Tarika was sitting in the canteen, looking at her phone. Abhijeet looked at her and started smiling. He walked towards her, put one hand on her chair and leaned towards her, standing real close.
"kya Kar rahi hai aap... Tarika ji?" He asked, in a flirty tone.
Tarika looked up at him and showed him several pictures on her phone.
"Abhijeet, ye Dekho na."
"Arrey ye sab tattoos -"
"kaunsa waala Acha lag Raha hai tumko?"
"Ye flower waala Acha lag Raha hai."
"uff Abhijeet ye waala haath pe ya neck pe Acha lagega - koi aur batao na."
"Aap batayiye Kaha pe karane waali Hain..."
"Wo baad mein tum khud hi Dekh -"
She stopped, realizing what she had said.
"Arrey bataogi Nahi toh mein kaise select karunga?"
"Ajeeb ladki hai Yaar!" he thought.
"Haath aur pair pe Nahi." Tarika said.
"Shit ! Tarika face tattoo!"
"Nahi!"
She rolled her eyes.
"oh Acha back pe -"
"Tum kitne bewakoof ho."
Abhijeet however understood perfectly what she was saying. He was having fun torturing her.
"Toh phir Kaha? Batao na..."
"Ek secreting gland pe."
"kya?"
"Milk secreting gland composed largely of fat."
"chaupat ho Gaya Mera toh!" Abhijeet complained in his head.
"Ab samajh aaya... Ki aur samjhau?"
"Bio padhne Ka koi shok Nahi hai mujhe," he muttered.
"N-nahi...mein samajh Gaya - samajh Gaya mein Tarika ji."
"toh jaldi se select Karo."
Abhijeet made a face. He hated the idea of this.
"No way! I can't let someone else see her breasts," he thought, "Ab kya Karu?"
"Karo na."
"Tattoo ki kya jarurat Tarika!"
"Bus man kar raha hai."
"Mat karo na."
"Ku?"
"Kuki mai keh raha hu na."
"Tumhari sab bat manni paregi?"
"Arey, tumhare upar meri koi right ha ya nahi!"
"Tum meri har bat kaha mantte ho!"
"konsi bat nahi manaani maine?" he protested.
"konsi mani hai.. ye batayo pehle!"
"sabhi toh manta hoon... tum jo jo kehti ho."
"Abhi main keh rahi hoon tattoo select kr do. ye toh nahi maan rahe ho."
"Tarika tum samajh nahi rahi ho baat ko."
"main? Main nahi samajh rahi! Mera kitna man kar raha hai ek tatto krne ka…aur tum ho ki!"
"Ab tum aise over react mat karo."
"oh accha! Ab tumhe meri baat over react lag raha hai."
"ab tum tattoo k liye itne nakhre karoge toh lagega na! Enough Abhijeet! Ab main ja rahi hoon. aur koi zaroorat nahi tumhe select krne ki…Kisi aur se kara lungi"
"kisi aur se matlab kya hai tumhara! Aur maine kaha na tum koi tattoo watto nahi karayoge."
"main karayungi.. zaroor karayungi."
"maine keh diya na.. toh baas keh diya.. mujhe gussa mat dilayo tum Tarika."
"Tum mujhe gussa mat dilao samjhe?"
"Yaar aur Kitna kuch hai duniya mein Karne ko... Baal dye Kara lo -"
"Abhi toh karayein the."
"koi aur colour Kara lo."
"huh!"
"t-toh... Straighten wagera – kuch toh hota hai na tum logo Ka."
"wo toh bas kuch ghanto ke liye rukhta hai - aur 2-4 ghanto ke liye mujhe Nahi Karne paise waste."
"mein de dunga paise."
"tumhare ho ya mere... Baat to ek hi - Mera matlab hai ki - mujhe tumhare paise Bhi waste Nahi Karne." Tarika said, "aur tum hi 1 month waali straightening Nahi Karne dete ho. *imitating him* curly hair kitne ache lagte hai tum pe Tarika."
"Haan lagte toh Hain Tarika ji."
"ab baat ko ghumao mat. mein ye saare pictures tumhe forward Kar rahi Hu... Select karke batana shaam ko - warna mein sach mein Kisi aur se Karwa lungi select."
Saying this she got up.
"k-kaha jaa rahi ho?" He asked.
"tumhare cabin."
"Hain?"
"Lab jaa rahi Hu obviously."
No sooner did she leave for the lab, than Abhijeet rushed to Daya.
"Yaar Daya, Tarika tattoo karana chahti hai."
"Haan toh tumhe kya problem ho rahi hai?"
"tu- Tu samajh Nahi Raha hai."
