FF It's complicated||DISCONTINUED|| IMP NOTE-pg86 - Page 29

~CHAPTER 18~

Natasha stared at the blank space on the wall, wondering what was wrong with her. She had never missed anyone so much, she felt so... Alone.

'Tashu', Khushboo looked at her sister and sighed, 'Tashu, chal tayaar ho shopping chalte hai.'

'nahi di, mann nahi hai.'

'kya mann nahi hai? Tu kab se yahan bethi hui hai! Pichle ek hafte se dekh rahi hoon, tu itni sad lag rahi hai! Kya hua?'

'kaha na di kuch nahi, bus mera mann nahi hai!'

'Shantanu ne kuch kaha? Nahi zaroor uss gawar ne kuch kiya hoga! Mein usse...'

Khushboo turned and stormed out of the room, 'Khanak!'

Natasha jumped out of bed, 'di! Khanak ne kuch nahi kiya, kissi ne kuch nahi kiya! Mera buss mood kharab hai!'

'toh mood kharab hone ki wajah bhi toh honi chahiye!'

'hai na.'

'kya?'

'uss stupid ne mujhe phone nahi kiya!'

'buss itni si baat hai? '

'itni si baat! Pichle saat dino se usne mujhe phone nahi kiya hai!'

'haan toh tashu woh busy hoga naa, itna kaam rehta hai usse.'

'kaam?! Please soo raha hoga kumkaran ko competition jo deta hai woh!'

'Tashu mujhe pata hai woh pehle aisa tha par ab nahi hai, Infact Akshay bata raha tha woh office mein bahut kaam karta hai.'

'office?!'

'haan, aur waise bhi woh tumse har roz milta toh hai na, tumhe itna clingy bhi nahi hona chahiya, you should give Shan some space.'

'Shan!? Aap Shan ki baat kar rahi hai!'

'haan, tum kisski baat kar rahi ho?'

'Abhi ki!'

'Abhi.'

'haan uss stupid ne mujhe ek baar bhi phone nahi kiya hai!'

'uh... Achcha? Toh tum itni irritated ho kyunki tumhe Abhi ne call nahi kiya pichle ek hafte se?'

'hmm...'

They heard Natasha's phone ring, Tashu smiled, 'shayad ussi ka hai!' she ran to her room.

'uh... Tashu....' Khushboo looked at her go with a confused expression, 'yeh tashu ko ho kya gaya hai?... Abhi ne call nahi kiya issliye itni irritated hai, itna toh Shan ke dhulwadi jaane par bhi nahi thi.... Abhi? Yeh chakar kya hai?'

Natasha ran to her phone but it flashed with her father's number, disappointment flooded her.

'umm hi dad.'

'hi beta, tum theek toh hona?'

'ji yahan sab theek hai.'

'good, achcha sunno mujhe tumse ek important kaam hai, isliye tum office aa jao.'

'dad... Um... Theek hai main aati hoon.'

'okay den see you in my office in an hour?'

'okay, bye.'

she looked at her phone, atleast kaam mein busy hoongi toh uske call ka intezar toh nahi karoongi, she thought to herself as she walked towards her wardrobe.

::::

'hari koi mistake nahi honi chahiye, woh gift jaa kar Khanak aur mere kamre mein rakh aana, aur Khanak ko batana maat bhoolna.'

'ji Sir.'

'okay, mujhe phone kardena jab Khanak ko uska gift mile tab, okay.'

'yes sir.'

'good, mein phone rakh raha hoon.'

Shan put the phone down, and took a deep breath, 'chalo Khanak ko uska gift mil jayega.'

Shan smiled as he imagined the look on Khanak's face when she would open his gift.

'Shan!'

'uh... Natasha tum yahan?'

'haan woh dad ne bulaya tha, mein thodi jaldi aa gayi issliye soocha tum se mil loo... Um toh kya kar rahe the?'

'woh hari se baat kar raha tha ki woh...'

'ki woh?'

'uh...um...'

Agar Tashu ko bataonga ki maine Khanak ke liye ek gift bheja hai, toh woh mujhe maar dalegi, shan thought to himself.

'uh' haan woh khana nahi aaya na abhi tak, woh pooch raha tha...'

'toh daar kyun rahe ho?' Natasha smiled, 'anyway, khana aayega toh khana mat, mera wait karna.'

'toh hum kahi bahar jaayenge khana khane?'

'nahi, Khanak bhej rahi hai na khana?'

'tumhe... problem nahi hai ki Khanak khana bhej rahi hai?'

'nahi.'

'really?!'

'haan, ab Khanak itni mehnat karke itna achcha khana bhejegi toh main kyun nahi khaoongi?'

'is this a trick question?'

'no Shan this is not a trick question! Buddhu, kher main baad mein aati hoon, bye.'

