Sameer-Naina SS- Unanticipated Moves (Part-10 Updated)PG-44 - Page 29

"Preeti!TV ki Volume uncha karke dekh". Chachiji paused, before adding "Naina!Andar chal." Naina felt the earth shake beneath her again just like it had few hours before, she felt her eyes burn due to pressure of tears and forcefully she blinked her wet eyelashes to stop the muffles of cries that were threatening to scream out.

"Tum dono ke bich kab se yeh chal raha hai?" Chachiji's question was straight."Sach sach batana Naina.Bhagwan jhooth na bulaye mujhe chakkar aa rahi hai.Matlab kaise ?Shaadi se pehle?" Chachiji spoke in a wallowing despair as she threw the cobra file to the floor.The file hit the hard mosaic,and helplessly opened revealing the contents again. Naina bent and quickly closed the file, clutching it hard to her frame. She chuckled how she was embracing the venom that has poisoned the very foundation of her every relationship.

"Chachiji!Mujhe please maaf kar dijiye." Naina spoke in the lowest of tones.Sorry She knew if somebody was hurt with the outcomes of that irrational act of them on Awards night ,it was none other than her Chachiji.If Taiji comes to know perhaps along with her,Chachiji will be blamed point blank.Her intigrities ,morals will be questioned.

Was it really so wrong?

Could she rewind that night,please?

"Teri Sarry se jo kho gaya hai wo wapas nahin aane wali". Chachiji turned away from Naina ,wiping the salty tears that had been flowing all since they have left the Principal's office.It was a saviour that Taiji ,Tauji and Rakesh had gone to village for looking at arrangements for Pralay's birthday pooja. She was thankful to God that the Principal chose to call them and nobody else ,nor..she didn't even want to think of the horrific sequence of events that would have followed.

"Chachiji! Kya yeh itni galat hai?" Naina asked as she scanned the pictures again.6 pictures ..6 negatives and their world has turned upside down. The photos; though clearly reflected the intensity they both had felt for each other..she was sure of one thing. Her heart will fail her in so much and so many horrors.Hereafter she will only suffer--both in waking, from the photos, and in sleep, from her experiences.She looked at Chachi ,hoping Chachi to say its right.She needs only one positive word now nor the reality will be more ghoulish, more sinful.

"Galat? Bhagwan jhooth na bulaye..Paap hai yeh. Ladkon ki zindagi steel bartan ki tarah hai.Ache se dho liya to naya ho jaayega.Phir se istemal ho jaayega.Par ek ladki ki zindagi kele ki patte jaisi hai.Ek baar jhoota ho gaya na use phenk dete hein..Dobara istemaal nahin hota. Ek baar maryada pe sawal aa gaya to apne hi paraye ho jaayenge.Sita maiya ko yeh samaj nahin choda tha to tu kya hai?" Chachiji completed and dashed to the kitchen.Though she had no more hunger left but she had to cook.

Naina curled up herself on one corner of bed. She felt her pillow getting cold and wet from her tears.Small sobs wrecked her body as she envisioned all the ways her Chachaji ,Chachi would react.She even envisioned the disgust that would multiply exponentially when Taiji and her father comes to know.Will Chachaji or Chachiji let them know?As her eyes pooled more tears,she envisioned the ways she could simply die.She knew no one would come to save her from the monsters of her life. "Sameer" Her heart chirped and she smacked herself for drifting away again to him. Before she could think anything,Preeti's voice followed from the kitchen.

"Mummy!Yeh 1mahina Naina kya karegi?Taiji ko kya bolegi?"

"Maine sab soch liya hai.Bag paecking kar. " Chachiji s voice had an octave raise in frequency.The scratchiness was profound.She slowly added "Hum Nanighar jaa rahe hein."

Preeti looked up at her mother in a surprised expression. "Par Mummy..Itne din.."

