Failed Attempts
Swadheenta woke up a little early this morning. Thank God!
Adarsh had continued to behave strangely around her, listening to all her demands and never once questioning her or opposing her. But she was also determined to bring her paithyam back. But with everyone being around, she hardly got a chance to execute any of her plans. The plotting and planning normally kept her awake till late in the night, and this normally led to her waking up late every morning. Adarsh was up by then and out for his jog. He pretended like everything was normal, but she knew that it was almost like he was avoiding her. Out of sheer will to wake up early and defeat him in whatever his plans were, she chose the most boring book in the library to read. It worked. She was knocked out at 9:30 last night, with the book fallen flat on her face.
When she woke up, the book was still on her face. She turned to see if she was late again, but there he was, sleeping next to her. She continued to look at him for a few minutes, like she wouldn't get this chance again. He looked so cute while sleeping, nothing like the tormentor he had become these days. Why cannot you realize Adarsh. This act of yours is more hurting and confusing than your anger during the days of the trial she thought to herself. But, none of it anymore. Aaj se wahi hoga jo mein chahoongi she promised herself. Quickly getting out of bed, she freshened up and stepped out of the room.
Attempt #1
Paithyam, I will make you your coffee this morning. Itna mere peeche peeche aate the coffee offer leke. Mujhe pata hai, aaj mein tumhe coffee dungi, toh tumhe bhi woh din yaad aajayange. And then, tum mujhe dhekoge, mein tumhe dhekongi, tum mere paas aaooge, mein tere paas aaoongi.
Swadheenta? Tum yaha kya kar rahi ho itni jaldi? Suhasini had walked in to the kitchen to get the day started when she found Swadheenta standing here lost in thought with a smile on her face. Happy as she was to see her smiling, she wondered what had her mind so occupied?
Mom? Surprised by the sudden intrusion, she chocked out a Good Morning to Suhasini
Good Morning. Are you feeling alright?
Ji mom. I am fine. I woke up early, toh I thought I would make coffee for myself... Suhasini noticed 2 cups of coffee on the counter and looked back at Swadheenta... and Adarsh Swadheenta added. Smiling, Suhasini nodded her head. Wanting to escape any more questions, Swadheenta rushed out with both the cups and entered the room to notice that Adarsh was just waking up. Perfect she thought to herself.
Morning! Jaldi se fresh ho jaaoo. I brought you your coffee!
Coffee? Adarsh looked at her with a confused look. Woh, Swadheenta, maine coffee peena chod diya hai
She stood frozen with her eyes wide open like as if he told her he was an alien
Swadheenta? Are you ok?
Huh?
Sorry! Thanks for the coffee, but maine chod diya hai!
Chod diya hai? Kab se?
Woh, kuch dino se. Usse acidity hota hai
Acidity? Swadheenta could not believe what she was hearing. Without her knowledge her face fell.
It was all Adarsh could do to stop himself from pulling her cheek and hugging her. Before he lost his control, he rushed to the washroom.
Piliyarappa, yeh kya hogaya? Adarsh ne coffee peena chod diya? Coffee? Woh toh uska favourite tha. Ab mein kya karoongi?
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A pile of law books, and an even huger pile of case files law strewn on Swadheenta table at work. But her mind was elsewhere. Pilliyarappa, mere paithyam ne coffee chod di? Aapne aise kyon kiya? She had been trying hard to forget the pinch that she felt in her heart. What made him give up coffee? Ab samaj aa raha hai. Isi liye woh itna weird behave kar raha hai. Coffee ke bina insaan normal kaise ho sakta hai? Lekin pilliyarappa, ab mein kya karoongi? Mujhe toh mera paithyam chahiye.
Attempt #2
As she sat pondering, Adarsh walked in to the office. She looked up as the door opened, and saw him walk in looking as handsome as ever. She was sure she was imagining him, but even in her imagination, she could not get her eyes off of him. She kept looking at him without blinking her eyes, as if blinking her eyes would make him disappear. She kept looking at him as he came closer and closer
Swadheenta?
Oh man, he sounds so good. Aur bolo na Adarsh! she thought to herself
Hello? Swadheenta? He waved his hands in front of her.
She continued to look at him with a smile on her face
Swadheenta? He snapped his fingers in front of her eyes. Finally that brought her out of her dream world. She now looked at him like he was an alien.
Adarsh? Tum sach mein yaha ho?
Adarsh looked away to hide his smile. So, she thought she was imagining it all. Looking back, and keeping a neutral face, he said Kya?
She couldn't believe she had said that out loud. Woh, mera matlab hai, tum yaha kya kar rahe ho?
Mom's car has gone for servicing today. Tum logon ko office mein chod ke driver gaadi le gaya hai servicing ke liye.
Oh? Toh tum hame pick karne aaye ho She said in understanding
Errr, tume nahi. Mom ko he corrected
She snapped her face towards him. Kya?
Haan, aaj Simmi ka doctor ke saath appointment hai. Toh mom had asked me to pick her and take her home. Driver waha se unn dono ko hospital le ke jaayega. Mein ghar se kaam karlunga.
Aur mein? She asked in a disappointed voice
Tum? Tumhe toh afternoon tak office mein hona chahiye na? Mom bhi nahi hogi. You should stay here, haina?
Acha she said more to herself than him. Then remembering something, she quickly asked Lekin mein ghar kaise aaoongi?
He couldn't help the twinkle in his eyes, but he tried hard to suppress the happiness he felt, and the smile that was forming on his face. Tum, waise hi aa jaaoo jaise every day aati ho. Get a cab?
