Is love blind? .......Oh yes it is!! - Episode 16

[Rohit wants to break the killing silence….So he starts of with a compliment….He knew that no matter what girls love compliments…..]

Rohit: You are looking absolutely gorgeous…… [Dreamily] Beautiful as always……yeh dress tumme bohat suit kar rahi hai…..

Anjali: [smiling at him] acchi hai na?? Sid ne gift kiya……

Rohit: [suspiciously and eager….noticing the glitter in her eyes] kaun Sid??

Anjali: [rolling her eyes at him] Sid, wahi jiska b’day party mein hum jaa rahe hai…..maine bataaya na??

Rohit: [mind voice: “Hum” Did she mean that I should go along with her to his party?? But I don’t want to go there…….]

[Rohit wants to know the importance of Sid in her life……]

Rohit: [hesitantly] Anjali, do you need to go surely?? I mean if it’s avoidable, then can’t you just skip it??We can go somewhere else….I have loads of things to tell you…..[nostalgically] remember that old coffee house…..we used to chat till the waiter stares at us……Aashima used to join us too……[he laughs out loudly but Anjali just gives a smile…..]kitna haseen pal teh!!!

Anjali: hmmm…I remember….Those were wonderful days…..

Rohit: toh phir chalen….lets rewind and relive one of those days…..

Anjali: Sorry Rohit….Some other day……I need to go for this party…..Its bit too important….

Rohit: kya important??? Main important nahi hoom kya?? [realizing that he raised his voice…..mellows down] phone mein wish karlena…..jaana zaroori hai kya??

Anjali: plzz Sid, sorry…Rohit…..kal college ke baad chalenge….pakka promise…..

[Anjali referring to Rohit as Sid angers Rohit….He thinks “uske naam galthi se…..iss ka matlab woh zaroor important and special friend hai….”]

Rohit: kal possible nahi Anjali…..i am going to Banglore by late night’s flight……ek friend ke wedding hai, aur kuch official kaam bhi hai….
Anjali: oh ok….kab tak waapas aavoge??
Rohit: maximum 2-3 weeks….
Anjali: toh teek hai….tumaari waapas aane ke baad ek poore weekend memories refresh karenge….
Rohit: [smiling….his smile meant a lot of unsaid and unknown things] hmmm…ok….

[Again silence fills in the atmosphere…….This time, Rohit chooses to fill the vacuum by a song…..He switches on the radio…..A program about love is on air……The anchor calling herself Love doctor is giving remedies for guys and girls struck with love fever …..
Main preeth aap ki Love Doctor on your favourite program…….jaise maine kahaa Yeh shaam paagal deewanon ke naam……

Ab hum sunnenge ek pyar bari number khaas hamara previous caller Dev ke liye……..

A soft romantic melody starts rolling……
“mera dil bhi kitna pagal hai yeh pyar jo tum se karta hai
mera dil bhi kitna pagal hai yeh pyar jo tum se karta hai

par saamne jab tum aate ho, kuch bhi kehne se darta hai…….
………………………………………………………………………………………………….”

[Rohit steals a glance at times at Anjali….She is looking out through the window and seems to be enjoying the view……..…He looked as though he was yearning for a look from her……..The song seemed to portray his heart and his feelings perfectly…..]

[But it wasn’t doing any good to his already disturbed mood…..]

[Casual talks starts off between them at times but die out sooner than usual……]
[They reach the beach house]

Rohit: [with a deep sigh] lo….tumaare destination aagaya…..[looking outside, through the gate] but it appears empty….party kitne baje hai?

Anjali: its just 6:15 now….. and I guess the party starts at 6:30…..

Rohit: Do I need to wait?
Anjali: nahi nahi…..You leave…tumme thayar bhi hona hai na
Rohit: hmmm…..ok…..bye then…take care…..Go back soon!!!I would have dropped you back if I didn’t have my flight….sorry….
Anjali: hey don’t be sorry….i understand…..waise bhi Sid mujhe drop kardega….[she gets down and looks at him through the window] bye….have a great trip!! Enjoy!

Rohit: hmmmm…thanks…..[Anjali turns and walks……Rohit calls her]Anjali….
Anjali: [comes back ….bends forward and places her hand on the window] haan bolo….

