Hai Tujhe Bhi Izazat

Chapter 54

"Which floor and what is her flat number?" he asked the watchman when he returned.

"5th floor, apartment no. 508," the watchman told him.

He went to the ground floor and waited for the lift for a few minutes. Then he went to the 5th floor and stood in front of her apartment with his hands full of paper bags. He rang the bell once, heard some shuffling from the other side and the door opened.

In front of him stood Aaradhya in a blue and white short kurti with white pants. Her hair in a messy bun. And eyes wide. She blinked at him a few times as if she was making sure he was really present there.

"Abhi?"  she asked.

"Do I look like someone else?" he asked.

"N.. No. Why.. What. Why are you here?" she asked stammering.

"I have a friend who lives nearby. Came to meet him. Had nothing better to do. So I thought I'd check on you," he told her.

"Oh!" she said.
"You went grocery shopping?" she said when she saw him handling three full bags.

"This is for you. Your watchman was bringing it here, so I took it from him," he told her.

"Oh! Sorry for the inconvenience," she said trying to take the bags from him.

"These are heavy. I'll keep it inside. If that's comfortable with you," he said.
Good job at returning from the door! Well done.

"Yeah, of course," she said getting aside and letting him enter her flat. She should have cleaned it properly, today. She looked around and regretted wasting the day lazily. What will he think? She is such a messy person. But he knows she is not a messy person. Yeah, he knows that.

"Nice place," Abhi said looking around.

"Thanks. I did not clean today. Usually, it is much more organised," she blabbered. And then she cringed. There was no need to give this additional information, Aaradhya. Good job at embarrassing yourself.

"I am sure about that," he said softly. He knows how much of a clean freak she is.

"You want some tea or coffee?" she asked to change the subject.

"Tea will do," he said. What in the freaking hell is wrong with him? He had to say 'no thanks,' and leave. He is going to get his head checkup tomorrow morning, for sure.

"Ok, you can sit here," she said signalling towards the couch.

When Aaradhya went to take the packet of milk from the bag, she found it filled with green veggies. Didn't she tell Hari Ram not to bring them? Did he exchange her packets with someone else? She called him.

"There are green veggies in my bags. I told you not to bring them," Abhi heard her talking to someone. Obviously that someone would be the watchman. Now he will tell her that it was Abhi who bought all this. Abhi sighed and prepared himself to answer some questions that were coming his way in a few seconds.

"You bought these?" she asked as she came from the dining table to the couch.

"I did," he admitted.

"But you told me that you took these bags from the watchman."

"I lied."

"What was the need to do this? Hari Ram brings things for me and others who live in this building frequently."

"Yeah. You told him no green veggies and he obliged,"

"I don't like them," she scrunched her nose.

"You have to eat healthy," he told her.

"I know. That's why I asked for fruits. And I have decided to eat beetroot daily. And it's juice too. But I cannot eat these," she said pointing towards the bag filled with green vegetables.

"What are you? A five-year-old child. Eat everything that I bought," he told her.

"I will not. You can't force me," she said adamantly.

"Ok. It's your wish," he said taking out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket.

"What is that thing still doing in your pocket."

"Waiting for a chance to get used."

"I cannot believe this. You are going to blackmail me with this for eating some tasteless vegetables!" she exclaimed.

"Yes," he said rolling the packet in his hand.

"No, you'll not do that," she said.

"Try me," he challenged her.

"This is a very cheap way to get your things done. I'll never forgive you for this."

"God! I just asked you to eat healthy. It's not like I am asking for your property by keeping a gunpoint on your head," he said when he saw her eyes tearing up.

"I... I'll eat that. Throw that first," she said looking disgustingly at the packet in his hand.

"How will I know whether you ate it or threw it?" he asked.

"I don't throw food," she reminded him.

"Yeah, right. You'll give it to someone in need," he said.

"I'll not do that. I promise," she said.

"You are brilliant in breaking promises. I don't believe you," he said and regretted it instantly. There was no need to bring their past in this. A few minutes of awkward silence followed.

"I am not sure how you will believe me then," she mumbled.

"Send me the pics of each of your meals. No cheating. You miss one meal from your routine and one cigarette from this packet," he told her.

"You are unbelievable," she said again. She can not believe he will use this to make her eat vegetables.

"I.. I don't have your number," she reminded him.

"You do," he said.

"You changed it when you.... you went to the US. I don't have the other one," she told him.

"Oh! I'll message you with my new number today. You have not changed your number right?"  he asked.

"Yeah. I'll bring you some tea," she said and went away from there. Horrible memories of that time were blurring her vision.

"Thanks," he said taking the cup from her. As he took the first sip, he could not help but think of the times when she used to come to his flat and make tea there. He forced himself to come out of those memories.

"You blocked my number then how did you know I changed it? I mean did you... did you try to call me anytime?" he asked.

"I.. No. Teena told me one day randomly. I never tried to call you," she told him. He doesn't need to know she called him a thousand times for a whole month even when she understood that he has changed his number. What's the use now?

"Oh!" he said and left without saying anything further. She did not stop him either.

She doesn't want him to hate her. But him hating her will ensure that he will move on happily. She has been so selfish earlier. She cannot be more selfish now. She knows there is no future for them. He is still concerned about her. For him to move from her, she has to move away from him. And she will do that. Even if that means him hating her. She is ready to bear it. She wants to see him happily living his life and she will make that happen. Just until she shows him the reports and ensure he quits smoking. She'll move away. And that's final.

But when has nature's final coincided with our final?

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