Mr./Ms. India-forums Round Three Entries

PEHLA NASHA..

It was already 5.30 pm. An 18 year old beautiful girl pushed a lock of hair anxiously behind her ear as she waited for the traffic to clear so that she could reach the station on time. Unfortunately for her, the traffic showed no signs of clearing up. She bit her lip as she looked at her watch again, and wrung her duppatta in frustration. Would she miss her train today?

She opened her purse. "How much, Dada?"

"The traffic will clear in two minutes sister.." said the autowallah.

"I don't have two minutes," she said in a slightly insolent voice. Her friend Swati, who was accompanying her that day, made a face. "Oh Archu, the sun hasn't set yet, it's still so sunny, why do you want to walk in this heat, there is a local to Thane every fifteen minutes, we can take the next one.."

"I don't want to be late," said Archana. "I'm going."

"Wait, I'm coming along," her friend said, getting out of the auto, shielding her eyes from the sun. Together they crossed the traffic and after walking with quick steps, entered the station through the back gate. Archana looked at the clock again. 17:35.. good!

Hardly had they entered the station when the 17.35 local bound for Thane entered. Together they went near the stairs, entering the ladies section of the compartment that nearly always alighted there. That was the beauty of the Mumbai locals, thought Archana with a smile. You got so used to them, you knew where the ladies compartment would alight, where the seats would be empty and where there would be rush. Best thing was, the regular passengers somewhat stuck to their routine- stood in the same place, boarded the same compartment that came there at the fixed time, even sat in the same seats as far as possible, and that gave a sort of discipline to the whole system. Travelling in this local for the last 3 months now, she was familiar, at least on the face, with most of the Aunties and little children who boarded this same local every day, for office or school. She never talked to them, but somehow that connection of being co-passengers was there. Many times she did not have to ask them to shift or make space for her to sit. The moment she entered, she would just nod or make a sign towards a particular Aunty, who would then give her seat to Archana only while leaving the train, thus reserving it for her. Everyone here was busy in his/her own world and no one invaded the other's space, yet there was an unspoken language through which everyone talked, and which suited them all.

Thankgod for this organised routine- she thought to herself- otherwise she would never be able to see him daily.

Her eyes scanned for him on the other side of the compartment, through the iron mesh separating the ladies and general section. He must be there, she thought to herself. She knew he boarded this same local every evening, and she knew he usually boarded this compartment.

Ah!- there he was! A wave of relief ran through her. She had not missed him after all.

He didn't notice her at first. He was sitting with a friend of his, laughing at some joke his friend had cracked. Both of them were too busy in conversation to notice her. But her eyes were only on him, she waited, waited, waited, until finally..

He turned.. looked around a little, scanning through the crowd. Finally he noticed her looking at him. She straightened up immediately, as his lips curved into an adorable smile, accompanied by a small nod of the head, a symbolic 'Hello'.

Her heart lit up. She controlled her excitement, and smiled back sweetly at him, nodding her head in response. He then went back to chatting with the person next to him, while Archana sighed and looked to see where Swati was standing.

Swati was staring at her with a sour face. "Tell the truth, you made me walk in the sun so that you could ogle at him, right?"

Archana felt sheepish. "Rubbish!" she said dismissively. "I didn't want to be late for school, that's it."

"Yeah yeah.." said Swati sarcastically. "As if I believe you. Archu, you are crazy to be playing this stupid game with him."

Archana turned away, her ears red. She didn't care if it was stupid of not, but she liked it. She had liked it since the day it had all started.

*****************************flashback******************************

"Ouch!!" protested Archana, as a bunch of men entered the compartment roughly. Uncomfortably she looked at the crowd around her, lamenting at the fact that she had not entered into the ladies compartment just next to this section. But then how was she to know? It was the first time she had taken this particular evening local- she had already been late and had boarded the first coach she could climb in the moving train while looking for the ladies compartment- her Vinod Dada was in the next compartment. It would take some time to adjust, she thought, maybe once she started travelling by this local every day, as she was supposed to do in a few days, it would not seem so difficult.

"You will get used to it"- she remembered her Aai's words sometime earlier, when Archana had spoken about how nervous she was.

She sighed at herself, thinking of the meeting and the questions she had to face in a few minutes from then. Suddenly something (or rather someone) nudged her. She was taken aback and tried to look at who was the one supposedly eve-teasing. But she hadn't turned before someone blocked her out and the nudging elbow was gone. Instead, she found herself looking into a pair of soft eyes, his big strong hand holding the iron bars, his arm shielding her from any more meandering elbows and hands. She looked at him with a sense of gratitude and thankfulness.

He didn't say anything. Somehow there was no need to and she found herself even more grateful for that- cos speaking would have made the matter more embarassing for her. He simply smiled. An adorable smile it was, the understanding seemingly getting reflected in his soft eyes, and she didn't realise when she was responding too. There was no conversation, but throughout the journey, he shielded her, giving nasty looks to those who tried to come close to her and she felt very thankful to him for the same. She would have liked to say something to him, but unfortunately, the crowd pushed both out of them out of the train as soon as their station came, and she lost the chance.

Life continued from there, just like earlier. She accompanied her brother Vinod to the night school where both of them were going to enquire about the various courses offered. Yes- she hadn't completed her schooling. Her mother's ill health, inadequate financial means to keep a nurse, and the lack of someone to shoulder household responsibilities had led her to give up her studies at an early age.The temporary setup had ended up continuing for years.

But things were different now. Her brother had finished his graduation and got a good job. And the first thing he had decided after getting a job was to send 18 year old Archana back to school. After all, now that he earned, they could easily keep a household help to run the house and nurse Aai when the others weren't at home. Archana had lost crucial years of her life in working for the house, he had reasoned. Now it was a chance for her to get back on track.

The family members had supported the decision wholeheartedly, but Archana had been nervous. How could she go back amidst the 13 year olds and study in VIIIth class, she had thought. The children would tease her to no end. Besides, was it really important for her to attend a day school now and take a year to finish every grade?

They had understood. And hence Vinod Dada had offered her a second solution- evening tuitions at a school for elder people, which would offer an accelerated course to help her cover up all that she had missed, so that she could catch up faster and attend college later on. There would be others like her and she wouldn't be uncomfortable, he had explained.

It was to the night school that she and Vinod were going right now, cos the night school opened at this time. She could hear Vinod talking to her, saying that it was by this local now that she was supposed to come everyday, and that she would have to get a railway pass made for herself. She nodded at what he said, but her mind was lost, remembering her saviour on the train and their encounter. She smiled as her mind replayed the scene again and again.

*****************flashback ends***********************

Three months had passed since that day, and till date that was all that existed between Archana and 'him'- a smile. Every day they saw each other on the train, and everyday a customary quiet hello and a smile was what they exchanged. They never talked to each other, never exchanged numbers, she didn't even know what his name was. Their silent communication everyday was the only thing that had connected them in these 3 months- and how!

In the beginning, Archana had often thought that it was just a once-in-a-while thing; that he would forget it, and so would she. But she had been taken aback (and pleasantly surprised) when he had turned to look at her through the iron mesh (between the general and ladies section) the second day, and smiled at her courteously. She had responded back, with butterflies in her stomach, and a glowing heart. She had been apprehensive cos it had been her first day to school, but this gesture had kept her fears aside for some time. The next day, she had gazed at him, wondering whether he would acknowledge her again, and had not been disappointed. Each day thereon, without fail, he looked for her in the compartment, and this was the silent way in which they talked. As she slowly got accustomed to her new ritual, studies and school, she got used to seeing him on the train as well, and saying hello in that simple, sweet, silent way.

Earlier Archana had just looked upon it as an amusing, sweet gesture which made her feel a little relaxed each evening when she went to school alone, but she didn't realise when she got besotted by this co-passenger of hers. That smile was adorable, she noticed how his eyes narrowed and became smaller when his lips curved up that way and a twinkle came up in his eyes- a genuine smile, it had something in it that made her feel that the person must be equally genuine in real life- yes, she admitted this was blind thinking now, but she couldn't help it! She still remembered their first meeting and his honest, transparent eyes. Those eyes seemed to have a story of their own- she would think dreamily. She could not deny that he was extremely good looking, and though he dressed simply in check shirts and jeans with his messy hair, he still had a boyish charm and looked handsome, especially from close quarters. She blushed every time she remembered how he had helped her on her first day, arriving like a knight in shining armour to bail her out. She remembered those big, strong arms around her, shielding her from the male crowd on the train. She didn't know what attracted her most to him- the romantic ideas behind their first meeting, the fact that he seemed to be a helpful, decent guy, his eyes, his smile, his good looks, or something else..

Oh dear- she often wondered- was she in love?

No she wasn't- she told herself firmly in her wiser moments. And if she was, then it wasn't right, period! He was just a co-passenger on the train! She had no idea what sort of guy he was, what work he did, what was his nature- nothing! Even at 18, having seen her Aai Baba's loving and understanding relationship and her Dada and Vahini's mismatched pair, she had reasoned out that youthful infatuations shouldn't be mistaken to be love, or depended on to imagine a future ahead. That too in today's day and age- when trusting anyone blindly could be dangerous! The fact at the end of the day was, whatever she felt for him- it was not worth depending on. She couldn't say he was her true love, or the best guy in the world simply bcos of good looks or a winning smile or cos of one incident when he had helped her out. At the end of the day, the truth simply was that though she wanted to believe that he was a good person, she had nothing to really support her claims strongly, she didn't know him well. Her infatuation was not strong enough to help her overcome her inhibitions of common sense and family values and start talking to a total stranger.

But oh that smile!- she thought, drifting again into lalaland.

Pehla nasha, pehla khumaar..

Naya pyaar hai, naya intezaar..

Kar lun main kya apnahar

Aye mere bekraar, mere dil-e-bekraar.. Tu hi bata..

Pehla nasha.. pehla khumaar..

*****************************************

When Swati had joined her new college about 3 months ago (about the same time Archana had joined her school), then in the initial days, their seniors had rounded them up for a small 'introductory session', since ragging was now prohibited in most colleges of Mumbai. Her friends had gathered together and they had unanimously decided that if pressed to mention about their first 'crush' (a commonly asked question), they would all take the name of the same guy to avoid getting in trouble or being ribbed in future. Swati had later related the incident to her, and Archana hadn't been able to stop herself from thinking that if SHE had been arm twisted to tell the name of HER crush, then whose name she would have taken. Archana had left school in her eighth standard and so, for many years, had a limited circle since she usually stayed and worked at home. As such she knew very few guys other than those who were part of her family or her extended family.. except for him. She blushed as she thought about it, scolded and chided herself, reminded herself that Aai would be horrified if she came to know of her romantic ideas, but still, she could not stop thinking of her special co-passenger as she thought of the idea of a special someone who made her insides flutter. Somehow no one else she knew fitted into the 'crush' category. Just remembering his face and his expressions brought a warm feeling within her every time. She hadn't felt similarily about any other guy, ever. She didn't know whether or not it was healthy (and normal) to think of all this at the age of 18 and she didn't have anyone to talk to about all this too. Her Aai for one, would never understand. Her school going sisters were too young and would be horrified.

As time passed by, she realized something: The fact that she didn't have anyone to whom she could talk freely only reminded her of the void in her life, which her Aai, her sisters and even the rest of the family had not been able to fulfill. Swati was her friend, but somehow, her background and her education sometimes made it difficult for Archana to talk to Swati as well- most people always assumed Archana to be an idiot simply cos she wasn't educated. Most people felt it was right for them to get judgemental about her, and she being docile and not the sort to take offence, never argued back. Many times that made her feel uncomfortable about expressing her feelings in front of them, and this was one of those occasions, when she wanted someone to talk to, and yet had no one..

