Chapter 25: The Heart Break.

College: Medical Wing -

Meanwhile at college VANI comes to PURVI sitting alone in the empty classroom and asked: Hey PURVI! The whole college gathered at the ground. What are you doing here? And where is PANKAJ? '

PURVI: I don't know. I haven't seen him from morning.'

VANI: Strange. I thought he is with you. He must be at ground. Let's go to the ground. The match is about to begin.'

PURVI sadly: You go. I don't want to come.'

VANI in shock: What? Why? Today is the D-Day of college's Medical v/s Engineer students. We are equal in every field and this is the only match that decides who is the best, Medical or Engineers.'

PURVI: Please VANI, I don't want to come.'

VANI looked at her for a moment and asked: Why are you behaving like old PURVI? Who is going to cheer your hero when the cheerleader is here?'

PURVI: VANI please I am not in a good mood. So just leave me alone for some time.'

Knowing very well about her nature VANI didn't bothered and left her alone: All right, as you wish.'

As soon as VANI leaves, PURVI remembers yesterday morning flashback.

FLASHBACK -

PURVI was happily waiting at the hall with her eyes on the engineering wing corridor to get a glimpse of RAJAT but what she saw next froze her heart.

RAJAT was running towards the hall and behind him was a girl with her hands in his. RAJAT ran out of the building door with the girl without even noticing her and she just stood there watching them fading from her sight.

Her heart breaks there only and unknown to her tears slipped down her eyes.

Jab Bhi Muskurate Huye Aata Hai,

Mujhe Khushiyo Se Bhar Jata Hai.

Jab Mera Dil Kuch Kahna Chahta Hai,

Tu Nazare Pher kar Chala Jata Hai.

Baato Se Apni Takleefe Saari,

Meri Tu Door Kar Jata Hai.

Jate-Jate Meri Aankho Me,

Phir Se milne Ka Intejaar De Jata Hai.

Kabhi Mujhe Sochte Chhod Jata Hai,

To Kabhi Kuch Na Soch Saku,

Is Kadar Dil Tod Jata Hai.

Pal-Pal Tu Khudko Kyu itna Badalta hai,

Ke Har Pal Mere Liye Ek Ajnabee Ban Jata Hai.

She thought it was only her right to be with him and hold his hand and she can't even imagine anyone else in that place other than her.

AANAND's House -

TARIKA was looking for ABHIJEET around the house and saw him sitting on porch with head down. She walked towards him only to stop at a distance to see him crying silently. She doesn't know why but her heart wrenched seeing him like that.

She walked near him and sitting next to him asked: Are you crying?'

ABHIJEET quickly wiped off his tears trying to normal and avoiding eye contact asked: What are you doing here?'

TARIKA: I was looking for you.'

ABHIJEET: you can go back to office.'

TARIKA after a pause said: It's ok to cry when you can't hold back your tears.'

ABHIJEET couldn't fight back the tears anymore and let it out all: That kid hates me from last four years. I am watching him from last 3 years and didn't have a clue about it that he resents me that much.'

TARIKA: Our job is not an easy job. So, don't be harsh on your-self. They are harsh because they see us from their point of view. They will understand when they see from our point of view.'

ABHIJEET: His father wouldn't have died if I had done my duty properly. It's all because of me.'

TARIKA: He didn't die because of you. It's because of that AANAND SIGHANIYA who manipulated with the documents and evidences and fooled the law.'

ABHIJEET: Still, he would have lived if I had been more precise.'

TARIKA: Things that happens are decided. You can't change them. Instead of regretting the past, just protect what you could in the future.'

ABHIJEET tried but he couldn't put off the guilt of the loss of a life because of his mistake: I just can't. It's breaking my heart.'

TARIKA: You are not a superhuman who could save everyone. You are just a human and humans are bound to make mistakes.'

TARIKA saw fresh tears going down his eyes helplessly and wrapped him in a hug saying: My mom used to say 'A hug from the heart cures all your pain, worries and despair, making one's heart at ease. It hurts but it's not your fault. You did your well.'

