Sameer-Naina SS- Unanticipated Moves (Part-10 Updated)PG-44 - Page 26

"Wo sikandar hi doston kehlata hai

Haari baazi ko jise jitna aata hai.. '' Kartik climbed down the steps of basket ball court;whistling the tune twirling the basket ball.Being selected to lead for the college basket ball team at zonal level was another feather in his cap. He wanted to celebrate the achievement throwing a party but two things dampened the mood.The announcement of Sameer being the vice captain and the rains that had come unwelcomed.Hence he tried spending the time and lifting the mood,deciding to score few baskets in the court,alone.

"Good Evening Kartik! Kaafi ache player ho.And multi talented bhi.'' Sameer's voice reached the corner's of room and reverberated.Kartik stalled from scoring another basket and turned around.He could see there was change in demeanour of Sameer and a spark in his eyes said the meeting between them was certainly not direct conversations.His gut wrenched a bit with unknown feelings and few sweat beads made their presence felt.

"Arey yeh kya? Baahar itni baarish hai ,thand hai aur phir bhi tumhe pasina chut raha hai.Yeh lo.'' Sameer asked handing over his handkerchief.Kartik ignored and pulled out a bigger handkerchief.Wiping the sweat he felt the need to gulp some water to make him feel better.He didn't know why but suddenly he no more wanted Sameer's presence in the court.Nauseating the feeling was.

"BRAINS MEET ke bare mein thoda baat Karen?'' Sameer asked pulling up his sleeves and rolling them up.

"Pura event bigad gaya.Out team underperformed''.Kartik declared juggling the ball.

"Un logon ne tumhara kya bigada tha?Kyun kiya aisa?KYUN?'' Sameer asked pulling the ball from his hands.He aimed for the basket and successfully hit it.Kartik was surprised at Sameer's skill in scoring the basket from such a distance but then the jealousy crept again.''Jawab nahin diya?'' Sameer asked again bringing Kartik from his world.

"Koun log?Kya bakwas kar rahe ho?'' Kartik asked trying to snatch the ball and score a basket against Sameer.Sameer read through his moves and immediately dribbled the ball away from basket.Kartik was surprised at the unanticipated move but didn't show.

"Bakwas to tumne kiya hai. Yaad hai?Chodo main yaad dila deta hun.'' Sameer said; pushing Kartik to an adjacent bench.Kartik again tried to get hold of the ball but failed.Good attempt. Sameer laughed and dribbled to another basket.

"Pata hai Naina ko galat time table mila hai.Funny.Team leader uske saath hote huye bhi.'' Sameer said as his face muscles reflected a question mark.

"Forget it.Penny Hardaway ka match dekha?'' Kartik asked dodging the statement.

"Nahin Kartik.Just wait.Swati ne bataya ki stage ke pass tum hi the jo use boli ki Sunaina ne stage fright ki wajah se event mein nahin aayi hai.Par Sunaina to tumhare dost ke saath date pe gayi thi.Aur date ki baat tumhein ache se maloom bhi tha.Phir aisa kyun kaha use?''

"Wo pehle se hi nervous thi.''

"Shut up Kartik!Mujhe mat samjhao. Sameer said ,his control loosening and anger surfacing.Tumne Priyank ko Pizza khilaya tha na?Use diarrhoea ho gaya.Aur Sunaina ko letter tumne hi diya tha na taki wo distracted rahe?Mujhe batao kitne Mumbai ki ladke Ahmedabad ki ladkiyon ko jaante hein?''

"Tu kehna kya chahta hai?'' Kartik asked.

"Jara soch.Ved tere saath tha jab uski study material gayab ho gaya.Naina ko galat timetable mila.Haan use timetable Swati ne di thi par Swati ko to Sunaina di thi.Aur Sunaina ko kisne?Team leader.Team leader koun tha?TUM. ''Sameer shouted louder.

"This is stu...pid''.Kartik shouted back nervously kicking the water bottle.Nervousness is the first symptom of lying.

