" Kaise kar leti ho yaar tum? Ek din mein tum ne sab theek kar diya aur mujhe pata bhi nahi chala."
Dushyant stared at his beautiful girlfriend as they sat in an out door ice cream parlour. The place was famous for it's mouth watering ice cream and the fact that it was situated near Juhu beach. Tables and chairs placed on the sand at a safe distance from sea made it cozy and romantic.
" Tum already kitne pareshan the iss murder case ko lekar. Mujhe laga yeh maa wali baat ka solution nikal kar, tumhari aadhi pareshaani dur ho jayegi." Meera answered, taking a bite of her butterscotch ice cream.
" Main hairan hu, tum ne itni aasani se maa ki narazgi dur kar di." The senior inspector mentioned.
" Shaanti se baat kare toh bade se badi problem bhi solve ho jaati hai. Tumhari maa ne bhi shaanti se meri baat suni aur problem solve ho gayi." His forensic expert shrugged.
" Hmm, waise maa ko bohot pasand aayi ho tum. Tumhare baare mein baat karte thaki nahi woh aaj." Dushyant smiled as he shared the little information.
Meera smiled widely.
" Waise Dushyant, humein dhyan rakhna hoga aagey se. Humara relationship alag baat hai, lekin humari apni families bhi hai. Ek dusre ko wakt dete dete hum unhe ignore nahi kar sakte."
Dushyant admired this quality of Meera the most. She was always this considerate about everyone, whether it was his family, their fellow CID team members, their friends, anyone. She always thought of others' well being.
" Agar dusro ka khayal karne ke liye koyi award hota toh woh sab se pehle tumhe milta." Dushyant chuckled, taking a bite of his own ice cream.
Meera let out a small laugh as she tenderly placed her hand on top of his which rested on table.
" Mujhe bas tumhari chinta hoti hai." She told.
" Meri? Main koyi baccha nahi hu, Meera." He replied.
" Tabhi toh. Jab tumhare jaisa shaant, samjhdar insaan achanak se gussa ho jaata hai, pareshaan ho jaata hai, tab mujhe chinta hoti hai."
" Tum abhi tak uss baat ko bhuli nahi?"
" Pehli baar tumhe apna aapa khote hue dekha. Bhulna thoda mushkil hai."
Gently slipping her slender fingers through his, Meera interlocked their hands together.
" Dushyant, mujhe tum isiliye pasand ho kyuki tum itne shaant aur suljhe hue ho. Jab tum yun pareshaan ho jaate ho na, tab mujhe bhi darr lagta hai. Yun keh lo ke hum dono ek sath jude hue hai. Tumhare sath hone wali cheezo ka farak mujh par bhi padta hai."
Meera could feel his grip tightening over her hand.
" Don't worry. It won't happen again." Dushyant assured her.
She smiled in satisfaction before resuming to her ice cream. Dushyant's thumb softly played with her fingers as he looked up to her,
" Waise kya tum ne shaadi ke baare mein kuch socha hai?" He asked, capturing the faint smile appearing on her face.
" Tum agar puchoge toh main mana nahi karungi, Dushyant." Meera answered, ever so elegantly.
Dushyant's heart took a leap the moment he heard her answer.
" Sunn kar accha laga. Hum jaise hi ready ho jayenge, main ghar pe baat kar lunga. Mujhe bas tumhari fikr hai, tum jab tak puri tarah se mann nahi bana leti tab tak hum wait karenge." He spoke, tenderly pecking the back of her hand.
" Mujhe toh Purvi ki chinta hai." Meera's eyes reflexively went to her little sister who sat near the counter with Kavin.
" Jaanta hu. Humare shaadi ke baad Purvi akeli pad jayegi, hum ussey akele nahi chod sakte." Dushyant spoke in exact words.
" Absolutely. Daadi bhi uncle aunty ke sath rehti hai, Purvi ko main waha nahi bhej sakti. Mujhe woh log uss ke aas paas bhi nahi chahiye." The girlfriend explained.
" Kisi aur ke paas kyu? Purvi hamare sath bhi reh sakti hai, hamare ghar mein. Phir toh woh tumhare aankho ke saamne hi rahegi aur tumhe uski chinta bhi nahi satayegi." Her boyfriend generously suggested.
" Aur tumhe lagta hai woh hamare sath rahegi? Purvi bacchi hai, lekin na samajh nahi. Woh aane ke liye kabhi tayar hi nahi hogi taki humein pareshaani na ho." Meera made it very clear.
