Our loved Short Stories....by eminent Author's and Writers

Our loved Short Stories....by eminent Author's and Writers

Welcome Dear Bookworms, we have with us today, Raffa Dalvi, the contributing author of 25 strokes of Kindness, grapevine publishers

Rafaa Dalvi, 23, an Automobile Engineer, wants to be a versatile writer, following in the footsteps of his idols Charles Dickens, Michael Crichton, O. Henry, Oscar Wilde and Roald Dahl. He’s a contributing author in 4 anthologies- Kaleidoscope, Tere Hi Liye, I and 25 Strokes of Kindness and also the recipient of Indian Bloggers League Booker Prize. He has been editing stories for almost three years now and also writes movie scripts which he believes will hopefully see the light of day soon. He blogs at http://rafaadalvi.blogspot.in/ as The Indian Raconteur.

Here is a short story by him exclusively for Being Bookworms readers.

Two Lovers

Parth: Hi.

Neelav: Hi.

Neelav looked around to check if he could see any familiar faces in the diner. He breathed a sigh of relief when he couldn’t find any.

Parth: Thanks.

Neelav: What for?

Parth: Coming.

Neelav: I’m not sure what you want to achieve.

Parth: Please. I just want to talk.

Neelav: About what? We’ve been through all of it, a hundred times. I’m sorry Parth. I really just can’t continue things the way they were before. My parents are forcing me to marry her and I have no other option. Moreover, I adore her and can’t just break her heart. Just because I’m a bisexual doesn’t mean that I have to love a guy or a girl at one point of time. I still love you, Parth. And it pains me to have this conversation.   

Parth: If it’s really that painful for you then go. Why should you apologize? Your parents made you meet someone. You adore her. Lucky you. I hope I’m as lucky as you one day. I went for a walk and I felt like calling you. Talk about my day, ask about yours, like we always use to, then I remembered that there isn’t any point to that, because you don’t want to be with me. But I still love you. So where does that love go now?

Neelav: I want to be with you. But we can’t see each other this frequently.

Parth: Your wedding is a fortnight away and you are telling me this, now?

Neelav: I was waiting till I found the right words.

Parth: I don’t want to be the person with whom you are having an extra-marital affair. I love you and want you completely. I’m a noun and you, my adjective. I’m a season and you, my change. I’m nostalgia and you, my imprint. I’m a creation and you, my destiny. It matters a lot to me that I’m the only person in your life.

Neelav: But I can’t leave her now.

Parth: But you’re in love with me.

Neelav: I want us to still see each other even after I get married. Love always includes sacrifices, in form or another. And sometimes, the sacrifice is not being with the person you love.

Meanwhile, a woman sitting outside in a parked car, is watching them through the window.

Parth: I am not a homewrecker, Neelav. I can’t let your fiancé go through the feelings that I’m undergoing now. Do you know how hard it was for me to fall in love?

Neelav: Me too.

Parth: Neelav, you are in love with me and you are marrying someone whom you just adore. I’m just trying to understand how that happens.

Neelav: It happens. I can’t go against my parents. Why don’t you understand that nobody can separate us.

Parth: Coward. You are just a coward. You just know to talk big but your actions speak otherwise. I can’t believe I fell for such a guy and I still love you. I’m upset like a wish that never got fulfilled. I’m upset like the first leaf to fall in autumn. I’m like a promise that was broken. I’m upset like a baby that got killed in the womb. I’m sad like unfinished stories. I think I’ll just leave now and pick up what’s left of my pathetic self respect.

Parth starts crying uncontrollably on Neelav’s shoulders.

Neelav: I told you this wouldn’t help. I need some time to think. I’ll have a smoke and return.

Parth: I don't know why destiny brought us together. When I fell for you, I thought it would bring out the best in me but my obsession for you has made me lose my identity.  I dreamt of our successful future. But you never envisioned a future with me. If I stay here any longer, I will crave for you and miss you. If I can’t have you, I’m just going to leave the country. I have nothing to lose. I've already lost everything. You better make a decision when you return. Remember, it’s all or nothing.

Neelav wasn’t sure what to do anymore and was in such a hurry to have a smoke to calm his nerves that he failed to notice his fiancé Shanaaya, who had been watching him from her car, enter the diner.

