Part ~ 1
Cabir was driving on the streets of Mumbai on his red jeep. He never maintained any speed limits because playing by rules was not his style. The cool morning breeze made his hair flow and the shades that he wore made him look even more charming than he already is.
A little while later after he stopped at the traffic he could feel eyes on him and as he turned to look he saw a couple of girls sitting on the car beside his eyeing him with an appreciative smile. Normally he would have given them his trademark devilish grin but today he was not in the mood, so he turned back and stared at the red traffic light.
For the last two days he was being cranky. All he could think of was Navya's crying face, her hurtful eyes, and inside his head her words kept ringing "Humhe tumse nafrathhai."
He knew she must hate him for all the bullying and pranks he did but Navya saying it out loud hurt him. That's what irritated him, he was not supposed to be hurt. It never mattered to Cabir what others thought about him except now it does and he couldn't figure out why. But he was able to figure out why Navya was actually crying that night.
She left him at the poolside after saying she hates him. Cabir also followed her on the backyard a little while later and everybody was there already. Dhruv and Nandini was giving each other 'madly in love' looks, Alya was handing out drinks and smoothies while Manik was setting up the music system and there were also Harshad who was winking and giving cheeky smiles to Mukti who was trying her best to ignore him. Cabir saw Navya, who was sitting at a single chair, all traces of tears gone from her face except those red eyes which were now looking between Harshad and Mukti. Thats when it hit Cabir, Navya must have seen Harshad and Mukti together and got upset but him teasing her later made it even worse. They all knew Navya liked Harshad and that's another thing that bothered him.
Cabir asked himself over and over again "Why the hell does all these matter to me?"
He came out of the train of thoughts when he heard loud horns and realized the red light he was staring at turned green. Cursing under his breath he started his jeep and only stopped again when he reached his destination, Girls Hostel of S.P.A.C.E.
Cabir turned off the engine and leaned back on his seat releasing a deep breath. He came here to see Navya and to make sure she was alright because for the last two days she didn't come to college and was worried for her.
Finally he came out of the jeep and entered the hostel. Asking the care taker in which floor Navya stayed, he started climbing the stairs arguing with himself whether he should go upstairs or turn back and drive off.
The daredevil of S.P.A.C.E now looked timid. He stared at the door of Navya's room and gathered up all his courage to knock on the door. Moments later the door opened but to Cabir's disappointment it was not Navya but her room mate, who obviously looked surprised.
"Ca...Cabir tum? Yeha?"
"Ummm hi. Mujhe who actually Navya se milna tha, who hai yeha?"
The girl looked even more surprised. "Nahi."
Cabir's awkwardness turned into worry " Who thik to hain na?"
"Hain. Shayaad. Who har subha mandir jati hain lekin pichle do din se nahi agye, kafi upset lagrahi thi. Aaj phirse gaye to shayaad thik hogaye hain."
"Mandir? Kon sa mandir or kase jana parta hain?"
"Pass mein hi hain. Tum yeha se right jana or phir se right turn lena or thorider baad hi tumhe mandir milegi."
"Right and right. Okay, thanks, bye." and Cabir stromed off leaving the girl in complete confusion.
*******
This mandir was small but yet beautiful like all others. Good thing was there were not too many people as only the locals came here like Navya, to pray and seek for peace.
Navya was on her knees, her hands clasped together infront of the idol of the goddess Durga to whom she was laying her heart out.
" Mata rani please humhe koi rashta dikhaye e. Hum bohath muskil mein hain. Aapko to patahi hain hum yeha ayathe singer banne, whohito humara sapna tha I mean hain lekin bich mein Harshadji mill gayye or unse payaar ho agaya, lekin who to kisi or se payaar karte hain aab aaphi bataayen hum kaya kare? Unki k pass jaye ya durr? Humhe bohath dukh ho raha hain. Mata rani please humhe hamari saacha payaar de dijiye agar yeh nahi to koi Ranbir jasa hi sahi. Please mata rani."
Navya finally finished her long prayer and stood up with her plate of prashad. She was about to decend the stairs when she heard a familiar voice call her.
"Navya."
She was astonished to see Cabir making his way towards her. "Tum yeha?"
"Kiyun mein mandir nahi asakta? Or yeh kaya, akele akele prashad khayogi? Very bad. Mujhe bhi to do"
"Bilkul nahi. Hum bhagwan k bhaqth hain, shaitan ko bhog nahi dete."
Cabir gave a relieved smile, atleast she was okay and was talking with him but the smile worried her because a smiling devil was never good.
"Cabir kaya chahiye tumhe? College mein kam pareshan karte ho jo aab yeha bhi agaye?" her voice sounded frustrated.
"Mein to bass us raath k liye sorry kehne aya tha. Mujhe pata nahi tha..."
"Tumhe to kabhi kuch patahi nahi hota. Or sorry kehne se saab thik nahi ho jata." and without even waiting for his reply she started to walk away and Cabir said what came to his mind.
"Mujhe pata hain tum Harshad se payaar karti ho."
Navya stopped on her tracks. She turned back and quickly went back to Cabir. "Kaya? Tum nn...ne kaya kaha? Shuno esa kku..kuch nahi hain."
"Accha? To phir tum itni ghabrahihuyi kiyun ho?"
Navya was silent.
"Navya mein iss bar kuch ulta sidha nahi karunga. Trust me mein yeh baath kisi ko nahi batayunga. Tumhe sirf sorry se kaam nahi chalega na to phir thik hain mein tumhe Harshad ko lekar tumhe help karunga phir to maaf kardogi na?"
For an unknown reason each word Cabir uttered caused him a lot of pain but he kept saying to himself that he was here for her forgiveness and will do whatever it takes. Other feelings does not matter.
On the other hand Navya was shocked beyond words. It looked like her eyes were going to come out of their sockets and land on the plate of prashad. What an icky thought!
She finally found her voice "Cabir kaya mazak hain? Yeh tumhari video k liye koi dushra prank hain na?"
"Nahi. Itna bhi kamina nahi hun ki mandir mein jhooth bolunga. Trust me I am really sorry."
Navya heaved a sigh "Thik hain. Lekin agar..."
"Agar kuch nahi hain. Toh phir deal?" Cabir held out his hand.
Navya looked at his hand for a while and said "Eshe nahi. Eshe" and pointed upwards.
Cabir's lips curved into a genuine smile. He took Navya's hand in his and together they rang the bell of the mandir, sealing their deal.
Shiv Shakti