" Toh tum ne kuch socha hai Purvi ke liye?" Dushyant asked.
" Soch hi rahi hu. Woh kisi ko pasand bhi toh nahi karti. Agar uske zindagi mein koyi hota toh hamari shaadi ke baad woh uska sath deta. Ussey akela nahi chodta, uska khayal rakhta."
The moment those words left Meera's mouth, Dushyant started listening to her each and every word with extreme caution.
" Purvi ka problem pata hai kya hai? Woh kabhi mere bina nahi rahi hai. Aur mere jaane ke baad ussey kisi ke sath ki jarurat padegi. Koyi aisa jo ussey meri kami na mehsoos hone de, jo ussey bohot pyaar kare. Tumhe toh pata hai, woh sirf duty ke time mature hoti hai. Personal life mein woh bohot atarangi hai, uss ke liye koyi aisa chahiye jo uss ka bachpana samajh sake."
Meera looked up from her ice cream to find her boyfriend engrossed in a serious thought.
" Kya hua?" She questioned.
" Mere dhyan mein ek insaan hai." Dushyant spoke.
" Purvi ke liye? Kaun?" Meera asked, curious.
Dushyant didn't say anything, he chose to point the person out in stead. Meera followed his gaze before letting out a small gasp.
" Kavin?" Meera shot a glance at Dushyant.
" Kavin." He confirmed.
" Yeh kaise ho sakta? Kavin aur Purvi ek dusre se seedhe muh baat tak nahi karte. Kuch aur hona toh dur hi raha." The forensic doctor chuckled.
" Aisa tumhe lagta hai." The cop raised an eye brow.
" Mujhe lagta nahi, yeh hi sach hai. Upar se dono ki personalities mein zameen aasman ka farak hai. Kavin kitna sincere hai, samajhdar hai aur Purvi uske ekdm ulta." Meera made a point.
" Lekin kya aisa hi ladka tum Purvi ke liye nahi chahti? Aur dekha jaye toh Kavin aur Purvi bilkul ek jaise hai. Woh toh Kavin uski asliyat chupa raha hai sirf warna woh aisa hai hi nahi." Dushyant kept his view in front of her.
" Lekin Dushyant, Kavin aur Purvi?" Meera spoke, uncertainly.
" Tum ek minute ke liye bhul jao ki woh mera bhai hai aur Purvi tumhari behen. Aur ab dhyan se socho, jab se woh dono baatein karne lage hai, Purvi ka saara bachpana Kavin ne dekha hai. Ussey daantna ya shikayat karna toh dur woh khud uss ke sath bachpana karne lag jata hai." Dushyant explained, Meera took a brief moment to think about it.
" You mean to say, woh dono ek jaise hai?"
" Haan. Bas Kavin thoda samajhdar hai." Dushyant joked, earning a glare from his girlfriend.
" Lekin yeh hi toh chahiye na tumhe? Trust me, Meera. I have a very good feeling about this. Dono ki age bhi same hai, dono sath mein bohot acche dikhte hai. Sochne mein kya harz hai?"
Meera recognised the honest urge in Dushyant's eyes, he had never been so enthusiastic about anything before.
" Mujhe koyi problem nahi hai. Lekin hum khud kuch nahi karenge, agar tumhari baat sahi hai toh woh dono khud ek dusre ko pasand karne lagenge." She smiled, gracefully.
" Bilkul. Yeh bhi koyi kehne ki baat hai." Dushyant smiled back, hoping the best for both of their sibilings.
Few days later, Purvi entered the bureau only to come across an extremely pissed Kavin and immensely guilty Mayur and Vansh.
" Maine kya order diya tha? Ussey arrest karo. Mujhe samajh nahi aata woh ek mamuli sa chor tum dono ko taang de kar bhaag kaise gaya! Dhyan kaha tha tum dono ka!? Woh ek bohot ahem kadi thi hamare case ki."
Kavin's voice roared through the entire bureau making her flinch to the tiniest bit. After all, she had never seen him so angry. He was on verge of exploding. Purvi neared to Shreya who sat on her desk, watching their senior go bonkers.
" Kya hua? Kavin sir itne gusse mein kyu hai?" Purvi enquired.
" Kavin sir Vansh, Mayur aur Ishita ke sath Ramesh ko pakadne gaye the. Uske ghar jaake unhone ussey pakad bhi liya tha lekin Ramesh ne Ishita ke hath pe goli maar di. Kavin sir ussey hospital le gaye aur Ramesh ko bureau lane ki zimmedari Vansh aur Mayur ko di. Lekin.." Shreya left the story incomplete.
