chapter-----6
pratigya ye sab tayar ho gaya hain na?----asked rohli to pratigya whu was arranging the hand-made soft toys in her bigshopper... pratigya smiled----haan rohli....ye sab tayar ho gaya hain....kal sari raat jag kar ki hain.... last date to aaj tha na?
rohli---haaan wo to hain lekin tumhe itni taklif uthane ki koi zaroorat nhi thi pratigya...hum uncle se baat karke last date ko age bada sakte the.....
pratigya------nhi rohli...waise bhi uncle se humne bht ehsaan le liya hain......aab aur nhi...aabse jo bhi last date hoga hum kam uske andar hi khatam karenge....
aarushi came running inside and shouted delightfully to see the stuffed toys...
arushi---didi.....kitna sundar hain ye sare...didi plzzz mere liye bhi ek bana do na plz plz plz plz....
pratigya smiled at her childishness and took out a rabbit frm her bag....she handed it to aarushi------ye lo ye tum rakh lo.....
as usual aarushi was overjoyed...she hugged her beloved sister and started to cuddle the toy.....
rohli-----pratigya chale?
pratigya took her bag wich had become quite heavy by then------haan chalo.....
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pratigya and rohli went into the toy shop... rohli knew the shopkeeper well,he was her maternal uncle and therefor it had been easy for her to do a deal with him... pratigya used to make soft toys and deliver it to him....while he gave her money for it.....
seeing them,Mr. anuv rajan,rohli's uncle came forward-----are aao aao pratigya beti....andar aao......rohli....kaisi ho?sudha kaisi hain....baitho tum dono...ee bhaskar..didi ke liye chai la....
bhaskar was a young lad whu worked in his shop.. he came over to them and handed them tea..
pratigya said to Mr. rajan------chacha ji hum lekar aye hain....wo soft toys...
Mr. rajan looked at the stuffed toys in the bag carerfully... he was vry impressed----wah! beta.....ye styock to sachmein pehle se bhi bht accha hain......tum dheere dheere sikh rahi ho....kyun?
pratigya smiled....
rohli said excitedly-----haan chacha ji pratigya bht jaldi sikhti hain........bht accha kam bhi karti hain..........
Mr rajan-----ek mjin ruko beti hum tumhara payment de dete hain... he went inside and came out after some time with a check in his hand. he handed it over to pratigya.. she was surprised to see the amount,it was one thousand rupees------chacha ji itni bari rakam?
rajan-----dekho pratigya dheere dheere tumhara kaam behtar hote ja raha hain to tumhari payment bhi badti jayegi...hain na?
pratigya's face became bright at once.. she smiled at rohli...she was vry happy too...
rohli------thk hain cha cha ji aab hum chalte hain........
pratigya took the bag and left the shop with rohli.......
as they came out,pratigya looked at rohli and suddenly giggled... rohli was surprised------ kya hua pratigya?
in reply,pratigya put her hand inside the bag and took out a teddy bear....wich had pink fur and looked really pretty...
rohli-----are..tumne ye chachaji ko diya nhi? ye to is lot ka tumhara sabse accha kam tha..iske liye kam se kam tumhe aur doso rupai mil jati...?
pratigya played with the bear in her hands and said------isiliye to.....isiliye hum ye kisiko nhi denge.....rohli hume isko hamara pass hi rakhna hain.....
rohli laughed out loudly at her childishness-----tum bhi na pratigya....bilkul bacchi ho.........RICKSHAW!!!!
the rickshaw stopped in frnt of them... pratigya was abt to get up wen suddenly she heard someone call her frm behind--------hey!! pratigya ruko!!!
she turned back... and saw krishna getting down frm his bike... he was on the other side of the road and he ran quickly across the road to catch them up.....
rohli asked pratigya----ye kaun hain pratigya?
pratigya----krishna...
rohli turned at her----wohi krishna? woh aarushiwala krishna?
pratigya did nt smile at her statement....somehow she didnt like the wrd "aarushiwala krishna".
krishna came over to her and smiled stupidly------hi..
pratigya smiled too--------hi...
krishna bit his lower lip--------kaisi ho?hamara matlab tumhari tabiyat thk hain aab?
pratigya-----hum thk hain...aap batao.......
rohli cut in between their conversation and said to pratigya----pratigya hyume der ho rahi hain......chale?
