AbhiGya FF - Because you love me - Completed - Page 7

Chapter 6

Soon the sound of Pragya's smooth and even breathing made Abhi realize that she had fallen asleep. He slowly turned around on his back, making sure it didn't wake her up. Now he could look at her pretty and innocent face for as long as he wanted without her knowledge. This was perfect he thought. She was sleeping next to him after an entire year now, and strangely the sight of her sleeping by his side made him feel very calm from within, it was like this was what he was unknowingly yearning for a very long time. He was right, his chashmish was a magician smiled Abhi, but only if she was aware of it herself. Now as his eyes were getting better adjusted to the darkness around him, he saw her face more clearly from the clear moonlight filtering in from the window next to her. Yes, she was still exactly the same - innocent as ever. But wait, her eyes look a bit too sunken into her skull. Has she lost more weight? Her lips were slightly apart and he gently used the tip of his index finger to trace the lining of her lips, her cheeks, and the hollow of her eyes - how did he not notice her for what she really was, before? Was he that blind?

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Abhi was awake all night, he didn't sleep one bit. He just wished the night continued forever and he could silently be so close to his chashmish forever. In the early hours of the dawn he got up, silently went to the hall and called up Aaliya. A sleepy Aaliya replied, asking how things were. Abhi told her about how he met her and how she kept falling around the place in shock of seeing him. Aaliya laughed to hear this. Then he mentioned his fake call to Tanu and his chashmish's jealous responses. Aaliya got up on her bed and laughed at her bhai for his insane ideas. She felt very happy hearing her brother sound so happy after such a long time. But Abhi decided to now share with her, about the matter that bugged him for a great part of the night. He told her about Pragya's late night call to Suresh and their interactions. Had Aaliya already not known how hopelessly Suresh was in love with BB, she would have found it fishy, but she knew very well that between Pragya and Suresh there was just a deep bond of friendship. She tried telling her bhai that may be Suresh was just concerned for Pragya because for so long he was the only person taking care of her. This infuriated Abhi, he started telling Aaliya that, the double battery chimp should stop trying to show that he cared so much about Pragya, there were other people out there to see to it that Pragya was fine. Aaliya understood her brothers insecurities and at the same time something was bugging her. She didn't like the degrading way her bhai spoke of Suresh - only if he really knew him, she thought, he wouldn't talk about Suresh like this. Of the couple of time they met and spoke, she could tell that he was a man with a golden heart.

Pragya woke up in the morning to find Abhi occupying her washroom. She waited and thought of finishing her other household chores before, otherwise she would get late for classes. But even after half an hour when she returned to use the washroom, he was inside. An irritated Pragya banged the door.

P - Listen you need to come out fast, I need to use the washroom, I am getting late for classes

A - Who is going to look at you chashmish? I am a rockstar and I have a show today! I will need time.

An irritated Pragya banged the door again

P - Listen, I know you're doing this on purpose and it's not nice. You have the entire day all by yourself, I will leave in half an hour then take all the time you want

A - No ways, being a rockstar is not about just singing well chashmish, it the packaging and in keeping this utmost desirable packaging, it takes time! chuckled Abhi

P - Listen this is not funny if you don't come out in another minute, I will break open the door

A - oooh I am scared, chashmish will barge in. Actually I am looking forward to seeing your wonder girl avatar, okay I am waiting, come in - and Abhi was laughing harder than ever.

Pragya was so annoyed that she didn't think twice! She moved back and ran ahead in full speed to push the door and the moment her hand touched the door, it opened! Who would have thought that Abhi would have silently unbolted the door, she hit the door and went inside the washroom and collided with Abhi in full speed and they both fell down on the floor. Abhi was laughing his head off and Pragya was furious to see Abhi was just wasting her time; he was fully dressed and ready. She looked up at him and he looked back, their eyes locked and soon they forgot where were, the passing time didn't matter to them anymore. He looked into those deep brown eyes and she looked his intense stair.

Abhi was looking closely at her, now during the day he could clearly see there were slight dark circles around chashmish's eyes. Her skin so pale and clear, her --- His phone suddenly started ringing and they came back to the present. They both quickly got up and taking advantage of his momentary disorientation, Pragya pushed him out of the washroom and locked the door.

A playful Abhi received Purab's call. Purab informed him that he and Aaliya were flying down to Dehradun that afternoon, for managing his show. Abhi appreciated this - he was anyways thinking of calling Purab so that he could use his advice and Aaliya, because he wanted her to apologize to Pragya for her deeds. Abhi knew Aaliya may resent, but Pragya was the one who suffered the most because of Aaliya, she deserved an apology.

