Lovestruck

The room was dimly lit with just one chandelier spreading its sparkle across the walls. The soft lavender aroma oil was intimidating and the freshly groomed living room dispersed the aura of asking her to fall in love and get loved once for all and all for once the very moment.

Ayesha had nothing else really to do that day, all the grumping, groaning, and frowning was done and hence got she got up and started cleaning and tidying around. Post her little adventure of tidying the room, she fell flat on the sofa; admiring how nicely she had accomplished the job. The flat looked just the way it had looked three years ago, the day she entered the house for the first time. However now sitting in the same house, killing time all alone was making her miss him more. To top it all, the radio was singing in the background, 'Iss zamane se chupkar, puri kar le tu hasrat... hai tujhe bhi izazat, kar le tu bhi mohabbat....' she smiled at the irony and picked up the nail paint bottle on the table to color her nails.

Yes! She missed him, a lot!!

Living under the same roof, eating the same food, breathing in the same air, yet not exchanging a word was getting on her nerves... lately, she noticed him engrossed way too much in some paperwork and she had no business asking him what he is up to. To frame it in one line, deprived of each other's touch, the married strangers in the house were struggling to find space in each other's lives; Alas, ego often won. It was precisely three days since they last had a word with each other, it was also three years since they first had met each other.

Their love story wasn't much like a love story. Their arranged marriage was however much like one.

Mihir met Ayesha in a hospital, it was the same hospital where his girlfriend was admitted for attempted suicide. It was the same hospital where he was convicted and held guilty for her doings. And then there was Ayesha, whom he had confronted for being innocent and begged mercy. Something in Ayesha's system metamorphized then n there and she started feeling butterflies in her tummy. One look and she was floored, his handsome face, his muscular physique, and those eyes asking help. Being impulsive for the very first time in her entire lifetime, she agreed to help him out. The handsome guy sweating with a worried face was making her weak in knees, and she was trying her best to hide the blush, in vain. Silly girl!

As fate had it, Mihir's girlfriend and Ayesha's sister was one and the same; Akira, who was sound asleep on bed # 9 of the Intensive care unit of Lifecare hospital. Akira was an innocent impulsive soul, this is probably why, she had landed herself in hospital for all the not so good reasons; Attempted suicide in the most filmy way possible. Cutting through her wrist vein on the sole account of her boyfriend suggesting breakup. Mihir was a sensible guy who was once in love with Akira, however now wanted a separation. The only reason he denied continuing the relationship was also Akira and her cynical tantrums. But Akira being herself went ahead to blackmail him with the age-old drama of, 'I can't and I won't live without you'

Ayesha was well aware of her sister's drama, this was not the first time Akira was behaving this ridiculous. Therefore, for the benefit of time, she stood by Mihir. Mihir was apologetically correct, the thunderstorm in his head was pacing. There he was struck between what's right and Akira, he had to make a choice he had never planned to. All the years while dating Akira, Mihir knew he can somehow handle her antics. However, this time she had crossed the line, she had done something he had never predicted and hence never prepared. Ayesha on the other hand, had all the predictions done beforehand, smart girl she was!

Somewhere deep down, she knew this guy won't be wrong. She could just rely on this guy and sort things for all, she simply read it in his eyes, cold hazel brown eyes which mesmerized her. No doubt, destiny's child Akira fell for the simpleton Mihir. Also, it took just a couple of minutes and glances for Ayesha to fall for him. Crazy triangle it was, Ayesha's head was spinning with mental calculations. However, keeping aside all her feelings, she asked him to hold Akira's hand for her benefit. She made a deal, and Mihir had to oblige to return Ayesha's favors.

It was just a day for Akira and Mihir's grand wedding. Preparations were in full swing, and in the middle of the celebrating chaos he received a call, 'AKIRA IS NO MORE'

Ayesha and Akira had left for some last-minute wedding shopping and had failed to return. Ayesha's condition was also very serious, two severe fractures and multiple internal bleedings kept her in hospital's captive asleep for seventy-two long hours, at the end of which she saw Mihir by her side. After Akira's sudden demise, both the families had shattered who in the nick of time requested Mihir if he would consider marrying Ayesha. Mihir obliged once again, this time with a smile and not a grin. Back in his heart, he was really happy, after all, cupid struck him too when he had seen Ayesha. The dream was just coming true.

