How Love met Destiny

How Love met Destiny

Chapter 1

It was a celebration day for everyone at Ella Fashion Export House, with the successful end of the ‘India Fashion Expo Mart’ week and with new clients flowing in, David, Country Head, India, had thrown a party for all whose sweat and blood now deserved some alcohol & music. It was rare kind of a response from David, but after 4 months of preparation and two sleepless weeks, no one had the energy left to bitch anymore. Now it was party time.

Annya left the magnificent fashion show as soon as it was over. She felt too tired to party and went home. As she closed her eyes wishing sweet slumber, her phone rang loudly.
“Hi David”
“Annya, where are you?”
“I left after the show. Didn’t want to disturb, you seemed busy with all the clients and compliments.”
“Well, yes that’s true. So I’m seeing you at the party right?”
“Uhh, David it’s been a long week. I think I’ll pass.”
“No excuses. We work together and celebrate together. You know it’s at ‘F2’ right? See ya”
‘Well, ya ..I’
She dropped dead on her bed and woke up 4 hours later. It was 9pm, she quickly went through her closet and pulled a hot red dress, sexy and classy, the color flaunting her skin tone and the fabric hugging her at all the right places. The sleep had been good for Annya, her fair and now slightly tanned face was glowing. Her naturally chestnut brown hair fell gloriously over her shoulder asking not to be disturbed. She began getting the grove of the thumping music. This was one of the trademarks of Delhi’s nightclubs, they fill the room till you can’t even hear your own voice and she loved that. She got vodka with orange juice; it was the combination of good and bad together that had always attracted her and still did. The dance floor was crowded with lovers lost in each others eyes. She had been one of them once and now the site disgusted her, she smirked at them calling them fools who would soon be shaken by the reality. She felt suffocated like there wasn’t enough air in the room for her only and walked out to the balcony.
A hand tapped at her shoulder and she almost shrieked and was relieved to find it was Sherrie.
‘David’s making an important announcement. Get in.’
She joined the at the end crowd that was around David. After the ‘good work team’ speech, David said he had an announcement.
‘I want everyone to meet our new Fashion Photographer, Mr. Keith Thompson.’
She stood still like a statue and felt David pulling her by her arm to the center of the crowd.
‘And Annya is our new Senior Designer. Keith, Annya will also help you around. All the best and now lets party’
‘Hi Annya’
That voice, soft yet powerful, it cut through her skin. She turned around with her most controlled look and saw his face. He was still the same, deep soulful eyes, shining brown hair, almost perfect look with only a slightly crooked smile, which made him even better than perfect. She didn’t believe her eyes; she blinked and found him still there. It wasn’t her illusion, this was real. He was right beside her and she felt her knees go weak. How could he still control her and have such an impact on her? She believed she had moved on and grown stronger and immune to these stray and helpless feelings, only till now. She tried to breathe calmly and speak, but she lost the words. She turned away and released her stopped breath and her body shivered.

She got home with his voice in her ears and his face in her eyes. What now? She thought. She got into her quilts, but sleep and peace had left her behind. She lay there with eyes wide open and her mind drifted to 2 years back.

Chapter 2
She was a Fashion Design student at the International Fashion Institute, New Delhi. It was her dream career taking the first step into reality. She met Keith at her ‘Fresher’s Party’. He was a year senior & was studying Fashion Photography. She knew there were many hearts waiting for him, but he had chosen her for the ‘Senior’s Choice’ dance. They talked about their homes, ambitions & music choice. They laughed the entire night and her heart felt like it has met the one she deserved.

