Idea of Being in Love

My idea of being in love is that blissful feeling when one embraces one’s beloved drenched in rain with the subtle background music of violin playing from nowhere. Holding umbrellas in the rain with her. Sitting on the outskirts of the city, her head resting on the shoulder, letting the eyes wander aimlessly over the stars. Certainly not sitting on the sofa and eating silver quoted sweets questioning a perspective bride. The problem in India is most of us are living a real life but want our life to be like a Hindi movie where a common can fight a bunch of guys, dance with his girlfriend on the street. The same was the case with me as well. Throughout my teenage years, movies were my counselors on love. Like a typical Bollywood fan, I have been obsessed with the idea of true love being the 50 shades of pink. 

I had a huge fight with my girlfriend and it almost seems to be the end of our relationship. And sadly there was no music or dance sequence that would heal the wounds of a bitter quarrel and make everything happily ever after again. Everything seems so blurred. There was no clear path for me to go. Love and I have always shared some incongruity. You know what they say you will not get what you run behind desperately. After my relationship ended on a bitter note. I was broken down. But I had to move on with my life. Finally I had to do what I never intended to. I gritted my teeth and knocked on the door of my parent's home. When I grudgingly announced that I was ready for an arranged marriage à la Indian style, my parents were thrilled. Inevitably, my large extended family in all parts of India became involved in the match making process and I found myself with the extensive list of potential future wife (and a phone bills in four digits). My parents and I eventually narrowed the list down to seven girls whom we felt were compatible with. Out of seven that we visited, Swati was the one who piqued my interest. 

We went to meet her family. I was a bundle of nerve sitting in the drawing room, shaking my legs, since it was the first time for me to meet a girl in a compact room with our parents staring at us and hoping that we would like each other at the very instance just because our kundlis are matching. I was looking at the girl's father and gave a half smile. After passing 10 minutes of awkwardness, she  entered the room. I was struck by her smile and her gracious mannerisms.  Soon enough, our attendants seemed to fade into the background. Her features were magic like the one you read about in books .When she smiled it felt as though the flowers had new colors vibrant and fresh you could give them new names and when she laughed the music seemed to come from instruments not yet known to mankind and when those eyes caught mine, I forgot all the pain, the disappointments of my wretched life and all the tragedies of yesterday my heart stopped and cleansed itself and it felt as though for the very first time it learnt to beat again and your existence found purpose. 

All we did was to engage in some polite conversation. But what grabbed my attention was that we had some much things in common. Swati and I quietly connected. We found our self in hitting it off during our initial meeting, we expressed mutual interest in seeing each other again. Over the next two months, I found myself looking forward to our chaperoned dates, and eventually realizing that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. Our parents were ecstatic when we told them of our decision, and we were married within 6 months.

Nothing is going to change

“We have decided to get married” She hushed this into my ears. My heart sank and she noticed it. "Nothing is going to change" she said but I knew from that point everything is going to change. Things were going to be so complicated for me. Till this point, my feeling for her has not surfaced. But suddenly I don’t know why it felt like 1000 arrows were pierced through my chest in a fraction of second when she announced the big news to our friend circle that they have decided to get married. Although it was obvious since they were in relationship for more than 4 years now.

We live in a story book. Each of us has story in it. Some story end on a happy note. But some of us are less fortunate could not complete their story. This is my love story. This is kind of love, it is cruelest kind, the one which almost kills its victims. It called one sided love affair. Most of the people fall in love with each other, but I have been cursed for being in love with a person which does not and will not love me back. I look at the past and I only see worst celebrations. Worst Birthdays, Worst Valentines, worst new years since they are accompanied by tears, pain and agony. I feel wounded, handicapped. The reason is I fell in love with one person, whom I should not have fell for. I violated the all the laws of social conduct. I felt like I am betraying someone when I fell in love. She is my best friend girlfriend.

I was introduced to her by my friend itself. That day is still fresh in my memory. I saw them coming towards me by the side of the road. The first thought that came to my mind was she is beautiful. And the second thought was what’s wrong with her. We had insane chemistry the moment we were introduced. I felt like we were tuned to the same frequency. When I got to know her, you know her want her to be included in your life more and more. Anyhow the friendship brewed nicely and we started hanging out a lot with her either alone or in a group. “Then bring the chocolate cake” We said it together. The discussion was going on what cake to bring for the New Year.
We used to say same thing at the same time. And then we used to look at each other and smile. We like the same food and same type of Clothes. Once she asked me to select few pictures of her and her bf and asked me to frame it. "I trust you" she said. She knew the pics that I will select will be almost the same that she will select. There has been instance where it had happened. I remember we were supposed to go for their pre wedding shoot. And we selected same poses from the internet. Odds of getting such a thing while searching the humongous internet is almost to zero but it did happened.

Before I knew, things started changing. My feelings for her became stronger but I always tried to tag it as friendship. I'm in quite a predicament right now. Thinking about her gives me goose bumps. My soul shines when I hear her voice. Only one face comes to my mind when I either listening to songs or any rom-com movie. I fell in love with everything she loved. I wish I could tell her how I feel about her. One should see my face when I am front of her. It shows all the shades of red, my throat thickens, I feel blurry sight, and brain will stop responding.

Every day after that announcement I thought I will never meet her. I will run away from her life but could not gather enough courage against the force that pulled me towards her. I don't think I will ever meet someone that could really be compared to her. I could see all sort of people and not matter who they are or what they say they cannot capture my attention quite the way she can. I could talk to all sorts of people and yet I will always find myself thinking about how they are not quite as charming as her or maybe they don't make me laugh quite as genuinely as her or whatever maybe the reason. I know people always say your first love is the person you compare everyone to, but maybe they compare it to your true love. So whenever I meet someone, I start comparing them with her and I have not found anyone as magnificent as her.

She thinks I am her best friend, a rival in competition and I am trying to gain victory over activities we do together but lesser does she know that I have already accepted my defeat because when I lose, I got to see her smile. Now the only thing important for me is her happiness.

Book Review: The Magical Tifin box by Sweta Chakraborty

Recently I read a new book "The Magical Tifin box by Sweta Chakraborty"and here is what I think about it:

I have known Sweta from a long time. She isn’t a chef or a restaurant owner but one thing that I can tell you about her is that she loves cooking. I have followed her recipe quite extensively becuase I am myself fond of tasting new flavors. When I read her book, first thing that came into my mind while I looked at the book was "You can do it". There are many delicious traditional recipes with a number of ingredients that might make you want to pass them by because they look like they are too hard to make, but at second glance the way the instructions are expressed you will see that the instructions take care of any confusion.

