"Amma! Amma!" Sakshi Gupta hurried out of the kitchen to pick her chubby daughter off the ground and twirl her around, making the girl laugh, while her husband shook his head, a large grin on his face.
"Aapka school mein pehla din kaisa tha?" she smiled. (How was your first day at school?)
Khushi licked her lips, wrapping her arms around her sweet mother's neck. "Theek tha! Lekin Amma, mujhe library jaana hai!" (Fine! Buut Amma, I have to go to the library!"
Sakshi glanced at her husband before frowning quizzically at the six year-old. "Kyun? Homework mila hai?" (Why? Did you get homework?)
"No!" she shook her head cutely. "Homework nahin hai. But you know? Humaari class mein ek ladka hai. Voh bol nahin sakta, so no one talks to him. Sab uss se bohot rudely behave karte hain. But Amma, voh utna bhi bura nahin lagta. Thoda khadoos hai lekin I want to be his friend. To mujhe sign language seekhna hai. Voh teacher se aise hi baat karta hai. Aur agar humein usski baat samajhni hai to humein sign language seekhna padega, right? Toh aap mujhe library lechaloge na? Mujhe usspe research karni hai." (Not homework. But you know? There is a boy in my class. He cannot speak, so no one talks to him. Everyone behaves very rudely towards him. But Amma, he is not so bad. He is a bit grouchy but I want to be his friend. So I have to learn the sign language. That is how he talks to the teacher. And if I want to listen to him, I will also have to learn the sign language. So you will take me to the library, won't you? I have to research on that.)
Surprised, Sakshi looked at Shyaam who looked as astonished. He recovered very quickly though and walked to them to take Khushi in his arms and kiss her on her cheek. "Chalo, aap pehle kuchh khaa lijiye, phir hum aapko library lejaayeinge, theek hai?" (Come, eat something, then we'll take you to the library, okay?)
"Yayy!" the girl cheered gleefully.
***
When she entered the classroom the next day, he was still sitting all alone in the corner, scowling at his pencil case while the other kids where whispering about him and cackling. She walked to him with a very decided stance, plopped out on the chair next to him and began taking her things out. She felt him turn to look at her once and he went back to scowling.
"Khushi!" Ranjana screeched. "Tum vahaan kyun baith gayi? Come here!" (Khushi! Why did you sit there? Come here!)
She lifted her chin proudly and shook her head. "Nahin, mujhe Arnav ke paas baithna hai." (No, I want to sit next to Arnav.)
She felt him glower at her again and this time, she turned to him with a smile. "Hi, mera naam Khushi hai. Khushi Kumari Gupta." (Hi, my name is Khushi. Khushi Kumari Gupta.)
He stared at her in silence, then looked away.
***
"Kyunki mujhe tumse dosti karni hai." (Because I want to become your friend.)
His eyes widened with surprise. She giggled, knowing that he was stunned because she had actually understood his gestures.
Tum samajhti ho? (You understand?)
"Haan! Maine khaas tumhaari vajah se hi to seekha hai." (Yes! I learned it just because of you.)
Kyun? (Why?)
She pouted. "Baaki sab bacche kitne bure hain! Tumhein nahin samajh sakte lekin tumpe hassna bhi to nahin chaahiye! Mujhe voh bewakoof achhe nahin lagte. Lekin tum utne bure nahin lagte. Maine apni Amma se kaha tha, tum thode khadoos ho, lekin utne bhi bure nahin ho." (The other children are so nasty! They don't understand you but they should not laugh at you either! I don't like those fools, but you don't look so bad. I told my Amma, you are a bit grouchy, but not that bad.)
He turned his scowling face away but she didn't miss the reddening of his ears. She tilted her head and tapped him on the shoulder.
Kya hai? He frowned. (What is it?)
Silently, she put her hand forward in an offer of her friendship. The way he glared at it almost made her think he would refuse her yet again but this time, he handed her his too, rather gingerly. And she flashed a bright, hopeful smile at him. Finally, after three weeks of extensive self-coaching in sign-language and arduous attempts to break the little Raizada's tough nutshell, her mission was accomplished.
***
"Eh! Ek haath ki padegi na, tere saare daant tere pairon mein naach rahe honge! Chal, phoot yahaan se!" (Hey! I'll give you one slap and all your teeth will be dancing at your feet! Get lost!)
The little troop of boys immediately took off, with their leader running even faster. Khushi dusted her hands before regally placing them on her hips to admire her handiwork. They would never annoy her best friend again now. The bullies! They wouldn't even think of trying to bully someone else after the slap she had given that filthy leader. But there was one person who did not seem to agree with her. She suddenly felt someone tugging at her elbow.
Arnav Singh Raizada towered above her with furious eyes. Paagal hogayi ho kya tum? (Have you gone mad?)
She shrugged. "Haan, bachpan se." (Yeah, since I was very little.)
