Thank you guys for lovely feedback and sorry for delay. Will post next parts soon.
Chapter Four
Continuing from: After Bhavya and Iqra's showdown, Bhav goes to sleep and Iqra just leaves from there]
Same Night
Nakul: phone es liye hota hai ke aap usko utha kar baat karein.
Iqra turns around and finds Nakul walking up to her. It took him sometime but he realised where she could be found at this time of night. They are at the echo point, which is located quite high and far from city. Iqra is standing against the railing and staring out at the dark sky. Nakul comes and stands next to her, for some moments he silently watches her staring out in the sky. She is clearly upset; she is here at the same time she's not here.
Nakul: What's wrong?
Iqra: What's ever right?
Iqra turns around and now her back is resting against the railing. Nakul also stand against the railing like her.
Iqra: Dull and boring. Hah?!
She laughs at her own words.
Nakul: Who is dull and boring?
Iqra: Hahaha... finally when your life starts to get settled, you have some peace people start to find your life dull and boring. Funny, isn't it?
Nakul: Any reason for this mockery?
When Iqra doesn't say anything, Nakul understands where this is coming from.
Nakul: Oh... ab kya kiya usne?
Iqra: You remember Nakul, how hard we struggled for some peace in our lives? How much we both gave up for the life we have now?
Nakul: How can I ever forget?
Iqra looks at Nakul, he seems upset and Iqra is aware why he is upset.
Iqra: aaj ka newspaper toh tumne bhi para hoga. Headlines achi thi, nahi? ' ACP Pradhyuman saves the day, the young boy reunites with his family.
Nakul (clinching his teeth): apne bete ko phansi aur dosre ke bete ko zindagi!
Iqra: aik baat kahon, tum aik baar unse baat karlo. It's been 3 years Nakul.
Nakul: Toh apne DAD se baat kar na phir.
Iqra: NAKUL!
Iqra suddenly raises her voice and looks at Nakul in pure anger.
Nakul: Taqleef hoyi na?! Mujhe bhi hoyi.
Iqra gets dangerously close to him.
Iqra (Whispers): Don't you dare! Don't you dare try to compare my situation to yours; mere baap ko koi farq nahi parta main jeeyon yaan mar jayon. Woh mujhe, hume chor kar tab hi chala gaya tha jab main bohut chooti thi. He gives a damn about us, he as a new family. Maine kabhi nahi dekha baap ka say apni zindagi mein, woh zinda hokar bhi humare liye mara howa hai. Aur tumhare dad..
Nakul: Mere dad, exactly mere dad... woh bhi toh aise hi hain...
Iqra: Nahi Nakul woh aise nahi hain. Manti janti hon..
Nakul: Sab jaanti ho phir bhi bol rahi ho. Yaad nahi hai kya howa tha? 'Nakul aik gadaar hai' mere apne dad ne kaha tha yeh. Mere apne dad ne mujhpar goli chaliyi. Bina sach jaane, aik baar bhi nahi socha ke shayad waisa nahi hai jaisa dikh raha hai. Maine socha tha, UK mein training lekar, India jakar dad ko surprise karonga, unka itna purana khawab pura karonga ke main, unka baita bhi officer banne. Par woh toh... esme mera kya kasoor ke mujhe Daksh ke irade pata chal gaye thay aur usko expose karne ke chakkar mein main under cover hogaya tha... par dad.. unho ne sach janne ki zaroraat hi nahi samjhi bas decide kar liya. Aur yeh choro.. kabhi bhi unho ne mujhe konsa apna beta mana, woh baap nahi humesha ACP hi rahe.
Iqra: But after finding out the truth...
Nakul gives her dagger looks.
Iqra: I mean, unko apni Galati ka ehsaas hai and he wants to mend fences with you.
Nakul: Too late Iqu, now I've change of heart. Jaise teri life mein un logon ki jagah nahi jinho ne tujhe chor diya es tarhan meri life mein bhi unki koi jagah nahi.
Iqra sighs and turns around and looks out the empty dark sky. This night seems endless and dark, all of sudden as if her impulsiveness takes over, she can feel, rage, pain, hurt, betrayal, anger all at once. She looks up in the sky.
Iqra: ONE MESSED UP FAMILY WE ARE!
Nakul is surprised at her outburst as hardly ever shouts like this but tonight he is feeling similar as well; tears come in her eyes but refuse to fall. They both have seem a lot in their lives and that too from very young age. Nakul was always neglected by his father ever since his mother died when he was young. Though he always tried to make an effort to bond with his father but it never happened. His father's behaviour soon made Nakul to take a big step, that's when he decided to live in UK. That's where he and Iqra met and became best friends. Nakul soon became part of her family. Her mum treats him like his son and her sisters love him like an older brother. After his training in UK Met police, he decided to go to India to work there but whole Daksh's fiasco caused delay in his plans which soon became the reason for Nakul leaving his father for good. He could not bear that his father believed that Nakul was a traitor. After clearing his name with help of UK police and Iqu, Nakul left his father and was offered a job in Mumbai CID with ACP Rajat.
