Nehal...She entered the premises of medical college... though exposed to city atmosphere,on and off, all throughout her life,a small town girl from a conservative family that she was; she was a lil nervous, a lil scared...much excited! Studying in this medical college,if at all she was to pursue medical profession, was her dream...
All throughout her 12th she spent restless days(NOT sleepless nights though...oh she was a die hard sleeper !! Couldnt bear to sleep a minute less than 7 hrs ! he he he !!) worrying whether she would be able to make through the cut-throat competetion in the pre-medical entrance test and get over here or not ...and was glad she made it in the first attempt.Now all she pledged to do was to study hard and sincerely and come out through her M.B.B.S with flying colours and be a sensible doctor....
Pratham...He entered medical college....though hailing from a town place...he was much carefree and flamboyant...he heaved a deep breath...as if breathing in the atmosphere.He too had studied hard...fighting the frustration of giving second attempt in the pre-medical test and much much much happier now as he not only made through it but got admitted in one of the best colleges !! Study....oh ofcourse he was going to study...he was here for that only, isnt it?? but yeah....he was gonna have all the fun and enjoy his college life to the fullest for sure!!!
Now as Pratham sat beside his best friend [ read girlfriend ;)] Shruti, he was again at his best job...pulling leg of some of his friends...commenting on some nerds...enjoying the attention other girls bestowed on him.Oh he was one famous chap in the college! Charming everyone whomsoever came his way....Ahh...he was goodlooking...ummm...okiess...handsome you may call,but not that tall or with impressive built...but there was something about his personality that attracted everyone... oh yes !! his attitude and smile !!
Shruti hailed from a different state,she was beautiful with attractive figure.She clicked instantly with pratham.As she looked at him now, when he was chatting with his room-mate, she smiled to herself.They were friends apparently, but she knew, they were lil more than that.Both of them were literally inseparable...staying away only from 10 pm to 8 am...all thanks to strict hostel authorities.
All of them were sitting in the class room, on the first day of their Second Year of M.B.B.S.
Rishi and Krishna, Pratham's room-mates, were looking at the entrance of the class constantly.
" Abey kisika wait kar raha hai kya?", Pratham asked finally.
Rishi was about to answer when Nehal entered.
" Hey Neha! Congosssss !!! " , Rishi and Krishna cheered at once.
She smiled broadly looking at both of them. Rishi used to be seated near her table most of the times in the liabrary and Krishna's native place was near hers...That way they were sort of connected.
" To you too ! "
" Arey yaar mereko kaheka congrats ?? Tu first hai aur yeh Rishi Second...hum kya? Passed hai bhai...bass! ", Krishna said, pretending to be sad, when actually he was quiet gratified at his success.
" Arey chup kar ! you know na, M.B.B.S mein passing is important.", Nehal said.
" oh achcha...toh agle exam mein sirf passing ka target hai na tera?" , Krishna asked mischeivously.
" Krishna!!" , Rishi intervened, " Come Neha, Sit."
He showed her the place beside Krishna and both of them continued bickering.
Pratham was intrigued at the attitude of that girl...She didnt even spare him a look !! Oh he had seen that girl...on the first day of college and even after that....umm...yaa..she was a bright student...answering the queries of the proffessors, performing well on the dissection table and in the laboratary.....But never knew she was that intelligent to be a topper ! Whatever...with that simple and sobre dressing style and conservative attitude, SHE WAS NOT HIS TYPE !!!
Nehal spared a look at pratham from the corner of her eyes...She was disgusted as she found him sitting so closely with shruti...
No!! She wasnt jealous !! Neither she disapproved of love...She had once seen them engaged in...errr...a kiss on the last day of their first year...When everyone was leaving for holidays...
She quickly went from there to avoid awkward confrontation.Shruti had seen her and was worried whether she would make it public...
But then was really grateful to Nehal as she pretended as if she had not seen anything...and now was quite friendly with her...
How on the earth would it bother Nehal, anyways...She had never even been friends with Pratham.She didnt dislike him as such...but she didnt like him either...
