trying to explain him
"Okay ... how do you define a real girl??" Dev asked.
"I can't explain.." Harsh hesitated a little.
"Come on yaaar say it ..." everyone gathered around him saying this.
"Okay Okay .... a girl who is like a statue of innocence, it could kill you when she looks at you with those sharp eyes, it turns you on when she behaves shy... when she walks the air itself follows her ... it causes rain when she shakes her head right to left and her hair flies in the air... and it takes your breath away when she sings ..." He was saying all these totally lost in his thoughts, he was totally unaware of surroundings until Dev told him to turn back. As soon as he turned back his eyes got wide a girl was there standing in front of them, wearing a black dress, a li'l bit shy it looked like god made her curves using mathematical instruments. She was like a poem, a poem of god. And her wet hairs, due to rain outside increased her beauty to infinite; she looked indeed like an angel, statue of innocence. he realized his mouth was widely open when Dev closed it with his hand.....
"umm... hii! hey may i help you??" harsh said stammering, this was the first time when he was stammering talking to a girl...
"I heard from a college friend that you needed a female singer..." she said.
"oh! yes.. yes... we did, you are most welcomed, you are in...." Dev said all in once maybe just influenced by her looks he didn't even asked for an audition.
"are you sure?" she asked confusingly on this prompt yes.
"oh! yes... of course... why not" harsh said and winked at dev....
"hi! I am Neha, Neha Sinha" she said taking her hand forward.
Harsh quickly took hold of her hand before Dev could and said "I am harsh! This is Dev and crew members... WELCOME..." and he left her hand seeing awkward gesture on her face, realizing that he was holding it since a while.
"So I'll join you from tomorrow..." she said leaving from there.
Dev punched him as soon as she left the room.... "ouch!! man.... it was hard..." screamed Harsh.
So, this is how they met for the first time. Remembering this made her smile a little, she asked maid to bring one more cup of coffee and again lost in memories....
PART 3:
||poor boy||
It’s been few days now since Neha joined the crew. She was just awesome at singing. As Harsh says her voice could take anyone's breath away in his words she was the real girl. All of the three were became good friends till now and knowing or unknowingly both the Harsh and Dev were playing their cards on Neha. Neha who was totally unaware of this was just enjoying their company. Though she didn’t really like Harsh's relations with other girls as being a stud of the town he laid with lot girls and till now Neha had become aware of it. But surprisingly Harsh had started to change, now he didn’t try on every other girl and the most surprising thing was he had started wearing formal cloths instead of torn jeans and T-shirts. He did really look like an English gentleman in those formals, in that body fit light purple shirt his muscles looked damn attractive and seductive at the same time, moreover God had put a cute smile as a special ingredient on his face that could kill any girl and with his spiky hair style he just looked stunning. Neha thought of Dev as just a sweet, nice guy nothing else. Apparently Neha was not thinking anything about any of them and what they both were thinking!! (I should better not mention it.).
So, it was a Sunday morning, everyone was there except Dev, he was late. Neha was standing in front of the window feeling the cold air though it seemed rather the air was feeling her beauty and Dev entered. As soon as he entered all he cared about was to ask "Where is Neha ??? " To answer him Harsh said. Well, actually sang...
" BHOLI SI SURAT, ANKHO ME MASTI ...
DUR KHADI SARMAAYE ..................... "
" AAYE HAYE ........... " all the crew member joined him and burst into laughter.
" Shut up ... !! "Ignoring him Neha said as she was now used to his flirting and it didn't bother her anymore.
" So, let's get started. "Dev said taking his position in front of the mic, everyone took their position and started playing. They never went for any audition, any competition or a public show; they just enjoyed playing music, singing. It wasn't professional for them and that was the only common thing among them. They all loved music more than anything.
As clock-bell rang for it was 12:00, Neha got out of memories. it was now 2 hours since she was on coffee table holding an empty mug, house maid turned on some old instrumentals and unknowingly Neha started singing to them, after completing a whole song the house maid clapped " Wow ! Madam your voice is mind blowing. "She just smiled in answer and went upstairs.
