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Part 19 - Zindagi Ek Khel
Naina came back home without informing anyone in the college. All the way, Sameer's words kept echoing in her ears. His words and actions, this closeness that she would have to share with someone else was beyond her. It was so abhorrent and she felt unclean and disgusted with even the idea that Sameer had planted in her head.
She was thankful that no one had interjected her path. She rushed into her room and locked herself in the bathroom. She felt so unclean that her own skin was repugnant to her. She opened the shower and let the cold stream pour over her and wash away the remnants of even the remotest thought of someone's touch, which had not even occurred yet. And with the water, all the bottled-up emotions and pent up frustration also spilled out of her eyes. She let it all out.
How could she have let such bizarre happenings cloud her judgment. Wasn't she a topper? She was supposed to be one of the intelligent members of the family. But was all her intelligence only limited to books? What about when it came to real life? How could she have not thought about the repercussions of marriage? True, she didn't know much about what transpired after marriage. But she had witnessed the hidden romance, subtle glances, and sneaking hand-holds between her Pooja didi and Varun Jijaji before and after marriage, and she used to dream about the same with Sameer. She could never ever let anyone come this close to her other than Sameer. If not him, no one else. That was crystal clear now.
In the college:
Naina had left without a word and Sameer was not able to read her expressions. He didn't know how she was going to take his bait. It could fall either way and he was stark worried for her. He didn't want to do something and lose all hope of having her back, lest she ward off his advances. So, the only reliable person was her sister.
He hurried to Preeti in Red Rose "Preeti, please Naina ke peeche jao. Shayad wo ghar gayi hai!"
Seeing his haggard expression, Preeti bolted upright from her chair "Kya kiya tumne Sameer?"
"Kuch aisa..." he huffed..." Jo mai sapne mein bhi nahi soch sakta. Aur jo Naina ko...". He couldn't complete the sentence. He was sure that his words might have gotten through her and the idea most likely didn't sit well. "Tum wo sab chodo. Buss Naina ke paas jao...Mai uske paas ja nahi sakta aur iss waqt use sabse zyaada tumhari zaroorat hai".
They both exchanged a look and Preeti rushed home, her half-eaten samosa and cold drink forgotten coz her sister needed her and there she would be by her side.
Naina didn't realize how long she was in the shower when someone was repeatedly banging the bathroom door and she had tuned it out. Suddenly, it burst open and Preeti was bewildered at what met her eyes. Naina was in the shower and the bathroom was flooded with ankle-deep cold water that was continuously pouring over head.
Preeti immediately barged in and first closed the tap. "Kya kar rahi hai Naina?"
She shook her slightly and before she could lose her balance, Preeti held her arms from the side and supported her. She carefully brought her out, made her stand near the threshold and went to fetch a towel from the cupboard. She vigorously started to rub her head and also scold her simultaneously "Kya kar rahi thi? Pagala hai kya tu? Thandi hawa mein itne thande paani ke neeche khadi ho gayi? Itna pagalpan toh tune usi din kiya tha jab Mt. Abu se lauti thi, Sameer se rishta todkar. Aaj kya hua?"
Preeti looked in her glassy eyes and the dam broke. Naina hugged her and cried again. "Bahut badi galati ho gayi mujhse Preeti".
"Kya hua bataayegi?" Preeti was already suspicious.
"Galati ho gayi. Nahi gunaah ho gaya...Sameer ka dil dukhane ka gunaah. Use dard dene ka gunaah. Use satane ka gunaah. Use rulane ka gunaah. Pataa nahi bhagwanji kabhi mujhe maaf karenge bhi ya nahi".
Just then chacha chachi walked in and seeing the girls in an unusual state and Naina all wet, Chachiji was bemused "Abhi Holi mein waqt hai...tum log abhi se khelne lag gayi?"
When neither of the girls answered, Bela asked again "Kya kar rahi thi?"
"Kuch nahi Mummy, wo...wo..."
"Wo wo kya...? Naina itni bheegi kyon hai?"
"Wo na Mummy aaj class mein pankhe nahi chal rahe the, toh bahut garmi lag rahi thi...bahut paseena bhi hua, isiliye Naina ne nahaya liya". Preeti made a lame excuse.
"Bhagwan jhooth na bulwaye...itne thande paani se aur wo bhi pure kapde mein, sar se paav tak?" Bela asked and Preeti was out of excuses.
"Bela...dekh nahi rahi...bachchiyan pareshan lag rahi hai. Kya hua? Batao mujhe..." Chachaji held Naina by the shoulders and asked again... "Naina...kya hua meri beti ko?"
"Chachaji..."Naina hugged him and let her tears flow "Mujhe yeh shaadi nahi karni. Aap please isse rok dijiye. Mujhe abhi aur padhna hai".
