"Bas karo Shreya! Thak jaaogi. "
Priyanka spoke to Shreya, her bench mate and friend, who was walking to and fro with a book in her hand and clear tension on her face. The semester exams were going on in the university.
"Yaar mujhe kuch nahi aata. Main aaj pakka fail hone wali hoon. " Shreya spoke.
"Itni tension lene ki koi zarurat nahi hai. Tumne bahut acche se prepare kiya hai na, jitna hoga utna likh dena."
"Nahi maine kuch prepare nahi kiya."
"Shreya...! "
The examiner called all the students inside the examination hall.
"Chalo ab book band karo aur andar chalo. " Priyanka said. Shreya nodded.
They both went inside the examination hall.
Meanwhile Kartik entered the same examination hall. Suddenly his eyes went to Priyanka, who was seated in a corner row.
"Ye toh wahi ladki hai! Exam ke baad inse milta hoon. " He thought in his mind, and went to his seat, which was a little distance away from her.
__________
Priyanka finished her exam one hour before and went out of the hall. Kartik didn't noticed her going as he was busy writing his paper.
After waiting for 20 minutes, Shreya came out of the hall. She saw Priyanka sitting on a bench there and went to her.
"Kaisa hua paper?" Shreya asked.
"Accha tha or tumhara? "
"Ha mera bhi accha hua. Par tum exam hone ke baad itni tension mein kyun ho? "
"Yaar meri watch kho gayi. Pata nahi kaha gira di maine. Exam hall mein jaakar dekha toh haath mein watch hi nhi hai mere. Ab samajh nhi aaraha dhoondoo toh kidhar dhoondoo?
"Tension mat lo yaar hum idhar hall ke aas pass dhoondte hai idhar hi kahi giri hogi. "
They both searched here and there for the watch but didn't found it.
"Yaar lagta hai kahi raste mein gira di hogi tumne kyunki yaha toh dikh nhi rahi. " Shreya told.
"Yaar ab kya karu. Woh...woh meri favorite watch thi, maine aise kaise kho di. " Priyanka mumbled very sadly.
"Priyanka ab kya kar sakte hai. Humne toh dhoondne ki koshish ki na ab nhi mili. Phir bhi hm ek baar jaate hue poore raste mein dekh lete hai ok tension na lena."
"Ha chalo!"
Priyanka didn't find her watch even after all the searching and also she couldn't remember how and where she lost the watch. Being disappointed, she left from there thinking that she will never be able to get that watch again.
____________
Kartik finished his paper after sometime. And when he looked up he noticed Priyanka wasn't there. His face became dull and tensed. He hurriedly gave the paper and went out of the hall in hope if he can still find her outside.
"Oh no! Ye ladki toh chali gayi. Itna bhi kya paper mein gusa hua tha ki unhe jaate hue bhi nhi dekha. Ab kya karu?" Kartik whined.
Kartik friends also came out and found him somewhat tensed. They asked him the reason but he denied.
__________
*In the evening*
Suman was unpacking Kartik's college bag and in the bag she found a watch, a ladies watch. She went to the hall where Kartik was watching TV, sitting on the sofa.
"Kon hai woh ladki?" She asked him.
Kartik was shocked and confused at his mother's sudden question.
"Kon ladki?"
"Bhola mat ban. Sach bata kon hai teri life mein? Girlfriend bana li na tune?"
"Hey bhagwaan! Mumma kya bol rahi hai aap? Ladki? Girlfriend? Kya hogya hai aapko?"
"Toh phir ye watch kiski hai?" She asked him showing the watch in her hand.
Kartik suddenly got up from the sofa and took the watch from her hand.
"Ye watch aapne kyun nikali mere bag se?"
"Dekha dekha hai na koi ladki teri life mein. Waise toh mujhe har cheez batata hai par ye baat nhi batayi."
"Yaar mumma koi ladki nhi hai. Aap kuch zyada hi soch rahi hai. Ye watch toh... "
"Tu apni girlfriend ke liye gift laaya hai na?"
