"I am in love with you Anika!", exclaimed Nirav.
"Have you lost your mind Nirav? I was married before! I am a divorcee! Did you forget that?"
"I don't care Anika. I love you too much to judge you!"
"But I do Nirav," screamed Anika slamming the door on Nirav's face. She wasn't expecting a proposal from him. She had dealt with enough shit in her previous courtship and wasn't ready for anymore. After all she knew all men are the same. Was Nirav trying to take advantage of her? Or did he think she's an easy catch for him since she is alone? Or does he think she's a damsel in distress and he could save her? Whatever it was, Anika just wasn't ready.
Nirav walked towards his car depressed by Anika's reaction to his proposal. He thought she would just say she needs time but such a reaction was totally unexpected. He felt dejected, hurt, broken and above all guilty for having hurt his love. The last thing he wanted was to hurt Anika and he did exactly that. Maybe he should have waited little more before expressing his feelings for her. But now, the cat was out of the bag, He could not take back what he said and what she had heard. He did not know how to make her feel better. He tried hard to stop those stupid tears from flowing but he did not succeed.
The office seemed empty without Anika. It was nearly a week since she came to work and that left Nirav restless. He urged to see her and considered going to her apartment but decided against it. After all, she might be hurt and taken aback by his sudden outburst of feelings for her which he had hidden for quite long. He finally gathered the courage to call her.
Anika ignored Nirav's calls. She sat in silence and recollected all that had happened at the party. The dance floor, the food, the cocktails and the heavy music, a perfect office day celebration. Everyone were dressed in their best clothes. Nirav paired a black casual shirt with a blue jean. Anika looked her best dressed in a pink knee length dress and minimal makeup. She had always been more comfortable with Nirav than anyone else in the office. In the two years of time they knew each other, there friendship deepened with time. Nirav was always in love with her but he knew Anika needed a lot more time to start living life again. After her divorce with Arnav, she'd suffered a major depression Arnav was an overtly suspicious and insecure man. He controlled Anika's life for a good 3 years with his constant nagging. His insecurity grew with each passing day and Anika could take no more. She filed for a divorce and chucked him out of his life.
After the heavy dancing, the music became softer. Anika stood at a corner with a couple of colleagues laughing uncontrollably at a joke. Nirav approached her and in a filmy style asked, "Can I have the pleasure of a dance with you my lady?". Anika tried to hide her blush and bent her head grinning when Nirav grabbed her by her hand.
Anika's heartbeat tripled when she felt Nirav's warm hand curl around her back. He looked into those shy-filled beautiful eyes which otherwise were always confident. Anika tried avoiding his gaze but could barely control herself. They danced forgetting everyone else lost in each other. It took a while for Anika to regain her senses. She pushed Nirav away and rushed outside the hall. Nirav went behind her to the parking lot. He urged her to stop but she got into her car instead and drove away. Nirav followed her to her house. He rang her doorbell and she opened her door. Her smudged mascara and red eyes made Nirav's heart sink. He could swear she cried and that was because of him.
Anika's train of thoughts was disturbed by the doorbell. She peeped through the keyhole and found a man at the door. She opened the door and the man handed her a small box and left. She went in and opened the box to find a dazzling platinum ring. With it was a note saying, "Life deserves a second chance and so do you. I am at your door. Will you please open the door for me?"
Anika fought back those tears and opened the door. Nirav walked in without asking her permission. That made Anika furious. "You can't barge into my house like that without asking me!"
"Well, you can't barge into my heart without asking me either Anika!"
Anika was flabbergasted.
"Now, will you please close that door so that the neighbors don't hear what we talk?"
Anika closed the door.
"Nirav, please, I don't wanna talk to you. Please leave."
"But I want to. I've had enough now Anika. I know it's hard for you to get over Arnav but when will you start living your life again? I don't want to fool around with you. I want to be with you, every moment possible, hold your hand, look into those beautiful eyes and find love in it. For me. I want to be the man of your life. I don't promise that we will never have fights, but I want to fight with you and then make up to you by doing something crazy. I want to be the reason for your smile. I want to bring back happiness in your life Anika, the happiness that you deserve, the happiness that you have long forgotten."
"Nirav, I just can't trust a man again."
"You have to Anika. Not for anyone else, but for yourself. Not for getting hurt again but to be loved. Let go off your past my love. It isn't worth your grief. If you do not love me, then I will walk away right now without bothering you anymore. But if you love me and you are holding yourself back because of your past, then please let it go. And I promise to be by your side, forever."
"Nirav..... I, I..."
"Yes Anika. Tell me, do you love me?"
Nirav waited for Anika to open up but she kept crying.
"I am leaving Anika", he said turning back to leave when Anika hugged him from behind crying out loud.
Nirav turned back, held her beautiful face in his palm and kissed her forehead. He took the ring from her hand and put it in her ring finger. "I've another one for myself", he whispered in her ears taking out the ring from his pocket.
"You bought platinum love bands?" She asked.
"Yes. This is to let you know that our love has begun and will never end. It will not tarnish or fade away with time just like platinum which is the most eternal and precious metal. Also, to tell you that I will love you selflessly forever and ever till my last breath", saying that he gently brushed his lips against hers.
Looking into his eyes, she held his hand and put the ring in his ring finger. She pressed her lips against his and kissed him passionately for what seemed like an eternity.
This is my entry for the contest, Platinum Day of Love, on Indiblogger.
