Those who missed my comeback story "Maze", this is Abhirika and Duo's Princess, in case my new pen name confuses you.
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Dear TheDamselInShiningArmour,
Happy Birthday! Many many happy returns of the day. May you live a happy and healthy life. May the Almighty bless you with a long and blessed life. This is for you! Cheers! :D ^-^
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(A small note for the reader and specially for DamelInShinningArmour.
As I find it irritating to read authors note in between story, so I thought I should say this in the beginning.
"In the middle of the story", you will find written Youtube link:
Please read the two paragraphs after the link with the music playing, which you will find on the link: (ff does not support full youtube 's link. It's disappearing whenever I am saving the document. open youtube and paste the link next to .com of the youtube page link.)
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==::Gravity::===
In your eyes
We're facing our destiny
A big pull that can't be denied
Gravity
Can you feel me?
I'm spreading into you
Thickly colored by you
Pressing the button of the lift, she licked her lips which were dried up from nervousness. The thought of seeing him again after 1 year and after this quarantine was making her feel excited. So much excited that she was nervous to death. This long time distance made her realise something and she is not sure whether she should speak out the words of her heart or they should stay buried.
They could have met during this office vacancy due to corona, but because of quarantine and safety, they couldn't. There have been times she missed him like crazy that she couldn't breath, she couldn't think straight, she couldn't do anything at some moments because all she wanted to do was run to him and hug him like that were the last day. What made things harder, was, their relation was not in that stage where she could just tell him directly " Abhi I miss you so much that I feel like I can't breath ! " They were just...still in an unnamed relation. She didn't want to loose him. Face timing was just not enough sometimes.
The lift was coming down from the 15th floor of the 20th stored building. every decreasing number was increasing her nervousness making her hands go all cold. How will she react when she will see him? Will she be able to act normal like she always does, or she is going to break into his arms? She doesn't know! Rather than the thought of meeting him after such a long time, the thought of her own reaction was eating her up. She was feeling short of breath now !
" Damn it Tarika ! Hosh mai aa! boyfriend bananeka himmat nahi hua na tujhe abtak! Toh aise girlfriend ke tarha maat kar. Take it easy. Everything is going to be fine. Just act like you always do. Bewakuf ladki ! " saying to herself, the hard working and gorgeous forensic doctor with curly hairs tied in a plait, in a white blouse and black skirt slammed her right heel on the floor and regretted suddenly thinking that someone must have seen her slamming her heel on the ground without any reason. She looked around and pressed her lips together closing her eyes tight.
"Tingtong!" The sound of the lift reaching the ground floor brought her back to reality and she felt her feet getting heavier when she was about to take step inside the lift. Fighting against her nervousness, she went inside the lift and pressed the 15th floor button to the CID Bureau as everyone planned to get together there as their first day after 1 year of quarantine. After all CID cannot work from home for long because crimes are only increasing during this time.
Pressing the button to the Bureau, Dr Tarika rested her back at the end of the lift. She kept her right hand on the left side of her chest. Man she never felt her heart beat so strongly against her hand!
Sometimes, no, not sometimes. Most of the times would be better to say. She feels like telling him on his face that " Abhi, yaar mujse aur nahi hoga. Can we just be together now? " This lonng time distance just made her sure of her feelings and she knew shes could not lead a normal life anymore if he is not a part of it. Things have already changed for her, and there is no going back. but something stops her. Is it fear? If it is, then fear of what? Fear of the kind of life they got? fear of loosing him anytime even before she can realise because of this one damn job they have got? Or is it something else?
The heart beat against her hand was growing with each increasing floor number. 15. The lift has reached it's destination making her feel like her heart is going to jump out of her chest. She removed her hand from the left side of her chest and with heavy feet started walking towards the Bureau. She is breathing heavily even if she is trying her best to breath normally. The Bureau door is just few feets away from her and she stopped. She started to doubt when was the last time she heard her own heart beating this louder. She was worried now that others would hear that too. She was standing near a window. She extended her head outside the window to take some fresh air in. She would not have acted this way just by the thought to meeting him. But realisation changes the way a person behaves. With slow steps she opened the door of the Bureau and went in.
No..he is still not here. She sighed in relief and at the same time was disappointed a little because he was still not there. He is always the first comer thought, what happened today! Trying to look normal when she was about to take another step ahead, even before she could realise, she felt a shorter body colliding against her's and the pony tail hair almost hit her face. Smiling she hugged back the person.
