"Zubaan khamosh ankhon mein nami hogi,
Yahi bas meri ek dastan-e-zindagi hogi,
Bharne ko toh har zakham bhar jayega,
Kaise bharegi wo jagah jaha teri kami hogi."

~ Author ~

3 Years Ago

Mumbai, India

The night fascinated Kabir. It was something in that darkness of the night, something that made him feel so powerful over himself, that led him to control everything— even his emotions. The day was overrated, it was too loud. There was a calmness in the dark, something that kept him grounded.

The night was still young. The wind was light, nothing too harsh. The cold air added to the beauty of the starry night sky as he leaned against the railing of his balcony, admiring the night sky. Mumbai looked beautiful at night. People were busy and so were the roads, he could faintly hear the traffic. No one in Mumbai ever sleeps. Some go for work, some go for parties and some people like him, tend to stay indoors till late at night and enjoy the view.

In the night he was part of nature, alive and unseeing, existing only as himself. With eyes closed, he felt at home and the darkness around was his cocoon, a place in which his dreams may flow freely. So, as the moon and stars shone above the passing clouds of ink, as the air released the heat of the day, his brain conjured a new movie for his inner eye.

Two hands snaked their way around his waist, holding onto him as the person rested their head on his back. Kabir traced the fingers with his hand in a slow, tantalising motion and the person behind him shivered.

"What are you doing?" Radhika, his fiance, asked him. Kabir held onto her hands and clasped them around himself securely. "Admiring the night," he answered like always.

"The usual," she remarked as she knew it was his favourite thing to do. Kabir was the thinker and she was the talker. They were like pieces in a puzzle, perfectly fitting into each other's imperfect lives.

"You still ask me about it," he murmured as he watched the stars, trying to locate a constellation.

"It's our thing," she shrugged. He thinks, she asks. Just the usual. Kabir unwrapped her arms and pulled her in front, caging her between him and the railing. He observed her. Her face shone under the night, illuminating her.

Radhika was beautiful.

Her dark hair cascaded down to her back in layers, and soft waves. A chunk of hair always covered her face, she called it her style. Her big black eyes accentuated her beauty. Her cheeks were naturally red, the only sign that she was a Pahadi girl. Her soft, thin lips always curled up in a beautiful smile which he adored the most. A smile that was reserved only for him. It was beautiful. It gave him a feeling that sent his mind into a sensual state of intoxication.

Kabir's fingers grazed her jaw. "We're getting married," he stated as the fact was settling with him— they were getting married in five days.

Radhika rested her head against his broad chest. "Finally," she sighed happily. "It feels unreal. Things will change," Kabir planted a soft kiss in her hair. "We have been living together for a year and a half now. Our relationship will be legal, nothing more and nothing less. Nothing is going to change,"

"Hmm," she thought over his words, agreeing with him.

Kabir and Radhika were together forever. They were high school sweethearts who dated all of the twelfth grade, and college. Radhika was that vivacious girl who had managed to capture Kabir's eyes. Casual flirting led to something more passionate, that led to love.

Eight years of relationship was enough to let Kabir believe that it wouldn't be a wrong decision to marry at twenty-five.

"From tomorrow our marriage festivities begin. In the next few days, we'll be promising to be with each other for the next seven lives and only death can make us apart," she said looking towards the oblivion. Kabir cupped her chin and leaned over to kiss her forehead. "We have made that promise long ago," Radhika hummed at his response. They had sealed that promise with each other when they had expressed their feelings long ago.

Time flew so fast that made Radhika remember the time when they were young and reckless, making each other a promise of a lifetime. She smiled at the nostalgia.

Kabir's fingers slowly travelled up to her cheek, tracing the dip under her eyes. "You have dark circles,"

Radhika held onto his wrist, squeezing it. "Don't worry. I was pulling an all-nighter, you know planning all the stuff and even buying some teeny things for this penthouse. With just me and Papa, we are just loaded up with stuff. That reminds me that I need to go to the bank to collect my Mom's jewellery."

Kabir cupped her cheek and tilted her head, her eyes meeting with hers. "You know you don't have to do any work. I am there, right?"

"But I have to contribute something. It's our wedding Kabir," She interjected. "Anyways, Meher really helped me out with all the stuff,"

Kabir furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Meher? Where did she come from?"

"She came over at my house last night. She helped me a lot with the preparations. She's such a sweetheart!" Kabir scrunched his nose as Radhika went on listing down Meher's good deeds. Noticing the stern expression on his face, she stopped.

