Tera Sahara

Chapter 6: Moving on

After Sujal and Naina returned home, Sujal wasn't able to sleep. His mind kept on playing back all the beautiful moments he has spent with Naina all his life. How everyone in college used to make fun of them and they never really cared to rectify them. How he always likes to hold her hand or hold her whenever she is around. He turned off the lights and sat near the window. He took out a bottle of whiskey and glass and poured it to drink. He kept it in his hand and looked outside.

Sujal: Naina..Naina ke sath mujhe itna accha lagta hai..par..par kyu? Jaisa mujhe Naina ke sath lagta hai waise mujhe kisi aur ke sath kyu nahi lagta? Kya isiliye kyunki hum bachpan ke dost hai? Ya phir isiliye kyunki..kahi mai..mai Naina se..nahi nahi..aisa nahi ho sakta! Mujhe toh Kashish se pyar hai na..matlab..tha..matlab..

He was too confused. He didn't understand what to term his relation with Kashish as, should he phase it as past? present? or what!

Sujal: mujhe zindagi me pehla pyar toh Kashish se hua tha na..toh phir yeh feeling kya hai? Yeh feeling jo mujhe Naina ke sath hota hai, yeh pyar nahi ho sakta..par kya....

He kept on looking at the glass. He was thinking about his and Naina's relation. This relation..what should he term it as..it was not any normal friendship..he couldn't imagine his life without Naina..so what was it..their relationship was not just friendship..it was more than just friendship..Sujal for the first time, even after having his glass of whiskey ready in his hand, didn't drink it. He kept the glass back on the table top and left to sleep.
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Next day morning, Veena came to Sujal's room and caressed his hair while he slept like a baby.

Veena: Aaj phir tu ne sharab pi li na Sujal..kab samjhega tu..kab samjhega ki Kashish tere liye sahi nahi hai mere bacche! Apne aapko kab tak yeh saza dega!

Sujal just changed his position while still being in deep sleep. Veena decided to let him sleep and went away.

It was about 10:30 am and Sujal still wasn't up. Naina asked everyone at home but most of them simply replied her with 'I don't know where he is' but it was CG who said,

CG: Naina, kaha hoga woh laadsahab! Sooo raha hai abhi bhi! Apne kamre me ghode bech kar!

Naina went directly to his room and opened his door with a bang, yet Sujal didn't wake up. Naina went near his bed and sat near the edge and shakes his leg.

Naina: Sujal...Sujal..Sujal..Sujal uth na! Sujal!

Sujal removed his leg from there and changed his position of sleeping. This continued to happen and at a point it became that Sujal kept his head on Naina's lap and was comfortably sleeping. Naina caressed his hair.

Naina: Sujal! 🥺 uth na Sujal! Dekh tujhse milne Naina aai hai! Teri Naina!

Sujal slowly started to flutter his eyes. Naina cupped his cheeks and shook it a little to wake him up.

Naina: Suju! Mera Sujal! Uth ja Raja!

Sujal: Naina..

Sujal extended his hand and settled it on the back of Naina's neck. Naina was confused. Sujal pulled her with a sudden movement close enough to have just a few inches felt between them. Naina was too shocked to react to retaliate. Sujal touched Naina's nose with his. Naina just chucked. Sujal in his half sleep couldn't have imagined anyone this cute in front of him. Without wasting any time he rushed his lips to her and crashed her lips. Naina was too shocked but she didn't pull back. She couldn't comprehend what was happening but soon she reciprocated the kiss. They both broke the kiss in search of some air. Sujal looked again, he realised that it wasn't his dream or imagination. It was reality. He had kissed Naina.

Naina: Sujal..yeh..yeh..

Sujal quickly got up and panicked.

Sujal: Naina..Naina..woh..I'm I'm sorry..woh pata nahi kaise..maine..woh..I'm very very sorry.. I just..I just..pata nahi kya hua..mai bohot sharminda hu..mujhe aisa nahi

Before Sujal could complete his sentence. Naina bent forward and took his lips to hers. She held onto Sujal's silky hair and the other hand rested on his shoulder. After the initial shock, Sujal took the kiss welcoming the pleasure. He deepened the kiss by pulling Naina into his arms. He held onto her waist and pulled on her hair. They devoured each other's lips. Sujal pulled Naina on top of his lap and they broke their kiss. Sujal kissed her cheek, her neck, her collar bone and was about to kiss her ahead when Veena's voice came from outside.

Veena: mai jaati hu Sujal ko uthane..

Both Sujal and Naina got scared and Naina quickly got down from the bed and Sujal ran towards the bathroom. Naina fixed her hair and rubbed her lips and went outside.

Naina: Auntie, Sujal ko maine utha diya hai! Woh washroom me hai, aata hi hoga!

Veena: Arre wah Naina! Sujal toh tumhari baat maanta hai! Mai usse kitna bhi uthau, aajkal woh meri sunnta hi nahi hai! Bas apne man ki hi karta hai! Ab toh mujhe dar hai ki tum jab wapis jaoge toh mai kya karungi!

Naina: Kuch nahi hoga Auntie! Sujal wapis woh wala Sujal hi ban jayega jisko aap aur me jaante the!

Veena: Aasha karti hu beta aisa hi ho..

Veena cupped Naina's cheek and went downstairs. Naina went to her room after that.

Sujal was under the shower and touched his lips, he could feel Naina on his lips even now. He didn't know what had happened to him! He smiled wide and open after a long time. He felt that his cheeks were going red. He took a long bath, and came down smiling. This view was a rare sight even in normal times, but today, today Sujal was too happy, he couldn't contain his happiness within himself.

Veena: Arre wah Sujal! Aaj toh bohot khush hai mera baccha!

Sujal: Mumma! Aaj mai sach me bohot khush hu! Khaane me kya hai?

To ruin the mood, CG gave his unwanted comment.

CG: Aa gaye laadsahab! Khaana khayenge ki nahi?

Usually Sujal would've felt mad and left without eating but today was different! Sujal neither became mad nor did he leave without eating!

Sujal: Papa, aapke mann me jo bhi aa raha hai sab bol dijiye! Aaj mujhe na bura lagega, aur na hi mai react karunga!

CG just looked at Sujal blankly. He never expected such a reply from him. Sujal looked so calm, no anger on his face.

CG: Woh.. woh..mai office jaa raha hu..bye..

Sujal: Bye! 👋👋 mai bhi jald hi aa raha hu! See you soon!

CG went away in total confusion. Veena came near Sujal and touched his forehead to check whether he is well or not.

Sujal: Kya hua mumma?

Veena: Sujal, aaj tum bohot ajeeb ajeeb sa behave kar rahe ho..

Sujal: Kuch nahi mumma..bas mujhe meri zindagi phirse jeene ka zariya mil gaya.