pratigya nodded... she was abt to turn back wen krishna stopped her-------hey...ruko......ek min...
she turned to him agen-----kya hua?
krishna looked at rohli and said-----agr aap bura na mane to kya hum pratigya ko drop kar sakte hain? hume usse kuch baat karni hain......
rohli shrugged her shoulders as if it was nt her concern. she said to pratigya----thk hain pratigya hum ghar chale jate hain...tum bhi ghar chali jana...kal milte hain haan?
pratigya nodded...
rohli got up on the rickshaw and said----chaliye bhaisaab.....
the rickshaw pulled away.... pratigya and krishna stood face to face on the road.. pratigya had her eyes lowered on the ground....
krishna stared at her for sometime and then suddenly waved his hand in frnt of her eyes. she looked up..
krishna----pratigya kya hua? kya tum hume pehli baar dekh rahi ho? itni ghabrayi hui kyun lag rahi ho?
pratigya looked around her----nhi kuch nhi...ghar par sab pareshan honge....
the smile disappeared frm krishna's lips at once.....
he turned away and said------thk hain.....chalo hum tumhe ghar pahucha dete hain.....
pratigya stood quietly for sometime.... krishna looked away frm her...
few moments passed and then pratigya said-----tum kuch kehne wale the?
krishna----nhi...kuch nhi....ghar chale?
pratigya tucked at his sleeve and pulled it gently-------gussa ho?
krishna----nhi......
pratigya------jhut kyun bol rahe ho? tum gussa ho....
krishna----to fir puch kyun rahi ho?
pratigya----tum jhut kyun bol rahe ho?
krishna----tum puch kyun rahi ho....
pratigya understood that this argument was nt going to end so she gave up.....and looked down agen.....
then suddenly she looked up and took krishna's hand and placed the teddy bear on his hand...
krishna cudnt help smiling------are...ye kya hain?
pratigya----tumhare liye.....
krishna laughed out loudly----oho.......ye kaun hain?
pratigya----mera beta hain ye...... she smiled.....
krishna cudnt stop laughing-----to fir hume kyun de rahi ho? hum baap hain kya iska?
pratigya's cheeks grew red out of embarressment at his comment... the smile faded away frm her lips as she lowered her eyes.....
that was an unconscious statement wich krishna made and he became ashamed as soon as he saw her reaction.....
he touched pratigya's nose softly with teddy bear and said-----hmm...tumhara beta bht hi badmash lagta hain...par koi baat nhi...hum isko sambhal lenge.....aab chale?
pratigya----kahan?
krishna----tum batao....tumhe ghar jana hain kya?
pratigya thought for a while and then nodded her head sideways-----nhi....
krishna was overjoyed...his face showed it. he got on his bike and said to pratigya----baith jao...hamare piche...
pratigya had nvr been on a bike before...she looked tensed...
krishna understood her fear and said----chinta mat karo...bas hume kaske pakadkar rakhna.....gir nhi jaogi....aur hum bhi dheere chalayenge.....
pratigya slowly got on the bike and cluched him tightly as he started the engine... they drove away....
pratigya kept her eyes clsed... she cud feel the wind in her ears and the spped of the bike..... she sat stiffly......cluching at krishna's jacket tightly for fear she might fall down......
the disastrous journey ended after a short while and the bike stopped... pratigya opened her eyes and saw that it stood in frnt of a cinema haoll... krishna got down and helped her to get down.... then he said------chalo....
pratigya----hum film dekhenge?
krishna---haan...kyun?tumhe film dekhna pasand nhi hain?
pratigya smiled----humne sirf ek ya do baar hi film dekhe hain hall mein,bhaiya aur rohli ke saath.......
krishna---o....tumhe hamare saath film dekhne mein prblm hain.......
pratigya said quickly----nhi krishna....aisi baat nhi hain.......
krishna---to fir hum kiska intezaar kar rahe hain? chalo.....?
they walked towards the hall... krishna took the tickets and they went inside...
the film had alredy started...it was a horror film..... they took their seats and started watching it....
pratigya had nvr seen a horror film before..... she was unaware of the technical activities behind the screen and the animations and all..... she became quite afraid and started sweating.....
she glanced at krishna....and was taken by quite a surprise wen she saw his head tossed back and his eyes closed....
