Present
3rd December, 2010, 5:50 AM, Udaipur.
Sun was sneaking between the parting of land and sky, birds turning their way back home. Home one word that meant nothing for him standing in the old wrecked window in the abandoned shed. Abandoned like him, or maybe on his own will. His phone vibrated in his pocket breaking his trance from older memories. Memories he didn't wish to recall, memories that will only welcome guilt.
Without looking away from the golden scenery he fished out his phone and unlocked it. His eyes watered the next moment reading the displayed message.
"It's a boy!"
He sucked in a sharp breath holding back his tears and kept the phone back, shutting the window pane with a thud, almost ripping apart it's hinges.
***
Flashback
2nd February, 2009, 10:46 AM, Jaipur.
Randhir was sipping on his mug upon the railing when he saw Sanyukta drying up her dresses in balcony. He then caught glimpse of Heena exiting her home, Siddhaqui House . Heena came to Agarwal house and directly to Sanyukta's room. He kept his mug of coffee aside and Watched them closely, he read Heena's lips for asking Sanyukta to accompany her somewhere, he now wanted to hear their conversation, he started walking near them slowly, but still not audible. Then Heena caught him staring at them, she signaled Sanyukta to look around and she did, she saw him standing behind them, he immediately turned around. She scowled at him in anger.
" Chal Heena, lets not waste time here after these idiots. " , she tied her mane into her ponytail grabbed her dupatta and satchel walked along with Henna.
Randhir himself then went inside and grabbed his shirt, Kunal who was still lazing around looked in his direction. But Randhir was long gone by then.
***
Sanyukta could almost feel someone behind her, that feeling when you're being chased. Either it's in your head or real but you do know when footsteps follow you. Sanyukta's gut told her the same. Even though Henna kept chattering about the exhibition they were going to see but Sanyukta was hardly paying attention to it. Her mind was pretty much occupied in deciphering the intruder.
" Sanyu! Chal na Rickshaw lete hai, Jawaharkala Kendra , bhot door hai. ", Heena suggested.
"Hmmm! " she was walking but This was the fourth time she turned around and found no one,
"Sanyukta kya hai?" Heena asked shaking her forearm.
"Kuch nai" she told her.
"Kuch toh hai, tu baar baar kisey dhundh rahi hai?"
"Kisi koi bhi nai"
"Rehaan bhai toh bahar gaye hain" Heena upped her brows teasing Sanyukta who instead frowned and moved away huffing.
Whatever it was she won't look back, jo hona hoga dekha jayega, she told herself.
***
"We're here." Heena spoke excitedly while getting down from the Rickshaw as they reached the art and handicraft mela.
Sanyukta looked around, it was a huge campus, small artificial huts all over based on village them where people were selling and buying things, things those were pieces from local artisans. The intricate work splendidly done on many bases. Be it pottery, cloth, embroidery, wall art, stone, slate, mud what was not there. There was a section for books and food as well. Sanyukta could see Heena excited to choose some chikankari cloth. The girls made their way slowly through the stalls.
"Wait wait.." Sanyukta held Heena's arm, "Hum aise bhaag kyun rahe hain?", she asked.
"Arey yaar I want to see it all", Henna told her smiling.
"But apne paas pura din hai, we can see it today and tomorrow as well" , she spoke.
"Rehaan bhai will be back in an hour .", Heena told Sanyukta, she knew Rehaan's protective nature and shrewd thought for not letting Heena out, "So I want to see as much as I can.", she pouted.
"Okay!", Sanyukta agreed, "But I won't go back anytime sooner" , she told her.
"Koi baat nai... You come back as you want" , Heena told her simply.
They ended up on a mirror work shop when Heena shuffled through some bags.
Sanyukta picked up a beautiful vase lined with mirror pieces, she was watching it closely when she found his reflection in it. It was him standing right in the far corner holding the book to his face.
Sanyukta rolled her eyes, how she wanted to go there right then and give him a piece of mind but with Heena next to her she couldn't waste her time.
***
Heena moved to next stall when Sanyukta saw him following over her shoulder, she on purpose turned immediately and he turned back. She saw him holding the same vase she was looking at in the previous shop.
Henna practically jumped watching a jewelry stall, she grabbed a few earrings while Sanyukta picked up for herself too. She was checking out herself in mirror when she saw him making face. She kept those down and picked up the other ones, getting them billed for.
She then turned around and caught him buying that Vase which he left there.
A few moments later when Heena was about to walk away, Sanyukta kept back the pair of earrings which she bought and exchanged them for the ones Randhir was frowning at. She wasn't going to go for his liking not at least when he's stalking her.