He nodded as she went, 'buddhu?! Hmm' burthal zayaada achcha sound karta hai, Shantanu burdhal'' he went to his work, with a smile on his face.

::::

'Khanak beta.'

Khanak looked up from the vegetables she was stirring to see dadi coming towards her.

'ji dadi'

'beta tumhare liye ek parcel aaya hai, maine tumhare kamre mein rakhwa diya hai. jao jaa kar dekh lo kya hai.'

Khanak smiled, 'ji dadi.'

She walked towards her room at first, but giddy with excitement, she ran towards her room when the kitchen was out of sight. She saw Hari coming out of the room, 'arrey Hari bha aap?'

'haan ma'am main woh gift rakh raha tha.

'achcha, thunku!'

She ran inside the room with excitement and saw a small parcel awaiting her on the bed. She went and sat on the bed as she excitedly opened the wrappings to uncover a wooden box, and a letter which was on its outside. She tore open the envelop and read the letter-

Yeh meri nayi aur pyaari dost ke liye, taki woh mere saath ghoom sake, aur Delhi ki galio ka mazza utha sake.

Kash tum mere saath hoti.

Abhi.

She smiled, 'Abhi bhi na''

She opened the box and out came a bunch of pictures, tied together with a rubber band. The first photo was followed by a note.

Yeh hai Delhi ka mushoor Chandini Chowk, sirf tumhare liye Khanak.

Kash tum, Shan aur Tashu yahan hote, tab toh aur bhi mazza aata! Kher tumhe photos bheji

Kyunki chithi likhne ka apna hi mazza hai, jo Tashu and Shan ko shayad samajh nahi aata.

Yeh hum Artists ki beech ki baat hai hai na?

Khanak nodded excitedly, 'bilkul sahi, Shantanu toh apne mobile main hi baat karte rehte hai, unhe kya pata chithi likhna ka mazza kya hota hai?! tumne bilkul sahi kaha Abhi!' she started reading again-

Main bilkul theek hoon. Bore ho raha hoon, yahan par kuch karne ko hi nahi hai!

Mumbai main hota toh tumse baat karta, kuch photo leta, aur Shan ki taang kheechta,

Par yahan toh sirf main hoon aur mom aur unke ladhkiyon ki list, jo woh mujhe

Har rooz dikhati hai, ki beta iss se shaadi kar, nahi uss se!

'Toh? Kar lijiye pasand kissiko usme burrai kya hai?'

Main aisa shaadi nahi karna chahata Khanak! Issliye main yahan pagal ho jaonga!

Ab mujhe jaana hai, aur likhoonga, tab tak mujhe yaad zaroor karna, aur khud bhi likhna.

Abhi.

(Khanak mujhe tumhare shrikhand ki bahut yaad aati hai')

She re-read the letter with a huge smile on her face, and then moved on to the various pictures he had sent her, 'kitni khoobsoorat jagah hai''

She picked up a picture and moved towards her canvas, and started painting.

::::

'yeh Khanak ko kya hua? Khana bhi nahi bheja, aur phone tak nahi kiya!'

'good evening sir.'

'good evening Hari.'

Hari walked by him.

'uh. Hari ithar aao.'

'yes sir.'

Shan held him by the shoulder , 'Mr. Hari Bha, aapne Khanak ko uska gift diya?'

'uh.. sir maine gift rakh diya tha kamre main aur ma'am ko bata bhi diya tha''

'hmm' okay tum jao.'

Hari nodded and walked away.

'yeh Khanak ko gift mila phir bhi usne "thunku" bolne ke liye phone nahi kiya, khana bhi nahi bheja!'

He made his way to his room confused. 'kya usse gift pasand nahi aaya? Nahi aisa nahi ho sakta! Kyun nahi ho sakta?'

'aap aa gaye!'

Khanak opened the bedroom door with a huge smile.

A smile spread across Shan's face after looking at her, 'tumhe kaise pata chala?'

'ab aap kamre ke bahar khade ho kar apne aap se zoor se baate karenge toh kissi ko bhi pata chal jaata ki aap aa gaye hai.'

'oh'' Shan smiled , 'of course.'

'kya hua?'

'tumhe kya hua? Itni khush kyun ho?'

'woh mujhe aaj kissi ne ek bahut pyaara suprize diya hai!'

She walked inside the room to retrieve her box.

Shan smiled as he followed her , toh madam ko gift achcha laga, thank god mujhe laga Khanak ko gift mila hi nahi! He thought to himself.

'yeh dikhiye.'

He looked at her and then the box in her hands.

'yeh kya hai?'

'mera tofa!'

'yeh?'

'haan, yeh dekhiye, Abhi ne mere liye ek chithi aur yeh tasveere (photos) bheji hai! bilkul burthal hai na!'

