CHAPTER ONE
Daya got out of the flight at the airport. He was feeling better and fresh now.
Daya: (thinking) yaar! Mumbai ko kitna miss kiya… 1 mahine… poore 1 mahine mission pe bhej rakha tha bahar… kitna miss kiya sabko. Abhijeet ki daat, tarika ki dosti, acp sir ke woh orders, salunkhe sir ki research, freddy ke woh aatma ke kisse (stories) aur vivek ka usey chidana.. aur ofcourse… meri qualis uff! Finally sab wapas milne waala hai mujhe…Aaj Mumbai ko ek mahine baad dekh ke lag raha hai jaise kitna badal gaya hai?! par Mumbai ke log nahi badle honge iss pe poora bharosa hai… khaskar meri cid family.. unka woh pyaar mere liye kabhi nahi badal sakta… kabhi nahi.
Little did he know that this one month had changed everything for him. everything!
he was so much excited that he went to the bureau directly with his luggage. Everyone was very happy seeing him but daya's eyes were searching for only one person he wanted to meet so urgently – his best friend abhijeet.
but he couldn't find him. just then freddy came..
freddy: daya sir acha hua aap aa gaye.. ek mahine aapko pata nahi humne aapko kitna miss kiya. Abhijeet sir ka bhi mood bahut off rehta tha. Woh bhi aapko bahut miss karte honge sir..
daya: hmm don't worry abhijeet ka mood toh ek minute mein theek kar doonga mai. Par hai kahan abhijeet?
freddy: pata nahi sir. Bureau toh aa gaye the. Shayad acp sir ke cabin mein honge…
daya: hmm dekhta hoon.
He moved towards acp's cabin when he saw abhijeet coming out with a smiley face. Daya looked at him with a huge smile on his face. Abhijeet looked at him and his smile disappeared. He looked towards another side. Daya moved towards him but abhijeet moved away towards vivek and started talking with him..
Abhijeet: haan vivek kal ki case ki reports taiyaar hai?
Vivek: haan sir bas ho jayengi aandhe ghante mein.
Abhijeet: good! Acp sir ko submit karne se pehle ek baar mujhse check karwa lena.
Vivek: haan sir theek hai ho jayega…
Abhijeet: chalo lag jao kaam pe aaj finish kar lete hain reports.
Vivek: yes sir… (seeing daya wanting to talk to abhijeet) sir umm. Daya sir…
Abhijeet: (annoyed tone) vivek tum apna kaam karo ok?
Vivek: (looking down) ok sir…
Daya tried to talk to daya but abhijeet moved towards his desk and sat down and started working on a file..
Daya: vivek, kaise ho aur batao?
Vivek: acha hoon sir. Ab aap aa gaye ho na ab aur ache ho gaye hain hum sab. Ek mahine se aap ko bahut yaad kiya. Aapke aate hi bureau mein jaise raunak wapas aa gayi hai.
Daya: hmm… bureau mein raunak wapas aa gayi hai… (looing at abhijeet) phir bhi kuch logon ke chehre utre hue hain.
Vivek: sir…
Daya (leaning closer) yaar iss abhijeet ko kya ho gaya hai? mood off hai bahut iska?
Vivek: pata nahi sir. Aapke jaane ke baad aise toh theek the.. Hume laga ki aapko miss kar rahe honge shayad… par ab toh kuch samajh nahi aa raha…
Daya: koi case wase ka tension nahi hai na?
Vivek: nahi sir.. aisa toh kuch nahi hai..
Daya: iss ek mahine mein koi aisa case toh nahi aa gaya na ki acp sir phirse abhijeet pe shak kar rahe the?
Vivek: bilkul nahi sir… humare officers se related kuch bhi nahi hua. Bas ek do murder ke case aye the aur kuch kidnapping ke cases… aisa kuch bhi nahi hua ki abhijeet sir pareshaan ho…
Daya: koi particular case ke baad se aise kar raha hai ya bas aaj hi?
Vivek: sir ab abhijeet sir humse humesha hi theek se hi baat kar rahe the… infact freddy sir ki taang bhi kheech rahe the… aise hansi mazaak kar rahe the… pata nahi achanak mood off kyu ho gaya?
