A short update dearies! Had written it yesterday but didn't finish editing. Now back to weekdays, so work!!! Vl try to update a part in the week! Till then enjoy the pain CVs r gonna dish out this week!
Part 24
Sameer was content looking at her in the rearview mirror but this time she obliged him by occasionally meeting her eyes devoid of any anger with his filled only with love. His happiness and satisfaction knew no bounds that she hadn't distanced herself from him.
On the drive from the temple to school, they were stopped on the way due to some nakabandi for alcohol smuggling into Gujarat.
"Sameer, police?"
"Tum fikr mat karo Naina, main hoon na! Jab tak main na kahu, bahar mat aana".
Inspector quite rudely to Sameer, "Kiski gaadi hai? Kahan se aa rahe ho? Kahan ja rahe ho? Chalo bahar aao!"
Sameer smiled with his usual his charm and got off the car quickly. Of course, he was slightly scared but didn't show his panic. "Sir, mera naam Sameer Maheshwari hai, main Mr. Jaiprakash Maheshwari ka naati hoon. Aur yeh gaadi Nanu ki hai".
The inspector was confused for a second before his eyes widened in surprise and delight "Tum Maheshwari Industries ke maalik Jaiprakashji ke naati ho?"
"Ji. Hum school ja rahe the sir! Par pehle kabhi iss raste pe nakabandi nahi dekhi".
"Haan, wo kuch sharab ki smuggling ka case hai...issliye checking karni padti hai. Tumhare paas gadi ke papers toh honge na aur license bhi". (80s and 90s was the time when alcohol smuggling in Gujarat was at its peak).
Sameer nodded and stretched in the car to get the required documents from the dashboard.
The car documents were in order in his Nanu's name but the license was a problem.
The inspector gave him an inquisitive look, "Sir wo main abhi satrah saal ka hoon na, toh sirf temporary learning license banvaya hai, jaise hi atharah ka ho jaunga, pakka wala license banwa loonga".
"Tum jante ho na, ki yeh special case hai, sabko aisa license nahi milta, shayad tumhare Nanaji ki pehchan ki wajah se mil gaya. Par gadi dhyan se chalana aur jaldi pakka license banva lena", the inspector warned him. (I am not sure about learning license in India like in USA & Europe, as I got a pakka wala at 20, so am taking some creative liberty).
"Aur tumhare saath yeh ladki kaun hai, tumhari behen hai?"
That was not even the last relation he would want to be associated to Naina, even if it meant easing out the current situation.
"Nahi sir, meri class mein padhti hai, wo uske haath pe chot lagi hai na...aur aap toh jante hai Nanu kitni samaj seva karte hai, toh iska ilaaj bhi Nanu karva rahe hai, toh main bhi buss madad kar raha tha".
"Wah...jaisa Nana waisa naati".
"Sir, ab hum chale? Hume school ke liye der ho rahi hai".
"Haan haan...aaram se chalana....aur Maheshwariji ko mera namaste kehna".
Sameer nodded, smiled and drove away quickly, and only then Naina let out her breath that she didn't know for how long she had been holding.
Sameer heard her breathe a sigh of relief quite audibly and read her questioning eyes.
"Waise main Nanu ka naam kabhi iss tarah istemaal nahi karta, par aaj zaroori tha, warna kabhi kabhi police bewajah pareshan karti hai. Aur unse yeh bhi nahi keh sakta tha ki tum meri kya ho, toh...".
He wanted to admit and shout out to the whole world how much he loved her and how much she meant to him that she was his life, but her respect and dignity were more important and he would do nothing ever to tarnish her name, especially if it meant saving her from her family's unnecessary bashings.
Naina was so surprised at his concern though somewhere she knew that he would do anything to protect her, but a policeman questioning would shake and frighten you at any age, especially if you are a naïve teenager.
They rode in peace for the rest of the way, with Naina gazing out the window and lost in her own thoughts. Sameer stole glances and though he couldn't actually see what she was thinking, the peace on her face calmed his jitters since last night.
They reached PVKM and he parked in the area allocated for dignitaries. He parked his bike in the student area, but students were not allotted car parking, it was reserved for teachers, principal and dignitaries. Since it was Nanu's car, he parked it will full confidence in the designated slot and chivalrously opened the door for her.
