The Incognito Cupid

The December early morning winds bit through the skin, discouraging people from their early morning walk, resulting in deserted roads. The watchman of a nearby society had piled some sticks and created a small bonfire, he himself sat wrapped in a thick brown shawl, trying to take in as much warmth as possible. Sameer stopped near the bonfire for a few minutes, warming his hands, exhaling hard through his mouth, fascinated with his own misty breath. He was not an early riser, but frustration can lead people to do anything.

He started walking again, occupied in thoughts, of him and Naina. He returned home after an hour and started getting ready for college. It had been so many months since he had returned from Delhi, since they had started college, and it seemed to him that his and Naina’s relationship was stuck at a point. They spent a lot of time together, but their friends were there with them always. He could lose himself in her eyes, and he so often did, but that wouldn’t last long as a hand would wave in-front of his face or someone would cough and break his trance. He would hold her hands, but he couldn’t sit holding her hand for long, because one or the other of their friends would tease them and she would start feeling uncomfortable. Just yesterday, he was talking to Naina, trying to ask her for a bike ride, the same bike ride that she had promised a year and a half back, but as soon as he had started talking Munna and Pandit had jumped in between. He had been so annoyed that he had left from there, leaving behind a confused Naina. He decided that he would ask her today, anyhow, somehow, he had to do it.

“Naina, suno na, mujhe baat karni hai tumse”, Sameer followed her into the canteen. Since morning he was roaming around her, trying to talk, but as usual he couldn’t find a minute alone with her. He had never thought his own friends could be so irritating.

Naina turned to look at him, “Sameer, hum baad me baat karte hai na. Abhi Preeti ko meri madad chahiye. Aur dekho break time hai, tumhe kuch khana nai hai?”

He frowned, a grumpy expression, “tum na bas yeh Preeti, Swati, Kamya… inn sabke saath hi raho. Mere saath mat rehna.”

She rolled her eyes, “yeh kaisi baate kar rahe ho. Main tumhare saath hi to hun. Achcha chalo bolo kya baat hai?”

He cheered up, “main soch raha tha ke tumne kuch udhaar baki choda hua hai mere paas, use wasool karu.”

“Kaisa udhaar?”, she asked puzzled.

He grinned, “woh hamari bike…”, he started to ask, but was cut off by Swati, “Naina, tu kabse yahan kya khadi hai? Chal na mere saath kuch khane ko leke aate hai.”

Sameer gloomily watched Naina being dragged off away from him. “Aisa hi chalta raha to mujhe kisi din Naina ko kidnap karna padega”, he muttered to himself.

Munna slung an arm around his shoulders, “kya badbada raha hai akele akele. Chal aaja samose khate hai.”

The break time flashed past, and he never had a chance to talk to her. Later at the end of day, when she was walking with the other girls, he caught her hand and detained her. Preeti too stopped immediately, he looked at her, “saali sahiba, mujhe Naina se baat karni hai. Do minute, please”, he gritted his teeth. Preeti glanced at her sister and left from there.

Naina was blushing, “tumhe aisi kya baat karni hai kabse? Aise mera haath pakadke khicha, hamare dost kya sochenge?”, she tried to pull her hand back.

He ignored her attempts, “sochne do jo sochte hai. Tum suno na, mere saath bike pe ghumne chalogi?”

Her eyes widened in surprise, “nai nai. Aise kaise bike pe jaa sakte hai hum?”

Before he could convince her, Pandit appeared searching for Sameer, “aree yaar tu yahan hai… chalna jaldi ghar chod de humko, mere papa intezaar kar rahe hai, aaj hume bahar jaana hai.” Again, Sameer had no option, but to leave their conversation incomplete.

That night he kept tossing and turning, irritated beyond limits. He kept cursing his fortune, the situation, his friends. Finally, sleep overtook him.

Sameer waited in the class to talk to her. He was sure he would convince her for the bike ride today. His excitement increased, when he saw Naina entering, she waved at him and took her seat. He slid along his desk, wanting to pass a chit to her, but just then the teacher entered. He looked up, and his world toppled over the axis, everything came crashing down. Instead of their regular professor, Rakesh sir strode into the classroom. Sameer glanced at Naina, who was equally shocked to see her father. What was happening? How could he come here? Did he get a job in college?