Ayesha was busy doing dishes when the bell rang, from the very sound of the bell ringing, she recognized it's her husband. He had the keys, yet he rang the doorbell. On the doorbell video, she saw Mihir standing awkwardly holding her favorite lilies, waiting for his wife to open the door. Ayesha took her own sweet time to take off the apron, fold it away, clean up her dress, tidy her hair, and also apply his favorite red lipstick.

Mihir was standing at the door holding a smile when Ayesha opened the door. He didn't utter a word, because she didn't say a word, and silently moved inside the room. The smile on his face while getting in was about to fade when he stumbled a little at the door. Feeling stupid at himself, laughter burst out from the corner of his lips, she too joined along. The moment of silence was taken over by their smiles and then by their giggles and soon both of them spurred laughter in the room breaking the ice between them. For a change, Mihir even ignored his cell-phone beeping with a notification email from the bank, justly it read 'Transaction successful'.

They were both sitting on the floor resting on the couch opposite each other, catching up on their breaths, and laughing at each other for no particular reason. Their eyes met for a moment, stole a gaze, and then again met only to fall for each other all over again. In the meanwhile, the radio continued singing softly, 'Naazron mei ho... guzarta hua, khwabon ka koi kafila.....'

Mihir tucked off a lily from the bunch of flowers and presented it to her, his eyes followed hers as she too held it tenderly coming closer to him. He was looking at her simplified beauty, speaking nothing but silence. As he came closer, their breathes almost mingled... she knew what's coming, their lips were just inches away from a kiss when she shied away putting her index finger across his lips. A little disappointed, yet determined he held her very finger saying, 'Sorry'. She just smiled back at him, messed up his neatly combed hair playfully, and got up from place heading straight to the kitchen.

He had no clue whatsoever, so just followed her to the kitchen. She engaged herself in arranging dishes on the shelf. He stood along the kitchen door making a self note whether or not to step ahead. Raising a brow, he pricked the bubble in the air and went ahead to cuddle her from behind. She allowed him to. Although she enjoyed the moment, there was something on her mind that was refraining her from taking a step ahead. He hugged her curvy waistline drooping his broad shoulders over hers. His hands moved ahead to hold her busy hands allowing her only to manage a failed struggle to try shrugging off his mischievous palms; soon, she gave at the moment.

His heavy breathes were clouding over her ears. He swiftly shifted off her shiny hair strands settled over her shoulders, only to kiss his favorite black mole exposed naked on her neck. Chill ran through her veins as his fingers moved along her neckline down to her shoulders holding her bare skin swiftly enough to melt her agony. She was arranging the forks and knives on the rack when another soft kiss landed on her shoulders. She wanted to just turn around and land a peck on his clean-shaven cheeks and then move on those tender smoked lips, but something came in between..

As she held the knife to be placed on the shelf, her eyes opened wide with a sense of guilt. She faintly struggled to get off from his caged arms. He was still trying his best to cuddle her more, holding her posture against the black granite platform smelling every inch of hers. His arms held parallelly to her curvy figure and holding her soft pale skin dipped in milk and honey tight. Ayesha too was dawning in, however, her subconscious mind denied their advances. He was a bit taken aback when she pointed out the knife at him, directing to simply stop!

He left the grip looking questioned at her, hands up in the air like a child caught stealing candies. She smiled at his funny looking face and his charming smile in return made her keep the knife aside. Feeling silly for an instance, she simply curled her arms around his neck and brought herself closer to him bringing him nearer to her. Her fingers ran through his hair as his cologne mingled with the strawberry on her lips. His nose mischievously tickled her nose-tip. The air between them thinned when she came even closer. As his smoked lips touched her strawberry drenched red lower lip, a whisper echoed in his ears, 'You shouldn't have done that...' and the distance disappeared. She kissed him hard, really hard! Biting up his lips and curling up her tongue around his mouth was making all the butterfliers in her stomach flutter all at once. He held her tight across the waist and raised her high bringing her shoulders closer to his. The night grew younger as both the souls melted in the heat of desire they had been longing for...

Ayesha was deep asleep on Mihir's chest, peacefully. The moment was at her vulnerable most. Mihir had cuddled her just the right way, cautiously, so as not to hurt her in any possible way. It was midnight and everything except their breaths was silent. The silence was impeccable and so were the two souls merged into each other. Mihir had no intention of letting his beautiful wife off his wrapped arms beneath the blanket, but the alarm on his cell intuited him to break the moment. Mihir gently moved her head to place a pillow beneath for resting, careful enough not to disturb her sleep. However, she did get disturbed.

