Tarika stood in the kitchen peeling potatoes. Her hair was tied in a loose bun with several curls falling to her face. Hands too busy to put them back into the bun, eyebrows knit, forehead sweaty... It was clear as day - she was annoyed.
"Ughhh," she complained as she heard the doorbell ring.
She quickly walked over to the main door, almost stumbling over the cushion that lay on the floor.
"The whole world wants to wreck me!"
She kicked the cushion underneath the sofa.
"Tum!"
She rolled her eyes at her not so infrequent visitor.
Then she left the door open and went back into the kitchen, without bothering to greet or welcome her guest.
Abhijeet locked the door and followed her into the kitchen. He stood opposite her such that the slab on which she was working formed a separation between them.
"Tarika ji..."
"Kya Hain?"
"Mein Yaha aapse Milne Aaya Hu aur aap Hain ki muskura Bhi Nahi rahi."
"Offo Abhijeet... Dikh Nahi Raha kitni busy Hu."
She jerked her head, trying to remove the curls that were falling on her face. But all her efforts went in vain when some more curls came out of her bun.
"Mein madat Kar deta Hu."
He leaned over the slab and tried to touch her face but she moved away.
"Tum rehne doh."
"Arrey Tarika ji aap toh -"
"Bus aadhe ghante pehle meine mana Kiya tha ki mat aana... Busy Hu."
"But I was missing you," he tried to sound as cute as possible.
"Parathe banane Hain... Sheetal ke Ghar pe guests Aaye Hain... Aur phir reports Bhi likhne hai... Ghar Bhi saaf Karna hai... Bahot kaam hai Abhijeet !"
"Toh mein madat Kar dunga," he smirked, "akele akele maza thodi na aayega aapko."
Tarika threw a potato at him.
"Shutup... Tum jao kitchen se. Abhi ke abhi !"
...
...
After she was done with the parathas, Tarika was sitting in the living room trying to complete the required reports. But Abhijeet was disturbing her with one thing or the other.
"Tarika -"
"Abhijeet tum doh minute chup Nahi reh sakte."
"Purey 10 minute ho Gayein Hain."
"Not funny at all."
"Acha Acha... Gussa mat Karo... Mein toh science ki baat puch Raha tha iss Baar."
"Huh!"
"Tumhare gaal kyu laal hotein Hain jab mein -"
"Shutup Abhijeet!"
Tarika couldn't help her reddening cheeks.
...
...
"Tarika -"
"Ab kya hai?" She rolled her eyes.
"Iss Baar kaam ki baat hai... I promise."
"Kuch baqwas hua toh I'm going to seal your mouth."
"Seal my mouth huh?" He slightly puckered his lips," Sounds good to me."
Tarika shot him a fiery glare.
"Nahi Mera matlab hai... Wo mein... Haan wo mein keh Raha tha ki Ramu case ke forensic details batao na please."
"Lab mein kya Kar rahe the?" She was irritated.
"Wo Salunkhe ache se thodi na samjhata hai"
"A-aa-aapne Jo samjhaya tha wo Yaad hai mujhe."
Tarika shook her head disapprovingly and started explaining the details to him. But he was distracted.
He was busy watching her curls bounce, watching the subtle movements for eyes when she spoke, watching the way her hands moved... He was brought when she shook him by his shoulders.
"Abhijeet ! Tum sunn rahe ho?"
"Haan wo..."
"Kya Bola meine?"
Once again he was lost in her. She looked so cute with her eyebrows knit together, with her nose slightly flared, her lips pursed together... charming !
"Abhijeet!"
"You need to stop doing this," he smirked.
"Doing what?"
"Doing things that make me want to kiss you."
He was expecting a deep shade red on her cheeks. Little did he know that something else was awaiting him.
"Tumhe toh harr waqt ek hi baat soojhti hai."
"Ab mein kya Karu... Aap -"
"Phirse flirting. Tumko Romance ke alawa kuch Nahi aata !"
"Aapko toh Khush Hona Chahiye... Aapka boyfriend itna romantic Jo hai."
