"SHOOTING STAR"

Part-31

After almost 20 minutes of walk they reached near an area which was surrounded by trees only…..

Mallika: where we are going yrr….. atleast bata to do…..

Sumedh: sabr ka fal jo hai vo kya hota hai…..

Mallika: meetha……(she said getting annoyed)

Sumedh: yess…. Very good….. intelligent ho rahi ho tum bhi dheere dheere…..(she gave him are you serious wala look and he looked here and there to avoid an eye contact)

After few more steps sumedh tied a blindfold on her eyes…..

Mallika: heyy….. now this is for what…..

Sumedh: for surprise…..

Mallika: kesa surprise…...

Sumedh: jesa marji…. Bas tum chup raho…. Itne question kbc main amitabh bachan ji nahi poochte jitney tum 5 minute main poochti ho…..

Mallika: ok then dekhti hun tumhara surprise. ab to dekh hi leti hun…..

Sumedh: han han ab to dekh hi lena…..

He hold her wrist to lead her the way as she was blindfolded….. finally they reached near a lake which was surrounded by trees from three sides……

Mallika: pohonch gaye na…. ab to kholdo….

Sumedh: han bhai han….. ruko….. dekho eyes dheere dheere kholna ok…..(she nodded)

He went behind her and slowly opened her blindfold….. the moment she opened her eyes she was awestruck for almost 5 minutes….. she was looking at the view infront of her without even blinking her eyes…..

Sumedh: sooooo….. how do you like it…..

Mallika: do I really need to mention…..(finally she looked at him) this is best surprise anyone gave me in my entire life….. I just can’t express how I’m feeling right now…… thank you soo much sumedh…… you really made my day….. no no my entire trip…… (she said little emotionally)

Sumedh: bas bas bas yrr…. Itni tariff….. well well main to apne don ko khush karna chahta tha…… if you liked it what more I need……

Mallika: hum yahan baithe…..

Sumedh: yess why not…..

They sat their dipping their feet in the water….. both were silent but the silence was speaking a lot……

Mallika: sumedh…..

Sumedh: hmmm…..

Mallika: ek bat puchun….

Sumedh: han han…..

Mallika: us din jab meri dress pe ink giri thi…. Tab tumne uspe flowers banaye the na…..

Sumedh: han….

Mallika: how your strokes were so professional….. means it was looking like that you are master in that…..

Sumedh: tumhe yad hai tumne kai bar mujhse pucha hai ki akhir meri problem hai kya…. Kyun main devdas bana ghumta hun as you say…. This is what my problem is…….. painting is my problem…..

Mallika: matlab….

Sumedh: mera bachpan se ek hi sapna tha……. main artist banna chata tha apni khud ki art gallery kholna chata tha….. lekin(he became quite)

Mallika: lekin kya sumedh……(she said keeping her hand on his shoulder)

Sumedh: lekin mere parents ya kahun sirf mere dad ne ise completely reject kar diya…. According to him my dreams my feelings my everything is useless…… he only want me do what he says…..aur dukh ki bat to ye hai ki mere mamma bhi hamesha unka hi sath dete hain….. unke liye dad se zada sahi koi ho hi nahi sakta……

Mallika: but being an artist is not useless…..

Sumedh: unke liye hai…. Kyunki unki reputation kharab ho jayegi na agar unka beta unka office nahi sambhalega….. yahi to vo chahte hain……

Mallika: that’s why you have conflicts with your parents…..(he looked at her questioningly) sorry but us din jab tum apne papa se bat kar rahe the us time main soyi nahi thi…. I heard your conversation……

Sumedh: I don’t have conflicts main bohot pyar karta hun dono se but……(he looked towards sky) bohot dukh hota hai….. bohot akela feel hota hai….. mujhe ye samajh nahi aata main kya karun…… agar apne sapno ke taraf jaun to parents ke sath galat hoga….. aur agar apna man maru to mere khud ke sath galat hoga……

Mallika: main ek bat bolun…..

Sumedh: obviously…… tumhare siva hai hi kaun jo kuch kehta hai…..

Mallika: you can make everyone happy together….. yourself and your parents too…..
Sumedh: how……

Mallika: tum apna passion part time follow kar sakte ho and side by side apna business bhi handle kar lena….. tum bhi khush aur parents bhi khush….

Sumedh: do you really think maine ye karne ki nahi sochi hogi…..

Mallika: then what’s the problem…..

Sumedh: (he chuckled sadly) only one thing…… they don’t understand me….. I told you na for them what I do from my choice is always useless……. And ab bas….  Thak chukka hun main khud ko explain karte karte…. Aur nahi kar sakta……

By now mallika was feeling tired she unknowingly rested her head against his shoulder….. as he was drowned in his talk he didn’t even realized it…..

Sumedh: unhone mujhe kabhi special feel nahi karwaya….. for my dad his business is everything and for my mom my dad is everything…… mere friends bolte the ki main single child hun to meri sari demands poori hoti hongi….. hoti hai….. lekin kabhi aj tak mujhe unhone ye nahi poocha ki main kya chahta hun…. meri khushi kisme hai….. kabhi mere kisi birthday ko mere sath nahi manaya…..
Birthday…. Fir ane wala hai…..(he chuckled sadly) lekin kya farak padta hai….. main unke liye sirf unka heir hun…. jo unki company chalayega….. lekin vo ye nahi jante in sab cheeson main unhone apna beta kho diya…..
Jo ab shayad kabhi vapas nahi ane wala……..

“dil agar begane tod jaye to shayad sambhal bhi jaya karte hain….lekin apno ke diye zakhm kahan bhula karte hain…..”

A tear drop fell from his eyes and he wiped it immediately……. Then he realized that mallika’s head is resting on his shoulder and from don’t know when she was sleeping…….

There was a serene calmness on her face….. seeing that a small smile formed on his face…… his heart was somewhere pleading to stop the moment right there for eternity……
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Tbc