Chapter 18
Tutta hua dill hai magar milte hai sab se hans kar
Yehi to fun hai jo aaya hai bohot kuch kho jane ke baad
Antara's POV
"Jeez Parth... Stop it now, my stomach is aching!!" I said laughing like hell from my table. "Hey I am right you know... It's the fact..." Parth said from his table at my side cracking his usual jokes. "Parth is always like that Antara, be aware... You could get psycho after hearing his cracking jokes. "Kirti warned from my other side table. Parth yawned, "Some people never knows how to praise other's talents." Parth said. "Yeah yeah... You and your talent!! You know antara... one day sir was giving us presentation about our projects and he was cracking joke from my side. God knows how I managed not to laugh out in the middle of our seminar hall where sir and other higher authorities of our companies were present." Kirti said. "Kirti... what can I do yaar?! it's a fact that talented people couldn't hide their talent it can come out in anywhere, at any place." Parth said lifting his collar. "It's a very bad joke Parth.." Kirti said from my other side and I was almost sandwiched between them.
Parth and Kirti were my office collogue and my project partners. Even they were newcomer and joined just before three months. Aman sir introduced me to them and they were such a good company. I met them just some earlier days and I felt like I knew them for so long. Parth and Kirti were reminding me about Amir and Aliya, my two crazy buddies. I was missing them badly.
"And which joke of mine, u considered as standard, May I know that Kirti?!" Parth asked.
"Sorry I don't remember at all..." Kirti threw an indifferent look towards Parth. Sitting between those two loggerheads, I was trying hard to stop my laugh and concentrate on my work. But their crazy bittersweet conflict didn't disturbed or irritated me while I was checking on the essential files and putting data. Parth and Kirti already gave me the brief intro about the project and about our works.
"Excuse me... sorry to interrupt..." Someone scowled near our table and we looked up finding myrah standing there with a smile. Parth and Kirti composed themselves.
"Hey antara.. hows going?!" Myrah asked me. "Everything's fine mam.." I said smiling back. "Jeez girly... cut out this mam... call me myrah.. everyone calls me by name here." Myrah giggled, "Btw, I think this two monkeys are not eating up your brain." She giggled. "Myrah!!..." both Parth and Kirti said in unison. "No not at all myrah... these two are really helpful." I assured myrah with a smile. "yeah see myrah... we are so helpful.." Kirti grinned and hugged me from side. "Yeah yeah... I know you both really well... now come on sir wanted to meet you two and want know about the condition of project." Myrah informed. "What?!!" Both Parth and Kirti's eyes widened and they looked towards each other sheepishly. "Yes, sir wanted u both in his cabin within next five min. Asap!!" Myrah said. "Damn it!! We didn't even finish the earlier reports!!" Kirti said in low voice. "Did you said something Kirti?!" myrah asked. "Nope... Nothing!!" Parth grinned sheepishly to handle the matter and indicated Kirti to be silent. I looked towards myrah and said, "Myrah, as you know I am also involved in this project so can I also go to meet sir. Would he mind?!" I asked Myrah. "Not at all, rather than he would appreciate, he like enthusiastic people over lazy guys." Myrah said with a twitched smile looking towards Parth and Kirti's sheepish face. As myrah went Kirti almost jumped on Parth. "See Parth, I told you naa.. god now what we are going to do?!!.. Sir won't leave us..." Kirti's poor face was almost about to shed tears. "Hey Kirti chill... don't create hyper... Let me think about some proper excuses." Parth said. "Excuses?!! Parth!! You know sir will catch us red handed... same thing happened last time." Kirti said almost letting out her hairs from her head. Meanwhile I was putting all essential data on a pen drive. "Parth, Kirti... Why are you behaving like that... Sir seemed a nice person... he wouldn't mind at all." I said assuring them. "Antu u don't know girl. Even we all agree on that he is such a nice person. He was not that kharus type of boss... but one thing he can never forgive... inattentiveness. Last time he just left me giving some warning... but this time..." Parth said worriedly scratching his head. "And now sir wouldn't surely leave us easily." Kirti said worriedly taking the files. "Don't worry you two.. I know he won't mind." I said smiling taking out the PD and switching of the PC. "hope so.." Kirti said worriedly. With measured steps we reached near aman sir's cabin. Parth huffed in tension in front of the glass door. "Ready Kirti..." he asked. "Yup.. I think so.." Kirti said in dry voice. "Hey antu.. Please don't say to anyone if sir do our white wash." She looked towards me poorly. "It's ok Kirti, Parth don't worry. I won't say anything to anyone. Top secret!!" I said