Kismat Ke Khiladi Part 11

Part 11

Ram walked proudly beside Priya stealing glances at her while they inched closer to his unkempt cabin. She was a little nervous with the silence in the building; there was not a single soul in sight and her mind formulated the exaggeration that you could hear the sound of a pin-drop from a mile away. He was unsure of whether he should apologize in advance for not cleaning his office. Maybe it was one of those things that would go unnoticed if it weren't mentioned. But at this point it was not the office that was killing him more than the silence between them. They were both mum on their way up to his cabin on the tenth floor; her beauty was excruciatingly distracting the whole way up. He couldn't help but glance at her, practically gauging her at times like a pervert. If his mouth opened to say a word it might slip up and say something totally inappropriate due to the situation but completely justifiable on the reality of their relationship. But he had to say something the silence was more torturous than having her in his presence and not being able to touch her. They both came to halt in front of his office door, staring at each other and than quickly looking away. Neither one knew why they were so nervous. It was not like they had arranged a one night stand in his office. It was just a meeting to talk but words were limited for both of them.
Ram: (leaped forward and opened his door) ummm'After you?
She nodded shyly and entered the room gazing in wonder. The moment her back was turned to him he silently screamed within himself pumping his fist wildly in frustration. She turned around suddenly catching him with his hands frozen in the air. Her expression spoke volumes about her confusion. He began swatting his hand around saying, "I saw a fly." She looked up where he was gazing trying to help him find the fly. "It's gone now," he quickly stated turning around to close the door in slow motion taking the opportunity to give himself a pep talk as if he was preparing himself to go to war. "C'mon Ram you can do this. You have to do this. Didn't you want this so badly, to have a chance to talk to her? And now that she is here for that purpose, you have nothing to say. Are you kidding me? Grow up! Be a man and talk to her nicely. If she sees you staring at her like that you were in the elevator it could ruin everything."
Priya: (she whimpered softly) Mr. Kapoor your office is decorated so nicely. But what was the need for all this?
Ram: (he turned around sharply, startling Priya. His gaze caressed every corner of the room. He was to distracted to even notice the arrangement when he had first opened the door. Thinking to himself: "What the hell? Who did this?" Instantly after he asked his question, he received his answer in a text sent to him from Vikram, "You're welcome dude. Neha told me. Best of luck!) Thanks I need it.
Priya: Huh?
Ram: nothing...(his confidence returned) Uh! You look really beautiful today! I mean not just today but everyday you look (he paused staring into her eyes before he stated) beautiful.
Priya: (she begged her body not to react; to not rush blood to her face. The warmth building up in her cheeks was indication of deceit. She changed the topic) should we sit and talk about what we came here to discuss? Ayesha and Sid?
Ram: (Ram felt a sense of victory overcoming his heart watching her trying to conceal the way his words made her feel) Sure let's sit (leaping forward he rolled back her chair for her to sit. She glanced at him before she sat down)
Ram walked to the other side of the table seating himself right across from her. He watched as she incrementally jerked herself forward in her seat until she was closer to the edge of the table. The smooth cotton fabric sheathing the table must have brushed against her skin, making her eyebrows knot up in wonder. The files were stacked up neatly against the left wall of the room clearing the table of any clutter that would distract their vision of each other.
Priya: (burning up under his gaze that remained fixed on her. she stuttered trying to start a focused discussion) umm? S-so Sid and Ayesha' (her sentence obstructed by a loud knock on the door, which made her jump in her seat. She looked at the closed door and than back at Ram) M-m-Mr. Kapoor I thought that there was no one here.
Ram: Relax Priya' (he hollered) Come in!
Waiter: Sir (he looked at Ram) M'aam (he looked at a startled Priya) sorry for the disturbance but the food that you ordered is ready.
Ram: Great I am so hungry!! (he stated rubbing his palms together and licking his lips)
Priya: (states angrily) Mr. Kapoor what the hell is this I didn't come here for dinner I came here to talk about my sister's future'
Ram: (states jokingly) Uh! Hello? It's not just your sister's future; it's about my brother's future too?
Priya: okay fine.. Can we scrap all this nonsense (she looked at the waiter who stood at the door praying in his mind that he does not have to feel the brunt of the fight)'And let's talk, I have to leave soon'
Ram: No way!! I am not saying a word until I eat'Have you seen my size? After all, this past week I was so worried about Sid and Ayesha that I did not eat properly. Now I am hungry and I want to eat. Waiter, serve my food.
Waiter: (served Ram his food and than turned his attention towards Priya) M'aam would you like me to serve you also?
Ram: (to the waiter while glancing at Priya to gage her reaction) you are not getting paid to ask questions'Just serve her'
Priya: (the waiter was about to serve her when she objected) No thanks!