A little boy came out of her room with half open eyes, seeing his mom he smiled at her and said " good morning mumma…" looking her at little five years old baby boy her smile got back which was went away 2 hours back. " Hey ! You awake my little baby ... come here ... "she said spreading her hands and the cute little boy in his night dress gave a hug to his mumma and kissed her cheeks, then forehead, then neck and then nose. It was their daily routine. "Now go and get your teeth brushed and take care at the stairs, not to fast haaa... "she said to him giving a kiss.
" Come here Harsh baba, let's fight with germs... "Said the maid.
Yes, he was named after him. Looking at his maid aunty Harsh ran to her with joy and just after few steps his feet slipped and looking that Neha screamed his name but fortunately his maid aunty was able to catch him. Neha went to him and slapped him "Are you out of your mind??? I told you to take care ... "she screamed at him scolding him, on this sudden change in his mumma he started crying.
"Madam easy ... he is just five ... "maid said and took him in the room. Neha sat on the stairs and a tear rolled down from her eyes. No, that was not the mistake of five years old innocent Harsh. The incident reminded her of something worst, something from the torn pages of the past which made so mad at the five years old poor boy that was totally unaware of his mother's situation. Seeing Harsh slipping from the stairs again she lost in the past...
What was that bothered her so much that she slapped her son? What made her cry again? Which painful memory was it that took her smile away again?
Part 4:
||getting drunk||
"hey! Dude set the pitch a little high..." Dev said to the keyboard-man.
"okay boss...."he replied and followed his instruction.
"And hey, you stay a little light at your drums when we enter the last phase of the song because I want my guitar a little louder at that time..." Harsh said to the drummer-boy without looking at him doing his usual arrangements with his guitar.
"So, guys on count of three, one more last time...
1... 2... and 3..." Neha counted to three and everyone hit their instrument....
All of a sudden in between the song Harsh threw his guitar on the floor yelling "no... man! we are not yet getting it right at all..." he was a little frustrated then, continuously working on those notes for four hours straight still it wasn't as they wanted it to be, it pissed him off, Fist Neha and Dev got a angry with this behavior of him but then they knew hoe perfect he was about music. Neha went near her and rubbing her hand on his back she said "take rest Harsh, you really need it..."
He sat on the floor and took his guitar in his lap.
"We will get it soon bro. Now, tell me what would you like to have?" Dev said sitting near him, Neha too sat with them.
"Sorry yar... am really sorry... umm... a cup of coffee... coffee will do." Harsh said putting his guitar aside.
"It's okay we can understand chill...." Neha said to him and Dev went to order coffee and some snacks for everyone.
after a while one of Dev's servant came up with snacks and coffee, he put the plate of snacks there and was serving the coffee but accidentally coffee fell on his hand and he couldn't hold the mug and threw it away, all the way the mug went on Harsh's guitar. Harsh's eyes got wide and without having a second thought he slapped the servant yelling "YOU BASTARD..." on this reaction of his Dev yelled at him "what the hell are you doing Harsh!!!" and suddenly the sound of an another slap. But it was on Harsh's face this time. It was Neha, standing up from the floor she yelled at him "what the hell you think of yourself??? Who are you to touch him even??? Wearing these decent cloths doesn't make you any good. Actually, YOU ARE A BASTARD AND NOT HIM!!!" she shouted this all to him as loudly as she could, with a thud of her leg on the floor she went from there.
"GET LOST..." said Dev to Harsh and he walked from there...
Thinking for a while at evening Harsh realized his mistake and went to Dev's house. He parked his car outside and went in. the door was closed, he took his hand to the door bell and then again took it back, doing the same three more times finally he hit the bell. it was Dev who opened the door.
"Hey! I am sorry..." Harsh said as soon as Dev opened the door.
"You don't have to say sorry to me..." Dev said looking into his eyes.
"okay! Where is that boy then?" Harsh asked and Dev lead him to the servant, he apologized and was going back when Dev said "hey! Let's have a drink..." He nodded in the answer and both went on terrace with two bottles of rum.
It was nearly 3 a.m. when they both were fully drunk and didn't have control on their selves...
"Yaar, this is the first time when a girl slapped you and you didn't utter a single word why..." Dev asked,
"you know what, she is right, i am.. I am what she said???" Harsh asked back.
"Bastard..." Dev answered in single word.