" Yaar tujhe toh aj forensic bhejenge hee nahi. yehi rakh denge. Kinte din baad miley" Said the person excitedly still in the hug.
Tarika gave a soft laugh and said " arey purvi keya karahi hai ! sab hai na yaha. ACP sir or Salukeh sir bhi hai. chod"
" Matlab keya jai? itne dino baad...malab pure eek saal baad milrahe hai galey bhi nahi lagane degi keya thik se?" said Purvi in a little angry voice leaving her.
Tarika said giving a smile " aur upar se abhi abhi aayi, thodasa sterilization karne deti pehele. keya tu bhi!
" Han hogeye aur sterilization dr sahiba ke. pata hai mujhe tu kahi jati bhi nahi waise ghar se aur yaha gari chalake hee ayi hai. aur itne saal baad miley hai, itna kuch sochneka mood nahi hai bhai. aa ja andar. " Said Purvi going further inside walking away from Tarika ans she followed her smiling.
"Arey Tarika. Aao aao. welcome back to work." ACP Pardyuman said welcoming the lady doctor.
" Thank you sir." Tarika said giving a smile.
She almost forgot her nervousness in the process of talking to everyone, and right at that moment a voice made her heart skip a beat and she felt that her breath literally stopped for a second and resumed again but in a double speed.
"Good morning sir. " A heavy but cheerful voice rang in the Bureau and created nervousness again in Dr Tarika.
" Arey Abhijeet. Welcome welcome. aao." ACP Perdyuman said welcoming the senior inspectior of his department.
Good morning sir. hello everyone" he said coming in greeting everyone.
Mustering up all the courage, she looked at him and found him grinning at her. All her nervousness, all her fear, everything went away. Seeing him grinning at her she laughed.
" Hello Tarika ji. " He said holding that grin.
" Hello." she said smiling and they both shared a fist bump followed by a ahem ahem from Dr Salukeh.
"Yeh kea ho raha hai bhai?" Said the elderly doctor lifting his hand in the air in a meaningful way.
" Keya Salukeh sir. Eek toh yeh Bureau hai, aapka forensic nahi jo aap gali maro mujhe. Aur upar se aapni dost se mili hu puree eek saal baad, thik se mulakat bhi nahi karne dege keya aap?" Abhijeet said showing fake anger.
" Accha dost han? Toh bhai humse bhji mulakat kar lo." He said opening his arms like a kid.
"Han han sir keu nahi aap toh VIP hai." Abhijeet said pretending to be irritated and went to hug him.
Everyone got busy with a particular person. Abhijeet was busy with Daya, Freddie and Pankaj, ACP Pardyuman was busy with Dr Salukeh and Purvi came to talk to Tarika. Though she was talking to Purvi, Her attention was going towards Abhijeet repeatedly. She was talking and laughing with Purvi but she was also stealing glances at Abhijeet. In the process,their eyes met once and she suddenly felt her cheeks heating up. He took a second and smiled at her and got busy in talking again.
" Ey Tarikha, what's wrong yaar? Keya hogeya tereko? aise gaal lal keu padh geye? bukhar toh nahi hai na tujhe?" Purvi said almost shouting seeing Tarika's cheeks getting red. Hearing the loud tone of her voice her cheeks stared getting more red and she felt hot blood running through the veins of her cheeks.
"Arey aisa kuch nai, kaal bas nind nahi hui thik se, isliye bas thodi si tired hu." she said stepping back a little from Purvi and tried to smile.
"Yaar sir abhi abhi lab geye, mujhe bhi jana chahiye. Baad mai phir milti hu. " Tarika said and they bid bye to each other. When Purvi asked Tarika, Abhijeet heard them well enough but didn't say anything. After she went from the Bureau, he smiled a little. His smile was getting bigger but a voice stopped that from happening.
Keya baat hai? akele keun musurarahe ho bhai? Sapne toh nahi dekh rahe ho jaagey jage?! Umm Dr Tarika ke sapne I meant.." Daya asked seeing his best friend smiling suddenly and gave a meaningful look.
"Nahi, kuch hua nahi, likin honeala hai." Abhijeet said and went from there smiling.
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Keya baat hai, purey eek saal baad miley hai, thik se baat kiye bina ghar chali?" At the end of the day, Tarika was near her car and heard him saying from the behind.
"Arey Abhi, nahi aise baat nahi hai. Mujhe laga tum...
"Chill yaar mazak karraha tha. Mujhe kisi baat ki explanaation kabhi dena padha keya tumhe?" Abhijeet said in a soft voice as she became tensed at what he said.
