Author's Note: Hey friends. I am Pearl.. This is my first venture in the field of writing. Shravan- Suman are my muse, they fuel my imagination to skies. This is dedicated to Shaily (Wiccamaya) for she was the one who suggested me to put the pen on paper or rather the fingers on keyboard.
The following piece covers the lives of Shraman. Please comment. Even criticisms would be welcome.
The five times Sumo did not kiss Shravan
I. "Jab choti choti bato pe
Hum haste the or rote the
Tabse tumse pyaar kiya."
Year: 2005, September
The air of St. Xavier's Junior College was filled with excitement. A flurry of activities was going on, colours complementing the cacophony of surroundings, for it was the commencement of the grand eve of Annual Cultural Fest 2005-06'.
Suman Tiwari, Class XI was standing bored, after being dragged up by Poorna, for the auditions of the Play Romeo & Juliet'. She shuddered at the thought of the Shakespearean gibberish she would have to mug up, but Anjali was flawlessly uttering them. Her cool gang was all taking part in the Play and she, being the coolest, most awesome of them all, had to show them that she can do anything.
She espied Shravan round the corner, listening attentively to Mrs. Joseph; after all he had been selected for delivering the Welcoming Speech and co-ordinating the events. Chashmish was immaculately dressed as opposed to her untucked left shirt-tail and loose tie. Her face brightened when he caught her sight and raised his single eyebrow, as if amused by her choice. She smiled and shrugged and he went back to his conversation with the teacher.
"Ae Sumo, yeh rahi teri script. Learn these lines by tomorrow, okay", Poorna turned to face her. She nodded and the last bell rang, indicating the end of school day.
**************************************
" Uff Sumo, ye kya bala sar pe le li tune, yeh script toh seedhe dekho ya ulte, same hi lagti hai! Ab kya karu mai? Ye kya hai "I profane with my unworthiest hand"? Ye Shakepear bhi na, Seedhe-seedhe English mei nahi likh sakta tha..." Her musings were interrupted by Shravan who entered her room.
" Sumo, aaj kya bana rahi hai, bahut bhukh lagi hai yaar!" He inquired clutching his stomach,suddenly startled at the sight of her pursuing the pages in her hand.
"Ye kya, Sumo the great, aaj pehli baar kuch itne dhyaan se padh rahi hai". He dramatically rubbed his eyes behind his spectacles.
"Shut up Chashmish, Ruk mai khana lati hu phir batati hu" , dismissing the topic leaving for the kitchen.
He took the papers she left behind and chuckled at discovering the script. She came back with his food. After he was done eating, she gave him a covered casserole.
"Arre wah, gajar ka halwa", he was delighted.
"Ab tumhe moong daal ka halwa suit nahi hota na",she giggled and continued," mami kehti hai yeh light hota hai"
He smiled and pointed at the script, " Tum kabse ye Shakespeare ke drame karne lagi?"
"Sab kar rahe hai. But mujhe nahi samajh raha, aur tum bhi help nahi kar paoge iss baar.", she worriedly pouted.
"Kyu nahi kar sakta, mujhe Eng Lit. pasand hai..."
"Waah Chashmish, tu sacchi mei genius hai, matlab tujhe yeh samajhta hai! Mujhe toh laga mai haar jaungi."
"Mai tumhe kabhi haarne nahi dunga", he said earnestly.
She beamed at him and said, " Toh bata ye kya bakwas dialogue likhe hai..."' as she began reading loudly,
"Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
Which mannerly devotion shows in this..."'
"Ruk," He went down on a knee,"Shakespeare properly karna chahiye"
"Tu toh bada romantic nikla yaar", she giggledas he took the script in his hand.
"Chup, Toh ye Romeo Juliet ko propose kar raha hai..."
"Kitna chep proposal hai yeh, jab samne wali ko kuch samajh hi na aaye. Mujhe toh na tulips se..."
"Haan, haan, yellow tulips se decorated jagah pe , SRK ke cheesy dialogues wala proposal chahiye. Pata hai, hazar baar keh chuki ho tum, ab practice kare? Mere ghutne dukh rahe hai."
He began touting Romeo's lines and she again interrupted,"Shravan, Romeo chasma pehenta tha?"
"Sumo ki bacchi, Tu bata Juliet kab itni moti thi", he teased back, getting back on his feet.
She gasped and threw a pillow at him. He began running around and throwing pillows at her in turn and she followed him and a pillow fight broke out.
" Ouch" , Sumo winced keeping a hand on her left eye as a corner of pillow touched it.
