Part 5

Sameer was having fun with his friends on his important day. The boys had early morning fun with cake and celebrations and had lingered in the house and in his room till he got dressed. Since it was his special day, he took his time showering and choosing the right outfit.

Munna Pandit turned his wardrobe upside down in removing and checking each shirt and T-shirt on Sameer and discarding everything on the bed. Finally, after everything was lying in a heap, Pandit exclaimed disappointed, "kya yaar Sameer. Itne saare kapdon mein se ek bhi nahi hai jo special ho aajke special din ke liye!"

Sameer gave his cutest smile as it seemed to worry his friend that it was world's major concern right now that there was no decent outfit for his friend on his special day.

Sameer turned to the remaining stuff still left on the hangers, mostly those that he either disliked or just had never gotten around wearing yet. He decided to just pick one as most of them hand never been used. But on a whim, he closed his eyes and focused for a second. Instantly, he felt himself surrounded with an unknowing warmth and he could breathe in that rare lavender fragrance that always enchanted and soothed him. Though the image was always out of reach, he could associate it with a girl's happy face that formed a hazy image in his brain. He focused for a moment longer and with closed eyes, his hands out of their own volition reached the clothes. The fingers caressed the side of each and after 2-3, they just stopped and lingered on a garment. He opened his eyes and saw that it was a midnight blue polo neck cashmere (I had to have them twinning on their bday, 😉). He removed it from the hangar and remembered that he had bought it from his trip to Switzerland with Nanu a year ago but later had second thoughts and had never worn it. It just lay hanging in a corner for over a year now. Even the label was yet intact. He couldn't understand, how he picked it out today and felt compelled to wear it that too out of choice.

May be that constant presence in his brain these days was taking control of his life. Was it so? No one controlled Sameer Maheshwari as he always felt he was like the wind as his name suggested. But these days, he found himself doing things and taking decisions that normally Sameer wouldn't and the irony was that he didn't mind nor regretted. He happily gave in to whatever that presence made him do. It was like that since he was child though he hardly understood that before. In his teenage years, he had come to realise that there was always a force or a guiding light whenever he was in trouble or in despair. Something always pulled him out of it. Only in the last 3-4 years, since he had turned 18, he had come to realize that it was not something but rather someone. He had felt more and more drawn to her and could feel her presence in him at al times. Since the last few days, he had felt a very strong connection and while he had no idea who she was and even if she really existed, he couldn't shake it off that this morning, she had responded to his call, albeit in a very subtle and confused manner.

"Arre Sammer, kya soch raha hai bhai? Jaldi taiyyar ho! Aaj toh teenon bhai milke pure Ahmedabad mein dhamachaukadi machayenge!" Declared Munna.

"Aur kya! Aaj bhai ka birthday hai. Bahut mazaa aayega!" Pandit simply rolled on the bed over the heap in excitement.

Sameer broke out of his pleasant and mysterious reverie and smiled at their antics. Only these two monkeys and Nanu were enough to fill up his world, but lately he felt a piece of him missing and would get restless if the presence in his mind was completely vanished or he couldn't feel it.  He had to do something about it and soon find out. May be Nanu knew. He made a mental note to talk to him as Nanu always dropped some hints and clues that there were things Sameer would need to know when he grew up. May be after turning 21 today, his Nanu might construe him as a grown up and would answer all his questions.

Pandit's boisterous laugh again pulled Sameer out from his monolog to self and grabbed some essentials and rushed to the bathroom to get dressed.

A short while later, before the boys headed out, Sameer went to see his Nanu to let him know that he would be back only in the evening. Nanu couldn't control his emotions seeing his chotu sa Sameer looking all handsome dressed to kill in a blue polo teamed with a white sports jacket and jeans and his favourite black boots. As much as he hadn't completely approved of Vishakha's choice of a life partner, the man had certainly imparted his handsome looks to his child.

"Nanu, hum log bahar ja rahe hai, shaam ko shayad der ho. Wapas aakar aapse dher saari baatein karni hai."

