Aashiqui - Winner's Anthology

Beyond Beautiful

This one is the winning entry for our September prompt in our monthly contest series "Mohabbatein". Have a look at the entry that captured our attention the most :)

Here's "Beyond Beautiful" by dramaticaurora

"This is the fifth rishta meeting you have set up." I croaked with irritation and anger dripping in my tone. My granny ignored me and passed me her gold earrings.

"I know I am a burden on you and you want to get rid of me." I taunted her to get her attention.

"Charu, hogya tumhara?" Granny asked, checking my earnings. "You, are the bread earner of the house. I am a burden on you and not the other way round. You have excelled in this drama you do before every meeting. Try something new. How about, 'granny, I can't meet the guy because I love someone else?'"

"Granny, I don't want to meet another moron. They are so judgmental." I hugged my granny emotionally as my last resort.

"Uh! You will be fine. Besides, when have the judgments of others affected you?" Granny literally pushed me out of the house with hope in her eyes that things will work this time.

With a heavy heart, I reached a cafè where the "meeting" was supposed to happen. I am not against love or marriage but the social definition of a beautiful girl. Cream skin, big eyes, tall and slim figure, sharp features, long hair and the list is never-ending. I am pretty in my skin and if the stupid guys cannot understand that then I can happily stay single.

I ordered a large cafè mocha with a triple layer cheese sandwich. Eating helps me kill anxiety and can you think of a better stress buster than chocolate?

"Charu?" Someone called me from behind.

I gulped my sandwich. Am I meeting Amitabh Bachhan? The baritone is so sexy. Wiping my mouth I got up and...

Oh! My Luck.

"Mayank?" I asked to confirm the boy standing opposite to me, as a mere formality. Who forgets their high school crush? He smiled and we shook hands. I regretted eating the sandwich so clumsily. The cucumber and tomatoes were hanging out of the bread like people in Mumbai local trains.

"What a pleasant surprise. How are you?" Mayank's happiness on seeing me gave me a very giddy feeling. Oh! That smile I lost my heart to was flashed for me and I was here for a rishta meeting. Damn! My luck.

"I am good. How are you doing?" I gestured for him to sit so that we could talk properly.

"I am much better now, after meeting you."

No! No! No! He didn't just say that? Dear heart and mind, control. Don't faint.

After instructing my vital organs, I smiled at his comment. "So, what brings you here? As far as I know, you live in Pune." I tried to start a meaningful conversation.

"I... Please don't laugh but I came for meeting my prospective bride, who stood me up. I was about to leave when I saw you." Mayank took a bite from my sandwich without asking me. I guess, school friends have that freedom. They don't ask. What made me blush was watching him eat the same part I had. Uff! The feeling of touching the same thing your crush touched, is next level intimate.

"Charu Saini? Hi." There go my dreams. The boy I didn't want, arrived. I passed him a smile and he sat next to me. Surprisingly, Mayank didn't get up. "You know my name and I hope you have read the bio-data. So, let's not waste time on the basic info. By the way, who are you?"

"I am Mayank Gaur, Charu's friend." The boys shook hands but I could sense a little tension.

"I didn't know you were bringing company. Anyways, look Charu, I am a very honest man and when I got your proposal, except for your work profile nothing really excited me. You know you don't fit in the basic Indian standards of beauty. But, if you agree to shed those extra kilos and follow beauty treatments we can go ahead with this alliance." I burped loud after my so-called prospect finished proposing his marriage proposal deal.

"Oops! Sorry. No! Not for the burp but for cancelling the deal you propose." I tried to hide the embarrassment in confidence. I never felt so low of myself, maybe because he said that in Mayank's presence.

"Dude, you heard her right? The exit is there." Mayank pointed his finger to the door.

"I was briefed about your outspoken nature but you are shameless too. We could talk civilly but since you choose otherwise let me warn you, this attitude of yours will keep you single for life. Ask any damn boy in this cafe, no one will have a good word about your looks."

Okay, this was enough now. I was about to counter him when...

"She is beyond beautiful. Her skin glows like gold and her hair bounce with the temple bell like laughter of hers." Mayank came close to me and continued, "Her eyes are like an ocean, deep and serene. Her hands are soft like fur and her nose puffs like a whining baby." I laughed at his last comparison.

My prospect had left, we realised with the loud banging of the door.

But banging at an erratic rate was my heart. "Charu, I think you are the most beautiful girl on the planet Earth. I have always liked you but could never gather the courage to say. When I saw you today, my buried feelings surfaced and I could curtail no longer. I don't know what the future holds for us, but would you like to..."

"I would love to. Let this be a journey without a destination." I asserted and Mayank gave me that killer smile of his.

I was overwhelmed. He had a crush on me too?

The most popular boy in the school ended up with a not so nerd.

Thank you, granny. This rishta meeting was worth my life.

She may have belonged to the

darker side of the colour palette

But her soul was all shades bright. 

_______

Word meanings:

Rishta: relationship

Hogya tumhara: Are you done?

Amitabh Bachaan: famous Indian actor