Aashna, Heet, and Prisha all were silently sitting in front of Naina, they didn't know what solution they should discern to pull back their best friend out of this tangle of forced marriage. They knew how much Naina loved Vivaan, and through which struggle and complications She had gone for him. They really wanted to vanish the warm liquid which was framing her beautiful eyes. They wanted to let her know that tears just make a person feel weak and defeated...and She is a strong girl. She can kick off all the problems and burdens with a brave smile on her face.
"Tujhe shadi nahi karni...par tujhe karni padh rahi hai because of your mom dad?" Heet asked her with a confused face, and Naina immediately nodded her head in agreement.
"Iska toh ekdum simple solution hai re...don't give attention to your fiance, usko ignore kar, uske calls late utha...us se romantic baatein karne ki jagah use bore kar tu bakwas suna ke...make him feel that you are not interested in him. Dekhna tu ek hafte ke andar woh khud yeh rishta tod denga...Yeh Heet Shobhawat ki guarantee hain." He said with a proud smile, and The trio looked at him in disquiet.
"Agar usne yeh baat sabko bata di toh?" Prisha asked him with raised eyebrows.
"Arey I know boys yaar, woh log aisi baatein nahi batate because of their male ego. Agar un logo ne aisi baatein batayi toh sab kya sochege ladke ko ignore mara ladki ne...aisa kya kiya hoga isne jo ladki ne isko bhaav hi nahi diya. So don't worry, he will not say anything." Heet sounded too confident and firm about his idea, but Naina didn't want to hurt Sameer's feelings by avoiding him, but isn't it a better option rather than spending her whole life as a so-called wife of him? At least their life will be saved from getting ruined completely.
"Par main kyu hurt karu Sameer ko? Uski kya fault hai?" Naina asked her childhood friend with an unsettled expression.
"Toh teri bhi kya fault hai? Tu kyu kar rahi hai itna bada compromise? If agar tu yeh rishta abhi nahi todegi na toh aage jake aur hurt hoga Sameer ko...aur tujhe bhi, don't delay this matter further. Jo ban pata hai tujhse woh kar, but don't try to adjust with your life." Heet placed his hand on her shoulder in a friendly manner, and his eyes seemed genuinely concerned for her state.
"Hmm...2 din baad function hai unke ghar, unhone mujhe red lehenga pehen ne kaha hai." She said with a weak face, and Aashna suggested - "Perfect, don't wear red lehenga...koi dusra colour pehen le, is se Sameer gussa ho jayega and he will find you an irresponsible person."
"But he will feel bad. I don't want to hurt him because of my problem." Naina defy to approve their suggestion, and Prisha said in a soft voice - "I know...we are doing wrong with that poor guy, but agar tu uski hopes badhayegi uski saari baatein maan kar then it will become more difficult for you to call off this engagement. That's why we want you to do everything opposite to his words."
"Prisha is right, kisi ko false hopes dene se acha unhe starting se hi aisa feel karwao that you aren't meant for them. It will give them less pain." Heet spoke philosophically, and Naina was in deep confusion. She wasn't able to understand why, irrespective of disliking Sameer, she didn't want to give him a little sorrow intentionally.
"Ok, I will try." She uttered, with a disoriented face.
"Good Job...don't worry, sab theek ho jayega. We are with you." They hugged her gently, and Naina felt a little better.
"Tum sab parsu subah ready hoke aa jana mere ghar...and Prisha, you have to come to my place tomorrow night. Mummy ne tujhe meri mehendi nikal ne ka order diya hai." Naina informed them with a plain face, and Prisha readily nodded her head in approval.
"Done jaaneman...main kal raat aa jaugi." Prisha patted her cheek.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Sameer clicked a picture of his dinner, and sent it to his fiance with a caption - "Can't wait to have my favourite gravy wali sabzi from your hands."
Naina opened the snap disinterestedly, and the tomato gravy with a thick coating of butter looked pleasing to the eye.
She was going to write 'Tempting' when suddenly She remembered she has to avoid Sameer for the sake of their better future. She restrained her fingers, and pushed away her phone in annoyance. For the first time in life she had ignored someone purposely, there wouldn't be someone as selfish as hers in this world. She is hurting him for her benefits, but she wasn't left with any other option. She didn't have the heart to inflict anguish on her already broken-hearted parents, they have been through a lot of difficulties because of her.