Ram: (the waiter looked back at Ram, really hating this predicament) Listen Priya! Just eat a little bit. This food is damn good. (Priya did not look convinced) Well you have to eat something because I don't feel comfortable eating by myself and if I don't eat I won't talk. (he puts his fork down on his plate making his point loud and clear. Priya closed her eyes in anger and tightened her lip breathing in strongly. Ram nodded his head at the waiter, giving him the green light to serve her)
Ram engulfed a fork full of rice in his mouth watching Priya angrily chewing her food glaring at her plate evidently refusing to look up at him punishing him for forcing her to eat. He was immune to her anger because now her taunts radiated with love and he knew that she knew this just as well as he did.
Ram: (wasnt the least bit interested, toying with the food on his plate. It's not that he wasnt hungry; he had an apetite for something else.) I am happy that we are atleast having dinner together after such a long time. I missed this Priya. How is the food, its great isnt it?? (he asked excitedly)
She continued looking down, pushing the broccolis with her fork to the side of her plate. There was no hint in her body language that would indicate a faint desire to carry on a conversation with him.
Ram: You haven't changed a bit... Still hate broccolis? Remember when you were five months pregnant, Dadi made you eat a bunch of broccolis smothered in butter? But I took them off your plate when she wasn't watching' And from that day onwards whenever you ate a dish with broccoli in it you always pushed it to the side and I would finish it for you. So you still don't see the benefits of this green vegetable? Dadi always made you eat it so that you could get energy and vitamins from it. (he smiled at her)
Priya: (replied coldly putting a stone on her heart) well that time was different. i am not carrying your child anymore.
Ram: (her words dissolved in his earbuds instantly stabbing his heart) WAITER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (he hollered slamming his fork on his plate and pushing it forward. The anger in his eyes was a reflection of the pain peaking in his heart...The waiter ran in the office. Fearing the tone of Ram's voice he re-evaluated his actions when serving the food and wondered if he made a mistake) Take all this away! (he pointed at the plates with the food scattered on it, practically untouched. Pushing his chair back forcefully he stood up and stomped towards the window, cracking it open.)
Waiter: (quickly took away the plates placing them on a wheeled tray) Sir should i bring the kulfis?
Ram cocked his head to one side glaring angrily at Priya through the corner of his eyes... She sat shocked at the turn of events, alas she has done it, she has pushed him over the edge.
Ram: No! Take it all away and leave...
The click of the door closing signalled the begining of the impending doom that was about to be hurled towards Priya. A suffocating calmness dangerously filled the room, whispering to the walls warnings of the storm that was about to follow.
Priya: (stood up with the same vigor as the venom that she was about spew once more) Mr. Kapoor if this entire stupid charade is over than can we discuss Ayesha and Sid. (she was unable to see the effect that her words were having on Ram. His chest heaved steeply trying to control his breathing. His heart, the head master of his feelings for Priya angrily jumped inside of him, bouncing viciously against his chest in a punishing rhythm. She continued) Why waste time on us'You can't shove a soul back into a dead corpse. Similarly no amount of your actions could ever breath life into our massacred relationship. So stop trying'
Ram: ENOUGH!!!  (He shouted slamming his fist against the wall before he turned around.)
Faster than she could comprehend, he took long strides towards her and gripped both her arms tightly, rotating her shoulders inwards. He engaged in an enraged stare trumping her angry gaze and forcing it to change into sheer confusion and fear.
Ram: (shaking her with every other sentence being certain that he maintained eye contact as he uttered every single word) YOU ARE THE MOST ARROGANT AND UNGRATEFUL PERSON THAT I HAVE EVER MET. BUT EVERYTIME YOU SAY THESE HATEFUL WORDS TO ME MY HEART GROWS FONDER OF YOU. I CAN IMAGINE THE EFFECTS OF WHAT I DID BECAUSE THE PRIYA WHO TAUGHT ME HOW TO LOVE IS NOW LOST SOMEWHERE IN A WORLD OF HATE BECAUSE OF ME. I AM TRYING PRIYA!!! I AM TRYING TO FILL THE WOUNDS ON YOUR HEART WITH MY LOVE' I AM TRYING TO MAKE UP FOR MY MISTAKES BUT YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO ACCEPT ANY HELP EVEN THOUGH I KNOW YOU WANT TO BE RESCUED FROM THIS RAGE. WHEN I KISSED YOU ON YOUR EAR IN FRONT OF THE MEDIA, I FELT YOU SHIVER AGAINST ME. WHEN I KISSED YOU IN THE RESTAURANT YOU GRIPPED ON TO MY JACKET AND SAVOURED EVERY SECOND OF THE KISS WHEN YOU WERE LOST IN IT WITH ME. YOUR REACTION TO MY TOUCH IS YOUR LOVE FOR ME THAT IS SCREAMING FOR ME TO RESCUE IT FROM THE DEPTHS OF YOUR HATRED. SO WHY WON'T YOU LET ME? (her mouth opened to intervene) SHUT-UP! I AM NOT DONE YET' (he inhaled some air, his ammo, for round 2 and began firing) WHY DO YOU KEEP BRINGING UP OUR CHILD? HOW IS THAT MY FAULT? I STILL DREAM ABOUT MY CHILD, I WISH THAT TODAY SHE WAS AMONGST US. I HAVE LEFT HER ROOM, WHICH WE HAD DECORATED TOGETHER, UNTOUCHED BECAUSE I WANT HER TO COME BACK TO US. AND I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT SHE WILL COME BACK ONE DAY! I LOVED HER COMPLETELY THE SAME WAY THAT I LOVE YOU!!!
