Part 12

"I really loved dancing, didn't I? I hope someday I will be able to dance once again like I used to. But I don't understand, why was my father against dancing?" she questioned, looking at Vivaan incredulously.

"Most of our beliefs do not actually have basis, Radha. We just embrace them as we are supposed to. Your father respected culture and tradition more than anything but he was averse to everything that was associated with love. Lasya- Tandaav, Raas-Lila, you name it, dance is one of the most surreal expression of love. How would he have accepted it? It's just probably something he had learned from his forefathers and embraced it. And some instances in his life had strengthened his beliefs, in almost a twisted manner. Struggle begins when we question the basis of everything and often people do not have enough strength or patience to do it," replied Vivaan, thoughtfully, whimsical smile playing on his lips as he reminisced giving the same explanation to Vrinda in the past.

"You really have an answer to every question of mine, don't you?" she asked, eying him intently as if he was the only thing to visible to her eyes, like the sight of his soothes her very soul.

Vivaan couldn't help but let his smile stretch further. The swirling pools of affection and passion in her eyes were igniting hope in his ravaged heart. Her slightly flushed cheeks, the naughty glint in her eyes and reflexive leaning towards him were reopening the dormant realms of his heart, which laid forgotten since their separation.

"I was wondering, why have I never met Daksh Bhai's Dad? I mean, he was very close to my father, according to everyone's anecdotes, then why haven't been introduced to him till now?" wondered Vrinda, pulling Vivaan out of his reverie.

"He feels that he is your culprit in some twisted way and does not allow anyone to convince him otherwise. He wants to meet you only after you learn everything about your past, when you will be in a position to accept or refuse his apology," answered Vivaan with a fond smile because his father had taken the same route as him, giving some solace that he was not all wrong.

"My culprit? How can Uncle be my culprit in any way?" countered Vrinda, confused profusely by Vivaan's choice of words.

"Like I said, it is his belief. If I reveal the reason, then the whole suspense about this book and your past would be erased. I don't think it should be revealed at this stage. I am sorry. Trust me, I am really eager for you to learn everything," replied Vivaan, taking his hand in between his as his eyes turned into pools of melancholy and angst.

In some other setting, Vrinda would have loved to tease Vivaan for citing the same reason over and over again but the potent potion brewed in his eyes managed to erase every hint of mischief from her heart which seemed to lament at his grief.

"And once I know everything, will I get to meet Vivaan, at least then?" she whispered in an anticipating tone, much to the surprise of the man in question.

He did not know whom he wanted Vrinda to choose - Vihaan or Vivaan. Regardless of her choice, he was aware that disappointment, agony, fury and heartbreak awaited her. It would torment her heart to realize, if she had begun to feel for Vivaan once again, that the one she had loved so passionately in the past and the one for whom her heart beats had betrayed her in the worst way possible and if she had fallen for Vihaan, she would antagonize him for hiding his identity and ostracize him for growing close to her using another identity.

While hiding his identity, his motive was to escape the quandary of exploiting her trust and drive her into maintaining the relationship they had left behind but he did not imagine that he would be caught in another quandary.

"You will," he answering, rising up from his position as he sought to avoid her scrutinizing gaze, only to be stopped by her grip on his hand, which was gentle but enough to stop him anytime, after all it was not in the power of her grip but the power she held over him and his heart.

"I don't know what I will say to Vivaan when I will meet him but let it remain to be seen. For now, let me speak my heart out to you. Vivaan and I might have shared the most scintillating love story in the past, Vihaan, but I have absolutely no memory of that. Every time I try to visualize things narrated by you or the ones in the book, I cannot help but visualize you instead of him. I had, in fact, hoped that we were lovers in the past but again, I have no control over my past and I am not sure about the future but I want my present to be beautified by your presence, and my heart soothed by your words. I don't know what you feel for me but a part of me says that you reciprocate my emotions, which I don't know if it is my optimism and hope speaking or my intuition. Tell me, Vihaan, just like you answer every question of mine, is it my intuition that you reciprocate my feelings or is it just my hope?" she demanded, baring her heart and soul in front of him.

She was caught in the quandary of betraying her past or choosing the present she craved for, and her heart had gone with the second option relentlessly. The flash of agony which crossed his face when she mentioned about Vivaan seemed to cement her belief that his heart held the same emotions for her and motivated her to confess her heartfelt emotions to the one who seemed to know her better than anyone else.

What would be Vivaan's answer?