Part 35
It was the time of the evening….Mayank and Nupur had to attend the reunion function of their school….Mayank didn't want to go but Nupur insisted….afterall, she had had a great time in the school and she wanted to meet her school friends
after long….
The theme colour was black….
Mayank was looking handsome and dashing in a black suit, he looked breath-takingly-killing in that attire….Nupur had worn a black saree with white work on it, looking gorgeous, if that was the word to describe a percentage of how she looked…
But there was 1 problem….she had worn the saree with a blouse which had its neckline at the back so deep that it was almost backless…
Mayank was stunned by looking at her as much as she was stunned by looking at him….
But that was not all…Nupur was not comfortable usually with such revealing clothes….she was modern in her own perfect way….but traditional still….
It was actually Gunjan's Wedding Gift to Nupur…..Nupur protested that she would not want to wear it the way Gunjan had made the designer stitch the top….but Gunjan insisted and she said that even Mayank would like it that way…Gunjan knew Nupur well, she had noticed those glint in Nupur's eyes whenever talking of Mayank now…she behaved as if she was , for the first time, getting to spend her time in what she would have loved to- Knowing Mayank, being with him, she seemed a fan of his character and composure…the way he handled things…all this Gunjan got to know when she had once agreed to a bad habit of Mayank which Nupur said he had…but when Gunjan agreed to it then Nupur had started justifying Mayank's actions and his ethics being the primary reasons behind his ways and attitude….and when Gunjan had had a talk with Shilpa Aunty regarding Mayank and Nupur missing each other, then she had decided to give a vague idea to Nupur about Mayank….since Nupur would try her best to defy her heart and its feelings as much as she could, though her unconscious mind wouldn't stop dreaming…..Gunjan knew now that Nupur was not taking her heart seriously and even wasn't realizing her importance in his life since in her talks she always mentioned how Mayank was sweet, caring and all but her words also had a tint of dis-appointment that how she knew that if given a choice then Mayank wouldn't have wanted all this….though Nupur never said it clearly but
Gunjan had learned, by now, to dig in Nupur's mind for the things which dis-heartened her since Nupur wouldn't want to worry others about it….but now with days passing Nupur's that disappointment was decreasing somehow….she had excitedly told Gunjan about how Mayank smiled more these days with her and seemed less annoyed with her but sometimes gave her confused looks which confused her too….but Gunjan wouldn't want to initiate things by telling Nupur or Mayank straight away about their behaviours but she decided to try her hand in developing their story with few little words of hers….…when Nupur laughed it off and said that she should stop making the house of cards now about Mayank and Nupur, on her own while in heart she felt awkward at this thought of Nupur trying it for Mayank….she felt her stomach rolling at this thought but she tried to normalize herself and pushed back her subconscious mind in a place where she didn't have to look it in the eye, she herself didn't knew why she wanted to avoid it….it looked like a far-fetched dream to her which she didn't want to dream about….it would be best this way for her….Mayank would never ever Lo-….she often stopped herself at this point to think further….she didn't know why it affected her a lot…why did it have to be this way…she never thought that she would have to think before falling in love the why did she need to think before thinking about him this way, even at this point of time when they were married….it must have been this way only….but still she
stopped thinking in these lines whenever she came across this thought of hers…maybe she was scared of not finding what she wanted to….maybe she couldn't imagine at all how that can possibly be….maybe…there were a lot of maybe-s…..but she never answered them…never asked these questions to herself…..all she knew was that she loved spending time with Mayank….it gave her a spark to be herself….she loved arguring with him even though she knew he was hardly wrong in his thoughts and virtues but she always put her point forward, she wanted him to know her views too….she loved his attitude towards life…it was as a perfectly laid life that he had lived always and was successful in making it as he wanted…she loved his respectful behavior which never crossed limits even when she argued with him over the limit….she loved his way of handling things around Mr. and Mrs Sharma which always said that their words were always weighed by his thoughts and approved whole heartedly….but there was 1 thing missing in his life Love…..which maybe he didn't desired for but definitely deserved lot….she knew it but didn't want to put 2 and 2 together...ignore her heart completely for she feared something...she didn't want bring it all up in her mind which was buried deep inside her sub concious mind...
Gunjan had later put a bet on it that Mayank would be stunned to see her else she would change her name and Nupur had accepted the bet saying now she must be ready to change her name and after that she added that Gunjan should stop insinuating Nupur about Mayank's liking towards Nupur…although she knew somewhere deep inside her head that Gunjan was not the only reason for Nupur's hopes increasing because if not for herself, she would never have let them be honoured as Hopes at all.…it was just that Nupur wanted to behave as indifferent as Mayank in this case and wanted to bury all the newly formed bubbles of emotions which she wanted to suppress flatly without ever wanting to process that….