The Magical Tifin box recipes is designed to satisfy your hunger and leave you happy. It contains recipes those that make you feel like you can make every single recipe without burning your hair. Her use of everyday ingredients in imaginative ways and draws on his love of ingredients and far-ranging, eclectic culinary influences.
From the very first page, I was drawn in by the cheerful illustrations and the easy-going,
relaxed vibe of this book. It is not mandate to start from the first page. I myself started with the desserts...smile emoticon. It is chock full of recipes for just about every occasion, season, or diet.
If your preferred recipes are quick, easy and familiar, you’re probably not going to enjoy this much. Recipe mentioned might take a longer time not 2 minute noodle because it takes time to cultivate the taste and the aroma. I have rarely seen a book that has inspired me from page one and sent me into a near frenzy at the end, the frenzy being there aren't enough hours in the day to cook everything from the book.

Why Should I Hire You...

“I am going to eat out. Please don’t cook for me” I said rushing out of my building. I was late for another interview. Sitting on the chair in front of the interviewer, I told myself this is got to be the one. He knew in that one meet that I am going to be a hard candidate. It is not easy to pursue me. And I had all the intention to make them realize that he were right. From the beginning I knew that I was not one who wants to get a 9-5 job and get lost in the mist of the populace. After the interview, waiting for the results in the lobby my mind started drifting into the past. First it was Google then Goldman Sachs and lot more. I had been to several interviews but was not able to ring a bell. Or let’s say I really don't know what they were looking for. There were instances where I was rude. I never realized that over the period of time I develop an attitude or rather arrogance which they did not like. "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" he asked. "I design my life step by step. I cannot tell you where I will be in 5 years but for sure in a much better position than this.” He raised his eyebrow. How much salary are you expecting? He asked. I know what American customers want. I have been sucking money out of them from past one year, and I think I have pulled it out awesomely well. After 3 year of experience working with the same salary. It does not make sense, does it?. Suddenly I felt drained out. My head felt buzzy, my vision blurred. All I could think was, "Just let me get outside and get some fresh air." and I realized that I was much hotter than usual and my heart was beating rapidly. I actually hallucinated to another dimension, where I was engulfed in a total feeling of fear. Fear to not passing exams. Fear to acceptance. There was lot running on my mind.
I hear voices in my head but they are fades out vision seem to be blurry. I am jolting back and forth between the sleep and consciousness. They had started me on a cocktail of medication on a drip, and poked me with tubes and pipes for nourishment, drugs and oxygen. I can’t tell if I am dreaming or not. One minute I will be in a room being interview by a black suited person and other second I am being towed on the stretcher. I have seen the doctor roaming around my bed. I heard someone say he’s awake and then others came running in. Lot of faces peering down at me. Doctor came and asked my name. It took me some time to recall it. I was bewildered why I am not able to remember my name. I heard ECG machine beeping, nurse roaming around, and pungent smell of medicine. The fan was making weird sound, white walls it took me some time to realize that is am lying in a hospital. Last that is could recall is saying "Thank you for calling Iyogi Technical Services"
“Oh good you woke up” said Sunil. I was getting a getting a little worried." What happened? I asked. "You fainted in office. We brought you here. Doctors said nothing can be predicted until you get up." I pressed my hand against the bed and tried to get up but was not able to because of weakness. “You have been dead for 1 week now. You have mumbling something in between. No one was able to understand it though.” When I actually woke up, it was just like waking up in the morning, in that it didn't feel like it had been over a week.
Slowly the drowsiness and sleepiness gradually developed into me and I started becoming unconscious again and can’t respond at all to anything around me. I felt exhausted and could hardly stay awake. I felt suffocating. I tried remaining awake however I was not able to. There I laid peaceful sleeping.

Holding Back

I closed my eyes and I was into another world. My mind started stravaiging wildly. I could not hear any outside sound. It was complete silence. And what was I thinking, nothing. My mind was absolutely void. I felt like my mind was in the deep ocean of darkness. Just diving into that ocean gave me a sense of tranquillity. I saw myself standing alone and suddenly I started running carelessly into that infinity, trying to find a destination. Bellowing. But there is no one to listen. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder and the bellowing faded away and the office buzz came into reality. It was Nishi. She was waiting for me to go on lunch. “I am not hungry” I said. “I am seeing you like this from past 1 week”. “Seeing what? I am just busy working. This is lot of work to do in here” I defended. “Well you are not the only one on the office who is working”. She sighed and continued “Just because I have not accepted your proposal does not mean we cannot eat together. We can still be friends. Right?”. “I don’t wanna eat alright” I lost my temper. She turned back, held there for a second and left my cubicle. I knew she had tears. She returned to her cubicle. She did not go for the lunch either. Staring at my phone I sat there, thought of calling her and saying sorry but could not do it. It was just a white little box for me lying there asking me to pick up the receiver however it was not that easy for me. I looked at her. She was staring at the blank monitor and her tears were sliding through her cheeks. Being with her reminded me of every moment that I have spent with her and the fact that I cannot be with her made me go Ahrr. Actually it was not her fault. Neither was mine. I don’t know what went wrong between us. May be it was me who fall in love with her knowing the fact that she already has a boyfriend. Or it was her giving me signals unknowingly that she was into me. So what was it? Love? Infatuation? Yeah I was a kind of momentary attraction. I was so happy. Just her mere presence would give me goose bumps and my heart used to race. She used to look for pretext to touch me, stealing glance in the office. But now I try to run from her and she just want to be friends. I guess something drastically changed. Yeah reality happened. She realized it was all wrong and decided to be friends. Coming out of my thoughts I tried concentrating on work. I turned on my monitor and wrote a sorry email to her. That was least I could do. She did not reply. Afterwards I got busy into work. I lost the track of time. I looked at my watch after a while and it was time to go home. I tried searching for her but she was nowhere around. I sat in my cab and plugged in my headphones just to shut of my thoughts but I did not paid heed to what my iPod was play. I was just lost in her thoughts. The cab started moving. I looked outside the window. The sky had turned orange. The sun was playing hide and seek behind the large sky scrapers. I started thinking at some point you should realise you have done too much for her. Next thing left to do is to stop. Stop this endless drama. Leave her alone. Let her go. I have to draw a line between determination and desperation. If it’s meant to be, she will come back otherwise let it be. If it is not she will never come back no matter how much I try. There was no reason to her and stop my life. Life never stops, it goes on. I guess it was the verdict of my life as well. The show must go on. Thinking about it I slipped into sleep.

Thank you for calling.....

