Part 3
"Man he was surely something" Sameer quipped as he sat sipping his soda with one hand and the other around Avni's waist warmly and her head resting on the side of his shoulder and her hands fidgeting with the buttons of his shirt "matlab?" she asked looking up "matlab ke roz roz koi aisa insaan dekhne ko nahi milta jo Damini ko usi ke attitude se jawab de sake aur uske gusse se bilkul na darre" "haan who toh hai, par mera maan na hai ke agar insaan apne kaam ki taraf focused ho aur sirf us par dhyan de toh use kisi se darr nahi lagega, aur jahan tak Prithvi ko dekho toh yahi lagta hai ke usme in cheezon ki koi kami nahi hai" "par yeh sab cheezen Damini ko impress karne ke liye kaafi hongi kya? Kyonki agar aisa nahi hua to who ek hafte se zyada yahan nahi tikne waala" Sameer replied and Avni sighed, it was almost impossible to impress Damini and she hated people who showed attitude in front of her. "Haan shayad tum theek hi keh rahe ho, ab toh sirf koi chamatkaar hi use Damini se bachaayega" "aur agar tum mujhe abhi ek kiss nahi dogi toh tumhe mujhse kaun bachayega?" Sameer added with a wink as he tightened his hold on her waist and moved towards her and she leaned backwards "dekho Sameer... Sameer please'" but no excuse or warning had an effect on him, finally then she closed her eyes in fear and waited for it to come. But when nothing happened till 5 minutes, she opened them and found Sameer looking lovingly at her "hey I promised you na that nothing will happen that is against your wishes didn't I?" he smiled in assurance at her, she knew Sameer was pure at heart but today his respect in her eyes had increased even more. She smiled back and then hugged him tightly "I love you Sameer" he kissed her forehead with love and said "I love you too" they parted and then he said "chalo I need to go home now warna maa phir se kahegi ke ladka shaadi se pehle hi biwi ka hogaya" and chuckled while Avni went deep red in the face, Sameer looked at her and smiled "hayye agar aise sharmaogi toh phir main jaa nahi paunga" she lowered her eyes and smiled which made Sameer grin harder, with a last bye Sameer turned to leave when he felt a tug on his wrist and turned confused only to see Avni holding his wrist and looking downwards . She breathed in deeply and looked up to see him looking confused at her, with a shy smile she moved towards him and slightly kissed his cheek. Sameer felt like on top of the world "agar main thodi der idhar aur ruka na toh phir kabhi ghar nahi jaa paunga" saying so he walked to the door of the house, but then suddenly turned, placed a swift peck on her cheek and ran away. Avni touched the place and smiled and walked to the doorstep to see him off, Sameer was sitting on his bike waiting for her to come out and shouted in joy like a small kid and gave her a flying kiss which she returned. Excitedly he started the bike and whooshed off while she warningly shouted at him to ride carefully and then smiled to herself when he was out of the sight "Pagal" she muttered to herself "tumhaara pagal" Sameer said in her ears from behind, shocked she turned to find no one. Slapping her forehead she closed the door and went inside with a smile on her face.
Here Sameer entered the house with a similar kind of stupid grin on his face and his palm on the place where she had kissed him and his mother asked him "kya hua beta daant me dard hai kya"? "daant me nahi dil me" he whispered involuntarily "kya?" his mother asked unable to get him "kuch nahi mom mujhe Avni se shaadi karni hai" he declared picking and twirling his mother happily "neeche utaar mujhe Sameer" she said angrily and Sameer put her down "aur yeh kya shaadi shaadi laga rakha hai, abhi pichle mahine hi tai hua tha ek tumhaari shaadi ek mahine baad hogi phir ab kya pagalpan hai yeh?" she asked and Sameer looked at the engagement ring he was wearing and smiled sheepishly and then walked into his room "yeh pagal pan nahi pyaar ka bukhar hua hai" his father said with a smile on his face "aur yeh koi nahi baat nahi hai, yeh pratha iske khoon me hai" he added side-hugging her "chodiye'" she poked him "aur kuch toh sikhaya nahi bas yeh pyaar ka bukhar hi mila apne bte ko bigaadne ke liye" "bigaada kahan begum sahiba, Avni jaisa heera chun kar nikaala hai aapke ladle ne. Ek hi toh sahi kaam kiya hai jispar main garv se keh sakun ke who naalayak mera beta hai".