"Bhagwan jhooth na bulaye ..Maa tu hai ki main? Bhabjiji sahi kehti hai..Yeh cabel,yeh chitrahaar,meri hi chooth dene ki naateeja hai yeh sab.Meri hi parwarish mein khota hai.Ab koi behes nahin..Tu paeecking kar ,main Bhaiya ko phone lagati hun.Aur haan..Kisiko kuch baatane ki zaroorat nahin.Na koi hawa na koi paani ko. "

Chachiji knew staying here would not take away the pain.But then she was n't certain anything would.Preeti bawled into Chachiiji's shoulder and she just kept holding her. Her mother needed strength to come to terms.

Sameer sat at the narrow door leading to residential part of his room.Mamaji was seating looking all colourless while Mamiji ,herself ,always cheerful and pleasing ,sat like her husband.They were seated around a large table along with Devang and Poonam with same lost faces.The light had gone off and a candle burned in the middle of the table.

"Sonu!Tujhse itni badi bhool hui kaise?" Mamaji remarked ,cut by Mamiji "Wohi to main bol rahi hun..agar pyar karna tha to wo Parekh ji ki beti Sunaina se karti ya phir Bombay ki kisi ladki se.." Mamiji didn't take a long pause,before concluding "Par uss ...Nakchadi khandan ki badsurat mili thi tujhe honth milane ke liye?"

Sameer heard the last words and kept his eyes shut.He felt like his temper will flair up any second."Maami! Wo badsurat nahin hai.Jo bhi hua usmein uski galti nahin hai.Mein hi behek gaya tha. "Sameer got up and stormed out into his room.He needed to be alone. Loneliness has always been the favourite thing about his life.

Sameer lied on the bed; looking at the photos in flickering rays of the candle. At the moment he felt he could believe anything.The fairies.the myths,the dragons.But not the fact that they have actually been clicked.The bulb flickered in his room,with the restoration of electricity.The yellow light flickered upon the circles of their faces-the strong,homely ,sharp features of them.The light didn't hide how earnest the eyes of Naina were,how worn and tired her face looked from continuous crying.He didn't miss to notice how firm his grip was on her.The whole world had suddenly narrowed down to those photos,so intensely concentrated upon his Naina.

"Sameer Bhaiya!Aap table pe aa jao .Main khana lagwati hun."Poonam Bhabhi's voice brought him out of his reverie.There is no more right or wrong and there was no more hunger.

"Aap log kha lijiye Bhabhi.Bhukh nahin hai mujhe."

Poonam intuitively knew the response.She lifted her hand and caressed his cheek.Caressing warmly she brushed away few truant fallen fringes from his forehead."Dekhiye Sameer Bhaiya!Jo ho gaya use to aap badal nahin sakte.Ab aise bhukha pyasa rahenge to tabiyat bhi bigad jaayegi.Aapko match ki practice bhi karni hai."

"Aap meri fikr mat karo Bhabhi.Aap kha lo."Sameer spoke holding her wrists and turned away.Poonam pitied the poor boy .True !He didn't want to be petted or sympathised but she could not stop caring."Fikr kaise na Karen.Aap humare bhaiya jaise hein.Thik hai abhi mat khaiye main khana yahin table pe rakh deti hun.Jab bhukh lagegi tab khalena."

Dinner was the last option on his mind.Fighting with himself ,he dialed Naina's number though he knew she would be under survellience. He awaited for the ring to turn into two rings.After a few tries,he heard someone attend the call.But soon his happiness evaporated as the sweet voice hit his ears.

Aapki call reject kar di gayi hai.Krupaya thodi der baad call karein.Your call has been rejected.Please dial after sometime.

Sameer sighed.The night was going to be longer than usual and for the first time he was not looking forward it to end.

*************************************************

"Bahut galat hua hai yaar" Munna said as they assembled in the college grounds. To cheer Sameer up Munna and Pandit had taken Sameer to watch a movie.But it was house full. They were unsuccessful and Sameer tittered at his luck. What more he has to lose? Family, Nanu,Brains Meet,now Naina? Even he could not watch a movie.