"Mumma poori baat toh sun lijiye. Ye watch mujhe aaj college mein mili."
"Matlab?"
"Aaj main college mein ek corridor ke waha Vikram ka wait kar raha tha. Tabhi ek ladki chalte chalte galti se mujhse takra gayi. Aur tabhi shayad uski watch mere pair ke waha gir gayi, usne dhyaan nhi diya. Maine jab tak watch dekha aur lautane gaya tab tak woh waha se chali gayi thi. Phir woh mujhe exam hall ke andar dikhi. Maine socha exam ke baad watch lauta dunga par woh mujhse pehle hi nikal gayi aur main ise lauta nhi paaya. Yahi poori baat hai."
"Tu sach bol raha hai na?"
"Mumma todha toh trust kar lijiye apne bete par. Agar koi ladki ki baat hogi bhi toh apko pata hai na main sabse pehle aapko hi bataunga."
"Mujhe kya pata ajkal ke bache toh girlfriend ke aate hi apni maa ko bhul jaate hai." His mother said being dramatic to tease him.
"Bas bas!" Kartik said making a face.
"Pehle ye bataye is watch ka kya karu?Exams bhi khatam hogaye ab toh." He continued.
"Are exams hi toh khatam hue hai college toh nhi. Chuttiyon ke baad jab woh ladki milegi tab lauta dena use."
"Ha bas woh ladki mil jaaye!"
"Waise bata toh woh ladki dikhti kaisi hai?"
"Mujhe nhi pata!" Kartik replied knowing well that his mother was trying to tease him.
"Accha ok main jaa rahu bahar doston se milne. Bye!" Saying this Kartik went out taking the watch.
___________
'Waise bata toh woh ladki dikhti kaisi hai?' This question of his mother kept revolving in Kartik's mind. He closed his eyes and the image of the girl he met today started appearing before his eyes.
Peach color mules, blue jeans, short kurti of pink color with simple white embroidery, evil eye chain hanging around her neck, white studs, open hair and minimal makeup on her face.
Kartik, don't know how, remembered even the little details about that girl.
"Kaise dhoondo aapko? Mujhe toh aapka naam tak nahi pata!" Kartik said looking at the watch he was holding in his hand.
He had no idea how he would find that girl, but he, for sure, was very determined to do this, to return this watch to her.
Meanwhile Vikram came there. Seeing him Kartik suddenly hid that watch behind him, but he was late. Vikram noticed him doing this.
"Oye! Kya chupa raha hai?"
"Kuch nahi. Main tujhse kya chupaunga. Ye bata itna late kyun hua main kabse wait kar raha tha?"
"Oh hello! Topic divert mat kar. Sach sach batayega ya main apne tarike se pata karu?"
"Bola na kuch nhi hai. Tu bhi.... "
Vikram suddenly snatched the watch from his hand.
"Accha beta! Ladki ka mamla hai. Aur tu mujhse chupa raha hai? Apne bestfriend se? Sach sach bata kon hai meri bhabhi?"
"Chup ho ja. Koi bhabhi nahi hai. Tu aise hi bolega pata tha mujhe isiliye tujhse chupa raha tha. Ye watch toh mujhe aaj college mein mili."
Kartik explained him the whole story about the watch.
"Are yaar isme itna kya tension lena. College khulne de dhoond lenge us ladki ko, matlab bhabhi ko." Vikram was trying to tease him. But in return he received a glare from Kartik.
"Accha baba sorry sorry. Tu bhi na pagle, mind kar jata hai har choti baat ko. Chal tujhe samose khilata hu."
.............
YOU ARE READING
BROKEN BUT BEAUTIFUL
RomantikPRIYANKA:- Loving, caring, kind and a broken person. She is 21, living alone and attending her university in Delhi. _________________________________________ "When you love someone, you protect them from pain, you don't become the cause of it." __...
