Something unsaid

Kitne Sach

Naina and Rajveer were gazing at each other and no one wanted to blink. They thought if they move the eyelashes then everything will disappear as it's not real, a beautiful dream will be broken. They were not saying anything but eyes were talking, complaining and asking questions to each other, where were you, how are you, why you didn't come earlier, how I was living without you.....

The trance was broken when the rest of Rajveer's students also entered the room shouting "Naina, Ruk Jaa", "Phoolan ruk toh", "Kya hoga hain tere ko...". But was not able to say anything further as eyes fell on their favourite teacher and friend sitting in front of them.

Pooja, Alekh and Hooda were not believing their eyes and thought it was not true but kept looking at Rajveer. While Ali and Yudi who have already seen him in the hall, were waiting for their friends reactions especially of Naina. Both of them were scared as they would not be easily forgiven for keeping this big secret. Pooja was first to recover from the shock and pinched Alekh to confirm that it's really a reality.

Alekh jumped and shouted "Kya kar reli hain Punjaban".

A broad smile was on Rajveer's face as he was very happy to see them after such a long time but was also nervous as it won't be easy to explain, why he kept himself hidden and didn't let them know of being alive. He stood up to face their anger and was about to take a step but saw all of them running and hugged him with their full force. He was surprised by this, stepped back so as not to fall and then hugged back really tight. They were blabbering while crying and Rajveer was not able to understand anything but knows that they are complaining to him like small kids why he left them all alone. In all of this, his eyes never leave Naina and clearly can see how hurtful and angry she is. But his heart was still waiting for her to hug him, he wanted to touch her, feel her heart beat to be alive again.

Naina was feeling a lot of emotions in her heart. She was happy, content, angry, and had peace after a long time but also felt betrayed and being foolish. Yes, foolish for praying every day to all Gods to save him, to keep him safe. So, that he will come back for her and they would be together, love each other, he would guide her like in past, tell her that everything happened to him was not her fault, to forgive her for all of the stupidity she did, for shooting him, for misbehaving with him and the list goes on. But he was living and breathing all these years and didn't let her or anyone know about this, they are not important to him and all were stupid, just stupid in believing in him.

She forced eyes to move away from his face as didn't want to see him anymore. She smiled dryly and thought zindagi bhi kitna ajeeb mazak karti hain, jis chehre ko ek baar phir se dekhne kae liye woh kuch bhi kar sakti thi. Aaj woh hi chera itne saalo kae baad uske samne hain par woh abh use dekhna hi nahi chahti. Zindagi nae kabh usse bina liye kuch diya hain. Usne humesha hi zyada khoya hain, khas kar kae jab se Naveen Bhaiya nahi rahe.

Rajveer didn't liked when Naina stop looking at him. He opened mouth to say something but then realised his cadets are still hugging him and crying. To calm them down, he said "Guys, please stop crying. Main yahi hu, aap sabh se samne. Kahi nai jaa raha hu. Soldiers don't cry like this".

They left him hesitantly and started complaining, asking questions, for which they need answers and won't wait anymore. They were very angry with him.

Hooda : "Sirji, kaha the aap itne saal. Aapko pata bhi humara kya haal tha".

Alekh : "Sir, aap aisa kaisa kar sakte ho humare saath. Humne kaha kaha nahi dhoondha aapko. Kitna mushkil tha ek dusre ko sambhala aap kae jaane kae baad (He said last line by looking at Naina)".

Pooja : "Aap toh out of reach ho gaye, aapko kya pata humne kya kya saha taki aapke raaste par chale. Hum sabne apna ek hissa hi kho diya aap kae jaane ke baad aur Naina toh bilkul silent mode par chali gayi thi." (Rajveer was shocked after hearing Alekh and Pooja's words and looked at Naina but she was more interested in side wall's colour)

Yudi (smiled) : "Thank God you are completely fine Sir. We can't tell you how happy we are. Please abh kahi mat jaiyega aap".

Ali : "Aap ko is tarah sahi salamat dekhkar, hum bahut kush hain Sir. Hum sabh Mae ek naya josh aa gaya hain abh hum sabh pehle ki tarah ek saath hi rahenge".

Huda interrupted him and said "Usool, sirf apne liye bol, sabh kae liye na bol".

Ali : "Huda Bhai kya bol rahe ye aap.....".

