Forever yours

Amar Prem

Part 5

After lunch, the group was allowed to wander around the village for 30 min and buy any tribal handicrafts they liked before boarding the bus for the return journey to the hostel. While Swati and Naina were discussing about what to buy for their respective families, and especially Preeti, as she could not seek permission to travel to Mt. Abu, and Naina wanted to take back something exclusive for her, Sameer wandered towards Naina and whispered only for her ears.

Sameer: Jaane se pehle tumhe kuch dikhana chahta hoon. Tumhare liye special gift hai. Mujhe peechewalli jaadiyon ke paas milo aur akeli aana!

Naina's eyes widened as the request weighed heavily on her. She looked surprisingly at him but he smiled naughtily and walked backwards signaling her to come fast.

Naina was pondering over and immediately consulted Swati. "Wo mujhe akele mein kyon milna chahta hai? Wo bhi jhadeeyon ke peeche? Agar kisiko pataa chal gaya toh? Log kya sochenge? Pataa nahi kya kya chalta hai Sameer ke dimaag mein? Main jaoon ya nahi?"

Swati: Dekh naina, jaana ya na jaana, tera faisala hai. Main toh sirf itna kahoongi ki pyar kiya hai toh bharosa bhi kar. Bina bharose ka pyar sachcha nahi hota.

Naina was convinced and realized that if she could trust Sameer all night in the room with her, she could definitely trust him now. But before going to see him, she gave some money to Swati to buy the gift for Preeti that she had liked. A beautiful wooden carved motif depicting 2 angelic girls: one laughing without a care in the world with her hair flowing and the other smiling at the happy girl, both were looking at each other and hands held tight, which signified Preeti and Naina's bond. Preeti carefree and Naina demure and calm. But both bound to each other and stood by each other in every situation, although sisters but also best friends. That reminded her and she vowed that on her return from the trip, she would share everything about Sameer with her, as she felt guilty about hiding from her till now.

With these thoughts on mind, she moved towards where Sameer had asked her to come and after walking a few steps, she was standing right in front of a small plant that was beginning to grow and the bark thicken. She could clearly see that someone had carved out a heart distinctly and written Naina Sameer in it beautifully. It seemed so perfect that it brought out a smile on her face.

Sameer watched her reaction from a distance not wanting to break into her trance. He could not stop adoring her innocent beauty, she looked so cute in that pink and white dress with her hair flowing in the wind, she usually left her hair open on the trip since he had once gestured that he liked her open hair.  He couldn't fathom how he never noticed her cuteness, beauty, and simplicity before; so blinded was he by revenge and bet that he was not able to see that a beautiful heart beat only for him. How he loved her that seeing just their names together had brought that gleam in her eyes and he could not even think what would happen to that smile, that shine in her eyes if she had come to know that his love for her was fake. But thank god, he realized the value of the only person who genuinely cared for him and could go to any extent for him. He would leave no stone unturned to care that that smile never faded, and there were never tears in her eyes coz of him.

Unable to withstand the distance, he slowly walked towards her without startling her. As usual she felt his presence and looked up at him at the same time, their eyes met and spoke volumes about the promise of love. Naina wanted them to complete their "I love..." Sameer could see the overwhelming love for him in her eyes. He came towards her and looked at her with those same feelings as if the world didn't matter, just the two and their perfect heart.

Sameer: Maine movie mein dekha tha, jab dou log apna naam dil mein likhte hai, toh woh hamesha ke liye ek ho jaate hai (here, he was referring to Ek Duje Ke Liye movie, wherein Kamal Hasan and Rati Agnihotri write their names in the heart on the walls of the Goa fort. I am totally against spooling the monuments though). Ab jaise jaise yeh ped badhega, hamara rishta bhi badhega aur jaise jaise iski jadein gehri hongi, hamare rishte ki neev bhi mazboot hoti jaayegi. Naina, aage kya hoga pataa nahi, par jaise hamara naam iss ped se koi nahi mita sakta, hume bhi ek dusre ki zindagi se aur dil se koi nahi nikal sakta, khud hum bhi nahi!