"Bastard yes, i am a... BASTARD... she is right..." Harsh said standing up.
"NO! You are not my friend, you are not..." Dev tried to convince him...
"You know what?" Harsh asked him.
"What?" Dev asked back.
"Nothing..." harsh answered ignoring him and climbed up on the wall of the terrace...
"oye! first get down and then tell me what..." Dev said getting up.
"no… a am not getting down... because..." Harsh didn't complete the sentence.
"Because what?" Dev asked him.
"Because I LOVE HER... maybe she hates me but I LOVE HER... she... she is the real girl... because I LOVE HER... everyone listen to me I LOVE NEHA..." Harsh started shouting standing on the wall of the terrace.
"What, what u said? Why didn't you tell me before rascal..." Dev showed a fake anger.
"Because..." again harsh didn't complete the sentence...
"Because WHAT?" Dev asked again...
"Because...... I LOVE HER..." harsh shouted again...
he kept yelling this again and again and Dev was looking at him from behind and suddenly a sound of a loud and strong thud came and with it whole hangover of Dev fled away. Sound of car's beep was coming from the ground floor. Dav ran to the ground floor first called the ambulance and then called Neha, as soon as she answered the call Dev said "Neha... Neha... Neha... Harsh jumped down from my terrace..."
"no.....!!!!" sound of a scream came from the other side. Harsh whole covered with blood was laying on his car in front of his eyes...
"NO.......... harsh NO....." Neha screamed and hearing this house maid rushed into her room. "What happened madam? Harsh baba is all okay, why you yelled his name?" maid asked and Neha burst into tears. "nothing... just give me one glass of water and disprin..." Neha said while sobbing, maid followed her instructions. She took out one pill from the strip and she put that in the glass of water. As the pill started diluting in water with it Neha started getting diluted in the past again........
What made him jump from there and why? Or just slipped from there? What you think?
Part 5:
||at the hospital||
Whenever you think everything is going well and just at that moment destiny strikes with a hammer and leaves you all shattered. Same happened in their life. Just a wrong time, a wrong day, a wrong decision and a single wrong deed ruins everything, what matters is how you fight back.
Dev tried to get his senses back as quick as he could though it was hard for him, his childhood friend was laying in front of his eyes blooding all over the body who just few minutes back confessed his love to him. Dev took harsh down from the roof of the car, lifted him up and started walking towards the main gate. Fortunately Harsh was still conscious and all he was murmuring at that time was "I love her..."
Tears were rolling down from Dev's eyes with the same speed blood was rolling down from Harsh's body, with his fortune ambulance arrived soon; they took Harsh in and Dev followed ambulance by a car. Neha was already there when they reached hospital as Dev informed her where they were taking him.
They helped to get Harsh out of the ambulance put him on a stretcher and rushed to the operation theater. All the way Dev was yelling and trying to keep him conscious. They were asked to stay outside the operation theater. As they took Harsh in Neha fell up on the floor and started crying madly. Dev got some water for her and tried make her calm. After a while they both were sitting in the lobby, Dev lit a cigar and tangling it with his fingers he said breaking the unbearable silence "he always used to say, there is a beast inside all of us, it's all about how long you can hold it there, one or another day it will come out of us and will cause disaster..." Neha just nodded. Dev wasn't able to tolerate that painful silence so, he got up and started walking outside the lobby but Neha held his hand stopping him and said "I understand, He will be okay..." Dev nodded in answer and walked from there wiping his tears.
After three hours of operation a lady doctor came out when they both were sitting on the floor resting their head with support of both the hand in disappointment. They stood up seeing the doctor. Reading their faces doctor put her hand on Dev's shoulder and said "He is out of danger now but we don't know he will get conscious..."
"Thank you... Thank you doctor...' Dev said to her seeing a ray of hope in doctor's voice and hugged her tightly which embarrassed her but after realizing that Dev got back and said sorry, doctor just smiled in answer and they both smiled back, in the last three hours it was the first time when their lips stretched a little to smile.