She didn't know why she never went and straightaway talked to him- no wait, she knew it. This was not what had been imbibed and drilled into her by her conservative Aai, who was so overprotective and hyper. Talking to a guy (that too a stranger) all alone was not something she had done till now. And then again, she was apprehensive: What if he did not turn out to be the way she had imagined him to be? What if he did not like her- a semi educated girl who was so traditional and simple? What if he showed a little too openly that he had no interest in her? Wouldn't it all ruin the special 'something' they shared now? Would she be able to bear it? Would she like someone else after that? Even worse- what if he had understood her obvious drooling over him.. how would he react to it.. god forbid, would he try and take advantage of it..?

Sigh! She really needed someone to talk to. This infatuation was going nowhere.

She often used to imagine what sort of person he would be, how he would approach her one day, how she would talk if he did that and so on. She knew she was building castles in the air- but still, it was difficult to get rid of his thoughts, especially cos she didn't have much to occupy her time these days- the new maid did the work in the house, and Archana herself was coping well with the school work as well. She had been told by the teachers at her school to delve into some light reading to improve her English, and she couldn't help thinking about him when she read a romantic classic novel, or watched cheesy romantic shows like Iss pyaar ko main kya naam dun.All of it had started influencing her dreams as well. Lately she had had a dream, in which she, dressed in a pretty white full length dress, her beautiful hair half open, sat waiting for him, and he, dressed in black clothes and looking like a perfect prince, approached her and bent on one knee, pleading her to dance with him. She shied away at first, then tried to explain that she didn't know how to dance, but he cajoled her to trust him, his eyes and calm smile working their magic on her yet again, and she agreed, following which they danced all around the smoke (or whatever it was) with the romantic track, 'O re Piya' in the background, both of them lost in each other. In the end, he bent down on one knee again and kissed her hand tenderly, and she couldn't do anything except sigh and blush.. and then..

And then the stupid alarm clock had gone off! Pfft! The dream had ended, but had left her blushing and giggling. She longed to know more about him, and had asked her new friend circle at her school, for advice. They were people ranging in ages, some quite elder to her, some of her own age, and she liked talking to them and had gradually come to trust them. They had been very interested in her story, and had even travelled in train once with her to see 'her guy'.

******************flashback begins****************

"You know, I'm fed up of you!" said Tanya. "I love you and want anything that makes you happy, you are my baby, but it doesn't mean you won't listen to me at all!!"

"What do you want?" asked Archana.

"Talk to him." Said Tanya, with a glint in her eyes. "I'm sure he is a very special guy, just for you.."

Archana looked horrified. "You're being a cheesy romantic Tanya, just like always! Aai will be livid if she comes to know.. and then, it isn't right.."

Bonne sighed. "Archana, firstly, you must realise there is nothing to feel ashamed or scared if you have started developing feelings or are infatuated by someone. At this age, it's absolutely normal!"

Anshi intervened. "Actually it's better to keep a distance in such cases.. who knows he is just enjoying your attention, being a Krishna amongst the gopis.."

Niki jumped in. "Well, I didn't notice him smiling at any other girl than Archana! Let's give him the benefit of doubt, what say?"

Nisha chuckled at Niki's defence. "This is the first time you've seen him today, lol! You don't even know him!"

"Hehe.. umm.. I don't know.. such a sweet guy cannot be wrong, that's all.. hehehe.. anyways, I want to explore the romantic potential behind this, this is a good idea for a story!!!"

"Yeah don't blame the poor guy!" echoed Lunza. "Erm.. Archana, does he wear similar shirts everyday, with three top buttons open?"

Archana nodded.

"Well, then if you don't talk to him soon, I'm inviting him for a coffee date for myself!!"

Jia gave an evil look to Lunza. "And I'm getting ready to ruin your coffee date.. he's either Archu's or mine!!! Buzz off!!"

Archana was horrified. "What kind of friends are you all?" she whined. "Not one person can give me good advice! I want to talk to him too and know him more, but how? You know such bad things come in the papers everyday.. *clears throat* Plus I'm too nervous to talk to him alone anyway. And then again I don't want to get involved only to back out later, in case he doesn't come across like what I had imagined him to be, or if Aai disapproves or if he is not interested.. so far he hasn't given any signs himself.. I don't know if at all anything will come out of it.. My people are conservative.. and.. I'm not very appealing.. am I.. not even educated.. will he like me?" she asked, nervously making knots of her dupatta.

"Hmm.." said Ashu, looking up from her phone. "Do you want me to find out more about him?"

Everyone glared at her.

"What? I'm confident of my stalking skills, that is all."

"Oh don't you worry!" said Sharon to Archana. "You are a lovely lovely girl! I'm sure any boy would be pleased to have you."

Poppy nodded excitedly. "You are lovely, he is sexy!" Archana went red. "And I am already getting positive vibes from him!" said Karen dreamily. "He seems to be the decent type since he hasn't done anything wrong all these days? Not even one wrong gesture?"

Archana nodded. "He just greets me every day in the train." Karen persisted. "Then why not talk?"

TB intervened. "Ladies, please! Let's not get carried away.. Archu, you know him better than all of us. You have observed his habits, you know what sort he seems to be. And to know about how much potential all this holds, you will HAVE to talk to him, otherwise you won't be able to know him well as a person. As long as you talk to him in a public place, not privately, and do not give out any personal details or contact address in the beginning, I gather you will be quite safe. Later, depending on the impression he gives, you can decide whether or not to meet him again."

"But what if he isn't like what I had imagined him to be? What if he doesn't like me? Won't it ruin this little fantasy that I have?"

"Well, you will have to face it one day anyway." Said Bonne. "Today, tomorrow, someday. At least try and seek answers to the questions in your mind. If he is not the sort you dreamt about, you will understand at least that it is time to move on."

The ideas found support from most people. Archana was left thinking.

********************flashback ends****************

Every day for two weeks thereon, she saw him in the train, and every day she would try to bolster up courage to meet him. She would try to analyse him carefully, she would try to grasp little nuances which would help her start a topic for conversation. Was he Maharashtrian? It seemed so, and she hoped he was.. her Aai would never agree to an inter-state alliance..

She blushed. I'm thinking of too far.. she told herself.

He seemed to be of a modest background, she thought, observing how he repeated his shirts every 3-4 days. Was he working? It seemed so- he always used to take the same fixed local every day. Maybe his office/college, or wherever he worked/studied, ended at this time, and he returned home in the evening. Hmm.. so what would be his age- 20? 22? Not older than 24, she hoped.

She observed people who travelled with him sometimes, his friends. Were they decent? Well, they seemed so. And she had never seen him smoke or behave in a rowdy manner. For that matter, she had never seen him arguing on the train with his co-passengers either. He seemed soft spoken and used to talk politely with those who sat next to him.

All of what she observed made her feel that it would not be wrong to extend a hand of friendship towards him, and get to know him properly, so that she could analyse her feelings. But then again, who knew, maybe she noticed only the good points in him cos she wanted him to be like that, maybe her mind subconsciously failed to notice his flaws. Well, she couldn't wait anymore, she thought. The more she observed him, responded to his gestures, the stronger the urge grew to know him more, so that she could confront her feelings.

"You're being silly Archana," Swati would tell her time and again, shaking her head hopelessly as she watched Archana waiting for a smile from him. "Has he ever shown even a wee bit of interest in you, apart from these customary silent hello's? Has he ever tried to know your name? Ever tried to talk to you? Believe me when I say that guys are more outgoing in such matters. But has he taken a single step forward? No na! Then why are you so head over heels over him and seeking out possibilities?"

"But he looks for me every day in the train.." protested Archana weakly.

"He probably just enjoys you drooling over him. All guys do that. There is nothing more to it than that.." said Swati. Archana had nothing to say on the issue. "I understand that such things happen at this age, but it's time you grow out of this infatuation of yours Archana, ignore those who keep you egging on to talk to him- they're just excited by the prospect of a romantic story ahead, but you must understand that it is important to be realistic. You can't just go and talk to a stranger you don't know from Adam and lose everything for him! Concentrate on your studies for now, that is more important. As it is you've lost a lot in life. Don't throw away this second precious opportunity, especially when your brother is spending so much on you. Rather than thinking of whether to talk to him or not, concentrate on studies." Swati's words made Archana feel ashamed of herself.

********************************

She found him finally. However, he looked different today. He looked.. sad.

She stood there for a few minutes wondering about him. He was alone in the compartment today, his friends were not there. Why did he look so upset, she wondered.

She tried to look away, but it didn't help. Thoughts of his gloomy face occupied her mind. Till date she had only seen him smiling and peaceful, his disappointment today made her feel bad with life.

Something was wrong, she thought. Today he did not look up at her, like always. Today he did not even smile at her. He looked so lost.. so different.

The train came to a stop at the next station. Archana knew Swati would have said that she was being foolish, but she didn't care. She got down from the train and walked into the adjoining section.

*********************************

"Umm.. hi..?"

He looked up, and Archana could immediately gauge the shock and wonderment on his face. It was clear that his eyes couldn't believe it.

"You?" he said, "Here?"

"Hi!" she tried again, giving him a small smile. "You know me, right?"

He smiled back at her. "Of course I do. We've been seeing each other for so many days now.."

"Yeah.." she said sheepishly. She tried to protect herself from the crowd around her. He stood up and offered her his seat, and stood next to her. She thanked him and sat down. A few minutes later, the person next to her got up and he sat down.

"I hope you don't mind my coming here.."

He looked even more surprised. "Not at all.."

Both of them were silent for a moment. Archana tried to think of what to say while he kept turning to look at her every few minutes. She looked up at him finally. "So..?"

"Yeah.. so.. you wanted to talk about something..?"

"Um.. no actually.. you always look at me and wish me a quiet hello every day, you didn't do that today, you looked a little lost, so I thought I would come and say Hello to you.." She tried to laugh and make it sound casual.

He gave her a small smile, and it felt like someone had shooed little butterflies away.

"That was sweet of you.." he said.. "Yes, I have been a bit busy lately, and worried so.."

"Is something wrong?" blurted out Archana. He looked at her in amazement. "I'm so sorry," she apologized, her cheeks flushing, "That's none of my business.."

"No it's okay." He smiled back. "Actually nothing is wrong as such.. just that.. I am going away."

Something started sinking within Archana."Going away?" she asked. "Where?"

"I will be going away for my job, to Dubai."

She didn't know whether to be happy or sad. "Wow, Dubai, congratulations." She said in a monotonous manner.

"Thanks." He smiled. "Actually I had not thought of going abroad.. I don't want to, frankly speaking, but circumstances are such.. my father hasn't been able to support my family.. I had to quit studies when I was 16 and work in a garage.. but I knew it wouldn't be possible to pay for the education of siblings, rising expenses and so on with just a mechanic job.. my friend has found this job for me in Dubai.. so I really need to go now.. We really need the money.. I can't lose this opportunity.. it means a lot to my family.."

He stopped speaking suddenly, apparently embarrassed by his long and unnecessary explanations. He looked away.

Archana was surprised to know all this. She hadn't known that the happy go lucky, handsome boy she had seen every day had such a story behind him. She hadn't known he wasn't educated. She hadn't known he was a mechanic, or that he had such stress in his life. This was not sort of going on according to her dream, she thought, where she had visualized him as her prince. Then again, she wondered why he was telling all these details about his family and circumstances to her. She found it very weird that a stranger was telling all these details on their first meeting. "Well but then you should be happy about the whole thing.."

