Chapter 6

Mirza: What is wrong with him??

Abdul: I’m telling you for the last time..No fooling around that girl..or you’ll be dead..Jalal is gonna kill you.

Mirza: Gosh! Does he know her..some ex-girlfriend or someone??I’ve never seen him dating ever, like EVER ..Infact I’ve never even seen him talking to one, other than Ruks…so why on Earth is he behaving all wired off around her..Do you know anything??

Abdul (nodded): Nah! I don’t, but she is definitely an acquaintance or maybe more than that..(sighing) just stop it, they might have a history long before we even knew Jalal..

Mirza (yelled): Oh my God, you mean before college, like..like, “highschool sweethearts”..Ah! That grumpy crackhead managed to get a girl that pretty in his teens, while I with all my charisma, am still struggling to find one..Ahhhh..where should I drown..?

Abdul rolled his eyes seeing no hopes, and left the whinning Mirza, to get back to work..Exiting the elevator, and all engrossed in thoughts, Jo bumped into Mirza, who yelled as if he had been electrocuted..Surprised, Jo gaped at Mirza,

Mirza: Oh my God! YOU??(Seeing her staring) Listen Ms. I totally understand how hard could it be to take your eyes off me, but please I do not want you near me in the radius of 10 ft. I’m still too young to die, by the hands of that prick…

Jo (wide-eyed): Huh???

Leaving Jo astonished, Mirza hurriedly left to get back to his office..

Jo, mindlessly turned to get to her desk. Not in a state to process anything any further, she sat down reflecting on the events of the day..His resentment, anger dripped with despise, it had been so easy to relate to that..She could tell he was angry, since the first day she had met him..Handling Jalal’s anger that had developed in the past ten years, given the fact that she might have been the one at fault, that would have been so justifiable, so expected..She was ready to deal with that..Even if he hired her, that should have been out of his sheer curiosity to probably get a sincere apology to whatever she had put him through or may be a closure..But why on Earth would he “thank her for not leaving”…That didn’t make any sense..A sheer thought made Jo tremble..”Could there be a possibility that he still might have some feelings left for me..That’s impossible, it had been ten years, friendship or whatever there must have been, that should have wilted underneath that rage…But what if it didn’t ??..(Jo gasped) that would relate to such a painful endurance..For someone like me who doesn’t have a single memory of our time together, his face alone kept haunting..For someone like him who would have remembered everything, how painful it would be to still carry them..Oh God, why it feels the most beautiful yet the worst of all feelings…What if he is still clung onto some hope, while I know for sure, I’m not in a state to provide him with any hope at all, no reassurances, not even comfort…I expected to find peace, what if I get more than what I’d asked for…What if I bring him pain again…

Jo (shook her head): This cant be..I’m overthinking it..Maybe beacuse I feel guilty, he is growing on me..There is no other way..Remember Jo, you’re here to help yourself, without pulling him into any fresh troubles…Do not imagine anything else..You would be a fool to think that he still harbours feelings for something that was a decade ago..All I’m here for is an apology for him, and some recollection of lost memories for me, to atleast breathe in peace..

Jo was lost in these thoughts when Mr. Batra called her out..

Batra (gleefully): Thankgod you survived Heer…

Jo (thoughtful): Yea, Mr. Batra..Time would tell..

Batra (happy): You’ve been assigned the office at the Boss’s floor..Long way to go girl..He has never even hired a PA, but he has hired you as an additional filter to R&D proposals…Its gonna be hectic, but it is a great opportunity to shine..

Jo smiled, "Hmm..I look forward to it Mr. Batra..I’ll wrap up my desk here"..

The entire day went by in Jo bidding goodbyes to her team mates and shifting her desk to the 30th floor..In the evening Jalal, left his office to come down to the elevator on his floor, while Jo was still busy setting the files. Jalal gave a faded smile looking at her place, Jo- always a perfectionist..

Jalal: Aren’t you leaving, Ms. Shekhawat?

Jo (startled): Oh!!..I would leave in sometime, Mr. Mohd.….waiting for a friend..

Jalal stared at Jo for a tad long, simply nodded and turned to leave..Reaching the parking lot, he saw Adi waiting already..Without giving anymore heed, Jalal entered his car, and left for home…While driving, flashes of memories from past re-surfaced again. Jalal had known Adi since his schooldays. The two belonged to different rival boys school..Jalal to Welham’s and Adi to St. Martin. Both being the captains in their sports squad, often competed against eachother at school and state levels games..It was during this one game that he had seen Jo for the very first time..It was the fall of 2009, when Welham’s team was up against Martin’s in the state level finals for the basketball. The entire place was jam packed in the viewers gallery with students, boys and girls from different schools..Welham’s were leading the game against Martin’s..The ball had gotten into the viewers stand, when Jalal rushed in asking the ball back from one of the girl (Shibani) who had been cheering loud..She ducked to pick the ball, and it was then Jalal saw someone sitting at the very back seat (Jo), all calm and peaceful in that loud crowd. The girl smiled back at Jalal with that super infectious smile, pointed a finger at him, and made a victory, V with her fingers. By then, Shibani had returned the ball, while jalal was too spaced out to catch it, and the ball hit him straight in the face..The game was still on, and he was pulled back by his team mates..The Welham’s ended up losing the game, because Jalal was too distracted to score after that, since he kept looking at the crowd trying to figure out which stand had he seen the girl (Jo) in. The game was over and the boys were already heading out the stadium, when Adi had approached Jalal, who was still looking around, to see if he can catch one more glimpse of that girl..

