Aashiqui - Winner's Anthology

Fifty Shades of Freedom

Here is the winning entry for our March prompt - Womaniya - in our monthly contest series "Mohabbatein". Have a look at the entry that captured our attention the most! :)

Here's "Fifty Shades of Freedom" by Livin2Write

Everyone was enjoying the band singing contemporary romantic songs, including the newly-engaged Jiya Malhotra and her boyfriend Amrit Singhania. They were holding their hands and were humming to the tune. Love was floating in the air.

Soon, the current went off, which drove everyone crazy.

Few seconds later, the current came back, and everyone sighed in relief. As they looked back at the stage, they saw the team to be nowhere. But they saw an unknown young man coming up to the stage. He was wearing an olive green hoodie, covering his head with it, a black baseball cap, and denim jeans. He was looking at Jiya, while she gulped in fear. While he winked at her, her heartbeat skipped.

Everyone didn't know who he was. But Jiya knew him as Manav. The man who loved her truly. The man who she loves truly.

He went near the mic and said, "Hello. Mic check. One, two, three." Then after a deep exhale, he started speaking.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Sorry for interrupting your precious moment. But let me talk for a while, and leave this place very soon."

Jiya's jiju Kartik asked, "Who are you, man?"

Manav said, "Thanks for initiating the conversation, sir! I'm Manav Arora. And I'm a musician."

"Okay! What do you want?" Kartik asked.

"Sir, during my undergraduate days, I met a girl from my department. She was so beautiful and so was her voice and heart. It was love at first sight for me. She was from an influential family, who had everything. Like money, material pleasure, and everything. But she missed two things," he said, staring at Jiya, which made her uncomfortable.

"What were they? She has everything, right?"

"No, sir. She missed pure freedom and pure love. She wanted to become a big singer. But I was the only person to know that. None of her acquaintances knew this. And I acknowledged it. I tried giving her song recordings to various music houses, but unfortunately nobody responded."

"So sad. Now what happened?" Amrit asked, much to Jiya's astonishment.

"Then she graduated and her family wanted her to get married to her boyfriend," Manav replied, after sighing heavily.

"Boyfriend? Then... Ummm... Then it was you, right?" Kartik asked.

Manav chuckled lightly and said, "No, sir. She already had a boyfriend. But still... I know she likes me."

"What?" Kartik said.

"Yes, sir. It's not that she hates him but she loves me more."

"How are you so sure about that?" Amrit asked this time.

"She told me by herself, sir. She said that her boyfriend was so dominant and never allowed her to pursue her dreams," he replied, looking away.

"Tell me, why are you here, first," Amrit said in a demanding tone.

"Nothing, sir. She got an offer to sing in an album song by Zee Music India. But she won't come, as she has big responsibilities as a family woman coming up. So... I came here to ask her to come with me at this moment. I won't call her name because she already knows that I'm here. So, choose one, Munchkin!"

Jiya felt nostalgic at the nickname, as Manav used to call her that. But she already knew that she can't go now.

She closed her eyes, counted till 20, and opened her eyes. She came up with the final decision and stood up. Everyone was shocked to see her going towards the stage, while Manav was the only happy person there.

She came closer to Manav, meeting him face to face after three months.

"This was what I—" Manav whispered but was interrupted, as Jiya gave him a tight slap. Now it was Manav's turn to be shocked.

"Sorry, Munchkin. I love you," she whispered and grabbed the mic from him. She pretended to be angry and said, "What do you think of yourself? Who are you to gate crash into my engagement party? Look. If you and that singer girl have issues, solve it in privacy. Why are you telling it to everybody? Do you have any idea about how she will feel? Won't she feel ashamed and guilty for trusting you?"

She looked away from him, at the audience, and said, "Everybody! If you have daughters, don't ever get her married to him! Let's see how embarrassed he feels now."

She then looked at him for a final time and said, "Thanks for ruining my mood."

She left the stage and ran to her room. Only she knew how her heart pained while she said them, and only he knew how fake it was.

***

"She doesn't deserve you, buddy. Just chill, yaar!" Monty, Manav's friend, consoled him, while they were on their way to home.

"No, Monty. She regrets her decision. You saw how happy she was while I mentioned her offer? She wants it, but... Something is stopping her. It's... It's not her fault, Monty," Manav said softly.

Two minutes later, Manav's mobile pinged. He took it and saw that he received a message from Jiya.

Sorry, Munchkin! I shouldn't have spoken like that. You know, I have to do nothing except obliging. And, please reply.

That's okay.
Have a bright life ahead!

Munchkin!
Where are you now?

On my way home.
P.S.: Stop calling me Munchkin.

Ummm... Okay.

I'm ready with all my belongings. Could you pick me up now?

For a moment, he couldn't believe his eyes.

She scolded me fifteen minutes ago, but now she is asking to pick her up, he thought.

What!

Yes. I decided to run away. First, let's focus on the album. Then, let's marry.

Do you trust me?

Yes, Manav. I swear, I trust you. Let's do it as we planned.

'If you have daughters, don't ever get her married to him.' Wasn't that you?

Yes!
Because I'm going to marry you, right?

Hmmm!
Can't wait to embrace my queen.

****