SS: Tu rooh ka humnava hai. Yeh jismon ka rishta nahin. Update Page 67 - Page 29

Hey Roohians,

Here is the next chapter.

I remember that the idea of this story came while I was listening to the song dil ki purani sadak par. That time I had only visualized a girl singing that song indirectly to the guy she was in love with but then I thought turning a real life friendship of three people into a fiction won't be bad. That's how I started writing the story. Many parts of this story are real life moments. The funny moments, the teasing, the caring are all real. That's why I always said that this story is very dear to me and I get extremely happy when you all leave beautiful reviews.

Anyway, coming back to the chapter, I really hope you liked it.
Saira's emotions are still troubling her and Neil is restless seeing her restless. He genuinely gets affected by her happiness, sadness, restlessness, tears, smiles, eyes... he just didn't realize it yet why he gets so affected by every damn thing that concerns her.

You will get to read Samir's side of the story. Why he isn't taking Nassiha's warning seriously.
He has an admiration and respect for Saira more than just being in love.
Be it Neil or Samir, any girl would love to have a partner like them.

Ok I will stop my bak bak here. Thanks for appreciating this story and my writing.
See you all in the next chapter.

Samir’s brothers made a reservation in a prestigious restaurant for his bachelor party. They invited all his friends and even Neil. Nassiha got to know where they went for the celebration and persuaded the girls to gatecrash the party. All of them agreed even Naira and got ready for the party. Saira refused to ruin their moments and stayed at home. Shelly stayed back with her. When the girls showed up the guys were all shocked but kind of knew that they were coming to ruin their boy time. The girls were super fun so they ended up enjoying it more than when they were between boys. They called Saira to join in but she refused. They asked Samir to request her to come as she won’t be able to refuse to him. When he said that it will make him happy to see her she finally said yes. They all got a reason to tease them.

« I never thought you would accept for an arranged marriage. », Shelly said while they were on their way to the restaurant.
« Arranged marriage was the best option for me as I was unable to find my prince charming by my own. Samir is a nice guy. The kind of person I was looking for. I know that he will keep me happy. », Saira answered.
« Sometimes you don’t have to look far to find the love of your life, I always told you. », Shelly said.

Saira looked into space. Her cousin was right. She didn’t look around or didn’t want to look around to understand her own feelings for the man who was just there in front of her all the while. The Faris cousins entered just when Samir’s brothers were dancing on stage.

« Thanks for coming. », Samir said putting his arm around her as soon as she joined them.

Saira smiled but inwardly felt uncomfortable. Her eyes met with Neil’s but she looked away. Neil found it weird. He knew that she was tormented by something. The food was served and half of the people went to grab something to eat. Neil took that opportunity to talk to her.

« Are you fine ? », he asked.
« Yeah. », she replied looking at him questioningly.

Neil not fully convinced about her honesty pulled her cheeks. She hit him hard in the chest. He found the old Saira back with her smile, eyes and the way she didn’t shy away from hitting him. He walked away relieved when Samir asked him to join him. Saira turned around and touched her cheeks. This was the first time she felt his touch so electrifying. She remembered that she used to feel the same in the initial days of their encounters but she always thought it was because they were strangers to each other. Now it was clear in her head that she has always been attracted to him but unknowingly always denied it.

Much later that night they all were having a conversation when Nassiha noticed Saira’s home screen picture of her phone. A picture of her with her parents and Neil and Naira, the four most important people of her life.

« It’s a beautiful picture. », Nassiha commented.
« Yes, we were having a family picture when these two idiots photobombed it. », Saira explained.

Naira, Shelly and Neil chuckled hearing Saira’s explanation. Samir looked at it and smiled.

