' Ha,aakhri baar' - she said without breaking the eyelock.His holding her by shoulders did not hurt her anymore.She did not know when she will be able to feel his touch again so she did not jerk him off though his tight grip was hurting her.She was hurt,anyways.
'Tum kahan jaa rahi ho?mu... SIAC chodkar?'
'Kapurthala'
'Par kyun?did I do something wrong?I am sorry' - he said weakly.Why was she leving SIAC,HIM.
Nahi sir,aapne kuch nhi kiya.Aapne toh aajtak sirf meri help ki hai aur,in sabke liye thanks'-she said with hurt visible in her voice.
A lump formed his throat.Only a few days ago she was upset with him and he left no stone unturned to convince her.Before her arrival in his life,he was least bothered about anyone and their feelings.He did not care about what people thought of him,he was a man of few words.But this headstrong girl changed him.She was diffrent,things were diffrent around her.
He himself did not remember when was the last time he tried so hard to convince someone,not even his Badi maa.But her tears,the the hurt visible in her almond shaped eyes,.....damn...he hated them.His eyes turned misty.
'Ms.Bhalla, mujhe nhi pata maine kya kiya....par mujhe itna pata hai ki aap kahi nhi jaa rahi hain,main kahi nahi jane dunga tumhein' - he said coldly.
'kyu sir' she asked.she was curious now.
He sighed.
'Main nhi chahta ki tum jao.You know what,main tumhein ek bahut brave ladki manta hoon jiski dictionary main bhagoda ya dar naam ka shabd nhi hai.Tum jitni bright ho utni hi brave ho,tum woh ho jisne apne aapko prove karne ke liye apna ghar,parivaar,yahan tak ki apni maa aur behen tak ko chod diya jo ki koi asaan kaam nahi hai kisi 20 saal ki ladki ke liye.Yahan,ek naye sheher main aakar,hardships,taane aur na jane kya kya jhoothe ilzaamon ka samna karke khud ko prove kiya.Aur......'
'Aur?' - she asked with tears of happiness continuously flowing from her eyes.He actually understood her,her hardships.He was indeed diffrent from this cruel and selfish people she had met till now.
'Aurton ke liye meri soch badal di tumne,Ms.Bhalla'-he completed.Now it was her turn.
'Mere papa beemaar hain sir,bulaya hai mujhe,isliye jaa rahi hoon'.
He sighed in relief.Atleast he was not the reason of her sadness or her leaving for Kapurthala.
'Aapko pata hai sir,jab main yahan aayi thi,mujhe sab swarthi,matlabi aur cruel log hi mile jinhone mujhe takleef dene main aur meri lachaari ka fayda uthane main koi kasar nhi chodi.Jab aapse mili toh laga ki aap bhi unmein se ek ho,kya badi baat hai.Par....'-she smiled.
'Par?'he asked restlessly
'Par main galat thi,aap unlogon se hi nahi..aap sabse alag ho...bilkul...umm...nariyal ki tarah,bahar se sakht par andar se naram.Aap khadus bante ho par sabki takleef samajhte ho,feel karte ho aur help bhi karte ho chahe woh aapko kitna bhi napasand ho,jaise main thi.Itna hi nhi,apne dukh aur emoyions bhi chupate ho par aapko takleef hoti hai toh ya akele rote ho ya agressive hokar samne wale ko hurt karte ho,par woh intentional nhi hota,usmein aapki bhi takleef chupi hoti hai jo aapki ankhon main saaf jhalakti hai' -she confessed honestly.Her confession and understanding made him fall in love with her more.
'Tum mujhe itne acche se janti ho pata nahi tha'he mumbled but,she heard it.
'Aapse zyada samjhti hoon aapko'
His eyes became moist.
'Waise tum jaogi kaise?' he asked,trying to change the topic to prevent himself from bursting from tears.
'Sir humne tickets book ki hain,aap chinta mat kariye' she assured him,smiling.
'Chalti hoon sir'she said,smiling through tears
'Huh....oh haan,apna dhyaan rakhna aur...jaldi apas ana' he said softly.
'Main jaldi hi wapas aungi' -she assured him through her eyes that she will come back soon and she is,will be there for him,with him,always.
'Main tumhara intezaar karunga' he murmered to himself,smiling.He felt light now.
Kisine sach kaha hai-
Pave kinni vi o yara challa dur jayega,
Jo tera howega,zaroor ayega.
The end