"Thank you for calling Iyogi technical Services" I heard myself mumbling into my microphone. That’s the same thing I have been saying from a long time and now it seems I have become an IVR and it has become a routine that u will hear beep sound, press the button and starts the whole drama. And I have been doing mindless dribble from past 1 year. Not though 1 year was a long time, but I had bigger plan. I cannot be stuck here. Customers call in get their computer fixed. Ya I am the computer guy for them. But they have a less idea that they need to get their credit card ready because rather than a tech support it has now becomes a sales process and the thirst for the revenue has become so strenuous that if they have to kill me to get sales, they will not give it a second thought. With the cut throat competition the things were getting worse. But it was paying the bills. Not many people last long at this kind of job, and the ones that do tend to get lost in a daze. They space out, letting reflexes take over. Their mind far away while their body and vocal cords running the same motions it’s learned over time. Honestly I don’t even remember why I took up this. I mean I belong to a small town middle class family where I don’t have to take of an old mother or a bed ridden father or an unmarried sister. Fortunately I am the only child and a pampered one I should say. But I was not the brighter student in college; I knew I had to struggle to get myself running in this big city. So I took a job at a small company. That process got shutdown and around 250 people were thrown out. Sad huh! Well that only I got another job and that how I landed over here running between things. “Thank you for choosing Iyogi as your personal tech support. Good Karma” I heard myself saying and I was back into reality. I arched back on my chair.
It was time to have some coffee. So I stroll down to the lounge. Lately I have been having a lot of coffee. I mean you need to wide awake and active to listen to them. While returning back to my workstation, I looked around to the fish market that it has become and heard the same melody of modulated voice that I had been singing from a long time. I stopped frozen. I almost dropped my coffee cup when I realized what I heard it. My voice, I heard my voice ring out with the others. "Thank you for calling Iyogi Technical Support." I snap back to reality and I am done with another call. I never realized when I got back and took a call. The half filled warm cup of coffee was smiling at me. I got up and uneasily walked into the washroom. "It’s been a long day, I am just tired" I say to my reflection. I shake my head and splash some cold water on my face, Another 4 hours more and I can go home". I am about to walk out of the bathroom when my cell phone rings. I grab it and pick up, “Hello" I reply. “Thank you for calling Iyogi Technical Support." my voice from the other end calls out.
"Wasn’t I just in the bathroom" I thought as I look around. I look over at Sunil, the guy in the cubical next to me. “Sunil" I say, seeing he’s not on a call, "Does anything seem strange today” I asked. "Seem like sales is not happening and managers are getting on our nerve nothing new, why?" He says. “Don’t know" I reply, looking around again. “Something just doesn’t feel right somehow. I am going to go out, you in?" “Sure" He says, hanging up his headset. As I got out of the office the sun ray started hurting my eyes. God knows how long I have been in this exile. I felt been trapped over there. It’s a beautiful day, but you would never know it sitting inside, if it is day or night. They keep all the window blinds down and the office dark. They say it’s to keep the glare from the screens to a minimum, but we all know it’s to keep up focused on the job and not day dreaming about the world outside. I sit talking with Sunil for a while.

"Are you feeling okay”?" Sunil asks getting up. "Hold on one second” I say extending my hand. Thank you for calling Iyogi Technical Services"
I snap back to reality just as I am finishing up the order. I jump up as soon as I realize what I am doing, causing the chair to fall backwards. “Div, are you alright" Sunil asks as he looks over. My hands are shaking as I look at him. “Were we just outside?" I ask biting my lip. "Yeah, you seem nervous. So I asked if you were okay when we were walking back and you jumped over and took phone call before you answered" he replied with a worried look on his face. I look around, everyone is staring at me. "I...I think I need to go" I stammer out grabbing a few things off my desk. “This Is Insane" I think to myself, “I am just overworked. I’ll take tomorrow off. Get a head stall on the weekend. I’ll be fine I just have to get out of here. I paused. "Thank you for calling Iyogi Technical Services" I hoar. Suddenly I am sitting back at my desk talking into the headset. I spin around. In the cubical behind me I see me on the phone. I hear my voice coming from the desk, "Thank you for calling..." I look around. Me. I am sitting behind every desk, in every cubical around. I hear my voice coming from all of them, chanting the same phrase over and over again in like some horrible nightmare, over and over again it rings in my oar, "Thank you for calling....Thank you for calling....Thank you for calling"
I snap back to reality just as I am finishing up the order. I try to scream, I try to jump up and run away but I can’t move and I can’t speak. I watch as my arm roaches over and presses the flashing button. I pull as hard as I can but I can’t stop my finger from pressing it down. I close my eyes, I try to bite my lip, hold my tongue, anything, but nothing works. I hear the words spill clearly and perfectly from my mouth as they have thousands of times before. "Thank you for calling..." 

Lets do some catching up

It has been days that I have flickered over this blogging site. It reminds me of time when I was addicted to it. I just started looking at the comment today which brought back all the memories. It's just life has been a roller coaster ride since i have left blogging...Mmmm.. Lets just say I was on a break. But you know the feeling that inspired me to write stuff has gone. I mean I used to be sad which use to give me inspiration. But now I don't have to time to even think. Don't know what to write now. Ok lets talk about my career. Your comments can be very useful for me(If any one bothered to read this far...:P:P).

I have been working with Convergys Solution. Not though i am enthusiastic about this job. But you know what they say The best part of the job is the salary. My motive is the same. It has nothing to do with my engineering skills. No no wait a sec... It has. Engineering taught me How to "Copy-Paste". I am using it here excessively. I always wanted to be an artist. I mean not necessarily a writer... may be a guitarist or something. And let me tell you the irony of the whole situation is that being a artist you are not suppose to "Copy-Paste". By the way job is not that bad it seems so. We have been provided with XBOX 360 Kinnet to play around. Table tennis and pool too.

By the side of my job, I have joined a web designing course so that i can use my technical and creative skills together. I want to set up my own Company. Far fetched idea though i know. I want to create websites which no one has created. If that idea fail I will writing my novel. i have start writing it. I have written some 10 pages or so. Let see how it turns out to be. You people will buy one of my books...Won't you(new age marketing by emotionally blackmailing people to do things..:P:P). If that plan also fails I will come back to what I am doing now. The "Copy-paste" stuff.

Your "Vishesh tipnis" are always welcome about my career and also about my writing. Hey guys gotta rush now. Time to leave the office. I won't say good bye... Coz "Hum hai rahi pyaar ke, Phir milenge Chalte chalte...:):)"(My blog post hai ek dialogue to banta hai...:D:D)(Without filmy dialogue my blog post is incomplete)(Sorry about the non-Hindi readers...:):))

This is my new resume. Any1 wana hire me...:P:P. Scribbled by me and photoshopped by my friend. 

The Mystery of the Rose Part5

Jan 12 2:00PM

We came back home empty handed with no significant information about the killer. ‘Shona you should go to parent’s place for a while’. I said to Sonia. 

‘I am not running from this Puneet’ I saw anger in Sonia’s eyes 'he has killed my best friend. I am gonna make sure that he also dies the same way’

‘Come on Sonia you gotta be kidding me. Cases like these are hiked at some point by the media but sometimes everyone forgets the incidents.'

