ROSES

Prachi left for her room after she bid good night to everyone. She was walking towards her room alone, numerous gift-bags in her hands, and even more thoughts swirling in her mind. Aarav had tried to offer her some help, but she had politely refused. Ranbir's reaction to him might already have raised suspicion in someone's mind. And cherry on top, the way he acted had also made Rhea's face change in quite a few odd expressions. Though Prachi was unable to understand them completely, she was pretty sure they were not good for her. So, she had decided to keep him calm for the time being. It was going to be tough, even torturous to some extend, but she was trying to resonate with her heart that it would just make it easier for her in the future.

She entered her room and put all the gifts in her locker, securely closing it and leaning against the door of her cupboard. She wasn't accustomed to expensive gifts, but she couldn't refuse her family for the love they were giving her, for they might think that she hasn't accepted them all yet. And Man, they have given her a LOT of gifts. Everyone has given her something or another, everyone but him.

She had not gotten any present from him, except for the morning wish, and she was trying to be happy about it. Not that she wanted to get anything materialistic from him. Just one look of his face was more than heaven for her. But his ignorance was making her heart crumble. She was trying to grasp the fact that maybe, ......just maybe, he had finally decided to move on from her. It would be in his best interest if he left her behind. But small part of her conscious, had been nagging her about it. She hadn't shown it in front of anyone downstairs, but it had really stung her heart. She had however locked her feelings then. But now that she was alone, that small part was gradually taking over her entire being. Practically craving for his warm embrace. For his strong arms to be around her, wrapping her up away from all the worries of this damn world. To tell her that he hasn't moved on from her, and it was just some stupid thoughts of her mind. That he'll always love her like he had promised her so many times, said and unsaid alike.

Prachi took a long, deep breadth to calm her heart a bit, just keep the tears at bay for a bit longer. She was about to go to her dresser to find a change of simple clothes. If going to cry, why not cry being a bit comfortable. She pushed herself away from the surface she was leaning on and walked across the room when something on her bed caught her interest. She moved towards her bed, to inspect, and there it was. The quest of her heart. One thing that not just answered but removed the series of questions altogether.

A Beautiful Bouquet Of Roses.

It wasn't a simple bunch of impeccable-y gorgeous flowers. For her it was everything, the testament of her heart's desire, for it was what she had thought of ages ago. Though unclaimed, she knew who it was from. Who can know and remember so well anything she had said only once, be however silly or frivolous it was at that moment. But now it was the most precious and dear present she had ever received in her entire life.

It was a rose bouquet. Not any rose bouquet one can buy from any florist. It had different roses. Roses in every different colour there could be. White, Light pink, Classic pink, Yellow, Purple, RED. There were three Red roses in the middle of other colored rosses.

She sat on her bed and picked up the bouquet. Holding it to her chest, careful not to crush the delicate symbols of love. The tears she had buried inside her aching heart at last came out. Rolling down her cheeks. Finally breaking free of the barriers she had trapped her heart in, she cried and cried in the solace of her room. The sheer silence of room reverberating her sobs.

After crying her heart out, she noticed something that was placed under the flowers. A book, more like a scrap book, and a black velvet box. She picked up the box, brushed her fingertips over it's clasp slightly before putting it down and reaching for the diary like book. It was hardbound with a deep blue cover. She turned it over and over again. She thought to open it but it was locked. A distant memory and an unusual idea filled her mind and she quickly picked up the box again. After carassing it once, she flicked open the box and gasped as the distant memory bragged in her mind.

"Prachi, your first crush, you've already told me, is your mom. What is your first love?" Ranbir had asked her.

They have, once again, came to have ice-cream from the same spot that they came to every other weekend. It was now their 'secret date spot' as Ranbir used to call it. She was leaning against the bonnet of the car whereas he was sitting on top of it. His legs almost brushing her sides yet she paid no heed to it. Both were enjoying their favourite flavors, while watching the sun slowly moving towards the horizon. Painting the previously azure color sky into different shades of red, orange and golden. The moon was also being visible now that the sun was backing away.

"Wait, don't tell me. Let me guess it." He had silenced her even before she could open her mouth to answer. Making her roll her eyes at his bakluness.

"Ummm... Nature? Rain. Right?" He had said after pondering over his thoughts for mere seconds only. He once again had showed her so normally that he knew her way too well for a best friend. He had already confessed his feelings for her but his small gestures always made her heart skip a beat.

She had just smiled at him, answering his question without words. After a minute or two, she had found herself questioning him the same.

"Music." They had said in union and shared a bright smile. Eyes locking. Sharing the unsaid and said feelings to each other. Losing and finding themselves in eachother's hearts. A warmth spreading through their veins despite of the cool breeze engulfing their surrounding.

'He knew mine cause he loves me. I know about his too does that mean I also...'

