Chapter 33

Vihaan playing the guitar backstage and lending his voice during the police festival was something that Sanchi was confused of. She knew how he had sealed all his qualities into a tortoise shell, enshrouding his real self from the entire world. Yet her heart wanted to bring the old and best Vihaan out of him.

Her direct enquiry embarrassed Vihaan a little. Tightening his hand on the steering and letting his knuckles turn white, he spoke aloud, "I was behind the singing but now since you know it, I suppose you will not create a fuss about it before anyone else."

"I won't but that does-n't bring us any-where. If I really meant some-thing to you, you could-n't have hid-den it from me. I sho-uld have at least known who was hid-ing behind that silho-uette backstage. I would have better enjoy-ed listen-ing to your voice rather than wast-ing my time to figure out the fami-liar voice ins-tead," Sanchi said loudly, tears encircling her eyes.

Vihaan moved out of the car and stood facing her. "To play the band was never my intention if the accident of our guitarist hadn't happened. Also I didn't get the time or opportunity to inform you."

Sanchi stepped near him to touch his arm lightly. "You poss-ess such a hidden talent but you have never told me, Vih-aan. It's very disheart-ening to find out about my spe-cial friend's secret tal-ents in such a way."

Bulging his eyes and inhaling the warm breeze around them, Vihaan spoke feebly, "I have abandoned my passion for music a few years ago and I don't want to bring the tale of my hurting past on my lips again. I don't want to tell lies to you but not even the hurting truth."

"I kn-ow and I can't even for-ce you. I'm the one who refu-sed to share my past with you and I can't exp-ect the same from you." Sanchi apologized. "If the past hur-ts you that much, why don't you for-get it?"

"Please Sanchi, I don't want to discuss this anymore. I don't want you to delve into my past and hurt me in the process," Vihaan raised his voice a little.

Taken aback, Sanchi turned away from him. "I won't but isn't it the rea-son why you ha-ve the cold war with your mot-her?"

Sanchi could hear Vihaan sighing loudly behind her and then speaking, explosion in his voice. "This topic is not something we need to discuss. I have some personal priorities and a private space which I don't really want anyone interfering in it. I'm sorry if it hurts you which is not my intention but I really mean it."

"I don't rea-lly want to intru-de but, I will wait with bated brea-ths for the day when a son stops long-ing for his mother and takes sol-ace in her protec-tive lap," Sanchi uttered in a single breath.

"Sanchi! You are deliberately...." Vihaan yelled, coldness in his voice.

Sanchi turned towards him again when she heard Vihaan's voice suppressing behind her. She wasn't really wrong in guessing for she saw tears in his eyes for the first time. It was unusual for her to witness the pain of a person like Vihaan. "You love your mot-her more than any-one can ima-gine. Don't you?"

When Vihaan feared to respond, water droplets had already started pricking his eyes. Sanchi was someone who was becoming the witness to his silent and secret pain. Inching the gap between them, Vihaan wrapped his arms around her and hid his face in the crook of her neck.

"I love my mother and I was always a mom's boy since childhood. It is weird now that we are not even on talking terms but then she had dug the hole herself." Vihaan choked back a tear, trying to pretend that he was strong.

"I rea-lly don't know what may have happen-ed but I req-uest you to please forg-ive her. There's noth-ing greater than forgive-ness in this world and I know she's wait-ing for you to em-brace her like bef-ore," Sanchi pleaded, caressing his stubble.

Separating from her and holding her palm, he uttered, "She gave me enough reasons to hate many things in life, give up all my good hobbies, leave behind all the colorful events and embrace darkness. There are things why I gave up entering temples but these reasons don't mean I should hate her. Because I can't!"

"Th-en what is stop-ping you?" Sanchi said, brushing his cheeks. 

"Some promises and conditions. There are some conditions which are needed to be fulfilled and I am waiting for it. It's very difficult to forget the past and I've tried hurting myself in every way possible." Vihaan moved inside his car. "You get into the house. It's getting late, Sanchi."

Sanchi was at a loss of words because she didn't find words to console him. "Have a good nig-ht, Vih-aan."

Without turning to look at him once, Sanchi spoke in a loud and cold voice, "If you can, try not to dr-ool over the past as it will keep giv-ing you pain. The more you keep your own self ins-ide a lock-ed cage, the more you will be un-able to for-get it. You'll only hurt your-self if you keep your-self connect-ed to the worst memo-ries, ins-tead of trying to over-come it."

As she moved inside the house, she heard his car depart behind her, leaving her completely stunned by his behavior.

***** 

Sitting in the corner of his workroom, Vihaan couldn't stop himself from pondering over Sanchi's words. She was so right and could perfectly play with her words. Sanchi was someone who could spell some magic on him anytime and anywhere.

