It was a quiet evening. The people were busy in their respective chores and the sky was clear. But the atmosphere was not calm in the Maheshwari house, due to the rather noisy argument of the four boys.
The boys were getting ready for the Fresher's party in the college, and Nanaji decided to join them, so as to help them get ready faster. But the preparations had not been that smooth, due to the inability of the boys agree on one thing, and disagreement over the other's hairstyles and shoes. Finally, after one hour of shouting, they came out successful in their task.
"Bahut acche lag rahe ho chaaro. Bahut maze karna. Yeh last year hai na chaaro ka."
"Ha, Nanaji bahut mazein karenge. Aap chinta mat karna jaldi aane ki koshish karenge." Arjun exclaimed.
"Accha chalo tum teeno jaake gaadiya nikaalne ki taiyaari karo. Mujhe Sameer se baat karni hai"
The three boys went away to get the cars ready while Sameer was left alone with Nanaji.
"Dekh Sameer main chahta hoon ki tu apna final year bahut enjoy karein. Vaise bhi iske baad to tujhe buisness hi sambhalna hai. Aur main pooch Raha tha, aaj kuch special hai kya. Itne gaane gaata hua taiyaar ho raha tha. Kisi Ko impress karna hai" Nanu grinned and teased Sameer.
Sameer just blushed (something that he never did) and answered,
"Arey Nanu, aap bhi na. Aisa kuch nahi hai, woh toh iss saal trustee aa rahe hai, toh team ke captain ko accha hi dikhna chahiye na. "
Nanu just smiled knowingly and decided not to embarrass his grandson further. He knew that his young man was planning to impress a lady and he decided to give his silent blessings. He cleared his throat and continued,
"Accha theek hai. Chal ab jaa aur jaldi aa jana."
"Nanu woh aaj thoda late ho jayega. Woh Arjun ki behnein bhi party mein ayengi na, toh maine Taiji Ko bola ki main un teeno ko drop kar dunga."
"Arey haa, lekin uski toh do behnein hai na. Ek naam to Preeti tha, aur ek ka umm... ha Naina. Badi pyaari bacchi hai. Main mila tha usse School mein, jab Best Student ka award dene gaya tha toh. Ek dum sanskaari hai."
"Pata hai woh school mein monitor bhi thi, Arjun ne bataya tha aur har cheez mein first aati thi, padhaai mein, debate mein, competitions mein." Sameer told excitedly.
"Aur kitni sundar bhi toh hai."
"Ha nanu, yeh toh aapne ek dum theek bola. Usse sundar ladki maine kabhi nahi dekhi. Aur pata hai first day pe toh wo aur bhi cute lag rahi thi aur..." Nanu smiled while Sameer coloured deeply, highly embarrassed.
Nanu's smiled just widened while Sameer huffed. He straightened himself up and told,
"Kya Nanu aap bhi na. Baaton mein laga lete hai, dekho kitna late ho gaya main. Chalo bye" Sameer quickly touched his feet and hurried towards the car, to prevent himself from any further embarrassment.
Nanaji watched his retreating back and remembered the passion with which his grandson praised Naina and how his cheeks got red when he described her beauty. A realisation struck Nanu, "So she is the girl". He smiled and thanked God for giving such an excellent girl to his idiot grandson.
On the other hand, Sameer drove the car with a graceful ease. His friends had always been jealous of his driving skills, while Sameer just teased them further in response. Right now, Arjun was sitting with him on the adjacent seat while Munna and Pandit were coming in the other car. The two cars were chosen, keeping in mind that they needed to drop the girls home.
"Arjun ek baat bata, humein ladkiyo ko party ke liye pickup bhi karna hai kya. Mera matlab akeli kaise ayengi."
"Arey nahi, uski koi zaroorat nahi hai. Woh Swati ke papa unhein college chhodd denge."
Sameer nodded disappointedly, and kept driving. He was really hoping to see her before everyone, but looks like it won't be possible.
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The boys reached the party at the proper time, not too early, nor too late. The hall was nearly full, and the trustees were about to arrive in a few minutes. Students were chatting excitedly with each other. The girls were praising each other's dresses, while the boys were ogling at them, some flirting with them and others trying to build the courage to ask them to dance.
Soon the trustees also arrived and the principal welcomed them enthusiastically. Sameer was called, he was the captain after all, and touched their feet, while they blessed him with success in the upcoming matches.
Sameer looked at them and remembered Karthik. He wondered that how a grandson could be so different from his grandfather. When his brain didn't come to a conclusion after all, he just shook his head and instead concentrated on the photographers who were clicking their pictures.
When the everlasting photo session finally ended, Sameer went to his friends and they munched on some snacks. He looked around impatiently, trying to catch a glimpse of her. Beside him, Pandit just eyed him suspiciously and smelled something fishy. Sameer noticed this and went back to his snacks, cursing himself for being so well, expressive.
Some more time passes and the music had already started. Pandit was trying to ask Muskaan for dance, while Arjun was staring at the third year, Reema. Munna's eyes were fixed on the entrance, waiting for Swati, while Sameer politely refused the girls who came to ask him for dance.
