~ Kaun Apna, Kaun Paraya~
Part 1
"Oh...God! Who is this? Rohan clasped a pillow to his ear to prevent the noise from disturbing his sleep. That hardly helped muffle the soft sounds. "Yaar...aadhi raat ko kaun hai ye...! irritated, Rohan turned to the other side of the bed. His as-it-is light sleep was broken. He rubbed his eyes and paid attention to the source of the sound. It was the sound of sobbing, muffled by the pillow and it was coming from the boy lying next to him. "Sameer...? Rohan thought, a little concerned now. "Why is he crying? Missing his Nanu? he thought again and propped himself on his elbow. "Sameer...? he spoke softly, and placed a comforting hand on his arm. The sobbing immediately stopped, and with a swift motion, he saw Sameer's hand slide inside the pillow.
"Sameer! Kya hua hai? Sab theek hai? Batao mujhe! Rohan was worried about his step-brother now. It had been two days that he was here, but Sameer hardly spoke, hardly ate, and never smiled. It was as if all his happiness had been sucked out from him. And then he was repeatedly trying to call someone, maybe his friends in Ahemdabad, but then dadi was strict there. She had scolded him for wasting time over the phone, rather than paying attention to studies or focusing on how to lead a disciplined life. To add to that, Dadi had even locked the landline now.
Till now Rohan had been brought up to believe by his father and grandmother, that Sameer had been a troublesome, ill-mannered boy since childhood. And it was to drill some discipline into him that they had decided to send him to a hostel in Nainital when he was 5 years old. Rohan vaguely remembered meeting him once before and that was when mom had bought him over with her, post her marriage with dad. And after he left for hostel, mom never spoke about Sameer, though Rohan was sure, she kept thinking about him.
Jerking his mind onto the situation at hand, Rohan went closer to Sameer and asked him, "kya hua hai Sameer...tum mujhe bata sakte ho...bolo...baat karne se dil halka hota hai! Rohan didn't know he had aggravated the fire already simmering inside Sameer's heart. Sameer turned to face him, his eyes two big blurbs of water, his cheeks stained with tears, his face a picture of lamenting, "tum meri madad kar sakte ho? Le ke aa sakte ho mere Nanu ko wapis? Kar sakte ho meri zindagi wapis pehle jaisi? De sakte ho meri maa ko mujhe wapis? Sameer managed to utter, choking through the tears. "Sameer...ye bhi tumhara hi ghar hai...ab hum bhi family hain! responded Rohan, in an attempt to console him. Sameer got up, wiped the tears from his eyes, and said, "I'm sorry...maine tumhari neend firse disturb kar di...main bahar chala jata hun...vaise bhi meri jagah is ghar ek kone me hi to hai! With this, Sameer got up from the bed and left the room, with Rohan staring after him. Sameer was clutching something in his hand, he noticed, maybe a photo album? Rohan couldn't understand why Sameer did not appreciate the friendliness that he, Deepu and mom were trying to show to him. Yeah, dad and dadi could be a bit strict, but then wasn't it for Sameer's own good? Sameer hardly even spoke to his mom- his own biological mother! How could a child not want to speak to his mother, or cry his heart out in front of her, Rohan couldn't gauge.
He thought for a moment and then pushed the blanket away and crept out of the room, in search of Sameer. He wasn't going to get any sleep anyways. He tip-toed out to the drawing room and saw Sameer going over that photo-album in a corner, with tears gushing from his eyes as he turned each page of the album. Rohan stood there watching him from a distance. Sameer had not even registered his presence. And then Rohan saw him staring at one picture fixatedly. A wishful smile came onto his lips as he grazed his hand over the picture fondly. A flicker of determination crossed Sameer's face. He snapped the album shut and his hand went into his pockets, searching from something. When he was satisfied, Sameer looked up and around. Rohan immediately hid himself in the dark, behind a pillar.
Sameer checked his watch, "it was already 12.30 pm! Would Naina still be awake and by the phone, expecting him to call? Yes, his heart told her. But why hadn't she called? He had conveyed his Delhi number to Munna and Pandit the last time he was able to call them from the PCO. Sameer's repeated attempts to contact Naina had been in vain. Whenever he called, either the phone went unanswered or Taiji or chachiji or chachaji would pick up the phone. Sameer was writhing with angst, desperate to hear her voice. After a minute, Rohan saw Sameer sneak out of the house in the dark. Rohan thought for a moment and then followed him stealthily, hoping that Sameer wasn't upto any mischief now.