Sameer’s worst fear was confirmed when Rakesh sir announced that he was the new college librarian. He couldn’t believe his fate. First his own friends interrupted him from spending time with Naina, and now her khadoos father was here too. Could there be anything worse?

Rakesh sir started with his job of separating any boy and girl sitting on the same bench, his usual lecture about how everyone was a spoiled brat flowed with a practiced grace. Suddenly his eyes landed on Sameer, and they glittered with malice, he walked up his desk. Naina cowered, sparing a helpless look towards Sameer. Even though they were sitting on different desks, her father’s gaze slid from one to another, as if gauging the situation. He sneered, “to baalon ki dukaan yahan bhi aa gaya”, disgust laced his voice, and his eyes roved over to Munna and Pandit, “pure sheher me aur koi college nai mila tumhe aur tumhare lafange dosto ko?” Sameer kept his head down, his gaze away from Naina, he didn’t want to cause any trouble. But fate was not on his side today.

Rakesh saw the small chit, that had slipped from Sameer’s hands and landed on the bench beside him, he picked it up and read the message – “Naina, kya tum mere saath bike pe ghumne chalogi?”

Sameer paled, quickly glancing at Naina, he gripped the edge of the desk, to stop himself from shaking. Rakesh sir fumed, “tumhari yeh himmat?”, he picked up Sameer by his collar, and dealt him a resounding slap, “tum meri beti ko bike pe le jaana chahte ho?”, he yelled furious.

Sameer still kept quiet. Naina was quivering on seeing Sameer being mistreated, she yearned to say something. Rakesh again bellowed, “bolta kyun nai hai? Naina ko bike pe leke jaana chahte ho?”

Sameer thought of the consequences. He might be dealt about more than hundred slaps. But he had to protect Naina, he couldn’t let their relationship be disclosed. He took a deep breath, gathered courage, and looked up, “ji nai sir”, he spoke up, and waited for the flurry of slaps which never came.

Rakesh sir now turned towards Naina, who was shaking like a leaf, “aur tu, tujhe iske saath ghumne jaana hai?”, he asked of his daughter. She remained silent, though she immediately stood up when being addressed. He irritably yelled, “muh pe taala laga hai kya, bolna, jaana hai tereko iske saath?”

Naina glanced once at Sameer, who tried to encourage her, but she immediately looked down, “n…nai papa…mera matlab sir.”

Rakesh sir looked back and forth at them, “hmm… iska matlab yeh note mazaak tha? Tum isko leke nai jaana chahte, aur yeh bhi tumhare saath nai jaana chahti… To yeh sab nautanki kyun kar rahe the?”, he waved the small note.

“Sir, main to bas…”, Sameer started to defend.

“Chup karo”, Rakesh cut him off, “ab faisla main karunga. School se dekh raha hun kuch to chal raha hai tum dono ke beech me. Par ab sab kuch saaf hai. Na tum iske saath rehna chahte ho aur na yeh tumhare saath, to sabse behtar yahi hoga ke aaj abhi isi waqt Naina tumko rakhi bandhe.”

“Kya!!??”, both Naina and Sameer yelled horrified. Their friends also looked up shocked.

“Haan”, Rakesh nodded, “yahi sahi hai”, he turned to his daughter, “Naina yahan aao.”

She stood rooted to the spot. “Idhar aao”, he bellowed again, and she meekly walked up to him. Rakesh sir took out a big orange Rakhi from his pocket, “yeh baandho Sameer ko”, he commanded.

“P…par papa”, Naina stuttered, “main kaise Sa…sameer ko rakhi bandhu… maine kaha tha school me mujhe koi rishta nai rakhna iske saath.”

Sameer sighed, recalling the school Raksha Bandhan. He felt relieved that Naina would once again save them from this ordeal.

