A New Journey

New Normal

A New Journey

...

Tarika woke up with a slight headache. She had to restrain her eyes multiple times before finally opening them. Rubbing her eyes she looked at her side table watch to see the time. 7.00 am!

"Damn!" Muttering under her breath she sat up, pretty drowsy due to lack of sleep and strained eyes.

Only then her subconscious mind alerted her someone's existence in her room. She turned to her right abruptly and almost shouted noticing a man lying on her couch. A man! The first thing her mind alerted about. But as she realized the person was familiar to her she placed her hands over her mouth making her shout came out as a muffled sound only. Her eyes became double in size in amusement. What was he doing in her room? Did he come to talk to her? Then why didn't he wake her up? And what's he doing in my room, on couch? Sleeping!

Tarika sat at the corner of the bed and studied his face. Even while sleeping his face looked tensed. It looked like he hadn't been sleeping at all. A small sound and he would wake up. She didn't know how long she sat there watching him. It wasn't any kind of romantic stare. She just wanted to figure out his emotions while he wasn't intimidating her. But looked like, one couldn't read a sleeping man. All the truths and emotions resided in eyes after all.

Also she didn't want to wake him up. Though appealing he always looked tired to her. For some reasons she's almost confirmed that he got troubles in sleeping.

He moved a little before waking up finally. Tarika didn't take her eyes off him. He noticed her fixed gaze on him and sat up properly taking his time. He behaved as if he never slept. Nevertheless, he was taken aback by her act. He expected her to be shocked. But she's sitting there without any hesitations. Well, may be the shocking part was over even before he could wake up, he thought.

"You're here." Tarika inquired.

"I... I came to check on you." Abhijeet said, in a pleading tone.

"Hmm... Freddy sir?"

"He went home. I.. I sent him home." Abhijeet explained.

Tarika held her hair in a fist to subside her headache. She wasn't understanding how to behave with Abhijeet in this situation.

"I am sorry to invade your privacy like this." Abhijeet apologized.

"Privacy?" Tarika gave him a confused look.

"I meant, your room..." Abhijeet was hesitating.

Tarika nodded.

"It's okay." She whispered in a husky voice.

Strangely, Abhijeet's presence in her room wasn't affecting her very much. Neither it was giving her butterfly feelings not irritating her. She was surprised with her own feelings. How came her feelings got so numb suddenly. And she didn't know if she should be happy about it or not. Why wasn't it feeling right.

"I... I will wait outside. You freshen up. I will take you to Bureau." Abhijeet stood up.

"How's Tasha? Is everything alright there?" Tarika asked, looking down. She didn't want him to read her face.