I'm so happy with the response man! I guess threatening does work on you silent readers 😆. Keep showering your love on this story because trust me, I feel so motivated seeing so many people liking and commenting. Pyaar banay rakhein please 😳. Also, would once again clarify, I'm really new to the story and characters so if I goof up, please overlook em. Also, not proofread so brace yourself up to encounter great grammatical and spelling errors. 😆 Enjoy!
Chapter 2
"Tension ki koi baat nahi hai. Shayad inhon ne kafi waqt se kuch khaya nahi hai iss liye suger level down ho gaya tha. Maine medicines likh di hain. Aap inhein 3-4 ghante mein ghar le jaa sakte hain." Doctor told Nanu who was very concerned. "Ji Doctor. Thank you so much." Nanu said. Doctor left the room to check on other patients. "Yeh main kya sunn raha hoon?" Nanu asked. "Kuch nahi Nanu. Bass aise hi." Sameer said in a low voice. Munna and Pandit looked at his fallen face. "Kya hua tujhe bacche? Tera chehra kyun utra hua hai?" Nanu asked looking at the dull face. "Kuch nahi Nanaji. Abhi kuch kha lega phir dekhiye kaise chamak jaayega iska chehra." Munna tried to conceal the truth. "Haan Nanu. Koi aisi baat nahi hai." Sameer didn't want to tell his Nanu about what he did. He didn't want to lose him now. "Kuch toh baat hai beta lekin agar tu batana nahi chahta, it's okay. Main wait karunga jab tak tu mujhe khud aake sab kuch nahi batata. Main discharge ke papers wagarh dekh ke aata hoon. Munna-Pandit, tum dono yahin rehna." Nanu said. "Ji Nanaji." Pandit said. Nanu left to complete the discharging formalities.
Sameer checked his pockets and couldn't find the letter. He grew worried. He couldn't lose that letter. "Ise dhund raha?" Munna said placing the piece of paper in front of him. Sameer quickly took it and kissed it and hugged it close to his heart. "Mujhe Naina se pyaar ho gya Munna. Tum dono sahi kehte the. Mujhe khel khel mein saccha wala pyaar ho gaya usse. Par meri kismat dekh yaar, woh bhi mujhe chod ke chali gayi. Pata hai iss letter mein usne kaha hai ki usne mujhe maaf kiya. Par tum dono ko pata hai? Ab mera guilt kabhi nahi jayega. Mujhe saza deti, mujhse badla leti, mujhse baat nahi karti, kuch bhi hota toh main kabhi na kabhi sab bhool jaata yaar par ab? Ab yeh galti mujhe zindagi bar kuredti rahegi. Usne mujhe apni acchai se hara diya yaar. Main haar gaya." Sameer wept like the day he wept when for the first time Vishakha left him in boarding school when he was six.
"Yaar Sameer, tu aise haar kaise maan sakta hai? Bombay hi toh gayi hai. Hum bhi chalte hain. Use mana ke le aayenge mere bhai." Pandit tried to cheer him up. "Nahi Pandit. Mujhe nahi lagta woh meri shakal dekhna toh kya woh meri awaaz bhi sun'na chahti hai." Sameer clutched the letter tight and shed few more tears. "Sameer ab hum jaa..." Nanu entered the hospital room and saw Sameer quickly wiping his tears. "Ji, ji Nanu." Sameer said getting up from the bed. He kept the letter in the pocket of his shirt. "Sameer, tu ro raha tha bacche?" Nanu tried looking at Sameer's eyes which he was trying to hide. "Nahi, nahi toh Nanu. Aise hi kuch chala gaya hoga aankh mein. Main, main kyu rone laga." Sameer tried to put a smile on his face but it wasn't happening. "Idhar dekh meri taraf." Nanu pulled him towards himself and made him look at him. "Tujhe paala hai maine Sameer. Mujhe pata hai kuch toh hua hai. Bata mujhe." Nanu looked into Sameer's eyes. It was enough for him. He couldn't hold it anymore. He hugged him tightly and sobbed, everyone present in the room could hear him cry. Tears welled up in Munna and Pandit's eyes too seeing their friend in so much pain. Nanu grew worried seeing Sameer in that miserable state. The last time he cried like that was when Vishakha moved to Delhi after her wedding, leaving him. "Bas bas. Sab theek ho jaayega. Main hoon abhi. Tu toh mera sher hai." Nanu found it best to console him than asking why was he shattered.