 ‘Don’t “come on” me Puneet. How will you feel if someone has killed Sagar right in front of your eyes? You would have let it go. I know you had issues with Pooja but…’

‘It’s not like that’ I snapped. 

She frowned. 

‘Ok baba. Don’t go. Now don’t spoil your mood’.

I hugged her from behind. Then I realized how in a big mess my room was. So we started cleaning up. We were so tired from the last night that I slept on my couch and she slept on the bed.

Jan 12 7:00 PM

I was woken up in the evening by Sagar’s call. ‘Hey dude’ I said with a sleepy voice.

‘You alright? I heard about Pooja in the news’

‘Ya kind of. But you know Sonia seems to be little upset.’

‘Ya I can understand. Come to Techillas dude. We will have some chat and Sonia’s mood will get better.’

‘Will try to convince her. But can’t promise bro. will let you know.’

‘Ok. Fine’. As I put down the phone I saw Sonia coming out of the room with half opened eyes. ‘Who was it’ she said while yawning.

‘Sagar was asking if we are coming to Techillas now.’

‘Naah I don’t have a mood. If you want you go.’

‘Come on sweetheart your mood will get better.’ I pushed her.

‘Ok but we are not drinking.’ I gave her a weird look like then what’s the use of going there.

‘Not we, you are not drinking’. 

She gave me an angry look. 

‘Look kya de rahi hai. Go get ready’.

She took around 15mins in bathroom. Till then I was browsing on my laptop. ‘Again you set on the laptop. You don’t have to get ready’

‘I just have to wear a t-shirt.’

‘Going in shorts’

‘What’s the problem’

‘Nothing’. 

I always hated this “Nothing” girls do. Eventually I found myself walking down in a jeans. I texted Sagar that we are coming. But the time we got there, Sagar had also come. ‘Had we kept you waiting.’I asked. 

‘No just came in.’ 

‘So what’s for today?’

‘If we are in Techillas then get us some Tequila’.

‘Ok then’.

‘I will still say you should not drink.’ Interrupted Sonia.

‘Oh come on Sonia just because of him we can’t let go living. I can’t let him govern our lives.’

And in the next one hour me and Sagar had 7 shots each. In the meanwhile Sonia was stuck to lime water. 

‘Don’t you think you are going way ahead of our limits Puneet’ said Sonia when I asked Sagar to get the next round.

‘Baby this is the last one. I promise’. After that we had dinner there only. By the time we got out of the bar I was little tipsy. As we were moving in the parking lot I spotted the same Audi which was following us the previous night. I said the same to Sonia.

‘Puneet you are drunk. We should get you stuffed into my car.’ The Audi burned wheels and started approaching us. I pushed Sonia to the side. The car hit and passed by me. I lied there. My vision started getting blurred. I was approaching unconsciousness. The last thing I remember was Sonia yelling for help and ‘I will not let anybody hurt you.’ I kept saying this over and over again.

The Mystery of the Rose Part4

Jan 12 7:00AM

We were having tea in bed when I switched on the TV. I put on the news channel. ‘Not the news channel again’ said Sonia. 

‘Sshhh. It’s showing news about the murderer you saw last night’. And I heard the news anchor saying ‘This is the first time that mysterious murderer has done two murders in one night that too in same apartment. One was done in flat 302 and the other one in flat 303 just opposite to that in Spring Field. According to the police…’ I muted the sound. ‘Oh my god… NO’ screamed Sonia. Pooja was murdered that night too. She started crying. We ran towards Sonia’s apartment. There was police all over the place. When we reached there one police officer stopped us.

‘Are you Ms. Sonia’?

‘Yes I am’.

‘Ma’am would you please step aside. I wanted to ask you some questions’

Sonia didn’t say anything. She was still in a shock of Pooja’s death. She was sobbing. Tears were flowing from her eyes. Her eyes have become red now. I embraced her from the side to indicate have some courage and be strong. Now the police officer asked ‘Where were you last night?’ and the pain she was holding up came out as tears. She hugged me tightly. The police officer looked at me as if asking who I was. ‘My name is Puneet. I am Sonia’s boyfriend’. Now Sonia was looking better. She started telling him about the last night. She told him each bit of it. The officer listened to her patiently. ‘Pooja’s murder was not preplanned. We could not find any rose over or near the dead body’. He said after she was finished telling her story 

‘So how can you be so sure that the person who killed both of them is same?’ 

‘The weapon used was same in both the case. A knife designed solely for military in World War II has been used and it was primarily intended for hand-to-hand or close combat fighting’

I gave a weird look to him. 

‘I googled it’ said the police officer.

‘So may be this guy belongs to military.’ 

'Previously it was not easy to get these kind of knives but nowadays its easily available in market’. Said the officer. 

I just nodded in affirmative not knowing what to say. 

‘Can you tell me what does he look like? Anything would be helpful’ he said

‘I couldn’t look properly as it was dark and he was wearing black clothes but yes he had a scar on his left cheek’.  

‘He was around 5’ 10”.’ I added. 

‘Hmm if have something new to tell here is my card.’

I took his card.


‘But you told me Pooja had the night shift in her office. What was she doing in her apartment’? I asked Sonia.

‘According to her colleagues her night shift finished early today so she came back home’ said the police officer.

With a pause he said again ‘May be the killer wanted to kill you but instead when he found Pooja there he killed her’.

Sonia felt a chill down her spine.

‘This is not a simple murder case. We are looking at homicidal maniac’ I heard the officer say as we left from there.

The Mystery of the Rose Part3

Jan 11 9:15PM

She said ‘she will be back in 5 mins’. I never believed a girl when she says that she will take 5mins to get ready. I knew Sonia is gonna take at least 30mins. As she got out of the car she asked ‘Are you not coming upstairs?’

‘Naah I am good here only. Anyways Pooja won’t like my presence. You go and change’ I said cautiously.

