Trrrrrrriiiinnnnggggg!!!
A bunch of kids playing cricket on a huge playground felt a rush! Their play stopped. Everybody stood still. Some wrinkled their nose, some made a face, some looked at the teacher and some pretended not to have heard it at all.
The teacher announced - C'mon bacho.. time to go back to class!
The kids dragged themselves, soaked in sweat and disappointment, towards the building. It was time for science class. SCIENCE! Who in 6th grade likes science, infact, who in ANY grade likes science.
Amidst all this, there was one kid who found himself in excitement. He was the only one running to be the first in line, the only one who hated cricket.
A bully said - Rahul, bhaagne ki koi zaroorat nahin hai. Tu bolega to hum khushi khushi tujhe aage rehne denge.
All the kids started laughing at this comment.
Rahul looked at him with the same fierce eyes as he used to when he was bullied to give up his favorite pencil, favorite sticker, and his favorite spot in lunch room.
Rahul led the line with an urgency to go back to classroom and hide himself back in books. He was the first one to reach back to his class while the rest of them still had one more storey to climb. As he entered, with his head hanging down, he realized somebody already in class. He slowly looked up to see his principal.
He greeted nervously with hands behind his back - Good morning Maam!
The principal - Good Morning.
Just then somebody equal his size peeped from behind the principal's back. He narrowed his eyes to look carefully who it was. His hands slowly made its way to a casual and relaxed position, forgetting that the principal was still there.
He smiled, from inside. She was beautiful. She was so simple, so innocent.
Rahul wondered - WAIT!! Don't I know her already?! 😲
Everybody settled in the class but she was still standing there, timidly, feeling exposed, to some 50 eyes staring down on her.
The principal - Bacho, ye humari nayi dost hain. Aaj se yeh hamare hi class mein hogi. Iska naam Muskaan hain. Aap sab uske dost banoge naa?
Rahul said - Haaaaaaan! - thinking everybody will say the same thing along with him.
But they were silent and then a hysterical laughter followed.
She was seated right next to Rahul. This time in science class, Muskaan's 'Universe' was more interesting than the books'.
Trrrrrriiiiinnnnggggg!!
Lunch time!! Two girls came running to Muskaan.
One girl - Hi Muskaan. Mera naam Mitali hain😳
The other girl - Aur mera Sonia😳.. Hamari dost banogi?
Muskaan smiled and nodded.
She took her lunch box and started walking towards the door.
His eyes followed her till they could see her. And then she turned around to see him. And smiled.
-------------------------------------------------------
Atul commented - Hassssiiii toooohhh phasssssiiiiii!!
Armaan scolded irritatingly - Abhey chup!
He turned back to Rahul - Phir Kya hua?
Rahul hesitated as they all heard somebody coming towards them.
Ridhima entered.
Riddhima - Oh! Aap sab yahan hain. Mujhe laga ki Muskaan yaha pe hain. I am sorry.
Armaan quipped Koi baath nahin, hum unhi ki baat kar rahe the.
She asked confusedly - Ji?
Rahul had to jump in.. Haan.. hum baath kar rahe the ke kaise aap logo ke muh pe muskaan laye jaye. Bahot khafa se lag rahe ho.
Riddhima tried to explain - Jee nahin.. aisi koi baat nahi hain.
Armaan got up and asked with dreamy eyes and soft voice... Toh kaisi baath hain'
Riddhima - Uhmm' I think main di ko bula ke laati hoon. She said this before she ran away.. feeling a little strange with the change in his tone.
Armaan - Oye .. hoyee!! .. She is soo sweeet yaar!
Rahul - Aur uski baahen ..usse completely opposite.
Atul - Khabardar jo uske bare mein kuch bola toh. He said with an unusual anger.
Rahul tried to explain and calm him down - Chill..Champ! Main to mazaak kar raha tha.
Rahul was going to distract him by going back to his story but it was interrupted by dinner time. They had to help the aunties serve dinner.
After the dinner was served and plates were ready' somebody had to go call the "America-wali salis".
Atul volunteered.
He ran up the stairs, picking up a red rose on his way and just when he was about to knock the door, Anjali opened it!
Anjali - What a Freak?! What were doing outside. Eavesdropping?
Atul - Na..nahi Anjali .. Main to tumhe bulane aaya tha. (blushing)
Anjali - For what?
Atul - Dinner' khana ready hain.