Shan felt a slight burning sensation it the pit of his stomach, as Khanak kept on showing him the pictures that Abhi had sent her, he looked at her and how animatedly she was telling him about Abhi's gift. A smile spread across his face because she was smiling but, he couldn't help but feel slightly mad at the whole situation, she was happy but because of someone else and not him. He kept the thought aside, it was ridiculous to feel 'jealous because Abhi sent her a gift, matter of fact I'm not jealous just' slightly'pissed off he thought to himself.

'aur yeh wali tasveer se main purre din ek chitr bana rahi thi!'

He smiled.

'kya hua?'

'kuch nahi.'

'kuch toh hai Shantanu, aap kuch chupa rahe hai.'

'um... woh ...maine bhi tumhare liye ek gift bheja tha, tumhe nahi mila?'

'gift? Nahi, par ab de dijiye!'

'nahi, par Hari ne kaha tha ki usne gift rakh di thi, aur tumhe bata diya tha.'

'oh! Uss waqt... main jab kamre main aayi thi tab mujhe Abhi ka gift mila bed par, mujhe laga...'

They both looked around the room and Shan found the framed painting, covered with brown paper leaning against the wall.

'woh rahi!'

He went and picked it up, and uncovered the painting, after placing it on the bed. He had gotten his painting that Khanak had made framed.

Khanak smiled as she saw it, 'aapne mera chitr frame karvaya, ahut achcha lag raha hai.'

Shan looked at her and his smile faded; her smile wasn't as broad as it was when she was telling him about Abhi's gift.

'tumhe pasand nahi aaya na?'

'nahi aasi koi baat nahi hai, mujhe bahut pasand aaya!'

'par Abhi se zayaada nahi!'

'kya? Shantanu aap bacho ki tarah baat kar rahe hai!'

'oh! Fine, main bacho ki tarah baat kar raha hoon.'

With that he stormed to the bathroom, and shut the door.

'Shantanu! Mujhe aapke tofa bahut pasand aaya!'

She banged on the door with no answer.

'Shantanu!'

She turned around, 'yeh Shantanu bhi na, kabhi kabhi bachcho jaisi baate karte hai!' she thought of the time he refused to eat, a smile spreading across her face, 'aur kabhi kabar itni achchi salah (advice) dete hai!' she remembered him consoling her after the party, and convincing her about painting again. She looked back at the bathroom door.

'Shantanu bahar nikaliye!'

She walked to the bed and picked up the frame, 'itna achcha hai! mujhe itna pasand aaya , par Shantanu bhi na!'

She looked around the room and spotted the perfect place for the painting. She put the painting next to her as she struggled with taking the picture on the wall off, so that she could put her painting on the wall instead.

She went and dragged the chair in front of the dressing table and stood on it, she had to stand on her toes to take out the painting and after struggling quite a bit she took out the painting on the wall and put it on the ground. She then took her painting and tried putting it on the wall. But she started to lose her balance'

Shantanu shut the door and took off his shirt, 'main bachcho ki tarah behave kar raha hoon! Main! Uh!'

He threw his shirt in one direction and stood in front of the mirror, and turned on the water and splashed his face, 'main Bachcho ki tarah behave kar raha hoon?...'

He took the towel and wiped his face, and put on a T-shirt , as he gave it more thought, he sighed, 'main bachcho Ki tarah behave kar raha hoon, yeh mujhe kya hogaya hai! her smile wasn't as wide as when she was talking about Abhi's gift main issliye gussa ho gaya! Uh ! Shantanu man, you need help!'

He turned around and opened the door, 'khanak I'm sor... Tum yeh KYA kar rahi ho?!'

Khanak regained her balance, and looked at Shantanu, 'main'yeh chitr taang rahi hoon, aur kya?'

'achcha hua tume bata diya warna toh mujhe pata hi nahi chalta!', he said sarcastically.

'jab pata that toh poocha kyun?!'

'you are right, mujhe poochna chahiye ki tum yeh kyun kar rahi ho? Hari ko kyun nahi bula leti?'

'arrey itna chotaa sat oh kaam hai, unhe kyun bulaoon? Waise unhe itna kaam rehta hai!'

'Khanak tum gir jaogi, neechi utro!'

'Shantanu main...' She lost her balance again.

Shantanu ran to her side, 'easy easy!'

She didn't fall, Shan sighed with relief, 'Khanak! Ab neeche utro! Main lagata hoon!'

'nahi Shantanu main nahi giroongi!'

'khanak tum abhi girne wali thi!'

'haan... woh... kyunki aap mujhse baate kar rahe the! Aap chup rahiye, main iss chitr ko bina gire laga doongi!'

'fine! Par please thoda jaldi, mujhe yahan heart attack aa raha hai yeh soochkar ki tum ab giroogi!'

'kya?'

Shantanu closed his eyes in frustration, 'tum jaldi chitr laga do.'

'theek hai.'