"Haan haan beta! Mujhe bhi! Jab tu wapas aayega toh bahut kuch batana hai. Abhi ja! Maze kar! Aur apna khayal rakhna!"

Sameer touched his feet and turned to leave, when Nanu stopped him, "Sameer, beta ek baat hamesha yaad rakhna. Jo dikhayi nahi deta, zaroori nahi ki woh hota bhi nahi. Kabhi kabhi dil aur dimaag alag alag disha mein jaate hai. Tab apni aankhein bandh karke, dhyaan kendrit karo, focus karo aur fir sahi raasta khud mil jayega."

Sameer smiled at his Nanu's unexpected advice. While Munna Pandit, waiting in the foyer couldn't comprehend much, it was common for Sameer to have his Nanu drop pearls of wisdom simply out of the blue. He saved them in his brain box, smiled, nodded and left.

The trio had fun wandering around the city on Sameer's bike without a care in the world. The Ahmedabad wind had gained a slight chill earlier this year before the winter set in, and Sameer was glad for the outfit that she helped him choose.

In the late afternoon, when the boys were having their fill of chaats and Sameer's favourite pani puris (foodstuff has to be same favs too) near Law garden, something unexpected happened. Usually, he liked his paani puri medium spicy but today suddenly his spice level had gone down and any chilly was almost intolerable. He started coughing and sputtering, and guzzled almost two glasses of water. But his stomach felt no relief, Munna bought a bottle of chilled cold drink, which he downed almost in one gulp.

All three were surprised as this had never happened before. "Sameer tu theek toh hai na? Achanak kya ho gaya bhai?" Munna Pandit both were very concerned, worry etching their foreheads.

"Arre kuch nahi hua mujhe! Shayad thoda theekha zyaada ho gaya hoga! Tum log tension mat lo, main theek hoon!"

Munna Pandit were amazed as they had the same spice intake and all was well, in fact the spice was lower than their usual preference. But before they questioned him further, rhey heard someone hollering Pandit from a distance.

Pandit turned in the direction and facepalmed. He was not the person he wanted to see on his fun spree. "Achcha hua Puttu Beta yahi mil gaya tu! Main zara woh nayi dukaan ki baat karne Maninagar ja raha hoon toh tu ek-dou ghante jaake zara dukaan sambhal le", Pandit's Papa requested but in a I-won't-take-no-for-an-answer tone.

"Papaaaa...aaj Sameer ka janamdin hai toh hum ghumne nikle hai!" Pandit tried to ward off a boring afternoon.

On cue, Sameer touched uncle's feet and he blessed him in return "khush raho beta, janamdin ki dher saari shubhakamnayein. Yeh toh aur bhi achcha hai Puttu.. Arre tum teenon apni dukaan pe jao...garam garam samose kachoriyan udao...aur aaj toh desi ghee ke udad dal ke laddoo (in Gujarsti food, these are known as Adadia) bhi banvaye hai, thand jaldi shuru ho gayi hai na! Kahan yeh bazaar ka beswaad bakwas kha rahe ho!" Pandit's father prodded them by pressing their right buttons as all three were foodies.

Before Pandit declined the offer, Munna accepted, "ji Uncleji, aap bilkul chinta mat karo. Hum teenon milke dukaan dekh lenge."

Uncleji left assured before leaving, and Munna slapped his back "kyon Puttu, chale?"

"Dekh Chenu, tu mujhe Ponga bol le, gadha bol le, par yeh Puttu mat bolna! Ek toh Mummy Papa ne Preetam naam rakh ke waise hi zindagi ki band baja di hai upar se yeh Puttu bula bula ke alag bheja ghuma diya hai." Pandit was always irked when someone addressed him other than Pandit but he couldn't say anything to his father. Only his two besties knew his real name other than his family. To the rest of the world, he was only Pandit, nothing before, nothing after and he wished that he could sail through just like that.

"Yaar, tere Mummy Papa ne tera naam Preetam kyon rakh diya? Kitna purana sa hai. Aur upar se thoda ajeeb bhi lagta hai." Sameer asked for the first time.