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Chashmish had left for the day, and he would only see her during the show now. Abhi knew that even if she was free during the day, she would make it a point to not return back to the apartment. Now he had half a day to himself as he was waiting for Purab and Aaliya to arrive.

Pragya, once out of the apartment, she felt a spell around her break. Now when she was a safe distance away from him, she could think clearly. He is a magician thought Pragya darkly. She felt he had created such an aura around them that she was incapacitated from taking her true stand. Now as she was walking away from the hostel in brisk pace towards the school building, realization was dawning to her. How on earth did she spend so much time with him in that room? What was wrong with her? How did she allow him to sway her after all that had happened? She remembered how she felt when he called Tanu, why did she care? This was Abhi, he was always like this, he only came to her when he needed something - she knew all this. How could she be such a fool? She hated herself at that moment. Throughout her lecture that morning she was more unmindful than her students. Then it hit her, she realized why he was here. She understood the reason for his friendly behaviour and also understood how easily Tanu let go of her insecurities to let him come to see her - they needed something - they needed her to sign the divorce paper she understood. The idea of having been used one more time by the same Abhi got hot tears to her eye. She was blind, she was naive, she deserved it - she so deserved it. Buy why was she hurt? This marriage was over a year back - why pull the burden of it then? But something of hers' was still attached to him, who knows what - and that is why it was hurting she realized. But she will not let him play with her emotions anymore. She will not let him run the show, she will have to face him, and speak up. And she decided she will meet him after the show and tell him she is ready to sign the divorce papers then and there.

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Abhi was all ready now, well-practised and geared up for the evening. Even Purab and Aaliya had reached Dehradun. They had advised him to stay inside, unless either of them came to collect him. Then suddenly there was a knock on the door. Abhi hurried to meet Purab or Aaliya whoever had come. He opened the door and there was quite a sight before him.

He was seven or eight, his jeans were ripped at the knees, and he was wearing a V-necked red t-shirt, a leather jacket over it. He had purposely messed up his hair so bad that crops of it fell on his eyes. He had a bandana made of his school handkerchief on his head, and the triangular edge of the bandana/handkerchief had the initials "A" and "S" stitched on it and he wore a thread around his neck with two pieces of coloured paper gummed on to it - those were his dog tags. Abhi couldn't help laughing when his eyes fell on this miniature version of himself.

Abhi - Hi rockstar! Come on in!

A squealing, screaming, delighted Aman ran inside. He was jumping in excitement seeing his idol, his rockstar right in front of him. Abhi removed the thread from the boys neck and presented him with one of his own dog tags, but the chain had to be double folded to stop the tags from reaching his knees. After some more time of jumping around in joy and taking autographs and photographs with Abhi, Aman seemed to have remembered where he was.

Aman - Where is Pragya Ma'am?

Abhi - She is in class I guess. Didn't you go to school today?

Aman - I did, she is not my teacher, so I didn't see her. What are you doing here in her room? Had she invited you for muffins too?

Abhi - No, she didn't invite me, I came here to surprise her and bug her and also try some of her muffins. - he gave his boyish grin

Aman seemed threatened. How did anyone else have the right to bug his Pragya ma'am? She was only for him to bug. But seeing that his threat was in the form of rockstar Abhi he couldn't say much. He mumbled that no one was allowed to bug "his" ma'am other than him. Abhi was surprised seeing his undying loyalty towards his Pragya ma'am. Judging by his tone, he wouldn't want to do anything to go against his rockstar Abhi, but if that meant ditching Pragya ma'am, he wasn't ready for that either. Abhi liked this kid, he loved Pragya. He decided to give him a surprise in the evening.

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Pragya was unmindfully walking out of her last lecture and going towards the library as she had decided she wouldn't go back to her apartment before signing the divorce deed. Suddenly a voice called her from behind, "Pragya di?, she thought the voice was familiar somehow. She turned around to see Purab standing a foot away from her. Seeing Purab she was pleasantly surprised and she smiled. She remembered Suresh mentioning to her about Purab and BB's engagement. She hurried towards him and congratulated him. Purab thanked her and told her that her entire family along with her mother missed her very much, she should have gone back to meet them sometime. Pragya hadn't ever discussed about her feelings towards her mother in this whole year. In fact she didn't dare to think about her feelings about her mother who had disowned her. Today when she heard that her mother missed her, she realized she was hurt most by her mother - may be even more than Abhi. She was angry with her mother for not trusting her - she missed her but she didn't want to go back. Having felt all this, Pragya never disclosed this to Purab. Instead she said, she was happy to know that all was well in her family. Purab then requested Pragya to talk to BB once. He told her how her little sister cried for her every minute and did all that she could to keep her promise to Pragya of taking care of the family. Pragya remembered hearing the weeping BB from outside her bedroom window - it has been one whole year since. She suddenly missed her a lot - her little sister BB who had undying faith on her. She couldn't resist the urge of talking to her. She asked Purab to dial her number.