“Haan haan, mujhe sab yaad hai”, Rakesh thundered, “lekin iss baar woh sab bahana nai chalega. Chup-chap yeh rakhi bandho. Jab tujhe iske saath bike pe nai jaana, to rakhi bandh de. Rishta to banega tum dono ka, saath jaaneki baat karte to fir bhi main kuch sochta, par ab nai jaana to bhai-behen hi banoge”, he forced the rakhi in her hands.

Sameer was shaking his head, his hands hidden behind his back. Rakesh sir forcefully pulled out his hand, and held it firm, “rakhi bandho Naina.” He watched it in horror as Naina lifted the rakhi near his hand. The orange rakhi felt like a noose around his neck, and he screamed, “nahi…”

The small alarm clock was ringing loudly, and the room was filled with early morning sunlight. Sameer sat up sweating and heaving, frantically looking around, his hands clutched on the blanket. Dream. He was dreaming, he panted, closing his eyes in relief. It took him ten minutes to calm his erratic heartbeats.

He was lost in thoughts till the time he reached college. The dream scared him. He needed to talk to Naina. This could not continue. They were in a relationship, yet they hardly spent time together, this way they would never progress to anything. He would still be running around, trying to steal a few moments from their friends, and just holding her hands, till they get married. He shuddered at the thought.

Aisa hi chalta raha to sach me kisi din rakhi bandhvani padegi mujhe, he thought gloomily.

Naina saw him sitting on his desk, completely oblivious to surroundings, and walked up to him, “Sameer…”, she shook him. He looked up at her and immediately caught her hand, tugging her to make her sit beside him, “Naina please bike pe chalo na mere saath, warna sab gadbad ho jayegi.”

“Kaisi gadbad?”, she asked puzzled.

He swallowed, a fearful expression in his eyes, “hum do saal se saath me hai lekin pyaar ki patri pe hamari gaadi aage hi nai badh rahi. Ab tak main sirf tumhara haath pakadta hun.”

She frowned, “main samjhi nai.”

“Naina…”, he paused for a moment, thinking how to explain, “pyaar me haath pakadne ke aage bhi aur bahot kuch hota hai. Aise to hum bhai-behen jaise lag rahe hai.”

“Tum na pagal ho gaye ho”, she concluded, “pata nai kaisi behki behki baate kar rahe ho. Aur haan, bike pe ghumne jaana abhi nai, yeh sab mere liye shaadi ke baad.”

“To kya shaadi tak main sirf tumhara haath pakdu?”, he asked annoyed.

She nodded in affirmation, “haan. Hamara pyaar pavitra hai.”

He slapped his own forehead in frustration and tried to explain further to her. But as always, their gang of friends didn’t let them have any conversation in peace. For the whole day Sameer tried to convince her several times, but he couldn’t succeed. Finally, his irritation reached beyond a peak, “thike, tum inn sabke saath hi raho. Mujhse baat karneki bhi zarurat nai hai tumko, woh bhi shaadi ke baad hi karna.” Saying so he left from the college without talking to anyone else.

That evening Naina tried to call him, but he was still so angry that he didn’t talk to her. He couldn’t sleep properly, the dream he had had last night and Naina’s innocent face kept revolving in his head. Maybe he shouldn’t have been so angry on her, she doesn’t know anything about these things and he couldn’t explain properly. Also he didn’t even tell her about his dream, maybe she would have understood if she knew about the dream. Or maybe he was panicking without any reason, after all he shouldn’t forget that out of those two years he was in Delhi for most of the time. They hadn’t spent time together, college had just started yet. She would be comfortable slowly. He should wait, deal with her patiently. And he shouldn’t pay much attention to a dream. He checked the time, thinking to call her, but decided against it when he saw it was too late.

Next day he reached college early, with the intention of talking to her as soon as she came and  apologize for his yesterday’s behaviour. Their friends came in but Naina wasn’t with them, perplexed he was about to ask Preeti, when she told him that Naina had asked him to meet her in the library. Sameer thought she must be angry on him, so he walked down to the library thinking of ways to pacify her. The chocolate he had brought should do the trick.