ABHIJEET blurted: TRISHA…'

TARIKA paused for a moment and got up breaking the hug in shock looking at ABHIJEET: That was my childhood name.'

Now ABHIJEET looked at her in surprise.

TARIKA: But how do you know that?'

ABHIJEET said: Hum jinse pyar karte hai wo ek din humare paas lautke jaroor aate hai ya phir kisi na kisi tarah bhagwan hume unke karib le jate hai.'

TARIKA remembers the words the teenage boy said to her under the tree bench and looked at him unbelievably: you were the...'

TARIKA looked away amused only to look back at ABHIJEET. They both were speechless not knowing what to say after meeting or realizing it like this.

ABHIJEET faintly smiled looking at her: Same eyes, same curly hair and the same smile. How could I have not realize it before?'

TARIKA helplessly smiled and sit beside him: you still remember that name?'

ABHIJEET: Just like you, I couldn't forget it either.'

TARIKA looked at him as he asked: you come at the tree bench that day hoping to see me again. Weren't you?'

After few moment of silence TARIKA spoke: Now when you know it, I am sorry I couldn't keep my promise before.'

ABHIJEET: Was it the day your family got into the accident?'

TARIKA nodded: After my family's accident my father kept the fact from the world that I am alive and before sending me and RAJAT to Bangalore he even changed our names so his enemies won't know about us and we could live a normal life.'

ABHIJEET: you were not the one who left. I am sorry too... because I never went to that place again.'

TARIKA looked at him and ABHIJEET told her the story...

After that day even my life changed forever. The next day my father went to Mumbai for some work and my little sister tagged along with him who couldn't live without him.

Before leaving to Mumbai, my father told me that he will return in 2-3 days and after that we will settle in Belgaum forever because it was my mother's place.

4 days later a man came to pick me. I was a bit scared when the man didn't tell me why he came to pick me. He just said he knows my father and asked me to go Mumbai with him.

After reaching to Mumbai my fears turned to reality when the man informed that a day before my father was found dead in a godown. I always feared that moment but didn't expect it to come so soon.'

Getting threats wasn't new for him and he always assured me saying, his job is his passion. A lot of people loved and respected him for his truth and honesty. He even found his love of life, our mother who fell for his heroicness. So, he just wanted to remain the same person in the eyes of his deceased wife. He said to me "Never change your originality for the sake of others. Because no one can play your role better than you."

He was helping the police to expose some illegal business. He even got threats before and that's why he wanted to settle at Belgaum to protect me and my sister.

He had some evidence with him that he wanted to give the police on that day but before that he was murdered by some gangsters.

The only thing I could ask at that moment was where my sister is. Fortunately she was alive and was with that man. The man was no one but senior inspector PRADYUMAN. PURVI was at his place. He said he found PURVI 2 days before at the railway station.

PURVI wasn't the same PURVI. She didn't talk for 2 months after that incident. No one knows what happened with PURVI and father that day except PURVI but she don't remember anything about that day neither I tried to ask her ever.

ACP sir wanted to take us to his home but I decided to live where we used to live before shifting to Belgaum. ACP sir supported us with all he could till I become able to do it myself.

ABHIJEET looked at TARIKA who was listening to him all this while: I got what I wanted but never thought things will turn out that way.'

TARIKA looked away asking: Do you think if we hadn't wished that day to get back to our loved ones. Then things would have been better today?'

ABHIJEET: You never know. What if things would have been worse than this? What if your parents really got divorced? Would you have been happy then? What if those gangsters killed me and PURVI with my father? Then I wouldn't have been here right now.'

TARIKA: Still I can't stop doubting. Was all that happened for good? How?'

ABHIJEET: I had a cool father who lived his life fully with pride, a cool mother who fell for my cool father and died with a smile having no regrets for life. I am blessed to have a sister like PURVI, proud to have my job and happy to have a friend cum brother like DAYA who partially raised PURVI with me and all the peoples around me. So, I believe things won't have been any better than this.'

Then looking at oblivion TARIKA, ABHIJEET said: You will also find something good with time.'

TARIKA looked at him and her phone rings.

She answers to the person's question: Yes.'

And after listening to the matter TARIKA asked shocked: What? Yes I am coming right now.'