Nanu was still consoling Sameer when they heard a knock at the door. Quickly composing himself, Sameer sat on the bed. It was doctor who came to check on Sameer before finally discharging him. Munshiji drove them home. The journey was silent, Sameer waa looking everywhere but Nanu and Nanu was just looking at him praying that he should be fine. He also saw Sameer wiping a tear or two at times and it just broke his heart.
Nanu helped Sameer to reach his room and lie on the bed because he was too weak both mentally and physically to walk on his own. "Main tere liye kuch khane ko le aata hoon." Nanu said caressing his hair. He simply blinked his eyes and sighed. Nanu left to get something for him. When he found him gone totally, he carefully took out Naina's letter and read it again. Reading it after one more time, he hugged it and closed his eyes. The weakness soon engulfed him and he dozed off. Few tears trickled from the corner of his eyes while he was fast asleep.
"Sameer dekh, Munshi tere liye teri favourite Paneer..." Nanu was saying that in his most cheerful tone but stopped it midway when he saw Sameer sleeping. He neared him and saw him hugging a piece of paper. As much as he wanted to go though it to understand Sameer's problem, he didn't. For the first time he wanted Sameer to walk upto him and tell him what's bothering. It has always been him making that move to know what is Sameer going through. This time, it seemed way too serious and he wanted Sameer to trust him all by himself. He would wait. Sometimes 'time' does really do lot of wonders in life. He wanted to give Sameer that space.
Doctor had advised Sameer to take some bed rest for two or three days before resuming his school and he obeyed it. Munna and Pandit dropped in the morning to check on him. He was in pitiful condition. They wanted to stay by his side but he insisted them to not miss their school if they wanted to see him happy. Nanu decided to work from home till the time Sameer resumed his classes in case if he needed to be taken to the hospital again. He didn't want to take any risk when it came to Sameers' s heath.
Sitting on the first seat in a new classroom with no familiar face around, Naina was fidgeting with pen Chachaji gave her before leaving. She could see few tear drops falling on her pleated skirt. She was missing her family. The bell rang, bringing her in terms with her surrounding. She quickly wiped her tears and took few deep breath. She could see a lady teacher walking in with a smile that reminded her of Shanti Teacher. She saw all the students standing up, she too did the same and greeted the teacher. "So guys, we have five new students in our class. Let's get their introduction and welcome them." Naina saw the new students giving introduction one by one. It was her turn next.
"Naina Agrawal, from Pragati Vidya Ka Mandir, Ahemdabad." Naina said looking at her newly purchased black shoes. "Oh man! Now we'll have illiterate people too in our school. There's no class left. Huh." She heard a male voice. "These hindi medium, what yeah, Pragati Vidya Mandir whatever. Man! What does that even mean." It was the same male voice she knew. "Speak in Hindi boy, she wouldn't understand a bit." She could hear another boy's voice. "That's why I'm saying in English." That followed a giggle. "Enough boys! One more word and it will be problematic for you. Naina, you please have your seat." Teacher said.
"Pragati Vidya Ka Mandir means A temple of Progressive Knowledge. On page number 27 of Greenwood National School Prospectus, the motto of the school is mentioned to 'Provide Knowledge to the students in all possible fields including imparting moral values.' Ah! I guess they failed in moral department but it's okay, defects do help the firm to make better products. And yes, I'm not illiterate, neither do I not understand English. Just saying. Thank you." Naina said that with a straight face leaving the teacher impressed and the boys zipped. The class went on for about an hour before the bell rang for the next one.
It was 2:30 at night when Nanu woke up to drink some water. He saw lights from Sameer's room was still on. He peeked inside and saw Sameer was sitting with his books. Nanu was taken aback was an understatement. Never in his life he saw Sameer studying except for the day before exams and that too, he would never study after 11 at night. Sameer loved his sleep a way too much. Nanu cleared his throat to gain Sameer's attention. Sameer, who didn't notice Nanu's presence was startled. He looked at the door. "Nanu aap?" He glanced at his wristwatch. "Abhi tak soye nahi? It's really late now." Sameer said getting up from his bed and reached him. "Late toh kafi ho gaya hai. Par tum kyun nahi soye. You remember na Doctor said to take rest." Nanu said putting his hand around Sameer's shoulder. "Haan vo neend nahi aa rahi thi toh socha padhayi hi kar loon." Sameer looked at Nanu and then looked away. His voice died in his throat due to a lump that was giving tough time to his windpipe. Nanu just caressed his hair, pecked his forehead and left. Sometimes, just sometimes it was better to fight the battle alone, at least try to.