Her fingers softly touched his bicep which brought his attention back to her. "Why are you so cold towards her, Kabir? Why—" her voice muffled as Kabir's lips descended on hers, swooping her in for a long kiss. His tongue skillfully ran along the length of her bottom lip, gently pushing it inside of her mouth. The kiss became hungry and the passion was ignited.

Seduction was what Kabir did the best, moving into her personal space with just the right look of heat in his eyes. He didn't just look at his woman, he looked into her as if he knew her desires. With the kiss came the smooth touch of his body, poised, just the right blend of relaxation and tension.

Kabir felt slightly guilty for the fact that he was using sex as the way out of the topic he avoided talking about all his life. Meher Mathur wasn't someone that he would enjoy talking about. She was non-existent in his life just like she was, until a few years ago.

In one swift motion, he scooped Radhika in his arms and walked into his room. He laid her against those silky sheets and hovered over her like he wanted to take her there. Desire pooled in their eyes and one by one, every piece of clothing was now on the floor, their naked bodies flushing against each other.

In the twilight room, their fingers caressed each other's skin as if afraid a heavier touch would break the heavy magic. Their bodies sang the rhythm of their love and they became one, one mind with one goal and purpose, each utterly drunk with love for the other.

*   *   *

The AV Villa was dolled up like a bride as it was the pre-wedding festivities of the first child of the family had begun. It was the first day and the arrangements for Ganesh Pooja were in full swing.

It was already nine in the morning and the Pooja was supposed to commence in just five hours. They had less time and more things to achieve. Divya Raizada frantically trailed from corner to corner in the dining area and Shikha Mathur wordlessly followed her around as she tried to calm the groom's mother.

After complaining about the lighting to the manager, Divya turned around frustratedly to meet an equally frustrated Shikha who was now tired of following her around. "The food is not even prepared yet. What are we going to serve the guests?"

"Definitely not the cold food," Divya passed a glare as Shikha joked. Shikha raised her hands in surrender but then went on to hold Divya by her shoulders. "Look," she said, looking into her eyes, "It's nine in the morning," she reminded her. "Worry about how we are gonna dress up amidst this chaos. Worry about how you're going to handle a daughter-in-law," Divya slapped her arm and Shikha stifled her laugh, not wanting to test her patience further.

"I will joke with you when Meher will get married," Divya warned her. Shikha snorted and waved her hand dismissively at her not so scary warning. "At this point of life, I am damn sure that Meher is never getting married. Have you ever seen her talking about boys? Or even girls? There," she pointed towards Divya's thinking face, "even you've to think if she has ever spoken about love and relationships. Hence no expectations."

The ladies walked past the decorators, to the main living hall. Taking a seat on the sofa, they turned to each other to continue their chit chat.

"What if she has a secret boyfriend that no one knows about?" Divya thought aloud. Shikha clicked her tongue.

"Who has a secret boyfriend here?" Meher's amused voice interrupted their discussion as both the ladies simultaneously turned to look towards the topic of their conversation. Meher walked towards where they sat, holding multiple shopping bags, followed by an already tired Arya.

Dropping the bags at the center table, Meher dropped down beside Divya, laying her head on her shoulder.

Shikha narrowed her eyes on her daughter. "Divya says that you have a secret boyfriend," The smile on her face slipped for a moment before she morphed her face to give her usual neutral expression. She could feel Arya's burning gaze digging holes in her head. Meher chuckled in bits that slowly turned into a laughing session.

Only if they knew that her laughter wasn't out of their mindless assumptions but it was her way of mocking her destiny.

Two years and the pain was still fresh as if it was yesterday.

Only if they knew that trying to pick up your broken pieces after losing someone that you love was that easy.

Meher felt Arya's hand on her back as the latter gently stroked her, comforting her from the pain she was feeling at that moment.

Only Arya understood and of course Aryan for they knew what went down on that fateful day. For they had heard their best friend's ugly cries over the phone call.

"I think we should focus on the wedding that is about to happen in a few days. I have a lot of time," Meher yawned, "Gosh I am so tired. I need my beauty sleep," she strutted towards the staircase who was followed by a now worried Arya.

Meher skipped a stair as she hastily climbed up the stairs, almost running from the confrontation that she believed Arya would have with her after her little act downstairs.

With brisk steps she headed towards her room, looking down and that's when she walked into another person. Meher staggered back at the force of the collision and her phone that she was holding, went crashing down to the floor.

