Flash back continues..

Next Day, Library

Ruhana was busy reading a novel. Being an ardent reader, she opened up every book which caught her attention. She find peace in them, also she feels they are her true friends who are always by her side and yet never judge her.

As she was busy in the book, Maya was gazing at her all the while.

Ruhana looked up from her book, feeling constant stares on her,''aab bol bhi de kya hua? Kyun ghure jaa rahi hai tab se?" Ruhana questions.

'Kal koi meri friendship karwane gaya tha, par wahan pahunchne ke badh lagga nahi meri liye kuch ho bhi raha tha!!" Maya states, rolling her eyes.

'acha!! Kon gaya friendship karwane aur kis se?' Ruhana asked, trying to be unknown. 

'ooho, meri bholi dost. Kuch pata hi nahi hai tumhe main kiski baat kar rahi hoon, hai na!?' Maya rolled her eyes.

Ruhana giggled,''acha acha thik hai mujhe pata hai main hi gayi thi, but teri bhalai ka soch ke baat nahi ki!' Ruhana exclaims

Maya furrowed her brows and asked confusedly,''matlab!?"

'Matlab ye ki agar samne se jaa ke hum sorry bole aur dosti kare toh usse laggega hum uss se dosti karne ko desperate hai kahin wo humein sadak chhap na samajh le!" Ruhana exclaims, making  up a story..

Maya was quite influenced by her words. It is possible that he might think they are behind him because of his numbers.

'Baat toh teri sahi hai!' Maya said, thinking deep about it.

Ruhana made herself comfortable on the chair,
'arey, main kabhi galat baat karti hi nahi. Dekh ek kaam kar tu khud kuch aisa kar jisse wo tujhse friendship karna chahe, samjhi!?' Ruhana tries to influence Maya.

Maya seem thoughtful,
'Hmmm, par mujhe karna kya hoga?' Maya asked, not exactly getting what she shall do to get his friendship.

'Dumbo, jaa ke padhai karo, aache marks laa, fir dekh wo kaise aata ha!i' Ruhana exclaims.

Maya gazes at her friend for a moment and stands up the next moment.
'Yesh, main sabse acche marks layungi' she said, in a determined tone and moved in to search for books to read.

Ruhana laughed at her act,'sorry god jii, apni friend ko ullu banaya. Par main bhi toh Maya ko uski taraf attracted nahi hone de sakti. Pehle hi ye tension hai ki uski girlfriend hui toh usse kaise bhagana hai usmei ye uspe line maaregi toh mera kya ho ga? Sorry, chhoti si galti hai, maaf kar dena aap!" She holds her ears, looking up at the ceiling as if talking to God.

Just in two meetings, she seems to like him. His simplicity and cute smile attracts her, she can't say it is love but she surely wants him to be her friend - a special friend for sure.

Ruhana turns to take a look at Maya, she was by now reading a book sitting on another table, fully concentrated and determined. Ruhana let out a deep sigh and moved out of the library.

She searched for Daksh in the campus and found him sitting on the bench, lost in his thoughts.  She marched towards him and sat beside him. She opened her book and pretends to  read.

A smile crept on his face when he found her sitting beside him, actually on the same bench.  She turns to him and he immediately turns his face to the other side.

'How rude, tab se dekh raha tha jab meine dekha toh muh ghuma liya.' She makes faces.

Ruhana again started reading her books, Daksh looked at her through the corner of his eyes, as he doesn't want her to find him gazing at her.  He was smiling continuously staring at her which didn't go unnoticed by her but she didn't turn to him as she knows he will again turn his face to the other side. Both were lost in their thoughts when at the same time some boys came and started teasing her.

Daksh's anger was raised with this but before he could do anything Ruhana slapped a boy and this shivers other boys including Daksh. They looked at her with widened eyes.

'Aise kya dekh rahe ho, kya socha tha ladki hai kuch nahi bolegi. Wo jamane gaye, aab kuch bolne pe hath paon tut sakte hai!' She said in a calm but angered tone, shivering Daksh to the core.

'Aeee!' One boy shouts at her.

'Aee, jyada bolne ki koshish ki naa toh aisa pitungi ki khud bhi apna treatment nahi kar paoge!" She shouts, showing them her fist.

The boys immediately left the place. She turned to Daksh but he wasn't anywhere. 

'arey, yeh kahan gaya?" She thought, looking here and there but wasn't able to find him.

Here Daksh was hiding behind a wall and looking at her. 

