Introvert Hearts

Chapter 1: Expostulating her

Ram: Hi, I am Ram Kapoor, an industrialist from Bandra.

Priya: enough Mr Kapoor, I am fed up with your introduction dialogue. Now please change this.

Looking towards the man sitting in the reception, she requested, "we need a room. How much will it cost for an hour?".

the man: Mam 2000 for an hour.

Priya: no, I want it for 1500 and one more thing, does the air conditioner work?

Man: yes mam. it is well maintained. The room is like a five-star hotel.

Ram: Priya, listen to me. This place doesn't seem right to me.

Priya: I don't care, Mr Kapoor. we need to talk.

Priya went with her handbag towards the room and ram followed her.

Room

Rams POV

Priya, how do I make you understand that nothing is going on between me Vedika and we are just friends. I know that I shouldn't have hidden my past from you. Though I didn't lie I let the curtain wrap the truth partially.

khadoos ladki! how do I please her now? oh, Ganesh Ji help me.

Ram's phone is dead and searches for the charger.

" What are you searching for Mr Kapoor?" Priya questioned.

"Ch Ch Ch charger Priya! I don't have my charger. I am just checking if there's any charger in this room." Ram explained.

Priya handed her charger to Ram and said" please keep necessary things with you, Mr Kapoor, when will you learn to be a well-organised person?"

"Thanks, Priya" he thanked and went towards the pin to charge his phone and that's when he saw a rat hidden behind a wooden table that was beside the charging point.

Ram yelled" Rat! Rat! Rat! Priya, there's a rat in this room"

"What?" Priya exclaimed with fear. Both of them were scared of rats. Yes, industrialist Ram Kapoor and the warrior Priya Sood were afraid of rats!

Both jumped onto the bed and tried to shoo the rat away. As it came close to the bed, Priya involuntarily hugged ram. Ram was surprised but soon realised that it was out of fear. He embraced her and emboldened" Priya, don't worry, it will get out soon."

Priya came to her wits and came out of his embrace and taunted " I am not Vedika. stop hugging me."

Ram said vindicating himself" no Priya! You have misunderstood me and you are assuming things yourself"

The rat who stood still for a while came closer towards the bed

Ganesh ji, I prayed to you and you sent your vaahan! Ram thought.

Priya fiercely asked" you are an industrialist from Bandra Mr Kapoor, right? Can't you shoo away this little rat? Please do something, Mr Kapoor."

"Yeah, Priya. Don't worry let me do something...." he turned around to take a water bottle from the bedside table and handed it to Priya inciting her "c'mon Priya, pour out all your anger and throw this bottle on the rat."

Priya held the bottle upright in her hand nervously when ram was instructing "Priya, breath in - breath out, breath in breath out."

taking a deep breath, she yelled "get out of my life Vedika! get out!!!" and hurled the bottle fiercely. And it was evident that the rat had run out of the room.

They looked at each other delighted and got down from the bed.

There was a moment of silence.

Ram started explaining, "look at me Priya, Vedika was my past and I apologise for not revealing the truth completely."

Priya's sudden change in thoughts made her pronounce these words.

"I understand Mr Kapoor, if you wish to live with Vedika, I have no objections. It's your life and I am no one to force you to stay in this marriage. Moreover, we don't love each other and this marriage was just a deal, so I won't pester you." Priya said avoiding eye contact with ram.

What! How dare you say this, Priya? There's no love between us? Is this marriage just a deal? You know it! It's not a deal anymore, it's something more than that. We feel something above our friendship. I know Priya that you love me. If not, why would you put your life in danger when the accident was planned for me? And above all, I heard your conversation with Mythri.

"I didn't expect this from Mr Kapoor, Mythri. Why did he not tell me the truth? Why was he acting as if he was happy with me? After a long time, I trusted someone, had felt inclined towards him. I decided that Mr Kapoor is everything in my life from now onwards. His childishness, his habits, his blabbering, his jokes, I started liking him, fell for his smiley face and...."

" And dhi? What?" asked Mythri.

"Fell in love with Ram juju?"

" What are you blabbering Mythri? There's nothing like that" Priya avoided eye contact.

" Dhi, accept, that you are in love with jiu, if not, then why does his absence bother you? If he chooses to live with someone else, why is this affecting you to this extent?"

" Haan Mythri, I am in love with him. But he loves his ex-girlfriend and he told me this before our engagement, I am the one who couldn't stick to my words."

" Dhi, forget whatever I told you on Holi. Try looking into this matter with a new perspective, that is all I can say"

It was a conversation Ram remembered.

From the day of Holi, there had been a silent storm in Priya and Ram's life.

" Just a deal?"

"Yes, Mr Kapoor. It's a deal after all. I know I am not supposed to react to this extent, but I don't know why. It just happened that I got angry all of a sudden because I was being fenced from the truth. But now, it doesn't matter Mr Kapoor. I have realised that you have your own life and I shouldn't interfere in your personal matters and I am no one to stop you from meeting the love of your life- Vedika". Priya finished.

She surrendered her love. It was obvious. She had been deceived persistently. Now that she fell in love she fears another deceit and wants to keep herself away from Ram. On the other hand, though she loves Ram, she assumes he is in love with Vedika and is all set to sacrifice her love.

"Shraap ho tum", she remembered her father's words. She epiphanies it to be true, though it was an illusion, she wanted to protect Ram from herself. The accident triggered her thoughts to this extent.

Ok, Priya! If this is your decision, then I'll play along. If my going away doesn't affect you, I want you to prove it.

But,

I am sure! I am sure about one thing ......... That.........you love me.......I know you love me Priya. You might have reasons to distance me from yourself. If you were angry with me knowing that Vedika was my ex, then I would have been a thousand times happier than the happiest moment of my life. You have stabbed a knife in my heart through the words of fire you have thrown on me. If you had shown your anger towards me, that would mean you are jealous or rather say, it would prove that you love me. You are acting as if you are indifferent about it.

Ok then! Let's see who wins. I am getting into the ring. Run as much as far as you want from accepting the truth about who is your beloved, but once you will have to surrender Priya. After all, this is a game of love!

Yes! The game of love!!!!