Is love blind? .......Oh yes it is!! - Episode 12

Anjali: hmmm…..i will get going now……Bye….
Sid: [wanted to stop her] Anjali…ummmmm…..[after hesitating] Shall I drop you??
Anjali: [after thinking for a moment…..If she refused the lift, she would have to take an auto…so she agrees] ok…

[They move to the parking area and there is a huge crowd there…..But they manage to find Sid’s bike and they drive away…..]

**********************************************
Aashu’s POV:
Deepak’s behavior was still the same…..he remained quiet for the rest of the movie….He seemed lost in his own self…….I didn’t bother too…..I just ignored him totally and enjoyed the movie…..
Movie got over…..Deepak didn’t offer me a lift....damn he confuses me again….but I took the lead and asked him…. 

Aashu: Deepak, will you drop me home??

Deepak: yeah…sure….come….

At the parking area, I saw Anjali…..I was shocked that she was with Sid….they were driving away in Sid’s bike…..

Aashu: [clutching Deepak’s hand] hey Deepak…Look, that’s Anjali na??…[after a moment’s thinking] hmmmm so she went for this…..she has immense guts yaar….She left us and went to see the movie with Sid and that too in the same theatre…..She ignored all that I said….It’s true that love makes a person dumb and spoils friendship…..I just hope that she knows what she is doing and take care of herself…...

Deepak: [becomes impatient] can we leave now??

Aashu: [surprised at his weird behavior and careless talk] hmmm chalo…..

[They leave for Aashu’s home……]

Scene at Anjali’s home:
The ride to Anjali’s home was so joyous and pleasant…….The cool breeze gave a romantic atmosphere….Anjali is least aware of what is happening in his heart…..she is ignorant of what his heart feels for her! But she enjoys the cool weather, the gentle breeze gushing on her face and the beautiful serene night…..The bike ride was so soothing!!! Sid rode the bike as carefully as possible since Anjali was with him…..His heart was thrilled to have the love his life with him in such a romantic situation……He was enjoying every moment of it……but he didn’t have the courage to propose to her…..

They reach home…..
Anjali: thanks Sid….gud night….

Sid: gud night…
[She walks to her gate……]

Sid: Anjali…[she turns back]

Anjali: yeah….

Sid: ummmm….nothing….[she starts to walk again but he calls her back] [mind voice: come on Sid, you can do it….call her back] suno……

Anjali: [she comes back and stands next to him…she understands that he wants to tell her something] tumme kuch kehna hai na…..bolo….

Sid: [mind voice: was she expecting me to tell it??]ummmm…yeah…..i mean……. [He stops and hesitates]

Anjali: I am waiting….

Sid: [looks at the sky as if he is going to recite poetry…Anjali laughs but Sid is undeterred….] the night is so magical, isn’t it?

Anjali: [smiling and looks up too…..] hmmm…

Sid: do you know the reason??

Anjali: no…. [Thinks that the guy has gone crazy]

Sid: [looks at her] It’s because of you Anjali….. [Anjali’s smile vanishes and she becomes serious] It’s just because you are with me….ummmmmm…..[pauses…….silence prevails…..]

Anjali: So?????[Anxious about what he is going to tell]

Sid: So…….. [He feels that all his courage is washed off] So………Thanks!!!

Anjali: [surprised by his answer] what??? I mean thanks for what??

Sid: Thanks for making this night magical for me!!! Thanks for your company!!!.....thanks for everything!!

Anjali: ohhh….ok…..mujhe bhi tumse kuch kehna hai……bohat pehle kehna chahthi thi par nahi keh paayi….ab kehdoom

Sid: [expecting something special] kaho na…..[mind voice: ab keh bhi dho na…..kaho ke tumhe bhi mujh se pyar hai!!!]

Anjali: ek minute…..[opens her bag….] close ur eyes!!

Sid: [mind voice: Smart girl…..toh tum pehle se hi love letter likh kar aayi ho…..] [Closes his eyes and holds out his hand for the letter]

[Sid feels Anjali’s hand on his face……He smiles and opens his eyes]

Anjali: bura na maano holi hai……Happy holi Sid…..

