Dearies...sorry for the delayed update...have been swamped with work. Last night I got my story idea finally and so here it is...continued to Sameer's return on popular demand. The next part, Samaina milan is on the way too in a few hours.
Part 3
Despite Dadi's palpable opposition, Rohan was adamant about seeing Sameer off to the airport. The brothers hugged and promised to communicate via phone and this time not lose the new-found relationship. This was the time that Sameer discovered that behind the Mr. timetable faade, hid a young innocent and very loving brother, who craved a normal life. He made a mental note to try and help his brother and introduce him to another life when the time was right. For now, he had a plate full of his own issues to sort out.
All during the flight, Sameer's mind was occupied with thoughts of his Nanu that this time he wouldn't see a smiling Nanu waiting for his Sameer. Also, neither MP knew about his return nor did he write to Naina, infact he wrote some advance vague letters to Naina and gave them to Amrita to post one every few days. He had also told Vishakha to not call MP as he wanted to surprise them. He also reminisced about his time in Delhi, the lessons learnt, the relationships formed, but most of all the piercing words of Dadi that he was an unlucky child. True, his mother had totally trashed such logic, but what if it was true. He couldn't deny the fact that he had lost his father, Nanu, and had come so close to losing his mother. He knew that Dadi was a super manipulative woman and she totally disliked him but what if there was an iota of truth in what she said about him. His friends, and moreover, Naina, who had led a normal life till his entry was subjected to ridicule, heartbreak, punishments and taunts all the time due to him. But what if things went to extreme and she got physically hurt or even died due to his unlucky presence in her life...Nooo, he had lost all the dearest people in his life, he left Delhi also at the first chance so that his mom would be safe, he could not let anything happen to his life, his Naina...He was ready to bear the pain of staying away from her and let her be alive and healthy rather than adding troubles to her life with his mere presence around her. Thus, while the flight landed, he made a firm resolve to stay away from his friends and Naina for their own well-being.
However, he didn't understand that his mind made the decision of staying away but his heart had other plans. The moment he got out of the airport, he mechanically asked the taxi driver to take him to PVKM, even before going home. He was still in a trance when the taxi driver announced that the school had arrived. That's when he realized that all his heart yearned was Naina and it was going to be a Herculean task staying away from her. Since he was already at the school gate, he decided to go have a look around and see his friends and Naina silently. The moment he stepped inside the premises, he realized it was the last day of Class 12, that means the farewell day, exactly a year ago, when his world shattered and life changed completely forever. All were busy hugging each other, reminiscing their school memories, writing on each other's shirts, filling each other's slam books, and making promises to stay in touch forever. Although he had been in this school only for a year, it was the best time of his life, he made friends like MP, and found the love of his life, his Naina. All the memories came flooding back. He avoided all the eyes and visited all the spots where he spent precious moments with his Naina and best times with friends. Finally, he came to the water-tap, which was an integral part of his love story. The water tap was witness to his and Naina's start of friendship, the first fight when he was apologizing for his bet, the first time he tried to say the three magical words, the day when she received the best student award, their first hand hold, the time she washed his wound and bandaged it...He was lost in beautiful memories.
On the other side, Naina was in corridor near the library when she felt the wind change, as if a special breeze blew around her. Something was different and her instincts told her it was Sameer. But how could it be possible, he was in Delhi. But she had to check. She went around the school searching, looking for him, all the possible places, library, classroom, corridors, playground, and finally, the water tap. Sameer saw her approaching and immediately hid behind a pillar. He saw Naina's eyes frantically looking around and knew she was searching for him, they both had this uncanny ability to sense each other's presence. So, now, it was even more difficult to hide from her, but he would have to do it and stay away.
Naina went to the water tap and touched the same tap, from which Sameer drank water a few minutes ago. She could feel him close, he saw that flicker of her eyes, but she couldn't see him. He was hidden. Just then Swati came to call her.
Swati: Naina, chal na, sab bula rahe hai, hamare batch ki group photo lenewale hai.
