Friendship Can be Love

Pyar ya Parivar?

Arjun was attending a wedding with Shefali. He had taken his car without Rakesh's permission and also lied that he was attending a college function. While returning home, the car broke down and while they were hailing an auto, a relative from Taiji's side spotted them together hand-in-hand boarding the auto.

He followed them home and saw them disembarking near the society and was assured that it was indeed Arjun laughing with a girl's hand tightly clutched in his. Arjun waved a bye to Shefali and went to talk to the car mechanic in the next lane to help him mend and bring back the car.

Taiji's cousin rushed upstairs to give the breaking news to the family.

"Beena behen...", It was one of those unusual or unfortunate days when the whole family was at Chachaji's home enjoying the evening tea and snacks.

"Arre Bhaisahab...aayiye na, baithiye, bade din baad aana hua", Taiji welcomed him.

"Main yahan baithne nahi aaya hoon...samaaj mein aapke naam ki thu thu na ho jaye iss liye aagah karne aaya hoon".

"Yeh aap kya keh rahe hai?" Questioned Tauji.

"Sahi keh raha hoon Jijaji...Arjun aapke ghar ka beta hai na....maine abhi use ek ladki ke saath haath mein haath daalkar ghumte hue dekha...donon bada hans hans kar baatein kar rahe the....Woh ladki aap hi ki society mein neeche wale ghar mein rehti hai...bade behuda se kapde pehene the. Aisi ladki ke saath aap ke ghar ka ladka kya kar raha tha? Samaaj mein koi izzat hai ya nahi. Aapka beta na sahi Jijaji, par Bhatija toh hai....naam toh pure parivaar ka kharab ho raha hai na".

Rakesh came forward to defend his son and hearing the commotion, Naina Preeti also came out from their room. "Kya baat kar rahe hai aap? Mera beta Arjun kabhi kuch aisa waisa nahi kar sakta. Uska jeevan mein ek hi lakshya hai, cricketer banna aur apne baap ka naam roshan karna".

But how could Taiji leave any opportunity to demean Rakesh and his kids "O bai! Yeh jis tarah ki ladki bata rahe hai, hamari society mein toh sirf ek hi hai...Shefali! Wahi aise oche aur aadhe adhure kapde pehenti hai aur ladkon ke saath cricket khelti hai....zaroor usne hamare cricket kumar ko apne jaal mein faans liya hoga. Preeti ja....Shefali aur uski Maa ko bula ke la....jaldi".

"Taiji...rehne dijiye na...pehle Arjun Bhaiyya ko toh aa jane dijiye....", Preeti tried to diffuse the situation.

"Chup...ekdum chup....jitna bola hai utna kar warna ulte haath ki padegi", Taiji threatened her.

"Bhabhiji...sahi toh keh rahi hai Preeti...pehle Arjun ko toh aane dijiye, hum pehle apne bachche se baat karte hai, fir Shefali se baat karenge", Anand also tried to ease out.

"Aap toh rehne dijiye Anand babu. Aapke aur Bela ke laad pyar ne hi ghar ke saare bachchon ko bigaad rakha hai", Taiji looked at Preeti, who looked at Naina, and scurried away half-heartedly to fetch Shefali and her mom.

Preeti had quickly briefed her on the situation so Shefali had come prepared but little did she know about Taiji's intentions.

"Lo aa gayi, society mein gandh failanewali....kyon ri...teri Maa ne kuch sanskar nahi diye kya? Kaise degi? Khud apne Pati ko chodkar aayi hai, Beti ko kya achcha sikhayegi? Yahi sikhayegi ki achche ghar ke ladkon pe dore kaise daalen".

"Buss kijiye Taiji, aap meri Mummy ke baare mein iss tarah se nahi bol sakti".

"Aye ladki...seedhe seedhe bata, tu Arjun ke saath kya kar rahi thi? Kya chal raha hai tum donon ke beech? Mere bete ko behkane ki koshish bhi ki na toh..." Rakesh came forward to slap her but Chachaji stopped him.

"Rakesh uncle, Arjun aur main...hum....hum ek dusre se pyar karte hai aur saath rehne ka faisla kiya hai. Arjun ne mujhse shaadi ka vaada kiya hai", the bold and strong Shefali blurted the truth.

