{PLEASE IGNORE THE SPELLING AND THE GRAMMAR MISTAKES}

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"I can't believe this..." Neil sits with a sigh on a couch in Anubhav's cabin. Anubhav who is looking outside the window, turned to him.

He says, "Vishwas toh hume bhi nahi raha hain, Neil. Jise hum apna mitr samajhte the woh iss seema tak pahunch jaayengi... Yeh humne kabhi nahi socha tha."

"Oh please Anu..., hum shuru se jaante the ki Kamya koi achchhi ladki nahi hain. Humne aur Karishma ne kitna samjhane ki koshish ki aapko. Par aapne kabhi humari baaton ko seriously nahi liya. Dekh liya na anjaam! Woh ladki iss had tak gir gayi ki kisi maasoom ki jaan lene chali thi" Neil replies with frustration.

Anubhav takes a pause, "Aap sahi keh rahe hain, Neil. Galti humari hain. Humse insaan pehchaan mein galti ho gayi. Aur iska dand kisi aur ko bhugatna pada. Humari wajah se Haseena ji ke Ammi ke jeevan par ban aayi!" His eyes are holding pain and guilt.

Neil notices it. He stands up, goes near him, and says while putting his hand on Anubhav's shoulder. "Anu, aise khud ko doshi mat tehraayiye. Aapki koi galti nahi hain. Na aapko maaloom tha aur na hi hume ki Kamya itna gir sakti hain. Please, don't blame yourself. Par ek baat hume samajh nahi aayi. Aapko Kamya par shak kaise hua?"

Anubhav takes a deep breath and replies, "Jis din humne unn do gundo ka maara tha, ussi din hum swayam unke sthan (place) par gaye the. Kuch samay wanha par rehkar kuch dhundhne ka prayas kar rahe the. Tab hi hume ek anguthi mili. Woh anguthi hume kuch jaani pehchaani si lagi. Parantu hume yaad nahi aa raha tha ki humne usse kanha dekha hain. Humne usse apne paas rakh liya."

He sits on his chair and continues, "Phir uske agle din...

Flashback:-

"Kamya?" Anubhav entered Kamya's home while shouting her name. 

A servant approached him and said, "Babu ji, Kamya mem sahab kamre mein hain."

"Thik hain" He said and went to her room.

He saw her lying in the blanket with a pale face. He slowly came near her and sat beside her. He put his hand on her forehead to check her temperature. It was hot. She slowly opened her eyes. She passed a small smile to him. He just looked at her. 

"AV..., Tumhe yanha?" She tried to get up but he stopped her, "Kamya, uthiye mat. Leti rahiye."

He looked at her and added, "Woh hume doorbhash aaya tha ki aapki tabiyat bahut kharab hain aur ghar mein chacha chachi bhi nahi hain. Toh hum aapse milne aa gaye. Itna bukhar kaise aaya aapko? Aur aap chikitsalay gayi thi? Vaidya se mili aap?"

"Kis stupid ne tumhe phone kiya tha, AV? Maine bas itna kehne ko bola tha ki aaj main meeting attend nahi kar sakti. Sorry, AV. Meri wajah se tumhara poora din kharab ho gaya" She looked into his eyes making an emotional face.

"Kaisi baatein kar rahi hain aap, Kamya? Aap humari sakhi hain. Mahavidyalay ke dino se hum jaante hain aapko. Aapke liye itna toh kar hi sakte hain. Aur karya ka kya hain. Ek hi din ki toh baat hain. Karya kal kar lenge."

She got up and smiled at him, "AV, you are such a sweetheart. Tum mere liye apna saara kaam chhodkar aaye. I am pleased to see this. Tumhare jaisa aur koi bhi nahi iss duniya mein. I love you." 

She immediately hugged him. He was not ready for this. After a few seconds, he wrapped his arms around her and soon broke the hug.

"Aapne kuch khaya?" He asked.

"Haan... Khana bhi khaya aur dawayi bhi le li" She smiled, "Waise itna khayal mat rakha karo mera. Warna mujhe tumhari aadat pad jaayegi. Aur phir main din raat tumhi se chipki rahungi dekho" She chuckled.

He didn't answer her. He wanted to divert the topic when his eyes fell on her hand. There was a tattoo with written 'A' in the heart. It was unique with a bit different style. He is surprised to see this.

He held his hand and asked her while looking at that tattoo, "Kamya... Yeh... Yeh kab banwaya aapne? Aur isme yeh 'A' kyun likha hain? Aapka naam toh 'K' se prarambh hota hain..."

"Par tumhara toh 'A' se shuru hota hain naa..." She replied in a husky tone.

He raised his face and looked into her eyes. She smiled and tried to cover up, "Mazak kar rahi hoon. Maine actually 'K' hi bola tha par uss artist ne 'A' sun liya."