Walking for about 10 minutes, Rohan saw Sameer's eyes searching for something and finally they gleamed as he spotted a PCO nearby. He hurried over to the booth and went inside. He dialed a number and before the first ring could complete, he heard the voice he was dying to hear. That one urgent, sweet, desperate hello from Naina was enough to tell Sameer she was missing him as much as he was. For a few moments, Rohan saw Sameer again in bouts of tear, unable to talk to whoever he wanted to. "Aadhi raat ko ye kisse baat karne aaya hai? Iske doston se? Rohan thought confusedly. He looked over at Sameer as he finally saw him mutter a pained hello, onto the receiver. And what ensued was a series of talks till the time Sameer had finished the change in his pockets.
"Nainaaa..., Sameer sobbed over the receiver. "Sameerrr...Sameerrr...I'm really sorry...Nanajiii...jab tumhe meri sabse zyada zarurat thi, tabhi main tumse door chali gayi...main khud ko kabhi maaf nahi kar paungiii Sameerrr..., Naina was crying. "Mujhe kuch nahi pata tha...ye sab kaise ho gaya Sameer..., she sobbed. Sameer was now reminded of Nanu again and his own sobs intensified. Weeping, he told her what all had happened since the morning of the farewell. How he was about to leave and had forgotten his camera and had to return, only to find his Nanu lying on the floor, unconscious! How crucial those 18 hours had been! And then his Nanu had left him forever. For three days, he had been in a daze. He had felt like he had been dreaming about this. It had all seemed so unreal. He then fondly spoke about how Munna and Pandit took care of him, like even brothers would not. And then how his mother had taken him to Delhi. Sameer told her he was sorry that he couldn't even meet her or Munna, Pandit. He'd been so numbed by his Nanu's death, that logic, reason, sense had evaded him. "Par tum chinta mat karo Naina...main wapis aaunga! Zarur aaunga! he consoled her.
At the sound of a sharp beep, he inserted a coin into the PCO slot and continued, "Naina...yahan pe bahot bandhan hai...mujhe phone pe baat bhi karna allowed nahi hai...main phone kaise karun...maine bahot baar koshish ki, par hamesha koi aur tumhare ghar pe phone utha leta tha...aur Munna, Pandit ko maine number diya tha yahaan ka aur bola tha Naina ko bolna ki ispe call kare! Sameer spoke. "Maine bahot baar koshish ki Sameer...par kisi ne kaha ki ye wrong number hai...aur uske baad se tumhara phone lagna hi band ho gaya! she explained through her tears. Sameer cross-checked the number Naina had been trying. It was the number of the Somani residence only. He understood bitterly that his step-grandmother and father were deliberately not allowing him to speak to his friends. Anger welled up inside him again. "Main aa raha hun Naina! Main tumhare aur Munna, Pandit ke bina nahi jee sakta, Sameer said, putting another coin as the beep resounded. "Nahi...Sameer...tum wahan raho...abhi tum akele nahi reh sakte...tumhe parivaar ke sahare ki zarurat hai is waqt...aur fir Dilli se achi padhai kya Ahemdabad me hogi? Naina spoke, perhaps trying to convince herself more than him. "Acha...aur main tumse ye kehta ki tum Vanasthali jaisa school mat chodo toh? Tum bhi to mujhe chod ke Vanasthali nahi jaana chahti thi na? Sameer responded slowly. Naina had no answer. She knew Sameer could see through her and know what she really wanted. They both remained silent for a while. The beep sounded again, and Sameer's hands searched his pockets for change. "Naina...change khatam ho gaya...ab hum parso baat karenge isi time! he said as the phone got cut. Sameer heaved as he looked at the receiver. At last, he had heard her voice. That would be enough for him to go about till their next call. And without realizing, Sameer smiled through his tears. And a distance away from him, Rohan noticed the glint of comfort in his step-brother's eyes. He saw Sameer come out and slowly amble back to the house. Rohan hurried back after him.
***
Over the next few days, Rohan noticed Sameer's night time escapades had become routine. He would sneak out of the house when everyone was asleep, go over to the PCO booth, talk for how long the money with him permitted, and then would scramble back over to the house. Rohan observed that Sameer looked more at peace these days. There would be a faint smile hovering on his lips sometimes when he sat in a corner of their room, reminiscing. Until that one night! As usual, Sameer had stealthily gone out of the house for his phone calls. Rohan had become used to it and felt if that made Sameer happy, he would not interfere in it. Rohan was almost snoring when he heard the sobs again and this time, they were quite loud. He immediately woke up and saw Sameer was in tears again. "What had happened? he thought. He always used to feel happy after his mid-night phone calls! Rohan sat upright. As soon as Sameer sensed he had woken up Rohan again, he mumbled an apology and dashed out of the room.
