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On one side, Parth was sitting on the steps leading to the main door of Warrior High... All by himself... And just as a gentle breeze caressed his face and ruffled his hair, he started thinking of her... He closed his eyes and he could see her waiting for him... He walked towards her and she held onto his arm and they both walked away...
On the other side, Vibha was correcting the exam papers in a classroom upstairs... And just as the same breeze gushed through the windows and swept her long fine hair across her face, she stopped and without thinking too much, walked towards the window to close it and managed to catch a glimpse of Parth... She felt a sense of calm and happiness oozing out of his face and this made her happy. With an instant smile on her face, she started enjoying the cool breeze and quickly forgot that she had intended to close the window... Reminiscing all the moments when Parth had helped her, thinking of his deep, complex nature - a bittersweet amalgamation of his mature behaviour, angry outbursts, caring nature and emotional side, made her wonder why she was feeling happy thinking about him...
Just then Parth opened his eyes and saw Vibha looking down at him from the classroom window diagonally up above... He got nervous but kept staring at her, while Vibha was still in her daze... He wondered if it could ever be, if it was possible at all, and if he had it in him to make it happen... Just then someone called for Vibha as she quickly snapped out of her thoughts and just before she turned around, she noticed Parth looking at her and her heart skipped a beat... She turned to face Kamini Maam who had come to check up on the corrected papers, and Vibha wondered if she was starting to feel something for the wrong guy... "Wrong boy perhaps" she thought in her head... But she wasn't too old herself, she had spent a mere 4 years more on the planet than him...
Parth's smile was wiped off his face as Vibha so abruptly turned away, shut the window and never came back... He was completely lost in her thoughts and longed to see her again, so he started climbing the stairs, whilst thinking how to find out how she feels and if she feels the same way... But he himself didn't know what he felt... He was hoping to find some clues if not answers... He stood at the classroom door, Kamini Maam had left, Vibha had gone back to correcting the papers.
Parth - Maam, kya main andar aa sakta hu?
Vibha - (Looked at him nervously) Parth, tum, yaha? Yes, you may come in.
Parth - Maam, kya main aapse kuch baat kar sakta hu?
Vibha - (looked confused and as much as she wanted to look at him and hear him talk, she knew she was a teacher and she had to correct the papers) Ha Parth, lekin abhi...
Parth - Theek hai, agar aap busy hai, to phir... (he started walking away with a sad face)
Vibha - (Couldn't bare to see him walking away, with a sad face and his head facing the ground, so she stopped him) Parth... ek minute...
Parth - (turned around) Aapne kuch kaha?
Vibha - Ha, yaha aao.
Parth - (Walked up close to where she was sitting) Yes Maam...
Vibha - Yaha baitho (and as Parth sat down opposite her) aur batao, kya baat karni hai? Is everything okay?
Parth wonders how to explain his feelings, his emotions... How to ask Vibha what he really wants to ask, when he himself doesn't know how he can explain the tornado whirlwinding its way through his stomach...
Vibha - Parth...
Parth - Yes Maam... Woh main... (starts looking around finding words)
Vibha - Bolo Parth... (wonders what really is up)
Parth - Maam...
Vibha - Pehle baith to jaao
Parth - Yes Maam
Vibha - Aur yeh Maam Maam se age bhi kuch kahoge?
Parth - (gathers courage to just go with it and start talking) Woh apne kabhi bhi... mera matlab hai aapne apne Mom, Dad aur Dadi ko chod kar kisi aur ke bare main socha hai?
Vibha - Kya?
Parth - Never mind (thinks in his head "I knew this was a bad idea", starts to get up)
Vibha - Parth, main nahi janti ki tumhe kya pareshan kar raha hai, aur jab tak tum mujhe nahi bataoge, main help kaise kar paungi? Aur raha tumhare saval ka jawab, toh of course yes, main apne friends ke bare main sochti hu, apne bachpan ke bare main sochti hu...
Parth - Aur apka future?
Vibha - Future bahut hi unpredictable hota hai, aur jaisa hum chahte hai waisa nahi hota, isiliye main future se related koi bhi expectations nahi rakhna chahti.
Parth - Lekin agar apko koi aisa mile, jo apka bahut khayal rakhe to?
Vibha - Then of course I'll be the lucky one!
Parth smiles while Vibha wonders what it is she said that lightened his mood and made him smile. While a soft notes play in Parth's minds about there still being hope after all, Vibha thinks why she only pours her heart out to Parth and doesn't feel like he's her student, he feels like a friend, like a companion, like a shoulder to unburden all her worries and concerns on...
Parth - (gets up smiling) Okay Maam, I think I'll go now... It is a wonderful feeling (he thinks "Wait! Did I just say that out loud?")
As Parths starts to walk away confused and embarassed, Vibha smiles and is happy seeing him happy. She wonders if he is feeling what she is, but is then stopped to think she is a teacher and tells her mind to get carried away with such frivolous thoughts, as it can never be. Her heart does want to fight and argue why things can't change, why they can't get better, why she can't be with someone who truly makes her happy...