« Idiot and me ? I think you are mistaking me with someone else. Do you remember who I am ? Perhaps you are not able to recognize me. Mr. Neil Nazareth here. Nice to meet you, ma’am. », Neil extended his hand.
« Idiot. », Saira rolled her eyes while Naira and Shelly burst out laughing.
« Seems like a hidden joke. », Nassiha remarked.
« Why would it be a hidden joke ? », Naira replied angrily.
« Chill. It’s fine. », Neil whispered to Naira placing his hand on hers then continued, « Saira suffers from face blindness. She sometimes doesn’t recognize new faces so it has become a joke between us. »
« Oh, is this the reason why you didn’t recognize me on our first coffee date ? I mean we had already met once and even conversed but you didn’t recognize me. », Samir asked.
« Yeah probably as we had met only once before. », Saira replied. « You know I still get confused between Shammi aunty and Tania aunty’s sons. I mean I have no problem in recognizing Shammi aunty’s elder son Parth even though we hardly talk with each other because he is the lambu of all the youngsters. Quite easy you see. And I also recognize the youngest of the four, Adnan, as we always have fun in parties. He is a nice and funny guy. I also know Tania aunty’s son Rishi as we know each other since our childhood and her younger son too as when he was a kid he was desperate to meet me. You know I hardly go in parties so he had never seen me before he turned six or seven. Otherwise I get confused between the other two sons of Shammi aunty and the middle son of Tania aunty. I am always asking them are you Shammi aunty’s son or Tania aunty’s. », she laughed.
« That’s hilarious. », Samir laughed.
« Nowadays they greet me and immediately inform whose son they are because they are so used to with my confusion. », Saira continued.
« Let me confess something. Parth was so into you a few years ago when he first met you but he is two years younger than you so he didn’t take the risk to woo you. », Samir told her.
« Oh damn I need to delete this information from my head. », she replied placing her hands on her ears.

Samir and Saira laughed together. Neil was relieved to see that Saira was happy and the wedding wasn’t troubling her like Naira and he had thought a few days ago. They were finally bonding and she was getting the guy she always dreamed of, the one with whom she can laugh and have fun.

They wanted to end the party with a game. Everyone picked up a chit of paper and had to entertain others by doing what was written on the chits. Some had to sing, some had to dance or act and so on. Samir had to say a few lines about his lady love. Nassiha tried her best to draw something which she had to make others guess but failed miserably. Shelly, Khushi, Fatiha in turn had to create a conversation starting their first word each time with the next alphabet from A to Z. It started with Khushi, « Ahhh my dear Shelly, did you know that farting is a sign of good health ? » Shelly was embarrassed. Here you go, the fart jokes… again. She replied « But how do you know that ? » Fatiha continued, « Cause Khushi is the farting queen. » Everyone laughed. Fart jokes never get old and Khushi realized that she did the biggest mistake by mentioning about fart. « Damn, why do you all always insult me like this ? », she asked. Shelly continued, « Eeeeew do you remember our London trip. That guy who farted inside the London Eye ? » « F…..fe…forgot that eating beans produces gas. », Fatiha fumbled before finding a sentence. « Gas…Gas ? », that’s all Khushi could say shrugging her shoulders as she didn’t know what to say. Everyone laughed. « Hag diya abhi se. Let me remind you that we have to do all the letters. », Shelly remarked. Fatiha interrupted, « Isshcuje me, my colleague was telling me a joke the other day. Two friends were traveling together on a train. First one said when I fart it doesn’t smell. Second one said when I fart there is no sound. A stranger sitting infront of them asked what’s the point farting then ? » Neil tried his best not to laugh. The Faris sisters were unique.

Once the trio did all the letters they were applauded for their nonsense. The game continued with Naira who had to do an Arabic dance. The boys loved her moves. Saira had to sing a song. She was good in writing but she sucked in singing yet she gave it a try for the game. She went on stage and waited for the music to play on. She always loved romantic and sad songs but they were never meant to be for her. Today, every sad and romantic songs seemed to be written only for her. Today her heart wanted to convey a message indirectly to the one she was in love with but in a language she knew he wouldn't understand half of it.