What she hated was Public Display of Affection...That too in the class !
Anyways...
'she was here to study...ahh...now to enjoy also (Now that she have cleared her first year...)... But definitely not for delivering sermons on how to behave in the class !! ', She thought and grinned to herself, while pratham wondered what on the earth made that girl grin??
" Pratham !!! Where are you looking?" , Shruti, was talking with him animatedly since last 15 mins, demanded.
" huh?? I..." , but before he could answer, the proffessor entered the class and Pratham heaved in relief...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Second year was progressing well...Though Pratham's personal life was on a huge roller coaster !
The first half of the second year, viewed him growing more attracted to Shruti....
But then began a phase of clashes...Though they shared similar interests and she was exactly the way he dreamt of...i mean she was beautiful, attractive,though not great but a good student...., but still it seemed to him that not just something, but everything was lacking in that relationship.
Shruti's growing proximity, which he used to enjoy somewhere in the beginning, was making him uncomfortable now....
But then he still was confused about should he make a final show down or not....
On the other hand, he used to be terribly bothered, even he didnt understand why?, by Nehal's attitude. That heck of a girl, whom he didnt even spare a glance before that day was intriguing him a big deal...
I mean...come on !! how come she ignore someone like him, as if he doesnt exist???
That creature...she used to be quite comfy as she used to talk and laugh with Rishi, krishna and her other friends...[ Oh !! That was an accidental discovery...I mean he accidently discoverd that day, that Nehal ACTUALLY laughed...!!!]
And he was quite caught up in that...that innocent, carefree and bubbling laughter ! Her whole face lit up and eyes watering with mirth ! He later came to know from Rishi and krishna as he carefully tried to get info about Nehal ( Again he didnt know why??) that, there were hardly any times when she dont laugh!
'Neha can laugh remembering 3 months old jokes and incidences....and that too uncontrollably !! ', they said and he was shocked !! [ I mean what the heck ??!!! Was That girl ACTUALLY that fun-loving???]
" Oh you dont know ! ", Rishi said , " You should see in the clinics....that bechari finds it reallllly difficult to control her laughter ! Her whole face is tomato red as she manages her laughter with great difficulty ! "
Pratham had noticed this the very next day and his lips curved in to grin at that poor soul's failed attempts to stop it or she would get caught !
Another day krishna said, " hey pratham,pata hai hamare Forensic Medicine ke proffessor ko Stone Cold Steve Austin ( WWF player) ka naam kisne diya hai?" ( That prof was well built, quite tall and bald..)
" Jis kisi ne diya hai, Sahi diya hai boss..!! ", pratham laughed, " By the way, kaun hai woh Mahatma??"
" Nehal !! ", and then he elaborated the additions to the nomenclature Nehal had made and they laughed as he narrated her remarks about some of the proffessors, their seniors,and even their batchmates...
Pratham couldnt believe this was the same girl....i mean who would believe???
" Arey yaar...She is herself with her friends...", Rishi had said once, " And quite aloof with one she isnt well acquainted with..."
Then again He discovered something new...
That day that kid in the paediatric ward was giving him and Shruti a hard time as they were getting their case ready for the presentation. As it is Pratham was irritated coz he was running late coz of shruti ( He wondered why does she needs to dress up as if she was heading for some party when they were supposed to come for the goddam ward ! ) and now that heck of a kid !!
Oh he sure was going to be reprimanded by his senior !
" Shruti !! Kya tum plllzzzzzz isse theek se pakdogi taake main iske arm measurement le saku???", pratham asked irritated.
" Hello !! No need to be this irritated alright? Anyways I am doing you a big favour by helping you, when i would be better away enjoyong outside and here you are..."
" Toh jaao aur enjoy karo...I dont need anyone...Upkar karne ki zaroorat nahi hai ! "
Shruti stormed away from there and that kid laughed listenting their quarrel, which angered him some more.
Nehal, who also was in the same ward due to some work saw his poor state, and went there.
