Chapter 2

The entire group of students are enjoying the visit to the site seeing places in Mt Abu  and during the lunch time all the students decide to have some activity while they are all waiting for the meals to be served so that they can enjoy themselves. After many suggestions by one and all, it was decided to play antakshari...Sameer wasn't much interested in playing antakshari but when everyone insisted along with the girls making fun of him that he is afraid of playing antakshari...he agreed to play that... after all how could he bear this teasing by the girls group. So it was decided that there would be an antakshari competition between the girls and the boys. Shanti teacher was appointed as the referee so that no one can cheat.

They all started playing antakshari and one after other both the groups were coming up with Bollywood songs. After so many songs and teasing among the groups, finally Naina started to sing the song from movie Mr India...'kaate nahi katte yeh din yeh raat ...' and in the end of this song she along with the song and its flow...said I love you to Sameer thrice...Sameer couldn't believe himself when she pointed towards him signalling to everyone that she loved him. All the students were shocked to see this while Munna and Pandit were rejoicing as today Sameer had won the bet. Sameer had the expressions of a winner today. The antakshari ended and all the students had their lunch...Sameer was repeatedly moving his hands through his hair signalling the bet completion to the rival gang and Naina was blushing to see his good looks.

After sometime, the rival gang members came towards Sameer and told him that the bet was about Naina hugging him and then saying ILU...So the bet was still on according to their deal...Sameer told them that soon they would see her hugging him as well and its not much time left before they would witness that as well. Sameer, Munna and Pandit turned around and all of them were shocked to see Naina standing right there with tears in her eyes.

Sameer: Naina tum yahan...

Naina didn't say anything but she came close to him and gave him a tight slap on his face...he was shocked to receive this slap from her and he found himself sitting on his bed with his hand on his cheek...he caressed his cheek to see whether he was actually fine...he realised that it was his dream and wondered why did he dream of such a thing. He thought to himself...aaj tak to iska baap thappad maarta tha...ab beti bhi shuru ho gayi...Sameer beta tera kya hoga? He felt as if he was sweating in the chilly night in Mt Abu. He saw Munn and Pandit  sleeping comfortably and so he decided against waking them up. He felt the need for fresh air as his dream had jolted him inside out.

He went out to the balcony and stood there looking around...he saw Naina sitting alone in isolation in the park of the guest house.

Sameer muttered to himself: yeh behenji itni raat ko akele kya kar rahi hai? sab theek to hai na...kahin un logon ne ise kuchh bata to nahi diya? Unka koi bharosa nahi...pata karna padega...

He went down to the park where Naina was aitting and he too went and sat close to him.

Sameer: itni raat ko yahan kya kar rahi ho? Soyi nahi...

Naina: neend nahi aa rahi thi...tum bhi to nahi soye...kyun?

Sameer: haan wo to hai... yeh jagah kitni sundar hai na?

Naina: hmm... and she was quiet after this...

Sameer: waise tumne jo sweater mujhe diya wo bahut achha hai...thanks... Tumne mere liye sweater banaya...mere liye bahut badi baat hai...

Naina just smiled and turned her face away...

Sameer: kya baat hai Naina tum kuch jawab hi nahi de rahi ho...kya baat hai? kisi ne kuchh kaha kya

Naina turned towards him and he saw Naina had tears in her eyes which she was trying to hold...but unable to do that few drops of tears rolled down her cheeks and Sameer became very uncomfortable to see her crying. Tears were flowing from her eyes and Sameer wanted to wipe her tears...his fingers went close to her cheek but he recalled the slap he had received when he tried to kiss her hand...he made the fist by closing his fingers but his heart was melting seeing her tears...he just wished she stopped crying anyhow.

He just saw a bright star in the sky and told her to look at the star. Naina looked towards the star with tears in her eyes and sobbing and wiping her tears she asked...is taare mein kya khaas baat hai?

Sameer: khaas baat kuchh nahi hai par uski wajah se tumne rona to band kiya ...dekho tumhara mind divert hua na isse...

Naina finally had a slight smile on her face and lovingly looked at him.

Sameer: ab yeh to batao ki tum ro kyun rahi thi? Aisa kya hua hai tumhe? (he realised that she didn't know anything about the bet but still he wanted to know whats the matter that was making her sad).

Naina: mujhe na apni family ki bahut yaad aa rahi hai...khaas kar Preeti ki...wo bhi chahti thi Mt Abu aana par use permission hi nahi mili... bachpan se humne sab kuchh ek saath kiya hai... hum dono ek saath aana chahte the...yeh sab jagah itni sundar hai par fir bhi kuchh adhoora sa hai...uske bina...wo wahan udaas hai aur main yahan enjoy karu...mujhse nahi hoga...isliye mujhe neend bhi nahi aa rahi thi...

Sameer: wo to theek hai Naina par kuchh cheezein humare haath mein nahi hoti...tum aayi aur wo nahi...yeh soch kar tum ro rahi ho...yeh jaankar kya use achha lagega...batao...socho zara...

