The city felt so much different, since they left. Coming back to it got them overwhelmed with nostalgia.
Settling themselves in a comfortable new home and office the boys were set to make a mark in the world now!
They first ventured out to see the small restraunt they used to work in. They ran around but their efforts were refuted. The market was absolutely new and a big mall had come up. They tried to get information but in vain.
They sure were disappointed! The city had changed a lot in 12 years!!
Next thing on their radar was the Orphanage.
Arjun hoped if he could meet someone there and shell out information about Pihu.
The temple was still there, Arjun was delighted seeing it and went there first and prayed.
Later as both of them went ahead, he barely could recognize anything. The new swanky complexes had taken over the old diaplated buildings.
Fate had played the same game!
Arjun's heart broke into a million pieces. He tried inquiring for days together but all he faced was regrets.
Heartbroken he was...and now he was loosing hopes as well!! He would sit in silence contemplating his next move.
Until one day Raghav came over brimming with happiness. He was the sole light in Arjun's otherwise dark life!
"Arre pata chal jayega, mat tension le itna" He tried cheering his best friend
"Hmm"
"Achha sun, tu na mujhe itna sad achha nahi lagta...pata hai is makaan me na kuch major missing hai" Raghav spoke excitedly
"Kya?"
"Yaar dekh, ye na ghar nahi lagta"
Arjun gave him a weird look. Raghav had the competency to fool around him quite a lot. He definitely was onto his antics.
Arjun let out a sigh! "Achha, toh ye ghar kaise banega?"
"Jaise banta hai, ladke settle ho jaate hai, shaadi hoti hai, biwi bacche hote hai..
Tu nahi chahta, roz subah koi tujhe chai bana kar de, garam khana mile, koi pareshan ho late nights se, humari drinking se, koi daante, kisiko manaye, bachon ko peeth par baitha kar khele...teri sadi hui shakal par thodi si muskurahat aaye....tujhe nahi lagta aisa ho, ya hona chahiye???
You know I was planning to do something about it."
"Achha, toh kya plan hai tera?"
"Main soch raha hoon ki main shaadi kar loon, ek achhi si Bhabhi le aau tere liye, tera dhyaan rakhne ke liye"
"Oh ho..arre wah! Ye toh achha plan hai!"
And Arjun grabbed his neck from behind..
"Saale! Isiliye library ke chakkar lagata hai na ab har shaam..wahi toh main sochu yeh suddenly kitabein padne me itna interest kaise aa gaya???ab samajha main!"
And Arjun whacked him
"Kon hai woh?jaldi bol"
"Abhi naam nahi poocha"
"Kya??? Naam tak nahi poocha, aur shaadi ke sapne dekhne laga! Wah!"
"Yaar tu dekhega na use, tab samjhega.... aajkal ki modern ladkio jaisi nahi hai...bahut pyaari hai! Itni sundar ke kya hi batau, badi badi aankhen, lambe lambe baal, salwar suit pehne... Ajju tu chal na mere saath kal, dikhata hoon tujhe!"
"Dimaag nahi kharab hai mera, ki ladki taadne library jaaon...tu pakda gaya na kisi din..saala khud pitega aur mujhe bhi pitwayega"
"Chhi Ajju! Kaise bol raha hai...main serious hoon Bhai...taadne nahi jaata...achhi lagti hai mujhe!"
"Main tab dekhunga, Jab koi tere liye serious ho aur jab tu kisiko achha lagega, usse pehle nahi"
And Arjun left a sulking Raghav home and went for a stroll.
The pre monsoon showers had arrived. It was drizzling and though it was only 7 p.m. it had got dark.
Arjun once again headed to the temple. He went there atleast once everyday.
As he returned and was walking near the complex road which once housed the Orphanage, a girl running literally barged into him and fell.
"Arre!" He helped her get up; a young girl of around 18-19 years was crying and shivering.
She was extremely terrified and looked back, some boys had been following her.
She was sobbing and it didn't take Arjun much time to understand the situation.
The boys came near and in an instant Arjun hit one of them very hard. The rest of them petrified, ran away, leaving the girl behind.
" Tha...Thank you" She joined her hands and sobbed hard.
"Daro mat, chale gaye woh...ab nahi pareshan karenge"
Arjun consoled her and looked at her frail body...she looked extremely scared and was shivering due to cold and stress. Her salwar kameez was partly wet due to drizzling.
Arjun put his jacket around her.
"Ghar kahan hai tumhara?"
"Woh yahan se thoda aage hai..thodi door hai" She spoke feebly
"Chalo, main saath me chalta hoon"
And he escorted her till she reached her building.
"Thank you, aap pareshan hue meri wajah se...sorry"
"Sorry ki koi baat nahi...jao.. andar jao"
Arjun saw her retreating figure and stood until he saw the lights being switched on the first floor.
The building looked extremely old and reminded him of the Orphanage.
His eyes welled up thinking about the day he had left his little one. All he prayed was for her well being. Arjun returned home without realizing that he had left his jacket with that girl.
A few days later on his birthday, Raghav decided to get a cake for him.
A lot of people mentioned to him about the desserts shop called Caramel Spice.
As he went in and selected a cake, he asked the fellow at the counter to write on the cake.
"Ek minute" the man in his late 40s looked around,his staff had gone on a lunch break
Finally he called out "Arre Aanchal, Beta ek minute aana"
"Ji Uncle"a girl came from inside
Raghav looked in disbelief, it was his dream girl, the one he regularly went to library for.
As for her she however was completely unversed about his existence. She had never noticed him!
Raghav couldn't ask for a better return gift today!!
"Beta woh cake par likh do"
"Ji, kya likhna hai!?" Her sugary sweet voice sent him in a trance.
"Excuse me" Raghav went awkward as she spoke to him
"Sorry"
"Sorry likhna hai cake par?"
"Nahi nahi, Happy birthday likhna hai"
"Oh ok"
Raghav saw how beautifully she wrote on the cake in cursive, so effortless!
He was nothing less than delighted.
"Koi naam bhi likhna hai ya sirf Happy Birthday"
"Arjun..Happy birthday Arjun "
Aanchal's heart skipped a beat, it was after ages that she heard this name!!
Suddenly it struck her, it was her brother's birthday today as well.
"Ek minute please..main abhi aayi..just ek minute"
Her eyes had welled up, the Man at the counter noticed it and went after her inside.
He found her shedding a tear alone, as he went up to her
"Uncle, woh cake ke paise mere account se deduct kar lijiyega please...aaj bhaiya ka bhi birthday hai" She mumbled.
The man patted her hair, he knew her pain.
She came a moment later, wrote the name she had always loved and left quietly.
Raghav loudly said "Thank you!"
As he went to pay, the Man at the counter refused.
"Yeh free hai"
"Free?!" Raghav exclaimed and let his imaginations run wild
"Does she like me as well...God!"
Can this day get any better? My best friends birthday, I finally met and know her name now and then the cake being free?? Was this a sign from her???
Just as Raghav was entangled in his thoughts, the Man replied
"This is the 100th cake of this month, it's special...and you are the lucky one aur phir aap pehli baar yahan aaye hai..so please enjoy it with our compliments!"
"Oh ok!..Thank you! I will definitely come back again"
Raghav felt idiotic, but still happy!
Tonight's gonna be a good night! He sang and went on to celebrate the only person he knew as family.
Write a comment ...