trying to lighten up the environment. Still they both were looking towards each other sheepishly. So I took a deep breath and opened the door of sir's cabin. "Sir, may we come in." I asked. "yes..." Sir said without even looking towards us. He was all busy in his PC. His fingers were moving on the keyboard like machine. Such a workaholic person he was. Parth and Kirti came behind me almost hiding behind me. Aman sir looked up from the PC and found me there. "Ohh antara you too here..." he greeted me with a small smile. "yeah sir, actually I thought that I am also joined with this project now so I should be present here." I told him. "I appreciate that... Now Parth, Kirti... Show me the files." Aman sir looked towards them and stretched his hand for the file. Parth and Kirti gulped and handed over the file towards aman sir. As sir checked the files his eye brows curled. "But it's not the file I wanted. What was the file about current status and progress?" Aman sir asked sternly towards Parth and Kirti's poor face. "Sir actually..." Parth scratched his hairs. "Excuse me!!" I moved forward, "Sir actually we didn't have the printed copy but u can get everything in this pen drive." I stretched the PD towards sir. Parth and Kirti's eyes almost popped out from there eyehole as they looked towards me. "ohh!!" Aman sir's frown got finished instantly, "Why didn't you told me before?!" he took the PD and attached it to the PC. Parth and Kirti looked towards me with worried eyes and I assured them with a blink. As Aman sir checked the whole file, a satisfied smile spread on his face. "Perfect!!" he said looking towards us and finally Parth and Kirti sighed in relief. "But why didn't you let out the print out?!" Sir asked again. Parth and Kirti again started to scratch their head. "Actually sir.. we thought that you should check the whole thing first... may be there are some mistakes which we ignored. We don't want to take the risk." I said. "Ohh okk... Everything is fine and there is no need to change." Aman sir smiled. The land line rang and aman sir attended the phone. "Hello mr bardhan..." aman sir said. "hey this mr bardhan is our project hed naa?!" Parth asked. aman sir talked for a while and put the phone. "Can I ask for another favor from you all?!" Aman sir asked genuinely. "Of course sir!! You just tell us!!" Parth's volume was back at last. "Well I always do that... But whenever it comes to finish the job you guys always delays." Aman sir smirked as he said those words. "Sir?!!" Both Parth and Kirti became dumb. "If I am not wrong then the reports are made by antara?! Cause I knew, this kind of 100% perfection is not possible from you two." Sir exclaimed. They both bit their tongue looking towards each other. "Sorry sir..." Kirti said. "Ahh... don't worry!!" Sir laughed a bit. "I am not at all angry with you two. But listen one thing... success doesn't come all alone. How smaller it could be but you all have to contribute for this project and work as a team. I hope you will remember this in future." Aman sir said genuinely. "Don't worry sir, we will remember that. BTW, what are you talking about?!" Kirti asked. "Ohh well.. actually Mr bardhan wanted to check out the final project report asap. But he couldn't come here as he is feeling seek. I would go but I have some important meeting to attend. Can you visit his house and handover the files and other essential things to him?!" sir asked. "Of course sir.. ur wish is our command!" Parth said dramatically. Kirti hit his shoulder. "Ouch!! Kirti!" Parth winced. "Just stop your useless drama Parth. We are already in trouble for ur antics." Kirti hissed. "Hey what have I done now?!" Parth asked. I was smiling secretly looking at their usual fights as well as aman sir. He handed over the PD to me. "Take the print outs before going to bardhan's residence and yeah bardhan's residence is far away from here. It will take time. So, you don't have to come back at the office after meeting Bardhan. I will meet you people tomorrow to know about the further progress." Aman sir said. "Thank you sir." Kirti said with a huge grin. Aman sir looked towards me and said, "well done miss antara kaul!" he said. "My pleasure sir!" I greeted with a smile. I was about to move out from the cabin when my eyes fell on the photo frame. The photo frame which I dropped at very first day. I still remembered how Aman sir was observing the photo frame. I could observe one side of photo frame and saw aman sir standing with a smile. His left hand was kept on someone's shoulder but I couldn't see the man who was standing at Aman sir's side. That portion of photo frame was covered from my eye side. I just could see his right arm which was kept around aman sir's shoulder. "hey Antara.." Kirti called me from the door breaking my trance. Giving a last glance towards the photo frame I moved out from the cabin. Strange, the photo frame was haunting me somehow. But why?!! It was just a photo frame.