Sameer went straight to the drawing room and slumped on a sofa, thinking about why life was always testing him. With great difficulty, he had managed to find joy and a place he could finally call home- Ahemdabad. He had found family there- his Nanu, Munna-Pandit and Naina! But then cruel destiny had played the trick again. It snatched everything from him, even before he had started basking in the glow of Naina's love; and shipped him back to this devilhouse in Delhi. And on top of all this-Naina had told him tonight over phone that her family had started suspecting that she was having an affair with some boy. The day before when they had been chatting as usual over the phone, Tayaji had received an emergency call at night, which was missed because the phone was busy for over two hours. The phone being busy past midnight had raised Taiji's suspicions and she took it upon herself to get to the root of it. She had spent the next day questioning Naina relentlessly. Somehow she didn't seem to doubt Preeti. Naina told Sameer, that there was something wrong in the way Taiji eyed her ever since the day Pooja didi and Varun jiju had come to show the family the wedding album and video. It was Naina's guess that Taiji must have got a hint of her and Sameer through one of the photos or in the video, where they had been clicked together. They must have been inconspicuous to the normal eye, but Taiji's scrutinizing gaze had not missed it. And then, when she had bunked school waiting for his call the day she got to know about Nanu! Taiji seemed to have put two and two together, and convinced herself that Naina was talking to Sameer. She hadn't come out in the open, albeit, Naina was sure, for the lack of proofs. And now, the dialpad of the phone in her home was locked.
Naina had bravely told Sameer that she didn't care. That she'll wait for him. But he knew her too well to know that deep down she was shaken. He had then taken a decision not to talk for a while now, so that the matter would die down. In between he would send her messages via Munna and Pandit. They would talk again, maybe after a month, depening upon the situation at hand and probably through PCOs as his step-dadi and Naina's Taiji had turned villains in their love story. They had to be careful, especially since Sameer was far away from her right now. He shivered fearing the consequences the revelation of their affair would have on their lives. Sameer was sure he won't be able to survive without her, and he didn't want to risk Naina's family trying to find matches for her. Meanwhile, Sameer could send letters to Munna and Pandit and maybe she could also send letters to him, in the name of his friends, so that no one in his Delhi home would suspect it's a girl. Somehow he had convinced Naina that despite their distances, their hearts would remain together. He promised to find a way to meet her soon.
Sameer had kicked the PCO booth after the call, and ended up hurting himself again.
***
The next day, when Rohan came back from school, he was talking to mom and dadi, while Deepu ran over to his room. After a few minutes, she came out, bubbling with urgency, a photo in her hand. Sameer was running behind her, with a tear-stained face again. "Rohan bhaiya! Rohan bhaiya! Wo Sameer bhaiya ro rae hain! Ye photo dekh dekh ke ro rae hain! she complained to Rohan. Little Deepika could not fathom why her new brother was crying so much, and that too clutching a photo in his hand. Sameer stopped in his tracks as he saw Deepika hand over that photo to Rohan. Rohan took it from her and saw the picture. It was of a girl in a pink salwaar-kameez, sitting besides a lake. The girl looked extremely simple, yet cute. Sameer gulped as he saw Rohan staring at Naina's picture. And then they heard Vishakha call, "kya hua bacchon...sab theek hai na? Deepu...Sameer bhaiya ko tang to nai kar rai ho? Rohan immediately took control, "haan maa...sab theek hai...nai Deepu bas khel rai hai! He lifted Deepu in his arms and said, "main dekhta hun Sameer bhaiya kyun ro rae hain...par kisi ko nai bolna, varna Sameer bhaiya ko bahot maarenge sab...aur fir wo aur royenge...aur wo royenge to hamein acha nai lagega na? Deepu shook her hand, "nai bhaiya...sorry! and then she looked over at Sameer bhaiya, "bhaiya sorry! Aap mat ro! Smile karo na please! Aap new bhaiya ho...lekin aap mere se baat bhi nai karte! she said, ruefully.
Rohan put Deepu down and told her, "Sameer bhaiya sad hain...jao jaake unke liye chocolate leke aao...fir wo happy ho jayenge! Deepu immediately obeyed and ran to bring a chocolate for Sameer. Sameer looked down, anticipating a huge storm in the house again. Rohan looked at him, scrutinizing him. He went towards his room and Sameer followed silently. Rohan turned and handed the photo back to Sameer. Surprised, Sameer slowly took it from his hands. Rohan loosened his tie, and sat down on the bed, taking off his shoes. Without looking at Sameer, he asked, girlfriend? Sameer saw him smile a little knowingly, but he stayed mum. At that moment, Deepika came back and offered her biggest chocolate to Sameer. And then her hand slipped to her ears as she said, "sorry! Sameer was oddly reminded of how he used to say sorry to Naina. "Sorry bhaiya...maine aapka photo cheena! Aap ro mat please! Deepika chirped innocently. Sameer's heart melted a little. He tore open the chocolate wrapper and broke a piece and offered it to Deepika and said, "dosti me no sorry, no thank you! Kya aap aaj se meri dost banogi? Deepika took the chocolate happily from him and shouted with glee, "haan bhaiya...aaj se hum dost hain! Then she hugged Sameer without warning. Sameer too put his arm around her and patted her head as prompted her to go and change.