"Oh my god, I am sorry!" Meher shrieked when she saw that it was Radhika who had just come out of Kabir's room.

"Ah it's okay," Radhika waved her hand dismissively, bending down to pick up her bag. "You looked like you were in a rush,"

Meher fiddled with her rotating metallic ring that adorned her thumb. An action of nervousness, something that only a few people over the years had noticed. The small clink that the ring made when her fingers pushed it to rotate, eased her. All thanks to her Nani, who had gifted her on her eleventh birthday.

"Are you guys okay?!" Arya came running from behind, panting for breath.

"We're okay," Meher mumbled looking at her, giving her a light smile.

"Mehru your phone!" Arya shrieked as she crouched down to pick up her broken phone. "The screen is broken," she said as she examined the phone in her hand. Meher immediately snatched her phone from her and rubbed its screen on her thigh.

"I am so sorry, Meher," Radhika looked at her guiltily. "This wasn't supposed to happen,"

"It's okay," Meher tried to calm her, "I was supposed to buy a new one anyway after I had reached the US," Her palm sweated under the hold of her phone even if she tried to act nonchalant. A lot of things were stored in her phone and though she had a backup, she was scared of losing everything.

Radhika took her hands in hers. "Can't you stay until marriage?" She requested. Meher looked up at Radhika. The ever beautiful, ever shining Radhika. Squeezing her hand in apology, she answered, "I wish I could stay. But my classes start next week and my MBA orientation is in three days and before that, I have to grab a dorm room as well. Harvard is pretty strict with punctuality," Radhika's face had fallen, "See, I am still attending the Pooja and then I am leaving for the airport at night. At least I am attending the first function of your wedding." She immediately added looking at her sad expressions.

Her words worked and Radhika's face was replaced by a bright smile. "Hmm, fair enough. After my wedding, it's my mission to make you and Kabir the best of friends. So you should be ready for that."

Both Meher and also Arya who was standing silently standing beside her friend snorted as they knew that it was the only thing that wouldn't be happening in this lifetime.

"What?" Radhika voiced out, confused by their facial expressions.

"Nothing," Meher croaked, morphing her expressions. "Are you going somewhere?" She asked, diverting her from the topic.

Radhika looked down at her bag and a wave of realisation settled within her. "Oh yes! I was going to the bank and from there I was supposed to head for the parlour. God, I am running late!" She gave a brief hug to Meher and Arya and bid her goodbye, before rushing down the stairs.

As Radhika left, Meher stared down at the broken screen of her phone. She pressed the button on the side of her phone and the lock screen appeared in vision.

A crack that had accurately passed through the centre of her phone, over hers and Abhimanyu's picture, separating their faces. It was their last picture together, taken just a few hours together before things went down. They looked so happy, so in love.

It was the photographs that made everyone believe that even for a heartbeat, everything was perfect.

She bit her lower lip, controlling the tears that threatened to fall off her eyes. A comforting hand held on to her shoulder. Arya stayed like that, as it was the least possible way to comfort her best friend.

Every day was a bitter reminder that he wasn't there with her. Trivial things like these just added fuel to the fire. Even the strongest things had a limited time.

*   *   *

Kabir buttoned the last button of his kurta. Taking some hair gel, he neatly applied it to his hair. He was ready. He looked at himself in the mirror. There was no ounce of nervousness in his muscles. Though he should have been since he had arrived from his penthouse along with Radhika this morning because they were running late. But there was no panic, no hesitancy in his stature. His appearance had always been the kind that oozed confidence and power, a quality that he had managed to polish over the time.

His fingers ran through his freshly trimmed beard, noting his features, giving an appreciative nod to himself. As he was finally ready, he moved over to his watch cabinet and smoothly pulled the drawer. Glancing over at his Tissot collection on the right side, he picked out his watch for the day and walked out of his closet, strapping the watch on his wrist.

As his eyes fell on his watch, time stopped him.

12:58 PM

It was about time and the guests must have started gathering for the Pooja. He immediately fished out his phone from his pocket and sent a quick message to Radhika.

Where are you? — 1:00 PM

As he climbed downstairs, his eyes occasionally travelled to his phone to see any message from his fiance.

As he reached down he was greeted by his mother and brother who escorted him to the main hall to receive the guests. Fifteen minutes had passed and Kabir kept glancing at the door for his fiance to come.

His phone vibrated under his hand and when he looked at the screen, it wasn't Radhika— it was Radhika's father.