"Log kehte hai tumhare paas degree hai, paisa hai, family hai, friends hai...sab kuch hai, but they don't know itna sab kuch hone ke bawjud mere paas sukoon nahi hai, mere paas khushiyon nahi hai...mere paas woh nahi hai jisse maine itna pyaar kiya tha...mere paas meri marzi nahi hai, despite having everything...I am the most poor girl in this world. For a child nothing is more difficult than seeing her/his parents crying because of them...meri zid ki wajah se mere mom dad ko itna embarrassed feel hua hai sabke saamne, it's all my fault, but how? I just loved someone so deeply and madly...I just committed a beautiful mistake of trusting a guy like Vivaan." Naina cried her heart out in grief, and buried her face in the soft pillow to conceal her screeching noise.
She didn't realise when she fell asleep while weeping. Her slumber was disturbed by the sound of her phone, and she sluggishly attended the call, only to hear a masculine voice whispering her name - "Hey Naina."
"Umm Hi." She replied in a low voice.
"How are you?" He asked her in a soft voice.
"I am good...you?" Naina questioned.
"I am good too, had dinner?" Sameer lay his head on the pillow.
"Yeah, what about you?" She asked him, while rubbing her heavy eyes.
"Yes done, photo bheja tha na maine...tumne dekha nahi?" He asked her in a perplexed tone.
"Umm haan dekha tha." Naina said meekly.
"Caption padha tha?" Sameer asked her excitedly.
Naina massaged her forehead in annoyance, and replied - "Yes padha tha."
"Good, so kya kar rahi ho?" He asked her lovingly.
"Kuch nahi...aap batao?" She replied to him with a hint of boredom in her tone.
"Main toh just fresh hoke aaya hoon, socha tumse baat kar loon thodi der...So rahi thi kya tum?" He asked her in an uneasy tone.
"Haan, woh kab aankh lag gayi pata hi nahi chala." Naina said in a tender voice, she was trying to answer him in an unexciting way, but his gentleness towards her was gripping her tongue tightly from hurting his heart.
"Oh...so abhi bhi neend aa rahi hai, ya hum thodi der baat kar sakte hai?" Sameer asked her in a gentle voice.
"No, it's fine...bolo?" She replied.
"Umm parsu tum humare ghar aaogi pehli baar...so gift me kya chahiye hai?" He asked her in a husky voice, and turned on the other side of the bed, while keeping his head below the palm.
"I don't want any gift." Naina said in a stern voice.
"Why? Don't you love gifts?" Sameer asked her in a low voice.
"Not really." She replied.
"But fir bhi...I am your fiance, I should give you something. Acha, tell me, do you love personalised gifts?" He asked her with a nervous smile, and She let out an annoying sigh.
"Little bit." Naina said simply.
"What do you like? I mean anything specific?" Sameer questioned her enthusiastically.
"Aapko jo acha lage woh de dena. It's fine." She replied to him in a dull voice.
Sameer - "Kya yaar...kuch toh pasand hoga tumhe sabse jyada?"
Naina - "Sameer, please...mujhe bahut headache hai, don't ask me difficult questions."
Sameer - "I am sorry, mujhe nahi pata tha...ok I will make a beautiful hamper for you of personalised things. Is it fine?"
Naina - "Hmm...yeah. No problem."
Sameer - "Medicine li?"
Naina - "I will take after some time."
Sameer - "Ok ok...take rest, tumhara mood nahi lagta hai baat karne ka. I will hang up."
Naina - "Umm aisa nahi hai."
Sameer - "Really? Tumhari voice se pata chal raha hai Naina, it feels like I am torturing you with my talks."
Naina - "Headache hai isliye maybe aapko aisa lag raha ho."
Sameer - "Shayad, anyway...tum so jao, we will talk tomorrow, take care of yourself."
Naina sighed in relief, and immediately said - "Good Night, take care. Bye."
Sameer - "Hmm Bye."
He looked at the disconnected call with a melancholic face, and decided to talk with Bhavin about this issue.
"Bol mere yaar?" His best friend instantly attended his call, and greeted him in his usual perky tone.
"I want to tell you one piece of good news." Sameer said with a broad smile.
