Were We Written in the Sand

...

Sitting on the small bed of the small room Abhijeet tried to process the events in his mind from last half an hour. He found the idea very foolish to stay in this house or even anywhere near it. But that old lady's order type voice didn't allow him voice his thought. And somewhere in his heart his selfish self, his guilty pleasure were also trying to influence him to stay.

"You will stay here." That old lady had said in a clear demanding voice.

It was hard to move his eyes away from the curly beauty he had always been in love with. But he had to, half heartedly. He had looked down for a while and then looked up at the old lady upon her declaration. Raj got excited and leaded him inside this room before Abhijeet could argue. Raj left afterwards.

Abhijeet sighed. He could leave. But he decided to stay the night. He would prefer to have a normal talk with her. It wouldn't be hard, would it? It's been so many years now. All those bitter moments must had been faded away from her memories. Perhaps, she would pass him a smile. Or she would ask him how had he been. He didn't need anything more from her.

Everything had been his fault. Though broken they could have been in a same frame, apart and distant and yet side by side. But he destroyed it. He destroyed all the possibilities with his bare hands. He destroyed everything they could have and they could be. After destroying everything he had realized it was too late and if he wouldn't have behaved like a moron, at least he would have the right to know how she had been in all these years. It was killing him not to know how she was doing. It was killing him every moment, every second.

He moved to the balcony attached to the room. It was nicely decorated with flowers. The dark night was engulfing his emotions. He looked at the vast dark sky and lost himself in past.

0_0

Flashback...

Broken and at the same time totally blank Abhijeet came out of her gorgeously decorated house and got into his car. Everything related to her were flashing in his mind as he drove his car in full speed through busy Mumbai's road. Tears were rolling down his eyes like anything. He couldn't remember last time he cried this silently. All his tears related to emotions were expressive. They were like chest constricting. But this was something else. Its like feeling a void in the heart. Its numb and feelingless. But at the same time so powerful which felt like all the emotions had been rooted out entirely, like there was nothing left.

Her smiles, her tears, her emotions, her supports, her complains, her shyness, her boldness. To him she was always a perfect woman with everything in her just in right amount, nothing excess or less. The more he thought about these the more he felt lack of air in his lungs. His vision blur with his own tears and due to the sudden stress he felt blackout for a moment.

Flash

He took a sharp turn to avoid hitting the truck coming from opposite side and ended up hitting a tree real hard. His head hit the stirring. The car's door got opened with the sudden jerk and his half body thrown outside of it. He closed his eyes slowly. The pain in his brain was taking over the pain in his heart and to him it felt soothing. He wished never to wake up and let the darkness engulf him.

Flashback end...

O_O

Closing the door of her room Tarika rested her back against it. A tear slipped down her eyes automatically. Its been a long time since she cried for him but seeing him like that on her threshold after so many years brought back the memories to her. He wasn't changed after all. That same body, same style, same arrogancy written all over face. That same confident and same politeness where necessary. She had seen him in papers a couple of times. He's just as same as the picture. Except, in picture she couldn't decipher the lack of lively ness in his eyes which was so prominent when she looked at him in front of her. The same brown bold eyes had hold the same question for her even after all these years. 'Why?' When he asked her in person why, she had answers to his question. But when his eyes asked her the same question she found her eyes lowering down in shame and guilt.

She felt his eyes asking her how had she been. He had always worried about it. She knew it was killing him inside not being able to ask her how was she. She knew yet she asked him to never try finding her. She was that cruel. That selfish. Yet he was here, asking her the very same question with the first chance he got.

Tarika went to her bed and sat down. She remembered the day which changed their lives forever.

0-0-0

Flashback...

Tarika saw Abhijeet getting out of her house and felt helpless. She was angry and guilt. The emotions weren't something which merged with each other very often. But, she knew one thing for sure- he needed someone. Her eyes searched for Daya desperately. There he was standing at a corner, totally uninterested and lost. She moved near him in hurry.

"Daya..."

"I have heard enough. Please go away." Daya declared without even looking at her.

"Daya.. I thought you would understand me..."

"I dont want to. Just go away. I am here just because ACP sir asked me."

Tarika looked away for a while.

"I didn't ask you to come."

"Don't worry, i will leave soon." Daya said carelessly.

"Daya.. Abhijeet has returned." Tarika said slowly.

Horrified, Daya looked at Tarika. Tarika nodded. Daya looked around for his buddy, scared and already broken. He didnt know how would he face him, how would he support him.

