Flame of Eternity

2

      The days were spent and Anya was really good in studies and was doing very great in exams. She passed her exams with quite good grades. Her grandfather was now totally on bed rest and can die any minute. She was doing her best to earn enough money for her and her brother's better future. On the other hand Shubman was taking his business to all the new levels. He got his new branches all over the world. He was still that very cold hearted and love less person as always with everyone except his family. Today Ishan dragged Shubman with him to an orphanage as Shubman was the owner of that orphanage. There something happened to Shubman and he felt something different like never before. He started to think about one person without knowing what it was and was going crazy not knowing who that was. He was getting desperate when fate finally brought them together but the person he admired and was happy to meet finally was way too much afraid of him.

Shubman's POV:
                                     After a tiring week today I finally had a day off and I was lying in my bed lazily while I smoke. Suddenly there was a knock on my door, "come on in it's open" I shouted. And there was he leaning against the door frame Ishan. I half sit up and looked at him, "what??" I asked, he smiled "get ready and we're going to an orphanage" he said, I frowned and he gave me a look and I rolled my eyes getting up and got ready. Once when we reached there, Ishan and I were in the office and were talking and discussing everything with its manager, just when I looked out of the window, my eyes got stuck at one person, one girl out there, she was beautiful, charming and was playing with kids there. She gave the balloons to all the kids and I can tell she must be the good hearted person by watching the way kids loved her, I froze looking at her, not a single girl ever caught my eye. But she was different from all the other girls, she hadn't had makeup look I can tell with just a glance, she was beautiful, her big brown eyes, long brown hairs, her pink lips and fair skin her laugh was infectious. I smiled rarely but never thought in my life that I'll ever smile because of a girl. She was dancing with kids and kids kissed her cheeks and were dancing and happy with her. I went out of the office and to the place where she was but she left before I reach there. The kids were playing still, I didn't know I was smiling until I heard Ishan, "oh my god you love kids, you are smiling which is very very rare for anyone except mom and Shahneel. I knew bringing you here was right decision" he said and I instantly stopped smiling and looked at him sharply. "Are we done or we need to do anything else??" I asked. He shakes his head, "why are you always grumpy?? Anyways I wanna meet the kids so once done after it we'll leave" he said as he went to where the kids were. The kids all were good and cheery. Ishan talked with them and clicked some pictures with them, I went there too and a cute kid came and was hugging my legs opening his arms holding the balloon that beautiful girl gave him. I looked at him and a little smile crept to my face as I looked his eyes and his cute smile. I picked him up, "hello little one" I said as he smiled. "What's your name???" I asked and he gestured something I looked at Ishan and he came to us smiling, "Shub he can't say, he is mute" he said and I ooohed. Suddenly that kid lyed his head on my shoulder and wrapped his little hands around my neck. "Seems like he likes you, he don't go to everyone but he liked you" said Ishan and I smiled hugging him back. The kid kissed my cheek and gave me the balloon as I put him down and said bye to him. I said no but he made me take that balloon. I took that balloon and we went back home. I went upstairs taking the balloon with me to my room. I heard mom and Di talking with Ishan, "oh my god, is this our Shubman?? What's wrong with him? And why he is holding a balloon?? And why is he smiling? I mean it's good to see him smile but he never smiles out of home, where you guys went?" Asked mom and Di. "I'm too wondering what's wrong with him?? At first he was all grumpy to visit the orphanage and when we were there in the office his mood was still same but don't know what happened he suddenly went out of the office and when I followed him he was standing looking at kids playing there and there was his charismatic smile on his face" said Ishan and they were giggling. I lying down in my bed, closed my eyes and was thinking about that beautiful mysterious girl. I don't know what is happening to me but I sure can't stop thinking about her. I wanted to meet that girl so badly. I wanted to know who she was and where does she live?? What is her name, her family, her occupation each and everything. But I'm not able to find it out, I never felt so bad to not be able to do something I want to. "Shub, ye smile and ye bacheni koi chote se bacche ki vajah se to nhi ho skti, what happened?? Chal jaldi se sach sach Bta??" Said mom caressing my hairs as she sat on my bed. I smiled at her, placing my head in her lap. "No mom aesi koi baat nhi hai" I said. "Accha to ab tu mujhse jhuth bolega??" She said. I held her hands in mine giving her fingers a massage, "mom, sacchi me jhuth nhi bol rha hu" I argued. "To itna kyun muskura rha hai meri hone wali bahu mil gayi hai kya ??" She asked and I looked at her shocked. "Bol ab aese kya Dekh rha hai mujhe" she scolded me, "maybe, maybe