As I came outside from the cabin with Parth and Kirti, they almost jumped and hugged me from both side suffocating me. "Antu...You are just too good girl!!.." Kirti said almost suffocating me in her hug. "Kirti U are chocking me!!" I somehow managed to say. "Upsiee..Sorry!!" Both Parth and Kirti bit their tongue and left me giggling. "Sorry guys, I made the reports without informing you. Hope you don't mind." I said in apology. "Mind?!! Do you really think we mind at all?!" Parth said grinning. "No we actually mind antu. Cause after getting out from this problem you are telling us sorry. Dude... we are the one who needed to say sorry and thanks." Kirti said gratuitously. I rolled my eyes to them, "Sinca when these sorry and thank you interrupted between friends?! Come on... we all are working together. It's obvious naa.. to help each other!" I smiled saying that. Both Parth and Kirti seemed a bit amused. "Antu I sware... after that I will do all my responsibilities on my own pal" Kirti said in determination. "Even me too... Antu, ... Not just only mine... I will even do ur works tomorrow as u did mine today." Parth said genuinely. "Parth!!... OMG!! This is really miracle." Kirti looked shocked as we both knew that how much lazy Parth used to be. "Ohh come on, I told u naa it's not a big deal. Now let's go!! We have much work in handy!!" I said to keep the matter aside. "Aye aye captain!!" Both Parth and Kirti gave me a comrade's salute. I laughed looking at their antics. All of us moved towards our working place together. "Hey antu.. but when did u finished that report?" Parth asked. "Ohh actually, I finished my calculation parts earlier and had so many times in hand. So I thought to do some advanced work. You both were being loggerheads at the moment so may be, u didn't give attention." I said. "Workaholic hmm.." Kirti complemented. "Not actually, But keeping myself busy sometimes help to divert our minds from so many depressions." I said as my mode went off for a while. They didn't know what I had to face after going out from this office. This works and my collogues around me were just like my saving grace and some hour of freedom from my daily torture. I was fortunate to get such friendly and wonderful environment on my work place. Otherwise I didn't know how I would manage to survive.
Seven days had been passed after I came to Naik basti. Living so close to enemies den and couldn't be able to do anything was such a feeling which I could never describe. The memories, disgusts, fire of revenge burned you inside everyday but still your hands were tied. I knew about the powers of enemies. We had so many clues which were enough to prove raghu and dm to be involved in that bomb blast. But with their power and link ups they diminished all of our clue and evidence. If we presented one clue or evidence, they were stating 10 cloues or evidence against us. Where our all clues were clearly indicating that Raghunath Naik was present at the Kashmir during that blast, they proved that all wrong with their dirty tricks. So if I didn't take every step cautiously everything would be ruined again. I needed some very vital clue or evidence which could clearly state that DM was the main culprit behind that blast. For that seven days, I was observing Naik Sadn's huge residence from my balcony. If somehow I could get a chance to enter inside that mansion again, I was sure that I would surely get something which was enough for me. Something related to DM's illegal work. But how I was supposed to get a free entry pass inside their den?! I was thinking hard for those days and couldn't get any way around. I was keeping link with mayank. He was hell worried for me all the time. He always stated one thing, "Antara be careful. You didn't know but you are going to face one of the most dangerous gangs of this country. If Daya Naik came to know about your plan she would surely demolish you from this world.". I assured Mayank every day that I was fine. He also informed me about further progress about the bomb blast case from their side and also about Ishan's whereabouts. I never wanted Ishan to get involved in the matter. He was the only one left for me. My own little brother and I couldn't afford to see any harm on him. I would die if that happened. Every morning I used to see DM leaving the basti with raghu and his other men on her work and coming back at the evening. That time I used to get some glimpse of her possession over the people of basti. When DM's car headed through the streets of basti in slow motion, every people presented at the road almost bend down on the streets and foot path seeing her there. As if like, she was a living god to them! Daya Mai contained a very satisfied grin looking to those heads bowing down on her honor. She also greeted them joining her hand. The eyes of those helpless people flickered fear and anxiety rather than respect and honor. I used to see so many of the politician and reputed officers to visit in Nail Sadan. It clearly showed about DM's link up with higher authorities of Mumbai.
