She climbed up the stairs and stopped to take rest. Reaching for the pink handkerchief kept in the safety of the front chain of her bag, she trudged forward. Climbing a five storey building was really a tough job. Though it was just 9:30 am in the morning, and the cool breeze that gained entrance through the open windows gave the evidence of the fact, but the sweat on her body proved the laborious task that she had to achieve every Sunday morning.
Reaching room number 26 at the end of the long passage, she kept her bag on the third bench. Some student had already reached while she knew others were on their way. Keeping her head on the cool front desk she closed her eyes and a familiar image emerged. He had not reached yet but she knew being the serious student that he was, he will surely come. Taking care to not attract others eyes towards her, she stealthily let her bag loose and in front of her careful eyes, the bag slipped and fell with a small thud on the front bench. Her job being done, she engrossed herself on the 5 inch device in her hand.
"Hello papa, she said after the call was answered, I have reached. I will call you back before boarding the return train.
She disconnected the call after hearing the positive response and diverted her mind towards her friends.
***
The sudden lull in the room forced her to look back at the entrance and that's when her eyes caught him entering the room. Forcing her betraying teeth to stay hidden she again stealthily pulled one strap of her bag and let it fall on the floor.
"Really! That's why I tell you to stop studying so much. You can't even take care of your belongings. The words coming from his mouth was replied with a shy smile which was masked quickly with a fake glare.
"Stop glaring and move the bag. I will sit and stop your overworking mind, he kept his bag on the desk.
Chahoon bhi toh main kaise kahoon
Saari jo baatein dil kehta hai
Lehar sapno ki kaise ginu
Dariya behta hi rehta hai
"Shut up, she said, "I don't study as much as you do.
"Hey, I don't study. I have a job to keep, a boss to please and that's why I work.
"So what? Even I have a family to please. That's why I study, she fought back.
Their bickering stopped as soon as they saw the teacher enter the class.
She had joined the institute only a month ago and chose the Saturday-Sunday batch so that her normal university classes would not be missed. She was currently pursuing Economics M.Sc. from a renowned university and had joined this institute to get a formal training for government job exams.
The teacher had already started teaching. He was teaching Biology, a subject that she hated with all her heart. When after numerous tries, she failed to connect with the subject taught; she moved her eyes to her favourite subject and a recent musing of these days. Jalal was sitting just in front of her and an angular profile of his face was visible to her. She studied him carefully. The serious focus of his eyes, the sharp angle of his nose, the way the teeth of his upper jaw were set firmly on his lower lip. She sighed slowly. A slight tremor passed through her. She knew life ahead was going to be difficult for her.
Keh rahi hai kya yeh suno, meri khamoshiyan
Raat se hai lambi kahin, dil ki yeh daastaan
Kaise kahoon
***
"Aye Jodha! Jalal turned back after the teacher left the class. "Did you complete the Maths homework?
"Yeah. She replied while trying to control the slight heating up of her cheeks.
"Please help me with this 3rd sum. Jalal pushed the Maths book towards her.
"Arrey! What happened? Solve this please. He urged as she kept staring at the book with unblinking eyes.
"Wait please. Let me read it first, she said controlling her wayward dangerous thoughts.
Jodha knew that her crush on Jalal was bordering on obsession, a constant urge to see him, an unexplained desire to see his whatsApp profile picture every time his face came to her mind. Her concentration lapses were becoming more frequent with each passing day. The extreme desire to inform him about her feelings was the reason behind it. This much she was sure of.
She kept herself busy in solving the sum and Jalal's eyes followed her pen. After she had explained to him, he bent his head and tried to understand it again.
And again Jodha found her eyes shifting to his profile. The slight pink lips, untouched by cigarettes, his habit of unconsciously touching and moving fingers through hair were becoming her undoing. She knew the path she was taking will only lead to heartbreak. She was a Hindu and he a Muslim. Even if he shared her feelings, neither her parents nor his would ever approve of it.
"I need to tell you something. Before she could stop herself, the words left her lips.
"Yes. He glanced up at her expectantly.
Quickly blinking her eyes, Jodha looked around herself. Some were busy gossiping, while some were quickly solving the homework at the last minute. After a brief view around herself she turned to him.
Tumse mujhe yeh kehna tha woh keh raha tha hum-dum
Ho saamne toh kya kahoon, kya kehna tha hum-dum
"Umm.. How could you not solve the sum being the genius that you are? She lifted one eyelid and put a sly smile on her lips to give the words a fitting expression.
Jodha was thankful that her words had managed to deceive him. He ducked his head in his palms and exhaled.
"Oh God Jodha, he said with a smile, "Don't start again.
She pushed his hand which was on her desk and slapped him on the back, "don't worry. Such things can happen to great geniuses also. The smirk did not forget to appear on her face.
Kaise yeh, jazbat hai
Iss dil mein toh, din-raat hain
Honthon pe kyun aane se yeh sharmate hain
Aankhon mein kyun yeh har ghadi aa jate hai
Sensing the teacher enter the class, Jalal sat up straight before uttering, "don't worry. If this ever happens with a great genius as you, I will be there to help you. And then he turned back slowly to give a wink to hasten the process of Jodha's cheeks getting redder.
***
Jalal turned the page and stared at the sum which she had done. The girl had managed to capture his attention from the first day. It was just a month ago that they had met, but he was slowly finding himself get attracted towards her. He knew he had not imagined the blush on her face after she had picked up the bag. He knew after she had said that she wanted to tell him something, the jab about genius was not the thing in her mind. She had to make up first for the mistake she had done and she had picked their only topic of getting into an argument. He knew though her lips had not uttered any of her secrets but her eyes had uttered more than what her lips could have ever said.
Kaise yeh, jazbat hai
Iss dil mein toh, din-raat hain
Honthon pe kyun aane se yeh sharmate hain
Aankhon mein kyun yeh har ghadi aa jate hai
He knew he was falling for her fast. Her smile, her wits, her habit of saying the most unexpected things, her subtle ways of taking care that he sits just in front of her, her small tug on the bag strap to let it fall were making him fall faster. Even after trying he could not stop himself from winking and the slight blush which he knew would come was his fodder for the coming week. It was not that he did not know what storm will await them if ever his parents came to know about his involvement with a Hindu girl, and he needed to prepare himself for it. After that he decided that he will talk to her about his feelings. Until then, this was the best.
Jab khwaab hai, jazbaat hai, ehsaas hai
Toh kehna kya, toh sun.na kya, awaaz hai
Chahoon bhi toh main kaise kahoon
Saari jo baatein dil kehta hai
Lehar sapno ki kaise ginu
Dariya behta hi rehta hai
Keh rahi hai kya yeh suno, meri khamoshiyan
Raat se hai lambi kahin, dil ki yeh daastaan
Kaise kahoon
***
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And also wishing everyone a very happy Diwali😃
- Barnali
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