She walked further and again slyly looked at him behind from the corner of her eye. He was again buying those earrings which he chose for her. she was irritated. " yeh mere liye kyon yeh sab kharid raha hai? ", she asked to herself.
A sudden idea popped to her mind, if he is buying everything to her liking, she should be a big spender then.
From next kiosk onwards, Sanyukta chose the expensive most pieces and bargained on them. Every damn crazy thing she could get her hands on and maybe she didn't even need them ever.
An antique hookah, a lantern, an earthen pot with glass work,. Some more blue pottery, earrings, a few dupattas.
All were taken by him.
"Sanyukta..." Heena practically shrilled halting them mid way, " I should go yaar bhut late ho gya h bhai aate honge"
"Theek hai, Henna tum jao aur agar maa puchein to kehdena main 2 hours tak ajayungi" Sanyukta patted her shoulder seeing off.
***
When Heena was out of sight, Sanyukta practically did a ninja move and caught Randhir standing behind a kiosk in reflex he turned around.
"Tum! What are you doing here?" She held his collar shoving him away from public view.
"Sanyukta..." he tried sounding innocent, "Jo yaha baaki sab kar rahe hain wahi main kar raha hu"
"Oh! Really? Don't act innocent in front of me. You are following me I know.", she gritted her teeth more.
He looked down at his collar she was still holding, he was seriously appreciated the girl, no one in this world has ever dared to clutch his collars but this girl has guts. He then looked at her. his eyes grew dark. He was still not liking it. he scowled at her asking her to leave them right then but she was more stubborn than him. Even she had started scowling. They both looking directly looking into eachother's eyes showing their rage to each other, scaring each other with that look.
His heart started running fast, he felt something weird inside him. something was pulling him, pulling him towards her, he didn't know about what she was feeling but his heart became uncontrollable looking into those eyes. And finally he blinked then gulped, clutched her small wrists and pushed her behind. She again came near him in rage but he showed her his index finger.
" Don't. " , he warned her.
She somewhere got scared of him and stopped.
" why are following me? ", she asked adjusting her dupatta.
"Tumse kisne kaha?", he smirked.
"Maine dekha", she spoke loosening her grip over her dupatta.
"Agar dekha toh bulaya kyun nahi" , his smirk got converted into a sweet smile teasing her.
"Main tumhe kyun bulayun? Main apne kaam se ayi hu yaha" she reasoned back.
"Toh main bhi apne hi kaam se aya hu...Ab agar tumhari partner bhaag gayi toh tum mujhe pakadne agyi?", he grinned
"Shut up!" She frowned, his audacity. First he follows and then he shows that dumb attitude, "Urgh" she sweared.
"Sanyukta" he kept his poly bags down while she looked at him in disbelief
"why have you bought these?" she eyed his buy
"oh! You are so manners less. Is this a question to ask? Still I must tell you that I liked them so bought them. do you have any problem with that? Huh!" he told her simply.
"Nahi tumne yeh sab isliye liya hai kyunki yeh main choose kiya tha" she narrowed her eyes.
"Agar aisa hota toh yeh sab tumhare paas hota.", he smirked back at her.
"Ho hi nahin sakta...Why do you need all this?", she questioned him back.
"For my business. ", he told her.
"What business?", she kept her hands on sides of her waist and started her 20 questions
"Restaurant... I'm about to set up here." ,he told her still smiling, how she wanted to wipe it off.
"Where?", shot another question.
"Usi ki details keh raha tha jab tumne mujhe khopche mein ghaseet liya", he told her rolling his eyes.
"Tum zyada smart mat samjho...Sab jhooth bol rhe ho I know you", she huffed.
"O really? " , Randhir stepped forward, while she was too engrossed to register.
"I will see you" , she sounded irriated.
"I'm right here baby", he caught her waist and looked straight into her eyes, hers widened when she realised his arm encircling her waist.
"Choro mujhe", she wiggled in his clasp.
"Jab maine kaha tumne nahi chora ab mai kyun tumhari sunu?", he reasoned calmly.
"Main shor machayungi", she told him narrowing her brows.
"Lekar toh tum mujhe ayi ho... Logon ne to yehi dekha hai" , he smirked while her jaw dropped, what was on his mind? Chasing her, flirting with her, exactly what did he want?
His mind registered their position. When did things get so comfortable around her he never knew. He was literally flirting to a girl, even when earlier he was supposed to go on his previous missions involving girls he would fail but here things were differen, the didn't have to put in much it all came naturally with him. Randhir felt a sudden vibration in his pocket when Sanyukta pushed herself out of his clutches.