Naina was awed with the depth of his feelings that she had the sudden urge to hug him and complete the 3 magical words. Same was the case with Sameer, he knew the time was right and he wanted to tell Naina everything, confess his feelings, complete his "I love..." and tell her the whole truth. But alas! It had to wait as they could hear Swati and MP calling out and coming towards them. It was time to leave now although neither of them was ready to leave. They wished the moment froze in time as it would be etched in their memory just like their heart in the tree.

Sameer was restless on the return journey as now he could not wait to pour out his heart to Naina. Naina was seated behind him and could feel the tension oozing out of him but to avoid drawing attention to themselves, she remained silent. However, she was dying to spend some alone time with him and soothe his restlessness.

As soon as the bus reached the hostel, Shanti teacher and Principal sir announced that they could go to their rooms and rest for a while till the sun came down and then they could enjoy the rest of the day on their own either in the hostel or venture out to the nearby market, but on the condition that everyone should come back before dinner time. She and Principal sir would remain in the hostel to rest.

Sameer thought that this was the perfect opportunity he was waiting for and come what may, he could not pass up on it. He gestured Naina to stay back while everyone deboarded. They were the last to get off the bus. He walked up right behind her.

Sameer: Naina, hamari baat adhuri reh gayi thi! Kya tum mujhe shaam ko mandir mein milogi? Tumne uss din kaha tha na yahan Sandhya aarti bahut achchi hoti hai, tumhe usme shaamil hona hai. Toh kya hum aarti ke liye mile?

Naina was happy that Sameer too, like her, wanted to spend sometime together and probably complete what they started during their first sunset together at another sunset today. She nodded slowly, blushed, and ran away behind Swati to the hostel.

In the room, Swati sensed her excitement and upon forcing, Naina revealed the details of the impending date at the temple. She was jittery and butterflies were wreaking havoc on her insides. She could only guess what would happen on this date. Yeah, technically it was their third date if she didn't count the one that she missed at the temple before the debate as she had rushed his Nanaji to the hospital.

Swati asked her to rest for a while so she would feel fresh for the late afternoon date, but she was so anxious and excited that sleep abandoned her. She was overthinking as to what to wear and talk to him. What would he say? Will he complete it first? Would he wait for her to complete it first? What if someone interrupted them again or saw them together again? Flashbacks of their previous dates crossed her mind.

The first time Chachiji and Taiji had almost caught her red-handed. Second time her Papa was almost suspicious when she lied to attend his birthday party. Third time, she was almost caught by Kumud teacher, but then, she eventually missed the date. This time she hoped, it would be an official nice date, just like in the movies, just the way Swati described it should be.

There Sameer too was planning about how he was going to do it and tell her all that was in his heart. He was completely sure that Naina loved him unconditionally and almost sure that even though the truth will be out soon, she would trust him. But still he feared of hurting her and breaking her innocent love-filled heart. He cursed himself and the day he placed the bet but the damage had been done and now all he could do was try his best to assuage it and prove his love to Naina. He vowed that whatever would happen, he would never ever leave her side and face whatever wrath she bestowed upon him.

Mumma: Sameer, itna mat soch. Jab humne shart lagayi thi, tab itna socha hota toh aaj yeh din nahi aata.

Pandit: Haan yaar, lekin agar tune shart nahi lagayi hoti toh hume kabhi pata hi nahi chalta ki wo behenji itni achchi ladki hai aur tujhe na hi use janne ka mauka milta aur na hi usse pyar hota.

Sameer: Sahi keh raho tum dono, yeh shart meri life ki sabse buri aur achchi cheez hai. Par ab main bure ko mitakar sirf achcha karna chahta hoon. Buss Naina mujhpar yakeen kare aur maaf kar de. Uske pyar ke bina jee nahi sakta.
MP: Tu fikr mat kar, sab theek hoga. Bhole baba hai na hamare saath. Mandir mein waise bhi kabhi kuch galat nahi hota.
Sameer hugged his friends and reprimanded them "aur haan, tum log na Naina ko behenji bulana bandh karo. Kitni cute hai wo aur waise bhi use pyar se behenji bulane ka haq sirf mera hai".

Pandit: Haan haan, ab hum use behenji thodi na bulayenge, aaj shaam ke baad bhabhiji bulayenge!!

And they had a happy laugh.
SMP were ready for the battle of love!