Days go by and their feelings only get stronger towards one another... Little incidents and interactions only seem to bring them closer... While Vibha keeps fighting her feelings and emotions, Parth enjoys feeling something for someone except his own mother for the very first time. He knows where his happiness stems from and who makes him a better person. He wants to be with her and somehow find a way of explaining things to her that its not impossible for them after all. He is pretty sure that she feels the same way about him, yet, he wants her to tell him just to be entirely sure.
Every time he tries to talk to her, someone comes in, something happens, or he loses words to express himself. He is frustrated beyond imagination and just wants the torture to end... Vibha on the other hand is still living in her dreamy world, reminiscing all the moments she spent with Parth. She even starts to think she may be falling for him and wonders if she should talk to her Dadi about it. But she stops herself and thinks it better to be wise about it and wait to see how things and events unfold gradually. Meanwhile, one day at the library, Parth decides to ask Utkarsh about a way to get him out of his confused chaos, but without giving much away, he lets it slip that he has started liking someone who is older than him, but is the nicest person he has known since he left home. He goes on to say that she is one of the few people who sees good in people and helps them no matter what. And that she gives him confidence, care and he can feel that she feels something for him to, but is holding back for some reason. Vibha happens to be checking out books and overhears this conversation in the library. What could have been the happiest moment of her life makes her sad and her mind instantly gets filled with worries. She knows she must keep this job to help her family, and in order to do that, she must not let her heart feel what it feels. She makes up her mind to be strict with Parth and not let his mind wander further. And in doing so she drops a book, and hurries off and leaves. Utkarsh and Parth are taken aback knowing there was someone else in the library who may or may not have heard their conversation, however they're unable to see it was Vibha.
Vibha decides to be cold towards Parth so that he can move on with studies and his future, while she can carry on with her job and fulfil her duty towards her family. Parth meanwhile tries to follow Utkarsh's advive and gathers courage to ask Vibha directly if she likes him or not. But it seems like everytime he tries to go to her, she makes an excuse and leaves and the setback comes when she tells him that he should behave like her student and not come around and talk to her like a friend. Parth is taken aback.
Parth - Maam, I thought you always trusted me.
Vibha - I trust all my students Parth.
Parth - But Maam...
Vibha - There are no buts Parth!
Parth - Aap mujhe kuch kehne dengi...
Vibha - Main har bar tumhe samjati rehti hu, aur tum mera time waste karte ho...
Parth - Kya? Apko lagta hai ki main apka time waste kar raha hu? Okay (he storms off and doesn't look back while she keeps looking as tears flow down her eyes and just don't seem to stop, as she wants desperately to stop him, but she knows she cant')
That night neither of them can sleep, Parth is deeply hurt by her words, they sting the chords of his heart that has stopped playing the romantic tunes... He doesn't want to think about her as he is so angry, yet he can't help himself and ends up thinking of her more than ever before! She is weeping away, the feeling of having hurt someone she adores so much is eating away her heart and soul. She wants to go tell him everything, how she feels and how she didn't mean anything she said today, and somehow also tell him that things can't work as she is a teacher at the end of the day, and he is a student, in the very same school! She weeps at her own helplessness, and at not being able to do anything to pacify him... Utkarsh watches as Vibha sheds her tears...
Utkarsh heads to the classroom and sees an angry looking Parth sitting by himself. He goes to him and asks him if he is okay. He doesn't get an answer and decides to crack a joke, but that doesn't help the matter either. He then lets him be as he doesn't want to tell in front of everyone that he saw what happened. Parth is still unable to fathom why Vibha is acting so strange all of a sudden and desperately wants things to go back to the way they were. When she understood him, believed in him, supported him, always looked out for him and encouraged him. "What happened to all that care, all the concern, all that love...?" His mind stopped, while his heart was still beating irregularly, impatiently... Did he even love her? How did he expect her to love him? And as luck would have it, or not, Vibha entered as it was her time to teach. She tried to avoid looking at Parth but couldn't help notice he was looking down at his desk every single time she tried to steal a glimpse of him. She felt really bad, but carried on teaching. As the class was over, she wanted to talk to him, but though best not to lead him on, and maintain her cold behaviour.
Parth was the last one to leave and looked at her, just once, and with a long blank stare, stood there for a while, while Vibha noticing this, got up and left. Parth felt totally dejected after this and as he was walking down the corridor remembering all the special little moments, he tried to think what they meant and how he led himself to get carried away slowly. After all, she was his teacher, and there was no denying that, but what he felt was real and how could be possibly make her understand that? He didn't care about what others would think, the only people who mattered to him were his loved ones, who so far only included his Mom. And now... her as well.
Utkarsh was waiting for Parth so that he could talk to him, make him understand and make him feel better. And just as he saw him, he ran towards him and tried to take him away to talk. But Parth was in no mood for any conversation, he just wanted to spend some time by himself. He kept telling his mind that he had to be a bigger, better person one day for his mother, and he couldn't let something like this break him. But he couldn't stop his heart from beating for her, he couldn't stop his memory from playing her flashbacks, he couldn't stop wondering what if she had felt the same way, even for one day, one moment...