It was now three days of unconsciousness of Harsh. His body and wounds had started healing. Doctor said that they will discharge him once he gets conscious. Neha and Dev didn’t leave him alone for a second during this. Neha came to know from Dev that Harsh didn’t have a family except a servant who brought him up and his properties and he belonged to a royal family. It was nearly 4 am when Neha was sitting resting her head on his bed and noticed his hand was moving, finally Harsh woke up after Three days and two hours, she saw his open eyes, a tear rolled down from her eyes with a huge smile, she held his hand and said “Hey! I am sorry…” Harsh tried to speak something but she couldn’t hear because of his very low voice, she came closer to his mouth in order to listen clearly and he kissed her on the cheek saying “It’s not because of you…” she could just smile in answer, that night for last few hours in the hospital Neha laid next to him giving him a hug sharing a very little part of his bed and she slept for a while after three days. At 6 am in the morning she woke up and found that Harsh was still awake he asked her “hey! Would you do me a favor?”
“Yes, whatever you say…” she said putting her hand on his forehead…
“I’ll need a personal nurse, will you?” he asked taking her hand in his and in answer she kissed his forehead. She informed Dev and doctors and after doing few tests seeing that he is okay doctor allowed him to go home. It was their true morning after three days of dark night…
Part 6:
||let's take a bath||
It was two days now since harsh was back at home but still he was not able to do everything by his self. As Neha promised she was there with him taking his care, she used to come at his place early at morning and left from there late at night after making him sleep, during this days they came closer to each other, came to know each other some more. Harsh’s hands were fractured so, he couldn’t eat, couldn’t take bath. Neha used to do most of his daily tasks, sometimes she even sang for him to make him relax.
One day when doctor came to visit Harsh, he literally smelled bad hence doctor insisted him to take a bath. It just excited Harsh though Neha was doing all the things since last few days without any complaints, it was about making him bath. Neha felt a little awkward after doctor left the room, realizing that Harsh said “No…No… don’t worry you don’t have to do that…”
“Yes, you are right I don’t have to…” she answered.
For a while room was covered with an awkward silence when Neha finally broke it saying "but i should..."
“I won’t mind” harsh replied and then made a strange gesture realizing that what he just said. Again an awkward silence covered the room and then both burst into laughter. They kept laughing for a while and finally Neha got up saying “Stand up…”
“But why…” Harsh asked him though he followed what she said.
“Come here now…” she said dragging him closer.
“Okay…” he was just doing what she said and then she started unbuttoning his shirt.
“hey! What are…” Harsh was saying something but Neha stopped him pressing her finger on his lips.
“Now remove your pant…” Neha said.
“What? Are you kidding?” harsh asked getting confused with her behavior…
“Do what I said and get into bath tub…” Neha ordered him. He didn’t have an option than following what she was saying him to do. Finally he got into bath tub wearing just underwear; both of them were blushing, being whole red like a cherry. Neha started applying soap on his back and his neck then his bare chest, on his muscular hands and thighs, on the whole body. This was the first time for Neha she was feeling the touch of a man’s bare body and harsh, he was all lost, his real girl, girl of his dream was applying soap on his body. None of them opened their eyes for a single second, maybe because they were feeling the touch or maybe they were just avoiding the eye contact. Harsh got out of the bath tub and stood beneath the shower, water started pouring over him, Neha came closer to him, under the shower, her whole body and dress got wet and she just turned extremely seductive but this wasn’t the old Harsh he didn’t even try to touch her. They both kept looking in each other’s' eyes and then she hugged him under showering water. He made her look up and pressed his lips over her. It lasted for a while, longer than a usual kiss under a shower…
“I love you…” both whispered together.
They stood there for a while hugging each other until Neha said “Harsh I don’t want to get cold and neither do you…” her words didn’t seem to affect Harsh. So, she sprinkled some water on his face and got back saying “CHALO…” and got out of there, Harsh followed her. She wiped his body with a towel and then started drying her hairs, she looked extremely gorgeous drying her hairs, wearing just a white long towel, it seemed like god carved her body on a marble stone while god was defining the beauty, the last creation of god. After drying hairs she laid next to Harsh, resting her head on his bare chest. She felt it was the safest place on earth she had ever been. He felt the divine love for the first time in life at that night. That night chatting till late, they fell asleep feeling each other’s' warmth.
Finally they became one; they talked till late at night and opened their heart out.
