The Other Side of the Story Part-2

As usual Vansh was surrounded by models. He chuckled to himself. There was one time when these models didn’t even spare him a second glance, but now just because he was a successful photographer they never left a chance to surround him, laugh at his lame jokes so that they could bag a shoot from him.

Vansh looked around and saw Meera talking to an investor. His smile turned into a frown as he could make out that Meera wasn’t interested in talking to him. She was actually just waiting to excuse herself. He sighed. He wished Meera would start paying more attention to the business. They needed funding and projects and Meera’s non committal attitude wasn’t going to help. Vansh turned his attention back to the model who was talking gibberish but he did realize that Meera left the venue. ‘Cigarette’, he whispered to himself. She had promised him that she wouldn’t smoke but he knew that Meera wasn’t keeping her promise. Every bag/clutch of hers had a cigarette tucked in it.

“I’ll just be back with a refill,” he spoke without paying attention to who heard him. He wanted to see how much Meera would smoke. He wanted to go after her and scold her for being ridiculous but he didn’t. She knew that she was an addict, so it was her responsibility to keep herself falling into the pit. Plus Vansh had vowed a long time ago, he would keep a check on her, tell her what she was doing was wrong but won’t force anything on her. Afterall she was also an adult and it was her life too. She saw Meera taking drags and the disgust and anger kept on increasing. Out lately Vansh had learnt the art of containing his emotions. So, the moment Meera threw her cigarette as looked at it as if her life depended upon it, Vansh went to the bar to refill his drink.

Vansh was angry. Earlier he used to tell Meera whenever he was annoyed but out lately he had stopped doing that. His best defense mechanism was to draw himself in a shell. He told her once that it kept him sane. From the corner of his eye he saw Meera looking around her with bewilderment, as if she had stepped into the venue for the first time. He knew very nicely what she might be thinking. She was currently on her introspection mode that whether it was everything she needed or not. Vansh shook his head and went back to his group. God! How he hated her confused state of mind.

The moment he joined the group, conversations flew and Vansh was just physically present there. He had no idea what he could do about Meera’s confusion. This was something that they both wanted, they both desired. Technically he wanted her to stand next to him while they celebrated their success. But here they were. Vansh was standing among the people whom he loathed, not because he hated them. But because he knew they were standing with him just because he was at the top of the peak at that time. How he wished Meera would come and stand next to him. With her fingers entwined in his, they both would sneer at people who didn’t pay attention to them when they both wanted, but now are ready to move mountains for them.

Vansh changed his direction so that he could see Meera. Even though she couldn’t see him, but he could in proper view. ‘Damn! How beautiful she is,’ he said to himself. Nevertheless, it was her beauty only that hooked him for the first time. He clearly remembered that they had met for an assignment. He was the photographer and Meera’s designs were on display. Even the models with heavy makeup, sexy clothes couldn’t stir him like Meera did in her plain bun with a messy T-shirt and jeans. After a lot of deliberation, he talked to her and rest was history. He forced her for coffees, dinner dates and eventually into confessing that she loved him too.

They were both frustrated that people wanted them to work on their terms and conditions rather than listening to their perspective. So, they decided to start their own venture. Things weren’t easy but then they had each other. Both of them were genius in their own fields so due to this the friction was also outmost. Most of the times Vansh specifically picked up fights so that they could end up having torrid make-out sessions. However, now nothing of that sort happened anymore. Vansh did miss it, but he knew he would never say it aloud too.

Somebody handed Vansh dinner. It was none other than the cheeky model who wanted to be in his good books. To let her see that her attempt hasn’t gone wasted, Vansh nibbled the contents from the plate. He looked around and saw Meera entering the venue. Even though his eyes wanted to follow her gait, still like a teenager in love he didn’t want to be caught staring lecherously at his own wife. He picked up the conversation and became an active participant once again. The sense of happiness was growing inside Vansh when he realised that Meera was walking towards him. Oh how he wished that he could take him away from these boring people. Vansh felt excited after long. Just few more steps and then his Meera would be right next to him and would take him away with her. He waited patiently while he grinned like a fool. However, he realized that it was taking longer than expected. He looked at her direction only to find her there... not just few steps away but at few meters away. She had gone back. Why? Vansh had no answer and he wasn’t going to give her the upperhand by asking the question.

Vansh kept his untouched dinner and walked towards Meera. He was no longer interested in having a baseless conversation. “Shall we leave Meera? Tomorrow, I’ve an early shoot and I’ve to get a few things ready,” Vansh hardly looked up as he was messaging.

“Sure.” Vansh’s fingers stopped texting but for a fraction of second. He knew something had annoyed Meera to hell but he wasn’t going to ask because it would lead to another fight and right now he was in no mood to fight. So he pretended as if he didn’t hear it. Ignored it. Not because he didn’t care but because he knew that eventually it would blast things rather than working them out.

Back in the car, the weight of unfinished conversations was so much that Vansh decided to turn on the FM. He knew that it was against the pact but right now he wasn’t interested in listening to how Meera thinks he had failed them. Nevertheless, he wanted Meera to talk. To ask him how he felt when the same models who rejected him once for being amateur and now ready to slay themselves to get shot by him. He wanted her to congratulate them for making it big within no matter of time. He wanted her to discuss ideas with him, how they can end up getting better. Although none of that came. Meera was looking out of the window. Lost in her gloomy thoughts.