This is not funny! He narrowed his eyes grimly.
"Achha?" she laughed. "Mujhe to bohot maza aaya!" (Really? I did enjoy myself a lot!)
***
"Toh aap Khushi hain?" (So you are Khushi?)
She looked from Arnav's frowning face to the woman's kind, soft brown eyes and smiled, nodding. "Yes, Ma'am!"
Her friend's mother chuckled humorously and pinched her cheeks gently. "Nice to meet you, Khushi. Hum Anjali Raizada hain, Arnav ki Mumma. Yeh aapke baare mein bohot baat karta hai." (Nice to meet you, Khushi. I am Anjali Raizada, Arnav's Mumma. He tells me a lot about you.)
She nudged Arnav in the ribs with a teasing grin. "Sacchi?" He merely grunted his irritation while a furious red adorably coloured his ears again. Khushi looked at his mother. "Aunty, aapka beta kabhi muskuraata bhi hai? Kyunki school mein din bhar kissi Laad Governor ki tarha mooh phula ke baitha rehta hai!" (You do? Aunty, does your son every smile? Because in school he is always scowling like a Laad Governor!)
Anjali laughed and patted the little girl's head, swallowing the tears that were rising in her eyes. "Kabhi kabhi... Lekin Khushi, thank you for being his friend, beta." (Sometimes... But Khushi, thank you for being his friend.)
"Mention not, aunty," she clucked her tongue. "Aapka beta ek khadoos but cute Laad Governor hai, aur hum ek pagal Sanka Devi. Humaari khoob jamegi." (Mention not, aunty. Your son is a grouchy but cute Laad Governor, and I am a crazy Sanka Devi. We'll be great friends.)
Arnav immediately glared at her. Cute kisse kaha? (Who did you call cute?)
***
"Abe! Wait, meri diary kahan hai?" (Oi! Wait, where is my diary?)
You don't have a diary.
"Chalo, ab voh bhi rakhni padegi." (Okay, I'll have to start keeping one.)
Kyun? (Why?)
"Record karne wali baat hai! You smiled for the first time since I have known you." (It's something that has to be recorded! You smiled for the first time since I have known you.)
Shut up, Khushi!
***
"Suno, aaj tumhein school se aunty lene aayeingi?" (Listen, is aunty picking you from school today?)
Haan. (Yeah.)
"Okay."
Kyun? (Why?)
"Bas, aise hi." (Just like that.)
Tumhaari baat aise hi' kabhi nahin hoti. Saaf-saaf bataao tumhein kya chaahiye. (Your 'just like that' is never just like that. Tell me clearly what the matter is.)
"Aaj tum mere ghar aaoge?" (Will you come at my place today?)
What?
"Please?"
Main kyun aaoun? (Why should I?)
"Bhool gaye? Mera birthday hain..." (Did you forget? It's my birthday...)
...
"Tum aaoge na?" (You'll come, won't you?)
Tum meri Maa se baat karlena. (Talk to my Maa about it.)
"Hmpf! Khadoos Laad Governor! Haan kehna hai to theek se bolo na! Bahaana banaane ki kya zaroorat hai?" (Hmpf! Sulky Laad Governor! Say yes if you want to! Why do you need to find excuses?)
Maine bahaana kab banaya? (When did I make an excuse?)
" Meri Maa se baat karlena.' Bahaana nahin to aur kya hai? Tumhein pata hai ke aunty mujhe na kabhi nahin kaheingi. Nautanki Raizada! Dekho, tumhaare kaan bhi laal hogaye!" ('Talk to my Maa.' What's the excuse if this is not? You know very well that aunty will never say no to me. Drama queen Raizada! See, even your ears turned red!)
***
"Ek baat bataao?" (Tell me something?)
Ab kya? (What now?)
"Rohit ko tumne maara?" (Did you hit Rohit?)
Mujhe pareshaan karne ke alaava tumhaare paas koyi aur kaam nahin hai? (Don't you have something else to do except for harassing me?)
"Nahin! Bataao na! Tumne usse maara?" (No! Tell me! You hit him?)
Leave me alone.
"He Devi Maiyya! Tumhaare kaan laal hogaye! Tumhi ne usse mara, I knew it! Ussne mera haath pakadne ki koshish ki, issiliye tumne usse maara, right?" (Oh my god! Your ears are red! You were the one who punched him, I knew it! He tried to hold my hand, that's why you hit him, right?)
Just leave me alone dammit!
"Aww! Arnav, you're so cute! Thank you!"
Eh! Cute kisse kaha? Aur thank you ki koyi zaroorat nahin hai. You can't prove that I punched him. (Hey! Who did you say cute? And don't thank me. You can't prove that I punched him.)
"Dhat! I have known you for nine years! Tum kissiko punch maaro, aur mujhe pata nahin chale, aisa ho hi nahin sakta!" (Hah! I have known you for years! You punch someone and I don't know, that can never happen!)