"Kya hua Sumo, dikha mujhe" he uttered as she nodded in a no. He bartered taking off his specs, " Le ab chasma bhi utar diya, bina chashme wala Romeo ban gaya, ab toh dikha.."
She removed her hand, her eye had turned red. He began blowing warm air on her eye whispering soothing nothings. Concern and care tinged with guilt were filled in his large, chocolate-brown eyes. She had never noticed how beautiful his eyes were. He continued his soothing and she was lost in his eyes. A strange feeling had started to envelope her and she kept on looking at his face, his long nose, his barely visible whiskers, his pink bow-shaped lips...
"Suman Bete...",Nanu called out to her breaking her of her reverie.
"Ji Nanu, abhi ayi" She replied.
Shravan was still busy in comforting her," Ab theek hai na Sumo? Jao aakh dho lo", he instructed softly.
She nodded, washed her eyes and they left towards Nanu's room.
"Damn!" Screamed Cupid, who was hovering above.
"Jab anjaan the, nadaan the
Tabse tumse pyaar kiya"
II. "Jab chup chup ke raato mei
Hum tare gina karte the
Tabse tumse pyaar kiya"
Year: 2006, January
As the clock neared midnight, Tiwari Killa was lulled to sleep with the full moon luminescent in the darkness. The chirping of crickets reverberated with the pounding of his heart as adrenaline pumped into his veins while sneaking through the secret way into her house.
She hummed a tune as she finished her bath, wrapping a towel securely around her body she walked out of the bathroom. Jolted into awareness by Shravan's sudden entry into her room, she squealed and both of them immediately turned around, her heart beating in her throat. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself and before she could express her outrage, a litany of "Sumo, I am sorry; really sorry" fell in her ears.
She ducked behind the cupboard dressed up and walked tippy toed towards Chasmish who was still facing the wall. She saw him red faced with his hands covering his eyes. As she removed his hand, she saw that his eyes were still closed tightly and his lips kept on muttering apologies, his waif like appearance a picture of innocence that tugged her heart. A surge of affection filled her soul for her best friend, her fattu.
She neared his ear and queried, " Ae chashmish, koi aise ghusta hai kisi ke room mei?"
" Sumo , maine kuch nahi dekha, sacchi mei" , he pleaded as he opened an eye slowly and continued, "Koi aadhi raat ko nahata hai kya?"
"Main nahati hu" pat came her reply as she asked in her next breath, "Waise tum aaj yaha kaise, boards ki preparation ho gaye kya?"
" Arre aaj pata hai Meteor Shower dikhne wala hai, tujhe dikhane aaya tha", he responded brightly.
" Toh chal terrace pe!" she whispered excitedly.
**************
Beneath the starry night they sat perched on the parapet, watching the wonders of universe twinkling solely for them. The untarnished innocence of childhood on the cusp of adulthood made the stars within their reach.
Glancing at his digital James Bond watch, he complained, " Yaar its already 1.10, meteor shower ka time toh 1.07 ka tha..."
"Uff Shravan, ab ye nature teri watch pe punctual thodi hoga", and she exclaimed," Woh dekh chashmish, it started!"
The dazzling stars glowed brighter and some fell like raindrops while some stretched across the horizon puling their tails behind them. The beauty enchanted their senses, lightening up the deep trenches of their soul.
"Its amazing na", mumbled Shravan.
" Hmm..", she concurred still mesmerised.
" Pata hai in falling stars se jo wish mango, woh mil jaati hai! Tu bhi maang le, he said.
" Jo khud toot raha hai Woh hamari wish kaise poori karega Shravan." She softly muttered.
He turned to look at her, her eyes reflecting the stars yet they were filled with an inexplicable hue. "Matlab?", he wondered.
" Matlab much nahi yaar", She flashed a radiant smile and queried," Achha bata tune kya manga?"
" Kyu batau tujhe, batane se wishes puri nahi hoti!" He declared, dismissing the earlier anamoly as his imagination.
" Ja na bacchu, mat bata abhi!! Ek din khud aakar kahega!", She smirked placing her folded elbow over his shoulder.
" Dekhenge", he stuck out his tongue teasing her.
" Dekh lenge", she replied.
And the night echoed the sound of their laughter, their incandescent joy mingling with the stars.
"She should have wished", whined an unhappy Cupid.
" Don't worry, he wished for both of them", soothed the Angel.
A N: So guys, did you like it?? Thanks for the amazing response, it inspires me to write further.
Scroll down for Part 3.
Fan Fictions
Anupamaa