Adi: Hey Bud! That was a great game, better luck next time, may be..

Jalal: Yeah! Sure..

Adi: we’re heading for a celebratory dinner..would you guys wanna join..we do belong to rival schools, but we don’t have to be rivals outside the game..what do you say??

Jalal: No thanks..

Adi: Hmm..Okay..I just wanted to be polite, you know..Its always hard for Welham’s to taste defeat..

Jalal glared back at Adi, who smirked, and seeing someone afar rushed past Jalal, calling at the top of his voice, “ Shibani”

Jalal looked at retreating Adi, when suddenly his gaze fell upon the two girls Adi had been approaching. One of the two girls was “The One” Jalal had been looking for..Adi went ahead and hugged them both..Shibani, squeaked, “Ahh! You moron, you’ll choke us to death”, while Jo simply burst into laughter, completely unaware of the fact that someone had his gaze on her..Adi, released them both, “Join my team for the dinner..Lets dine together, ask your friends too..I can sign off the autographs as well, you know ”..Shibani rolled her eyes, and pulled Jo alongwith..

Seeing the three leaving, Jalal rushed to follow Jo, when his team mates called. Jalal waved them off already rushing, “I’ll join you guys later”..and headed to the restaurant where students from Martin’s and some other schools had gathered to celebrate their win..

Jalal looked from outside the window of the restaurant, and soon found Adi’s group..Everybody in the group was chatting and laughing, enjoying their meal while Jo was again sitting calmly..probably engrossed in some thoughts..She sighed and turned to look outside the window, when she saw Jalal standing there. He waved his hand hard to draw her attention, when Jo smiled back all surprised..She looked back at Shibani and Adi who were busy racing gulping their drinks, she silently left the group, and headed to the window..

Jalal being outside, and Jo being in the restaurant..Jo fogged up the glass pane of the window, and wrote:

Jo: R U OK?

Jalal nodded in a yes. Jo wrote again,

Jo: U’ll WIN NEXT…

Jalal smiled and nodded again in a Yes. Jalal took out his ID card and stuck it on the window pane, for Jo to see it..He signalled towards, his name on the card..Jo smiled again, and nodded..Jalal then again pointed at Jo, and signalled, “WHO”, Jo fogged up the pane again:

Jo: I’M HEER..(she thought for a moment, and scrubbed off the word, HEER and instead wrote) I’m JO…

Jalal smiled and read the letter "JO"

Jalal again stuck his ID card on the pane and pointed at his contact no. mentioned in the card..Jo looked at the number a bit surprised, but she went ahead, took her phone out and saved the number..jalal looked at Jo expectantly, but she kept staring at him. Jalal rolled his eyes, and fogged the pane at his end, writing:

Jalal: TEXT ME..

Jo chuckled, nodding in a NO…Jalal fogged the pane again, writing:

Jalal: I’M A GOOD GUY..(and acting as if he is swearing, kept his hand on his heart and raised the other one in a vow)..

Jo chuckled again, and texted him,

Jo: You sure don’t look like one..

Jalal receiving the text, sighed in relief, and smiled the brightest he could..Texted back,

Jalal: Date me and find out yourself :)

That text took Jo all by surprise, all smile wiped off, she looked back at Jalal nervous..Seeing her serious, Jalal gave a polite smile and texted:

Jalal: I’m sorry, that came out straight..But tell me I’ll be able to see you again, Please..

Jo kept staring, when Jalal heard his friends from his team calling from other side of the road. Jalal texted Jo again,

Jalal: Coming Saturday, at the Game?? Pls do come, and I’ll find you..

Jo didn’t respond while Jalal awaited all restless..Seeing his friends coming closer, Jo suddenly turned back to avoid being seen by them and returned back to Shibani..Jalal lost the sight of Jo, in that crowd, when his friend suddenly grabbed him by his shoulder, “ What are you doing here. Everybody is waiting for you at dinner..Lets go..” Reluctantly Jalal turned to leave, when his phone buzzed with a text:

Jo: I’ll see you this Saturday..But Don’t you dare lose..

Jalal chuckled, all happy and glee and texted back,

Jalal: Now that I’ve found you..I’m pretty sure I wont ever lose again :)

The flashbroke broke with a sudden brake.. Jalal had reached home, and Abdul and Mirza were already waiting for him at the door..

Abdul: Brought some drinks, thought you might need some company..

Mirza: n yeah..I’m sorry..but why is it, that it is only Abdul who gets to know all the secrets..You should’ve told me too, that she was your girl..

The flashes of Adi awaiting for Jo struck jalal and he gave a faded smile..”My Girl??, sure I thought that to be true once..long back…But I dare not say that again..if only, I could be that blessed to receive that sort of happiness, like ever”..

Abdul: Hey! No reason to be this gloomy..She came back, and she is staying..Leave the rest to fate..There must be a reason, why she left, and why she is back again..One step at a time my friend, is all what the two of you need..

Mirza: Hey guys, lets go in and drink. This conversation might make me cry..

Jalal chuckled and Abdul rolled his eyes at Mirza and the trio went in. Whatever turn life was to take about, the only thing that mattered for Jalal, was that “She came back, and she is staying”..atleast for now..