Every now and then, his eyes went to the entrance, trying to find her and returned back disappointed, when they could not. He noticed that the second year, Prem was also in a similar condition, but Sameer just huffed irritably. He looked around to see Sunaina, in a red-coloured strapless bandage dress that barely covered her thighs with her hair tied in a bun, talking to her friend Mitali. She was wearing pencil heels. Sameer just rolled his eyes, "Could she wear shorter clothes?".
A slow and romantic song was playing in the background and the lights were dimmed. A perfect moment for dance. However, Sameer heard whispers and nearly all the eyes were fixed on the entrance door. He too looked around, curious to see who had arrived. But the very next time, he hoped he had not.
Naina was wearing a Pink-coloured, sleeveless satin Fit & Flare Dress with a boat neckline. She was wearing matching Kitten heels. A pair of silver jacket stud earrings and a silver bracelet perfected her look while her long hair fell in soft curls with a beautiful twisted halo. She had very light makeup, but she was wearing lip gloss. Everything spoke of beauty and elegance.
Sameer dropped the glass he was holding and it shattered to pieces. But he didn't seem to care. His legs turned weak and he felt as if he would collapse any second. He could feel blood rushing to his nether regions and his growing erection. He was sweating extremely profusely and he looked as if he could die any second.
The dress was a little bit above her knee and Sameer could see more of her bare legs. The strapless dress showed off her perfect, milky arms, and her womanly curves were so highlighted, that his hormones turned bolder by it. Her lips looked so inviting. Perfect rosy, plump and juicy lips, made just for him. He could even see the womanhood curve at her chest, which was definitely a very good sight. How perfectly they will fit in his hands and his mouth will be on it...
He immediately hopped to the drinks counter and swallowed the entire Campa cola in one go. His legs could barely support him now. Damn, his head was spinning. She was intoxicating him so much. Even a completely drunk person could be in a better state than him. Did she do it on purpose, so that she can torture him to madness?
This much glimpse of her was enough to kill him. He could not even look into her eye, she was so freaking beautiful. He immediately went to the washroom and looked his reflection in the mirror. Sweat beads were still on his forehead. He splattered water on his face and started breathing deeply, to calm his raging hormones. "She is very little, stop behaving like a jerk. She is Arjun's sister. Little Naina. Don't look. Don't look"
After a minute or so, Sameer headed to the party, resolving not to look at Naina and just focus on the party. On the other hand, Naina was looking around, waiting for him. She finally saw him and sighed dreamily. "Ek dum hero hai". His hair were flying in the wind and his muscles looked so broad and God, he was fit. No wonder every girl was after him.
Naina jerked herself away from these thoughts and straightened herself up. But to her utter surprise, he didn't come to her, instead he went to another girl and went to dance with her.
Naina hadn't been more heartbroken. What did she think? Sameer would talk to his best friend's baby sister in a party? Naina hoped that he would come and talk to her, and praise her looks, something that everyone did. But he didn't. In fact, he didn't acknowledge her presence, at least he could have smiled at her, or just could have given a curt nod.
Naina turned her back to Sameer, not able to see him dancing with another girl. She wiped her moist eyes, and went to talk to Preeti and Swati. Suddenly Prem came to her,
"Kaisi ho Naina? Bahut acchi lag rahi ho."
"Thank you Prem. Tum bhi acche lag rahe ho"
"Chalo hum chalke Mangola ya Campa cola peete hai. Sameer toh busy hai..." He said and glanced at Sameer. They headed to the drinks counter and it looked as if Prem was taking maximum advantage of Sameer's absence.
Sameer really regreted about what had he done. As soon as he came to the party, he saw Naina looking at him and she looked as if she was about to approach him. But how can he explain that he is not good for her? He knew that even an inch of close proximity will force him to do well, bad things. He is a human, he couldn't help it. So he did what a human does, he grabbed the hand of the nearest girl he saw, and took her to dance.
But soon, he grew tired of the extremely-prone-to-giggling third year and looked around the hall, only to see Naina laughing at something Prem had said. His blood boiled and he immediately pushed the girl away and went over to Naina.
He came to the drinks counter and observed that Naina was still giggling. Sameer felt like someone had inserted a dagger in his fragile heart and he immediately stood between Prem and Naina, with his back facing Prem and he looked into her eyes.
Naina was extremely shocked to see him, to say the least. But the very next moment, his deep brown eyes were staring deep into her eyes, and she became lost. She knew she could spend her life like this, staring into his eyes, being in utter blissful peace. Before she could come to terms with what was happening, Prem cleared his throat and Naina came back to this planet.
"Hi Sameer, yaad hai hum mile the. Vaise tum yahaan kya kar rahe ho" Prem asked him, highly annoyed.
Sameer turned to Prem and answered back,
"Kyu tumne drinks counter khareed liya hai kya" Sameer answered through gritted teeth.
Naina cast him a I-don't-approve-of-this-rudeness look, while Prem looked even more annoyed.
