(Day when Pooja and Kabir got released)
Its 10’o clock in the morning. Pooja had a small nap as she could not sleep, last day night in police station properly. She wakes up and Ishani brings her juice.
Ishani – “Have you slept properly? Here is the juice.”
Pooja smiles and takes the juices and sips. Mahek too enters the room.
Mahek – “Did you feel bad that you was under custody for one night?”
Pooja – “No yaar. That’s actually entertaining with some fools.”
Mahek – “I know that already. Its fact that my sister doesn’t have any shame.”
Mahek laughs while Pooja stares her.
Ishani – “Never mind… How did your time passed with Kabir?”
Pooja – “Good question… Even though Daksh messed up with me and spoiled my mood, I spend a good time with Kabir. He is not snooty or joker as I think. He is really a good friend and he is so humorous. “
Ishani – “So, you develop a good rapport with Kabir.”
Mahek – “Then, what are you both doing at bathroom?”
Pooja looks at her sternly and she breaks into laughter.
Pooja – “You won’t stop provoking me, buddies.”
Mahek and Ishani pulled Pooja’s cheeks as she pouts.
Pooja – “But, Shiva is upset with me. Still I know how to pacify that sweetheart.”
Mahek – “You’re too irresponsible here, Pooja. If he spoke cheerfully yesterday morning after we asked about breakup incident, it doesn’t mean that he was unaffected by that.”
[Flashback – Previous day morning
Post the black cat incident, Ishani, Pooja and Mahek are in the bedroom and Shiva helps Pooja how to speak to Kabir normally without any tussle.
Ishani (interrupts) – “Shiva…. We are actually sorry for asking you yesterday about that incident.”
Mahek – “Mistake is primarily on my side, Shiva. We knew you were so hurt…”
Shiva covers Mahek’s mouth with his hand and stares at Ishani and Mahek.
Shiva – “You are making me a third person by asking sorry. aren’t you?”
Ishani – “Its not like that…”
Shiva interrupts – “Sshhhh… Plus, you didn’t commit any mistake but only my emotions overpowered me. I am perfectly alright now. So, all of you can smile.
Pooja, Mahek and Ishani smile with embarrassment. Shiva stares at them again.
Shiva – “Oh, why can’t you smile properly? Will the world destroy if you smile whole-heartedly? Life is all about happiness, girls.”
Shiva tickles the three girls. Three of them laughed. Then, they continued coaching Pooja how not to create any mess when she met Kabir]
Pooja – “Don’t stress your brain too much, Mahek. It would burst…. Okay fine, let us make him happy evening.”
Mahek gives a thumbs up along with Ishani.
*****
Kabir is watching his favourite movie in Television. Someone knocks the door and Kabir opens it. Shivli and Shivaandh are standing outside. Kabir and Shivaandh are pleasantly surprised of seeing each other.
Shivaandh – “Hey Kabir, you are the Kabir who is Shivli’s brother.”
Kabir – “Yeah bro….. you here… Do you know my sister?”
Shivli – “Will you allow us get inside or will you keep asking us questions?”
Kabir steps back and both enters inside.
Shivli – “Kabir, you are at home and watching TV. What about college? You’re bunking classes now a days.”
Shiva – “Shivli, first of all, you relax. Don’t strain yourself. He took leave for a reason.”
Shiva informs Kabir about Shivli’s dizziness in the set and further reassured Kabir that he had given her food and she is perfectly alright. Kabir thanks him. Meanwhile, Kabir too confess about what happened yesterday’s night and about the jail stay.
Shivli – “See, how mischievous my brother and your friend Pooja is, they are so busy in taking part in street fights and all, they plan among themselves how to finish off each other. How silly these two are!”
Kabir – “Didi, you don’t take it as a chance to mock me.” (he childishly stares at her)
Shiva and Shivli laughs. Shiva is about to leave.
Shivli – “Finally, I have found you. You should visit me often from here on. No excuses!”
Shiva – “Sure. But you must take care of your health. Bye, Shivli.”
*****
After ten days,
Kabir is jogging in the park and gazes others. He stop jogging and looks at one couple’s romance while eating ice cream. Then, he look how a man holds his hands of his pregnant wife and walks slowly to match her speed and he also looking back and forth to confirm whether the path is safe.