He tried to wrap his arm around her waist but she grabbed it and put it back into his lap.
"Agar tum meri jagah hote toh pata chalta tumhe !"
"Acha?"
"Aur Nahi toh!"
"Toh theek hai... Ek din ke liye mein tumhari jagah Lene ko tayyar hu."
"Matlab?"
"Ek din ke liye tum mere Jaise behave Karna... Phir pata chalega ki mein harr waqt bus romance hi Nahi karta."
"The game is on... You are going to be proven wrong."
"Wo toh baad mein pata chalega," Abhijeet murmured.
"Kal se." said Tarika.
"Kal se ku ajaj se hi."
"Abhi mujhe kam hai."
"Haan toh tum kam karo.. and mai apna role play karta hu."
"Hmm.. okay."
'Hmm,' Abhijeet thought, 'ye Tarika kya karti hai jab mai kam karta hu? Nahi, tang toh mujhe bilkul nahi karti ye. Ketna boring hai yaar Tarika jeisey behave karna. Romantic toh wo occasionally hoti hai, huh.'
'Sukar hai, chup ho gaya.' Tarika thought.
Abhijeet stood up and left for the kitchen.
After some minutes he returned with two coffee mugs. He gave one to Tarika.
"Thanks."
"Welcome."
He sat down and sipped his coffee looking at her.
Tarika noticed but she couldn't protest.
Abhijeet doesn't.
But she couldn't concentrate while Abhijeet kept watching her like that.
'Arrggh. Mai toh aisehi dekhti hu jab yye kam kartaa hai par Ise toh khabar hi nahii hoti thi.'
"Hoti thi Tarika ji. Par I let you. Apki tarah nahi ki bhaga du."
"Maine jor se bola kya?"
"Nahi. par maine apka man par liya."
"Whatever. Dekhte raho. Mujhe kya," she shrugged, "At least mai disturb toh nahi karti tumhe."
"Mai bhi kaha disturb kar raha huu."
Tarika rolled her eyes.
She worked on the file.
Half an hour later Abhijeet moved near her and placed his head on her shoulder.
He wrapped his hands around her arm.
Tarika remembered doing this multiple times when he was busy with his works. It never felt she was disturbing him. He never let her feel that.
Raising her other hand she ruffled his hair like the way he did always.
Abhijeet smiled. It really felt good.
Next he kept his head on her lap. She couldn't protest this time too. She had fallen countless time like this, keeping her head on his lap while he was working.
Heck, how adorable he's looking right now. Tarika huffed in her mind. Did she look this adorable too? How did Abhijeet control himself from kissing her?
Abhijeet raised his eyebrows. Tarika looked away and concentrated on her file. Abhijeet held her free hand and placed that on his head. Means, she had to ruffle his hair.
Hell!Hell!Hell!
How badly he loved her hair and still he would kept working. No, Tarika can't just concentrate on both.
But she couldn't give up.
But she's playing Abhijeet role! She can be romantic!
But He's not romantic when he's working.
Tarika ruffled his hair again and gave him a quick kiss on his forehead.
Abhijeet smirked.
Damn! Not the smirk.
Not now.
She was already having a hard time resisting him.
Sighing, she shifted her focus to the reports in her hand, trying to somehow ignore his tempting presence.
Making the difficult almost impossible, he wrapped his hands around her waist. Tarika flinched but she couldn't protest.
She found herself working at double her usual pace to finish it as quickly as possible.
...
...
Somewhere between the urge to quickly finish her work and the amount of points that were to be analyzed, Tarika lost track of time.
Two hours had passed and she had absolutely no idea.
One last page of the report was left when she kept it aside. She needed some water before she could continue.
But wait.
She couldn't get up yet. He had fallen asleep in her lap. She couldn't even place his head on the sofa - that would wake him up.
But water!
'Aargh,' she told herself, 'just do the reports without water.'
...
...
…
"Tarika..."
Abhijeet rubbed his eyes and sat up with a jolt.
"sorry wo mein... Tumne mujhe uthaya kyu Nahi?"
