Author's POV:
Shaharyar got up with a back pain in the morning. He was not habituated to sleeping on tight mattress like this.
"Kya hua?" Noor asked.
"Back pain.. Aadat nahin hain na aise gaddo pe sone ki.." He answered.
"Hmm.. Ek kaam karo those side stretches and bends karlo, aaram milega.." Noor adviced.
"Tum thik ho? Tumhe pain nahin ho raha?"
Noor chuckled at that.
"Nahin.. Mujhe to hospital ke sofa pe sone ki aadat hain to yeh to phir bhi mattress hi hain. I am fine.."
"Waah.. Matlab tumhara back bhi bilkul tumhari tarah hi hain, rough and tough.."
Noor smiled.
##
There was a fair in the village. And everyone was too excited for it. Mahaa asked Noor and Shaharyar to join them too. Shaharyar refused at first but Noor for some was really excited to visit the fair. At last Shaharyar too accepted to the proposal.
They entered the fair and Maheem ran with Mahaa to the stalls.
"Noor tum bhi chalo?" Minal asked Noor.
"Ji appi, chale.."
Noor walked off with Minal.
Shaharyar, Sarmad and Saad thought to just roam around the field. Saad and Sarmad went off to play with the boys and asked Shaharyar too but he disagreed.
Shaharyar looked around the stalls one by one. When he suddenly he came to a jewelry stall. He saw a small cute pair of 'jhumkis'.
"Bhaijaan, yeh kitne ke diye?"
"Ye tees rupye, behen ji.."
"Are thoda to dekhle, thoda kam kar de na.."
"Behen ji, kam hi hain, aur kam nahin ho payega.."
"Are main khud school mein pad rahi hoon, itne paise main apko kahan se dun.. Thoda kam kar de na.."
"Accha theek hain, bees ke de dijiye..."
The jhumkis were too cute. Noor didn't have the heart to let them go. Noor was never fond of jewelries but she had a different kind of fascination for jhumkis and anklets. She had a collection of them. She bought them for twenty.
"Aur yeh payal.. yeh kitne ki?"
"Yeh dono milake tees rupaye.."
"Accha chale bees mein de dijiye.."
After bargaining with the vendor for quite a while, she took them in twenty-five. She was happy, very happy. Shaharyar was amused looking at the scene because this was the first time he had seen her buy a piece of jewelry and get so excited about it. He smiled to himself when he saw her contended face.
Shaharyar looked at the jhumkis hanging in front of him.
"Bhaijaan, yeh wala ek de dijiye.."
He looked at them. They were small, pretty and cute, just like she liked them. He then looked at the anklets and chose a pair from them.
"Aur yeh bhi de dijiye saath mein.."
He took the packet and put them at the back pocket of his jacket. He went to find Saad and Sarmad.
"Appi..." Noor called out to Mahaa and Minal who were standing at her front.
"Haan Noor... Kuch chahiye?"
"Woh... woh...mujhe golgappe khane hain.."
Noor said looking at them with an extremely cute look on her face. Mahaa and Minal smiled looking at her.
"Are neki aur puch puch, chalo chalo.."
Saying so they all went to the golgappa stall near to them.
"Tumhe golgappe kaise pasand hain Noor?"
"Teekhe.."
"Theek hain.."
They ordered for six plates and the vendor greeted Shaharyar meeting him after many years. Shaharyar too greeted him with a smile. He introduced Noor too. Noor greeted him who greeted her back. As the vendor started to serve golgappe, Shaharyar and Noor were the ones having the most, as if they haven't had them for years.
Shaharyar was full with the twenty second one but Noor was with the next one without any difficulty. Shaharyar was surprised to see that. He ate one more before he started to cough. Noor looked at him stopping to eat and patted his back.
"Bhai, pani deejiye.."
She made have some water.
"Take some deep breaths."
Shaharyar did so and soon he calmed down.
"Theek hain aap?"
Shaharyar looked at Noor's eyes surprised at the amount of concern in her voice. He slightly nodded at her.
"Tu theek hain? " Mahaa asked.
He again nodded. She ruffled his hairs while Minal patted his back.
"Chalo chalte hain.."
"Hum boating karne chale.. Please.." Saad said being the overexcited one.
All chuckled looking at him.
"Haan chal.. Yeh sab karne ka majaa toh ek saath hi aata hain.."
He went near Noor. "Dekh pata hain, paani ke paas jaa rahe hain par tu machli ke tarah tadap mat jana aur doobki lagane ki toh sochna bhi mat warna teri shamat aayegi.."
Noor chuckled..
"Chal hatt..tu enjoy kar.. Main dekhlungi.."
"Issi baat ka toh daar hain ki tu dekh legi.."
"Teri toh.."
Saad run away from there.