When Ayesha turned over to see what Mihir is up to in the middle of the night. She saw her husband gazing silently in the darkness, for a change without a puff or a drink in hand. His hands were placed on the windowpane and his eyes were fixed on the moon in solitude miles away from him, yet right in front of him. It was quite cold outside, still, she could find sweat running down his forehead. She sensed the tension flaring in the room. She did not disturb him, turned to the other side, and shut her eyes avoiding the flare. A moment later, she heard a loud 'thud' from the kitchen, she ran to the sound only to find her husband fiddling with the fridge with a water bottle in one hand. Clumsy enough as he had always been, he had dropped the spoon and knife holder scattered on the floor. Ayesha dutifully started picking up the cutlery giving him an annoying look blaming him for disturbing her sleep. With a drooping sorry face, he requested her to head back to their den to catch up on her remaining sleep. She did.

Soon Mihir Joined her in the room. However he had something other than cuddling and sleep on his mind. A task he had planned ages ago. A task he had failed to accomplish many times earlier only because his heart denied to allow him to. A task he had scheduled for tonight.

As he came closer, looking at his beautiful wife was something he regretted. She was looking peaceful, childlike holding a blanket as if it's his arm, he hated himself for doing this to them. He came closer and placed a soft kiss on her forehead saying, 'I love you sweetheart, but I love myself more'. Little did he knew she was hearing it all. When she opened her eyes in response, all she saw was his blood red eyes with a devilish instinct in them. He held her by hand above the blanket and pulled over the knife from his other hand crossing right at her throat. His charming smile had converted into an evil grin. She was confused. His intentions of finishing her had surfaced on his face. The nightmare was here!

Just as the sharp tip of the knife touched her neckline attempting a cut through her jugular veins, her reflexes saved her. In flash of a second, she pulled over the loaded pistol from under the pillow aiming right at her husbands temple. Taken aback by this suddenly changed commander, his knees jerked with fear. He knew the tables have turned. Ayesha could have easily pulled the trigger and ended the chapter, but the tigress was in the mood to play around with its prey for all the good reasons. The scared yet fierce look on her face was enough to convince him that her pistol was just her self defense. However, the guilt in his eyes wasn't one of an innocent convict. He was abashed however somehow not sorry.

The silence between the two intensified when Ayesha spoke over the bridge, 'Why..?'

A million questions running on her mind, but all her lips could utter was a bleak fragile scared 'Why..?'

Mihir had no answer, he was just standing numb at the receiving end of her pistol, heart in his mouth, counting minutes to the end.

Ayesha gave him time to respond, Mihir failed to respond. At the end of their patience, he finally spoke up, 'Please pull the trigger. I don't deserve this'

'It's me who is holding the gun. It's gonna fire on my command. You ain't telling me who deserves what' Ayesha's confidence was rising with every frown on Mihir's face.

'I killed your sister. I'm here to kill you as well', tears cuddled his eyes as he said that.

'That's yesterday, my dear husband. It isn't guilt which has got you here aiming a knife at me. Tell me more..'

Mihir was again dumb fold. Ayesha had all the investigation done beforehand, and now she was here demanding a confession.

'Its the Life Insurance Policy, one your father had made ages ago; one which made me marry your sister, but the accident made you my wife..' Mihir muttered under breath.

'It wasn't an accident!' Ayesha contradicted, silence doomed back in the room.

A lot of untold mysteries were unfolding, too many for a night to take in one. Mihir was shocked at the stark statement by Ayesha. The woman with whom he had spent three most beautiful years of his life was standing opposite him holding a pistol aiming at him with a confession about something he had been blaming himself for, all these years.

'I killed my sister' Ayesha continued, '...and for some obvious reasons, I don't need to explain why. You are smart enough to understand'

Mihir understood, however, this badass attitude wasn't really going well with his wife's naïve nature to date. It was today after all these years of companionship, he was seeing how gross the iceberg actually is. The women with the pistol wasn't really his wife but a cold murderer, culprit of a sequence for which he had been blaming himself all this while. It was today, he also got a clue about her criminal instincts, grey shades of Ayesha.