***
Kahaan thi tum? (Where were you?)
"Sorry, sorry, laakhon sorry!"
Sorry se kuchh nahin chalega. (Sorry won't work.)
He started walking away but she caught him by the arm and tagged along. "Sorry, Arnav! Isski vajah se der hogayi." She shook a little box at him. (Sorry, Arnav! I got late because of this.)
Yeh kya hai? (What's this?)
"Khol ke to dekho baba! Main tumhein har baat to bata nahin sakti, na?" (Open and see it! I can't tell you everything, can I?)
He narrowed his eyes at her and opened the box only to sigh. He took her gift out and grimaced. Seriously?
She smiled meekly at him. "I know ke tum bhagwaan mein vishwaas nahin rakhte, and I understand your reasons too. Lekin mujhe inpar poora bharosa hai. Agar yeh nahin hote na, to main tumse kabhi nahin milti. Saari zindagi un gadhon ki dost bani rehti. Ab tum Ahmedabad jaa rahe ho, IIMA mein padhne ke liye... Mujhse itne door hojaaoge... Tumhaara khayaal kaun rakhega? Ganapatiji tumhaare saath rahege to mujhe kam pareshaani hogi. Maine inse keh diya hai, yeh tumpe nazar rakkheinge aur tumhein museebaton se bachaayeinge. Aur... tum bhi jab inhe dekhoge to shayad meri yaad ajaayegi..." (I know you don't believe in god and I understand your reasons for it too. But I trust him fully. If he wasn't there, I would never have met you. I would have been friends with those asses for my whole life. Now you are going to Ahmedabad, to sudy in IIMA... You'll be so far from me... Who will take care of you? I will feel better if Ganapatiji is with you. I have told him, he will watch out for you and keep you out of trouble. And... You might even remember me when you look at him...)
Arnav shook his head. Pagal! He signed at her. She tried to laugh but the tears that had clotted at the base of her throat made it really difficult. He smiled at her, just a slight tilt of the lips. It was not what surprised her. He had done that too often to surprise her now. What did surprise her was when he briskly wrapped his arms tight around her and held her for a few minutes, in his warm arms. But she did not cry until he was gone. The idiot was going to miss her more than he pretended and she didn't want to add to that with her buckets of tears. (Mad girl!"
***
She caught the ball he had been smacking against the wall, smiling mischievously. "Kya kar rahe ho?" (What are you doing?)
He rolled his eyes sarcastically. Chaand pe jaane ki taiyyaari. Chalogi mere saath? (Preparing to go on the moon. Come with me?)
"Tum jahaan bhi jaane ko kahoge, main chaloungi," she replied honestly. He sighed and sat down on the steps that led to the back door of his house. "Mujhe bhi nahin bataaoge?" she pouted, sitting down near him. (I'll go whereever you take me. You won't tell me?)
He glanced at her. Ek bhi dhang ki naukri nahin mil rahi. Sirf iss liye ki main gunga houn. I hate myself! I'm just a bloody failure! Agar main normal hota to kitni asaani se job milti. Mom-dad ko bhi ziaada takleef nahin hote mujhe leke, aur- (I'm not getting one proper job. Just because I'm dumb. I hate myself! If I were normal I would have gotten a job so easily. Mom and dad wouldn't have so many troubles because of me, and-)
"Stop!" she scowled at him. "Khud ke baare mein aise phir se baat ki na, to main kasam se tumhein goli maardoungi! Tumhaari himmat kaise huyi mere dost ke baare mein aisa kehne ki?" (Stop! Say something like that about yourself again, and I'll shoot you, I swear! How dare you speak like that about my friend?)
He looked astounded at the apparition of her tears and tried to wipe them off her cheeks but she slapped his hands away.
"Haath lagaaya to haath kaat ke vaapas dedoungi, samjhe tum? Agar koyi yahaan pe failure aur naalaayak hai, to voh society hai, Arnav, tum nahin! How could you even say something like that? Despite this so-called lacking of yours, you got admitted in one of the most prestigious universities of India! Agar log tumhein sahi tarha se pehchaan nahin sakte to iss mein tumhaari kya galti hai? Apne baare mein aisa kehne mein tumhein sharam nahin aati? You just managed to insult Anjali aunty, Aman uncle and me!" (Touch me and I'll cut your hands and give them back to you, understood? If there is someone who is useless and a failure here, then it's the society, Arnav, not you! How could you even say something like that? Despite this so-called lacking of yours, you got admitted in one of the most prestigious universities of India! If people cannot recognise who you are, what's your fault in that? Aren't you ashamed of saying something like that about yourself? You just managed to insult Anjali aunty, Aman uncle and me!)
Sorry.