She couldn't believe that her Adarsh was asking her to get back home in a cab. Cab? Aise dhek raha hai mujhe jaise mein stupid hu ki maine yeh sawaal pooch liya she thought to herself. She forced herself to smile ok. Teek hai. Mein mom ko bulati hu.
As she walked, she complained to her Pilliyarappa Pehle toh har jagah pohanch jaata tha mere saath rehne ke liye. Ab, mein cab se aa jaaoo? Adarsh who heard her mumbling guessed that she was complaining about his actions and smiled happily. Thoda aur intezaar Swadheenta. Thoda aur.
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She had willed herself to work from office for that entire day. Adarsh would be at home, but she didn't want to deal with any more insensitivity from him. She had gone to visit Asad that afternoon and complained to him about Adarsh to her heart's content, well not really. She could still continue to complain, but she had given up after sometime. Unknown to her, Adarsh was standing behind the same tree, listening to everything she said. He knew all her complaints and promised himself that he will make her the happiest person soon. This was necessary Swadheenta. Asad aur Abhay le loss ko accept karne move on karne ke liye hum dono ka distract hona zaroori tha. I promise you, ab se hum dono har cheez ko ek saath face karange, hamesha ek saath rahange. Par, usse pehle, thoda fun toh banta tha he thought to himself. She had left from there, and to his surprise and slight disappointment, she had gone back to work instead of coming home. Hummm, Abhay aur Asad ki behan hai. Unhi ki tarah nautanki. But soon, you will be just Mrs Adarsh Sinha! Just mine. Your brothers will also have to wait for my permission to talk to you Swadheenta, abhi keh de raha hu he thought looking at the skies, as if imagining that Abhay and Asad could reach his thoughts. He smiled to himself.
Attempt #3
In her distraction and sense of preoccupation, she had not had a good dinner. Infact, she had barely eaten anything. And now, at 10 in the night she was feeling hungry. She thought of going to the kitchen and checking for something to eat, but the prospect of eating something healthy seemed unappealing. She had a craving for street food. Momo's? She thought in her head. She looked at Adarsh. He sat reading a book.
Adarsh?
Huh?
Woh, I am feeling hungry!
Kya? 1 hour pehle toh humne khana khaya hai!
Not getting the reaction she had expected, she was irritated Haan! Toh? Bhook lagi hai toh lagi hai. Ab kya karu?
Kitchen mein kuch hoga, jaake kha lo
Taking a deep breath to relax herself she said with a little more patience this time Woh, mujhe woh nahi kha na. Now with excitement she added Mujhe na Momo's khana hai. Street waala.
Street side food? God, how unhealthy and unhygienic
Kya? Lekin tumhe toh acha lagata hai street side food. Remember that south Indian lunch we had with mom and Vanshika? Usi ke paas milta hai momo's bhi
Woh toh maine aise hi kha liya tha. Mein zyada tar street food nahi khata?
Now she was certain that he was an alien. Or he was acting.
In her sense of frustration she voiced out her inner thoughts loudly Pilliyarappa, shaadi ke baad insaan itna kaise badal jaata hai?
Kya?
Realizing she said it out loud, she tried to cover her embarrassment with a Aur nahi toh kya? Jo bhi thume pasand tha, woh ab nahi pasand. Mein abhi bhi achi lagti hu ya nahi?
Adarsh had not expected that question and looked up to see her face. He saw her eyes filling up with tears. Swadheenta?
As upset as she was, she was also angry and frustrated with his behavior. Nahi, uss sawaal ka jawaab dene ki zarooth nahi hai. Mein bahar jaa rahi hu momo's kha ne. Akeli. Mujhe kisi ki zarooth nahi hai
Swadheenta, meri baat toh suno
Kuch nahi sunna mujhe. Tum book padlo. Bye. See you later
With that she walked out of the room thinking that he truly had changed. He didn't care about her at all anymore.
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Attempt # Never Mind!
Adarsh sat back for a few minutes and wondered if he had pushed her too far. Ab inte gusse mein kitni cute lag rahi thi. Chal Adarsh, bahut maze le liye. Ab isse pehle ke baat maar peet tak pohanch jaaye, rok le usse, aur mana le. Nodding his head and laughing to himself, he quickly went to change and run after her.
Swadheenta, in her sense of clouded judgement and anger had stepped out at night and hailed a cab. Iska driver bhi nahi chahiye mujhe. Mein khud hi chali jaati hu. Once she was in the cab and noticed the looks that were coming her way, she started questioning her judgement. But she was too angry to think sanely. Thankfully, without much incident, she got off the cab at Asad and her regular hangout. Everyone around kept giving her strange looks, but she went on to place an order for momo's. There was a strange fear that she felt in her spine, but her heart asked her not to worry. With an unknown confidence, she took her momo's and started walking back. She figured she would take a cab back home and eat it there. As she waited for a cab, a couple of drunk boys started walking her way. She was now beginning to worry. Pilliyarappa, aapko toh pata hai mein stupid hu. Why do you let me do such silly stuff. Kya zarooth thi ghar se aise aa jaane ki? Ab bacha lo mujhe. The boys were closer now that she would have liked. And she didn't have her regular pepper spray and chilli power with her for she had just grabbed her wallet and stepped out in her anger. She looked around, and tried moving to another spot when one of those boys held her hand.
Hum help karde aapki?
With all the courage she could muster she said Mera haat chodo and tried pulling her hand away. But his hold on her was strong. Panicking a little now she pulled her hand hard to free herself and in the process tripped on a stone that was next to her foot. Just as she was about to fall and hit the ground, a pair of strong arms held her.
Edited by Soapoperasrfun - 8 years ago
