Opposite Poles,,Part 85

Part 85

“Khushi.. your ASR sir was looking for you! Go and meet him!” Payal whispered in her ears, after a couple hours or so.  Khushi had no time for anyone.  She had successfully avoided him!

“No, Jiji..! I won’t meet the person who has not invited me for this party!”   she said   flaring up her nostrils.  Khushi had taken it personally, though she never showed it on her face.  She was hurt that he had not invited her and was determined not to meet him at all.

“Khushi.. how will you avoid him? This is his party..! Look, don’t take challanges and land yourself in trouble..!” Payal pulled her hand.  Khushi waved at someone ignoring Payal’s warning and said loudly, going away…

“I don’t care for the person who doesn’t invite me!” Her voice faded in the crowd. Payal shook her head hopelessly and turned to see ARS standing spitting hatred and clenching his fists in rage.   She shuddered with his furious gesture and opened her mouth. But words failed her.  ASR turned his back and strode away.

“What the hell does she think of herself..!” he gritted his teeth.  Khushi had vanished somewhere.  The crowd had spread over the huge lawns and was settling down with their guests and friends.  The Drinks and starters were being served.  Live orchestra was being played.  Likeminded people had formed their own groups and busy showing off their talents.  Khushi was hopping between the groups, giggling and sending waves of laughter. They had freaked out partying.  Khushi had kept an eye on Lavanya and was counting the glasses in her hands.  Fortunately, she was sober today and had promised Khushi that she won’t drink and create a scene.  She was with ASR all the time and Khushi always managed to escape from him.  

“I sense his presence in my vicinity, Jiji…!..  The breeze tells me when he is around!” Khushi whispered in Payal’s ears.  Payal looked at her in amazement.  “Yeah, Jiji.. I have that special ability to sniff his presence..!” Khushi giggled and said… “I should run from this place..!” she vanished.

“Payal.. Where is Khushi?” asked ASR in seconds and Payal gaped at him awestruck.  Payal glanced at the direction where Khushi had vanished and saw ASR merging into the crowd again.

“I will find her out..! I can feel her presence!” he was holding a glass of water and could sense she was around.  He turned abruptly to bump on Lavanya.  

“Damn it! Can’t you see?” He yelled in frustration.  Lavanya wrapped her arm around his and said “ASR come with me.  I want to introduce you to someone..!” she pulled him away.  

“Aree Khushi Bitiya…!” Nani called out and Khushi turned.

“Nanijji..!” she came nearer and leaning forward, touching her forehead with her fingers said “Salaam!” and Nani held her hand on her chest.

“Haiye..! Khushi bitiya.. perfect Lucknowee Princess! You look like Meena Kumari in Pakiza!! ” she admired.  Khushi in a perfect Kathak mudra said.. “Pranaam, Naniji..!” and Nani leapt up in excitement.  She clapped and the nearby group gathered.  Khushi looked around and tried to run away.

“Khushi Bitiya.. for me? One mudra?” Nani pestered her and Khushi took a Kathak pose, tying her dupatta across her shoulder and around her waist.! 

“You are accompanying me too!” Khushi pulled Nani ..!  “Sirf  Ghungaruonki Kami Hai..!” Nani muttered..!

Nani started off… “Gaaiye Ganapati Jag Vandan..! Let’s sing and invoke Lord Ganesha!” Khushi started off with raising her hands joined above her head bringing it down to her chest with the rhythm and taking a full turn revolving in a blink on her heel gesturing to be spreading flower petals and sitting down with her hands joined on the floor and her heels joined…! She got up with a jerk and revolved around herself raising her arms spread as if calling the god to be with her …!  Nani’s Tihai made her turn around herself in a faster pace spreading her hands and spreading the girth at the bottom of her dress like an umbrella and stopping with a Dhig Dhig Tha! On tihai.   The crowd erupted in clapping.  Nani kissed her forehead affectionately and Khushi touched her feet.

