Socha Na Tha - Abhira SS

#1 - Reality is a Nightmare

"Ek din aap yun, humko mil jayenge..."

Akshara swayed with him in his arms, adjusting the mic closer to her lips.

"Ek din aap yun, humko mil jayenge,
Phool hi phool raahon mein khil jayenge,

Maine socha na tha!"

Akshara's giggle echoed in the hall of the Birla Mansion through the speaker as Abhi paused, twirled her around and lifted her high up in his arms. Her eyes twinkled like the brightest star in the dim lights of the hall, and the world stopped to stare at the beauty in his arms.

Akshara caressed his cheek with nothing but love in her eyes while he slowly brought her down to her feet.

"Ek din zindagi itni hogi haseen,
Jhoomega aasmaan, gaayegi yeh zameen,

Maine socha na tha!"

"KYON?"

"Wajah, ya chup."

"Abhi-"

"WAJAH, YA CHUP!"

"Abhi, tum jab bhi OT se bahar aaoge, main tumhe yahin khadi milungi."

"Apne bhai ko bachane ki koshish ke baad uske saath kya hua, woh kis haal mein hai thik bhi hai ya nahi humein yeh bhi nahi pata!"

Sweat beads had started to form on his face, and he unconsciously pulled the duvet away.

"Bina maange toh sirf pyar mein hi sab milta hai... pyar toh bacha hi nahin."

"Agar itna aasan hai in papers par sign karna, iss rishte ko todna toh iss rishte ko tod dena hi theek hai."

Abhi shook his head in his sleep, his hands clutching the bedsheet in a tight grip.

"Wahi beti na, jo aapke pyaar ke liye taras-taras kar mar gayi? Jisko aapne bilkul waste samjha, kyunki na woh ek doctor bann payi, na Dr. Mahima Birla jaisi bann payi."

"Akshu se chhupa kar yeh box tumhe bas isi umeed se de raha hoon, ke tumhe pata chale tum kya khone ja rahe ho." Kairav handed him the box, "Mujhe insaaf toh dila diya tumne, par apne rishte, apne pyaar ke saath jo itni badi na-insaafi kar di hai, yaad rakhna... pachtaoge."

Abhi rolled uncomfortably to the far edge of the bed. It was just another painful nightmare of the many nights he has had to spend after Akshara left him, again, this time with a box of letters she didn't know had reached the man she had written them for.

And Abhimanyu Birla had lost the count of times he had read those letters, with every word ringing in his ears as if she had said it out loud - all her love, fears, longing and guilt - instead of writing them with the intent of throwing it all away.

"Abhi, zyada hichkiyan aaye na, toh nimbu pe namak laga ke kha lena... hafte ki yeh doosri chitthi likh rahi hoon,

Par yaad toh tumhe har saans mein do baar karti hoon."

His breaths turned heavier.

"Tum chahte thay na ki main bahot hi famous singer banun, toh famous toh main banne wali hoon... lekin uski ek bahot badi shart hai... jo mujhe nibhani padegi.

Tumhare liye main har shart nibhane ko tayyar hoon... kyunki pyaar se badhkar toh koi shart hi nahi hota na Abhi?"

Dr. Abhimanyu Birla, the most trusted heart surgeon of Birla Hospital, had no cure for his own heart. He couldn't pull himself out of his own nightmare, sleeping with one hand over his heart to stop the pounding inside his chest, and one trying to desperately hold onto something... Something that wasn't there, anymore. Akshara's letters in her voice kept on ringing in Abhimanyu's ears like a broken radio.