Nupur said, "tu bematlab hi aas ka panchi …."but when Gunjan raised an eyebrow at it and asked, "matlab Di…tum manti ho kit tum..tum bhi…"
Nupur went onwards with her words, "mera matlab hai ki…tu bematlab aas ka panchi…uhh…uda rahi hai…..toh who thak jaayega…please use apne ghosle mein jaane de…"
Gunjan laughed at this and said, "pakka Di?….toh theek hai…naam badal dungi..pehle try toh karo…."
Now here she was wearing it today...
At Mayank's gaze at her, Nupur turned total red, she could feel her cheeks were surely over shadowing the colour of the blusher she had put that day...no matter how much she tried but still she dis-liked the idea of choosing to wear it today...she felt uncomfortable...
Mayank could see it too...and he voiced it to Nupur, "Nupur...tumne yeh kyun pehna hai...agar tumhe theek nahi lag raha hai toh change karlo naa...main thodi der aur wait kar loonga..."
Firstly Nupur didn't want to back out on what she had decided, she had this special quality to lead ahead with whatever she had once decided, as long as she could...for quitting was not what Nupur made decisions for...and secondly, she thought that Mayank thought that it didn't look good on her or rather she couldn't carry such an attire so she said, "Kyun...yeh bura hai kya...main comfortable hoon...par lagta hai shayad sirf tumhe hi main kabhi achchi nahi lagti...Par Mr. Mayank Sharma...baaki sabko aisa nahi lagta...main change nahi karoongi..."she said firmly...
Mayank shaked his head at Nupur's stubborness, thinking about the reason why she behaved this way now...when she she could pull off looking great in the most casual of the dresses...but he didn't like the questioned look on her face either...he moved towards her..bent down to take her pallu from behind Nupur in his hand...dragging it to the front which covered most of her back, he brought the end of the Pallu of the saree to reach upto Nupur's last finger and rolled it twice so as to tuck it between her fingers...and bent down again to pull the clip from her hair to open her bun which lead her long hair to flow over her back and said, "Ab...theek hai...chalo...aur yeh tum par achcha lag raha hai...infact, bahot achcha" and he left the room...it was a good move he thought, for his sanity too, because he never behaved this way earlier...though he felt a pull towards her every now and then but never had he come upto doing such things...nor did he ever think he could be doing this ever...but at that point of time he wanted Nupur to be comfortable more than attending to his dis-comforting thoughts...
Nupur was suddenly spell bound...and confused...she tried to argue with herself that maybe her words made Mayank say that it looked good on her while he himself didn't say it...which she wanted to hear...no correction Gunjan wanted to prove...but what about his guesture...was there anything romantic in that guesture? she thought...than why did she feel the intensity of those few seconds still holding the time inside her...did he actually took care of solving her quest...she tried to ward off those thoughts from flooding her mind and took a look again at herself in the mirror...involuntarily she looked at her hair which he had just opened and the saree which looked great to her after he had helped her with it...she smiled to herself in the mirror shyly which was quite odd, since she shaked her head and keeping her hand on her forehead to stop her brain now she took to the task of going ahead with what she was supposed to..ofcourse go to the reunion and meet her best friends there...
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While the time of car drive today, the atmosphere was tense, both kept stealing glances at each other and tried to figure out other's reaction today rather than trying to analyse their own...this too was hard for them as was the latter one...
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Nupur was meeting up with her friends and chatting with them...while Mayank, for the first time thought of finding solace in food as he didn't have much of a friends group in school, Unlike Nupur...
It had been a scenario of quite an uproar when Mayank and Nupur had arrived at the party as a married couple...there were some shouts of excitement and shocks and murmerring between all seeing these two married and together of all people...
Nupur's friends who knew her well in school were very eager to know her story...one of Nupur's friends' asked her anxiously, "Nupur.yeh Mayank hi hai naa...haaye...yeh toh kissi ladki ko ghas bhi nahi daalta tha school mein...aur ab achanak itna change...sabse jyada romantic movies dekhne wali aur sabse jyada bolne wali...matlab total opposite ladki se shadi kar li usne...toh please jaldi bol naa yeh sab kaise hua" she showed way too much excitement ...
Nupur was actually surprised to see the extent of everyone's eagerness for knowing their story...
Nupur said smiling, "Haan...toh...chalo ab hum kuch school ki purani baatein yaad karte hain..yaha sab kuch bahot alag alag lag raha hai...waise achcha lag raha hai sabse yun bade hokar milna..achcha woh Sir yaad hain..."
Her another friend cut her in, thereby asking, "Toh, kya yeh love marriage thi...Mayank tujhse..."she stopped to think for a moment and then continued, "Tujhse pyaar karta hai?"
Nupur smiled a bit taken aback...why did she wanna know this and what should she say...trying to be a bit confident she said, "Ummm...haan kyun?"
She replied, "mujhe toh yakeen hi nahi hota...aisa lagta hi nahi...aisa kaise ho sakta hai?"