She had blushed furiously at the thought, causing Ranbir to laugh out loud, as if he knew what she was thinking. Maybe he did at that time. Who was she kidding? he knew her better than she knew the back of her hand.

"I love Music as much I love you Prachi. Or I love you as much as I have ever loved music. You know, Chief always says that he love his wife as much as he love his music, cause both are connected to eachother, for him. I have always thought that he was bluffing cause I could never think someone, anyone, to be as dear to me as music is. But now I understand, music always made sense to me. But since I met you, I started feeling the music. Understanding every single note. The higher one by your lectures, the lower ones by your silence. I used to like music, but because of you I love music.

You, your voice, your laughter, the slight catch of your breadth when I touch you, your rapid heartbeat whenever I am in a close proximity of you," he had leaned in a bit, and sure enough, her heart was jumping out of her chest, making him chuckle. "it is all music to me. And everysecond I fall harder for you because you make me love my first love even more."

He had so easily conveyed his feelings once more, making her tear up a bit at his confession, while a smile was adorning her lips. Lost in eachother's eyes once again. Those chocolate brown eyes holding more depth then the bottomless oceans, filling her stomach with butterflies. Giving her wings to fly, while also keeping her grounded at the same time.

She took out the pendent and pressed it on the lock lightly, and smiled, when she heard a soft click. She opened the Diary and nostalgia hit her hard. Tears streamed down her visage once again, following the previous tracks.

The pages of the book were plain, no trace of ink strained the purity of thick leaves of the book, but what was inside was far more conveying then any number of words in any language put together. Anyone could have discarded it by taking it as any other book. But it had her heart uncovered in its pages. Every single memory she had tried to bury in the deep valleys of her heart, jumped out of their cemeteries. Playing in front of her eyes like a taped video. Fresh set of salt water left her eyes as she moved further in the train of memories, along with the diary.

The first page had the picture of the first day, the first time they had came face to face with each other. She ran her fingers over the picture. Who would have thought that she would fall for a boy she met surrounded by girls, half naked. The page in front of it had two roses attached to it. One purple and one light pink. Strangers.

She turned over the page and there was a picture of them glaring at each other. Utmost annoyance and hate filled in their features, next to the picture were two roses. Hatred.

She turned the page and the next picture was them shaking hands, the day in office when they had decided to be friends only for the sake of annoying each other to hell and back. The day their hatred had been turned into a mutual understanding. There weren't two roses next to it, but a single, white colored bud. It was, what she understood, a beginning of their friendship. The new step of their relation. Freminies.

A soft, laugh left her lips, her eyes looking at their hands. The hand she had grasped only for the sake of a peaceful life, turned into the only one to hold onto during all the adverse situations. The only person who she had least expected to help her, was the one who never left her side. The one she had wanted to stay with her entire life, was the one she had to leave.

She turned over to next page to see another photograph, the Diwali photograph of them. Smiling at eachother, their faces enlighten by the trust, respect and mutual friendship. She averted her eyes and sure enough, there was a white rose, in it's full glory. She was right, it was the day they had fully accepted each other as friends. It was the day, that their friendship had blossomed. She smiled, her face lighting up at the memory of their new journey. Not friends yet, but definitely something more than strangers.

Turning ahead in the inanimate object in her hands, her smile grew wider, if possible. There was a picture of them, in their college, maybe taken by any friend of theirs, next to it was a beautiful yellow rose, leaning towards the picture a bit. As if pointing at their bond with its petals, indicating that the bond they had was that of true friends. That it was, true friendship.

The next picture made her frown a bit, it wasn't something she had remembered, Ranbir was looking at her while she was not looking. She looked at the flower and her frown disappeared as realization dawned at her. Her heart was filled with a warmth she didn't knew she was missing from a couple of months. The flower was yellow, just as the previous ones, but a single petal of the flower had a light pinkish hue. Her face was suddenly overtook by a similar color when she registered the full meaning of the picture and flower. It was when he started falling for her. Her heartbeat had picked up a slightly faster pace. 

With a small smile, and her face showcasing her heart's adoration, she turned the page once again and there was a picture of them at Lohri celebration. The same day when that vicious, cunning, witch had executed her plan to ruin her Ranbir's life.

 Shaking her head to remove that depressing thought, she glanced once at the flower. That casual glance was turned into wide eyed stairing when her mind comprehended the colors of the beautiful flower. One half of the flower, that had been claimed as Ranbir's, as per the other flower's, was pink, complete pink. He had completely fallen for her by Lohri. But that wasn't the cause of her now frozen state. He had already told her that he was flirting with Maya to make her jealous as he had already known his feelings by then. So she had already expected it to be pink. That's why she wasn't surprised by his half of rose. No, the reason of her irregular heartbeat was her own side of rose. Her side of rose was light pink. After coming out of her trance she wondered how he knew when she fall for him. Well, then again, he knew her so precisely. Her shocked features morphed into a wide grin, her cheeks flushing same colour as her side of flowers.

