Hey Kaajjal parivaar 😃 Well it's very late at night here, so I'm imagining it must be very early morning for most 😕 lekin kya kare?? I'm off to uni tomorrow and I've been busy all day so I hadn't time to update my ff until now 😕 Please excuse any errors, praticularly my awful Hindi...it's both too late at night for me to get it right and with all the hustle and bustle today I just wrote this really quickly 😕 I'll edit it asap. Hopefully it won't take long to get my connection back. Okay, so here it is:
Chapter 6 – Weaving Dreams
Twenty-one innocent and inquisitve faces stared back at Kaajjal as she stood for the first time in front of her class. The sunlight was dappling through the trees in the yard outside and its hazy rays filtered through the windows, casting the children in a rosy glow that seemed to enhance their angelic countenances. Kaajjal smiled brightly at them and decided there and then not to talk down to them in any way. She recalled her schooldays when overbearing teachers had made her brain rebel and her soul long to be free in the hills with the sky rolling endlessly on overhead: a deep azure vista that promised eternity. There was so much eagerness in these children as they stared shyly up at her and she did not want to quash that spirit, that thirst for knowledge in them. To make it flourish was her desire and so she began by perching on the end of her table, placing her hands in her lap and sweeping her eyes over them with a friendly smile.
"Hello everyone," she greeted them. "Main hoon Kaajjal Pratap Singh aur I believe in dreams. Each one of us has some kind of dream even though we may not realise it. Kabhi Kabhie we can express those dreams through music and that is what I want to teach you. This will not be just a music class. I want to teach you how to lose yourself in the beauty of music. Do you know, when I was your age I used to listen to filmi songs and imagine what it would be like to fall in love. Ji-ha, I cultivated dreams of my sapnon ke rajkumar. Bahut simple sapna tha, lekin mujhe hamesha lehkta ke the simplest dreams are the most beautiful. Just look at me – it took me a while to realise but I finally realised my dream. I found my sapnon ke rajkumar...Dev."
A dreamy look came over her face and her eyes shone with her love as she recalled all the sweet moments they had spent together since they first met. For a few minutes there was silence as they children stared expectantly at her, and only the chime of the clock in the background jolted her back to the present. Smiling at herself she stood up and took up the teacher's guitar and gently strummed a note. A tune was swirling round in her mind and as she settled herself comfortably she strummed the strings, letting the melody live through her fingers.
"Everyone, place your fingers at this chord here, like this," she instructed the class, demonstrating. "Now, once you've got that brush your thumb across the lower strings like this."
Patiently she showed them the initial chords, stopping to help those that were struggling and explaining to them calmly so that they could follow. How the hour passed she didn't realise until the bell rang shrilly in her ears, heralding the lunch break. Dismissing the children with a smile she turned to place the guitar back carefully, smiling contentedly, the tune still reverberating through her mind. As she was doing this she felt two strong arms curl tightly about her waist, making her heart skip a beat. A familiar voice whispered in her ear and a shiver of delight raced down her spine as an elated smile broke out across her lips.
"Is there any detention classes today?" Dev asked her impishly.
"I don't know about that but someone is playing truant," she replied, turning her head to the side so she could look at him.
He had his chin resting on her shoulder and when she said this he grinned like a naughty school boy.
"Not me Miss," he joked, then turning her round in his arms he leaned his forehead against hers and smiled into her eyes. "Actually it's the lunch hour so I thought I'd come and see how you are getting on."
"I'm doing fine," she told him. "In fact I'm really enjoying it. These kids have totally astounded me with their desire to learn. I feel so humble next to them."
She pulled free from his arms and walked over to the row of guitars, running her fingers gently over them with an animated glow in her eyes.
"Pata Dev?" she said, "I'm truly happy today. I feel Gannu Bhaiya has answered all my wishes. There is nothing more I could wish for. I have you, our cottage, this job – everything is perfect. It's surely impossible to find anymore happiness in life."
Just then she felt a sudden dizziness and the room slowly began to spin about her. She placed a hand to her head and squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to stave off the sensation but she still felt as if the room was twirling about her. Dev called her name worriedly but his voice was blurred and seemed to come from a great distance. Little beads of sweat dotted her forehead as panic made her heart race and she stepped forward, groping for something to steady her. She stumbled and then everything went blank.
"Kaajjal!" Dev shouted as she went sinking to the ground.
He bounded forward and caught her round the waist before she hit the floor. Heart pounding in fear he stared down anxiously at her pale face. He shook her by the shoulders, calling her name, but there was no response. His blood turned to ice and he looked up and around in the desperate hope someone was about.
"Koi hai?" he shouted. "Someone please help!"
His breath was shallow with panic and his pulse was jumping as he looked back down at Kaajjal. Cradling her head in his hands he stroked her hair, with one hand while feeling at her wrist for a pulse with his other. Inside his head all manner of possibilities were chasing one another and he dreaded to seize on any one of them. As he gazed down at her helpless form he uttered a silent plea that nothing should happen to her. He was ready to give his own life if it would spare hers; anything, but he could not bear to see her come to harm. If only someone would come and help him!
Hope it was okay. Please do leave a comment, I'd really appreciate it 😊
Anu 😃
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