Naina was reluctant to go and was still scanning the area.
Swati was trying to pull her towards the photo area: Naina, kya hua? Chal na...kise dhoondh rahi hai?
Naina: Sameer ko.
Swati: Sameer ko? Par woh toh Delhi mein hai na? yahan kaise aayega?
Naina: Pataa nahi, mujhe aisa laga ki woh yahi hai?
Swati smiled and teased Naina: Arre meri Prem ki deewani, tujhe toh har jagah har waqt apna Prem hi dikhta hai! Woh Delhi mein hai...ab chal, sab photo ke liye intezaar kar rahe hai.
Naina walked away with Swati but kept looking backwards hoping to catch a glimpse of Sameer, magically. But he was firm and did not come out of hiding. When they reached the photo spot,
MP: Arre Bhabhi, kahan reh gayi thi? Kabse dhoondh rahe hai...
Swati: Yeh toh hamesha ki tarah Prem ko dhoondh rahi thi?
Munna's eyes rounded in surprise and brows cocked: Hainn...Prem yani Sameer? Par Sameer toh Delhi mein hai na? Kya usne letter mein likha tha ki woh aanewala hai?
Naina: Nahi, likha toh nahi, par na jaane kyon mujhe mehsoos ho raha hai ki woh aas paas hi hai...
Pandit: Aisa ho hi nahi sakta Bhabhi ki Sameer Ahmedabad aaye aur humse aur tumse na mile...Lagta hai aaj tum use jyaada miss kar rahi ho isiliye aisa lag raha hoga... tum thehro, iska ilaaj hai hamare paas. He gestured Munna to come along.
Few moments later, they brought a cut-out of Sameer and placed in between them for the photo such that he would be right behind Naina.
Rakesh: Aiye Rahu Ketu...yeh ameerzaade ki tasveer kyon lagayi hai?
Pandit: Sir, Sameer bhi toh hamare batch ka hissa tha na, aaj kuch karanon ki wajah se, woh hamare farewell mein nahi hai, pas yeh tasveer uske bina adhoori hai...woh hamara best friend aur hamare batch ki jaan hai!
Princi: Sahi kaha tumne...Rakesh ji, rehne dijiye... aaj bachchon ka aakhri din hai, unhe achchi yaadon ke saath vida karna hai!
Then they posed for a group pic. Naina had happy tears seeing that Sameer was there all along, even if absent physically. But she didn't know that he was hiding a few feet away and watched how much he was loved by his batch, best friends and Naina. It was really hard to resist to go and hug them all. He knew each would be delighted to see him there and back in Ahmedabad for good, and most of all Naina, but he couldn't take the risk of putting her in any danger. And so, he stayed put but still became a part of the farewell.
Few moments later, before anyone noticed him, he left from there with a heavy heart and teary eyes, thinking that this might be the last time he would see any of them, though he didn't know that destiny had different plans; Naina had already felt a melancholy settling around her when he was leaving and she knew, something was wrong with Sameer for sure. She could feel it in her gut.
Later he reached Nanu's house:
Ramdhari was very happy to see him. He had kept the house impeccable. More so, his and Nanu's rooms were just as they were when either left. Nothing was out of place, just clean and pristine.
Ramdhari: Achcha hua bhaiyya aap aa gaye! Malik aur aapke jane ke baad toh iss ghar ki aatma hi chali gayi. Par ab aap aa gaye hai na, toh sab theek hoga, malik ki aatma bhi khush hongi!
He took Sameer's luggage inside with moist eyes but happiness exuding.
Sameer stepped in the house but it felt empty without Nanu. All the happy memories came flooding back, since childhood, this was the only place he called home, it was here he came for vacations rather than visiting his mom in Delhi. His Nanu was his best friend, guide, teacher, mother and Nanu! How he missed him in this house? It was going to be painful to live here without him. He went to his Nanu's room, touched his things, remembering him fondly and finally hugged his photo and cried.