Chachaji hugged her back and said "Tum chinta mat karo Naina, jab tak mai hoon, meri betiyon ke sapne poore hone se koi nahi rok sakta. Mai manta hoon ki Rakesh bhaisahab tumhare papa hai, mai nahi. Aur pitah hone ke naate, tumhare baarein mein faisla lene ka haq bhi unhi ka hai, par mai poori koshish karoonga ki unhe aur bhabhji ko samjha sakoon ki abhi kuch saalon ke liye yeh rishta vishta taal de. Wo shayad Arjun ki wajah se yeh sab...Par tum chinta mat karo. Tumhare chacha chachi hai na, bina lade haar nahi maanenge". Chachi also placed a loving hand on her head and caressed her cheek.
"Meri ek baat yaad rakhna beta...Zindagi ek khel ke maidan ki tarah hoti hai, jisme koi haarta hai, koi jeetta hai. Par haar tab tak nahi hoti jab tak haar maan na li jaaye. Aur maidan mein utarne ke baad, bina khele haar maan lena ya haar ke darr se maidan chodkar bhaag jaana khel ka apmaan hai. Waise hi zindagi mein sach ke liye aur apne haq ke liye ladna padta hai. Agar aap ko yakeen ho ki jo aap chahte hai wo galat nahi hai aur usse kisika nuksaan nahi hai, toh apne haq ke liye lade bina haar maan lena kayarta hai aur aisa sirf buzdil karte hai. Aur mujhe yakeen hai meri betiyan kuch bhi ho sakti hai, par buzdil nahi". He looked at Preeti also and then hugged both his dear daughters. Naina was as much his as much was Preeti and he would not give up on her rights if he could.
The words hit Naina hard. Sameer also had the same faith in her and she recalled "Meri Naina buzdil nahi hai".
She broke out of the hug "Chachaji...mai aapse vaada karti hoon ki kabhi koi galat kaam nahi karoongi, lekin kabhi apna haq bhi nahi chodungi. Aaj ke baad bina lade kabhi haar nahi maoongi".
She was filled with a new confidence and renewed vigor. Preeti was glad her fiery sister was back with a bang. The lifelessness was replaced with joy and the love that always occupied her heart.
P.S. Dearies...sorry for the short update. But it was a busy work day. Also, next part is Samaina Milan so didn't want to pause!
Naina came back home without informing anyone in the college. All the way, Sameer's words kept echoing in her ears. His words and actions, this closeness that she would have to share with someone else was beyond her. It was so abhorrent and she felt unclean and disgusted with even the idea that Sameer had planted in her head.
She was thankful that no one had interjected her path. She rushed into her room and locked herself in the bathroom. She felt so unclean that her own skin was repugnant to her. She opened the shower and let the cold stream pour over her and wash away the remnants of even the remotest thought of someone's touch, which had not even occurred yet. And with the water, all the bottled-up emotions and pent up frustration also spilled out of her eyes. She let it all out.
How could she have let such bizarre happenings cloud her judgment. Wasn't she a topper? She was supposed to be one of the intelligent members of the family. But was all her intelligence only limited to books? What about when it came to real life? How could she have not thought about the repercussions of marriage? True, she didn't know much about what transpired after marriage. But she had witnessed the hidden romance, subtle glances, and sneaking hand-holds between her Pooja didi and Varun Jijaji before and after marriage, and she used to dream about the same with Sameer. She could never ever let anyone come this close to her other than Sameer. If not him, no one else. That was crystal clear now.
In the college:
Naina had left without a word and Sameer was not able to read her expressions. He didn't know how she was going to take his bait. It could fall either way and he was stark worried for her. He didn't want to do something and lose all hope of having her back, lest she ward off his advances. So, the only reliable person was her sister.
He hurried to Preeti in Red Rose "Preeti, please Naina ke peeche jao. Shayad wo ghar gayi hai!"
Seeing his haggard expression, Preeti bolted upright from her chair "Kya kiya tumne Sameer?"
"Kuch aisa..." he huffed..." Jo mai sapne mein bhi nahi soch sakta. Aur jo Naina ko...". He couldn't complete the sentence. He was sure that his words might have gotten through her and the idea most likely didn't sit well. "Tum wo sab chodo. Buss Naina ke paas jao...Mai uske paas ja nahi sakta aur iss waqt use sabse zyaada tumhari zaroorat hai".
They both exchanged a look and Preeti rushed home, her half-eaten samosa and cold drink forgotten coz her sister needed her and there she would be by her side.
Naina didn't realize how long she was in the shower when someone was repeatedly banging the bathroom door and she had tuned it out. Suddenly, it burst open and Preeti was bewildered at what met her eyes. Naina was in the shower and the bathroom was flooded with ankle-deep cold water that was continuously pouring over head.
