My Guiding Star

Part Nineteen

If what Niranjana felt is shock to see the intensity in Ranjan's eyes, it came nothing to the emotion she felt hearing him. 

"But... But..." she spluttered without knowing what to say further.

She then realized that his face was serious and not mocking her, she got still more confused. "You love Swathi. How can you marry me?" 

Ranjan answered "Correction, I thought I loved Swathi. But now I know where my love is."

Niranjana felt as if her knees was giving away. Sensing her fatigue, Ranjan made her to sit on the sofa and pulled a chair for him in front of her. He covered both her hands "I can understand your feelings. But please believe that everything will be clear once I pour my heart out."

Niranjana cannot take her eyes off him. They held her with some magnetic force. "I always adored you in one way or other Niranjana. Do you remember the day I came to your parent's anniversary party?" 

How can she forget that day? 

"I never felt as if I am seeing you all for the first time. I had a feeling that I knew you all for a long time. That could be since Sanjana have told a lot about you, Aunt and Uncle. I have always imagined you as a small kid, because of the way Sanjana had talked about you. It was nothing but a shock for me to see such a beautiful girl."

Niranjana felt a tiny speed of hope and joy sprout out. He had thought her to be beautiful. Ranjan continued "You were my dear friend's sister and further my Father's long time friend's daughter. So I subconsciously should have felt you to be out of bounds. But I always felt special about you. I felt to be myself, without inhibitions, whenever I was with you. Hence why I was able to show you my sketches, which I haven't felt like showing to anyone. But I didn't understood my feelings then."

"And then Swathi came. No, I don't want any closed doors between us. Let us talk and close certain chapters once for all in our life." He added when Niranjana got tensed hearing Swathi's name.

"I was attracted towards Swathi's beauty. Not only me, but all my friends. I think it was more of the competition streak between us friends on seeing a beautiful girl. And I felt happy when she chose me among my friends. It was more of an attraction that happens whenever we see a beautiful girl. Even when she lied to her father, what I felt was a blow in my ego. I never felt like I was betrayed. Yes, I was angry with myself. That's because I was usually proud that I can judge people correctly. But when Swathi lied about me, I felt that I was wrong which did a big injury for my pride. To rub salt on that no one believed me at that time."

Ranjan's face became soft recollecting some memory. He then whispered "Then you came...." 

Niranjana blushed red and mumbled "I thought you didn't remember anything about that evening." She was not able to look at him. 

"I remember everything happened that day." His voice was unusually warm and she blushed deeper. He caressed her hot cheeks with the back of his fingers.

"When you solaced me, I felt as if all my burdens have been lifted. What is the matter? Why are you smiling?" Niranjana shook her head at Ranjan's question. She knew she also felt in the same way, but today is his day. She will tell him about that some other time. But she had a question to ask.

"Why have you never talked about that evening to me at all? Hence I concluded that that you didn't remember." 

Ranjan laughed at her words. "Think from my position Niranjana. The girl who I always adored, have come and declared her love in my most vulnerable time. And she disappeared from my life for years together. When she came back, she never hinted the incident nor shown interest in me. In fact you tried to avoid me at all cost. And.... I was afraid to talk to you about that."