JiYa FF: The Masterpiece Ch.4 P.8 jan16th - Page 4

CHAPTER-3

Jeh's POV…..

Seeing her again, after a gap of five years, sent all my reasoning that I can forget her if I try, down the drain.

On the contrary I love her even more now. I was completely taken with her at high school. Piya Jaiswal, the prettiest girl at St. Claire's High School. She had a flock of men following her every step. But my princess ignored all of them. Because right from then she was obsessed with her prince charming. A perfect guy like they show in the films and television.

I was fortunate enough to be her friend. Though I still wonder why she chose me? I was no where near as decent looking as I am now. A complete nerd with thick spectacles and braces, Jeh Khuranna, then was a nobody. And Piya Jaiswal was my passion. I loved simply being in her presence, just listening to her talk. Watching every tiny bit of her movements was my favourite pass time.

Even now Piya Jaiswal is the same beautiful diva. For whom men are ready to fight. Her entry to the party drew half the male population's attention. But she as always ignored them. Surprisingly, she ignored them for me! Can you believe it me! I am the new photographer of Panache, the ace magazine run by Siddharth Mehra. She had seen my photographs and was curious to see me as she couldn't get a look at me in the office.

She didn't know that I had already seen her or that she already knew. Madam was very much curious to know me. But she took her own sweet time in recognizing me.

But hey! I am over the moon that she even remembered me. Now I am all the more eager to meet her as I know that I have her attention. On the other hand I am bothered that her attraction towards me is on superficial. Where I the same old Jeh, chubby, be spectacled and with braces would she have even glance at me? I guess the answer is no. I mean every girl wants her own Mr. Perfect right, just like every guy wants his Perfect Lady Love.

It takes all my strength to not openly drool at her, to be only friendly. But well she might not be interested in me now.

I step into Panache and immediately notice all female heads turning in my direction except a few like new writer Panchi, the PR Manager Misha who was certified tomboy since her school days with me and Piya.

Piya was standing beside Misha and her gaze was fixed on a file she was studying. I was disappointed she didn't look up. Misha nudged her and she looked up. Immediately her face lit up with a smile which sent my heart fluttering.

I smiled back and moved towards my cabin.

Later on….

In the cafeteria….

Whoa man! Shuffling through some of the old photography file was tiresome. I need a strong coffee for sure. But before I could get to the counter my object of interest for years caught my attention and seeing her smiling and chatting playfully with Misha took away half my tiredness.

Soon they were joined by Kabir who winked at Piya and gave Misha his best smile. Boy! Was he taken by Misha? I love you Misha was written on his face but still Misha was oblivious to it. Girls! I say.

 The trio didn't notice me. The cafeteria was divided into cabins rather than being open. Sid was a big time flirt and romantic, so probably wanted his cafeteria to be a place where lovers could be left in privacy.

I sat in the cabin behind the trio which gave me access to their conversation which they weren't bothering to subdue.

"Yaar ek baath bathao why are you both so taken with the new photographer….jab se mein aya hun bas ussi ki baath ho rahi hain" Kabir said in a slightly irritated tone.

"Jealous, jealous….I was wondering ki yeh jalne ki boo kaha se aa rahi hain" Piya teased in her honey sweet voice.

"Ha ha very funny Piya" Kabir retorted "Jokes apart bathao na why are you both interested"

"Oye fattuchand didn't you recognize him?" Misha asked or rather demanded.

"Nope" Kabir replied flatly "I am seeing him for the first time at the ball night"

"Yaar Thakur zara zor se soch" Misha encouraged him.

For a moment everything was silent and then Kabir spoke up.

"Still no idea" 

"Kabir you are a duffer…..do you remember a certain nerdy Jeh Khuranna….golu molu sa with braces and motha specs" Misha sang out my tareef.

"What the! Yeah the one who was full too lattoo on Piya na" Kabir said excitedly.

I felt my cheeks burning up in embarrassment, so these two knew my secret.