" Ramesh bhag gaya?" Purvi completed for her.
Shreya nodded.
" Ishita kaisi hai?" Purvi asked further.
" Woh ghar pe hai. Luckily goli sirf chu kar nikali toh woh theek hai." Shreya told her.
Purvi was about to ask another question when the door flung open as Pradyuman along with Abhijeet and Dushyant stepped in.
" Ramesh kaise bhaag gaya?" Pradyuman asked his son, his glare litreally sharper than a knife.
Clearly, ACP was pissed off about loosing an important witness regarding the complicated case.
" I'm sorry, sir." Kavin apologised on behalf of his team.
" Tumhare sorry kehne se Ramesh yaha nahi ayega, Kavin! Tumhari lead thi na inn sab ko? Toh phir Ramesh kaise bhaag gaya! Tum ne inn ko theek se lead nahi kiya, Kavin!"
Pradyuman's voice was loud and angry. Kavin wasn't able to match an eye with him while Dushyant and Abhijeet sent worried glances his way.
" Sir, main as a senior apni team ke galti ki zimmedari leta hu. Main koyi excuse nahi dunga aur jald se jald Ramesh ko aap ke saamne le kar aaunga." Kavin's voice was low.
" Nahi. Tumhare bas ki baat nahi woh. Ramesh ko pakadne ki zimmedari ab main Daya ko deta hu." Pradyuman denied.
" Sir, please. Ek chance dijiye mujhe. Main aaj shaam tak Ramesh ko aap ke saamne haazir karunga." Kavin requested.
" Sir, agar woh keh raha hai toh.." Dushyant was the first one to back his brother.
" Haan sir. Mujhe bhi lagta hai Kavin ko ek mauka milna chahiye." Abhijeet seconded.
" Theek hai. Lekin yaad rakhna, sirf shaam tak ka wakt hai tumhare paas." Pradyuman warned his son.
" Yes sir." Kavin nodded.
Pradyuman called Dushyant, Abhijeet and Shreya in his cabin to have further discussion about the case. Purvi did feel a pinch in her gut for her senior, it wasn't even his fault. Just because he was the senior, he had to take it all on himself. Kavin's eyes were sad, she didn't even come to know when her own eyes reflected the same sadness while staring at his.
He pulled out his phone and walked out of the bureau to make a call. Mayur and Vansh resumed to their desks. Purvi checked the time and it was one, lunch time. Few minutes later, Dushyant and rest of the two members came out of ACP's cabin, talking about something very important. All this while, Purvi stood in a corner like a little kid waiting for right chance to say something.
" Chalte hai phir."
Dushyant said before came ahead to interrupt him.
" Sir, lunch time ho chuka hai. Aap sab ko lunch karna chahiye. Waise bhi sab wapas aate hi honge." She told him, secretly signing at Kavin who was still outside.
Dushyant understood immediately.
" Right. Chaliye hum lunch kar lete hai."
" Haan. Purvi, Mayur aur Vansh ko bhi bula lo. Bechare kab se murjhaye pade hai."
Abhijeet told her as all of them moved out of the bureau. Purvi stood on her place to see Dushyant approching Kavin, they had a little talk before Dushyant turned his gaze to Purvi, shaking his head in a no. Purvi sighed.
She informed Vansh and Mayur as they left. She studied Kavin for a few moments before finally walking out to have a word with him. Kavin stood in the passage, bothered. Purvi quietly stood next to him, gaining his attention.
He didn't say anything, just stared at his phone.
" Sir, lunch karne chale?" Purvi asked him, soft with her words.
" Mera mann nahi hai. Tum jao." Kavin declined, calmly.
" Sir, bhuke pet rahoge toh aap ka dimag kaam nahi karega. Thoda sa kha lijiye, aap ko accha lagega." She insisted.
" Purvi, maine kaha na. Zidd matt karo please, jao. Mujhe waise bhi ek call ka intezaar hai." He declined for the second time.
" Kiske call ka intezaar?" She asked.
" Mere khabari ka. Maine ussey Ramesh ka thikana dhundhne ke liye kaha hai. Jaise hi pata chalta hai main khud ussey pakad ke le aaunga." Kavin explained.
" Main bhi aap ke sath chalungi." Purvi suggested with a small smile.
" Kyu? Nahi. Tumhe dusre kaam nahi hai?" Kavin asked with a plain face.
" Please? Aane dijiye na. Hum dono ki team waise bhi sab se best hai. Yaad hai na hum ne Pune mein kitna accha kaam kiya tha? Hum dono Ramesh ko yun pakad lenge." Purvi spoke, enthusiastically.
