THE WAR FOR LOVE

Part 3

Sana got confused with Sidharth's words. "Kyu?" she asked. 

"Maine kaha na mujhe zaruri kaam hai, uske liye mujhe jald se jald nikalna hoga." he replied, dodging her question. 

"Lekin mai kisi ko janti hu jo alag alag gaon me jaate rehte hai kaam se. Meri dost ke Pitaji hai, vo tumhari madat kar sakte hai Narainpur pahuchne me." she suggested, walking back towards the kitchen where she was boiling some vegetables. 

"Nahi, mujhe kisi ki madat nahi chahiye! Bas thik se chalne lag jau phir khudse chala jaunga. Tumhe mai kal kaha aur kaise mila yeh kisi ko mat batana." he said. Him stressing on keeping his presence hidden was making her suspicious. 

Why would a lost person not want help? Was he hiding something? Was he a goon or an arsonist or someone from a revolutionary group? Shit! Why didn't she think of this before letting him stay a night here? 

"K-kyu? Kyu tum nahi chahte ke tumhare bare me kisi ko pata na chale?" she asked, gathering courage and a knife in her hand, in case he was actually one of the guys she was guessing. She hid the knife behind her back and turned to look at him straight. Sidharth didn't know what to answer but he definitely saw her carrying a knife sneakily. He looked at her confusingly, the way she altered her stance and glared at him. 

"Tum chor ho? Ya daku?" she asked, he couldn't help but laugh now. 

"Has kyu rahe ho? Chup chap jawab do!" she shouted, pointing the knife at him now. He laughed because she was finally using her brains, after bringing a stranger home, letting him stay the night and then wondering if he could be a dangerous guy. She was so silly! 

"Nahi, mai chor ya daku nahi hu." he answered in a composed manner, holding back his smile. 

"Toh chhup kyu rahe ho?" she questioned again. 

"Mai vo nahi bata sakta." he replied, looking away. Cursing the situation that was making him lie again and again, he had managed to avoid some of her questions last night but now, it was getting difficult. 

"Tumhe koi dhund raha hai kya?" she asked, he looked worried. She could see how tense he was. 

"Huh?" he wondered how she guessed that. 

"Dekho, tum daro mat. Ye gaon tumhare liye naya hoga lekin yaha ke log bahut ache hai. Mai yaha bachpan se hu'' she said, in an assuring tone. 

"Mai um-ha, mujhe kuch log dhund rahe hai. Isiliye mai nahi chahta tum kisi ko mere baare me batao. Sana, mai koi badmash nahi hu bas waqt acha nahi chal raha mera." he replied, not knowing what she'd comprehend out of it. 

"Shiv- '' she called him, "Bhagwan sabki pariksha lete hai, tumhe bas himmat rakhni hai. Yeh bura samay nikal jayega." she said with a smile. It made him smile too, her words gave him some endurance. 

"Aur mai kisi ko nahi bataungi tumhare baare me, bas tum ghar se kabhi bahar mat nikalna." she added and busied herself in preparing food again. 

"Dard kaisa hai?" she asked. 

"Abhi bhi hai." he replied and looked at the girl in front of him. So gullible and innocent, she believed him so easily that he wondered how she would have managed if there was an actual bad guy in his place. He felt bad for lying to her, but it was necessary. 

"Ye lo, palak toh khate hoge." Sana appeared again with a plate and placed it next to him on the bed. There were two chapatis and some sauteed spinach. 

"Daal hai?" he asked, something to keep up with his muscles. Pulses were there in his daily diet in the palace. 

"Daal? Tumhe pata nahi daal kitni mehengi aati hai!?" she gasped.