"Yep the very same….so our new photographer mahashray is the same old Jeh Khuranna minus the specs, braces and fat" Misha said.

"Whoa man! Jeh tho bilkul dude ban gaya hain….office ki aadhi ladkiyan tho uss par try maarne ke liye taras rahi hain" Kabir commented, making me embarrassed further.

I noticed the silence from Piya. Wasn't she interested in me anymore?  

-"piya. What happened?" misha asked her.

-"huh, no nothing, I wish jeh was here with us.." piya said.

-"piya", misha laughed, "why would he join us? He was never our friend."

 Misha was right. I was never their friend. Infact I never had friends in high school. But piya used to meet me secretly. And she was herself when she was with me.

-"no misha, actually we know him since high school. So atleast ex-school mates sake…."

I was disappointed. I finished my cappuccino  and got up to leave.

When  reached the exit I heard my name "jeh!" I turned back. It was piya. She could see me as she sat in the corner. I went up to there. Afterall even I wanted to talk to her.

"hey jeh" misha wished me. "wow! You have become dude from dhondu" I gave her a smile.

"hi jeh" kabir said with his low tone. piya was smiling. Ah! I just love her sunshine smile.

After insistence from  piya  I sat with them. But I was little uncomfortable as kabir was being jealous, moreover me and kabir were never on good terms. I was an irritating guy for kabir.. I wished that kabir and misha would leave so that piya and me would be alone

And what was more! Wishing star was on my side. There was an announcement that Sid wanted to see misha, kabir and tanushree immediately. They both had left.

-"so piya, how long it has been?" I started the conversation.

-"you know it jeh" piya rolled her eyes "five years" "so where have you been? You have left the delhi so suddenly .."

-"what's so sudden in that piya, our exams were over and I left to dehradoon pursue my higher studies"

-"you know that you could have studied here too"

-"yes but…" I shrugged my shoulders. "after dad's death I wanted to take mom to a little calm place. I have studied arts there"

She looked at me plainly.

-"you have changed a lot" she said after a while.

-"no piya, I have just changed externally. I'm still the same old jeh"

-"no jeh, you are not. You were so free with me"

-"hmm" I smirked "in that case you haven't changed at all"

She narrowed her eyebrows.

"yes, you still don't talk to me in public. i don't know if I still embarrass you"

-"jeh.." she shaked her head "its not like that, you are my friend and.."

-"friend?" I let out a breath "anyways piya how has life been?"

She was so cool with me. She told me how she, misha and kabir were in the same college and did lots of masti. She told me how serious she was about her career and how she left her family computer equipments business for it. I too told her that I'm happy being a fashion photographer.

"I just don't believe that you are a photographer now. I thought you would become a graffitist" she said.

Ah! She remembers how much I loved graffiti. Infact it was me who filled all our high school walls and basket ball and tennis courts with my graffiti.

"really? But you hate graffiti" I said raising my eyebrows with a smirk.

"jeh!" she was blushing. "stop teasing me" she felt caught.

Piya had always told me and others in school that she hated graffiti. It's something very cheap. Also she detests how messy one's hands and clothes become while painting. And graffiti, well its worse. Madam loves to be clean and tidy. But I caught her when she stood infront of the walls that I colored and admired them.

The reason was piya actually is a normal girl but she had always created an impression that she is smart, classy and dignified. She All knew piya who is the queen of the school , who doesn't make friends with any random people who come on her way, difficult to get and hates cheap things. Her taste has a class. Sadly she still does the same.

"pia" I spoke "I have been learning and working on water-coloring, sculpting and photography for two years so improve my graffiti skills. When I applied for this job Sid told me that he doesn't believe in papers and selected me on the basis of talent."

"but jeh why did you apply for this job? You could have made graffiti as your profession?" she adviced.