7 days had been passed but still I was standing at the same spot not able to find a way to go forward.
My night sleep was totally gone. Almost whole night I stayed awake thinking harder that what to do. His tormenting mouth organ tune used to make my scar deeper floating inside my room with soothing cold night breeze. His oath still roamed in my mind which he took seven days before, on the front of my office that he would always be there to help me no matter what. Even if I wanted to take the help or not he would force down his aid into my life. Only he could do that. Raghunath Naik, whose mere presence always made me weak, drained me emotionally all the time. I remembered, how long I cried on that day secretly on the bathroom hiding myself from my loving mama, mummy and rhea. I didn't want to show them what I was going through. They wouldn't be able to face that. He saved my life that morning and I was really loathing for that. Why he was the one to save me?! It would be good form if I got hit by that heavyweight truck. But someone said from my inside consoling that I was saved cause I had to give justice to my own people. That's why I was left alive.
Just how does it feel when a people destroys your whole life and then he states that he is willing to help you, aid you all the way. But how could you help his mere presence in your life?! The same mockery feeling I was going through all the time. However, I composed myself as I remembered my vow. I determined that I wouldn't let him make me weak. I had to be strong cause might be he was the strongest wall I had to face before reaching to Daya Mai. When I observed him beside daya mai, he looked like a ferocious lion that was always ready to give or take life under its master's single command or indication. He was living in the balcony of Naik Sadan keeping his alerted hunter eyes all over the basti, like nothing could be hidden from those eyes. the strongest wall and protective shield of Naik residence and Daya Naik. Basti people used to say that might be the huge strong wall of naik sadan could be broken sometimes but raghunath naik could never be broken or banished. And guess what, he truly deserve that kind of praising no doubt. I already saw that glimpse that what he was capable of. Still that ruthless fighting scene on basti's street caused to rush down a chill down my spines. I knew that he would crush me and left into nothing if he came to know my real motive. His would not shake a bit to demolish my being with that same hand which saved me from the near death. My so called savior would turn into my killer instantly. I knew from the people that how much loyal he was to DM. I still remembered what he said. Raghunath Naik apni bas apni mai ka sun ta hain!!
"Antara!!" Kirti's voice broke my trance. We alredy reached our office. "Okk guys.. U guys take out the prints I think we should needed some ink for printer. I am just grabbing some few and coming soon." Kirti left to get some more ink while me and Parth got busy in printing thing. I was taking out the prints and parth was arranging them serially. In between our works, parth was busy in cracking his usual jokes and I was ending up laughing like hell. He was such a cracker.
Raghu's POV
As I moved the jeep out of Naik Sadn's collapsible gate my eyes automatically moved up and aimed to her balcony. Alas!! The door was as usual closed. Only I could see her wet salwar's hanging from the rope and waving gently in wind. She must be in office by then. I didn't know why I was expecting to get to see her at her balcony.
Last time, I talked to Antara face to face before seven days when I saved her from the truck accident in front of her office. After that she was as usual back in her mission to avoid me. The door of her side balcony which was directly faced towards my balcony was always closed after that incident. I never saw antara or rhea visiting at that side. Sometimes I felt weird and irritated by my own action. Antara wanted to ignore my presence, stay away from me and even from my shadow, then why should I be bothered?! It's like some part of me was not at all ready to accept that.
