That night, at 10 o'clock Adil receives Rashi's call.
Rashi: AB, Bhabhi aapke sath hai kya?
Adil: Kya? Kyun, kya hua?
Rashi: Its late na, wo to normally shyam ko ghar ati hai, upar se phn nahi utha rahi hai, apne office se bhi 6 baje nikli hai. We are worried here.
Adil: Ahh, actually she is wid me. Don't worry. Aur haan, hamein thoda late hoga, so don't stay up. Sorry for the trouble.
Rashi: Nah, its ok. Bye AB.
Adil: (to himself) Ghar nahi gayi?
Adil immediately tried her number, but she was not picking up. He then left to look for her, however he didn't panic much. He thought she was at her father's house. It was the most probable place for her to be. But reaching there Adil didn't find her and that panicked him. Her car was outside but she was nowhere to be seen. He quickly tried her cell again, but as expected there was again no response.
At this point, Adil was scared like never before. He chided himself for thinking that she was just being careless whereas she cud really be in sum danger!! The very thought was enough to sink his heart. He quickly used his contacts to trace her phn, as it was still on. And he soon got to knw she was nearby her father's place.
It took Adil another 15 minutes to finally spot her. She was at the very place where they had met first. In fact she was sitting on the edge and staring at the nothingness ahead.
Adil heaved a sigh of relief as he saw her fine. But he suddenly felt a rage rising inside him, this was the height of irresponsibility. He clenched his fist tightly and hit the horn. She looked back to find him in the car and stood up. But she didnt come ahead, rather stood still.
Adil finally got out of the car and made his way towards her. He stopped right before her and spoke up.
Adil: Ghar chale?
Ashna: (ignores the question and smiles meekly) Mujhe yakeen tha tum aaoge.
Adil: (confused) Kya matlab? Tum kya mera yaha tak ane ka intezaar kar rahi thi?
Ashna: Kind of, yes!!
Adil: Kyun?
Ashna: Kyunki mujhe janna tha tum meri kitni parwa karte ho. Aur tumhare chehre ki shikand ne mujhe iska jawab de diya hai. Filhaal mujhe tumse kuch aur baatein karni hai.
Adil: Ghar chalte hai. We can talk there.
Ashna: Nahi. Mujhe yahi pe baat karni hai.
Adil: Ashna, ye kya bachpana hai?
Ashna: Bachpana nahi hai Adil. Ye zaruri hai. Mera tumse baat karna bahut zaruri hai. Aur baat agar yahan ho to hi sahi hai, kyunki hamari shuruyat bhi yehi hui thi. Yaad hai?
Adil: Kya baat karni hai tumhe? Kis bare me?
Ashna: Hamare bare me!! (at this Adil seems all the more confused but lets her continue) Mujhe na bahut kuch puchhna hai tumse. Pehle socha tha tumhe pareshan nahi karungi, after all mere sawalo ke jawab dene ke alawa bhi tumhare paas bahut kaam hai. Lekin mujhse raha nahi jaa raha hai. Sorry!! I cant be Shekhar u knw, jo bina kisi sawal kiye tumhari har baat maan leta hai.
Adil: Seedhe point pe aao Ashna. Wats bothering you?
Ashna: You!! You are bothering me!! Mujhe kuch samajh me nahi aa raha hai.
Adil: Kya samajh me nahi aa raha hai?
Ashna: Yehi ki tum mujhe avoid kyun karte ho?
Adil: Gosh!! Phir se shuru ho gayi? C'mon Ashna, I am not avoiding you!! Aaj bhi to mila tumse.
Ashna: Haan mile tum mujhse, kyunki koi aur tha nahi. And it was pure business. Lekin uske baad jab maine lunch ke liye puchha tumne kaha ki tumhe late ho raha hai. Jab ki tum directly kisi client se milne nahi gaye. U had lunch at a restaurant and then went for the meeting. To phir tumne mujhe mana kyun kiya Adil? Wo lunch tum mere sath bhi to kar sakte the na?
Adil: One minute. Did u follow me? (he sounded rather stunned)
Ashna: Now this is not an answer, is it?
Adil: (lil outraged) And why shud I give you an answer? Tum mujhse ye puchh kaise sakti ho?