"Nahi mera matlab tha ki tum to dance kar rahe the na, aur Naina yahaan akeli bore ho Rahi thi to maine socha ki..."
"Itna sochne ki zaroorat nahi hai tumhe, mere hote huye Naina akeli ho hi nahi Sakti. Ab tum jaa sakte ho, main hoon Naina ke paas" Sameer finished and gave him one of his most deadly glares. Prem looked frightened and went away, but not before casting a last loving glance at Naina.
Sameer turned to Naina, and swallowed hard, seeing her nice curvy breasts so close, but tried his best to look into her eyes and not anywhereelse.Naina was extremely angry by now,
"Tumne Prem se itne rudely kyu baat ki. Bas baat hi toh kar raha tha. Itna accha hai woh bechara, mujhe bore no ho isliye yahaan tha."
Sameer turned, if possible, even more angry than her.
"Accha itna pasand hai woh tumhe. Arjun ko pata hai iss baare mein, ki tum ladko se Dosti kar rahi ho. Shayad mujhe bata dena chahiye."
"Ha dost hai woh mera, aur maine tumse bhi toh Dosti ki thi na, toh yeh kaise galat hui." Naina shouted and Sameer looked around to see people watching them. He grabbed her hand, and took her out of the hall.
Once they were at a good distance from the party, Sameer let go of her hand and turned to her,
"Accha matlab usmein aur mujh mein koi difference nahi hai. Naina main tumhe bachpan se jaanta hoon. Tumhare bhai ka best friend hoon. Lekin woh ladka theek nahi hai, woh Khel Raha hai tumhare saath. Woh tumhe use karke chodd dega Naina. Main jaanta hoon."
"Jaise tum karte ho Sameer, ladkiyo ko chhodd dete ho"
A tense silence followed. These words, coming from the mouth from such a innocent heart, had pierced his own. He knew he had been like that, but he hadn't been too worse. He used to inform the girl prior to the relationship, that he can never fall in love with her, let alone marry. He never actually "persued" them or made some sort of "trap" for them. He didn't break any hearts either, the status and the future of those "relationships" had been very clear for both the parties.
But deep down, he knew it wasn't right. It wasn't right of him to move from girl to girl, though it didn't break their hearts. He had broken the trust of his Nanu, but now he knew, it hadn't been only Nanu, he broke the trust of Naina, His Naina. Maybe she used to think very highly of him, and he had disappointed her. This definitely did not go well with him. He looked shameful, but Naina just looked at him, turned back her heel and hurried out of the college.
She was walking alone on the road, with tears streaming down her face. She had said it. She had really said it. But he won't care. She turned sad again. There's no way he will ever care for her, and she saw it today. Instead of saying a casual "Hi", he just ignored and went to dance with someone else. And then, he had the nerve to approach him, and most of all, lecture about her choice of friends. Prem wasn't like that. It was something stupid that Sameer was imagining.
Her thoughts kept on oscillating between the earlier-years Sameer and the right-now Sameer. But there had always been a similarity, he had always cared for her. He came to her when no one else did. He was so nice to you, so how can you not be nice to him. Who is she to talk about his personal life anyway. He has his own life, and you have your own.
Suddenly, two motorcycles came speeding by, with two men on each of them. There were wearing helmets, with complete black dresses. One could tell that they were from some sort of gang.
The motorcycles started taking rounds around her. There were catcalls from all the directions.
"Arey kya item hai yaar, Roz-Roz nahi milti"
"Madam kahi chhodd de kya aapko, akeli kaise jaogi"
"Arey tu nahi, main help karunga inki. Badi pyaari ho aap. Naam kya bataya.
"Kuch bol bhi do madam"
Naina turned as white as ghost. Why does this happen to her? First Vicky, and now them. What will they do with her? The answer that she gave to herself, horrified her deeply. She turned around to go to back to college, only to have her path blocked by one of the motorcycles. She was sobbing by now. She again tried to go, but they blocked the path again.
One of the bikes stopped, and the rider got down. He removed his helmet, and revealed his face. Naina didn't know him and she knew she hadn't seen him anywhere before.
He came towards her slowly, and Naina took back her shaky and slow steps back, only to bump into the chest of the other rider. She was sobbing by now,
"Please mujhe jaane do. Please. Please"
She kept pleading him, but out of nowhere, he was pulled back by a strong force and pinned to the ground. The savior punched him like mad, until he was practically bleeding. The other three too went towards him, and Naina gasped horrified, when he was thrown on the ground. Naina's hands clasped on her mouth in fear, but he had stood up by now and he had singlehandedly thrown two on the ground. He was holding the collar of one of them, and punched him repeatedly, until his nose was bleeding. He then, went to the others on ground and kicked them so many times, that Naina lost the count. She shut her eyes in fear.
As all of them were lying on the ground, groaning in pain, Naina looked at him and burst into tears. She could not control those salty droplets, no matter how much she tried. She ran to him, and hugged him tightly, as if he was her air and she could not breathe without him.
"Sameer"
P.S Yeh wala ch thoda dramatic ho Gaya, but can't help, India mein rehte hai.