« Dil ki purani sadak par badla toh kuch bhi nahin. », she started to sing shakily with closed eyes as she was nervous about singing on stage.
« Mujhe thaam kar chal raha hai. Tuhi bas tu hi har kahin. », she opened her eyes and looked at everyone.
« Naaye phool dil ki zameen pe khilenge. Hai milna humein phir se mil ke rahenge. », she continued to sing with a better voice, her eyes on Neil. At that moment she knew that no matter what, married to someone else or not, she wouldn't let anyone take him away from her.
« Sitaare wahi hai wahi asmaan hai. Meri dhadkanon mein teri daastan hai. Main awaara lamha tu mera makaam. », she continued while Neil gave her a smile.
« Kaise juda hote hum tum bichhde hi jab hum nahin. », she looked at him intently with teary eyes. He looked around him not sure why she was looking at him. Samir was just next to him. The lines were obviously for her would be husband.
« Mujhe thaam kar chal raha hai.Tuhi bas tu hi har kahin. », She looked at Samir timidly. Neil turned his head towards Samir hoping that he would always walk by her side like how she always wanted from her life partner. The music continued to play and she turned her head as she wanted to avoid the tears from rolling down her cheeks. He could feel it that something was bothering her.
« Na saanson se shikwa na mitne ka darr hai. Tujhi se tujhi tak yeh mera safar hai. Tujhe sochti hoon toh khushboo si barse. », she looked back at him as if she was begging him through her eyes. But he couldn't understand what she was begging for exactly.
« Andheron se mere ujaale yun chhalke. Ke dariya bahe jaise ek noor ka. », she looked into space, lost and lifeless.
« Tu rooh ka humnawa hai. Yeh jismon ka rishta nahin. », she looked back at him with her voice cracking again. Her tears were also manacing to stream down her face. That was the sad truth about their relationship. They were soulmates but not lovers. She will always be in his soul but will never be physically his. He will also touch her soul but never her as a person. Their relationship, being the rooh ka humnawa and not jismon ka rishta was so beautiful but so heartbreaking for her. She closed her eyes because she knew her tears were coming out. Neil found those lines beautiful and meaningful but he was to busy worrying about why she was getting so emotional than thinking why and for whom she actually sang that song.
« Mujhe thaam kar chal raha hai. Tuhi bas tu hi har kahin. Dil ki purani sadak par. Badla toh kuch bhi nahin. », she reopened her eyes and looked at everyone.
« Mujhe thaam kar chal raha hai. Tu hi bas tu hi har kahin. », she looked one last time at him.

Everyone applauded. Neil followed them but he felt broken seeing her welled up eyes. Her eyes showed she was in pain and they were begging him for help without saying a word. But how can he help her if she wasn’t ready to share her problems ? She walked down the stage while he climbed on it as it was his turn. They stopped midway and stared at each other. « Saira, please, talk to me. », he said to himself. She walked away and waited for him to start. He looked at her one last time before starting his stand up comedy. He was making everyone laugh but his heart was aching seeing her in distress.

The party ended at one o’clock in the morning. Neil didn’t get the chance to talk to Saira as both were surrounded by people. He wanted to drop Saira and her cousins back home but Samir beat him to the punch. At last when he dropped Nassiha, she didn't get out of the car.

« You want to tell me something ? », Samir asked her as she wasn't ready to move.
« Isn't it strange that she has her parents and her best friends on her home screen but you, the man who is going to be the most important person of her life in three days ? », Nassiha asked.
« Not again Nass. I am going to be I am not yet the most important person of her life. », he replied.
« Open your eyes Sam, you are no where in her heart. », she said.
« Even my home screen doesn't have her picture. So you mean to say that I am also unfaithful to her ? », he asked.
« It's different for you. You don't put anyone's picture not even yours. But she does and you are not one of her priorities. », she continued.
« I understand her. An arranged marriage is always complicated, Nass. Just look at me, I am in love with the idea of getting married to the kind of girl I always dreamed of. I was impressed by her from day one. Physically and personality wise, I was attracted to her. In fact, she has turned many guys on and I am one of them. I love her as the woman of my dream but the real love is yet to happen. Maybe it's the same for her. She likes me as her dream guy but not yet as her better half. », he explained.
« Right. », she replied hoping that he was right.
« Now go and have some sleep. Work tomorrow. », he smiled at her.
« Goodnight. », she hugged him and got out of the car.