Anjali - Ok fine thank you.
Atul was still standing there looking at her attentively still holding the rose.
She signaled a "hello??" look but then just became bored and barged forward.
Anjali - Excuse Us!
Atul - Oh'!
Atul moved out of the way as she walked directly at him.
Anjali - Thanks! - with a fake smile
The other girls in the room had a soft giggle..
Anjali, Ridhima, Sukriti and Muskaan were walking down the stairs to join the BIG dining table. Atul was behind them with the rose in his hand and completely mesmerized.
Muskaan could hardly look at the people. She had her own thoughts to fight with. She wanted to be in her room forever. How could she face him? What will he say? What will he do? Is it going to nice and easy or is it going to be greatly awkward? What should I say to him? Should I say hello first? Or should I pretend I don't know him?
She was down the stairs by this time. She looked up for the first time in the last five minutes to see Rahul not there. Her eyes searched for him, inspecting each and every face in the room, but he was not there.
She couldn't help herself from pondering where he was. Armaan is here, Atul is here. She sat down next to Sukirti and while she was eating, she could only think about him.
--------------------------------------------
Muskaan scolded Rahul - Yeh kya pehna hain?
Dressed in a tacky black pant that was barely reaching his ankle and a flower printed shirt, Rahul came out of his room, proud of his outfit for their best friends' birthday party.
Rahul asked innocently - Kyun? Achha nahi hain?
Muskaan replied ridiculing Achha? Mera sir accha! Yeh pehen ke jayega. Birthday Party hain, fancy dress competition nahi. Aur waise bhi fancy dress competition bhi hoti, to bhi tujhe prize nahi milta. Kya.. pehna kya hai tune?
Rahul was hurt, he had to admit. But their 3 years of knowing each other, becoming the best of friends, being the support that they were for each other, she had the authority to tell him whatever she felt.
Rahul - To kya pehnu?
Muskaan - Tumhare paas koi aur kapde nahi hain?
Rahul - Uhmm.. hain na..
Rahul enthusiastically opened his closet.
Muskaan looked at them and she was worried.
In all the 3 years that she had known him, she knew that Rahul was a different guy, unusually awkward, unusually genius, unusually friendly and unusually dressed. But she had honestly expected that he would surprise her with "the outfit" he was talking about from past 2 weeks.
Muskaan - Rahul..ek kaam karte hain.
They sneaked into Rahul's cousin's room who was visiting him for a week. Muskaan was dragging him behind her..
Rahul - Muskaan, chori karna acchi baat nahi hain.
He warned her. But she was not the type who listens. She managed to open his suitcase and pull out some 'cool' clothes and handed them to Rahul to hold on to. He was shit scared. He was continuously warning her while watching the door. They grabbed some and ran back to his room.
Muskaan ordered - Chal yeh try kar.
Rahul - Nahin . Main nahi pehenunga. Ye mere nahin hain.
Muskaan - Dekh..hum late ho rahe hain. Mummy abhi aayegi hume pick up karne.. aur tum ye kapde pehenoge.
He had no choice but to try them out.
After several yeses and no's and maybe's, they decided on one.
This is it.
Blue Jeans and a button down red fitted shirt.
But there was something missing.
She went near him and spiked up his hair a bit.
He saw her and wondered how far they had come. From that silly initial fight when they met to silent benchmates to helping with notes, to being partners in everything, to fighting for each other to sharing every little secret.
Except one. She was his first and only crush and he hadn't gotten a chance to tell her that. Or maybe never had enough courage to do so.
Muskaan - How is it now?
Rahul - Good.
Muskaan - Sirf good?
Rahul - Very good.
It was his this simplicity and purity that attracted her the most. She laughed.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Sukirti - What happened Muskaan? Ab khana to itna funny nahin hain..
Muskaan looked around. Anjali and Ridhima had a puzzled look, Armaan was looking at Ridhima and Atul was busy looking at the rose.
She tried to shoo him away from her thoughts. But he kept appearing back.
--------------------------------
Rahul - Muskaan ko kuch bhi bola toh.
Rahul - Muskaan meri friend hain, aur main uska.
"Rahul aur Muskaan.. FRIENDS FOREVER!"
-------------------------------------
He was haunting her. She was helpless. She was wishing to see him. She was wishing to relive all those moments. She was wishing to fall in love with him, again.
Anupamaa
38