Sid: [shocked] kya tumme yahi kehna tha…..

Anjali: haan….tumne kya socha??

Sid: kuch nahi….tum ghar ke andhar jaao….bohat dher hogayi!!

Anjali: hmmm….bye…..

[Anjali leaves…..She leaves behind a rather shocked but smiling Sid....he was amused at her childish innocent behavior…..he stands there till she enters the house and then rides off….

But somebody else is also seeing all this silently…..Thats Anjali’s mom and she is not very happy seeing her daughter come home late and that too with a guy!!]

Deepak’s POV:
My mind was an ocean of questions when I returned home after the film…..hazaaron sawal mere mann ko pareshan kar raha hai….Where did I go wrong? Aashu ke saath ek pal bitaane ke liye thadaptha thaa……aaj jab woh pal aaya aur maine aise behave kiya!! 

She was with me for the entire film and I behaved as if I was with some stranger…….ohh God, what is happening to me?

I was longing so much for her company.......I wished that our friends left us alone……

Anjali left us in each others company and what did I do? I ruined the entire evening…… Why did I feel so uncomfortable? I haven’t felt so uneasy before….I wished the film ends soon…..

I guess i must gather the courage and tell her.....Only that will solve my problem........

Sid’s POV:
The evening was so beautiful....ek ek pal haseen tha…..I never thought that my beautiful dream would come true so soon…..I still can’t believe that she was with me the whole evening…..hmmmm but the truth is that you are always with me….within me…..

Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas Tum Rehti Ho
Jeevan Meethi Pyaas Yeh Kehti Ho
Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas Tum Rehti Ho

I wish the evening never ended…….I wish she is with me through out my life

Sid took out his phone and stared at her number…..yeah they had exchanged their phone numbers. Though Sid knew her number before, it was made official today…She had given him the number willingly…. now he could call her or message her…..nothing stopped him…..

Shall I call her??But what will she think?? She might think that I was dying to call her though that’s a truth…..of course I was……I am and I will always be dying to speak to her…….I will send her a message first…….

Next Scene: Its late night……Anjali calls up Aashu

Anjali: hello Aashu….

Aashu: [in an uniterested tone] hmmmm hello

Anjali: how was the film?

Aashu: [sarcastic] first tell me how is your headache??tumne medicine li yah phir sirf rest kiya?

Anjali: woh…actually??

Aashu: [interrupts and continues] ya phir koyi movie dekhi??

Anjali: I was about to tell you that Aashu!! Actually I met Sid at the theatre…he had an extra ticket…..toh Maine…..

Aashu: toh tumne uske saath film dekhi…..aur mujhe miley bhi nahi….

Anjali: jab hum paunchey film shuru hogayi thi

Aashu: interval mein aa sakthi thi na?mujhe akele chod kar chale gayi…..woh bhi uss Sid ke saath!!!

Anjali: akeli???? Tumaare saath Deepak tha na?

Aashu: uske baare mein baath math kar!!!

Anjali: [eagerly] kya hua?? Koyi jagada kiya kya?

Aashu: jagada karne keliye bhi baath karni padthi hai!!! Usne mooh nahi kola…..mujh se kuch baat hi nahi ki…..ajnabiyon jaise behave kar raha tha….

Anjali: accha…[thinking].......na jaane ussne aise kyun kiya??

Aashu: hmm…..kuch toh reason hoga…..god only knows what??

Anjali: [mind voice: woh reason toh main pathaa kar ke hi rahungi]

Aashu: [angrily] mere baath chodo……tum apni batao…..maine laakh baar kaha hai ke Sid se dhoor raho…..phir bhi tum uske saath film dekhne chali!!!

Anjali: Sid utna bhi bura nahi hai Aashu…..

Aashu: tum phir se wahi baat keh rahi ho!! Main keh rahi hoom na….uske dhimaag mein kuch na kuch toh zaroor chal raha hai……usse dhoor rehna hi hum sab ke liye accha hai!!!