Some days you have to create your own sunshine. It was 7 in the morning and Sameer was already in his school uniform on the dining table waiting for Nanu to join him for breakfast. He saw him coming. "Good morning Nanu." Sameer said with the warmest of the smile he could manage to put up. "Good morning. Par itni subah tu uth gaya aur yeh dress kyun pehen li? Tu toh 1-2 din aur ghar pe hi rehne wala tha na?" Nanu said. "Haan par main ghar pe bore ho raha tha. School jaunga toh I think better feel hoga." Sameer said putting butter on the toast. The breakfast was then a silent business. He bid a bye to Nanu and left with Munshiji. He was still weak to ride on his bike. Nanu was getting worried for Sameer now. He had seen him fussing about toast all the time it was on breakfast table, but today, it seemed it didn't even matter to him if he was chewing on toast or paper for that matter. Nanu just prayed for him and retired to his room to get ready for the office.
Putting her bag on the first bench again, Naina looked outside the window of the classroom. She was way too early to the class and classroom was empty. She was getting used to the silence around her. It would be a lie if she said she didn't miss her old life, but this new life was not as bad as she thought. Yesterday's morning happening brought a smile on her face. She was glad she wasn't that meek of a girl now. It was so much easy for her to retort to those unknown people. She would have never known that she held this side too. She was still in her own world, comparing her life in Ahemdabad to that of Bombay, she was disturbed by someone who intentionally cleared his throat to gain her attention. Sighing a bit, she turned to look at the person who disturbed her.
"Sorry." It was a familiar voice for Naina, perhaps the same voice that wanted to humiliate her for being from a Hindi medium school. "Tum kaun ho?" Naina asked. "Kartik. Kartik Dholaki." He said looking at his shoes. "Aise sorry bolte hain. On your knees." Naina heard a female voice ordering. She saw a girl looking angrily at the boy who said he was Kartik. She saw the boy obeyed her and sat on his knees and held her ears. "Sorry." He muttered again with his eyes not meeting hers. "Sorry shouldn't come out of compulsion but out of real guilt. I would accept it if you say sorry when you really want to." Naina smiled. "And thank you for being considerate." Naina said to the girl. "Sunaina Parekh." Sunaina said forwarding her hand for a handshake. Naina held it and smiled. "I'm glad to find a fearless girl who knows how to get back on snobby people. Waise main bhi Ahemdabad se hoon, mera matlab hai meri family roots wahin se hain but I have been born and brought up here in Bombay itself." Sunaina had the warmest of smile she had seen on people since she was here. "Mujhe accha laga ye jaan ke." Naina said. "Friends?" Sunaina said. "Wo actually, main ab itni jaldi kisi pe bharosa nahi karti. But of course, we surely can be friends once I'm able to tame my trust issues. I had a real bad experience in recent so yes!" Naina smiled faintly as everything flashed before her. "Oh! I'll Wait." Sunaina smiled not knowing what had happened with the sweet girl. "You can come sit with me." Sunaina offered. "Nahi actually I love this first bench. You can join me if you wish." Naina said. "First bench pe koi nahi baithta buddhu." Kartik said chuckling. "Meet me. Naina Agrawal who loves first benches. Actually, it is worst of the insult for a classroom to have an empty first bench." Naina said with a straight face. "Hmm." Sunaina said and quickly joined her.
Sameer who was solving a maths problem on the blackboard was looked upon in surprise by the other classmates and teachers. For the whole day he was answering questions and raising hands for every single sum that was on board. "Waah Sameer. Ye question bhi sahi hai." Shanti Teacher appreciated him. "Thank you Ma'am." Sameer said with a faint smile. Just then the bell for lunch rang. Everyone left for the canteen except for Sameer, Munna and Pandit. Though Sameer insisted them to go and have their lunch, they told him that they will be with him only. When, even Swati left, Sameer stood and sat at the bench where Naina used to sit. He looked at the desk where she wrote 'N' along with 'S' and a heart with an arrow. He caressed it and smiled. Munna-Pandit left him to get a samosa and some water for him to have at least. He bent his head and rested it on the desk and looked at his shoes. Just then he heard someone scratching on the desk. He lifted his head and saw Swati scratching what Naina wrote with a compass. "Swati tum ye kya kar rahi." He tried to stop her but she scratched it completely. "Mujhe ye sab dekh ke ye yaad nahi karna ki meri best friend tumhari wajah se yahan mere saath nahi hai samjhe. Aur aage se yahan iss seat pe baithe toh accha nahi hoga." Swati said ignoring the tears that welled up in his eyes. Keeping her tiffin box in her bag, Swati quickly wiped few tears and left to drink some water leaving Sameer, alone and in tears that he was trying to hold on for a long, long time.
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