After the bet (A confident Naina) - OS

OS

Naina was riding back home from the park when she overheard a few students talking about her. 

Grade 12 boys: This Sameer is taking so many days to complete the bet. I don't think he will manage to convince Naina to confess her feelings. All that he has done to date in terms of false praise, birthday party etc etc is in vain. Aur kal toh isse thapad bhi padi. Lagta hai jald hi uske baal katenge. 

Naina stood dumbstruck. What? Sameer had no feelings for her. All his feelings for her were fake. That too only for a stupid bet. No no this can't be. I must confront him.

Just then she heard Munna's voice and broke out of her trance. He was yelling at the boys saying Sameer bet jaroor pura karega. Warna us padaku behenji ke peeche bhataknewalo me se woh nahi. Jald hi woh bet pura karega. Dekh lena.

There- Munna's words struck Naina. Munna was Sameer's close friend and the fact that he says all this means that it is true. Sameer doesn't love her at all. It was all fake. Just for the bet. I cannot believe this.

Naina VO - Un dino pyar ki ahemiyat itni thi ki aisa kuch ho toh dil tooth jata. Us din mera dil kaanch ki tarah tooth kar bikhar gaya. Mere aasoo is cheez ke gava the. Lekin me Preeti, Swati ya kisi aur ke saamne ro bhi nahi sakti thi. Kya kehti me unhe. Kisi tarah apne aassoonko sametkar me ghar pahunchi aur seedha Shefali ke gale milkar ro padi.

Naina narrated everything about the bet to Shefali. Shefali was boiling with anger. "How can he do this? He has played with my friend's feelings."

She consoled Naina. She said ," You are a smart and intelligent girl. Crying like this does not suit you.  Wake up. Sameer pagal hai jo is heere ko na pehchan saka. You should stop crying. Sameer toh kya usse bhi acche ladke tumhe pasand karenge. But apna self respect aise pagal ke peeche kabhi mat gavana. Agar tumhara pyar saccha hai toh uski galati ka ehsaas dilane ka waqt aa gaya hai. Saying this, she told her plan to Naina.

Naina feeling more confident now went home.

The next morning she reached school early. She wrote a note and kept it on Sameer's desk. Students started entering the class. As Sameer entered, her anger resurfaced but she thought of controlling it. Sameer saw the note and was about to throw it when  Naina  signalled him to read it by coughing twice. The note said, " Sameer me kafi dino se tumhe kuch batana chahti thi. Mujhe tumse apne dil ki baat share karni hai. Kya hum school ke baad water filter ke yahan mil sakte hain". The note ended with a sweet smiley. Sameer became elated. He glanced towards her who looked dreamily at him. He showed the note to Munna and Pandit and said, " Aaj me apna bet jaroor jeetunga. Aaj mujhe is padaku ladki se chutkara milega". 

In the recess Munna conveyed the message to the senior boys that the big confession was going to happen in the evening. 

At the water filter in the evening 

Naina was waiting for Sameer when he walked towards her. She went back to her dreamy land thinking about her love for him and was almost contemplating backing out and running away from there when Shefali's words ringed in her ears. "Apni self respect mat khona". Yes she had to do this for her self respect.

She walked towards him. 

Naina: Sameer me kaafi dino se tumse apni dil ki baat batana chahti thi. Mujhe yeh kehna tha ki mujhe tum kaafi acche lagte ho. Sirf dostki tarah nahi, dosti se badkar.I love you Sameer. I cannot think of living without you. 

Naina tried to be as genuine as possible and from the corner of the eyes could see him smirking and signalling his friends that he had won the bet. The senior boys hearing the confession went away dejected onlosing the bet. Munna and Pandit ran towards Sameer and hugged just when they heard a clap.

Naina with a smirk on her face was clapping : Tumhare baal tumhe mubarak ho Sameer. Aakhir meri wajah se aaj yeh tumhare sir pe hai. Ek thank you toh banta hai but I guess tumne bhi bet ki wajah se hi sahi Pooja didi ki help ki isliye we are even now. Bet ki baat toh mujhe kal raat ko hi pata chal gayi thi. Pehle me bahot royi par then socha kya yeh itna rona sahi hai woh bhi us insaan ke liye jise feelings ki kadar hi na ho? Nahi. Isliye mene bhi ek acting ki. Tumhe yeh yakeen dilane ke liye ki mujhe tumse apne dil ki baat share karni hai. And bas mera teer ekdum nishane pe laga. Kya kaha tha tumne? Sameer Maheshwari ke peeche ladkiyon ki line lagti hai, yahi na? Toh sun lo Mr Sameer Maheshwari -Me Naina hoon. Naina Agarwal. Mujhe patana aur sirf bet ke liye nahi but asal me patana itna asaan nahi. Good bye Sameer. 

Saying this Naina turned her back and went away. Munna and Pandit were their usual self as they were unaware of the storm raging in Sameer's mind. Sameer was thunderstruck. He thought "Jis ladki ko me rotlu, padaku , behenji samajta tha woh toh do kadam mujhse aage nikal gayi. Yeh sahi me dusre ladkiyon se different hai. Ab toh me asal me ise pataunga aur yeh na nahi kar paayegi. Watch out Naina. Sameer itni asani se haar nahi maanta"

Naina VO 

Us din tak sirf me Sameer ko chahti thi. But us shaam ke baad Sameer ka mere baare me nazariya badalne laga. Use mere shabd personal challenge ki tarah lagne laga. Aur tab shuru hui hum dono ki nok jhok wali kahani jo aage jake sacche pyar me parivartit honewali thi.