Pooja was Sonia’s roommate. For some stupid reason she hated me. She uses to think guys like me can’t stay faithful to one girl for a long time. I was not good enough for her. Sometime I thought she was a lesbian. It has past 25mins and it was getting hard for me to wait. I called Sonia. She didn’t pick up her call. As I got out of my car to go to Sonia’s apartment a dead body fell on my car. All the glasses were shattered. I bend down to save myself from getting hurt. I looked up. It fell from 3^rd floor. I ran towards Sonia’s apartment. I saw Sonia coming out of her building, ‘you alright? What happened?’ I yelled. Sonia was terrified. She handed keys of her car to me and asked me to get in her car and drive as fast as I can.’ Will you tell me what the fuck was that and what’s going on?’ I asked burning the wheels.’ I saw a man killing my neighbor. He was behind me. I somehow saved myself and ran out of there’. ‘Is Pooja safe’? I asked. ‘She is on night duty today’. As we were passing M G road I noticed an Audi coming rapidly towards us. ‘Wear your seat belt Sonia’ I said changing the gear. I paced on 60 to 90miles per hour but still that car was behind us. I took some swift turn drifting the vehicle. ‘I think we have lost him’ I said to Sonia. But I was wrong. On the next turn itself Sonia screamed ‘On your right’ and he hit the car. I saw him through the tinted window. He was wearing black clothes, black hat and an aviator shades. I wondered how someone can wear shades at night. Anyways I took a left turn and he had to go straight because the turn was so steep. If he had taken his chances he would have ended in colliding in the wall. Finally we were out of his reach. Sonia took a breath of relief. ‘It’s not safe going to your place for the time being’ I said to Sonia and turned my wheels to my place. I saw Sonia really scared sitting on my couch with her hands tangled around her waist. Tears rolled down her cheek. ‘Don’t worry sweetie. I am with you. I will let anybody hurt you’ and I hugged her from behind. She felt relaxed. She looked up and the distance between our lips reduced to zero. It turned into a passionate kiss and until I got to know we were out of our clothes. I got over her on the couch itself. I warned her one last time ‘you sure about this’. She shook her head while kissing. I kissed her neck played with her navel. I cuddled her for a while. We made love all night. I don’t know what went into her and made her do so but whatever it was, it made me feel wonderful. 

The Mystery of the Rose Part2

Jan 11 7:45PM

Sagar was waiting for me there already. Sagar a typical Guajarati mamma’s boy. His dad had a huge business in Ahmadabad but he wanted to do something else rather than selling sarees at one of his father’s shop. 'What the hell men… why are you late?' said Sagar

'Sorry dude. I was working late in the office. Really tired.'

'Hmm ok. So what are we having today? The usual?'

'No dude I am not in a mood to go for shots today. I will stick to beer only'

'Beer it is'

Sagar ordered beer for both of us. Then we started talking

'You know there is this serial killer all over the news today. He has raped and killed 9 females. And the interesting thing about him is the leaves a rose as his token on the dead body' I said.

'Ya I heard but police says he is psycho and he needs a psychiatrist rather than jail.'

'But eventually he will be put to jail'

Just then Sonia called. She said she will be free a little early today so I suggested her to come to Techillas. She said she will be there in 40 mins.

Jan 11 8:45PM

When Sonia reached there, I was 2 bottles down. She was looking stunning in that white dress which extended till her knees. I asked ‘Where did you get this dress’ because she always wears an office suit. She said ‘I bought this dress a year ago but never got a chance to wear it. I found it in my wardrobe this morning so wore it, thought it would be a nice change for the day’. I offered her beer knowing that she does not drink. She gave me angry look. I smiled and said ‘you look cute when you are angry’. She said ‘Do you want some more cuteness’. Sagar intervened ‘somebody is in trouble now’. I said ‘chill out baby. What happened? You seem upset’. She said it’s her boss. Then she explained about how her boss is an asshole. I was too tired to listen to her. I just “hummed” all way down the conversation. Then I bid goodbyes with Sagar and left the place. As we were moving towards the car I saw signs of worrying on her face. I said ‘Darling leave that jackass in the office. Why should we ruin our evening? Come on now give me a lovely smile’. She smiled. While getting into the car ‘I wanted to go home and changed first’ she said. I said ‘sweetheart you are looking beautiful in this dress only’. ‘Thanks but I need to take a quick shower too’ and I didn’t had any other option but to say ok. I turned the keys and brought engine to life roared a bit showing off my 1961 Mustang and drive out of the parking lot. As we were on the road it went up to 80Kmph. Sonia scolded me what are you doing Puneet. Drive slowly. And I had to go down to 40-50Kmph. I finally screeched my wheel in front of Sonia’s apartment.

The Mystery of the Rose Part1

15 Jan 06:30AM

‘You awake?’ she said 

I opened my eyes. I saw the first ray of light fall on her face, I could see a smile. It said a new day has begun. She looked at me with half opened eyes. I got lost in her innocence the flair on her face still some sleep was left in her eyes. Event of last night flash backed on to my mind. It has been a crazy week. Who thought our normal will change gears and give a mind bobbling week.

11 Jan 7:00PM

My evening has begun with regular things like coming from the office. I got myself stuffed in the beanbag watching some news. It showed some serial killer who has murdered 9 females. What amused me was he used to rape them and then murder them and put a rose as his token. Sagar has called me twice that day to come to Techillas but I was not in a mood. Mind was busy thinking about Sonia. When will she be back from her office and we will go to Barbeque Nation once I am done with few drinks at Techillas with Sagar. This has been my plan to out for some drinks with Sagar and have dinner with Sonia and return to place. Sometimes it included a romantic walk even though I had a car. Sometimes I used to stop the car in some desert place like Sonia’s apartment parking lot just to make out for a while. Sonia has a thinking of having sex after marriage only and I was ok with it. And since it has been only 1 month we have been dating. We were just so perfect for each other. She belonged to a middle class Marathi family. Dad worked in BEHL and mother was a house wife. She was mature slow going girl never done anything adventurous in her life as I wanted her to be like that. And me… I won’t say I am a rich brat but you could say we belonged to upper middle class family and being in a one of best engineering colleges in city and living alone in a flat has its own perks. I had spend many fun filled night out with my friends. Drove bikes at high speeds racing through the traffic filled streets, even drags at night. Got drunk really bad and created a scene outside the house of one of my college teacher. Luckily he was also a youngster and understood that these were the days to have fun. Now I am working in a software firm so I have to act sophisticated but sometimes my wild side comes out in weekends. So Sonia wanted some adventure in her life. No she needed it. Someone has correctly said Opposite attracts. I first saw Sonia in one of my friend’s party (although I don’t know how her parents allowed her to get to one). Anyways I was lucky we met that day. In the first meeting we were so fond of each other that we started talking even after the party ended. Then it started with a hiii on Facebook and then in messages and eventually late night calls ending with one of us sleeping while talking. We started meeting quite often. Kake da dabba was our favorites spot because it was little out of the city. We will sit under and have a moon light dinner. But today I was different. I was too tired to go out. So I was thinking of calling Sonia to my place and I will make the dinner for both of us. But when Sonia said she wanted to try something new so I couldn’t refuse her cute request. So I went to Techillas.

प्यार...? दोस्ती...? भाग 6

वो किचिन में आंटी के पास गया।


आकाश- आंटी आपको  समीर कैसा लगा….?


आंटी- अच्छा लड़का है। मिश्रा जी को हम लोग बहुत पहले से जानते है। दिल्ली में होने के बावजूद हम इन लोगो के संपर्क में थे।


आकाश- आपने देखा जिया का स्वभाव समीर के सामने बदल जाता है।


आंटी- हाँ वो तो है। लेकिन तुम कहना क्या चाहते हो?