Whenever I came at my small living place of balcony my eyes moved freq towards the closed balcony door at my neighbor's house. I tried to keep myself busy doing pushups, practicing my kicks and punches with punching bags but still my eyes didn't listen. It couldn't stop itself to take glances of her balcony door now and then. Whenever I heard her voice screaming loudly taking her cousin sister's name and their usual bittersweet conflict my concentration moved towards that sound and when their sound of conflict changed into laughter, the sound of her laughter seemed like falling rain over the heated summer ground. I always woke up late so I couldn't see that if she came to feed those pigeons regularly after that day. Sometimes I got her little glance accidentally in a day. whenever she came to put her wet clothes for drying on the balcony, she jerked the wet clothes and the water droplet fell on her face. even from the distance my eyes couldn't help to observe the water droplets flowing down her chicks and flowing down her neck. My eyes observe till those water droplets hid under her clothes cover one by one. I couldn't remove my eyes from her throughout the process. My breath stopped unknowingly all the time. Whenever I used to go out with Mai and the basti people show their gratitude to mai standing at everyside of road, I observed her standing at the balcony and looking towards mai with some odd gaze. There was a hidden fire in those hazels, some kind of unusual attraction. She used to look mai all the way but my stupid eyes got stuck to her face till we move out from the basti. Sometimes when I and Machmach were spending quality times on basti's street and garage I saw her coming back from her office. She had already made a very good repo with basti's little boys and girl's who used to play around the street in evening time. She used to bring chocolate for them, sometimes took part with them in their games. The children had become really fond of their antara didi. Truly she had some beautiful charm and warmth and could mix up with people really well.(Although I was the exceptional always!!). She too became like a little girl while playing and interacting with them. the sound of her laughter vibrated in the air of basti. The evening sunlight gleamed on her happy hazels.
While checking on her, sometimes I felt annoyed, angry on myself, sometimes confused by her or my own behavior at the situation and sometimes it pinched really badly, I didn't know why. During those times she never even glanced towards me, not even accidentally. Even I was nearby or standing near her, she just bypassed me as if like I didn't exist at all. I tried to show that as if I didn't care but was that really true? Then why my eyes got fixed to her balcony at the night when I used to play mouth organ? That cloth piece of her dupatta was still kept under my pillow. I tried so many times to throw it away but I just couldn't. My hands didn't listen to my own will. I felt strong lump on my throat while watching over that cloth that I had to gulp several times to wash that strange heavy feel. Someone asked from my inside that why I was so much unwanted in her life?!
Just leave it, she was a mad girl, that what my brain tried to make me understand all the time but there was something in me which was growing stronger everyday and dominating over my mind. That thing instantly told me that the girl might be mad but not at all bad!! Her lonely saddened eyes sometimes depicted a deeper mysterious gloomy story which no one could see or might be she herself didn't want to show. But accidentally I got to see the glimpse of that deeper secret story of her.
I used to scratch my own head lying on the bed while those thoughts stormed on my mind. Fixing my eyes to the closed door of her balcony I lay on my cot. My eyes didn't get closed still the light of her room was not switched off.
"Raghunath!!" mai's voice broke mu trance and I instantly looked down and moved my eyes to her. "Jii mai!!" I asked her. "Jaldi chal meeting ke liye der hoo rahi hain." Mai said in her usual cold tone. "Haan mai... kaun se raste mein jana hain..." I asked cluelessly. Mai looked a bit surprised by my question. "Kaal hii to kahan tha murcuis street. Bhool gaya?!" she asked. I quickly looked away from her hiding my shameful gaze. I didn't want to show her my current inattentiveness which was nothing but the result of my abrupt strange thoughts about antara. "Dhyan kahan raheta hain tera raghunath?!" Mai's cold voice again hit me. "Maaf karna mai... agey se dhyan rakhunga." I said without meeting his gaze. "Chal!!" Mai just ordered coldly. I drove towards the murcuis street.
