2 Years Later...
"Give me the knife." Said Shehnaaz to which a girl handed her the knife. Shehnaaz started chopping the vegetables into small pieces.
After sometime she turned on the gas and poured some oil in the frying pan. Then she put the vegetables into the pan and started cooking.
So this was Shehnaaz's life now. After 10th she decided to make her own career. But study was out of her league. So she didn't get herself admitted in 11th. Instead of that, she took admission in a culinary arts institute where her training to become a chef started. In this two years, Shehnaaz totally groomed herself. She now believed in speaking less and working more. Also now she could speak English fluently as she was also doing a spoken English course. Like this she used to keep herself busy all the time to forget the loneliness in her life which was still there because of that one person.
Shehnaaz was doing her work when the girl who was assisting her said, "Look at that guy. He is looking at you."
Shehnaaz gave a quick glance at that guy who was staring her for a long time and said, "It's his problem. Not mine."
"Don't be so rude na. Kuch dino se clearly dikh raha hai ki woh tujh mein interested hai. At least tu baat toh kar sakti hai."
"Not interested."
The girl sighed and said, "Oh God Shehnaaz! You have so much attitude. Inn 2 saalon mein yeh probably chautha ladka hoga jo tujhpe fida. But you rejected all of them."
Shehnaaz chuckled hearing that.
"Chautha nahi paanchwa." Said another girl joining them. "You forgot that secret admirer. Pichle ek hafte se lagatar letters bhej raha hai humari Shehnaaz ko, flowers ke saath. Bas saamne nahi aa raha."
Shehnaaz's face grew serious hearing that.
"Yaar iss letter wale ne na sach mein pareshan karke rakha hai. Iska kuch karna padega." She said.
"Tujhe iss mein bhi koi interest nahi hai? He is so romantic. Uske letters padhe hai maine."
"Yeah. Aur usne letter mein apna contact number bhi likha hai. Kabhi mann nahi karta jo itne romantic letters tujhe bhej raha hai uss se baat karne ka?"
"Mann kar raha hai. Aaj phone karke usse keh dungi kripaya kar ke yeh sab naa bheje. Idhar daal nahi galne wali."
Saying that, Shehnaaz finished cooking and left from there.
After she left, the girls said sighing, "One more guy is rejected!"
While leaving the college, she found another bouquet which was kept on her scooty.
"Hadh hai! Ek aur bouquet. Arrey Bhai itne dino se contact nahi kar rahi, samajh jaana chahiye ladki ka jawab na hai. Lekin nahi. Phone kar ke do baatein sunaungi, tab jaake maanega." She said and took the bouquet angrily. This time also she found a letter and unfolded it.
Her expression changed seeing it. Her friends also tried to see what was written in the letter.
"Roz toh type kar ke likhta hai. Aaj apne haathon se likha hai. Kya baat hai!" Said one of her friends.
"I have seen this handwriting somewhere." Said Shehnaaz and started reading the letter.
Dear Shehnaaz,
Yeh ab tak ka mera saatwa letter hai. Lekin abhi tak tumne mujhe contact karne ki koshish nahi kiyi. Bohut baar socha ki bas aur nahi. Ab flowers aur letters nahi bhejunga tumhe. Lekin kya karu? Pyaar bhi toh karta hoon tumse. Bohut gehra pyaar hai, ek pal mein toh khatam hoga nahi. Koshish karta hoon tumhe bhulne ki. Lekin jab bhi aankhein band karta hoon tumhara woh khilkhilata hua chehra saamne aa jaata hai. Tumhari uss hasi ki dhun abhi tak kaano mein gunjti hai. Khamoshi mein bhi tumhari bak bak sunayi deti hai. Waqt rehte kabhi keh nahi paaya lekin ab milo ka faasla tay kar ke tumhare paas aaya hoon, tumse apne dil ki baat kehne ke liye. Nigahein taras rahi hai meri tumhe phir se dekhne ke liye. Ab toh aa ke mil lo.
Shehnaaz completed reading and sighed. She was suddenly feeling restless.
"Yeh jo bhi hai, lagta hai tujhe bohut kareeb se jaanta hai." Said her one friend.