She cuts the call to see ABHIJEET looking curious at her: What happened?'

TARIKA: RAJAT has caused some problem in college. Nothing seems happening good in my life right now.'

ABHIJEET: Anything serious?'

ABHIJEET: No, they just asked me to come college but...'

ABHIJEET: It's ok, you can go college. I will go bureau and report about the case.'

TARIKA nodded: Thank you. Let me drop you to the bureau on the way to college.' ABHIJEET nodded.

TARIKA stopped the vehicle in front of the bureau and ABHIJEET got down.

ABHIJEET was walking towards the bureau when he heard TARIKA calling him from behind: ABHIJEET...'

He turned around at her and she said with a smile: Never cry like that ever.'

He smiled and nodded and she drove away saying: I will be back soon.'

College: Dean's Office -

TARIKA entered the cabin to see a furious dean and RAJAT standing aside in the cabin with his head down.

RAJAT had a quick glance at her as the dean asked TARIKA: You are his guardian?'

TARIKA glared at RAJAT and nodded.

Dean: Miss TARIKA, despite of having full length, I have give him admission on your request. It's not even a week he has join the college and he started having fights in college. He beat up a student in front of the whole college. I understand when two team plays they have little rivalry between them but who beats up their own team members?'

TARIKA sighed unbelievably as the dean continued with his complains and TARIKA listened to him.

Medical Wing: PURVI's Class -

VANI came to PURVI asking her: You are still here after all that happened?'

PURVI asked: What happened?'

VANI: You don't know?'

PURVI nodded clueless.

VANI: Tera silent hero to violent nikla.'

PURVI: Why?'

VANI: After winning the match he bashed his captain having a huge fight between him v/s his team and the other team has to interfere to stop them.'

PURVI: What? Is he all right?'

VANI: He is but not his captain. He is going to be in trouble for this because he is new to the college, don't have any friends to side him, then he caused the fight beating up his captain getting in the eyes of his own team members.'

PURVI couldn't stop herself and ran out of class to stop at the hall to see RAJAT walking behind his angry sister.

TARIKA stopped at the hall to see PURVI at the opposite corridor and asked her: PURVI…'

PURVI looked alert at her.

TARIKA: Come with me, I will drop you home today.'

PURVI nodded walking to her and TARIKA turned furiously at RAJAT in his football uniform staring him from top to toe in a disheveled condition and asked: And you are not going around your customers in this state, right?'

RAJAT without meeting his eyes with her nodded in no.

TARIKA: Get home. I need to talk to you.'

RAJAT left in his taxi while TARIKA followed him after dropping PURVI to her house.

TARIKA'S House: -

RAJAT silently followed a silent TARIKA inside the house. The silence showed the signs of upcoming storm as TARIKA went straight into the kitchen and drank a whole bottle of water from the fridge walking back to RAJAT at the hall.

RAJAT jolted a bit as TARIKA stomped the empty bottle on the table before starting at RAJAT angrily: What do you think you are school kid or what? And am I your guardian?' I had to listen to all those things from your dean and I had nothing to answer him back.'

RAJAT tried to say: Sist…'

TARIKA cut him in: Don't! Don't even utter it! This is not the first time I was called by your principle or dean? I had to run to your college in the middle of my work instead of reporting at the bureau. What should I answer to my superior that I was called by my brother's college's dean because he had fight in the college? How do you manage to do so every time? It wasn't a week and you caused such a trouble that the dean had to call me to complain about you.'

And she kept going on and on and RAJAT just listened to her with his head down. It was almost half an hour since she was scolding him and now there were 2 and a half empty bottle of water on the table.

RAJAT remembered the 18 year old TARIKA scolding him same way and he stood in front her listening to her scolding. RAJAT smiled to himself thinking: She doesn't change a bit.'

TARIKA brings him back saying: You haven't changed a bit from then.'

Suddenly her phone rings and she looks at the bureau number answering the call : Yes, I am coming right away.'

RAJAT sighed as TARIKA giving him one last glare left for bureau.

Note:

Poem: Second half of "Ajnabee" by Tulipbeauty.

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