He wonders how love changes people for better and makes mature and stress free.
Then, he look at a Anglo-Indian couple with their baby in pram. Kabir hid and listened to their conversation.
Lady – “Harry, You’re so clumsy now a days. You didn’t pack baby’s nappy in the bag. Now, we don’t know where is the shop?”
She keeps cussing him and mumbled. Harry didn’t reply anything and keep his hand on her shoulder.
Lady – “What? If you comfort me by patting, will we get a nappy? See, the whole day is going to be messy. God.”
Saying this, she rummaged the luggage again. Harry is playing with the baby. Finally, she found the nappy in the bag.
Lady – “There is a nappy in our bag, thank god.”
Harry – “Laura, you got the nappy, right. So, calm down… Breathe in… Breathe out…”
She breathes heavily.
Laura – “Sorry Harry. You said many times that you’ve kept the nappy in the luggage. But, I am too short-tempered to scowl at you. I’m sorry baby.”
Harry – “Its okay, Laura. Its just your anger made you shout all the times. At least now, try to reduce your anger.”
Laura nods and hugged Harry and he kissed her head.
Then, both head towards their way.
Kabir wonders seeing the conversation. This lady is scolding the guy with cuss words. But still he is so gentle with her, How can he be so perfect? Won’t he lash at her out?
He move to the vegetable vendor who is dear to him. The vendor is a 50 year old lady.
Kabir – “Aunty, Can you explain something which I ask you?”
She nods and Kabir narrated the whole story of Laura and Harry.
She – “Kabir beta, its not like what you think. No one can be perfect since beginning. Everyone have their own flaws. Some are visible and some are visible only when we look deep into them. Fights and misunderstandings are a part of relationship. She is not a bad lady, if she use cuss words. There are people who use cuss words to their dear ones. But they won’t mean it. Its because, their dear ones know them well and won’t judge them.”
Kabir nods but he is reluctant to take up the fact.
She – “Kabir, also relationship is all about adjustment… You’ll understand that soon. If everyone look for self respect and all, the half of the population would be in the court rooms for divorce.”
Kabir agrees to what she said. He will understand what she meant, when he met his lady love.
*****
One week passed…
Pooja and Kabir have become a very good friends and things start to change dynamically. Their impression on each other is not really the same when they met for the first time. Pooja has developed a feel of respect in these days seeing his maturity and how he had overcome his hard and sad past. Kabir didn’t see any change in Pooja’s attitude but still she is so nice with Kabir. Still, Pooja hasn’t come out of her angry shell completely. But, Kabir starts liking Pooja’s fiery attitude.
Kabir’s house – at evening.
Hearing the door being knocked, Kabir go and open the door and Pooja is standing outside with a smile. Instantly, he welcomed her inside. Kabir ask her to sit on the sofa. She sit and look at the house.
Pooja – “Wow, your house is simple and well-organized Kabir. Well, you really have a good taste in selecting the house and other things.”
Kabir – “Well, the credits go to my sister. I’m bad at choosing things for house. Everything is bought on her choice and so the elegance.”
Pooja laughs.
Kabir smiles seeing her laugh.
Kabir – “Coffee or Tea?”
Pooja – “Tea… We have already poured coffee on each other at the cafe. So, now tea.”
Kabir – “So you are going to pour tea on my face now.”
Pooja pouts when her sarcasm is overpowered by his one.
Kabir – “I am joking, Pooja.”
Kabir go to the kitchen for making tea. Pooja too enters the kitchen.
Kabir – “You?”
Pooja – “Why not? I come to look at the way you make tea.”
Kabir nods and starts making the tea. He cracked few jokes in the middle. Pooja is looking at his actions keenly. The way he pours the tea dust in the kettle and heats up with care was registered in her eye. The way he laughs when he crack a joke. Though some of his jokes seemed stupid, she smiled to see his blush. Slowly and gradually, Pooja’s crush on Kabir grows.
He poured the coffee into the cup and give to Pooja with a smile. Pooja sips the coffee seeing him sipping the coffee….
“Yuck…” Kabir spit the tea into the cup.
