Is love blind? .......Oh yes it is!! - Episode 45

Smriti: [mind voice: Iss Sid ka saath dene keliye mujhe Anjali se drama karna padaa….. poor Anjali…..na jaane woh mere baare mein kya sochthi hogi……aur kya sochegi…..kabaab mein haddi jo ban rahi hoom…..]

[On their way….]
Anjali: Where are we going??
Sid: wait dear…..itna impatience bhi acchi nahi hai….
Smriti grins while Anjali rolls her eyes at Sid….
Sid: Oh my god…..Anjali don’t look at me like that…..[grins]…I feel that I will burn down to ashes!!
Smriti: hey Sid….car ko uss mall ke saamne rokho…
Sid stops the car near a mall and Smriti gets down…She comes near the front seat and waves at Anjali…Anjali is confused and lowers her window
Anjali: What happened??? Why did you get down here Smriti??? Do you want to buy something?? Shall I come with you??
Smriti: why are you silent Sid, bhabhi ke sawaal ka jawaab dho…..Dont pull me into your game!!
Anjali: kya ho raha hai??? Will someone explain???
Smriti points to a grinning Sid and waves a bye…..Anjali is irritated and tries to get down when Sid stops her by holding her hand…..He starts the car and speeds off leaving behind a relieved and smiling Smriti….Anjali: [freeing her hand…and furiously] SID!!!! What game are you playing with me???
Sid: Oh noooo Anjali…..dont ever shout like this….I can feel the car shake in fear!! [smiles cheekily at her]
Anjali: enough of your stupid jokes….
Sid: I am not playing any games…..its a simple prank….just for fun….Smriti isn’t coming with us….she is going for a film with her friend……I just offered a lift…..thats it……
Anjali: [secretly glad to hear…but poses a false anger] so both of you were fooling me….
Sid: [understanding that she is acting] yeah sort of..[grins]
Anjali: YOU!!!!! I am not coming with you…drop me back home…..or just stop the car and drop me here…..Go alone and have dinner…..
Sid: hey hey……I was just playing and you are taking it way too seriously…..I have planned this outing after lot of troubles…..so now don’t be a spoilt sport…..
Anjali: [cooling down hearing his reply][mind voice: shaayad issne mere liye kuch khaas plan kiya hai!!!….i have to go and see it] okie….but no other pranks…..ok?
Sid: yeah sure baby….
Anjali: [rolling her eyes] ohhh plzzzz don’t call me baby…..it sounds too odd from you….
Sid: how about babes??? [grins at her]
Anjali: Sidharth!!!! [punches his arm lightly]

**********************
[Meanwhile Sheetal in her room…..she is crying silently…..Something is deeply troubling her from within….She is yet to share it with her friends……]
Sheetal’s POV:
Why did you do this Sam??? Am I the reason for your wrong conclusions???? Maine tumme ek accha dhost samajhkar galthi ki hai kya???tumaare baare mein sochaa, tumaare liye concern dikhaaya….kya yeh sab galath hai??Can’t a guy and girl be just good friends???why do you want to spoil it???

[10 days back…..]
[Sam’s phone rang and it’s a call from Sheetal]
Sam: haan….bolo sheetal….
Sheetal: Hi Sam…tum college nahi aaye??…..is everything ok??
Sam: yeah yeah…..everything is perfectly ok……
Sheetal: then why didn’t you come???? [she hears him sneeze] are you fine Sam???
Sam: a slight cold….thats all
Sheetal: Cold???why didn’t you tell before??….did you take any medicine??? Don’t ignore it….doctor ke paas chalen???….[she goes on with her concerns but he snaps her in between]
Sam: oh oh…Sheetal….its just a minor cold…..dont worry so much…..
Sheetal: I know you wont take care…..i am coming to your place right now….
Sam: Sheetal Sheetal….[She cuts the call] yeh ladki over concerned hai…..thank god all the other guys in my place have left…..nahi toh aaj bas hi jaatha!!….[smiles]

Sheetal’s POV:
--------------------
Maine aise achaanak usske ghar jaane ki baath kahi…what will he think about me???what will his house mates think??? Shall I call him and tell that I am not coming???
No no….why should I bother so much??? He is my friend and he is not well…..he needs me……that’s it….no more thoughts on that……

At his place…..
Sam: Hi Sheetal…..ghar locate karne mein problem nahi hui na?
Sheetal: nahi nahi….koyi problem nahi hui…..
Sam: Come on in……
[She comes in and settles on the couch on the living room….She looks around…..It can’t be called neat but was surely cleaner than what is expected from a bachelor’s room]
Sheetal: It looks clean…..
Sam: you call this clean??i just cleared the mess when you said that you are coming here….it was a short notice, na?
Sheetal: sorry about that Sam……I shouldn’t have turned up like this…..why did you take the pains???
Sam: hey…..no problem…..its just that I would have made it more presentable if I had planned it before…….
Sheetal: I came here to help you Sam….not to give you more pains…you sit down now….don’t strain like this…..
Sam: I will get you coffee…..phir baatein karthe hai……I make the world’s best coffee, you know???
Sheetal: just sit here…..ek din world’s second best coffee peethe hai….[Sam looks confused at her statement…she smiles and clarifies] I meant that I will make it……where is the kitchen???
Sam: no no….kitchen is all messed up yaar…..dont bother…..
Sheetal: that’s all ok for me…..I will manage…..…..
[She goes to the kitchen….Sam follows her after few minutes…..]