"Haan galat..Aur mujhe pata bhi hai kis suar ke aulad ne wo photo khinchwayi hogi.."Pandit's firm and loud tone pulled him to reality.He was amidst a conversation,he realised.

"Kiska aulad?"Sameer asked ,confused with the new term.Without wasting a second,Munna cleared "Suar ke aulad..wo Kar.."

"Wo nahin ho sakta.Usey wo jagah ke baare mein pata bhi nahin hoga."Sameer interrupted."Kyun nahin hoga?Arey trustee ka pota hai. Aya hoga apne Nana ke saath udghatan karne kabhi." Pandit reasoned.

"Tu jo keh raha hai sahi hai.Par wo to certificate ke liye apni group ke saath baitha hoga shayad." Sameer said only to be cut by Munna ;"Nahin wo apni group ke saath nahin tha. Tere speech ke 15 minute pehle aaya tha wo."

"Wo aise bhi mujhse bada musibat mein hai. Kuch hi din mein Principal office mein uski saari pol kholne wali hai.Isliye wo jyada musibat nahin apnayega."

Munna reached for Sameer and quickly checked for Sameer's temperature."Tu pagal ho gaya hai? Kartik ke saath tera pehle hi din se dushmani hai.Tu hi pol kholne wala hai uska isliye tujhse pehle usne tum dono ka pol khol diya Principal ke saamne." Munna said,and he had an eerie point.

"To tum dono ka kehne hai usne hi khincha hai humare wo photos?Par usey kaise malum tha ki hum dono wahin meet kar raehin hein? Yeh to mujhe bhi nahin pata tha ki hum dono milne wale the?" Sameer asked reflecting on the evening's happenings. Whatever had transpired one after other nothing was planned. Each came as unanticipated moves.

"Sameer!" Sameer turned to see Ved running towards him.A shiver ran through his spine.No!It was not on seeing Ved but the thing that Ved so carefully clutched in his hands.A camera.

Ved panted before uttering "Hi Bro!Umm.needed a help.Do you know how to click pictures on camera?" He caught his breath yet awaited for Sameer's response.Sameer nodded and was engulfed in a tight bone crushing hug from Ved.

"Wow..Toh please mere kuch pictures khinch do mere car ke saath."Ved then requested.

Sameer spotted a little girl with light, almost luminous curls; near the car. "Sirf car?" He asked ,cocking an eyebrow.

Ved posed a shy smile. "You caught me off guard. Actually my girlfriend has come.Toh use humari university dekhni thi.And yeh visit ko memorable karne ke liye we want some photos together.Toh if you can please help and click.. "Sameer felt a sense of guilt pierce through him.Somebody had intruded their private place and had caught them in the frame.How could he now catch someone else in frame? But soon he realised the more he runs from reality the madness will follow.He must learn to accept the nightmarish reality and control. He nodded taking the camera from Ved.

Ved shouted "Sameer!Yeh pose thoda side angle se lena..I mean horizontal orientation se." Sameer looked puzzled.Till then he had taken photos from front only.And whats these new terms of horizontal orientation? For a second ,he thought if Ved belonged to English Department or that ghastly Physics department.Well ! It was not difficult according to Naina..Naina!God!Was there any time in world,anything in his life where he would not remember her.It has been perhaps 24 hrs and more he has talked to her.And he had no idea when he would be able to hear her voice next.He felt a tangibility in his hands.And realised he had a mission in his hands now.To click photos.

"Main samjha nahin.I am sorry.He shouted and watched Ved sprinting in hops towards him. "No problem Bro.See! we have many angles of photo clicking.Jaise areal,top angles,horizontal angles,side angles, tilted angle,wide view angles,lateral angles etc.Toh tum hum dono ka side angle aur horizontal angles se le lo.Samajh gaye ? " Ved explained well ,like a Professor and Sameer silently admired the knowledge Ved possessed about things.The boy was not handsome nor had enough charm to woo girls but definitely was razor sharp like his topper Naina.

Not again...He resolved and focused on clicking the photos.

