Perfect Mistakes... Chapter 19 Update - Page 18

Viraat rested his forehead on hers, his hands were loosely wrapped around her hips, and both her hands laid near his heart. "What are you thinking about?" she whispered. He pressed his forehead a tiny bit harder on to hers. "Just thinking if it would be totally inappropriate to kiss you right now," he whispered back. She looked up at him, "Why do you say that?" He lifted his right hand from her hip and brushed a single tear off her cheek. "Because we're both crying." 

She didn't know if it was appropriate or not, and honestly, she couldn't care less. Her hand reached for the back of his neck and standing on the tip of her toes she reached to his level, or as much as she could, and gave him a soft kiss. His lips felt warm and delicate and even though she'd never known what a cloud felt like when in contact with lips, she knew it would feel something like this. She pulled back, her hand stayed behind his neck, "Does that answer your question?" 

He knew it was wrong, he was on a road which would only lead to hurting her, but the new feeling he felt when she kissed him made all his thoughts disappear. He didn't feel like a bomb, he didn't feel like a loser, he didn't feel lifeless. He felt like he was falling in love with her all over again. He felt deeply, extraordinarily, boundlessly in love. He didn't want her to pull back; he wanted her to stay there, always.

"Again."

She looked at him, about to say something, but before she could he lifted her up and kissed her, kissed her like his life depended on it. He kissed her harder than the first, and he kissed her fiercely as though it was the last. She responded with the same intensity, she didn't want to let go either. Her hands travelled up from his neck and both her hands now made brushing motions through his hair only to make him want her more, make him want to fall in love with her 10 million multiplied by an infinity amount of times more. He kissed her for one reason and one reason only. He loved her. No artificial magic sparked his body and no tingling sensation travelled through his veins. Instead he felt his love for her and her love for him. He felt their love. 

Part of his body screamed for him to put her down whilst the other roared for him to pull her body closer to his. He listened to the second part and tightened his grip around her, eliminating any form of distances between them. They were still kissing when he sat down on one of the couches and she on his lap, 

"I love you," she mumbled between breaths causing his heart to race, 

"I love you too," he replied back.

                                                                ~~~

They finally pulled apart, only the sound of their heavy breathing could be heard. A few moments later he felt her hands on his cheeks as she brushed away his tears. "We were still crying," she said softly. 

Fresh tears streamed down his cheeks and he hugged her stomach letting her kiss his hair, "I don't want to die Maanvi, not now." 

She wanted to take it back, take everything back. Love wasn't death, love was living, kissing him was equivalent to breathing not dying. He was going to live, if not for himself then for her, she needed him to help her breathe. She didn't give a damns arse if she was being selfish, she now had the right to be. "You won't die, because we're going to fight this, together, okay."

Her voice sounded so determined, strong, Viraat didn't know if he felt the same way. "What if.." She forced him to let go and look at her. "No what if's, no in cases, just faith. I love you and that's enough to keep you alive. I'm going to make sure of it, okay Viraat." "You're my faith," he said softly. She smiled, "Then trust me." "I do. I do trust you." He let her wipe his tears before continuing. "I'm going to fight this for you, I promise, I'm going to fight this for you." She shook her head, "Not just fight, you're going to win," and she kissed him again, "okay." He looked in to her eyes, her beautiful, hazel eyes and made a new vow. "Okay." 

                                                                ~~~

Maanvi awoke in his arms; she now had a new wish added to her selfish list of desires; to wake in his arms every day and sleep to the sound of his heartbeats every night. She nuzzled her face closer to his neck causing him to hug her closer in his sleep. She traced his stubbled jaw line with her finger and kissed his chin. Slowly, removing herself from his embrace, she sat upright on the couch and let herself take a good, long look at his face. He looked tired, really tired. His cheeks didn't seem as full as they had been two weeks ago and his skin looked pale, making the deep, purple bags under his eyes shine bright in the afternoon sunlight. She bent down and kissed under each eye softly, taking care not to wake him. She got off the couch and took out her phone and quickly dialled a number, "Hello Manhattan hotel, how may I help you today?" She sat down crossed legged on the floor next to his sleeping face and caressed his hair, "Hi this is Maanvi from room 1782, I was just wondering.." 