Just then Arjun walked in and was surprised to see the commotion and seeing Shefali's face and her mom's presence and the rest of the family elders breathing fire, he quickly got hold of the situation.

"Lo aa gaye aapke sapoot...khandan ka naam doobakar..." Taiji cursed Arjun.

"Arjun....Yeh ladki kya keh rahi hai? Kya chal raha hai tum donon ke beech? Pyar karta hai tu isse?" Rakesh's voice was booming.

Arjun gulped in fear...he was at crossroads....he didn't want to let go off Shefali but he didn't know such a difficult situation would arise in the family.

"Arre bol na...khamosh kyon hai" Rakesh held his elbow in a death grip and shook him and out of fear an inadvertent " Ji...papa..." fell out of his mouth.

Taiji's loud "O Bai...", Chachiji was stunned, while Tauji slapped his forehead as the family name was now maligned in the society and Samaaj. Chachaji was shocked too. Naina and Preeti were very surprised. They couldn't think about their brother falling for any girl, leave alone Shefali who was a very modern, bold, outspoken girl and a very dear friend.

"Kya...." Rakesh couldn't control his rage anymore. He slapped Arjun hard...While Shefali tried to rush by his side, "Durr reh tu mere Bete se! Yeh sab teri wajah se hua hai. Cricket seekhne ke bahane, ladkon ko fansati hai".

"O bai! Yeh kya kiya Cricketkumar! Ek maans machchi khanewali ke saath...lappa chappa...Arre hum Agrawal hai...Maheshwariyon mein bhi shaadi nahi karte, aur tum iss esayi ladki ke chakkar mein pad gaye...saara dharam saara ghar bhrashth kar diya....yeh tak nahi socha ki ghar mein aur dou jawan behne hai...tumhare kaand ke baare mein pata chalega toh kaun karega inse shaadi? Dekh liya Rakeshji...jyaada chutt dene pe yahi haal hota hai bachchon ka. Paav fisal hi jaata hai".

Now Rakesh was angry even more and started to hurl curses. "Sun raha hai tu? Aaj teri wajah se tere baap ki izzat dou kodi ki nahi reh gayi...ghar mein samaaj mein sharminda hona pad raha hai...." He started crying. "Arre aisi beizzati ki zindagi jeene se achcha hai ki mar jaaon".

Rakesh stormed inside the girls' room and locked it from inside. Started messing around the room till he found a big bedsheet and started tying it and throwing it above the fan. He climbed on the chair. Everyone was banging the door outside trying to get him to open it and pleading with him to not do anything untoward.

Naina and Preeti moved to the hall balcony that connected to their room. The balcony door was locked and they peeped from the window and saw Rakesh trying to hang himself. Naina couldn't get a single word out of her, she was shocked and kept murmuring feverishly, "Papa, aisa mat karo! Please bhagwanji, Papa ko bacha lo!"

Before Rakesh could succeed, the door burst open and everyone came rushing in. Chachaji, Tauji, and Arjun brought him down and Rakesh weeped on his elder brother's shoulder.

Arjun cried and fell at his feet chanting, "sorry Papa, galati ho gayi....Aap jo bolenge main karoonga....par aap please mujhe maaf kar do. Mera pyar aapki khushi aur zindagi se badhkar nahi hai!" He cried and hugged his Papa and due to his immense love for his son, Rakesh placed a hand on his head.

Naina and Preeti saw this whole exchange and also saw a sad and disheartened Shefali departing. She knew, that no matter what she and Arjun shared, he would never go against his family wishes and a happy ending to their love story was not their fate.

Naina stopped her in the hall, "Shefali..."

"Kuch mat kehna Naina....mujhe pataa tha ki Arjun kamzor hai, par itna buzdil hai yeh nahi jaanti thi. Tum bhai-behen pyar toh kar lete ho, lekin jab usi pyar ke liye khade hone ka waqt aata hai toh peeche hatt jaate ho. Aaj Arjun aur main inn halation mein hai...kal tu aur Sameer bhi ho sakte hai....Soch Naina....tab tu kya karegi? Kise chunegi? Pyar ya parivar?"

The scene continuously played in front of Naina's eyes.....she was on the verge of losing her father, and Shefali's words haunted her, "Pyar ya parivar?"