“I must run, from this place.. he is closing in..!” the mild breeze gave her the hint of his vicinity and she turned to disappear from that place.  She ducked and elbowing through the crowd came out of the crowd and took a sigh of relief closing her eyes.  

“Water?” he was standing before her with a glass of water.  She gaped at him panting with uneven breath!  He was as usual everything Black matching with Lavanya’s black gown.  For a change he wore a scarf instead of a tie.  That was the only change in his appearance.  His gaze bored deep into her heart!  If eyes could burn, she would turn into ashes in no time!  She couldn’t glare back at him.

He was gazing her folding his arms on his chest.  She was wearing a white Lucknowee  long kurta with a lot of girth towards the bottom, over a tight white salvar.  The border of her Kurta was embroidered with dark red thread and stone work with full net sleeves and the same red border.  He gazed her from head to toe.  She had drawn her white dupatta over her head again after the dance, with Maang Tika on her hair parting dangling on her forehead competing with the wavy, curly hair locks hiding her broad forehead.  She had tied her hair in a French plaited braid with little pears stuck on the Knots!  She wore a fanned out ornament, Jhumar, Chapka above her left ear on the hair, studded with pearls.  Her white bindi was almost invisible making her symmetrical eyebrows stretch like a bow above her eyelids.  Her all white dress made her fairer and her creamy, smooth, unblemished, clear skin glowed with pink shade of blush.  She was wearing Soormaa in her eyes instead of Kajal.  ASR gaped at her reddening cheeks and her hazel-green, little apprehensive eyes fixed on him...  Her eyes brightened up with a line of black soorma with a tinge of green shade in it.  The setting son threw the orange light on her face making her skin glow pink.  She wore a nathani with white glittering stone and a long layered pearl neckless.  His gaze slid down at her slender waist and her silver stone studded waistband, Her dress was tight fitted at the waist and flew with lot of girth at the bottom with red border of thread and stone work.  Her little deep neck highlighted her heaving curves covered by her dupatta across her shoulders.   She looked like a marble sculpture. “If eyes could melt someone, she would melt like a wax..!”

 He lost all his senses and his hand moved forward in a trance to touch her cheek.. to confirm that she was real and not a statue.  His hand moving towards her, brought her back to her senses and she turned her back to disappear in the crowd, hastily.  He leapt forward gripped her around her waste and dragged her towards the darker side, against the stone wall.  

“What the hell you think you were doing there?’ he asked with gritted teeth clutching her arms furiously.  She winced in pain…!

“Wooh… hum..!” she couldn’t speak.  He closed the gap and pressed her shoulders against the wall.

“And what is all this?” He pulled her jhumar pulling out her hair from her braid.  “Shsss!” she closed her eyes in pain.

“What were you doing, Khushi Kumari Gupta? Entertaining people with your Dance?” he spat again in rage..!

“W.. What?” she could speak in the pain.  “Leave me!” she struggled and in turn got more pain…

“You are an uninvited person here, Khushi Kumari Gupta!” he shook her roughly holding her shoulders in a bone-crushing grip, banging her back on the wall.. Her eyes filled with tears.. Soormaa accompanied her tears on her cheek smudging all over!  She looked up at him, thoroughly hurt..!

“What are you up to, Khushi..! Dancing in a crowd..! What were you expecting…? That people would reward you for this cheap performance?” he whipped her again.  She opened her mouth but words failed her.. a sob left her throat but could not come out of her mouth.  She choked…

“It.. It was kathak..n  not..!” she couldn’t complete.  He pulled her closer tightening his grip and hissed…

“What is next, Khushi? A Mujara Dance?” (A dance form used to lure men in earlier days!) he stabbed her heart deeper and deeper.  She struggled hard to break free from him..!

“I should have known… a Girl like you…!” She struggled hard and he pushed her with all his might.  She turned with his pushing force and went and hit the wall…banging her forehead on the plant placed on the wall.  Her Tika crushed between her forehead and the earthen pot.  The pot fell down with a thud and Khushi turned with blood streaming down her forehead.

