Today was extra tiring for Abhijeet. Not just because of the case that the team had been working on, but also because he accompanied tarika for shopping right after they got off work. Well it was not so much of accompanying as much as it was forced. Now, abhijeet was not the biggest shopping fan but, he just couldn't say no to her when she asked him to come with her with that oh-so-cute look. He always fell prey to her antics and well, he liked it.

So, finally after getting done with it, here they were, sitting by the sea side on marine drive, enjoying the cool night breeze that the waves brought with them. Ah! How relaxing was this after a long day.

"God! I can't believe tum uss ek party ke liye itni excited ho ki itni jyada shopping kar li tumne uske liye. Believe me its really lame. " Said abhijeet addressing the new year's party that was held by the police authorities every year.

"What party is not lame to you? Aur tumhare liye har saal ki baat hai mere liye toh first time hai na... don't kill my excitement please. " Said tarika rolling her eyes.

"That's what. There is literally nothing to get excited about. It's just useless singing, dancing, yelling happy new year at 12 and going home. Agar waha pe khana nahi hota, toh mein jaata bhi nahi. "

"Parties mein yahi toh hota hai abhijeet. Tumko yeh sab pasand nahi toh mein bhi excited na rahu? And this year it may be a little different for you... who knows? " Tarika said meaningfully.

"Achha? Wo kyu? Kya naya hai iss baar? " Said abhijeet with a teasing smile.

"Mein hu na puri ki puri. I'll try my best to make sure you have a good time there. I promise. "

He chuckled.

"You don't really have to take any extra effort to make me feel good you know. Tum mere saath hoti ho I automatically feel good. " He said looking into her eyes

She blushed at this. No, They still hadn't talked about taking things forward with them. But, it was the moments like these, the little affirmations they gave each other which screamed out the things that they felt for each other meant so much to them and they both knew it.

"Me too. " Said tarika as she rested her head on his shoulders. Well, she was tired from all the shopping too.

He just smiled and took her hands in his remembering the time when she had fallen asleep resting her head on his shoulders when they were in the car with the team.

"The first time you did this, you were not awake. " He said to her.

"Well, the first time you did this you were blushing like a newly wed bride. " She said indicating to their intertwined hands. Remembering the time when he asked her for advice for impressing a girl as a part of a case.

He chuckled again remembering the incident.

"Well, I am a shy person tarika. You'll have to deal with it. " He said meaningfully.

"I know and I am not complaining. "

"Thanks. "

"Always. "

.

.

.

The party night was here. Everyone in the team was excited to be there. After all, seldom did they get the chance to relax and enjoy like normal people did. Sure, no one wanted to miss that.

Abhijeet and daya were as usual sitting in a corner, having their usual chit chat. Abhijeet however constantly kept glancing the entrance as tarika had still not shown up.

"Arre boss aa jayengi bhabhiji itni chinta kyu kar rahe ho? Shreya aur purvi hai uske saath. Mein kuch bol raha hoon uspe toh dhyaan hi nahi hai tumhara. " Said daya with a mischievous grin.

"Daya please usko bhabhiji bulana band karo yaar. Mere saamne tak theek hai lekin galati se uske samne kabhi tumne bol diya na... pata nahi kaisa lagega use... ek toh ek official date ke liye nahi puch paya hu mein use ab tak aur tu hai ki... "

"Toh pucho na... ab kya muhurat nikalwau? "

"Samajh mein nahi aa raha kaise puchu yaar... I mean I want it to be really special aur mein toh koi romantic type ka insaan hu nahi.. Kaise manage karunga... "

"Usi se puchlo. Hi tarika. " Said daya waving to tarika standing behind abhijeet.

Abhijeet turned to look at her hoping she didn't hear him talking.

But, as soon as he looked at her, he forgot everything else. There she was smiling at him wearing a black knee length dress looking like a dream.

'Wow, ' were the only words that escaped from his mouth as he still couldn't take his eyes off her.

Daya had to clear his throat to bring his buddy's attention back from his dreamworld or wherever he was lost.

"What? " Asked tarika as she couldn't hear what abhijeet had just said. Well she did, but she was loving the look on his face while he said that.

"I... I mean... " Abhijeet stammered coming back to reality, " The fountain at the entrance looks so good. Wow. " He said eyeing the fountain behind her. "You... you look good too. "

"Achha? " She said smirking, "Waise you look really handsome in this shirt. " She turned her gaze towards daya. "Daya sir. "

Abhijeet's smile faded away when he heard daya's name.

"You... You look good too. " She said smirking at abhijeet and she walked away without waiting for his reply.

Daya burst out laughing as she went away.

"Boss tumhara kuch nahi ho sakta. "

"Chup kar. Mein anil se milkar aata hu. " Abhijeet excused himself as he knew daya was going to torture him a lot with his teasing.

As the party proceeded abhijeet just kept stealing glances at tarika. He just couldn't stop himself from looking at her. Everytime he looked at her, he just wished that everyone and everything around him could just fade away, leaving just him and her behind. Then, he would stare at her as much as he wanted. He would say all the things that he wanted to tell her so desperately. He would take her in his arms and never let her go...

But an announcement that the couples dance would begin now forced him out of his dreamland.

Soon, all the couples present, were dancing to the soft music. Here, tarika who was sitting a bit away from abhijeet, looked at him and then the dance floor.

Abhijeet looked at her getting her point and nodded as no.

She gave him a pleading look.

He still nodded in no, now with a slight frown on his face.

She just rolled her eyes at him and looked in another direction.

He just sighed cursing himself for his shyness but he just couldn't help it. Dancing at parties was never his thing and never will be.

Soon, he went to daya and they started talking about something. Abhijeet wasn't exactly bothered about what they were talking about as his attention was still on tarika. He suddenly saw a guy walking up to her. He sure was an officer but abhijeet didn't exactly know who he was. By the look of it, abhijeet was sure that he was flirting with tarika. He felt a hint of anger rising inside him.

Then, the last thing that abhijeet would have wanted to see, just happened. The guy seemed to have asked tarika for a dance and she happily accepted it. Holding his hand, there she went on the dance floor and started dancing along side the soft tune.

They had a respectable distance between them, but that thing was hardly noticeable to abhijeet. All he cared about was that tarika was now dancing with a guy who wasn't him. He still, decided to patiently wait for them to get done. But then, after waiting for 2 whole minutes, pretending that he was listening to what daya was saying, he lost every ounce of patience that he had and got up from his chair and left while daya was still talking to him.

Here, tarika who was dancing with the man knew exactly what she was doing. She had accepted the dance proposal given by the man, just to make abhijeet jealous and by the look she saw on abhijeets face, she knew it was working. She just decided to concentrate on the dance when she was interrupted by a voice.

"Excuse me? Can I have my girlfriend back? "


AN-

Hehe. Ruko jara. Sabar karo. Baaki agle chapter mein. ;)

don't forget to review. :)