Shaharyar looked at the girl who was seated a little away from him on the boat with her eyes closed. A soft smile playing on her lips. The sun was going to set and the yellow-orange hue that fell on her face made her look more beautiful. The hair strands falling on her face and the smile she wore was the best jewelry.
He shifted a little closer to her and she opened her eyes and looked at him. He smiled at her and she too reciprocated with a small one. She took out something from her pocket and forwarded to him.
"Aapke favorite toffees.."
He looked at her surprised. How did she know about this? It had been years he had any of them. He took some from her without any question.
"Shukriya.."
She nodded and continued looking at the front.
"Waise tumne aakhein kyun band kar rakhi thi?"
"Woh... Woh mujhe.. Gehre paani se dar lagta hain.." She answered.
"Aur aankhein bandh karke jo andhera dikhta hain woh.. Usse dar nahin lagta.."
She chuckled humorlessly.
"Andhera toh mera best friend hain, na main kabhi usse dur ja sakti hun, na woh kabhi mujhse dur jayega.."
"Noor, Shaharyar.. Aajao.."
"Aaye Appi.. Chaliye.."
Shaharyar sat there confused. He wanted to ask her more but as always she ran away.
##
"Maami mera toh bahut mann hain rehne ka par kya kare.."
Noor said to Shaharyar's mother who was upset on the fact they were leaving on the second night itself.
"Aap chinta na kare, shaadi khatam hone ke baad main phir aaungi.. aur zyada din reh ke jaungi.."
"Chal joothi, yeh baatein na tu hamesha kehti hain jaane se pehle.. Phir na tu milti hain aur na hi yeh.."
She said pointing at Shaharyar, "Isse toh jaise yahan aane se hi chid hi machti hain.. Waise toh kabhi iski shakal hi nahin dikhti, tere saath hi Jo aata hain aur thode din reh ke hi chala jaata hain.."
Noor looked at Shaharyar in disbelief. Was he still the same? Did her efforts didn't do anything? He still kept a distance from his family. Shaharyar continued making a hole on the floor with his eyes.
"Agli baar zaroor aungi, aur agar main nahin bhi aayi toh bhi yeh zaroor aayenge.."
Shaharyar looked at her in shock while the other smiled sadly and disappointed.
"Bas ab naraaz na hoye, hum ne kahan hain na aayenge iss baar.."
"Accha chal thik hain, iss baar jaane de rahe hain.. "
"Dhyaan se jana beta.. Aur pohuchte hi phone karna.." Said Shaharyar's father patting each of the three's heads.
After the emotional farewell, they settled on the jeep.
"Bhai, raat ko jaane ka idea itna accha nahin hain.. Kal jaaye kya?"
"Nahin Saad, meri ek important meeting hain. Main miss nahin kar sakta.."
"Par woh itni baar keh raha hain toh maan lete hain na.." Noor said.
"Tum dono bas ek dusare ki hi tarafdaari karte raho.."
After that no one said nothing. The car was fine until suddenly it started with its bumpy rides and stopped all of a sudden in the middle of a deserted road.
"Yeh.. Yeh kya hua?"
"Lagta hain kuch problem hain.. Main check karta hoon.. "
Shaharyar got out of the jeep and opened the bonnet. The road was too dark. No person could be seen. And tonight even the moon was also not in its full beauty. Shaharyar was about to switch on his phone's flashlight when he was intoxicated. He let out a whimper.
Noor looked up from the phone's screen but before she could comprehend anything she too was intoxicated along with Saad.
After an hour,
Shaharyar and Saad were in the conscious state but Noor was still unconscious. Both of their heartbeats were raised looking at her. There was one guard at the door and others were outside.
Noor slightly opened her eyes and the two boys took a sigh of relief.
"Saad, hum kahan hain yaar.. Aur yeh.. Mere haath.." Noor asked still not able to open her eyes fully due to the drug's effect.
"Noor, we are kidnapped. Humein yahan bandh ke rakha gaya hain.."
"What?? Kidnapped??"
"Yes.."
Noor looked at Shaharyar in anger.
"Iss liye kehte hain doorghatna se der bhali.. Par nahin aapko kahan sunni hain hamari baat.."
"Ab mujhe thodi hi pata tha ke gunda humein kidnap kar lenge.."
"Phir bhi, phir bhi apni galti nahin manni hain aapko"
"Haan toh, waise toh tumhari instincts bohat powerful hoti hain.. Ab kaam nahin kiye kya.."
"Aap.. Flashlight jalake bahar nahin nikal sakte the.."
"Haan.. Accha hain.. Yeh karlo pehle.." Said Saad who was irritated. The other two looked at him confused.
"Kya hain yaar, kidnap hue pare hain wahin kaafi nahin hain, ab ladai bhi karni hain aap dono ko.. " Saad shouted.