Preeti immediately barged in and first closed the tap. "Kya kar rahi hai Naina?"
She shook her slightly and before she could lose her balance, Preeti held her arms from the side and supported her. She carefully brought her out, made her stand near the threshold and went to fetch a towel from the cupboard. She vigorously started to rub her head and also scold her simultaneously "Kya kar rahi thi? Pagala hai kya tu? Thandi hawa mein itne thande paani ke neeche khadi ho gayi? Itna pagalpan toh tune usi din kiya tha jab Mt. Abu se lauti thi, Sameer se rishta todkar. Aaj kya hua?"
Preeti looked in her glassy eyes and the dam broke. Naina hugged her and cried again. "Bahut badi galati ho gayi mujhse Preeti".
"Kya hua bataayegi?" Preeti was already suspicious.
"Galati ho gayi. Nahi gunaah ho gaya...Sameer ka dil dukhane ka gunaah. Use dard dene ka gunaah. Use satane ka gunaah. Use rulane ka gunaah. Pataa nahi bhagwanji kabhi mujhe maaf karenge bhi ya nahi".
Just then chacha chachi walked in and seeing the girls in an unusual state and Naina all wet, Chachiji was bemused "Abhi Holi mein waqt hai...tum log abhi se khelne lag gayi?"
When neither of the girls answered, Bela asked again "Kya kar rahi thi?"
"Kuch nahi Mummy, wo...wo..."
"Wo wo kya...? Naina itni bheegi kyon hai?"
"Wo na Mummy aaj class mein pankhe nahi chal rahe the, toh bahut garmi lag rahi thi...bahut paseena bhi hua, isiliye Naina ne nahaya liya". Preeti made a lame excuse.
"Bhagwan jhooth na bulwaye...itne thande paani se aur wo bhi pure kapde mein, sar se paav tak?" Bela asked and Preeti was out of excuses.
"Bela...dekh nahi rahi...bachchiyan pareshan lag rahi hai. Kya hua? Batao mujhe..." Chachaji held Naina by the shoulders and asked again... "Naina...kya hua meri beti ko?"
"Chachaji..."Naina hugged him and let her tears flow "Mujhe yeh shaadi nahi karni. Aap please isse rok dijiye. Mujhe abhi aur padhna hai".
Chachaji hugged her back and said "Tum chinta mat karo Naina, jab tak mai hoon, meri betiyon ke sapne poore hone se koi nahi rok sakta. Mai manta hoon ki Rakesh bhaisahab tumhare papa hai, mai nahi. Aur pitah hone ke naate, tumhare baarein mein faisla lene ka haq bhi unhi ka hai, par mai poori koshish karoonga ki unhe aur bhabhji ko samjha sakoon ki abhi kuch saalon ke liye yeh rishta vishta taal de. Wo shayad Arjun ki wajah se yeh sab...Par tum chinta mat karo. Tumhare chacha chachi hai na, bina lade haar nahi maanenge". Chachi also placed a loving hand on her head and caressed her cheek.
"Meri ek baat yaad rakhna beta...Zindagi ek khel ke maidan ki tarah hoti hai, jisme koi haarta hai, koi jeetta hai. Par haar tab tak nahi hoti jab tak haar maan na li jaaye. Aur maidan mein utarne ke baad, bina khele haar maan lena ya haar ke darr se maidan chodkar bhaag jaana khel ka apmaan hai. Waise hi zindagi mein sach ke liye aur apne haq ke liye ladna padta hai. Agar aap ko yakeen ho ki jo aap chahte hai wo galat nahi hai aur usse kisika nuksaan nahi hai, toh apne haq ke liye lade bina haar maan lena kayarta hai aur aisa sirf buzdil karte hai. Aur mujhe yakeen hai meri betiyan kuch bhi ho sakti hai, par buzdil nahi". He looked at Preeti also and then hugged both his dear daughters. Naina was as much his as much was Preeti and he would not give up on her rights if he could.
The words hit Naina hard. Sameer also had the same faith in her and she recalled "Meri Naina buzdil nahi hai".
She broke out of the hug "Chachaji...mai aapse vaada karti hoon ki kabhi koi galat kaam nahi karoongi, lekin kabhi apna haq bhi nahi chodungi. Aaj ke baad bina lade kabhi haar nahi maoongi".
She was filled with a new confidence and renewed vigor. Preeti was glad her fiery sister was back with a bang. The lifelessness was replaced with joy and the love that always occupied her heart.
P.S. Dearies...sorry for the short update. But it was a busy work day. Also, next part is Samaina Milan so didn't want to pause!
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