Ek Ajnabi Sa Ehsaas Dil Ko Sataye
Shayad Yahi To Pyaar Hai
Betabiyon Mein Dhadkan Meri Chain Paye
Shayad Yahi To Pyaar Hai

“Ek, do, theen...” She counted for herself, “ab peeche, ek, do aur ghoomo!” With her hands held away from her body, she made a funny sight, alone at the very centre of the huge glass tilted ballroom, standing on the cold marble with her bare feet and her dupatta tucked around her waist  and hair pulled into a messy bun. Her playful devar cum best friend had put her into this, as a result of their nonstop planning for Shivika Maha milap. He was going on about having all the couples waltz at the Sangeet ceromony and make way for Bade Bhaiyya and Bhujai to have some time to discuss their lives without anyone disturbing them. According to Rudra, the only loop hole in this plan was that his pyaar Chulbul Bhaabhi did not know how to dance, and this would render the two estranged lovers to escape having to spend time with each other by putting her forward as their excuse.
A determined Gauri had risen to the occasion and promised him that by the end of that day, she will learn whatever dance there was to be learned. Actually, Rudra had helped her, by showing a few online videos and then dancing with her for a while. But then, he had sniffed Bhavya heading somewhere secretively and he just had to know what his half girlfriend was up to. So here Gauri was, muttering to herself as she tried to repeat whatever Rudra had taught her a few hours back.
When she was along, the Oberoi Ball room looked intimidating, she was reflected in each of those crustal wall panels and they amplified each wrong step by thousand of tiny reflections. She sighed, realizing she had missed the count once more.
“Koi nahi Gauri, tu toh Bareily ke Dabang chireiyya hai, phir se suroo hojaa!” She gave herself a tiny pep talk as she positioned herself once more. “Ek, Do, Theen, peeche ek, do ab ghoom...!” Her words died on her lips as she collided with something hard and slipped on the mirror like marble.
If it was not for the pair of strong arms holding her up, she’d have ended up cracking her skull. Gasping a little, her eyes flickered upwards at those of her saviour’s. Of cause she knew it was him a long before their eyes actually met. After all her senses were fine tuned to his presence that she could even hear the tiny skip in his heartbeat, catch the faintest trace of his woodsy cologne in the air. His dark brown gaze, looking down at her protectively was only an affirmation of all her senses summed up. Gauri sighed dreamily, drowning in her husband’s intense gaze, before the reality brought her bouncing back and she separated herself from his embrace with a jerk.
For a moment, surely she was mistaken, but Omkara looked startled at the loss of her warmth. His hands hung numbly from his sides as he stared at her longingly. Gauri cleared her throat. She wasn’t here to have moments with her husband. She had work to be done.
“Wo...wo hum,” she cursed her voice for stammering as it died out. He was still looking at her in that strange way. “Woh yeh sab Ruddy Bhaiyya ka plan hai.”
“I know,” he nodded, “He told me to help you. After all we are a team,” there it was, that team talk once again followed by that heart stopping smile.
“Hum...woh...hum jaa hi rahe the,” she stumbled around for words trying to avoid spending time with him. Gauri wasn’t ready to risk her heart once more. She had learned a lot about this man. He was a mine for pain and troubles, she would not have cared, if it wasn’t for the venom brewing in his heart towards her.
“But Rudra was telling me to teach you, don’t you want to learn Gauri? Are you sure, you can go ahead with whatever that plan of yours is?”
Then again, he had given wind to the insecurities brewing inside her. Would she make a fool of herself in front of all the guests the next day? Proving she was a misfit for this ultra rich family? Gauri swallowed, her head bowed.
Whatever Omkara had in mind, it had not been hurting her. He took hold of her wrists gently, prompting her to look up at him again.
Ye Mulaqatein
Yeh Teri Ankhein
Baatein
Ek Pal Na Main Bhool Pau
Kitni Mohabbat
Hai Kitni Chahat
Tumse
Kaise Bhala Main Bataoon
Acha Lage Jo
Tu Samne Muskuraye
Shayad Yahi To Pyaar Hai
“You’re going to be brilliant,” he told her reassuringly, gently directing one of her hands to his shoulder and grasping the other lightly in his own. “Itni khubsoorat ke sab dhekti hi rehe jaaye.”
His breath faned her face, as they moved back and forth, the tapping of his feet the only music in the background. She swallowed again, this time out of nerves as her wide eyes refuse to leave his gaze that had her pinned.
He twirled her around, fixing her arms a little as she came to rest against him, her back pressed against his chest. He let his finger tips glide across her upper arms, a touch that wasn’t really there but enough to send tingling sensations through her skin. His voice made her shiver as he spoke in her ear.
“Take my hands,” their fingers interlinked and arms entangled her begun to count, as they glide to the sides of the room. “One, two three.”
He twirled again and she came to face him, her arms unconsciously woven around his neck and his grip warm on her waist.
“Achcha suno, tumse kuch baath karni thi,” he spoke again, as they started to move once more. No one no longer interested in the dance.
“Hume aapse baat nahi karni,” she tried to avert the inevitable.
Kutch Bhi Kaho Na
Kutch Bhi Suno Na
Phir Bhi
Bechain Dil Hai Humara
Behke Kadam Hai
Mushkil Main Hum Hai
Dekho
Sambhle Bhala Kaise Yaara
Chahe Bina Bhi
Nazdeek Hum Chale Aaye
Shayad Yahi Toh Pyaar Hai
He dipped her without a warning, almost throwing her off balance. Gauri yelped startled before realizing he had his arm securely wrapped around her waist.
“Relax, Gauri...” his breath warmed a spot on her throat and her pulse started to race. There was a glint of victory in his eyes as blush spread itself from her cheeks towards her throat. “Saans toh lo,” he chuckled as he pulled her back to her feet. But he didn’t give her a chance to gather herself, as they went spinning to the next move, he lifted her smoothly and lowered a in a sensuous glide. His hands everywhere, setting fire on her skin, his eyes caressing her flushed face. He held her against him once more, his arms folded with hers, trapping her in that position as he breathed on the crook of her neck.
“Suno,” he said slowly. A pause stretched after his words and her ears strained. There was nothing to hear other than their laboured breathing, or racing heartbeat. “Tum ne poocha tha na tum mere liye kya ho? Mere zindagi mein tumhari kya jaga hain?”
He freed one of his hands and glided his fingers across her arm, upwards, toward her throat and past her jaw. Cupping her face he turned her towards him, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders once more.
“Koi jaga nahi hai,” he whispered. She blinked, her eyes stinging with tears once more. Why was this man such a sweet heartbreaker, a sadist an evil heartthrob? “Kiyun ki, yeh zindagi hi tumhari hai, iss mein tumhari jaga kya dundh na?”
Wordless, she felt wordless. He smiled a little.
“Ab tum bathao, tumhari zindagi mein, tumhari dil mein, mere liye jaga bana paaongi?”
He moved back, letting her hands slide away, and bowed to her as gracefully as a professional dancer.
“Soch lo Gauri, koi jaldi nahi hai. Soch lo, abhi toh ek shaadi todni hai na, phir apni shaadi ki baat kar lenge.”
She watched him, teary eyed and still wordless.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then for your first dance...our first dance?”
And he felt, as casually as he had come, as if he was not leaving her senses scorched and her heart fluttering, whistling a soft tune as he went. She picked up that song, the one he was whistling and an unconscious smile tugged at her lips.
“Shayad yahi toh pyaar hai...”
**