"Tattoo hi toh hai Abhijeet... Kuch Nahi Hoga."
"Yaar wo artist usko d-dekhega... Banayega uspe -"
"hahahahaha... Yaar tum tattoo artist se Bhi jalne lag Gaye."
"Dayaaa !"
"Acha Acha sorry... Iska solution hai mere paas."
"Toh bol jaldi!"
"Kisi lady tattoo artist ko dhoondh lenge hum... isme kaunsi badi baat hai?"
"kya faltu Ka solution hai tera."
"ab isme kya problem hai?"
"Aaj kal news Nahi padhta kya?"
"Ab news mein aisa kya hai?"
"ajkal ladkiyo ka bhi kya bharosa! Agar wo artist waisi nikli toh."
"waisi matlab?"
"waisi matla.. wo yaar.. wo lesbian."
Daya burst out laughing.
"kitna jaida sochte ho tum! Ek tattoo hi toh bana ne hai. Isme itna soch ne ki kya baat hai?"
"Yaar wo tatto.. wo.."
"tum na apna ye wo wo choro.. Dimag ko thora shanti doh!"
"Tujhse toh baat karna hi bekar hi.. kuch samajh ta hi nahi"
"Main sab samajh raha hoon.. tum over possessive boyfriend ke tarah react ka rahe ho. Bichari Tarika pe mujhe taras araha hai."
"Tu aise haas mat… warna tere daat tod dunga main."
Daya somehow managed to stop his laughing.
"accha thik hai nahi hasta. Per ab mujhse kuch mat puchna.. mere pass jo solution tha wo diya."
"Toh ab kya karu? Kaise roku use?"
Daya laughed again but after getting a glare he stopped.
"Ab ye toh tum hi jano."
"Tu bhag yaha se."
"Ise roku keiseyy! ajeeb larki hai! Kahi or pe banwa le tattoo... par nahi!" he thought.
…
…
…
Forensic Lab:
Abhijeet pretended to be angry with her. Well, he was angry to some extent. She never listened to him!
Tarika looked at him several times but he didn't even bother smiling at her. He only talked about the case and left.
" Ise kya ho gaya!" Tarika shrugged and continued her work.
After work, she called him but he didn't pick up. When she reached home she received his call.
"Tumne call kia tha? wo mai busy tha thora. Kya bat hai?" Abhi asked, without any emotions.
"Bina bat ki tumhe phone nahi kar sakti kya?"
"Tarika... mai busy hu.. agar kuch kam ki bat hai toh batao orna phone rakhoo."
"nahi. Good night." she cut the call.
"Ajeeb hai. achanak se iske mood ko kya ho gaya! Tattoo ki baat pe toh nai bharak gaya kahi! Ek tattoo ke liye etna kya drama! Hmpf .Ab toh mein usko chhodne Nahi waali. Itna natak Kar Raha hai... Mein Bhi kuch Kam Nahi hu."
She looked at her wall clock. It said 8.30 pm.
"shop toh abhi Bhi khula Hoga."
She went to the shop and got a skin sticker. In her car, she stuck it on the right side of her left breast so that it could be easily visible on pulling down her top.
She then drove down to Abhijeet's house.
"Tarika tum Yaha!"
Abhijeet thought, "Lagta hai gussa Hona Acha Raha. Ab bolunga ki tattoo karaya toh humesha gussa hi rahunga."
"Abhijeet Mujhe tumhe kuch dikhana hai... Ghar mein koi hai toh Nahi na?"
" Ghar mein koi hai toh Nahi... Kya Matlab iss se tumhara?"
"Nahi tum keh rahe the na ki kaam hai... Toh mujhe laga ho Sakta hai ki Ghar pe ho koi aur Bhi Saath mein."
"Nahi koi Nahi hai... Tum andar aao na."
She walked in, trying to pull a straight face.
"A-aisa kya dikhana hai?"
"Samjho na tum.." she winked.
Abhijeet was confused.
"wo...subah waali baat... Kuch Yaad Aya?"
Abhijeet locked the door and moved near her. He looked like he had been punched in the face.
"Subha wali bat!"
"Haan."
"You mean Tattoo?"
"Haan"
"Tumne karwa liya!"
"Haan.. kaha toh tha..."
"Kaha pe karwaya?"
"Dekhau?" She smirked.
"TARIKA! WTF." he was angry.
"Abhijeet, mind your language."
"Kaheka language. Mana kia tha na maine tumhe?"
"Gussa ku huye tum mujh par?"
"Taki tum wo na karwao."
"par maine karwa liya.. payar se samjhate to samjh bhi jati.. par nahi.. Attitude."