Ashna: Achha chalo. Maan liya mujhe ye puchhne ka haq nahi hai. Kyunki hamare bich actual me koi rishtaa nahi hai ryt?
Adil: Jo baat jaanti ho usse dauhra kyun rahi ho?
Ashna: To phir itna batao ki tum kis rishte se mujhe yaha se lene aye ho?
Adil feels a tug at his heart hearing her question. If she had no right over him, it was of course the other way round too.
Ashna: Kya hua? Jawab kyun nahi de rahe ho? Main kyun chalu tumhare sath?
Adil: Mere sath nahi jaogi to kahan jaogi?
Ashna: Kahin bhi jaa sakti hu. Kahin nahi bhi jaa sakti hu. Of course, you must not care abt that.
Adil: Dekho tum meri responsibility ho aur...
Ashna: Oh cut the crap Adil. Bahut hui tumhari responsibility. Tumhe mere liye aur pareshan hone ki zarurat nahi hai. Apne aap ko iss zimmedaari se, iss bojh se azaad karo!!
Adil: Maine kab kaha tum koi bojh ho?
Ashna: Maine bhi kab kaha ki tumne aisa kuch kaha? But of course, its understandable!! I mean logically socho Adil. Mera tumhare sath rehne se tumhara kya fayda hai? Fayda agar hai to wo mera hai, kyunki mere paas basically jaane ke liye koi jagah nahi hai. That's why I married you. Lekin tumhari to aisi koi majboori nahi hai na? To tumne mujhse shaadi kyun kii? (Adil went almost blank hearing her arguments) Rehne do. Don't stress yourself. Main hi jawab de deti hu. Tumne mere Papa ki wajah se mujhse shaadi kii. Shayad tumne socha ek marte hue insaan ki akhri khwaish puri kar deta hu, hai na? (Adil was still just staring at her) Tumne itna socha uske liye shukriya. Hamari shaadi hote dekh kar Papa sach me bahut khush the!! Lekin ab bas karte hai. Kab tak tum mere sath...
Ashna cudnt continue anymore as Adil grabbed her by the shoulder.
Adil: Kya bole jaa rahi ho? Kehna kya chah rahi ho tum? Karna kya chahti ho, haa?
Ashna: Main bas tumhari madat karna chahti hu. Tumhe apni iss bekaar ki zimmedaari se azaad karna chahti hu, that's it. Mujhe kahin bhi jaane do Adil.
Adil: (tightens his hold) Bakwas bandh karo!! Tumhe andaza bhi hai tum kya keh rahi ho? Tum mujhse...
Adil looks straight into her but doesn't continue anymore, rather he leaves her wid a jerk. He turns away from her & clenches his teeth to avoid the emotions rushing thru him.
Adil: To kahan jana chahti ho tum?
Ashna: I don't knw.
Adil: (turns around) You don't knw? Mazak hai kya?
Ashna: Nahi mazak nahi hai. Main sach me chahti hu ki tum mujhe jaane do.
Adil: Arre kahan jaane du? You are not making any sense Ashna!! Pls ghar chalo.
Ashna: I just want you to let go of me. Ab meri fikr karne ki zarurat nahi hai Adil.
Adil: Enough of ur nonsense!! Pata nahi kabse kya boli jaa rahi ho!! Tumhari kisi bhi baat ka koi matlab nahi banta Ashna!! Do u realize that?
Ashna: (smiles at his reaction as she had expected nothing less than this) As a matter of fact, I do. Mujhe pata hai ki meri baaton ka tumhare aage koi matlab nahi hai. Bilkul ussi tarah jaise tumhari baaton ka, tumhari kisi bhi harkat ka mere aage koi matlab nahi banta. Jis tarah aaj tum mujhe samajh nahi paa rahe ho aur itna pareshan ho. Ussi tarah se main tumhe kabhi nahi samajh payi Adil aur hamesha se pareshan hu. I generally let things go, kyunki main nahi chahti meri chhoti moti confusions ki wajah se main tumhe pareshan karu. But I just realized ye shayad koi chhoti baat nahi hai. Aur phir tumne aaj khud kaha that I shud always think "why"!! So tell me Adil, why did you marry me? And why do u even care for me? Aur iss baar sach batana!!
Adil stares at her for a while. She seemed different today. Her arguments were not feeble anymore. He was finding it hard to outdo her. There was sumthing too strong in her eyes that provided her wid this kind of determination.