"He was here." Tarika choked while talking.

Daya looked at Tarika's broken self and something inside him broke too. 'He, he left after... after watching me..." Tarika cried.

Daya pressed her shoulder with his one hand to console her.

"Please, be with him.' Tarika begged to him.

Daya wanted to say she didn't even need to tell him that. But he stayed quiet. He nodded.

"I will manage him." He assured her and left.

Everything after that happened quickly and may be they happened with their time but Tarika couldn't remember anything. Her mind was occupied with Abhijeet's thought only. She was having gut feelings that something bad had happen and she was worried.

Hour later she discovered herself sitting on a decorated bed. She laughed at her fate. Like every girl she also had dreamt about this. She dreamt it as a feeling mixed with fear and shyness wrapped in complete package of intent happiness. Everything had been crushed, from her feelings to her dreams, within a range of few days.

The door opened and a tall handsome man entered. Whatever might had happen Tarika decided to fulfill every rights of this new relationship. As a girl it meant a lot to her. Although she didn't know if she ever could do this with all her heart and how many months or years it would take to make it work but she would try.

Tarika looked at the man with hopes in her eyes and found his assuring eyes rested on her only.

"We need to talk." Said the man.

"Abhinash..." Tarika said in a broken voice, wanting to cry her heart out in front of him for all of her miseries.

Abhinash's phone rang. He didn't want to take that but he couldn't avoid his duty and morals.

"Hello... But, I am on leave... I am not the only neuro surgeon of your hospital, am I?... I don't care how VIP the patient is..." he then listened carefully and closed his eyes in irritation and cut the call.

"You.. you should go. It's about someone's life." Tarika said.

"They are not even sure the patient needs surgery or conservative treatment."

"Still... you..."

Abhinash looked at her with guilt.

"I am not saying this because I dont want you here." Tarika replied.

Abhinash chuckled.

"I will go change first." Abhinash left for the washroom.

Flashback ends...

0-0-0

That night was long for her, just like today. She felt like it would take an eternity to pass the night. She wanted to go to him and ask if he'd been good. Why was he in Shimla suddenly? If he knew she was there? But just like that night she couldn't go to him. She shouldn't, just like that night.

Another Flashback...

Tarika called Daya for a couple of times but he wasn't picking up making Tarika more worried with every passing second. Finally he picked up with a tiring voice.

"Yeah Tarika..."

"Why the hell you weren't picking up your phone?"

"You are not supposed to call me at this hour Tarika."

"Stop with your nonsense. Tell me, if you have found Abhijeet?"

"Yeah, he's fine." Daya said plainly.

"Daya..." Tarika's heart beat stopped for a while listening Daya. He could never lie about Abhijeet's condition. His voice gave away every emotions. "Wh.. what happened? He's alright?"

"Yeah.. yeah.. you don't worry."

"Daya please tell me."

"Tarika..."

"Daya, swear on Abhijeet..."

"Stop it Tarika! What you want to know huh? That he's not fine? Yes, he's not. How could he after all this? How even you imagine him to be fine? Just how?"

"I know." Tarika cried. "But.. but.. at least he's okay.. I mean..."

Just then she heard rushes of hospital, names of Doctors calling at the background.

"Abhijeet!" She whispered, "He's in hospital? Daya!!"

"No.. I..."

"JUST TELL ME!"

"YES! YES! Yes! He's in hospital, bleeding out and calling your name in semi conscious mind. Happy now? Isn't that what you wanted? And if anything happens to him..."

"Text me hospital's name.."

"Tarika.."

Just then she heard the name on mike at the background.

"Save it." Tarika cut the call and wiped away her tears.

Flashback ends...

0-0-0

Sighing she looked at the sky standing near the window. Why everything's in her mind still so fresh? Its not like she remembered these painful moments more often. Then why they were coming to her in sequence? After all this time? After all this year?

KK: Eeeee!! I wasn't supposed to update this later after so many awesome reviews. I do owe an apology. Sorrrryyyy. Each and every reviews were so awesome and also the emotions behind your words touched me deeply. You cant imagine how much they meant to me. I wanted to reply and update right away but Er i had issues.. and also exams.

So here I am with the update. Next update will be quick if you review enough and also quickly. Yes, Tarika got married. Kyu? Dhakka laga? Nahi pata tha na ki KK bhi kabhi aisa kar sakti hai??? But, ain't I always write hatke? Hehe...