"What? Don't tell me you're pregnant?" Bhavin spoke in a sarcastic way, and both of them laughed.
"Shut up man, I am getting engaged the day after tomorrow." He said in a boyish tone, and his enthusiastic friend couldn't stop hollering in excitement.
"What the fuck...You are getting engaged? Really? Wow, congratulations buddy...I am so happy for you. Kaun hai woh bata bata? Bhabhi ka naam kya hai?" Bhavin asked him with a lopsided smile, and Sameer lowered his head in shyness.
"Her name is Naina, and She is a fashion designer." He said lovingly.
"Amazing, tujhe pasand hai?" Bhavin asked him in a soft voice.
"Yeah...bahut. She is very beautiful, bilkul jaisi mujhe chahiye thi waisi hi hai." Sameer replied to him with a sweet smile.
"Acha hai bhai...Mubarakan, ab toh daru party banti hai." Bhavin voiced out his wish to have a beer celebration, and His friend said zestfully - "Pakka Bhai...ek baar yeh God dhana ho jaye, uske baad pure hafte we will have a daru party."
"Shabbash Bro...ab bata kya kaam hai?" He asked him.
"Tujhe kaise pata?" Sameer was shocked.
"Bhai hoon tera yaara...samjh jata hoon main ki tujh kameene ko mere se koi kaam nikalwana hoga isliye call aaya hai itni raat ko." Bhavin said with a sweet smile, and Sameer was overwhelmed to have such an understanding friend.
"Thank You Bro, actually Naina na bahut silent type ladki hai, zyada bolti nahi...hasti nahi, I don't know kaise use cheer up karu. So koi idea?" He asked him with a restless expression, and Bhavin was silent for a few minutes to find out a successful plan for his friend, which can help him to impress his fiance.
"Bhai dekh...ladki ya toh bolti nahi ya fir chup hi nahi rehti, aur jo zyada bolti hai woh dimag kha jati hai, aur jo nahi bolti woh dimag kharab kar deti hai...ab isme hum ladko ko hoshiyari dikhani padhti hai...so Try to win her heart, uski feelings ko samjhne ki koshish kar, efforts le uske face pe smile lane ke liye...take her on a romantic date. Trust me Bro, bhabhi khush ho jayegi." Bhavin shared a useful idea with his helpless friend, and mentally patted his shoulder for being so intelligent.
Sameer exhaled out deeply, and said in a frustrated tone - "Yaar main efforts le raha hoon, yeh do din me maine hi use humesha calls aur messages kiye hai...aur humesha maine hi topics dhundhi hai baat karne ke liye bhi. I know She is an introverted person, but now She is my fiance. She should try to be a little comfortable with me. Kaunsa maine uske saath double meaning wali baatein ki hai jo use mere saath comfortable feel nahi ho raha? I have two sisters, and I know how to respect girls, even though I am a young and well-mannered man. I have some desires and requirements, and I want my partner to understand them without me telling her."
"Oh bhai keep your desires under control filhal...don't make my Bhabhi feel uncomfortable around you, warna main tera football se muh tod dunga." Bhavin warned his friend in a stern voice, and Sameer let out a deep breath.
"Yeah ok...I will try." He said simply.
"Good For You." Bhavin uttered, in a rude way.
"Chal I am sleeping now. Good Night bro." Sameer said boringly.
"Good Night Bhai, and once again congratulations...parsu aauga tere ghar bhabhi se milne." Bhavin spoke with enthusiasm in his tone, and Sameer just hummed in response.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Divisha, Prachi, Prema, a few neighbours, and friends of Varsha were packing the stuff which was supposed to be taken tomorrow morning at Ranawat's house. Divisha was enthusiastically placing the ferrero chocolate boxes inside the tray of goods. Varsha was filling the empty decorated containers with almonds, pistachio nuts, cashew nuts, raisins, walnuts, apricots, and charoli. Prachi was shooting the entire scene with a delightful smile, and her mother glared at her for not helping them with their work. Prema was astonished at seeing the number of expensive perfumes, and other stuff getting wrapped in the shining paper. She couldn't take her eyes off the beautiful designer lehenga and blouse probably bought for Naina's sister-in-laws, the gota patti saree seemed too exorbitant and heavy. Divisha stared at her greedy mother in anger, and Prema started to organise the cones of mehendi in the wooden basket. The entire house was loaded with countless bits and pieces.