When BB saw Purab's call something inside her told her it's her di calling. She picked up the phone saying "di" and went on to ask how she was. The two sisters spoke after an entire year; in fact they spoke less and cried more. BB was weeping in her bedroom and silent tears rolled down Pragya's cheeks as she spoke to BB and congratulated her for the engagement. She told BB that she was doing fine and she missed her very much. When BB started asking her when she was planning to come back, only then she realized the true magnum of the distance between her family and her. They weren't merely two cities, they were two worlds. This world that she had, maybe it didn't give her happiness but she was she had found peace and stability at last, and she didn't want to let go of it. She ignored BB's question and rushed to say a quick goodbye and before a surprised BB could react, she hung up. Then looking up at Purab she told him that she was ready to sign the divorce papers whenever Abhi wanted, right then or after the concert. Having said that she smiled at a stupefied Purab, turned to her heels and left for the library.

As Purab stood there, he had no idea about what Pragya had just said. He decided not to discuss it with Abhi until his concert was over, lest he got distracted. He knew for a fact this news would distract him - off late anything regarding Pragya distracted him. He had to wait.

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The concert begun, all the students went berserk seeing rockstar Abhi perform live before them. Abhi remembered his mental promise to Aman, so he dedicated the show to Aman - the crowd went mad, and from a corner Pragya smiled, her Aman would be ecstatic today, the next exams are to surely go for a toss.

The concert was a big hit. By the end of it, to her disbelief even Pragya started enjoying it. After the concert, as a part of his "Thank-You" speech when Abhi begun there was absolute silence.

A - I would like to thank all these young amazing fans of mine, for being such an amazing audience. I would also like to thank the administrative staff of the school for not just organizing this show in such a short notice, but also for much more than that. As none of you might know this, but I have a very strong association with the school ----

Pragya felt her heartbeat stop. No, Abhi please don't she whispered. Not here. They don't need to know. Please.

----My wife, Mrs. Pragya Mehra is a professor here. I would like to take this opportunity to let you all and the media know that I had wronged her in many ways sometime back. I came back to apologize for this things I did and the things I didn't do, which I should have done. For me this show would only be a success if you guys can convince her to forgive me.

Oh. My. God. Thought Pragya - why did he need to do this? How vindictive can a man be? All this after she had agreed to give him a divorce? She realized what he had done - He wanted to show everyone around that he wanted her back (must be in daadi's pressure) but he had actually come for a divorce - now after this when Pragya gives her a divorce, everyone would think she hadn't forgiven him - He will receive everyone including his family's pity and all the hatred will again be left for her. Tears came out of her eyes in shock. As the crowd chanted for her to join Abhi on the stage, she walked out of there. She was literally burning from inside - what had she done to him? She left him- she left her own family, she let him be happy in his own world - she set up her new world here - why did he have to come and tar this world of hers? She hated Abhi more than anything else in the world.

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Abhi met Purab and Aaliya after the show and media management, in the after party. He hadn't expected her to come to the stage when the crowd called. He knew it wouldn't be that easy, but he at least hoped she had accepted his apology for not trusting in her. Forgiving can take time. He was startled to see an upset Purab approach him. Purab conveyed Pragya's message to him and looked concerned. "Divorce deed" thought Abhi is confusion, whoever gave chashmish that idea? Purab told him that she was waiting for him outside her apartment to sign the deeds. Abhi was very agitated, not even for a moment more did he want to be in this party. Aaliya understood and told her bhai to carry on and be with Pragya, after all the concert wasn't more important than her, it was because of her they did the concert. She said she and Purab will cover for him. Feeling grateful, Abhi left the party in awe of the way his chasmish's mind works.

She was waiting outside the door of her apartment with hurt, dejection, loss, deceit and pain as her companions when he arrived. He looked concerned - He was such an actor thought Pragya and hate came out from within her in the form of fresh tears. He came and halted before her and gently reached for her shoulder, his insides crunched to see her in tears - he was sure there was some confusion, and he will sort it. But the moment his hand touched her shoulder, she repelled from him like he was poison. She had lost it tonight - she grabbed his hand and took him inside the apartment and shut the door behind her. She has had enough.