आकाश- मै ये बोल रहा हूँ की आप जिया और समीर की बात मिश्रा अंकल से क्यों नहीं करते।


आंटी- ना बाबा ना। पिछली बार तुम्हारी और जिया की जब बात की थी तो वो बहुत गुस्सा हो गयी थी।


आकाश- अच्छा मै जिया से बात करता हूँ फिर आप जिया से बात कर लेना।


समीर के जाने के बाद जिया और आकाश बात करने लगे।


आकाश- अच्छा बंदा है ना समीर


जिया- ठीक है।


आकाश- हाँ हाँ जब सामने बेठा हुआ था तेरी नज़र उससे हट नहीं रही थी।


जिया- एसा कुछ नहीं है।


आकाश- सच्ची सच्ची बता. अच्छा लगा ना तुझे वो।


जिया- परेशान मत कर।


आकाश- बता ना। मुझसे क्या शर्मा रही है।


जिया(मुस्कुरा के)- हाँ अच्छा था।


आकाश- तो तेरी बात करवाता हूँ।


जिया- तू पागल है क्या...


आकाश- बचपन से


जिया– बकवास मत कर


आकाश- जब तू उससे बात कर रही थी तेरी शक्ल देखना चाहिए थी। मै आंटी से बोलता हूँ कि तेरी और उसकी 
तेरी बात करने के लिए।


जिया- अभी रुक जा थोड़ी समय।


आकाश जिया को डेरी मिल्क किलकार बोलता है


आकाश- चल खा ली ना डेरी मिल्क चल अब शुभ काम भी कर ले। शुभ काम मे देरी कैसी?


आकाश जिया की मम्मी के पास गया और मुस्कुराने लगा।


आंटी- क्या हुआ?


आकाश- आपकी लड़की ने हाँ बोल दी है। शादी की तयारियां शुरू कीजिये।


आंटी- शादी… अभी उन लोगो से बात भी नहीं हुई है।


आकाश-  वैसे भी उन्हें जिया जैसी अच्छी बहू कहा मिलेगी? वैसे भी इसकी जल्दी शादी करवाओ। इसको मना कर दिया तो लड़का नहीं मिलेगा


आंटी- हट पागल...!!!


थोड़े दिन के बाद समीर और जिया की शादी हो गयी। उसके कुछ दिन के बाद आकाश और अनामिका ने भी शादी कर ली।


अनामिका- जल्दी चलिए देर हो रही है। जिया और समीर  इंतज़ार कर रहे है।


आकाश अपनी यादों से बाहर आया और महसूस किया की वो वहाँ पीछे 5 min से खड़ा है। आज समीर और जिया की शादी की दूसरी सालगिरह थी। आकाश ने जल्दी से अपना कोट उठाया और समीर जिया और अनामिका के साथ डिनर पर चला गया।

प्यार...? दोस्ती...? भाग 5

अब रोज़ रात को अनामिका और आकाश के बीच मेसेज का सिलसिला चलता। ये सिलसिला फ़ोन में तब्दील हो  गया। आकाश दिन में जिया को पिछली रात की कहानी सुनाता।


आकाश- Thanks यार। तेरी वजह से मुझे मेरा सच्चा  प्यार मिल गया। अब मै तुझे लड़का पटाने में मदद करूँगा।


जिया- तू रहने दे। किसी भी लड़के को पटना मेरे बाये हाथ का खेल है।


आकाश- हाँ तो ठीक है ना। देखते है।


एक दिन जिया अपनी मम्मा के साथ शौपिंग करने गयी। जिया और आंटी के हाथ में बहुत सारे बेग थे। तभी 
एक लड़का सामने से आकर बोला “हेलो आंटी क्या मै आपकी मदद कर सकता हूँ।”


आंटी- Its ok बेटा। हम लोग बस पास ही में जा रहे थे।


लड़का- पास में…? मुझे लगा आप लोग घर जा रहे थे।


इतने में जिया बोल पड़ी।


जिया- तुम्हे कैसे पता हमारा घर कहाँ है। तुम हमारा पीछा कर रहे हो।


लड़का- लगता है आंटी आपने मुझे पहचाना नहीं। जिया को मै दोष नहीं दूंगा बहुत साल हो चुके है उसे मुझे देखे हुए।


आंटी(थोड़ी सोच के)- नहीं बेटा सॉरी।


लड़का- आंटी मै समीर।


आंटी- समीर… अरे तुम मिश्रा जी के लड़के हो ना।


समीर मुस्कुरा दिया। जिया अभी तक समझ नहीं पाई थी।


आंटी- बेटा इतने साल कहाँ थे। कितने बड़े हो गए हो।


समीर- आंटी डैड के ट्रान्सफर के बाद वापस यहाँ आना ही नहीं हुआ। बस वही के हो के रह गए। डैड के retirement  के बाद वो बोले की यही वापस आके रहना सही है।


आंटी(जिया से)- बेटा ये समीर है। तुम्हारे और आकाश के साथ स्कूल में था।


समीर- अरे हाँ आकाश कहाँ है? क्या कर रहा है वो आजकल?


आंटी- बेटा अब तुम घर चलो वही सारी बातें करेंगे। सबसे मिल भी लेना। आकाश भी अभी यही है।


समीर- लाइए आंटी अब तो कुछ बेग मुझे दे दीजिये।


जिया- हाँ थोड़े से मेरे से भी ले लो। बहुत भारी है।


समीर- इतनी हट्टी कट्टी लड़की हो खुद नहीं उठा सकती।


आंटी और समीर हंस दिए। जिया झेप गयी। ये लोग जिया के घर के ओर चल दिए।


आंटी(घर पर)- जिया आकाश को कॉल करके यही बुला लो।


जिया(फोन पर)- ओये क्या कर रहा है।


आकाश- कुछ ख़ास नहीं क्यों …।


जिया- घर आ जा मम्मा ने बुलाया है।


आकाश- कोई ख़ास काम…।


जिया- मेरे और तेरी शादी की बात करने के लिए नहीं बुला रही है। तू सवाल बहुत पूछता है।


आकाश- अच्छा ठीक है। आ रहा हूँ।


आकाश जैसे ही जिया के घर में घुसा सोफे पर बता समीर बोल पड़ा।


समीर- आओ ठाकुर आओ।


आकाश- अबे समीर तू यहाँ… कैसे? मेरा मतलब है कितने टाइम के बाद मिल रहा है. What’s up man?


समीर- अँगरेज़ की औलाद सुधर जा।


जिया(आंटी से)- मुझे कैसे याद नहीं समीर।


आंटी- पता नहीं।


जिया बस समीर को देखता ही जा रही थी।


आकाश - कहाँ खो गयी जिया।


जिया- मै…मुझे क्या हुआ है?