Adil: Meri kaunsi baat tumhe jhooth lag rahi hai Ashna? Tum janti ho ki maine shaadi tumhare Papa ki wajah se kii thi, main sach me ek marte hue insaan ki akhri khwaish puri karna chahta tha. Aur tumhari parwa karne ki wajah bhi yehi hai ki maine khud apni marzi se iss rishte ko chuna hai. Mujh par koi dabav nahi tha to iss rishte ki zimmedaari bhi meri hai. Ye koi bojh nahi hai, bas meri responsibility hai jo main nibhaunga!! Ye bahut hi simple si baat hai Ashna, don't make them complex!!
Ashna: Nahi Adil, ye sab baatein already bahut complex hai. Let me put forth sum questions!! Pehla, agar tumne sirf Mere Papa ki khatir ye shaadi kii, to phir mujhe uss tarah se blackmail kyun kiya? U cud have simply told me ryt?
Adil: Shayad tumhe yaad nahi, maine kaha tha tumse!!
Ashna: Yeah u did, and still I refused. Main uss waqt bahut gusse me thi, isliye!! Lekin sochne wali baat to ye hai ki tumhe mere Papa ki fikr mujhse zyada kyun thi? Tum to unhe bas use kar rahe the na, to grab his property? Aur wo to tumhe mil bhi gayi thi. So why carrying on wid the gud guy act? Tumhe jab sab kuch mil hi gaya tha to uske baad mere Papa jeeye ya mare tumhe usse kya?
Adil doesn't reply her. He always feared these questions coming from her as he is never gonna be able to answer her. In the past, amidst all the tension, she didn't think abt the logics. But now, at this point of time, she is not gonna buy any cock and bull story!!
Ashna: Kya hua? Jawab nahi hai? Chalo I'll move on to my next question. Ab tumne khud kaha ki zimmedaari ke naate hi sahi tumhe meri fikr hai, ryt? Aur tum mujhe aise hi kahin jaane nahi doge, coz u care that much at least. Ab sawal ye banta hai ki agar tum itne bhi bure nahi ho, to uss waqt tumne mujhe aise daraya kyun tha...ki tumse shaadi naa karne se tum mujhe sarak pe le aaoge and all? Jabki meri company tum mere naam pe wapas transfer kar chuke ho!!
Adil looks up at her being shocked at the revelation. He didn't know that she knew this piece of information.
Ashna: Kya hua? Chauk gaye? Ab tumhe to pata hi hai main kaisi hu. Tak jhak karne ki adat hai mujhe, aur kahin na kahin ye fidrat bhi hai meri. So yes, one day I got to see those transfer papers in your study!!
Adil: Tum meri study me? (he was too outraged to even shout at her)
Ashna: Ab secondary baaton pe dhyan dena bandh karo Adil. Aur mujhe ye batao ki maine jo bhi kaha rather tumne jo bhi kiya, uska kya matlab banta hai?
Adil: (looks away quickly) Tum kaunsi papers ki baat kar rahi ho mujhe nahi pata!!
Ashna: You knw wat, this is the lamest thing u have said till date. Jhooth bolne se pehle soch liya karo, abhi agar hum ghar chale gaye to tumhari study me wo file mil jayegi. So come up wid sumthing stronger!!
Adil: Tumhari problem kya hai? Kyun sawal pe sawal kiye jaa rahi ho?
Ashna: (speaks gently) I am sorry Adil. Mujhe pata hai tumhe sawal pasand nahi hai. Main tumhe bahut pareshan kar rahi hu, lekin main khud bhi bahut pareshan hu. Main aaj kal yehi sab sochti rehti hu, pls spare me!! Mujhe jawab de do.
Adil: Lets just go Ashna!! Its really late!!
Ashna: (losing her temper) How can u be so adamant? Tum kehte kyun nahi ki tumne uss din jo bhi kaha tha u never meant any of it? I promise main tumhe reason nahi puchhungi ki tumne waisa kyun kaha. Bas sach kaho ki...
Adil: (cutting her words) To tum chahti ho main wo kahu jo tumhe sunna hai, bhale hi wo sach ho ya na ho?
Ashna: Mujhe pata hai yehi sach hai.