Sliding the call to accept, he kept the phone near his ear and muttered a brief hello. There were heavy breaths, there was too much noise on the other side.

"Uncle?" He carefully called out.

"Kabir, my Radhika!" Vinod, Radhika's father, wailed from the other side, crying hysterically.

Kabir was alarmed at hearing him. "What happened uncle? Are you okay? Is Radhika okay?"

"Bank robbery," he hiccupped, "they say she was brought late to the hospital," another wave of painful cry followed after his words and a tear slipped out of Kabir's eye.

The hand with which he had held the phone, trembled, making his phone slip out from his hold. The crash of the phone brought everyone's attention towards him, who stood still, not moving an inch.

Akash Raizada walked up to his son and placed his hand on his shoulder. Kabir turned around and his eyes clashed with his father's, the familiar pair of onyx orbs now staring at him in concern.

"We need to go to Radhika's place," he told him gravely.

"What is it?" Akash slowly asked him.

"Radhika," The name rolling off his tongue in an unbearable agony, "she's no more." The air suddenly fell silent after he said those words. Divya ran to her son and patted his cheeks. The shock only intensified within her when her eyes met with Kabir's dead ones.

Putting her hand over her mouth, she hugged her child, crying aloud for the loss. Aryan, Arya and Meher escorted the guests who had arrived already out and went out to call the remaining ones to let them know of the situation.

Kabir, Akash, Divya, Shikha and Vikas headed to Radhika's house whereas Meher, Aryan and Arya stayed behind to clear everything.

When they left, Aryan and Arya took over their job and went to order the decorators to remove everything. Meher stood rooted to her place. She slowly walked over to where Kabir previously stood and hunched down to pick up the phone that he had left behind.

The lock screen flashed in front of her eyes and a sob escaped her lips when she saw a familiar crack that now separated Kabir and Radhika. Her tears fell on the screen, over their picture and she silently stood there, now holding his phone closer to her chest, crying over their love.

No one— not even her worst enemy deserved to lose his love like this.

*   *   *

The fire which was supposed to witness the union of two souls now became the sole witness of their separation.

With every flame that burned in that pyre, every essence of their love was caught in that flame, rising higher and disappearing into oblivion.

It wasn't supposed to end like this. They weren't supposed to end like this.

They were supposed to finish their Pooja and then they were intended to rest with giddy smiles on their faces. He wasn't meant to watch the love of his life burning in the funeral pyre.

Kabir stared up at the ceiling, the sleep was far away from his eyes. It was only ten-thirty in the night. He felt thirsty. Looking at his bedside table, there was an empty jug of water. Picking up the jug, he walked out of the room to head over to the kitchen. As he neared the stairs, he watched a shadow sneaking out from the front door.

Meher felt that someone was looking at her. She turned around and her eyes clashed with Kabir's, who was standing above near the staircase.

Onyx against hazel.

Hatred against sympathy.

Radhika was so good to her yet she didn't stop for a few days. She should have stayed for her, Kabir thought to himself as he watched her avert her eyes from him and walk out of the house with her two large suitcases. His hatred for her only intensified as if it was any less.

Meher closed her eyes and gulped as his onyx eyes came in front of her vision. Blinking her eyes, she tried to evade his piercing eyes that held only hatred for her.

I know what it feels like. I know how much you must be hurting. But I can't stay here as I can't watch another person mourning over the loss of their love. I am still reeling from my loss and I can't add any more pain to what I am feeling already, Meher closed her eyes as the cool air brushed her hair and she took a long breath. As the doors of the Villa closed behind her, she walked down the steps and headed towards the cab that was waiting for her to take her to the airport.

Those who were now gone had believed that forever was a myth and that they should learn to live in reality. They say promises were meant to be broken. But they had kept the promise that they made to their respective partners.

It was only their death that made them apart.

So here ends the second chapter and Kabir's love tragedy. The next chapter we will be moving on to the present time, with Meher and Kabir's life going on in the present. I know you must all be so upset with me killing off the characters but I think the pain of love is only when you lose someone tragically (I cannot bear that in real life, geez). The emotions are better, the writing becomes good. I am not fond of cheating partners because it is the worst feeling ever.

I sincerely hope that you enjoyed the story, so give an upvote and comment down what you enjoyed and what not. Comment down a heart if you loved the chapter.

Also, the first bonus chapter is on the way, so keep an eye out for that.

Shameless plug in: follow me on Wattpad to get latest updates on my stories.

With loads of love,

Akii.