Never Let You Go

Bachpan

Preeti kept a fake smiling expression on her face seeing all looking at her suspiciously... the way she got nervous and trying to avoid them, all understood she was hiding something from them... even from last few days her behavior makes them suspicious more...

Naina asked worriedly, "Preeti kya baat hai... tu yeh phone kyun nahin utha rahi... dekh koi baar baar phone kar raha hai... ho sakta hai kuchh jaruri baat ho" she said eyeing to her phone which was ringing continuously...

Preeti smiled widely, "arey yeh toh kisi call centre se aa raha hai... ignore kar na... vaise bhi Nanu wait kar rahe honge hum sab ka... chalte hai..."

She stood to go when Pandit hold her wrist firmly making her sit back, "kya baat hai Preeti... mein do din se dekh raha hoon tum thodi pareshaan si ho... jab se Mummy Papa se milkar aayi ho kuchh hai jo tumhein pareshaan kar raha hai lekin tum humein bata nahin rahi... aur tum yeh baar baar apna phone silent kyun kar rahi ho... tell me what happened..."

Naina too asked suspiciously, "even I also feel like this... tu toh kabhi apna phone switched off nahin karti lekin aaj kal aksar tera phone off hota hai... kuchh toh hai jo tu hum sabse chhupa rahi hai..."

Preeti trying to hide the matter smiled for him, "Pandit aisa kuchh nahin hai... aap log meri tension mat lo, I can handle it... aur phir kisi ki himmat nahin jo Preeti Mehta se panga le..." she laughed to divert their mind but gets quiet seeing their stern faces...

Pandit suddenly stood angrily, "fine... jab tum mujhe iss laayak hi nahin samajhti ki apni pareshaani share kar sako toh its okay... I will not ask again..."

He turned to go when Preeti hold his hand apologizing, "aisa nahin hai Pandit... tumhein nahin bataungi toh kise bataungi... it's just mein kisi ko pareshaan nahin karna chahti thi..."

Sameer watching quietly till now finally uttered, "Preeti, I know ki hum sab log tumse kuchh waqt pehle hi mile hai but now you are family for us... koi bhi mushkil ho hum sab tumhare saath hai... tum akeli nahin ho..." he tried assuring her thinking she might be feeling alone and hesitating to share her problem with them...

Naina also support him, "tu humein apna nahin samajhati kya jo aise parayo ki tarah baat kar rahi hai... bata kya baat hai kyunki maine bhi notice kiya hai kuchh dinon se tu baar baar apna phone off kar leti hai ya calls avoid karti rehti hai... koi pareshaan kar raha hai kya tujhe..." she assumed someone might be trying to molest her, finding her alone...

Preeti finally giving up sits holding Pandit's hand, "voh yeh phone kai dinon se aa raha hai... mujhe laga mein deal kar lungi lekin... I am sorry mujhe pehle hi bata dena chahiye tha lekin nahin bata paayi..." she stopped looking down knowing how much her friends will feel hurt knowing that she hid this matter from them for so many days...

All remain quiet waited for her to speak further... she looked at Pandit who was still not convinced that the matter is just of a call... before he asked further, she herself revealed, "yeh call Jaipur se aa raha hai... mere Papa ki family wale chahte hai ki mein unse milne aau..."

Sameer finding it weird asked, "haan toh ismein problem kya hai... ho sakta hai voh apni galit par regret ho aur tumse maafi maang kar tumhein family ka hissa banana chahte ho..." he heard from Pandit that how her parent family disown her parents long back...

Preeti smiled sarcastically, "kaash aisa hota toh shayad mein bhi ek baar unhein maaf kar deti... apne liye na sahi par apne parents ke liye kyunki mujhe yaad hai kaise mere parents apni family ke liye taraste the... jab mere papa ne meri mummy se inter-cast marriage ki toh mere grandfather ne unhein ghar se nikaal diya tha... tab se kabhi hum log unse nahin mile... maine toh un logon ki shakal tak nahin dekhi kabhi..."