Naina nodded in a no and then she told him about Preeti's trunk drama before coming to Mt Abu...both of them giggled after she finished the narration...

Sameer: finally tum hansi to sahi...

Naina: thank you Sameer...

Sameer: thanks kisliye...

Naina: meri life mein aane ke liye...mujhe apni dosti dene ke liye...tumhe pata hai...tumse pehle maine kabhi kisi ladke se dosti nahi ki...tumse pehle meri life mein sirf meri family aur Swati ki dosti thi...

Sameer: aur ab...

Naina: ab tum bhi ho...mere sabse achhe doston mein se ek... Tum bahut special ho...

Sameer: mujhe itna achha mat banao...main itna bhi achha nahi hu...

They both were silent for few minutes when they were both looking at each other...Sameer spoke up after sometime.

Sameer: agar tumhe kabhi pata chale ki maine kuchh aisa kiya jo tumhe galat lage to...

Naina: tum aisi baat mat karo Sameer...tum kuchh galat nahi kar sakte...mujhe tum par poora bharosa hai... tum kabhi kuchh aisa nahi karoge jisse mujhe chot pahunche...

Sameer looked at her surprised to see the trust that she has on him while inside he knew that he was doing everything for his bet only. He asked her to go back to her room and sleep as it was very late and they had to wake up early next morning. He offered to accompany her till the gate to their wing. While leaving she asked him to leave but he insisted to stay till she goes inside...after that he'll go. Naina waved a bye signal and went inside feeling elated after this time spent with him which brought them further close.

Sameer went back to his room confused as to what Naina thinks about him and what he actually is doing with her...is Pandit right in whatever he said...but how can that be possible...no no...its not possible...he lied down on his bed thinking and lost in his thoughts. It was the first time that he was stuck up in such a confusion. He was imagining as if two different Sameer were arguing in front of him... A good one and the other one was evil one...

Evil one: Sameer tu bhi  kis soch mein pada hai...mat soch yeh sab...sirf apni shart ke baare mein soch... Warna tere baalon ka kya hoga? Aakhir tu us behenji ke baare mein itna kyun soch raha hai? yaad nahi usne tujhe kitna pareshan kiya hai? kitni baar tujhe punishment mili hai uski wajah se...aur uska wo librarian baap...usne kitna insult kiya that tujhe aur tere Nanu ko...bhool gaya kya? Aur fir wo thappad jo tune khaye hain...uske baap se aur usse...tu itni aasani se use nahi maaf kar sakta...wo yehi deserve karti hai...samjha tu...

Sameer: haan tum theek kehte ho...meri koi galti nahi...shuruaat to usne kit hi...meri koi galti nahi...

Good one: yeh tum kya keh rahe ho? Aisa usne kya bura kiya? Tumne jo bhi kiya aaj tak school mein...uske baad wo to kya tumhari apni Maa tumpe bharosa nahi karti...fir wo to anjaan ladki hai...aur fir usne tumhare liye kitni baar jhooth bhi to bola...tumhe cigarette peete dekha tha...fir bhi nahi bataya... Tumare liye sweater bana kar layi...aur sabse badi baat...usne tumhare Nanu ki jaan bachayi thi...tumhe to use thank you bolna chahiye aur tum kya kar rahe ho?

Sameer: lekin usne chaabi ke baare mein poochna zaroori nahi samjha...

Good one: galti to insaan se hi hoti hai...uski galti to kuchh bhi nahi hai tum jo karne ja rahe ho uske saamne...socho zara...wo tumpe kitna bharosa karti hai? kal agar use pata chala sachai ke baare mein...uska kya haal hoga...uska dil toot jayega...wo fir kabhi kisi pe bharosa nahi kar payegi...

Evil one: tujhe uske baare mein sochne ki zaroorat hi nahi hai... tum bas apni shart pe concentrate karo...warna tumhare baal to gaye samjho...socho baalon ke bina tum kaise lagoge?

Good one: tumhare baal kisi ke dil se zyada important hain kya? Tum yaad karo...aaj tak tum jab bhi uske saath hote ho...tum apne akelepan ko bhool jaate hon a...kya tumhe apni Mom ka diya hua dhokha yaad aata hai? jab tum usse baat karte ho...to kya tumhe apni life sundar nahi lagti...jaise uske liye tumse zyada important aur koi nahi...bolo kya aisa nahi lagta tumhe? Us jaise ladki kismat waalon ko milti hai Sameer...use apni life se jaane mat do...rok lo use...shart ko bhool jaao...bhool jaao...bhool jaao Sameer...

Sameer closed his ears with both his hands and shouted...bas karo tum dono...mujhe akela chhod do...Munna and Pandit woke up with this sudden scream and asked him whats the matter? He realised that he was just imagining things...he begged pardon and asked them to sleep...he also wanted to sleep for sometime...confused and irritated he tried to sleep for sometime as he wasn't able to make out why he was going through all these thoughts. He didn't know what and why all this was happening to him? He had never been through such a situation before...

End of this part...hope you like it