Sameer-Naina SS- Unanticipated Moves (Part-10 Updated)PG-44 - Page 11

"Bas!Nainaaa..! Preeti !Pani do jara.'' Sameer asked as he stroked Naina's back who has been crying badly and relentlessly.

"Naina!Chup ho jaa na.Kyun Jeejaji ki bhi takleef badha rahi hai?'' Preeti nudged Naina and Naina sobbed harder shifting in Sameer's arms.

"Tum log chalo.Hum aate hein. ''Sameer uttered and all obliged; disheartened.

"Sameer!Bhabi ko sambhal lena  aur jaldi aa jana.Hum gate ke bahar wo kulfi wale ke pass khade honge''. Munna said and all jumped off the wall to leave both of them to resolve together.

The battle that was won and lost..unanticipated.

"Main tumhare bina akeli nahin jaungi''.She declared wiping the fresh batch of tears that rolled; drops of which soaked his cotton flannelled shirt.

"Nahin jaogi ka kya matlab? Bataya tha na humari pyar tumhari aur tumhari padhai  ke beech kabhi nahin ayegi.'' He said and she nodded clumsily.

"Par yeh competition hai..aur mujhe nahin jana.. akele.'' She hiccupped and he pulled her closer to his frame.She was so broken. She wanted to scream for everything that has gone wrong. She wanted to scream for everything broken in their lives..at present,in past.

"Akele kyun?Swati hai na tumhare saath.'' He said as he caressed her head.He could feel her lips quivering ,eyes pooling and her sobs getting muffled in the handkerchief.

"Mujhe tumhare..saath jaana tha.Ab aisa nahin ho sakta to main opt out kar rahi hun.Mujhe nahin jaana aur tum mujhe mat samjhao.Kitni mehnat kit hi tumne,sab bekar gaya.I am sorry.Meri wajah se .. ''She trailed only to feel  his index finger crossing over her lips.She looked into his eyes and only she could see was pain. A disturbing pain.

"Chup!Ekdum chup.Kya bad bada rahi ho.Tum competition mein jaa rahi ho.Aur haan ab aur zid ki to yeh mat bhulo ki main Safari Suit Librarian ka damad hun.Do thapad lagake tumhe thik kar dunga.Samjhi.Khani hai thapad?'' He asked and finally she smiled a bit nodding a NO.

"Sameer!.. ''She voiced broken and crashed onto his chest.He hugged her tight and let the tempest of her cries pass on him.He would withstand it all but never let her be a broken soul or broken dreamer.

"Pushpa! Sorry Naina!I hate tears re.. ''Sameer said as he planted a kiss to her forehead; wiping her tears gently and slowly.

"Okay ab suno.Ache se padhai karna.Iss bare mein zyada mat sochna.Taiji ko do hajar rupaye dena hai na.Main uss Kartik ko tumse jeet ta nahin dekh sakta.Toh isliye,I want my  Topper Naina Agarwal  back and winning it all.Aur ek baat ;aise rotlu girlfriend nahin chahiye mujhe. ''He joked to make the situation light and earned a playful punch on his chest.

"Tum na ..bahut kharab ho.Mujhe bhi aise failure boyfriend nahin chahiye.'' She spoke smiling through tears and wiped the leaking tears.

"Ohho..Ro ro ke bura haal ho gaya hai aankhon ki.Chalo yeh lo paani lo aur muh dho lo.Sab log wait kar rahe honge.Chalte hein ab. ''He said as he passed the water bottle and his handkerchief.

"Ho gaya? Idhar aao.'' He called and she moved involuntarily.He pulled out her hair band and combed her locks.Tucking her locks behind her ears he styled her fringes.Again setting back her hairband he admired his work and felt satisfied.

"Ab thik hai.Chalo.'' He voiced and saw her smile back.Itna chota sa kanghi milta hai? She asked piqued.

"Yeh mujhe Mamaji ne diye hein.Tumhe chahiye kya?'' He asked as they held hands and jumped off the wall.

"Nahin.Hai mere pass bada wala.Aise chote size kabhi dekhne nahin the na..'' She clarified and he smiled seeing her innocence.Yes! the innocence which enhanced her beauty to manifolds.Lot other girls were stunners than her but she was pretty and beautiful.And that made all the difference to him.

