Airport

Karan clutched the handle of his luggage trolley as he looked around. Crowded places made him feel alone since always. He checked in and went to board his flight to Dublin.

As he settled on his seat, he was all of a sudden reminded of his last flight memories. He smiled and opened his phone. The wallpaper still made him smile through all this times. He closed his eyes, usually their memories wouldn't make him cry but that moment was just hitting different, as if she was around, as if he would hear her say his name the next moment.

"Karan"

Karan opened his eyes hearing her voice. He looked at her sure that he was daydreaming. Preeta didn't have any expression on her face as she continued.

Preeta: Woh meri seat hai..

Karan realised that he was sitting on the wrong seat and his was adjacent. He nodded and stood up.

Preeta looked at his face. Was he crying? She noticed their picture opened on their phone. Did he miss her? Was he missing her?

Karan took his seat and turned the screen of his phone off. She came back to senses and sat on her seat. Both didn't say anything not even looking at each other.

Karan: Kaisi ho?

Preeta: Thik..Aur tum?

Karan(looking at her): Main bhi thik hu

His voice cracked up as he said this. She felt like holding his hand and telling him not to be this vulnerable but in case she did, she would herself be vulnerable to the feelings they gave up on a long time ago.

Karan kept looking at her. He knew this would make her awkward but he couldn't help. He knew he was making an absolute fool out of himself but he didn't care if this would give him her sight even for a second.

Preeta turned her face away. Not again, she won't break this time. But with him sitting besides her for this entire 9 hour long journey, it was impossible for them to not talk. Maybe, the conversation they were running from, was about to happen.

Karan smiled as he saw her playing with her dupatta. She would always do this when she got nervous.

Flashback

Karan was watching match sitting on bed when he noticed her.

Karan: Tum pichle aadhe ghante se apne dupatte ke saath khel rhi ho..Mujhe dedo..Main faad deta hu..Itna hi mann hai toh..

Preeta: Maine tumse kuch kaha..Nhi na..aur mere favourite dupatte ko faadne ki baat dobara kii..Toh almari mein ek kapda nhi bachega tumhara..

Karan: Huh..Toh kya hua hai..Problem kya hai..

Preeta: Tumse matlab..

Karan: Arre batao toh..Kya pata main solve krdu..

Preeta: Nhi batana..

She stood up to leave. Karan looked at her annoyed, he married the most stubborn girl on this entire planet.

Karan: Biwi ho meri..Bataogi kya hua..

Preeta stopped at her place hearing him say 'wife'. Karan realised what he said.

Preeta: Yaad hai tumhe..Kii hmari shaadi hui hai..Great..

Karan: I..

Preeta(hurt): Forget it..Galti se boldia hoga tumne..Vrna tumhe kya farq pdta hai..Kii main tumhari biwi hu..

She knew her words would hurt him but they came out on their own. She had no control. Maybe, she just returned him the pain he gave her.

Flashback ends..

Preeta(snapping her fingers): Karan..

Karan came back to senses and looked at her. She looked at him with a stern expression.

Air hostess: Sir aap ke liye juice?

Karan nodded. Preeta looked at him. He was just so lost that he didn't even realise that he just said yes to juice without even looking at it.

Preeta: No..It's watermelon..He is allergic to that..Karan are you out of your mind..Give him orange juice..

She blurted out in concern of his allergy. Karan realised what he just did.

Karan: I am sorry...orange juice is fine..

Air hostess served him and asked Preet if she wanted something.

Air Hostess: Miss Arora, anything you want?

Karan's heart clenched at the mention of Miss Arora. It was almost three months since they separated, it was mutually agreed divorce.

Preeta: Just water..

Air hostess left as Karan and Preeta had their drinks looking everywhere except at each other.

Karan: Tumhe ab bhi yaad hai..

Preeta: Kya?

Karan: Kii mujhe watermelon se..

Preeta: Rishten tod dene se yaaden saath nhi chod deti..

Karan: Yaadon ne picha choda nhi..Ya tumne picha chudane ki koshish nhi kii

Preeta felt her eyes filling up with tears. Can't this man see she loved him? Even though she had all the reasons not to, but she loved him.

Preeta: Pata nhi..

A lone tear escaped her eye as she said this. Karan noticed and felt bad.

Karan: I am sorry..Main kahi aur baith jaata hu..

Preeta: Koi zarurat nhi hai..Ab jab kuch bacha hi nhi hai toh mujhe koi fark nhi pdta..

Karan nodded. Both put on their headphones and looked away trying to be as gentle as they can be to each other during this journey because seeing each other was like watching those harsh memories all over again.

Flashback

Preeta(angry): I hate you...Are you real Mr. Luthra? How can you do this?

Karan: Shaant hojao...I know meri galti hai..Par stop overreacting..

Preeta: Okay so main overreact kr rhi hu..Tum hmari tickets book krna kaise bhul skta ho..Ab kya airport pr jhakk maaru main..

Karan: Bhul gaya main..I had work..

Preeta: Kaam Kaam Kaam..Apne iss kaam se hi shaadi kyu nhi krli tumne..Koi toh tumhara match nhi tha..Na koi meeting..Kya tha aisa..

Karan held her as his palm pressed on her lips to stop her from creating a scene.

Karan(softly): Calm down..Kyu itna bhadak rhi ho..

Preeta gave him death glare.