Rohit: [longing to say something but is not able to……a strange feeling that he is going to lose her forever grips him……He feels that it’s a now or never situation but chooses to take that risk at the moment….] [smiles and places his hand over hers...that meant something but she wasnt able to assess what it was] kuch nahi…..tum jaao….


[Rohit reversed the car and drove away with a heavy heart…He didn’t understand the meaning of that feeling]
The song now on the roll was……
“Dil toh pagal hai, dil deewana hai
dil toh pagal hai, dil deewana hai

pehlee pehlee bar milata hai yahee
seene me phir aag lagata hai
dheere dheere pyar sikhata hai yahee
hansata hai yahee yahee rulata hai
dil toh pagal hai, dil deewana hai
dil toh pagal hai, dil deewana hai

saaree saaree raat jagata hai yahee, ankhiyo se neend churata hai
sachche jhuthe khwab dikhata hai yahee
hansata hai yahee yahee rulata hai
dil toh pagal hai, dil deewana hai
dil toh pagal hai, dil deewana hai
………………………………………………….”.

[My comment: I know Rohit’s behavior is confusing us….I will give some background to understand him and his situation better…..Rohit is Anjali’s good old friend…He is Anjali’s family friend’s son… He likes Anjali a lot….He had gone to US for his masters…..and now placed in Chicago….…He realizes that Anjali is more than a friend to him when he starts missing her like hell… The moment he realizes that its more than just a liking, he informs his parents about it ……Now Rohit’s parents, who are equally fond of Anjali and have no qualms in having her as their bahu, have formally asked Anjali’s hand for Rohit….i mean an official proposal, which Anjali’s parents especially her mom sees as the most suitable alliance for her daughter……The guy is well educated,smart and handsome, placed with the best job anyone could get, they know each other very well, and the most important that he has a clean decent character……family background is also good…….a proposal that no parent can deny…There was no reason why Anjali’s parents could differ from this….Everything was set except for Anjali’s reply…..Anjali is unaware of this sudden turn of events…….but Anjali’s parents actually think that she would be more than happy for this as they have seen how close Anjali and Rohit are……….
Rohit is dying to tell it to her but then he also wants to give her a surprise….moreover, he doesn’t want to propose to her directly and force her into anything…….He wants her to think and tell her reply officially to her parents……]

****************************************

Anjali stepped inside the compund slowly….She was enthralled by the view…...A neat concreted path way lead to a portico……landscapes on both sides of the path multiplied the beauty of the entire place….There was lush greenery everywhere…..A large pool adorned the front portion...The reflection of the lights and the house fell on the waters creating a beautiful visual treat!!..

She could see the beach a little far away….….The richness of the landscapes and the posh bunglow in the center were showing off Sid’s financial status…….
But nothing of this mattered to Anjali now……She wasnt a girl who would fall for such materialistic things!!!
She was confused and also a bit worried by the emptiness of the place…She was confused if she landed up at some wrong place….Nobody seemed to be there except for her.…her eyes were searching for Sid…
She saw a security person coming towards her….


Person: madam, kya aap Anjali ho??
Anjali: haan bhaiya….
Person: [pointing to the lawn on the left side of the path way] Saab wahan aap ka intezar kar rahe hai….
[Anjali looked to the pointed direction……She saw a bright place amidst the otherwise dimly lit lawn…. There was a small pond on one side.....and a sit out on the other side...What met her eyes next was quite an unexpected sight……It brought out mixed feelings in her….She was excited but the very next second she was angry…….There was a welcome board with glowing and glittery letters “Welcome Anjali” written on it……She was like “What the hell??”….She quickened her steps to him….Sid stands up seeing her and is mesmerized by her looks…..He keeps staring as if he is seeing her for the very first time…. ]
Anjali: Hello Sid, Whats happening here? I thought there is a party here…and what I see here is just not what I expected!!!! Can you explain this???
[Her sudden outburst brings him back to reality…..He just smiles cheekily at her]
Sid: What is this dear??Is this how you greet your friend on his b’day??? Come on, give me a hug!!
[Sid just takes a step forward and takes the liberty of hugging her……The hug is tighter and lasts longer than expected…..He doesn’t give her an option or the time to react or refuse it…..She is forced to treat it as one of his pranks and she is not able to scold him further due his innocent looks…]
Anjali: [calming down and coming out of his embrace] Happy b’day!! Now tell me!! Where are the others??
Sid: I told you na….yeh party sirf aur sirf khaas dhost ke liye hai…..tumse khaas mere liye aur koyi nahi…..isiliye yeh poore shaam sirf Anjali ke naam!!!!
Anjali: but Sid….[looks around and clasp her hands in contempt] all this…I mean why??
Sid: chill yaar…..come…sit….you will know the reason soon…..
Anjali: [little nervous by his behavior…hesitantly sits] mmmmm…ok
Sid: tum bohat acchi lag rahi ho.....I am soo happy that you wore that dress!!!
Anjali: [smiles] mmm...thanks....
Sid: So did you have problems finding this place??
Anjali: no no….my friend dropped me here without any hiccups…..
Sid: oh ok….[he wanted to know who that friend was…his face showed that]
Anjali: [as though she read his mind] uska naam Rohit hai….He is a close friend…..