Prisha came inside with an astonished face, and her eyes looked as large as saucers. She touched the feet of Varsha, and said - "Aunty Ji itna sab kya hain?"
"Beta yeh sab samaan kal Naina ke sasural le jana hai." She replied to her with a wide smile, and Prisha couldn't believe a person has to arrange so many things for just one function.
"Acha I see...Naina apne room me hai?" She asked the busy lady in a soft voice, and Varsha nodded her head hurriedly.
Prisha somehow managed to go inside the room of her best friend, and Naina was talking with her fiance in a mechanical way. She didn't seem to be listening to what Sameer was speaking from the other side, her facial expression looked dull and colourless. Prisha gently tapped on her shoulder, and Naina turned back to her in an alarmed way, and took a sigh of relief. She hugged her tightly, and said - "Thank God tu aagayi."
"Naina?" Sameer took her name impatiently.
"Yeah I am listening to you." Naina replied to him softly.
"Haan, so what I was saying, don't forget to wear red lehenga tomorrow. Please." He said in a husky voice, and She wasn't able to refuse him.
"Ok." Naina uttered, in a low voice.
"Acha suno...I will talk to you tomorrow, mujhe mehendi nikalwane baithna hai." She said after a minute, and Sameer recommended her - "Why tomorrow? Abhi sirf 10:30 baje hai, your mehendi will be dried in one hour...so you can call me after 12:00. Ok?"
"But kal subah jaldi uthna hai mujhe." Naina said with an uneasy face, and Prisha could feel how stressfully her friend was talking with her fiance.
"Alright, we will talk tomorrow. Good Night Naina...take care, and jaldi aana kal. I am waiting." Sameer spoke with a cue of eagerness in his tone, and Naina said meekly - "Sure, take care...Good Night."
They both cut the call, but one was reluctant and gloomy, and the other one was feeling better. Naina sat down on the bed, and Prisha placed the pillow on her lap, took her hand gently, and began to draw intricate designs on her soft palm. They didn't talk much, because Naina was lost in her thoughts which were revolving only around Sameer, and tomorrow's important event for their relationship. She tried to control her emotions, but tears descended out of her depressed eyes, and Prisha emphatically stared at her friend, who looked completely miserable.
"Mat ro itna...everything will be fine." Prisha said in a convincing tone.
"Nothing will be fine now yaar, sab itne khush hai is rishte se ki ab main chah kar bhi mana nahi kar paugi. Only a miracle can save me from this forced marriage. Sameer is so good and caring, no doubt...but I can't feel anything for him. I can't feel what I felt for Vivaan, it's impossible for me to love someone else the way I did to him." Naina spoke with an expression of disappointment on her face, and a sign of dread in her tone.
She looked at the pattern of flowers in her sweaty palm with a crestfallen visage, and continued sharing her grief - "Yeh mehendi, yeh red lehenga, yeh sari taiyariyaan...yeh sab 6 mahine pehle bhi hua tha, and us time I was very happy because I was getting married to my first love. Now it seems like a burden, a responsibility which I have to fulfill being a girl...I know I shouldn't hurt my parents and Sameer, but what about me? Sabse zyada hurt in sab me main ho rahi hoon...har pal darr me rehti hoon, ghutan hoti hai mujhe yeh sari chizein dekh kar...I don't want to repeat all the things again jo pehle se ho chuki hai Vivaan ke saath...This God Dhana rasam is nothing but a forced ritual thrown upon my head. I am really fed up yaar."
"Tera rona kab band hoga Vivaan ko lekar? Ruk ek minute I will show you something." Prisha angrily unlocked her phone, and revealed a shirtless picture of Vivaan, with a few modern girls around him. The background was painted with a beach, this image would probably be taken at Goa. Naina looked at him with a bubble of tears wrapping in her downcast eyes, and Prisha said - "Dekh tere hero ko...roz party ya mana raha hai, roz uski new pictures aa rahi hai social media. Babe, he is happy in his life...tu kyu uske peeche khud ka mind kharab kar rahi hai?"