"I am." He said. "Just a little sad at the thought of leaving. I feel nostalgic cos I got my passport and visa today. In 21 days I will be gone. I will be alone in Dubai and there won't be anyone I love or know.."

There was a crack in his voice and she couldn't place it, but it definitely ended up tugging her heartstrings.

"People move on in life pretty quickly," she said sadly, wondering about all upcoming days when he wouldn't be there. She could see a sort of loneliness in the picture. She would definitely miss him. However she chose to echo her Aai's line. "You'll get used to it.."

"I hope so.." he sighed. He looked out of the window. "Your station will be coming in a few minutes.."

Archana seemed surprised. "How did you know?"

He gave a small smile. "I know you get down here, I see you getting down every day.. you are a teacher in that school for elderly people I guess?"

"How do you know I go there?" she asked, astonished.

"Umm.. nothing as such, you took out VIII- IXth standard books from your bag one day, so I thought you are a teacher.."

He had observed her?! "Umm.. no.." she said, biting her lip. "I study there."

He seemed surprised. "Oh, okay."

She waited for him to say something. He didn't. She was pretty sure he had lost interest in her now. End of the story, she thought gloomily, staring at the floor of the compartment.

"What is your name?"

Was it really he who had asked her that? She couldn't believe it.

"I said what is your name?"

She looked at him for a moment and burst into laughter. He stared at her in amazement.

"I'm sorry, it just felt.. weird.. that after almost 4 months of knowing each other, we are asking this question to each other NOW!"

"I know.." he said. "It's been a little late.."

"A lot late." She said sadly. "If we had talked earlier, then things would have been different.."

"Very different." He agreed. He looked out of the window.

Archana continued innocently. "I would have asked you for a treat today, since you got a nice new job!"

"You can ask for a treat now as well!" He blurted out, then looked away, embarrassed at what he had just said. Archana stared at him, eyes wide open. He hurriedly started giving explanations. "I mean, I would be happy to.. you see.. we met each other when I used to make these trips to arrange for my job. Somewhere, you have been lucky for me."

"Umm.." Archana thought hard. His reasoning sounded lousy to her, and Swati would definitely call her foolish, but the temptation was too great. This was probably her last chance (and excuse) to find answers to the questions in her mind, especially cos he would be going away soon. If she didn't go now, she would end up moping forever. If not anything, she would at least get a closure for her story. Despite that, she knew she couldn't go with a stranger to any place he took her to. She had to make sure that she would be safe. "Where will you give me a treat?" she asked cautiously, trying to sound cheeky.

He gave a broad smile. "There is a small pastry and coffee shop near the station. There?"

She knew the area. It was on the main road, and then again, when would her new friends come to use? She nodded. "Fine."

The station was about to come now. Both of them got up. As they got ready to get down on the station, he said to her,

"Oh by the way, my name is Manav."

****************************

Archana looked around herself. She was sitting in a corner table in a little cafe near the station. Manav had gone to get pastries for them. She looked back to where her friends were sitting. Since she was nervous about going out alone with Manav, she had called up one of her friends quietly and asked one or two of them to come along. What she had not expected was that the whole gang would come. Hopeless romantics- she thought.

All her friends had bunked classes that day. Now they were sitting at a nearby table, trying to appear engrossed in their conversation, but stealthily looking over at Archana and Manav every few minutes.

"He is too slow!" grunted Nisha.

"Someone please order something." Said Lunza. "I'm hungry."

"I'm broke." Niki declared.

"Me too." Said TB.

"Me three." Said Jia.

"Then who will pay?" asked Anshi worriedly. "All my money has gone in browsing IF on my phone."

"The elders will!" declared Bonne. Tanya, Sharon and Karen looked at each other. "We can decide by the bird flying game." Tanya suggested.

"Shucks man, here also I'm a late entry! What did I miss?" asked Sneha, entering quickly and sitting with the rest. "Nothing till now," said the rest dryly. "Both of them are turtles."

"Shh.. he's approaching her now." Hissed Nisha, who was watching every movement of Archana and Manav with the eye of a detective.

Manav returned soon with pastries and coffee, raising a brow at the ladies ogling at him from the nearby table. Archana managed to give him a small sheepish smile as he sat, looking down.

"Those ladies are staring at us." He whispered. "Really?" asked Archana guiltily. "I don't think so."

"Hmm.. anyway, let's just pretend to be normal." He said. She nodded.

"So, was there any special reason for quitting school midway?"

She told him in as few words as possible. He listened to her, and asked questions about her school, what subjects she liked etc. Knowing that she wasn't comfortable with sharing many details, he did not ask any personal questions or anything about her family. He liked listening it seemed, and for once, she tried not to shy away, rather she tried to talk to him earnestly, so that he too could open up. She too asked him questions about his job as a mechanic and his job in Dubai.

"Let's all shift to Dubai." Nisha whispered to TB.

Manav looked over at the group for a moment. "Weird ladies out there!" he whispered to Archana. "Very weird." She agreed, mentally saying sorry to her friends.

"Where did you go every evening in the local?" she asked to change the topic.

"Earlier I used to go to meet my friend who had promised me the job in Dubai. I had to do a lot of running around and paperwork to get this job and arrange for the visa, passport etc. His office ends at this time, so I used to go discuss with him. On other days, I used to go for evening errands." Manav explained. Strange how he always goes for errands at the same fixed time and takes the same fixed local, Archana wondered, but did not say anything.

All the while, she observed him, and was happy to see that in every aspect he came across as an exceedingly charming and decent guy. The way he blushed occasionally, the way he gulped in an embarrassing situation, the way he took innocent sneak peeks at her, the way he spoke to her- all of it left an impression in her mind about the sort of person he was. He was shy in a manner that was totally endearing- and his eyes and smile looked more adorable than ever from close quarters. He might not be educated but he was definitely well mannered. The best thing was that she didn't feel uncomfortable in talking to him, unlike with other people. He really had something in him that made people want to talk to him, a very pleasant personality. She sighed to herself as she remembered he was going away in a few days. She would have loved to know more about him, and find an answer to the question in her mind- was he the one?

"So..?"

"Yeah so.." she continued in the same vein.

"Umm.. so what do you plan to do after school?" he asked cautiously.

"Umm.. join a college as soon as possible." She said. "I really am interested in psychology.. I want to pursue a course in that.. and.."

"..and get married!" he finished for her, grinning.

She blushed. "Marriage will have to wait, I guess." She said after a while. "I have to finish my studies first, and it will take time. No marriage plans for the next 4 years, I think."

She noticed that there was a mysterious smile at the corner of his mouth which she couldn't understand. "So what do you think?" she asked.

"Nice." He said with a smile. "I too am trying to complete my education. I will be going to Dubai in the factory where my friend has got me a job, undergo training for a few days and then work there. Hopefully I will make enough money in three years to complete my education when I come back or hopefully I will complete at least high school over there."

Archana felt sad. "You are going for three years?"

"As of now, that is the plan. It might get extended."

She did not say anything for some time. "Why don't you work here?" she said.

"The pay there is better, and they are ready to train me as well. As I told you I need this job."

She understood. It was important for him, for his family. He needed to go. Anyways, why should he stop? For her? Who was she in his life? No one.

"I will miss seeing you every day." She said softly. "Earlier when I had started travelling alone, I used to look for you. It made me feel there was a friend in the train. I had got used to saying hello everyday."

"Me too." He said, his expressive eyes filled with emotions. Oh how she would miss him!- she thought. She looked away from his eyes.

"Arey baap re, this has become a tragedy tale! This is not done!" whined Bonne. The rest murmured too. Manav turned to look back at them, and the ladies ducked to hide themselves.

To change the mood, Manav asked Archana if she had ever been out of India.

""I have never been out of India- only seen the places in movies." She confessed. "I don't even know what Dubai is like."

"Well, if you come to know that any movie is being shot in Riyadh, do see that movie. You might see me in the background cast, you know, people who stand and stare while the movie is being shot.."

Both of them laughed. Archana noticed Manav looking at her. She became a little conscious and put a lock of hair behind her ear nervously. He looked away from her.

"I will send you a picture postcard from Dubai." Manav promised.

"You can't!" she giggled. "You don't have my address!"

He gave a mischievous smirk (which captured her heart for a moment). A moment later she came to earth again, surprised. "You know my address!?!"

"Of course I don't!" he said.

"You do!" she protested. "I saw the smirk!"

"What was there in the smirk?"

She threw her napkin at him. Laughter ensued from the other end of the room. Manav turned again, and the girls buried their heads in the menu.

To divert him, Archana continued- "I know you have my address!"

"Arey I don't have it!" he said, laughing at her. "How could I have it?"

Well, yes, she thought after a moment. How could he possibly have her address? He had never followed her home, had he? But then what was the meaning of that smirk?

"Then how will you send a postcard?"

"I will send a pigeon with the postcard.. kabootar ja ja ja.."

Both of them laughed again. "Pehle pyaar ki pehli chitthi saajan ko de aa.." thought Archana wistfully.

"Translation please?" whispered Sharon. "Pigeon go go go!" hissed Divya quickly. "What is that supposed to mean?" frowned Sharon. "Shhh!!!"

Meanwhile, Archana and Manav had a wonderful time laughing and chatting about little things- the subjects in school, the teachers, Maths and Physics, weather in Dubai etc. Sadly though, the 'date' had to end, and it did. Manav got up, following which she got up too. They talked a little more as he walked her to the station. "Why are these women following us?" he said, annoyed.

"Uh- oh, who knows," said Archana, gulping nervously. When he wasn't looking, she indicated her friends to disappear. They didn't.

"So where will you be going now?"

"Home I guess." said Archana. "I can't go to school now."

"I'm sorry you had to miss school cos of me today.."

"That's alright." She said. "I study rigorously every day, never shirk from my studies. One day holiday is okay I guess. What I lament is that if we had talked earlier, we could have been good friends by now." And she would have known him better, been more open with him, and wouldn't have to worry about things like going out with him alone, or sharing her personal details, postal address or phone number. Now she wasn't sure he would think of her even once when he went away.

"That's okay." He said. "Every ending is a new beginning."

"Hopefully." She said.

She entered the compartment- while Manav stood at the door. "Can I say something?"

"Sure.."

"Don't try to catch a train which has already started." He advised. "Take the next local. You will be late by a few minutes but you will be safe."

She almost laughed at herself. The reason she used to run and catch the train every evening was bcos she knew that HE travelled in that local all the time. With him gone, there would be no such urgency. She could always take the next local.

"I will." She said politely. "Will you not come?"

"I have some work here." He told her.

"Goodbye Manav."

"Yeah.. bye.."

And with that he was gone.

******************************

Archana went and sat down in the coach. Reality sank into her.

He was going away.

She didn't know why she had tears in her eyes as she reflected on everything. Why was she crying? It was not like he was her husband or lover. It was not like they had committed to each other in any way. He was just another passenger on the train! He was a mechanic! Hadn't she known long back that there was no romantic potential in the whole story anyway, that she needed to be realistic? She didn't even trust him enough to go out alone with him. Then why was she feeling sad?

Bcos at the end of the day, the cruel truth was that her 'crush' had ended up being the sort of person she would have liked to be with. Yes, it was too soon, and one meeting was not sufficient to know him, but he didn't seem like the shady stranger she had feared him to be. He seemed to be a simple, nice guy with good values. His story was similar to hers. He hadn't judged her. He hadn't asked her personal questions and had kept a reasonable distance. He had not tried to overcrowd her. He was the sort who liked to listen to her. She would have liked to know him more! Unfortunately he was going away and now she was crushed! For the first time, she understood why they called it a 'crush'. It was ironical that while everyday she had been travelling in the local, getting more and more fond of him, he had been travelling for finalising his job, inching step by step towards their separation.

