Friendship Can be Love

Crossroads

We love Samaina so much toh thoda rona toh banta hai na! Sorry for some OTT melodramatic track! Here it goes.

While Naina decided whether she was right or in fact what she should do, she didn't know how to break the news to Sameer. It was not going to be easy on either of them. But Bhaiyya was right. She couldn't put her family at stake for herself. Her love for Sameer cannot be so selfish.

Arjun's departure had left Naina heartbroken. She and Preeti hugged in their room and cried continuously and inconsolably.

"Beta, tum donon college chali jao....mahaul badal jaayega toh dil bhi behel jaayega", Bela tried to reason with the girls.

"Nahi Chachiji, kahi jaane ka, kuch karne ka mann nahi hai...Bhaiyya ki bahut yaad aa rahi hai", Naina sat down on the bed and her tears wouldn't stop flowing.

Chachaji also came to pacify the girls. "Bachchon..." and both girls hugged him and cried all over again.

"Bhaiyya ko aise kyon bhej diya?" Since Naina was closest to her Chachaji, she involuntarily sought his advice "Kya pyar karna itna galat hai Chachaji?"

Preeti knew what Naina was trying to do. Although Naina hadn't yet shared her decision with her, Preeti knew her sister too well. She was definitely in a dilemma.

"Nahi beta...pyar karna galat nahi hai...par koi bhi pyar parivar se badhkar nahi hota. Parivaar insaan ki asli takat hota hai, aur agar parivaar saath na ho, toh insaan akela ho jata hai. Toh aise pyar ka kya fayda jo aapko aapke parivar se alag kar de. Samaaj mein rehne ke kuch niyam aur kayde hote hai, saare sahi nahi hote par saare galat bhi nahi hote. Agar sab log apni manmaani karne lage, toh ek swasth samaaj aage kaise badhega!"

All Naina could understand was Taiji's words that Agrawals and Maheshwaris didn't unite in marriage and if she chose Sameer, she will definitely lose her family and not that they would simply disown her but rather someone might give up on their life. And an image of her beloved Chachaji hanging from her ceiling fan flashed through her mind and she jerked from her Chachaji's arms. He was more of a father to her than her own Papa and she would never do anything to jeopardize his name and life.

"Kya hua Naina? Chaunki kyon?" asked Chachaji.

"Kuch nahi Chachaji...aapki baat samaj aa gayi...parivar se badhkar kuch nahi hota", with this she cemented her resolve.

But she needed courage to face Sameer and that needed time. Preeti saw her pacing around "Naina tu kya soch rahi hai? Kal raat se tu bahut gehri soch mein hai. Main samajti hoon ki jo kuch bhi kal se ho raha hai wo sab tujhe bahut pareshan kar raha hai par sach sach bata tu soch kya rahi hai?"

"Kuch nahi Preeti, buss yahi ki Arjun Bhaiyya sahi hai....parivar se badhkar kuch nahi hota....ab buss yahi baat Sameer se kehni hai".

"Kya...? Tu pagal ho gayi hai? Sameer se rishta todne ki baat soch rahi hai? Tera dimaag toh thikane pe hai? Tu Sameer se alag hogi?"

"Haan Preeti...Sameer aur mujhe ab alag hona padega...hamara parivar hamare rishte ko nahi apnayega aur main parivar mein se kisiko nahi khona chahti".

Preeti started to say something again, but Naina lifted her hand and placed it on her head. "Preeti, tujhe meri kasam hai, iss baare mein tu mujhe kuch samjhane ki koshish nahi karegi aur na hi Sameer se kuch kahegi. Usse jo bhi baat karni hai, main karoongi".

Naina's eyes misted and she uttered a please, which broke Preeti. She hugged her sister and promised to not intervene. They hugged and cried again as Preeti could already feel the pain exuding off Naina even at the mere thought of breaking up with Sameer. She simply prayed to God that her beloved Jijaji drilled some sense into her and not give up on their love.

In college:

"Sameer, chal na yaar class mein". Munna tried to pull him.

"Nahi yaar, tumlog jao....Naina ke bina class mein kya karoonga. Jab wo aayegi tab main bhi aa jaunga. Pataa nahi yaar, kya hua hai, na Naina aa rahi hai aur na hi Preeti. Dono nahi aayi matlab zaroor ghar pe kuch hua hai. Mera dil baitha ja raha hai. Agar college nahi ana tha toh bataa sakti thi. Kal raat phone kiya par theek se baat hi nahi hui, kat gaya aur fir tab se ab tak phone bhi nahi kiya. Mujhe laga jaldi college aayegi taaki baat hosake toh yahan bhi nahi hai". Sameer ranted his frustration from missing Naina; since 20 hours he had neither seen nor spoken to her.

