Preeran: Ardour

Love

Next day.

It was a scorching hot summers day: perfect for a day at the fair. The sky was dotted with a few candy-floss clouds. The entrance could be seen in the distance and the long queues edged forward slowly. Customers were becoming increasingly excited and impatient as they took a few steps forward every so often. Faint music could be heard from beyond the tall gates with the occasional happy scream suddenly piercing the air.

Preeta: Bajarbattu, ab toh bata do ki hum kaha jaa rahe hai!??

Karan: No, babydoll!! It's a surprise!!

He winks at her. She makes a cute pout and looks out of the window. He chuckles seeing her.

After sometime, they reach a place. Karan takes her to a carnival. She widens her eyes and smiles widely.

Preeta: Carnival!!

Karan (smiling): Yes babydoll! Mujhe yaad hai tumhe carnivals kitne pasand hai!!

Preeta hugs Karan, excitedly. He gets shocked, but smiles and hugs her back. They go inside. Karan smiles seeing Preeta so happy. He sees a cotton candy stall

Karan: Babydoll, tumhe yaad hai hum kaise ghar se chup kar nikalte the carnival aane ke liye...aur tum sabse pehle cotton candy ke stall par...

He turns and doesn't find Preeta there. He sees that she is already at the candy stall, buying two cotton candies. He slaps his forehead and goes towards her.

Karan: Preeta!!

She looks at him with an all innocent face.

Preeta (cutely, eating her cotton candy): Kya hua??

Karan (smiles): Kuch nahi...chale??

She nods and they go inside. Closer to the entrance, the massive structures of the rides could be seen: a rollercoaster, a big wheel, a helter skelter. Below, younger children stood watching, eating their sweets and snacks. Ice creams wobbled perilously over the cones and dripped down their small fingers as they melted; some munched on brightly coloured balls soft sugar strands that dissolved on the tongue - sweeter than sweet and sticking to the teeth better than glue. The festival was always a place of unrestrained joy. The costumes lit up the summer's day, a riot of colour to rival any gardener's paradise. Music filled the air, festive beats lifted the spirits and made the people want to move, jump and sing. It was a time to celebrate being alive,
celebrate the wonders of creation and be one with the community. The air tasted so heavenly with the food stalls around, every delicious thing ready to be shared with a friend, actually THE friend. He wanted to share every part of his life with her.

Karan: Babydoll!! Woh dekho!!

He says pointing to a giant ferris wheel. Preeta gulped seeing it.

Preeta: K..K..Karan...tumhe pakka uspe jaana hai..

Karan: Don't tell me tumhe abhi bhi darr lagta hai...

She notices that Karan's excitement is all gone and he seemed a bit upset. She puts her fears aside.

Preeta: N..Nahi..bilkul nahi!! Chalo chalte hai!!

She moves towards the ferris wheel but gets pulled back. She hits Karan's chest. He keeps his one hand around her waist, protectively, while the other hand caresses her hair. She looks down nervously. He makes her look him straight in his eyes.

Karan: Tumhe kabhi bhi mere liye ya kisi ke liye bhi apne comfort zone se bahar aane ki zaroorat nahi hai...

Preeta remembers how she always had to adjust for Prithvi and gets tears in her eyes.

Preeta: Aur agar aap uss insaan se pyaar karte ho aur woh bhi aapse pyaar karta hai toh??

Karan realises that she is talking about Prithvi. His grip on her waist tightens, not causing any pain.

Karan: Agar woh insaan tumse pyaar karta hoga toh woh kabhi tumhe apne liye adjust karne ko nahi kahega...

Preeta smiles. He wipes her tears. She immediately hugs him. He gets shocked but hugs her back. Both of them close their eyes.

Preeta: Tum bohot achche ho...

Karan: Pata hai mujhe...

She hits him playfully.

Karan (in mind): Mein tumse apne dil ki baat tab tak nahi kahunga jab tak tum apne past se bahar nahi aa jati...mein tumhara puri zindagi bhar bhi intezzar kar sakta
hu...I love you, my babydoll, my princess...I love you so much...

Karan (teasing): Ab aise hi rehne ka iraada hai kya??

Preeta (not leaving him): Pata nahi...bas tumhare saath bohot achcha lagta hai...aise..bohot achcha lagta hai..

He smiles. She breaks the hug and looks at him smiling.

Karan: Chale??

She nods. They enjoy their time together. After sometime, they reach a tattoo shop.

Preeta (confused): Tattoo??

Karan nods, while Preeta looks on confused. He goes inside the stall, followed by her.

Karan: Itne saalo tak tumne dard saha...mein tumhare saath nahi tha na dard baatne ke liye...aur yeh toh unfair hai na..kyun ki hum ek dusre ke saath sab kuch share karte hai..toh isliye...

Preeta understands what he means and nods her head in no.

Preeta: Nahi Karan...no...tum aisa nahi kar rahe ho..

Karan: Babydoll, mein aisa hi karunga...

Preeta tries to persuade Karan, but all in vain. He sits down to get imprinted.

Karan forwards his right hand.

Tattoo maker: Name??

Karan (looking at her): Preeta...

Maker: Konsi finger??

Karan (smiles): Ring finger..

She looks at him, shocked. The man starts making the tattoo and Karan closes his eyes. Preeta turns around as she couldn't see him in pain. He smiles, still closing his eyes. At that moment, she feels like the luckiest girl in the universe. She forgets everything that had happened with her and that is happening with her. All she could see were the efforts made by her best friend to show her that true love does exist. To show her that the world is magical and every story in it is a fairytale, all you have to do is just find yours. Sometimes you make mistakes, but you learn from them. She too was learning from the mistake she was committing right now-falling for him. She learnt to let go. She learnt that you will always have a second chance. The fairy tale world she had created for herself had been destroyed by the dragon who had come into her life seven years ago. But, now it seemed that the broken walls can be recreated. Not alone, but together. Fairy tales are more than true. Not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.

He gets up. She looks at him. He smiles.

Preeta (cutely): Bohot pain hua na..

Karan (smiles): You are worth it...you are worth a thousand times more...

She hugs him. He protects her in his embrace. It was evening and the room was cold, but his touch made the room warmer somehow, her future within its walls seeming a little less bleak. Both hearts smiled. Only if the time could stop there itself and let that moment be their happy little "forever"..

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Precap:-
Love is in the air.