Tere Mere Dil
…..
''Dr Tarika,'' Abhijeet called leaning against his car door.
Tarika had just come out from hospital when she heard him calling her name.
''Abhijeet..'' She moved near him, surprised with his sudden appearance. ''Tum wapas kaab ain?''
''Kal raat.'' He replied shortly.
''Kaal raat… mu- mujhe bataya nahi..''
''Mujhe laga tum disturb ho jaogi.'' Disappointment was clearly audible in his voice.
''Main kyu disturb hone lagi.'' Tarika replied, a bit hesitated.
''Had a tough night?'' He asked.
To Tarika he heard intimidated for the very first time. And to be honest she never thought he could be this much intimidated.
''Hmm.. yeah.. a bit.'''
''Had any rest?''
''Two hours. Tum aise puchtach kyu kar rahein ho mujhse?'' She wasn't easy to dominate.
''Puch tach nahi kar raha…. Bas, tumhara kuch waqt mange wala hu tumse toh sure ho raha tha ki mujhe do paogi ya nahi.''
''Ítni si baat?''
''ummm.. yeah.''
''Sham ko milte hain then..''
''Now?''
''Now?/''
''Yeah..'' said Abhijeet.
Tarika thought for a while.
''Hmm..''
''C'mon Tarika, we are meeting like a week later.''
Tarika nodded.
''Thank you… get in the car then.''
Tarika followed him inside the car. They drove off.
Inside the car Tarika was messaging someone.
''Kisey msg kar rahi ho?'' Abhijeet asked.
''My roommates.''
''Hmm.. hows your week?''
''Busy? Yours?''
''Busy as well.''
''Tumhe Canada jayada psanad hain ya London?''
''London..''
''Kyu?''
Abhijeet behaved as if he didn't hear her and kept driving. Tarika shrugged and started browsing net in her mobile.
''Tumne pucha nahi ham kaha ja rahein hain?'' Abhijeet asked after a while.
Just then Tarika realized she actually never wanted to know the destination. Why? Tarika's heart was giving a different answer but she concluded it was because of her tiring night shift that her mind was not functioning perfectly.
''Oh haan… ham kaha ja rahein hain?''
Tarika expected him to smile but his expression was impressive.
''My apartment.'' He answered.
''Your apartment!'' Tarika was surprised. ''K-Kyu?''
''Do you not trust me?''
''I .. I do.. but…''
''But what?/'''
''I mean why your apartment?'' Ham toh aksar breakfast ke dohran bat karte hain kisi restaurant mein.''
''Toh hamare rishtey ko hamesha wahi taq rakhne ka irada hain kya tumhara/'''
''Nahi par achanak se…'' Tarika actually felt something fishy and she was a bit scared too.
''Koi problem hain?/''
''Tumhe mujhse puchna chahiye tha as a gentlemen.'' Tarika said in an offended voice.
''Weisa karne se tumhare jawab mein koi difference ata?''
''Matlab kya hain tumhara?''
''jane do..'''
After 10 minutes they reached Abhijeet's apartment. It was on top most floor of 20 storeyed building. They reached there with lift.
''It's a pent house.'' Abhijeet said to Tarika while leading her in.
The apartment was huge and with the black and white decoration it was looking marvellous. Tarika had never seen a more beautiful apartment than this. When she was lost in this beauty of nicely decorated hall room she heard Abhijeet calling her.
''Tarika..''
''Ha.. haan tum kuch keh rahe the?''
''Keisa laga apartment?''
''It's beautiful. Really.''
Abhijeet smiled for the very first time in that morning making Tarika feel relax.
''I am glad you have liked it.''
''Itna khoobsurat hain kisi ko bhi pasand ajaiga.''
''Show off nahi kaha..'' Abhijeet taunted.
''People earn to live luxury.. apne liye kharch karnaa banta hain..''
''Acha?'' He smirked.
''Yeah..'' Tarika nodded.
''Come…'' Abhijeet leaded her toward a room. ''Ye mera room hain… and you can use that room at the other corner when you are here.''
''Umm.. ghar pe or koi nahi hain?''
''Tarika tum daar kyu rahi ho?''
''Nahi daar nahi rahi hu.. bas.. clean wagera kon karta hain… cooking, washing..''
''Ek cook and ek cleaner hain. Main Canada mein tha toh dono leave mein hain.''
''Oh.. main fresh ho jati hu..'' Tarika said hesitatingly.
