Hey guys...this a new two/three shots set after giraftaar series. There are so many stories after the series .. I thought I'd try something a little different.
Two Way Street
I glance at him from the corner of my eyes as he enters the lab, pretending to be lost in the test tubes I'm holding. His hair messy, his eyes piercing, he looks…. Just perfect from head to toe.
In my head, I repeat the line ad nauseam - men are like wine, they get better as they get older.
You can't really blame a girl for falling for him, can you?
Watching him walk towards me with a smirk on his face, I realize that my supposedly subtle glances, from the "corner of my eyes" have turned into a full blown stare.
I feel blood rush to my cheeks, making me want to place my palms over them just to reduce the warmth but I still can't take my eyes off him.
"Tarika ji..."
Nope.
Still can't take my eyes off him.
"Hi."
I finally manage to mumble one word in the softest, stupidest, most unattractive tone. His eyes linger around my lips.
God, someone please tell me if my lips are twitching?
I can't feel them twitch but I also can't feel my brain.
As his eyes finally stop lingering, he smiles the kind of smile you smile at kids when they do something stupid.
Great.
Now he thinks I'm a child.
Relax Tarika, I tell myself, It's Abhijeet. Yo- ahem...just...Abhijeet.
Nothing has changed.
And even though I tell myself that nothing has changed, I feel a pang inside me.
Nothing has changed and yet...everything has.
As he leans towards me over the table, I take a step back. That gorgeous face is better off away from me.
"The woman goes from smitten to scared in just a second!" He mutters under his breath, his voice not betraying the slight irritation he is feeling.
Normally I would have asked him what he just said (for many reasons)... But this time I chose to ignore. His mutterings are better off away from me too. They're the ones that brought trouble in the first place.
I feel his eyes follow me as I walk over to doctor Salunkhe.
…
…
…
"Abhijeet ! Tum yaha?!"
I can't believe my eyes. The man is waiting for me, in my parking lot, at midnight!
"K...kuch baat karni thi."
"Bolo na" I try to keep my voice calm, wondering if he can actually hear me smile.
He looks into my eyes, taking his own sweet time to formulate words. Just say it already!
Doesn't he know that the anticipation is killing me?
"T-tum theek ho na?"
"...Bas yahi...yahi bolna -puchna tha?"
"Haan I mean…"
"Oh.." This time I don't make an effort to conceal my disappointment.
"Toh…"
"Toh?"
"Toh tum…"
"Toh mein?"
"Tum...theek ho na?"
"Haan! Haan mein...bilkul theek hu."
"Nahi aaj lab mein… you looked a little off."
"Did I?" I ask snarkily.
"Umm…."
"I mean...no Abhijeet I'm fine...uh...thanks for asking and coming..all the way."
"Well I was driving this way...for a...a case so I thought um…"
"For a case?"
"Y-yeah...minor...minor case."
"I see…"
So he didn't drive all the way just to meet me. I averted my gaze, trying to hide my eyes from him.
"Well!" I added after a brief pause, "You must be getting late then."
"Yeah I should get going...but you're sure you're okay?"
"Yeah."
"Can I walk you to the door?"
"No."
"No...I mean umm…. You must be getting late."
He nods and turns around and then turns right back towards me.
"Tarika...If something were wrong, you'd tell me, right?"
"Does that offer still stand?"
"Hmm?"
"You walking me?"
He smiles and wraps his arm around my shoulders. The walk is quiet, almost soothing. I feel sorry for avoiding his question, for letting him smile without reason, for knowing both - what is going on and what he thinks is going on, and yet choosing not the clarify.
I close the door without letting him in. But God knows that I have already let him in and can't get him out.