When Deepika left, Sameer found Rohan looking at him smilingly. "Sameer! Hum log itne bhi bure nahi hain! Rohan exclaimed, and added, "vaise wo raat ko isi se baat karne jaate ho kya PCO? Sameer was startled! So Rohan knew? "Arey sharmao mat yaar! Bahot achi ladki lag rahi hai...lucky ho tum! he said. "Lucky! Sameer laughed ruefully, "lucky chod ke sab kuch hoon main! and slumped down on the sofa in the room. Rohan stayed silent for a moment and then asked, "naam kya hai? and pointed to the photo, "bhabhi ka? Sameer couldn't help but grin, "Naina! "Naina! Nice name! Rohan exclaimed, "kabse chal raha hai yaar? Vaise log bolte hain pyaar aisa hota hai, pyaar vaisa hota hai...par mujhe to meri padhai aur strict schedule se waqt hi nai mila ki kabhi jaan paun pyaar kaisa hota hai! Sach me filmon jaisa hota hai? he asked, excitement evident in his voice. This was the first time Rohan was hearing of a love affair inside his disclipined house. Sameer hesitated. He was afraid if Rohan told the family about his affair with Naina. He couldn't expect anyone to be as broad-minded as Nanu here. "Rohan! Please ye baat kisi se mat kehna...I request! Badle me tum jo bologe main karunga...chahiye to niche zameen pe so jaunga...par please...Naina ke bina main jee nahi sakta! said Sameer. "Oye hoye...jee nahi sakta! Itna filmy! Chill yaar! Main kyun kabab me haddi banunga tere romance mein! Rohan patted Sameer's arm playfully. "Acha vaise, kahan rehti hai teri Naina? he asked, "Dilli me hai kya? Sameer shook his head, "Ahemdabad! Wahan mila tha usse! "Ohhh! Toh tabhi devdas ban gaye ho tum! Rohan now understood.
"Rohan! Sameer! Lunch nahi karna kya? Vishakha called out to the boys. "Aaye mom...5 minute! Rohan shouted back. "Chalo main kapde change karke aata hun, fir lunch karte hain, fir tumhari love story sunenge...aaj ka padhai ka schedule cancel! Bas dadi ko mat batana! Rohan winked as he went inside the bathroom.
Soon, the family sat down for the lunch. Sameer had hardly put anything on his plate. Rohan noticed this and passed on the bhindi to Sameer, "ye lo! Ye tumhari favourite hai na... "Nahi...aap kha lo...mujhe bhook nahi hai! said Sameer sadly. "Naina ki kasam...kha le, Rohan whispered in his ear, smiled and put a spoonful of bhindi onto Sameer's plate. Sameer was surprised at this sudden change in Rohan and Deepika. Deepu too put a roti on Sameer's plate and happily called out, "hi dost! A smile involuntarily crept across Sameer's lips as he ate the chapati and bhindi. Vishakha was stunned to see the sudden camaraderie between her children.
Post lunch, Sameer narrated his entire story to Rohan of how he had met Naina. How they had started off with a lot of misunderstandings. How he'd felt she was no good for him initially, but then how he had realized what she really meant to him! "Tune tambu lagaya uski behen ki shaadi mein? Rohan asked incredulously. Sameer nodded. "Thappad khaye uske papa se? he asked again. "Uske ghar ke bahar raat- din thand me intezaar kiya? Rohan was astounded. "Aur usne tera dard mehsoos karne ke liye apna khud ka haath jala diya? Tere liye sari pocket money kharch karke, gharwalon se chup kar, khana, peena, sona sab chodkar do din me tere liye ye sweater buna? he asked again, as he felt the sweater in Sameer's hands. Sameer smiled and nodded in affirmation to all of Rohan's questions. "Sahi hai yaar...tu uske liye mandir jaane laga...ekdum badal gaya...itna pyaar ho gaya tujhe usse? Aur Naina...yaar koi ladki kisi ke liye itna kaise kar sakti hai...tu bahot lucky hai ki usne tujhe wo shart ke liye maaf kar diya...! he exclaimed, as he patted Sameer's arm again. Rohan though for a moment and then quipped "yaar uski koi behen vehen hai kya? Meri bhi setting kara de. Both Sameer and Rohan sniggered at this. The two brothers were finally starting to get along with each other.