Karan(innocently): I am sorry..

Preeta looked at him. She knew he was afraid of flights and it can be just a mistake or his fear. He stepped back.

Karan: We will take the next flight..Maine tickets book krdi hai..

Preeta: Mujhe dikhao..Main check krugi iss baar..Tumhara koi bharosa nhi..

Karan looked at her as she snatched his phone from his hand to check everything. Preeta saw him giving her looks.

Preeta: what?

Karan: Mera koi bharosa nhi..Really? Toh shaadi kyun kii thi..

Preeta: Aaj tak main bhi yahi soch rhi hu..Pata chl jaye toh batadena..

Karan: Like really Mrs. Luthra..

Preeta(with attitude): Yes really Mr. Luthra..

Karan smiled at her. Preeta looked at him confused.

Preeta: Oh hello beizzati thi yeh tumhari..Yeh smile kya de rhe ho mujhe..

Karan: U know what..Iss pal pehli baar lag rha hai..Dil bhi dedu..

Preeta looked at him stunned. He smiled and held her hand.

Preeta(nervously):Karan..

Karan: Let's go and eat something.. Flight mein time hai abhi..

She looked at him as he took her away holding her hand tightly in his. That grip for the first time made her feel that yes, he considers her as his own.

Preeran were in a restuarant. Karan was eating as Preeta smiled looking at him. Karan looked at her confused.

Karan:Kya hua..

Preeta: Kya kaha tha tumne waha..

Karan realised that she was talking about the airport statement.

Karan: I am sorry..Agar tumhe awkward feel hua toh..

Preeta(smilingly): U know what..for the first time..Mujhe acha laga..

Karan looked at her. She smiled and continued eating her food. Karan didn't know why but her smile was reaching his heart.

Flashback ends..

The plane hit a minor turbelence. Karan removed his headphones and looked around nervous. He wasn't scared of flights anymore but turbelences made him nervous.

Preeta held his hand. He looked at her.

Preeta: Shaant..

Karan nodded. Preeta looked at him. Karan took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.

Preeta: Vse aaj tum ticket book krna nhi bhoole..

Karan looked at her. She tried hard not to laugh. Both giggled.

Karan: Tum biwiyon ko har cheej yaad rhti hai na..Kitni bhi puraani baat ka taana kabhi bhi maar skti ho..

Preeta's smile disappeared. Karan realised what he said.

Preeta(smiling): Main tumhari biwi nhi hu Karan.. Humara divorce ho chuka hai..

Karan: Pata hai..Galti se bol..dia..Yaad hai mujhe hum ek dusre pr give up kr chuke hai..

Preeta(with a bitter smile): Give up tumne kia tha Karan.. Hmara rishta tuta dono taraf se tha..Bas tumne vaapis jodne se inkaar krdia..

Karan turned his face away from her.

Karan: Gayi tum thi..

Preeta(in pain): Kya ek bhi baar rokne ki koshish kii thi?

Karan: Faisla tumhara tha..

Preeta(angry): Really Karan..Jaane ka faisla mera tha..Par mujhe majbur tumne kia..Maine kabhi hum pr ya hmare rishte pr give up nhi kia..Par tum..Tum bas har cheej se bhaagte aaye ho..Apni responsibilities se..Hmare rishte se..Aur shayad uss rishte mein koi khush nhi tha..Na tum..Na main..

Karan(in pain): Sahi kaha tumne..Ab tum bhi khush..Main bhi khush..

Preeta(smiling fakely): Ha bahut khush hu main..Thank you..

Karan: Your welcome..

Karan stood up and went to the cabincrew and asked them to change his seat.

Preeta looked out of the glass window trying to hold back her tears. She won't cry. They were just not meant to be together and he was happy, she was trying to be happy. It was all good.

The rest flight was more of nine years long than mere nine hours for them. Their marriage, divorce and regrets, everything was there in front of their eyes. Their flight landed.

Karan and Preeta looked at each other as both picked up their luggage.

Preeta(smiling painfully): I hope you win the match..

She was about to pass by Karan. He held her hand.

Preeta: Leave my hand..

Karan: Tum yeh deserve nhi krti ho..

Preeta(looking at him):Kya..

Karan(smiling bitterly): Babydoll..Ha maine hmare rishte pr give up kia tha..Ha maine tumhe jaane se nhi roka..Par main tumhe khush dekhna chahta hu..

Preeta(smiling painfully): Trust me..Main bahut khush hu in sab ke baad..Sabse khush..

Karan: Jaanta hu..Aur yahi tum deserve nhi krti ho..I know hmari shaadi ek bahut badi galti thi..Par ab woh galti khatam ho chuki hai babydoll..

Preeta: ha aur in sab baaton ka ab koi mtlb nhi hai..

Karan: Tumne mujhse pucha tha na kii maine tumhe rokne ki koshish kyu nhi kii..Kyunki main maanta hu..Jo mera hai..Woh mera hi rhega..Tumhara kuch mere paas rh gya tha..

Preeta looked at him. He took out a diary and gave it to her.

Preeta: Yeh..Tum..

Karan: Tumhari zindagi ka ek hissa mere paas rh gya tha..Aaj maine tumhe woh hissa bhi vaapis krdia..All the best for life Miss Preeta Arora..

He handed her the diary and left. Preeta looked at him. A lone tear escaped her eye.

Precap

Their story

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