She turned towards him like a predator, she was pushed beyond she could sustain. Today she hit the wall behind her, today she will strike. A perplexed Abhi stared at her speechless. Pragya was standing right before him, her eyes wide in anger, her kajal smudged with tears. For the first time in her life Pragya then screamed.

P - You think I am a toy? You can do anything with me and get away with it? Just because I don't strike back? How do you take me for granted? Who are you?

A - Chashmish what are you sayi"

P - No Abhi, not today! Today it is my turn, listen to me. You came here to ask for a divorce right? That is why Tanu allowed you to come here in the first place, but what you told your family is that you want to reconcile with me. You know after what you have done, I won't accept your apology; hence you publicly apologized to me, such that the world sees your kindness, now if I reject you, I will be the most hated person around here, as usual your family will take you back and my family will hate me more. Why Abhi? Why the deceit? When I left everything behind and never tried coming back? Why did you need to come out of your way to do this to me? But you know what, I expected nothing better off you. You want a divorce right? Fine, you will have it, you will have it right now. Give me the papers, I will sign it. I will sign it right now. And then I don't want to see your face ever again.

A stunned Abhi stared at her. He had no clue how complicated things were in Pragya's mind right now. He was panicking today - strangely he remembered the day when she was standing before him, panicking and he raged on proving she was wrong before everyone. Today the tables had turned. No, thought Abhi, he had to try.

A - Chashmish listen to me.

P -NO. Just give me the deed, I have had enough to listen - not anymore.

Abhi went up to her and gripped her by the shoulder, she tried breaking free, but Abhi ignored her efforts. He will say this tonight. As Pragya continued panting and struggling to free herself of his grip, he pulled her closer to him, and forced a hug upon her. The injury of his wrist started bleeding fresh, he didn't care. No he cannot let her go with another misunderstanding.

A - No chashmish, you have to listen to me first. I didn't come here for divorce; I came to apologize to you for not trusting you. I came to tell you that I should have known, that you weren't conspiring against me last time, but I didn't believe you. I blamed you for everything from the beginning of our marriage, when you were never at fault. I just wanted you to know, that I know. I just wanted to say sorry.

Pragya stopped struggling. Ah so that is why he is apologizing, because he didn't trust me all this while. But not because of the trap he had plotted against me with his sister. Wow. But why would he apologize for that? It was a success after all, just like his songs. She became calm in disgust and Abhi loosened his grip, she pushed back and looked calmly at Abhi. He was looking hopeful.

P - I want you to know, that I know too. What you may ask? I know it was your plan. Coming to KKB, saving it, getting people to make extortion calls, giving me the money and later sending the same money to the inspector. All this was your plan to tactfully get rid of me. I know it. Still you have something to say?

Abhi stared aghast at his chashmish, never in these months while searching for her, did this thought cross him that she might consider him to be a part of that conspiracy too. Shock immobilized him. He could see the hate in her eyes clearly now. He realized that moment, whatever he did, this wasn't going to change. Chashmish will never trust him. She had conceived this idea in her head for a year now that he (Abhi) had conspired against her, that wouldn't change in her mind. It was not an easy accusation, and she has hated him too much for it. He mumbled that he wasn't a part of the plan, but she believed him as much he had believed her when she said her phone was stolen, the last time.

While he dropped his hands down from her shoulder, Pragya noticed the profusely bleeding wrist. In any other day she would have freaked out, but today she didn't. She quietly went to her cupboard and brought the first aid kit and handed it to Abhi. He calmly took it, and turned around to leave, he knew he had lost her again today. She hated him too much. There was no point in clarification, she didn't ever want to see his face again. A silent tear rolled down his eyes. He had failed daadi one more time. But wait, why is he dizzy? He wasn't feeling right, a little dis-balanced. Abhi - he heard her screaming his name and as he tried turning around, there was complete darkness.

The doctor had checked him. He was still unconscious. Overstressed the doctor muttered, he shouldn't have performed in the concert; he has been bleeding ever since. He needs complete bed rest for a few days. He has lost a lot of blood in the last few days, he has to allow himself time to recover. Pragya heard Purab and Aaliya consulting with the doctor about medication at her apartment door. She walked inside and peeped into her bedroom - Abhi was lying unconscious on the bed. She didn't understand how this happened. She had given him the first aid box and turned around to walk inside her bedroom, and he was leaving. He was at the door with his luggage, and suddenly she heard him bump into something, she turned around just in time to see him lose consciousness. What had happened? Why was he bleeding this bad? Tattoos bleed this bad? Well so much for Tanu.