'Baap re ye toh mujhe pitney ke liye dhundh rahi hai. Kya zaroorat thi usse ghurne ki mujhe!" He thought and could imagine her beating him. He shivers by the thought only.

He called Vineet, as only he can help him. Vineet picked the call in the first ring and the first thing he asked was,''propose kar diya naa?"

'Tujhe propose ki padi hai yahan wo mujhe pitney ke liye dhundh rahi hai!' Daksh said fearfully, still keeping an eye on her.

'par kyun, kya kiya tune?? Vineet asked, a little confused.  

' Kuch bhi nahi, main sirf dekh raha tha usse.'' Daksh told him.

' aeeehh, itni si baat pe kon pitt-ta hai, jaroor teri misunderstanding hai!!' Vineet exclaims.

'Tu jaa unse baat kar, misunderstanding clear ho jayegi!' Vineet further suggested.

'Aur jo usne pitt diya tha?' Daksh asked him, he doesn't want to get beaten just for staring at a girl.

'Log apne pyar ke liye jaan de dete hai tu 2 - 4 thappad nahi kha sakta? Jaa mere sher baat kar, aar ya paar ho jaaye!'' Vineet encourages him.

Vineet's words motivates him a little, he gathered courage and moved towards her who was by now frustrated.

' ee..eee..excuse me!'Daksh called her with a trembling voice.

She turned and looked at him with fierce gase.

'Tum!! Tum aise kaise kar sakte ho? Agar koi tumhari girlfriend ke saath aisa karega toh usse bhi chor ke bhag jaaoge?' She asked him angrily.

Daksh was a little started but spoke,
'Meri..meri girlfriend nahi hai!" He clarifies, looking at her.

She pointed her finger at him and opened her mouth to shout when she realized what he just said. She puts down her hand and smiles at him idiotically, her heart dip in happiness now.

'Hihi, mera bhi boyfriend nahi hai!' She told him, meaningfully.

Daksh gave her a confused look while she left from there smiling at him widely.

Daksh immediately called Vineet to report him the situation.

'Kya hua? Pitta ya chor diya?' Vineet asked impatiently.

'Pitta toh nahi, par..' Daksh stops midway, his voice sounds confused.

'Tu itna confused kyun sound kar raha hai?' Vineet asked him.

'Wo boli uska boyfriend nahi hai!' Daksh told him, still thinking what she meant by that.

'Idiot! Ladki samne se invitation de ke gayi 'aao mujhe patao' aur tu sochne mei time waste kar raha hai. Naak katwa di meri!' Vineet scolded his brother who failed to even get the meaning of a simple sentence.

Daksh's eyes widened, a smile crept on his lips.

'Hihi sachi, aisa hi?' Daksh asked shyly, blushing like a newlywed bride.

'Oye sharmana band kar koi dekhega toh kya sochega!" Vineet scolded him.

'Sorry!" Daksh immediately apologies.

'Main phone rakhta hoon, mere class ka time ho gaya. Tu kuch dhang ka soch aur dosti kar, meri beizzati na karwa aise bhag ke samjha!" Vineet scolds him one last time and disconnects the call.

Daksh looked back and watched her going. He smiles when she turns to him and smiles.

....

Two years passed by, Daksh and Ruhana became friends, they were aware of their feelings but never confessed. Ruhana tried many times but his shy nature became a problem. Whenever she comes to talk he would just run away from there which irritates her.

One fine day,  she and Maya were in the cafeteria and Daksh was sitting behind her table hiding his face with the book and 
Ruhana was well aware of his presence. She doesn't understand what the guy is upto? He's not ready to confess but is always around her. What does he want?

'Baat karne jao toh bhag jaata hai aur chup chup ke dekhta rehta hai, huhhhh!' She bangs her hand on the table, Maya looks at her.

'itna frustrate hone se aacha hai jaa ke baat kar le, piche hi toh baitha hai.' Maya said while sipping her coffee.

'Main jaise jayungi koi na koi bahana kar ke janab nikal lenge.' Ruhana said, making faces.

'wo bahane banaye toh naa sunna aur kya.' Maya suggested.

Ruhana pouts, making calculations.
'Hmm, point hai.'' Ruhana replied  thinking.

Maya places the coffee mug on the table and steals a glance of him who was staring at Ruhana, hiding his face with a book.
'Waise I wonder tum dono ke first night pe kya hoga? Tu wait karti rahegi aur ye mahashay door ke piche chip kar dekhte rahenge.' Maya stated and laugh hard. 

