Prem Vivah

• A Wish Fulfilled •

They sat in silence, communicating with each other through their eyes. Naina had so many questions roaming in her mind but she couldn't ask him anything due to a lack of confidence. She didn't know how he would react to her questions, hence she decided to keep quiet and let everything go as it is. She stretched her legs a bit causing her anklets to chime softly in the peaceful atmosphere, and Sameer couldn't help but stare at the beautiful feet of his girl...She wore a toe-ring that made her look even more traditional and ethnic. He glanced at her for a moment, and asked her gently - "What do you like to wear the most in ornaments?"

Naina contemplated for a while and then started to write, and Sameer was eager to read, once she wrote the names she handed over the book to the Rude-Man, and he examined her words carefully - "Mujhe Chudiyaan aur Earrings bahut bahut bahut bahut bahut pasand, and Payal bhi. I don't know if you find these things boring or outdated, but I genuinely love wearing Indian ornaments that enhances my personality, aur waise toh nose ring bhi achi lagti hai but I can wear that only occasionally."

Sameer was influenced by her thinking, indeed Bangles and Anklets make a girl look even more beautiful...and the music the bangles create when a girl moves her hand or does some activity, that feeling is truly heaven. He remembered how much he loved caressing Naina's smooth wrists whenever she wore glass chudiyaan...he loves to play with them and listen to them jingling beautifully.

"Nice! I love it." Sameer said with a sweet smile.

"Love it, what?" Naina asked him through her curious expressions.

"Your personality." He replied, meekly.

She blushed unknowingly and wrote - "Thank You! Can I ask you one thing?"

Sameer nodded his head in affirmation after reading her solemn words, and Naina quickly penned down her question on the sheet, though hesitating a bit initially - "Tum mujhse pyar karte ho...par kabhi kaha nahi mujhe, kyu?"

He was surprised by her eagerness to know why didn't he confessed his love to her before. He couldn't understand how to tell her that he knew she wasn't in love with him, she didn't consider him more than a Good Friend, and because of that, he kept silent all these years. Sameer took out a cigarette and put the stick between his rough lips, trying to ease his overflowing emotions, he used the lighter to ignite the fire, and meanwhile, Naina was staring at him meekly, her eyes reflecting the sorrow for straightforwardly rejecting his proposal...her thoughts were disturbed when She saw him smoking the cigarette carelessly, spreading poisonous fumes around the corner, and her hand ached to pull this harmful toxin out of his mouth, but should she do that? Should she stop him from smoking? Wouldn't he get furious at her for trying to interfere with his personal space? Perhaps No, because friends have this much right to stop their other friend if He/She is doing something wrong and unbeneficial for themselves.

Subsiding her fear. Naina raised her hand and pulled out the cigarette, throwing it anywhere on the vacant terrace. Sameer shot a glare at her for interrupting his relaxing-time, and asked her urgently - "What was that, Naina?"

She softened her moist eyes and nervously wrote on the fully-filled page - "I am sorry but mujhe nahi pasand tumhara smoke karna. I didn't even like it when Prithvi told me he smokes and drinks. Why you both are same?"

Sameer was astonished when Naina compared him with that disgusting boy Prithvi. He ached to tell her that he is far better than her ex-boyfriend but remained quiet. He begrudgingly exhaled out a deep breath and replied to her solemnly - "I got addicted to cigarettes because of loneliness. I felt better when I smoked...and hence I started to smoke more often, sometimes after the classes, sometimes while doing a night walk...Mere ghar me kisi ko nahi pata ki mujhe smoke karne ki aadat hai, I do it secretly...I can't abandon cigarettes right away, I need time. Perhaps years to quit smoking."