"Haan absurd bhi hai.'' Sameer trailed ''Tum Team leader the.Pura college ka trust tha tumpe,Ved trust karta tumhe,Sunaina trust karti thi tumhe,Priyank trust karta tha tumhein,team leader ke hisab se Naina aur Swati bhi tumhe trust karte the.Inn logon ne din raat mehnat ki Brains Meet ke liye.Aur end mein unhe kya mila? Ek third prize tak nahin.''

"Dekho Sameer!Humare beech competition hai.''Kartik said "Aur iss waqt tum mujhe ruin karne ki koshish kar rahe ho.''

"Main tumhe ruin kar raha hun?Tum khud ruin kar chuke ho?Kyun kiya aisa?KYUN?'' Sameer barked;dribbling and hitting Kartik with the ball.

"Seriously Sameer,seriously,I don't like it.Tum mujhpe doubt kar rahe ho?'' Kartik asked,still trying to look innocent .

"Come On,Call it a quit.Main jaanta hunki tum mujhse nafrat karte ho. To tumhari dushmani mujhse thi lekin un logon ko kyun saja diya?Main to Brains Meet ka hissa bhi nahin tha?'' Sameer slammed the steel glass on the table ,throwing away the ball.Demanding a perfect answer.

"To tum mujhe interrogation kar rahe ho?Kis haq se?Ho kaun tum?Prinicipal,Police,JBR?'' Kartik asked getting up and stretched his muscles a bit.

"Filhal to kuch nahin hun,lekin inn teen logon ko batane mein zyada der nahin lagegi.'' Sameer finished with a sly smirk.

"Alexander agar chahta to sirf Greece ke raja ban sakta tha.Europe ko bhi jeet sakta tha.Lekin kya use duniya yaad rakhti?Usne pura duniya jeeta tabhi use Sikander ke naam se aaj puri duniya yaad karti hai.Brains Meet ka eklauta first prize winner ko scholarship milta hai.Uska naam magazine mein aata hai.Tum jaise losers yeh samajh nahin paoge.Aur wo Naina Agarwal ..bahut confidence tha na usmein champion ban ne ki,Wo Ved Kothari..Ha!State level crossword champion,Sunaina Best Brain storming participant,Priyank-Are use to mere wajah se jaane ka mauka mila...Lekin ab iss college ko koun yaad rahega?KARTIK..Sirf KARTIK.'' Kartik uttered ,dribbling the ball and scoring a basket.

"Sikander Aur TUM? Hahhaa...JBR ke style mein BAD JOKE KARTIK.Sikander saamne se attack karte the,tumhare jaise peeth piche nahin.Sikander aur back stabber mein bahut fark hai.Agar samajh nahin aata to aao kabhi mere ghar ache se samjha dunga.Waise last time ke liye college ko represent karlo..kya pata uske baad sab Sikander ko yaad karein aur tumhe bhul jaayen.. ''Sameer dusted off his hands,before ruthlessly snatching and pushing the ball in the basket.

"Good Night Buddy.Jaldi milenge.'' Sameer finished and threw the ball.The ball hit Kartik with a force,making him stagger backwards.

"You bloody don't have an evidence..You can't ruin me. ''Sameer heard Kartik's voice echoing in the court as he mounted the bike.He had unravelled everything but all he needed was a solid evidence.To show as a proof of this mess.He let the thoughts rest for while as his mind got busy in making plans for his and Naina's next bike ride.

The new bridge across the tributary was silent on the Saturday.Traffic was comparatively low and his bike was parked nearby.Naina looked into the river flowing below and Sameer looked at Naina.The visite to Parimal Garden had to be cancelled because of some renovation activity in the garden. Sameer was disappointed but Naina immediately thought of spending the date along the banks of newly constructed bridge.Gentle winds caressed them,perhaps caressed her more than him.The winds were powerful yet gentle and caressing just like his passion and desires.She was wearing a Reyon blue top with jeans.She had left her hair open.Sameer wanted to dive away to horizons from where there is no return.But he knew patience will make the moment even more momentous.They sat for a few moments in silence,in soundless-conversations.