"Sameer...ek baat puchun? Tum mom se kabhi zyada baat nahi karte? Kyun? Kya tum unse pyaar nahi karte? Matlab jitna pyaar tum Naina se aur apne doston se karte ho, us hisaab se to mumma se aur bhi pyaar hona chahiye na? Rohan enquired. Sameer stayed mum for a while and then responded. "Main 4 saal ka tha jab Dad chale gaye. Dad to yaad bhi nahi hain mujhe. 5 saal ka hua toh mom ki dusri shaadi ho gayi. Main bahot roya, chillaya...ki mujhe mere papa wapis chahiye...koi naye papa nahi...bas fir kya tha...mujhe utha kar hostel me daal diya gaya...saal me do baar mom ka phone aa jata tha ki Sameer studies pe concentrate karo...Sameer grades kya aaye...Sameer tumhari complaint aayi hain...ek baar bhi maa ne ye nahi pucha ki Sameer...tum kaise ho beta...ghar kab aaoge...kabhi ye nahi kaha ki Sameer mujhe tumhari yaad aati hai...Phir...phir aadat si ho gayi...pyaar-parivaar par se vishwas hi uth gaya mera...sabse door rehne laga main...akelepan ko hi apna saathi samajh liya...maa-baap ka pyaar jo mujhe kabhi nahi mila...uski kami Nanu ke saath pichle ek saal me puri ho gayi...aur Munna, Pandit to bhai se bhi badhkar hain...aur phir Naina aayi meri zindagi mein...bas ab lagta hai...Naina hai to main hoon..., Sameer narrated his story for the first time to Rohan. Rohan listened intently, feeling a bit guilty about having misjudged Sameer for no fault of his and that it had been because of him that Sameer had probably been neglected. "Mujhe Naina ke pass jaana hai...Munna, Pandit, Naina...mere liye to yahin mera pariwaar hain ab, Sameer spoke, tears streaming down his face. Rohan's eyes were misty too by the time Sameer had finished. He had never known Sameer had been subject to such discrimination. He felt sorry for him and got up and pulled Sameer into a tight hug. Meanwhile, his topper brain was teeming with plausible ideas on how to make these two lovers meet.
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Part 2
Rohan was on the phone, "Ahaan...hmmm hmm...theek hai...10 baje...haan...okay. With this, he hung up the phone as he saw Sameer enter the drawing room. Sameer was slightly surprised seeing Rohan on the phone, that too this early in the morning. "Wo dost ko padhana hai aaj subah jaake, Rohan offered an explanation even before Sameer could ask. Sameer just nodded as he sat down at the table for breakfast. Masala Pohe...!' The mere sight of the dish made Sameer nostalgic as he recalled how Naina had taught him how to prepare poha for the first time. She'd still been angry at him that time, yet Sameer remembered those moments fondly. At least, he'd got to spend some time with Naina in private that day.
"Sameer...kya hua? Itne upset kyun ho...Naina ki chitthi late ho gayi hogi..., Rohan consoled his step-brother. Sameer just hung his head in gloom. "Kya naseeb hai mera yaar...usse itni door aa gaya...mil nahi sakta, phone pe baat nahi kar sakta...aur ab ye Bharatiya Post bhi hamari love story ki villain ban gayi hai! Sameer exclaimed in frustration. Rohan patted his shoulder, "chinta mat kar...pehle nashta kha le...Mummy ne banaya hai, Keshav ne nahi- safe hai! Sameer couldn't resist a slight grin at this, amidst his disappointment.
Post breakfast, both Sameer and Rohan got ready for school. It was the first day of his new school and Sameer already hated everything about it! He felt like he was a kindergarten kid back again, and he was fighting with his mother, wailing, because he didn't want to go to school. As compared to Pragati Vidya ka Mandir's bright blue and white uniforms, St. Peters had a dull grey and white combination. Sameer longed to go back to his own school, back to Ahemdabad, back into Naina's arms.
"Sameer...chalo...! Sameer's reverie was broken by Rohan's call. He sulked as he came down the stairs and sat inside the car with his step-siblings, step-father and his mother. As they drove along, Sameer focused on looking out of the window. 10 minutes into the ride, he spotted a temple on the way. "Roko, rook, roko..., he shouted urgently to the driver. "Sameer...kya hua? Vishakha asked as the car screeched to a halt. "Mandir! uttered Sameer briefly, as he got out of the car in a hurry and rushed over to the temple behind. "Mandir? Mr. and Mrs. Somani looked at each other, utterly clueless, while Rohan tried to hide his smile. "How love changes people! he thought.