"Pata hai Naina main ek din nahate waqt soch raha tha ki iss kanghi ki tarah sab chiz chote size mein milenge to kitna acha hoga.TV,VCR,Phone,Radio,Kitaben..Aise pocket size mein aayenge to kitna aasan ho jaayega humara life''.He trailed only to hear..

"Tum yeh sab sochte ho nahate waqt?'' She asked and his brain suddenly cooked a naughty reply.

"Kyun aur kuch sochna chahiye?Batao na.Tumhari prize ke bare mein ..sochna chahiye?'' He leaned towards her and whispered in her ears making her shiver  like a senescent leaf of autumn.

"Aisa kuch nahin hai.Sudhroge nahin tum na.'' She chided ;playfully smacking his upper arm.

"Bigad to tum rahi ho.'' He winked and found the gang approaching towards them.

"Bhai!Sach me mujhe yakin nahin ho raha hai ki wo  Sunaina ,wo Kartik,wo Priyank jaa rahein hein..aur tu nahin.''Munna said disgust written all over his face.

"Tum log khamakha apna khoon jala rahe ho.Ab in sab baton ka koi matlab nahin hai.Mein select nahin hua hun  par Naina ,Swati selected hein.Yehi badi khusi ki baat hai.Aur haan may be wo log mujhse jyada talented hein''.He said and started his car.They saw Naina and Preeti leave in a rickshaw and then drove on.

3 days later

The phone call went on shrills making Sameer run from the breakfast table.Poonam Bhabhi was surprised a bit that who could call him when Munna and Pandit had already drove to the college.

"Hello'' He voiced only not to hear his name from other side.

"Jeejaji..Preeti bol rahi hun. ''Preeti shrieked through the PCO phone.

"Tum abhi tak college nahin pahunchi ho?''He asked seeing the clock strike 9.45.

"Auto nahin mil rahi hai.Aap Law Graden ke pass aajayenge?Main wahin kadi hun. ''Preeti asked as a lightening flashed in the sky followed by a deafening  thunder.

"Tum wahin khade raho.Main 10 minute mein aata hun. ''Sameer voiced and hung off. Breakfast long forgotten, he rummaged for the car keys and the umbrella.

"Sameer Bhaiya!Sambhal ke jaana.''Poonam bhabhi  called as she saw Sameer leave in a  real hurry.

"Preeti!Aao.'' Sameer called Preeti sliding down the glass and Preeti did a jig before entering the car.Afterall car drives were not so frequent in their lives though they owned two cars.

"Thank you Jijaji.Mujhe to laga ki aapki car aaj bhi nahin hogi ghar mein.'' Preeti voiced as she made herself comfortable at the back seat.

"Welcome Saali ji.Aaj Devang Bhaiya office nahin gaye hein to car ghar mein tha.'' He clarified as they rushed through the water logged roads. Rainy days should be spent at home with a cup of tea and a good book.But they had to slog through the Indian Examination system and submit an assignment to get golden 10 marks.

As he drove applying breaks and speeding the accelerator in quick successions,the memory of another rainy day flashed by.

Flashback.

It was the last day of the examination. It had been pouring incessantly. As if the rains had made it a point to pour and pour until they disrupt every active system.

Sameer buttoned up his shirt leafing through the marked pages of Management book.His phone rang much to his irritation which suddenly changed into satisfaction.

"Hello! Sameer! '' Naina's voice flowed through the receiver and there went all the last minute revision in trash.

"Bolo my Lady Jitender.Pehle mujhe best of luck wish karo.You are born topper anyways.'' He teased and she could not help chuckle at this.

"Bahar mausam dekho..'' She said and he peeped through the glass pane.

"Umm..kaafi romantic hai. '' He smiled imagining her flared up face .

"Bas karo.Humne bus miss kar diya aur ab auto bhi nahin mil rahi hai.College kaise jayenge?'' He could hear her voice cracking up and he felt ground shaking beneath him.How could a topper miss the bus?Toppers don't even miss half a mark.

But he decided not to panic and make her trouble double.He set his merrier tone and voiced-

"Come on yaar.Cheer Up.Main kab kaam aaunga.Tum ho ab kahan? ''He asked as he picked up his bag .

"Law Garden ke telephone booth se bol rahi hun. ''She voiced,shivers apparent due to anxiety and weather.

"Dus minute do.Main pahunch raha hun.'' He said and felt nervousness leave her voice as she hung off with a ''bye'.

Not sooner ,nervousness stirred in his voice.

"KYAA? ''He said as his Maami stamped a tilak on his forehead '',yeh sach nahin ho sakta..''

