🎶 O Meri Jaan by K.K

• Author •

"Shh" A palm squeezed up her words in her own mouth as she begrudgingly protested with a shrill whimper, which sounded to him like a moan.

"Leave." She breathed out after the sudden withdrawal of his hand, before she could choke to death.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She spit her fierce words at him as she saw him, gazing at the cupboard with a scrunched up nose.

"Everything is wrong, babe!" He whispered, dramatically.

"I ain't your babe, Rihaan. Let's go out of here." She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, trying hard to refrain from yelling at her dumb fiancè, who was nodding, absentmindedly.

"Why do people even come here?" Bhavna murmured, taking in the view of the isolated library.

"You told, we are going to our first date?" Bhavna tried to divert his attention, but it seemed to her as if she was talking to invisible clouds.

"Rihaan, let's do a thing. You stay here. I am going." With a sigh, Bhavna stood up to leave and passed a dead stare at Rihaan, who still sat cross-legged on the floor searching for god-knows-what book.

"Pwease, help me out." A tanned arm wrapped around her limbs as Rihaan pouted, showing her his best puppy eyes.

"It's been three hours!" Bhavna deadpanned, trying to keep her voice low.

"I promise, I saw it here. That's a book, which has been on my bucketlist since forever. I need it. Help me find it." Rihaan pouted, throwing his other arm around her toned limbs, as he hugged her legs.

"Okay. What's the book name?" Bhavna sat on the carpeted floor again, dropping her bag nearby. Grumbling, she waited for him to enlighten her with his kind-of favourite book because in the last three hours, she spent there, she hardly noticed any rom-com books in the beautiful, though crappy library.

A library without rom-com books?

Isn't it bewildering?!

"Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant." He spoke and she gawked at him, blandly, still digesting his taste or say, intriguing interests in books. The book was his favourite, for god's sake and here, she just got to know it's name less than three seconds ago, only after he said.

"So, what's the book is about? I mean, I've read it but, seems like I forgot. If you can give me a short clip, I'll probably catch it." Bhavna nervously laughed, trying to convince him that she at least knew the book, if not, read it.

"I'm yet to read it. But, how could you possibly forget Immanuel Kant's best book after reading?" He zoomed her face with his furrowed brows in utter disbelief.

"Who? I mean, Who's Immanuel Kant?" Bhavna's fingers reached to her hair, scratching them to hide her embarrassment. Still, a sheepish smile intact on her bright countenance.

"He is the greatest german philosopher of his era. Wait-" He paused, shocked. Then, after seconds of contemplation, he continued with a pointed look,"You don't know who he is! That suggests, you don't even have the tiniest idea of philosophy. Then, how could you possibly read and understand this book of his?"

"In the first place, I never knew he existed even before ten minutes. It's not like I'm a genius." Bhavna argued.

"It's okay if you don't know. But, why would you lie?" Rihaan laughed as he proceeded, "Trying to impress your to-be husband, huh?"

Ignoring his laughter, Bhavna walked away in search for his favourite book that he had never even read. As she was crossing the rows of books, her eyes landed on a thick set of books on the librarians' table. One of the book seemed to her to be what he said.

"Rihaan, check that set. I think, it's there." Both of them sauntered to the table as Rihaan excitedly jumped seeing his favourite book among those thick dusty books.

"Thank you" A kiss landed on Bhavna's lips before she could comment on his taste of books. Bhavna blinked as her eyes settled at the two boys at the corner, who were reading their books earlier, staring at them wide-eyed.

Did he just kiss her before them and the round camera of the library?

A delicate blush took no time to paint itself on her supple cheeks as she giggled mentally.

Both of them sat on a side of the quiet library as Rihaan relished holding his most-anticipated-read sort of favourite book in his hand.

"Tell me more." Bhavna inquired curiously, seeing him excited like a child.

"Immanuel Kant was a german philosopher. He talked about 'Enlightenment' and 'transcendental idealism'. For those who've read philosophy, there exists a thought school of Kantianism." He expressed as I nodded, briefly grasping things.

"This book is a hard-read. If only you have any prior knowledge of Aristotle, socrates, Rousseau's principles and philosophiles, you'll get it. Basically, analytics. Unconventionally, it helps me in business. Sounds weird, but they do." He shrugged as I nodded.

