MaAn OS : Preet ke Rang!
कांच के टुकड़े जितनी उम्मीद की भी,
ये दिल कभी ना गुस्ताख़ी कर पाया।
कान्हाजी का करम कुछ ऐसा हुआ एक दिन,
जिसे समझता था चांद,
वो ख़ुद इसकी बैसाखी बन आया।
नादान था, अनजान था,
जज्बातों के चक्रव्यूह में उलझा,
बेचारा बड़ा परेशान था।
और करता भी तो क्या?
इतनी गहरी प्रीत जो लगाई है,
ना ख्वाबों में सीमटना जानती है,
ना लफ्जो में रंगना चाहती है।
जाने कहा से हिम्मत की ये पोटली चुराई है,
उम्मीदों के टुकड़े जोड़ जोड़ कर,
चांद को छूने के हौसले जुटाई है।
Encircling her fingers around the knob of Anuj's office door, Anupama stood motionless. Stealing a moment from the start of a busy day, she had a long pep-talk with herself, cajoling her confidence to not ditch her this time around.
It had been a week since she's trying to thread the pearls of her emotions into a string of words but failed miserably.
Words had always been her dear companions in life but since the time she had started to dream a handsome-looking face in the name of a companion, words had conveniently abandoned her.
She was expecting to see Anuj engrossed in his work files but not the tiny tender smile on his face as soon as she pushed open the door. She was tempted to believe the reason was her presence which he could sense even without looking.
"Le aai tum mera chocolate fudge?" Anuj asked with childlike excitement in his voice, not sparing Anu the time to recover from her shock.
"Aapko kaise pata?" she asked, perplexed.
Keeping his pen down, interlocking his fisted hands over the table, Anuj finally graced Anu with his attention. It wasn't just that. His face bloomed with a radiant smile that had Anu's footing over her heart losen.
"Iski smell toh maine ghar pe hi sung li thi. Mai toh tabhi sab samajh gaya tha," he answered with a smug smile plastered on his face.
Anupama couldn't help but be annoyed at this species named Anuj Kapadia. 'Sare jahan ka sab samajhta hai inhe, bas joh samajhna chahie wohi nahi samajhta.'
Occupying the chair opposite to him, she slammed her bag on the table uncaring of how Anuj flinched by the harsh sound it produced. Plastering a forced smile on her face, she pressed, "Lunch tak ruk paaenge ya abhi hi khana hai?"
Anuj knew better than to not push her wrong buttons further, so he remained quiet. As Anu busied herself in the project file, he tilted his head slightly for his contemplating eyes to have better access to her face. They were on their own journey of their favorite fetish - Anu.
Off lately, Anu had showcased an exhausting list of changes in her demeanor. For someone to be so calm and sorted, her constantly edgy behavior was surprising for him. Even right now she was fidgeting her fingers that were apparent under the glass table.
He would so often find her in a stance of debate. She would initiate to say something then stop abruptly. Her sudden shift from being annoyed to embarrassed to awkward to smiling were the new developments. All this was endearing to a certain point but the unpredictability of it was the major reason for his concern.
Although she's the same understanding, loving, and caring person but he felt the alignment of her emotions to be shifting towards him, much more than he could ever expect, maybe much more than a friend deserves.
This might be rooted in her undue concern after seeing her friend in a critical condition given the selfless attitude she has. But he could feel it in his heart that somewhere, something is providing an additive effect.
Anuj would never want to jump to the conclusion his heart is tempted to arrive at. He wouldn't be able to bear the brunt of shattering of the expectations he's so enticed to believe.
No! Never! It's better this way only. Atleast he's getting her care, he's getting to see her close, almost every day. Some time ago, even this was a fanciful dream for him.
Anupama tried her best to focus on the file in front of her but she was a bundle of anxiety today. Nothing could soothe her nerves, not even Anuj's chirpy face. She was fisting her hands again and again. She opened and closed her mouth multiple times but failed to formulate a single word.
Trying her luck for another time, she looked up clearing her throat. She found Anuj suddenly turning his face towards the laptop and clumsily trying to type something. He instantly blurted, "Kuch kaha tumne?"
'Mai kuch kehna chahti hu yeh toh samajh gae aap, ab kya kehna chahti hu yeh bhi samajh jaaiye ne.'
Anuj cautiously glanced at her above the safety of his eyelashes. Anu had a lipped smile as she shook her head in no, asking, "Kuch suna aapne?"
'Joh kehna hai saaf saaf keh do, Anu. Kahi mera dil kuch jada sunne ki ummed na laga le.'
Mimicking her smile, Anuj raised his eyebrows and shook his head sideways in no.
Later, Anuj immersed himself in the pending work of his dream project but Anupama was far from the word concentration. She absentmindedly kept on fiddling the pen between her thumb and index finger. She was so caught up in the internal debate that she couldn't follow Anuj's question.
"Tumhara dhyaan kaha hai, Anu?" He asked a bit surprised at her distracted self at work, which was a very rare occurrence.
Anu could only reply with a frustrated sigh, chiding herself in a soft murmur, "Wahi toh pata lagana hai. Aese kaise na kuch bata pa rahi hu, na toh kuch bol pa rahi hu, na hi samjha pa rahi hu, bolo bhala."
"Hello. Mai dikhai de raha hu na tumhe?" Anuj swayed his hands in front of her face.
"Huh?" Anu looked absolutely adorable when she raised one of her eyebrows in a questioning way as she tried hard to follow the conversation.
"Toh fir khud se kyu baatein kar rahi ho?" Anuj couldn't help but laugh lightly.
'Kyuki aapse kar nahi pa rahi hu ne.'
"Likh ke dedo."
"Kya?" Anupama had to turn sharply and take a good look at him before believing what she just heard. Did she say that loudly? Can he hear her thoughts now?
"Maine kaha tumhare ideas likh ke de do mujhe, mai presentation me add kar dunga."
Anu had no idea why she was being so irked at him but she needed no reason either. Plonking down the file in her hand, she stood grumpily, saying, "Aap na.. Aap se toh baat hi karna beekar hai."
Anuj was taken aback by her sudden outburst. He had to blink his eyes thrice to make sure Anu was actually pissed at him, but even after replaying the conversation in his head, he couldn't fathom out the reason.
Out of his inherent concern, Anuj asked, "Anu, tum theek ho na?"
Anu was halfway to the door when she heard him. 'Bas yehi puchna bacha tha inka.'
Adorning a sarcastic smile, eyes narrowed with an unknown annoyance, she turned around. As much as she tried to berate him, she find herself at the loss of words.
Tossing her half-closed fist towards him, she snapped, "Gadhede che."
*****
Hello, everyone!
Thank you so much for the heartwarming welcome to a new writer here. It was heartening to see your response on my last write up. And here this one is a token of my gratitude. Thank you!
I'm dedicating the above Shayari to Komal (@km181). Here's my part of deal! 😜
Please feel free to drop in your reviews about our 'Chidh-chidhi' Anu.
Current Affairs
Sports
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
6