Talab-e-Ishq

Talab-e-Ishq (20)

"Assalamualaikum?" A beautiful girl stood in front of her as Daneen opened the gate that morning while going to College. Returning back the greeting she asked the reason for her visit.

"Umm...I am here to see Mr. Jahangir?" She replied nervously, tucking her hairs behind her ear.

"There are probably fifteen to twenty Mr. Jahangirs here! Which one do you want to see?" Daneen exasperated, flowing her hands in the air showing the probability.

"Ohh..." that girl quickly opened the file in her hand, peeked in and looked back at her. "Daniyal Jahangir." Daneen was taken aback by her answer but composed herself.

Why was a young girl that was so beautiful here to see Daniyal? That too this early?

"You can wait here..." letting her come in, she gestured towards the lounge. "While I call Mr. Jahangir for you." If she just jibed at that girl, she didn't notice and did as she was told.

"Ammi! Shukar Allah, you are here! I can't find my white shirt." As soon as she entered his room, she heard his voice coming from within the closet muffled under the ruffling of his clothes. Daneen could only look in shock as she entered his closet looking at the mess his closet was.

The ever so clean freak Daniyal was standing between the piles of cloth.

"Ammi ap...ohh tum?" His voice fell an octave as he turned around not getting the deserved scolding he was expecting from his mother but didn't get. "Kya kaam hai?" He asked after a while of silence but never intended to let it out harshly making her flinch.

"Wo umm...waha niche koi ladki aayi hai milne apse." She trailed off as he averted his gaze from her. "Mai help kardu?" Their was hesitancy in her voice.

"Nahi. Mai kar lunga." His jaws clenched as he again turned away from her and opened another closet.

"Daniyal." He literally flinched as she kept her hand on his shoulder from back making her step back with hurt in her eyes. "I...I am sorry. I...I will just..." and she started leaving, "Mai apke mehman se rukne k liye kehti hu."

"Or khud ko?" Daneen held her breath as her feet came to halt. "Khud ko kab kahogi rukne k liye?"

"Mai kaise ruku jab apko meri zarurat hi nahi hai?" Daneen looked down, wiping her tears making him scoff in disbelief.

"Look at you. Standing like I was the one pushed you away when it was the other way around." His laugh was humourless. "Mujhe har saans par tumhari zarurat hai." Her breath knocked out of her lungs at his words. "But it was never about me. It is always about you. So tell me Daneen, do you not want me anymore? Or are you already tired of me?"

"Ap...ap abhi gusse me hai, kuch bhi bole chale ja rahe hai. Ham baad me baat karenge." She didn't want to listen to his harsh words that would only drown them in misery.

"Ohh. To ab mai tumhare baat karne k bhi qabil nahi raha?" Daniyal wasn't thinking before letting out his words. Or was it because of the fact that he was seeing her this closely after months. And he wasn't ashamed to admit that he wanted to prolong the conversation as much as he could. To see her standing in his closet and bedroom like he imagined her everyday.

"Hosh me baat kare ap mujhse. Maine apse sirf khud k liye waqt manga tha, maine yeh kabhi nahi kaha tha k ap mujhse duri banaye rakhe. I never meant it in that way." She looked away.

"And when did you tell me this? Agar tumhara matlab wo nahi tha to itne mahine se tum yeh baat clear karne kyu nahi aayi?"

"Mujhe laga aap gussa hai mujhse."

"To? Agar mai gussa tha bhi jo k mai nahi tha for your information, tum apne shohar ko mana nahi sakti thi? Agar itna independent banne ka shauk hai, to responsibilities lena sikho. Because responsibilities are the first step towards independence."