"Sameer!Kal Papa aur Taiji ke beech phir se jhagda ho gaya.Mere padhai ko leke bhi bahut kuch hungama hua.In sab ke beech main bilkul padh nahin paa rahi hun.Aur upar se assignments badhte jaa rahein hein.''She said after sometime.''Kisi ek din yeh bridge se kud jaungi.''

"Main bhi kud jaunga.''He declared meeting her surprised stare.

"Tum kyun kudoge?Tumhein to ghar mein sab pyaar karte hein.Kisi chiz ki kami bhi nahin hai. ''She asked.

"Tum kudjaogi to yeh love story adhura reh jaayega.Aur iss adhurepan ke saath mein zindagi gujar nahin sakta.Isliye main bhi kud jaunga.Acha suno mat kudna.Ek important kaam baaki hai tumhara.'' Naina looked at him curious to know what important work he had immediately conjured up.She waited for him to answer.

"Tum humari love story ki ek book likhlena.Dekhna blockbuster hoga.'' Sameer suggested and Naina laughed hysterically.

"Matlab yeh likhun ki meri boyfriend kuch dinon ke liye jasoos ban gaya tha.Yeh love-jasoos-story blockbuster hogi.Hahhaa...''Naina laughed again and he smiled seeing her have a heartylaugh.Her world was full of miseries,full of woes..he wanted that till the time she is with him he would make her smile brightly and laugh heartily.

"Tumhein pata hai main Felicitation Ceremony mein speech speech de rahi hun aur gaana bhi gaa rahi hun''.Naina completed.

"Tum?Gaana?Kya gaa rahi ho? ''He asked.

"College ki theme song.''He grinned wide.He remembered the bet phase when before Mt.Abu trip she had called him and made him hear her 'dohas'.

"Kya soch rahe ho?'' She asked brushing away his hair a bit and leaning on his arm.

"Soch raha hunki gaana sunke kitne log bhag jaayenge.''He received a sharp nudge from her.He laughed and kissed her forehead.They roamed around the place a bit.She confessed that she had made a wrong choice in choosing the bridge as a venue for the much awaited date.It looked like a suicide point for her.He caressed her fingers confessing that with them together, everyplace is special.

****************

Tonight the VJN University celebrates it most prestigious award function.The Felecitation Ceremony.It was one most beautiful night at VJN.Stars were twinkling in the dark shaded night and everything looked grand with the grin of beautiful stars.Boys were dressed in black formal suits.Girls too wore formal dresses and their dress code was primarily red saris.Naina was not to be seen.Sameer though wanted to meet her before the function starts was tucked between Munna and Pandit.

Munna passed him over a paper and Sameer hurriedly opened it to see if it was any secret message from Naina.Unfortunately,it was the leaflet containing college theme song. Sameer's confusion was etched on his face,his eyebrows furrowed as he tried to read the lines.Sab ko milke gaana hai jab humari bhabhi stage pe apni bulbul si awaaz ke saath yeh gaana gayegi.Pandit clarified and a soft smile crept to Sameer's lips.He nodded and placed the paper folded neatly in his pocket.

Ladies and Gentlemen,today you will see twinkling stars,not in sky but on this stage,with me your host for the night,Samikshya!'Everyone applauded as she began and then silence fell.The girl looked confident in red sari and all Sameer could imagine Naina standing at her place ,delivering a confident speech and singing the theme song.All applauding with standing ovation.She looking at him with those bright smiles and he pulling up his collar in pride.And he would be clapping madly till he drops as appreciation.A clap brought him out of reverie.An unknown boy,surely a student of the college handed him over a paper and went away.

"Sameer!Basket ball ground mein milo.In five minutes.-Naina.'' It was all scribbled messily on the paper.Fromthe handwriting itself,he could understand the emergency.Without wasting a second he ran,pushing two volunteers, earning a glare from JBR, dashing against two moms talking and jumped off the wall.