Daya: hmm… acha theek hai tum apne files complete kar lo mai aata hoon acp sir se milke.
Vivek: ok sir..
Daya moved inside acp's cabin after knocking.
Acp: arey daya aao aao andar aao. Ek mahine se mission pe gaye hue ho… sabne bahut yaad kiya tumhe.
Daya: sir yaad toh maine bhi aap sabko bahut kiya.. par kaam toh kaam hota hai na sir.
Acp: haan… waise tumhare mission ke reports?
Daya; sir mai kaam kar raha hoon. Parso tak aapko mail kar doonga..
Acp: theek hai theek hai. itne lambe mission se aaye ho.. thora araam kar lo. Itni jaldi bhi nahi hai. chaho toh 2-3 din ke liye chutti le lo..
Daya: nahi sir… bureau ko itna miss kiya ki aur chutti loonga toh pagal ho jaunga.. (looking down) aur waise bhi ghar pe akele rehke karunga kya? Hai hi kaun mera?
Acp: (smiling) kaho toh abhijeet ko bhi chutti de doon?
Daya: nahi sir! Phir mujhpe chillayega ki maine uski chutti kyu sanction karwaye… aise hi gussa hai aur bhadak jayega…
Acp: gussa hai? abhijeet tumse naraaz hai?
Daya: shayad… kya pata? Bureau mein sab mile mujhse. Sabne hi hello kiya par abhijeet ne mujhe dekhke seedha muh ghuma liya. Mai baat karne gaya toh mujhe avoid kar raha hai.
Acp: hmm shayad khafa hoga tumse. Poore ek mahine ke liye tumse dur tha na… aise hi jhootha gussa dikha raha hai… humesha tum uss se naraaz hote ho aaj woh tumse naraaz hai. jao manao apne bhai ko…
Daya: ho sakta hai sir… par mai bhi har nahi manunga. Akhir mai bhi dekhu kitne der gussa rehta hai mujhse..
Acp (smiling) bilkul! Aur agar zyaada drama karega na toh mere paas le aana. Ek daat mein sab sudhar dunga usey.
Daya: nahi sir uski zaroorat nahi padegi… mai dekh loonga abhijeet ko..
Daya moved out of acp's cabin and went towards abhijeet's desk.
Daya: (sweetly) abhijeet! abhi!
He got no response from him.
Daya: arey boss. Gussa ho mujhse? Baat nahi karoge?
Again no response.
Daya: boss tumhi se baat kar raha hoon. Ek mahine baad aaya hoon. Ek baar mil toh lo ache se.. phir saari naraazgi dur kar doonga tumhari.
Abhijeet was still silent.
Daya: theek nahi baat karni toh mat karo. Mai bolta hoon tum suno. Kam se kam kaan khule hain. Baat toh sunai de hi rahi hogi… pata hai mission pe na…
Abhijeet just moved out from his desk with the files and went towards vivek.
Abhijeet: vivek tumhari files complete ho gayi?
Vivek: yes sir mai papers arrange karke deta hoon. Ek minute rukiye..
Abhijeet (keeping his files on vivek's desk) yeh files bhi zara dekh lo yaar. Bas do ya teen pages honge. isey bhi please complete kar do na.
Vivek (in a complaining tone) sir yeh achi baat nahi hai. ab aapne bhi apna file de diya mujhe hi.. freddy sir bhi mujhe hi apne files de de rahe hain. Ab aap bhi…
Abhijeet: vivek mera desk na kahin aur shift karna hoga. Khidki ke paas hai aur main road bilkul neeche. Bahut shor gul ho raha hai… (looking at daya) awaazon se disturb ho raha hoon aur kaam pe dhyaan nahi de paa raha. Kal se yahan pe tumhare bagal pe shift kar loonga desk… kam se kam unn traffic ki awazon se irritate toh nahi hona padega…
Vivek: sir par traffic….
Abhijeet: vivek file do mujhe check karke ACP sir ko deni hai…
Vivek (handing him the file) : par sir aap uss jagah pe 17 saal se aaj achanak traffic ki awaaz…..?