आकाश स्थिति को बांपता हुआ बोला- और समीर, कोई girlfriend है की नहीं।


समीर(जिया को देखता हुए)- कहा यार आजकल अच्छी लडकियों मिलती कहाँ है।


समीर और जिया के बीच की chemistry आकाश ने महसूस कर ली थी।

प्यार...? दोस्ती...? भाग 4

अगले दिन आकाश और जिया फिल्म देखने गए।


आकाश- हम ये फिल्म देखने क्यों आए है।


जिया- मुझे ये फिल्म देखनी है इसलिए।


आकाश- तुझे पता है ना मुझे love stories पसंद नहीं है।


जिया- चल चुपचाप अभी।


जैसे ही आकाश ठेटर में घुसा, उसे एक लड़की दिखाई दी और वो उसे 
देखता ही रह गया। बिलकुल हिंदी फिल्म का सीन चल रहा हो जैसे। उसके लिए समय जैसे वही ठहर गया। वो वापस अपने होश में तब आया जब जिया ने उसे हिलाया और कहा “क्या हुआ बे”


आकाश- जिया मुझे प्यार हो गया.


जिया- किसे...?


आकाश- वो सामने लड़की देख रही है। उससे।


जिया- तू पागल तो नहीं हो गया ना. बस एक बार किसी को देखा और प्यार हो गया। एसा थोड़ी ना होता है।


आकाश- हाँ होता है। तुझे नहीं पता क्या। तेरे शाहरुख की फिल्म में तो होता है। मै तो इसी से शादी करूँगा। तुने कहा था ना की तू मेरे लिए लड़की ढून्देगी। इसे पटाने में मेरी मदद कर।


जिया- मै क्या मदद करू।


आकाश सोचने लगा और सोचते सोचते अपनी सीट पर आकर बेठ गया। वो अभी सोच ही रहा था कि वो लड़की उसके साथ वाली सीट पर आकर बेठ गयी। उसके एक तरफ जिया बेठी थी और दूसरी तरफ वो लड़की।


जिया- अबे ये ही वो लड़की है ना। सोलिड किस्मत है तेरी।


आकाश- किसी महान व्यक्ति ने कहा है(अपने शाहरुख ने ) अगर किसी 
चीज़ को दिल से चाहो तो पूरी कायनात उसे तुमसे मिलाने की कोशिश में लग जाती है।


जिया- बस बस ज्यादा ड़ाइलोग मत मार और मुझे उसके पास बेठने दे तभी तो में उससे बात कर पाऊँगी।


आकाश- नहीं मुझे उसे देखना है। तू फिलहाल फिल्म देख और मुझे उससे देखने दे।  तू इंटरवल में उससे बात कर लेना जब में तेरे लिए पोपकोर्न लेने जाऊंगा।


जिया- लेकिन…


आकाश- Ssss… चुपचाप फिल्म देख।


इंटरवल के बाद जब आकाश वापस आकर बेठा तो वो लड़की आकाश से बोली “हेलो मेरा नाम अनामिका है”


आकाश- "आकाश"।


और दोनों हाथ मिलते है।


आकाश(जिया के तरफ देखते हुए)- तुने इसको क्या बोला।


जिया- ये लडकियों का राज़ है। तू आम खा ना गुठलिया क्यों गिन रहा है।


आकाश - बता ना


जिया- Ssss… चुपचाप मूवी देखने दे। तू उससे बात कर।


आकाश(अनामिका से)- ये love stories कितनी interesting होती है।


अनामिका- तुम लड़के होकर ये बोल रहे हो।


आकाश- हम भी एक लेखक है। थोड़ी बहुत love stories हम भी लिख लेते है. Professionally I am a pilot.


अनामिका- Wow. मै interior designer हूँ।


जिया(आकाश का कल्लर पकड़ते हुए)- तू कितना कमीना है।


आकाश- Guys are supposed to be “kamina”


जब तक फिल्म ख़तम हुई अनामिका और आकाश की अच्छी दोस्ती हो चुकी थी। दोनों ने एक दुरसे से नंबर लिया और अपने अपने घर चले गए।

प्यार...? दोस्ती...? भाग 3

कुछ दिन बाद जिया और आकाश का 10th का रिजल्ट आया। दोनों के बहुत अच्छे नंबर आये। जिया ने कॉमर्स ले लिया और आकाश ने गणित। आकाश NDA की तयारी के लिए दिल्ली चला गया। आकाश का NDA में चयन हो गया और वो देहरादून चला गया। यहाँ जिया B.Com पड़ने लगी। रोज़ फ़ोन पर बात होती थी। जब चार साल बाद आकाश ट्रेनिंग खत्म कर के घर आया तो हर कोई खुश था। तब जिया B. Com कर रही थी।  आकाश जिया से मिलने गया. जिया के पापा उसे समझा रहे थे की उन्होंने जिया के लिए लड़का देखा है लेकिन जिया शादी करने से इनकार कर रही थी। उसे अपनी पढाई पूरी करनी थी।


अंकल- जिया मैने तुम्हारे लिए एक लड़का पसंद किया है।


जिया- पापा मुझे अभी शादी नहीं करनी है। मुझे MBA करना है।


आकाश (घर में घुसते हुए)-कर ले ना शादी वैसे भी शादी के बाद तो तुझे घर पर ही बेठना है। कौन सा तेरे ससुराल वाले तुझे काम करने देंगे।


अंकल- अरे आकाश… तुम कब आये?


आकाश- बस अंकल सुबह ही आया।


जिया- तू चुप रह। तू आया ही क्यों? तू फ़ोन पर ही अच्छा लगता है।


अंकल- जिया…


आकाश- हाँ हाँ तभी कोई मुझसे कह रहा था की तू जल्दी आ। तेरे बिना मज़ा नहीं आता। I miss you


अंकल- अच्छा जिया लड़का बहुत अच्छा है और तुम शादी के बाद भी पढाई पूरी कर सकती हो। लड़के को कोई प्रॉब्लम नहीं होगी। वो लोग हमारे अच्छे dost है। बल्कि तुम भी उनको जानती हो। लड़का बहुत होशियार है


अंकल(आकाश की तरफ देखता हुए)- वो air force में है।


जिया- पापा कौन है?