He was the one drooling over the memories of the past and had allowed them to keep haunting him in the present. It was he who had locked his original identity in his precious proof room and had parted himself from everyone in life. He was also the one who had given up all his talents and had embraced darkness.

Maybe it was for Sanchi for whom he had started liking lights, she was his brightness who could help his life shine again. Maybe it was Sanchi, the only woman he had befriended in his lonely life and for whom he had plucked the guitar again. Maybe it was Sanchi for whom his nervous disorders were improving as he had reduced his daily doses of sedatives from three to just one per day.

"Why does her words affect me that much? Isn't she so true that I should actually try to overcome the haunting past instead of trying to remember it over and over again?"

Vihaan injected the only dose of sedatives for the entire day. "Should I unlock the cage I've put myself into? But then I won't, since hickory is the only one member in that locked cage of mine. I don't think anyone will again deserve it, except she!"

***** 

The next week quickly passed by and only two days were left for the day of marriage of Vidya and Dheeraj. All through the previous week, Sanchi had spoken rarely with Vihaan except for some important calls and reminder messages. She was also getting irregular to the bureau and had taken a few days' leave for all the work load at Trivedi house.

Vidya had guessed Sanchi's indifference towards Vihaan because she had been observing her lately. Vidya's plans with Dheeraj to unite Sanchi and Vihaan were ready to be executed.

"Vanya, where's your phone?" Vidya demanded, looking around Sanchi's room.

"Why do you need my cell-phone?" Sanchi was wrapping glossy papers around the henna cones.

"I'll search for myself. You don't have to tell me," Vidya said annoyingly and found the object lying next to the glass jar on the nightstand. She unlocked the phone and sent a quick text to Vihaan.

*Can you meet me tomorrow at the city mall by three in the late afternoon? Please Vihu?🙏*

"Wh-at are you do-ing, Vidya?" Sanchi asked from across the bed.

"You'll know in a few minutes. Have some patience." Vidya smirked lightly.

Waiting for Vihaan's reply, Vidya threw herself on the couch and squirmed in the seat. After waiting for ten minutes, the phone buzzed.

*Why?🤔*

The shortest reply from Vihaan compelled Vidya to frown.

*I have not been able to buy any proper dress for Vidya's marriage😣. I need you to accompany me to the mall and help me in choosing a dress for me, please hubby!🙏*

Vihaan replied in a minute and Vidya jumped in joy.

*I'll be there at the mall in time tomorrow🙂.*

Sanchi found herself confused with Vidya's behavior. "Wh-at made you jump li-ke that? Were you watch-ing any of the favour-ite epi-sodes of your favour-ite show in my pho-ne?"

"No! I was only trying to fix the most important episode of my soulmate's life," Vidya said smiling widely.

Jumping next to Vidya and snatching the mobile from her hand, Sanchi checked it. "What's all this, Vid-ya? You know he does-n't like all these. I'm just go-ing to tell the tru-th to him."

Vidya clutched Sanchi's arms. "Come on Vanya, you're not telling him anything. He didn't like all these in the past but ever since he's found you, he is trying to change himself. Didn't you see his replies? He agreed to meet you tomorrow."

Sanchi bit her lower lip in annoyance. "He agr-eed because he has prom-ised me not to hurt me ag-ain. He must have thou-ght that refu-sing me may hurt me."

"Whatever it is Vanya, but I know you are feeling proud inside your heart. He is doing things against his own rules only for you. Don't you think he's falling for you?" Vidya asked playfully.

Narrowing her eyes at Vidya, Sanchi spoke in a hoarse voice, "Dare you say that ag-ain, Vidya. I'll stop talk-ing to you."

Vidya laughed loudly. "Aren't you going my way? Don't you think even you are denying your feelings for Vihaan?"

Sanchi felt her heart beating faster than ever. She hadn't even considered how her own feelings could remain so foreign to herself. "Ple-ase Vidya, will you stop tea-sing me to get your work done? I'll go for the shop-ping with him tomo-rrow and buy gifts for the whole of Bun-dela family. This is what you want-ed and I'll do, I pro-mise. Text-ing him like this was-n't required."

Before Vidya could stop her, Sanchi left the room in a haste. Vidya stood wondering, "I don't know but her eyes are showing the evidences of intense love for Vihaan!"

***** 

The next morning, Sanchi reached the shopping mall an hour earlier than Vihaan. Entering her favorite designer's shop, she spoke to the manager, "I want to or-der some design-er gifts for my best friend's wed-ding."

"We do take orders, ma'am," the manager told her. 

"I'm in a hurry. I want it to be comple-ted in three days and I'll be gift-ing it to them on their recep-tion." Sanchi pleaded, "I may pay a little ex-tra for it."

"We take special orders and it'll be delivered in three days' time, ma'am." The manager requested her to place her orders.