Abhijeet took the file and moved towards acp's cabin.
Daya was totally shocked by abhijeet's behavior.
Sachin: arey yeh abhijeet sir ko kya ho gaya? unka desk humesha daya sir ke desk ke saamne hota hai aaj achanak abhijeet sir aisa kaise kar sakte hain?
Freddy: sir abhijeet sir naraaz honge daya sir se. ek mahine poore mission pe the. Ek baar bhi koi contact nahi koi message nahi. Shayad apni naraazgi jata rahe hain. Aap dekhna thodi der mein gussa shant ho jayega toh phir daya sir ki fikar karne lagenge.
Sachin: hmm sahi kaha freddy warna abhijeet sir daya sir ne naraaz reh hi nahi sakte…
Daya was a bit upset by abhijeet's behavior but he wasn't going to lose hope so quickly. Afterall abhijeet was his best buddy and he wasn't going to be angry with him for long… daya collected all his hopes and strength to go and talk to abhijeet again..
Abhijeet came out of ACP's cabin with another file in his hand started reading it.
Daya(thinking) hmm abhi lunch time pe bahar leke jaata hoon isey. Phir bill ayega toh aaj mai pay karunga… pakka shock ho jayega… tab toh muh se niklega hi "daya aaj bill tu pay kar raha hai"… toh mai bhi sweetly kahunga "agar itni parwah hai toh mai nahi deta, tum hi de do"… phir pakka kahega "tera kuch nahi ho sakta.."
Daya waited for one chance to talk to him but there was no chance. The wohle day abhijeet was busy reading his files and working on the computer and he avoided daya completely.
It was 12:30 pm when abhijeet got a call and he was moving out of the bureau.
Daya (noticing this): abhijeet kahan ja rahe ho?
Abhijeet was still moving out avoiding daya.
Daya(following him) : mai bhi saath mein chalu?
Still there was no response.
Daya: (teasing) acha ab samjha dr. tarika ne bulaya kya?
Abhijeet shot an angry glare towards him and daya just shut up. He motioned freddy with his eyes. Freddy understood.
Freddy: abhijeet sir? Aap kahan ja rahe hain?
Abhijeet: yaar woh ek khabri ka call aaya tha bas milne ja raha hoon.
Freddy: sir aap kab tak ayenge? Lunch time taka a jayenge na?
Abhijeet: ab yeh toh nahi bata sakta. Par chinta mat karo mai khaana kha lunga kisi hotel mein..
Freddy; ok sir. Agar kuch badi information hui toh hume bhi batayiyega.
Abhijeet: bilkul!
Abhijeet moved out of the bureau and daya hurried behind him.
Daya: boss aaj hum dono kisi hotel mein chale lunch time? Kitne dino se saath mein nahi khaya.. aaj chale?
Abhijeet was silent and kept walking downstairs..
Daya: batao na… acha theek hai. tum aa jaana bureau phir saath mein chalenge ok?
Abhijeet was about to move out of the bureau building completely but daya stood at the door blocking him.
Daya: (confident) aaj mai tumhare saath hi khaana khaana chahta hoon abhijeet.. jab tak aaj tum nahi aaoge mere saath mai khaana nahi kahunga..
Abhijeet: (straightcut) mai nahi aunga.
Daya was shocked as hell to listen this from abhijeet. he didn't expect abhijeet to be angry at him for such a long time and after all this painful silence this was the thing he was hearing from his best friend after soo many days?
Daya: (moving away from the door) mai intezaar karunga tumhara. Hotel Scarlet aaj 1:00 baje..
Abhijeet moved out of the bureau without any word.
Daya waited for abhijeet to return but he didn't return. He was just sitting at his desk alone as he watched other officers in their own groups. Then he saw purvi and tasha woh were involved in a cat fight…
Purvi: tasha! Mai tujhe nahi chorungi.. mai bas haath dhone gayi aur tuney mera poora tiffin kha liya haan?
Tasha: hahahahaha.. arey purvi jo tera hai woh mera hai jo mera hai woh mera…
Purvi: ruk! Tasha ki bachhi… tujhe aaj mai sabak sikhati hoon. Tujhe pata tha ki aaj mera favourite dish tha tiffin mein. Tuney poori ki poori chowmein akele uda di… bhukkad kahi ki..