Her hair still had the waterfall effect that Vnash loved. Even though Meera wasn’t a fan of long hair still she knew that Vansh liked it on her, so she maintained that. Vansh was crazy about the waterfall. It was still cascading on the dark night. How Vansh wanted to move his fingers in her hair. But somehow he held himself. There was never this kind of hesitation in between them. Wondered when did it creep in?

It wasn’t that Vansh didn’t want to talk to Meera but right now he wanted to focus all their energies on building this brand so that they could achieve the dream that they had seen with open eyes. Vansh wanted that spark in Meera back. He wanted her to be as excited as she used to be when they started this venture. That spark was now fading in her designs too. Even though her designs were a rage and were loved by all, still Meera had strangely started following a pattern. Vansh in his own way had tried to remind her that she wasn’t made to follow people but it fell flat on her ears. How Vansh longed to click Meera. He actually missed clicking her. But this wasn’t the same Meera who used to be her muse. This one is the wife. That was his partner in crime.

Badass, bold and of course beautiful; that was Meera. This was Meera too, but she lacked the spunk in her now. He wished there was some way he could find it for her. He was still lost in thoughts, when Meera’s question brought him back to reality. "Which shoot were you talking about earlier? We haven't got any shoot lined up. As far as I can remember this coming week was our free week."

Oh God! Here we go again. Vansh thought for a while whether to tell her or not but then the look in her eyes made it clear that she wasn’t ready to let go of the topic. But lying wasn’t Vansh’s forte. So he ended up belling the cat. "Yeah I know. It's just that Tashi today shared an idea with me. It's brilliant for my conceptual shoot so told her that I would click her tomorrow. So I need our studio and some of your designs tomorrow. Moreover, it's an off tomorrow so will wrap up the work quickly in maximum 8-9 hours."

That was it. Meera turned her attention back to the window. For once she decided to talk but rather than asking what concept he was going to shoot, all she registered that the shoot was with Tashi. Tashi had always been a bone of content in between Meera and Vansh. A kid from the block, Vansh met her during her struggling years and decided to groom her. She had talent and Vansh not only nurtured it but also benefitted from it in terms of conceptual shoots. He agrees that the comfort zone in between them was way too much but she wasn’t someone who could convince Vansh to stray. Both of them respected each other and shared a friendship and that was all. Vansh tried to make this decipherable to Meera thousand and one times but all in vain. So, one fine day Vansh decided that he would let Meera think whatever she wants to. He knows the sanctity of their relationship and he was answerable to none. And if Meera thinks that Tashi (of all the people) could take him away for Meera, then he was no one to break the delusion.

Their house came. Frankly Vansh didn’t want to go inside. He was scared of going to that empty house, where he lived with a stranger whom he still loved madly. Meera got out from the car, but stopped in the mid way. Vansh badly wanted to hold her hand and make her come inside but don’t know what didn’t let her. He wanted her to make the move. The telepathic connection in between them told Vansh that she might get hurt so, he held her before falling. Meera looked at Vansh with a confusion as if asking how did he know she was about to fall. Vansh eyes betrayed a painful emotion. He wanted her to trust him again.

That slight connection evoked a needy emotion in Vansh. He wanted to hug her close and tell her that their love wasn’t lost. It was right there in front of them. He wanted her to understand that he would never betray her. He expected Meera to come to their bedroom so that Vansh could gather strength to open up, but Meera decided to go to her ‘Den’.

Meera had somehow created this room for her office. But when did it become reminiscence of yesteryears, he had no idea. Vansh changed his clothes and waited for Meera but when she didn’t come, he decided to go after her. There she was. She was sprawled on the floor with her mom’s picture in her hand. The sight choked him. Vansh wanted to tell Meera that she couldn’t stop living just because her mother has left her. She is still with her and by being so weak all she was doing was just hurting her, but he didn’t say any of that. Vansh knew that Meera not only lost her mother but her reason of living, but how could she be so selfish that in this she has totally forgotten about him. Does she not realise that she was hurting him too?

Vansh quietly left the room. He came across a bar and just took a swig straight from the bottle. Meera’s loss was profound, no doubt but she was reducing them to living dead and this was just driving both of them away from each other. Vansh could support Meera but he wasn’t capable of crying with her, considering the fact that he himself lacked in expressing emotions. Vansh came back to the room and switched on his laptop. He wanted to search for the poses for the shoot the next day but ended up opening Meera’s folder. Where did he lose this girl? How can he find her?

He saw Meera coming to the room. He pretended to be looking at the screen but his eyes were fixed on Meera. She took of her gown and marvelled her beauty in the mirror. For the first time, Vansh didn’t get turned on by seeing her naked but he somehow wanted to worship her that day. He wanted to kiss her so that he could kiss back his bruised soul. He wanted them to be one not for physical satisfaction but in a hope to find each other.  

Meera wore her gown and quietly lay on the bed. It had started raining outside. Vansh wanted to say so much to her but didn’t know how. Meera tried to bring her feet next to Vansh. Vansh smiled. Some things never changed. He moved towards her so that her foot could find his. Vansh knew that Meera was crying, and he... he was looking at her pictures wherein she smiled as if nothing mattered at all wondering how to get her smile back.