She bestowed  her gaze to the far off horizon, the mystical hues of the sky melting into the ocean like a divine painting. The forever stretching sea is masked with  navy blue colour, that beautiful umber flowing into turquoise. Through narrowed eyes she watched as each wave overlaps one another, sending the white bubbling crests descending, masking the shore with the transparent fading water.

                          
The dark sky was tranquil. She thought it was made of velvet and embroidered with countless stars. Those stars illuminated the darkness and her fears crumbled to dust beneath her feet. The words, the lies, the hatred, the failures--they now lingered at a distance. She was reminded that wounds would eventually heal into scars, some of the permanent, some of them not. No longer did she stand in the shadow of the past. Instead, she stepped forward in hope of reaching the stars one day. 

                          
She could feel how Veer's arms were wrapped around her. Possessive and protective at the same time. Worried that she might start over thinking again. Careful that he does not hurt her. 

                          
"Bani tum theek ho naa?" 

                          
Bani did not say a word at that moment but Veer just pressed a kiss in her hair. 

                          
The way he held her in the darkness felt like a little touch of heaven, cozy. She wished she could extend the night just so she could stay close to him for a little longer, safe . Veer's arms  bring a peace she had never known before, a calming of the storms in her heart. It was him that gave her hope for the future. He said he got her back and so she started to believe that there is nothing out there to fear, that all there is is sunshine, beautiful trees and kind people. 

                          
"Main theek hoon Veer". She said. She leaned in and lay her head on his chest. It felt like the most natural thing to do. She could feel his heart pounding in his chest...duh-duhn, duh-duhn. 

                          
"Sach bataao Bani, pyaar karne lagi ho na mujhse?" 

                          
"Pata nahi. Shaayad. Thoda thoda sa." Bani wanted to be so careful about what she said because Veer is a kind hearted person. She knows that either she can love him the right way or lose him. Can she love him? She can try. Can she lose him? No. 

                          
"Main tumse jhoot nahi bolungi Veer, Pyaar ke khayaal se hi darr lagne laga hai mujhe. Yeh soch ke ghabra jaati hoon ke kahi khudko itni chot na pohocha doon ke sambhalna hi mushkil ho jaaye." She is reminded of every memory of Jay as she speaks. 

                          
"Tumhaare pass rehkar iss ehsaas ko samajhne lagi hoon. Pyaar woh nahi hota jo humme baandh ke rakhe, zimmedaariyon ka ehsas dilaayen. Pyaar toh woh hota hai... Jo dil ko sukoon de, zindagi ko samajhne ka ek nazariya de. Khushi de." Will she be able to explain this feeling? 

                          
"Apne aap ko thoda waqt do Bani. Aur apne dil ki awaaz ko sunne ki koshish karo. Kyonki main tumhaare dil ki awaaz ko sunn bhi raha hoon aur samajh bhi raha hoon." Veer assured her. 

                          
“Meri itni parwah mat karo Veer. Main toh iss laayak bhi nahi hoon. Tumhaare jazbaaton ke saath zyaatti hogi. Mera itna khayaal rakhne ki koshish mat karo. Agar main tumse kabhi sachha pyaar kar hi nahi paayi toh? Mujhe tumhara dil nahi dukhana.” She disrespected him, threatened him and kept pushing him away. Wouldn’t it be easier for him to just let her go.

                          
“Aage chalkar kya hoga iske baare mein mat socho. Khudko itna pareshaan mat karo Bani. Mat socho ke tum mere laayak nahi ho, mat socho ke tum mujhse pyaar nahi kar paaogi. Sab ulti seedhi baatein hai, galat hai, jhoot hai.” Veer knew that he would do anything and everything in his power to save Bani even if it meant to save her from herself. 

                          
“Toh sach kya hai Veer?” Bani pleaded. 

                          
“Iss pal ka sabse bada sach yahi hai Bani ke hum dono ek doosre ke saath hai. Toh saath milkar iss pal mein thodi si khushiyaan dhund lete hai. Kal ko kal handle kar lenge.” Saying that he got up and helped Bani get up as well. 

                          
“Aisa kyon kar rahe ho Veer? Please mat karo.” Bani requested Veer. She did not know if she could offer him anything other than the  shards of her broken heart and emptiness. 

                          
“Main aisa isiliye kar raha hoon sweet heart, kyonki main tumse bohot pyaar karta hoon.” Veer held her face in his hands and bared his soul. Bani was overwhelmed. This was not the first time he was expressing his love for her but this time he did it in such a way that she wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe in this relationship. She truly wanted to give this marriage a chance. 

                          
In Bani, Veer saw the chance for the  kind of love they say does not exist anymore. The type that spans far longer than one lifetime. Veer wanted a love that is passion and determination, fire with earth, yet is also a serenity souls can dwell in forever. It is not the kind of love for mortals. He knows Bani needs time but he also knows that he will wait for her. He will help her heal even if it meant that sometimes it would hurt himself. It has taken courage for her to walk into the light after a lifetime of semi-shadows alone. Now she has him. 

                          
“Come on lets walk for a while.” Veer held her hand and turned to walk. Looking at the waves . 

                          
“Veer” She called him. 

                          
“Haan sweet heart” He looked back at her. 
                          
“Happy birthday “

                          
“Thank you”