"Haan toh Mummy Papa bhi toh purane hai! Woh Preetam aan milo gaana donon ka bada favourite hai...toh buss uski saza main bhugat raha hoon!" Pandit clarified.

Chal koi baat nahi...dukaan chalte hai...Samose, Kachoriyan aur Laddoo gapayyenge. Tujhe aisa naam diya toh ab bhugtan bhi denge...aur Sameer ki birthday ki badhiya wali party bhi ho jayegi!" Chenu suggested good-heartedly to cheer a sulking Pandit.

He perked up immmediately and smiled, "Chal Sameer, taaze makhkhan ki thandi thandi chaas pilata hoon tujhe. Tere peth mein aaram milega!" Pandit saw the bright side of having to endure a couple of hours of shopkeeping.

Sameer kick-started his bike and they headed to Pandit's father's Farsan Mart at the edge of Manek Chowk, which was named by Uncleji after his son.

Late afternoon customers started wandering towards Manek Chowk and several made their way to the farsan mart to sample, get a taste of or pack some of the delicious Gujarati snacks. The increasing customer flow was diligently being handled by Sameer on the cash counter, while Munna Pandit were busy taking orders, barking them back to the kitchen for freshly fried items, and packing those as per weight already laid out on the counters.

It had been more than a couple of hours since they were handling the business and the crowd was dissipating slowly, when suddenly Sameer experienced a severe headache. It started from the back of his head and in a matter of seconds sweat trickled down his temple and his head felt like it would explode. Sameer was standing on the cash register and suddenly slumped in the chair. The pain was gone in a flash. Munna noticed it, "kya hua Sameer?", he stopped his packing and came to him.

"Kuch nahi yaar...shayad bahut der se hum yahan khade aur aise khane ki aur ghee ki bahut zyaada khushboo leni pad rahi hai toh shayad issliye sar dard karne lag gaya tha. Par ab theek hai", Sameer assured him.

Tu ek kaam kar, thodi der dukaan ke bahar chala ja, grahak bhi kam ho gaye hai, hum sambhal lenge. Tu bahar thodi hawa kha le", Munna recommended.

Sameer agreed to the idea and went out of the shop, a few feet away where his bike was parked. But suddenly, the ache came back, but this time it was not just an ache, it was a strong feeling of someone moving in his brain. And a very strong unknown fear gripped his heart. He felt as if it was being squeezed. He wanted to get rid of the fear immediately but when he closed his eyes, the same fragrance enveloped him. The only difference was that it wasn't fresh and soothing hut rather surrounded with fear and sweat that resulted from it. Without a care in the world, he shut his eyes tight and focused on it. He could feel that that someone was in danger and was crying out for help. He concentrated hard such that his temples ached but still he couldn't let it go. Somehow, he couldn't leave her alone. He focused more forgetting the ache and suddenly he felt as if a connection was established.

Naina had spotted two shadows following her. It was daylight yet and the intruders had assumed that they were invisible, but they were unaware of her abilities to feel and hear past what the human gut could feel. Normally, she had reading glasses but she could clearly spot out the minutest things that were beyond the naked eye by her extremely sensitive senses.
She had covered her face by wrapping ber dupatta around it and taken off on a very brisk walk to put some distance between her and them. But seeing it to be a deserted street, they had gained on her. A good look at their faces surfaced the deep-rooted fear instilled since her childhood days. The fear had taken over her brain, which inadvertently sent out her psychic senses calling for help. In her heart, she would have only prayed to God to help her or save her hut her brain didn't seem to be in her control. Suddenly, it seemed to be taken over by a strange feeling, who instructed her, "jaisa keh raha hoon, waisa karo."

Naina halted in her tracks as the pain exploded in her temples and she felt more fearful as someone whispered to her. Sweat trickled down her spine and on the upper lip and forehead, wetting her dupatta a bit. She looked here there while massaging her temples. The slow silky voice, as if understanding her plight, relaxed his hold on her brain without letting go, "daro mat, main tumhari madad karoonga. Yahan wahan mat dekho, main wahan nahi hoon par tumhare saath hoon. Bharosa rakho, main tumhe kuch nahi hone doonga. Peeche mat mudna aur tez chalti raho!"

