~Part 1~
As she went out the bathroom drying off her hair with her hand alone she noticed his briefcase was thrown on the bed along with his jacket and muffled tie, his shoes lying across the floor aimlessly, and he was standing in front of the dresser taking off his watch and unbuttoning his collared shirt…without saying a word to him, she quietly moved about the room and picked up his belongings, putting them away neatly as she knew that tomorrow morning he will be asking for them again…hanging the jacket back in the closet she noticed he was now lying on the sofa in the bedroom…his hands massaging his own hands as he kept his eyes closed, still ignoring her presence…she finished tidying up the room and came and stood next to him… reached out her hand towards him but pulled it back the next instance…
Muskaan: Are you hungry? Kahna laga doon?
Armaan: (Still eyes closed he muttered) Nahi…I am good..aur yeh rooz rooz yun servants ki tarah mat poocha karo…come here have a seat…(he pulled her hand)
Muskaan: AHhhhh Ouch…! (she winced in pain)
Armaan: Kya hua..? (letting go of her wrist)
Muskaan: Nahi kuch nahi voh…I am sorry…
Armaan: Haath dekhao…
Muskaan: (hesitantly) I am okay…
Armaan: Maine kaha na Haath Dekhao!
Muskaan: (giving him her hand which had the burns of his cigarettes buds form last night, as he had purposely shoved them against her skin)
Armaan: yeh abb tak theek nahi hua?
Muskaan: (shook her head) Nahi…
Armaan: Dard horaha hai? (he said examining her hand)
Muskaan: Nahi…
Armaan: dekho agar tum uss raat yun argue nahi karti toh yeh sub nahi hota…
Muskaan: Armaan I already apologized… sorry…
Armaan: There you go again with your already "apologized" nature….Muskaan can't you ever think outside your middle class standards…at least try and think like me…jub jaanti hoon kay ghussa mera kitna bura hain toh phir tum aisi baat karti kyun hoon?
Muskaan: (just looks down not knowing what to say to better the situation) Coffee?
Armaan: Excuse me? (looks at her confused)
Muskaan: main apnay liye coffee bana nay jarahi hain…would you like some?
Armaan: (sighs) jo marzi mein aaye karo….I just wanted to talk to you per shayad you are not in the mood…forget it muskaan, tum kabhi nahi samjhogee…(saying that he got up and turned on the t.v, and made himself comfortable on the bed as well)
~~Watching him for a couple of moments she stood there trying to think how to make things better then sighed heavily, she turned and left the bedroom and silently walked herself over towards the kitchen, turning on the lights she took the kettle, filled it with water and turned on the gas, so the water could be heated. She looked about the beautiful house as the memories of past started to play a film in her mind ~
Flashback:
~ 6 years ago Muskaan was a resident in Sanjeevani, she used to work part time so that she could afford the rent and studies at the same time. Just like every other Saturday morning, the coffee shop she worked at was crowed as she quickly handed people their desired caffeine in the morning…~~
Muskaan: Sir…what can I get you today? (she said as the next guy in line who came up to the register, he looked professional, well dressed, shades over his eyes, cell phone glued to one ear, and from what she observed about him he seemed pretty well off to her)
Guy: Hmmm..yeah sure….yes you may…(he carried his conversation over the phone as he gestured muskaan to give him a minute)
Muskaan: (watching the agitated customers behind him) Sir, there are people waiting behind you…app please jaldi karay gay…?
Guy: (moves aside) go ahead…(he said to the customers behind him and then disappeared, leaving muskaan surprised but she was occupied with the rush and customers, so she didn't pay attention)
~~An hour or two later, Muskaan came towards the sitting area, as the rush had been cleared and she could finally get the tables clean…she started from the far left corner and as she cleaned the tables she glanced up and noticed the same guy sitting at the table, still chatting on his cell phone…she was done cleaning and so as she was about to go behind the counter she heard him call out to her~
Guy: Excuse me…
Muskaan: Yes…(coming towards his table)
Guy: I just wanted to say that yahaan ki service is amazing, I really love this place…per aik problem hain… (he said looking a little inquisitive)
Muskaan: Voh Kya?
