Teri Meri Love Stories

Goodbye Kiss-1

I was walking in the drawing-room holding my coffee mug looking at her pictures like always. I stopped in front of one of her pictures, I ran my fingers through her face putting my mug on the table below the pictures. I touched her eyes, her lips, and then her face. All I could see was my reflection. I blinked when a tear rolled down my eyes. I removed my glasses to wipe them, then took my mug and started to walk again.

I walked out of the drawing-room into my courtyard and sat on the wooden bench looking at the sky. I kept sipping coffee from my mug when I heard the sound of my gate opening. I saw Rajveer walking towards me along with a younger girl I never saw before. I put down my coffee mug on the table and adjusted my glasses.

"Good morning Amit...good morning", he screamed. Rajveer was a very cheerful person, he lived in the house opposite to mine with his wife Shamita. They were my college friends, and if not for them, maybe I would've never come out of the depression. 

"Morning, morning Raj", I said when he sat beside me. "Riya, sit down beta", Raj said asking her to sit down. "Amit, this Riya, she's my niece", he said. She looked at me smiling brightly. "Niece, you mean...". "She's Arjun's daughter", he said. "Oh...". "She used to live with us after the accident but before you moved here, she left to study in Delhi", he said. 

"I returned here to participate in the art competition this year", she said. "You mean...". "Yes the competition which your gallery partners organize each year", Raj said. "Sir, this competition is very important to me, it could be a big shot for my career. I would really love it if you could mentor me", she said, requesting me. "Raj you know I haven't painted since...", "I know sir, but I promise you I won't be a problem, I just need your help in making my project please...please...please... ", she said begging me

"Amit, please", Raj said requesting me. "Okay, okay, but first I want to see what paintings you have made", I said. "Let's go to my room then...", she stood up excitedly, "Uncle, bring him quickly, I'll arrange the canvases ", she said and ran away. "She's so cheerful just like...", "Arjun bhaiyya", Raj interrupted before I could finish. "How did she find out about it?", I asked.

"She was with them during the accident", Raj said in a serious tone. "What?", I leaned forward feeling shocked. "It's been 10 years since that accident, but, I still feel so bad for her Amit", Raj said with a sad expression on his face. I put my hand on his hand consoling him, "You don't have to worry, she has you and Shamita, she's lucky". We stood up to go to his place.

I greeted Shamita when we entered the house when she told me that Riya was waiting impatiently in her room for me. I decided to first go to her room and see her paintings. I walked upstairs looking for her room when I saw her standing shyly outside a room. I walked towards her, "So...". "Come in", she said leading me inside her room. 

When I entered her room, it felt like I was back in my 20s. Her room was filled with beautiful canvas paintings, paintbrushes were lying untidily here, and there and color tubes arranged neatly on her shelf. She picked up the brushes quickly and hid them behind her in embarrassment. I felt like she was trying to hide how untidy it was. I chuckled.

"You have such amazing pictures, why don't you submit one of them in the competition?", I asked picking up one of her canvases. "I'm waiting to make something better, something more inspiring, that's why I need your help, will you help me?", she looked at me with her big brown sparkly eyes. 

"Okay, but my teaching methods are different from the other teachers, it's gonna be hard working with me", I said trying to test her if she was up for it. "I'm ready", she said. "Good then, I'll see you at 9 tomorrow", I said and left her room. 

[Riya's POV]

I started jumping on my bed excitedly when he walked out of the room. "Finally, I'm going to work with Amit Mehra...the Amit Mehra...ahhh...". "Riya, I...", I froze while jumping when I saw Amit by the door again. "Your aunty is calling, breakfast is ready", he said and left. I covered my face with my T-Shirt as I face turned red in embarrassment. "Oh, what will he think about me now", I said and started rolling on my bed here and there.

I came down after a few minutes and saw Uncle and Amit eating. I still avoided eye contact with him feeling embarrassed. I quietly came and sat beside uncle. "Aunty, why do I have toast on my plate, you know I hate it", I screamed looking at my plate. My aunt shouted from the kitchen saying it was for Amit and for me. She came out of the kitchen with two plates and put the plate with bread and eggs in front of me.

"You have no idea how fussy she is Amit", she said while eating her toast. I looked at her angrily when all the three of them started laughing at me. "Guys it's not funny, stop laughing", I said when they started laughing louder.

Later that evening,

"I'm so excited, I'm going to be working with a professional artist", I screamed in excitement standing next to my aunt. "You know aunty, I've always wanted to work with him...ahh...I'm so excited". I behaved like a celebrity fangirl.

The next morning, 

I was so excited that I couldn't sleep a wink last night. I quickly took a bath, wore my black shorts and sky blue sleeveless top. I looked into the mirror applying a little moisturizer on my face and tied my dark brown hair into a messy bun leaving a few strands of hair to flow in the air. I quickly took my brushes, paints, and canvas, and rushed towards Amit's house.

"Riya...eat your breakfast", I heard aunt calling me. "Later...later", I said running towards his house. I opened the gate and went inside quietly. The windows of his house were as big as the door so I could easily see inside his house. I saw him standing in front of pictures of a woman and stood there quietly. His back was facing towards me so all I could see was, his fine muscular body. He had broad shoulders, dark black hair covering his neck.

Suddenly, I dropped my heavy canvas when I saw him turn around me. He quickly removed his glasses and wiped his eyes. "Was he crying?", I mumbled to myself. I saw him walking towards me. I nervously tidied my hair and stood there. "Ready for today's lesson?", he said leaning towards me. "Yes, but...one thing", I said before we went inside. "Hmm?". "Can I see your paintings before starting...please...pretty please...", I said making the cute puppy face.

He nodded and I followed him. I put my stuff on the couch when my eyes turned on the big photo frame on the wall. "She's so pretty", I said staring at her picture for a few minutes. "Riya", I heard Amit calling me, so I rushed upstairs. After one floor, I finally saw a room there, adjacent to it was the balcony. 

It was filled with beautiful flowers, of course, he's an artist, we love nature after all. We walked into a room full of canvases, I jaw-droppingly stood there looking at his paintings. "Oh my god, is this happening for real, am I really seeing your paintings, in your room", I shouted excitedly like a 13-yr-old. All of this was just...to good to be true. Among all the canvases I saw so far, there were so many paintings of..."Isn't this the woman from earlier?", I asked holding one of the canvases.

Amit turned to look at me, then he looked at the canvas I was holding. His expression turned sad, I looked at him questioningly. "She is...". "Malavika", he said taking away the canvas from my hand, "Come on, enough leisure for today, let's get to work", he said putting back the canvas. 

"Where should we sit?", I asked. "Grab the chair from there, this room is perfect", he said. I sat next to him, we discussed about what stuff inspired me. After hours of discussion, I finally got an idea and rushed down to bring my canvas. I started to paint quickly before I lose the idea.

A few hours later,

I kept painting, while Amit took a book from the shelf and kept reading it. "Have a look", I said