“Khushi..!” he ran forward.  She had pressed her palm on her wound. He tried to hold her.  She slipped from his grip and ran towards the closed door in the dark.  He leapt forward in vain.  She had vanished behind the closed door.

“Khushi..!” he banged on the door.  It was a Ladies rest room.  He waited outside for her to come out.  She didn’t for a long time.  He paced restlessly in anguish. 

“Khushi…!” his heart bled.  The reinforced stone wall around his heart had cracked.  His emotions seeped through the cracks.  One gentle push and the earthen pots in his heart came crashing down.  

“No!” he clenched his fists again in repentance.  He wanted to see her again.  He wanted to hold her again and again with  all his heart craving for her.. He wanted to apologize.. he wanted to hold her to his heart!  He wanted the earthen pots to crash down…!!

“ASR! What are you doing here?” Lavanya came hurriedly.  “Guests are waiting for you!” she said pulling his hand.

“Lavanya, I am expecting a call!” he said closing his eyes. 

“What? Here ? in front of the rest room?” she was surprised.

“Lavanya, Go!” he ordered her in a deep voice.  She gazed at him.  “ASR, are you upset? Chalo!” she said again realizing his feelings.

“No! you go, Lavanya!” he was determined.  “Ok! But come soon ok?” she said giving him a light hug.  His wait continued.

The door opened.  He turned and ran forward and stopped in his pants.  Khushi stepped out.  His heart leapt out of his chest.  He came to face her.  

She had drawn her dupatta over her head and across her shoulders.  She had removed all her ornaments.  She looked bare! She had washed her wound and her face, splashing water on her face again and again, until she could bear with her anguish.  Her soormaa, kajal had gone.. her green hazel eyes looked pale, reddened with pain.  Her zumkas had vanished from her ears, so did her neckless, waist belt, jhumar, chapka, maan tika, bangles…! The red border of her sleeves had absorbed the blood stains and her tears.  She was batting her eyelids to sent the tears back.  Her white jutain (shoes) were mud stained.  Her white dress had soaked some water.  

She turned her back on him and took a step away losing her balance. She held the stone wall for support to regain her balance and he held her shoulders.  She shuddered for a moment in fright and stood there without any resistance.  He came around to face her.  She was gazing unfocused.

“Khushi…!” his voice reflected her anguish.  He held her shoulders and again pressed her against the wall, but this time gently to help her gain her balance.  She still was unfocused.  His hands on her shoulders caressed her shoulders and slid down towards her elbows.  He looked at her empty eyes and his vision blurred with tears in his eyes.  He closed the gap between them and leaned forward.

Her wound on her forehead burned hot with his hot lips.  His steamy breath ran through her hair parting, sending hot waves throughout her body.  She shuddered with the heat.  His lips forged a mark on her wound.  The burning sensation dripped down into her eyes.  She closed her burning eyes and the droplets of tears ran down on her hot cheeks.

He cupped her burning hot face with his numb palms and wiped of her boiling tears with his cold thumbs.  The sizzling sensation sent shivers of cold down her spine.

“huh.. !” A resedue of her trapped breath left her mouth, parting her lips.  His right thumb gently ran on her lips and he blurted “Khushi…!” 

This was new to both of them.  She looked up at his moist eyes for the first time and her eyes filled with tears again.

“No! Khushi!” he wiped off her eyes cupping her face again. The next moment she was lifted in his arms.

“Come, Let’s go!” He started moving lifting her.  The flood lights outside brought her back to her senses.

“No.. put me down!” she whispered.  “No!” he was determined to carry her to a comfortable place. 

She gripped around his neck and urged.  “Please put me down! There are people outside..!” she blushed and he stopped with his stunned heart.  “Khushi..!” he gazed at her and her cheeks grew pink. 

 

He couldn’t control himself and blew gently on her wound.  Her body stifled and jerked.  He put her down gently and gazed at her.  Before he could do anything, she turned her back on him and merged in the crowd…!

“Khushi..!” Payal came running towards her. …