"Who even reads philosophy!" Bhavna slumped her arms, still being in a stupor at his unusual interest in philosophy.

"Who even reads rom-com!" He commented, shrugging.

"Everyone loves rom-com." I argued, but he coolly cut me off again. "I don't like."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. I used to like it till graduation but, then, life happened. Fiction felt like a fantasy. Too true to be true. Thus, philosophy became a part of life. I was at my lowest, when these words of philosophy uplifted my spirits." His sharp intake of air made Bhavna aware of his nostalgia while, reminiscing those days.

"It's okay. You got through it. That's what matters." Supporting his back with her arm, Bhavna offered him her words, a gesture of her verbal support to his emotional state.

"All our knowledge begins with the senses, proceeds then to the understanding and ends with reason.There is nothing higher than reason." Rihaan quoted his idol, Immanuel Kant as Bhavna tried to grasp its tangled meaning.

"This is what kept me going after I woke up from comma. I told right, the earlier Rihaan was no where the present me. This is the reason. A twenty two years old Rihaan would've been asleep if anyone narrated philosophy to him but, here I am, quoting philosophy to you. Life is such an enigmatic irony. Isn't it?" His voice shook as he spelled those words.

"Are you happy with this change?" Her question put him in a fix as he wondered the answer.

"Definitely, I am." He stated.

"Well, it's good if you like the change. Change is constant in life, Rihaan. So, shouldn't you be grateful that life gave you a good change instead of something worst?" She patted his cheek as he nodded with a smile.

"I am grateful with everything I possess now. This new life and you." His eyes glimmered with joy, pronouncing her as his own.

"Same here." She added, shyly.

"Let's leave. We will take a nap at the apartment and then, go for our date." Rihaan informed her as she clapped her palms, enthusiastically.

Rihaan held her palm as he escorted her through the lawn to the parking space of the library campus. He was still basking in the serendipitous memories of the same dawn; the feeling of waking up next to her, rising to her visage was something, he could clearly envision himself getting habituated to.

"It feels so blissful, you know." He began as his eyes got drawn to her direction. He knew, she was not the bibliophile kind-of person he was, rather she was more of a movie-buff. Unlike him, she had anything but patience but, never once he felt it would pose a potential danger to their bonding because of the efforts, he could see, she was putting in, even though, the efforts were as small as accompanying him to a book club or giving her whole attention to him. It just made him feel more special.

"Thank you for accompanying me here." He mumbled, kissing the back of her palm again. Her giggles caused a flurry of feelings swirl in him as he shook his head at her vibing to the romantic pop song roaring in the car.

The music blasted off in the car confines and both of them were still in a trance of getting hold of their very own thoughts.

"Our pre-wedding rituals are going to begin from tomorrow." She informed him in a daze.

"Rihaan?" She murmured, trying to attract his attention to her matter of worry.

"I feel so guilty at times. Hadn't I texted you three days back, you would've achieved your dream project?" She mused, trying to straighten the creases of her pure cotton olive coloured kurti.

"I believe, everything happens for a reason, Bhavna. Perhaps, if you won't have texted, then, something else would've failed. For instance, if my design would've been rejected by the panel of world-class fashion designer, my reputation would've been at stake. Media highlights rejections and failures, more than victories. And, amplifying your failures dispels your respect among your peers, but, terminating willingly won't let anyone to tarnish my image because they never got a glimpse of my design to term it 'bad'." He presented her with his thoughts on the whole ordeal, while she pondered.

"Weren't you confident enough in your own design? Did you do it willingly? Was it part of your plan?" She bombarded him with questions that her curious brain could come up with.

"Nah. I was bound by circumstances, to be honest. But, again, unknowingly, I ended up using this business tactics. I'm confident about my design but at that time, leaving was the only way out, I had. Having seen the other designers' masterpieces, I was assured to get the deal. But, you were more important." Guilt traced Bhavna's countenance as her smile perished.

"By the way, what's even a win without proper potential competitors?" He laughed, trying to lighten her mood.

"Let's leave that aside. We need to discuss our wedding." He added, halting her from rotating her thoughts around the same international collaboration over and over again.

