Were We Written in the Sand

...

Abhijeet stood at the door of Tarika's house. He raised his hand to knock the door but hesitated. He wasn't still sure if he's ready to meet Abhinash. The last time he met him at the airport before they left Mumbai. Still then he couldn't gather courage to look at him. Less because of guilt and more because of envy. He just couldn't look at the person having the love of his life, the girl for whom he would have died.

Payar mein maar toh bohot jatey hain,

Payar ko khoke bhi payar mein jeene wale kaha miltey hain.

0

FLASHBACK:

"I didn't think you would come." Tarika said as a red eyed Abhijeet stood in front of her.

"I.. I have to." He said.

Tarika kept playing with her fingers. Abhijeet had a strong urge to hug her in order to console her but he restrained himself knowing he didn't have the right anymore. He looked at Abhinash standing a bit far from them talking with Dr Salunke.

"Abhijeet."

He looked at her with hopes. He wanted to ask her if it's okay to stay. He wouldn't be a bother. He was preparing himself for this goodbye from a long time but now when this was happening and he felt like his life had been slipping away from his hand he wanted to hold her back. Not as a part of his life but a part of his surroundings. He thought not having her in his life, by his side left his life meaningless. But he was wrong. He discovered he could do well without her as his beloved but not seeing her around. With her going away his small little hopes and desires to see her, to have a glance of her everyday, be it just for a few seconds, gonna be crushed down. If he had thought life was empty before, its even emptier now. This is the last time he's seeing her. He could hear his heart crying. His chest never felt heavier than this. Everything started to appear blank in front of him.

"I need some promises from you." Tarika said, making herself strong.

Abhijeet gave her a blank expression. He was too bad at keeping promises. And with her being gone what would be there to keep? Nothing.

"Abhijeet you have to promise me." Tarika urged him.

He was unresponsive.

"Abhijeet!!" Tarika gently shook his right arm.

"Are you leaving because of me?" Abhijeet asked, broken.

"I am leaving for you." Tarika said being strong.

'Then don't leave at all.' His heart screamed but his lips were shut.

"Abhijeet! You are scaring me." Tarika said looking at his condition.

Abhijeet was trying to suppress his sobs. His chest started hurting. That was a kind of feeling he hadn't experienced in his life ever.

"Abhijeet, please... Look at me." Tarika shook his right arm.

Abhijeet did. Tarika's heart might have shattered into million of pieces seeing his pleading eyes but she ignored. She had to ignore.

"I need your promise."

"What can I offer you? I have nothing to keep. I am a looser."

Tarika wanted to shout that he wasn't a looser but she wanted to avoid long conversation. Her flight had been announced and also she didn't want to stay in front of him for long. It was hard.

"You senior inspector Abhijeet have to promise me that you will look after yourself."

Abhijeet kept looking at her with blank expression.

"Promise me." Tarika said again.

"I will." Abhijeet whispered. "Only if it makes you happy."

"It does. Always, Abhijeet."

"I will then Tarika."

"You promise me you will always be the senior Inspector Abhijeet that the team wants you to be. Promise me that you will focus."

"I will. After you are gone there will be nothing in my life but my duty anyways."

"I will wait for you to be focused. I will keep a track on you. I will know through papers."

"And how will I know that your are okay?" Abhijeet asked meaningfully with hope in his voice.

"I will be always okay as long as you are yourself. Abhijeet, asking you to be happy will be very foolish of me. But I want to remind you that your life doesn't finish with me. You have a lot of people in your life and you owe them. You owe the team, the country. And you owe yourself too. We can never forget each other but..."

"Tarika," Abhijeet cut her, "the fact that you will remember me is more than enough for me. And dont worry I will keep your this promise unlike my other ones."

"Thank you Abhijeet. And I have another request to make. Or perhaps, I want another promise from you." This time Tarika looked down as she spoke.

Abhijeet could sense the guilt in her eyes.

She had whispered something but Abhijeet couldn't deciphere.

"What?" He asked.

"Never try to find me." She whispered back yet again.

For a moment Abhijeet's heart stopped beating but then he smiled.

"You are moving to Delhi. I know this already."

Tarika looked into his eyes this time when she spoke so that he could sense the seriousness in her voice.

"I will be moving to another city within few months. And you will never try to know where."

That was more of an order for him. Instead of sadness Abhijeet felt a different kind of rag inside him which evaporated within seconds.

Jo cchut gaya

usey ab pana kya

Haaq toh tha hi nahi

wasta bhi mit gaya

Abhijeet didn't nod out of stubbornness. He kept looking at her, asking her with his fiery eyes to ask the same question again.

"Let's go?" Abhinash came there to escort Tarika. He looked at Abhijeet looking at Tarika like that and understood Tarika must had said something very unpleasant to him. He looked at her wipping away her tears.

"Yeah.." She didn't look at Abhijeet and walked away.

Abhinash stood there for a second like a stupid. He wanted to say goodbye to Abhijeet but couldn't gather the courage. And Abhijeet turned his back on him which made the end of his thought. He followed Tarika.

Abhijeet stood there. He didn't see her go. He knew she hadn't look for him too. They both hadn't that courage in them. Both of them, so brave and courageous but not when it came upon each other.

Daya must had drove him back to his place that day. He didn't have the memory of other half of that day. All he did was, recalled the words said by her again and again.

Flashback end...

0

Abhika opened the door.

"Uncle, you didn't come to taste our cake. Very bad." She started to complain right away.

Abhijeet smiled at her. She was ready for her school. Tarika came there running with her bag. she was wearing a black flower printed saree. Abhijeet looked away from her. He didn't want to be the person his heart wants him to be.

"Abhika... how many times do I have to tell you not to run on stairs?"

"Everyday 10 times." Abhika giggled making Abhijeet smile again.

Tarika rolled her eyes.

"Abhijeet, come inside. Have breakfast."

"It's okay.. I just... " Abhijeet entered into the house.

"Abhijeet.. come inside." The old lady approached towards him. "I was waiting for you only. Ramu, arrange breakfast for Abhijeet."

"Abhijeet you have to excuse us today. I am going to drop Abhika to her school and Maa to physiotherapy."

"The knee pain is getting worse these days beta." The old lady stated.

Tarika left the house hurriedly as if she wanted to escape from there. Abhijeet felt awkward.

"Bye uncle." said Abhika.

Abhijeet waved at her. They left. Abhijeet thought to deny the breakfast and move to Bureau. But his eyes caught the sight of a picture hanging on the wall of the drawaing room with a flower necklace around it and a Diya under it. Abhijeet got statued. His mouth opened slightly out of shock.

"It's our sahebji. Tarika mam's late husband." Stated ramu from behind.

Abhijeet knew better than him who he was. But the thing he didn't know was why and when did it happen. If he thought the life couldn't give him any more pain than he already had endured his thought proved to be wrong with the sudden pain which raised in his heart seeing the picture. He never thought he would feel this much pain for this person. Or, the pain was totally related to Tarika. He remembered Tarika's rueful smiling face when he asked her how she was and his heart broke all over again. Before he could collapse on the floor he left the house.

KK: I am so overwhelmed with the amount of response i got in my previous chapter and I had started writing the chapter right away. But as i said my PG is very hectice. I hardly could manage time. So here's another short update. Next chapter will be better. Please support me like my previous chapter. please. I will try to update soon.

Dear my new reader nd reviewer Ishani.. Yes I have read your review And I loved that. It always feel wonderful when people praise my stories. I hope you like my other stories too. and this chapter is dedicated to you.