She opened the next part of their still memories and her heartbeat was running a million miles, just looking at their candid picture. It was of the ball dance they had shared. Though their faces were masked, pure love could be read in their eyes. She wondered how could she not knew that she was in love with him for so long. She closed her eyes and took a deep breadth to calm her heart, but it just fluttered faster as the memories of that day played across her closed eyelids. How their bodies swayed on the rythm of the music. How the entire world had disappeared as she loose herself in his eyes.

She opened her eyes and smiled at their next picture, it was of holi celebration. His half of the rose was still pink, but looking closely, its outer tip was red. She smiled, he had confessed to her on holi. Her heart skipped a beat as she replayed his slightly slurry words in her mind. How frightened she was at his confession. Her side was not light pink anymore, it was almost dark pink. Only a slight line in the middle was light pink, denoting her reluctance at his sudden confession.

She turned the page and it was their picture at Diwali again. The two people smiling brightly at her and her eyes filled with tears again. Just a few months ago they were planning their whole life together. They were happy. They wanted to stay together for as long as they both filled their lungs with air. They wanted to be each other's as long as their heart beat. And now they couldn't even talk to each other. They had to part ways.

They broke.

Sobs broke past her lips once more. Her chest heaving up and down as she struggled to catch her breadth. She brought the picture closer to her lips. Drenching it, or rather him, with soft kisses. Ceaseless tears running down her rosy cheeks. Her heart aching like it was on fire. She turned the page over with shivering hands, her vision blurred with tears. Her heart dropped as she looked at the new page. There wasn't what she expected. There was something even more precious. And that made her cry even more. No Picture, No Rose. There was just one handwritten sentence. Three words. Eight alphabets.

I Love You.

That was the last thing in the diary. The pages that followed were completely blank. Void of anything. Just like the rest of her life will be.

Blank

She cried and cried and cried. Unable to keep it in anymore. They had said that crying lightens the heart. Lies are what they say. For her heart was just as heavy with the grief and hurt, if not more.

She fall asleep weeping for something, she knew she could never have, his embrace.

~*~

Ranbir was leaning against the glass railing of his balcony. His forearms resting against the hard, cold, metal frame. His eyes staring into the dark night. Staring, not seeing anything, for he was lost in the memories of the girl who was, though unknown to him, was also craving for him. He turned around, his memory lane breaking when he heard the door of his room creak open.

"Hey, you awake?" Aryan peeped through the door.

"Yeah, come on in." Ranbir tried a futile attempt of smile.

"Don't Ranbir," Aryan stated and the other boy frowned. "You don't have to hide your pain from me."

"What do I do, yaar?" Ranbir finally brought down his walls. "What do I do? She's hurting. She's hurting herself more than she tries to hurt me. She'll break. At this rate she is going to break and I can not do anything."

"What do you mean Ranbir?" Aryan asked, feeling like he is missing on something.

"I met her this morning..."

"When? For all I know Rhea never leave your side from last month." Aryan interpted, his eyebrows shot up. "Sorry, Sorry, continue."

"I was in the balcony this morning, she came out too, we talked, I said something that took her by shock and her facade fall. In that single moment, I saw love for myself in her eyes, way more than when we were together." Ranbir recited, once again reliving that moment.

"Well why don't you test it?" Aryan suggested, taking a seat in the balcony.

"How? She don't even get within a ten feet radius around me. And Rhea is going to be with me, sometimes I just want to ask her why is she behaving like a babysitter with me?" Ranbir joined him.

"Well leave it to me, tomorrow you just stay ready to activate your Romeo side." Aryan smirked.

"My Romeo side always automatically get active around Prachi." Ranbir smiled, suddenly rally exited for whatever Aryan planned.

Now you'll have to show how much you love me Prachi. Ranbir thought, his attention was once again captured by Aryan, who took a deep breadth, rubbed his hands together and stood up.

"What happened?" Ranbir asked, befuddled by his unusual actions.

"For you I'll have to head-on face a wrath that I have been avoiding from a month. I'm just warming up, you know, preparing for sacrificing my brain and ears." Aryan let out a long sigh. "Things I do for you." and left.

A/N:- Hey lovely folks, How are you all? It's time to reveal what our Loverboy gave his Ladylove. So what do you think of the gifts from Ranbir? Did you like it or did you had something else in mind. Do tell

# What you expected Ranbir's gift to be?

# What do you think Aryan is upto?

Also please make sure to vote and comment if you liked the chapter. It will be very much encouraging. In line comments are most welcome and very merry to read. Don't refrain from pointing out any mistake you come across.

P.S.- I am SO happy to get such a positive response from you all. The story has crossed over five freaking thousand views. OMbG Thanks sooo much guys. Thanks to all those who comment and vote regularly to encourage me. Also thanks to all the silent readers as well. You might be silently but surely and strongly there. Love you all.

Lots of Love,

Simran