She turned and left the bedroom and came back to the hall-cum study where Aaliya and Purab was standing and discussing medicines, they looked at her. Aaliya turned around asked Pragya what had happened. Pragya ignored her and turned to Purab and asked him if he had passed on her message to Abhi. Aaliya was surprised at being ignored, hadn't bhai explained everything? Purab explained it to Pragya that Abhi hadn't come to her to seek divorce; he had come to her to take her with him, back to their home where everything was sorted. Pragya gave a dry laugh at that - yes right with a tattoo spelling Tanu in his wrist and a perfect plan to get rid of me for life, he had come to take her back. Purab looked confused.

Purab - Pragya di why are you laughing? You don't believe it? It's true, bhai has changed

Pragya - Yes changed indeed, that's why he came here with a tattoo of Tanu's name in his hand which is making him bleed so bad, that's why he humiliated me in front of my entire school, and that's why he was missing Tanu so much

Purab - Tattoo? Tanu? What are you saying di?

Pragya - Purab, I don't know if you know this or not, but all of what happened last time was a plan and so is all this, to get rid of me. And both are Abhi's plan. With the last plan he got rid of me from his house and mine. And with this plan he will legally divorce me - but I am amazed that he still stooped so low when I agreed to divorce him without all this anyway.

Purab looked utterly lost, he had no idea of what Pragya di was saying, he realized there was a mistake! Last time Abhi was a part of the plan? It is a trap this time? Tanu? Tattoo? Surely there was something amiss, but what. However Aaliya figured out everything. And she wouldn't let things fall apart one more time. The damage she had once done, was about to get repaired, and she wasn't going to let this fall apart one more time. So ignoring the fact that she had previously ignored her, Aaliya spoke to Pragya. She explained to Pragya that she takes the full responsibility of the plot against her last time. Her bhai had no clue about it. He was as much trapped in it as Pragya was. Aaliya and Purab then explained to a flabbergasted Pragya, about how Abhi had become a loner and how he missed her bad. They told her how Abhi caught Aaliya to her misdeeds and about their estranged relationship for six months, how Abhi repented every moment from the day he found out that Pragya was missing and that he left no stones unturned in tracing her. She even told him how Abhi had literally begged Suresh to give out her whereabouts. When she finished telling her story, Pragya was breathless in shock. She looked at Purab for reassurance, he nodded. This mammoth truth felt so heavy on her heart that her legs couldn't support her anymore. She crashed on the couch and Aaliya slowly bent to sit in front of her. Aaliya apologized to Pragya for all her misdeeds and promised her that she would be her well-wisher for life now. She said, above all her ego was her love for her bhai, and if Pragya was her bhai's single source of happiness, she wouldn't come in between them. Pragya wasn't sure, of all the things she expected to hear, this wasn't one...but Tanu? She muttered to herself. Where did she fit in all this? To this Aaliya replied again. She informed her that Tanu was no more a part of her bhai's life and her bhai had left her a very long time back. Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Aaliya smiled and informed her that the call Abhi was making the evening before at Pragya's was a fake one to just stir her emotions and what he told Pragya was the mark of a tattoo, was in reality her bhai's suicidal attempt in frustration of not finding Pragya. If the story was not unreal enough, this definitely was. Sitting on that couch in front of them both, all she could do was weep like a helpless child. The feeling she had been avoiding ever since she met him the day before, ebbed out now. And to her surprise she saw, her feelings for him after hearing all this was much stronger than the age-old hatred she had bottled for him inside her. So, this was Abhi? Her Abhi? She thought and a fat tear of repentance rolled down her cheeks. He tried explaining, but she didn't allow. She suddenly seemed to realize the depth of that forceful hug. It was his desperate attempt to make her believe him. But she didn't. It's true Abhi had wronged her in many ways ever since they were married, but today after hearing all this, and seeing him lying unconscious on her bed because of her, all his mistakes seemed belittled. His goods suddenly seem to outweigh all his bad.

Aaliya and Purab consoled her for a little longer, and then thought it was best to leave Pragya and Abhi alone for some time. After a very long time the misunderstandings had cleared. They needed some time together. As Purab and Aaliya left for the hotel, Pragya turned towards the bedroom, where her Abhi slept soundly in exhaustion.

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