Anjali: teek hai teek hai….main aage se khayaal rakhungi……

Aashu: [in a calm and caring tone] I am not forcing my thoughts on you babes……I am worried about you……issiliye itna sab keh rahi hoom….

Anjali: I know Aashu…..you don’t have to explain that to me…..I will surely take care of myself……don’t worry!!

Aashu: hmmmm…….accha rakthi hoom…..mujhe bohat neend aa rahi hai!!

[A beep sound informs the arrival of a message in Anjali’s phone at that time…..]

Anjali: ok…then…..go to sleep……gud night…..sweet deamzzzz

[They cut the call……Anjali checks the message….Its from Sid]

Message:
"On this cold night, in my room, i look at the bright stars in the dark sky & dream of your sweet smile on your cute face!
Good night sweet dreams!!!"

Anjali smiles seeing this message…..and decides to reply

Sid’s phone beeps……He picks it up quickly and is curious to see her reply…..

"I wasn’t smiling but this message surely brought a smile on my face!!!! Good night & sweet dreams to you tooo!!!"

He is happy that she responded…..He doesn’t want to stop the conversation……So he replies again……

Anjali smiles when her phone beeps again………she opens the message……..
"Ek khubsoorat chehra mere dil mein bas gaya hai……aur mere neend ko churaake le gaya hai…."

A gentle breeze caresses Sid....the breeze carries a jasmine fragrance.....and it reminds him of her fragrance......the night they spent in the library......the first coffee that they had together......
her lavendar perfume.......her dancing earrings......and the most romantic bike ride with her waving dupatta gently gliding across his face due to the cool breeze.....

BG Song:
Har Shyam Aankhon Par Tera Aanchal Lehraye
Har Raat Yaadon Ki Baarat Le Aaye
Main Saans Leta Hoon Teri Khushboo Aati Hai
Ek Mehka Mehka Sa Paigham Laati Hai
Meri Dil Ki Dhadkan Bhi Tere Geet Gaati Hai
Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas Tum Rehti Ho
Jeevan Meethi Pyaas Yeh Kehti Ho
Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas Tum Rehti Ho

She thinks “flirting huh?” and decides to play along after a moment of thinking….

Sid is having the phone in his hand and waiting for her reply……he opens it almost instantaneously
"Dher raat jab kisi ki yaad sataaye, thandi hawa jab aap ko sahalaye, karlo aankhe bhand aur so jao…… kya pata jiska khayaal ho, wahi khawbon meh aa jaye……"

Sid smiles and says to himself “that’s cute!!”

He replies…..
"Agar tum keh rahi ho toh woh zaroor aayegi……aaogi na?"

Anjali looks embarrassed by his question……Before she could respond further, another beep comes…….
"Sorry sorry……I meant aayegi na?"

Hmmm…..that’s way better Sid…..She decides to end the conversation…..
"Pathaa nahi…..agar free hogi tho aayegi…..so jaao aur uske intezar karo……I am feeling sleepy too….bye…gud night….sweet dreams!!!"

That leaves only one option for Sid to reply back…..So he replies “"Bye…..gud night"”

Sid: [to himself] free hogi??? Matlab?? Did she mean to say that she has someone else special in her life??will that someone be Rohit?? [Then sternly after some thinking] No way Anjlai….tum sirf meri ho……aur tum sirf meri kwaabon mein aa sakthi ho…….agar kisi aur ne tere sapne dekhe, toh main uss sapnon ko hi mitaa dhoonga…….Yes, I will shatter those dreams!!!!

BG Song:
Tum Sochogi Kyon Itna
Main Tumse Pyaar Karoon
Tum Samjhogi Deewana
Main Bhi Iqraar Karoon
Dewaanon Ki Yeh Baatein
Deewane Jaante Hain
Jalne Mei Kya Mazaa Hai
Parwane Jaante Hain
Tum Yunhi Jalate Rehna
Aa Aakar Khwabon Mein

(To be continued)