After some half an hour my eyes got widened in shock when I parked near the huge office building where mai told me to stop. It was the same building where I dropped antara last time. Mai came down from jeep as I helped her and she directly moved towards the office building and I followed her in a trance. Mai was there to meet someone called aman to discuss about her new shopping mall project. As we moved inside the building I faced the usual environment of a working place. Generally I felt a bit uncomfortable in between those so well dressed and English speaking peoples. They seemed so foreigner to me but that day my eyes were eagerly waiting for someone. A girl came towards us and introduced herself in a very weird name. Mohra?!!(Mayra actually) What kind of name it was?! "Raghunath!! Tu bahar intezaar kar." mai ordered and moved with her. But I was willing to go with her. "Par mai..." I tried to say something but mai cut shot me. "Fikar mat kar... main jald wapas aungi." Mai told and went with that girl. Disappointed, I was about to move outside when my eyes fell on the glass covered work place at my left side. Everyone was busy in their own work while in the middle of everything I found her. My feet stopped for a while to the place. There she was, standing at the front of a computer and doing some work. That small smile was as usual attached to antara's energetic face. Slowly my feet moved near the huge glass wall. I stood there observing her silently keeping my hand on the glass. Suddenly I saw a boy at her side. Must be her colleague!! Antara was taking out some prints and the boy was arranging those things. My eyebrows curled into frown unexpectedly. I couldn't heard anything from the outside of glass but I could see that the boy was talking a lot to her and even antara was laughing at his words. I didn't know why my whole feature stiffened at the scene. Who that guy was talking so much to her, and even why antara didn't mind at all? but should she mind?! I saw antara giggling hard clapping her hand and doing high-five with that boy. my hand almost balled into feast on the glass wall. At that moment my phone rang. With utter irritation I attended pakiya's call. After talking for while and solving his small issue I rushed back to the glass wall. My eyes popped out when I didn't find antara at that seclude spot. My eyes restlessly moved at the each and every corner of that room. But she was nowhere to be seen. "Excuse me!!" I heard a feminine voice and looked up to find that girl Mohra(Myrah) standing at my side. "Daya Mai nee tumhe ek massage den eke liye kahan. Unhone kaahan tumhe basti wapas chale jane koo... unhe ane mein late hogi. Waqt ane pe woo tumhe call kar lengey" She said. I scratched my head and looked towards her, "Ummm... Wooo..." I hesitated a bit. "Kuch kahena hain kya?!" she asked. "woo antara.. yahin thi... abhi dikhayi nahin de rahi hain." I said at last. Her eyes narrowed, "Tum Antara koo kaise jaante hoo?!" she asked doubtfully. "Woo apun logon kii basti mein hich raheti hain.." I said with a grin. She gazed from my top to bottom with weird gaze and said, "Whatever, woo abhi yahan nahin hain... kissi kaam se ussey bahar jana para... I think woo abhi office mein wapas bhi aney wali nahin hain." she informed. Ohh shit!! Did that boy also went with her?! "Bole too woo kidhar gayi hain tere koo pata hain?!" I asked quickly. She bounced her hand and indicated me with her actions that she didn't know that. Without making another conversation she went inside. I kicked my leg in frustration.
Antara's POV...
I came outside of bardhaan's residence along with parth and kirti. "Hey antu... how will you go back to ur home now?! Our house is nearby but your house is far from here." Kirti said worriedly. "Don't worry, I will catch the train. I already asked mummy ji." I assured her. "U sure?!" Parth asked. "yeah!!" I nodded. Bidding them goodbye I reached to the nearby station to catch the intercity locals. Taking my ticket from counter I moved inside the station. I was searching for the platform where the train would come when a scene rooted me to the spot. the station was crowded. I saw a tall man wearing black kurta and pyjama running between the crowds. There was a red turban on his head and a tasbi on his neck which I could detect from further. "Aman sir?!!" my eyebrows frowned. Yes that man was none other than aman sir. But what was he doing there?! he was supposed to be in some important meeting naa?! And why did he send us to meet mr Bardhan if he himself was visiting the area?! Some unusual question flashed in my mind in that instant.
He was not even wearing his formal coats and pants which he was wearing in his office just after some hours ago. Why did he changed this dress?!! Strange?! Even his behavior seemed a bit odd. The way he was looking everywhere with his alerted eyes seemed like he was keeping his eyes everywhere and he seemed worried. "Aman sir!!" I called loudly. But he didn't even seem listened. "sir wait!!" I called again and followed him. But with a very quick pace, he moved inside the crowd and got vanished. I rushed to the spot but he was not there. I moved my head here and there and walked around the spot a bit in some vague hope. But no chance, he was long gone. I stood in the middle of crowd dumbly. I was 100% sure that I saw aman sir. But where was he?! For the first time, I felt fishy with aman sir's behavior.
ps: i know guys its a utter boring crap🤢... i am trying hard to get over this boring parts soon and move towards the main plot. bear with me for now on. interesting parts coming soon. and sorry for not replying to ur pms earlire.😊... i am stuck in a really tight shudule. hope u understand. Much love guys, will reply to everyone soon😳
Edited by ifians - 10 years ago
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