"Tarikaaaaaaa!"
"Mujhe pata hai mera naam Tarika hai..chillake bolne ki zaroorat nahi"
"Tumhe mazak sujh raha hai?"
"mujhe kyon mazak lage ga..mazak toh tumne bana k rakha hai"
"mujhe laga tum maan jayogi.. mere baat ko samjhogi! Lekin nahi tum toh tattoo karwake agayi. Aur wo bhi waha."
Abhijeet turned around showing his back to her. Tarika suppressed her laughter behind him.
"Tumhe gussa kis bat se araha hai..maine tattoo karwayi.. isliye? Ya phir chest pe karwaya isliye?"
"Kya matlab! Dekho Tarika.. kahi bhi karwao.. mujhe kya."
"Toh phir gussa ku kar rahe ho?"
"matlab.. mujhe tattoo karwane se hi problem hai." After a pause he asked, "Karwaya kisse?"
"Ku puch rahe ho? Tumhe toh pasand nahi na?"
"Jo puch raha hu sidhe sidhe jawab do."
"Artist se."
"Jahir si bat hai na ki artist se karwaogi.. doctor se toh nahi"
"Toh puch ku rahe ho!"
"Mera matlab tha artist male tha ya female?"
Tarika finally getting his insecurity said, "achaaa, isliye jal rahi hai tumhari?"
"Ab jayada ghumao mat bat ko.. or batao."
"Jayadar tar artist male hi hote hai."
"Tarika.. matlab! How could you yaar! How could you let another man see your breasts! see! you even let that bastard touch..."
"Toh kyaa ho gaya Abhijeet!"
Abhijeet held her tight by her shoulders
"Listen, Tarika Musale…Only I have that right.. samjhi? Only me!" he said, with an angry expression.
Instead of feeling angry, she felt loved this time... aww, this man. How much she meant for him. Though it was silly of him to think that way... but still it was all about his love for her.
Abhijeet got more furious.
"Meri yaha jaan nikal rahi hai.. aur tumko hasi arahi hai? Seriously Tarika?"
Tarika held his both cheeks lovingly
"oh my angry young man. You know what you look more handsome when you get angry."
"Tarika tumhare dimag toh thikane pe hai nai? Main yaha tumse gussa hoon aur tum..huh!"
Tarika wrapped her hands around his neck.
"aur main tumhe adore kar rahi hoon.. tum lag hi aise rahi ho – hot."
Abhijeet jerked her hands away.
"I am really angry yaar. Tum kesiey.."
"mai keisey kya?"
"Keisey tumne kisi or ko.."
"Acha sorry na.."
"No!"
"Abhijeet…ek bat puchu?"
"Hmm" he said, coldly
"Jab koi larki ko tum apne baho mei utha te ho duty kee dohran.. tumhe kuch feel hota hai?"
"Ye keisi bat hai! Of course not."
"Ku? kuki.. tumhara kam hai.. artist log bhi professional hi hote hai.."
"Haan thik hai.. phir bhi.."
"Or, doctors… tum toh janti hi ho meri family ki breast cancer history mujhe regular checkup pe rehna parta hai.. tumne kabhi is bat par toh oppose nahi kia."
"Haan.. kuki wo jaruri hai Tarika.. or doctor n artist ke bat alag hoti hai.. mujhe bus pasand nahi ye artist wagere."
"okay.. no tattoo next time.."
"Hmm."
"Ab gussa mat karo na."
"pakka na?"
"Pakka."
"Kahi pe bhi nahi?"
"kahi pe bhi nahi."
Abhhi smiled, "toh thik hai."
Abhijeet reached for her shirt's button.
"Kya kar rahe ho?" asked Tarika.
"Let me see the tattoo na.. etna jhagar bhi liya hamne iske liye."
"Sach mei dekhna hai!"
"Haan.. ku? Aisa kya banwaya hai ki dikha nahi rahi ho?"
"Hehehe. aisa kuch nahi hai.. dekh lo." Tarika stood still indicating him to open up the buttons. Abhijeet proceeded.
Abhijeet opened the buttons of her shirt and to reveal a lacy black bra. Seeing the bra partly covered by the shirt on both sides, his hands couldn't help removing the shirt.
Seeing this Tarika smirked. Even after so many years sparks flew like the first time.
Abhijeet was supposed to look for the tattoo but his attention was somewhere else . He wrapped his hands around her waist and jerked her close to him. Their thighs touched and Tarika covered herself a little so that their chests didn't collide.
"Ahem ahem." Tarika coughed intentionally.
"haa...wo."
"Dekh liya?"