Ruhana glared at her 'shut up!'

'Sorry sorry, par shayad yahi hoga.' She laughed again.

Ruhana got up from her seat,'aisa kuch nahi hoga. Dekh wo abhi confess karega, sab ke samne!" She said confidently.

' hahaha, kya joke hai. Wo aisa kabhi nahi karega. Yakeen nahi hota toh try kar ke!!" Maya challenges her as she was quite confident that Daksh won't propose to her. 

Ruhana moved to Daksh in an instant  and snatched the book from his hand. He stood up hesitantly, gulping down in fear.

' dekho I know you love me, abhi ke abhi confess karo otherwise meri shadi mein aa ke gana gana!' Ruhana threatens him, she had enough of his shyness.

He looked at her in shock, her statement immediately tied a knot in his stomach.

' tum shadi kar rahi ho?' He question in a low tone.

'Nahi! Par kar lungi jo abhi tumne confess nahi kiya kyunki main aur wait na karungi aab tumhara. Toh soch lo, aise kitabon ke piche se hi hamesha dekhna hai ya saath baith ke coffee peene ka bhi koi irada hai tumhara!?" When Ruhana finished her statement, he stand like a statue, too astonished to react.

'Ruhana sapne maat dekh!" Maya shouts from the back side, grabbing everyone's attention. 

'See, aab log isse sapna samajhne lagge. Aab toh kuch bolo!' Ruhana shouts now as he still stands with the same confused and surprise expression.

' main??' Daksh asked, pointing to himself.

Ruhana hit her own head,'haye rabba kaisa banda hai. Tumhe kya lagta hai main kissi aur se baat kar rahi hoon?" She asked, he shook his head negatively.

'Ruhana don't waste your time, Wo nahi karne wala confess!" Maya exclaims.

Ruhana glare him.. He gulped down his throat..

'tum bol rahe ho ki nahi?" She asked, glaring at him with her fierce eyes.

'tum puch rahi ho ki dara rahi ho.' He asked fearfully, holding his bag tight, Maya laughed at his act and so did the other present around.

Ruhana angered with his words, she's surely wasting her time. The guy is not ready to speak a single word and in that case she can't keep running behind him to confess his feelings, she should do it by himself.
She opened up his book and handed over it to him saying,''Naa puch rahi hoon na dara rahi hoon. Lo padh lo, aur ek baat yaad rakhna picha maat karna mera aaj ke badh warna aacha nahi hoga.' She warned him and collected her belongings.

Daksh's heartbeat took up pace when she shouts and warns him not to follow her if he can't confess his feelings but how can he just say it out in front of everyone. He would probably faint with so many gazes over him, nervousness took over him. But when she turns to leave, he realizes the depth of the issue.  And he was determined to stop her at any cost.

Ruhana stops with some sounds. She turned and was left awestruck to see him kneeling down, everyone cheering him. He looked up at her, a bit of fear and uneasiness still visible in his eyes, his cheeks getting red by each passing second.

Deewana hoon tera, mujhe inkar nahi..
Kaise keh Doon ki mujhe tujh se pyar nahi..
Kuch shartein toh teri nazro mei bhi thi..
Main akela hi toh iska gunehgar nahi!!

He stood up and moved to her who was standing at a distance from him. He needs to end all the differences and distance between them.

Ikrar mei shabdon ki aehmiyat nahi hoti.....
Dil ke zazbat ki aawaz nahi hoti.......
Aankh bayan kar dete hain dil ke dastan.....
Mohabbat lafzon ki mohtaz nahi hoti......

He stood in front of her and held her hand,  surprising her to the core,'''aab bhi kuch bolne ki zaroorat hai?' He asked, sharing an eye lock with her.

She shook her head negatively and hugged him tight 'I love you!" She confessed and pecked his cheek, his body immediately hit up with her peck, he felt hot blood rushing all over his body.  Everyone clapped, he looked around and realized they were hugging and that too in the cafeteria.

'Ruhana sab dekh rahe hai.' Daksh reminded her, trying to separate her.

'dekhne do!' She replied carelessly and tightened her grip around him.

'kya sochenge?' He questions her, struggling to free himself.

'jo unko sochna hoga.' She simply replied.

'Please hatto naa.' He requested making a face. She feels his awkwardness and leaves him, obviously she doesn't want him to be uneasy around her.

Maya ran to her and hugged her tightly.