His poor puppy face made her anger evaporate quickly and she smiled at him. "Aur vaise bhi, tumhein job nahin mil rahi, yeh to bohot hi achhi baat hai!" (Anyway, it's good that you are not getting a job.)
Excuse me?
"Hmm!" she nodded eagerly. "Look, mujhe pata hai ke tumhaara dream job kissi office mein nahin hai! You have always wanted to be a writer, Arnav! Ab mauka hai, you can do it!" (Look, I know your dream job is not in some office. You have always wanted to be a writer, Arnav! You have the chance now, you can do it!)
Yeah? Sach mein, tum apna dimaag kho baithi ho. (Yeah? Really, you have lost your mind.)
***
What's this about?
She smiled at him nervously and glanced at their parents. "Yeh planned nahin tha... Actually, haan... I did plan this but I didn't think ke sab itni jaldi hoga... I mean, maine socha tha ke issmein time hai, lekin issmein time nahin hai, kyunki next month, tumhaari pehli book release ho rahi hai, and I don't want you to get the wrong idea, you see? Because tum usske baad bohot famous and rich ban jaaoge, to agar main yeh sab baad mein karoun to tumhein lagega ki-" (This was not planned... Actually, yes... I did plan this bit I didn't think it would be so quick... I mean, I had thought there was time for this, but there is no time for this, because next month, your first book will be released and I don't want you to get the wrong idea, you see? Because you'll be famous and rich after that, so if I do this after, you'll think-)
Stop! Mujhe tumhaari bakwaas samajh mein nahin aa rahi! (Stop! I don't understand this nonsense of yours!)
"Haww! Tumhein lagta hai ke main bakwaas karti houn?" (Haww! You think I speak nonsense?)
He rolled his eyes. You know what I mean, dammit!
She smirked shyly and glanced at their parents again. They stood at a little distance from the two of them in the Raizadas' backyard, looking slightly impatient about something. When he looked back at his childhood friend, she was biting her lip and staring at him with wide fearful eyes.
What?
Diffidently, she got down on one knee, still chewing on her bottom lip. Dekho, hum ek doosre ko twenty-two years se jaante hain. Tum ek khadoos lekin cute Laad Governor ho, main ek paagal Sanka Devi. Ab... pyaar to hona hi tha, na? Mujhe to hua hai! Iss liye seedhe-seedhe poochh rahi houn, mujhse shaadi karoge? Obviously agar tum haan kahoge, to tumhein mera paagalpan sehna padega aur mujhe tumhaara gussa, lekin mujhe usse koyi farak nahin padta. Kitne saalon se issi ke saath to rehti aayi houn! Agar tum mujhe na bhi kaho, to koyi baat nahin, main koyi hard feelings nahin rakkhoungi. Aur tumhein sochne ke liye vakt chaahiye, to jitna chaahe lelo. Ghutne mein thoda dard hota hai, lekin tumhaare liye seh loungi. (Look, we have known each other for twenty-two years. You are a grumpy but cute Laad Governor, I am a crazy Sanka Devi. Now... we had to fall in love, right? At least I did! So, I'm asking you straight-forwardly, will you marry me? Obviously, if you say yes, you will have to live with my craziness and I will have to live with your temper, but it doesn't matter to me. I have been living with it for so many years! And even if you turn me down, it doesn't matter either, I won't keep any hard feelings. And if you need time to think, take as much as you want. It does hurt a bit in the knee, but I'll bear it for you.)
He gaped at her in awe. Had she just proposed to him in sign language? She gave him a small, adorable smile that made his insides melt. "Tumaare kaan phirse laal ho gaye," she giggled tersely. (Your ears have turned red again.)
The corners of his lips drooped and he grabbed her by the shoulders to haul her back to her feet. Khushi, main baat nahin karsakta. (Khushi, I can't talk.)
"Haan... toh? Tumhein ab pata chala? Arnav, I've know you for ages!" she scrunched her nose up cutely in confusion. (So... what? It's now you're learning it? Arnav, I've known you for ages!)
Tum mere saath kaise rahogi? (How will you live with me?)
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Maybe jaise pichhle baayis saalon se rehti aayi houn? Tumhein naa kehna hi hai, to kehdo na! Ghuma phiraake..." She huffed and would have started walking away but he had already thrown himself on her, engulfing her in a bear hug which made her stumble backwards slightly. Khushi grinned and hugged him back. That was only the beginning... (Maybe just like I have been doing for the past twenty-two years? Say no if you want to! Turning around the bush...)
Vaise bhi, tum mere hisse ka bhi bol deti ho, na? he gave her that heart-stopping, crooked smirk. Zyaada problem nahin honi chaahiye. (Anyway, you speak enough to filly my share you. There shouldn't be too many problems then.)
###
For those who still have not understood, the words in bold were in fact dialogues in the sign language!
Edited by ShikhaKhushi - 11 years ago
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