Pooja too spat the tea into the cup as the tea is salty.
Pooja – “Kabir, the tea is salty.”
Kabir – “Yeah… What happened… I added sugar right..”
He opened the jar and look at the powdered white dust. Kabir take and lick the powder and it is actually salt.
Kabir – “Sorry Pooja. I thought it was sugar powder but it is salt powder. I couldn’t identify the difference as the crystal is powdered.”
Pooja scratches her head.
Kabir – “Actually for making cake, I powdered the sugar crystals and salt crystals in mixie and finely powdered it in white.”
Pooja – “God… you’re really impossible Kabir…”
Kabir – “By the way, how is the salt tea?”
Pooja – “Sweet as you, Kabir.”
Pooja stunned when she realized what she said. She cursed herself for being in dreamland. Kabir opens his mouth in O shape hearing the cheesy compliment.
Pooja – “Hey, don’t get over excited. I meant as a sarcasm. Your face has coffee taste which is little bitter sweet.”
Kabir – “Yeah madam knew as if you licked my face.”
Pooja opens her mouth in O shape and stares at him. Kabir breaks into laughter.
Pooja – “How dare you?”
Kabir runs and Pooja followed. Kabir runs faster which Pooja couldn’t compensate. So, she took Kabir’s boxing gloves.
Pooja – “Better stop and get a punch from me…. Otherwise…”
Kabir – “Otherwise… Madam will punch herself.”
Pooja – “Shut up…. See Mr.Boxer, your gloves is under my control and I’m going to take it with me. Tomorrow is your practice, right? I’ll see how you go there.”
Pooja smirks while Kabir says, “Please Pooja… I want to go practice… My master will beat me if I get absent tomorrow.” He sarcastically pleads her.
Before Pooja is about to reply, Kabir makes a long jump and come near Pooja. Pooja runs and Kabir follows. They finally go near the bed and Kabir caught Pooja and held her within him.
Pooja giggles, “I won’t let you get this Kabir.” Kabir who is holding her hand to get the gloves, says, “Win is on my side, Pooja.” Still, Pooja didn’t leave the grip to get the gloves.
Kabir and Pooja continues their Tom and Jerry game and finally Pooja managed to win by not giving gloves to Kabir. Kabir is tired.
Pooja laughs at him – “What happened Mr.Boxer? Energy exhausted…”
Kabir – “Okay, you won. Give my gloves.”
Pooja handed the gloves to Kabir but Kabir pulled her hands and she fall on his chest and he fall on the bed. Pooja is looking at Kabir’s eyes and the vice versa. They got mesmerized with each other’s eyes and they want the eye lock to be never ending.
Baat Bas Se Nikal Chali Hai
Dil Ki Haalat Sambhal Chali Hai
Ab Junoon Hadd Se Badh Chala Hai
Ab Tabiyat Behaal Chali Hai
Yun Hi Pehloo Mein Baithe Raho (x2)
Aaj Jaane Ki…
Aaj Jaane Ki Zid Na Karo (x2) – (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil)
Suddenly, Pooja pushes Kabir and stands up. Kabir too stands up.
Kabir – “At last, you fall on me..”
Pooja looked at him shockingly.
Kabir winks – “You fall on my chest, right…”
Pooja pouts. Kabir laughs.
*****
Shivli is reading her diary which was written during the times of her tuberculosis days. It is the only source of joy when everything surrounded by her is negative.
Shivli was reminded of her days with Shivaandh in Nainital. It was almost seven years ago when she met him in the hospital. She remembered how she and her mother suffered from Tuberculosis and had a bad experience in the hospital where they couldn’t eat properly or couldn’t stay in peace. It is still the most toughest phase of her life. Kabir worked somewhere else to pay for their treatment and his studies. She didn’t even see his brother during those days and barely she spoke to anyone in the hospital. Her mother is still on the despair of losing her husband.
One day,
Shivli has vomitted that food she had eaten. She has been crying thinking her agony why she can’t eat just like others. A hand patted on her shoulders. She looked at the person who patted. It was Shivaandh who is almost of her age.
Shivaandh – “Why are you crying?”
Shivli didn’t heed to him and continues crying. Shiva lifted her face up and wipes her tears with his hands.