Utkarsh again tried to stop him and tried to make him listen to what he was about to say but he rushed off in anger telling Utkarsh to not bother him today as he really wanted to be alone. Utkarsh thought it best to give him some space and let him go and as Parth went and sat under a tree, Utkarsh realized that he could actually make things better by just saying what he saw instead of trying to make Parth understand anything in a roundabout way. So he went up to him and just said what he saw. He told her that she was weeping as he walked away and that he'd seen emotion in her eyes for him. Parth couldn't believe his ears and looked up to him. Upon seeing his serious face, he saw a ray of hope, and asked him to continue. So Utkarsh sat next to him and explained to him that though he knew it was not right liking a teacher like that, but he couldn't see him in pain. And he thought he looked good with Vibha Maam. There was a tiny crooked smile on Parth's face and he asked him to be doubly sure as that would change things. Utkarsh said he was sure, but how would that change things? Parth got up and said "You will see..."
He tried to look for her but it was soon time for the next class and then shortly after that it was time to eat dinner so as everyone was slowly heading to the dining hall, Parth rushed to get there to look for Vibha. He couldn't find her anywhere. Unknowingly, she was sitting in the exact same spot that Parth was earlier that day, and thinking why her life felt like it was turning upside down every time she found new happiness? Its almost like the universe didn't want her to be happy! She thought the cold breeze would numb her pain and keep her away from facing him again. She was just about to wipe a tear drop trickling down her cheek as Parth spotted her and walked towards her. He glanced at her as she quickly tried to get up and wipe away her wet eyes. She quickly looked up to him and started to walk away and stopped as he held her hand and pulled her towards him.
Parth - Aap mujhe dekh kar bhaag rahi hai?
Vibha - Nahi... Main... (her voice still trembling from having seen him watch her crying)
Parth - Kyu?
Vibha - Dekho Parth, leave my hand... (gaining composure)
Parth - Nahi, pehle aap mere sawal ka jawab dijiye.
Vibha - Main bhag nahi rahi hu... woh... woh (tries to quickly come up with some excuse, turns around) woh mujhe thand lag rahi thi toh main andar ja rahi hu...
Parth - Okay (starts to open his jacket button)
Vibha - (Realizes what he is about to do so quickly puts her hand on his to stop him taking off his school jacket for her) Nahi, its okay.
As her hands touch his, they both look at one another and all the emotions come rushing into both their eyes... He can feel there is something there in her eyes for him, just as she knows what she needs to avoid confronting as she knows how he feels about her... And if only she could ever tell him that she feels the same way... He tries to come close but she snaps out of it and stops him right there...
Vibha - Parth, tum jao aur dinner kar lo
Parth - Dinner? Apko dinner ki padi hai? Main janta hu ki aap mujhse kyu bhaag rahi hai...
Vibha - I told you Parth, main nahi bhag rahi.
Parth - Toh phir pehle ki tarah aap meri baat kyu sun na nahi chahti?
Vibha - Samajhne ki koshish karo Parth...
Parth - Mujhe pata hai ki aap bhi mujhe... Aur shayad library main aap hi meri baat sunke bhagi thi...
Vibha - Haa, mera matlab hai nahi... Woh main...
Parth - Mujhe nahi pata ki aap kis se dar kar yeh sab kar rahi hai, agar Kamini Maam...
Vibha - Tumhe lagta hai Kamini Maam se dar kar yeh sab...
Parth - Toh iska matlab hai ki jo maine kaha woh sach hai (comes close to her and gently holds her by her arms)!
Vibha - (Looks into his eyes but then pushes him away) Kya kar rahe ho Parth, er... behave yourself!
He lets go of her in anger and while she starts to walk away with tears in her eyes, he turns around and starts hitting the tree in a fit of rage. He gets hurt by the splinters and jagged edges of the bark, while she hears thumping noises and is compelled to turn around, only to see Parth bleeding as he keeps punching the tree. She runs towards him...
Vibha - Parth! (holds his hand and stops him while tears keep rolling down her cheeks)
Parth - Vibha (she covers his lips just as he is about to say Maam)
And as she holds his bleeding hand with one hand, and covers his mouth with another, she looks into his painful eyes and can no longer container herself. She hugs him in a tight embrace, and Parth just doesn't know what hit him. He freezes for a second and then slowly places his arms around her and just as his bleeding hand touches her body, he winces a little in pain and she hears it. She quickly untangles herself from his warm embrace and looks at his hand...
Vibha - Bahut dard ho raha hai? I'm sorry... Kitna khoon (now he places his rightful hand on her lips)
Parth - Itni si chot se apko itni takleef ho gayi, lekin mujhe avoid karke jo chot lagi uske baare main aapne ek baar bhi nahi socha?
Vibha looks down as she knows what he is saying is true... And while she wants to make him understand the reality of the situation, she does not want to cause him more agony, more pain... So she apologizes and hugs him back... He puts his arms around her and says that now he's okay and feeling better!
(to be continued in next part in next post!)