He opened the door to the library, and entered inside, closing the door again, he couldn’t see her. As soon as he opened his mouth to call for her, a whirl of blue came running towards him, and a soft body pressed against him, arms warm around him. Naina had hugged him! He stood stunned, not knowing if this was reality or he was dreaming again.

“N…naina”, he stuttered, trying to look at her face.

She nuzzled closer, “Sameer please…”

He had no clue what she was pleading for. In a daze he wrapped his arms around her, thinking maybe she was upset with what happened yesterday. After some time when he could speak again, he tried to console her, “Naina, kya baat hai? Tum thik to ho na? Dekho, kal ke liye I am really sorry. Main sahi se tumko sab bata nai saka aur bekar me gussa ho gaya. Tum ro to nai rahi ho na?”

She drew back a little and looked up at him, “tum bike leke aaye ho kya?”, she asked as if he had never spoken anything.

He frowned, “haan. Car hi laa raha tha par tumse milne jaldi college aana tha isiliye bike leke aa gaya aaj.”

“Ghumne chale?”, she asked baffling him.

He shook his head, “dekho tumhe aisa karne ki zarurat nai hai. Main jaanta hun kal sab kuch…”

“Nai”, she cut him off, “tumhari wajah se nai.” She withdrew completely from him, and turned around, wringing her hands, “Sameer… tum sahi keh rahe the. Hum do saal se saath hai par ab tak hamara rishta dedh saal pehle jahan tha wahi atka hua hai. College me dosto ke wajah se hum saath me waqt bhi nai beeta paate. Aisa hi chalta raha toh…”, she trailed off.

Sameer went up to her, holding her shoulders he turned her around, “toh…?”

Dread was visible in her eyes, along with fresh tears, “toh kahin papa mujhse rakhi na bandhva de tumko…”, she whispered horrified.

He gazed at her, “rakhi?”

She nodded, “haan. Papa aaye the college achanak, aur unhone mujhe kaha ke main tumko rakhi bandhu.”

“Orange color ki rakhi?”, he asked softly.

She looked up terrified, “haan. Papa hi lekar aaye the. Maine aaj subah hi sapne me dekha. Sameer, main tumko rakhi nai baandh sakti. Chalo hum bike pe ghumne jaate hai.”

He held her hand, trying to calm her, “Naina… maine bhi wahi sapna dekha tha parso. Isiliye kal itna ukhda hua tha. Par woh sirf ek sapna hai, aisa kuch nai hoga sach me.”

She clutched his hand tight, “par shaastro me likha hai subah ka sapna sach hota hai.”

He gulped, not knowing what to say. Can it be true? Or were they getting scared for no reason at all? But then, why would they both dream about it? He looked at her scared face, and pulled her to him again, wrapping his arms around her, “itna mat ghabrao Naina, kuch nai hoga.”

As she tried to hug him, her hand hit a book on the nearby table, and it fell down. Sameer disentangled himself from her, kneeling to pick up the book and froze midway. The book lay open, and a gaudy orange rakhi had fallen from it, probably kept by some student, but he felt a chill down to his bones at the sight.

He straightened, not having the courage to touch the book even, and turned to her. She was also rooted to the spot, eyes wide staring at the rakhi. He took her hand, turning her to the door, “hum aaj break ke baad ghumne jayenge bike pe”, he stated determined. Naina closed her eyes, and nodded.

They walked back to the class, there was still five minutes left for the first lecture to start. Their friends were laughing loudly, and when Sameer asked the reason, Munna said, “yaar hum soch rahe the ke agar Safari Suit iss college me librarian banke aa gaya to tum dono ke romance ka kya hoga.”

Naina shuddered beside him. He grabbed her hand, “Naina, hum abhi jaa rahe hai.”

She looked at him, “haan, chalo.” They quickly sped out of the classroom for their first bike ride, leaving behind a bunch of confused friends. When Sameer started the bike, she swiftly covered her face and sat close behind him, keeping one hand on his shoulder without any hesitation. After some time, he grinned to himself, and mentally thanked his pujya sasurji for being the incognito cupid and bringing his romance train on track.