Abir took mishti's hand and guided her somewhere much colder than what they were used to and instantly mishti was thankful for Abir's jacket. Abir pulled her closer and she warmed up in his embrace.
"Tumhe thand nahi lagti kya ajeeb rajvansh?" Mishti asked. More than cold, it was actually very windy. Abir rubbed her arms up and down in order to create heat and said, "tumhe kya laga yeh muscles sirf eye candy hai?" He teased. Mishti laughed and hit his chest. She was still blindfolded but she could not only feel the wind, but she could hear the wind. So she knew they were somewhere in the open.
"Ready for your surprise?" Asked Abir.
Mishti nodded her head like a baby and Abir chuckled at her excitement and gently opened her blindfold.
They were at the infamous white rann of Kutch. A magnificent beauty at night, with not even a single person other than them in sight, it was practically heaven for them. And the full moon a starry sky, simply added to the allure of this place. Mishti gasped at its beauty. Because it was unconventional and yet so so so beautiful. The kind of beauty, that was hard to match.
"Wahan tum milna mujhe
Jahan rehte hai, toot te taare,
Tumhara mujh se yoon milna,
Tumhara mujh se yoon pyaar karna,
Meri har ek khwahish ke mukammal hone jaise hai."
Recited Abir. Mishti, turned in his embrace at the beautiful words from Abir's poetry. His voice, his very heart, served on to her on a silver platter of his words. Her eyes teared up.
"A..a..bir. Tumne shayari gaayi?" She murmured. Abir smiled at her cuteness and put a palm on her cheek and said,
"Mishti, shayari gaayi nahi jaati. And I knew you were curious as to why had I stopped with the shayari. But tabhi, I couldn't find the right words to explain it to you. But I think I know now. Lekin yahan nahi. Aao mere saath." And he pulled Mishti a little ahead. Where he had set up a soft looking rug, and a picnic basket sat on top of it. He indicated Mishti to have a seat along with him. And so they both sat down on the rug. Mishti looked at abir in question. Abir, said nothing but opened the basket for her and removed a casserole from inside. He asked Mishti to go ahead and open the basket. And Mishti's smile on seeing the contents of the basket was big enough to warm his heart. Inside the casserole, were piping hot noodles.
"Mishti, I know ki usually noodles is something I eat with Kunal. It's like a way to his heart for me. And it has always been. But these noodles mean so much more to me now. I relate noodles not only with Nanko, but also with you Mishti. Because for me, you and Nanko are like two sides of the same coin. I can't have, one without the other, because then the coin would have no value. There have been times, when I've chosen you over, Nanko and at times I've chosen Nanko over you. But today, I want to tell you something. Or actually confess something. I can't be happy without either one of you. You're my family. My best friends. And I want to assure you, that no matter what happens in life, I will not choose. Because choosing from you and Nanko will be like, choosing only one part of your heart to function. And we know that's it's physically impossible to live that way. I know that you have your insecurities Mishti. Just like I do. But I want to try and put as many of them to rest as much as I can. Because Mishti, I don't know what the future has in store for us. I don't want to make any unrealistic promises to you which I know I won't be able to keep. So let me give you my word, about the most real thing here. No matter what happens in the future, my heart will forever be only yours to keep. Even if there's someday where we won't be able to be together, god forbid. Lekin agar aisa din aayega then I swear Mishti that I will come back. Only and only to you. Because you're my cornerstone. You're my home. You're the only reason, that a Banjara like me, has a home. I had stopped shayari, because like you, it was a real part of my very being. And I had been living a fake life for the last 2-3 months and so I couldn't do shayari when everything about me was fake. But mishti, you bought the real back. You bought Abir back."
He finished. Mishti, had tears rolling down her cheeks,
"Abir yaar. Not fair. Tum jab shayari nahi karte toh bilkul nahi karte, aur ab jab kar rahe ho toh dekho. Tumne mujhe melt kar diya.." Mishti sniffed and continued, "Abir, main tumhare jaisi nahi hoon. I don't have the flowery language it takes to sweep you off your feet. But I do have something. I have my truth. So Abir, I too promise you, that no matter how unpredictable our future is, I promise to always be honest with you where it matters, to protect you everytime I can. From everything I can. But more than that, I promise to always always always wait for you. Mera tumhare liye intezaar karna bhi tumhare paas hone jaisa hi hain. Aur humesha rahega." Mishti weeped. Abir pulled her into his embrace and kissed every inch of her face, as if sealing the vows they made to each other, in the purest most tranquil place ever. With the moon and the stars as their witness.