Now Nupur was getting angry on her and more and more uncomfortable by the minute with their comments pouring in..she knew anyone could catch her lie looking at Mayank...ofcourse he didn't love her...but what should she say then...their relation was different not something she would be able to explain...but would they understand...they may mock at their decision of marriage, maybe...and she knew that she respected the marriage and had accetpted it from her heart..thought never told it even to herself, but she felt it today standing here...she knew it meant a lot to her...
Nupur wanted a control over the situation and positively at that...
Nupur's friend eyed her suspiciously for a second since usually Nupur always started with her stories herself .Nupur looked here and there for Mayank..for she wanted to see him right now , it would give her confidence on their decision and strength too...but she had marked it in her mind that she didn't knew the reason behind Mayank's decision...he said a yes to her quite easily...but he never took hasty decisions and would never take it without giving a thought to it...she wanted to know his that very thought...
When she was looking here and there, suddenly Mayank came from no where and smiling widely at Nupur's friends he said, "agar aap logon ko problem na ho toh kya main apni wife ke saath dance kar sakta hoon?"
Actually Mayank was just passing by from there when he heard them talking...and he saw Nupur's face had fallen pale...he didn't want Nupur to feel let down in front of her friends and so he decidedly intervened...
Nupur was dimwittedly looking at Mayank at this question of his to her friends when Mayank looked at Nuput...he pressed his both eyes shut for a brief moment conveying some kind of assurance to her and placed his hand in front of her to ask for her hand for dance...
Nupu was motionless for a moment then understanding and smiling that he was helping her to keep her words, she placed her hand slowly in his and this time it felt strangely very different to her as if she is taking a step towards him...her husband...Mayank Sharma..and her friends, thier talks didn't matter to her anymore...all that mattered was him...somehow she felt he had a pulling force at her today...and it wanted to snatch her away from all...even her...
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A soft song played in the background...and they lead to a place where all were stating to dance now...
Mayank pulled Nupur towards the dance floor carrying her hand in his as if he owned the most precious diamong ever..
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Sajde mein yun hi jhukta hoon
Tum pe hi aa ke rukta hoon
Kya yeh sab ko hota hai
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Nupur just looked at Mayank, she felt as if Mayank was being every bit of the man who made her wait and think over his words, action and thoughts...
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Hum ko kya lena hai sab se
Tum se hi sab batein ab se
Ban gaye ho tum meri dua
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Khuda Jaane ke mein fida hun
Khuda Jaane mein mit gaya
Khuda jaane yeh kyun huwa hai
Ke ban gaye ho tum mere khuda
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Mayank placed his hands on Nupur's waist and held her hand and gently pulled her a bit close for the dance and Nupur felt his presence around her so much that it almost felt like her absence to her now...
Mayank found himslef losing himself slowly in her eyes and Nupur found herself going numb while they started the dance swaying to the music and Nupur followed Mayank's leads in dance quite conviniently to move out of her numbness...
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Tu kahe to tere hi kadam ke
main nishanon pe
Chalun rukun ishaare pe
Tu kahe tho khwabon ka bana ke
Main bahana sa
Mila karu sirhaane pe
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Today none felt like taking their eyes off each other because they could see their own reflection in other's eyes...their emotions seemed to reflect along with the desire to look at the most expressive pair of eyes that talked on their own...
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Tum se dil ki baatein seekhi
Tum se hi yeh raahe seekhi
Tum pe marr ke mein tho
Jjee gaya
Khuda Jaane ke mein fida hun
Khuda Jaane mein mit gaya
Khuda jaane yeh kyun huwa hai
Ke ban gaye ho tum mere khuda
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Mayank swirled Nupur gently and then twirled her back towrads himself...and when she dashed a little with him, he gently moved her in her earlier position of dance again and she lowered her eyes suddenly finding it hard not to be shy...
Mayank tilted his head a little quickly to follow her eyes with his coz he had seen something there which wanted him to acknowledge his heart as sane...but wasn't sure of his new discoveries of what her eyes said...
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Dil kahe ke aaj tho, chupa lo tum
panahon mein
Ke darr hai tum ko kho doonga
Dil kahe ki sambhal zara khushi ko
Na nazar laga
Ke darr hai mein tho ro dunga
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Nupur raised her head up to look back in his eyes and tried to smile, unable to totally understand his heart for he was far from what she was thinking his eyes said...and she had busy from sometime trying to fool hers but now...she didn't want a cloud of questions and thinking now...it was now easy for her to open the path between her eyes and her heart...
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Karthi hoon sao vaade tum se
Bandhe dil ke dhaage tum se
Yeh tumhe na jane kya hua
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She felt utterly nervous to act fully heself again and he was somehow making her feel feeble...
Mayank felt himself feeling vulnerable too,towards her and thought of stopping the dance now...
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