"I have to call him." Uttered Shehnaaz.
"Reject karne ke liye, right? Kar call. Number toh likha hua hai."
Shehnaaz took her phone and dialled the number. But nobody picked her call. She was going to call again when she got a message from the same number. The person sent 'Hi'.
Shehnaaz texted, 'Milna hai aap se.'
The person immediately told her where to meet.
"Tu isse face to face reject karegi?" Asked the girls but Shehnaaz didn't reply and became lost in her thoughts.
In Evening...
After two years, Shehnaaz went to the ghat. Since Sidharth left, she never went there as she had lot of memories with Sidharth there. She didn't want the memories to haunt her badly.
She saw a person sitting at the ghat facing his back. A smile came to Shehnaaz's face. She went closer and kept her hand on his shoulder.
Sidharth turned and Shehnaaz's world again stopped for a moment. Her eyes became teary seeing his face which she was dying to see since two years.
"Toh tum aa hi gayi." He said smiling.
Shehnaaz was going to say something but stopped. She took out the letters she got and said sternly, "Yeh sab aap ne likha hai?"
"I know tum meri handwriting dekh ke already samajh chuki ho."
"Inn sab ka matlab kya hai?"
Sidharth sighed and stood up. He went close to her. Then he took out a letter from his pocket and said, "Jo iska matlab hai."
Shehnaaz gave him a confused look. Sidharth understood what she was thinking and unfolded the letter. Shehnaaz widened her eyes seeing it.
"Yeh aap ko kaha se mila?" She asked.
"Yaheen se. Jis din hum yaaha pe akhri baar mile the uss din. Kaash do saal pehle hi isse khol ke dekh liya hota."
Flashback...
It was one month ago. Sidharth got an offer to get transferred to India but he was in a dilemma whether he should go back or not. He was taking time to take any decision.
One day he was finding some important papers but didn't get it anywhere. He searched all the files but nothing worked.
While finding he opened the drawer and saw a paper under all the papers.
"Yeh kya hai?" Thinking that he took it out.
He forgot that this was the same letter which he picked from the ghat. The day he went to America, the letter was with him as he wanted to return it to Shehnaaz. But as the bell rang, he couldn't give it to her. And he kept it with him but never thought of opening it. As a result the letter got lost under other papers.
Sidharth unfolded the letter and started reading it. He became shocked. Shehnaaz loved him since so long but he never understood it. His father told him the same thing but he ignored it. And now after two years he got to know about her feelings when she was not with him. Tears started flowing from his eyes.
"Woh mujhse itna pyaar karti thi aur maine kabhi samjha hi nahi? Aur usne bhi kabhi nahi baataya. Lekin kyu? Main itne din sochta raha ki sirf main uss se pyaar karta hoon aur uske dil mein mere liye kabhi koi feelings nahi ho sakti. Oh God! I'm so stupid!"
He hold his own head in frustration. After sometime he made up his mind.
"I have to go back. Bohut der ho chuki ab aur der nahi kar sakta. Main aa raha hoon meri jaan, tumhare paas." He thought and smiled.
Flashback Ends...
Shehnaaz couldn't understand how to react. She was sad that he came back so late but she was happy that at least he came back....to her.
"Agar yeh letter tumne pehle hi mujhe de diya hota toh aaj hum saath hote. Jab pyaar karti thi toh baataya kyu nahi? Waise toh har waqt tumhari jaban train se bhi tez chalti hai. Lekin jab dil ki baat baatane ki baari aayi toh peeche hatt gayi. Why Baby?" He asked being emotional.
"Main darr gayi thi Sir. Main uss din aap ko yeh letter dene wali thi par jab paata chala humara status difference itna zyada hai toh main nahi de paayi. Socha main aap ko deserve nahi karti. Main aap ke kaabil nahi hoon."
"Tum mere kaabil nahi ho?" Asked Sidharth with disbelief. "Shehnaaz you are the best thing that happened to me. After meeting you my life is changed. Zindagi jeene ka ek alag nazariya mila hai mujhe, tumhari wajah se. Pyaar kya hota hai, feelings kya hoti hai yeh tumne mujhe sikhaya hai aur tum mere kaabil nahi ho? I can't believe this."