Everyone got out of the car to see what Sameer was upto. They followed him to the temple and saw him at the entrance, taking out his shoes before rushing up the stairs. Puzzled, the family too took their shoes out and followed him inside the temple. The sight that greeted them left them astonished and swelled Vishakha's heart with pride. "If only her mother-in-law was here! she thought. Sameer had closed his eyes and folded his hands in prayer in front of Lord Shiva. "Hey bhagwanji...aap to bholenath haina...aap to sabki sunte hain...sabke dil ki baat bhi jaante hain...18 din ho gaye hain, Naina ka koi khat nahi aaya...Munna, Pandit, Preeti, Shefali kisi se bhi kuch bhi pata nahi chal paa raha hai...bhagwan meri Naina theek to hai na...mujhe aapse kuch nahi chahiye...bas aap Naina ka khayal rakhiye, main bas uske chehre pe khushi dekhna chahta hoon...wo khushi jo main kabse dekhne ke liye taras raha hun! Sameer prayed ardently. He recalled Naina's words the first time they'd met at the temple, "Sacche dil se mango to bhagwaan zarur sunte hain... He'd said, "tumhari sunte honge, meri to kabhi nahi suni!To which she'd replied, "shayad tumne ab tak sahi se maanga nahi hoga isiliye! He sighed as he opened his eyes. He knew this time his heart was truly praying for some news of Naina. He took aarti which was offered to him by Panditji there, and touched his feet in respect. Then Sameer took the charnamrit and Prasad. As he turned to go back, he saw his entire family there, looking at him totally flabbergasted. He realized it must have been a shocker for his mother and her husband. After all, even after years of insistence, she hadn't been able to convince Sameer to visit the temple even once with her. What she could not do in these 12 years, Naina had done in their first meeting. Vishakha patted his back proudly as they retreated back to the car.
As they finally stepped out of the car at the gates of St. Peters, Sameer looked at the magnificent building. A series of impressive edifices, sprawled over an acre of lush green lawns, playgrounds, cricket courts, badminton courts, etc. etc. "School hai ya 5-star hotel, Sameer thought irritatedly. Vishakha sensed Sameer's growing unease and pulled him into a tight hug. It was Sameer's turn to be shocked now. He could not even remember when was the last time his mother had hugged him, or even how it had felt. He closed his eyes, trying to devour the love he rarely got from his mother. A few minutes later, Vishakha and Mr. Somani bade the kids goodbye, asking Rohan to take care of Sameer.
As their car sped out of sight, Deepika ran over to a bunch of little girls by the swings, eager to meet and chatter with her friends before the school began. There was still half an hour to go before the bell rang. Rohan led Sameer inside the gates. As they were about to enter the building, Sameer stopped dead in his tracks. His instant reaction was fear and then his lips curved into a huge smile and he jumped. Just two months back, if someone would have told him he would jump with joy seeing his father-in-law around, Sameer would have rolled his eyes at that person, thinking he'd gone mad. There were two things which could never be changed- Rakesh's dislike towards Sameer and Sameer's dislike towards Rakesh. Sameer turned to Rohan excitedly, but as if the sight of Rohan bought him back to his senses, his smile faltered. Sameer immediately realized he must be dreaming. He was in Delhi! There was no chance Rakesh could be here. Sameer looked in the front again. But the man did look like Rakesh! "Kya Sasurji ka koi judwa bhai bhi tha jo kumbh ke mele mein bichad gaya tha? Sameer thought incredulously. And then he heard that familiar fractious voice, "kya hai...andhe ho kya tum Dilli ke log...dekh ke nahi chal sakte...sirf naam ki rajdhaani hai Dilli...arey mehmaan ke liye koi adab koi tameez hai ya nahi? "Saala...ye to sach me Safari suit aa gaya..., the words escaped Sameer's mouth as he stood staring dumbstruck in front of him. "Ya fir ye koi bhoot to nahi? Naah! Safari suit se to bhoot bhi darte honge! Sameer thought, quite seriously though. He was in for another shock, as he saw the second familiar sight and this time it was, "saala... Yes, it was Sameer's saala-to-be, Arjun, standing meekly behind his father, his cricket kit dangling from his shoulders.
Sameer immediately turned back, deciding that he was hallucinating. "Maybe Keshav had put something in the food last night? Sameer contemplated. "Ya...it was a bad dream...haan sapna hi hoga...lekin yaar sapne mein bhi Naina ki jagah ye khadus Safari suit aur saala aa gaye...kya bhagwaan ji...sapne me to ye villain chod ke meri Naina ko mere saamne lao na..., Sameer exclaimed dejectedly as he raised his eyes, pleading to God. Probably Godess Saraswati was present on his tongue when he said that. For the next moment, he felt himself pulled by his arm into an empty corridor in the school. As Sameer looked at the person who'd pulled him inside, his heart skipped a beat. He saw the familiar doe-like eyes glinting with happiness. Those same pink lips parted into a wide smile. The same cute face and the hair tied in two pigtails! The girl of his dreams was standing in front of him, in that familiar green churidaar.
