"Road trip... How innovative... What's the problem in coming by air...?? Silly girl... Attention seeker..."
Meher cursed for the hundredth time while pacing left and right in her hotel room. She had no company in the flight n here also she is alone while the must be having fun... Real fun... The more she thought about it, the more her anger rose.
Meher sat on the corner of the bed and closed her eyes.
"Wasn't that girl much like abeer...???" Meher wondered.
She couldn't help but think of a situation similar to it. It was back in college, there was some inter college competition she participated in. She was supposed to go with the other students and teachers by a train but abeer somehow took the permission and planned a road trip. He drove her all the way to the venue in his car, singing to her, cracking jokes and making her laugh. That road trip was one of the memorable trips of her life. Undoubtedly.
She knew the answer but hated to accept it.
"I can't walk... I'm tired..."
"Ohh god..."
Meher heard abeer's voice and opened the door of her room. What she saw made her insides churn. There she saw her ex husband and in his arms was a girl.
"You are such a kid sometimes... And you act as if you walked all the way from Mumbai to goa..." Abeer told her looking at her face.
"I'm not used to it... I want to sleep..." she said.
Meher saw the whole exchange and burned in jealousy. She hit the door with her hand and the pair looked at her. Abeer immediately put niyati down and she almost stumbled when abeer saved her from falling.
"Hiii..." Abeer said awkwardly.
Niyati looked at abeer and then at not so happy meher. Abeer pointed at meher from the corner of his eye and whispered "meher".
"Ohh..." Niyati whispered.
Meher glared at them and made a face.
"Meher... She... She is niyati... Niyati she is meher..." Abeer introduced. Officially the weirdest moment of his life. Introducing his past with his present, having no clue about the future.
"Hey..." said niyati.
Meher faked a smile and looked at niyati from head to toe.
"I will be in the room..." Niyati said and left; taking the keys from abeer.
Meher went back into the room and kept the door opened. She knew abeer would follow. Abeer entered the room and closed the door.
"That was rude..."
Abeer commented and meher turned around to face him.
"I'm not supposed to like her... Does that ring any bell...??" Meher said.
"I never asked you to like her... At least be normal... You can't keep looking at her with "I don't like you" expression all the time... " abeer retorted.
"Already defending your barbie doll... The one who is too lazy to even walk..." Meher remarked crossing her arms below her chest.
"She is not a doll and I'm not defending her... I like her meher..." Abeer said taking a step towards meher.
"Like... You can like her all our life abeer... Just love me... Only me... That's it..." Meher said taking a step towards abeer.
"Why don't you understand meher...??? I love her..."
"You just said you like her... Clear your own confusion first..."
Abeer took a deep breath and sat on the bed. He was already tired from driving and now this. A conversation like this was the last thing he wanted.
Meher sat beside abeer and took his hand in hers.
"Why don't you understand...?? I love you abeer... And that girl... Don't bring her in between us... Do you realise you are playing with her life and her emotions; given we still love each other... Truly deeply madly..."
Meher leaned close to abeer and ran her fingers through his hair.
"Baby take your time to analyse your feelings... But till then don't expect me to be all goody goody to that girl... Sort out your feelings abeer... Say it at my face if you don't love me... Tell me its over and I will be nice to her. I can't live like this abeer..." Meher said and rubbed the tip of her nose against abeer's cheek.
"Don't do this meher..." Abeer pulled away.
"I'm your first love abeer... I'm your mehu... Your baby... I'm all you want... I'm all you will want... Look at me abeer..." Meher made abeer look at her and continued "these eyes... They just want to see you... And that smile of mine... Dimple wali as u said... Its only for you... And my lips... They just want to be kissed by YOU... Only you baby... I love you abeer... Tell me you love me..."
Abeer looked at meher and then her lips... His eyes were fixed on those beautiful soft luscious pink lips. The taste of her making him go weak. He wanted to kiss her, just like she wanted to kiss him.
"Kiss me Abeer..." Meher whispered and leaned into abeer.
His hands reached up to cup her cheeks and in seconds his lips were on hers. The kiss was urgent and demanding, not like the time when it used to be sweet and passionate. She wrapped her arms around his neck and shifted close to him, practically leaving no space between them. His tongue swirled with hers while her hand made way to the back of his head, the other rubbing the back of his neck; pulling him close. She poured out all her love in the kiss and he reciprocated it with equal urgency and need. He sucked on her lower lip and she kissed him hard.
The door knocked and abeer broke the kiss, his sanity returning to him in seconds. Meher pulled him towards her forcefully this time and abeer stopped her. Guilt visible in his eyes and it hurted her. Meher after composing herself, opened the door. It was room service and abeer walked out of the room, avoiding any conversation.
Abeer entered his room and found niyati asleep on the bed. The more he looked at her, the more guilty he felt. He was never a cheater but what he did minutes back is called cheating only. He did cheat on her. Disgusting. All he has been doing lately, is cheating on niyati. Lying to her is also cheating on his part.. Isn't it...?? He then couldnt help but wonder if meher was right. Has he been playing with niyati and her heart...?? Was he using her...?? Didn't he know she loves her and is patiently waiting for him to take a step towards her... He felt disgusted when a thought came running to him. He had been going out with niyati, taking her out on dates, kissing and hugging her, and to make things worse; he had been sleeping with her. Without any commitment and just telling her few "I love you" and endearment terms. He was convinced he had moved on in life, with niyati, accepting her and liking every single minute with her. Two years it took him to move on. Long two years. And just few days in India and he has been doubting his decision of returning. But not once on what he feels for niyati. When he thought he is happy with his present and ready to make it his future - taking another step towards her , his past started pulling him back.
Abeer stepped near the bed and went to the side where niyati was asleep. He kneeled down on the floor and dropped a kiss on her forehead. It was true she would never make him feel the way meher did but he couldn't ignore the fact that she would never hurt him the way meher did. Rather niyati had been holding him together all this time, loving him, and healing his heart. He also felt the same for her. Yes it took time to move on. But who doesn't. And what's wrong in moving on. Doesn't he has the right to move on...?? Was he committed that time or was he cheating on meher...?? No he wasn't. He never asked meher to wait for him neither did he give her any commitment. It was his choice to give another chance to love. And it was her choice to wait for him. He was the one who grabbed the opportunity and brought niyati in his life. He realised that the girl loved him and he happily accepted it. His heart was burning in meher's absence and when it started craving for love, she was the one to give his heart that love. His heart was inscribed and graffitied but soon her love found space - between the words and in the margins. Soon he realised there was space for someone else in his heart - for niyati. He was the one who then wanted niyati to himself... Only himself and now when he has her, what was he supposed to do. His past is constantly pulling him back and stopping him from moving on. Was he supposed to let niyati go or push her away... Was he supposed to love her even more or make her hate him...
"You cannot hate me niyati... You will not hate me... You are mine... I won't let you go into darkness... Not again..."
He can't afford to let this happen. He can't do this to her or to himself. He needs her in his life and she needs him. She has been the girl who had everything but still had nothing. Her father gave her all that money could buy and never anything that made her truly happy. No love, no attention, no care, no family, no parent. He had seen it with his own eyes. Several times. The girl who used to laugh, giggle, joke around in the day used to bawl her eyes out at night. The darkness behind her bright smile, he has seen it. Her hidden fears and pain pulled him towards her initially, like a magnet. He wanted to make her happy. He promised her 'her share of happiness and love' - not that she ever asked for it. Not from him. It was his decision. His pain reduced whenever he made her smile. She was the girl who craved for only one thing in life. Just one word. Love.
Cricket
Arjun
Jhanak
Tum Se Tum Tak