" Nehu di !!!!!!!! ", The kid screamed !( And pratham looked up shocked, due to kid's sudden scream !)
" Heylo Shravan !! ", she approached the kid cheerfully, " Kya haal hai bhaai champ ka??"
" Arey yaar ! poocho matt !!! Pata nahi kaha inke changul mein phass gaya ! "
Nehal chuckled, but controlled herself as she didnt wanna offend pratham more...
But....
but...but...but...
Even Pratham was shocked that a faint line of smile was ACTUALLY daring to come onto his face as he saw her chuckle at the kid's statement...
Ah...He was no more angry with the kid...certainly not...
but why??
(Aap hote kaun hai Pratham the Great se question karne waale?? main gussa nahi hoon...toh nahi hoon !)
" Nehu di, Aapne toh promise kiya tha na ki sirf din mein 2 baar mera check up hoga...aur woh bhi sirf badeeeeeeeeee waale doctor karenge?? Phir inhe yaha kyun bhej diya?? waise in dono ki ladai dekh kar mujhe bahot mazaa aya !! "
" Shravaannnnn ", Nehal stared at him.
" Achcha?? ", pratham asked, " Machis ki tilli jitna nahi hai...aur zaban toh dekho..."
" Oh Amitabh Bachchan!! ", looking up and down at his height, which made pratham embarassed, " Mujhe TUMHARA jhagda dekhke mazaa nahi aaraha tha, mujhe na Tom and Jerry bahot pasand hai....aur tum dono bilkul ussi tarah fight kar rahe the...issliye mujhe mazaa aaraha tha."
This time Nehal couldnt control her laughter and she burst out laughing while Pratham gave her a angered look.
But she gave him a 'whatever' look and whispered, " Case leni hai na?? Toh muh bandh rakho aur apna pen uthao...main measurements dictate karti hoon, tum fatafat likhna, okay?"
Pratham would have been terribly miffed if it had been someone else...but right now, he was in a tight situation...so he obeyed....
Nehal took all the measurements and other necessary things tactfully, while chatting with shravan and Pratham noted it down.
He went to thank Nehal as she was leaving the ward after that....But...The Pratham he was, he could help himself from asking, " Waise tumne meri help kyun ki?Hum toh friends bhi nahi hai?"
He expected her to answer something vague, to hide the real reason that she came in to help, Coz She wanted to help HIM...Pratham...and was awkward to disclose it...
But....
Nehal was miffed at his attitude...
'That cassanova...what does he think of himself? madad karo toh karo, upar se attitude toh dekho iss bande ka ! Main hi galat hoon! Jo kahi bhi apna social work shuru kardeti hoon...huh !'
and
THE Nehal she was, she answered, " Nothing like that...Jitna jyaada practice ho, utna mereliye hi achcha hai...i had read the theory of that topic today...And thankfully i the got the oppo to take the case also, now the topic is much clearer to me."
and left.
It was as if someone slapped him on face !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next he made attempts to be friends with Nehal, which he succeeded in after great efforts.
She was opening lil by lil...and now was much comfy with him ...
He was impressed by her ability to see the other side of the coin always...
He felt as if the depth of her thinking gives some stability to his restless attitude...
Her carefree laughter,which held the magic to make your tension,irritation,frustration, anger to disappear like it never existed !
He did notice that she was graceful...and yes...beautiful too...though not extravagantly beautiful...
and yes...whatever she weared, suited her !! [ " Stupid !! I wear only what i feel will suit me ! " , Nehal had laughed saying this...]
He liked the royal way in which she carried herself...her kind and friendly, but yaah timid and controversy fearing nature, her child like innocence....the purity of her conscience....There was something enigmatic about her personality..
It wasnt like shruti was a villianious character...but she was not NEHAL !
but...He was bothered by the distance nehal always maintained in their relationship.
He came to know the reason later....
Nehal at first avoided being friends with him, coz she didnt have a high opinion of him...
In fact she feared being friends with pratham kinda guys....But then it had to happen and she finally became friends with him...