***********************************************************

Sameer rushed out of the courts ,sweating profusely. In the effort to keep off his anxiety he had exhausted himself. Yet the exhaustion could not mar the excitement.Finally he would have news from Naina.Munna clutched a small chit in his fist.He had not opened the rolled paper but wished Naina to write a long letter ;especially after the apocalypse had befall them.They needed to talk it out.

" Bhai! Naina ghar mein nahin hai. Kamya ko yeh chitthi de gayi hai."Munna forwarded the rolled chit to Sameer. Sameer frowned on seeing the paper.He knew it was written in rush,the paper was torn away from her rough note copy.He knew there was no elaborate revelation of emotions, thoughts or feelings. The letter was a scribbled note, certainly. He quickly opened the paper.The note read-

Sameer!

Main kuch din ke liye Nani ki ghar jaa rahi hun.Isliye tum call mat karna. Practice match miss mat karna. Exams ke liye padhai bhi karte rehna.

Naina.

Has he already lost his Naina?

Sameer opened the file.Perhaps it was the fifth time he was opening it yet he felt the same tremors return to him. The trepidations in heart ,exactly same, as he had felt them for the first time. But this time he opened it and something different caught his eyes. Ved's words about angles of camera resurfaced impromptu.He looked at the photos again.It seemed taken from a top angle.Not horizontal. So definitely no one took from a hide out position rather from a very comfortable position.But there was no building around the basket ball court and the bench was not so high.The walls were not of thickness where a person can sit comfortably and click the pictures.

"Sameer Bhaiya!Kahan jaa rahe hein?Itni raat ho gayi hai? "Poonam exclaimed ,seeing Sameer ready in jeans and a casual shirt.Though he had duelled with his heart and mind for good few minutes,his head lost this time.He took the bike keys and left voicing ,"Ek important kaam yaad aa gaya hai.Mujhe lautne mein thodi der hogi."

Sameer stopped at the college gates and found it locked.A sudden thought of jumping from the equally dilapidated and abandoned house of store room struck him.Sameer carefully yet confidently took a leap of faith and jumped inside the store room.The space seemed a spooky place which seemed left uncared for around 5-10 years.The store room had empty shelves and wooden door loosely hung from hinges.There was small growth of mushrooms on it.Sameer kicked open the rotting door and behind it was the basketball court.

He saw the court and the bench.He was there for the first time without his friends and without his Naina.The bench looked alone ,empty just like his life.He chuckled at his thought.He went and sat down on the bench; stretching a bit.The mild pain from the thud was yet to go away.After a good few seconds,he went to the place they stood on the Awards' function night. He had faintly remembered that Naina had leaned on the low railing before describing her sad plight to him.

He pulled out the photos from his pocket.Yes!He was right .They were in front the railing.The angle was more aerial .That means taken from top.He switched on his torch and aimlessly let the torch throw light to the sky. He frowned at his almost failing night adventure.He would be unsuccessful again.Perhaps he should have listened to his head and should have come in broad day light.The night ,the darkness were not helping much though he wanted to test the camera angles since they were clicked on a fateful night only.

As he thought to switch off his torch,suddenly his eyes caught something. For the first time in his entire life ,he felt like the wisest person.A genius to choose the night to find his answers.The torch light was pointing towards the top of basketball post.It was a rock steady cement pillar with a torn net as basket on one side facing the playing area.From down even,he could figure out ,there was enough space for someone to sit.Someone can sit there and have full view of VJN University lawns,grounds and adjacent buildings.

He went to the post and examined it.He thought of climbing the pillar to examine in closer and better way.At first it seemed bit difficult to him.A sliding pillar and darkness..he might have another painful thud. But the scenes of Principal's office,the tears of Naina,the looks of disgust on Chachiji's face all came rushing back.He didn't think further and steadily crawled up the pillar.Few inches from ground,he found the pillar had some deep dents which helped one to climb easily.It was a few minutes job.

