Love

A Heart For A Heart…

This short story became SPIXer (Most popular story) on 03 Aug 2013 and won INR 500 

Koushal slapped him on his left cheek. His cheek turned red and it had the print of Koushal’s four finger. He pushed him so harder that he felled down on the couch.

“Bloody hell, are you insane? How could you take this much big decision? What about me, you’re best friend? Do you know what you mean to me, and you’re going to leave me for that girl. What about your aim? What about the dreams that you wanted to fulfill? Did u forget all this or you want to forget purposely? You know her since two weeks. Step back Anjani. Step back!” said Koushal with anger in his voice.

He got up from the couch, came close to him and said, “You, you know me more than myself. Why don’t you understand I love her and can’t live without her? Since a week you can see how restless I am. I can’t see her I pain. I can die a hundred deaths to see her smiling.”

Anjani hugged Koushal, his best for the last time. Koushal tried his best to convince him but love does drive people crazy, he didn’t hear his words and took his guitar, his bike key and left the room.

June 1, 2013 – Saturday (Two weeks ago)
Waqt b tehra hai,
(Time has stopped too)
Kaise kyu ye hua
(how and why it happened)
Kaash tu aise aaye
(May you just come)
Jaise koi dua
(like some prayer)
Sun raha hai na tu
(You are listening right)
Kyu ro rai hu me….
(Why I am crying here)

“Anjani, has your dream girl Shreya Ghosal shifted from her porsh bunglow to our 2BHK building? Look at her voice” said Koushal with a wicked smile.

Anjani winked.”Dude, her voice is super awesome. She sings pretty well yaar. Same like my Shreya.”

Anjani was impatient as he wanted to see the girl who had got such a brilliant voice. He walked towards balcony to have a glance of her.

There she was, sitting on a Red plastic chair with her legs folded in crossed position. She was playing with her fingers, moving up and down adjusting it with the song. She was in red pajama and black top. Her hair was tied up. She looked simple. Her voice had some kind of magic, magic that could win anyone’s heart.

Anjani started to get butterflies in his stomach. His fair cheeks turned red like tomato. He was blushing. His mouth was wide open as if he was saying ‘Wooooooooooooooooooooooow’ in excitement. Her beauty was nothing when compared to her voice. Suddenly, he took out his guitar and played the tune of that song. She stared at him. They both had an eye contact for the first time. They gestured each other with a warm and pleasant smile. Anjani had fallen for her but like every time he was confused whether it was love or infatuation.

Time passed and they both met each other daily in the balcony. Now, they had become balcony friends and they kept singing till midnight.

June 10, 2013 – Monday

Anjani was returning home from his office, He had just reached his building gate when he saw two girls going outside in hurry. She was wearing yellow Patiala with a small diamond bindi on her forehead. She was simple but beautiful than any other girls. Anjani lost his grip on bike while watching that beauty and he felled down.

“Are you okay?” came a sweet voice.

“Yes, Yes I am perfectly fine”, he said while standing up and managing him.

“Yeah I can see that how much fine you are! Can you see this blood”, she panicked and removed band aid from her purse.

“Thank you”, He smiled. “Do you remember me? I am your balcony friend.”

“Oh! Yeah hehehe”, she giggled.

“I am Anjani”

“And I am Khushbu and she is Babita my cousin, nice to meet u”.

“Same here, by the way you have really got a great voice. I am a huge fan of Shreya and now even yours. When I hear you sing, I feel she is singing.”

She gave a cute smile, “Thank you, your compliment means a lot to me.”

“Hey, Anjani I am getting late. Nice talking to you. Take care, cyaa…”

“Yeah sure”

June 10, 2013 (10.30 p.m)
Anjani had prepared coffee for himself and went to balcony. He was desperately waiting for her. His eagerness turned into disappointment because she didn’t turn up that night. He didn’t like her absence. Why didn’t she come today? Is there any problem? Or she didn’t like me? Was I looking that bad? May be she didn’t like my behavior! Blah blah were the questions running in his mind.

June 11, 2013 – Tuesday
“Anjani, why are you sleeping here? Moron get up! We are already late. Anjani, get up”, said Koushal kicking him on his leg.

Anjani woke up rubbing his eyes. He found himself in balcony and that very moment he remembered Khushbu and his smile faded away.

“What happened, why you are upset? “

“She didn’t turn up yesterday”

“Oh! You and your nonsense talks”

“Koushal, m serious…I think she is not well or might b she is in problem”

“Cheer up dude. Might be she was busy yesterday”, said Koushal to calm him down.

“But she should at least come once and inform me na. Whole night I was waiting for her. Chuck it, I really don’t care if she comes or not.”

“As if she is your gf na.. She should inform me”, he said teasing him.