Slowly she came to know, that he wasnt that bad as she had thought of him!
Infact, the more she got to know him, the more she liked him !
Oh he was amazing guy ! Full of life !! Quite a brat, just like her ( The difference being she appeared to be calm and seedhi saadhi !!)...intelligent as well...just that he didnt care whether he scored or not....
And yes, He had a wonderful smile, which could wipe away anyone's worries and bring a smile on anyone's face...
And it never bothered her that he was in a relationship with shruti or not...
Some one put sewage into Shruti's ears against Nehal and she questioned her angrily about why she is being overfriendly with HER boyfriend.
Nehal simply pulled her in front of pratham and said,
" Tumhe apna boyfriend mubarak ho...I'm Not at all interested in having him or for that matter anyone as my boyfriend..I take him as a friend.And Now, its upto him whether he wanna continue our friendship or not..."
Nehal believed in sorting out the matter at the earliest and clearing out the misunderstandings from their roots...
but the thing that SHE WAS NOT INTERESTED IN HIM bothered Pratham...
and he once retorted like a wounded soldier, " Even I'm not interested in you okay?? Aur bura mat maan na neha, but main kya mere jaisa koi bhi ladka nahi hoga.."
She smiled sarcastically," jab mujhe tum mein koi interest nahi, toh tum jaiso mein kyun hoga dear Pratham?? Dont mind haan..."
" Haan..haan...theek hai...theek hai..."
And she laughed....well...needless to say, he also joined.
one day..Pratham commented on some of Shruti's habbits...
" You know Pratham, I guess you were the one who used to like this before...She havent changed a bit and if anything's changed then i guess its you...So why blame her???"
Nehal hated to be partial....and she hated guy's habbit of bickering about their girlfriends...I mean...you behave like a sweet puppy in front of them and then this behaviour behind their backs...I mean...why these double standards???
goddd!!! guys will be guys !!
But it pinched him somewhere that she wasnt jealous of shruti...but why???
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The second half of second year saw his break up with Shruti...Well...very few, i mean only his closeeeee friends knew that he was in relationship with her...It was only Shruti who flaunted him as her Boy friend everywhere....
But then he realised that she wasnt THE girl for him...His room mates had advised him many a times before....but finally he did realise...
The everyday fights.....Their thoughts never came to a meeting point...
Shruti did try to save it and take their relationship to a next level...but then even she didnt try that hard...It was as if even she was over with him and understood they were never meant to be...
They ended it nicely and decided to be friends only...
But Pratham got to know that somewhere...Nehal didnt like this...
" I dont believe in going around for years and finally breaking up..", she had straight away said.
Pratham was hurt...But then she called him up later and said sorry and that she didnt mean to hurt him...Pratham could see that she was genuinely sorry...and anyways he found it difficult to be annoyed with her for a long time....
I mean Pratham did have difference of opinion with Nehal...oh they were complete opposites...but they kinda respected each other's opinion...
She kinda understood him and his temperaments...his moods....
She knew how to convince him to do something, which he was hell bent on not doing...
He was clueless as to why Nehal affected him so much??
He was famous for pulling on the fights for months together...But whenever him and Neha had a fight, he would be desperate to clear it out at the earliest...same was the case with Neha though...Even she didnt stick on to their fights...
Slowly it dawned on him that he was in love with Nehal...I mean, with Shruti it was never like this...He never experienced this before...This was something different...Beautiful...yet painful as he knew Neha took him just for a friend...
And now he feared losing her....But he decided to wait for the right time.
Few months passed and they saw Shruti involved with some post graduate student.She was really happy with him.
" Dekha?? Maine kuch galat nahi kiya? Bekar mein usse atkake kya faida hota? Uske sachche pyaar ke raaste mein aakar kitna bada paap kar raha hota main?", pratham said.
" Tum aur tumhare funde ! ", Nehal fumed.
" Kuch galat kaha maine...?? bol na?"
And this time Neha ACTUALLY was speechless...as she could see how happy Shruti was with her new found love.
