Abhijeet went to the forensic lab.
Abhi: Tarika ji..
Tarika: Sir aap?
Abhi: firse sir... (low tone) mujhe laga hum dost hain...
Tarika: (still a bit pissed off) bolne se dosti thodi hoti hai Sir. Dost toh ek dusre ko jante hain, kaam ke alawa bhi baatein hoti hai call pe...
Abhi: itne mahine saath kaam kar ke kuch toh jaan hi gaye hain. Aur phone number toh mera hai aapke paas.
Tarika: Number toh aapke paas bhi hai. Call toh aapne bhi nahi kiya kabhi.
Abhijeet's face lit up.
Abhi: Mujhe laga shayad aap comfortable nahi hongi. (Smiling) But ab permission mil gaya hai toh call bhi aajaya karega.
Tarika smiled back.
They walked out of the lab together.
Tarika (pointing to the elevator) umm. Chale?
Abhi: uh stairs se chalte haina?
Tarika: Stairs? Itne upar se?
Abhi: h..haan fitness bhi sahi rahegi..
Tarika: Meri fitness aap jitni nahi hai Abhijeet. Mujhse nahi hoga wo bhi heels me. I am too tired
Abhi: A..acha toh aap lift se aajayiye mai stairs se hi jata hu...
Tarika: dosti me ek din fitness routine nahi tod sakte?
Abhi: haan? Haan nahi wo...
Tarika: Claustrophobic?
Abhi: n..not exactly but haan mujhe zyada aise cramped spaces nahi pasand. Apna lift toh full steel door close hai not even wo grill type jaisa. Aur aaj kuch thik nahi lag raha mujhe. Mai stairs se hi...
Tarika: Acha toh chalo fir Mai bhi stairs se hi aati hu. Odd lagega na mai lift aap stairs...
Abhi: arey nahi nahi aisa kuch nahi hai. Aap heels me itne floors zaroorat nahi hai.
Tarika: Nahi please I'll feel really odd.
Abhi: Arey.. acha (sighs) chalo lift se hi chalte hain
Inside the elevator
Tarika: Wo... I am sorry aaj subah mai bewajah gussa...
Abhi: Nai nai it's ok. In fact sorry mujhe bhi kehna chahiye mai achanak baat karte hue nikal gaya, it was rude...
Tarika: Nai ab important call hoga toh. I.. I really behaved unprofessionally.
Abhi: Haan important hi tha. Dr. Niyati ka call tha unhe kuch case ke baare discuss karna tha.
Tarika: Case toh wo apne Delhi bureau me bhi discuss kar sakti haina (looking Away)
Abhi: Aisi job ke wajah se, humare most of the contacts police, cid, forensic yahin sabke hain. Aur koi interesting case hota hai toh kabhi kabar humlog discuss kar lete hain. (Pauses) Dr. Niyati is a colleague. I respect her work aur unke saath kaam kiya hai sirf is wajah se contact me hain.
Tarika: sirf colleagues?
Abhi: bilkul. Aur us time mai file dekh raha tha isliye socha baat bhi kar lu, do kaam ho jayenge. Aapse baat karte time doosra kaam thodi karenge. Socha aaram se baad me baat karenge but fir toh...
Tarika: hmm. Toh aur kon "dost" hai aapke.
Abhi: dost... dost toh bahut kam hai gine chune. Daya hai, aur 2-3 log hai, aap hain... bas. Mai thoda introvert hoon, contacts hain kaafi dost toh kam hi hain.
Tarika: bas? School, college ke dost ?
Abhijeet became silent. This day had been trigerring for him. They found a dead body in the trunk of a car, which triggered his memories of being kidnapped. He had been feeling claustrophobic since morning and now Tarika asked him about his school and college friends which he didn't remember.
Tarika : kya hua? Sorry if I am being too personal...
Abhi: Arey nahi nahi. School, college waalo se contact nahi hai.
The lights in the lift started flickering. And before they could react, the lift came to a halt with a jerk.
Daya had already reached home and was waiting for Abhijeet.
Daya : ye mahashay kar kya rahe hain itni der se. Abhi tak toh aa jana chahiye tha. Mai yahan wait kar raha hu, aur ye Tarika ke saath romance kar rahe ? Bhooka wait kar raha hu mai, ye kahin tarika ko drop karke dinner ke liye toh nahi ruk gaya. Iski toh mai. Aane do ghar batata hu.
Shadow grey, guest,KK, AbhirikaJai, HidenSeek06 thanks for your reviews. Hope you like this chapter.
Next chapter will be uploaded sooner !
Leave your ideas and suggestions in the comments, I'll be happy to incorporate them into the plot ahead :)