Guy: hmmm…I think coffee shops per itni khobsoorat cashier nahi honi chiyay… aur espically meri bachpan ki dost jitni khoobsorat toh nahi…
Muskaan: (laughs) I am guessing app pehli baar kissi kay saath filrt karnay ki koshish kar rahey hain? Aur bachpan ki dost…? (she was confused then she remembered all of a sudden) Armaaan!!
Armaan: (laughs) Wow…khoobsorat bhi aur intelligent bhi…not a bad combination at all…
Muskaan: Tum kub aaye Armaan?1 (she said hugging him) I can't believe yeh tum hoon…I mean look at you…London has really changed you…you look Amazing… Not bad…!
Armaan: (pulling out the hug) Well I don't know about me per have you seen yourself Muski… or should I say Madame Muskaan…
Muskaan: It's really nice seeing you…mujhay toh laga tum kabhi waapis he nahi aaogay…(she said smiling)
Armaan: Acha…per mujhay toh hameesha say pata tha kay main Muskaan kay liye waapis aaoga…and here I am…(he looked at her and they both smiled at each other, they had a lot to catch up on it's been almost 13 years since the last time they stood facing each other)
~~Days passed and they became closer than ever before… Muskaan knew from day one that Armaan was attracted to her, but he had insisted upon gaining her back as friend first before anything else and she found her self agreeing on his terms instantly, he would come by for lunch at the hospital just so he could spend 30 minutes with her. Flowers, card, text messages—his cute gestures always managed to relieve the stress she was learning to cope with as a resident. His warmth and glowing smile made her days worth living, no matter what Armaan always found away to cheer up Muskaan. ~~
[Kettle Whistling] The noise brought Muskaan back to reality, and she found herself alone standing in the kitchen, perhaps the memories that played in her head were the reason behind the lost smile that appeared on her dried and thirsty lips. She slowly removed the kettle from the stove and poured the boiling water into the mug that held the dried coffee beans; she watched it simmer up to the top, then added light cream to it and sipped it slowly. The insipid taste of black coffee was nothing like the energizing Chai she was used to drinking. The aroma of "Adrak Waali Chai", that she was raised with was one of a kind. She could vividly remember the times when Ridzi and she used to stay up for exams and drink Chai whenever their eyes would get tired with sleep. It used to keep them awake; it was the secret behind their perfect scores on exams. Although she had no family of her own, it was the Khanna family that had raised Muskaan as their daughter; she was not just any other child in their Orphanage. She and Ridzi were only months apart in age, no one ever differentiated between them. Adventures of Muski and Ridzi were known throughout the town. The bond that they share was unique; it was more than just sisters, friends, or companion. It was a relation that saw no boundaries, no blood ties, and no discrimination whatsoever. Ridzi had declared Muski her twin since the first time she met her and it had stayed that way till this day. Finishing the last of her coffee, she rinsed the cup reminiscing her adolescent years with Ridzi and Adrak Waali Chai. Walking herself back to her bedroom she thought about how all her memories were blur to her now, as if they never existed, as if she never lived in the moments of her past. Perhaps these memories were her only reason for breathing today…She slowly opened the closed bedroom and noticed Armaan sleeping as the T.V remained turned on… She turned the T.V off and placed the blanket over Armaan who slept like a baby. Making her way towards her side of the bed she turned the lamp off and laid herself on the bed, blankly staring in the dark, not knowing where to find the peaceful sleep in the midst of the fear that resided within her. She could hear him breathe yet she felt she was miles away from him; she could hear her heartbeat but failed to hear his along with hers. Did she misplace the most precious thing in her life? Or did it no longer wanted to beat along with hers? Answers to these questions were nowhere to be found in the dark, she was battling with her own thoughts just like she had been for the many nights before.
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah
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