She wiped her tears quietly and looked down at her hands, waiting for the train to start. She remembered his last words to her- Don't try to catch a train which has already started. Take the next local. You will be late by a few minutes but you will be safe.

The parallelism amused her. Yes, he was like the train which had already started. And his destination was different from hers. His aim was to go to Dubai, live there, earn there, study there, make his family happy. He had responsibilities and he lived for them, she could see it. She was nowhere in his grand scheme of things, and it was not like he would be changing his plans to be with her and explore a relationship ahead based on one meeting. If he had to do that, he would have done it way back.

Similarily, it was not like she didn't have a journey of her own to undertake. She was just18. She had already lost crucial years of her life. She had to concentrate on her studies, she had to complete that accelerated course, she had to go to college and build up a good life for herself, so that she would never have to feel inferior to others.

So that she would never feel small in talking to a guy next time, she thought to herself. So that she could gain the confidence that she admired in other girls. Just like he was adjusting, leaving the city for his dreams and his parents, she too had to put this infatuation behind her and concentrate on her future. And looking at the positive side of the whole thing- hadn't the incident ended sweetly and with good memories? Hadn't her first crush been a pleasant experience, which did not happen with everyone? Hadn't he been a nice person, such that made you feel that yes, there ARE nice and decent guys in the world, you just need to wait for the one made for you.

She rested her head on her seat, feeling much better now. So what if he had gone? So what if her story hadn't blossomed into the romantic fairytale as shown in movies and cheesy romantic novels? It had been a sweet experience for her- one that would give her courage to listen to her heart, be safe, and yet find someone nice for herself in the future as well, that would give her strength and confidence that yes, she could trust her instincts and did not have to go by others opinions all the time. She would remember Manav and these 4 months as a sweet memory, always, as someone who had made her look forward to those lonely local train trips in those days when she used to be petrified and nervous.

And yes, she would never forget all that her friends had done for her today.

Teri meri, meri teri, prem kahani hai mushkil

Do lafzon mein ye, bayaan na ho paye.

**********************************************

As Manav walked back from the station, his mind dwelled on the past three months, and on Archana.

Archana.. what a pretty name- just like her. He liked how it sounded, and spoke it to himself again and again, relishing it.

His mind went back to the first time he had seen her in the train. He had been struck by her innocence, those eyes which seemed so scared and nervous at first, and had relaxed when he had turned up as her saviour that eventful day. He hadn't been able to let a smile escape through his lips as he had seen her face changing those expressions, so transparent was she. He had not met many girls before, nor was he interested in them, but this particular girl intrigued him.

After that he had been drawn towards her consistently. As he travelled in the evening local everyday for his Dubai job related formalities and discussions, he saw her in the train and always felt pleased. He didn't know what strange pleasure he got when she looked for him every day and responded back to his silent greeting with a sweet smile. It made him feel excited and special that the smile was bestowed only on him and no one else- that too by someone as angelic and beautiful as her. And the thought that she was a teacher somehow made him more in awe of her- he imagined her playing with and pampering little children, trying to scold them, teach maths or chemistry or economics to the older ones. He had never had such cute teachers in school, but those elders were surely lucky, he had thought at that time. Even when his job related formalities had ended, he had taken up the task of running all the garage errands in the evening, explaining to Girishji and others that he would work in the afternoons, when the other workers took their lunch break, so that there would be someone to look after the garage and the needs of the customers. He had used these garage errands to board the 5.30 pm local, in the hopes of looking at her again. Tarun, his friend, had teased him many a times, and he had turned away blushing, not wanting to accept that yes, maybe he did like that girl.

Often he had thought of talking to her, but had stopped himself every time. She was a teacher, he had thought then, while she was just a mechanic. The thought had made him feel inferior and nervous to face her. Then again, he was different from others- his life had 'responsibility' written all over it. He was the only provider of his house and his family members depended on him to bring life back on track for all of them. And he understood it only too well, and paid his whole hearted attention to his home and garage. He struggled on his point of focus- getting a good job, working on his siblings' education, his own education and making maximum money by doing overtime at the garage, rather than spending hours thinking about 'distractions'. Especially over the last two years, he had literally converted himself into a living machine, who woke up early in the morning, worked till late in the garage, went home and slept. Financial difficulties had kept him stressed all the time, leaving him with no time for all the activities boys of his age indulged in- movies, sneaking out with their girlfriends, liming out with friends, spending money on things or accessories they liked, and all of that stuff.

He had no liberty to do all of that, not without guilt at least. Time had stopped for him since that day when he had quit school, that day 7 years ago when he was only 16. Since that day he had been working and had no wish to change his life in anyway. His dream had been to work for his family, nothing else. His teenage years vanished away, and youth approached, but nothing changed for him. Life for him meant garage work, handling household expenses, bringing his drunken Baba back home, stopping fights between his Aai and the chawl folks, looking out for his siblings so they wouldn't go astray, making provisions to complete his own education in some way, so that he could provide better for his family, reading secretly at night to make sure he hadn't forgotten the XIth class course, and could still return back to studies when he wanted, etc. His life had not been a normal life. He didn't have time or the inspiration for another life outside the one he led.

In the midst of all this, she had entered his life. And suddenly he had realised what his life lacked- she had brought out the human heart inside the machine. For the first time, he had felt something for a woman not related to him. For the first time, he had found himself wishing for a normal life. All the same, he had responsibilities, which demanded his undivided focus and attention, and somewhere he was afraid that her presence could affect them. After all, hadn't he secretly started wishing how nice would it have been if he didn't have to go to Dubai, if he didn't have to work for long hours in the garage and could spend some time with her instead, like other boys spent time with their girlfriends? That was the biggest reason, (apart from his inferiority complex and fear of rejection) that he had never made any effort to approach her, in anyway.

Somewhere this little thing had stuck inside him, and although he was doing what he ought to do, and what he had planned, he could not help feeling helplessly disappointed sometimes. Like today- when he had started giving explanations to her (about why he needed to go away) even when she hadn't asked him. Now that he looked at it, he felt he had been trying to make himselfunderstand, not her.

Presently Manav came out of his thoughts as a car honked at him while he was walking in the middle of the road. He went and sat by the edge of the road, looking at the traffic zooming by his side, thinking about the events of the evening.

She had come across as just the sort he had imagined her to be- calm, compassionate, soft spoken. He had been surprised that she was not a teacher like he had thought her to be. But more than that, what had amazed him was the connection he felt with her and that he could talk so easily with her! She didn't seem dense like other girls of her age. And she too was trying to build a future and stand on her feet again. She was not just beautiful, she seemed to have a mind of her own. He had never interacted with any other girl apart from his own sister, and he had somehow always found his sister's friends immature and not been interested in them. But he found Archana different. A smile crept on his lips as he thought about her sweet little actions- the way she had wiped each finger carefully on the napkin- slender fingers which looked so fair and soft, the way she had asked him cutely if he did not take sugar in coffee, the way she had giggled with her hand on her mouth when he had cracked some little joke, the way she had thrown her napkin at him when she was annoyed, and so on. He had tried his best not to think about her all these days but this meeting was now making things worse for him. He had been gloomy in the compartment earlier that evening thinking about going away without even knowing the name of this girl whom he adored, and after spending a whole evening with her, he was more unhappy than ever. Why could he not be the way he wanted and chose the route he wanted to take? Why did he have to think about a hundred other considerations all the time?

He tried to convince himself by saying that it did not matter, she would have refused him anyway, she seemed quite well off after all, that he was anyway not in 'lovvve' with her, but there was a nagging doubt that refused to go, that made him feel his approach was wrong.

Dubai in a few days- he reminded himself. Just 21 days, to be more precise. There was no way he could avoid it. And thinking of a serious commitment at this early stage was laughable- he didn't know her, and he didn't even know exactly what he felt for her. With such a distance between them, that too in the very beginning, there was no point in expecting something to come out of it all. Was there any use in dreaming and leading others to dream too, especially when he knew dreams had no place in his life? And then again, would that girl even like him? He was only a poor, semi educated mechanic for that matter. Why make a joke of oneself? Better leave things where they were. Thinking hurt, and anyway, as Tarun frequently told him- One girl goes, the second one comes. No point in chasing. Anyways, it wasn't serious or anything that he had to become a Devdas for her now.

He looked at his watch. It was time for him to go now- he had wasted too much time in that cafe with Archana when he could have been earning a few extra bucks at the garage- he told himself.

Don't say 'wasted'!- a voice in his brain scolded him. You know you enjoyed yourself.

Conveniently, he ignored the voice in his brain. Instead, he walked to the station to take a local and go back.

****************************************

Not again!

He tried to cover his face with the newspaper, pretending that he was reading it. Those girls really needed to stop staring at him- he thought. First in the restaurant and now in train, what was going on today?

He tried to ignore them and instead looked out of the window, at the station where the train had just stopped. All of a sudden, something, or rather someone, on the plaform caught his attention.

It was Archana, sitting on a bench by herself, looking here and there demurely. His heart skipped a beat- what was she doing here alone? Was she waiting for someone, he wondered. But she had said to him that she would be going home.. then..

He didn't think. As if on impulse, he got on his legs and muttering apologies to the other passengers, he squeezed forcefully past them, finally getting off the train as it began to start, while the other passengers yelled and cursed him.

****************************************

"What are you doing here?"

She looked up, astonished to see a breathless Manav in front of her. Quickly she looked here and there to see if her friends were there. They were not. She smiled at him and he sat next to her.

"I thought you were going home.." he said.

She struggled hard to think of something appropriate to say. He interpreted it as being uncomfortable. "I'll go.." he said quietly, getting up.

"No you sit.. actually.. I got down from my train cos I realised can't go home.."

"Why?"

"Cos my night school ends at 9 and right now it's just 7.30." she explained. "If I go home so early, Aai will ask me a lot of questions. And I can't tell her I didn't go to school cos I was with you."

"Why not?"

Stupid question, he realised. The answer was really very obvious.

Archana continued. "I don't like lying to my Aai. So I figured out that it would be best to go back at the usual time. Aai would think I am coming from school only and won't ask anything so I won't have to lie."

"And what you are doing.. is this not a lie?"

Archana thought hard. "No... this is just... hiding..." she reasoned. "Not even hiding actually.. just manipulation- .. I think.."

He burst into laughter. She flushed and smiled sheepishly. "I mean I'm trying to avoid a possible situation in which I have to lie or hide the truth, by avoiding coming face to face with it.. so.. yeah.. manipulation.."

He laughed louder. After sometime he stopped laughing and looked at her seriously.

"You should have told me all this earlier." He told her. "We could have stayed at the same cafe to while away the time till you could go home."

"I thought you would have work in the garage.." she explained. "Won't people ask about your absence?"

"No they won't interrogate as such. Anyways, even if they do, I'm quite comfortable with small, innocent, harmless white lies."

"White lies," Repeated Archana, her eyes wide open. "Liar!" She sneered.

He laughed at her again. "Oh there's no big deal in it. Come, let's go back to the cafe. No point in sitting here- there's not even a fan and it's so humid."

She nodded and they started getting up. All of a sudden Archana stopped again. "What?"

"You have money?"

"I earn." Reminded Manav, patting his pocket.