Samikshya's introducing speech was clearly audible and soon Naina's sobs became audible as he went near her.

"Kya hua?Meri yaad aa raha tha?'' He asked wiping away her tears.He took a glance of her full form in the beautiful red sari.She looked more beautiful in it than he imagined..but this was not the time to give into those horizon less desires.It was the time to focus.

"Sameer.Maine speech ka paer kho diya.Agar Prinicipal Ma'am ko pata chalega to ...Mujhe bahut dar lag raha hai.''She hugged him as she spoke.

"Tum pareshan mat ho.Main kuch sochta hun.Sab thik ho jaayega.''He tried pacifying her.It was getting difficult to concentrate with her in his arms and an important task at hand.He needed to think something soon..very soon.

"Sameer!Please meri madad kardo...''

"I am with you...Forever.'' He declared kissing her hair softly.

"Main phir se gadbad kardi.Ek kaam dhang se nahin hota mujhse.Ab agar Principal Ma'am ne complain kardi Taiji ya Papa se to...Sameer!Please meri madad kardo.'' She was no more sobbing,she was wailing.

"Kuch nahin hoga. He assured pulling her more closer and hugging tighter.Speech main de dunga aur gaana mein gaa lunga.Theme song ka leaflet hai mere pass.Bas ab yeh batao speech ka content kya tha'' Sameer asked.

"Tum speech doge?Ganna bhi gaoge?'' Naina asked shocked.

"Main permission le lunga.Kisi ko to bolna hai,gaana hai to main kyun nahin.''

"Brains Meet ka pura programme ke baare mein bolna hai.Samikshya ka Vote of Thanks ki speech ke 5 minute baad meri turn hai. ''Naina completed and he nodded.

"Yeh to easy hai.Chalo anshoo poch lo.I am with you.Promise.''

He was holding her in his arms.He tried breaking away when he felt a tug on his sleeve.She pulled him closer.They were close enough to feel each other.Her soft fingers gripped his fore arm.His arms slid around her waist,the grip tight.

Her heartbeat increased melting her insides in anticipation of one of their firsts, immersing her in its depths.

A heartbeat later, he had swung about and bent over her, his breath feathering the side of her neck. His strength flowed around her, surrounded her.

"I love you," he murmured, in his deepest purr, "I love.. you too'' Her voice,whisper like.

He tasted passion. He tasted emotion. He tasted a world he'd never imagined, one he could never enter. It was right there in front of him, suddenly open to him. Unexpected. Exciting.

Time ceased to exist, and so, apparently does any logic that her mind was hanging on to. Logic would say that this is insane; every other fibre of their being screamed it's right.

Cool, soft lips brushed her ear, then slid lower, to lightly caress, with just the barest touch, the sensitive skin beneath her jaw.''You are beautiful,Naina'' Patience lost the fight and shivered; her lids lowered. She felt as though her body has turned to liquid, snow caps have melted, a river of million droplets rushing apart and then back together.

The trance broke as she hugged him and breathed in his scent.He could feel her relax and feel his own tense strings calm a bit.He looked at her.There was a silence.But it spoke volumes.None spoke a word.Then she kissed him without warning and he was surprised at first.This one lasted longer.

"Kya tha yeh?''He asked shyly,as they pull back.

"Tumhara prize.Aaj felicitation ceremony hai na. ''She said,smiling and wiping the remnants of tears.

"I guess.You needed it.''He said.

"Main?She said pretending to be shocked,Pehle din se desperate tum ho rahe the.''

"Kya?''

"Bholuram!Jao speech deke mujhe bachao. ''She said winking and he prepared to jump over the wall.

"Sameer!'' She shouted.He stopped and turned around.

"Ab kya hai?''

"Naina loves you.''

He smiled.''Sameer loves you too.''

(To be continued).

P.S.:Thank you for reading.Would love to read the feedback.😳