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As they completed their internship, on the last day, pratham asked her,
" Uss din tumhara kya matlab tha Neha?"
" Kis din?"
" Wahi...jab tumne kaha ki u dont believe in going around for years and blah blah blah...you meant to say am a cheat? who keeps on changing girl friends??"
" Oh god pratham, tum bhi kya kya sochte rehte ho !! All i meant to say is, for me Love is once and forever...For me its about commitment..."
" Arey par, true love milne tak Trial and error toh chalta hi hai na !"
" Shut up ! ", he chuckled as she chided, " Dekho, mera toh maan na hai ki Pyaar ussi se karo jisse tum shaadi kar sako !"
" Neha, do you love me?"
She choked on her cold coffee..
" WHATTTT???"
" Shuddh hindi mein poochta hoon....Kya tum mujhse pyaar karti ho?"
" Prath..."
" I love you a lot Neha..."
" Wait pratham! you know me right ? Look I dont believe in love marraiges...I mean I've no objection in others doin it...but this certainly isnt my cup of tea...and u know that i belong to a conservative family...and..."
" Neha, Do you love me?"
" Look pratham, you know that i...I mean...I'll marry whomever my father will choose for me..."
"Neha...Do you love me?"
" I cant take such a big decision myself...I..."
" Neha...Do you love me??"
" And I never thought of you more than a friend...."
" THAT'S IT !!! tumhare liye main sirf ek dost hoon...but I love you a lot...With you having friend ship and me having love in my heart, and that too when you know it now, I wont be able to face you anymore...I guess...I..Neha..."
He gave her quick hug, as tears rolled down his eyes and he left...
Neha was shaken by the whole episode, she wanted to stop him and make him understand her position, but words didnt come out and now he was gone...
Tears rolled down her eyes....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nehal tried to contact Pratham a lot...but he didnt pick her calls...neither did he reply to her messages...And to top it all he changed his number...
Finally She gave up on her attempts to contact him...
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A year later....
Nehal was in the first year of her post grads and her father suggested her to meet a guy....He told that it was the right age for marraige and now that her proffessional life was going on smooth, she should consider about personal life too.
As she approached the table in the hotel where she was supposed to meet the guy, she was shocked to see it was Pratham !
" I dont believe ki tum ne ladke ka photo bhi dekhna zaroori nahi samjha? kahi aisa toh nahi ki tum kisi aur se pyaar karti hoon and you were not at all interested in meeting whoever the guy would be..."
"Ah..."
" Haan.. haan.... bolo Neha !'', pratham challenged her.
" You shut up !! ",she fumed , " Just SHut up you idiot ! Ek toh aise chale gaye...koi contact bhi nahi kiya...aur ab aise saamne aaye ho ! I know very well...tum badla lene aaye ho na?"
" Whaatttt???", he asked wide eyed.
" haan !! Main sab jaanti hoon...jis tarah maine uss din tumhe haan nahi kaha, tum aaj na kehkar chale jaoge.... achchi tarah jaanti hoon ..."
Unknown to her she was crying....
Pratham laughed and got up from his chair. He went near her and slowly wiped away her tears...Neha closed her eyes as his hands lingered on her face...
" Nahi...Kuch nahi jaanti tum ! Agar jaanti toh aisa kabhi nahi kehti...Kyunki tum janti hoti ki main tumse kitna pyaar karta hoon."
Tears rolled down her closed eyes...
" Open your eyes Nehu...Arey yeh kya...maine itne papad bele,yeh soch kar ki shayad tum iss baar haan kardo...par tum toh...", he removed his hand from her face and began to leave...when she quickly opened her eyes and held his hand....
He smiled...
" Do you love me Neha?"
" Koi Aur line nahi aati tumhe? Yeh badi hi manhoos line hai...we were separated after this you know..."
He laughed....
" Mujhse shaadi karogi Neha??"
And she smiled....
Well...Pratham very well understood the meaning of it.
...and they themselves didnt know when they were bounded in a hug....
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