" Jarurat nahi. Tum nahi aaogi mere sath." He didn't budge.
" Yeh kya baat hui? Ek officer dil se apni duty karna chahti hai aur aap ussey rok rahe ho? Yeh toh na insaafi hai." Purvi huffed.
" Purvi, main already bohot pareshaan hu. Please jao." Kavin rubbed his temple, almost done with her.
" Kavin sir.." Purvi almost whined like a little kid.
" Nahi bola na."
Kavin sent a glare her way before walking past her. He started walking towards the staircase when his whole world spun in three sixty degrees as he felt a feminine figure rushing in front of him, giving him a push backward.
" Aap se pyaar se baat karna hi bekaar hai. Kyu? Kyu aap itne ziddi ho! Yeh bhi nahi woh bhi nahi, kitne nakhre! Lekin abhi bas ha. Bohot hua."
The girl in front of Kavin was in fact his junior. He could've easily make her pay for the arrogant behaviour she was putting up right there. He could've scold her back, in spite of all the options, Kavin simply chose to ignore her and walk past her.
Jhagda bhi nahi kiya? Matlab sach mein upset hai, Purvi thought to herself. She watched her arrogant and egoistic senior quietly walking downstairs. She followed him untill she found herself in the parking lot.
Kavin marched up to his car and he was about to slide in when Purvi held his hand to pull him back.
" Purvi yeh kya bachpana laga rakha hai? Main tum se jhagadne ke mood mein bilkul nahi hu, already kya kam pareshaani hai mere sar pe!"
Kavin's outburst was expected. Purvi knew that he had a lot of things bottled up inside him, and they were to come out sooner or later. Her face was calm.
" Sir, mujhe bhi aap se jhagada nahi karna hai. Khabari ka phone nahi aaya hai na abhi tak toh kuch kha lijiye na please? Phir chale jaana."
Purvi had never been so patient and so soft with her words ever before. It amazed Kavin that she was the same girl who'd trade anything to get back on him with her sass. She was gentle. She was sweet. She was just so serene. He couldn't help but let his defenses down, for her sake.
" Theek hai." He replied.
A smile appeared on her face as she felt him relaxing a bit.
" Yaha se das minute dur aap ka favourite punjabi restraunt hai, waha chale?" She asked.
" Tumhe kaise pata?" Kavin counter questioned.
She only let out a small chuckle before sliding into the passanger seat. Both of them were seated in the restraunt after ordering food when Purvi looked at him.
" Sir, senior hona kaafi mushkil hota hai na?"
Kavin chuckled faintly before answering her question.
" Kabhi kabhi. Responsibility hoti hai, hum chah kar bhi ussey taal nahi sakte."
" Lekin kabhi kabhi unfair nahi ho jaata? Apni team ko lead karo, unhe guide karo. Aur agar unn mein se kisi ek se bhi galti ho gayi toh uss ke liye aap ko responsible maana jaata hai. Yeh toh sahi nahi hai na." Purvi made her point.
" Senior officer ki post sirf ek promotion bhi toh nahi hai na, Purvi. Daya sir, Abhijeet sir aur bhai sab ko inn baato ka khayal rakhna padta hai. Warna hum kis baat ke senior hue.." He explained.
She nodded positively.
" Aap bohot acche senior ho. Aap se bohot saari baatein sikhne jaisi hai." She complimented as the food was served.
" Accha? Toh ab main akadu, muhfat aur arrogant nahi hu?" Kavin's face held a teasing smirk while asking the question.
" Woh toh aap hamesha rahoge. Lekin apart from that aap bohot acche ho, in terms of duty. Samjhe aap?" Purvi cleared the misconception.
" Kya baat hai? Aaj mere liye itni chinta, itni izzat kyu umad aayi?" He teased.
" Main pura time ladhti nahi rehti, okay? Aur waise bhi hamari ladhai bureau ke bahar. Bureau mein aur duty pe aap mere senior ho, isiliye." She put together a perfect answer.
Both of them started their lunch as silence indulged itself between them. Purvi could still sense the worry in his demeanour.
" Aap pareshaan matt hoiye, Ramesh pakda jayega. Aap hi ussey pakad kar layenge." She told him, gaining his attention.
He looked up from his food.
" Kya tumhe bura laga jab ACP sir mujhe daant rahe the?" He asked, out of the blue.
Purvi was surely taken aback by the sudden question. His eyes stayed on her face for a while, waiting for an answer.
