NEVER LET YOU GO.:
PART-11
--------------------------------------------------------------
25th Oct 1997
It was 6 in the morning when I was done with my packing. Still 2 hrs left and I was sure niharika takes least hours of time to get ready. No wonder! Because we can make the sun rise in the west successfully but could never make a girl get ready on time!! I instantly made a mental calculation about the time she takes to get ready, and I broke into sudden laughter at my stupid calculation! Loud enough to make my roommate twitch in sleep. With in no time he woke and after passing few tantrums, he asked me to get out! And I did.
To let the time pass I slowly walked out of my room and began to climb up the steps to terrace. As soon as I stepped on to the terrace a soft gentle breeze hit my face and that made my heart feel so light. I took a deep breath as the images of last night flashed in front of my eyes! It seemed to be a strange experience but whenever it comes to my mind I was smiling stupidly for some unknown reason. The very thought of her's in my mind makes me feel nostalgic. No matter how old was our relation. I just stood at the railing, arms crossed and was watching the sun raise... Thinking about her!
"Up so early!" she said "thought you would be sleeping out of weird experience last night!"
"It's good though" I stretched my hand, opening my fist and she filled in with her's. I felt complete!
"Want to do it again? Umm let's plan for dean's office this time" she winked... She looked cuter and the warm sun rays hitting her face made her look even more radiant.
"niha... Some times you behave just like a mischievous lad" I said
"Sometimes it good to be like that" she defended herself making puppy face... I felt a sudden urge to pull her cheeks and kiss her, but I was scared that she might hit me hard...
"You got ready so early... I thought you would take at least 3 hours" I teased her
"Shut up!" she hit me hard on chest.
"Ouch! You have any grudge on me?" I finged pain. She rolled her eyes!
NEXT DAY:
The bus we boarded to reach the village took 2 long hours to drop us at our destination. Those 2 hours passed like seconds, just with listening to her... She never stopped talking... Whatever! I never felt bored to her words cause... In the end, when we have nothing left with, only those words of her, those conversations of us would make us feel lively, I felt so blessed to have her in my life...
Back in village we were welcomed with warm smiles; I knew it was all because of niha, if it was not her, no one could have recognized us at least! Many of them knew her very well and after all the formal greetings to everyone we slowly walked to the house where we stayed last time when we visited the village. Niha was excited all the time... And we spent all the day strolling in the mud lanes of the village, trying to figure out the count of school drop outs and finally made our way to sarpanch's house... It was around 6 pm and the sarpanch was lazing on his cot in the varendah
"ji.. Namasthe..." niha folded her hands in front of him and I did the same... In fraction of seconds niha explained her idea of creating awareness of education in the school dropouts and most of the girls staying back at the house, briefly to the sarpanch and asked permission... After a whole good 10 minutes of talk sarpanch nodded saying yes and niha folded her hands again in gratitude.
"He gave us 2 days time" she said whilst walking back to the house where we were staying...
"But we have 4 days I think?" I expressed doubt.
"umm! Let's see what we can do!" she said...
That night niha cooked food for me and it was so delectable... I just loved it. The sleight of her hands at cooking was no less to that of on machines... As I told before I felt so blessed to be with her..., but unlike in our last visit, this time I was allowed to sleep in the house...
P.s.: aunty was sleeping on the cot between us while we both slept on the floor on the either sides of the cot...
I hardly slept that night, cause I was busy spending the whole night staring at her curling in her place, clutching her blanket tightly and sleeping like a baby... My lips kept curving constantly on seeing her innocent, cute baby like face! I was not even aware of the time that sun shone its bright rays...
The very next moment after we woke up, we freshened ourselves and began to visit each and every house and talking to the people in there! When mornings were spent like that, evenings were spent with niha talking to those kids, girls explaining them the value of education and schooling... Etc...
2 DAYS LATER:
2 days passed and it was going so good the time flew away in the mornings and at nights I hardly slept, because I just couldn't miss staring at her angelic face and baby like cute expressions while she was sleeping...
It was in the evening of the last day of the time that sarpanch gave us... and around 8 pm niha was done with talking to the children and came back walking to me.. She was not like the other days. She looked so low, her face was gloomy and her shoulders drooped.
"What's wrong?" I inquired. She said nothing...She just walked past me and I followed, we walked to the fields and stood there in the sheer darkness...She was silent all the while, I too didn't speak, but that deadly silence prevailing was unbearable..All that audible was gushing sounds of the wind and croaking sounds of the crickets and some other insects there...
"niha..!" I placed my palm on her
"Nothing seemed to be productive vardhaan! Most of them were not even trying to pay any heed to my intentions" she said with low tone. I felt bad for her! I just wrapped my arms around her trying to comfort her
"You will succeed even when one gets connected to your words and I am sure it will not one...It will be everyone..."I said rubbing her shoulder gently.
"I don't think so vardhaan...Of course there are two to three girls...But am hopeless now" she said wrapping her hands around me...She hugged me tightly...That one hug told me how low she felt and how badly she need me to soothe her
"Good takes time to spread! Niha trust me! You'll definitely succeed" I said caressing her hair, moments passed in sheer silence and after a couple of minutes, she turned towards me and hugged me even more tightly... Seconds passed like that and her grip never loosened... I felt her breath on my chest and I guess she could have heard my heavy heart beats, because my heart was pounding all the time, and the cool breeze added its romantic essence to the situation
We were lost in my embrace, I just felt like the world came to end. I don't even know, how long we stood like that till niha raised her head to face me
"feeling good now" she smiled, I smiled too, but she didn't leave me, she was still holding me, staring straight into my eyes, we were breathing heavily and could feel it on each other's body,..
"Niha..." I tried to say something but she interrupted, placing her finger on my lips
"Shh! Just live the moment!" she said and rested her head on my chest, she looked so calm, relaxed whilst I was battling emotions and thoughts inside my head. But still I felt like saying her that I love her.
"I love you niha!" I whispered in her ears and she looked at me instantly, smiling, staring straight into my eyes. Her eyes twinkled out of extreme euphoria, her soft pink lips trembled a bit as she said "I know"
I just felt like kissing her, I cupped her face and she closed her eyes, she looked the cutest... A lone tear escaped her eyes as I kissed her forehead. I wiped it with my thumb finger and she kissed my palm.
"Never ever leave me vardhaan" her voice broke.
"Why would I ever do that baby?" for some reason my eyes turned moist.
She noticed it and rose on her toes. She wrapped her hands round my neck. But before I could comprehend the situation, I felt her soft lips on mine..! I no time I kissed her, kissed every bit of her alluring lips, fervently...She responded equally..! We kissed each other till we ran out of our breath and when it happened, she jerked back, and we were gasping. Trying to catch some breathe.
"You are too harsh!!" she said hitting my chest.
"Not as harsh as you!" I winked.
"Shut up! Such an idiot you are!" she said hugging me.
"Oh! Is it?? Don't you know that before??" I shot back
"I know! And so I did! I love you vardhaan!"
"I love you more baby!"
29th Oct 1997
we took the first bus to the college and all the while during the journey she sat in silence just holding my hand and leaning her head on my shoulders,,,
...
randhir closed the book instantly after reading it and for some reason they felt so uncomfortable for a moment...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music Corner