not" I said chuckling. "Whaattttt??? And mujhe bhi nhi bataya??? Kon hai wo???? Mujhe photo Dekhni hai uski" said Ishan and Di coming in the room as they also sat on my bed looking so curiously at me and I knew what was going to happen. "Guys I don't know anything about her so please just hold your horses, and besides I don't think I'll ever meet her again, or see her. She was there at the orphanage with the kids, she was totally different from other girls. I need to find out about her but I've never felt so unable to do something and I don't understand what is happening to me, I just can't get her out of my head and why the hell I'm feeling so bad unable to know her" I said what was happening and they all smiled and cheered happily. "Tujhe love at first sight ho Gaya hai baby" said Di, "hey Bhagwan finally iss ladke ko akal aayi" said mom. Ishan was looking at me confused. "Was she there when we were there??" He asked. I nodded. "Then koi or problem hi nhi hai, I can get everything about her" he said. I cheered up now, "how???" I said. He already was calling the number and was talking to the manager of orphanage. "Bro, I talked with the manager and he is sending me the information and a CCTV footage" said Ishan sitting beside Di, I got up happily, "what? Are you serious??" I asked him happy. "Yeah Shub, I'm pretty serious, like you are my best friend, my brother how am I going to see you feeling bad specifically when I know you love me so much" said Ishan and I engulfed him in a bone crushing hug. "But bro you can recognise her right??" He asked, "I can???? I just can't get her out of my mind dude, I can draw her if I knew how to sketch" I said and Ishan played the footage, where children were playing and dancing. Mom, Di and Ishan looked at the footage so carefully and curiously, I chuckled at them. "Ishan stop right there, look she is the girl I'm talking about" I said and Ishan stopped and zoomed in and mom and Di were so happy they cheered, "hhhaaayyyeeee kitni pyarii hai" they said. I smiled or I can say I blushed. "Whattt???? Shub she is that girl???" He asked worries. "You know her???" I asked him surprised. He smiles wide. "Ohh my god !! Shub I bet you I bet that tu chahe puri duniya ghum le you'll never never ever meet such sweet soul as her" he said. I sigh in relief. "So you know her?? What's her name??" I asked him softly. He smiled, "yeah, she is like my younger sister for me, she is Anya. Anya Rajput" he said. "Beta, wo krti kya hai?? Uska family me kaun kaun hai?? Mujhe sab batao" said mom. We all smiled and Ishan nodded. "Mom, wo yaha apne Dadaji or chote bhai ke sath rahti hai. She just recently completed her graduation in physiotherapy. She moved here from Jaipur, after her parents died in an accident. Her Dadu and lil brother are her whole world. She is really really very sweet and such kind hearted person. I know her as I've been there in her collage for that trust fund things and that's when I met her. Than she visits the orphanage regularly and she is used to call me Ishan bhaiya" he said. We all were very happy. After that we decided we'll meet her next day. The next day I dressed as simple as normal middle class man will do. Once we reached there where her home was, there were so many people gathered around her home. Me and Ishan changed our looks and we furrowed little. Ishan led me to the front and there I saw her, in white suit sitting on the floor crying and a boy crying in her lap, I assumed he is her brother. "Anni, what's wrong?? Yaha aese kyun bethi hai?? And ye kya haal bna rakha hai??? Aaru get up bro, Anni, look at me baccha, tell me what's wrong???" Ishan asked worried so much about them, I felt a pang in my heart as I looked at her teary eyes and exhausted face. "Ishan bhaiya, wo da-Daduu wo Dadu is gone" she sobbed resting her head on Ishan's chest. Ishan also felt bad. He somehow managed to give her some water and took her inside. Her brother was also asleep on the sofa only. I followed Ishan and saw he tucked her in bed, she was asleep, crying and her tear stained face told aloud that she didn't had anything in a day, nor water or food. Ishan checked her temperature and she had fever. I was standing at the door, "Shub, she is having fever, I guess she haven't eaten anything. I think we need to give her sometime. Her grandfather is gone and she is broken right now" he said and I nodded understandably. I felt very bad looking her like this. I left for the home and Ishan stayed back there to look after her and her brother. I entered my home and Di and mom rushed to me excitedly, "Shub did you talked with her???" Asked Di. I shake my head in a NO and they looked at me confused. "Her grandfather is gone and she is totally broken hearted right now, she have a fever and didn't had any food or water for a whole day, her brother is also very upset. Ishan is staying there to look after them for tonight" I said. "Hey Bhagwan, pata nhi bechari bacchi par kya gujri hogi?? Kesa feel kar rhi hogi!!! Accha hai Ishan waha pe ruk Gaya" said mom. Di nodded and smiled. I went up to my room and tried to sleep but no success as I close my eyes I see her pale and tear stained face. I see how upset she was. I got up and was pacing around my room that's when I looked at the balloon that kid gave me yesterday. I smiled and whispered to myself, "are you really in love Shub??? Oh god she really wrapped you around her tiny finger" I looked at the sky and fell asleep on the swing in my balcony.