''Wait.. new tooth brush hoga yahi kahi… lemme search..''
''No Abhijeet its okay. Mere pass hain… main night shift mein thi na.. toh sab hain mere pass.''
''Okay..''
Tarika left to get fresh.
When she returned Abhijeet was ready with the breakfast.
''Come.. have breakfast.''
''Tumne banaya?/'
''It doesn't take much to arrange bread and butter.'' Abhijeet smiled.
They both sat to have their breakfast.
''tarika I am sorry for being rude with you this morning.''
''You are?''
''Yes.. of course.''
''Good then.''
''But I wasn't completely unreasonable, was I?''
''What do you mean?''
''Tarika you avoided me the whole week.''
''I was busy.''
''You are always busy. But this one week felt different. It felt distant.''
''Because we were far away.''
''Tarika,'' Abhijeet said calmly, ''I want to know what you feel about this relationship.''
''Abhijeet you already know.''
''Am I pushing you in forcefully?''
''Abhijeet, you are stubborn but trust me You are not the one forcing me.''
''Then is it you who's forcing herself?''
''Abhijeet tum subha subha kya leke beith gain?''
''You are, aren't you?'' Abhijeet concluded.
''No, I don't.'' Tarika stood up. ''Abhijeet, its just you are so perfect.''
''And you are afraid that I am not.''
''No…''
''Then?''
''You are a very good person Abhijeet… in dino mein maine yahi jana… haan main chahti thi ki tum ye samjho ki I am not the girl for you… and that's why I agreed to kind of date you.''
''You are the girl for me Tarika…''
''No I am not… Abhijeet… I, I agreed to know you, to date you cause … 'cause I needed time from my parents.''
''What do you mean?''
''Means I was kind of using you.'' Tarika sighed.
''You do not have any intention to marry me?'' Abhijeet sounded broken.
''Yeah,'' Tarika nodded, ''Because I just don't fit in your lifestyle. But whatever you have done to me… I started to have a liking for you… but, but…''
''But what Tarika..''
''It wont gonna work Abhijeet…''
''Why?''
''For God sake Abhijeet stop asking why why why! I have some issues.''
''Do you like someone?''
''Noh please…''
''Toh phir kya Tarika… Tumhe nahi pata Tarika.. I love you.. I love you so much.''
This made Tarika to look at him with a jerk.
''Yes, you heard right. I love you.''
''No you don't. Abhijeet, this is insane.''
''I don't care what it is.. I just know that I love you. And I am trying to give you everything I can afford… my time, my feelings… everything.''
''Abhijeet you are running too fast with this.''
Abhijeet held her by her shoulders and pulled her near him. Their bodies were almost touching. Tarika felt scared.
''Abhijeet..'' She tried to free herself from his grips.
''Look into my eyes. Kya dikhta hain tumhe… Its all love damn it.''
''Abhijeet please mujhe choro…'' Tarika refused to look into his eyes.
He pulled her nearer. Their noses touched. Tarika started to breath heavily, completely taken aback with Abhijeet's rough behaviour.
''Do you know how much I want to kiss you? Par maine kabhi aisa approach karna toh dur tumhe ehsas taq hone nahi diya.. janti hu kuy?'' He jerked her, ''Kyuki tumhe bura lag gaya toh? Tumhe bura lage aisa koi kam nahi karta main… kuch bhi nahi… or badle mein maine kya manga? Yahi ki tum mujhe, mere feelings ko samjho… or tumne kya kiya!''
''Abhijeet leave me or I will kick you..'' Tarika shouted.
Abhijeet left her slowly coming to his sense with her loud voice.
''Tarika..'' He tried to apologize.
''Shut up.. you are sick Abhijeet… Istarah mujhe apna apartment mein bolake tumne meri sath aisa behave kiya… Tumhe pata hain ki main weisehi daari hui hu or tum…''
''Tarika try to understand me… wo bas main gusse mein..''
''I don't want to talk to you Abhijeet.. I am going.'' Tarika took her bag and proceeded to leave.
''Tarika ek minute.'' He held her wrist but she jerked away his hand.
''Okay, okay.. I am sorry.'' He raised his hands in air, apologizing for holding her wrist. ''Let me drop you.''
''Koi jarurat nahi hain… main khud chali jaungi.''
''Tarika… okay, driver ko bolata hu.. tum..''
Tarika ran away from his apartment without answering him.
''Tarikaa…'' Abhijeet shouted behind her but she was gone.