Ayesha and Akira were sisters, real sisters, although many people thought otherwise owing to their huge dissimilarities. Genetically, they were connected. Akira was a spoilt brat, much unlike her elder sister. Ayesha was calm, composed and intuitive, on the other hand, Akira was punk, yet fragile and impulsive. Though Ayesha often felt disheartened about her being dad's favorite she loved her younger sister with all her heart. As they said, Ayesha had a complex when it comes to terms with Akira. Akira had no qualms about it whatsoever, she had always been a star, had an elite circle of friends, most elegant & classy lifestyle and all the beautiful things, Ayesha had always craved for and Akira had always demanded and placed her hands on. However the bottom line still remained both sisters loved each other till infinity.

They were both very dear to their father too. Again, as they say, money complicates relationships. Their ailing father, as visionary as he had been, had all the property will along with a life term insurance policy equally divided between the daughters; leaving them a huge sum of whooping 150 crores individually. Ayesha was unaware of this until she came across the documents from the locker. Incidentally it was the same night when Akira attempted suicide. It was the first time, Ayesha secretly wished if Akira could just die, so that all the money could be hers. Little did the poor girl knew someone sitting far away already knows about the policy and is eyeing on it since long.

Mihir, lead player of Ayesha's play wasn't just another pawn. The inadvertent turn of events had landed Akira in hospital and Mihir in trouble; and Ayesha got the cheese! Akira had always been a soft target, hence killing her in a totally unsuspicious way was completely in Ayesha's benefit. Just before the grand Akira Mihir wedding, Ayesha planned the accident. Two birds in one stone, execution went well. No one doubted the doting sister, instead everything fell in place for her when she got married to Mihir, the guy who had enchanted her on the very first day they met.

Little did fate knew that one day both Ayesha and Mihir would actually fall in love with each other and their primary money-minded motives would take a back seat. Mihir had dated Akira only for her bank balance and the 300 Crore policy which he got to know thru' little investigation around the family accounts which his father handled. However, with time, his liking towards her deceased as her cynical attitude began surfacing. He even left Akira and moved to another town looking for his own happiness, but her suicide attempt called him back. Akira's suicide attempt was a trigger enough for Mihir to land back on his economic motives of pocketing Akira's luxuries and gradually reduce her from his life, or world maybe. But then he met Ayesha.

'I never knew I would fall in love with you. Ayesha, but I did....I love you !' Ayesha knew he is saying the truth but she wasn't prepared for it. She loved him too but the one hand distance with the pistol right between his brows was longer than a thousand miles. A tear rolled off from Ayesha's cold tired and gaze filled eyes, as she said 'I hate to admit, but I love you too.'

Silence....

'We shared three full years of our lives together and nothing has really changed. I love you and you love me isn't that enough?' Mihir spoke out of his clear conscience.

'Haven't we complicated it all?' Ayesha was still doubting their acts.

'True we have, together we can simplify it as well.' Mihir was keen on getting her back, 'If I kill you, I will get all the money; if you kill me, You will get the money but...'

'We won't have each other' Ayesha completed Mihir statement.

Mihir confidently held off the pistol from his forehead, of which Ayesha had already loosened the grip. He threw it away and came close to his wife. He cupped her face in his large palms and searched himself in her eyes. Finally he could see himself, convinced that the thin air of misfortunate circumstances between them had dissolved, he held her face closer to his. The night had revealed a lot of hidden secrets, which they believed better be in the closet; and with the rising sun they started afresh. She closed her eyes hearing his heartbeat and once again submitted herself to him. He enveloped himself around her like a dark cloud hiding away the moon in a star lit sky.

Yes! Their love won. They married each other for all the wrong reasons but fate made them fall in love once then and today all over again!

Two years later,

Nothing really has changed. Mihir is still as clumsy as ever and Ayesha is still managing things for both of them. Just as Mihir made his grand entry at the inaugural function of "Akira Dance Academy" with lilies in hand, an angry Ayesha started scolding him like a teacher, 'This is our party.., all the guest are here, where the hell were you ?'

'Relax darling, you are not supposed to get that hyper in this condition' a caring Mihir, held her ears saying 'Sorry'

He knows just the right way to cuddle and kiss away her anger, its only that Ayesha's baby bump now comes in the middle. Baby Akira is on her way...

THE END