He dreaded going to his own room where he had seen his Nanu lying unconscious on the floor and his world had come crumbling around him. Finally, when the tears dried, he got up and moved towards the washroom to wash his face and noticed his picture missing from a frame by the study table. He called Ramdhari.
Sameer: Ramdhari, yahan meri ek photo hua karti thi na? kahan gayi?
Ramdhari: Bhaiyaa, woh aapke Delhi jane ke agle din dou didi aayi thi, naam toh nahi bataya, par jab meine kahan ki aap shayad hamesha ke liye Delhi chale gaye, toh ek didi bahut fut futkar rone lagi...mein unke liye paani lane gaya, wapas aaya, toh didi aur photo dono nahi the! baaki sab kuch apni jagah par tha, aur unhone aapke school ka uniform pehna tha, toh mujhe laga koi dost hogi! Waise Munna Pandit thode thode din mein aate rehte hai...aapke kamre mein baithte hai, aapki cheezon ko dekhte hai, aapko bahut yaad karte hai!
Sameer had a fresh bout of tears that he was hiding from his most favorite people in the world. Naina had taken his photo with her and Munna Pandit still visited this house. They loved him so deeply and now he had to stay from them, but he knew he had to do that for their well-being.
Sameer: Dekho Ramdhari, kisiko pataa nahi chalna chahiye ki mein yahan Ahmedabad wapas aa gaya hoon! Agar Munna Pandit aaye ya kisi ka phone aaye, toh keh dena ki mein Delhi mein hoon!
Ramdhari was confused: Par bhaiyaa, woh toh aapke sabse achche dost hai na? unhe kyon nahi batana chahte?
Sameer: Buss nahi bata sakta...tujhe baad mein samjhaunga...
Ramdhari shook his head in confusion and left. Then, Sam called his mom to inform that he reached home and was fine.
Vishakha: Mein kabse intezaar kar rahi thi tumhare phone ka...fir yaad aaya ki Ahmedabd pahuchte hi tum apne doston se milne chale gaye honge...woh tumhe dekhkar bahut khush huye honge na?
Sameer had to lie some: Nahi Mummy, mein abhi unse nahi mila...Buss thodi der pehle hi ghar aaya hoon...unse baad mein milonga.
Vishakha: Achcha? Somewhat confused and suspecting if all was ok with Sameer. Mujhe toh laga tum wahan pahuchkar sabse pehle MP se hi miloge, woh toh tumhare best friends hai na? Sab theek toh hai na Sameer?
Sameer: Haan Mummy, sab theek hai. Aap fikr mat karo...mein unse jaldi miloonga, pehle kuch badawala surprise toh plan kar loon...aakhir itne dinon baad mil rahe hai!
Vishakha was relieved that Sameer was being playful, his usual self. He asked about his siblings and hung up after few minutes as they weren't home yet.
Over the next few days, Sameer went around finding about colleges and filled the form for the most inconspicuous colleges to study for his graduation as it was a high chance that Naina, MP, and his school friends would try to take admissions in the best colleges hierarchically. He also had to think about Nanu's business of which, he knew nothing much. But all the while his mind and heart were occupied with Naina, he couldn't stop himself from going near her. He would visit her colony sometimes during odd hours of the day, just to feel her close and sometimes spot her in the market at her usual pani-puri stall with Preeti. He also went to the temple, every Monday to catch a glimpse of her, but always made sure, she never spotted him.
On the other hand, even Naina, always felt him around, a tingling sensation on her neck as if someone was watching her, how much ever she tried, she couldn't shake away that feeling of his proximity. Something was amiss. Even his letters seemed very vague, there were no specific replies if she asked anything or discussed or told him something. It was always the same general sentence of well being and busy with studies and adjusting with family. Though it was Sameer's handwriting, she felt as if they didn't come from his heart, there were no more endearments as previously, like meri Naina, dear Naina, pyari Naina, tumhara Sameer, etc. He never called these days and when she asked about it in the letters, there was no reply to the question as if he had not even read it. She also tried calling a couple of times, but each time Amrita would tell her that he was not at home, which was unlike Sameer. He also didn't do the radio program anymore, so there was no way she could hear his voice or feel close to him. She had full-faith in him and his love that there couldn't be anyone else, nor he would have stopped loving her, but there was something definitely wrong with him.
