FF (New Thread) - Opposites Attract Part41@Page 70 - Page 38

'What happen?' Kavita asked seeing her confused and tensed after the phone call which she just now finished.

'Mama! Are you sure Anant has never told you about Shalini?'

'Yes beta! Anant had never mentioned about anyone called Shalini. In fact he never used to talk about any other girl except you since his college days'

'What!' she got up, getting a shock to which her mother-in-law said 'Careful'

Realizing her sudden unpleasant reaction which is not good for her at her condition, she holds her tummy to feel if everything is alright, nodded her head and sits back and said 'Mama! Since college days he knows me but I?

Cutting her words Kavita interrupted 'You didn't know?'

'No, but what?'

Anant's dad and your dad always had a dream of getting you both married as they are best friends. We didn't know what the future will hold be but we had this wish in our mind. Earlier Anant was also not aware of it as we thought of telling him after he finishes his college and so is your parents as we didn't want this to come between your studies, but once, while I and his dad were talking about it, he heard. First he revolted but then suddenly one day we called us and said he is ready. From that time there is only one name in his mind which is yours. Forget about mentioning any other name he didn't even notice anyone.

Navya remembers the day when they met the second time alone in her room when she spoke to him about Samar, he was the one who agreed for the contractual marriage as he also had someone else in his mind. Then how is it possible? To whom is he lying? Me or his parents?

'But Mama'

The door bell rang and Savita calmed her from her eyes and went to open it. It was Pammi who was on the other side of the door. Navya somehow managed to come out of the current situation and with a forced smile went near the door and introduced her to Savita and made them sit on the sofa. Since both of them are very talkative they soon became free and started sharing a lot of things over the conversation.

'Are Navya beta! Can you give me the sweet box from my bag please?

'Yes Mama' she replied and went to the guest room where the bag was kept over the chair which she opened it and took out sweet box which caused a noise on the floor. Something got dropped off from the bag. A 6610 nokia phone is lying on the ground. She slowly bent to picked it up and went to the living room and gave the sweet box to Savita. Savita opened the box and offered the boondi laddu to Pammi which she happily picked one.

'Mama!' Navya called looking at the mobile as it was off 'Whose mobile is this?'

'Oh! This one? It's Anant's old mobile which he had left at home. I thought he might would need it, that's why I got it here'

'Oh ok'

With so many questions in mind Navya is curious to check all his stuffs which might give her a clue about his past. She is in double mind now. In one side she is happy for knowing she is his first love but in other hand she wants to know what the story of Shalini is then. She switched the phone on and it welcomed her with the two hands holding on the screen. While the two ladies were busy talking about their village in Punjab, their missing of the fresh vegetables in a metro and all, Navya was surfing the phone, may be a pic or a phone number could give a clarity to her clueless mind. She had already searched in his current one but couldn't find her number. While searching in contacts she failed to find the name. She went and searched in photo gallery and to her astonishment; the second pic which she opened was the one which is there in the collage on their bedroom wall. Her eyes became wide with the sight of it. Not only that, there are many other pics, which she didn't even, see before or remember anyone taking them. She tried to find if she can get any pic of any other girl, but no. The whole gallery is filled with only her photos. In that, there is one where Navya is holding an orange dupatta in a roadside shop. She looked closely and said 'OMG, this is the one. This is the one which she used it as a supplementary of the chalni to break her fast. She thinks deeply and remembers that it was in Commercial Street, where she liked the dupatta to match with her white kurta, but didn't buy. It means Anant might have seen this and have bought and treasured it from so many days. But if this is the case and he liked me from before, why didn't he come to me and told me? What made him hide his feelings from so many years? What made him marry me even when I told him about Samar? Is it possible that may be after he met Shalini somewhere in middle and fallen for her and didn't tell his parents and then since her parents were not agreeing for their relationship, he agreed to marry me? So many questions are there in her mind with only few answered.