Anjani smiled for a while wishing if his words come true. Koushal, understood he was in love with Khushbu, but he didn’t talk to him on this matter as he wanted Anjani to understand it by himself.

One week passed but Khushbu was missing. Anjani was dying to hear her voice, he was dying to have one look of her. He missed her presence, her smile but unlucky he, he could not tell her. Whenever his colleagues asked him about his girl friend he said his single but Khushbu’s sweet face always came in his mind.

“Enough! Is she angry with me or she don’t like me. Why is she avoiding me? I am going to ask her”, Anjani said walking towards the door.

“Anjani, idiot calm down. What if her parents are at home, what will you do?”

Anjani took a step back and sat down on the couch. His one hand was on his forehead and other was touching his guitar. He looked depressed.

June 16, 2013 – Sunday
It was Sunday, both Anjani and Koushal had holiday. So Koushal planned for a trip to cheer him.

They went downstairs. Anjani saw a girl which made him smile for a while. She was Babita, Khushbu’s cousin. He walked towards her. She was in hurry and her face showed she was tensed.

“Hey, Hold on! I am Anjani. Hope you remember me”.

“Yeah I remember you, I am sorry I am getting late will talk to you later”, she said.

“Please, just tell me once where is Khushbu? I want to talk to her once. Please please please”, he said begging her.

“She …… She is in hospital”.

“What? What happened to her”, he said in shock.

“She is suffering from chronic heart failure, and now doctor has said she is in the middle of the sea. She would either survive or die. She could survive only if she gets a heart donor. On Monday, one week ago she got a panic heart attack at evening. We took her to hospital and she is still there fighting with her own self. She is not doing well. Dad and we all are searching for donors, but we are not getting anyone. Just pray we get one donor”, she said and walked away.

Anjani’s world was lost when he heard this shocking news. He couldn’t believe that whatever he heard was true. Koushal tried to console him.

He went to his room. After some time he took his guitar, his bike key and left the room.
He purchased a bouquet for her and went to a jewelry shop and purchased a ring and then he rided his bike towards hospital.

It was a big building. He walked in, he saw many patients inside. He saw one dead body. He crossed his hand and prayed to god to save Khushbu.

He meets Khushbu’s parents and had a conversation with them and take their permission to meet Khushbu.

“Khushbu OO Khushbu”, he called her while playing his guitar.

She wakes up and gives him an astonish look but then gave a smile.

“What are you doing here? And how do you know I am here? How are you and how is your life going? “, she asked in one breathe.

“So many questions at a time. Hold on madam I am not that intelligent that you are asking me so many questions”, he winked at her.

She laughed.

“Actually, I was dying to hear your voice. I kept waiting for you every night but you didn’t turn up. I thought you are busy somewhere but yesterday when I met Babita, she said me about you.

There was silence all around.

“Don’t worry, I am sure you will be fine”, he said holding her hands.

“How do you know that?”

“I am god u know”, he teased her.

“Hehehehe”, she laughed.

“Hey, if you don’t mind can I request you something?”

“What? Say”

“Can you sing that song of my dream girl that you sang on the first day when I heard your lovely voice?”

She blushed.

Sun Raha hai na tu..
(You are listening,right?)
Kyu ro rai hu me.
(Why I am crying here)

Anjani had tears in his eyes. He carssesd her forehead and asked her to sleep. He kissed her on his forehead and rubbed his palm on her soft hair and left the room.
***

“OPERATION SUCCESSFUL”, said doctor.

She was bought in her room, she woke after few hours. She found the guitar leaning on the table and a red small box along with a letter.

She read the letter:

Hey Beautiful,
See, I said you na you will be fine. Just take care of yourself. I may not be able to meet you again; I won’t be there to hear your voice again. Khushbu you are beautiful not only by looks but by your simplicity. I love you darling. I love you a lot. I wanted to say this before but situation didn’t allow me to do so. But you know what I am happy, very happy. You know why? Because I will stay always with you. I am you heart now. And we will be together forever. I m giving you this guitar, please keep it safely as it was the last present given by my parents. Don’t ever cry just smile. It suits you beautiful.
Will you be mine?
Answer honestly okay. If your answer is yes then do wear the ring that inside the red box and kiss it gently.
And if it’s no, then still no problem.. until you are alive I am always with you. Hehehe just kidding.
And do miss me, okay. Only miss me but don’t cry ever.
Where all the springs blossom
You will find me there.
Where our love resides
You will find me there.
I’ll meet you in such a way, this is my promise.
I’ll be with you always, this is my promise.
With love,
Anjani.

Babita was standing outside, she said her that Anjani had conversation with family members and the heart was donated none other than him. Khushbu cried louder, so loud that all the people on the floor could hear her……