Les Flammes Jumelles

4. SOCH LIYA

Shiva was frozen. He couldn't wrap his mind around anything.

What was that girl doing in Chipkali's house? And if she was there, does it mean...it's his...his Chipkali? His best friend?

His Raavi?

In any other world, Shiva would be the happiest man alive just thinking about the slight possibility of him having found his Raavi. But in this world that he was currently frozen in, he couldn't understand his own emotions. All the happiness he felt and possibilities he imagined were cuffed and squeezed ruthlessly by that one truth he saw - that girl was married.

He fell on the chair behind him with a thud. And with a mind caught up in a frenzy of emotions.

Raavi, his Raavi - the same Chipkali always goofing around him with an idiotic smile plastered permanently to her face - was...married?

Should he feel happy for her?

After all, they were just kids when they last met. Unaware, immature kids. Maybe she doesn't even remember him clearly.

But even after being actively aware of these facts, what was that uncomfortable feeling tightening his heart? He had returned after years for work. Never through these years had he even thought to visit Somnath just for the sake of it, for the sake of Raavi. And he hadn't done so now. It was his work that had brought him here. Then why did something he thought to be a vague part of his life produce such weird feelings in his chest right now?

Was that really Raavi? Where was her innocence? Her playfulness? The mischievous spark that was lit in her eyes every second? Where was Chipkali in her?

He couldn't think straight about either of the possibilities. If it was Raavi, why didn't she say anything upon seeing him? Did she not recognise him? Had she...forgotten him?

As if in a state of stupor, he suddenly got up and headed towards the door of his room. His bowl of soup lay almost untouched on the tiny table in the balcony. The wooden chair where he sat only moments ago, continued to rock for a few seconds after the room was empty.

The main door to the long forgotten buff house creaked open with a jerk, and the young man emerged out on the streets with an undecipherable expression on his face. He looked as if he was under a spell. Baffled, confused, excited, afraid, and a plethora of emotions he didn't know swirling in his black eyes.

He took a step in the forward direction spontaneously. And then stopped. All frozen again, just outside the threshold of his house.

The sun, gradually heading towards it's maximum potential, shone brightly on his face. His confused eyes sparkled, unlike the uncomfortable feeling twisting inside his stomach a bit more every passing second.

However, he just couldn't move. As soon as the peach house was in his direct view, his steps had reflexively halted themselves all of a sudden. His mind was still refusing to co-operate with him.

That one question kept on ringing in his ears, blocking out any other thought trying to make it's way to his brain. That one silent question was deafening to his ears.

Was that really Raavi? And was his Raavi really a...married woman now?

He continued to stand there, staring at the house of his childhood friend for what seemed like forever. Would she not come out like he did? To meet him?

What was he supposed to do now? Should he talk to her? Should he not? Was it that easy for her to forget him that she didn't even bother to come out after seeing him? Was it that easy for her to get...mar...?