Feeling drawn to the voice and seeing no other option to seek help, she kept quiet and did what was told. He continued directing her as if he had a clear map of the region in his head. He wasn't sure too how it happened, but he seemed to know the layout like the back of his hand. He had managed to put some distance and whisk her away from the prying eyes of the followers, but he required to keep her safe till they felt close as he wasn't sure how she would fare in a physical combat.

Ab aage se daayi taraf sadak se utar jao aur ek ped ke neeche jadon ke beech jagah hai. Wahan chup jao. She followed his directions without question. A few seconds later, the two burly guys stopped right at the big tree but couldn't spot her due to dense foliage. She also wouldn't have found the safe hiding if not for him. She waited with holding her breath while he too waited with bated breath as if any sound in her brain would also leak out and alert her foes.

A few moments later, they left huffing and puffing, "yaar, haath se nikal gayi", said one guy.

"Tujhe pakka yakeen hai, yeh wahi thi?", asked another guy.

"Haan yaar...itne samay se dhoondh rahe hai...yeh wahi thi..." responded the first guy.

"Fir toh aaj boss dhulayi karega." Expressed the second guy.

"Tsk! Tu tension na le. Aaj nahi toh kal mil hi jaayegi. Jaayegi kahan? Mil hi jaayegi!" Assured the first guy.

Long moments after they were gone, Naina came out of her hiding, breathed a sigh of relief and unknowingly blocked out her connection. Her mind was suddenly and automatically filled with thoughts of Chahciji waiting and how she was going to explain her delay and how she will share the bizzare happenings with Preeti. She remembered him but he too was abruptly gone. The feeling of his presence wasn't there anymore, she tried to call out in her mind, "tum ho kya?" But she got no answer and a few meters away heard her Bela Chachi hollering her and she forgot all about the stranger.

Sameer too felt a sudden jerk and then the connection was broken abruptly. He felt as if something was missing instantaneously and he felt bereft of her presence. But before he could attempt to reconnect, Munna Pandit came to him and started asking about how he was and what should be their next plan as Pandit's Papa was back and they were free from shop duty.

As much as he loved his friends, for the moment, he wanted to know more about her, but he couldn't establish the connection. His only solace was the feeling of safe that she exuded before severing the connection.

His friends demanded his attention and repeatedly asked him what happened as he seemed aloof, but he thought to let it pass for the moment as all this was vey new and not normal for him. He needed to figure out what all had just happened and most of all, who she was. All the while earlier, he had also felt a burning sensation near his heart, which had subsided now.

"Chal yaar Sammer, movie chalte hai".

"Nahi yaaron, buss bahut masti kar li...thoda ajeeb sa lag raha hai...chalo ghar chalte hai. Nanu se bhi baat karni hai", Sameer laid out his plans.

"Haan yaar! Tera birthday theek nahi hua na...pehle thikhi chaat khakar peth kharab ho gaya, fir dukaan ke kaam aur garmi se tujhe pareshani hui." Pandit felt bad about draaiwing his friend to all this on his special day.

"Kya yaar Ponga...tum logon ke saath toh mera har din special hai...fir chahe woh Preetam Farsan mart pe hi kyon na beete," Sameer declared and stated his belief.

Pandit was overwhelmed and the trio hugged before speeding away to Sameer's house on his bike.

P.S. Dearies! Thank you for the amazing support to this story. I hope you like Sameer's character sketch. It is inspired from a lot of my favorites. So, if any of you have guessed the main inspiration, please don't disclose it here. And trust me, I will give credits when the mystery unfolds a little more. Having said that, thanks to all the authors and writers of paranormal romance, who have inspired me to blend some of their ML's characteristics into Sameer. Also, psychic abilities are within a realm of science although some might designate them as paranormal.