She remembered the night she had lost her virginity to him. They had been dating for 2 month now. After a tiring party they went back to his place. They had made out before, but it was when he moved his lips to the back of her neck that it started to take a different way. She made soft noises and he couldn’t stop himself. Like he was an addict and she his drug. She caressed his hair and their hands moved over each others bodies. He kissed her forehead and cheeks and eyes and lips. He was owning her, every part of her. He swept her off her feet and placed her on the couch, He locked her lips and his hands moved swiftly as he unbuttoned her shirt. She was wearing a blue lace bra, he kissed her breasts that were now puffed above the elastic seem and her soft moans told him she was loving it and wanted more. He slipped a hand below her back and unhooked her in seconds, He undid his shirt and lay over her now. She could feel him getting hard below. He teased her nipples till they became hard, she moaned now softly taking his name every time. He kissed her stomach and slipped out her trousers. He undid himself and put himself between her legs. She could feel him now and her hips started to rise. He kissed her lips and her breasts till her voice grew loud. Then, he took off the last pair of clothing that separated them, slipped on a condom and entered her. He moved with force and yet not hurting her, he pushed a little more into her every time, till he reached her depth and felt her entirely. She called his name again and again, her back was arched and legs tied around his waist. He moved fast and powerfully and then came in her. He rested his weight on her; they were out of breath and flushed red. Her hands spread over his back. This was the first and many more such nights had come.

The two years went by in a snap of fingers, running between deadlines and being at each others place every night. She always teased him that her family wouldn’t approve of him ever. After his final term, it was his last week before he left for his home to the States. She had another 6 months of internship to complete. They spent the entire week together, making love, chatting, laughing and making future plans. They couldn’t imagine a day without each other and this would be killing. He promised he’d call every single day and would be back before she knew it. He left with kisses and promises and she waited with hopes and memories.

He never called again. She tried his number, send emails, send letters but there was no response. She woke up till odd hours to find him online, but he never was. She didn’t understand. How could he do this? Why? Had he never loved her? Was it all fake? She tried for 5 months, till her family and friends told her to move on. She decided it was the last time she had thought of him. She had deleted all her e-mail & online accounts and had changed her number and address so she wouldn’t be reachable even if he wanted to. She would not wait anymore.

A year later, she got a request from him on facebook, his picture showed him in tucks with arms around a lady in a wedding gown. She couldn’t bear to hear anything about him, leave alone the news of his happy marriage. She had immediately discarded all traces that would find her.

Chapter 3
Lying on the bed those feelings and emotions stormed inside her and she was in tears again. She woke up in the morning with her eyes puffy and pillow still wet. She didn’t know what she was going to do but this was her life and now she would not let him spoil it, not again!

She managed the entire day without facing Keith, she was in meetings, out for lunch and at the showroom. Her last work for the day was to get David sign some papers. She rushed to her cabin and picked up the files in a hurry and they fell down. She sat down on her knees to pick the files and aw his hands helping her. Her heartbeat went slow, her face tightened and her mind was growing numb every second.
‘Will you never look at me?’
She looked up and replied in a monotone ‘I’m sorry Keith, if there is anything work related you may ask, else please leave’
‘But I want to talk to you, I have to apologize and tell you what happened, please just hear me out once. Just once Please!
She started walking towards the door.
‘I love you Annya, Please wait’
She had heard the words after so many years and wanted to believe them but couldn’t. He came and stood before her now and held her by her arms.
‘I know I have been gone long and you have all the reasons to be mad. But please just hear me out once’
‘Okay, I have only 5 minutes. Hurry up’
‘Listen, after my flight landed and I had my luggage checking, they found drugs in my bag. I was arrested and put in jail. My parents came down and tried their best to get me out but we had no proof it wasn’t mine. I knew if I called you then your parents would know and they would never approve me. After a year when the ‘Delhi Drug scandal’ happened, it was found that the person caught had been on the same flight that I was had come in and I was proved innocent. After I got out, I tried to reach you, but your number had changed. I wrote so many letters to you, so many emails but there was no response. Believe me I tried to find you. ,But I could not come back as my father got very ill and was on bed rest, I had to take care of his business and my family. After I settled things to manageable I decided to find you and tell you everything. Annya I love as I always did, Everyday I thought of you a million times. I still do.

Tears were running from her cheeks, she never believed in destiny and now she had to.
‘So you’re not married? The picture on your facebook account?’
‘That’s my sister in law. My younger brother got married last summer and that is what kept from getting me here last summer itself. ‘
‘So you’re not married? And you didn’t run away. But you could have come to find me, Oh your dad, but then why and you thought of my parents, I was just teasing you.’

Her feet felt unsteady.

He took her in his arms. He held her till she fell calm. He looked in her eyes and touched her cold cheeks. He took her face with his hands and pressed his lips to hers. Her heart came alive again and the pain was gone. The time had stopped and all was forgiven, her love was back, forever to be hers.