जिया और आकाश एक दुसरे को देखते है।


जिया- पापा प्लीस ये नहीं बोलना की वो आकाश है।


अंकल- हाँ वो ही तो है। क्यों कोई प्रॉब्लम है क्या? तुम दोनों एक दुसरे को बचपन से जानते हो।


जिया- आपने एसा सोच भी  कैसे लिया की मै और आकाश एक दुसरे से प्यार करते है।


अंकल- अरे मै तुम दोनों को बचपन से देख रहा हूँ। आज तक तुम दोनों ने कभी कोई बॉयफ्रेंड या गर्लफ्रेंड नहीं  बनाया और अगर कोई तुम दोनों के बीच आना चाहा तो तुम्हारी नजदीकियों ने किसी को जगह नहीं दी। हर  कोई यहाँ पडोसी रिश्तेदार यही जानते है की तुम दोनों ही शादी करोगे।


जिया- लोग तो कुछ भी कहते है। लोगो का तो काम ही होता है कहना। ये आकाश ने आपसे कुछ कहा क्या?


जिया(आकाश से)- ओये खडूस तुझे मुझसे शादी करनी है...? मुह तोड़ दूंगी तेरा मै।


आकाश जो इतनी देर से उन दोनों की बातें सुन रहा था बोल पड़ा- पागल है क्या...नहीं


आकाश(अंकल से)- हम दोनों एक दूसरे से प्यार नहीं करते है। माना की हम हमेशा एक दूसरे के साथ रहते है, एक दूसरे को परेशान करते है, कभी कभी एक दूसरे की मदद भी करते है। Basically अंकल we are friend. Jiya is my best friend not my girlfriend


अंकल- बेटा ये तुम क्या कह रहे हो। तुमने तो हमारी चिंता बड़ा दी। हम तो ये ही सोच के बेठे थे की तुम दोनों आपस मे शादी करोगे. बल्कि मैने तुम्हारे मम्मी पापा से भी बात कर ली थी।


जिया- पापा आपको हमसे पहले पूछना तो चाहिए था।


आकाश- आप टेंशन ना लो अंकल मै इसके लिए कोई लूला लंगड़ा अँधा बहरा जैसा भी कोई ना कोई लड़का ढून्ढ के लूँगा।


Jiya- ओये….


आकाश- क्यों तुझे लड़की चाहिए क्या…


जिया- तू पिटेगा मुझसे।


आकाश- नहीं बता दे चाहिए तो... 


जिया- नहीं। और मै तेरे लिए कोई काली बेंगी डायन टाइप की लड़की ढून्ढ के लुंगी।


आकाश- चल तो फिर ये तय रहा की तू मेरे लिए लड़की ढून्देगी और मै तेरे लिए लड़की।


जिया- ओये...


आकाश- अच्छा ठीक है लड़का।


अंकल- आजकल के बचे उफ़। हमारे ज़माने मे तो शादी हो जाती थी फिर पता चलता था की लड़की कौन है।


आकाश- अंकल अब वो ज़माना गया। हम नयी पीडी के बच्चे है।


आकाश जिया को लेकर उसके कमरे मै जाते हुए उसके कंधे पर हाथ रखता है और कहता है “वैसे आईडिया बुरा नहीं है तेरे लिए भी लड़की ढूँढने है। क्या बोलती है ”


जिया -लात खायगा या घूंसा…

प्यार...? दोस्ती...? भाग 2

समय अपनी रफ़्तार से चल रहा था। किसी को खबर भी नहीं हुई और  ये दोनों बड़े होते चले गए। देखते ही देखते दोनों 16 साल के हो गए एक बार देर रात आकाश जिया के घर की खिड़की से जिया के रूम में घुसा। जिया अपने बिस्तर पर लेती हुई थी।

आकाश(फुसफुसाते हुए)- hey जिया…. सो गयी क्या मोटी….?

जिया को लगा खिड़की पर कोई है वो चिल्लाने ही वाली थी की आकाश बोल पड़ा।

आकाश- ओये चिल्लाना मत. मै हूँ यार आकाश।

जिया खिड़की तक गयी।

जिया- आकाश इस समय तू यहाँ क्या कर रहा है। पापा ने देख लिया तो बहुत गुस्सा करेंगे। तू जा यहाँ से। आकाश खिड़की से अंदर आ जाता है।

जिया- ये क्या कर रहा है। मै तुझे जाने के लिए बोल रही हूँ और तू अन्दर आ रहा है।

आकाश- बाहर लटकता हुआ अच्छा नहीं लग रहा था। पडोसी देखेंगे तो क्या सोचेंगे।

जिया- तू पागल है क्या।

आकाश- बचपन से। अच्छा वो छोड़ मुझे कुछ पैसे उधार चाहिए।

जिया - पहले से ही तुझे मेरे को Rs 1000 देने है न।


आकाश- दे दूंगा ना। मै कहाँ भागा जा रहा हूँ।

तभी दरवाज़े पर दस्तक हुई है  “जिया तुम सो गयी क्या”

जिया- नहीं मम्मा बस सोने ही जा रही थी।

जिया(आकाश से)- तू अलमारी में छुप जा. जल्दी!!!

आकाश अलमारी में जा के छुप जाता है और जिया दरवाज़ा खोलती है।

आंटी- ये लो जिया ढूढ़ पी लो। अच्छी नींद आएगी।

जिया- मम्मा आपको पता है ना मुझे ढूध पीना पसंद नहीं है।

आंटी- चल चुपचाप  पी ले अब। वो आकाश को देख रोज़ ढूध पीता है ना।

जिया ने कुछ सोचा और कहा "अच्छा ठीक है आप टेबल पर रख दो मै पी 
लुंगी।"

आंटी टेबल पर ढूध रख  कर चली गयी। जैसे ही आंटी बाहर निकली आकाश अलमारी मे से निकला।

आकाश- कितनी गर्मी थी अन्दर। में बस मरने ही वाला था।

जिया- ये ले ढूध पी ले।

आकाश- लेकिन ये ढूध तो तेरे लिए है ना।

जिया- तुझे पता है ना मुझे ढूध कितना पसंद है. चल अब चुपचाप पी ले 


आकाश- लेकिन...


जिया- पैसे चाहिए की नहीं...

आकाश- ये अच्छी ज़बरदस्ती है।

जिया- कितने चाहिए?

आकाश- Rs 500

जिया- अबे क्या घर से भाग रहा है।

आकाश- नहीं दोस्तों के साथ long drive पर जा रहा हूँ। पेट्रोल के पैसे 
नहीं है।

जिया पर्स से पैसे निकलते हुए “कब वापस देगा”

आकाश- जल्दी दे दूंगा मेरी जान।

वो  जिया को किस किया और खिड़की से नीचे चला गया। जिया खिड़की  पर कड़ी हो कर उससे जाते हुए देखी और मुस्कुराने लगी। तभी उसकी मम्मी आई “ढूध पी लिया तुमने. Very good।


जिया ठिठक गयी।


आंटी - खिड़की पर क्या कर रहो। ठण्ड लग जाएगी। चलो खिड़की बंद करो।


जिया वापस अपने बिस्तर पर आ कर लेट गयी।