Destiny Tales

Chapter 3 : Birthday

As the alarm clocks in 7, Kabir wakes up for his morning workout. It's the same. Even on his birthday, his routine cannot take a hit. He has been maintaining this lifestyle for over 10 years now, and nothing has been able to move him from this life of routine. He has almost become a machine, with everything happening like clockwork.

His penthouse proudly hosts 3 bedrooms and a personal gym, for days he is too worked up to step out and go to his regular gym, which is a few blocks away. After an hour of sweating it out, he steps out in the balcony with his morning cup of black coffee, no sugar. As he soaks in the morning sun, he looks towards Khushi's balcony. Is he looking for her? How odd, he thinks. Why did he look at that side, he wonders? What was he thinking? Right when he takes the final sip of his coffee, he hears a faint humming.

He looks in Khushi's direction and smiles. Khushi, oblivious to the world, is humming her own song quite loudly. Kabir has never heard this song before but something makes him like the melody. Or is it Khushi's voice? His phone rings and his concentration breaks. Right then Khushi looks towards her right and catches Kabir stealing a glance at her. She beams with joy and says, "Kabir!!! Good morning!" Kabir is almost embarrassed but ends up smiling and rushing inside.

Khushi goes about her day and spends the entire day doing up her new house and cooking. The shoot is about to begin next week, so she has some time on her hands. The clock strikes 4 and she decides to take a long nap. In her dreams, she doesn't really realise, but she imagines that Kabir is ringing her door bell. The sound doesn't stop and soon she wakes up to find that the doorbell is ringing for real.

She gets up groggily to see that it's 6 in the evening. Upon opening the door, she finds a strange looking man with an envelope in his hand. "Sir has asked me to give you this!" he says and leaves. It's an invitation - Kabir's party's! A 1202. She is taken aback. How can someone be this impersonal while extending an invitation? She decides not to go for the party. She doesn't know anyone, and she honestly didn't like the impersonal invitation, after yesterday night.

Around 8, she is still contemplating if she should go or not. And then she steps out to clear her mind. She notices that Kabir too is standing in his balcony with a glass of drink in his right hand and a burning cigarette in his left. So, he smokes, and he drinks, she makes a mental note. Kabir doesn't know that Khushi is there too.

Khushi is about to call out, but right then a woman dressed in red comes out and leans on Kabir's shoulder. Kabir is nonchalant but she ends up caressing his hair. Khushi feels a little uncomfortable. Not because she is not used to such an open display of affection, but she thought that Kabir was single. Unable to comprehend her feelings, Khushi decides that it's best if she stays in and doesn't go to his party.

They are different, Khushi realises. Kabir's face was familiar Khushi recollects. But, after looking up about him, she realises that he is a celebrity, rather, a superstar. No wonder he was so elusive in his behaviour.

The loud music almost makes her anxious. He is next door, and having a good time. Khushi could have been there too, but she chose not to, and now it's almost 11 - too late for her to go to the party. Khushi decides that cooking something delicious will be therapeutic right now.

She decides to whip up some pasta as that's the easiest to make right now. As she starts cooking, the doorbell rings. She goes to open it. It's Kabir. "Hey, do you have some ice? I have run out of all of it." She tries to control her emotions as she was expecting him to ask her why didn't she come to the party.

She smiles and returns with some ice trays and hands them over to Kabir. As Kabir takes them without a smile, Khushi is about to ask him about his party but stops. It wasn't an invitation that he really cared for, she decides. It was out of formality. She is feeling bad, but she doesn't know why.

As Khushi goes on about making her dinner, Kabir walks towards his house with a smile on his face. He wanted a reason to see her. He doesn't know why. In a house full of faces, he was searching for hers. Now he can continue with the facade.