While the rest attended a few classes, Sameer kept pacing around the college corridors, repeatedly checking the library and Red Rose café. But there was no sign of Naina, and finally at the end of the day, everyone left for home. He wasn't even in the right frame of mind to drive and so Munna drove the bike with the other two in the back.

Again at home, he threw his bag away and started prancing around the room like an angry caged tiger.

Ramdhari came with some snacks and Sameer almost pounced on him in irritation "Ja yahan se, kaha na nahi khana!"

Ramdhari was a bit scared. Although he knew Sameer's anger, he was almost never subject to it and started to leave when Munna placed a hand on Sameer's shoulder.

"Kya kar raha hai yaar?" Sameer immediately realized his folly. "Ramdhari, sorry yaar....mera buss dimaag kharab hai, sorry tujhpe chilla diya. Yeh naashta yahi rakh de".

"Koi baat nahi Bhaiyaa, main dekh sakta hoon ki aap pareshan ho". He stepped in and placed the tray on the bedside table and left.

"Kya hua bhai...itna pareshan kyon hai?", queried Pandit as if nothing major had happened.

"Pareshan na ho toh kya karoon. Kal se Naina ka koi pataa nahi hai...Aaj college bhi nahi aayi. Jane kya hua hai?"

"Dekh Sameer, zaroor ghar mein koi kaam aa gaya hoga, isiliye donon college nahi aayi....dekhna aaj pakka tujhe phone karegi. Tu thand rakh bhai". Munna tried to diffuse his anger and calm the situation down.

Sameer wasn't convinced but decided to wait until the night for the phone call, which never came. With every passing minute, Naina was gaining courage to execute her decision of separating from Sameer, while Sameer was losing patience. Saturday night passed and it was Sunday morning.

Naina hadn't called last night nor answered his calls. Now he was sure that something untoward had transpired and he just hoped that everything was ok with his Naina. First, he missed her, then he was irriated, then annoyed, then frustrated of not being able to even talk to her, let alone see her. He had also ridden his bike in her colony a few times Saturday evening hoping to catch a glimpse of her in the market or in the balcony but to no avail, which angered him. On the contrary, Taiji had seen him and asked about his well-being. But now, he was only worried if something had happened to her. While conversing with Taiji, he had tried to coax out details, but a shrewd woman like her wouldn't divulge anything.

So finally, exasperated he had returned to ward off further suspicions. It was Sunday afternoon and he continued to pace around.

"Bhai, tu dou din se jis tarah iss kamre ke chakkar laga raha hai na, pakka yeh kamra, dou inch zameen mein dhans gaya hoga", Munna cracked a joke to cheer him up.

"Buss karo yaar tumlog, main mazaak ke mood mein bilkul nahi hoon. Buss bahut ho gaya....ab aur nahi. He picked up some random files that Munshiji had left on his desk 2 days earlier for his study, grabbed his bike keys, and started to leave, when Munna Pandit blocked his way.

"Kahan ja raha hai bhai?" Pandit asked.

"Naina ke ghar. Main ab aur intezaar nahi kar sakta. Dou din ho gaye hai. Na maine Naina ko dekha hai, na hi usse baat hui hai. Ab mujhe hi uske ghar jaake pataa karna hoga ki aakhir hua kya hai".

"Arre ruk ja bhai...itni kya jaldi hai. Sab theek hi hoga na. Ho sakta hai uske ghar mein mehmaan aa gaye ho, issiliye kaam nikal aaya ho", Munna tried to explain.

"Haan, Chenu sahi keh raha hai...waise bhi humne Pooja Didi ki shaadi ke waqt dekha tha na, unka lammmmmba chaudha khandaan. Koi na koi pakka ghar pe dharna de raha hoga". Pandit supported Munna's logic.

"Wo sab mujhe nahi pataa, mujhe buss usse milna hai, use dekhna hai". Sameer started to go again.

"Arre arre, ruk yaar...dekh Sameer, Tauji ne tujhe kabhi bhi ghar aane jaane ki chutt de rakhi hai iska matlab yeh nahi ki tu sach mein kabhi bhi wahan chala jaaye. Tu ne kaha na ki kal bazaar mein tujhe O Bai mili thi....tu soch agar unhe shaq ho gaya toh lene ke dene pad jaayenge. Waise bhi O bai... zaroorat se zyaada hi sochti hai. Tu soch agar unhe zara si bhi bhanak padi toh Naina ka kya haal karengi", Munna tried to reason out.