Sheetal picks the bowl of boiling water from the stove when Sam comes from behind and tries to scare her…..She is really shocked or rather scared and the hot water spills on his hand……

Sam: ouch!!!!!!!!!! [withers his hand in pain and burning irritation]
Sheetal: Ohhhh god……I am sooo sorry……come here soon…..
[She takes him to the kitchen sink and opens the tap…..She pours water over his hands and wipes it…..then blows air slowly over it giving him a soothing feel……he keeps looking at her]
Sheetal: I am sorry yaar…..you came in so suddenly and I was so scared……
Sam: its ok…..its not your fault….
Sheetal: no it is my fault….i had to be more careful……do you have an ointment???mujhe dho, apply kar dhethi hoom….
Sam: its ok Sheetal…..its not needed…..
Sheetal: you don’t decide that….give the ointment…..
Sam: you wont listen to me…its in that draw….[points to the place]
Sheetal: [brings the medicine and starts applying it] it will be alright soon…..issne lagaane se swelling and redness nahi hogi….
Sam: [drooling at her and overwhelmed by her caring nature]Sheetal, will you care for me like this always?
Sheetal: [looks at him hearing his sudden weird question and smiles] yeah…of course……do you have a doubt??
Sam: [reassured and continues] life long????
Sheetal: [puzzled] what are you asking???i didn’t get it….[leaves his hand and gets up……she closes the ointment tube and places it back in the draw]
Sam: [following her] kya tumme sach mein samaj nahi aa rahi???
Sheetal: [walking away further from him] nahi….tum kya poochna chahthe ho??.
Sam: ok I will tell you directly……[turning her to face him]..I love you……….do you love me??
Sheetal:[moving away from him] What are you saying Sam??? Why are you even thinking like this??
Sam: Why???? Cant I love you??
Sheetal: We are good friends….uss friendship ke beech mein love kahaan se aaya???
Sam: just friends boll kar hum kyun humaare feelings ko dabaakhar rakhen??
Sheetal: mujhe aise koyi feelings nahi hai…Love is not something that will come just like that…I have overcome my bitter experience after a long struggle…..and you know all about it…..i have lost trust in love…..it will take time for me to believe in it again……………..[pauses and looks at him]i am sorry if I have given you wrong signals…..
Sam: [deeply hurt by her reply but gathering up] don’t you trust me too???? Anyways, I don’t need a reply so quickly…think well and then tell me……
Sheetal: there is nothing to think Sam….You are a great friend…nothing more…nothing less….I don’t want to lose your friendship…[she stresses friendship] but plzzz don’t force me into something else……I cant do it…..
Sam: [angrily]So what was that care and concern you showed to me?? Don’t tell me its just friendship……You got so tensed and restless when I didn’t turn up for college….and you came here to see me..….will anyone do all this just for a friend?? Tell me!!!

Sheetal: [equally angry] excuse me….if I knew that you would take out such a meaning for all that I do, I wouldn’t have come here…..ek dhost ki help karne aayi….par lagtha hai ke maine badi galthi kar di hai…..
Sam: tum yeh sab baatein dhosti keh sakthe ho aur khud ko fool kar sakthe ho….par mujhe nahi!!!
Sheetal: shayad tumme asli friendship aaj tak naseeb nahi hui…..tumaare friendships shallow honge…….saare ladkiyan dho din mein tumaare girl friends hua honge….but don’t count me in that!!
Sam: [gets flared up since she belittled his love for her and also mentioned about his flirting nature which he left just for her] ok ENOUGH…..lets cut it short…….either you accept my love or we just part as strangers…..either way is fine with me……
Sheetal: [taken aback by his strange question and angry shouts]WHAT?? What do you mean by part as strangers??
Sam: you heard it right…..i meant what I just said……its love or nothing at all…..i am not interested in this kind of relationship!!
Sheetal: you are behaving so childishly Sam…..you are being unreasonably adamant….and you are spoiling our special friendship…..
Sam: You know what??? What seems so special to you seems meaningless to me??
Sheetal: I think I am wasting time by arguing….[turns towards the opposite direction in disgust]
Sam: then don’t do it…..just leave…..
Sheetal: [turns to him in disbelief if he said that] I cant believe that you said that Sam…..jiss sam ko mein jaanthi thi woh tum nahi…you have changed……[he pretends that he is not interested in talking to her]….ok fine….Good bye!!!
[She leaves the place in total disbelief and anger….Sam is irritated by her refusal too….He never expected such a reply from her……]