"Aeyy chup karo tum log.. " the guard from the door shouted.
"Dekha tumhari chik chik ke wajah se ab guard bhi alert ho gaya hain.."
"Haan toh, aapko pehle kuch sochna chahiye tha na jab main behosh thi.. "
"Yaar, chup karo yaaar... Please, aur nikalne ka idea socho, kya filmy couples ke tarah lade ja rahe ho.." Saad said.
"Par, humein bandh ke rakha kyun hain?" Noor asked.
"Wahin toh, abhi tak unko humare saare paise- waise mil chuke honge.."
"Unhe pata chal gaya hoga ki hum aise waise ghar ke nahin hain aur iss liye planning kar rahe shayad.." Shaharyar answered.
"Ho sakta hain.."
They kept quiet for some time thinking all the possible solutions.
"Oo Bhai, yahan bandh ke kyun rakha hain, haan? Himmat hain toh khol ke dikhayo.." Noor shouted towards the guard.
Both the boys looked at her in shock. What's wrong with her?
"Ayy.. Kya kahan? Jyada zabaan chal rahi hain?"
"Ji nahin.. Dekhe humein bhuk lagi hain, humein ghar jaane de.. Waise bhi yahan bithake aap log kar hi kya rahe hon?"
"Yeh pagal kar kya rahi hain, bhai?"
"Gumraah.."
"Haan haan bilkul, hum toh tum logon ko picnic pe laye hain, abhi toh party shuru hogi.."
"Accha ji, to pehle humare haath to khole.."
"Zaroor zaroor.."
Just as he opened her hands, she twisted his left hand and punched him right on his face. Shaharyar and Saad smirked.
"Galat panga le liya tune, bachega nahin tu.." Noor said in a dangerous tone.
As he was holding his nose, she punched on his stomach furiously. He fell down with a thud and that's when she took out the knife from his back pocket. She cut the ropes from the boy's hands.
As they turned they could see a gang of eight standing there.
One of them came forward and was about to hit Noor when she blocked his hand and kicked him right on his stomach as he fell backwards shrieking in pain.
Shaharyar and Saad came forward and now they were standing in a circle.
One goon came from the back towards Noor when Shaharyar blocked his way and punched on his face making him fall in the ground within a second.
Shaharyar's POV:
Two down, four more!
A man came to land a punch on Saad when he twisted his wrist and pulled him by his nape thrusting him into the ground.
As I turned to see, Noor was fighting with a goon and pressed the pressure points on the neck making him faint. Perks of being a doctor!
We again came together, when two goons came towards us at the same time. We kicked them on the stomachs while Noor punched them on the face. Aah! Their jaws. Must be broken.
Noor got hold of one's neck.
"Ab bol, kisne bheja hain.."
"Main nahin..."
She punched his nose too hard. Ouch!!
"Bata.."
"Hamid Sheikh..."
"Yeh purane dushman aur unke purane tactics.." Noor tsked..
All were on the ground. Finally! I dusted off the dirt from my clothes.
"That was really nice Noor. I am so proud of you.." I said appreciating her. She replied with a small thank you.
"I am proud of you too. You are fire everyday but today you were a blazing fire." Saad said and dropped a kiss on her forehead. Noor smiled.
"Let's go now." I said and started to leave when...
"Aahhh...." Noor screamed.
"Aahhh..." And now Saad. Okay! What's wrong?
I turned around to find Noor hanging on Saad's back. What???
"What's wrong with you guys?" I asked.
"Pata nahin bhai, iss ne chillaya toh maine bhi.."
I took a deep breathe. Calm down!
"Kya hua Noor?"
"Chu.. chu.. chuha.."
"Kya ??" I turned around to find a rat.
"Ahh..." Saad screamed his lungs out. Were they planning to make me deaf?
"Tumhe chuhe se dar lagta hain??"
She nodded looking at the rat with fear.
"Jis ladki ko maut se dar nahin lagta, use chuhe se dar lagta hain.. Interesting."
"Toh.. Death is inevitable par chuhe ko toh mein rok sakti hun na.." She answered.
I shook my head and turned around to shoo away the rat. But it went towards the crackheads who screamed again. I will tape their mouth now, I swear.
"Tum dono chillana bandh karoge?"
I again shooed the rat resulting it to climb on Saad's feet who was ready to faint and Noor had an horrific expression. They looked way too comical right now.. I laughed and tried to hide it.
Noor jumped down from Saad's back and due to sudden disbalance Saad fell on the ground. Noor climbed on the steel rack. That was it. I couldn't hold my laughter. I laughed so hard that I fell down on the ground holding my stomach. Noor, what was she? A monkey?
****
Here's the next one..
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