Shehnaaz smiled with teary eyes hearing that.
But she immediately changed her expression and said frowning, "Aap ke dil mein itna kuch tha toh aap ne kyu nahi baataya? Aap bhi toh baata sakte the."
"I was confused. America jaane ke baad mujhe realisation hua. Lekin mujhe laga ki main tumhare liye ek teacher aur dost se zyada kuch nahi hoon. Tum kuch din baad mujhe bhul jaaogi."
"Sir aap ke lagne se duniya nahi chalti." She said making an annoyed face.
"Yeh baat toh main bhi keh sakta hoon. Tumhare lagne se bhi duniya nahi chalti, thik hai?" He also said getting irritated.
Shehnaaz had nothing to say.
After keeping quiet for sometime, she said, "Ok I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too."
"Ab sorry ke aage bhi kuch bolne wale hai yaa phir...."
Shehnaaz didn't say further. Sidharth understood what she wanted to hear.
He smirked and said moving forward, "Bolna toh bohut kuch hai lekin tumhe sun ne ki adat nahi hai na."
Shehnaaz got nervous as he was coming closer. She started moving backward. Her back touched Sidharth's car.
"A...aj sunungi..." She said nervously.
Sidharth stood very close and asked, "Bol doon?"
Shehnaaz nodded in yes.
"Do you have any boyfriend?" He asked in a serious tone.
"What?" She freaked out.
"Nahi matlab main jo tumhe bolne wala hoon uss se pehle ek baar jaan lena chahiye ki tumhari life mein koi aur hai yaa nahi."
"Aap ko kya lagta hai?" She asked making an angry face.
"Jaha tak mujhe lagta hai, sayad hai." He said intentionally to irritate her.
Shehnaaz gave a fake smile and said, "Very good. Keep thinking like that only. I'm leaving."
Saying that she was about to leave but Sidharth pulled her by her arm. He brought his face closer to her ears and whispered, "I...."
Shehnaaz's heartbeat became fast.
"Love....."
Shehnaaz was dying to hear the next word.
"Your English....."
Shehnaaz frowned.
Sidharth moved back and said, "I love your English. Kaha se sikha tumne?"
"Sir aap bohut gande hai. Mujhe nahi karni aap se baat. Chhoriye mujhe." She said making a crying face while trying to free herself from his grip.
Sidharth chuckled seeing her cute face. He couldn't control himself anymore and hugged her tightly.
"I love you Gadhi." He whispered.
Shehnaaz calmed down hearing that. After sometime she hugged him back. They both were overwhelmed to get their love back after 2 years. Their waiting finally ended and now they wouldn't leave each other.
Shehnaaz broke the hug and said looking down, "Maine expect nahi kiya tha ki kabhi aap se yeh sun ne ka mauka milega... Par aaj jab aap ne keh hi diya toh main bhi bol deti hoon...."
Now Sidharth also became eager to hear those same words from her mouth.
Shehnaaz took a deep breath and said blushing, "I love you too Sir."
Sidharth gave a slight smile and said, "Aage Sir laga na zaroori nahi tha waise. You are not my student anymore."
Shehnaaz bit her tongue and said, "Sorry... Umm... Sidharth."
Sidharth smiled hearing his name.
After keeping quiet for a moment, Shehnaaz said, "Woh... Sidharth main keh rahi thi ki... Hum filhaal kuch khane chale? Khushi ke maare bhukh lagne lagi hai."
Sidharth chuckled. No matter how much she groomed herself, she is still the same old Shehnaaz.
"Haan haan chalo. Iss dhabe ke khane ko maine bhi bohut miss kiya. Aur khate khate tumhari 2 saal ki puri story bhi sun ni hai." He said.
"Main abhi se baata na start kar deti hoon warna raat tak khatam nahi hogi. Hua yun tha ki exams ke baad...."
Shehnaaz started blabbering like old times. While Sidharth kept doing his favourite job, listening to her silently and staring her.
They both started walking holding hands.
The End...
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Next story kuch din baad start karungi. Soch rahi hoon kisi movie ki story par based likhu. Ho sake to kuch acchi Bollywood movies suggest karna.