"ache se dikh Nahi Raha," he reached for the hook of her bra and unhooked it, "shayadh ab dikh Jaye."
Tarika wrapped his arms around his neck.
"Toh Dekh lo." said Tarika, seductively.
Abhijeet's eyes finally fell on her tattoo. It was the letter "A".
He fell in love with her... all over again.
At the same time, he inadvertently imagined an artist drawing on her.
Tarika saw his changing expressions.
"ek hi letter Acha Nahi lag Raha na? Koi baat Nahi... Kal Pura naam likhwa lungi. Wo kya hai na... Ab tak shop Bandh ho Gaya hoga."
"N-nahi... aisa kyun Soch rahi ho... Acha toh lag Raha hai itna -"
"toh phir Tumhari shakal kyu badal rahi hai? "
Abhijeet thought, "ab isko kya batau Yaar."
"Acha Abhijeet ek baat batao - tumhara Pura naam karwau ya phir A.S. ? Kaunsa zyaada Acha lagega? "
"uff Tarika ! Mujhse kyun puch rahi ho? Meri koi baat maanti Kaha ho tum?"
"tum phirse gussa ho rahe ho?"
"toh kya Karu Yaar... Mujhe Baar Baar ye Dekh Kar yahi khayal aa Raha hai ki some bastard would've drawn on you. Aur tum ho ki kal phirse jaane ki baat Kar rahi ho."
He left waist and picked up her shirt which was on the floor
"pehen lo... Kitni Der aise khadi rahogi?" he said, forwarding her shirt.
Tarika moved close to him.
" Bina bra ke shirt pehen Lu?"
"Please Yaar Tarika... Mood Nahi hai Mera."
Tarika, unbuttoning his shirt said, "toh mein Bana du mood?"
"Kar kya rahi ho tum... Meine tumhe apna shirt pehen'ne ko Bola hai... Mera utarne ko Nahi."
"mood Bana rahi thi." she pouted.
She placed her hand on his cheek and made him look at her.
"okay no more masti."
"hmphf."
"ye tattoo Nahi sticker hai... Meine lagayi hai."
"kya ! Tarika!"
" Ab toh gussa mat Karo."
" toh kya hassu?"
"Haan tumhe toh Khush Hona Chahiye - no bastard touched me."
Abhijeet, moving close to her said, "don't let somebody touch it unless that somebody is me." ( taken from maroon5 's song )
Once again he wrapped his hands around her waist and looked at her seductively.
"Abhijeet ruko."
Abhijeet became frustrated.
"ab kya hai?"
"I think I should take a shower first... Sticker Ka reaction ho Gaya tumhe toh?"
"sticker Tumne lagaya hai...mujhe kaise reaction Hoga?"
Tarika hit his chest.
"tum ache se samajh rahe ho."
"Aapke samjhane pe aur ache se samajh jayenge."
"koi zaroorat Nahi hai."
"samjhayiye na Tarika ji."
"Nahi."
"please..." He made a puppy face
" bilkul Nahi."
Abhijeet wrapped his hands tightly around her.
"samjhaogi Nahi toh jaane Nahi dunga."
Tarika tried to wriggle out but his grip was too strong.
She gave up.
"wo t-tumhare... Lips pe reaction hoga.."
"wo kaise?"
Tarika was blushing real hard.
"j-jab...tum... "
"Haan jab mein...?"
"Jab tum..."
"Haan Tarika jab mein?"
"jab tum mujhe... "
"jab mein tumhe?"
"mujhe...k-kiss... "
She stopped, looking at the floor, still blushing
"okay...ab jaane deta Hu.. bas ek last baat."
"wo kya?"
"mein tumhe kiss kaise Karunga? Ye batao."
Tarika moved close to him. She quickly pecked his cheek.
"Ain!" Abhijeet thought, "abhi toh Sharma rahi thi."
" Kabhi kabhi… it's easier done than said," she whispered in his ear as though she had read his mind.
And it was true. To her, doing it came easier than saying things to his face.
"Weisey Abhijeet… mai tattoo bus yu hi dekh rahi thi.. mujhe man hota hai kabhi kabhi karwane ka."
"Karwa lo phir.. but kahi or.. please…"
"Hehehe.. nahi Abhijeet. Mai regular blood donate karti hu na."
"Toh..."
"Isliye nahi banwa sakti. It increases the risk of Hepatitis C."
"Arey haan! mere dimag se hi nikal gaya..."
"Yaad a jata toh etna drama na hota."
"ab mein jau nahane?" she smiled as she watched him pout.
"ruko."
"ab kya hai!"
"Mein Bhi chalta hu."
He smirked as he held her hand before they walked into the bathroom.