Anant came late at night at around 11:30 and by then Savita went to sleep. Though he called and informed Navya not to wait for him and go to sleep, but still she was awake having a look at his childhood album which Savita got for her.

'Navya! You are still awake? Not getting sleep is it? Anant said this coming inside the room opening his shirt button from top and coming near her. Navya picked her eyes from the album and looked at him and said 'Nahi!'

'Show what you are looking at. Oh wow, it's my childhood album'

Anant got excited and with his three buttons open of his shirt he forgot that he needs to change and went closer to her and sat beside her on the bed and started looking at the pics. He was showing her who is who in one of his group photo with the whole class with a lady class teacher in the middle of the first row. Navya was smiling at him though it was not very open.

'Anant! Why did you hide all these from me?'

Anant with a shock looked into her eyes which had tears rolling down her face. He realized that his mom has told her about his past and now it wouldn't be good to hide from her the complete truth which might affect her health.

Moving his face and sipping her tears falling on her cheeks with his lips he said 'Please don't cry. I will tell you everything now'

'Do you remember the day when you went on a trekking camp in Narkanda?

Navya said 'Yes. It was during my 11^th standard when I was studying in Dehradun. I went there with my school group'

'Ya! You went with your school group and I went with my college friends. It was the first time I saw you in person. Before that mama showed me your photo'

We were four of us. Sam, Neel, Rajeev and Me. It was a Friday evening, we took a flight to Delhi and stayed there for one night. Next day early morning we took the Kalka express to Kalka. Though we had a reservation but since the tickets didn't get confirmed, we had to sit near the door and go. We were bachelors and all others were able to manage, but I was the one who was cribbing a lot because of my cleanliness consciousness habit. For 5 hours I somehow managed to spend making face and all others were teasing me for this. We reached Shimla in the afternoon, had our lunch in a small roadside restaurant and took the bus to Narkanda. It was a 2 hour journey and I was a relaxed as the bus was neat and I could sit properly and go. We reached Narkanda in the evening as though the distance was not much, it took time due to the hilly roads.

Next day morning we four were set to go for trekking. We picked our bag packs and left the hotel where we staying in the night. It was a wonderful experience to trek in the roads and I took a lot of photographs of the scenery. While I was capturing the natural beauty, my camera's attention got diverted to something more beautiful, beautiful than the nature. A smile of someone which fixed the attention of the lenses with it's charm. A smile which was bright and pretty. I felt a sudden chill in my body. It swept me away for few minutes. Since it was in zoom, it had caught only the lips, but when tried to look at the face, the girl turned and I missed the chance. Thanks to my best buddy Rajeev who called me and I had to look back. When I turned again to see the girl, she disappeared. I gave a punch to him which he doesn't know till now why he got.

After a daylong trekking, we decided to settle down and made a camp on a plain area near a hill. It was cold and we decided to do campfire. My three friends were chatting, singing and all and I was remembering the smile which attracted my mind in the afternoon.

'Anant! What are you thinking dude?' Sam shook me and asked

'Nothing! I will just come in a minute. Will see what's around' and I got up and went. Didn't know what made me do that. I went further and saw another camp where a group of people also made a campfire like us. I went further then I saw a girl got up from her place and started acting on something. I looked closer and I found out it's you whom I saw in the photo which mama showed me to reconsider my decision. You were acting and others were guessing some words. Guessed you were playing dumb charades. You were trying hard to make them guess the movie name but they were not able to. Then suddenly you did a dance step and then they guessed it right. That time, you started jumping out of happiness of winning the game. You were looking like a small kid jumping around and laughing. I was like 'Aww, so cute'. You were giving flying kiss to everyone and hugging them. It was looking as if you participated in Miss India contest and won the pageant. In such a small victory you found the happiness of the whole world. That day I felt that even a little thing can give happiness, we just have to think free. That day I fell in love with you. That smile was yours who even my camera refused to ignore. I felt foolish that how can I reject such a wholehearted girl. I thought of going further and meet you but couldn't collect the courage and was admiring you from the distance and left after sometime.