HE WAS SLEEPING.........
pratigya pushed him twice...she had become white out of fear..... bt he did nt wake....he was fast asleep....
she cudnt watch the film anymore...... she got up and went out...........
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are bhaisaab,e bhaisaab.......--------krishna opened his eyes....and saw the people walking out of the hall...he looked up and saw an unknown face....
the man------bhaisaab film to khatam ho gaya hain.....
krishna was surprised----oh...kaisa film hain yaar....hume to neend aa gayi....he glanced at his side and a cold shiver ran down his spine.....the seat beside him was empty....
krishna------pratigya....p....pratigya kahan gayi?
he quickly got up and called out to the man whu had waken him up-------e bhaiya......zara rukiye.....
the masn looked back---kya hua?
he came running to him,his voice shaking out of panic------hamare saath ek ladki thi......green salwar mein.......woh kaha gayi?
the man----nhi bhaisaab aapke saa th koi ladki nhi thi....aap to akele hi baithe the.....
krishna,s hands and feet became cold at once....... without another single wrd he ran outside.....
he looked around the whole place...pratigya was nbowhere...he felt helpness... he asked each and evrybody abt her...bt noone cud give him any positive answer.... he tucked at his own hair and kicked on the wall........
krishna thot----humne itne laparwa kaise ho gaye...hume to pratigya ki halat pata hain......to fir kaise....... humne ye kaise kar diya? lanat hain humne...... aab kahan gayi hogi wo? kahan dhunde usko?
he ran towards his bike,rode on it and drove away.... he looked evrywhere... searched each and evry single shop in civil lines......she was nowhere....
it became afternoon......krishna started to feel terribly exhausted bt he cntinued looking for her.... he was a strong man... bt his helpless ness almost brot tears into his eyes.....
krishna mutterd to himself--------pratigya kaha ho tum?
suddenly he remembered something and turned his bike at once.... he rode away to the old temple where pratigya used to go wen she felt sad or angry abt somethng..... it was wen she was a child.......
krishna parked his bike near the temple and ran towards it.....
he had just ascended few stairs wen his face brighened up at once......
there she was....sitting on the stairs of the temple, hands clasped around herself...and it seemed to krishna....that she was crying...... he cud well make it out frm her shivers......
he ran over to her...and without a single wrd put his arms tightly around her and pulled her into his warm embrace....
pratigya did nt react...her body cntinued shaking....... krishna released her and looked at her face...he was shocked to see her eyes...they had become red and had swelled up.....implying that she had been crying for quite a long time.......
krishna felt extreamely guilty... he knew that it was his fault......he shudnt have fallen asleep like that inside the hall......
he cupped her face in his hands and tried to make her look at him... bt she kept looking away......
krishna said to her-----pratigya...hume maaf kar do......am really really sorry....plzz hume maaf kar do..... hum dobara aisa kabhi nhi karenge.....kabhi nhi.....pratigya plzzz hamari taraf dekho.....tum kuch bol kyun nhi rahi ho?
pratigya kept mum...... krishna hugged her once more.......bt it seemed to him that he was hugging a statue....she did nt move a muscle......
now krishna was really afraid.... he looked at her carefully and shook her hard-----pratigya....kuch to bolo....pratigya kya hua? kuch bolo plz.....humse tumahri ye chup hi bardasht nhi ho rahi hain.... his voice choked due to tears.......... wich came rolling down his cheeks.... he didnt wipe them....and let them flow......
krishna-----pratigya.........am sorry.............
he pulled her against his chest and wept........
after sometime......pratigya seemed to move... she slid her arms around his waist and clutched his jacket at the back.......
krishna looked in her eyes,their natural light brown colour had returned......
he felt relieved and unable to cntrol his emotions he kissed her gently on her forehead-----pratigya........tumne to hume darayi hi diya tha.......
pratigya did nt speak...she kept her head on his chest and her arms tightly around him.... krishna ran his fingers into her long hair......
minutes passed away bt neither of them moved.....
then pratigya said slowly,almost in a whisper----hume kabhi chodke mat jana...........
hum.....hume.....bht darr lgta hain........
krishna-----kabhi nhi....hume kabhi tumhe akela chodke kahin nhi jayenge......waada raha hamara............
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CID
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin
