KISMAT KONNECTION

Ch-32- Life BEFORE they met

Sounds like chapter one but the essence is in 'before' and 'BEFORE'.
Happy reading!
3rd person's POV
"Siddharth Shah! Get your ass out in 5 minutes!", she shouted on the phone.
"Okay. I will be there.", he said straightening his shoulder length hair tying it into a neat man-bun.
He stuffed the toast into his mouth and quickly rushed out and locked the doors.
"Sorry! Sorry!", he said getting into her car.
"What sorry?! You know na, how important this meeting is for both of our careers! Then how can you be late Sid?", she asked as she drove to their destination.
"Le toast kha!", he said trying to stuff her mouth with his half eaten toast.
"Nahi khaana! Upar se yeh Mumbai ka traffic!", she exclaimed all irritated.
"Anu! Its okay we will reach on time! And we will shine!", he said assuring her.

They halted in front of a tall glass building.
Both of them got off and rushed to the reception.
In the way she called him out, "Siddharth?"
"Yes?"
"Its not Anu, its Anahita Shroff.", she said flicking her hair.
"Anu.. Anuuu ...ANU!", he teased her in a singalong manner.
"Asshole!", she cursed again.
"Language!", He scolded.
"Mr. Khanna?", she asked at the reception.
"Ms. Shroff and Mr. Shah?", the receptionist asked.
They nodded.
"Mr. Khanna is waiting for you in his cabin. 3rd floor, second to your left.", receptionist said in her usual robotic voice.
They nodded and took the lift to the third floor.
Anahita knocked on the door before entering and Siddharth followed up close.
"Hello sir. Anahita.", she introduced herself.
"Siddharth.", Siddharth said shaking his hands with Mr. Khanna.

"Siddharth saheb! Finally aapse mulakaat hui. Kya kamal karte ho? Aawaz hai ya Jaadu?", Mr. Khanna graciously complimented Siddharth.
"Thank you sir.", he replied with a smile.
"Oh I am so sorry ji! Have a seat.", Mr. Khanna said in his thick punjabi accent.
Siddharth and Anahita took a seat and smiled at him.
"So, as you know your voice is magical and Anahita ji is a perfect support for it. So, Our music company is signing you for your first recorded album. Welcome aboard!", Mr. Khanna announced handing over a file to Siddharth.
Siddharth and Anahita looked at eachother and grinned.
He opened the file and both of them went in through the details of the contract.
Assuring themselves that it was rightly done, they picked up a pen and signed it.
"Welcome to the K-MusicCompany.", Mr. Khanna said with a wide smile.
"Siddharth you know that you have two reprise 2 original songs and one of your own compositions, right?", Mr. Khanna asked revising the contract.
"Yes I am aware. I am working on my composition. Don't worry.",Siddharth assured.
Fixing a few more things, Anahita and Siddharth bid goodbye to Mr. Khanna and left.
"Chai?", she asked, bringing the car to ignition.
"Usual Tapri.", he confirmed with a smile.
They took the chai in papercups and sat by the beach, their favourite spot for talking heart to heart.
"Siddharth. We finally meet after two weeks. What do you have to say?", she asked.
"What do you want me to say?", he asked in confusion.
"Siddharth, it has been 3 years today." , she reminded.
"You really think I won't remember that?", he asked with a smirk.
"Seriously, are you okay?", she asked.
"If you and I are pointing at the same thing then, Nope, I feel just as empty as three years ago.", he said with a sad smile.
"You still hope to find her don't you?", she asked keeping a hand on his shoulder.
"I do. I still want her as much as 3 years ago.", he said looking at the sea and sighing.
"How does it feel, three years in the city of Mumbai?", She asked diverting the topic.
"3years before, when I stepped in this city with just the knowledge that I was Siddharth Shah and I am here to find my Sh and a few thousand in my wallet. Clueless, I was roaming around here and there. I had probably forgotten that Mumbai was huge due to my brain problem. I was just tired and sat in front of this amazing music shop, defeated and as scared as a little baby who got lost. This man in his mid 50s came out of the shop and asked me my whereabouts. After knowing about me, he gave me shelter in his shop, gave me food, place to stay in his shop. Your dad, Anu, was a really good human, I really loved and respected him.", he said smiling at her and squeezing her palm in support when a tear escaped her eye, she gave back a small smile and he continued, "He gave me the job to handle his music shop and even gave me salary to sustain myself in Mumbai. You remember how 2 weeks later, on the lazy afternoon when there wasn't much rush in the shop, I just took the guitar in my hand, and my fingers just started playing a melody. I really don't remember if I knew music before my memory loss, because no one from the family told me anything of that sort when I was with them for 2 days. It was magical, my fingers were working as if I knew guitar. As if I knew singing. As if singing was her.", he paused for a second.
"Shroff uncle caught me one afternoon, and asked me if I want to learn more. I just thought that music connected me to my Sh. So I agreed, and he taught me, being the guitar enthusiast he was, and then I met you one day and we just teamed up with your management knowledge and flair for music. We opened up S&A music classes and taught kids music. But then, Shroff Uncle's untimely demise affected us. Even after he left us, he gave us an immense inspiration. So we started our band call SA Kompany and performed on local platforms until recently when Mr. Khanna noticed us. Moreover, in these three months, I have got UMEED- The undying Hope. And all of that summed up, keeps me going. So Mumbai has been good to me except it doesn't help me with Sh.", he said revising his story.
"Siddharth..UMEED?", Anahita asked confused .
"Anu? You really forgot? UMEED- the orphanage, where I have my charity fundraiser performance every Saturday since 3 months!", he asked raising a brow.
"Oh flip! Sorry babe. When is next?", she asked.
"It is tomorrow, due to donations of our fundraiser and efforts of some other donors, the orphanage is getting, a playground nearby for its children. Tomorrow evening is the inaugural event. I am requested by the Head nun to perform, Ganesha aarti. So yep.", he said with a wide genuine smile spread across his face.
"Also Anu, I am not your babe.", he said.
"You know you call me Anu and you don't want me to call you babe. That leaves me with one option only.", she said with a grin indicating the worse.
"No!", he snapped.
"Mere Jatadhaari Hippie!", she said pulling his cheeks.
"Ugh! Don't call me that!", he exclaimed irritated.
"Well if you didn't have such beautiful growth of hair that makes me jealous. Seriously Siddharth, the first time I met you looked like a normal human with this two day stubble but now you like this intense artist with long hair , loose clothes and with an aura of mystery around him, and that kind of makes you sexy.", she said with a fake sexy voice.
He chuckled to her words and tone.
"You are laughing? You know how many girls swoon over you when we give our performances? But look at you,instead of seeing other options, you only want your Sh. You don't even know how she looks or what is she like or even her whole name! How do you manage it Siddharth?", she asked.
She was concerned that her friend was missing out on life because of his gut feeling about a woman who mattered to him more than anything and the saddest fact was, What if she didn't exist?
It would break her best buddy.
"Sh Exists. I know that is what you are thinking. She exists and I will meet her. No matter how many days or years I have to spend. I love her.", he said looking at her with a small smile.
"Can you please help me find a guy like you?", she asked making the mood light.
"I am a single piece.", he said with a smirk.
Realising that his long hair was sticking out of his manbun, took out his rubber band out and freed his locks of hair.
The beach winds kind of made his hair dance with them.
"Zulfien toh dekho.", Anahita commented with a wink.
He grinned and started tickling her.
She started running away from him but he soon caught up and tickled her more.
"Stop! I can't breathe!", she said in between laughs.
To a passerby, they would look like a happy couple in each other's arms.
"God bless a sweet couple like you."
"Stay together always."
An elderly couple commented as they passed by.
"No no! We aren't a couple.", Siddharth justified, leaving a hold on Anahita.
"Thats what they say initially." The lady said.
"Nope, Aunty we are just best buddies.", Anahita reasoned.
After chatting with the amazing elderly couple for a while.
Siddharth and Anahita took leave and Anahita dropped Siddharth at his home.
___________________________
Preeti was making breakfast in the kitchen and listening to music.
"Piyush! Do you want to go to Hospital or stay in the bathroom itself?", Preeti shouted on top of her voice.
"I am out already Mrs. Trivedi.", he said engulfing her from behind.
"Hatt bey! Warna khaana jala dungi!", she threatened being the usual Preeti.
They had their breakfast and Preeti was locking up the house.
"Come downstairs I will keep the car ready.", Piyush said.
"Nope. My shift starts from 12 noon, till then I have to be with her. It is 3 years today Piyu.", she said looking down.
"She won't say but she needs you.", Piyush agreed keeping a hand on her shoulder and leaving.
Preeti sighed and gloomily drove to her house.
The door of her apartment was open.
"Shanaya Shah! Are you inviting thieves? Who keeps their main door open?", Preeti said barging in her house.
"Coffee?", she asked.
"Great! Ignore me!", she huffed and continued, "two spoons sugar please.", Preeti said plopping down on the sofa
Shanaya kept down the coffee cups on the center table with chocolate chip cookies that she specialised in.
"You are bribing me to not scold you with this cookies, and guess what? It works.", she said with a wide grin grabbing one cookie from the plate.
"May I ask why are you ruining my day off?", Shanaya asked.
"I have a tendency to show my clingy annoying love for people.", she replied sipping on her coffee.
"You have a husband for that." , Shanaya reasoned.
"He is boring, besides you are my extra marital affair.", Preeti said seductively.
Shanaya laughed heartily.
Soon the laughter subsided.
"How are you today?", Preeti asked seriously.
"I am...I...", Shanaya stammered, "I miss him.", she said looking down.
"It finishes everything within me to know that we lost him. My stupid letter made him lose his senses, his memory, and something ran over him to make him run away. I am pretty sure there are no side effects like mental retardation or anything. Why did he run away? What must have happened?", she said as a tear escaped her cheek.
"He must be fine, wherever he is. He has our good wishes. He has your love.", Preeti assured giving her a side hug.
Preeti's phone started buzzing.
The caller id displayed the name
Kriti