"Aise kaise? Jab woh isko bana raha tha tab aapne dekha nahi?"

She pauses a little and said, "Anu, tum mera interrogation kyun kar rahe ho?"

He makes a sad face, "Nahi aisa nahi hain, Kamya. Humara sawal puchhna yadi aapko bura laga toh hum kshama chahte hain."

She smiled and pulled his cheeks, "Kitne cute ho tum? Tumhari kisi bhi baat ka mujhe kabhi bhi bura nahi lag sakta, AV. Because you are very special to me. You are my best friend."

He passed a forced smile and she replied, "Woh actually tattoo karte waqt mujhe bahut dard ho raha tha toh maine aankhein band kar rakhi thi iss liye maine dhyaan nahi diya."

"Ohh..." He nodded but was not convinced by her answer. 

She held his hand and said, "Waise AV, aaj aise baat karke na college ke din yaad aa gaye. Tumhe yaad hain hum kaise pehle aise hi baatein kiya karte the canteen mein aur park mein. Kitna maza aata tha naa tab."

He shook his head, "Haan... Woh toh h..." 

He stopped talking midway when he noticed her ring finger. there was a white mark on her ring finger. It usually happens when someone removes the ring after a long time. 

He asked, "Kamya, aap shayad anguthi pehanti thi naa... Aaj kyun nahi pehni?"

"Kya baat hain, AV... Tum toh meri har chhoti si chhoti baat ka dhyaan rakhte ho. Kanhi pyaar toh nahi ho gaya mujhse tumhe?" She winked at him.

He glared at her. She smiled and said, "Sorry... Sorry... Mazak kar rahi thi. But achchha laga yeh jaankar ki tum aise meri baaton par dhyaan dete ho. Woh actually uss ring se mujhe bahut irritation hone lagi thi. Ungli mein khujli aur dard bhi ho raha tha. Iss liye maine nikal kar pocket mein rakhi thi par pata nahi kanha gir gayi. Mil hi nahi rahi hain" Her answer seemed genuine.

His mind was filling with various thoughts. He looked here and there and saw his college day pic on the wall. In her room? Why? Why did she put his pic in her room? 

He thought in his mind, "Yeh sab kya ho raha hain? Kamya ke kaksh mein humara chitra. Aur Kamya ka vyavhar bhi kuch dino se alag hi lag raha hain. Aur tab toh aur bhi ajeeb lag raha hain jab Haseena ji humare aas paas rehti hain. Uss aadmi ne marne se pehle kaha tha ki jis ladki ne Haseena ji ko maarne ke liye kaha tha uske haath mein gudaan tha. Kamya ke haath mein bhi hain. Aur jo anguthi hume mili... Kanhi woh Kamya ki toh nahi?"

He again added looking at Kamya, "Nahi nahi, Kamya aisa nahi kar sakti? Woh aisa kyun karengi? Unki aur Haseena ji kya shatruta hain? Kuch nahi! Kadachit hum kuch adhik hi soch rahe hain. Aur rahi baat humari chitra ki toh Kamya ke humara atirikt (alawa) koi aur mitra nahi hain. Aaj tak unhone humse apni saari baatein batayi hain. Woh hume apna sachcha mitr samjhti hain. Kadachit issi liye humara chitra lagaya ho unhone."

"Kanha kho gaye?" His chain of thoughts was broken by Kamya's voice.

He replied, "Aa... Ka... Kanhi nahi. Aap abhi vishram kijiye. Aur karya ki chinta mat kijiye. Abhi sabse adhik mahatvapurn hain aapka swasth. Abhi hum chalte hain. Yadi koi avashyakata ho toh hume nisankoch doorbhash kar lena. Thik hain?"

She nodded with a smile and hugged him. He too hugged her back and left that place.

Flashback ends.

Neil is silent after hearing this. He doesn't know what to say. 

Anubhav says with a sigh, "Pata hain, Neil, humne swayam ko bahut samjhane ka prayatna kiya ki Kamya aisa nahi kar sakti. Avashya humhari galatfahmi hongi. Parantu Haseena ji ke chinta ne hume vivash kar diya ki hum Kamya par sandeh kare. Iss liye hum pichhle kuch dino se jaanbhujhkar Kamya ke saath samay vyatit karte the. Aur humne jo Kamya ko naya doorbhash diya woh asal mein ek 'hacked' doorbhash tha. Aur usme aise upakaran bhi lage the jisse hume unki baatein sunayi de. Aur ant mein humara sandeh sahi nikla!"

He speaks in a stern tone, "Haseena ji par humla Kamya ne hi karwaya tha. Parantu unki jagah unki Ammi ko goliyan lag gayi. Hum kabhi soch bhi nahi sakte the ki Kamya iss seema tak jaa sakti hain."

Neil sarcastically chuckles, "You know, Anu. I am not even surprised! Aapko kuch samajh aaya ki Kamya ne aisa kyun kiya?"