He opened his eyes to her smiling face, "Hi," he said in a sleepy voice. "You know, you look cute when you sleep." He sat up, "Stalker much?" She bit her lip and shook her head making his heart leap. "Nope, it's allowed." He sneaked a kiss on to her forehead, and he smiled as he felt her shiver at his touch. "Viraat!" He looked at her innocently, "What? It's allowed." She mocked anger, before laying her head on his lap. "I thought you were a pianist," she said as he played with her hair. "I am." "So you just happen to also sing as well." "Yup." She lifted her head up, "I don't think this is going to work out." He played along, happy that she didn't treat him like a patient. "But why?" She stood up now, "You see, I first fell in love with a pianist, but now I found out I've also fallen in love with a singer." "That is a problem." "I know! So I've decided I'm not going to love either of them." He stood up too, "Oh really?" She nodded cutely, "I've decided to love the third guy instead." He raised his eyebrow, and she came closer to him, "He can play everything." 

She captured his smile, happy at accomplishing her job. She stood still as he etched his way closer to her, grabbing her by her waist, as he huskily whispered, "Don't worry, I've fallen in love with a Sherni, a horrible cook and also a mini genius; I think we can make this work." He leaned in to kiss her when the doorbell rung, she quickly released herself from him and ran out, "Better luck next time," she shouted as she ran past the huge windows and opened the door.

He ran behind her, or walked in slow steps and found her standing at the front door. He watched as she let a bell boy enter carrying one large suitcase and one tiny travel bag and place it near the stairs. The bell boy left after Maanvi thanked him and tipped him 20 dollars. "What's this?" he asked her. She pointed at the cases and he nodded. She wheeled the luggage and carried the travel bag to the lift. "Oh, it's my stuff." "Riiight, and.." She smiled as the lift doors opened, "I'm moving in." 

He followed her inside the lift, "Why Maanvi?" She pressed button 2, "Do you actually think I'm going let you stay all by yourself?" He thought of protesting, but then realised it was no use, she seemed to be in total Sherni mode. 

                                                                ~~~

They were standing outside the lift now, in the hallway on the second floor, "Which room can I take?" He quickly scanned the doors; the first belonged to his grandparents, so that was ruled out. The middle one belonged to him so he pointed to the one at the end, near the balcony doors. "Great."

Maanvi wheeled her bag in front of the double doors, which was now her room. She pushed open one of the doors and entered. Again she noticed it consisted of regular bedroom things. A double bed, two dressers, a tv, a walk in closet and an en suite. A large window was at the end of her room, and a huge armchair sat in front of it. The walls were painted a deep red with white foreign letters painted on one of the walls. "The difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits," she translated in English. "No wonder!" she heard an astonished Viraat say. He was perched on the corner of the bed, "You're a genius, that's why you understood it." She sat next to him, "What do you mean?" He indicated the wall, "Till today, I've never understood the meaning of this quote, but you come along and being the mini genius I love, have it figured out it one go." She shrugged, "I learnt Mandarin." He frowned, "And all this time I thought it was Japanese." She laughed. 

Her laughter still stole his breath away. "I like it when you laugh." She smiled at him. "I like it when you laugh too." He fiddled with the loose thread on her jumper, the same one he noticed her play with before. "Your laughter sounds like freedom," he continued softly. She leaned on to his shoulder, "And yours sounds like a beautiful symphony." They stayed like that for a little longer and he enjoyed the silence. 

"Maanvi?" "Hmm" He took a deep breath, "I have a Biopsy* tomorrow." 

She knew what a biopsy was and she knew that the fear in his voice wasn't for him, but for her. He feared her fear of needles. "You need to sleep then don't you." He nodded and left the room. No 'You have to come' or no 'You don't have to come'. He left the entire decision up to her. She grabbed her wash bag and pyjamas and entered the en suite. After showering and changing she lay down on her bed. It was as if sleep wasn't going to come to her tonight, not when she had an important decision to make. 

Countless attempts later and still not asleep, Maanvi put on her slippers and made her way to his room. She peeked inside and saw him sleeping on his bed, or so it seemed because as soon as she lay down next to him she felt his arms wrap around her and his face bury in to her shoulder. "Couldn't sleep?" he mumbled. She held on to his arms, "You're not so asleep either." He pulled his comforter, covering them both, "I guess I'm used to sleeping with you already." She tilted her head a tiny bit, "Me too."