Sam’s POV
Sheetal, this is the only way by which I can make you confess your feelings…….How many more days will you be mourning over a lost love???kab tak Jeeth aur pehle pyar ke baare mein sochthe rahoge?? How long will you punish yourself like this???how long will you hurt yourself??? I know I hurt you very much……I am hurt too……I never wanted to behave like this…..i didn’t want to confess it this way either…it just came out in a spur of the moment…… Sorry Sheetal….I am very sorry

Sheetal’s POV contd:
Mere dil ko samajhne waala ek saccha dhost milaa tha…….par woh bhi baaki ladkon ke tarah hi hai…kitni jaldi mere friendship ko khatam kar diya…….You just did that so easily Sam…..You asked me to leave without a tinge of hesitation….!!! You saved me from Jeeth and motivated me to overcome that instance….You asked me not to cry for that cheat!! ….but now, you made me cry…[drying up the tears with her kerchief but her eyes keep brimming over and over again] why aren’t my tears stopping?????Is he so important to me??? no, i cant let my emotions overcome my decision........i need to distract myself from his thoughts…….i will talk to Aashu…..

Aashu is in a telecom with Deepak…..
Aashu: Hello Deepak…I hope you are fine…..
Deepak: mere chout par salt and pepper dhalne keliye thanks…[after a moment]….Don’t you know that I am not fine??? And you very well know the reason for that…..
Aashu: hey, mera sawaal bohat casual tha…..tum ussme aise meanings math nikhaalo!!! Anyways, all is well now…..so why don’t you just forget it??
Deepak: you and your friend might be fine….not me…..
Aashu: “Your friend”??? Anjali is your friend too idiot….
Deepak: yeah she was…till she supported Sid……not now…..how dare she justifies him?
Aashu: don’t be silly Deepak……whatever it is, Sid saved you today….else just think about Kripa’s state……
Deepak: don’t irritate me further by talking all this…..he shouldn’t have interfered in my matters……see what he has done…I cant even talk to Kripa now……I am dying to know if everything is fine with her at home…..
Aashu: teek hai……forget him but Anjali…..she is our Anjali yaar…..what is your problem with her??…..i know she supported Sid in this matter but she did what she thought was right……..its all individual perceptions, you know!!! So forget all this and talk to her…..
Deepak: oh yeah as if she is dying to talk to me…….she is the one who fought with me……she walked away angrily…….anyways,Kripa se baat karne ka koyi idea bolo???tell that first….
Aashu: hold on……Anjali first….i cant let you guys cling on to a silly issue for long…..tum log apne fight resolve karo….after that Anjali herself will give you ideas to talk to Kripa…..[just then Aashu get another call on her phone which is from Sheetal] hey Deepak, Sheetal is calling…..let me connect her too……then lets do a conf call……[Sheetal is in too] hi Sheetal…..kya hua?? aise achaanak call kiya???
Deepak: yeah what happened dear???…..usually you talk only to seniors na??….!!!
Sheetal: shut up Deepak…….Aashu, tumne bathaaya nahi ke yeh bhi call mein hai…..ask him to stop talking nonsense……..else I will cut the call….Deepak don’t irritate me, ok???
Deepak: hey what did I say to irritate you??….i was just playing as always….OMG, looks like something really really wrong with these girls….such weird behavior!!!!
Aashu: [sensing Sheetal’s state of mind] enough Deepak….if you have forgotten, let me remind you that just a moment ago, you were also behaving the same way!!!! Anyway, lets check what Anjali is doing!!
Deepak: you girls always team up and push me to a side….anyways why leave her alone???….call her, let her also speak her part!!!
Aashu: SHhhhhhh Deepak… what do I do with you?????...you keep talking bak bak like a loser!!!……. be silent for a while…..let me call her first…Sheetal, stay in the line…don’t go away, ok??
Sheetal: no way Aashu…..i need to talk to her too……call her up……

Meanwhile, our couple reach a sea side resort
Anjali: [mind voice: looks like Sid has planned a really big surprise for me!!!kya hoga??]
Sid: [mind voice: looks like she is expecting a big surprise from me!! But I haven’t planned anything like that!!! Shit!!!! i just hope I don’t anger in the process………] come Anjali, lets go in….

[Sid goes to the restaurant manager while Anjali waits at the lounge….she overhears 2 waiters speaking that the entire restaurant is booked for a couple today and she silently rejoices over it]

Anjali: WOW Sid, tumne itna badaa surprise plan kiya…..You made me feel special today……You will get a gift from me for this surely…..mere dil ki baat aaj tumme bathaa hi dheti hoom!!

At the manager's desk…..
Sid: how is it possible????? So many tables are empty….but you are saying that all are reserved…..I just need a table for 2……plzzz arrange something quickly…..
Manager: Sorry sir…..the entire restaurant is booked by a single person…..…..we cant do anything sir…….sorry…[he turns back to his work while Sid is talking to himself in frustration]
Sid: Shit!!…how will I tell this to Anjali???? She will kill me for this….. I should have booked in advance……you know what Sid, you are over confident…..and that lands you in big trouble always!!!!
[A sudden male voice snaps him out of his self talk]
Voice: Any problem???
[Sid turns to the direction of the voice to face a smart handsome young guy dressed in casuals with a sweet magical smile……]

[To be continued]