Priya: JUST STOP IT MR. KAPOOR (she shrugged her arms with all her strength, successfully freeing herself from his grip. tears streamed down her cheeks like a waterfall as she spoke) Love??? YOU NEVER LOVED MY CHILD OR ME. YOU PLAYED A GAME WITH MY HEART BACK THAN AND NOW YOU ARE PLAYING A GAME WITH ME AGAIN. I HEARD IT WITH MY OWN EARS, YOU LOVE SOME OTHER WOMAN'BABE' THAT'S HER NAME' I CAN NEVER FORGET IT BECAUSE EVERY NIGHT FROM THE NIGHT THAT I HEARD YOU ON THE PHONE WITH HER THAT CONVERSATION KEEPS ON PLAYING IN MY HEAD. (she coarsened her voice, pathetically attempting to match his tone that night.) "PRIYA WAS A MISTAKE BUT YOU AND I WE WERE MEANT TO BE. I DON'T WANT THIS CHILD BUT WHAT CAN I DO. IT WOULD BE SO EASY FOR ME TO DITCH PRIYA AND RUIN HER REPUTATION BUT NOW THAT A BABY IS IN THE PICTURE IT'S SO DIFFICULT!" WEREN'T THOSE YOUR EXACT WORDS? (the anger that was once flaming in his eyes was now replaced with hurt. his heart sank deeper into a painful ditch with every syllable of each word that she uttered) SO IF YOU LOVE BABE SO MUCH THAN WHY DON'T YOU GO AND LIVE WITH HER. I SWEAR MR. KAPOOR IF SID AND AYESHA DID NOT WANT TO GET MARRIED THAN I WOULD HAVE NEVER SHOWN YOU MY FACE AGAIN! (she grabbed his collar) WHY ARE YOU SILENT? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF AND FOR YOUR SO CALLED LOVE NOW? HUH? (she let of his collar)
Ram: (after a short pause to allow her words to fully sink in, he replied) don't mistake my silence for guilt. I am at a loss for words'it's disgusting that you are pointing fingers at my love for you, the same love that has allowed me to live these three torturous months without you by my side' But if that's what you think than so be it. I am not going to satisfy your ego with an answer' If in all these days my love couldn't convince you that what I feel for you is true than my words will do nothing right now. When Sid and Ayesha get married I will invite Babe and you can ask her yourself what I feel for her and what I feel for you'
Priya: (chuckled sarcastically wiping her tears) Sid and Ayesha's marriage? I am really having second thoughts especially after what happened tonight. If Ayesha wasn't so in love with your brother than I would have made her forget him'
Ram: I am sure you would have. In fact I know you must have tried but love is not as weak as your hate is making you think it is'
Priya: If you trust his love for my sister than I have a condition'It's a measure that I want to put in place to ensure that what you did with my feelings is not the same thing that your brother is setting out to do with my sister's'
Ram: What?
Priya: you love your company more than anything'you destroyed everything for its protection. (she flat out stated) I want 51% of this company under my name, until I am confident that Sid really loves Ayesha.
Ram: That's not possible!
Priya: (smiled victoriously) You claim you know love but your rejection tells me that your love is all about materialistic possessions'
Ram: (smiled and shook his head in disappointment. walked over to the left side of the room where the files were stacked scrimmaging through it he pulled out a small package of papers stapled together and walked back to where he previously stood. In front of her') It's not possible to give you 51% of this company. (he handed the paper over to her) you are already the owner of a 100% of it. (she confirmed what he was saying)
Priya: (not sure what to make of his action) okay than come to my house tomorrow with the marriage proposal. (she was about to turn and leave when his grip on her hand yanked her back. she turned to face him) What? (she caught him looking at the paper in her hand) Do you want the paper back? Well, I need a copy'
Ram: You can keep that. My lawyer has the originals. And no that is not the reason why I stopped you (he let go of her hand) I also have a condition' (she looked at him confused) After seeing your merciless rage how do I know that your sister is not pretending to love my brother to avenge what I did to you'
Priya: Why would she do that?
Ram: I can ask you the same question'why would you assume that my brother's love is false? He was in London when all of that happened between us'
Priya: (she thought for a second before she asked, fearing the answer she would receive but knowing that she would have no choice but to comply for her sister's sake) what is your condition?