Adil: Gr8!! Agar pata hai to mere kehne ya naa kehne se kya fark padhta hai?
Ashna: Uff, you are not getting me Adil. Tum mujhe samajh nahi rahe ho.
Adil: What if I don't want to understand you Ashna? Mujhe nahi samajhna hai tumhe kyunki mujhe tumse koi fark nahi padhta.
Ashna: Agar aisi baat hai to chale jao yaha se. (but he doesn't move) Kya hua? Nahi jaana hai mujhe chhod ke? Pata tha mujhe. Tum mujhe yaha akele chhod ke jaane ki soch bhi nahi sakte. Tumhe kitna fark padhta hai aur kitna nahi wo pehle hi sabit ho chuka hai. You actually care Adil. Why don't u just say it?
Adil: Damn it. Why are you behaving like this? Achanak kya ho gaya jo tum ye sab baatein lekar baith gayi? Itne mahino se to mere sath reh rahi ho, abhi achanak ye sawal jawab ki zarurat kyun aa padhi? Pls Ashna, just cut the crap and come wid me. It's almost 12 aur thand bhi bahut hai. Pls ghar chalo.
Ashna: Hargiz nahi.
Adil: (tightens his jaw) Fine. Abhi aage jo hoga uske liye am already sorry!!
Adil now gets the car right before her and forces her inside. She tries to open the door and get out but he closes it harshly.
Adil: Don't you dare do that. Warna abhi yaha tumhe behosh karunga aur phir apne sath le jaunga!!
Ashna: Zabardasti hai kya?
Adil: If you feel so, then fine. But mere liye ye zaruri hai. (now he takes his seat and drives away)
Ashna: This is not done Adil. Tumhe mere sawalo ka jawab dena padhega!! Arre mera ek sawal baki reh gaya!!
Adil: To hell with your questions!!
Ashna: Ohho this one is really important. Sun to lo.
Adil: Fine. Jab itna bakwas sun hi chuka hu to ek aur sahi. Bako.
Ashna: U don't love anyone else ryt?
At this Adil pulls the brake sharply!! It was the most outrageous question of the night. He expected the other queries to happen sum day or other, but this was completely out of the blue. He never left such an impression ever!!
Adil: What the... (controls his anger) Ashna, for ur own sake, apna muh bandh rakho and ghar pohuchte hi chupchap room me jaa ke so jana. I don't want to hear a single more word from you. Aur aaj tumne jo bhi baatein kii wo sab phir kabhi mere samne mat dauhrana, becoz its all simple nonsense!!
Ashna: Sorry to disregard you, but that's not gonna happen. Main har din tumhe yehi sab sawal karungi and pareshan karungi. Dekhti hu kab tak ignore karte ho. And don't you dare think tum mujhe avoid karke bach sakte ho.
Adil: You knw wat, you may do whatever you want. On the other hand, mujhe kya karna hai ye mujhe achhese pata hai.
Ashna: Gud. Waise, aakhri sawal ka jawab 'Naa' hai na?
Ashna looks at him hopefully. It was strange but the more she wud be wid him, the more she wud be relaxed. In the evening she was so stressed abt everything that she cudnt stop herself from making this confrontation. But now, even though Adil hadn't answered a single question of hers, she felt unexplicably soothed. His mere presence assured her that everything was just fine and also that he...
Ashna didn't finish the thought. She was sumhow scared to think abt the intensity of that small four letter word.
Here Adil stared back into her eyes. She still had that determination, in fact it seemed stronger now. Now-a-days it was rather disturbing for him to look into her eyes. He actually dreaded that he might find her source of determination. So he forced himself to drop his gaze and looked away. Then without answering her, he just drove away!!
From the next day onwards, Ashna realized what Adil meant by he knew wat he was supposed to do. Coz she was always followed by two security guards so that she cudnt repeat her act anymore. Her safety was the only thing Adil was worried abt, and if she herself was secure then she cud never make him say wat he never wants to speak of.
However it didn't matter much for Ashna. She wasn't going repeat her tactics anyways, she cud always think of sumthing new. Rather, she was pleased to see the amount of effect she had on him. It was certainly a gud sign. And no matter if he says or not, she already had answers to all her questions, or so she thought!!
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Edited by Sumi_162710 - 13 years ago
Tum Se Tum Tak
Ganesh Kartikeya
293