Hearing Munna's words that his impulsive actions might put Naina in trouble, Sameer threw the files on the floor and retreated to sit on the bed with his head in hands. After a second, he looked up, "Toh kya karoon yaar...Dil mein ajeeb si bechaini ho rahi hai. Na Naina khud mujhe phone kar rahi hai, na mera phone utha rahi hai. Usse baat kiye bina kaise rahoon main?" Sameer pleaded.

"Arre tu fikr kyon karta hai....Naina ke baare mein pataa lagane ke aur bhi tareeke hai". Munna assured and wiggled his eyebrows.

He got up and dialed Swati's number. Upon hearing her voice, Munna forgot everything and started romancing "Kaisa hai mera frockwala Pandit. Kal se miss raha tha tumhe. Ab aawaz sun li toh dil mein thandak pad gayi..." Swati smiled and blushed on the other end.

While Sameer just pursed his lips, Pandit came and poked Munna and reminded him "Yaar, apna prem granth baad mein likh lena, pehle bhai ke prem rog ke baare mein soch. Naina ke baare mein pooch".

Munna recalled his purpose "Haan...aye Swati, tumhari Naina se koi baat hui, wo college bhi nahi aayi aur na hi usne Sameer ko phone kiya hai. Sab theek hai na uske ghar par?"

"Pataa nahi Munaa, meri bhi Naina se koi baat nahi hui. Mujhe laga college nahi aaayi toh pakka phone karegi, notes ke liye, par nahi kiya. Issliye main hi abhi use phone karne wali thi", Swati informed.

"Achcha...teri baat bhi nahi hui. Toh ek kaam kar, tu use phone mat kar, seedha ghar chali ja, aur usko bol ki Sameer se baat kar le, bhai bahut pareshan ho rakha hai", Munna instructed her and she agreed.

Late afternoon, Swati came to meet Naina. Although she had managed her outer composure for her family, one look in her eyes and Swati knew something was drastically wrong. Her lifeless dead eyes conveyed it all.

"Tujhe bachpan se jaanti hoon main Naina, Kya hua hai bata?" Swati and Preeti were the only two confidantes since her childhood who knew every single minute of her life.

After little prodding and promising that she would not divulge any details to any of the boys, especially Sameer, Naina told her everything and cried all over again due to her painful decision.

"Tujhse vaada kiya hai issliye kuch nahi bataungi kisiko, par yaad rakh Naina, parivaar hamesha saath nahi rehta, puri zindagi jeene ke liye pyar ka hi sahara chahiye hota hai, issliye tu jo kar rahi hai, sahi nahi hai, par teri dost hoon toh tera saath doongi".

The girls hugged in their trio and Swati left.

Finally, after much pondering and gathering immense courage, Naina called a completely frustrated Sameer at night.

He picked up on the first ring as he never let the phone out of his hand.

"Main bol rahi hoon".

"Naina..." and he finally blinked and let out a breath of relief on hearing her voice. All the frustration and anger melted away on hearing her soothing voice as if someone had breathed life into him again.

"Sameer, tumse baat karni hai, subah mandir aaoge na?" She asked him as it was Monday the following day.

Sameer immediately picked up the hitch in her voice. The usual love-filled tone was replaced by some unknown anxiety, which he couldn't place.

"Naina, tum theek toh ho na? Kab se wait kar raha tha? Na tum college aayi, na phone kar rahi thi na mera phone utha rahi thi".

When she didn't answer "Naina....please kuch bolo".

She heard the worry in his voice "Mandir aaoge na Sameer?" She asked again.

"Naina, jab se Ahmedabad aaya hoon, tumse mila hoon, aisa ek bhi Somvar nahi gaya, jab main mandir nahi gaya...jab main tumse durr jane ki koshish kar raha tha, tab bhi chup chup ke mandir mein tumhe dekhta tha. Aur tumhe pataa hai, Delhi mein bhi har Somvar ko Shivji ke madir jata tha, taaki tumhe apne kareeb mehsoos kar saku. Fir aaj yeh sawal kyon?"

"Wo...kuch baat karni hai".

"Toh bolo na..."

"Nahi...kal subah baat karenge, abhi so jao..."

"Naina, tumhari aawaz badli hui hai...kya hua hai batao....kaho toh abhi aa jaoon?"

Inadvertently she smiled, how important she was for him and how well he knew her. A slight change in her intonation and he knew, he had heard it.

She tried to sound cheerful "Nahi Sameer, abhi nahi...abhi so jao, kal ek nayi subah, naya din, nayi zindagi hogi, goodnight," and she hung up.

Sameer was confused even more. She hadn't talked properly, she didn't sound too ok, she neither said bye nor I love you. He wished he could go to her but it was too late and she had repeatedly asked him to not come, so he respected her wish and simply waited for the dawn to c***k.