"Aur tum toh janti ho main aisa thodi bohot mazak kar leta hu." He added.
Tarika smiled in return.
"Wo, ACP sir ne thik kiya hai, intne din baad kaam pe aaye hai, aise sab ghar na jake, saab ACP sir k ghar jayenge get together ke liye. Barbeque party rakha hai sir ne aapni ghar. Toh hum saab aab wahi jayenge." Abhijeet said explainig the situation to Tarika.
Tarika smiled big and said, " Arey ye toh acchi baat hai. thik hai toh phir sir k ghar pe milte hai. likin phone pe bata deti na. abhi toh main ghar chali jati. " Tarika said.
"Chali jati toh main jake leke ata." Abhijeet flirted.
Tarika smiled softly and he said" tumhare phone ka shayed charge khatam hogeya hoga. Switch off araha hai. Hum saab niche aya toh tumhe yaha dekhliya. warna sach mai main jati tumhe lane." Abhijeet said complaining as if trying to make her believe that he was not flirting. she smiled again in return.
That smile. Every time he sees her smiling like that, he feels like he is going to loose it. How can someone smile in such a beautiful way ! Sometimes he feels like keep staring at her when she smiles, without caring about anything.
"Aise keya dekh rahe ho?" Tarika asked controlling her increasing heart beat.
"Kuch nahi bas, aapke ye khubsurat muskurahat." He said grinning.
This time she laughed and said, " Aab jaoge bhi aur puri raat yehi baat karke guzarneki irada hai?"
"Aap ho toh, wahi sahi..." He said grinning like before.
"Abhi" She said in a warning voice.
" Wo, darasal Daya ke bike kharab hogeya hai, toh mere gari de diya hai, aur baaki saab waha chadh geye. Aur ACP sir ko Salukeh sir k sath jana hai toh wo dono ACP sab ke gadi pe geye hai. Aur main akhele padh geye. Toh soch raha tha..
Before he could compete his sentence, he found her holding the passenger seat door open for him and smiling big.
"Arey mere hotey huye aap drive karenge? main drive kar leta hu na aaj." He said smiling a little.
"Koi baat nahi baitho. " She said smiling.
"Shukriya ji." Abhijeet said and went in.
Closing the door while going towards the driver's seat she took all the fresh air in as much as possible.
There is no traffic on the road and even at 9 pm. The roads are giving a vibe that it's already 3 am in the morning. She is driving through the vacant road of Mumbai and the street lights are enlightening their way. She turned off the AC long time ago and both the windows of the car are open to the safe measure. He is sitting right beside her and both are silent. May be they both are enjoying the silent company of each other. May be sometimes the mere presence of a person is all we need. They are still not dating, neither are they in any serious relationship. Their relation is still not clear. But they both know, they like each other, in fact, maybe it's more than just liking.
"Song? " Abhijeet said breaking the silence.
"Yeah, sure. No problem."
Every time I hear your voice
My breath
gets so fast that I can't breathe
again
It's not that they don't wish to talk to each other. But sometimes talking is not what they need. They could hear their unspoken words. But there was something stopping them from speaking out.
For so long, you were the one,
Though I didn't even know
You colored me through all of this time.
They both knew what they meant to each other. Yet, they choose to remain silent. The fear of their job changing their life is probably first on the list. This long time distance made him realise something. And after seeing her after this long distance, just made him certain. He smiled again looking outside the window avoiding her eyes.
I wonder when it started
When I was spending all my days to follow you
I wonder where you are now
I'm already scared of being without you
"Pata hai mujhe ki wo bhi shayed pasand karta hai mujhe. Per keya main jitna pasand karti hu, utna pasand keya karta hai Abhi mujhe? Inn eek salo mai mere jo bhi emotion ho, jo bhi feelings ho, bas aur gehera hogeya hai. Aab toh iss baat ka yakin hogeya hai mujhe ki jo bhi ho agar shaadi karna hai zindegi mai kabhi…. " While thinking in her mind, Tarika looked with scared and hopeful eyes towards Abhijeet who was leaning against the seat and looking outside.
To see myself put on a smile
To you is like a lie I cannot hide
Oh what is it about you?
Tell me why I change myself and follow you?
You take my breath away
my everything
Maybe the song is getting in her head too much, or may be it really is expressing her situation right now. Without her realizing, a light smile appeared on her lips while she was driving looking forward, unaware of the fact that the person beside her was now looking at her with a smile.