'At last do saal ke badh tumhare kaddu kumar ne propose kar hi diya, wo bhi shayrana andaz mein, not bad hann. But I'm so happy for you guys!" She  and parted from her..

'kaddu??'' Daksh gave them a  confused look.

Ruhana glared at Maya who was in the mood to tease her.

'Haan wo isne tumhara naam rakha hai kaddu kumar.'' Maya laughed.

Daksh glanced at her, she gave an apologetic look to which he smiled and said' nice name, I liked it!" He exclaimed, Ruhana smiled broadly.

At the same time his phone rings and he excuses himself to attend the call.

Khwaab hai tu..
Nind hoon main..
Dono mille..
Raat banne,
Roz yahi
Mangu duua teri meri
Baat banne..

He turned and waved his hand to her, as if saying her bye.

[Main rang sharbaton ka.
Tu meethe ghaatt ka pani
Main rang sharbaton ka tu meethe ghat ka pani..
Mujhe khud mein ghol de toh
mere yaar baat baan jaani..]    ×2

She too waved her hand, smiling all the while. Finally her dream had come true, he actually proposed to her that too in a unique style. She can't be more happy.

O yaara tujhe pyar ki batiyaan
Kya samjhawa..
Jaag ke raatiyan roz bitaawaan.
Iss se aage aab main kya kahoon.......

O yaara tujhe bolti aankhiyan sadke jaawan maang
Le pakiyan aaj duaawaan..
Iss ke aage aab main kya kahoon....

She watches him going out, leaving the campus and then disappear from her sight.

Meine toh deere se nindon ke dhaage se.
Bandhan hai khawaab ko tere.
Main na jahan chahoon
Naa aasman chahoon aaja hisse mei tu mere..

Daksh moved out of the college, a smile playing on his lips. He went to a flower shop to buy a bouquet for her but was confused as there were many bouquets and all were beautiful. Struggling for 30 minutes he bought one, a mixture of all the flowers  and moved back to college. He needs to word the exact feeling.

[Tu dhang chahaton ka..
Main jaise koi naadani..] ×2
Mujhe khud se zor de toh mere yaar baat ban jaani..

Rang sharbaton ka
Tu meethe ghaatt ka pani..

Ruhana and Maya settled in their places and ordered cold coffee. Ruhana was lost in her thoughts, actually in his thoughts.

Tere khayalon se
Mere khayalon tak..
Mera toh hai aana Jaana..
Mera toh jo bhi hai,
Tu hi tha tu hi hai..
Baaki Jahaan hai begana..

Maya nudged her which cause to break her trance.

'Sapne dekhna chor aur coffee pi le apni, ek already waste hui.' Maya said, she just nodded and looked back to see if he's coming.

'Wo naa aane wala aab, class gaya hoga.' Maya said, sipping her coffee.

'zaroori thori hai, abhi abhi teri ek baat galat hui aur ye bhi hogi, wo wapas jaroor aayega.' Ruhana was much confident with her recent win.

'Shart laaga le, nahi aayega.' Maya was quite sure that he wouldn't come back as it was the time of a class which he never misses.

At the very next moment she gets shocked to see him coming. He has a beautiful bouquet in his hand, his eyes fall on Ruhana's face who is smiling at him.

Tum ek musafir ho,
Main koi raah anjani..
Maan chaha mod de toh mere yaar baat ban jaani..

[Rang sharbaton ka,
Tu meethe ghat ka paani
Main rang sharbaton ka.
Tu meethe ghat ka pani..
Mujhe khud mei ghool de toh mere yaar baat ban jaani..] ×2

He sat on his knees before her and forwarded the bouquet.

She grabbed it, smiling broadly. She looked at Maya and winked at her. She quickly pecked his lips which cause  fell down in shock.

Did she just kiss him before so many other students? He went red and ran out without waiting for even a moment. That day he didn't join even a single class after the incident as he was too shy to meet her gaze.

In no time, the news spread throughout the college. Many girls heart breaks with the news, including Maya, she too had some feelings for him from the very first day. But never able to confess. When she came to know that Ruhana loved Daksh and so did he, she decided to remain silent and didn't disclose her feelings. Maya was happy for her friend.

Flashback end...

'sir... Sir.. Sir are you okay??" The air hostess nudged Daksh. He opened his eyes with a jerk and looked around and found he is all alone in the flight..

' sir are you okay??" The pilot asked him.

'Yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry!'' He spoke and took his leave immediately leaving the other two confused.

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To be continued..