Shanaaya was angry. She didn’t know if she was feeling so because Neelav had been lying to her the whole time or because she fell in love with a homosexual and got played. She saw Neelav leave and decided to find out the truth.

Parth was still weeping when he felt someone touch his arms. He looked upward to see a very pretty lady looking at him in concern.

Shanaaya: Heartbreak? Well, I too am heartbroken. I realized today that my fiancé was lying to me the entire time about his whereabouts and had been leading dual lives.

Parth felt strange that this woman was telling her secrets to him. But then again, all women find homosexuals trustworthy and believe that they give honest impartial opinions and good advices. Maybe this is what prompted her to talk to him.

Shanaaya: Oh, I’m so stupid. I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Shanaaya.

Shanaaya offered Parth a handshake and he gladly accepted.

Parth: I’m Parth. I’m sorry about your fiancé.

Shanaaya: Don’t be. He was a liar. He was just so dishonest, about everything– his life, where he was at, what he wanted. He always made excuses. “I can’t see you tonight. I can only see you tomorrow night.” Do you know how unattractive to me that was?

 Parth: I can totally relate.

  

Shanaaya: Forgive me for my intrusion but what are you actually hoping to achieve here? I saw your guy leave in a hurry. What can be more important for him than supporting you when are in tears?

Parth: I’m trying to make Neelav realize that he’s actually still in love with me. But he’s adamant to get married with someone else and wants us to still be together. I don’t want to be his keep.

Shanaaya: Are you really upset that you’ve lost Neelav? Or are you just upset that you’ve lost him to someone else? Is it really a broken heart or is it more a wounded ego?

Parth: I don’t know what to say.

Shanaaya: You don’t know what to say? Is that the strongest feeling you’re experiencing? If it is, then maybe you need to ask yourself some questions.

Parth: Really? Like what?

Shanaaya: How come you are having this conversation with me and not Neelav? How come Neelav never felt like spending his life with you? Something that always stopped him from taking the final step.

Parth: Are you saying that Neelav couldn’t love me?

Shanaaya: Only you know the answer to that. Maybe somebody else could love you. Maybe Neelav just isn’t the one for you.

Parth: Well I certainly am not the one for him.

Shanaaya: But if he wasn’t the one for you, would it matter then? Would you still be heartbroken and upset?

Parth: You know what? Thanks. I can see things much clearly now.

Shanaaya: Welcome.

Meanwhile, Neelav had lit a Benson & Hedges cigarette and was in deep thought.

Parth was proving to be more difficult than he had initially anticipated. Everything was going as per his plan except for this little niggle in the form of Parth. Only he knew how much wooing and schemes it took to trap Shanaaya in his master plan. He would soon become the son-in-law of the multi-millionaire Mr Mehta and be the sole heir to his vast enterprise. And Shanaaya? Well she thinks that their intense and passionate lovemaking is actually because he loved her and finds her desirable. She couldn’t be more wrong.

Neelav lit another cigarette.

Neelav was doing this for Parth too. Parth was the only person who fuelled his ambition. The difference between Parth and Shanaaya was obvious. She spits while he swallows. That was Parth’s way of showing his true love. Neelav wanted him to be a part of his master plan too. But he needed to formulate a strategy to have Parth and become a millionaire too at the same time. What if he told everyone that they were school mates? No, that could lead to too many unnecessary questions. It was not worth the risk. He needed to think of something that would keep Parth close to him and at the same instant, not be too suspicious.

Suddenly Neelav’s eyes lit and he started laughing maniacally. In his excitement, he let the cigarette drop. He lit another one.

It was so obvious. Neelav should have thought of this earlier. This would solve all his problems. He would introduce Parth to everyone, as his business partner. This way neither Shanaaya nor her father would find it strange if Neelav spent most of his time with him. Oh, Parth would be jubilated to hear this. Finally, his parents would meet Parth. He was sure that Parth would be rendered speechless then. Neelav couldn’t believe that this day was turning out to be the best day of his life. He was happy that Parth had called him to the diner. All his dreams would now come true.

With this thought, he left the smoking zone.

He reached his booth in excitement only to find it empty.

On the table lay a note which read- “Neelav like you’ve said, it’s all been said a hundred times before. All you ever gave me was broken dreams and empty promises. You won’t hear from me, ever again. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.”

And an engagement ring.

enjoy reading,

regards,

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