Tasha: nahi maine akele kahan khatam ki? Sachin aur freddy sir ka bhi haath hai ismien.
Sachin and freddy were shocked to hear this.
Sachin; purvi woh tumhara tiffin tha… tasha ne mujhse kaha uska tiffin hai aur insist kiya lene ko..
Freddy: haan mujhe bhi…
Tasha laughed while purvi was were angry…
Purvi: tasha tuney poore bureau mein baat diya mera tiffin haan? (sad tone) mujhe itni bhook lagi hai… ab mai kya khaungi?
And she turned her back towards tasha and sat down on the chair. Tasha smiled and took out her tiffin and placed it on the table. She wrapped her arms around purvi..
Tasha: purvi ek baar dekh idhar.
Purvi: nahi dekhna mujhe kuch bhi…
Tasha: arey purvi ek baar dekh toh sahi. Phir jitna gussa hona hai ho lena.. bas ek baar dekh na..
Purvi turned around to see her tiffin. It was filled with chowmein.
Purvi: (surprised) tasha?
Tasha: (smiling) arey purvi woh sacchi mein meri hi tiffin thi. Maine tujhe chidhane ke liye kiya yeh sab… teri tiffin toh yehi hai… dekh… poora bhara hua…
Purvi; tasha.. tu bhi na..
Tasha watched happily as purvi was eating her tiffin.
Purvi: lekin tasha. Mazaak ke chakkar mein tuney apna tiffin to poora share kar diya. ab tu kya khayegi?
Tasha; arey rehne de na yaar. Its ok..
Purvi: nahi tu kha ismein se..
Tasha: nahi yaar. Teri favourite dish hai.. tu kha… I'm ok yaar.
Purvi: oye dieting queen. Aur dieting karegi toh gayab ho jayegi. Ab chup chap kha samjhi…
They both started eating from purvi's tiffin while daya watched them with a smile on his face. It reminded them of his nice times with abhijeet..
Sachin saw daya sitting alone and motioned purvi and tasha..
Purvi: arey daya sir aap bhi ayiye na.
Daya: nahi purvi… mai aata hoon. Mujhe aaj abhijeet ke saath lunch karna tha. Agar by chance woh bureau mein aaye na toh bolna ki mai hotel Scarlet mein uska wait kar raha hoon.
Daya moved out of the bureau and drove to hotel scarlet. He got a table for two and sat down. He waited for abhijeet. but there was no sign of him.. it was 1:30 now but still he wasn't there… time passed by… it was 2:00 pm… daya was getting worried.
Daya (thinking) oh no! kahin kuch gadbad toh nahi ho gayi? Abhijeet apne khabri se milna gaya tha… kahi koi musibat mein toh nahi pad gaya.. abhijeet ko call karke dekhta hoon.
He was about to dial abhijeet's number when he saw abhijeet enter in the hotel. Daya was very happy to see abhijeet but his happiness didn't last as he saw another friend of abhijeet enter with him.
They both got another table and sat there. Daya just saw them. He didn't have courage to go there and ask abhijeet as to what the hell was this. He was very sad…
Daya: abhi… apne dost ke saath.. aise… mujhe dekh kar bhi muh ghuma liya…
He saw abhijeet order food stuff with his friend and eat it there. Daya watched with his mouth wide-open. He was hurt now.. this was the limit. How could abhijeet do like this to him? how could he?
Daya (determined) : theek hai abhijeet. theek hai. tum ziddi toh mai bhi tumhara hi dost hoon.. maine kaha tha na .. ki agar tum mere saath nahi kahoge toh mai bhi nahi khaunga. Ab jab tak tum mere saath wapas nahi aate mai bhi nahi khane waala. Jaao! Mai bhi dekhta hoon. Apne dost ko kab tak bhookha rakhoge tum…
He moved out of the hotel without having any food or even coffee. He drove back to the bureau.. abhijeet came back shortly after daya.
Freddy: arey daya sir… aa gaye aap? Khaana kha liya?
Daya: nahi…. Woh.. woh mujhe bhook nahi hai.