But things were not so cool everywhere. While Roshni was thinking about Prithvi being her prince charming, Varun was fuming like anything "uski aankhen" Roshni suddenly spoke up and Varun looked at her "kiski?" he asked pretending to be unaware "uffo Prithvi ki aur kiski" Roshni rolled out irritated "kyun squint thi kya?" Varun asked hopefully as he knew that Roshni wanted a perfect Mr. Right for herself "Varun.." she called warningly cutting him out of his thoughts "kya hai, main toh sirf pooch raha tha" he replied with the same temperament "tum kuch mat poocho sirf suno" she told him and began dreaming of him again, Varun could not take this anymore and got up angrily "tum socho apne Mr. Right ke baare me main ghar jaa raha hoon" as soon as he was out of the door Roshni squealed and dialed a number "hello Goldie, love syndrome no. 1 jealousy present hai....accha I will call you later agar bura maan gaya toh saari mehnat paani me jaayegi" and then cutting the call she shouted "Varun ruko" and ran out. Varun was walking towards the main gate through the garden when Roshni came running to him "Varun ruko'" she whined and Varun stopped at once making a panting Roshni smile inwardly 'waah abhi se itni baat maanega toh shaadi ke baad koi problem nahi hogi' she thought to herself and smiled slyly "kya hai Roshni" Varun asked irritated at a reason which both of them knew "Varun tum itni jaldi kyon jaa rahe ho?" she asked still breathing heavily "kyonki tumhaara dhyan us Prithvi me tha" he answered back still with the same tone "toh tumhe use kya problem hui?" she asked innocently trying to probe him further to speak out "mujhe yeh problem thi ke tum us anjaan aadmi ke baare me soch rahi ho jo shayad zyada se zyada 2-4 din kaam par aayega aur phir naukri se nikaal diya jaayega" "toh iska matlab tumhe meri fikar hai isiliye tum mujhse naaraaz ho right??" she caught him unaware and he knew it too "haan" he finally confessed "haan?" Roshni said in a tone which was a mixture of happiness and shock but Varun couldn't get it clearly "haan tum meri dost ho toh mujhe fikar toh hogi na" he added trying to mask himself and her face dropped almost immediately "oh" was all she could manage "dekho Roshni hum abhi use theek se jaante bhi nahi hain toh uske baare me aise sochna sahi nahi hai" he said coming closer to her and giving her a side hug which though was meant to comfort her but soothed both of them "tum bhi na Varun pata nahi itne serious kyon rehte ho, kal ki kal dekhenge abhi chalo andar hum kuch aur baat karte hain" and with that she dragged a sighing Varun inside, only god knew how long would he be able to keep his feelings at bay around her.
Fighting a battle between past and present Damini sat on her study table reminiscing old memories as she pulled out a gun from the drawer, with a "P" written in golden letters on the center of it the Austrian GLOCK-34 was a priceless gift for her, not because it was expensive but because it was the person who had gifted it to her was very special. It had been 3 years since she last saw him but he still hadn't changed much except the fact that he had grown more muscular and handsome, but still his inner self had remained the same. The dark brown eyes that held coldness towards everyone but still they weren't hostile to her, the perfectly straight set hair that flew in the wind making him look deadly sexier, the same grave tone which was though rude today had many a times confided to her and the same lips which always made her go weak with the desire to kiss him senseless till he responded back, the very thought flushed her face with color but at the same time reminded her that he could never be hers. The smile of her face had drained of and eyes had become moist as she saw a photo, it was the only photo of her and Prithvi together. With one hand rested protectively around her shoulder he just always made her feel like the most precious thing in the world, and the smile on her face just showed how ecstatic she felt in his arms. He never smiled and she knew the reason behind it but even then he was looking genuinely happy in the picture. But then she had left him, left him for her better self, something that had broken her hearts into so many pieces that till date she had not been able to join it. He was not at fault for this and could never be blamed, after all she was the one who had fallen for him and not him. He might have even forgotten her, she thought and the way he had behaved clearly indicated that he only wanted a professional relationship out of this. And she would give him that she thought with a determined look on her face, he deserved that at least this if she couldn't give him anything else. But he would have to go soon too otherwise she wouldn't be able to keep her hands to herself and might do something that they both would regret.