"Yeah. If feels like yesterday, when our wedding was a month way. But see, it's just a week to go." Bhavna chirped, feeling the texture of his shirt's sleeve as their palms rested on her lap, entwined.

"Want to eat sweet corn?" Rihaan interrupted her solitude as he tapped her head, childishly. Eyeing the food stalls across the street, she gulped needily, gazing at those ravishing and sweltering steamed momos, sweet corn salad, non-veg soup, dahi vada, and golgappas.

"Non-veg soup and momos?" Bhavna batted her eyelashes at him, pleading him, while Rihaan chuckled, shaking his head at her cuteness.

"Dr. Bhavna, not momos, anything other than that is fine." He sternly stated, pulling over the car, near the concrete lining of the road as he hopped out to fetch her out of the car.

"Do I spot a momo-hater here?" He scowled at her breathy chuckles, pointing her index finger at him.

"Bhavna, come here. Let's-" Before he could even complete, she saw her running away to one of the food stall, where momos were being steamed.

"Bhaiya, parcel a full plate of steamed momos." Bhavna ordered, intentionally teasing Rihaan. Behind her, Rihaan gestured the young boy not to tie up her order, making Bhavna frown at his unresponsive behaviour.

"Bhaiya, can you please parcel it quickly?" Bhavna tried again as the boy kept glancing at two of them, one at a time. Rihaan blinked at him, assuring him to not care about her.

Before she could remind the scared boy to pack her order again, Rihaan leaned to her ears and saw her nape bursting with goosebumps as he murmured, "Don't spoil my plans now. Our car's backseat is waiting for us. I can't kiss you with that disgusting garlicky smell."

Rihaan rejoiced, seeing his antics trapping her and acting on her, quite handsomely. He further went ahead to caress her back as he took her to the adjacent stall selling sweet corn salad and Non-veg soup. Ordering two parcels for each of them, they proceeded to the car.

While Rihaan seemed to gave away no excitement, Bhavna could feel fire crackers bursting in the pit of her stomach, churning her lower abdomen, quite giddily. With hushed steps on the pitch-black roads, washed over by downpour, they strolled towards the back seat of the car.

Much to her miseries, the sky decided to cackle up at the same time, thundering and bolting the sunshine to sprawl a rather gloomy atmosphere. The dim-lit car confine, watery glass panes of the windows that was furiously being cleaned by the wiper, their hush and windy breaths mingled with the soft hindi songs playing in the car kept her fear of thunderstorms at bay, but gave a new dimension to her romantic fantasies as her eyes landed on her only co-passenger. Her soon-to be husband.

She felt tingles, everytime she addressed him so. She even had no idea, how long would she still feel tingles at his presence?

She wondered sometimes, if this attraction and charms of courtship would prevail during their endless tenure of marriage? It would definitely be for an endless tenure! Yes, she felt it right to term it 'endless', because she felt the same in his companion and even her heart whispered to her, her epiphany could never go wrong. He was going to be with her forever.

She knew, he will be etched in her heart. Wordlessly, her palm pined for his touch. Giving in to her desire, she threaded her arms with his as she stared at him, plating the corn salad in the foam plates, they bought.

"It's raining." She breathed out.

"I know right, fire burnt corn with salt, chilly flakes, chaat masala and a squeezed lemon would've been better in this weather." The way his tongue licked his lips though his eyes were trained on the plates, left her enticed and badly desperate for him.

"Isn't it?" Rihaan questioned, not hearing her excitement at the possibility of getting a spiced fire burnt corn.

"I would prefer a kiss more." She dared to speak but, her voice came out raspy yet docile. She anticipated his move, but came none. As meekly she could, she raised her eyes, surreptiously attempting to withdraw her arms out of the loop of his arms. But, her attempt ceased at his tightened hold on her arm as he continued to do his previous work.

Feeding her sweet corn salad, they shared Non-veg soup from the same paper cup. Bhavna took the duty of disposing the plastic wrappers, paper bags, paper cup and plates in the garbage bin just beside their car. As she returned, she took in his appearance. The sloppy yet sensual movement of his adam's apple as he gulped water from her water bottle didn't let her retract her eyes from him. As an add on, his first three buttons were undone.

"Step in" His deep voice threw her at the brink of her self control, still she adhered to her boundaries. Fisting her palm, she sat straight and rigid, her left half clinging to the car door.