"Naina..., Sameer managed to utter. Naina smiled, tears in her eyes now. Before she could say anything, Sameer started laughing insanely, "Naina...yaar tumhare pyaar me na main pagal ho gaya hoon...Dilli me bhi tum dikh rahi ho...pakka pagal ho gaya hoon...Agra jaana padega ab pagal khane me bharti hone ke liye...Haan! Ye dadi aur Keshav aur Mr. Somani ne mere dimag ka dahi kar diya hai... "Sameerrr..., Naina shook him by his shoulders, "main sach me tumhare saamne khadi hun...! Sameer kept looking at her in disbelief and then his eyes darted over to her hands on his arms. "Yes, it was that familiar touch...that familiar warmth! Sameer felt. With great hesitation, Sameer moved his hand up near her cheek, as if to touch to see if she was indeed there for real. Naina did not move away and as Sameer's hand touched the creamy skin of her cheeks, reality dawned over him, tears of happiness crept into his eyes. "Nainaa...Nainaa..., he couldn't speak anything beyond that. The two lovers were so overcome by emotion seeing each other after such a long time, that they threw themselves in each other's arms and hugged, hard and tight. They stayed in each other's arms like that, crying out of joy, not even bothering if anyone was around to rap them- not even Safari suit mattered at that point.
After few long silent moments, they broke apart a little. Sameer cupped her face with adulation, as he asked, his voice laced with profound happiness, "Naina...ye kaise...tum yahan kaise aayi...? as he lovingly moved her hair away from her face. "Bhai...ab side characters ke bina hero-heroine ki story thodi na chal sakti hai..., Sameer heard Pandit's familiar voice boom from behind. He turned and saw Munna, Pandit, Rohan and Preeti beaming at him. Munna and Pandit ran over to Sameer to greet him and hugged their brother from another mother intensely. Sameer's happiness knew no bounds. "Ye sab kaise...? Sameer asked again. "Ye sab tere bhai Rohan ka idea tha...tum do prem panchiyon ko milwane ke liye..., Munna explained.
They explained to Sameer how Rohan had hatched a plan to somehow bring Naina and Sameer's other friends to Delhi and had collaborated with Munna and Pandit for the same. Preeti had been the point of communication as Naina was being suspected of having an affair. They colluded with Shefali who agreed to tackle Arjun. On the other hand, Rohan here spoke to his best friend, Amit, the cricket team captain of the school, who in turn convinced the principal to allow for some special coaching to their team. Amit told the principal about Arjun, a 12th pass-out from Ahemdabad, who'd been selected for the inter-state team from Gujarat. He sang such praises of Arjun that principal sir felt that no coach could be better than him for his school team. And what with the upcoming inter-school cricket matches, Principal sir got in touch with Arjun and offered him a handsome compensation in lieu of coaching his students for a week. Rakesh, being greedy for money as always had jumped at the opportunity. Arjun did sense something cooking at the mention of Delhi and tried to dissuade his father from accepting the proposal. But there Shefali had intervened and literally blackmailed Arjun, that if he wanted to see her or meet her again, he would have to do exactly as she told him. She made it clear to him that if he wanted Shefali's respect and admiration, he would need to earn it. And the first step would be to show that he was a man of character, who knew how to respect the women in his own household. He could start-off with Naina, she'd said. If he could do this to bring a smile on his sister's pained face, Shefali would believe that he's different from his father and would allow him to maintain a friendship with her. And Arjun had succumbed to the blackmail. He disliked the idea about taking Naina to meet Sameer, but then his own love story was at stake. So Arjun cleverly convinced the family that since the exams were over and the summer break had started, and since Naina and Preeti too had never been to Delhi, he would like them to accompany him there while he taught cricket to the students in school. Since Rakesh would be there to supervise, chachaji had made everyone agree. "Dilli to hamare rashtra ki rajdhaani hai...Kitna kuch hai wahan dekhne aur seekhne jaisa...India Gate, Sansad Bhavan , Lal Quila, Jantar Mantar, Qutub Minar...Aakhir bacche bahar ki duniya dekhenge tabhi to kuch naya seekhenge..., he'd said. Chachaji's broad-mindedness always came in handy, much to the relief of the schemers. And finally, Naina and Preeti accompanied Rakesh and Arjun on a week-long trip to Delhi. And there, Munna and Pandit had taken permission from their parents to go and meet Sameer during the summer vacations, and had booked seats on a separate train, lest Rakesh saw them and raised another hue and cry.