Tarika smiled. Her thighs hurt like hell but she didn't mind at all.
"Tum itne cute lag rahe the..."
"Kya yaar... Pairo mein dard hua Hoga tumhare!"
He glanced at the clock.
5 hours.
It had been over 5 hours that he had been lying in her lap.
Damn!
"Mein pair Daba du?"
She looked at him for a few seconds and pecked his lips.
"Kitna zyaada sochte ho tum."
That's when she realized... She never knew exactly how hard it would have been for him to sit in the same position till morning.
"Zyaada dard Nahi hai na sach mein?"
Tarika shook her head.
He was so adorable. She felt like eating him up.
A smirk settled itself on her face. She didn't have to be discreet about the thoughts that crossed her mind.
Abhijeet never did.
"Aise pareshan hokar mat Pucho."
She traced his furrowed eyebrows with her index finger.
The creases on Abhijeet's forehead eased. He wrapped his arm around waist.
"Acha? Wo kyun?"
"Kyunki..."
"Kyuki?" He brought his face close to hers.
"Batau?"
She wrapped her arms around his neck and gently bit her lips.
"Batao..."
She quickly freed herself from his arms and got up.
"Follow me," she winked, walking to her bedroom.
"Tarika ek minute," he called her, realising something, "wo Tumhari files aur meri files ready karni hai na?"
Tarika always made sure that they were ready for office next day.
"Offo... Tumhe humesha kaam ki Padi rehti hai."
"Par files."
"Wo kal subah Dekh lenge na."
He sighed.
That meant he would have to wake up early and do both their files. How easy it had seemed when she did that.
He mentally cursed himself. Why on earth did the idea of this game ever come into his mind?
"Aaj Raat toh mujhe kuch aur dekhna hai," she looked at him seductively.
Abhijeet felt blood rushing to his cheeks as got up to move towards her bedroom.
Abhijeet smirked entering into the room as an idea peeped inside his mind.
He lied down on bed.
"Lights off kar do Tarika."
"Huh! tum so rahe ho?"
"Haan, mujhe nind a rahi hai."
"Hmpf. Ye kya bat hui! Abhi 5 hours tum soi na."
"Phir bhi nind a rahi hai," Abhijeet yawned, " dekho rat ke 2 baj rahe hai. Subha uthna bhi hai na."
'Ye kyaa hua! Hmpf. Ab mai ise keisey mood mei lau!' she thought
Abhijeet smirked.
She lied down beside him switching off the lights.
'Mai bhi aise na kia karti hu kya! Haan karti toh hu. Par Abhijeet to mana leta hai mujhe most of the time. Mai bhi koshish karu?' She looked at him, "Mai keisey yaar. Ye toh abruptly kiss karna start kar deta hai or mai control nahi kar pati. Fine. I'll try. After all I am Abhijeet now.'
Keeping her thoughts aside she moved close to him. She kissed behind his ear.
"So gai?" she said, seductively.
"Oh ho.." he turned his head aside.
But Tarika didn't give up. She came on top of him kissed his closed eyes. Abhijeet looked at her opening them and smirked.
She kissed his lips.
"Sona h-"
She kissed again.
Abhijeet smirked and talked again.
"Tum-"
Again a kiss.
"Rat-"
Another one.
Abhijeet couldn't stop grinning.
Tarika sat on his stomach. Abhijeet held her waist. Tarika pulled off her top and then arranging her hair on one side she leaned down, again to kiss him. This time for a long and passionate one. Abhijeet hands travelled her bare torso up to her neck and then grabbed her hair. He flipped them over kissed her back with same passion.
In morning as usual Abhijeet woke up first. He always left without waking her up but Tarika never did this. So now he had to wake her up. Arggh, he didn't like waking her up.
'That can be sorted later,' he thought, 'let me arrange the files first.'
He dressed up and went to hall room. He was arranging the files when Tarika joined him
"Mujhe laga tum bhul jaoge." said Tarika.
"Just because I don't thank you for every little thing doesn't mean I don't appreciate Tarika." said Abhijeet as he finished his work.