Here Prithvi was lying on the bed holding the same photo, "I wouldn't make it harder for either of us Damini, I will even make you believe that I have forgotten my best and the only friend I have made till now" he said with resolute visible in his voice, he was here for work and would do that only, she had a right to decide and he respected her decision of going till date. After all who would even want to see the sight of a criminal, the song 'tune jo na kaha main who sunta raha' played in the background. He had expected too much out of himself by even thinking that he could make friends, but then he had been immature and weak in hiding his inner feelings and had given into the forlorn wish of making friends and confiding to at least someone about his inner feelings and turmoil. But then he should have known from before itself that this had always been the way, he would lose her whenever she came to know of his real identity, this was one thing he so wanted to change but then he thought for whom should he do that when Damini was not going to come back and he knew that he wouldn't be able to make another friend like her again.
It was blood, blood and more blood everywhere, two people were running with a 10 yr old child with them, probably his parents, with a dozen full of men running with chains and guns behind. It was a cliff head where the men had surrounded them all, all three of them hell scared to even speak a word. Tears were flowing out of the lady's eyes like anything but the child and his father managed to keep up brave faces. Suddenly a car arrived, an ambassador it was from which one man came out, he said something that made the lady burst into tears once again and the man left hold of his child. The child knew nothing, nothing about what was happening with him and what was going to happen but he knew exactly what to do, he punched the person in the very place it would hurt him the most and had said in a loud and firm voice "meri maa ko rulaane ka hak kisi ko nahi hai kisi ko nahi" as the man in front fell on the ground yelping in pain, and then moved back to his parents, though it had made all of the goons laugh hard as he tried to pull his parents to a run but they didn't make any, the man got up and slapped him hard, so hard that his mouth started bleeding and he had fallen on the ground in the same way as him. His mother shouted and cursed the man but he kept on laughing at the boy who was crying badly, unable to see his child in that state the father's blood boiled and he tried to come forward but he was shot the very next moment before he could make a move, shot straight in the heart and fell back. The lady shrieked and cried for help but none was present that could do anything, she ran to the child and his father crying bitterly. But the man held the child behind him with a gun on his head and told the woman something, she shook her head and the man straightened the gun on the child's head, blood still oozing out of the side of his mouth and still sobbing. The next moment both the dead man and the woman were made to sit in the car and the car rolled of the cliff. Just before that the lady made the last byes with the child and waved him a flying kiss between her tears telling the man to take care of him and not harm him, and then the car was down. The boy shouted as hard as he could, he shouted and cried but nothing happened, his mother did not come to comfort him, to soothe him nor did his father tell him that he was a brave guy. And finally the boy fainted, still sobbing and calling out his mother and father, the old man picked him up and turned to leave in another car that arrived. His face just came into view for once and'....