Archana continued to walk. "It must be a nice feeling to earn your own money and not have to ask for it from anyone, even your parents." She remarked casually.

"Not in my circumstances." He replied. "It is an even better feeling to go back to school." He smiled at her.

She blushed. "I'm sure you will be able to complete your education too." She said. "You come across as that sort of person- very determined. One who sticks to what he plans and fulfils it."

He felt a sense of discomfort at her words, as he remembered his plans to focus on his job and studies and other things and not on thinking about her. Really, what was he doing with her right now? He was leaving in 21 days, he told himself. There was no future.

And yet he kept on walking with her.

"You seem to have determined about my character in the very first meeting." He laughed. "Don't do that!"

"Don't do what?"

"Don't form opinions about people so soon." He replied. "In fact, speaking of it, don't even trust anyone. I'm a good guy- the type who never stalked you or never took advantage so it's okay, but everyone is not good. Don't befriend random people you meet on the train and don't go out with them on the first meeting."

Archana tried to hide a smile. I wish I could tell you I wasn't really alone tonight- she thought, remembering her friends. I had a full army of girls behind me who would have hit you with sandals if you had tried anything inappropriate- she giggled to herself.

And lo and behold!- she caught sight of her friends hiding their faces at the crossing.

As Manav and Archana waited at the crossing to cross the road, she managed to whisper to her friends when Manav was not looking, "What are you doing here?"

"We saw him getting off the train to meet you," whispered Nisha. "Both of you can never go into hiding when I am there. We got off at the next station and took a train back, then walked in quick steps to get to you."

"Wow Archana! I hadn't expected this to happen! I was almost sure that it was going to be a tragedy tale!" exclaimed Bonne.

"Sshhh..." hissed poor Archana. "He will hear."

"Did he say he wanted to meet you again, or something like that?" asked Tanya excitedly.

"No." Said Archana firmly. "I was sitting alone so he offered to stay with me. He is going to Dubai and I have to study. So now don't push me to think along that direction. At the most we might become friends."

"Friends?" sniggered TB. "As in 'we're just good friends'?"

"Yes."

TB looked at Jia in frustration. "Oh man, they've started giving cliched answers already!!"

"Shhh.." whispered Archana. "Where are you going now?"

"To the cafe with you," replied Lunza promptly. "I mean.. uh.. you want us there.. don't you.."

Archana wasn't sure if her friends intentions were really so noble, but she had no choice anyway. Manav was waiting ahead. "Don't do anything foolish." She told them.

"Don't do anything risky!" Niki called back. "Oh man, I hope it ends well for both of them, then I can write my story."

"She seemed pretty confident that it won't be that way." Said Poppy dejectedly. "These two like to disappoint us."

"The best things in life are often those which are unplanned, Poppy dear!" said Karen wisely. "You might think you have charted and planned out everything, but there are turns at every step. Both Manav and Archana are at that turn now. They think they are mature enough to have decided their course of life based on what they think is right, but it isn't necessarily going to stay the same. They are evolving right now, their ideas are evolving. They could have gone ahead this evening onto the usual course of their life, but they chose to wait before moving ahead. They met again. This means that till this point, anything is possible, irrespective of what they've planned out."

"Meaning?"

"A girl and a boy can never be friends!" said Ashu with a grin.

"Meaning picture abhi baaki hai mere dost!" said Divya, laughing aloud. "Translation please?" asked Sharon, as the group hurried to follow Manav and Archana in the cafe.

In front of them, the young couple, who wasn't yet a couple, and had no plans to be one (as yet), walked on, talking about little joys, unaware of the rest of the people around them.

In dinon, dil mera

Mujhse hai, keh raha...

Tuuu... khwab saja...

Tuuu... jee le zara...

Hai tujhe bhi ijazat.. kar le tu bhi mohabbat.

Hai tujhe bhi ijazat... kar le tuuu bhi mohabbat.

XXX*****THE BEGINNING******XXX

The sun rose high indicating a new, bright morning. While the whole Calcutta (Kolkata) basked in its shine and being overjoyed, he was the only one sitting glumly in a dark corner of the Villa. Today was the day to make a fresh start, to overcome the past and make a new beginning. That's what everyone had been saying to him from the past few weeks.

Flashback

Once, they were Calcutta's biggest Gunday, as they were known. Their childhood passes as two orphans who had nobody to go to when India-Bangladesh partition was ordered. Ridiculed and abused by the higher people of the society they began to loathe the system, the government from early childhood. Their journey started from a coal train and they went to become the supreme force. The poison of being refugees tormented Bikram and Bala. They had only one aim, to rule over all of Calcutta. As they grew up, they not only controlled coal but the fish market, Burma Teak wood, scrap steel yard, Gas, wheat and Oil. These two controlled every black market in town. Soon, Calcutta was in their grip, the one-time petty coal thieves were now the city's big shots. In the eyes of law they were criminals yet benefactors for the needy, they were illiterate themselves yet they built school in their names, hospitals too. They lived by their own rules; they had their own different unmatched attitude. Calcutta was famous for two things: Howrah Bridge and Bikram and Bala, Calcutta ke sabse bade Gunday!

All of a sudden their lives took a U turn at the "Calcutta Cabaret" inauguration ceremony where they encountered a Bomb which in Bikram's words "Joh Phatt ke aur phaad ke chala gaya". It was Nandita, the most gorgeous dancer at the Cabaret who they met in a [ahem ahem] gents washroom! It was love at first sight for both of them, they were fidaa on the beautiful Nandita from the first day! She was the color to their colourless black lives. No one would have thought that Culcatta's biggest Gunday will fall in love so madly and too for the same girl. Nandita, unveiled their more lovable sides, which was hidden from the world. Bikram and Bala were diamonds coated in a layer of coal, they just needed the right person to see through their exterior, and the walls they created to hide their vulnerable sides. They took their turns to woo Nandita and she gave them a week's time to steal her heart. Little did Bikram and Bala knew that the game if love they were playing would result in the deadliest game of their lives.

Bala was hotheaded. It took little to enrage him. It was single lewd remark on Nandita and it resulted in a shootout at Metro Cinema that became enough reason for Bala to hide somewhere from Satyjit Sarkar the new ACP who had Gundowaale Tevar and had sworn to catch them from their paradise. Before leaving off Bala took a promise from Bikram that Nandita will be Thiers until his return but that was the very day Nandita declared his love for Bikram. What followed then was too agonizing, from Bala knowing everything to his return creating a ruckus, from both of them attacking each other to revelation of Nandita's real identity, which was Inspector 'Nandita Singh Gupta'. Betrayel from Nandita was smash on their already broken heart. But Nandita sweared that she loved Bikram truly. It was until the last moment they both united and fought for it. Satyajit and Nandita requested them to leave all this and surrender but as they said "dil nahii maanega" it wasn't possible, they ran off to the passing coal train with bullets shooting behind them.

Present

He tossed the empty cup down, reliving the memories of their old days. They were destinies to die running to freedom when suddenly they found their path blocked by Inspector and her gun. Bikram and he weren't scared of her , they were more than happy to die with her bullets. But Nandita pointed the gun towards herself which resulted in horrified screams from both of them.

" Tumhe marte dekhne se pehele mera mar jaana behtar hai! Pyaar karte ho na mujhse ? Tum dono? To kahan gaya pyaar? Aur Bikram tumne ek baar bhii nahi socha tumhaare bina mera kya hoga?"

Those were her exact words. And yes the last line stung him badly, only he knew how he wished that Nandita would say those lines for him.

" Mere liye. Mere liye alvida keh toh Gunday Bikram aur Bala ko aur ek nayi zindagi jee lo. Please! Dikha tog duniya ko koyla bhii heera ban sakta hai, Mere liye yeh kurbaani de do" tears were streaming down her cheeks when she said that. They would be damned if they refused her. That was the day everything changed for good, they surrendered and true to their word Satyajit and Nandita had taken care of the rest. They had resumed business this time there was no hint of black in it. The empire that they built stood on their hard work.

And today was Bikram's marriage with Nandita. He didn't know whether he should be happy for his yaar or should cry for his love. And on top of that Nandita would be his Bhabhi, how is he supposed to deal with that. What grudge fate holds against him?

"Aree Bala Dada! Aap yahan hai, wahan Kali kaka aur baaki sab aapko doondh rahe hai, jaldi jaayiye iss se pehele woh puure Culcatte we chaan been shuru kara de" Raghu informed.

Bala nodded absently. Rubbing his eyes, he hoped there wasn't a sign to show that he had been crying, he hoped no one will notice. He didn't want to ruin this special day. Hopping down the stairs, he plastered a big smile on his face in attempt to conceal the pain. He had perfected this art from the day he accepted the fact Nandita had chosen Bikram over him.

*

Bikram was over the moon, to say the least. He was finally going to marry the love of his life and make her his. But besides that he was concerned for Bala, he knew that Bala loved Nandita deeply. He would risk his life for her, and he knew the pain he would be going through today, seeing his best friend marry his love. He wished he could do something for him, to eradicate his pain. But alas! There is nothing he could do at present. He prayed to Durga Maiyya daily to give happiness to his Bala.

He suddenly jolted back, Bala had launched himself upon him in a fierce hug. He hugged him back with full force.

"Dulhe Raja! Aaj toh ban gaye tum Rajesh Khanna!" Bala grinned, which Bikram knew was a very convincing effort to mask his emotions.

" Tumhaari muskurahat tumhaare dukh ko chipha nahii paayegi mujhse Bala!" Bala knew he could fool the whole world but not Bikram! He looked down, sheepishly.

"Mujhe pata hai Bala, tere liye kitna mushkil hai yeh sab! Kaash mai kuch kar paata" Bikram sighed patting his shoulders and squeezed them affectionately.

"Bikram! Tu ro raha hai, abbey sharm kar. Aansu toh hone waali dulhan ko bahaane chahiye.!" Bala punched his shoulders playfully, easing up the atmosphere a little.

"Bala babu! Bikram dada!, jaldi chaliye muhurat ka samy nikala jaa raha hai" A voice shouted

"Aate hai Kalikaka!!" Both of them shouted back.

"Chaliye dulhe Raja.." Bala winked at him and he grinned in return.

*

Today was the most special day for Nandita, more than the day when she was enrolled in Calcutta Police. She was going to marry Bikram, the man she loved deeply. After many trials and tribulations they were finally together, and she was more than happy. It all started out as a game to trap the Gundays, she won the game by losing her heart.

Like everyone at Calcutta Police headquarters she had first thought that Bikram and Bala were ruthless, heartless criminals. But knowing them from close, she knew that these were kids at heart, very good people who had faced death, war and boundaries at every point of life.

She knew Bikram and Bala had a very big heart. They were just misguided at an early stage of life. If they knew how to fight and hold grudges, they also knew how to love.

*

The marriage of Bikram and Nandita was very grand affair. Almost the whole of Calcutta was invited. Everyone was happy and cheering out of sheer joy. Only Bala was trying to be genuinely happy at his brother marriage even at the expense of his heart.

Every now and then he would control his eyes from watering. This was unbearable, and he actually sighed in relief when the wedding was finally over. Bala knew that he couldn't find the will and go congratulate the newlywed couple, he would not be able utter a single word seeing them together. It was best to leave this place, go out and calm him down before he does something drastic in agony. He was sure Bikram would understand as he always does. As the blessings were showered on the couple, Bala slyly made his exit hoping nobody has seen him. But he was unaware of the two pair of eyes that were trained on him.

*

He had been driving aimlessly on the streets, hoping to distract himself but failing terribly. In all this agony there was one thing that could maybe calm his wandering mind.