"Apna phone pakdo mujhe nahi" , she huffed and walked away while Randhir received Kunal's call.
***
Sanyukta reached back home and emptied her buy on her bed, closing door behind. She saw a few things she brought along with another packet. She opened it to find the same black semi precious stone earrings she returned the last moment, her eyes fell onto another thing in the packet. It was the dupatta she didn't buy. Sanyukta felt a smile cross her face replaced by the frown next moment. When did he do this? when did he put these into her bag?
Her mind registered the time when he pulled her near, it must have been then. "Argh" she stomped her foot, she won't take these! Already wasn't brassier enough? Wait she won't even take that?
Stupid guy always evoking her blood pressure... huh
Sanyukta shoved the things back into the packet and walked out of her room towards terrace, she wasn't in mood of favours. She was fuming in anger and marched towards his room.
***
She knocked on the door only to find Kunal opening it.
"where is Randhir?", she asked really rude.
"he isn't here.", Kunal spoke rubbing his eyes.
"then where is he?", she asked her another question.
"why should I tell you?", Kunla frowned.
"Mat btao... Yeh btao wapis kab ayega?" , She asked crossing her arms to her chest.
"Dekho main uska PA nai hoon theek hai!", Kunal told her and turned away closing the door to her face.
"Huh mat btao...Bandar", Sanyukta cursed and went away by the time he would appear back with his take.
***
"Rehaan, tu mila unse?" , Rehaan's mother asked coming to his room, keeping the glass of milk on his desk.
"Haan Ammi", he smiled.
"Kya kaha unhone?", she asked.
"Woh Ahmed ke haath bhejenge agla consignment", Rehaan told her patting his mother's hand.
"Tere Abu toh bhut khush hain... Hum iss baar kuch nai bigarne denge", she told him patting back his hand.
"Ami... Aap fikar na krein... Aap bass kuch dino ka intezar krein... hum inshallah iss par Jaipur ko ek chota sa tohfa zarur denge", he assured her mother.
"Ahmed ne kal ek kagaz Heena ke haath bheja tha... woh padhliya tha tumne?", his mother asked caressing her son's forehead.
"nahi Ammi! Mein Heena ka hi intezar kar raha ho, Tohfa kab aur kaha dena hai voh wahi likha hai...", he stood up to get it but his mother patted her shoulder and made him sit back
"Tu baith main Heena ko bulaati hu, vo Sanyukta ke sath thi." she told him and went away while Rehaan kept looking at his usual scene, Sanyukta's balcony.
***
Vidushi was talking on the phone while crossing the street, just then her gaze fell on Parth who was coming from the opposite side, wearing his as usual scowl on his forehead, completely ignoring her while crossing her. she didn't like the fact that he didn't notice The Vidhushi. She hung her phone and turned around.
" Parth! PARTH! Ruko naa. " , she called him.
Parth stopped. His expression suddenly changed into irritation, " Agayi, kaha fasa diya Randhir." , he rolled his eyes and turned around giving her a fake broad smile.
" hi Vidhushi. " , he waved his hand.
She came to him running, couldn't balance herself don't know intentionally or unintentionally and bumped into him. he made a face but she didn't detach herself from him. she clutched him tighter burying her face into his chest. He was getting more and more irritated. He looked around and saw everyone was gawking at them. he was embarrassed. Parth Baba Sharma Gaye .
" what are you doing Vidhushi? Everyone is looking at us. ", he spoke helplessly.
" I don't care Parth, I really like you. ", she replied looking into his eyes.
" huh! Vo vo... itna jaldi? Chodo mujhe. ", he got scared of her inside. what kind of a girl she was? He had goosebumps all over his body. first of all, he had to chase her, then she is very clingy that he could lose his Izzat anytime, what would he do now? Parth Baba yeh vidhushi namak ladki tujhe kha jayegi, nikkalle beta. he thought to himself.
" Vidhushi! I have some work ha. Bye. " , he said while pushing her finally succeeded in detaching her from him. he felt like breathing then.
" Aree Parth! Ruko. " , she pleaded.
" Bye okay bye. ", he said stepping back, he turned around ran away from there saving his izzat .
She stomped her feet and went away.
Randhir witnessed the whole scene from the end of the street He was laughing at Parth. Parth came near him and found him laughing.
" It wasn't funny. ", he again formed his trade mark scowl at his forehead and glared at Randhir.
" well it was. " , Randhir teased him.
" this girl is impossible, I cannot handle her. " , Parth told.