Sameer was overcome with emotion. He pulled Rohan into a tight hug and Rohan responded with the same affection. "Thank you Rohan...tum jaante nahi tumne kya kiya hai mere liye! Sameer spoke, trying to control his tears. "Arey bhai ke liye kuch bhi! Rohan responded good naturedly, and added, "aur vaise bhi mujhe bhi to bhabhi se milna tha...hamare Prem ki Suman se kyun Bhabhi? Rohan looked at his Naina bhabhi with respect and admiration in his eyes. Naina blushed at the mention of the word, "Bhabhi!. They all chatted for a while, when sensing an opportunity, Preeti gestured Sameer to come over to the side. Sameer was surprised but followed her to a corner. "Wo jijaji...ek baat puchni thi..., said Preeti hesitantly. "Pucho na saaliji..., Sameer asked, unable to guess the reason behind her reddening cheeks. He'd never seen Preeti blush, ever! "Wo...wo...mujhe badi sharam aa rahi hai..., quipped Preeti. "Yaar tum to Naina se bhi zyada sharma rahi ho...kya baat hai? Sameer prompted. "Wo jijaji...ye jo aapke bhai hai na..Rohanji...inki...inki koi girlfriend hai kya...mera matlab...bas aise hi..., she muttered hesitantly. Realization dawned on Sameer and his lips broke into a wide smile again. "Acha ji...aapko badi padi hai...Rohanji ki..., Sameer said, laying emphasis on the ji'. "Wo to bas...matlab...general knowledge..., Preeti stammered. "Acha General Knowledge...jijaji se aapka dhyan Rohanji pe aa gaya hai...ek kaam karte hain Rohanji se hi puch lete hain na...Ro..., started Sameer. "Shh...shh...chup...jijaji kya kar rahe ho..., muttered an alarmed Preeti. "Madam...aapne meri aur Naina ki love story set kar di...ab tumhari behen ko to tumhara ye jija le jayega, to mera bhi to farz banta hai na ki saali ka bhi khayaal rakhne wala koi ho...main pata karke aapko update kar dunga..., Sameer laughed and winked in understanding, while Preeti could only smile bashfully.
Naina looked over at the jija-saali duo chattering away happily in the corner and gestured to ask them what was so funny. But once Sameer's eyes had met Naina's, he forgot what he'd been saying and the lovers were lost in each other again. Naina moved over to the corner where Sameer was standing. Seeing this, Preeti excused herself from there and went back to the boys. "Uhh...vaise Dilli me sabse acha kya milta hai..., Preeti asked, eager to start a conversation with Rohan. She got a dreamy reply from Rohan, "Dil le lo... "Kya...? the combined voices of Munna, Pandit and Preeti jerked Rohan out of his dreams. He immediately cleared his throat, back in his good-boy avatar and spoke, "I...I mean...Dilli dil walon ki hai na...to isiliye...hehe...uhh...bad joke sorry! he fumbled. Preeti looked at Rohan shyly, "Dilli mein kahaan milega...ye dil...? Rohan looked at her in surprise, and Munna and Pandit excused themselves.
"Chal ponga Pandat...yahan ek nayi Prem Kahaani shuru hone lagi hai...meri maan to tu bhi koi dhundh le...sabke shaadiyan saath me hi kara dete hain..., Munna quipped and Pandit laughed. As they turned to go away, Pandit's eyes fell upon a girl who'd just come out of the 11th std. classroom, books in her hand. She passed them by without even the slightest glance at anyone, except a slight nod of recognition at Rohan. Pandit's eyes followed her till she was out of sight. "Geetika! Rohan's voice told them as they all erupted into laughter. "Finally...ponga Pandat ka bhi wicket gaya! Munna and Sameer laughed.
The gang dispered as the bell for the start of the school rang. Naina and Preeti joined Rakesh and Arjun on the field, while Munna and Pandit settled themselves in the canteen. Sameer accomapnied Rohan to their class, though he could hardly pay attention there. During all the lectures, he kept gazing out of the window onto the playground, where he could see Naina dressed in that cream, silk top and that black, flowery midy. The King of Hearts was eager to meet his Queen. Sameer and Naina had made sure they would utilize this week to the fullest as Sameer mentally thanked Bholenath' for giving him what he'd wished for- he was able to witness Naina's happiness firsthand, and what's more, hold her in his arms. His mind was overworking on how to escape his not-so-dear father-in-law and brother-in-law in all the escapades and dates he'd planned with Naina. His thoughts were interrupted when Rohan whispered, "Sameer...ek baat bata...Wo...wo jo bhabhi ki behen hai...wo achi hain...matlab...kaafi achi hainn...matlab unka bhi koi...koi hai kya...,he added hesitantly. Sameer covered his mouth with his hand, as he sniggered. "Aag dono taraf barabar ki lagi hai..., he thought and then responded to Rohan, "nahi Mr. Timetable...wo available hain aapke liye...aur meri maanon to naya timetable banwa lo jisme unke saath romance ka bhi time slot ho...aur haan apni pujya daadiji se mat keh dena...varna wo tumhari love story ke exam me tumhe pakka fail kar dengi. Rohan blushed as he heard this, and Sameer went back to his dream world, where he was romancing with Naina at India Gate.
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