The more you love the more it hurts, That's what they all say
The more I want you the more it burns I can't escape the pain
You're so cold and you're so hurtful
But even so I just don't know, why I can't let you go
Doesn't this job cost too much? It's costing their right to be happy with the person they want to be happy with! But, this is also the truth that it's their choice to be in this job! They are mature now. Not some teenagers who would only think about love but nothing else. But then again, Don't they have the right to be happy with each other?
Still, she is sacrificing for this job. But their relation is such that they could have been frank with each other about each others' emotions but yet…she was scared. Being too frank might make them uncomfortable with each other. And which could lead to their present relationship being hamred.
Where does the path to my heart for you begin?
Since when did my heart fall and to point to you at the end?
And even when I'm closing my eyes, you're still on my mind
Since when did he start falling for her? He just flirted with her to annoy the elderly doctor. She didn't say anything or complain about anything either. Was it just because he is her senior at work? or was there more to it? It can't be. Even if he is the senior, this woman here would not let it slide just because of that reason. She has higher self respect than that. They became close slowly later. This bothers him often whenever he gives their relationship a thought.
"Aaj itne din baad kam pe aake kaisa lagraha hai?" Abhijeet asaked to break the silence.
"Arey yaar mujhe toh bohot hee accha laga. Aur Salukeh sir k sath kitne din baad kam kiya. Bohot accha lagraha hai." Tarika said with a smile.
"Han sirf Salukeh sir k sathe itne din baad milke aut kaam karke accha laga. Wo toh lagna hee hai jee. " Abhijeet said showing fake anger like he always does.
"Huh, aisa nahi hai jee." Tarika said in a teasing voice too which made both laugh.
A crazy love I think it'd be
I want that love between you and me
Afraid when I'm not with you
I'm hurt already
Feeling like I'm out of air.
You take my breath away
my everything
The more you love the more it hurts, That's what they all say
The more I want you the more it burns I can't escape the pain
You're so cold and you're so hurtful
But even so I just don't know, why I can't let you go
I wouldn't even read it, if ending was cold
Cause who would smile while hearing such a story unfold?
But strangely, I can't help but always open you up
And fall into the pages, of the book that I hold.
Whatever! Whatever their job be! Whatever situation they are in! Sometimes, she feels like forgetting everything and be where she wants to be! Sometimes she wants to forget everything and run somewhere else with him. May be…may be holding back her emotions are making the situation worse! At least if she could forget everything and tell him everything and be together, maybe she would not have felt this much suffocated.
I was crying out all my tears, till I was out of my breath
Yet this sad story is not anything new
(You're the book that I can't put down
No turning back now)
The more you love the more it hurts, That's what they all say
The more I want you the more it burns I can't escape the pain
It was too quite inside the car and only the song was playing. Suddenly she felt an urge of emotions waiting to burst out. She felt her chest heavy and soon she felt a lump in her throat. She didn't notice, he was also looking outside the window for a long time. He wanted to turn the song off many times because he felt somehow the song is making the environment more heavy or silent. But he didn't know what was stopping him.
You're so cold and you're so hurtful
But even so I just don't know, why I can't let you go
(Every time I hear your voice
I'm forgetting how to breathe again)
Suddenly she parked the car and stood in the corner of the road. Abhijeet was surprised and also got out of the car and stood beside her looking tensed.
"Keya baat hai Tarika? achanak se…
" Nahi yaar kuch nahi. Bas bohot din hogeye gadi mai chadhe huye, isliye thodasa problem horaha hai bas, Saar ghum raha tha isliye thodi hawa lenekeliye nikal aayi." She said avoiding his gaze.
But he knew her. More than anyone else, he knew her too well. She even said it's irritating sometimes that he knows her too well that she cannot even hide a single thing from him, not a single emotion or problem.
" Tarika sorry yaar mujhe shayed…
" Arey yaar tum keu sorry bolrahe ho? Ismai tumhare galti kahase aageye? come on!" Tarika said in a jolly mood but Abhijeet's gaze stopped her. He was giving her the "I know you look now. She looked back and became silent. Now the emotions she was feeling in her throat as a lump was going to burst out. She wanted to escape the place but she didn't understand why would it make sense in any way if she just runs away now.
" Abhijeet main..I think mujhe thodi…
": Aise nahi hoga." Abhijeet said cutting her in midway.
" Matlab?" Tarika asked suppressing her emotions in a voice as normal as possible.
