Meant To Be

Chapter 13. The Birthday Present

    That night, Sam sat on her study table chair, thinking deeply about the suddenly-werid behaviour that Boby was showing towards Sam. It was as if he had some kind of a change in feelings towards Sam or more dreadful..."What if he can read my mind and.." She couldn't continue further. The idea of him being able to read her mind was totally absurd. And even if he could, why would he behave in this manner as if to reciprocate the feelings, when he already has a wife?
    She shook her head slightly, as if to remove that thought out of her mind. She opened her diary and thought of writing down her feelings, her emotions, instead of keeping it inside her until she was full of emotions.
    Dear Diary,
It's been a rather hard 2 months for me. Exams! But by God's grace...I passed with flying colours, once again! And more than that, I was happy to see my parents give me a genuine smile, after so many days, on my achievement. They do not want me to roam around, or even keep in touch with Boby and Shammi di, after that incident. But they don't know (I think!) that every evening Boby joins the four of us for evening walks. And Nish says that we have started coming closer in these 2 months. I feel so happy about it, in fact I even have dreams about him. But somewhere, I know that he'll never be mine nor I his. I do not want to ruin Shammi Di's life.
Okay.. emotional talks aside. Tomorrow's my birthday! And even greater news. Boby and Shammi di are going to give me a surprise!
I hope my parents don't get to know about this or else I'll be slaughtered to death. I have already told Nish, Ro and Dhruv to handle things over here, if it gets out of hand.
    She closed her diary, blushing. Many a times, she wished she could have someone, whom she could confront her feelings with. Who would not judge her or her thoughts. But even so, she liked to keep a diary, where she could express her feelings and emotions in a free flow, without any formality.

The next day, at school, was very hectic. Just like at the start of school after the Diwali vacations, the teachers, this time too, started giving innumerable amount of homeworks and assignments to students from writing a three page essay in English to drawing a mandala for art class. Sam was overburdened with homeworks but tried to complete them whenever she got free time. Even after this, she didn't forget about her birthday and distributed chocolates to every one in her class and took Nish to distribute chocolates to the teachers during recess.
    
