Pyaar hum ko bhi hai,
Pyaar tum ko bhi hai,
Toh ye kya silsile ho gaye ...
Priya looked out from the window of her room. It had been a day and Mr. Kapoor hadn’t called or texted to ask how she was doing. Priya didn’t know why she thought that he’d come home at night itself.
Shayad mujhe ghar pe hi rehna chaiye tha Mr. Kapoor ke saath.
But then why hadn’t he called to talk to her. Maybe he still upset about all that he had heard from Santosh. He didn’t even bother to ask her what she was telling before she had passed out.
He had simply watched her walk away with her mother. There was no – Priya main bhu chalta hoon saath main, Priya main chod deta hoon naa, Priya apna khayal rakhna..
Nothing just a bye.
~ ~ ~
Ram was restlessly playing with the button on the elope of the pen as Adi kept throwing questions at him.
“Ram, how is Priya? Main tab se pooch raha hoon.” Adi spoke shaking his friend’s arm.
Ram looked at him. “She’s fine mom said.”
“what do you mean by mom said? Tune baat nahi ki?”
“Adi yaar, tang mat kar. Theek hai wo.”
“Yaar Ram tu ajeeb hai. Taaki tu wo cake khaa kar bimaar naa ho jaaye , Priya ne poora cake khaa liya. Wo bimaar ho gayi. Aur tu bol raha hai …ki tune usse baat bhi nahi ki. Tum dono mein phie ladai hui kya?”
“Haan chose bachhe hain hum. Late rahnege.” Ram muttered angrily. “Adi, tu kaam ki baat karna yaar.”
“What’s wrong with you Ram? Kya hua hai? Priya pe kyun gussa hai?”
A knock disturbed them and Ram quickly allowed the person inside so that he didn’t have to answer his question.
What could Ram possibly tell Adi. That he was guilty of loving Priya so much that he didn’t see how insecure his mother had become?
He didn’t know how to explain to Adi that he had not been a good son. That guilt had been eating him up. Maybe he was becoming to invested in Priya to pay attention to his family.
He took a breath of relief as he saw Priya walk in. He didn’t realize how worried he was about her until he laid eyes on her. He suddenly felt lighter. Like all his problems ceased to exist.
“Mr. Kapoor!” She said with full haq walking towards him. He noticed Sara Di, and Krish walk in behind her.
“Priya,” He whispered.
“I need to talk to you Mr. Kapoor. Kal main aapse… keh rahi thii.”
“Hmm,” He said.
She paused momentarily staring at him. He hadn’t asked her how she was. He didn’t go all crazy asking her why she was out and not resting. He didn’t become his jumpy self.
“I was kidnapped Mr. Kapoor.”
“kidnapped?” He repeated shocked holding her hand.
“Haan Mr. Kapoor. Aapko blackmail karne ke liye, taaki aap ye case drop karde mujhe kisi ne kidnap karwaaya thaa.”
“priya is right Ram. She was kidnapped.”
Ram stared at Krish.
“He knew?” he asked Priya.
Priya nodded, “wo main aapse..”
His hand left hers. “I don’t want to talk.”
“Mr. Kapoor, Aapke father…”
“enough Priya. Maine kaha na mujhe tumse baat nahi karni hai.”
“Aap mujh par kyun bigad rahe hain Mr. Kapoor?” Priya asked incredulously staring at him.
Ram noticed the others leaving the cabin quickly.
“I don’t want to talk. This conversation is over Priya.”
“Mr. Kapoor, listen to me.”
Ram ended up screaming at her, “No you listen to me. Tum na iss maamle me kuch zyaadi hi padi rahi ho. Stay out of it. I will deal with it.”
“Mr. Kapoor, main..”
“Nahi baat karni hai na yaar.” Ram screamed. “Zarrori hai kya, main tumhaari har baat sunu. Har baat par tumhaari opinion loon? Aisa toh nahi hai ki tum har baat mujhe baat ti ho. Humesha filtered hoti hai tumhaari baatein.”
Priya’ patience snapped. “Fine.” That was all she said and stormed out of his cabin.
Ram turned angrily pushing the chair. She was kidnapped and didn’t find it important enough to tell him. But Krish knew. Maybe he was over investing himself in the relationship after all.
~ ~ ~
“Ram, Priya didn’t tell you because she didn’t want you to drop this case.” Krish said touching the frames of his glasses.
Ram maintained a stoic face, as he drank from the third glass since the evening.
“Ram, you…”
“You think Priya perfect hain naa?” Ram said looking up up him.
Krish stared back at him confused.
“You like her don’t you?” Ram spoke, looking at the man in the eye.
Krish stared at him dumbfounded.
“Tumhara jo insaf ka taraju hai na, wo Priya ki taraf jhukta hai. Humesha. I CAN SEE THAT.” Ram said looking at the pool table.
“Ram, I think you’re high,” Krish spoke uncomfortably.
“And I think you like her, aur ye baat chup ti nahi hai dikh ti hai.” Ram said clenching his jaw.
Priya who stood beside Sara Di stared in disbelief finding it difficult to believe what Ram was saying.
“Let’s go Sara Di,” she mumbled not wanting to talk to him anymore. She turned around walking towards the lawn.
“Priya, wait!” Sara followed her.
“Unse baat kar.”
“Aap ne suna nahi wo kya bol rahe the.” Priya asked hurt.
“Maine suna Priya. But maybe it’s his misunderstanding because you told about your kidnapping to Krish not him.”
Priya willed herself to not cry. “Main unhe seedhe shabdon mein keh chuki hoon, Sara Di, ki Krish aur main dost bhi nahi hai. Main unki patni hoon. Koi aise baat karta hai kya apni patni ke baare mein? Agar I love you bolne se aapko ye haq bhi miljata hai naa toh mujhe aise I love you…I care for you… nahi chaiye.”
“Priya,” Sara's voice trailed engineer as she walked towards the gate, wiping her tears. Mr. Kapoor had let her down.
“Ram, sleep over it.” Krish said patting his shoulder. “We’ll meet tomorrow.”
“not needed. You’re relieved of your assignment. We don’t have to see each other’s face again.” Ram said finishing the contents of his glass.
Krish fisted his hand turning to him. “What’s wrong with you Ram Kapoor? Bro, you’re clearly projecting your issues on me. Mujhe iss assignment se hathane se tumhare aur Priya ke beech ke problems solve nahi honge, kyunki to begin with, I am not in the picture dude. And you’re blind, if you can’t see ki Priya tum par jaan chidhak thi hai. “
Ram was left alone in the darkness, in the eerie silence of the night, once again.
~ ~ ~