One day she was returning from the market at her usual hour after running errands for tayiji, when again she felt the same sensations and turned back. Sameer was following her but she could not spot him and collided with MP.
Munna: Arre Bhabhi, aakhein aage dekhne ke liye hoti hai...peeche kise dhoondh rahi thi? Seeing the trio together, Sameer had to flee before being discovered.
Naina: Munna, Pandit...kuch toh gadbad hai Sameer ke saath. Bahut din se aise lag raha hai ki Sameer aas paas hai par nazar nahi aata, ya fir uske saath kuch hua hai, isliye mujhe itni bechaini hoti rehti hai...na woh theek se letters ka jawab deta hai, buss kaisi ho, mein theek hoon, padhayi mein busy hoon aur na hi phone karta hai. mein phone karti hoon tab kabhi phone par nahi aata...Zaroor koi baat hai. Meine yahan ke ghar par phone kiya tha, par mujhe bataya gaya ki woh Delhi mein hai. Meine socha directly uske Delhiwale ghar par phone karti hoon, par na jaane uski family kya sochegi! Mein nahi chahti ki meri waja se use koi pareshani ho, isliye tum log please pataa karo Sameer ka aur mujhe jaldi se batao.
MP seeing her restlessness assured her: Bhabhi tum chinta mat karo, hum Sameer ka pataa laga lenge, woh theek hoga, bahut din se hamari bhi baat nahi hui hai, toh hum directly uske Delhiwale ghar par phone kar lenge. Aur use daatenge ki tumse baat kar le...
After she left, MP came to Munna's house, as now he had phone with STD. They called at his place in Delhi. Luckily Vishakha picked the call.
Munna: Mausi Namaste. Mein Munna, Ahmedabad se, Sameer ka dost! Aap kaisi hai?
Vishakha: Mein theek hoon beta, tum log kaise ho? Ab toh bada mazaa aa raha hoga na...Sameer ke aa jane se?
Munna: Kya... Sameer wapas aa gaya? Matlab woh Ahmedabad mein hai?
Now it was Vishakha's turn to be surprised: Haan, Sameer ko Ahemdabad aaye toh kuch din ho chuke hai...Woh ab tak tum logon se mila nahi? Usne kahan tha woh koi surprise dena chata hai...par aisa kaisa surprise hai, jo ab tak tumse nahi mila?
Munna now sensing the worry in her voice said to calm her down: Oho Mausi... Sameer ne pakka kuch toh bahut bada surprise socha hoga...sab doston ke liye... isliiye aankh micholi khel raha hai... aap fikr mat karo, hum abhi jaake uske kaan kheechte hai! Aap chinta mat karo...hum hai na uska khayal rakhne ke liye!
Vishakha was happy that the trio would he together now and there would someone who worried and cared about Sameer, may be much more than her!
Munna hung up and turned to Pandit: Yaar Ponga Pandit, mamla kuch toh gadbad hai...mausi keh rahi hai, Sameer bahut dinon se Ahmedabad mein hai. Fir humse mila kyon nahi, nahi hum phone kiya! Aisa toh ho hi nahi sakta ki Sameer yahan ho aur hume na bataye ya Naina se na mile...aur shayad mausi ko bhi hume batane se mana kar rakha hai...koi toh baat hai!
Pandit: Haan chenu, Naina farewell ke din bhi bol rahi thi ki use laga ki Sameer hai, aaj fir usne kahan ki Sameer yahi hai...Sameer ke baare mein Naina ke antenna bahut tez hai...zaroor kuch hua hai jo Sameer humse aur Naina se chupa raha hai...Pataa karna padega! Chal uske ghar chalte hai...wahi se maloom hoga...
comment:
p_commentcount