31st December. It was already 11.30 pm. She was not here.
Siddhart was sitting alone on the sofa. All the people around him were enjoying. He did not have the heart too. She was not here. How could he enjoy.
It had been 11 years since their first new year together. A lot of things had changed. Monami was an army surgeon. Her dream was complete. Karan had taken a long vacation. He was still being treated for PTSD, he was a lot better now. Most importantly, Karan and Monami were happily married since 9 years, and the parents of a beautiful daughter.
Faizi and Koel too were together now, parents of Nikhil and a baby boy.
Siddhart had found his aim in life- being at the respected position in the army. As for her, she had now taken up Karan's position. 10 years, they came closer and drifted apart.
He sat on the sofa, the events of the last year running in his mind. How small disagreements turned to arguments, the sleepless nights, the strange silences....the divorce. He still remembered signing the papers.
It wasn't that they were on bad terms....they were still friends. And he still loved her.
~~~~
He did not even notice when Karan came and sat next to him.
"Aaj party king itna shaant kaise? Party king ki rani gayab hai?" Karan asked him.
"Tch. Mission pe hai vo. And we are not..." Siddhart said, diverting his mind by plucking the petals of the rose in front of him.
"Aisa kya hua...." Karan asked taking a sip from the drink in his hand. Siddhart sighed, knowing what he was asking about.
"Vahi to problem thi. Kuch hua hi nahi." Siddhart said gloomily.
"11 saal pehle tum uske liye jaan dene ko taiyyar the."
"Vo 11 saal pehle ki baat thi. Sab kuch badal chuka hai ab. She has her own life....I have my own..." Sid trailed off...thinking about her.
"Tumne use aise kaise...tum usse pyaar karte the na."
"Shayad...we were never meant to be. Kabhi ek doosre ko time hi nahi de paaye. Divorce se pehle ke 4 mahino me bas 5 din aur 7 ghante ek saath the. Kabhi vo mission pe hoti hai...kabhi meri posting ho jaati hai."
"Dheere dheere usse phone pe baat karna...uska intezaar karna...task sa lagane laga...shayad...pyaar hi..khatam ho gaya." Sid finished, his words wavering slightly.
"Sachme? Pyaar khatam ho gaya? Bol ke dikha ki tu usse pyaar nahi karta." Karan smiled softly at him.
"Mai usse pyaar...mai..." Sid couldn't finish the sentence. He shook his head.
"Mere pyaar hone na hone se kya hota hai. Usko bhi to hona chahiye na...kabhi kabhi lagta hai ki kash sab kuch reverse kar sakta. Firse jeekar, usi pe mar sakta. Lekin...ab sab kuch badal chuka hai. Na mai same raha hu, na vo. Agar mai time pe sorry bol deta to....Maybe...maybe we were mistaken. Shayad it was never..." Sid stopped, his eyes already welling up.
"Ek baat bata...tujhe usse hi pyaar kyu hua? Kisi aur se kyu nahi?" Karan asked looking at him.
"Kyuki...she was different. Different than anyone I had every known. And yet so much like me." Sid smiled sadly.
"Kya aaj bhi vo utni hi alag hai?"
Sid nodded, her thoughts coming to his mind- her face, her smile, her eyes, her voice.
"Tujhe pata hai? Aaj bhi jab uske call aate hai na, to teri hi baat karti hai vo. Tujhe miss karti hai. Har mission pe tera vo 'good luck charm' leke jaati hai."
Sid smiled inwardly, thinking about the other earring in his shirt pocket.
"Sab kuch reverse to nahi ho sakta lekin restart zaroor ho sakta hai. Pyaar kam nahi hua, sirf doori badhi hai." Karan got up. Sid followed him.
"Ek kaam kar aankh band kar." Karan said folding his arms. Sid looked at him puzzled.
"Kar to."
Sid sighed and obeyed.
"Chal, ab answer kar....uske baare me soch, aur bata. Use dekhkar kya karne ka man karta hai?"
"Ki time ruk jaaye, aur firse pehle ki tarah, har shaam hum mile, aur mai uski saari tension door karlu. Kabhi door na jau usse..." Sid smiled.
"Last jab mila tha usse?"
"7 mahino pehle. Tabse vo...mission par hi hai." His smile wavered a little.
"Jab uske baare me sochta hai...to kya yaad aaya hai?"
"Sab kuch. Uski har baat. Uska... Chirkut..." Sid chuckled lightly, nostalgia catching up with him.
"Uski awaz yaad karta hai to kya sunai deta hai?"
"Chirkut..."
He smiled. He remembered her voice. It was as if she was right next to him, in his heart.
"Aankhen khol. Awaz aayi na uski? Pyaar karta hai na usse?" Karan said, grinning.
"Bohot." Sid smiled.
"Jaanta tha. Mauka hai, restart kar..." Karan said, moving aside. She stood behind him, still in uniform.
"Waada kiya tha na...kaise tod dete? Dekhta hi rahega ya milega bhi?" She smiled, her voice thick with emotions.
Siddhart froze. Was he imagining things? Was it the dim party lights playing with his mind. The truth was he didn't care.
He wrapped his arms around her, as if holding for dear life. She too grabbed him, without wasting a second, not wanting to let go ever.
They cried freely, not caring at all about the people clapping around them, as the clock struck 12, welcoming the next year.
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