"Bhavna, can you come to this side?" His amused tone made her huff. He was clearly teasing her. He was freaking enjoying, seeing her stout stance, trying her best to tame her hormones.

Huffing, she stood up to move to the other side, her head slightly inclined due to her tall height against the limited stature of the car. She tried to reach the other side, but before she could, like a fish gets pulled through the net, she was yanked towards him.

"This is how we met." He mumbled, satisfied, seeing her settled on his lap.

Seeing her nestled on his lap, he pulled her even closer if it was possible. Her long hair locks held in place by a loose scrunchie slipped off by his fingers as he played with the small tendril of her dark honey brown dyed hair, before inhaling her shampoo, pressing his head, more into her petite shoulder's even craters, coming forth her slender neck.

"You love making me break my promises, don't you?" Rihaan's throaty whisper was prominent to her, with courtesy of their closeness.

"Just this once." Bhavna breathed out, her fingers clutching his shirt, which she knew would surely leave behind creases.

"It would be tough, Bhavna! For a relationship, needs aren't necessities, but, feelings are. I love surety, not only in business but, also in my life. I want you and myself to be sure that we're in love. I've realised throughout my life that feelings can't be forced, but they can be predicted on the basis of 'most likely', like I can confidently predict us falling for each other madly. I can see and feel it in your eyes, Bhavna. But, I want you to realise your love for me and the same goes for me too. In simple words, I never intend to be one of your haste decision that you would regret later. Because, I am afraid." A slight shake of voice gave away his pain as Bhavna rubbed her palms with his, utterly clueless.

"I fear being abandoned, Bhavna. I've my own set of fears that I am not a coward to veil, behind you. Most importantly, I'm willing to show you my fears because I trust you to shelter me from them. Will you be my safe home, Bhavna?" A trail of fresh tears erupted out of her eyes as she sniffed wheezily, nodding vigorously.

"I promise, Rihaan. I'll never let you go. I will be your safe home. I will be the one to safeguard you from your deep-rooted fears, Rihaan. I'll be there with you forever." She promised, sinking those words deep into her heart.

"I trust you." Though 'trust' was never Rihaan's fortè, he had chose to put his every inch of trust on the one, who promised to protect him from his fears, his nightmares.

Tears were forgotten, then, as their pair of lips mingled together to celebrate the depth of trust and belonging, they never thought they would share, but, ended up sharing.

A raspy groan interrupted the melancholic evening's gloominess as his lips traced her collar bone. Seeing her writhe in his arms in desire was unusual yet an overwhelming emotion, he was gradually getting used to, with time.

Their blooming intimacy was snapped with a loud knock on the car window. Grunting at the loss of each other's skin, they straightened up to settled on the seat in a presentable way as they unbolted the car door.

It was a sheer surprise to see an old man, patting the head of a toddler in his arms showed up with a request of buying a bunch of balloons. Their kindness could never overpower their irritation, thus, Bhavna purchased all of the balloons and handed him the money, seeing which the man was gratified.

Soon enough as the old man dispersed, Bhavna's phone rang. Seeing her mother calling, she was stomped for a moment. The time was so unlikely for her to call her, knowing well she had a night duty.

"Bhav?" Her mother's voice divulged out of the mobile phone as she pressed it to her ears.

"Yes, Maa. Is everything fine at home?" Bhavna inquired, tensed as Rihaan rubbed her arms, trying to calm her down.

"Bhav, if you are free, come back home now. I'm going mad here" Rashmika interjected, plaintively. A slight edge on her tone, putting emphasis on the gravity of the grave situation, back at home.

She declined the call in hurry, turning to face Rihaan, urging him to drive her home. Though unintended, still she had a nagging feeling about the circumstances back home.

What could it be?

The urgency and intensity of the unsaid matter drilled holes on her brain as she delved to introspect the answers, knowing very well she won't be able to.

"Stop stressing out, Bhavna. We are about to pull over." Rihaan informed her as he patted her shoulder, indicating her to the water fountain in the small garden, ahead of the Das residence.

Striding out of the car, they sprinted till the main door but, it was already wide-open. Getting inside, they saw both set of their parents along with Vansh, Chirag, Bhoomi and the head of the family, Dr. Ramakant