" Um, haan?"
Her answer came out so unsure, it made him chuckle.
" Kyu?" He threw another question at her before the poor girl could pull her pieces together from the previous question.
" Pata nahi." She shrugged.
Kavin and Purvi, equivalent to fire and ice had a beauty of their own chemistry. Purvi was like blazing fire while Kavin couldn't be more steady than an ice. Purvi was lively, vibrant while Kavin prefered to be isolated, disciplined. All Purvi knew was to run free, breaking all the boundaries while Kavin had his self built boundaries. He always stayed within those, never setting himself free like he was before.
" Kavin sir, ek baat bolu?" Purvi asked while they ate.
" Na kahunga tab bhi chup thodi na rehne wali ho?" Kavin joked before allowing her to proceed.
" I know aap ko iss baare mein baat karna pasand nahi lekin aap kyu apni asliyat chupa rahe ho? Aur kab tak aise rahoge?" She asked a little hesitantly.
" Pata nahi." This time Kavin was the one to shrug the question off.
Next moment, Purvi asked a question that left him short of words. As if she pushed her hand right into his heart and squeezed it tight.
" Aap ko khud ki yaad nahi aati?"
For a few moments, Kavin nearly forgot to breathe. He didn't know what to say, and for the first time in many many years, Kavin was speechless.
" I'm so sorry, shayad mujhe yeh sawal nahi puchna chahiye tha." Purvi retreated.
" Phir kabhi puchna bhi matt." He told her, although his tone was soft.
She nodded immediately. They resumed to finish their food. All this time, Purvi kept sneaking glances at him.
" Aap ne kabhi pyaar ke baare mein socha hai?" She changed the topic.
" Nahi." He answered fast.
" Kyu? Maine socha hai pata hai. Jab se maine didi aur Dushyant sir ko sath dekha hai tab se. Woh dono kitne pyaare lagte hai na sath mein?" Purvi asked with a smile.
" Haan." He smiled.
" Mujhe bhi chahiye aise koyi. You know, thoda akadu. Thoda khadus. Lekin bohot bohot cute!"
Kavin felt his heart taking an internal flip as his gaze shot at Purvi who smiled ear to ear towards him.
" Aap waise bilkul nahi ho jaise dikhate ho. Aap asal mein bohot pyaare ho bilkul meri tarah. You should really appreciate that." She continued.
The girl was so careful with her every word. She didn't want to upset him any further.
" Tum mujhe jaanti nahi, Purvi." Kavin told her as he asked for the bill.
" Janana chahti hu. Agar aap mere liye apni ird gird jo diwaar banayi hai woh thodi si hata de toh." Purvi replied, looking expectantly in his eyes.
" Diwaare hatayi nahi jaa sakti. Ek baar agar ban gayi toh ban gayi."
Kavin replied before paying the bill. Both of them stood up, Purvi went quiet for the while when Kavin got a call from his informer. She stood watching him, he disconnected the call as he turned to face her.
" Ramesh ka pata lag gaya hai. Borivali mein hai ek dost ke ghar." He informed.
" Oh." She replied.
" Oh kya oh? Chalo. Ussey pakadne nahi jaana humein?"
Kavin raised an eye brow at her as she smiled wide. Finally! Purvi exclaimed in her mind. For some reason unknown, Kavin just couldn't say no to Purvi. Both of them got into his car as they sped off to Borivali.
" Sir, ek baat kahu?" Purvi asked like an adorable kid.
" Mana karunga toh rukne wali ho? Kaho kya kehna hai." Kavin told her.
" Aap bohot acche senior ho. Mujhe hamesha aap ke unit mein hi kaam karna hai."
Kavin smiled as he kept his eyes on the road, avoiding the urge to glance at her.
" Sir, sir, aur ek baat." She nearly bounced in her seat.
" Abhi bhi kuch bacha hai?" He chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.
" Nahi yeh aakhri baat hai. Uske baad main ekdm chup, I promise." She promised.
" Theek hai. Bolo." He smiled.
Who knew her last sentence was going to turn out to be the most important and most daring sentence one could ever say to Kavin. Of all the people who dared to do that? Purvi, a childish girl who thought it wasn't even that of a big deal. Boy! if only the girl knew what she was doing to both of them, especially him.
" Diwaare hatayi nahi jaa sakti, lekin todi toh jaa sakti hai na? Agar aap diwaar hatayenge nahi toh main tod dungi."
.
.
.
A/N : Sunday update! How was it? How was your sunday? Do let me know!
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