Shades Of Thirteen

A Try - V

Naina POV:

Scooter started & we reached back to Lamba Bari. I was not angry on Maami or on Boby, I was bit of exhausted & scared, was that right to go with him to a restaurant without informing Maa & D? I was in a dilemma. I was worrying about their reactions but before I confess anything to them Maami tried to convince her (Maa).

Maa didn't say anything to me immediately, but her one look was enough to made me realise that she is neither convinced by Maami nor she's happy with my Mughlai with Boby.

While coming back home Maa asked me silently.

Maa: Why did you go with that guy without my permission?

What if he could have harmed you? What was the reason? Do you like him?

Me: I was not aware about anything Maa, Maami forced me to go, I went just for D. Maami suggested that if I will go with him & will show him sympathy, he might not harm D and might not disturb her wedding.

Maa: Now? Who told you about this solution and this new problem? Let's see, will talk on this later. But anyways you shouldn't have gone with him, I don't like this, Naina. Don't repeat it in future (with an irritating voice).

D screamed and busted out on me for this same stupidity, I was silent, but I don't know why I was feeling, may be everyone is overreacting, may be Boby is not that bad (the most 'not to feel' type feeling).

My new classes were going well. I had started three new coaching classes. Bengali, Geography and Sanskrit. Fully focused on my coaching classes and my school classes and they were gearing up daily, my studies were going well.

But I discovered that Boby had started following me, sometimes I found him near my school sometime near of my coaching classes. Once in a day he used to show his face somehow.

Durga Puja 2002- It was Durga Ashtami and Shruti invited me for puja at her home. In her house, they used to celebrate Durga Puja in a bigger way. I went & enjoyed Durga Puja with my few other friends who all were invited too at her place. Puja went and like all Bengalis I too have cried at Visarjan. We used to be unusually happy one-month prior Durga Puja and unusually incredibly sad one month and more post Durga Puja. After Puja, one day Shruti came running (excited) to me saying: 

Shruti: Naina, I have fantastic news for you.

Me: Ohhh ok... What happened?

Shruti: Do you know Dev?

Me: Dev? Aahh!! Not exactly remember the name but sounds known. Why what happened and who's Dev exactly?

Shruti: Do you remember during Durga Puja at my place you met a tall, fair, guy with specs?

Me: May be, can't exactly recall, but what happened?

Shruti: (Just like saans-bahu serials padosan aunty types, excited in conspiracies, she discloses one historical news) My maid didi, works in my neighbour's house too and our neighbour's home is Dev's home and she asked me today,

Maid Didi: Shruti, that tall fair girl, your friend who had come that day here for Durga Puja, what is her name?

Shruti: I said Naina, but why what happened? Why are you asking about her?

Maid Didi: Shruti I saw her photos in Dev dada's room.

Shruti: What? Dev means our neighbour.

Maid Didi: Yes Shruti, Dev dada's entire room's wall is covered with your friend's photos.

Shruti: Naina, I think, he loves you & when I asked him, he said that he had already proposed you, but you didn't reply.

Me: I really don't remember then, when had he proposed me?