Pyar ka doosra naam intezar

Chapter 8: Dhoondti phirti hai woh

Anupama went around the class hoping to find this faceless Anuj Kapadia. She roamed around in the class hoping to find him siting in the first row or the second row, but unfortunately all the people who were talking didn't take the name 'Anuj' for addressing anyone of their friends. Their professor came in and asked everyone to settle down. Anupama sat down at her place and wondered how she will be able to give the notebook back now. The professor was about to start the lecture when 3 boys of their class came near the door.

Arun: Sir, may we come in?

Professor: What is this? Professor ke baad aate ho class me?!

Vivek: Sir, sorry sir woh we had been called by Professor Shakti.

Professor: so what?! I don't care! Aur tum teeno ko bulaya tha unhone?

Anuj: Ji sir, woh committee se related koi baat karni thi unhe..

The Professor turned around after hearing Anuj's voice. Till now he had not been looking at the people standing at the door.

Professor: Oh! Toh tum log ho!

Anupama also looked at the door and found these three boys. They were the ones who usually used to come late in the first classes or in the classes whoch had break before them. Anupama looked at them and Anuj caught her looking at them, he felt very conscious and embarrassed as the Professor had started to scold them.

Professor: Get out!

Saying this, the Professor closed the door on their faces. The boys were forced to stay out and started talking to each other.

Arun: Kya hai yeh yaar!

Vivek: I know! Tanashahi hai yeh toh!

Anuj: humara system hi kharab hai! Bekar me itne strick hote hai! Arre reason toh sunn lete!

Arun: Chal chod yaar! Waise bhi sir aane nahi dene wale, toh chalte hai na music room! Thoda masti hi sahi kar lete hai!

Vivek: Good idea Arun! Anuj, tu chal raha hai na?!

Anuj: Ab tum sab jaa hi rahe ho toh mai bhi chalta hu! Let's go!

They all went to the music room and started playing with the instruments. This is when Arun caught Anuj strumming the guitar.

Arun: Anuj, tujhe guitar bajana bhi aata hai kya yaar?

Anuj: Ha yaar..thoda thoda baja leta hu..

Vivek: Suna na phir!!

Anuj started strumming the guitar. They boys were having soo much fun inside that they ignored the time. The class was over and the children had started to pour out of the classroom. Anupama was crossing the music room in order to go to the dance room when she heard Anuj's guitar. She stopped and peeped inside the music room. She saw these boys enjoying themselves and Anuj playing the guitar. She was enjoying it as well, Anuj was an excellent guitar player. She left the place when she heard Devika's voice from behind her.

Devika: Arre yaar sunn!

Anupama turned around and walked towards Devika.

Anupama: Ha bol Devika..

Devika: Anu tu ne de diya woh copy Anuj ko ya nahi diya abhi tak?

Anupama: Devika dekh mujhe ne maloom tak nahi hai ki kaun hai yeh, dikhta kaisa hai yeh..tu hi dede ne!

Devika: no way! Tu ne padhai ki uske notebook se, toh isiliye ab tu hi degi usse yeh wapis!

Anupama: accha theek hai! Par yeh toh bata de kaun hai yeh!

Devika: batati hu! Chal, dikhte hi mai bata dungi tujhe!

Devika took Anupama with her to the canteen. Devika had not had anything since morning. They both sat down and got their food with them. They were eating when Anuj and his friends came to the canteen. They all were very happy and went to sit on a table. On the table, they started to drum it with their hands. Anupama started looking at them and everyone in the canteen started enjoying as well.

Random stranger: Arre wah Anuj! Aaj bada accha mood hai tera?!

Anuj: kuch khaas nahi! Bas aaj masti karne ka mood hai!

Arun: Ha yaar kya guitar bajaya iss insaan ne andar music room me!

Vivek: Wah! Bas wah!

Anuj: Bas bhi karo!

Anupama finally got to know who Anuj was. She had to return his notebook to him and thus needed to remember his face till the time she doesn't return the notebook. But first, they both completed their food. After completing their food, Anupama remembered that her bag was in the dance room. She got up from there and went to bring her bag. When she returned to the canteen she saw that everyone was there but Anuj wasn't there. She started going to the classroom.

On the way to the classroom, Anupama saw Anuj coming down the stairs. Anupama felt awkward approaching him but she had to give the notebook so she tried anyway.

Anupama: umm..aa..Anuj..

Anupama knew her voice was almost inaudible. But to her suprise, Anuj heard her and turned around the moment he heard his name.

Anuj: Anupama..

There was no chance that Anuj could've missed Anupama's voice that too calling him out! He looked at Anupama in shock, he had never thought that she'd take his name.

Anupama: Ji woh..aapki notebook mere paas..

Anuj: meri..tu...aapke paas..kaise..

Anupama: Woh galti se Devika ne aapki notebook mere bag me rakh di thi..

Anuj: wah..

Anupama: Ji?

Anuj: Waha..waha kaise pahunch gaya! Mera matlab yeh tha..

Anupama: Ji..yeh lijiye aapki notebook.

Anupama returned Anuj's notebook to him and smiled at him and left. Anuj kept in looking at Anupama. He was shocked. Her finger had brushed the sides of his hands and it felt as if he had found heaven. He looked at Anupama walk away from there. He smelled his notebook and he felt as if Anupama saw standing right next to him.

Anuj: Devika ki bacchi! Wah! Kya kaam kiya hai tu ne!

Anuj blushed and thanked Devika in his mind. She initiated a small talk between him and Anupama. It was a really big deal for Anuj.
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The next day Anupama was alone, Devika was on a leave. After the class, she went directly to the canteen and took a bottle of coke. She was drinking it when a girl came to told her that the dance inductions for the competition were taking place in the basement. She left drinking the coke, a little of it was left and she went away from there.

Anuj on the other hand had been seeing her throughout the time. He followed her into the canteen and was standing at a distance watching her drink coke peacefully. After she left, Anuj came to the counter, looked around to check if anyone was watching, the moment he found the correct time, he picked up Anupama's coke bottle and drank a little of the remaining coke from it. After doing it, he quickly left from there. It was a little different feeling for him. It was becoming a little difficult for him to hide his feelings for Anupama now.

He returned home that day and after eating his food he sat with the radio. He switched it on and started to listen to the songs. Soon he felt as if he could relate to each word being sung:

"Tum to dil ke taar chhedkar ho gaye bekhbar
Chaand ke tale jalenge ham ai sanam raatabhar

Tum ko nind aegi, tum to so hi jaaoge
Kis ka le liya hai dil ye bhi bhul jaaoge
Ye to kah do, ek baar khwaab men to aoge"

Anuj: Sach me, mere dil ke taar chedkar kaha chali jaati ho tum Anupama..