In the morning, I again went to that place to see you, but you were gone. I went and checked in the camp, but the caretaker told me that the group left early morning itself. I felt bad and came back but then realized that you are mine only. Just that it's a call away to mama and I have to agree for the marriage. I was so excited to call her but since there was no network in that place, I was getting restless. Though I was with my friends, my mind was not there as it was waiting for the moment when I will reach to a place where I can get a phone or signal on my mobile. And finally the time came , the next day when we reached Shimla, I got down from the bus and ran to the telephone booth and called mama and told her that I ready to marry her.

From that day itself I have only you in my mind. Morning, evening, day, night, there is not even a second, a minute when I don't think about you. I studied hard to get a good job, so that I can give you all the happiness on earth which keeps you always happy and smiling, like the way I saw you in the camp. I roommates got bored of hearing your name all the time. But I never stopped. I was mad behind you. You had completely occupied my mind.

I finished my BE and got a job in a good company though campus. When I called mama to give the good news, she instead gave me the news that you have come to Bangalore to study arts in JNC. I was so elated to know that I did a double celebration with my friends. I decided to meet you as soon as you come here and tell you about my feelings. But then I was not able to collect my courage to go and talk to you as I was aware that your parents haven't told you about me. I decided to stay silent and meet you after you get settled. But I couldn't control myself to follow you. On weekends I used to come to your hostel and wait there to have a glance of you.

'So, you bought that dupatta, which I liked in that shop' Navya asked raising her eyebrows to which Anant gave a smile and said 'Yes. I was following you that day also when I picked that up just because you touched it'

One day I decided to talk to you and tell you about us but to my astonishment, I saw you with Samar who had come in bike to pick you up from hostel. That day my heart broke into pieces and I was shattered. My whole hopes were left unfulfilled, and I lost interest in life. Since I was very introvert, I didn't tell it to anyone, not even to my friends and my family. I was myself taking all the pain. But then one day I saw Samar with some other girl. He was looking quite cozy with the girl. I was shocked to see that girl kissing her. I came to know that he is cheating on you. I thought of telling this to you, but then I took back my steps thinking why you would listen to me. Who am I to advise you on your life? I thought of not interfering in your matters. But I couldn't take you out of my mind. I stopped going to your hostel. Years passed and the day came when dad called me to Delhi. I was not aware of the real purpose of them calling me as they thought to give me a surprise. When I reached there, I met you in airport. My heart started beating faster but still I couldn't get the courage to tell you. I was not ready for the marriage but a thing caught my mind that it's the best way to get you out of Samar's trap. But I thought why would you agree to marry me? I got an idea of telling you that even I have an affair if you tell me about Samar so that you feel that you will get your own space after marriage. I was scared to tell you about all these with the thought that you will feel cheated and leave me and go. I am so sorry Navya! I lied to you.

Tears started rolling from both their eyes and they wiped each other's tears.

'Why did you thik that? It was for my good only na? she said

A smile curved my lips with a relief that she has forgiven me. He kissed her passionately on her whole face and said 'Thank you thank you' almost 5-6 times. Navya is also happy to know that he loves her so much. She is feeling at the top of the world to get a husband like him who is in so much love with him.

'Anant! But who is Shalini?'

This brought a sudden pause in his emotions and he looked at her. He took his index finger towards the album and pointed to one girl on a group photo. She was cute with her hair pleated in both sides tied with red ribbon. She is little plump.

'This one?' Navya asked with her brows raised

Anant smiled and said 'Yes. She was my childhood crush'

'How many crushes you had' Navya said hitting him in his hand

'Only one. Coz u are my love not crush'

'She was there only in 1^st standard. I used to look at her and she used to look at me. We only used to look at each other when one day she left the school and I forgot about her'

To be continued...

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