*

It took him less than 10 minutes to reach that same place from where his life alteration had started, that fateful place he and Bikram went to for a deal to be done with Das but ended up falling in love with Nandita, together! He didn't wanted to be near a place which will remind him of her, but somehow he ended up at that very place where his incomplete love story had started, he felt some pull which attracted him to that place.

The "Calcutta" name sign shinned in all its glory. He could already feel the atmosphere lightning up a few degrees as he entered the shiny and posh cabaret. Bala was muddled with his own inner conflicts as he proceeded toward that same seat, especially reserved for them.

Twisting the porcelain glass in his hands, Bala was too preoccupied in his thoughts to notice the dancers taking up their positions. How will life shape up after this marriage? How will he adjust to respecting Nandita as his Bhabhi? Will he ever find happiness? Would he be able to ever love again? His heart stung again at the last thought.

Suddenly he was jerked back to the real world, as he paid attention he realized that the song is somewhat familiar. The Lyrics, the tone, eve the background instrument is known from before, he just couldn't recognize it now. Racking his mind for the all the possibilities of what this song could be, he stopped on one name.

Aslaam-E-Ishqam!

Nandita!

Bala couldn't think of any reason why Nandita would be here, rather than being with Bikram. Lifting his gaze towards the podium he saw a figure appearing behind the shadows, from the looks, it was definitely a woman, petite and graceful at that.

Yeh Ishq hai...

Bala lost the track of song as the face of the woman came in light, illuminating with all the glitters and feathers and that very moment Bala was stunned to say the least. She was gorgeous and had well toned body. She moved around the stage dancing gracefully, elegantly. He was soon running out of the adjectives to describe her beauty.

That Angel swayed to the rhythm, his eyes following her every move.

She looked like a heaven's maiden descended upon the earth. Still lost in her, Bala never realized when the song ended, even after when the dancers took their final bow.

Never in his life had Bala been enchanted like this, not even by Nandita. She was a very beautiful and graceful dancer, but even she didn't had this effect on him. What was that girl? He had to find out.

"Bala sir! Aap aur kuch lenge?" A voice broke out

"Huh! Nahi"

"Jee, theek hai!"

"Ek Minute, idhar suno" Suddenly Bala had an idea

"Jee?"

"Yeh jisne aaj yahan Naacha tha, woh kaun thii?"

"Yahan toh kayii ladkiya thii sir, aap kiski baat kar rahe hai?"

"Aree who joh sabse khoobsurat thii." Bala was exasperated, he was going to find about this girl anyhow.

"Accha who!" The servant now grinned from ear to ear "Who toh Nandini hai, yahan ki sabse khoobsurat adakaara!"

"Hmm, Nandini! Theek hai, tum jaayo" Bala patted the faithful servant, a grin forming on his face after a long time.

*

Never had he thought that he had to sneak in to somewhere like this. But he couldn't go away without meeting the beautiful enchantress. After waiting for a long time hiding behind pillar, when he was finally sure that no one was roaming, he slightly pushed the door, which had Nandini name engraved on it, ajar and entered inside making sure of a single noise. Just as he entered, the same way he closed the door softly, taking a deep breath he turned around and stumbled in shock seeing that particular Nandini sitting across from him, with a skeptical face staring directly at him.

For a second he panicked! What if she misunderstood his intentions and what if she called the police? He left that life a long time ago now he didn't want to return to that.

"Toh tum ab yeh btaayoge ki yaha kaisa aana huya?" She said almost mockingly

"Wo..Woh M.. Mai.." He tried to form a sentence but failed miserably

"Kya woh mai? Tumne yeh apna bangle samjh ke rakha hai jahan jab marzi ghus aayoge?" Did he said that she looked so hot like this.

Nandini stood up, emphasizing her point once again. "Yeh Nandini ka kamra hai aur yaha koyii bhii..ah" She couldn't complete her full punch because of that stupid feather mask, Nandini anticipated the hard marble to hit her and bruise her back but instead she was stopped midway with two large, strong and muscular pair of hands.

Bala had immediately lunged towards her as he watched her slip down, and he caught her just in time. A great feat! Nandini looked so cute with her eyes tightly scrunched, he wanted to hold her like this forever, to protect her from the world, to give her all the happiness in the world. Her lips were so luscious that it took all the self control in him to not kiss her then and there.

Nandini opened her eyes slowly only to be met with the deepest brown orbs she had ever seen, they were so beautiful like a vast chocolate ocean in which she could submerge. This was the same intruder she was just shouting on before, the one who was there when she was dancing. For unknown reasons she felt safe in his bulky arms, she felt comforted, she felt at...home. Again for those same unknown reasons she didn't want to leave that comforting embrace of his arms. At the same time she wanted to feel those ripping muscles under that shirt, to caress them to touch them.

"Nandini madam, kyaa huya sab theek toh hai?" And the tint of rose was gone. Both were jerked out of their fantasies. Nandini realized that she had to make him disappear before Kamla steps in. For the same purpose, she quickly held his collar and pushed him behind the rack of scarves, stoles and feathers, just a split second after the door was barged open by a young lady, who looked frantic.

" Sab theek hai Kamla!" Nandini blurted out

"Tumhaari chillane ki awaaj aayi thi" Kamla was still not convinced

"Woh. Woh.. Chipkali! Chipkali thii, bas issi liye, tum chinta mat karo meri. Mai bilkul theek huun" Nandini put on her assuring smile, the best she could manage. Pacifying Kamla was not that easy. She hurried towards the door and quickly locked it as soon as Kamla went and heaved a sigh of relief.

"Nandini je, mujhe maaf kar dijiye who mai.." Bala tried to found the correct words to apologize as he knew it was wrong of him to invade her privacy like this, he tried to apologize but Nandini herself raised a finger, silencing him.

"Dekhiye, mai jaanta huun aap mujhse naaraz..." His nervous blabbering was stopped as Nandita stabbed her palm on his mouth. This sudden touch startled him and Nandita herself, she could feel the sparks as his lips were grazing her palm. Bala wanted to kiss her palm but he knew it would be indecent of him to do so.

"Bahot bolte ho tum, Bala" She removed her hand taking her own sweet time because she liked where it was.

"Haa.. Ek minute tumhe mera naam kaise pata?" She smirked and to say she looked sexy would be an understatement

"Mujhe itna bhola na samjho, Joh Calcutta ke sabse bade logo ko nahii jaanta usse Calcutta me rehne ka haq nahii hona chahiye. Bhale hi aaj tum seedhi taareeke se jindagi guzaar rahe ho, par Calcutta ka har shaqks Bikram aur Bala, joh pehele yahan ke sabse bade Gunday the, unhe jaanta hai." While telling him this Nandini had shifted closer inch by inch. Bala was getting tempted by the proximity.

"Par Madam, hume seedha smajhne ki bhool mat kariyega, Gundo waala jeevan toh chod aaye par, yeh Gundoo waale Tevar hamare khoon me hai, joh marte dum tak rahega" Bala leaned in almost whispering in her ear ending tingles throughout Nandini"s body, she shivered a little due to the effect and this it was Bala's turn to smirk. He enjoyed the effect he was having on Nandini. Bala leaned in a little more, his lips almost touching her earlobe. Nandini closed her eyelids absorbing the sensation, his closeness was creating a havoc on her senses.

"Izzazat dijiye, Madam!" he whispered and jerked back almost instantly making Nandini cringe because of the absence of warmth. By the time she opened her eyes, he was gone like a dream.

*

"Bala! Tum! Kahan the itni der tak? Kitne pareshaan the hum kuch pata hai?" Bikram shaked his dazed friend.

"Haan, who hum jara yuuhin bahar ki hawa khaane gaye the" Bala replied finally coming out of the spell, till now Bikram was worried that someone has done black magic on him.

"Haan par aaj? Aur itni der kahan laga dii?"

"Aajse accha mauka aur koyii nahi tha Bikram" and he went away. While Bikram was in shock, Bala actually smiled, no he gave a full fledge grin. Bala had passed months without even smiling, he would give a smile to show the world that he was fine, but it would be clearly fake, Bikram knew that. But today it was different, Bala smiled and his eyes lighted up with happiness, he was really happy today. Bikram didn't know what made him happy but he wished to God that this source of happiness remains intact with Bala.

Bala didn't know for how long he had been laying there, gazing at the Calcutta skyline. He was lost in the memories of what happened a little while ago. He was lost in the gorgeous beauty he met at the Cabaret, she seems to have evaded his mind completely. His thoughts were filled of her, her beautiful smile, her deep kohl filled eyes, her angelic face everything seems to draw him to her, like a moth to a flame.

*

Rarely Nandini had sleepless night like this. She always has a busy packed schedule and it required her to wake up early so sleeping late wasn't an option. But today sleep was nowhere near her, her thoughts kept drifting back to Bala, whom she met earlier this day. His Muscular form, warm embrace, those deep brown orbs. How cute he looked while trying to apologize. She didn't realize when her tired eyelids finally dropped and she went to sweet slumber.

*

Two days in a row, Bala and Nandini stumbled into each other at unexpected locations, they made small talk and laughed among themselves, Nandini never realized that she was growing fond of Bala and enjoying her company. By seeing him for close, she realized that he has a tough exterior for the world but inside he is kind and warm hearted person. Bala was sure he was in love with Nadini, this feeling was 1000 times more than what he felt for Nandita.

*

Whatever the day it would be, Calcutta Fish market would be its usual chaos. Nandini tried to make past her way through the crown but still couldn't avoid the pushes. A sudden tap on her shoulder made her jump in fright and in the process she dropped her things, before she could pick them up they were already given in their hands by... Bala?

"Tum? Tum yahan kyaa kar rahe ho?"

"Abb..b Kuch Nahi.." He acted nonchalant but both of them he knew he had deliberately came here.

"Accha. Kahin tum mera peecha toh nahii kar rahe?" She would give him back too.

"Nahii, hum aise waise ladke bilkul nahii hai"

"Accha, yeh woh kehta hai joh kal bina izzazat kisi ke green room me ghus gaya" A giggle escaped her lips.

"Woh.. woh toh Nandini jii majboori thii" He smiled now too.

"Kaisi majboori?" she raised her brows

"Hum Calcutta ki sabse khoobsurat ladki se milna chahte the, bas issiliye" Nandini couldn't help but blush, he was sure a charmer. She gave him a small smile, earning a dazzling one in return.

"Tum yahan machli khareedne aayi ho, aayo mai apako Calcutta ki best Hilsa dilaata hoon." He gave her a mock bow, and lead the way for her.

Reaching a stall, he said to the frail old man "Dada! Madam ko Calcutta ki best Hilsa dikhaayo" the man smiled and handed him a fresh fish. Bala picked it and offered it to Nandini

"Dada, kitne duun?" Nandini opened her purse

"Aa, bas ek dhanyawaad!" Bala smiled. Nandini felt her heart melt in a puddle. She took the fish from him and was about to turn back when suddenly a man jumped in close to her and clutched her hand.

"Aree Madam! Kabhii hume bhii try karo, koyii pareshaani nahii hone denge"

"Chodho mera haath!" She tried to push the lewd man away but he was too strong for her. He tried to lean in closer but suddenly she felt him jerked back.

"Abey saale! Teri himmat kaise huyi ihne haath lagane ki" It was Bala, her savior. He punched that lafanga in the gut. "Aaj ke baaad agar nazar utha ke bhii dekhi na toh teri aankhe phod doonga, samjha??" That man was now beaten in pulps. Nandini had to do something before it became worse. She stopped Bala from giving him another blow.

