Chapter Three
-The resolution begins
"Hey!" said Heer, welcomg KT. "Hi." she replied as they hugged. Heer took KT to her room, right beside Lakshya's. She made an excuse to go get some drinks and snacks. Meanwhile, Lakshya walked out of his room and passed by Heer's. KT spotted Laksh and suddenly stood up. Consiously, Lakshya noticed that and turned. Their eyes widened as they glared at each other. Lakshya's eyes begin to get watery as he drops the broken button for his cuffs. "KT." he whispers to himself. They both stood there as a stone, just staring at each other, not knowing who was going to take the first step forward. At last, KT stepped a foot forward, and slowly reached towards Lakshya. "Tum?" she said with angry, yet with eyes filled with water. "KT, mai--" Lakshya began to speak. Before KT let him speak she partly yelled, "Just stop it, Laksh! Just stop it. Uss din se leke aaj taq mujhe pata tha ki tum thoda to pyaar kartey hoge mujhe. Uss din bhi laga tha, kal bhi laga tha; par kyun naatak kiya accident mein padne ka -- kyun nahi kaha ki tum mujhse pyaar nahi kartey, balki mujhe meri shaadi ke din uss baarish mein bheegne ke liye chod diya. KYUN!" she cries. "Aisa kuch bhi nahi hai, KT. Maine aisa kuch nahi kiya." Lakshya said.
Heer who stood before them, finally saw them communicating. Even though she didn't know how their story began, she still knew it won't all be fixed today.
"Hey, Laksh. Common, lets go..." Prem said entering the doors of his house, "...some..where..." his voice faded with embarassement. Heer looked back down the stairs, where her eyes landed on Prem standing just beneath her, almost three feet away. Heer was surpsized watching him and recalling their first meeting. Knowing, she won't be able to take her eyes off him, she forced herself and ran downstairs. She took him by the hand and went into the kitchen to leave Lakshya and KT some privacy.
***
"KT.." Lakshya tried to speak. "What else is there left to say, Laksh?" KT said. "Would you just let me speak?" Lakshya fussed. "I didn't decieve you, you decieved me. I had been told you didn't love me and was just doing this, because you were compelled to. But you should know, that I died that night you didn't show up. It was the biggest day of our lives, and you took my heart and crushed it into peices. I'd still be fine if you didn't love me, but not telling me that yourself just killed me inside. It's been four years, I haven't been able to get over you, and just as I was about to, you showed up again. All those memories, all of our meeting, the first time we held hands, every memory about you rushed back into my mind. I wished for you not to see me, because I knew if you spotted me, I wouldn't be able to look away! Look, I'm sorry about what you heard about me; that none of that is true. I didn't get into any accident and neither was the rumour that I didn't love you. But now, I don't think I can take this anymore." Lakshya proclaimed. "And, before you say anything I just want to say that I'm sorry. I.. I just-- I have to leave." he added and climbed down the stairs, about to storm out.
"Yeh tum kya keh ke jaa rahe ho, Laksh? Aisa kadva sach bolke chale gaye, jiske baare mein kisi ko kaano-kaan khabar bhi nahi thi? Jo tum aaj kehe kar yaha se chale gaye, un shabdon ke saath mai kaise jee paungi? Tumne to maafi maangli, par ab mai kaise maang paungi, jab tum hi na ho yaha. Mai kya muh dikhaungi sabko. Mai rooth kar India chod kar to chale gayi, par ek din nahi guzra jab maine tumhe yaad na kiya ho. Woh haar tumhari tasvir pe acha nahi lagta tha.. mai to keheti thi ki tum nahi mare ho, tumhe dekhna chahti thi, par paagal the woh dost humaare, jisne mujhe tumhe dekhne nahi diya. Kya pata ki humaare unhi dosto ne yeh saazish rachi ho? Kya pata kisne kya kiya ho.. mujhe inse abhi kuch nahi lena hai. Ruk jao, Laksh, please." KT stopped him. Lakshya is traumatized.
***
Finally, Lakshya and KT sat down to recall how their relationship had begun. They invited Prem and Heer as well. They began to recall their lives after college was over. KT had just moved to Mumbai, to get a job, of-course. Lakshya had already found a job meanwhile at an insurance company. He was offered a big amount of money with his own little office, where as, KT had to be his secretary. Lakshya knew nothing about him having a secretary, until the day he was running late. Lakshya picked up his ringing cell phone as he rushed to find a cab. He put it on loud speaker, hitting the wrong button. He put the phone to his ear and said "Hello?" running to the sidewalk in his ironed suit. "Sir," the voice peirced through his ears as he shruged and noticed he was on loud spk. "Sir, you have to be at the office right away, there is a man waiting for you." the person added. "Sir? Um-- who?" Lakshya said, confused. "Sir, I'm your secretary from the past four months." she said, just as Lakshya sat in the cab. "What? I never had a secretary." He replied. The driver looked back at Lakshya with a serene look. Lakshya looked back at him highly confused then realized he didn't tell him where he was off to. The cab drives away on the said address.
"Sir, hello? Are you there?"
"Yeah, um.. look i'm sorry, I have no idea who you are, I'm on my way." he hung up.
He dropped his cell phone in his breifcase, and quickly tried to button up his coat.
"Aahh," he groaned, bumping his head on the winder as the taxi took a turn. He finally got out of the car, and paid a 20 rps. bill to the driver. "Keep the change." he uttered and ran towards the door. He stopped just before he was about to enter, and tightened his tie, checking if everything was in place. He hand-brushed his hair and walked in taking a deep breath.
"Good morning, sir." he could hear everyone say as he walked past them. He nodded smiling, wondering who could be his secretary. "Sir, there you are. Come on, the man is getting uneasy." a lady pulled him to the elevator. "So, you're my secretary?" he asked. "No, that would be ms. KT. She's up in your office trying to calm things down. I'm Soha. I was your previous secretary, but I got promoted to the owner's secretary after Mr. Mittal quit his post, which is now your post." she said. Lakshya nodded.
***
He had the royal treatment any employee would dream of. As soon as he entered the doors, everyone would greet him. When he was out of the elevator, he used to have people standing there with his cofee and important files he had to look at. He saw such in movies, but now he lived it.
"I am so sorry." he said barging in his office. He noticed KT look up at him and say, "He's here." and going "whew!"
"Mr. Ahluwalia, I'm really sorry for the delay." Lakshya said, placing his coffee on the table, walking past him, and sitting in his chair. He looks and nods at KT, she gets the signal, and leaves his office.
KT goes back to her cubical, near Lakshya's office, as the two gentlemen chat.
***
Lakshya's eyes twich, suddenly as he begins to sweat, moving his head sideways in a constant movement. "Laksh?" someone knocks on his door. Lakshya's body begins to quiver. "Laksh, open the door." a loud knock is heard. Prem and Heer barge in the door, and notice him mumbling words. They run to sit beside him, and notice him quivering. Heer plants her hand firmly on his hand. He stops quivering and gasps, opening his eyes. Was it all a dream?
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
Mangal Lakshmi