He waited till she entered the house and then started the car. He parked the car not far away as he lived a few streets away from her place. Living in the same neighborhood was the reason of their childhood friendship. They attended the same school and then the same high school. They played in the same playground and with the same neighborhood kids.They had always shared everything together that is why he understood her concern. He would have done the same for her.

Once home, Neil tried to go to bed as soon as possible but he couldn’t take Saira’s distress look out of his mind. He got up and went to his atelier and started painting. His eyes fell on her shawl, the one that always inspired him. He picked it up and sniffed it. It still had the smell of her perfume. The Muguet Millesime by Guerlain, a fragrance that enhances her favorite flower lily of the valley. A limited edition perfume that comes once a year during spring. He smiled at that thought and closed his eyes. She was unique. She needed everything to be unique like her. He put the shawl back to its place and went back to painting. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't even know what he was painting. He wondered why she sang that song. She wasn't yet in love with Samir then those lyrics were definitely not for him. His understanding of Hindi wasn't maybe excellent but it wasn't that bad either. Knowing her, she wouldn't use such powerful words if she didn't want to mean them. She could have sung any song but this one. The flashback of the lyrics sang by her hit him again. « Mujhe tham kar chal raha hai. Tu hi bas tu har kahin... Hai milna humein phir se mil ke rahenge... Sitaare wahin hai wahi asmaan hai. Meri dhadkanon mein teri dastaan hai... Kaise juda hote hum tum. Bichhde hi jab hum nahin... Tujhi se tujhi tak yeh mera safar hai. Tujhe sochti hoon toh khushbu si barse... TU ROOH KA HUMNAVA HAI. YEH JISMON KA RISHTA NAHIN. » He fiercely moved his brush on the canvas to calm himself down.

« Saira the chaos in your heart is driving me crazy. », he said putting down the brush and closing his eyes.

He spent the night staring at the ceiling till five in the morning. He then worked out for an hour before taking a shower and leave for the office. Later in the evening, he went to check on her at her place. Her mother opened the door.

« Is Saira at home ? », he asked her.

Saira's mother signed him to enter. He walked to the living room and leaning his shoulder against the wall he watched a happy, laughing and energetic Saira. She spotted him and with a smile walked up to him. She grabbed his hands and greeted him. Surprised to see her in her usual mood, he asked the question which kept him sleepless the entire night.

« Are you fine ? », he asked.
« Yeah. Why wouldn't I be ? », she asked back.
« Why were you crying while singing the song yesterday ? », he asked straightforward.
« It's one of my favorite songs. Always makes me emotional. That's it. », she replied with a smile.
« How can it be your favorite song as I never saw you listening to it before ? », he asked.
« Because I just realized it a few days ago that I love this song. », she replied.
« Ok, if you say so. », he replied.
« Join us. », she said.
« No I have to go. I just came to check on you. I don't have to worry anymore. », he said looking at her lovingly by placing his hand at the back of her neck and caressing her cheek with his thumb.
« The dinner is ready. Stay with us. », Saira's mother said from behind.
« Yes, please stay. », Saira requested.
« Ok ! », he couldn't refuse to her.

He slept well that night knowing that she was fine. On the other hand, she was trying to keep herself happy but her heart wasn't.

PS: In case you don't remember, Saira was born in France but her parents are Indians so her Hindi is very good. But Neil's Hindi is bad because his family is one of the rare families which lives in France since three generations. So his parents most of the times talk in French than in Hindi with their kids. I had already mentioned once in the story that one of his siblings told Saira that Neil never speaks in Hindi other than his family members because he sucks in it. That's why Saira thinks he won't understand the lyrics but he understood every word of it. Actually he himself underestimates his understanding of his Hindi. 😆