"I know." Tarika smiled, "Breakfast.."
"Mai bana deta hu.. tum fresh ho jao."
"Hamesha toh tum hi banate ho... aj mai Abhijeet hu remember?"
"Hamesha kaha! Acha choro breakfast. Mujhhe nikal na chahiye. Late ho jaigga."
Tarika hugged him.
"Tum Tarika ho…or Tarika subha subha bohot romantice hoti hai. Abhijeet nahi hota."
"Matlab tumne accept kia ki mujhe hamesha sirf romance nahi sujhtta." Abhijeet smiled.
Tarika left him.
"Kya? Maine aisa kab kaha!? Maine nahi kaha!"
"Koi bat nahi.. abhi bhi pura din para hai.. kahogi " he winked.
"Jao tum yaha se."
"Ab Mai kabhi tumhe aisse janee ko nahi bolta. Bolta huu kya?"
'Arggh, being Abhijeet is difficult.' she thought.
"Acha thik hai no more masti... Mai chaltta hu."
Abhijeet turned to go but Tarika hugged him from behind.
"ACP sir se aj chutti le loo naa." Tarika said smirking. He did this multiple times.
"Wo mujhe chutti dene ke liye beithe hai naa."
"Ketna kharus hai tumhara boss."
"Tumne ACP sir koo Kharuss bola!"
"Jali na.. mujhe bhi aissehi bolte hoo tum."
"Tarikaaaa."
He tried to roll her eyes just like Tarika did.
Tarika laughed at his half failed attempt. She stood on her toes, held his head and kissed his forehead.
...
...
*In the bureau*
Tarika walked over to Abhijeet, making a seductively pouted face.
As she stood dangerously close to him, Abhijeet gulped.
"Tarika ji aap?"
"Meine suna ki new evidence Mila."
"Haan wo..."
"Tum lekar Nahi Aaye toh meine socha ki mein hi aa jau... Mulakaat ho jayegi tumse."
Abhijeet looked around. All eyes were on them.
Well he couldn't lie, he did sort of enjoy this reversal.
"Evidence?"
She smirked, making him embarrassed for shamelessly staring at her.
He nodded and took several things from a packet that was labelled as "evidence"
As he was still taking things out, Tarika's hand went behind his back, careful not to touch him and went over to the evidence packets.
She had to shift closer to him to reach it.
"Kuch madat Kar du?" She smirked again.
"Tarika - "
She raised her eyebrows. Abhijeet gave up, deciding to enjoy her sweet torture.
"Tarika ji" Dr. Salunkhe's voice came, making her jump.
"Sir aap?"
"Ji mein. Ho Gaya aap Ka Abhijeet Ji ke Saath?"
"Sir mein... Mein evidence le rahi thi."
"Mil Gaya ?"
"Ji sir."
"Toh jayiye lab... Or check kijiye."
"Okay sir."
She sighed.
"Ab samajh Aaya ki Kitna khadoos hai tumhara boss?" Abhijeet muttered.
"Baad mein aati hu," she winked at him and left.
...
...
*In the forensic lab*
Tarika got up from her chair with a slight headache.
'ye achanak sar dard kyu ho Raha hai?' she thought.
She glanced at the clock.
6 pm.
Damn, she had been working for so long without food or water. That was why.
Abhijeet made sure that she ate and drank while she was absorbed in her work. And he did it so effortlessly that she never realised it.
She quickly left her work and went to the bureau. Even he would be hungry!
Entering into the bureau she directly made her way towards his cabin. Indeed, he was busy. He was totally absorbed in a file. Hearing the door open sound he looked up.
"Tumne kuch khaya?" Tarika asked.
"Nahi."
"Chalo canteen chalte hai. Maine bhi nahi khaya."
"Hm.. bas ye khatam ho jai."
"Nahi Abhi... abhi chalo. Ake kar lene khatam."
"Bas 5 minute lagenge."
"Mai aise deny karti hu?" Tarika asked.
Abhijeet nodded standing up.