The bell rang, indicating the end of the last period. The students merrily picked up their bags and moved out of the class, chatting excitedly with each other. Sam was really tired. She picked up her slightly over weight bag (which she thought was because of the unending homeworks and assignments, which were still pending after trying to complete them in her free time) and walked over to where Nish, Ro and Dhruv, who were huddled near the classroom door, waiting for her. "Let's go." Sam sighed.
    "What? You have to go now, with Boby and Shammi di. Forgot?" Dhruv asked, raising his brows.
    Sam had completely forgotten about it. She hit her palm on her forehead and closed her eyes tightly. She saw a hesitant look on Nish's face. She tried to ignore it. Thinking that she would be late and didn't want to keep Boby waiting on her birthday, she ran as quickly as she could, through the crowded corridor, which were filled with students who were desparate to go home, or hang out with their friends. She could hear Ro calling out loudly from behind her and saying, "All the best!"
    After much pushing and making her way through an almost- stampede, she saw Boby looking at his wrist watch and leaning against his car. Her heart started thumping so loudly, that she could still hear it even in that noisy after-school environment.
    She started walking towards him, not realising that Shammi was sitting in the front seat.
    When she was just a few metres away from the car, Boby looked up at her, gave a bright smile and said, "Hi! Happy Birthday!" He extented his hands. Sam took it and he shook their hands lightly. His grip was tight as ever on her hands. After what seemed like a minute, Boby left her hand and beckoned her to take the back seat.
    "Happy Birthday, Sam!" wished Shammi, rather too loudly, as soon as Sam got inside the car and kept her bag beside her. "Thank you." Sam beamed, little assuming that Shammi hadn't really meant to come and celebrate her birthday.
    The drive was again silent with Shammi making soft whispered conversations with Boby at irregular intervals. Sam tried her best to ignore them and started admiring the car. The scent of the car fragrance, the rear view mirror, all made her remind of the unforgettable incident. She looked out of the window and smiled to herself.
    Boby suddenly got out of the car. Sam turned her head to look where Boby was going and saw that he was trying to resolve a fight between two men, who were arguing with each other in the middle of the road. She hadn't even noticed that they were stuck in the traffic jam and started to calculate of how much time would've been wasted. Deciding, not to ask Shammi di what the time was, she opened her bag to and started rummaging as if she was searching something. After a few seconds, she closed her bag, removed her water bottle from the water bottle pocket in her bag and started drinking water.
    "You know I sometimes think...." Shammi started suddenly, looking at her husband. Sam's stomach churned, but she continued to drink water. "....that you'd look better in my place - I mean, you know, Boby's wife. You'd be a better wife than me."
    Sam choked on her water. She couldn't believe her ears. She coughed for a moment. Becoming Boby's wife was the last thing she'd wanted to hear from Shammi. Were they so close, that Shammi, wife of Boby, has  started imagining them as husband and wife? Instead of feeling euphoric, she felt greatly embarassed. She had never meant to come too close to Boby, or to act as "another girl" in their lives. She felt nauseatic and instantly regretted, having drunk so much water. 
    She looked at Shammi who was now looking at her. Sam was completely at a loss of words. What could she say, when she really loved Boby and would have loved to be called his, but can't admit it in front of her? At that moment, Boby came back. Sam heaved a sigh of relief, shakily. It was now clear: She would have to maintain a distance from Boby, even if it means murdering her happiness, her heart, her love, everything which made her feel that she really loves him.
    She opened her mouth to ask the time and realised that she couldn't get the voice. And out of nowhere, she realised that her eyes were filled with tears. She wiped her eyes, cleared her throat and asked, "What is the time?... Er- I need to get back early." she added hastily, without waiting for an answer.
    "Oh yes, of course! It won't take much time." said Boby brightly. Sam looked at him and smiled feebly and for the first time she realised, how much difficult it was to smile.
     After fifteen- twenty minutes, Boby stopped the car in front of a semi- huge hall. The entrance of the hall had a huge poster of Naafi Kaur, the famous classical singer of Rajasthan.
    "Are- are we going to attend the classical show of Naafi Kaur which is to be held today?" Sam asked nervously.
    Both of them nodded their heads excitedly. There was a look of shock on Sam's face. She had always  admired Naafi Kaur and wanted to attend at least one show of hers. She squealed with delight and thanked both of them profusely.
    The hall was completely filled. They found their seats in the second row. Sam sat beside Shammi (against her will) while Boby sat on the other side of Shammi and Sam noticed that there was a slight trace of sadness on his face, which was replaced by a look of shock on his face when the curtains of the stage flew open to reveal an extravagantly beautiful woman- Naafi Kaur. She started singing and Sam felt as if she had entered a land of enchantment, where the most beautiful ladies of the world were dancing gracefully to the tune of the song.
    The song ended and the hall broke out into a thunderous applause. Naafi Kaur gave her most charming smile, made a small bow and the curtains were drawn back. Everyone started moving towards the exit, after listening to the extremely torturing and boring speech of the host.
     When they stepped out of the hall, Sam saw Boby whispering something to Shammi. Shammi nodded her head and they instantly turned towards Sam. Boby beckoned her to sit inside the car. She obeyed and went and sat in the backseat. To her great surprise, only Boby came back while Shammi waved them goodbye. Sam looked flabbergasted. She asked Boby why Shammi wasn't coming back with them.
    "Oh, she going to a nearby shop to buy something for aunt. We are going to her house for a week. After her heart attack, I never got to spend time with her. I'll leave you home and then I'll come back to pick her up and then we'll go." Boby said. Sam nodded.
    The drive was unusually silent. Sam didn't want to make any conversations. The thing that Shammi let Boby leave her back, was itself a great thing to her now.
    Boby stopped the car, a little away from his house. He got down from the car.  Sam took it as an indication that the stop had arrived and got down too. But Boby had removed something from the pocket, which was in front of the passenger seat.
     He walked towards Sam. He was now so close to her, that she could feel his breath on her. He handed her a beautifully wrapped gift. It felt like a book.
    "Well this is my birthday gift for you. Happy Birthday." he said almost in a whisper, which she couldn't have been able to hear if she were a few feet away from him. Sam tried to take tiny backward steps. "It's a poem book. It was mine earlier. Do read it and tell me how it was." he continued.
    Sam looked at the wrapped book in her hand for a moment, then said, "Th-thanks." Boby smiled and awkwardly raised his hand to say goodbye. Sam took reluctantly raised her hand to say goodbye and started walking back home.
    When she walked a few steps away from him, she could hear hurried footsteps coming nearer and the next moment, she saw Boby standing in front of her.
    The next thing which Boby did, shocked Sam to the core. He hugged her. It was a tight hug. Sam was shaking violently. She hesitated, then looking that he was still hugging her, she reciprocated the act. Unknowingly, she hugged him tightly as if she had wanted to do so for years. It was the best feeling in the world.
    After what felt like ten minutes, Boby loosened his grip and let go her. She again bade goodbye and started walking towards her house. On her way she, she opened her schoolbag, which didn't feel heavy anymore, and put the book inside. She didn't want her parents to see it.
   When she reached her house, she noticed that the door was open. She made a silent prayer and stepped inside the house. As she stepped, she saw her parents sitting on their living room sofa, an infuriated look on their faces. Sam's heart started beating faster than it had ever done in her life.

Sam recieved a birthday present from Boby. Is there something in it for her? Her parents do not look happy. What will happen now?

                      To be continued.....