As he reached the top,he exclaimed at what he saw.The entire grounds of VJN was prominent.The place offered a complete panoramic view of VJN.He adjusted few centimetres to sit more comfortably.He pulled out the photos and scrutinised by throwing the torch lights.Perfect angle.So someone snapped them from the top base on that night.

His eyes welled up and a sob erupted. He felt too much.His insides were not matching his outsides.His emotions were worsening.His Naina looked so beautiful that night.He marveled though in utter grief. There was something beautiful in those photos.Yes!The unadulterated love they shared.He looked at the photo they were kissing.He thought the way he had felt vulnerable that night,that moment.For the other person it was simply an opportunity to defame both of them.But for him,for her ,for them it was tasting of the trust,faith and fierce loyalty.It was not lust.It was pure love that manifested ignoring the time and space.Some emotions are above the metaphysics of world.Some thoughts are slave of emotions.And he was exactly the vulnerable slave of emotions that night.He didn't regret it a bit.He need not be but did Naina think that way?Or if she thought this way after what has transpired?He sighed moving his hand in wind. The night has always been his sole companion.Today was no different.

Just then his hand hit something and it fell down with a loud cranking sound."Yeh kya hai?" He asked himself and climbed down.He examined the three cans that had fallen down.They smelled different.Not the smell of Campa Cola or Gold Spot.Something very exotic.

He put the torch light and was shocked. "Stroks beer can?Yahan?".The beer can was not available in Gujrat.He was sure and had very limited retailers of it in Bombay and Delhi.Each can costs around 1000 rupees.He was sure it was imported."Par yeh itna mehenga aur imported ..yahan koun? " He could not think who the filthy,rich spoilt brat was?3 cans?Surely there was some exotic party going on.3000 rupees party in the dilapidated basketball court?

He smacked himself for thinking himself quite a genius few minutes back.He was now a fool.How would he know who that rich guy was who celebrated an exotic party there. His frustration grew and he threw one of the three cans he was holding.As he went to throw the second can,he felt his finger cut across a sharp edge.He quickly switched on the torch again and saw a speck of blood.He chuckled.The entire mission has literally taken his blood and sweat yet has proved to be completely futile.Has he been a successful person ever? The only possession he had ,his Naina ..perhaps he would soon lose her too.

As he sucked on the injured finger,he searched for the sharp edge.As if the supreme powers were determined along with him to punish the devil in disguise..he saw the logo of beer can.Strangely,he felt that he had seen the logo somewhere.Though his conscious mind screamed it was the first time he was seeing the can,his inner voice refused to die down.

He shut his eyes ,tight for few minutes.He has seen it somewhere in VJN only.His brain racked possible memories and finally he found the answer.He leaped in air and all the victories of life felt so low at that point of his life.Yes! It can't go wrong.

He quickly rushed out of the store room and reached his home.He found the front door was open and Poonam awaiting for him.Though she had dozed off but she was waiting.Sameer felt sorry for her. But then his mission kicked off him from within.He trotted to his room and opened the wardrobe wide.Searching for a shirt he pulled out all other shirts.The room ,the bed were soon covered with his shirts,T-shirts,sweaters,blazers.He frustratedly searched through them before shouting "Bhabhi!Mera yellow shirt kahan hai?"

Poonam jerked from her short nap.Before she could make sense of time,she heard Sameer's voice,calling out her name.She adjusted the pleats of her saree and rushed to his room."Kya hua Bhaiya?Pile rang ka shirt?Dhone ke liye rakhi hun. Uspe daag lag gaya tha na."

Sameer nodded and ran to the bathroom.Carelessly throwing the contents of the bundle,he found his coveted yellow shirt.It was cringed and long trail of tomato ketchup had made its permanent patch on it.He searched for the pocket and found what he had been looking for.He pulled out the tiny pull tab of can lid.The tab had sign of Stroks beer.

"WHAT?" Sameer sat in thud ,shocked , and the lid fell from; between his fingers.

(To be continued)

P.S.:Thank you for reading.😃 Would love to read all your feedback.😳