Sanchi nodded. "No, I need gifts of the de-sign I requ-ire. You don't have the nice collec-tion and I can't give my best fri-end some cas-ual gift."

"You may narrate the design you like and we will try carving it for you."

Sanchi smiled willingly, describing the unique design of pendant she needed for Vidya and the unique design of the bracelet for Dheeraj. After placing her orders, she moved out of the store.

Hopping to an another store, she bought a gorgeous and handwoven navy blue Achkan for Vihaan for the marriage day. Finding a corner in the gigantic walkthrough of the mall, she wrapped the gift pack for Vihaan.

"I know he's a little up-set with me since that day but I will have to ful-fill the prom-ise I made to maa and papa last night. They are af-raid that Vihaan won't be attend-ing any of the ritu-als of the marriage func-tion because he hates such thi-ngs. I'll have to con-vince him some-how." As Sanchi wondered, the handsome figure of Vihaan emerged from the escalator and she felt her heart skipping a beat.

Replacing the gift wrap quickly in her handbag, she nervously smoothed down the creases of her long violet-coloured suit. "Hi Viha-an, how are you?"

Staring in her eyes carefully, Vihaan uttered, "Isn't it the last day we texted? I don't expect you to be asking me this."

"I kn-ow, I'm sorry," Sanchi muttered, paving her way towards the nearest dress store. She was trying to somehow avoid looking at Vihaan and the new feelings were very unknown to her.

* 

"I really can't cho-ose some-thing apt for me. It's better that we buy cloth-es for maa and papa first," Sanchi said, with her eyes hovering over all the beautifully embroidered lehenga(s) before her.

Vihaan didn't utter anything and Sanchi bought a brown coat and pants for Virendra, and a beautiful light green taneira saree for Durga. Rotating her eyes around the store, she spotted a maroon sherwani hung up round a corner. "Sh-ow me this, ple-ase."

"Ma'am, the size please," the shopkeeper asked her politely.

"Some-one like him." Sanchi pointed at Vihaan.

Vihaan flinched at this, creating a gap between him and Sanchi. "No way, I'm not going to take any of it or attend the function at any cost."

Ordering the same dress, Sanchi said, "Don't worry, I haven't bou-ght it for you. This is for Dhee-raj bro but order-ed your size since you both have nearly simi-lar physique."

Though Vihaan nodded his head, but something had surely ached his heart. When Sanchi grabbed all the shopping bags, Vihaan muttered in a grave voice, "Now we need to buy one dress for you."

"Leave it Vih-aan, I don't want to. I alre-ady have so many dress-es in my collect-ion. I am a lame duck in making choi-ces." Sanchi refused plainly.

"Who said you have to when I've already chosen one for you!" As Vihaan declared, he gestured the shopkeeper to accept the order of the lavishly embroidered silver brocaded pink lehenga, which was wrapped around the show statue in the extreme left corner of the room.

"But Vih-aan, that's so expen-sive." Sanchi nodded her head.

"But gorgeous too," Vihaan uttered playfully, draping the pinkish orange dupatta round her shoulders. "It'll give you the most graceful look you deserve."

As he mumbled so near her ear, her eyes flickered in front of the floor-length mirror of the store. The dress was magnificent and the shiny silver beads added more to it's elegance. It was worth the exorbitant price and she couldn't take her eyes off her own startled figure.

"But Vih-aan, I can't buy this. It's so expen-sive because of all the origi-nal stone embroi-deries. I can't aff-ord it. I was here to only buy dress-es for the Bun-dela family and..." Sanchi was trying to avoid the topic of buying anything for herself even though she loved Vihaan's choice for her.

"But the Bundela family is yet left to buy dresses for the Trivedi family. So why not we start with you?" Vihaan said laughing. "Don't worry, I'm capable of affording these expenses."

Vihaan easily shushed Sanchi and after making the payment, he moved out of the store. Showing her paper bag to her, he said, "I expect you to wear this tomorrow."

"As if you wou-ld be there to pra-ise me!" Sanchi said annoyingly.

"I won't but I'll get to see the picture album, right?" He said, opening the door to the passenger seat of his car for Sanchi to hop in.

Getting seated inside the car, Sanchi nodded blankly and faced the side window. She murmured silently, "Yes you are right."

After dropping Sanchi at the Trivedi house, Vihaan arrived at the garage of the Bundela mansion. While parking his car at it's original spot, his gaze fell on the backseat of his car. The neatly wrapped gift was glazing brilliantly against the glass pane of the backdoor.

Holding it higher in his hand, he read the addressed card. His own name was inked in cursive writing and he recognized it at once. "Sanchi's handwriting!"

To be continued...

A/N: Next chapter going to be a blockbuster.. A really big surprise so get ready to jump in joy 💃!!

By the way, are there any guesses 🤔??

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