[Sid badly wished to ask “How close?” but chose not to….He just gave her a nod…..

A beautiful cake was placed on the table…..he blows the candle….asks her to join with him while cutting the cake which she does reluctantly…….He picks the first piece and gives her a bite…..He eats the remaining portion of the same piece….Anjali notices that and feels uncomfortable……but she is silent……]

[They settle down with some starters.......She chooses to have just orange juice and it is served to her…..She starts sipping slowly]


Sid: I want to tell you something…..i had been postponing it until now…..
Anjali: [raising her eyes from the drink and looks at him…..observes his change in tone and face] yeah…tell me Sid
Sid: [hesitantly] woh actually……[her phone rings and interrupts him…..It’s a call from Deepak]
Anjali: ek minute Sid…..Hello Deepak, bolo….[She gets up and goes a little far away to talk to him]
[She joins Sid again after 5 minutes….Its exactly that since Sid had been tracking it…….He is annoyed by the disturbance caused by the phone call]
Anjali: Sorry Sid, ab bolo….tum kya keh rahe teh…….
Sid: main humaare baare……[her phone rings again but before she could pick it up, Sid takes it from her hand and switches off the phone……Anjali is shocked by his behavior and rolls her eyes…Sid continues ignoring her anger] Sorry Anjali…..not now…..i want this time all for myself….I want just you and me here…..no one not even a phone call should disturb this……
Anjali is yet to recover from the shock….She is silent…..Sid wants to change the mood….

Sid: [getting up] can we go for a walk?? plzz.....The beach is just 5 minutes away…..Come…..

[Anjali half mindedly gets up]
[They start walking on the beach…An awkward silence sets in…..]
Sid: [just to save the situation] Anjali, can I ask you something?
Anjali: yeah…
Sid: What is your concept about love?
Anjali: [laughs] LOVE!!! Why are you asking this now?
Sid: just like that….tell me na….
Anjali: maine LOVE ke baare mein research toh nahi kiya hai…..[laughs out]
Sid: [maintaining the seriousness] accha chodo….yeh bataao….tumare life partner kaise hona chahiye?? I mean your dream guy??
Anjali: [a little embarrassed…She turns to the sea] mujhe nahi pathaa!!
Sid: [places his hand on her shoulders and turns her to face him] tell me….I know all girls dream about that…..
Anjali: [surprised by his action....and blushing]hmmmm ok…….[pauses, thinks and replies] all the normal conditions stay as such….i mean he should be understanding, trustworthy, tall, handsome…..etc etc all such stuff…you know what I mean….right? [smiles]
Sid: hmmm…[thinks about himself...all these suit him!!]
Anjali: [dreamily and in a sweet tone..her cheeks turn pink] hmmmmm......[thinks….she walks a bit and stands facing the sea]
A surprise call during the day to say "I Love You"
A small hug when I least expect it.
Opening and closing the car door for me.
Walking hand in hand quietly talking.
Caring about how my day went.
Offering me quiet loving passion.

these are my dreams about “that special someone” [giggles and blushes]

[uska muskuraana aur sharmaana Sid ko hilaayi diya…..]

(To be continued)