Anubhav looks at him and he speaks, "Aapki tasveer Kamya ke room mein hona, uske haath par 'A' ka tattoo hona, aur uska aapke karib rehne ke bahane dhudhna, yeh sab kya hain? Clearly pata chal raha hain ki she loves you. No! Actually, she is obsessed with you. Aur woh tattoo... koi galti se nahi hua. 'A for Anubhav'. Woh iss kadar aapke pyaar mein pad gayi hain ki aapko paane ke liye woh kisi bhi had tak jaa sakti hain."

"Yadi aisa hain toh in sab mein Haseena ji kanha se aayi? Unhone kya bigada tha Kamya ka?" Anubhav asks with frustration. 

Neil smiles, "Because you love Haseena. Aur yeh baat Kamya ko achchhi nahi lagti. Woh toh apne raste ko kaate ko hateyegi hi naa..."

"Kya bakwas kar rahe hain aap? Aisa kuch bhi nahi hain. Aur na hi kabhi hoga. Hum kisi se prem nahi karte. Yeh sab vichar tyag dijiye aap" Anubhav angrily asks him.

Neil too becomes angry at his reply. He is just fed up with Anubhav's stubborn behavior. He says, "Bakwas hum kar rahe hain? Wah! Hum jo keh rahe hain usse sachchai kehte hain Anubhav Sir. Par aapko toh ab sachchai se door bhagne mein maza aata hain. Hume samajh nahi aa raha hain ki jo cheez aapko pata hain usko maan-ne mein kya problem hain aapko?"

He pauses and sternly continues, "Humne ab tak bahut bardast kar liya, Anu. Hum jaante hain ki Santu ke incident ke baad aapki, humari aur baki sabki life poori tarah se badal gayi hain. Hum jaante hain ki uss incident ke wajah se aapke dil mein yeh darr baith gaya hain ki aapke apno ko kuch ho jaayega aur aap kuch nahi kar paaoge! Iss liye har ek family member ke aas paas chaar chaar body guards chhupakar rakhe hain."

"Anubhav, jo hua usme aapki koi galti nahi thi. Par phir bhi aapne yeh bina wajah ka guilt le rakha hain. C'mon, change yourself. Santu ke saath jo hua na woh aapke bas mein tha aur na hi kisi aur ke. Toh kyun phir uss baat ko lekar aap khud se itna gussa hain. Gunehgaaro ko saza toh dedi naa apne... Ab kya bacha hain!?"

He runs his hand in his hair and continues, "Anu, sab kuch thik ho sakta hain agar aap chahe toh! Par aapke liye na aapka yeh guilt ab aapka ego ban chuka hain. Chhodna hi nahi chahte aap isko! Kya problem hain aapko? Kya problem hain... Kya problem hain aapko ghar jaakar aaram se apni maa aur behan ke saath do pyaar bhari baatein karne mein? Woh maa saalon se taras gayi hain aapki hasi dekhne ke liye. Woh behan aaj bhi intezaar karti hain ki kab aap uske saath pehle jaise masti mazak karenge."

Anubhav is just staring at him.

He continues, "Anubhav, jo dard aapne saha hain woh unhone bhi saha hain. Aur humne bhi saha hain. Santu humari bhi behan hain. Hum bhi utna hi tadapte hain unke liye jitna aap. Par hum aur baki sab koshish toh karte hain naa aage badhne ki. Khud liye nahi, balki ek dusre ke liye. Par aap apni zid ke wajah se na sirf khud ki balki bakiyon ki bhi khushiyan chheen rahe hain."

He takes a deep breath and speaks softly, "Itne saalon baad Haseena mein ek ummid ki kiran dikhayi thi hume. Laga tha ki shayad woh aapke dard ko mitakar aapko phir se hasna sikhayengi. Magar hum bhool gaye ki patthar par kitna bhi paani daaloge toh kuch nahi hoga. Aap woh patthar ban gaye hain jo logon ko siwaye thokro ke kuch nahi deta. Hum thank chuke hain abhi aapko yeh samjhate samjhate ki sach maan lene se aur khud ko ek dobara mauka dene se aapki naak nahi kat jaayegi."

He takes two steps forward and looks into his eyes. He says in a strict tone and moist eyes, "I done you. I am so done with you, Anubhav Singh! Ab iske aage hume aapse kuch nahi kehna. Aap jaane aur aapka ego. Bye"

He turns and starts to leave the place.

"Neil" Anubhav softly calls his name but Neil ignores. 

"Neil rukiye to..." Anubhav's words stop as Neil disappears from his sight. Anubhav's heart is in pain. He doesn't know how to respond. He closes his eyes to let his tears fall. He shall not care if those words were said by someone else. But it's Neil who said all of this to him.  His best friend! It hurts a lot. This is the first time he cried ever since he became THE GARUD!