Freddy: sir par aap.
But daya moved towards his desk.
Freddy; abhijeet sir? Aap dono ne khaana kyu nahi khaya? Aap log aise kaam kaise karenge?
Abhijeet: freddy! Maine kab kaha ki maine khaana nahi khaya? Daya ne kaha ki usne khaana nahi khaya… maine kab kaha?
Freddy was confused.
It was time to go home… duo moved to their home. the home which was filled with laughter and giggles was today silent. This silent was very painful for daya. He just wanted to go to abhijeet and ask him "why?" "why was he doing this to him?" but he didn't want to take any step now… he wanted abhijeet to make the move now.
Daya moved towards his room silently and slept on the bed. But sleep was far away from his eyes. His eyes were filled with tears.. he silently cried.
Daya: kyu abhijeet? kyu kar rahe ho aisa? Kyu gussa ho mujhpe itna? Kya galti hai meri? Ek baar bata do mujhe? Phir jo bologe main wohi karunga… jo saza deni hai de dena par aise chup kyu ho.. agar gussa ho toh jatao na… chahe toh daat lo haath utha lo mujhpe.. marne ka dil kare toh woh bhi kar lo par… par aise chup mat raho na… please abhi… please…
He was on the bed for more than one hour now. He had closed the door of his room. He constantly watched the door. Abhijeet didn't come to check him or to wake him up. He sat in his room alone. He was very sad. He was feeling hungry too but he had vowed that he wont eat until abhijeet was back with him. he quietly unpacked his clothes. After unpacking and arranging the clothes back in the wardrobe he looked at the wall clock.
It showed 10:00 pm.
Daya: arey? Itni jaldi 10 baj gaye? Kuch pata bhi nahi chala.. bhook bhi lag rahi hai. pata nahi abhijeet kya kar raha hoga. Pata nahi usne khaana kahaya hoga ya nahi. Dekhke aata hoon. Kahi mera gussa khaane pe na nikaale…
He moved downstairs and saw that abhijeet was sitting on the dining table and having his food. He looked upto daya once but didn't say anything. He didn't even ask daya to have food with him. daya stood there and watched abhijeet. abhijeet finished his food and went to wash his plate…
Daya was standing there still. He had so many tears in his eyes, so many questions but there was no answer. Abhijeet washed his plate and crossed past daya to go to his own room. Daya went to the dining table and opened the containers but there was no food left. He moved towards the kitchen and saw some containers there also but there were empty too.
Daya: abhijeet ne poora khana kha liya? Do logon ka khana? (after thinking something) ya phir… sirf apne liye hi banaya tha…
He moved towards abhijeet's room . it was locked from inside.. he knocked on the door but there was no response. He called for abhijeet but he wont reply. Daya moved towards his room and buried his face in the pillow. He cried the wohle night and fell asleep in that position only. His alarm rang at 8:00 am the next day. He got up and moved out of his room. He saw that abhijeet's room was open but abhijeet was not inside. He searched for him here and there. Then he saw that the main door was open. He thought of something and called vivek.
Vivek: haan daya sir boliye? Aap aaye nahi?
Daya: haan woh mai…
Vivek: sir abhijeet sir toh kabke aa gaye hain.. aap kahan ho?
Daya:kya abhijeet bureau chala gaya?
Vivek: haan sir.. abhijeet sir toh aa gaye…
Daya cut the call and threw the phone on the floor in anger…
A/N :- THE FEELING WHEN YOUR BEST FRIEND IGNORES YOU TOTALLY… THE PERSON WOH CARED FOR YOU STOPS TALKING TO YOU… WHEN YOUR BEST FRIEND COULD UNDERSTAND ALL YOUR FEELING THROUGH YOUR EYES ALTHOUGH YOU WERE SILENT CHANGES INTO A PAINFUL SILENCE WHEN YOU CANT UNDERSTAND ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR FRIEND… WHEN YOU WANT TO ASK 'WHY?' BUT YOU CANT… WHEN YOU HAVE A THOUSAND QUESTIONS AND NO ONE TO ANSWER THEM…
HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS FEELING…?
READ AND REVIEW…