Pooja : "Kya galat bola Huda ne, jo sach hain wohi toh bola hain usne. Hum sabh abh ek saath nahi hain".

Ali : "Pooja ji please aap toh unhe samjhaiye aur aap unka saath de rahi hain. Jo hogaya use bhool jaiye...."

Pooja : "Tu rehne de Ali, main nahi bhul sakti".

Huda : "Rehne de na Punjaban isko vaise hi kaha samaj aayegi. Tu Jaa aur apne usolo ke saath jee. Tujhe kya fark parta hai".

Alekh : "Tum log khaiko use piche pare ho. Aisa kya kah Diya usne"

Yudi : "Please guys abhi toh mat Karo ye sabh. Aaj itna bara din hain aur tum".

Rajveer was just moving his eyes from his students one to another. He was not able to understand what happened in last seven years that they are behaving like this. They were really good friends and had fights in past but this is different. Then he looked at Naina who was not saying anything but just looking irritatingly at her friends. She finally said "Please guys, I know tum sabh yaha mere liye aaye ho par kya tum kuch der kae liye aur shant nahi rah sakte. Pooja aur Huda please ek baar Ali ki baat toh suno tum".

Pooja (irritatingly) : "Naina mujhe (pointing at Ali) isse koi baat nahi karni. Isko bol Jo baat karni apni mummy se kare".

Ali (angrily) : "Humari ammi ko beech Mae mat laiye aap Pooja ji".

Pooja (shouted) : Kyu na lau, tu toh wahi karta hai na Jo woh kahti hain. Tune toh unke kahne par shaadi kar li thi na......"

Ali (also shouted) : "Ha ki thi shaadi aur hum kya karte. Aap toh sab kuch chorh kae chali gayi hockey sikhane. Kitni baar aapko phone Kiya, aapne ek baar bhi dhang se baat nahi ki. Kitne saal aap ka intezaar kiya magar aap ek baar bhi nahi dekha hume".

Pooja (frustratingly) : "Chali gayi thi main apna network tum sabh se cut karke, yaha bacha hi kya tha. Aur bardash nahi hua mujhse Rajveer Sir ka jaana, Naina ka dard, army ki naainsafi. KMA se nafrat ho gayi thi mujhe".

Ali (softly while crying) : "Hum kuch nahi kar paye, aap samjathi kyu nahi. Ammi ki tabiat bahut kharab ho rahi thi, woh aapke aur humare rishte ko nahi apna rahi thi. Sabh yahi chaate the ki hum shaadi kar le".

Huda (coming in front of Ali) : "Ali, rehne de tu. Jab pata chala tha teri shaadi ka toh gaya tha main tere ghar Kaidi kae saath. Kitna samjhaya mat kar, uncle aunty se baat karte hain par tu toh apni ammi ke peeche chup gaya".

Pooja (softly) : "Aur isne kar li. Sabh khatam kar diya usdin isne".

Alekh (from behind said loudly) : "Kyu tum sabh Ali ke peecho pare ho. Usko kahe ko nahi samajh rahle ho.

(Came in front of Pooja) Tu bata Pooja, kya tere ko kabhi uski yaad nahi aayi, tune kabhi usse koi baat ki, bas chal di sab se dur. Rohit ke peeche aayi thi tu toh na yaha.

(Turning to Hooda) Aur tu Hooda, tere ko yaad nahi toh main teri help karta yaad dilane Mae. Ali nae apne ghar walo se baat karne ki kitni koshish ki par woh unko samjha hi nahi paaya. Tu toh wahi tha na.

Apun ki toh koi famlish nahi thi par tum log ko toh maa baap ka dard samjtha hain na. Woh haar gaya unke saamne. Maine dekh thi uski woh taklif apne pyaar ko khone ki. Tum dono ki tarah nahi hain jo sabko ko peeth dikha kar bhaag gaye. Hooda tu bhi toh hum sabko chorh kar gaya tha na detention centre ke baad".

Huda and Pooja put their head down after hearing this. Rajveer was sad to hear all of this and blamed himself for it. He thought if he was there at that time then it wouldn't have let any of this happen.

All just looked at each other with teary eyes but didn't say anything.

Dekhi zamaane ki yaari
Bichhade sabhi bichhade sabhi baari baari
Are dekhi zamaane ki yaari
Bichhade sabhi baari baari

(Movie : Kagaz kae Phool)

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