Youtube link:
/watch?v=3jkHWngGc1o
He looked at her. The breeze was making her loose and extra hair fly and they were playing and flying on her cheeks. Her intense curious eyes were looking at him. He was getting lost in her eyes now like diving into an endless ocean. He slowly took her hand into his and she immediately looked at her hand which was now in his hand. She looked up into his eyes with more curiosity, and emotions. He took her other hands into his other and crossed their fingers together. He saw her eyes twinkling like glitters. The lights of the street went off. The only light present was the moonlight. She seemed prettier in the moonlight and he slowly brought his face close to her. Their fingers were still entangled and she couldn't hold in any longer. A drop of tear fell from her eye while she was still looking at him. He was continuously coming closer and at one point she let more tears flow like she was crying for the first time in her life. She closed her eyes. On her face was clearly visible a mixed emotion of happiness and sadness. Their grip became firmer and finally their lips met. Forgetting all the worries, all the barriers, all the fears, the whole reality and the whole universe two people got united with the moon as the witness of their union. The grip of their hands was so strong that it seemed unbreakable by anything.
They broke apart and she opened her eyes to find him looking at her with gaze full of love. The unnamed relationship that was holding them together till now, turned into something stronger. Actually it did a long time ago already. She got lost into his deep gaze and suddenly she started crying aloud and he just held her tight into his chest. She clinched his shirt in her fist and kept crying. No words were needed. They always understood each other's silence and even before they spoke anything they knew what was going on in the mind of the other. Under the moonlight, on the vacant road of Mumbai with gentle breeze blowing and playing with them,two people stood in each other's arms hearing some unspoken words.
Still, some words need to be said.
" Abhi main…I'm..
" Aab peyaar kiya hai toh darna keya ji? Bol bhi dijhiye." Abhijeet said cutting her. His left hand was was grabbing her shoulder and right hand was grabbing her waist. Both her hands were his shoulders.
She looked at him with big eye and later he could see anger starting to form up in those eyes.
"I love you" he said and smiled seeing her blushing and her eyes going soft again. She was about to smile but then started to cry again still looking in his eyes. He smiled once and hugged her again.
"I love you too" she said in a low voice in his arms.
He left her and pulled out something from his pocket. It was a small box. He opened the box and took out something small. Coming close to her he spread both his hand and took both behind her neck.
"Aaj waise hee bolnewala tha main tumhe. Plan banake hee aya tha. Likin tum aise achanak se emotional hogeye toh.." He said closing the hook of the chain. She took the locket in her hand and it was a really small pretty locket which had two hearts tangled together. She looked up at him smiling big with shinning eyes which made him smile ear to ear too. She kept smiling and looked back at the locket.
"Aab chaley? Ye raste toh aise hee khali hai, sab pohouch geye hogey ACP sir k ghar. Humey bhi jana chahiye. Warna aur kisika toh nahi pata, ye Salukeh sir zarur mere piche padh jayega." Abhijeet said taking her other hand in his.
"Keya tum bhi Abhijeet!" Tarika said in a complaining voice looking at him.
"Aab baki ka rasta main drive karu?" Abhijeet asked.
" Nahi. Mujhe hee karna hai." She said in a stubborn voice.
"Accha baba thik hai. chalo bhi ab." He said in a jolly mood and both went in the car smiling.
This time, well, she opened the door for him again.
Some words still remained unsaid. The words of marriage. They know the discussion is going to make them both gloomy and happy. It's okay. Because they can hear each others silence. Yes they have stayed together for too long to date first and then talk about marriage. But for now, they would rather enjoy what they have. It's okay to bring up marriage later someday.
===::The End::====
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A/N: This is it. This was the Birthday gift for " TheDamselInShiningArmour" Hope you all enjoyed the one shot " Gravity". I know it's an open ending. But it's good isn't it? If you are not satisfied, you can imagine the ending your way right? ;) that's the fun part of open ending.
And once again, Happy birthday TheDamselInShiningArmour. Many many happy returns of the day. If your day has already passed, hope you had a blast, and if still not, hope you have a blast and enjoy your day at your fullest. You know Zoom clelebration is still on ;)
Songs used in this story:
ff does not support full youtube 's link. It's disappearing whenever I am saving the document. open youtube and paste the link bellow, next to .com of the youtube page link.
/watch?v=4Oo1W0ZrfMM
(cover)
"You're Cold" (It's Okay To Not Be Okay OST 1)
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Originer version: /watch?v=isU6nmzMzVo
Heize- "You're Cold" (It's Okay To Not Be Okay OST 1)
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"Gravity" name and lyrics source: "Gravity" by Kim Jong Wan (The King: Eternal Monarch OST)