"Bala! Bala! Rukh jaayo, chodo isse, jaane do.Please"

"Nahi, Nandini, isne tumhe haath lagaya, iski saja toh isse.."

"Mere khaatir Bala.." She almost shouted, he suddenly stopped all his protests and looked at her. Time stood still, for Bala and Nandini as they looked into each other's eyes their own emotions reflecting. Nandini was overwhelmed with emotions, she stood on her tip toes and pressed her lips lightly to his. She kissed a visibly stunned Bala, as she was about to pull away, Bala grabbed her and deepened the Kiss, all the emotions bottled up on that night came out with a passion. They kept tasting each other till their lungs literally screamed for oxygen.

Finally, they came up for air, panting and puffing. Nandini looked at Bala with love and adoration filled in her eyes, and Bala returned her gaze with an intense one of his own.

"Bala.. mujhe tumse.."

"Shhh.. Mujhe pata hai aur mujhe bhii tumse pyaar hai Nandini, jabse tumhe peheli baar dekha ussi din. Pehele mujhe lagta tha ki mujhe Nandita se pyaar hai, abhii bhii hai, ek bhabhi ki tarah, par iske saamne woh kuch nhaii" He held her soft hands in his rough ones tenderly.

"I love you, Bala!" Nandini burst into sobs and hugged him almost making him fall back. "Bahot pyaar karne lagii huun mai tumse, tumhaare bina aage ki jindagi adhoori lagti hai. Tumhaare rehne se mujhe jannat mil jaati hai" She whispered still hugging him.

Bala hugged her with equal force, enjoying the feel of her small body pressed against his.

Clap!

Clap!

Clap!

They broke away hearing a sudden clapping and turned to look who it was.

"Waah! Bhai Bala, tum toh bade chupe rustam nikle!"

"Bikram!"

"An aan! Nahii pehele btaayoo, joh abhii maine apni aanko se dekha hai woh sach hai?" Bala could only nod as his tongue wasn't supporting him at the present moment.

Bikram hugged Bala and kissed him on his forehead.

"Toh Shaadi ki taareek kab fix kare?" All of them turned back to see Nandita smiling at the small reunion.

"Jitni jaldi ho sake, kyu Bala?" Bikram lightly smacked him and the group erupted into peals of laughter along with the whole Calcutta who has just witnessed the confession of love, Gunday style!

[They were married off 2 months later]

Hope you like it😃

ENTRY #5


ChaiBiskoot

She flipped the key in her hand for the umpteenth time. The brown rust had begun to gather but unlike earlier times she hadn't bothered to grab a bottle of vinegar and a cloth and spend hours to make the metal lustrous again. Could she afford to let it become misshapen? It was a question that haunted her since the owner passed it into her dainty fingers.

Yet another year had drifted. She sat by the lake fighting the urge to fling that key across the lake. Amusingly she thought , 'maybe someone will find it and this stupid piece of metal will find its way to me again or maybe the fish I will catch next time will have it in her stomach'. Instead of weeping bitterly and letting the tears merge with the pristine waters running beneath her feet, she laughed madly at her thoughts. It was true when people said that some things become a part of you. And this object that lay bare in her hands begged her to remain by his side.

Did it open a door or a box or nothing at all? Where was she supposed to try the lock? She had placed her hand across her head and said softly, "You will know". And the last shred of hope had begun to die. Her dreams gave her no such clue nor did her brain race well enough to provide a lead. She had thought that atleast her heart will not give up on her. But after ten long years it would be a miracle if it struck a different beat.

It made no sense to her as to why she even bothered to keep it. Just like a little girl gingerly places her favorite doll besides her when she sleeps, she had preserved this key. Maybe it gave her some sort of happiness or lifted up her spirits as she waited for the day to dawn where she could unlock the little mystery that surrounded it. Maybe she loved holding onto a memory of that person even though he was gone or let her tears speak for themselves when she held the key softly in her hands. She didn't know which emotion dominated her but she did feel a sense of satisfaction of living through it. It had been exactly three months and twelve days since she last saw the key. It had now been dumped unceremoniously into the lower most drawer by her bedside.

--------------------------------------------------------------

The clock must have had run its course for its hands lay like two sticks on a barren ground. Unmoving. She opened her eyes and rubbed them vigorously before glancing at the clock. It was a little over quarter past twelve. No it couldn't be that she had gotten up late. She didn't need an alarm or some human to yell across the room to wake her up. Her timing never strayed beyond nine. She was right to strike at the blatant conclusion that would confound another to grab the next nearest clock and check the time with a racing heart. But she simply knew that the clock had stopped.

Carefully she climbed on the stool to retrieve the wooden artwork. It was indeed a beautiful piece of intricately carved wood. She liked to think this clock hung in a palace and was passed down to her. Another one of her amusing thoughts. But she knew it better. It was made by her father. A clock-maker. She remembered the day when he gifted this to her on one of her birthdays. She had chuckled before saying ,"I know its a clock" before opening the box and gloating over her rightful prediction. The clock had worked perfectly for years.She would climb on the stool every week and wipe off the dust.Almost as if she would mar its beauty if she didn't take good care of it.But today she had a different task assigned to her.She must bring it to life again for it was the only thing that remained now against the previous two which would evoke those conflicting feelings.

She went from one clock mechanic to another.But her face fell every time they gave her the same look of astonishment and asked her numerous questions.

"From where did you get this ?Why don't you sell it to me?Its a vintage clock".

"It will cost a lot of money to repair this one.Do you have that much?".

"Have you stolen it?Give it to the owner or i shall report to the police".It was only when her eyes dropped a few tears that the man excused her knowing now that she was being honest.But then again he glanced at the clock and said "Hell i can't even open it let alone fix it.Might have to break open its wooden back".

"No".That was all she said and took her property back.

Dejected she came home and broke down after what seemed like centuries.It was that day when the full impact of her father's loss hit her.She hadn't wept when they carried his coffin to the grave.From what she could remember she was in the same state when her mother had left for the heavens.Immobile. Passive. Unfeeling.

Just like she had placed the key in that drawer she now covered the clock and put it under her bed.They both were precious to her but in the end they had failed her.The tears ravaged her face every few hours.The emptiness now seemed to know no bounds.Objects.Yes they were objects but they enclosed a living picture of her loved ones.

The key was given to her by her mother.

-----------------------------------------------

Two months.Eight days.The dreams were marked by bright lights and rosy things.She was draped in dress made of flowers or climbed a lush green hilltop.She saw herself kissed by her parents on her cheeks as they gifted her a key and a clock.

She threw her blanket aside and jumped for the drawer.Hastily she opened it and took the key.It had completely turned brown.Next she bent down to retrieve the clock from under her bed.The two hands seemed to mock her for her ignorance towards them.She turned it sideways and saw a notch made in the wood.A rectangular incision.A barely visible one.Ofcourse she had ran her hands over it a thousand times but never did it cross her mind that it was meant for something.But she knew better now.It was the answer that she had seeked.

She grabbed the key and plunged it into the small hole.It wouldn't budge.The bag of tears flew open again and she ran across the room to grab the bottle of vinegar.How could she be so negligent?She was supposed to let it shine perpetually.The salty drops of water made it difficult for her to concentrate on her task while her hands shook with anticipation and fear.She furiously rubbed the key with a cloth soaked in the liquid as the weeping continued to assault her eyes.

Twenty minutes later the key shone like before.To her it seemed that twenty hours had passed.

With trembling hands she turned in the key in the clock.And this time the sound of the click was sweeter than any melody.The back came off easily.She beamed at her achievement and ran for the clock mechanic she had last seen.

He was flabbergasted to know that the clock had opened without any scars and the light that shone in the girl's eyes told him that she had managed to do this alone.

Later that evening she returned home with a fixed heart, a fixed hope and a fixed clock.Those two things were not a remnant of her parents's love but of an inextinguishable flame of looking for the future.

If indeed the clock stopped again who would ever know to revive it with the secret key if she lost herself?

----------------------------------------

One Shot: Love Untold

VM:Darmiyaan~ Love Untold

Dropbox Link:

Love Untold VM~ Darmiyaan

Characters:

Jalal-The Mughal Emperor. The Male protagonist of the story.

Jodha- Princess of Amer. The Female Protagonist.

Ruqqaiya- Jalal's Special wife. Negative Character

Salima- Jalal's wife.

Hamida- Jalal's mother.

Bhagwant- Jodha's eldest brother.

Adham Khan- Jalal's stepbrother. Negative character.

Flipping the tight sandals off of her feet, Jodha slumped herself in the large round bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. The words of her brother rang in her ear "Shehensha isn't a good human being, Jodha. He is just using you ..." Her heart cringed with pain while remembering the incident, which took place some moments ago.

------

She had been madly in love with Jalal for the past 6 years of her life, even before meeting him. His bravery and the cleverness he had possessed in himself made a special place in her heart, she was intrigued to know more about him. She admired him and soon the admiration turned into love when she saw his portrait for the first time-she went breathless. Copper brown hair highlighted the chiseled features of his face. The eye color matched his hair, which had a pinch of glow even in the portrait. She declared that she was in love, but she dared not to utter a word regarding this in front of her family, knowing that they would literally bury her alive if they get the slightest hint about all this. She used to fast for his long age and when her mother used to ask her, she would answer that she was for her would be husband.

Happiness had no bound when one day his father announced that Jodha's marriage was fixed with the Mughal Emperor Jalalluddin Mohammad. He announced that Jalal once saw Jodha's portrait and it was love at first sight, hiding the actual reason from the young and overjoyed princess. The wedding ceremonies proceeded in a fling and on the very wedding day, Jodha's younger brother came almost flying towards her room, in order to tell her the real reason behind this marriage.

Just when he reached the door, he began panting due to shortage of oxygen. Jodha's eyes rounded seeing her brother like that.She picked up the heavy Lehenga of hers and strode towards her brother. He came here to give her a warning, a warning about her future "Shehensha isn't a good human being. He is using you to..." Before he could say more Bhagwant came abruptly and stopped him from uttering a single word to Jodha. Now, she was doubtful. Jodha was a bit shocked and she wanted to know more.

The royal wedding proceeded and the people of Amer gave their final goodbyes to their precious little daughter, dreading for their princess future.

Jodha's torturous journey began from that day which she had thought it to be a tremendous one! Right after claiming her body on their wedding night, Jalal announced Jodha that he had married her for the sake of a business deal and that her parents almost sold her to him for keeping Amer. The young princess's world shattered and her heart stuttered in extreme pain. The dream world she had woven was tearing apart which made her heart bleed. But she was left broken when he said that he only lusts her and that he wanted to show her the right place of Rajvanshi. After that, Jalal never even looked back at her room, but he insulted her in every possible way he could find. Later on, Jodha got to know she was pregnant. The limits of happiness crossed it bounds and Jodha showed her gratitude towards her Kanha, thinking that this child would deduce the gap between them. When Jalal got the news, he came to Jodha's Hojra. Jodha expected a smile from him, but all he had was a cold expression "It better be a boy." Then he walked off from that room, leaving Jodha devastated.

In these crucial months only Hamida Bano and Salima were her support system, motivating her, tending her and making her feel important. The time span of nine months flew by, each day Jodha growing tensed.

When the day had finally arrived, the doctor announced that Jodha gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Jalal never came to see the child and Jodha lost hope of a good relationship with her husband. She had her daughter and she was her world. Her daughter brought happiness in her life canceling the negativity from her life. One look of her daughter made the sadness that had built on her throughout the day. She named her daughter, Tarannum.