She stood on her toes again and secured the painting on the nail, with some difficulty. 'dekha! Ho gaya na!' she turned around with excitement, because she had completed her task, but she then lost her balance again, and fell.

Shantanu tried to hold her, but all he could manage was breaking her fall, and he too fell with her.

'maine kaha tha na!'

'kya kaha tha?' Khanak asked as she rubbed her elbow.

'ki tum giroogi!'

'haan par maine chitr toh laga diya na!'

Shantanu laughed, 'yahan par khud ko aur mujhko tod(break) bhi diya!', he said while rubbing his head.

She started laughing to.

Shan looked at her, and wondered how he hadn't noticed before that Khanak looked especially beautiful when she laughed, he was mesmerized.

'ab uthiye bhi!'

'uh? Haan uthta hoon.'

Shan got up and offered her his hand. She took it and started to get up. 'Ah!'

'kya hua?'

'mera paao (ankle)'

'lag gayi na?'

'aur nahi toh kiya! Ah, bahut dard ho raha hai Shantanu!'

'maine kaha tha na! par nahi Shantanu ki baat toh sunni nahi hai tumhe! Ab uthne ki koshish karo.'

'nahi ho raha Shantanu, bahut dard ho raha hai!'

He bent down and put his hand around her waist and held tight, as he tried supporting her as she tried standing.

'Ah! Shantanu nahi ho raha!'

'achacha... ab kya karo?'

He bent down and picked her up, 'Khanak tum kitni bhari ho!'

Khanak opened her mouth, 'uh... main bhari nahi hoon!'

'haan ho!'

'nahi hoon!'

'tumhe uthaya kissne hai?'

'par main bhari nahi hoon!' she pouted.

Shan smiled as he kept her on the bed. Mission distract Khanak from her pain successful! He thought to himself. He then bent down and held her ankle.

'aap kya kar rahe hai?'

'khana bana raha hoon! Stupid, tumhari chot dekh raha hoon!'

Achacha theek hai, par aaram se!'

He took of her chapal and slightly massaged it.

Khanak let out an inaudible gasp as Shantanu's hands continued to knead her muscles on her foot. She had never dreamed that a touch on her foot could send sensations up to her stomach, phir se! titliyan(butterflies) ! she thought as she frantically her leg to escape his grasp.

Her struggle only strengthened his resolve and he looked up, 'kya kar rahi ho?'

'titliyan!'

'kya?!'

'uh... main theek hoon ab!'

'nahi tum theek nahi ho! Swelling ho jayegi Khanak!'

'Shantanu main theek hoon!'

'tum bhi na! chup chap bethi raho, main jaakar move lata hoon.'

He went to the drawer.

Yeh mujhe kya ho raha hai? mujhe kissi se baat karni hai. par kisse? She could think of no one but the one who had written her the letter that lay beside her, along with his photographs.

Shantanu messaged her leg and put crepe bandage, while she tried to keep her thoughts to distant places.

' ab theek hai, main doctor ko kal bul loonga agar swelling hui toh.'

'hmm.. Shantanu, aao mujhe kagaz aur pen denge?'

'kyun?'

'Mujhe Abhi ko likhna hai.'

'kyun? Phone par baat kar lo.'

'Abhi sahi keh rahe the, aap nahi samjhenge!'

'kya?'

'kuch nahi aap bus kagaz aur pen dijiya na!'

'fine!'

'yeh lo, main jaakar Hari ko pakodo ka order de kar aata hoon!'

She smiled, 'palak...'

'ke zayaada banana ko boloonga.'

She smiled, 'thunku.'

'Khanak it's...'

'Shantanu abhi nahi, mujhe dard ho raha hai!'

'theek hai, as you wish ma'am.'

He walked out of the room and Khanak started writing her letter.

Pyaare Abhi...

::::

'dad lijiye, maine yeh file complete kar li, aur kuch?'

'thanks beta, aur haan ek aur kaam hai tumse mujhe.'

Natasha smiled as she sat on the chair, waiting for her dad to begin.

'Natasha Mr Suri was to supervise our new offices, but thane ki factory main ek situation aa gayi, he had to go there. Aur main chahata hoon ki tum jaakar naye office ko supervise karo. Bus tab tak jab taak everything is not up and going, then you can return to Mumbai.'

'fine dad, par kahan?'

'good, I am happy tumne accept kar liya, tumhe Delhi jaana hoga, for three months.'

'delhi!'

'haan, koi problem toh''

'no dad, no problem...I will be happy to go to delhi!'

'good, toh kal sham ki ticket booked hai.'

'okay.'

Ab Mr. Abhishek Malhotra ko kaun bachaega' mujhe call nahi kiya na usne! Ab bataongi main usse, surprise doongi usse! Aur aunty se bhi mile itne saal ho gaye hai! Delhi here I come!