The students and some teachers were onlookers of the incident that embarrassed Naina from top to toe. Sameer noticed her change in demeanor and a look around gave him the idea of the surroundings and Naina's inhibitions. The top tips of her ears were a bright crimson and she felt the heat.
He enjoyed teasing her and had a bright idea to subtly declare to the world that she owned him in every way. So, before she could retrieve her bright orange school bag from the car, he leaped around her and got hold of both their bags.
"Chalein Naina?"
"Sameer, mera bag de do. Sab dekh rahe hai!"
He enjoyed it even more. "Nahi, yeh mera kaam hai toh main hi karoonga" and he started walking away leaving her no choice but to follow him.
She could hear the gasps and subtle audible "Ooooo....Hawwww....."
Some murmurs "dekh...Naina Sameer ki car mein aayi hai". "Arre car mein ane tak toh theek hai, par maharani ki tarah peeche baithkar aayi hai...jaise ki Sameer iska driver ho". "Arre, kitni lucky hai yaar....Sameer toh hamari taraf dekhta bhi nahi, aur iska toh bag bhi utha raha hai". "Haan yaar....Sameer ka dhyan apni aur kheenchne ke liye isne apna haath jala liya". "Pata nahi sach mein jala bhi hai ya nahi". "Wo jo bhi ho, maine toh suna hai aajkal Sameer iske ghar mein hi rehta hai". "Hawwww".
While he was enjoying the initial comments, the last ones were against Naina's respect as if she would stoop so low to gain a guy's attention. He just wanted to go and bash those students, girls and boys alike that not Naina but rather he was pining for her attention and he would gladly be her driver all her life and hold her bag if it meant she would look at him with love.
Naina noticed the change in his body language and as soon as she saw his fist clenching, she realized what he was going to do. Before he could act out of anger "Sameer....". He opened his eyes, looked at her calm face, she only shook her head slightly and he immediately calmed down. They walked to the class ignoring everyone in their path.
Swati was waiting for her and she hugged her careful not to hurt her more. Her eyes pooled "Sorry Naina, mujhe sukhravar raat ko hi achanak Baroda jana pada tha Mummy Papa ke saath, waha Buaji ke ghar par phone bhi nahi tha aur tujhe toh pataa hai na, Buaji toh ladkiyon ke bahar jane pe bhi aitraaz karti hai. Main na tujhse milne aa payi na tujhe phone kar payi. Tu kaisi hai ab? Tera haath kaisa hai? Doctor ne kya kaha? Mujhe pataa chala Sameer tere ghar par rehne aa gaya hai. Kya sach mein aisa hai?"
Naina too hugged her back and smiled at her friend's concern. "Itne sawal ek saath... main theek hoon, mera haath bhi theek hai. Doctor ne kaha hai, thoda waqt lagega par saare ghaav bhar jaayenge. Aur haan Sameer ab mere ghar par rehta hai, Papa ne use meri seva karne ke liye kaha hai jab tak main theek nahi ho jati".
She patiently answered all her questions and they went and sat at their usual seat. Sameer had already placed her bag on her usual bench.
Just then Munna Pandit entered the class and jumped seeing Sameer already there and shouted in unison "Sameer...." They hugged in their trio as if they were meeting after eons and not just last evening when they had met to see off Nanu.
"Kaisa hai yaar tu? Sab kuch theek toh hai na?" MP looked at Naina and didn't find her to be exceptionally angry. "Lagta hai Bhabhi maan gayi hai...gusse mein nahi lag rahi hai", Munna queried.
"Nahi yaar...aisa kuch nahi hai...haan par shayad kuch badal toh gaya hai kal shaam se". He still didn't know the reason behind her quiet and slightly cold attitude which was making him restless.
The bell rang and everyone settled down as Shanti teacher entered.
Looking at Naina, "Ab haath kaisa hai tumhara Naina?" She enquired with compassion.
Naina stood up, smiled and replied "Haath theek hai Miss".
"Naina, tum school aa toh gayi ho, par class mein jo kuch padhaya jaayega, wo likhogi kaise? Waise toh mujhe pataa ki tumhara dimaag bahut tez hai par sab kuch ek saath yaad rakhna mushkil hai".