" its not my problem, you have to do it. " , Randhir smirked.
" she can do anything anytime Randhir, you handle her. " , he tried to put her on Randhir.
Sanyukta was reading her book when she saw Randhir and Parth standing around the corner, her blood literally boiled remembering his guts today. Without wasting more moments she walked right out of her house next minute, passing the street and reaching to them.
" then who will handle her sister? I am already taking care of her. " , Randhir informed.
" you give Sanyukta to me and take Vidhushi, at least she would be better than this Vidhushi. " , he said abruptly but left a huge impact on Randhir. He was shocked and somewhere angry. In all this drama, he had started feeling a sense of ownership on Sanyukta. she was his now. how can he give her to someone else, though it was all for a mission for which they were here but still she was his and no bloody can take her from him. aise kaise dede, koi toffee hai kya ki mujhe meri acchi nahi lagi to teri dede.
" you just do what you have asked for. Do not interfere in my matter.", he warned.
" what is your problem? We can exchange the girls, no? " , he sounded frustrated.
Randhir clenched his fist tight in anger, why cant this Parth understand? Why was he becoming so adamant?
" she is all mine, okay! And I don't want any further discussion. ", he turned around to leave the place in anger." Apni dede, aya bada. " , he huffed.
"Randhir wait, I have an information. " Parth patted his shoulder .
Randhir turned around, " what information? " , he scowled.
" Nothing." , he smiled watching Sanyukta come towards them, "She's coming towards us..."
"Who?", Randhir upped his brows in askance.
"Sanyukta..." Randhir nodded hearing her name and Parth took a fast exit from there.
"Tum chahte kya ho akhir?", she grabbed his collar in the next minute, her eyes furious, her face spitting rage. Randhir was taken aback by her sudden outburst. That was too much, worst then Parth's encounter with vidhushi. Wow Wow Wow, Ek behen ake gale lagti hai aur dusri ake gala dabati hai. , he thought to himself. But that wasn't unacceptable by him, she had clutched his collars his collars , that too in front of everyone that too once again. Once again a sin committed by her.
" leave me Sanyukta, I swear next time you do it, you will have to pay for it. ", he warned her. he was very angry on her.
" first you answer me. ", she was completely lost in him, that she had forgotten about the people who were looking at them and making fun of them.
He clutched her hand, pushed her coming out of her clutch but still holding her wrist. He gave her last glare and dragged to Agarwal House through the whole street.
" Randhir! Leave me. I said LEAVE ME RANDHIR!! " , she was trying to remove his hand from her wrist but his grip was too tight that her strength was nothing in front of it.
She kept on screaming at him but he remained indifferent, he kept on dragging her. with each passing second his grip on her small wrist was becoming tighter and his anger was rising higher.
His jaws were clenched hard and her eyes became moist due to high pain. But she didn't give up she kept on scratching, pinching, biting his wrist but he bore all the pain but didn't let go of her.
They finally reached the house.
" Maa! Papa! Bhai! kaha ho ap sab? Randhir! This is my house, leave me right now, papa ne dekh liya to tumhari khair nahi. " she warned him which left no affect on him, luckily or unluckily there was no one in the house, he still dragged her to his room and pushed her hard on his bed due to which she fell directly on it. he then immediately closed the door behind.
She was panting, all her hair was on her face, she was completely messed up, she shifted all her hair behind her face and looked at her wrist, it had his finger marks, it was paining badly, it was bruised red. She then looked at him with her moist red eyes filled with tears. He was still glaring at her. he was trying to hold himself back, he was so angry that he could do anything with the lady but she was not in a mood to leave him. she lift herself off the bed and ran towards him and attached his hair.
" you, monkey, rascal, animal, *#(@))R)%(#()@)@$%%^#@@@ " , she spoke everything to him.
His patience was gone now. it was his turn. He held her wrists again and pinned her to the wall. She was trying her to come out of his grip but his hold became very tight.
" Chodo mujhe", she shouted in anger.
" how dare you hold my collars that too in front of everyone? ", he spat.
" you know what? You deserve it. tum samjhte kya ho apne ap ko? Aise mujhe vo sab saman dediya, even road side Romoes are better than you. and you think that I will be scared of you if you get me here. Randhir! You are completely wrong. Just wrong. DARTI NAHI HOO ME TUMSE. Bohot ladke peete hai mene tumhare jaise.", she replied.
" How dare you say that to me? You find me a Road side Romeo, and what did you just say? Bohot ladke peete hai tumne, so that means I should be scared of you? Right? ", he taunted.
