MaAn OS : Haq
सौ जुगनुओ सी चमकती थी जो ये आंखें तेरी,
आज सवालों के सैलाब छुपा बैठी हैं।
समझना पूछना बौहौत कुछ चाहती हैं,
जानें अनजाने थोड़ा हक जता बैठी हैं।
सौ शायरियो से सजती थीं जो ये ज़ुबां मेरी,
आज चंद शब्दों की भी मौहताज हो चुकी हैं।
बताना जताना बौहौत कुछ चाहती हैं,
जानें अनजाने थोड़ी उम्मीद लगा बैठी हैं।
Not even Anju's wildest dream would have Anupama and Malvika, the two strongest pillars of love in his life, standing face to face let alone hugging each other. But reality had.
And this very reality had his heart and emotions entrapped in a whirlwind. Time and again, his gaze flew back to Anu and desperately tried to read them.
His reaction to each of Malvika's words and gestures would be the same, to look over at Anu and gauge her reactions, fervently wishing for it to be not what he's dreading. Hurt and betrayal!
For, Anuj could betray his life before even thinking to betray his Anu.
Amidst all these curveballs of complications, the only saving grace for Anuj is atleast Anupama is aware of the fact that Malvika is his sister. Lest, Anu incepts some other kinds of ideas of their relationship and misinterprets his loving gestures for his baby sister.
Somehow, GK could understand the tension swirling through their eyes and urged everyone else to move ahead for dinner, including Malvika.
Anuj had his eyes only for Anu. He saw her fingers wriggling in her typical stance of debate. Her eyes held a plethora of unreadable emotions along with, confusion, hurt, accusation, and a raging storm of questions trying in vain to contain inside. She had even taken a step ahead towards him but then suddenly retreated. Sharply turning around, she left him to curse over his timings. Or lack of it!
But not anymore!
Gathering the remnants of his shattered confidence, he ran behind Anupama.
"Anu.."
She continued to walk ahead briskly, away from him. He had hurt her badly and he can only wish this is repairable.
"Anu.."
Turning over her shoulder, Anu spared him a brief yet piercing look before continuing to walk ahead, where she herself had no inkling of. Anuj picked up his pace before his life slipped off his hands, again.
"Anu.."
"Kya Anu, Anu, Anu!" And as he wouldn't have ever imagined, Anupama turned around and charged over him, cornering him against a pillar. His steps faltered backward by her sudden action. "Mar gai Anu!"
As if something triggered deep inside him within a mere moment, he flipped their position. Anupama felt herself to be cramped between the damn pillar and his intently staring eyes.
Raising one of his sleek eyebrows, Anuj stated, "Aaj toh bol diya, Aaienda se aesa sochna bhi mat."
Anupama could only stare at his gorgeous eyes that switched from the intense stare down to the usual softness without even a blink. His fear to even think about losing her shone brightly for a mere second before he masked it again.
"Ha.. Haan.. Toh," Anupama could only stutter under the intensity of his love, "Ek toh itni chot lagi hui hai upar se ghar pe aaram karne ke bajae aese suit boot daal ke, handsome ban ke, party me ghum rahe hai, uchal uchal ke mukku ke sath dance kar rahe hai, bolo bhala." She was relentless in her jabs.
Adorably tilting his head slightly, folding his hands against his chest, Anuj asked, "Tum naraj islie ho ki mujhe chot lagi hai, Ya mai Aaram nahi kar raha, Ya suit boot me handsome lag raha hu, Ya dance kar raha hu, Ya mukku ke sath dance kar raha hu aur tumhare sath nahi?"
Anupama's mouth hung open at his cheekiness. She could clearly see that tiny tilt of his lips infused with mischief. Any other day she would have played along but today she's too preoccupied to care.
"Jara bhi nahi, haan. Aap acchese jaante hai mai kyu naraz hu."
"Chalo tumne mana toh sahi ki tum naraz ho. Ab bol bhi do joh baat tumhe itna pareshan kar rahi hai," Anuj urged, slightly bending his head forward to meet Anupama's downcasted gaze.