"yes, but.. graffiti is my passion piya. I would never like to earn through it. because my works are priceless to me and if anyone asks heartily I can do it for them free too. Moreover a graffitist doesn't have a great career in this country." I explained it to her. But the fact is that I lied to her partially. I had applied for this job because piya was there. And I wanted to be with her. My love didn't let me go far from her. Strange but I didn't even

"you are right jeh, you have changed only externally"

I took it as a compliment..

"So you always wanted to make a masterpiece right"

"hmm" I nodded.

"so made it?"

"no, I was waiting for inspiration" I told her.

Yes, I waited for an inspiration till a second back. But my wait is over. I got it now. Piya. I started working on my masterpiece.

*flashback*

St. Claire's High School, classroom:

"hey jumbo!" kabir called me.

"hieee.. kabeeerr.." I was surprised, "you have called me.." I said adjust my spects "but my name is not jumbo"

"oops, really?"

I nodded my head. "its jeh"

"sorry yaar, confuse hogaya. Dono naam j se shuru hote hai na" kabir acted guilty. All the boys laughed behind him. so did kabir. Even I too laughed with them.

"abhi tu ja" kabir said.

I stood there thinking. Why did kabir actually call me?

"abbey jaa na" he ordered.

I asked him why did he call me. he said I that he wanted to see my million dollar smile.  Say eee..

And I did it. I was a dumb idiot. Then later I stopped and realized why they were actually laughing.

"what's happening here?" I turned to look at the owner of the sweetest voice on the earth. My face lit up suddenly.

"nothing piya, we were praising jeh's lovely smile" kabir laughed again.

"Have you gone mad kabir?" she scolded him. I was happy that she was defending me. but no, she said something else.

"what happened to your taste? Show some class ok. He's not worth it."  she asked all the guys to look for a better job. All of them dispersed. She caught kabir's arms and left with him.

I still remember, after an hour she came to the library where I always take the window place.  The advantages were that I loved to look out of the window, it outlooks the basket ball court  where piya usually practices. She loves basket ball. Secondly, it's a bit secretive place , hid behind the racks and piya wont feel embarrassed on meeting me there. and third it's a bit far from the librarian. Orelse she would be shouting like a goat silence silence and all when I'm talking to piya...

Piya entered the library and took the seat infront of me and turned back.

"jeh.. please don't feel bad for what kabir said"

"I knew it piya, you are sorry for it?" I asked her.

"excuse me! I am piya jaiswal , ok and I don't say sorry to people"  she said in a low but stern voice .

She didn't need to because I could see in her eyes that she was guilty.

"liar! Liar! Liar!!" I said.

"jeh shut up, if you reprimand me like this, I'll leave from here and will never talk to you"

I put finger on my lips, indicating I would not speak further.

"good!" she said. And turned in front and put on her glasses and started reading. While I smiled from behind that even pia had spects. But madam didn't let anyone know about it. It's the matter of image you see. I knew even she was trying to look back from the corner of her eye.

*flashback ended*

I never had any doubts about my feelings. They are still so fresh in my mind. I had come here for piya because  After leaving her there were many days where I felt that Piya had just pitied me.. she never considered me as her friend. If that wasn't the case then she would have behaved with me the same way infront of everyone like  when she is alone with me. There were even days when I felt sad that piya avoided me totally. I was dumb but strong enough to accept it. I had come here so that I could talk to piya openly without making her embarrassed. I wanted to gain her friendship. And this day after talking to piya, I realized I was really a dumb idiot. She remembered every minute detail about me, she asked about my mom, her health and my likes and dislikes. We didn't talk a single thing about her. It was all me today in our discussion. I realized, yes, she did treat me as her friend and it was not a pity.

"did you…" I hesitated, but I had to ask her "did you miss me piya?" I bit my lips.

"yes, jeh" she took my hand into her two tiny ones and pressed them a little "I missed you a lot" she looked into my eyes. Her genuine feelings gave me a new hope to start my trial again. But was it right? Or will I be heartbroken again? This is something I was oblivious about.Only time will tell the tale...