" yes, you don't know me isiliye esa bol rahe ho, haath chodo fir batati hoo. " , she replied challenging him.
" itna hi dum hai to khud chudwa lo. " , he counter challenged her.
" soch lo Randhir, you will regret it afterwards. " , she warned.
He smirked in response.
His hands were holding her wrists up high over her forehead pinning over the wall behind her, his torso for touching her torso covering her fully.
She smirked at him again and lifted her knee in full force hitting just in the middle of his legs, the only proof of him being HE . he left her immediately and held himself. He could see the stars in the day light. The pain was unbearable for him, Nani Dadi sab yaad agayi. . he took a few steps back but finding it difficult to balance himself. Sanyukta was standing there smirking at him, but she wasn't done yet, she looked at her wrist again which was still paining.
Sanyukat still wasn't satified, she gave in another kick from ehr knee that hit his abdomen hard. There was a major damage done for surr.
She converted her palm of that hand into a tight fist and walked upto him. he looked at her but couldn't leave himself, the pain was too much. Her smirk was replaced by high anger and she gave him a tight punch on his nose.
He lost his senses for a few seconds then. She directly hit his nose due to which his eyes started spinning and his vision got blurred. He tried to open his eyes wide but was finding it difficult. He left himself and held his head. She was still filled, not realizing his condition, she pushed kicked him down and sat on his torso, he had no energy to fight with her, he was losing his consciousness.
" kaha than na, bhot ladke mare hai mene. " , she clutched his collar from her left hand and punched his nose again with her right fist, tears escaped out of his eyes, his body had stopped working, he was just looking into her angry eyes. She came off him and stood up. Adjusted herself, he was lying completely motionless on the floor.
" NEVER EVER MESS WITH ME. " , she showed him her tiny index finger and left the place.
Soon his nose started bleeding, his vision got dark and he collapsed right then due to unbearable pain.
***
Present
4th December, 2010, Jaipur.
Sanyukta felt something unusual laying back there in her hospital room, her eyes were closed shut. No matter how hard she tried to open them, she couldn't. They were shut closed in tighter force than she could to open them.
Her mind registered somebody's presence, she could feel someone near her, someone in her cabin. Her mind still rationalising over the vibes and smell she could feel in vicinity. Was he there? Was he near her?
A few moments later she heard the tinkling sound of her baby's chime. Sanyukta tried hard to open her eyes and see if she was right but something snatched her power to do so. Was it her never ending dream or her powerful most hallucination about him being near her?
Sanyukta felt calm as she felt someone entwining into her fingers, she was familiar to that touch, it was him. Maybe it was her hallucination, it might be a dream or a nightmarebut she could feel him near her and that was more than enough for her. She felt the warmth rising as his fingers slipped across her palms. Her features relaxed, she pressed her palm to his tightly. When the next moment she tried to clutch his palm tighter it was gone.
Her dream ended, Sanyukta sprang opened her eyes. There was no one in the room or near her baby.
"Randhir..." she uttered with tears brimming in her eyes, he was here she knew he was here. It wasn't her dream.
Hearing her commotion her mother woke up from her sleep, she was sleeping right on the couch near her.
"Maa... yaha koi aya tha?" ., Sanyukta asked in confusion
"Nai bache... Raat ke 12 baje hain.. Itni raat ko kaun ayega?" , Anju calmed her daughter caressing her forehead
"Par maa..." , Sanyukta tried reasoning but it never worked, she knew how much people around her hated him...
***
When the morning sun peeped Sanyukta woke up to find a chit near her hand, it was blank firstly so she thought of throwing it away. But her mind registered the fact that it was right near the hand she felt his hand upon. Could it be from him? But why was this blank then?
Before her mind could think further nurse came in with her medicines.
Sanyukta kept it on the table and gulped down the medicines with orange juice. Her half empty glass sat back as she made her way towards washroom.
Upon returning as she was about to sit, her elbow hit the glass and it spilled over the table wetting the chit as well.
Sanyukta called in for ward boy to clean up, before he could come her eyes fell on the chit. It held a colour on it.
On opening it she found "Aksh" on it. He was here last night, she was right. He came here to meet his son. HE is around... Sanyukta's heart felt content. But where was he now? was he okay or not? Many questions ran through her mind but she was happy that he came there to meet his son and her, also gave his Son a name, Aksh.
" Aksh. " , she said in her low voice and smiled looking at the baby sleeping in the cradle.
***
Edited by Gunseerat - 10 years ago
Kaise Mujhe Tum Mil Gaye
Cricket
Seher Hone Ko Hai