"Pata nahi mera kuch haqq banta bhi hai ya nahi," saying so, she squeezed her eyes shut as if cursing herself for saying more than required.
"Agar tumhara nahi na, Anu, toh iss duniya me kissi ka kuch haqq nahi hai," Anuj asserted. His voice choked at the end and his brows furrowed. "Behen hai Mukku meri, Behen." He had no idea why he was reiterating the established fact. He let out a pained sigh, desperately wanting Anu to look in his eyes for his genuineness.
"Behen ho ya koi aur, aapne mujhe batana bhi jaruri nahi samjha? Kyu, Anuj?" This time Anupama's stern gaze collided with his soft pleading ones. The moistness in her eyes was ample proof of the hurt and disquiet his one act has caused to her. His heart couldn't bear the pain of hurting his Anu, even though it was unintentional from his side.
"Aesa nahi hai ki mai batana nahi chahta tha, Anu."
"Lekin Aapne bataya bhi toh Nahi na, Anuj. Kyu usse chupa ke rakha jaise woh woh Samar kya kehta hai usse, woh?" She tried to search for a better word to place or rather tried to hide her disproportionate distress under the pretense of her level of normalisation. But, her quivering voice betrayed her. And Anuj is not someone to be fooled by a pretense. Not when it comes to Anupama, his Anu.
"Deep dark secret," Anuj provided the apt word for her emotions. He could only hung his head low in guilt. He couldn't bear Anu's accusing gaze anymore.
"Haan, wohi. Aesi kya wajah thi, Anuj?" Anupama knew she had no right to ask him these questions. But she couldn't help crossing the line she herself drew a few days ago. This was beyond her control. She was beyond control today.
Tentatively raising his head, he met her red-rimmed eyes. At that very moment, something broke inside him. Something he might never repair.
"Pata nahi kyu, Anu, Lekin mai kabhi apne gehre jazbaat asaani se bayan kar hi nahi pata hu. Kabhi shabd sath nahi dete toh kabhi waqt. Humesha.," Anuj had to pause to not let his voice trail, to not let his eyes shed the precious pearls of emotions he was trying hard to contain, to not let his guilt eat up his words, "Humesha der kar hi deta hu. Tumhe bhi.."
Instinctively, Anuj forwarded his hands to reach Anupama's face but held back in time. Just when he was withdrawing, Anu's fingers gently clutched the back of his hands and kept them over her cheeks, the way he was intending to. As he tenderly cupped her cheeks, she moulded her face closer to his touch. As if trying to derive some strength through it.
"Tumhe bhi apne dil ki baat batane me maine ek arsa laga diya aur ab phir tumhara dil dukhaya. Shayad.. Shayad mai aesa hi hu, Anu."
Anuj continued to pour his pain through his words while Anu did the same through her eyes. Anuj couldn't resist wiping her tears with a smooth swipe of both his thumbs below her eyes, not yet wanting to address the closeness they were standing. Anu was still holding his hands that were placed over her face.
Cutely sniffing a few of his tears, Anuj demanded, "Anu, kya tum mujhe thoda time de sakti ho, please? Mai party ke baad tumhe sab bata dunga."
Pressing her lips together in a straight line, Anupama nodded exaggeratedly. Anuj kept on looking at her adorably while she couldn't meet his intent gaze.
With a slight blush creeping over her cheeks, she averted the topic, "Lekin aapko mujhse ek Vaada karna hoga?"
Anuj wouldn't bat an eyelash before conveying his affirmation.
Daring to look squarely in his cavernous eyes, Anupama insisted, "Aaj ke baad aap mujhse kabhi kuch nahi chupaenge."
"Never! I promise," Anuj asserted in a beat. Anupama couldn't have been happier.
She had to clear her throat loudly when Anuj took no lead in removing his hands from her face. His eyes wouldn't budge from staring at her.
"Woh, woh, Kaka.. aapko.. dhund rahe honge."
"Thodi der aur ruk ke jau?"
******
Hello, everyone. This is my first ever write-up on MaAn. I had been trying to post it since two days but had a busy time at work so yeah.
Please feel free to drop your reviews about this. If you think it deserves a chance, please do tag your friends.
Thank you in advance.
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