                                                                ~~~

Around the same time in Massachusetts, a guy aged 23 wearing a green RL polo, cream chinos and black vans anxiously paced across the polished floors in Boston's Logan Airport; arrivals section. Black Ray Ban Wayfarer's shaded his eyes and if one was to only catch a glimpse of him from afar they would also assume what Jeevika assumed as she advanced towards him: He looked like the exact twin version of Viraat, their features were remarkably similar. The same floppy hair, same lopsided grin and those piercing chocolate eyes. 

"Viren?" She was being stupid, Viraat was back in NY, but she still didn't want to take any chances. "Jeevi..." he didn't finish as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he spun her around. "I missed you," she said. He put her down, "You were gone for only two days," he said teasingly. She picked up her bag and huffed, "Fine, I guess I'll just go back then. See you in two weeks." She turned around but before she could even take a step on ground, her feet were in the air. He picked her up in his arms, "What do you think? I'll let you go away from me for two weeks. You were gone two minutes and I started having a panic attack." She ruffled his hair, "Good." 

Viren put his girlfriend on the floor and picked up her bag in one hand and holding her hand with the other, led her to the car park. "Why'd you call me here so early anyway?" he heard her ask. "There's a reason." She wasn't listening to him, instead she was staring at him. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked her. "Do you remember I told you Mannu was in love, well it's just the person she loves shares this uncanny resemblance with you." He raised his eyebrow, "He does that too!!" He gave her a weird look, he heard that NY changes people but to an extent that they become possibly crazy, that he didn't know. She sighed and turned him to face her. "Okay listen. You just raised you eyebrow right?" He nodded. "Well, he does that too. I know a lot of people do it, but when both of you do it, the corners of your eyes slightly crinkle and your eyes turn a darker shade of brown." He held her by her shoulders, "So you weren't kidding? Maanvi's in love? With a guy?" 

Jeevika gave up. It's like he was never going to listen to her. She remembered this one time where somebody said that this guy looked exactly like him and that he could be his brother. She'd never seen him get so angry. 

"Yes. Mannu's in love and he belongs in the male category with you." He shook his head, "We are talking about the same Maanvi here right?" She shoved him, "Why? Can't she fall in love?!" "Jeevika, be serious. This is the same Maanvi who egged me on the first day for helping you." She couldn't help but burst out laughing, "Okay, it's surprising but anything is possible." 

Viren weaved his way through the cluster of families who were sharing goodbyes to the residing students. Sadness overwhelmed him, he had to say his goodbyes at home as there was too much risk of getting noticed. He wished he could be like one of those students who had a family to say goodbye to on campus.

"Bhai!!" He turned around to see his younger brother run towards him. "How the hell did you get here?!" "Drove your car." "You did WHAT!!" "I'm 16 and that's not the point." His brother looked distressed, so he overlooked it this time. "What's wrong Champ?" His brother didn't say anything, instead he hugged him. "Bhai, please don't go. Stay at home, why do you have to stay at campus." Viren pulled out of the hug and held on to his Champ's shoulder, "You're almost taller than me and yet you're hugging me like you're five years old. And you know Pop's rules, we have to attend uni as normal kids, no money, no status, no advantages." 

His grandfather was strict like that, they were to attend uni without anything, even without their surnames. So here he was known as Viren Singh, not Viren S. Vadhera, heir to the famous family of the unbeaten barristers and supreme judges. It was only fair like that. 

"Fine. Go, leave me alone.." "Champ, you'll be here in two years." "What if I don't, then what?" "Come on, don't say that," he tried consoling him but it was useless, he wasn't ready to accept it. "Bhai, just this once break the rules. Please, don't go. I can't, I need, Bhai please." Viren knew what his brother was trying to express even though he couldn't finish his sentences; he was never good with words. "Look Champ, I'm not going anywhere, I'm still here, in Massachusetts, you can come visit." "No I can't!! You think Pops will let me." "Then call, Skype, webcam, there's a million ways for you to contact me." "It won't be the same." Viren knew it wouldn't be the same but he was helpless. His brother shook off his hands and rubbed his tears, "What if this is the last time you ever see me Bhai? Would you still leave?" 