Inder woke up with a start, sweat covered his face and his breathing uneven, his heartbeats high and he was looking frightened and disturbed. Wiping the sweat, he tried to relax "it was a dream just a dream" but he knew how true it was. Wearing his frameless specs he got up from the bed and picked up the phone from the side and moving to the window of his room, he dialed a number and then spoke "any information?" "No sir not as yet, they are hidden very cleverly but we will find them soon" "what soon?" Inder's tone had changed from calm to a menacing one "find them within two weeks or else you will have it" and then threw the phone hard back on the bed "I do not want history to repeat itself" he said in a low tone that couldn't be interpreted "ek baar chup baitha tha to kisi ko nahi bacha saka, par ab chup nahi baithoonga" he said with desperation clear in his voice as picked up the phone again to dial "hello Prithvi" he spoke in a much softer voice than needed "kya hai inder?" came the rude reply, Inder curved into a smile hearing that voice, this man was never going to change he thought and stifled the smile "Inder tune mujhe sirf wahan khade ho kar muskuraane ke liye phone kiya hai?" Prithvi's voice cut in his thoughts "nahi yeh poochne ke liye ki kya progress hui" inder replied trying hard not to smile "raat ke 1 baje" Prithvi asked very agitated, this man was getting on his nerves and even had the guts to smile on the phone "woh you know I am very desperate to get rid of her" Inder replied cheekily with a sheepish smile on his face, it was hell fun to mess with Prithvi when he was half asleep. He wouldn't be grave and get one laughing easily even when mostly everyone who knew him knew how difficult was it to talk to him "to hell with you and your sis" came the same kind of reply and Inder could tell even Prithvi was smiling now "gaadi me chalega ya train me?" Inder asked trying to sound excited "I guess plane would be faster nahi?" he replied and the next moment both burst out laughing "now who is more desperate haan?" Inder asked mischievously "ofcourse tu hi hai aur kaun I was just trying to keep up the enthusiasm you know" "accha but you know it seriously sounds very good to hear you laugh Prithvi" he complimented genuinely "ab tere jaisa joker hoga toh koi bhi hasega, koi keh sakta hai ke Inder Malhotra who wants his so called sister Damini Gujral assassinated by Mr. Prithvi can be such a good clown" he said stifling a chuck "aur koi yeh bhi nahi keh sakta ke Prithvi, jise hasna kya smile karna bhi nahi aata woh in lame jokes par bacchon ki tarah hasta hai" Inder replied dramatically but then bit his lip in frustration, why did he always have to speak too much. Prithvi's face too straightened, trust Inder to make one smile and cry in the same conversation on the weirdest time of the day. But then he was one person who never wanted to use him, he meant business and was just as mysterious as him but neither of them tried to double cross each other. A few months of knowing each other had taught them things that no one could, Prithvi now laughed at his jokes and they always played 'who will have the last word' with each other, though this childhood mention always brought ugly memories to both of them but they knew it was not their fault "hey wasn't she looking hot today" Inder said ready to kill again "who?" Prithvi asked confused and unable to react spontaneously and made Inder smile again, the best way to cure hiccups and bring someone out of unpleasant thoughts was the same, ask a question that took all their attention. Though this question would get any male's full attention Inder could say Prithvi was just asking for the sake of carrying the conversation as he had not been sleeping, who would when he had exactly 3 months to take an innocent life and specially a person like Prithvi who couldn't harm an innocent fly. "Damini aur kaun" he replied "yeah" Prithvi replied dreamily "what?" now it was Inder's turn to get shocked "I am saying bahut gussa kar rahi thi" Prithvi said loudly and Inder sighed in relief, for a moment he had forgotten to breathe when he had heard Prithvi say yes as all knew Prithvi would be the last person on the earth to compliment a girl on her beauty "anyways get ready for the exam Prithvi they are going to be extra hard on you" Inder told him "why?" Prithvi asked shocked, had Damini told them all that they were friends "because she has betted that if she could get you out in a week she'd not get anymore guards or else she'd stick with you" "did she say this before meeting me?" he asked "no after and she was very determined" "hmm okay I will see you tomorrow with the reports" Prithvi hung up sadly, she so hated him that she couldn't even tolerate seeing his face. But he couldn't be more wrong and the coming days would prove it.Edited by Sohil_Gupta - 15 years ago