Jalal longed to meet his daughter at times but his ego of not capable of giving birth to a son always clouded him over. He had heard her cries, her laughter and saw her from a distant. He never held her in his arms. Jalal had developed a soft corner for his begum, Jodha. He often used to peek at her room when everyone would be asleep.He would sit beside her and gaze at her for hours. All of this wasn't unnoticed by Jalal's Special' Begum Ruqqaiya, whose jealousy was writhing watching Jalal going weak for Jodha. She played her cards well by taunting Jalal that he is not that Jalal whom everyone was terrified of and she blamed Jodha for it. His ego was bruised with the words and swore himself never to peek at Jodha or show her any weakness from his side.

Hamida and Salima tried their level best to convince him over it, but Jalal didn't budge a bit. These two women played an important role in Jodha's miserable life. They were very close to her heart and she almost shared everything with them, except about her feelings for Jalal. They never mentioned Jalal in front of her because in the end it left Jodha in dismay.

Tarannum was a year and six months old when Jodha heard that Ruqqaiya was pregnant. A Huge Party had been announced and Hamida informed Jodha that she would have to make 'the traditional Kheer' for the pregnant Queen. Overjoyed, Jodha made the Kheer with pure love and dressed herself up in a beautiful Mughal dress. Later, Jalal's maid informed her that she and her daughter were not expected in the party. Dejected, a gloomy Jodha passed on the bowl of kheer to the maid, hoping that her blessing works upon the unborn child.

Later that night, Jodha was summoned to the Deewan E Khaas (A special court for judgment). She was shocked when she went there, getting to know the news that Ruqqaiya had a miscarriage miscarried and Jodha's Kheer was the cause of it. Jalal flew from his throne just when he saw Jodha and roughly grabbed her shoulders, pulling her closer to him while speaking between his teeth "You ruthless jealous woman! You killed my child!" He hissed at her making her tremble. Tears started flooding out of her eyes "I...I-I didn't" Jodha stuttered, trying to gulp the lump in her throat. His grip tightened around her shoulders making her wince in pain. "Shut up! "Jalal roared loudly. Her body was throbbing with fear and she was feeling that she might fall flat on the ground any moment. He threw Jodha away from him making Jodha stumble to the floor hard. Ruqqaiya all of a sudden entered the scene and took control over Jalal "Jalal I want justice! I want justice for my child.." An angry Ruqqaiya spoke, whose eyes were swollen and red due to the misery of losing her unborn child.

Jalal knelt down in his feet, pointing his finger at Jodha and hissed at her "I am not going to spare you!" He paused and continued with a low tone " I'm going to ruin you.." Jodha's eyes widened with shock and shivered.

As she recovered back from her Flashback, the fragile queen slowly propped herself up. She went inside the washroom and changed herself into her wedding attire. A blood red lehenga with golden embroidery and the there were thin velvet borders around the dupatta. She dressed herself up like a bride and smiled to herself at the mirror. Where had the jolly girl disappear? The twinkle in her eyes was long gone; her smile never reached her eyes. She had thinned than before and now she was a woman who hardly smiled. She plaited her silky long hair and draped the transparent over her head.

She got up from her place and moved forward to the golden cradle where her baby was sleeping peacefully. She gently lifted her up in her arms and caressed her cheeks for a while, while she gazed at the beautiful child of hers. She pressed her forehead and placed her in the middle of the bed, wiping the tear that had slipped off from her eyes. She took out a piece of paper, a feather with ink and started jotting down something, as tears continued to run down her nose. She breathed heavily and untied her mangalsutra, her Nath and all the things, which marked her to be Jalal's possession. She took all these and placed it on her dressing table, placing the paper right at the edge of the dressing table.

Jodha grabbed the sharp, edgy dagger and skimmed her fingers over the edges. She sat beside the window, her head rested on the wall, as she gazed at the black sky.

Shehensha Jalalluddin Mohammad drifted on his bed, lost in deep thought. He thought of getting drunk to ease his grief, but he needed a sober mind to pass on his judgment tomorrow. His eyes were about to close when suddenly he heard the guard announce Hamida's name. Jalal's heart leaped forward in fear. An angry Hamida made her way towards Jalal, followed by a Maid. The Maid's eyes were down casted in shame. She fell on her knees and knotted her fingers together, begging for forgiveness. "Shehensha it wasn't my fault. I did what I was told to do." tears brimmed out her eyes. Jalal arched an arrogant eyebrow at him "What happened?"

"Shehensha, Jodha begum is innocent! Adham Khan promised to me that he would fill my house with riches. He told me to mix the serum which-which would make Ruqqaiya Begum miscarry the child. Hamida Begum overheard my conversation with my mother and I got caught red handed" Jalal was left dumbfounded. He had no words to describe what he was feeling at the moment. Jalal roared, "I am going to behead you!" he flew out of his bed and took out his sword. Hamida stood in between "Jalal control!" Jalal gritted his teeth "Ammi Jaan move!" Hamida folded her hands in front of him, "Jalal decide this in the court. Don't make a hasty decision in your wrath!" Jalal blinked his eyes twice, realizing that his mother was right. He dismissed the Maid to be taken to the jail and ordered to capture Adham Khan and throw him inside too.

Hamida gently held Jalal's shoulders "Jalal, I would like you to apologize to Jodha." She paused and then continued "She is innocent and you insulted her in front of everyone in the entire court." Jalal's eyes softened and he spoke with pain evident in his voice "Ammi Jaan, Jodha Begum must be sleeping by now. I will apologize to her the first thing I do in the morning."

Hamida accepted it and left for her room, leaving a broken Jalal. He shifted on his bed, remembering those eyes, which had spoken the truth to him. He couldn't take it anymore; he had to apologize to her now so that he can put rest to himself.

He dashed out of the room, pacing slowly to Jodha's room. He stood outside her room for while and then slowly crept inside the dark room. Darkness had ushered in the room, Jodha, who sat by the window- resting her head on the wall, blocked the only source of light. Her face was turned to the window.

Jalal's eyes to the baby wrapped in a blanket, sleeping soundly on the bed. He, at first, moved towards Jodha and cleared his throat. "Jodha I apologize to you. I am sorry. I know that you are innocent." He got no response from her but still continued "I will apologize to you In front of everyone." After getting no response from her, He said, "I must leave then, if you don't wish to speak with me." Jalal was about to turn away, but his instincts stopped him and he moved towards Jodha. "Jodha..." He shook her a bit when she started to collapse. Jalal's eyes widened with shock and he grabbed her in his arms. The blood stained dagger fell from her hand, making a loud sound as it crashed on the floor. She was pale and blue and it seemed all of the blood had been drained from her body. She was cold as ice and she wasn't breathing anymore. A pool of blood lay beside her and her eyes were wide open.

Jalal screamed for the doctor, waking up the whole palace. The doctor told everyone to clear the room in order to examine her. Jalal waited impatiently outside the room. Just when the doctor, Jalal launched her with questions "Is she okay?" the doctor's eyes were down casted and when her eyes met Jalal. She was crying, "I am sorry Shehensha, Jodha Begum is no more." Everyone in the palace was left shocked.

Jodha's farewell ceremony was done with the most royal way and Jalal did it all. Jalal's heart cringed with pain. The people from Amer were expected to come the day after, for taking their granddaughter with them.

"Pal, do pal, ki hi kyun hai zindagi

Iss, pyar, ko hai sadiyaan kaafi nahi

Toh khuda se maang loon

Mohalat main ek nayi

Rehna hai bas yahaan

Ab door tujhse jaana nahi"

Jalal lay on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, thinking about Jodha. Her doe-like hazel eyes haunted him everywhere. Her smile, her tears and her angry eyes came flashing in front of his eyes. He had ruined her.

Salima entered the room unannounced; Jalal was startled to see her. She handed the letter over to him without meeting with his eyes "This later was meant for you." Before Jalal could say anything, Salima left the room, giving the cold shoulder to him. Jalal started blankly at the letter for a few minutes and sighed heavily as he started reading it.

Dear Shehensha,

By the time you would be reading this letter, I would be gone.

It was Jodha and his heart froze.

Away from everyone. Believe me, I haven't killed your unborn child. What would be my benefit on killing your child? Ask yourself first. I don't expect anything from you, neither we have a normal relationship that after killing your child, I would be the one giving birth to your heir. It is impossible. I know you hate me a lot and the sight of me makes your Bile rise, well I'm putting an end to all of that. I'm freeing you from this burden. Neither you have to waste your valuable time insulting me, neither I have to return back to my room, looking for Happiness in my daughter.

Please take care of my daughter and never tell her about the main reason behind my death. I don't want to fall in her eyes. She is the only one I had. Tell her I died in an accident. Please be nice to her, she is only just a baby. I beg of you, don't torture her the way I was tortured. Never let her suffer from what I did. I know she is a burden for you, but please wait for a day or two until my parents come and get her. You could at least do that for her right? It's my last wish.

Tell Maasa to make her a strong woman and for God's sake not to play with her feelings.

I have always loved you and will keep on loving you even after death. Please don't hate me that much.

Truly Yours,

And for the last time, I love you.

Jodha..

Tears threatened to escape his eyes, he let them flow this time.What had he done? He could imagine Jodha writing all of this with a heavy heart and a strained face. He slipped his feet inside his shoes and made his way towards Jodha's room.

"Jo tu mera humdard hai

Jo tu mera humdard hai

Suhaana har dard hai

Jo tu mera humdard hai"

There she was sitting, playing with her mother's comb. Beside her was a maid who was sleeping, her head rested on the bed. Jalal was in love with his daughter the moment he saw her smile at him showing the two teeth, which had grown.

Her skin was fair porcelain. Her eyes were pearl like, hazel eyes just like her mother's. Her smile reached her eyes, which twinkled softly and she moved her hands in excitement. Her chubby cheeks reminded him of his sister Bakshi's childhood. Her lips were like petals of rose, pink and drenched with saliva. She resembled her mother; it was like the small version of Jodha. She sliced her hand in the air, moving her fingers to call Jalal to her "Ab.. Abb.. Abbu!" She giggled while she said it. Jalal rushed towards the bed and clung to his daughter, promising of never letting her go. He pressed his lips on her forehead taking in the divine smell of his baby girl. "I love you too Jodha." A tear slipped from his eyes and Tarannum touched it. Jodha gave him a reason to live.

"Teri muskurahatein hain

Taaqat meri

Mujhko inhi se

Ummeed mili

Chaahe kare koi sitam ye jahaan

Inme hi hai sada hifaazat meri

Zindagani badi

Khoobsurat hui

Jannat ab aur kya hogi kahin

Jo tu mera Humdard hai

Jo tu mera Humdard hai

Suhaana har dard hai

Jo tu mera Humdard hai"

Soft breeze blew, as Jalal entered the balcony with his daughter in his arms. Jodha turned around and smiled at him, making his heart skip a beat. He moved forward to her and kissed her forehead. Jalal put his hand over Jodha's head. "I love you Jodha." She smiled at him.

Jalal stood there with his daughter, imagining Jodha to be with them, his hand intertwined with his imaginary Jodha.

"Teri dhadkano se hai

Zindagi meri

Khwahishein teri

Ab duaaein meri

Kitna anokha

Bandhan hai ye

Teri meri jaan jo ek hui

Lotunga yahaan

Tere paas main haan

Waada hai mera

Mar bhi jaaun kahin

Jo tu mera humdard hai

Jo tu mera humdard hai

Suhaana har dard hai

Jo tu mera humdard ha"

-Jo Tu mera humdard hai (Ek Villian)

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