You Are Beautiful In My Eyes

You are beautiful in my eyes

Party was in full swing. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the live music that was playing. People were either on the dance floor or engaged in cozy conversation. Shriya took a glance around; no familiar face in this crowd, a sense of boredom overpowered her. She tried to find Rishabh in this crowd, when suddenly spotted him. There he was! Grooving to the latest hits, he was matching steps with two girls from his staff. Shriya waved to grab his attention but he seemed too occupied to notice her. Both of the girls were wearing bright eye shadows and dark lipsticks. With tight clothes that seemed a bit undersize to Shriya both women were giggling as if they are like free birds, away from any burden of life. A sense of dejection and lowliness daubed her heart.” Am I jealous? No, I am not unwanted here, I have come with my husband.” she thought to herself.

With a deep sigh she took her drink from table. She knew how hard a party bird her husband was and he was enjoying the party very much, he always used to. It is the Shriya only who was not much enthusiastic, though she was quite aware of this thing. He was not a selfish husband but he just loved attending social get-togethers. Like every year, this year also company was throwing a lavish party on New Year ’s Eve.

Unintentionally she was checking her mobile when suddenly heard someone calling out her name; she turned back to see. A woman decked up in a cream colour saree with golden embroidered border color wearing heavy makeup and gaudy jewelry.

"Hi, Shriya" the lady said smilingly looking at her and grabbed a seat next to Shriya.

Shriya returned the smile "Hello Amritaji, how are you maam?"

“Oh come on don’t call me ma'am, I might be just a couple of years older than you. So you should call me by name right?"

“Okay then, Amrita” shriya said smilingly. Amrita was Risabh’s senior Vivek’s wife. Shriya had met her once before. Shriya found her a very cheesy woman, always gossiping, bitching around about people and it was not Shriya’s interest to poke her nose into someone else's affair. Amrita was on a non-stop talking spree while Shriya was hardly listening to her and  kept glancing now and then towards the dance floor.

"Don’t worry dear,a few more years of marriage and you will become used to of it.” Amrita caught Shriya’s concern.

What? Shriya pretended as if she had not understood.

“Nothing.“ Amrita chuckled.

Party went on till very late and when Risabh and Shriya retuned back home, Risabh was a bit high and Shriya was in very bad mood.

Shriya was a well-educated girl and unlike Risabh hailed from a small town with traditional upbringing. Rishabh and Shriyas’s marriage was fixed by their families. Post her marriage she came to live in a big city where Risabh was working in a corporate firm. Shriya was a simple looking yet charming girl.

Her dark long cascading hair would add the charm to her beauty. Her dressing sense was quite traditional even after she had come to a big city now and more than once she had felt lack of confidence because of her outdated and plain-Jane look, when she was out with her husband. Though Risabh never complained but Shriya always felt that inferiority complex about herself.

After Risabh left for office the next day, she stood in front of her dressing table, closely observing herself in the mirror. She thought for a few minutes and then lifted her purse and walked out of the house.

Riasbh came home early that day. Hiding a gift and a bouquet of roses behind him he rang the door bell. He was unaware of the surprises that Shriya was going to give him. After a few seconds a girl wearing short denim skirt with black crop top opened the door for him, with the puzzled look on his face Risabh hesitated for a moment when Shriya chirped “Hi.”

“Will he be mad at me?" Waiting for his reaction she thought, but he looked as though he was spellbound.

“Oh God It’s you? I could not recognize you!" he said without taking his eyes away from her.

What??? She held her breath.

“Superb” He exclaimed. Swirling around like a little girl, she indeed was looking gorgeous.

“For you” he presented flower and small box in such a dramatic way that she could not stop laughing.

What is the occasion? Delightfully she took a deep breath on flowers.

“You are the occasion. Risabh said dragging her close towards him. Their eyes met, Shriya felt a sensation rushing down her spine.

“Can I see what you have bought for me?"

“Sure honey," he said putting arm around her waist. Carefully she opened the box. Her eyes twinkled by the delicate piece of silver artifact adorned with while pearls inside the box.

A expensive hairclip for her, Shriya’s cheerfulness vanished the very moment. Risabh whispered sweetly in her ears “You like it? I knew you would, it will look beautiful on you. You were looking sad this morning so I thought to buy you a surprise gift but look, it’s me who is surprised now to see you in this new look."

"Hey! why are you wearing this stole, it is not going with your outfit!" he quickly pulled off the stole from her head. Rishabh got a shock of his life when he saw her pixy cut. She was looking different in very short hair. In disbelief touching her strands he cried out “what did you do to your hair?"

“I got them cut” she replied in mellowed voice.

“But why on earth did you cut your beautiful long hair? Didn’t you know how much I loved to see you? Especially when you used to set it loose and falling all around on your face, it just makes you more pretty, believe me”.

"But you never told me this before?"

"Why do I need to tell you, can’t you understand by yourself?"

"Uhhh ..But I thought you like girls with short hair."

"And what made you think so?"

Shriya couldn’t find words to put her feelings before him. How would he be able to understand her emotions? On many occasions she had noticed him stealing side glances at those stylish women and that always made her uncomfortable. But now she was feeling like as if she had been a fool. She did all this so just to impress her husband.

Seeing her tearful eyes he realized his mistake, it was not Shriya’s fault after all she simply wanted to win his heart. But the poor girl didn’t know that she had already won him by her innocence.

In the sweetest voice he said "Please don’t change yourself for the world. You are special for me and don’t compare yourself with other women. I love you the way you are and in my eyes you are the most beautiful woman of this world."

Tears of happiness rolling down her cheeks, Shriya was crying, in his strong embrace she had found her own world.