"Nahi Miss, koi mushkil nahi, mere dost hai na, meri madad karne ke liye". She looked at Swati, who though not as clever as herself in studies, wasn't a bad student either and without Shanti teacher's notice, she stole a quick glance from the corner of her eye and since Sameer was looking only at her since she stood up to answer, her mention of friends was enough for him to understand that quietly she had included him and he fisted and slapped the air lightly under the bench. He was finally gaining ground and victory over her distrust. At least she started considering him as a friend.
Sameer wanted to prove that she wasn't wrong in including him in her list of true friends. He knew she would rely heavily on Swati for writing notes that she could use later but her best bet was Sanjay as they both usually competed for the top position. Although Sanjay was no threat anymore, it still didn't settle well with him that she would ask his help and that meant that he would have to be at his vigilant best in class and do what he had never done so far in his student life, Pay attention to every single thing in class and write elaborate notes that would match her caliber.
So, began his arduous task of paying complete attention and scribbling away rapidly, half in Hindi and half in English. He was an extrovert and didn't shy away from asking doubts and clarifying concepts since his Hindi was poor when it came to academic medium of education so that he could write apt notes.
Naina was really impressed at his effort and couldn't help but appreciate it in her heart. During break, when everyone was getting ready to go to the canteen, Swati whispered "Aaj Sameer class mein ekdum badla hua tha na...itna dhyaan toh kabhi nahi deta tha. Aaj toh aisa lag raha tha ki pure saal ki padhayee aaj hi kar lega". They both giggled and left the classroom, closely followed by SMP.
Preeti too excitedly joined them in the canteen but before reaching Naina, she came to Sameer and whispered closely, such that only SMP could hear "Toh Jijaji, mandir wali date kaisi rahi? Kuch baat hui meri behen se?"
"Date toh achchi thi...par kal ki koi baat nahi batayi usne". She saw the gleam in his eyes indicating a nice time.
"Koi baat nahi Jijaji...aap lage raho....ab Delhi jyaada durr nahi hai" and she winked and left, prompting him to understand the underlying meaning.
"Aye Sameer...yeh padosi kya bolke chali gayi yaar? Yeh Delhi kaun ja raha hai?" Asked a confused Pandit.
Sameer smirked coz he understood exactly what he had experienced all morning that Naina was softening big time and indeed they would be together soon.
"Mein pahuch raha hoon Delhi..." he slapped him on the back and slung another arm on a confused Munna's shoulder and they went to the canteen to gobble their fill of Samosas.
The boys settled themselves on the table adjacent to the girls. Naina filled an empty plate with 2 aloo parathas, took the plate and placed it on his table.
He was bewildered and looked at her. "Wo Chachiji ne tumhare liye bhi diya tha, extra dabba nahi tha toh mere dabbe mein hi pack kar diya".
He gazed at her with love-filled eyes! And he also knew that although Chachiji was a kind-hearted woman, packing some extra food for him would indeed be Naina's idea & she sneaked or convinced Chachiji to pack some extra of his favorite food. She cared for him & that showed she couldn't stop loving him. She went back to her table & started eating only after he broke a bite & chewed on it.
The taste reminded him of something & he broke another piece & then another. His eyes lighted in delight & happiness. He was such a bhukkad that he knew all the best food joints & their specialities all over the city of Ahmedabad as well as Nainital. So, how could he forget the taste of one of the best aloo parathas he had ever had & that too on the second day of his arrival when he was skeptical about life in general.
Yes, he was sure this was the same taste when he had sneaked a half paratha from someone's open tiffin & foresaken the rest of the canteen food to savor the taste. So, unknowingly even before they had met, destiny had paved the path for them to be meant as he had already shared food with his Naina, cementing their shaadiwala pyar even before it had all begun. He sent a silent prayer up.
Seeing him happily munch on the parathas, Pandit tried to steal a piece & Sameer slapped his hand away "Pandit, tu apna samosa kha, yeh paratha mein kisike saath share nahi karne wala".
"Yaar tu toh aise haq jama raha hai jaise Naina ne sirf tere liye hi banaya hai", retorted Pandit.
"Aye Ponga, Naina kaise banayegi? Wo toh ulte haath se apna bag tak utha nahi pa rahi hai, paratha kya peir se banayegi?" Munna asked sarcastically.
"Chup karo tum dono...apne Samoson pe dhyan do warna Bunty Patel chura lega! Nazar hati...Samose huye chori!"
Both boys couldn't imagine the theft of their beloved food & gobbled up their Samosas while Sameer happily but slowly savored every morsel of the parathas.