"Beta!Devang ko urgently office jana pada.Tum bus se chale jao.Abhi  paanch minute mein aata hoga.Direct college ke liye hai.''Pahunch jaoge time se.Maami said wishing him luck.

He left the house and absentmindedly walked to the bus stop.The bus came in few minutes and then thoughts circulated as he held the rods of the bus.

'Naina!'', he thought,'' wo ab bhi Law garden mein mera wait kar rahi hogi.Aur late ho gayi to time pe paper complete nahin kar payegi.Aur yeh sab use milega mujh pe bharosa karne ki.''

He let go off the rods of the bus and got down at the end of the road as the bus moved ahead.He checked his watch.Thirty minutes left for reporting.Days of mathematics calculation did cartwheels in his mind..

Thirty minutes for reporting.The bus driver approximately drives at the rate of thirty kilometres an hour and the college is nine kilometre away from his house and fifteen from Law garden.The bus crosses the college ..err..three tenth of an hour,that is 18 minutes.So he can reach 12 minutes before.An average auto rickshaw drives at forty five kms per hour,If he hires one then if he drives at 21 kms at a speed of 45 kms/hour then...err...twenty eight minutes.No margin left for trouble.Everything has to go smooth. He thought and ran his cold fingers through already wet hairs.

"AUTO! ''He shouted as a black three wheeler came to halt.The auto had a passenger already in.

"Kahan jana hai?Pehle kilometre ko dus rupaye phir dusre se har kilometre ke liye paanch.Andar aa jao.The auto driver asked and saw Sameer searching his pocket.

"Yeh lo 100 rupaye.Law garden chalo.Humein VJN University abhi jaana hai.''He dictated.

"VJN aur Law Garden mere route ke bilkul ulte disha mein hai.Main nahin chal sakta.Chodo''. The auto driver said as he started the auto.

"Kaka! 200 rupaye lo par please chalo.Aaj humare exams hein.Mere dost wahan barish mein khade hein.Insaaniyat ke naam pe madad kar dijiye na.Please.'' Sameer folded his hands and the auto driver relented gesturing him to take the seat.

"NAINA!PREETI! ''Sameer called and found the fellow passenger shoot a not so cool look at him.''Ek ladka aur ek ladki  kabhi dost nahin ho sakte '' was still ruling the society's psyche.

"Jee..Mera matlab Sameer!Ab auto bhi kharid liya hai? ''Preeti asked making her comfortable pushing Naina to Sameer's side.Only to realise Sameer putting his hand over Naina asking her to calm down and Naina blushing into scarlet shades.

"Hmm..kho gaye dono. ''Preeti mumbled as she enjoyed the rain now sitting comfortably and humming some rain songs.

''Paper kaisa tha? ''Naina asked as the gang of six hopped into the basketball court.

"Maine 10 marks chod diya  aur 10 mark galat kar diya hai.''Sameer declared proudly while everyone gaped at him in disbelief.

"KYAA?Kaise?'' Naina asked as she brushed the chalk dust off  his shirt.

"Dekho,hum 15 minute lete mein aaye.Tum to topper ho fatafat likh dali sab kuch.Auto ki chakkar mein mein formula aur theory thoda bhul gaya to wo Section C  ka do question chod diya.Baaki short note hadbadi mein yaad nahin aaya.As simple as that. ''Sameer explained and saw Naina grow tense.

"Simple nahin hai. ''She said rubbing her forehead ,mentally doing some calculations.''20 marks are too much.''

"Chodo na ..Exam to finally khatam ho gaya na.Aa jayege 76%.Tum tension mat lo.'' He advocated and assured and Naina nodded trying not to stress much.

Thoughts broke as he drove into the parking space.Preeti held the umbrella as they both trotted to classroom.His smile was gone and she could read the reason.Though all of them were very much in the college yet he felt like profound unmitigated loneliness closing upon him.

"Naina aa jayegi do din baad.'' Preeti said as she closed the umbrella and they stepped into classroom.He smiled at her assuring that he was doing fine though miserably.

2 days later

Naina and the rest of the members of prestigious 'BRAINS MEET'  group disembarked from the bus.Everyone was elated on seeing them back..healthy and hearty.If someone was not at all happy,then he was Sameer.

Something caught his eyes and he knew instantly that something was not right,something not healthy...

The lost smile on Naina's face...

(To be Continued)

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