But he wasn't the only one who got the offer; Iqra also got the offer to join Rajat's team as she was also one of good trained officers from UK police force. It was tough decision for her, which caused a lot of issues but Nakul was there with her and with his help she finally decided and moved to India. But every year she goes to UK for a month to spend holiday with her mum and her beloved siblings, whom she raised as her own kids. Iqra also didn't had an easy life, after father leaving them at young age, Iqra had no choice but to give up her childhood and be an adult; she became the son of the house as all the responsibilities fell on her shoulders but she didn't complain as fulfilled her responsibilities and still is. She has been through a lot and very unpredictable situations as well but each of them made her stronger than before. A girl who used to be scared of everything, even dark, her own shadow is now a brave CID officer. But her bitter experiences left quite a mark on her, her trust is mostly faded away from relations, love, marriages. Both of them has a lot in common which makes their bond, their friendship even more special, some people even envy over their bond, their closeness. But it doesn't bother these two. After a long pause Nakul agrees with Iqra.
Nakul: Indeed we are messed up, so much.
Iqra turns her face towards him; she pulls his face in her hands and pulls him into a hug, both of them stay in this position.
Nakul: Yeh rishte naatay, sab dhoka, fareb hain.. ab unke liye meri zindagi mein koi jagah nahi.. meri zindagi mein koyi rishte hain, koi apne hain toh woh log tum log ho.. tum ho...
Iqra: Haan... aur mera konsa koi aur hai, mum and meri laadliyon ke ilawa bas tum log hi toh meri family, meri life ho. Yahan aaj hon, tum logon ki wajah se hon, tumhare wajah se. Tum nahi hote na, toh main bhi UK se India tak nahi aa pati kabhi bhi.
Both of them let go of each, while Iqra kneels down and sit on floor against the railing, soon Nakul too sits down. Both of them sit in silence for a while.
Iqra: Bhav ne aaj kahan ke main apni life par concentrate karon, ke live a little as my life and I'm dull and boring.
Nakul: You are anything but dull and boring. And your life... puhhh. Anything BUT boring and dull.
Iqra lets out a mock laugh.
Iqra: Yea, anything but dull and boring. Kya kya nahi dekha es zindagi mein, woh bhi choti si umar se. Checked! Messed up family? Checked! Back stabber friends? Checked! Painful past? Checked! Betrayal in love? Checked!
Nakul: Wow, so many checks? Well mine are similar too. Then how can Bhav call you dull and boring?
Iqra: Because she doesn't know and she doesn't need to. Gosh I hate this mentor period. Kitna mushkil hai life share karna, apna ghar, cheezein share karna.
Nakul: Arre buddhu, kalko jab shaadi hogi tab kya hoga tumhara?
Nakul makes a fake shocked expression, Iqra looks at it and laughs at his expressions, soon Nakul join too.
Iqra: Ab humesha se akele rehne ki adaat hai toh kya karon? Tumhe toh pata hai, humesha se hi akeli rahi hon, rehne ki adaat hai... sharing nahi hoti. Aur shaadi... chor na, itne dorr ke khawab kon dekha hai. Pata nahi naseeb mein hai, nahi hai.. kya pata itna lamba jiyon hi na main.
Nakul: Aye.. kitni baar bola hai es tarhan ki baatein mat kiya karo. Shaadi..
Iqra: Shaadi hai kya Nakul? Shaadi, pyaar, rishton ko mazaq banakar rakh diya hai en logon aajkal. Aur sach kahon, apne nasseb si hi sabse zayada darr lagta hai. Naaseebon ka khel...
Nakul: Exactly, naseeb.. tumhare naseeb ache honge, bohut acha insaan likha hai tumhare naseeb mein, esi liye toh us kamine se waqt par jaan choot gayi.
Iqra: Koi nahi jaanta kiska naseeb kaisa hai.. hum sirf dua hi kar sakte hain. Aur pata hai, shaadi aik juwa hai, jeet haan yaan haar woh baazi lagan eke baad hi pata chalta hai. Khair choro... let's not talk about it. Aur shaadi ka itna mood hai toh khud karlo.
Nakul: You're right, let's not discuss it.
Iqra gives Nakul a victorious look.
Nakul: Tum hi kehti ho na, sab teh hai, likha howa hai ke humare saath kab kya hona hai. Toh ab dekhte hain... kya hota hai.
Iqra: Kafi dair hogayi hai... raat almost khatam hone wali hai, chalo chalte hain.
Iqra starts to get up but Nakul grabs her arm and makes her sit back down.
Nakul: Ruk na... thoir dair mein chalte hain.
Iqra: Theek hai lekin sirf kuch aur dair.
Nakul puts his head on her shoulder; she links her arm with his. He and she both look up at the sky, the darkness is fading away slowly and sky is becoming more visible, clearer.
Enjoy All.