Chapter 6

After their visit to the Dilwara temple, they all came back to their rooms and Naina was sitting quietly still lost in his memories and what all he did to complete the bet. Her eyes were moist as she had loved him deeply...truly with all her heart...and he did all this for a bet...how could he? She thought. But he told her the truth...he knew very well that she would go away from him after knowing about the bet...then why did he tell me himself? Maybe he wanted to tell everything himself...what if I came to know from someone else? Would I have helped him in that situation? No ways...but shall I forgive him completely? She was lost in all these thoughts when Swati came and brought her out of her thoughts by a slight jolt on her shoulder.

Swati: Sameer ke baare mein soch rahi hai...

Naina just smiled slightly while her eyes suggested her inner feelings.

Swati: ek baat poochu Naina? Kya tu use maaf kar degi? Bhool jayegi yeh sab jo usne tere saath kiya?

Naina: pata nahi Swati... Main jaanti hu Swati usne bahut galat kiya hai...par usne khud apni galti maani hai...par main use itni aasani se maaf nahi karna chahti...par main use ek mauka dena chahti hu...agar wo badal jaata hai...tab shayad main use maaf kar paaun...warna nahi...

Swati: to tu uski madad kyun kar rahi hai?

Naina: wo isliye kyunki main uske baal nahi katne de sakti... Usne mujhe sach bataya jisse mera sabke saamne mazak na bane... to mera bhi to farz banta hai ki main use is problem se bahar nikalu...

Swati: tu theek kehti hai...par tu kar payegi yeh sab? Mujhe teri fikr ho rahi hai Naina...

Naina: tu hai na mere saath?

Swati: main to har pal tere saath hu...tu chinta mat kar...chal dinner ka time ho gaya...uske baad hume apna plan bhi to poora karna hai...

They went for dinner and after having dinner, all 5 of them gathered in the garden and Munna informed the rival gang also that today the bet would be completed and they should be around to witness that. All of them sat down and decided to play truth and dare as no one was able to sleep tonight. All the other students and teacher were sleeping and only these 5 and the rival gang who were hiding beind the plants were awake at that time of the night. They started playing truth and dare. The bottle rolled and first chance was that of Pandit. He chose dare and he was asked to recite a couplet of his own by Sameer.

Pandit: pagal ho gaya hai kya? Main aur shayari?

But he had to do this and he thought for sometime and said... Aaye hain hum Mt Abu mein badi achhi yeh baat hai... khel rahe hain hum truth and dare kitni lambi yeh raat hai  everyone started their wah wah ...wah wah...and the game continued further. Next it came to Naina...now Naina looked at Munna and he signalled a go ahead and she chose dare again...he asked her to convey his feelings to Swati as Munna which she wasn't ever ready to hear. Naina looked at Swati and started speaking... Aye Pandit...tu kabhi meri baat suntan hi nahi...main tujhe kitna pyar karta hu aur tu hai ki suntan hi nahi...samajh na yaar Pandit...kabhi meri taraf bhi dekh liya kar... and Swati spoke in her usual tone... Munna chupchaap se baaith jaao...shakal dekhi hai apni...mujhe pareshan karna band karo and Naina sat down (actually all this was their plan if Naina gets a chance before Sameer and the same thing happened). Next chance was that of Sameer and he chose truth as his option. He stood up and went close to Naina. Munna was signalling towards the rival gang as he went towards Naina.

Sameer: Naina main tumse kehna chahta hu ki tum... Tum mujhe bahut achhi lagti ho... tumhe dekhta hu to khud ko bhool jaata hu...I think... I love you Naina... Sameer spoke as he was asked to do by Swati and both Munna and Pandit clapped for him. Naina was blushing and her eyes were down and she had tears in her eyes. The three words which she was desperate to hear from him came to her...but in these circumstances...she couldn't believe herself as to how her life changed after coming to Mt Abu. She never wanted any such thing to happen but the reality was right there in front of her. Swati was holding her hand for support which she needed at that moment and Sameer had his eyes away from her as he wasn't able to face her today.

The rival gang came out and started abusing Sameer for not completing the bet properly as it was supposed to be done. Naina was supposed to say ILU and not him...that means he had to get his hair cut now. Naina was full of rage and anger and she went and gave a tight slap to the head of the rival gang who was the one abusing Sameer. That guy was shocked to receive that slap from Naina and couldn't believe that she could do such a thing.

Naina: kya shart lagayi thi...yehi na ki main ise ILU bolu...haina... yehi thin a...bolo... sharm nahi aati tum logon ko? Yeh sab karne aate ho school mein? Kya socha tha tumne...ki mera aur Sameer ka Mazak udaoge tum sab milke?

Rival gang member: sharm to ise aani chahiye jisne humse shart lagayi...