"Don't think about him for god's sake, use koi zarurat nahi hai teri. He never wanted to marry you, it was you who wanted to marry him and live happily ever after. Usne bas humesha tere paise aur background se pyar kiya hai, and when your parents refused to accept their never ending demands. He cut all the ties with you, jaise tum dono ke beech kabhi kuch tha hi nahi." Prisha spoke with a worried face, and Naina knew her friend was right.
"Tu sahi keh rahi hai. I have hurt myself enough, meri wajah se kitne log depressed hue hai. Now I won't give them a chance of getting sad...I will be happy, for my family, for my parents, for my loving brother and bhabhi...for my friends. Yes, I will not cry anymore. Bahut hogaya dukhi aatma ban kar...I will change myself. I will try to accept my fate, my new family, and I will accept Sameer as well if needed...but ab aur khud ko pain nahi dungi." Naina spoke with a new developed confidence in her tone, and Prisha was so zealous at seeing the change in her friend.
"That's like my Naina, chal ab no rona dhona...and sirf khush rehna. Ok?" Prisha placed a warm kiss on her fingertips, and Naina pulled a touchy smile on her lips.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
"Haan Naina, kitna time lagega?" Sameer was asking Naina in a loud voice, as He wasn't able to hear anything because of the number of guests gossiping amongst each other continuously.
"5 Minute." She replied simply.
"Oh acha theek hai...come soon. Bye." He immediately cut the call, and informed his mother - "Woh log 5 minute me aa rahe hai, dhol walo ko niche jaa ke keh deta hoon ki taiyar rahe."
Anita just nodded slightly, but somewhere her brain was wondering why her son was doing so much for a normal girl? Why did he organize dhol wale, videographer, photographer, and a few dancers to welcome his soon to be wife? It's not that He was getting married to his childhood love or something, so why so much excitement? She brushed away her irrelevant thoughts, and smiled at seeing Sameer pleased.
Everyone came down from the lift, and Reha seemed the most exhilarated person out of everyone. She was rehearsing her dance steps, until the white car moved inside the steel gate. Sameer nervously folded the sleeves of his crisp silk kurta, and looked at his in-laws' family pushing themselves out of the car. Everyone was dressed beautifully, no doubt, but where was his girl? He thought desperately, but soon his anxious eyes were blessed with an alluring figure stepping down on the ground with hesitant expressions. He breathed in deeply as he saw Naina bedecked in a deep velvety red blouse and lehenga, with a thin embroidery of soothing colours on her dupatta. Her young slender figure could fascinate any male, and her eminent dainty lips were arresting. She walked ahead, her rose beige complexion gleaming enticingly under the warm heat of sunlight. She was someone who possessed unrivalled beauty, an enthralling personality, and enrapturing smile. Sameer was thrilled the moment her soft eyes looked at his burning coal ones, and aroused the desire of kissing her porcelain skin...her delicate hands were coloured in a crimson shade, and the waistband looked appealing to his eyes, which were already parched due to the flames of her hotness.
The deafening, energetic tone of drumsticks coerced everyone to sprang their feet on the ground, and Naina looked at them in thorough amazement. The unfamiliar audience was dancing around her enthusiastically, and vivacious Reha forcefully pulled her closer to Sameer, and raised her henna cladded hands in the invisible air in a Bhangra Style. Naina endeavoured to do a few basic steps, to prevent herself from embarrassment...but the deep intense temperature of her fiance's eyes frightened her moderately. He didn't touch her, but his strong gaze was enough to crush down her confidence. Pihu was looking deliciously cute in a baby pink sharara dress, and a soft smile adorned on her lips as her father pushed her upwards in the wind, and caught her safely in his protective hands. She giggled carelessly, and Nikunj placed a kiss on her roly-poly cheeks. The atmosphere was filled with the music of Nagada and Punjabi Mashup Songs, and everybody showed their dance skills without hesitation. The people of Sunshine Society were looking down at the crazy relatives of Sameer, who were swaying their bodies in enthusiasm.
Naina hesitantly went closer to Sameer's ear, and asked him in a loud voice - "Yeh sab kiske liye kiya aapne?"
"Tumhari khushi ke liye...Pasand aaya?" Sameer replied to her in a soft voice, and She nodded her head in yes.
"Pehli baar ghar aa rahi ho tum humare...swagat toh swag se karege na." He winked at her, with a fond smile.
To be continue...
How was the update?
Any favourite scene or dialogue?