Shiva – “If you cry, there is of no use. Pour your feeling out, you can feel light.”
Shivli – “What to pour out? Shall I laugh that I am going to die within 6 months? Shall I laugh that I am undergoing a lot of suffering due to my diseases? Or shall I be happy that my mother is going to die within few months? She doesn’t even look at me as a creature and always thinking about her husband. I neither get the love of my brother as he is somewhere else nor the love of my mother See, I poured everything, Am I feeling light? No… The agony is just increasing…”
Shiva takes a chocolate roll from his small box and give it to Shivli.
Shiva – “It is for you. Eat this.”
Shivli looks at him suspiciously.
Shiva – “You can believe me that there is no foul play here?”
Shivli looks at the roll and she finds a small chit in the roll. Shivli looks at him and he signs to the take the chit out. She opens the chit and reads,
“Its not about bringing happiness, its all about winning sadness”
Shivli wonders and looked at Shiva. Shiva asked her to eat the chocostick. Shivli eat the chocolate.
Shivli notices same kind of choco sticks in his box.
Shivli – “What is this? I haven’t seen this kind of chocolate anywhere.”
Shiva looks at her and smiled.
Shiva – “These chocolates can bring smile. You look…”
Shiva takes the box and go to a crying child. He caressed the girl’s face and asked him to eat the chocolate after taking the chit out. She reads the information in the chit,
“God is always with you. God asked me to say that a big happiness is waiting for you.”
After reading that, the little girl looked at Shiva signing if it is real. Shivaandh nods his head positively. The little girl smiles and hugs Shiva.
He did the same for another child. The child read the quote and smiles. Shivli is quite amazed. Shivaandh comes to Shivli. Now both the children starts playing with each other.
Shivli – “You…”
Shiva – “These chocolates are bought from market and I insert the chits into the roll which can bring happiness.”
Shivli – “What happen when the children came to know it is a lie?”
Shiva – “How can you say it is a lie? There are proofs that if a patient stays positive throughout, he can overcome any deadly disease. Just look at the boy and girl. They both were crying since long. Now, they are smiling whole-heartedly and playing with each other. How pleasant it is! Also, its not only their pain, just look outside…”
Shivli look at few parents smiling from the glass of the room. She understood that they were the child’s parents.
Shiva – “Their heart sank when they saw their little child crying lonely in the ward. Now, look at their smile. Even if it is a lie, it won’t be a sin because the smile of the child cured the sorrow of their parents.”
Shivli don’t know what to say.
Shivli – “But…”
Shiva – “Life is all about happiness. Learn to overcome griefs with a smile.”
Shivli nods.
Shiva – “You said that your mother is not talking to you because she is busy with her despair. Now, you are going to talk with her and make her eat the food. Deal?”
Shivli – “How is that possible? She is not at all speaking with others…”
Shiva – “But she is your mother. She is your responsibility. You are not others, aren’t you? Her pain is no less than yours. Only she might be knowing what she is undergoing. Be a solace for her to share her sorrows with you. Slowly she can improve.”
Shivli – “Okay.”
Shiva – “Don’t give up. You must succeed.”
Shivli nods and go. 45 minutes passed and Shivli comes from her mother’s room.
Shivli looks for Shiva but didn’t find him. She comes outside of the hospital and looks Shiva starting his bike to go. Shivli calls him – “Heyy… Chocolate Boy…”
Shiva looks at her calling. Shivli run towards. Shiva get down from his bike and looks at her running towards him.
Shivli hugged Shivaandh tightly and she cries happily saying, “I succeeded. My mom is talking to me. I got the hope that I’ll make her forget the old despair and try to give her a hope of survival like you gave to me…”
Shiva released her from the hug.
Shiva – “Will you smile now?”
The question of him registered strongly in her brain. Shivli smiles. Shivli forgot all her agony and smiling. There is nothing impossible.
To be continued…
Author’s note:
Hello everyone, hope you’re doing well. Sorry for being late in posting the chapter. Hope you like the chapter and do comment your views. Shivli and Shivaandh’s Flashback is yet to be continued. Do give your views on the new pair Shivli and Shivaandh. I hope you have enjoyed Jabir scenes