Naina: use nahi sharm to tumhe aani chahiye...jo tum kisi ladki ki izzat karna nahi jaante...usne to mujhe bahut pehle bata diya tha shart ke baare mein...jisse mere dil ko thes na pahunche...mera Mazak na bane...lekin tum...tumhe to kisi ki respect se koi matlab hi nahi hai...agar tumhari behen ke saath aisa kuchh karta to tumhe kaisa lagta? tumhe to aisi saza dilwaaungi ki yaad rakhoge...apne Papa ko...Principal ko tumhari is harkat ke baare mein bata dungi aur wo tumhara kya haal karenge... soch lo tum sab...school se suspend ho jaaoge tum sab...

Sameer: main tum logon ke jaisa nahi hu...main kisi ladki se ladai kar sakta hu...par uska Mazak nahi uda sakta... maafi mango Naina se...warna agar uske Papa ko pata chala to...

Rival gang said sorry to Naina and Sameer and she warned all of them to stay away from her and Sameer in future otherwise they themselves would be responsible for their punishment. All of them ran away as all of them knew about her father and what he could do...Munna and Pandit rejoiced as finally the bet came to an end today and both Naina and Sameer were saved from being humiliated in front of everyone. Sameer thanked her for being so understanding and supportive and that without her support he wouldn't have come out of this bet so smoothly. He said sorry once again for all what he did to her.

Naina: maine tumhari madad zaroor ki hai Sameer par maine tumhe abhi tak maaf nahi kiya hai...

Munna and Pandit were shocked to hear this... Sipahi fir tumne humari madad kyun ki thi agar tumne ise maaf nahi kiya to?

Naina: wo isliye ki isne mujhe sab sach bata diya tha...aur main uske baal katne nahi de sakti hu... par main ise apni maafi...aur apni dosti nahi de sakti... Agar  Sameer ko meri maafi aur meri dosti chahiye...to use prove karna hoga ki wo iske layak hai...Sameer  ko khud ko badalna hoga aur prove karna hoga ki wo mera dost ban sakta hai...tab tak hum dono ke beech koi dosti nahi ho sakti. Naina and Swati started to move towards their room after saying this. Sameer called her from behind and she stopped.

Sameer: Naina...thank you very much ki tumne meri madad ki is bet ko khatam karne mein...main tumhara ehsaan kabhi nahi bhoolunga...aur rahi maafi ki baat... to thank you Naina... Ki tumne mujhe maaf nahi kiya... agar tum mujhe maaf kar deti to main khud ko kabhi maaf nahi kar paata... ab mere paas ek chance hai...main tumhe badal kar dikhaaunga... Khud ko tumhari friendship ke layak bana kar dikhaaunga... tab to tum mujhe maaf karogi na... tab tak main tumse humesha door rahunga...yeh Sameer Maheshwari ka promise hai... par Naina ek request hai tumse... Tum meri wajah se khud ko kabhi mat badalna... tum jaisi ho bilkul perfect ho... Apna dhyan rakhna...kyunki uske baad mujhe tumhari dosti chahiye... Swati tum meri dost ka khayal rakhna please...ab main tumse khud ko prove karne ke baad hi baat karunga...chalta hu Naina... bas apna khayal rakhna...

Naina turned around to look at him with all the love in her eyes for him...she had tears in her eyes...seeing the determination in his eyes she felt weak inside today...as if she wanted to stop him from going away... she didn't want to let him go...but for his sake...she decided to bear this pain and along with him...she also would be facing this hardship so that he comes out with flying colours. So she didn't speak even a word and he left from there with his friends... She wished he turned around to look at her once but he didn't... both of them stood there and swati too had tears in her eyes for her best friend.

Swati took her to their room and there she burst out crying and Swati kept on consoling her...she felt as if her fantasy world came to an end today...all her dreams of a love life with him came to a stand still...but Swati pacified her saying that this is what she wanted...that he improves as a person and becomes a person whom she'll proudly say that he is her friend and her love. So she needs to be strong and face this reality of life. Naina knew that she did all this for his benefit only and along with him it was her testing time as well. On the other side, Munna and Pandit were shocked after whatever happened...never did they imagine that this bet would turn out this ugly...had it not been their support, everything would have been shattered.

Pandit: ab tu kya karega yaar? Tune keh to diya ki tu khud ko badal ke dikhayega par ab iske liye kya jugaad nikaale?

Munna: mera to dimaag kharab ho raha hai soch soch ke... Sameer tu yeh sab kaise karega?

Sameer: koi jugaad nahi...samjhe tum dono... is baar tum dono koi gadbad nahi karoge...jo promise maine kiya hai use main poora karunga...tumhe apna dimaag lagane ki koi zaroorat nahi hai...tum dono aaram se so jaao...kal hume wapas bhi jaana hai...

Both of them did so as he wasn't interested  in talking to them today and they felt it was better to leave him alone at this time. Sameer kept on thinking about Naina and inside his heart he promised himself and Naina that he would become what she wants him to be... He would work really hard and would be the topper in final exams that were supposed to happen after 2 months and win the award for the best student. She would be proud of me and I would never let her down. With this decision in his mind, he went off to sleep as the next day they were going back to Ahmedabad.

End of this part

Hope you enjoyed reading this