Back then Viren didn't take his words seriously, he now wished he had, he failed to realise his younger brother was broken from the inside and he lost him. "I'm sorry Champ," he watched his brother walk away from him, and that was it, he was gone, forever.

Jeevika on the other hand was enjoying her first day in campus, especially because she was here with her Mannu. "Everything's twice the size here, isn't it?" Maanvi who was 16 back then nodded. "I bet the guys and their egos are twice the size as well." Jeevika ignored that comment, there was no changing her sister's mind, she realised it was much better to agree with Maanvi, then argue and risk her shutting everyone out. "What's our dorm number Di?" 

She dug her hands in to her pockets, she was so preoccupied in looking for the sheet of paper that she wasn't looking where she was going and slipped. Call it fate or luck, but as she was about descend on to a painful contact with the ground, a hand grabbed hers and and an arm steadied her back. "Are you okay?" Jeevika, big believer of fairy tales and true love, got lost in to his deep, chocolate eyes. "I...Erm...actually..number.." "Hi, I'm Viren by the way. I'm guessing you're name isn't actually number?" She shook her head, "Jeevika." She felt woozy when he smiled at her, "Well, nice to meet you, Jeevika." Now you see this would've been the perfect story to continue from when you sit your kids down one day and start with the sentence of "How I met your mother.." but that wasn't possible, not when Maanvi stood within a radar of five metres.

Viren wasn't lost in her beauty, more like he was found. He probably would've kept holding on to her like that if it wasn't for the flying eggs coming his way. "Let go of my sister you jerk." Splat one. "Are you deaf or what!?" Splat two. "I said let go before I fry these eggs on your face!" Splat three, four and, five. He let go of Jeevika, and turned to face the egg thrower. It was a teenage girl, same age as his brother. "I was just helping.." She rolled her eyes, "Sure you were," bitterness flavoured her tone. "Mannu, it wasn't his fault," "And you Di, I mean you can't just stand or in your case lay in an acute angle to the ground, mute!! It just encourages retards like him." 

Ouch that hurt, first jerk then retard. "Jeevika, Mannu." She gritted her teeth, "Don't call me that." He put his hands up, a sign of peace, "Look Jeevika's sister, I was just helping, I have no bad intentions, trust me I'm studying to become a lawyer." Jeevika smiled at him, his pulse raced, "You're here to study law?" He nodded, "Yup after I do my Undergrad, I'm applying to Law School here, why?" "Us too. Maanvi already has her admission, she's really smart." He watched Maanvi roll her eyes, "Di, you cant just announce it to random people!" "Mannu, he's not a random people, be nice." He didn't know why that made him extremely happy back then, but a year later when he realised he loved her, it became kind of obvious. Unfortunately, in those five years, four in which him and Jeevika were a couple, he never managed to win Maanvi's trust. However, she didn't egg him, or give him cold glares, like she did with the other guys, so he guessed it was a good thing. 

"Viren, Viren," he felt Jeevika shake him. "Hm, what? "Where are you lost?" He pushed open the doors to the car park, "You know, I still don't understand where your sister got those eggs from?" She laughed and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "Ask her yourself the next time you see her." He liked the idea but he liked staying alive too so he decided not to ask. "Viren why are we standing here, that's not your car." He turned to face her, it was time to be honest, "Actually, it is." She looked confused, "Since when do you own a Bentley Continental GT??" He unlocked the doors, "Yh, I have something to tell you. Get in, it's a long drive."

*Biopsy : Is a procedure where a thick needle is inserted in to the hip bone and bone marrow is extracted for testing. Viraat is having a Biopsy in order to determine what Leukemia he is forced to fight with. (Incase you didn't know. I don't blame you if you didn't, I didn't notice Maanvi getting a biopsy, it's not required, but most of the times it is. They just gave her blood cancer. They didn't even bother to classify it. And cured?? Really?? At least say remission, or EFS. I'm sorry for being a prick, it just bothers me, I guess in that sense I have a tiny, just a tiny bit if OCD. Then again who doesn't ??)

And coming to this chapter, I am a first time writer, so obviously this is the first time I had to describe a kiss. If it wasn't up to the mark, sorry.

Another thing, if I told you that I have another idea brewing in my mind (Not perfect mistakes related), what would you say? 

Thanks for reading, as always

Ava :)