Both of us were unable to break that silence. Then Anjali herself did, "You're so emotional. Why so?" I asked her, "Have you fallen in luv?" She said immediately, "Don't ask me so Karan, at least now!" I smiled.
There's no big deal in living the life; it's the way how you live who makes it large. Luv is not about caring so much for someone expecting care in return; or just communicating physically without any emotional attachment; or standing against whole community holding hands in hands; or riding to a long drive taking him/her backseat. It's different from all of these. It's just beyond all logics where logic itself kneels. I was experiencing it. I never wished to do any of above; still I was luving her so much. I was talking like a fantasy & mummy was listening it in a serious mood. After a while, I ended & looked at her. She asked, "Finished? Or something has left yet?" I asked, "Mummy? Is everything fine?" Mummy said, "You're not fine, Karan." I got the point. I smiled. She continued, "What are you doing? You're following her such absurdly that you've not any sense of other people too! You're so busy in her that you're unwilling to do our single work too!" I said smiling, "So don't offer me any work when I'm with her mummy. Please!" She asked, "Why not Karan, you're our only son. Whom else will we ask?" I said, "At least you don't say like this, mummy." Mummy said, "I'm not saying this Karan; this is what your Papa said." I asked, "Papa? Doesn't he like Nikita?" Mummy said, "It's not that, Karan. I haven't tell him what you want but..." "I?", I stopped her & said, "I thought, we!" Mummy exhaled; said, "Look Karan, I don't think your Papa is gonna allow her. Better you... forget her." Her words bumped hard. I said calmly, "I can't mummy. I can't." She looked in sorry view. I said in a forlorn tone, "Mummy, I, I beg you. Endow me your Nikita, mummy. Please!" Without saying anything, she went.
Anjali couldn't say anything. I waited a while & then said, "She came again." Anjali kept looking.
It was a misty evening, I think. I was preparing for my final exams. Those meaningless concepts were forcefully occupying my brain cells & still I was dealing with it. I turned the page & at the same time, Nikita came with Mausi. I kept looking. I don't know how. My emotions were unfamiliar to me. Mummy asked Mausi, "So, you brought her." Nikita said, "No, I brought Bu, Bu!" Smiling, Mausi said, "Priyanka had gotten some work so I was about to postpone the program..." Nikita continued her sentence, "But I made her come." I looked at Mummy. She looked at me. Nikita asked for my mobile. I gave it to her. Mummy & Mausi got together. Papa was completing his files. I looked at Nikita. She had dressed a Pink coloured top over Blue jeans. A small Bindi was shining between her eyebrows. Nails were painted Red. Her naturally Pink lips were darken by Pink lipstick. She was as colourful as the rainbow. Distracting from her conversation by my activities, Mummy said to me, "Karan, Bring some Chicken. We'll make Chicken masala." unsettling the glance at Nikita, I looked at Mummy. Mummy said, "Go." I nodded my head & exited. My mind was fulfilled by Mummy's words. How could she say so? After all she was the only person who had an idea how much I luv Nikita. Somewhere, she was seeming to be agreed with Papa. My heart was being nervous. I entered the hall. Nikita was still playing games. I came to Mummy & said holding the bag in front of her, "Here's it." Mummy said rudely, "Put it inside, Karan!" Nikita said laughing, "Kitchen is inside, Stupid!" I felt so ashamed. I kept that bag inside. Mummy said to Mausi, "Lets talk preparing dinner." Nikita said keeping the mobile down, "You carry on Bu, I'll make roti." & moved to Kitchen. Mausi asked, "Karan, looking nervous?" I changed my mood & said smiling, "Exams are there." Mausi said, "Study well. Final exam na!" I nodded my head. Nikita asked from kitchen, "Bu, where's pan?" I moved towards kitchen. Papa glimpsed at me & looked down to files again. I came to kitchen & gave her the pan. I espied her roti & couldn't control. I said, "So this is called a roti!" & started laughing. She screamed, "Bu, see na, Stupid is teasing me!" Mummy said from hall, "Karan, don't disturb her." I apologized Nikita, "Okay sorry. I'm sorry!" She warned in lower scale, "Never tease me." I said, "As you say." Mummy, Mausi entered the kitchen. Mummy asked, "Karan, will you cut some onions for me? Mausi is making Biryani rice." Mausi said, "Let him study. We'll manage." I said, "No, that's okay. I've time." Nikita said, "Bu, let him go. I'll do that. He's about to but basically he doesn't want to." I asked, "Really? Who else do it everyday?" Mummy mocked, "God knows!" Everyone laughed. Taking the knife, I said, "Then ask her to do it everyday. Let her stay here." Nikita said, "You'll never need to do whatever you're doing if I stay here." I liked that.
Chats went on & we prepared the dinner. Mummy & Mausi took that on dining table. I caught my seat & Nikita sat near me saying, "I'll sit here in front of Bu." Mummy served all of us & herself too. We Sat & Mummy sat on wrong seat. Nikita shouted, "Bu, I want you to seat here in front of me." Mummy said, "Leave it Nikita. Start the dinner." Nikita said to me, "You exchange your seat with me. Thanks!" I exchanged. She picked my plate up & put in front of me & picked her plate up from front of mine. I said, "Thanks!" She replied, "Is there any need to say so?" I smiled. Finally, the time to go came. We all were at the front door. I was silently watching the scene standing near Nikita's sandals. Nikita hugged Mummy & kissed her on chick. Mummy said, "Call me on reaching, honey!" Nikita said 'yes' smiling. She bowed to wear her sandals & I said, "No, no need to touch my feet." She smiled. Mausi also smiled. They entered the car & did bye. Papa started the car &... they went away. I kept looking at the back of the car. Mummy said, "Lets go in." I came inside & sat on the Sofa. My glance was at the ground. I took my mobile; opened gallery & opened Nikita's photo. Looking at it, my eyes started flowing. Mummy came from kitchen saying, "They'll reach in an hour, don't they?" I said somehow, "Yeah, they'll." Mummy noticed the change in my tone. She came to me. For a while, she stared at Nikita's image; then looked into my eyes. I unsettled the glance. She said, "You're being mad." I said, "Yes, I'm!" She asked, "Why are you being so emotional? You're well educated, good looking; any girl will choose to marry you." I said, "They'll, but none of them will be Nikita." "Nikita, Nikita, Nikita!", mummy was getting so irritated. She asked, "Why are you after her? Are you so hurried about marrying her?" I said, "Marry? It's not about marriage. I never wanted to marry her actually." It caught her attention. I continued, "I just want her to be in front of me all the time. But marriage is the only way to happen so, that's why..." She cut my voice, "You're mad, Karan. You can't luv her anyway. Actually, you don't deserve to luv. Now listen to me carefully. Even if your Papa allows, now I'm not allowing you to marry her." I looked at her. She said, "I haven't any other option to treat you, Karan. Better you erase her from your memories." & went in. I stood motionless. I gently took my glance down to my mobile. Light glowed & Nikita's photo appeared. I tighten my hold & screen started steeping. I looked her with a lot of luv & in an instance, deleted her photos from my mobile; from my mind also! And once again, the hoodoo was that my mind was experiencing excellent tourbillons of emotions & she, the poor devil, hadn't any presentiment too!
( To Be Continued... )