"Tab tum kya kartee ho?"
"Wo tumhe pata hona chahiye. Well, considering your statement... romance hi karta hunga." Abhijeet said, innocently.
Tarika snorted.
"Chalo.." Tarika pulled him outside holding his arm.
Abhijeet smiled. Now, he never did this.
Tarika got free around 8, too early for Abhijeet.
He always waited for her whenever he got free before her but Tarika wasn't allowed to do so. He would get furious. But today she was Abhijeet. So, she would wait. She waited for him in her car.
Waiting was boring.
She received his message.
'Go home. I will be late.'
She replied-
'I will wait.'
'Go Tarika.'
'No.'
He didn't reply further. Hhhu, now he knew how it felt when he used to wait for hours.
Minutes later there was a knock on her window. He pulled down the glass.
"Tarika, jid mat karo. Mujhe bohot late ho jaiga." said Abhijeet leaning down.
"Mai-"
"Tch, I am serious Tarika. Ghar par milta hu na."
"Kahi ja rahe ho?"
"Haan. Team ke sath.. ek gang ko pakarna hai."
"Be careful."
"Hmm," he nodded, "Ghar phochke message karna."
Tarika nodded.
Abhijeet was about to stand up when Tarika pulled him down holding his collar. There's no goodbye without a kiss from his side.
She pecked his lips. Abhiheet smiled.
"Kuch bhi miss nahi kar rahi tum." he smirked, "Chalo bye."
He smiled at her and walked away.
She couldn't believe she blamed him for being romantic all the time. Well, although annoying she loved his silly flirts and cheezy romance. And somehow she knew her denials were also loved by him. But she enjoyed being him. She found out so many things which were small to her before weren't actually that small, that every indistinct little thing was distinct from his side, that every romance is wrapped within pure love and concerns, that he loved her every second in a new way…
...
...
Tarika looked at her phone for the fourth time.
Not even one message of hers had been delivered to him.
An hour passed. She tried calling him... Calling Daya. But nothing worked. She felt anxiety overtaking her.
Waiting for him, she fell asleep on the sofa with the phone in her hand.
After sometime, Tarika woke up as she felt something touch her body.
She opened her eyes to find herself in his arms. They were standing in her bedroom.
"Abhijeet tum... "
He smiled at her, gently making her sit on the bed.
His hair messy, coat missing, shirt half out... Looked like he had had a tough chase.
"tum sofa pe so gayi thi."
"Tumhara intezaar kar rahi thi."
She found herself tearing up.
She had been told that she was a strong girl. It was not easy to wreck her emotionally or make her cry. But when it came to him, even the slightest of problems made her upset. Somehow, when it came to him, it was impossible to reason with her heart. Only hearing his voice, only seeing him made her feel better.
And he knew it. That was why he was there in her room at 2 am.
Maybe this was love.
Tarika got up from the bed.
"Tumhara phone kyu Nahi work Kar Raha tha?"
"Wo waha... Network Nahi tha."
'network Nahi tha ! Kitni asaani se keh Diya Tumne... Aur Yaha meri Jo Jaan nikli uska kya? Ab Raat ke 2 baje Aaye hi kyun ho? Kal hi bata dete na subah? Ek phone Nahi Kiya jaata tumse network Milne ke baad?' - she wanted to say all these but these words were confined to her mind. He wouldn't burst out at times like this. He was the one who was strong for both of them when he needed to be.
She just wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight to her chest.
"Shukar hai tum theek ho," she said, just like Abhijeet would.
"tum theek ho?" Abhijeet asked, separating her.
Tarika looked into his eyes and nodded. And then almost immediately, she threw herself into his arms, burying her head in his chest.
"Mein Tarika hi theek Hu," she said, her voice wet.
Abhijeet rubbed her back and held her like that for a while.
In each other's arms they stood in silence, their hearts beating with the same rhythm.
I love you - she wanted to say but she decided against it.
Words, how little they meant when silence was so beautiful, so perfect.
a/n : So we are back with another long OS. Hope you like it.
Please review generously ; )